Part 3

When I entered my classroom, Gabriel and Steph were already there, but this time in their respective places.

I sat in my chair and watched her for a moment. Stephanie was different, I decided. The cheerful glow that always surrounded her was gone. Now her expression was hard, her gaze cold. Even her clothes seemed to have been randomly chosen, which was rare for her. My friend had disappeared and I was dead set on bringing her back.

"Morning," I greeted her with my usual smile, but her reply was hard and hollow.

"Morning."

She didn't even turn to look at me, I sadly noticed, and then I was angry, since deep down I knew I was the only one to blame for whatever had happened to leave her in that state.

"Stephanie! I need to have a talk with you," I decided and she finally turned to face me. At least I'd gained her attention.

"Really? That's funny. I also have a few things I'd like to say to you," she replied in what almost sounded like a threat, her words sharp as daggers. But I stood my ground, raising my head to face her.

"Before lunch?"

"Fine by me."

Joanne didn't even greet us as she walked in and I sighed when the teacher finally arrived. Another English class passed in silence.

When the bell rang we all went our different ways and I was relieved when Kevin greeted me like he always did.

"Is everything all right?" he asked, genuinely worried. "You, Steph and Gabriel hadn't been around that much. And Joanne, well, she's been impossible, complaining and criticizing everything within eye reach."

"It's nothing. Don't worry, Kevin." It was the only thing I could tell him.

I did notice something different. Contrary to what had happened last Thursday, Gabriel and Steph didn't exchange a single word the entire day, not even during break time. And, when class was over, just as we'd agreed, Steph was waiting for me in the corridor.

I smiled at Kevin and promised that I'd meet him soon. Joanne passed by us like a hurricane, without sparing us a single look. That talk of ours wasn't going to help in the least in terms of convincing her we weren't excluding her from anything.

We walked side by side down progressively less frequented corridors, but didn't exchange a single word. Finally Steph stopped and turned to face me.

"This is good enough," she decided, the loathing in her voice even clearer as she placed both hands on her waist. "What did you want to tell me?"

I took a deep breath, holding my books against my chest. That Steph was kind of scary, I thought. The strength where I'd always found comfort and security suddenly turned against me.

"Steph, I need to know what happened! I don't understand!"

"What happened?" she repeated sarcastically and I felt the weight of an accusation in her voice. She felt I should know. That it was my obligation to know.

"Yes!" I replied, exasperated. "Because suddenly everything changed!"

"You're right about that!" she agreed and I swallowed as I gathered enough courage to ask what I knew I had to ask, but especially to hear her answer.

"Gabriel ..." She shuddered at the sound of his name and my heart sank. I knew it. He was the reason behind all this. "What did he do to you?" I demanded. "Talk to me!"

Her gaze became even colder and an ironic smile tore at her lips.

"He didn't do anything," she replied in a defiant whisper and took a step towards me. "And that's what I have to tell you!" She stabbed her index finger in my chest. "Keep away from him! You have your Michael, right? Isn't that what you always wanted? Gabriel belongs to me!"

I completely forgot about the things I was supposed to be holding and my books fell all over the floor. The corridor spun around me, the intensity of her greenish gaze confusing my brain, making me wonder if I'd really heard what I thought I'd heard, and somewhere deep inside me a sharp pain stole my breath.

"Gabriel belongs to you?" I repeated, perplexed by the idea alone, and it took me some time to reach the full meaning of what she'd just said. "You can't!" I countered vehemently and she took a step back as if she'd been taken by surprise. "You can't, Steph! What about Mark? Weren't you dating him?" I urgently asked, looking for arguments that would help me make her deny what she'd just said, but she quickly recovered from her incredulous state and anger took over her face.

"That's none of your business!" she slashed back.

"But Steph! You don't even know him! You don't know what, who he is!" I rapidly corrected in despair and she held me hard by an arm, transforming my urgent voice into a low cry of pain. The place where she held me was the same exact place where Gabriel had grabbed me when he'd saved me from drowning. My skin still showed the purple, dark marks made by his hard strong fingers.

"Who would have thought that you were such a slut!" she declared with scorn and anger. "You want them both? Forget it! I've already warned you! Gabriel belongs to me and you just try pulling us apart and you'll see!" she clearly threatened me and pushed me back with enough strength to make me stagger a few steps as I fought to regain my balance.

Before I could say anything else, she was already turning her back on me and furiously walking away.

"Stephanie!" I still called after her, but only the echo of my own voice replied, until everything was silent once again.

* If you want to know more about this book or simply access earlier updates, please visit the official site at http://carpersanti.net/gaea/