Page 127 of Gabriel's Salvation

“You're such a dickhead,” Nate responds, trying not to laugh. “You can’t tell Riley though, or anyone else. This has gotta be our secret.” Nate says while pointing a finger at me. Damn, he really loves this girl.

“Don't worry, I'm a master secret keeper,” I joke, as I pretend to cross my heart. “I won't tell a single soul what happens behind these four walls.” As soon as the words leave my lips I regret them.

Nate's face morphs from playful to sad in a microsecond, as like me, his mind instantly reminds him of all the many secrets these same walls held for us both growing up.

“I didn't mean…” I start, but the damage is already done.

“I know,” Nate replies with a fake smile. “I think I’m gonna hit the hay anyway. I've gotta be up early in the morning.”

He stands up and walks away, leaving me kicking myself, for yet again letting my stupid mouth spoil a moment where I was actually feeling close to my brother once again.

Why the fuck am I such a screw up? Even when I'm trying to be nice, or heartfelt or genuine, I'm still a thoughtless dick.

Why am I so shit with words? It's like no matter what I try to do or say, I screw it up. I bet if it was Tucker he was speaking to, he would have known the perfect thing to say in return.

Picking up my empty beer bottle I throw it at the nearest tree, not caring as I hear it smash.

Chapter Forty-Two

Riley

“Get up!” Ava hollers as she begins banging her hands on my bed.

“Fuck off,” I grumble as I pull a pillow from under me and place it over my head. I know we said we’d go dress shopping today, but it's like 5 a.m,, why is she here now?

“Wake up Riley,” Ava huffs as the bitch drags the quilt off me. I kick and punch the mattress in response. “Bitch!”

“Yup, and proud of it,” she responds joyfully before she then insults me further by swiping my one remaining pillow from under my head.

“I fucking hate you,” I say through gritted teeth.

“And I love you too, my little zombie.” Ava jokes back in that mockingly joyful tone of hers.

“Coffee,” I grumble as I finally sit up, knowing that the bitch isn't going to let up till I'm out of bed.

“Here you go Precious,” she teases as she hands me my favorite iced coffee.

Thankfully she doesn't say another word till my drink is empty and I vaguely resemble a human again.

“Better?” she questions as I place my empty cup on the bedside table.

“Much,” I respond, with a grateful sigh.

“It's safe to come in now!” she calls out, just as I hear Izzy and Harper come bounding down the stairs to me.

“I don't know how you do that,” Harper laughs. “I'd one hundred percent have ended up with a black eye if I had tried half the shit you did,” Harper laughs as she bends down and picks up my pillows and blanket from the floor and throws them back onto my bed.

“True, but she knows I'd hit her back twice as hard if she tried,” Ava laughs back in response.

Both me and Izzy look at each other as if to say ‘she's right,’ before we just nod.

“What time is it anyway? It feels like it’s pre-dawn.” I complain with a yawn.

“It's almost twelve,” Ava huffs. “We have already eaten breakfast and helped Izzy’s Nana take some items down to Goodwill. So hurry the fuck up, we need to go prom dress shopping before there’s nothing left in this god forsaken town.” Ava says all of this with a frown. She's so bossy!

“Fine, give me thirty minutes.” I sigh as I shuffle out of bed and towards the bathroom.

“You've got twenty,” she shouts through the closed door.

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