Page 73 of Gabriel's Album

I grab the spare keycard for her room and head down to it. When I reach the door, I open it and immediately hear a movie playing on the TV. I smile as I hear a joke about going in a hot air balloon with a fear of heights.

I’ve barely made it a step into the room before I catch sight of the bed in the room—Ariana and Sebastian are reclining next to one another, eating chocolates and laughing as they watch the film together.

I watch them for a minute, feeling jealousy coursing through me. Not because I think Sebastian would ever betray me by sleeping with Ariana, but because her wall is down right now. She looks happier than she has in a month, and something about this happy scene cuts me deep.

I give a loud and obvious cough. Sebastian pauses the film, and Ariana looks up to see me. Her face splits into a massive smile when she does, and she looks delighted that I’m back from the zoo early.

“Why, hello there,” Ariana says while getting up from the bed and walking toward me.

“I didn’t realize you had company,” I respond in a much colder tone than I intended.

She follows my gaze to where Sebastian is lounging on her bed.

“Yeah, Sebastian came around for a chat, and we thought we’d watch a movie.”

Ariana has a guilty look on her face as she hovers next to me at the edge of the room. Sebastian seems completely unfazed by my sudden appearance, but then again, he would, wouldn’t he?

“So, how was the zoo?” he asks, breaking the silence as Ariana takes a seat in a chair facing both of us.

“It was good. It was nice to be the only ones there,” I admit, staying in my position at the entrance to the room.

“I’ll bet,” Sebastian grins.

“Of course, you’d know that if you’d gone with us instead of ditching the party to hang out with my girlfriend in her hotel room watching movies,” I say pointedly and raise my eyebrows at him.

“Wow, Gabriel. Jealousy isn’t pretty on you,” Sebastian comments dryly.

“I’m just stating a fact,” I shrug, and glare at him, feeling annoyed that he got to spend the day with Ariana when I couldn’t.

“So am I,” Sebastian says, giving both of us a cocky grin. “But, I get the hint.”

He gets up from the bed and tosses the television remote that is still in his hand down on the bed.

“I’ll see you later, Ariana.” Sebastian smiles at her. “It was nice hanging out.”

Ariana says softly, “You don’t have to go.”

“Nah, it’s fine,” Sebastian replies.

He shakes his head at me as he approaches, and I feel him brush past me on his way out of the room, but I’m still looking at Ariana.

“Nothing happened, Gabe,” she says, turning her gaze to meet mine.

“I know,” I say, still not moving from where I’ve been standing since I saw them on the bed together.

“Don’t you trust me?”

“Of course I do.” I walk over to her chair and pull her up so I can hug her.

“Then why are you acting like a jealous moron?” she asks as she wraps her arms around me, squeezing my midsection tightly.

“Because I don’t trust him?” I ask.

Ariana moves away from me and sits down on the bed. I follow her and take the spot that Sebastian has recently vacated.

“I don’t believe that’s true.” A frown crosses her beautiful face as she looks at me.

I sigh and decide to tell her the truth because she needs to know how I felt in that moment when I saw her there.

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