Page 91 of Gabriel's Album

I lift my head and meet his gaze, then I shake my head at him. “I don’t know. She seemed pretty set on her decision, but she can’t just walk away, can she?”

I desperately want him to say that she can’t. It’s unthinkable to imagine Ariana actually leaving. That she would leave like this, without even giving us a chance to try and work through it.

“Fuck. I don’t know. I’m so sorry, Gabriel,” Sebastian cringes, and I remember that this all started because of his date. I can’t even muster up the energy to be angry about that anymore. “Do you want a drink or something?”

“Sure. I’m going to text Ariana and ask her to come up and see me,” I tell him as I unlock my phone.

I’m greeted with a picture of Ariana and me. I have my arms around her, and I can see the sense of peace in my eyes as we both smile at the camera. This picture hurts so much that I struggle to write my text to her through my tears.

Ari. I love you so much. Please come back up and talk to me.

It’s less than a minute before there’s a knock on the door.

A slight gasp escapes my lips, and I say, “Oh my god, maybe that’s her.”

Sebastian has been at the bar, getting us some drinks, but he diverts to the door to let Ariana in.

Except that it’s not Ariana.

When he opens the door, Heather is standing there, with Harrison and Hayden behind her.

“We thought we should bring Hayden,” Heather announces as she moves aside to allow them into the room.

“You told them?” I glare at Sebastian, feeling disappointment, but it’s mixed with relief that he told our friends what happened, so I won’t have to.

“No, I didn’t,” he tells me, and I cringe at his words. “But I know you need us, Gabriel. All of us.”

I glare at him for a few more seconds before all of my anger and energy seeps away, and I’m left feeling completely broken. I just nod back at him without another word. Heather looks at me, but I can’t meet her gaze, so I look down at my feet while fighting against a fresh round of tears.

“What’s going on, Gabriel?” Hayden asks softly.

I sigh, not wanting to say it again, but I manage to croak out, “Ariana broke up with me. She’s going home.”

I give into the tears that have been threatening to fall as Heather denies my words. “No. She was going to come and see me.”

“She had her bags packed when he got back, apparently,” Sebastian bites out.

Heather repeats, “No.”

I look over to see her pull out her phone, and she obviously dials Ariana’s number, but the call goes to voicemail.

“Ariana, darling? It’s Heather. What the hell happened? Gabriel said you’re leaving. Where are you?” She hangs up the call and looks around the room before stating the obvious, “She didn’t answer.”

Harrison steers her over to a second sofa and begins murmuring his comfort to Heather. I feel a wave of guilt that it’s my girlfriend that has caused her to be hurting.

Hayden drops onto the sofa next to me as I pull out my phone and call Ariana, hoping she’ll answer, but I’m saddened when my call goes to voicemail. “Ari, are you coming up to talk to me or not? Please don’t tell me that this is really happening.”

I end the call and pull up my photos to look through the ones of Ariana and me. She’s so beautiful and it hurts. She can’t really be leaving, but this all feels so fucking final.

“Is there anything I can do, Gabriel?” Hayden asks me quietly.

I lock my phone as tears come to my eyes again. “Not really. I just need her to come back up here.”

“Would it help if I called her, maybe?” he asks, looking doubtful.

I shake my head, but then shrug. “Maybe? I don’t know, Hayden. I can’t do this.”

I hear Sebastian’s angry voice from where he’s now standing over by the windows. “Ariana? What the fuck? Will you answer our calls, please?”

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