Page 94 of Gabriel's Album

There’s silence for a second, and I know Hayden is considering what to say. There’s nothing he can say, though. What the fuck is the point of doing interviews when Ariana won’t call me back? I just want to stay here and be miserable without her.

“Gabriel, the interviews are to try and get this situation back on track.”

I give a mirthless laugh. “A fucking interview isn’t going to bring her back, so what do I care? Just let me stay here, please.”

Hayden sighs. “I’ll see you in a minute.”

He hangs up the phone, and I shrug. He can come see me if he wants to, but I’m not changing my mind. I open up my texts to Ariana, and I send her one.

I love you. I’ll always love you. I hope you know that. Please call me. <3

I go to the photos and look at them again. I laugh at one of her pulling a stupid face at the camera, and tears fall from my eyes. Fuck, I miss her so much.

I’m still looking at my phone when there’s a knock on the door to my suite. I sigh and head over to open it, seeing Hayden standing there with Harrison. They both look me over, and I can tell they’ve noticed I’m still wearing the clothes I wore to yesterday’s meeting.

“Can we come in?” Harrison asks.

He looks freshly showered and is wearing a grey shirt, black jeans, and a black blazer. Clearly, he’s ready for the interview.

“No Heather?” I ask as I gesture to the room behind me.

Harrison cringes and shakes his head before saying in a cold tone, “Sebastian’s with her. She’s very hurt that Ariana lied to her and won’t bother returning her calls.”

A wave of guilt washes over me that I’m the one who brought Ariana into our lives. She was Heather’s first true friend who wasn’t one of us, and a flare of anger rises in me that she’s hurting Heather as well as me.

“I’m sorry,” I mumble as I follow them over to the sitting area.

“You didn’t do it,” he shrugs. “Anyway, Hayden says that you won’t come to the interview.”

“I can’t, Harrison.” I feel tears pricking my eyes and I try to fight them back.

He sighs, glances at his phone’s screen, and then frowns at me. “I called Ariana just now, when Hayden told me what you’d said. She hasn’t called back yet.”

We haven’t really gone anywhere, and we’re just standing in a group a short way into the room. I cringe at his words because I doubt Ariana will call him back, but a massive part of me hopes that she does.

I don’t say anything in response to Harrison, and he looks at Hayden, who says, “What do you need in order to do the interview?”

“I can’t do it. I can’t pretend everything’s fucking okay when it’s not.” I feel a powerful wave of devastation hit me as I’m reminded, once again, of the situation I’m in.

“I know you’re hurting,” Hayden says gently. He sighs and continues, “We have to do the interviews. No, they won’t bring her back, but hopefully, in time, she’ll come around. All you can do is give her time. In the meantime, though, you have to live your life.”

I don’t want to live my life without her, though. I want her here with me, and nothing is right with her gone. For a second, I envisage how today could have gone if she hadn’t left. I’d be heading to this interview and giving whatever answers were prepared, secure in the knowledge that Ariana would be there whenever I came back.

I feel a tear roll down my cheek and a slicing pain in my chest as the image of what could have been comes to my mind.

“I can’t—” I manage to say and shake my head.

They look at each other again, and Harrison looks around the room, then says, “Look. Just come to the interview. We just need you there and to maybe not cry. Just be a body for us, Gabriel. Please?”

“We’ll be with you every step of the way. I promise we won’t let you fall,” Hayden assures me.

Memories from our years of friendship flash through my mind. Jokes, laughter, sad times. I sigh, and every part of me wants to not do the interview. I ache to be with Ariana again instead.

I nod my head. “Okay. I don’t know how much use I’ll be, but I can be there.”

“Thank you. Are you going to get changed?” Harrison asks gently.

I’m surprised when I give a genuine laugh. “Yeah, I suppose I should.”

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