The Beginning (The Life 1)

I’ve been pissed all weekend; in fact, ever since Gabriel broke down our door and busted her out, I’ve been on tenterhooks. Mom is right things are getting away from us more and more here lately, and it started with him. After years of trying to get his attention, there’s no way I’m going to lose out to Gia, no way in hell.

I have no doubt I can take him away from her just like I’ve done with everyone else who mattered. I just need to get him away from her. She’s had all weekend to play the victim in front of him, something she does very well, but I’m sure a few minutes with me, and I’ll set him straight.

Someone like Gabriel Russo would never be satisfied with that imbecile. What’s the use of being book smart when you’re otherwise dumb as a stump? It should only take this one weekend for him to realize that he can do better. But even knowing that, I’ve still been unsettled with her being gone this long.

No doubt she’s told him her sob story, but I’ve already got my excuses lined up. It was nothing more than an innocent prank, after all. Even Felix had bought it once I turned on the waterworks, so I don’t see why Gabriel wouldn’t.

I was looking out the window for the one-hundredth time when I got a text. ‘Have you seen the school forum?’

‘Why would I be interested in that? There’s never anything interesting on there.’

‘You might want to check it out, the last post from about ten minutes ago.’

I logged onto the post with very little interest until I saw the heading. ‘Out and About in NYC.’ There for all the world to see was Gia with Gabriel Russo. They were sitting at a table with his family and some other people I didn’t recognize, but my eyes only saw those two, the way he was looking at her, and her looking so... I felt bile rise in my throat as I threw the phone and screamed.

Mom came running into the room, but I couldn’t speak around the lump of hate in my lungs. I just pointed to the phone where it laid on the carpet. “What the hell has gotten into you?”

“Just look at it.” She turned the screen over and turned white, all the color draining from her face. “Adrienne?” She dropped to the floor.