Toxic (Ruin 2)

I reached down and unlocked the case, letting out a gasp as my fingers fell on one of the most expensive guitars I’d ever seen in real life.

The Fender Stratt had beautiful carvings for an acoustic, almost like it had been made specifically for this Parker guy.

“Ahoy! Ahoy!” A loud voice jolted me out of my trance.

“Busted.” Another voice followed. I knew that voice. With a muffled curse I turned around and slowly looked up.

Gabe.

Princess was right next to him in her chair giggling. “I did it! I warned you!”

“Forgot the Matey part.” I winked, trying to lighten the mood.

“Oh, sorry.” She cleared her throat. “Ahoy Matey!”

Gabe’s eyes narrowed.

“It’s uh…” I tucked my hair behind my

ear. “Because I’m a Saylor.”

“Caught that.”

“So…” I stood, my knees cracking as I rose to my full height which still only met Gabe at his chest.

“Stealing?” He crossed his arms, muscles bulged beneath his long sleeve gray shirt.

“Sharing.” I shrugged. “She wanted to play, and I didn’t think it was fair that she’d be left out. Isn’t that right, Princess?”

Princess ignored me completely. Instead, her eyes were for Gabe, and only Gabe.

“Besides,” I said with fake confidence. “I don’t see your name anywhere on that bad boy.”

He smirked and pushed back his hair. It looked lighter than normal. Did he dye it? Why would he dye it darker? Was he into Goth or what?

“Princess,” Gabe said, turning. “Did you want to play the guitar?”

“Oh yes, please. Just like you.”

Crap. He played guitar, sang, and played piano. Great, so he was basically like sex on a platter for a girl like me. If he were ugly, I’d still be panting after him like a lost puppy.

Music people were weird.

Gabe’s eyes didn’t leave mine. “Not right now, Princess. I think your teacher’s right, though I frown upon her methods.” I rolled my eyes. “You should learn to play.”

“Yay!” Her head moved back and forth a bit, and then some saliva fell from her lips.

Gabe gently leaned over and used part of her sweatshirt to wipe the wetness away. “Wearing my favorite sweatshirt, beautiful?”

“You noticed!” She beamed.

“I always notice what you wear,” he whispered, then pressed a kiss to her forehead. She coughed, earning a concerned look from Gabe. “How about I grab the guitar and bring it over and you can join the rest of the group. You hum the song and I’ll play it, sound good?”

“Like a team.” Her mouth gaped as she stared at his eyes.

“We’re always going to be a team, Princess.” Gabe gently helped close her mouth and then wheeled her over to the rest of the group taking the guitar with him.

I was cemented to the ground. Was he stalking me now? Why was he here? And how did he know the girl?