Chapter 2

Catalina's POV

"So do you want to explain what happened last night?" Gabriel asked as he handed me a bowl of Alfredo pasta. I shrugged my shoulders as I took the bowl from his hands,

"What's there to say? I went out, met someone, and spent the night at their place. What's the big deal?"

Gabriel crossed his arms, irritation clear on his face,

"The big deal is you said you'd be home by a certain time and you weren't so naturally I was worried."

"I'm a grown adult, Gabriel, you don't have to worry about me." I kept my head down and my eyes focused on the food in front of me. Unable to meet Gabriel's eyes as he took the seat beside me and took my hand in his.

"Look I know you're going through some things and you aren't ready to talk about them," I rolled my eyes, he was right. Of course, I was not ready to talk about them, because they weren't there.

"Gabriel -"

"Just be careful okay? You know better than anyone that there are some fucked up people out there."

He's right. I did know. I knew there were people out there who could look like the uttermost nicest people in the world, but in reality, they were soulless leeches looking to suck the life and happiness out of everyone around them.

"I'm always careful Gabriel and you know better than anyone else that I can take care of myself," I smirked as I looked over at him. A slight smile appeared on his face.

"I know you can but still, promise me you'll be more careful." he pleaded.

"I promise," I said as Gabriel laughed and held out his pinky finger.

"You gotta pinky promise." Gabriel and I had done this since I was a kid. A pinky promise. Sure it was a bit childish but it comforted me in a way. I grasped my pinky finger around his,

"I pinky promise to be more careful." Gabriel chuckled as he squeezed my finger one last time before he let go.

"Good now tell me about the inadequate male you spent the night with."

We smiled and laughed as I told Gabriel all the explicit details of last night's adventures. That was the good thing about Gabriel. I could talk to him about anything and I knew he wouldn't judge me for it. Sure he'd give his opinions no doubt but he never judged me or shamed me for a decision I made and I couldn't be more grateful for that.

* * *

3 MONTHS LATER

"CATALINA OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR RIGHT NOW!" Gabriel banged on my door and now I was wide awake. I looked at my phone and saw the time.

4:00 PM

SHIT.

I climbed out of bed and unlocked my door to see Gabriel standing there, his fists curled at his side.

"Why are you yelling?" I asked quietly. Loud noises were never good for hangovers. Gabriel ignored me as he walked past me and headed straight to my bed and picked up the guy that was sound asleep, by the collar of his shirt, and dragged him out. I followed them out to the kitchen where Gabriel was already yelling once again,

"If I ever catch you at this house again I'll kick your ass so hard your father will fucking feel it!" Gabriel yelled as he tossed the guy outside and shut the door. He turned toward me but quickly looked up at the ceiling, avoiding looking at me.

"Can you please go put some fucking clothes on?"

Well, this is awkward.

"Oh please you've seen me naked before." I snapped back at him.

It was two years ago and sure it was by accident but I didn't think Gabriel ever recovered from that. He was waiting for me in my room and I hadn't heard him come in so I strolled out of my bathroom, fresh out of the shower as naked as the day I was born. Gabriel had shielded his eyes after a slight blush peppered his cheeks. Ever since then, Gabriel had always knocked.

I rushed to my room, grabbed my black satin robe, and tied it shut.

"What the hell was that Gabriel?" I yelled back as I re-entered the living room. Gabriel finally looked at me, his eyes burning with rage.

"What was that? hookup number eight this week?" Gabriel asked, his voice reeked of disdain.

"That isn't any of your damn business."

"It is my business when you bring them into my home!" he shouted

"It's my business when you drink eighty bottles of my wine in three months!" Gabriel walked closer to me,

"It is my business when one of them leaves you for dead in the middle of your room!"

He's still not over that…

Weeks ago I hooked up with Jason? Tanner? Caleb? Honestly, I couldn't remember his name but what I did remember was drinking and taking some pills the guy had given me before we hooked up. Gabriel found me the next day on the floor unconscious, my body covered in bruises. I didn't know what happened and honestly, I didn't want to know.

Gabriel placed his hands on the island, grasping the counter so tightly his knuckles turned ghostly white.

"Catalina, it has been three months. Now I get you're going through a rough patch and I understand it but I will not allow you to destroy yourself more than you already have."

"I am not destroying myself," I whispered hoping to reign his temper in a little bit.

"YOU ARE DRUNK MORNING, NOON AND NIGHT! AND WHEN YOU'RE NOT DRUNK YOU'RE EITHER SLEEPING OR FUCKING!" Gabriel shouted. I had nothing to say. Nothing that could make him calm down. I had never seen Gabriel that angry before. That was raw anger and pain. I hated it. I hated that I was the cause of his anger.

Gabriel sighed as he walked over to me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders, pulling me close to him.

"Things have to change Catalina. Soon. Because I will not sit back and watch you kill yourself."

I hated seeing him like this.

"I'm not killing myself, Gabriel," I whispered against his chest.

"But you are. Slowly. Very slowly you are killing yourself,"

"What do you suggest I do Gabriel?" I asked as his hands slightly tightened around me.

" You need help, Catalina."

I slowly began to untangle myself from him.

"I don't need help Gabriel, I can take care of myself." I started to walk back to my room. completely over this conversation. But Gabriel lightly gripped my wrist and pulled me back

"Not like this. You can't take care of yourself, not in this condition."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Talk to someone. If you won't talk to me maybe there's a therapist that can help-"

"You know how I feel about therapists." I cut him off. I hated therapists. The ones I had seen were by my school and they didn't do shit to help me when I needed them. They listened for all of an hour, got their check, and went about their day. They never did anything or took anything I said seriously.

"Please just try Catalina." Gabriel pleaded and I saw the anger in his eyes was gone and replaced with sorrow.

"Fine," I said as Gabriel pulled me into another embrace.

"I'll get it set up while you go and wash up and when you get back we'll go eat."

Gabriel let me go and I made my way back to my room and into the shower. Maybe Gabriel was right. Maybe if I talk to someone about this everything will be okay. Maybe after this things will get better. Maybe things would be different this time. Hopefully.