27: Near Future

adult language

Gabby pushed him away and wordlessly went up to her room. Nate didn't try to follow her.

She pushed me away. And there she goes, planning on leaving me in the morning, he thought as he felt an ache deep inside his chest.

There must be something I can do convince her to stay! I may not be the psychic one around here, but I know August. And what he experienced from her both pissed him off and 'fascinated' him. Nate thought the word 'fascinated' in a sarcastic way. He may look like he's gone now, but if I know him his curiosity is going to get the better of him and he'll be back. 

Besides, damn it, Gabby! How readily you forget the fucking visions when it suits your purpose. Sooner or later, he's coming back.

I'll wait until she goes to sleep. If she thinks she can slip out in the morning without me knowing she has another thing coming.

When he sensed she'd fallen asleep, he went to nap against her door so he'd be sure not to miss her attempted departure. Also, he knew she planned on going back to work for that sleazeball of a mayor, and he couldn't allow her to be put in the situation he knew the man had planned for her. He leaned his head back against the doorjamb to doze.

Gabriella woke up at six when her alarm went off and sat up to look at her suitcase. She couldn't believe her whole life, minus the larger magical items, now fit inside that suitcase. She sighed and got up to take a shower, hoping that Nate wouldn't hear her. Then she finished getting ready for work.

When she walked out of her room to leave, she got startled by seeing Nate sitting in one of the chairs from the chess table, blocking her path to the stairs. She knew this wasn't going to be easy.

"Nate."

"Yes, Gabriella?" he asked with false sweetness.

She took a steadying breath and continued, "I'm going to work today, and if I can, I'm going to find another place to stay until I can buy a house. I'd appreciate it if you'd let me keep these larger items here until I can get a better place for them."

"That's really quite interesting that you think that." he said cryptically.

"Think what?"

"Well, for starters, that you think you're going to work for that dickhead again. Like I would let you do that while I still draw breath. And you're not moving out. I told you I wouldn't let you go. Who's to say August doesn't come and take this stuff? That's far from my chief concern, but I have to come up with something that might matter to you. If you don't live here anymore then nothing will stop him... especially if it's two-to-one."

Gabriella stood there in shocked disbelief. "Nate, you can't stop me if I wanna go."

"Like hell I can't." he said with a little more force behind his words.

"If I don't go to work today I'm fired."

He raised his eyebrows, "Good. Even better. Although, I suppose it would be more polite to at least call."

"And say what? That my boyfriend is holding me hostage? Again?" she said viciously.

He winced a second before his face cleared and he said, "So, I'm still your boyfriend?"

"It was a slip of the tongue." she quickly explained with a toss of her head.

"Gabby, I'd beg if I thought it would do any good." he said as he stood and walked over to her.

She backed up against the door in a meek attempt at putting more distance between the two of them.

"Please don't leave me." he decided to beg anyway.

She closed her eyes and wished that action blocked out his smell and the sound of his voice as good as it blocked out his expression. She whispered, "Why should I stay?"

"Because I love you. Because I need you. Because you need me. Don't try to deny it." He said the last statement in response to her throwing her eyes open. He felt her tremble as he reached up to stroke her face with his thumb. "Stay." he whispered.

"You're acting like I have no choice. Does that make me your prisoner?" she said with her face turned away from him, trying to avoid his hand.

"I will do everything in my power to keep you safe." he promised in a slightly threatening manner.

"You mean to just keep me because I'm safe now." she said as she turned back to glare at him.

"Then prove it." he said as an idea hit him.

"How?" she asked before he could continue.

"Look into the future and show me you'll be safe." he said, his face inches from hers. "If you can do that, then I'll let you go." He pulled back and watched her worriedly, hating himself for banking on the hope that she was about to see herself in yet another dangerous situation.

"Fine." she replied rebelliously. She closed her eyes and asked that mysterious whatever-it-was if she would be in danger in the near future.

Her old visions showed up again.

Near future?

She saw an actual Magic 8 Ball pop up with the answer 'signs point to yes'. A feeling of panic gripped her.

She didn't get much time to dwell on her panic because then she saw herself and Nate at a carnival, speaking with a strangely-dressed woman. She heard herself say, "I've come to you to get some answers." Then the visions stopped. When she opened her eyes, she discovered Nate was holding her up.

"Near future, Gabriella." he reminded her.

She shook as she pulled out her cell phone to call her boss.

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I got the Magic 8 Ball image (which just cracks me up) from  http://thebigbluenationreport.blogspot.com/2010/03/elite-8-predictions.html simply because it had the answer I wanted.

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Magic 8 Ball is a registered trademark of the Mattel toy company. It has been used in this blog merely for entertainment purposes. I have no affiliation with Mattel or any of its subsidiaries.