Gabriella Gawan

I race—walked down the stairs of our mansion furiously when my phone started to buzz as it vibrated in the pocket of my brand—new school blazer.

"Yo?" I asked in a hurry.

"Ella! Where are you? In hell? School is going to start in 30 minutes! Do you want to be late on our last year back to school?" screamed a familiar hysterically.

Angelique Castillo. My partner in all things labeled as crime.

"Whew! Hold your ass Castillo, I'm coming," I calmly ended the phone call. At the speed of light, I dashed out, keys in hand, picked up my shoes and jumped inside the driver's seat of my orange Jaguar F type.

I was about to shut the door when someone swiftly invaded the passenger seat, and I mean the only person who would be simple—minded enough to enter.

"Fuck! Ivan, why aren't you at school yet?" I asked in frustration at my little brother as he place in the lock of his door firmly and buckled the belt while I started the ignition.

"Overslept," he replied, slackly might I add. The car reversed smoothly out of our family's driveway and if I hadn't been in a hustle, I would've dispatched him out already.

"No, you just wanted to mess up my last year of high school starting from the first day and making me even later," I snapped, already in a bad mood. Damn, this was why I never trusted alarm clocks. "Or, you were too busy fucking a girl that I can still smell her scent on you!"

"What? No, I didn't! You shouldn't even be asking that in the first place for God's sake, sister, and this was an accident. Mom came into my room this morning and left her lavender perfume on my vanity. I wasn't bothered to turn on the lights, took the wrong bottle, and sprayed that on instead," he explained grumpily, observing the buildings fly by.

"And, yeah, I wanted to ruin your mood, but it looks like it's already been done."

I rolled my eyes.

Ivan was two years more youthful than me and still is a brat. For God's sake, he even had his car given before me.

"It's just a month difference," Dad shrugged.

"No big deal," he continued.

Well, it damn is considering your 15—year—old brother gets his first wheels before you do.

"Why didn't you use your perfume before leaving?"

"I was already running late, and besides I have some extra ones in my locker, I'll just do that at school."

"Whatever you say, kid." I chuckled as I sped us away to our school.

"Oh, and by the way, dangerous car you got here," marveled Ivan as he touched the soft surface of my seat. "How are you getting on with it?" he questioned.

My lips curved to a smirk.

This car was gifted to me for my 17th birthday several months ago, and I have been utilizing it on the asphalt tracks. Ivan's never been in here before, nor anyone else, as I never allowed them to even stand 5 feet from my treasure. Looked like today was his lucky day.

"Like it's my baby."

****

My eyes squinted twice as I searched the bulletin board and involuntarily bit my inner cheek hard that I thought I tasted a bit of iron.

"Stop brooding, Gab, before you achieve the art of wrinkles," teased my best friend.

"Shut up," I grumbled, my eyes roaming at the many names listed on different papers as I hunted for my first class. It would show whether you'll land either on the feeble—minded section or the nerd realm. Cruel world, right? "Just because you're already top class for Math doesn't mean I will."

"Calm down woman. You're at a level 16 right now, but I need you at like a 7?" she suggested, with a bunch of hand demonstrations and intended giggles, but the pun did nothing to me as I scowled.

Angelique groaned," I'm sure you'll make it to the First Language class. You're great at Literature," comforted Angel as she gently patted me on the back. Angelique uses the nickname 'Gab' when she feels excessively tardy to call my name, complaining it's too long for her tongue. She's one to talk.

"Tsk. Not great enough to be the top." I muttered, making her roll her eyes. "Aha! There's my name. It's on the...English as First Language class. Oh my god!" I squealed and leaped into the air with Angelique's hand in mine as we both cheered.

"See? I told you so!" she exulted and nudged my ribs.

We then walked away from the board to let other people find their names and continued talking about our schedule when the bell rang.

"Come on! We're going to be late for assembly. Race you!"

I chuckled and couldn't help but join her.

As usual, she almost slid, and I was two steps in front of her. Just one more bend, and I'll — OOPH!

"Shit! Gab you alright?" asked Angelique in a worried voice as she came running around the corner. "Oh, fuck."

I didn't even have time to scream when I felt my legs falling and my face crashing onto a hard wall.

"Shit..." I cursed slowly as my curls moved apart for me to look at the person who I collided with painstakingly, but I was too flustered.

After a few seconds of recovering, I took up the nerve to lift my face from the wall that hurt my nose terribly.

My pulse began to fly as I found myself staring at a pair of piercing emerald eyes. I was so amazed by their unique shades that I haven't noticed that people were pushing around me. Those startling orbs held me enthralled that I could stare at them endlessly.

“Ahem," a husky voice snapped me out of my trance. Automatically, the heat rose on my cheeks and spread like wildfire. My poor heart had pumped so hard from the humiliation that I think it might explode. How I disliked these awkward situations and so I did what I do best.

"Aa—a—ouch!" I cried out, acting like my head winced in pain as I brought my hand up to my forehead for a more realistic effect. Angelique smirked, knowing very well where this was going.

But those eyes didn't seem to be falling for my trick. Instead, an eyebrow mounted and ceased my raging blood to a permafrost.

"Gab?" Angelique chuckled silently. "I think you better stand up and...from that angle." My sight then visioned out from those tantalizing jewels and up to the person's face only to find that they belonged to a...guy?

"Are you alright, man?" a boy charged through the crowd, but it sounded more like teasing.

That's when I stupidly attempted to look at our position.