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***
It’s fully dark when I arrive at Gabi’s apartment, and Sebastian’s driver seems reluctant to let me out at the random address I insisted he bring me to. He’s supposed to deliver me either to my apartment or family estate on Sebastian’s orders, but after a hushed conversation with Seb on the phone, the driver sighs and drops me off.
Getting out of the car, my eyes are puffy and red from all the crying I’ve been doing. I feel numb and broken, but at least I know Gabi will be there for me. She’s always been the best friend anyone could ask for.
After dragging my hands over my eyes, I knock on the door, and Gabi answers almost immediately, a soft smile on her heart-shaped, freckled face. I can't help but feel a pang of guilt as I see her, knowing that I’m about to ruin her night by venting and sobbing all over her and her apartment, and I open my mouth to tell her that I won’t be long.
But before I can even say anything, she pulls me into a tight hug, wrapping her arms around me and holding me close. Gabi is shorter than I am, and I can rest my chin on the top of her head, her steadiness soothing me already. I can feel the warmth of her embrace, and for a moment, I feel like everything will be okay.
“Come on, girl.” She leads me to her bedroom and gestures for me to sit on the bed. As I sink into the soft mattress, she disappears into the kitchen. I can hear the sound of the freezer opening and the clink of spoons as she returns with two big bowls of vanilla ice cream.
Gabi hands me a blue ceramic bowl, and I take a spoonful, savoring the cool sweetness on my tongue. It’s a welcome distraction from the pain I'm feeling, and I can’t help but feel grateful for Gabi’s presence.
“You had this all planned out, huh?” I ask, swallowing the sweet treat. “What was the protocol if it had been a proposal and not a dumping?”
“There’s champagne chilling, but I figured that you wouldn’t be coming here or home if it had been a–” She stops herself when pain makes me scrunch my face up, clicking her jaw shut before she can say any more about the proposal that never was. “Actually, who cares? You’re here now, and that alone is a reason to enjoy ourselves, right?”
Gabi holds her spoon up like a champagne toast, and we clink the silverware together instead of glasses. As we sit there in silence, spoonful after spoonful, Gabi finally breaks the quiet. “What happened at the lake?” she asks softly. “I want to hear it all, not the short version you gave me on the phone. Hit me with it all.”
And then the floodgates open. I tell her everything, from the awkward silence to the painful words. I can feel the tears welling up again, but Gabi is here, offering me tissues and a shoulder to cry on.
She listens patiently, never interrupting or judging, taking my empty bowl and sitting it on her bedside table, letting me lean my head on her shoulder when I need to. And as I finish my story, she wraps me in another tight hug, holding me close and promising to be here for me no matter what.
In that moment, I know that I’m not alone. I have Gabi, and that's enough.
“Sometimes I wish I never met him at the ball.” I grump, wiping my eyes with a clean tissue and balling it up in my hands.
“Don’t say that.” Gabi rubs a hand on my arm in a comfortable gesture. “I’m sure it’s not over. Some men are just stupid and hard-headed, especially the old money ones. But you should know that better than anyone.”
“But what if it is?” I sniffle, feeling a sense of hopelessness creeping in. “What if this is just how it’s supposed to be?”
Gabi sighs. “Maybe things are tough right now, but that doesn't mean they’ll always be that way. You and Sebastian have something special. Don’t throw it away without a fight.”
I take a deep breath and try to absorb Gabi’s words. Maybe she’s right. Maybe I shouldn’t give up so easily. But how can I fight for something that feels so out of reach?
“I don’t know if I have it in me to fight,” I admit, feeling defeated.
“You do.” Gabi gives my arm a little squeeze, her lips twisting into a smile. “And I’ll be here every step of the way. We’ll figure it out together.”
***
It was late when Gabi tucked me into a cab and sent me back to my apartment, but no matter how much I want it to, life isn’t letting me sleep in today. As the morning sun streams through the windows, casting a warm glow over the room, I lay under my sheets battling with a sense of emptiness. The buzzer for the door sounds, and I shrug on a soft cashmere robe and sulk to the door to let the guest in. I expect Gabi to be the first one to come over, to comfort me with her endless supply of hugs and ice cream. But instead, it's my brother Alex who shows up at my door, looking at me with a mix of sympathy and concern. He is perfectly dressed even this early, one hand holding a drink carrier with two short cups of something that smells divine, and the other a brown paper bag. I narrow my eyes at him, wondering if the food and caffeine is worth having to explain what is going on with me and Sebastian all over again, but Alex isn’t taking no for an answer.
“Morning, kid,” he chirps, pushing past me. I sigh and let him in, trailing after Alex as we make our way to the living room and sit down on the couch. “Heard you had a rough night, huh?”
I groan. “Gabi told you, huh?”
“Mmhm,” he confirms, teeth coming down around a croissant that he’s pulled out of the bag. “Which is why there is a double shot of espresso in that latte. Extra sugar, too.”
Looking between the latte and Alex, I give in with a resentful, “Fine!” The coffee tastes like the perfect blend of bitterness and sweet, and the caffeine zings along my nerve endings, bringing me to life. Okay. I can do this. I can get through this day.
“I’d still like to hear it from you, though.” Alex muses, leaning back on the sofa. I take a deep breath and start to explain everything to him. I tell him how Sebastian ended things, how he couldn’t handle the pressure of his dad’s health scare and our mother’s disapproval. He winces when I bring up Mom, his face pulled in an expression of understanding and sympathy. I guess if anyone knows how that goes, it’s him.
As I speak, I can feel the weight of everything hitting me all over again. The pain, the confusion, the hurt. It's all still there, raw and unyielding. But having Alex here with me, listening and understanding, makes it a little more bearable.
“Should I talk to him for you?” Alex offers, his voice gentle and soft.
I shake my head, the thought of begging for Sebastian’s love making my stomach churn. “No, I don’t want to do that. If he’s meant to be in my life, he’ll find his way back to me.”
