A Second Chance

Chapter 12

As I entered the kitchen, another loud rumble could be heard outside, which echoed loudly around the house. I yelped and hurried inside, getting closer to Gabriel.

He looked back as he felt me near him, so I moved slightly away from him.

"Still scared of thunder?" He asked.

"Not that much." I replied.
He turned, raising his brows at me in question.

I didn't reply and just walked over to the cupboard to grab a plate. When I turned, he was still staring. So I went over to the pot and poured myself some food and sat down by the counter to eat.

His plate was already set, so he sat down as well, and we both ate quietly.

I could feel his eyes on me from time to time, but I ignored him.

Another loud rubble came from outside, startling me.

"Nico, why don't you sleep in the room next to mine instead." I heard him say. I stiffened hearing him using the nickname he used when we were best friends.

"There is no need. I am fine." I said without looking up.

"You're not fine, Nico!" He said in frustration.

I took a deep breath and finally looked up, meeting his eyes.

"I have lived alone for six years. There has been a lot of thunder. I have dealt with it. I am fine." I said through clenched teeth, narrowing my eyes.

I saw his eyes flash with an emotion. Pain? Pity?! I don't need any of that. I glared at him, looking down, trying to finish my dinner quickly so I could escape from him.

I used to be really scared of thunder when I was younger, I would hide under the bed or inside a cupboard so the sound would not be so loud. When my parents died, it had gotten worse, so Sarah would always stay with me if there was a thunderstorm. Sometimes Gabriel would stay too.

"Nico, I'm -"

"It's Nicola." I interrupted, getting more and more irritated. He sighed again, rubbing his hands on his face.

"Please, can't we stop this. I thought after six years you would be over me. After seeing you with the girls the whole week, I thought you had actually matured, and you had accepted your sister's relationship with me.

I thought that we could finally be friends again. The girls need us to be a team. You and I are all they have now.

But seeing your petty behavior, it seems that you are still that spoilt selfish girl of six years ago who actually had wanted to steal her sister's fiance. Is that why you have been caring about the girls so much?!" He said, looking disgusted and shocked by his own train of thought and accusations.

The last thing he said made me stare at him, with my eyes wide and my mouth hung open. I was completely shocked by his outburst. And now questioning the motive behind me, caring for my nieces!

What he said was like he had stabbed me in the heart and was twisting it.

Knowing that, that's what he thought, and actually hearing it from his mouth again, even after six years, had the effect of almost completely breaking me.

Why does his approval matter to me so much?

I knew how low he thought of me. I hate to admit it, but I guess I had begun to put my guard down around him, with spending so much time here with him, taking care of the girls. But I should never have.

The fact that he had thought so little of me and had judged me so badly so easily then, when he was supposed to be my best friend, was what made me hate him.

My pain quickly turned to anger , and I had a hard time controlling it. I took a deep breath and glared at him. I was done being silent and letting people get away with hurting me!

"Wow, Gabriel, your opinion of me flatters me," I said mockingly, letting all the bitterness I felt to seep through my voice.

"But unfortunately, I can't live up to it, I am afraid." I said, leaning back in my chair and crossing my arms in front of my chest, giving him an evil smirk.

I could see the confusion on his face with my actions.

Oh, he thought he had everything figured out, and I was just some stupid, naive, clingy girl who couldn't forget about him.

"You keep accusing me of trying to steel my sister's fiance..." I started, leaning forward.

"Tell me, did you tell me that you were her fiance? Or, that you two liked each other at the very least? Did you?" I asked, glaring at him.

"Didn't Sarah...?" He asked uncertainly, getting more and more puzzled.

I shook my head, giving him another smirk. "You two were so busy being in love that you had forgotten to inform me. I had just returned from my trip that day, remember....

You were my best friend, and she was my sister, I would have been very happy for you both, had I known. My love for you both meant much more to me. I would never have minded breaking my heart for you both." I told him sadly.

"My problem hadn't been you choosing her. It had been the fact that you thought I was capable of destroying my sisters happiness for my own. You didn't even need to know the facts before you judged me." I said

"I have seen how happy my sister was, being married to you, and I was very happy for her. Not even once did I resent her or want it for myself. Nothing had been more important to me than her. She is my sister." I informed him sadly with a far away look, thinking of her.

"But you..." I said, turning to look back at him after a while. "We can never be friends again." I announced, shaking my head, pointing at the two of us.

" I don't think we ever truly were, to be honest. Friends would never think so low of one another, " I stated wonderingly.

"So... We shall remain father and aunt to Livy and Bella cause we are not gonna let our personal differences come in between our responsibilities towards them. Other than that, we are nothing to each other, " I concluded, glancing up at him, making him look at me, his eyes pleading with mine. I looked away, ignoring his look, as I stood up from my chair and went to wash my plate.

Once I was done, I turned to him, saying, " Thank you for dinner and for letting me stay here for the night. I will leave early in the morning. Goodnight.."

I moved away from the sink and left the kitchen, with his eyes still following me, while I made my way upstairs to the bedroom next to the twins', where I just took off my jeans and slipped under the covers lying down just in my shirt.

I finally felt at peace after I was able to let out everything that was in my heart. But I still felt a tear drop from the corner of my eye.

I closed my eyes, willing myself not to think about it anymore and just go to sleep. After a while, I drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

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Finally done! This chapter was a tough one to write. And I still don't like it.

I'm just gonna have to come back and rewrite this chapter once I get better at this.

But for now, let's just leave it :)

Thank you for reading. Please don't forget to give a vote and share. ❤️☺️