Chapter one
I'm Home!
"Gabi how can you leave at a time like this!?" my friend Lana said while I was packing.
"Lana I told you my grandfather means the world to me! He needs me!" I said.
"You haven't been in god knows where town since you were 17! We need you more!" she said.
"Look Lana if Gabi feels she needs to go then let her. She won't be able to hold the guilt of not seeing him if god forbid something does happen to him. She'll be back when she is ready!" my friend and agent and second mom Angelina said.
"How can you be on her side Angie? She is messing up everything!" Lana the drama queen said.
"What is she ruining? She doesn't have a movie or a tour! Or an interview!" Angie helped me out.
"Lana I will call you everyday! I will write songs while I'm there! Now pass me that Coach bag!" I said.
She handed it to me.
"But what about the plans we had for the summer to get summer flings and non stop party!" she whined.
"You guys can still do that and I will be back in a few weeks!" I said.
"I can't believe this!" Lana said storming out. I rolled my eyes.
She doesn't agree with me going to my home town Maryland. It's not like I want to! But I have to! I never wanted to go back but this is big. If it wasn't then my brothers wouldn't have tracked my number down.
"Gabi you sure your ready to go back?" Angie asked me.
Truthfully I don't know. I mean it's been 7 years!
"I don't know…I'm scared…" I admitted.
"Of what?" she asked. Oh I don't know seeing my family who I haven't seen in years! Seeing my friends from high school! Seeing my one and only true love that I left behind for college!
"I guess seeing everyone…" I said.
"Well you'll be fine. But I want a phone call everyday young lady!" like I said she's like a second mom!
"Ok" I said and walked her out.
I'm driving there starting tomorrow. I figured I'd rather drive my car then get a cheap rental! It also gives me time to think…
.
After 3 days of packing and a week of driving I'm finally on the east coast. I'm in Virgina right now and should be in Laurel Maryland in 2 hours. I remember taking this drive in the opposite direction after breaking the heart of the one I love
Flashback
"Troy we need to talk…" I said. We were sitting by the lake in the middle of town.
"What is it baby?" he had his arm around me. I took pictures in my mind of him. His shaggy sandy brown hair, and his big hazel eyes, his big arms, his hands that held my heart.
"I'm leaving" I said. His grip tightened around me.
"When?" he asked.
"Tonight…I'm starting the drive to California."
"Are you going to ask me to come with you?"
"Troy I know you I love you and I know that you want to stay here"
'I want to be anywhere that you are!"
"No troy I know you want to be here with your family and the store it's your dream! Just like my dream is California. I don't want to give it up and I don't want you to give up yours. I don't want one of us to be stuck somewhere we don't want to be just for the other. I know I'm being selfish but I have to"
"Brielle please"
"Troy I love you and I always will I want to be with you in your arms forever but right now I have to follow my heart. Half of it is telling me to stay the other half is telling me to go. And I just have to get away" I said. I kissed his lips then his cheek then his head. Then I walked away…forever.
End of flashback
Remembering that still hurts. I never wanted to leave him but I had to. Now I'm going back and I know I'm going to see him.
"Damn it"
I passed the welcome to Laurel sign and a feeling of home washed over me.
I drove down the familiar streets and looked at the familiar landmarks. The mc Donald's my friends and I went every day. The high school I barely went to. Being here for just 5 minutes and I needed a cigarette. A bad habit I developed in 7th grade. If you grew up in this town you smoked weed cigarettes and black and miles…if they even make those anymore!
I drove to the house I grew up in. all the cars were here, its Friday so it's family dinner night. It's the night all the family comes together and we eat and hang out.
I drove up the driveway and got the spare key. So predictable.
"MAMI!!!" I yelled in the door way. I heard forks clatter the plates and chairs scoot out.
"GABRIELLA!!!" my mom yelled and ran to hug me.
"Hi mami" I said hugging her back. Then I saw them all. My 11 brothers and sisters. Counting me we were 12.
"Gabster!" my oldest brother Carlos came up and hugged me.
"Hey Carlos" I said.
"Gabi!!!!" My sisters Lettie and Eva(the twins) were next.
"Hey guys"
My oldest sister Daniela came and hugged me.
"I've missed you Gabriella" she whispered in my ear.
"Hey Sean…I think Gabi deserves a sandwich!!!" my older brother jerry said.
"oh god! No! no! no! no!" i said. Before I knew it I was squished between Jerry and Sean.
"We've missed you shrimp" Sean smiled down at me.
"NANA!!!" my youngest brother Jayden ran up.
"Hey sweetie!" I said hugging him.
We all went to the dining room.
"I'll make you a plate mija" mami said.
"Thanks mami" I said.
I felt like I was a kid again sitting at this table. It's a huge rectangle table. Mami sits at the end then it's Carlos.
Carlos is the oldest. He's married to a girl named Jamie and has 3 daughters Stacey whose 10, Brianna whose 5, and Karen who 6 months. He's the protector of the family I guess you could say.
Next to him at the table is Daniela the oldest girl. She is the motherly one the smart one and never do anything wrong! It used to get on my nerves. She has a son name Seth and he's 5.
Next to her is Lettie the drama queen! She will cry over anything that doesn't go her way! She is married to a guy named Chris.
Then Eva she and I got along the best. She's the bitch always being sarcastic and loud. But we love her. She has a boyfriend since she was in 7th grade, he's Sam him and I used to chill together.
Then at the other end it used to be my dad, but he's in jail so nowon sits there. Across from Eva is usually me and next to me is Jerry the goof ball! He can never sit still!
Then next to him is Sean the quiet one. He and I used to hang out in his room writing songs when we were younger.
Then there's Kyle the jock he loves all sports! He's married and has a kid on the way.
Then there's john, well there should be john. He was thrown in jail a little after our dad was.
Then there are the little kids, well the younger ones. But I don't know where zack and Bryan are. But after john it's usually Zack he's the smart guy and always wanting to be a doctor. Then next to him was Bryan he was the annoying little kid!
Then there's my pride and joy Jayden. He's 11 now but he was my favorite. The youngest. He calls me Nana because he couldn't say Gabriella or Gabi so he said nana.
So in order from oldest to youngest is Carlos, Daniela, Sean, Jerry, john, Lettie, Eva, me, Bryan, Kyle, Zack, and Jayden.
"Mami where's Zack and Brye?" I asked.
Everyone looked down. It got real quiet.
"What?" I said.
"Well Zack is at a med school in Georgia." Carlos said.
"That's awesome!" I smiled. Then it got quieter.
"Where's Bryan?" I asked.
"He's…well…he enlisted in the army and is in Iraq" mami said.
"For how long?"
"he's been there for 2 years now. We tried to call you but no numbers worked! Thank god the internet had the number for your record company and your agent was there so we could at least tell you about abeulo!!" Daniela said. I felt bad. What do I say?
"Gabi you weren't here. He really wanted to see you" Sean said.
I just sat there. My baby brother is in…he's in Iraq and I wasn't here to say bye.
"How's…uh…how's abeulo?" I asked.
"He's a lot better he's out of the hospital" mami said.
"I think I should go…I need to get a hotel" I said.
"Gabi you can stay in your room no won is in it" mami said.
"You sure?" I asked.
"Of course mija I love you" she came up and kissed me.
"Then may I be excused?" I asked. She nodded. I went outside and got my bags.
"Here let me help" Sean came out.
"Sean how could I not know that my little brother is in Iraq!"
"Gabi we tried to get a hold of you" he said.
We got the bags out of my trunk and walked them in the house.
We walked up in the room and he went into his. I sat on the bed and sighed. This is gonna be a long trip.
