I'm sooo sorry for the wait, but to make up for it this is my longest chapter yet!! I hope it was worth the wait! Sorry for any grammar mistakes, I tried. lol Thanks to everyone who have reviewed and alerted the story. It means the world to me, so keep reviewing and tell me what you think!
Chapter four
The following day found Gabby sitting in her late afternoon writing class. It happened to be her only class of the day so she was able to sleep in that morning. She had loved waking up with Joe next to her. When she had returned to her dorm to change, Becca had already left for class, so she was unable to talk to her about what happened between her and Spink to make her want to leave like she did.
She was barely listening to her professor give his lecture when her mind drifted to what went on between herself and Joe. She couldn't believe she had, had the guts to do what she did the night before. She told herself that she did it only because she felt guilty leaving Joe in such an aroused state, but she had felt such excitement knowing how much she pleased and satisfied him. Honestly it wouldn't bother her to do it again. Gabby suddenly felt a nudge in her side and looked to the girl with short red hair sitting next to her staring. She couldn't place her name though.
"What?" Gabby whispered.
"Gabriella. Something you would like to share?"
Gabby looked straight ahead at the professor standing at the front of the classroom looking expectantly at her.
"No," Gabby said meekly sinking down in her chair.
"Then perhaps you should pay attention." The professor went on.
Gabby sighed. She hated being picked on.
"I thought they only did that in high school," she grumbled to herself.
Picking up her pen she started jotting notes down willing the time to go by faster.
Before she knew it her two hour class was over and she started gathering up her things. The first thing on her mind was to find Becca and demand what happened the night before.
"Gabriella? Could I have a word?"
Gabby turned to the professor who was sitting at his desk. He was not looking up at her but staring at a paper in his hands.
"God," she thought. "I failed, he's going to kick me out of class for not paying attention."
With those thoughts running through her head, she approached his desk. She noticed all the other students had left.
"I'm sorry for not paying attention, I was just-"
"Don't worry about that," the professor interrupted her. "I wanted to talk to you about something else. The New York Times magazine company is looking for an intern for the summer. I think you should apply. Your grades are excellent, and if you do well you could land yourself a more permanent position for when you graduate. Just imagine having your own column in the New York Times."
Gabby stood stock still. She couldn't believe the opportunity that was just laid in front of her. It's every journalists dream to work for a paper like the New York Times.
"Gabriella?" The professor stood up to stand next to her.
Gabby snapped out of her trance. She looked at her professor who was now looking down at her in concern.
"I'm fine. Just shocked I guess. Are you sure? I mean there's got to be hundreds of students applying for this."
"Well you're one of my best students. I can write you a letter of recommendation with your resume. You'll be a shoe in."
"I don't know. New York?"
"You have until May to apply. They will choose their intern in June."
"It's January now. That gives me four months." Gabby calculated in her head. "I'll definitely think about it. Thank you."
"Good. Let me know and I'll write you a letter of recommendation."
"Okay." Gabby smiled and nodded.
She hugged her binder to her chest and left the classroom. She wanted to jump up and down in joy. This is a once in a lifetime chance to work for a major magazine company. In New York no less. Then it hit her that if she got the job she would have to leave. Leave Joe. Her joy slowly started to leave her and her mind started running through the possibilities again.
"Hey you look good today. You get lucky with Joe last night?"
Gabby looked up to see Becca smiling at her. She had obviously gotten over what happened the night before.
"No. Just some good news. Speaking of, you seem to be in a good mood considering what the mood you were in when we left last night."
"Well I had a night to sleep on it and I've decided to completely forget last night ever happened."
"What did happen?" Gabby questioned.
Becca walked beside her silently.
"Come on Becca, you know you can tell me anything."
"I, maybe, sort of kissed Spink last night in the women's bathroom."
Gabby stared at Becca eyes wide.
"Please don't say anything. It was a moment of weakness and its never going to happen again." Becca pleaded.
"Are you trying to convince me or yourself," Gabby smirked.
"What? No. You. I'm trying to convince you. Anyway, what's your good new?"
Gabby told her about the internship, momentarily forgetting about Becca and Spink.
"New York? Gabby that's amazing! Your going to apply right?"
"I don't know. I mean hundreds of students will apply. I probably won't get it anyway."
"Are you kidding? Your the top in your class. So why not try?"
"The whole summer? That's a long time to be away from you, Tanya-"
"And Joe." Becca interrupted.
"And Joe." Gabby admitted softly.
"Gabby, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. If Joe really loves you he'll want what's best for you. And this is what's best for you. This could jump start your career."
"Yeah. In New York City." Gabby said looking down at her feet.
"Gabby." Becca whined.
"Okay. Enough. I've got four months to think about it. Do you have anymore classes today?"
"Yeah. I've got a chem lab in a half hour."
"Okay, well I'm done for today. I think I'll stop by the diner to visit Tanya. I'll see you later at the dorm."
Gabby waved goodbye to Becca and started the short walk to Bruce's diner where Tanya worked.
"Two cheeseburgers and a medium fries and coke."
Tanya was in the last few hours of her shift and couldn't wait to get home. Baggy was of course 'working' so she knew she was going to be going home alone again. She grabbed the pot of coffee and walked to a table with an elderly couple.
"Would you like a refill?"
"Yes, thank you dear," the woman smiled up at her.
Tanya smiled and poured the coffee into the couples cups. She walked back behind the counter and looked up at the front door. She smiled seeing her sister walk in.
"Bruce, I'm going on my break."
"You got fifteen minutes." Bruce stuck his head of from behind the back.
"Yeah, yeah." Tanya took off her apron and met Gabby in the middle of the room.
"Come on."
Tanya led Gabby to the back of the diner to an empty table.
"So what brings you here?"
Gabby proceeded to explain to her sister about the internship.
"Gabby, this is amazing! Now I have an excuse to visit New York. Imagine the shopping."
"I never said I was going to take it."
"What do you mean?" Tanya questioned. "You have to take it."
"Well, chances are I won't get it anyway. Hundred's of students are going to be applying. Why set myself up for disappointment. Besides I don't think I could leave here. Your here, Becca's here-"
"Joe's here." Tanya interrupted copying Becca's words.
"And that." Gabby admitted.
"Gabs, you can't let one person stop you from doing what's best for yourself."
"He's not just one person to me. And he's not the only reason I'm not sure about this."
"Really?" Tanya didn't believe her.
"Yes really. My life is here. Everything I know and love is here. I don't want to leave that."
"Are you trying to convince me or yourself." Tanya mimicked Gabby's words to Becca from earlier.
"Nobody. It's how I feel."
"Gabby, I love you, your my sister and I'll support you in whatever you decide. Just promise me you won't throw your life away on a guy who had no set future."
Gabby narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean no set future?"
Tanya took a breath. What she said hadn't come out the way she wanted.
"What I meant was that Joe barely finished high school. He's never gone or going to go to university or college. He sells drugs to make money. Its' all he knows."
"Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Baggy's not a rocket scientist either." Gabby said sarcastically.
"But there's a difference between us. I work in this diner and will probably be here for the rest of my life. You have a chance to be happy and successful."
"So your telling me that if an opportunity came up like," Gabby thought for a few seconds. "Say Gordon Ramsay walked in and offered you a chance to waitress at his five star restaurant in England, you would leave Baggy and this life behind just because you would make a little more money there than you would here."
"Yes. No. Look all I'm saying is think about it before you say no. This opportunity will never happen again. Why would you want to stay here when you could live it up and have a glamorous life in New York?"
Gabby shook her head. "You think I'm willing to throw everything I have here with Joe away?"
"Everything you have? Gabby, Joe and Baggy are in the same business. As of late all I have is fear that I'm going to get a call telling me that he was arrested, shot or killed. Sometimes I think its not even worth it anymore."
Tanya let out a breath. It felt good to finally let her feelings out there. It's not that she didn't love Baggy. She loved him with all her heart. They just seemed to be growing apart. Physically everything was great, but they never talked anymore.
"You know Tanya, I thought out of everyone you would be the one to understand, but your telling me to forget everything and just leave. You may be willing to do that but I care about my family and friends."
Gabby stood and walked away leaving the diner. She purposely ignored Tanya who was calling out to her.
Tanya glanced at the clock on the wall and sighed. What had first turned out to be a pleasant surprise, ended up being a horrible surprise. And it all happened within ten minutes. She still had a few minutes before she had to go back to work so she went out the back to get her cell phone. She stepped outside behind the building where some of the employees were smoking. She dialed the familiar number and waited.
"Yeah?" Baggy's rough voice answered.
"Hey baby," Tanya smiled hearing his voice.
"Oh hey. What's up? Aren't you supposed to be working?"
"Yeah, I'm on my break. I just wanted to hear your voice. I miss you. You sure you can't pick me up later?"
"Yeah. Look baby I gotta go. Billy's on a rampage. Heco fucked up again. I'll see you later at home."
"Alright. I love-" she got cut off as the dial tone rang in her ears. "You."
She closed her eyes and swallowed the lump in her throat. Putting her phone in her pocket she headed back inside to go back to work.
As Gabby walked in the direction of her dorm she though about the internship. She wasn't stupid, she knew this was a once in a lifetime thing. But she considered what she had with Joe a once in a lifetime thing. She honestly thought that she would never feel what she felt with Joe, with anyone else. Sure he was part of a gang and his brother is a gang lord; he was from the wrong side of the tracks and barely had a parental figure growing up. She didn't care, she loved him anyway. He was good to her and that's all that mattered to her. She didn't even care that he didn't like Becca, her best friend.
Suddenly she heard the familiar rumble that she had come to love. Looking behind her she saw the black mustang pull over. Seeing the door open, Gabby's eyes brightened seeing Jo walk towards her.
She let a smile grow on her face as Joe took her in her arms. Her mind moved back to the internship and the prospect of having to leave so she tightened her hold on him.
Joe rubbed her back wondering why she was suddenly so possessive over him. Not that he was complaining. He nuzzled her neck and place a soft kiss there before pulling back to look her in the eye.
"What's wrong?" He gently pried her hands, which were clenching his red leather jacket and held them tightly.
"Nothing. Sorry. I just had a fight with Tanya." Gabby forced herself to laugh, trying to show she was okay.
"You want to talk about it?" Joe knew Gabby would not be herself unless she let out what she was feeling or unless she made up with Tanya. Whichever one came first.
Gabby faintly thought about telling Joe about the internship but decided against it. She didn't want to think about it anymore today.
"No, it's okay. Just a stupid petty argument. I don't ever remember what it was about."
She leaned up to kiss him to prove her point. Joe wrapped his arms around her as their mouths moved together.
Suddenly a loud horn made them jump apart. Gabby looked past Joe to see Billy sitting in the car with an annoyed look on his face. Joe followed her gaze and grabbed her hand.
"Come on. Before he pops a blood vessel."
Gabby let Joe lead her to the car and climbed in the back seat. She caught Billy's glare in the rear view mirror. She gave an apologetic smile for making him wait. Billy let out a sigh and rubbed a hand over his nose as his gaze on her softened.
"Sorry man, you don't mind if she comes over?" Joe glanced over at his brother.
Billy stuck a cigarette in his mouth and inhaled, the smoke filling his lungs.
"I don't give a fuck what you do, as long as I get my money." He then exhaled letting the smoke fill the car.
Joe smirked and pulled out a cigarette of his own. He knew Billy liked and approved of Gabby. She was the only girl he had let stay at the apartment. Besides of course Madison, but that was a different thing altogether. Nobody ever dared to bring Madison up unless they wanted a severely pissed off Billy Darley on their backs.
They finally made it to the apartment and Billy shook off his jacket and grabbed a beer form the refrigerator.
"I gotta go take a piss," Joe announced holding himself and ran for the bathroom.
"Attractive," Gabby mumbled. She looked over seeing Billy staring at her. She always felt kind of awkward when left alone with Billy.
"Thanks for letting me come-"
"The fuck you talking about? You know your welcome here. As long as you don't do anything to fuck over my brother, we're good." Billy sat down in the living room.
Gabby said nothing, just nodded her head. She wished Joe would hurry up. Not that she didn't like Billy, it was just she never knew what to say to him.
"All right, I feel better." Joe came out of the bathroom and went straight to the refrigerator to get a beer.
Gabby chuckled to herself. Considering Joe and Billy were brothers, they were different.
"But they don't know how alike they really are," she though to herself.
She followed Joe as he went into his room. She took her sweater off and laid back on his bed.
"Make yourself at home," he teased her.
Gabby just smirked and shrugged her shoulders. Joe laid his beer on his dresser. Keeping his eyes on Gabby's face he removed his shirt and laid down on top of her. Relaxing the lower part of his body he trapped her legs between his and the weight of his hips laying against hers stopped her from being able to move. Not that she wanted to move. He rested on his elbows so he wasn't completely crushing her. Gabby absently ran her hands up his arms, over his shoulders and down his back.
"So you seem like you feel better," Joe murmured and ran his lips across her cheek and down her jaw.
"I do feel better. I think you have something to do with that."
Joe let a genuine smile cross his face. "What did I do to deserve you?"
"You must have been very good in a previous life," Gabby smiled playfully. It wasn't often she was able to see this vulnerable side to him.
Joe leaned down to capture her lips in a soft kiss. Every time he kissed her, he couldn't stop the jolts of pleasure that shot through his body. No girl had ever made him feel like that. At least not the way Gabby had. When they broke from the kiss Joe rested his forehead against hers. Gabby brought her hand up to gently caress his cheek.
"So I'm getting another tattoo," Joe said moving some of her hair behind her ear.
"Another one? What of?"
"I don't know yet. But I'm getting it on my chest."
"So your getting a tattoo just for the hell of it?" Gabby asked caressing his chest where his heart was.
"Yeah, why?" Joe chuckled amused.
"I don't know. I always thought people got tattoos because they mean something to them. Like a tribute or kids names or family names."
"You want me to get your name tattooed on me?"
Gabby's eyes widened. "No. no. Whatever you do, don't get my name."
"Why not?" Joe slipped a hand up her shirt to run it across her stomach.
"Because that's the biggest jinx of a relationship. The minute a person gets a tattoo of their significant others name, the relationship almost always goes sour. It's a fact."
"Is that right?" Joe laughed. "Well then I promise I won't get your name."
"Good," Gabby said satisfied.
Joe let out another laugh and moved so he was laying next to her. He wrapped his arms around her and brought her to his chest. Gabby laid an arm across his chest and hooked a leg across his waist. Joe rested a hand on the thigh across his waist and sighed content with his life at the moment. He closed his eyes wanting to get a little sleep since he knew he had to be up later that night for 'work.'
Tanya groaned as she waited in the elevator to get to her floor. The fight with Gabby had been weighing on her mind the whole day and she still felt bad. She had to use the little bit of money she had left for a cab to get home. She was even too tired to care that Baggy probably wouldn't be home until late that night or early in the morning. The ding of the elevator went off and the door slid open. The first thing she noticed when she stepped out were all the boxes around her door. It wasn't until she was next to her door she noticed that the door to the apartment next to her was open.
"So I guess we have a new neighbor," she thought.
As she started to unlock her door she heard a strange grunting sound. Furrowing her eyebrows she slowly tip toed to the open door to peek inside. She was preparing herself in case she saw something she didn't want to see.
Peeking her head through the doorway, there was a man standing in the room. She couldn't help but stare at the muscular, naked back that faced her. Tanya ran her eyes down his body. She watched as he bent over the sofa and started pushing it to the middle of the room. He had short curly black hair and the back of his neck was drenched in sweat. He had on a pair of sweatpants that hung low on his hips, and she also noticed that he had two dimples on his lower back. She had been so caught up in staring at his body, she didn't notice that he was now looking at her.
"Can I help you?" He asked amused.
"Uh, what? No, I live next door and heard noises. I didn't know I was getting a new neighbor. I didn't even know the old one moved out."
"Yeah, they moved out a while ago I'm told. Brian Louder." He held out his hand to her.
Tanya had to walk into the room in order to reach his hand. She looked up at his face as she shook his hand and was hit with the brightness of his blue eyes. He also had that sexy rugged look going on since he looked like he hadn't shaved that day.
"Tanya Smith."
"Nice to meet you Tanya Smith," Brian smiled. "You want a drink or something?"
Tanya bit her lip in contemplation. It wouldn't hurt to have a drink with a neighbor. It's always nice to be friendly with neighbors.
"Sure," she finally answered.
She looked down to see she was still holding his hand. She quickly let it go and looked down at her feet with a slight blush and embarrassed chuckle.
Brian smiled, amused at the woman in front of him. She was beautiful in a simple way, with her blond hair up in a messy ponytail, strands falling all around her face and neck. She didn't have an ounce of make up on and was wearing an old, well worn waitress uniform.
"Actually, I don't have any glasses unpacked yet," he said apologetically. "We could-"
"You can come over to my place," she had said it before thinking. What if Baggy came home while he was there? He would freak out.
"Okay." He began to walk out the door.
"Uh, do you think you could," Tanya pointed at his toned chest.
"What?" He asked confused.
"Um, not that I mind or anything, but could you maybe put on a shirt, or something."
Brian looked down at his chest and chuckled. He was amused to see the red in Tanya's cheeks.
"Alright."
Tanya didn't know how long they had been talking but she knew she was enjoying herself. It had been a long time since she had been able to sit and talk to someone.
Brian had told her all about himself. He was an only child, who lived in a middle class home. He told her how his father had past away his final year of high school and that he used the savings he inherited from him to go to law school. He was now going to be starting an internship with a local law firm.
Tanya really enjoyed talking to him and found herself laughing more in the last few hours than in he last few weeks.
"I really enjoyed talking to you Tanya, but I have to get-"
"What the fuck is this?" Tanya jumped out of her seat to face Baggy who was standing in the doorway glaring at Brian.
"Baggy? I wasn't expecting you home so soon."
"That's fuckin obvious. Who the hell are you?" Baggy moved to stand in front of Tanya so he could stare Brian down. Brian had a few inches on Baggy, but Baggy was more broad shouldered.
"Brian Louder. I just moved in next door." Brian considered holding his hand out, but he had a feeling Baggy would probably rip his arm off.
"Nice to know. Now get the fuck out." Baggy grabbed the doorknob of the front door and held it open.
"Baggy!" Tanya exclaimed angrily.
"No, Tanya it's fine. I have to get back anyway. I'll talk to you later." Brian ignored Baggy and nodded at Tanya before he left.
"Like hell you will," Baggy muttered slamming the door and locking it.
"Baggy what's your problem?" Tanya seethed.
"My problem is that I come home after a long day of putting up with Billy and the guy's bullshit and my girlfriend is chatting it up with the new pretty boy next door."
"Don't be ridiculous. He's new in the building. I was being polite. Not that you know anything about that."
"Well he looked pretty damn comfortable here. Just how new is he?"
Tanya stared at Baggy. Just what was he insinuating?
"What are you trying to say?" She took a breath trying to calm herself.
"Well we haven't spent a lot of time together recently," Baggy argued.
"Who's fault is that? I've tried time and time again to spend time with you, but you've always blown me off with 'work'. And to be honest, I'm sick of it."
Tanya let out a breath and went into the bathroom. She turned on the shower and undressed. She heard the door open but refused to look at him. Instead she slipped into the shower and let the hot water rinse over her body. She felt the tears prick her eyes when she thought about Baggy basically accusing her of cheating. She ran her hands over her face when she felt lips on her shoulder and arms wrap around her waist.
"I'm sorry," he murmured.
She didn't say anything. She leaned back into him and closed her eyes. She was glad the water was beating down towards her face. That way she hoped Baggy wouldn't notice her tears.
Please review! and p.s I have a picture of Brian on my profile if you want to take a look!
