5fivewooooooooo
"Gabby, where's Holder?"
"Dunno, Uncle Lieu. Want me to look for him?"
"Would you?"
I nodded and slipped on my jacket. I'm guessing Uncle Lieu had already looked around inside. Which means Holder was probably out having a cigarette.
"Hey," I called when I saw him. He was under the awning at the far side of the building, puffing away. The rain was coming down hard. If I hadn't been looking for him, I probably wouldn't have seen him.
"Hey, yourself, Sweetness."
"Uncle Lieu is looking for you."
He nodded. "Okay."
I looked at him. He looked exhausted. "Holder?" Nothing. "Holder?" Still nothing. "... Stephen?"
He looked at me immediately. "What?"
"When was the last time you slept?"
He shrugged.
"Damn," he murmured, looking at his cigarette. It had gone out. He began patting his pockets, looking for a lighter, but I was faster.
"Here."
He raised a brow. "Didn't you know smoked."
"I don't. But enough people here do that it's a good thing to have around, ya know?"
He smirked, taking it from me. "I guess you really are an angel, huh?"
After he took another drag, I asked. "Why do you call me that?"
He blew out, handed the lighter back to me. "You don't know?"
"Should I?"
"You're name. Gabriella. Like Gabriel. The archangel."
Of course. Why hadn't I thought of that?
"Oh. That makes sense."
"What, you gonna tell me to stop callin' you names again?"
"No. I was just curious."
"I wouldn't'a stopped, anyways."
"I know."
He grinned, put out his cigarette. "Admit it, Sweetheart. We're friends."
I grinned back, but looked away, tried to hide it. "Sometimes. Maybe."
Suddenly his arm was around me, pulling me to him as he started to walk back to the main doors. "You and me, Babycakes. BFFs. Just don't tell Linden, huh? She might get jealous."
FIN.