CHAPTER 3: SECRETS

"Gabby, can you come downstairs? Your mother and I want to speak with you"she heard her father say.

"Alright dad. I'll be down in a jiffy" she said as she made her way to the door wondering why they wanted to talk to her about it.

The atmosphere in the living room was so tense. Tyler and Emily were waiting for their daughter,their minds filled up with thoughts of the impending danger knocking on their door. What they had been trying to avoid,was coming back to hunt them.

The worried look on their faces was replaced with a smile at the sound of footsteps approaching them.

Gabriella sat on the sofa right in front of her parents waiting for them to state the reason why they had summoned her.

After contemplating for a while, Tyler decided to start the conversation "your eighteenth birthday is coming up next month"

Gabriella's eyes widened in shock. She had totally forgotten about it. Receiving no response from his daughter,Tyler decided to continue "Would you be done with your exams before then?"

"Yes, it's also after the school graduation party," Gabriella replied.

"That's good. I want us to move out after your birthday" Tyler concluded rendering his daughter speechless.

Gabriella was stunned at the news. She had lived her whole life in that house,why then did her father suddenly decide to relocate.

She looked at her mother, expecting her to say something about it,but she looked calm. That means they had both agreed on it before informing me.

Before Gabriella could voice a word out,her parents quickly left the living room to avoid any questions from her. They weren't ready to explain anything to her.

Few weeks had passed since Gabriella's chat with her parents. The school graduation party was fast approaching.

A lot of students were busy looking for a partner to attend the party with them. Gabriella,on the other hand,was keeping tabs on Tony's movement until she got caught by the school queen.

While walking along the corridor in the school,she was stopped by the school queen and two of her minions. 

"Why do you think you're doing,why are you stalking Tony? The school queen asked scornfully.

Gabriella had never been confronted by anybody like that so she felt great trepidation.

"Is she deaf or what?" One of the other two girls asked.

"I don't think I have seen her anywhere before or have you?" The second girl added.

"Looks like nobody to me, hahaha"the two minions bursted into laughter. The school queen got irritated at her two lackeys and flared up in rage."That's enough, that's not why we are here" 

The two girls kept shut immediately as their leader turned to face the girl in front of them.

"I don't know who you are but I don't want to ever see you stalking Tony Edison again. You definitely don't want to get on my nerves" the school queen said with a menacing tone.

She walked past Gabriella, deliberately bumping into her with her lackeys.

All the passersby just stared at her. They felt she was so unlucky to have offended the wrong person.

Gabriella felt insulted. It was her first experience,so she couldn't retaliate. She could feel the gaze of everyone on her. The embarrassing feeling made her run away with teary eyes.

She bumped into Tony and his gangs on her way to the restroom and this time,he glanced at her with a sense of familiarity.

Just his luck alone is enough to make her heart shudder. She kept on staring till he was out of sight. Then,she remembered something and looked around fearfully. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw no one watching her.

"I heard the school is organizing a graduation eve party and all students are invited" 

"Yeah,even the rich and popular students would be there."

This was the conversation that Gabriella heard as soon as she stepped into the class.

At that moment,she made up her mind to attend the party just to get an opportunity to see Tony.

On the night of the eve party,Gabriella stood in front of the mirror in her room,admiring her looks.

She never knew she was such a beauty. She wore the blue evening dress and silver pair of heels her mother had gotten for her as a present on her seventeenth birthday.

The blue dress complemented her skin tone,giving out a glow that couldn't be ignored. The silver heels matched her height just like that of a model.

It was the first time she was wearing the outfit. She never fancied those kinds of clothes, always putting on baggy and long-sleeve clothes.

"Be quick,Gabby or you will be late" her father said standing right at the door of her room.

Gabriella hurriedly applied a little makeup with a cherry lip gloss. She finally left her room after she was satisfied.

Tyler and Emily were stunned when they saw their daughter. They stood right at the end of the stairs,their mouths agape,as she walked closer to them.

Tyler gazed at his daughter with teary eyes. He felt a sense of accomplishment even though he knew he never offered her the life of happiness that she deserved.

Gabriella's father drove her to the party after bidding her mother goodbye. 

Immediately she stepped out of the car,all the attention of the students around were drawn to her. She could clearly hear what they were whispering about. This time,she felt she was unlucky to have sharp hearing ability because their words made her nervous.

One of the lackeys of the school queen was outside at that time.

"Isn't that Tony's stalker? Why does she look so different? She said,

Gabriella walked into the party and rushed to find her place to sit. She looked around and saw Tony seated at a corner,staring right at her .

He quickly looked away when their eyes met. 

"Was he looking at me?" Gabriella asked herself. She couldn't stop herself from throwing quick glances at him every time.

Later on, a girl dressed in a fiery red dress split above the knee stood beside him. The lady whispered something to him and walked away.Tony stood up a moment later and strolled towards the direction the lady had followed.

Gabriella felt compelled to follow him. Tony led her to a deserted place at the back of the building. He abruptly turned towards her direction, hiding in a corner but her shoes were still visible.

"Come out. I know you're there" Tony half yelled at her.