“Welcome to my humble abode,” Gabriel addressed Grace as he ushered the girls into his home, “my parents aren’t home yet, but that pig over there is my brother, Benjamin. He’s like a perpetual pain in my butt, just so you know.” He said with a grin.
Gabriel led them to his room and bent to scoop up his beloved pet when the phone rang. He picked it up with one hand while trying to adjust his cat into a more comfortable position.
“Hello? Oh hi, Daniel! You hold on a sec,” Gabriel looked down at his cat to see it pawing towards Grace. He turned to Grace and said, “Hey Grace, would you mind holding it? I think it wants your attention.”
Grace went over and expertly carried the silver cat in her arms. She fell in love with it instantly. It truly was the most beautiful cat she had ever seen. The way it caressed her skin with the tip of its nose was simply lovable. Grace smiled warmly as she tickled the cat’s chin.
Gabriel had never seen a sight that felt this ethereal. Why had Grace stowed away her smiles when obviously they did her pretty face much justice? And he had never seen Weiwei warm up to anybody that quickly, except for Daniel perhaps. The pair of them, cooing at each other in their own way, looked so indescribably intoxicating. But the noises from the phone caught Gabriel’s attention before he could breathe an inappropriate “Wow.”
“Sorry Daniel, you were saying?” Gabriel turned his attention to the phone call. He sneaked a few glances at Grace and couldn’t stop his chuckle when he saw Weiwei lick Grace’s neck, causing her to break into giggles.
“Oh no, I wasn’t laughing at you, “Gabriel said to Daniel, “it was Grace, she’s so cute with Weiwei.”
“Gabriel! Help! He wouldn’t stop licking me!” Grace’s merry voice bounced from the walls of the bedroom.
“Hey Daniel, I’ll talk to you another time okay? See you at school!” Gabriel hung up the phone and crossed the bed to where Grace was. He took his cat from Grace, and lovingly chastised it for molesting his friend.
“He’s beautiful,” Grace smiled as she rubbed the top of Weiwei’s head.
“How did you know it’s male?” Gabriel asked, but blushed at the stupidity of his question. But Grace merely chuckled and continued her massage for the contentedly purring cat.
“Where is Emily?” Gabriel asked when it suddenly dawned on him that the room lacked the usual bubbly laughter whenever Emily was around.
“Here,” a strangled voice came from the door. Emily came through the door, holding three cups in her trembling hands, “a little help please!”
Gabriel was there in a flash, “sorry, I’m such a poor host,” he handed a cup to Grace, “it’s a lucky thing Emily is a great hostess.”
“Yeah, we’ll probably die of thirst before you remember to bring us drinks,” Emily pounded Gabriel lightly on his shoulder. But she took two steps back when Weiwei reached out a paw to scratch her.
“Ha! Maybe Weiwei doesn’t like you because you kept ‘bullying’ Gabriel. Maybe you should act nicer to Gabriel.” Grace suggested, tickling Weiwei’s ears.
Emily stepped forward gingerly and petted Gabriel’s head, stroking his hair as one would a baby. The cat, however, leapt out of Gabriel’s arm and only Emily’s chest, frantically clawing at her shirt. Emily shrieked, but before she could reflexively pry the cat away, Grace removed it and calmed it down with the slow rocking of her arms.
“Apparently not,” Grace shrugged as she tried to suppress a smirk.
“Thanks, Grace,” Emily said dryly and took three steps away from the offending creature.
Gabriel laughed. “Do you two want to stay for dinner? I can cook up something for the four of us. You girls could watch a VCD in the meantime.”
“Okay! I want to eat spaghetti,” Emily grinned broadly.
“Alright,” Gabriel smiled indulgently at Emily before turning to Grace, “So, is spaghetti okay for you?”
Grace paused to look at Emily, and then at Gabriel. How in the world can Emily treat a guy who dotes on her like that as merely a brother? She was beginning to feel sorry for Gabriel. Somewhere along the line, it became clear to her that Gabriel was undeniably in love with her oblivious friend.
“Grace?” Gabriel called again when he saw Grace just staring at him.
“Oh, yes, spaghetti would be great. Thanks!” Grace smiled kindly. She had always appreciated a guy who could cook. They really are an endangered species.
“Okay then. You girls make yourselves at home. I’m going to the supermarket to get some fresh onions and tomatoes,” Gabriel said, and left his room in the capable hands of the girls.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
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