Chapter Ten: BestFriends

Gaby flipped through the bottle and stopped at Clark. It surprised everyone and silenced them. Later on, Matt smiles at Clark. Before Matt could get the salt, Clark had preceded him. The group teased him.

“Oh, come on!” said Riki. “Are you excited, Clark?”

“Shut up, Riki!” said Clark, annoyed.

Everyone is laughing. Gaby blushed. “Can Gaby just pass? She doesn’t drink alcohol?” Dylan replied with no smile.

“Geez, Dylan. You’re just jealous, so you want Gaby to pass,” said Riki.

Dylan took the slipper and tossed it to Riki, and everybody laughed. “Is that OK with you, Gab? You never drink beer, do you?” said Dylan.

Gaby smiled. “It’s OK.”

Gaby approached Clark, and he was looking at her with seriousness. Gaby was jumpy again. She couldn’t understand. Gaby immediately drank the contents of the shot glass. She could manage but frown to taste, so everyone laughed except Dylan, who was looking. Then she swallowed the lemon wedge and approached Clark’s neck with her lip.

Clark couldn’t breathe then, as if his heart had stopped for a second. He did not understand. He had not felt that for several years now. His whole body was warm when Gaby’s lips touched his neck. His heart was beating faster and faster than it would explode.

‘God, what is happening to me?’ Clark thought.

The ladies yelled again when Gaby finished. Her face became red, and she went back to her seat. She stared at Dylan, smiling at her.

Clark breathed when Gaby took off. Earlier, he thought he might have had a heart attack.

“You have an odd face, Clark!” said Matt.

He holds his phone while watching the video. “Damn it! Have you recorded it? Erase that.” Clark goes.

“I don’t want to do that. I’m uploading it now,” said Matt.

“Holy shit, Matt!” said Clark.

Clark got up quickly and approached Matt. The young man noticed and spun around for a run. Matt even tripped out of his way.

“Damn it!” said Matt.

“You’re mine when I catch you,” Clark screamed. “I want to strangle you.”

They laughed. Both ran for a few minutes, too, and Clark caught up with Matt. Clark runs after Matt and then spins around in the sand, grabbing the cell phone. When Clark got the phone, he immediately went through the photo. It even amazed him that Matt made a video and a photo.

“You’re insane, Matt!” said Clark.

Clark erased his picture and video on Matt’s phone, then threw them in the sand next to Matt. Soon, the two men were marching toward each other one by one. Clark picked up the bottle. Clark spun the bottle, and it stopped, pointing at Dylan. The group laughed louder. Dylan scratched his head as he placed a little salt on his neck. Clark immediately drank the contents of the liqueur glass, sipped the lemon, and then brought his lips near Dylan’s neck.

“Did we seem that way? This is disgusting, man,” said Matt loudly.

“You’re a great kisser, Clark.” Dylan chuckled.

“Silly!” Clark laughed at him.

Everyone laughed. Dylan flipped it over, and it hit Gaby. Ashlee, Sasha, and Belle screamed again.

Matt immediately approached them. Matt had to take the salt, but Dylan went ahead of him and put the salt on Gaby’s wrist.

“He is a gentleman!” said Riki with a laugh.

“Are you sure about that?” Matt laughed at the same time.

Dylan grabbed the glass, emptied it, drank the lemon, and applied his lip to Gaby’s wrist. Riki and Matt were scratching each other’s heads as though it disappointed them what Dylan did. Sasha, Ashlee, and Belle are thrilled. Dylan is so different from the other three. He’s a nice guy.

-

It was half past 11 when they agreed to return to the house. Sasha, Ashlee, and Belle were going on ahead and still arguing with Matt and Riki. Dylan and Gaby are behind them, and Clark is behind them all.

“Is everything OK? Aren’t you drunk?” Dylan asked.

“Maybe not. I think Belle and Sasha drank the bottle and pointed them out several times.” Gaby said, giggling.

Dylan laughed too. “Gab ..”

“Hmm?”

“Can we talk?” Dylan asked.

Dylan even held Gaby’s hand. “Please, Gab!”

Gaby said nothing but nodded. Dylan smiled slightly. When they got to the villa, they sat in the receiving area on the sofa. They were sitting beside each other. They even looked away when Clark entered the front door. He just looked at them and went directly to the kitchen.

“Dylan, I told you we don’t have to open the already closed things. We’re friends; I don’t want…,” Gab said.

“I have to, Gab. Please, listen to me,” said Dylan.

Gaby wasn’t saying anything. She’s been silent for a while. “Forgive me, Gab! I didn’t mean to leave you. I swear, I tried to contact and find you so that I could apologize and explain.” said Dylan.

Gaby couldn’t restrain her tears from flowing. But she wiped it right away with her hand.

“Gaby …” Dylan said.

Gaby giggles gently as she wipes her tears on both cheeks. “Dylan, how times should I tell you everything is fine, that you don’t need to explain yourself?” Gaby says. “I apologize if I cried a bit. It’s annoying. Suddenly, it’s leaking.”

Dylan said nothing about that. He sat down on Gaby’s front.

“I want your forgiveness, Gab!” Dylan said at one point.

“Do you think I’ll get close to you if I haven’t forgiven you yet?” Gab asked. Dylan turned to Gaby. “Life is too short to look back. We need to get started. Let’s be friends again.”

“Gaby …” Dylan said.

Gaby got on Dylan’s other cheek. “Breathe, Dy. We’re still friends. You don’t have to be guilty of something you can’t control. Move on.” said Gaby.

Dylan picked up Gaby’s hand and held her cheek. “I’m sorry, Gab!” told Dylan.

“I want to rest, Dylan,” told Gaby.

Dylan looked into Gaby first and then spoke. “Let me take you into your room.”

Gaby just smiled, and Dylan stood up together. Dylan brought Gaby to her bedroom. They open the door. Dylan frowned. The three women stumbled across the enormous bed and were in unique positions. Dylan shook his head. Gaby was on her way to the room when Dylan grabbed her hand.

“You can’t stay here. I want you in the other room,” said Dylan.

Gaby looked at her friends and laughed. “I’ll just take my stuff,” said Gaby.

Dylan smiled. “Let me!”

Taking her things, Dylan shut the door and led Gaby to the next room. Dylan opened the door and inserted Gaby’s things.

“Just sleep in here. Leave the three over there,” said Dylan.

Gaby laughed. “Go get me a blanket and a pillow!” said Dylan.

Dylan left, and Gaby took her clothes from the bag and quickly entered the bathroom.

When Dylan returned, he knocked at the door, but since it was always open, he came in. Gaby wasn’t there, but he heard the shower in the bathroom, so he just set up the pillow and quilt on the bed. Dylan took Gaby’s purse, which was always open, and put it on the bed. When Dylan put the bag on the bed, he noticed bottles and boxes that looked like medicine. He looked at the bathroom and then picked up the bottle just above the inside of the bag.

Dylan was frowning because it was an odd drug. ‘Is she sick?’

Dylan took his phone out of his pocket, took a picture of the medicine, and returned it to Gaby’s bag. He just left the bedroom and locked the door to Gaby’s room.

—

Dylan was lying in bed. He couldn’t have forgotten the medicine he found in Gaby’s purse.

“Why you’re still awake?” Clark asked him upon entering the room.

“I can’t fall asleep,” said Dylan.

“Why? You have a problem?” Clark asked, lying on the other bed.

“Nothing,” said Dylan.

“Did you speak to her?” replied Clark.

“Yeah! Earlier,” said Dylan.

“And that’s what you seem like? Haven’t you forgiven yet?” Clark asked.

“She said she forgives me. We’re still friends after everything that happened,” said Dylan.

“That’s it! Why are you like this?” asked Clark.

Dylan took a deep breath. “She’s not the same person she used to be. A lot of things changed about her.”

“Maybe she’s more mature than she was. You’re not high schoolers anymore,” said Clark. “Why don’t you follow what she wants? You know she could be comfortable with it.”

Dylan didn’t say he was looking at Clark. “Stop staring, dude. You’re scary. You still have a drink!” said Clark.

Dylan chuckled behind Clark’s back. “As though I wanted you!”

“Ah, go to sleep! Good night!” said Clark.

Dylan shook his head and put his hand on his head. ‘Gaby!’ Dylan thought.