Gabbie Gabs Alone

Gabbie Gabs alone

They sat under their tree for hours, showing each other funny memes and videos. They laughed so much and talked about their favourite bands. Another awesome night.

Al’s blonde curls caught the evening light, shining gold. His eyelashes looked gold too and they fluttered gently while he concentrated on his screen.

"I... I think I love you."

"Uh-huh"

He wasn't listening. Gabbie punched him on the arm.

"What? What did I do?" Al said, eyes wide and full of feigned hurt.

"Sometimes you're the worst!" she snapped at him.

"Okay I'll listen! God!” Al huffed. "What girly thing we're you babbling on about?"

"Nothing." She muttered.

“Whatever.” Al shrugged and pulled his phone back out.

They sat together another ten minutes, a lttle stiff until something else made them both laugh.

When the sun went down Al tugged her ponytail and ran over to his bike, turning back to grin at her, his pointy white teeth showing. “Later Gabbie!” he called out.

“Jerk!” Gabbie yelled back laughing.

Gabbie watched him ride north into the dark on his cool black bike with the fire stencils. He was way to proud of those, the idiot.

Gabbie grabbed her hot pink helmet and rode down hill on her purple bike. Next time. She would tell him next time...

"I met her in Spain she's so cool! We talked for hours about stuff I never even told anybody before! And she's so deep..."

Ever since he’d gotten back from his holiday to Spain Al could not shut up about Jessica.

Jessica!

Jessica!

Jessica!

It was driving Gabbie insane. She kept trying to nap through class but Al would wake her up whispering about Jessica’s hair, Jessica’s cool house in bath (three stories!), Jessica’s horse riding.

“She’s so good, she has a real way with animals...”

Al had had crushes before, girls he was obsessed with for two weeks before it’d fizzle out. He’d get over her. Then Gabbie would tell him, up on the hill, at their spot...

"Nah, can't this weekend. Taking the train to see Jess. She's only an hour away it's like so cool…"

Gabbie sighed and closed her phone. There goes her plans. It had been a month and Al was still not over Jessica.

It’s a phase. She’ll dump him and break his heart. Every girl does. I’m the only one who sees how great he is. And I’ll be there to pick up the pieces, like I always do. Then, maybe… this time we’ll be?

'weekends at Baes!'

Her feed was bombarded with pictures of Al and Jessica.

Al and Jessica at the beach. Al and Jessica at the mall. Al and Jessica out with their friends!

I don’t even know these people. Al doesn’t even know them! They’re her friends not his. Gabbie stewed.

Gabbie clicked onto Al’s timeline.

There were no pictures of Gabbie anymore. It's all her. All Jessica.

He took down all the pictures of me.

Gabbie and Al on holiday, Gabbie and Al at a concert, Gabbie and Al at Christmas, Gabbie and Al out with their friends. Gabbie and Al at their spot under the tree.

They were all gone.

“Why aren't I on your timeline anymore?!” Gabbie shrieked down the phone.

"Jessica's really cool, you’d love her, but she's like super insecure since her dad left. You know how crazy girls can be - you are one hahaha!"

Gabbie threw her phone at the wall.

"What do you mean you aren't coming?!"

They always went bowling together. Always. The last Thursday of every month.

"I need to save for the concert, it means so much to Jessica!" Al said helplessly. Sorry. Have no choice. Hands are tied. His voice seemed to imply.

Means so much to her that he buys her a ticket Gabbie thought sourly.

Al never would have been caught dead at an Ed Sheeran concert. Not ever. He liked metal. She liked metal too. They should be going to a concert together! Not him and that pretty faced Jessica he was so obsessed with. I mean did she have to wear so much make-up?

"But mum and dad are expecting you!" She said sulkily.

"Apologize to Dan and Martha for me. Later!" He hung up.

She had to go bowling alone with her parents. It was mortifying. They kept asking about Al all night. Where is he? Why isn't he here? You two never miss bowling night!

"I don't know. I'm not his keeper." She muttered.

It was the worst night ever.

"Thanks boo! Merry Christmas!" Al posed with Jessica wearing a band T-Shirt.

He doesn't even like fallout boy. He said they were posers. Gabbie thought darkly, frown etched into her face as she scrolled through their pictures.

God so many pictures. Shutterbugs!

She remembered when her and Al made fun of people like that. Now he was one of them.

"Now who's fake!" She hissed. What was the point. He couldn't hear her. .

Gabbie looked over at the present she'd bought him. She had chosen it so carefully. A slipknot hoodie. His favorite band. They went to see them together last year. They'd dove into that mosh pit and jumped to the music. It was the best night.

The stupid hoodie had cost her a months pocket money. It had killed her to save for it. But she thought if she showed him how much he mattered to her. How well she knew him. He might...

Her phone beeped. A new picture popped up.

Gabbie snatched up her phone.

Al was wearing a Santa hat and Jessica was wearing the band T-Shirt. They were kissing.

#xmasatBaes

#socute

#love

#

#

#

#

#

#makes me barf.

Gabbie threw the beautifully wrapped hoodie in her wardrobe. Al didn't even notice she never gave him anything...

It was Gabbie’s 15th birthday in March. It was on a weekend so she wouldn't have to deal with people making a fuss at school. She always hated that.

She woke up after 10am and messaged Al right away.

‘3 months older sucka!’ With a sassy, funny photo showcasing her awesomeness at being born first.

He didn't message her back until 4pm.

‘Lol.’ And a gif of some panda's dancing with the words 'happy birthday' Popping up behind them.

That's it?? Is he serious??? I am going to kill Al. She seethed. Biting back tears. She would not cry for that jerk. She refused to.

Gabbie scanned through her feed. Nearly everyone at school had wished her a happy birthday. Even... Al!

She pounced on his words, desperate to find something in them. Some meaning. Maybe he still thinks...

'Happy Bday Gabs luv Al and Jessica X'

Gabs?

Al and Jessica?

Gabby cried in her room.

It was the Easter holidays. Gabby sat one in her room on a Sunday night. A few girls had invited her out but she didn't feel like going anywhere.

Bing-bong her phone bleeped.

Gabbie absent mindedly picked up her phone, expecting more photos of everyone she knew having such a great time.

'Hey'

It was Al!

She hadn't hear from him in weeks!

'Cool hair, very Paramore'

Gabby had dyed her hair a few days back, mainly out of boredom. It was red with yellow highlights like fire. She thought it was so cool that she posted a tonne of pictures ASAP.

She'd gotten loads of compliments. She'd actually felt good for like an hour.

'The band goes on tour tomorrow!' she fired back, followed up by a gif of pretty reckless rockin’ out.

'stateside!' Al fired back, with a gif of a rock star with a stupidly long tongue playing hard.

They sent a few more GIFs and memes. It felt familiar, but not comfortable anymore.

After a bit Al messaged her again.

'Do you think it's weird that we don't hang out anymore?'

There was so much she wanted to say to him.

I hate you!

Why's she so special?

How could you do this to me?

I thought you were my best friend.

I thought we could be...

I love you.

What she typed instead was: ‘I'm happy for you.’

‘Thanks Gabby. Ur a great friend :)’