"Come on." He laughed. "That was me being careful." Gabriel held the door open for her, and they waved to Tony when they were seated in a booth near the bar. As they wolfed down burgers and fries, a couple of his teammates came over and chatted for a while. Gabriel glanced at her apologetically but she smiled and nodded for him to continue with his friends. As he spoke, she studied him. There was so much more than met the eye with Gabriel. It was as if some hidden part of her identified with a part of him. She had tried to explain it to Christian but he wasn't exactly open to the discussion.
Christian did not like Gabriel, and though he'd been especially irritated that they'd been partnered together on their Calc project, he had never asked her switch classes or change partners. Christian seemed to think that Gabriel was after Victoria, and while she assured him that that would never happen, he still didn't trust Gabriel's motives where Victoria was concerned. He'd even suggested that Gabriel had somehow masterminded them being assigned as partners, which was ludicrous. No one could get away with something like that!
Gabriel was still talking to his teammates when she saw Charla and her entourage make their way to a table at the far end. Charla looked around as if she were looking for someone specific, and it was very obvious to Victoria exactly who she was looking for. Victoria looked down at the table when she felt the hostile gaze settle on them. She kicked Gabriel under the table. He winced and looked at her accusingly. Victoria inclined her head toward the bar. She saw the recognition in his eyes and looked at him meaningfully until he sighed, excused himself from his friends and stood up, walking over to Charla's table.
Victoria watched as he hugged and kissed Charla performing like a pro for their captive audience, asking her entourage very loudly whether they were getting his best girl in trouble. Charla beamed from the attention. Victoria kept her expression carefully neutral. She hated the pretense and had decided that she would leave just to make the point for the hundredth time that she wasn't interested in Gabriel. She was just getting her stuff together to see if someone could give her a ride, when a small figure slid in the booth opposite her.
"Oh, hey Angie, you look different," she said, suddenly noticing the short hair and the fact that Angie actually looked happy. Angie smiled dreamily.
"Thanks. Just trying a little something new," she said. "Taylor's coming up this weekend." Victoria's mind went blank and then she remembered in a flash. Taylor? New Year's Eve Taylor whom Angie had been making out with for hours? Angie's face turned pink with embarrassment, and Victoria grinned. Definitely that Taylor.
"That's really great," Victoria said, and meant it. "I didn't realize that things had gotten serious after New Year's."
"We kept it under the radar. I mean we all grew up together, so we didn't want it to be weird for everyone else," Angie said. "But since he's coming up this weekend, it won't be a secret any more, will it?"
"I'm really happy for you, Angie. You deserve it." Victoria hesitated for a second and then asked the question that had been bothering her. "Angie, can I ask you something? Does Gabriel treat you the way he does because of what you can do?" The happiness on Angie's face immediately dimmed and she looked sharply at Victoria. "I mean I know you said that he isn't like you, but is that it?"
"Why?" Angie was reluctant to respond and kept shooting panicked looks toward her brother. Even though Angie hadn't said anything, Victoria had her answer.
"Don't worry I won't say anything ..."
"Say anything about what?" Gabriel interrupted rudely.
"Nothing, I was just asking Angie to give me a ride home."
"But I'll take you home, Tori," he said.
Victoria smiled. "Don't forget you have a job to do, Gabriel, and taking me home is definitely not one of them. Pay attention to your girlfriend," she said, jerking her eyes toward Charla sitting at her table and casting furtive glances at them.
Gabriel knew he was beaten when he saw the resolute look in Victoria's eyes, and he sighed, resigned. "Fine, I'll call you later then," he said.
As they made their way out, Victoria was rewarded with a happy squeal from Charla as Gabriel grabbed her from behind and twirled her in the air. She and Angie waved goodbye, and Charla gave them a big grin on the way out.
The ride to her apartment was quick, and just as Victoria was thanking Angie for the ride and getting out, Angie put her hand on Victoria's arm.
"Look, it's really weird between Gabriel and me. It's hard to talk about when he is there and well, it's pretty obvious how he feels about me."
"It's okay, I understand, sorry I asked," Victoria said.
Angie still looked like she had something to say and Victoria waited, her hand on the door handle. "I meant to tell you before, but I just didn't get around to it." Angie paused and smiled awkwardly. "I saw those guys in New York with you. You know, the ones without any colors. The dead ones."
Victoria leaned back into the car seat and stared at Angie. She didn't say a word. Angie squeezed her hand on Victoria's arm.
"Look, it's okay. I didn't say anything but I was watching them for you. I know that one was Christian Devereux. I recognized him even in the white mask, but I didn't know the other one." Victoria could see that she was starting to get agitated.