Chapter 12: The Swans Are Awkward
(A/N - I'm still learning the nuances of writing, so please don't judge the writing too harshly. I'm still figuring out how to flow paragraphs and scene changes together.
Also! Thank you for 850 collections, and almost 150k views on the novel in two days. If we can hit 100 stones today, I'll release another chapter. Much love <3)
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Gabriel sipped on his morning coffee as he stared at the computer screen, his fingers tapping on the table as he looked at the Word document that was open. He spent most of the night writing the novel's first chapters.
He had gone through the internet the previous night and decided on the perfect novel to produce, IT, by Stephen King.
It would be a novel that would start off his lucrative career. The first four chapters were already complete, though it took some time writing the novel itself. Even if he typed at a supernatural speed, the computer couldn't process the speed of input, so he had to slow down to a snail's pace.
Nodding in happiness, he stood up, stretched his rigid body, quickly hopped into the shower, and got changed into something more comfortable for the colder weather.
Gabriel was dangerously late for class because he was completely absorbed in his writing. He quickly skidded out of the driveway, blasting through the winding roads, making sure he wouldn't be caught.
With only two minutes to spare, he dashed into the school, paying no attention to others, and quickly found his way to gym class.
His morning class was like the previous days; he and Emmett ran around like headless chickens, dominating whatever sport the teacher made them play.
It became so unfair at one point, Coach Clapp yelled at the two to sit on the bleachers and not play. The other students, hearing this, became happy; no more tyranny on the court.
They sat and spoke about what they wanted to do with their lives once they graduated, Emmett turning awkwardly at the concept of lying about his future.
"Dunno, maybe go to university and become a physiotherapist? Dad's always hounding me about finding out my passion." Scratching his head, Emmett looked to the ceiling, avoiding Gabriel's questioning eyes.
Sensing the awkwardness, Gabriel turned the subject to something easier, which resulted in a sigh of relief from Emmett.
They continued their conversation until the bell signaled their next class.
In his usual attire, Gabriel entered the biology class and took a seat beside Rosalie, who was already there.
Though they said nothing, they both sat there in happy silence. Being close made them both happy. Thinking there was nothing left to learn, Gabriel closed his eyes and took a brief mental break.
"Didn't get much sleep last night?" Rosalie said, leaning down to whisper in his ear.
Feeling her breath on his ear, Gabriel's body shuddered slightly at the warmth. As he glanced, her face was right there, almost touching his, since she hadn't moved away. Surprised, Rosalie abruptly withdrew, yet her eyes stayed locked onto his.
"Yeah, got a bout of inspiration and was up late writing."
Raising her eyebrow, she asked, "You write?" Her skepticism was obvious in her voice.
"I guess you could say so. I thought about making my own book. Honestly, it was pretty easy once I got the ball rolling," Gabriel said with a smirk. 'Yeah right, it was child's play. I am plagiarizing, after all.'
Intrigued by what he had to say, she seized the chance to discuss the novel with him for the rest of the class. As she learned more about it, her curiosity about reading it intensified.
Before she could even ask him, Gabriel spoke up.
"I'll send you the first couple of chapters if you wanna check it out. Doesn't hurt to have a second pair of eyes." She smiled hearing that; he had made it easier for her.
The rest of the day was just as uneventful, filled with tedious classes. Gabriel divided his lunch break between the Cullens and the group Bella was sitting with. His annoyance with Mike was one of the main reasons he didn't speak too much in the group.
Finishing the day, Gabriel promised to see Bella later for dinner at her house. She had texted him the address the previous night.
After leaving school, Gabriel wasted no time and drove to the grocery store to buy prime rib-eye steaks for dinner. After heading home, he changed into different clothes before leaving once more.
Turning down the street, he parked on the side of the road before exiting his car. A small, two-story home, painted white, sat there. Nestled perfectly into the aesthetic of Forks, it had a quaint and welcoming appearance.
Knocking on the door, Gabriel overheard the sounds of feet hustling around before the door opened. Bella stood there with a fraction of a smile.
"Uh, welcome, Gabe. Dad's in the kitchen." She gestured, standing to the side to let him enter.
"Thanks for having me. I brought some nice steaks for us to have," he said as Charlie entered the room.
"Hey Gabriel, thanks for coming." His voice was welcoming, but his body language showed his awkward personality.
Bella pointed him towards the kitchen, where three seats were set up close to the dining table. Charlie started cooking while they both sat down.
"Have you found out anything about Edward?" Bella asked, her voice a low hush.
Gabriel reacted with a slight scoff upon hearing her question. "Jesus Christ, Bella. No, I haven't. Is that the real reason you invited me over?" he asked, slightly offended at the already love-struck puppy.
"N-no! I just have a group project with him. He just up and left," she stammered.
"Uh-huh, I call bullshit, but let's pretend otherwise."
Slapping his arm, Bella pouted slightly at him for calling her out. Ignoring her question, they began chatting, patiently waited for Charlie.
Bella mentioned her mother needing to live on the road because of her boyfriend's minor league baseball career, which forced her to move here.
'She sounds like a shit parent, though I can't really say much. First life was abusive parents, the second is emotionally and globally distant ones,' he mused in his mind.
As they were absorbed in their pointless small talk, Gabriel suddenly heard his phone beep. Pulling it out, he looked at the message he received.
<Rosalie Cullen: Let me know when you've emailed the chapters. Hopefully, it's as good as you mentioned.>
"Oohhhh! Rosalie is texting you? Someone's got a Cullen girlfriend," Bella's voice was a mix between mockery and hilarity as she held a shit-eating grin on her face.
Closing his phone, Gabriel grumbled. "Fuck off, Bella. Didn't know you were into invading privacy."
Despite flipping her off and putting his phone away, Bella found his misery amusing and laughed.
'I didn't even know she could laugh. This is something new. Might need to document it for scientists later.'
"Dinner's up!" Charlie walked in with three plates of freshly cooked steak. Placing them down, he grabbed a beer from the fridge and found his seat.
Gabriel felt honest surprise at how well he had cooked it. If anything, this was one of the few edible meals he'd had since he reincarnated. A hint of happiness bloomed inside him.
"I know you don't know me much, Gabriel, but I heard about your folks not being home much. If you need something, you can come to either me or Bells," Charlie said, looking at Gabriel. He held a firm look before smiling slightly.
Hearing those words, Gabriel choked up slightly. He wasn't an overly affectionate person, but that a near-complete stranger was looking out for him was more than touching.
Looking down, Gabriel took a bite of his meal before nodding. "Thanks, guys. I appreciate it."
There was a warm and nice feeling as they continued their dinners. While Gabriel was learning about Forks from Charlie, Bella was also getting educated.
After relaxing, they moved to the living room, where Charlie helped himself to another beer and started a movie. Bella sat near Gabriel as they watched.
The irony of watching Bram Stoker's Dracula did not escape him.
After a couple of hours, the movie ended, and the credits rolled. Charlie had fallen asleep in his seat thirty minutes into the movie.
Standing up, Gabriel took out his car keys. "I should call it a night. Thanks again for the invite."
Walking to the front door, he opened it, Bella following in tow.
Turning around, he patted her on the shoulder, a mischievous smile on his lips.
"Hang in there. Your boyfriend will be home soon," he said before shooting off into his car, ignoring Bella's swearing behind him.
'Fuck, I love pissing her off.'
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