Gabriela's eyes shattered like broken glass as the doctor's words pierced her soul. Tears welled up, threatening to spill over as the doctor continued speaking, his voice a gentle hum in the background. "...all she needs is adequate treatment, and we'll do everything we can until she wakes up." The words echoed in Gabriela's mind like a cruel mantra.
Tears rolled down her cheeks, streaming down her face as she bowed her head, her body shaking with sobs. The doctor's voice grew softer, more consolatory, "Please, don't cry in the office. You need to stay strong for Daniela's sake. If you're down, she won't be happy to see you this way."
Meanwhile, in the waiting room, Miguel paced anxiously, asking Isabella and Michelle, "What's taking so long? What's going on?" His eyes darted towards the doctor's office, willing the door to open. Just then, Gabriela stepped out, her eyes red and puffy, her face etched with pain.
Miguel's expression turned tense as he approached her. "Gabriela, what did the doctor say?" he asked gently, his voice laced with concern. Gabriela's legs seemed to give way beneath her, and Miguel caught her just in time. Michelle and Isabella rushed to her side as she whispered, "Coma...Daniela's in a coma."
The words hung in the air like a challenge, and Miguel's face fell. "Oh no...I'm so sorry, Gabriela." Michelle and Isabella gasped in shock, their eyes welling up with tears. Gabriela's sobs grew louder, more ragged, as Michelle and Isabella tried to console her. Miguel pulled her into a tight hug, his shirt growing wet with her tears.
"It's okay, Gabriela. We're here for you," he whispered, his voice cracking with emotion.
"I'm here - for you."
~~~~TWO DAYS AFTER~~~~
Gabriela was trying to finish Daniela's sweater.
She was knitting it when she left the house for a sleepover.
She smiled wistfully when a scene flashed before her eyes.
Daniela posing in front of the mirror with her knitted scarf.
She shut her eyes and tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Oh my God, Daniela. Why did you do this to me? I mean....why did I do this to you? Why did I dare Claudia? Why did this have to happen to you?" She sobbed.
"When exactly are you gonna wake up? It has been two days and you're just in there." Her phone rang but she just stared at it.
It was her dad's business partner.
The person called thrice before he stopped.
Gabriela dropped the sweater and headed to the kitchen.
She had no idea what to cook but she was so hungry.
As she stood near the cabinets looking confused, the door bell rang.
She ran towards the door and opened.
She was surprised to see a delivery guy.
"I'm from the nearest pizzeria. Someone you know said I delivered this to you. He asked me not to disclose his identity." Gabriela took the pizza from him and smiled faintly.
"Thank...thank you very much."
"I'll fetch some cash..."
"No, ma'am. Paid." The delivery guy said and left. Gabriela was puzzled.
Who could have sent a pizza?
Her dad?
Michelle? Isabella?
Carissa?
Miguel?
She blushed at the thought of him.
When she returned to her room, there was a call.
"Hi."
"Hi, Gabriela. Did you get your pizza?"
"It was you?"
"Yeah. I thought I'd surprise you."
Her expression turned dull again.
"Nice. Thanks a bunch."
"You're always welcome. Eat up. I'll visit after basketball practice."
"Please don't visit. I'll like to be alone."
"Alone? And you won't show up in school?"
"Nah. You should understand."
"I will advise you to stop thinking too much about Daniela. She'll be absolutely fine. The doctors will take good care of her."
"That's if...we pay for it. It feels so bad having to use all the money made from business to get Daniela's life back on track. I feel so bad that this happened. Is that bloody witch going to go scot free for what she made my sister and I go through? Won't Daniela's case get justified?" Gabriela was in a sad tone.
"Gaby, you don't have to worry about the bills. I'll pay them all and..."
"What?" Gabriela was stunned.
"Yeah. I'll pay for Daniela's treatment till she wakes up."
She started stuttering.
"But...but..are...are you sure you want to do this?"
"I want to, Gabriela."
Her eyes sparkled with gratitude.
"Oh my gosh..." Her voice was dripping with relief.
"Are...are you really.. going to do this for us?"
"Yes, Gabriela."
"Are you serious?" He didn't reply. He just chuckled.
"Gosh, Miguel. Thank you so much. I wish I could hug you right now...I...I can't believe you want to do this..."
"But...won't your dad have a problem with you doing this? I...I think you should save the trouble..."
"Sheesh, Gabriela. You're such a chatterbox. Daniela's health is prior to you, right? Everything about you is my priority." Gabriela's eyes widened.
A blush crept on her cheeks.
"Really? I can't...I can't just thank you enough."
After a while, she hung up and a squeal followed.
"Daniela, you really need to wake up soonest."
~~~~~
Michelle walked out of her bedroom, her backpack slung over her shoulder, ready to head to college. But instead of heading downstairs, she veered into Miguel's room, knocking softly on the doorframe. "Hey, you ready?" she asked, pushing the door open.
Miguel sat on his bed, his eyes fixed on his phone, his expression somber. Michelle's brow furrowed in concern. "Hey, why aren't you getting ready for school?" she asked, dropping her bag on the floor.
Miguel looked up, his eyes tired. "I think I'm gonna skip for a few days," he said quietly. "Gabriela's going through a tough time, and I want to be there for her."
Michelle's expression softened. "Miguel, there's no need. Carissa's staying back with her. She'll be fine." But Miguel shook his head. "I want to be there for her, Michelle. She's really hurting."
Michelle smiled slightly, understanding in her eyes. "Okay, no problem. Take care of yourself, and Gabriela, okay?" Miguel nodded, and Michelle leaned in to give him a quick hug. "Bye, Miguel."
With a gentle smile, Michelle turned and walked out of the room, leaving Miguel to his thoughts.
~~~
Carissa and Gabriela were in the living room watching a movie.
Carissa was asleep and her hair was scattered all over the couch while Gabriela stared at the TV silently, eating popcorn.
The door bell suddenly rang and she went to open.
"Miguel! You're here."
"Hi."
"Why aren't you in school?"
"Curious much?" They both walked in.
Gabriela slammed the door.
"Let's spend time together, just for today. Is that okay?" Gabriela nodded.
They sat.
"Carissa's asleep."
"Yeah, she is."
"She's so hot when she sleeps."
"Humph." Gabriela sneered.
"That 'humph' wasn't too satisfactory. It's not agreeing to what I said."
"Miguel, do you wanna watch the movie, talk about Carissa or bother me?"
They laughed and chatted, their spirits lifting with each passing scene. At noon, Carissa finally woke up and greeted Miguel.
The three of them headed to the dining room, where Carissa whipped up a delicious lunch. They sat around the table, swapping stories and sharing memories. Gabriela's laughter echoed through the room, her worries momentarily forgotten. Carissa left around 4 pm, leaving Gabriela and Miguel to their own devices.
Later, Isabella and Diana arrived, and the group spent an hour watching the latest telenovela. Miguel couldn't help but capture the moment when Gabriela's laughter became so uncontrollable that she fell off the couch. Her friends exchanged knowing glances – they had succeeded in putting a smile on her face.
As the evening drew to a close, Isabella and Diana bid their goodbyes, leaving Miguel and Gabriela alone. Gabriela yawned, feeling a little dizzy, and Miguel offered his arm. "Let me walk you to your room," he said, his voice gentle.
As they strolled down the hallway, Miguel remembered the gift he had brought for Gabriela – a stunning green outfit set. He handed her the bag, and her eyes lit up as she pulled out the tight green top, pants, and beanie. A sweetheart-neckline dress lay nestled beneath. "My favorite color!" she exclaimed, her face radiant.
Miguel grinned, pleased that he had chosen well. "I thought you'd like it," he said, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
"Why don't we plan a vacation with the others for the season?" he suggested, his enthusiasm infectious. Gabriela's face lit up, and she thanked him, her voice filled with gratitude.
"Why are you so kind towards me? The Miguel I knew would never be this caring." She laughed mockingly.
"You're just one of those I value. And I'll continue doing everything I can, just for your beautiful eyes to twinkle."
They entered her room.
Gabriela smiled - the most genuine one ever.
She had never been this safe with anyone.
But her heart shook when she couldn't change that they were just friends.
At least for now.
"May your dreams come true, darling." Her mom's prayers to her when she was little.
Miguel had never been her dream.
He was a thought and a wish.
She needed to find the meaning of her dreams before wanting them to come true.
Was it pointing out anything about Miguel?
All this made no sense.
~~~~~~
Gabriela walked beside her dad, Mr. Alejandro, as they made their way to Daniela's hospital room. His eyes were red-rimmed, his voice laced with regret. "If only I had accepted her back sooner...she would never have been taken from us...and now...now she's lying here in a coma." He shook his head, his words trailing off into despair.
Gabriela's heart ached as she listened to her dad's lamentations. When they reached the hospital room, the doctor greeted them with a cautious optimism.
"Miss. Daniela has been responding well to treatment. We're hopeful for her recovery."
Gabriela's eyes welled up with tears as she stepped into the ward. Daniela lay still, her face pale and fragile. Gabriela approached her bedside, her voice barely above a whisper. "Dani...I'm not sure if you can hear me...but I miss you so much." Tears streamed down her face as she gazed at her sister's unconscious form.
She lingered by Daniela's bedside, talking to her, sharing memories, and pouring out her heart.
As she prepared to leave, Gabriela's eyes lingered on Daniela's face, searching for any sign of response. She hesitated, reluctant to break the connection, before finally turning to her dad. "Let's go, Dad," she said softly, her voice heavy with emotion.
Claudia spun around the living room, champagne in hand, a tipsy grin plastered on her face. The pop song played on repeat, and she danced to the beat, her mom watching with a smile from the couch. Suddenly, a commotion outside caught Jennie's attention, and she stood up, her eyes fixed on the door.
Before she could react, Miguel burst into the house, his face twisted in anger. Claudia's smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure, her eyes locking onto Miguel's. "Babe, you're here. I've been waiting for you..." she said, her voice dripping with affection.
Jennie's expression turned incredulous, her eyes rolling in exasperation. "What are you talking about, Claudia?" she muttered, her tone dismissive.
As Claudia moved closer to Miguel, he raised his hand, and Jennie instinctively shut her eyes, anticipating a slap. Claudia's eyes widened in horror, and she screamed, stumbling backward in an attempt to dodge the blow. But Miguel's hand froze mid-air, his fingers inches from Claudia's face. He lowered his hand, his chest heaving with anger.
Jennie's eyes snapped open, and she unleashed a torrent of fury at Miguel. "Why are you here? Get out of this house right now!" she demanded, her voice shrill.
Miguel's gaze locked onto Claudia, his eyes blazing with anger. "I'm here to give your daughter a piece of my mind," he declared, his voice low and menacing. The air was thick with tension, the atmosphere electric with hostility.
"What the fuck is your issue, Claudia? Does Mr. Alejandro have any idea that you're responsible for his daughter's r@pe?"