Chapter 3
Elle had nearly bounced all the way to lunch. For the first time in her school history she was actually enjoying it. She’d sat with Mohinder in French, and Adam in English, she’d even got some bickering in with Gabriel at break.
She saw Mohinder and Gabriel sitting at the table and walked over towards them.
Gabriel couldn’t help smiling when he saw her coming towards him, it was some sort of instant reaction that he needed to get a hold of.
“Up for a challenge?”
Elle cocked her head to the side
“Always”
“Well the exam papers don’t miraculously appear, we have to steal them”
“Go on”
“Since Mohinder has a dentist appointment after school it falls down to me alone to steal the papers”
“And you’d like some help?”
“I was thinking something along the lines of a sidekick”
“Of course you’d get 20% “
Elle turned to look at Mohinder she had forgotten he was there.
“20% of what”
“The profits”
“Of yeah of course”
“So are you in?”
“Definitely!”
Gabriel stood nervously at his locker; he had done this plenty of times so there was no need to be worried. He wiped his palms on his jeans, that wasn’t why he was tense he’d never been alone with Elle for more than five minutes. He didn’t know what would happen between them.
Elle strolled down the corridor; she had to admit he looked good lounging by his locker. With his dark hair flopping into his eyes, and the leather jacket he had the whole sexy bad boy thing going for him, if you were into that sort of thing which of course she absolutely wasn’t.
“Hey, ready to commit an expellable offence?”
He called to her
“Oh totally”
She said smiling.
“So what’s the plan?”
“We go to Mr. Bennet´s class, I pick the lock you keep look out, once we’ve got the test I write down the answers replace the test and no one needs to know”.
“Look out; you’re demoting me to look out”
“Firstly I can’t demote you, you weren’t higher up before, and secondly it’s not like you can pick a lock”
“You don’t think I can pick a lock?”
Gabriel sighed, he had forgotten who he was talking to, of course she could pick a lock, she could probably dismantle it and put it back together again.
“It doesn’t matter if you can or not, I’m in charge”
“Yes sir”
Elle said saluting.
Gabriel couldn’t help laughing.
“Come on”
Gabriel knocked on the door to Bennets classroom; he had learnt the hard way that it was always best to check whether or not the teacher was actually in. Although the look on Mr. Parkman`s face was funny when he came waltzing into the classroom.
“Alright its clear lets go”
“Do you think I could get a code name?”
“A code name”
“Yeah a little something to make it more secret agent”
“You’d be the worst secret agent ever”
“No worse than you”
Gabriel turned to her and managed to get out a monotone
“I work alone”
Before they both collapsed laughing.
“Alright wait outside the class and if Bennet comes bang on the door”
“Got it”
Elle glanced at her watch, Gabriel had been in there for ten minutes, she could probably have done it in five but she wouldn’t mention that to him. Hearing footsteps she peeked around the corner, and saw Mr. Bennet strolling down the corridor. Elle banged on the door and hissed
“Gabriel”
Gabriel had managed to get the draw unlocked although it was touch and go for a little bit. Honestly it was Mohinder who was the main lock picker and he really didn’t want to have to go outside and ask Elle for help. He’d just finished writing down the last of the answers on his hand when the door opened and Elle slipped inside.
“What are you doing ?”
“I knocked and said your name nothing, Bennets coming”
“Shit!”
Gabriel ran to the door and heard voices outside it.
“It’s him and Mr. Linderman”
Elle glanced round the class room worriedly.
Gabriel hated seeing her nervous.
“Don’t worry I’ve got a plan”
“If Bennet finds us he’ll kill us”
“No just me”
“What are you talking about?”
“Get in the cupboard and hide I’ll turn myself in and then when he takes me to the principal you get the hell out of here”
“No way!”
“Why not?”
Elle ran to the window; she wasn’t going to let Gabriel get in trouble for this
“Put a chair in front of the door we need to stall for time”
“Elle what are you talking about”
“We’re going to jump”
She said lifting up the glass.
“Are you insane?”
“It’s only the second floor”
Gabriel knew this was a very bad idea, one of the worst ideas in history. But since she wasn’t going to get in the cupboard and he wasn’t going to let her get in trouble it seemed to be the only option. He grabbed the chair and wedged it under the door knob.
“Alright you go first”
“After you”
They both jumped when they heard the door rattle.
“Who’s in there ?”
Elle looked at him and hiked herself on to the window ledge
“Same time”
Gabriel hooked his legs off and jumped, he landed with a thud on the grass and turned to see Elle already back on her feet.
“Come on”
“That wasn’t your first time doing something like that”
He said accusingly
“Let’s go”
She said tugging on his arm and laughing.
The next day Gabriel sat in history next to Elle, when the announcement came over the intercom. Apparently Mr Bennet worked out someone had been in his classroom the chair in front of the door and the voices had given it away. According to him it was only a matter of time before the perpetrators were caught.
Elle burst out laughing and hastily turned it into a coughing fit when Gabriel elbowed her.
Elle screamed and kicked her bed, it had been a week since her and Gabriel had pulled off the successful exam answer heist. They were all meant to meet tonight at Mohinder´s for pizza and to split the profits; Elle had managed to argue her way up to 30% because of the danger attached. She had a feeling it was going to be one of the best nights ever, she’d never hung out at a friend’s house before and was looking forward to it. Or at least she had been until her Dad her told her that under no circumstances was she allowed to go.
Elle wasn’t going to let that stop her though, she would mope around for a bit upstairs and then go down and play dutiful daughter. She figured that at around ten she would be able to claim tiredness and excuse herself to bed, and by bed she meant shimming down the drain pipe. He dad was away early in the morning so she would be able to sneak back in easily.
Gabriel looked out the window, it was eleven and Elle still hadn’t turned up. He wouldn’t accept that she didn’t want to come; she had seemed so excited when they told her about it over lunch.
“Mohinder are you sure you gave her the right address?”
Mohinder snored in response; clearly his friend was less worried about Elle’s whereabouts than his. Gabriel tried to focus on the film they had been watching but his thoughts kept going back to her.
Elle made her way down the street. It had taken her longer than anticipated to sneak away; her dad had wanted to have a father daughter talk. She glanced up at the house and checked the address written on her palm again, it was the right one.
The only trouble was how to get in She didn’t want to risk ringing to doorbell in case Mohinder´s parents where asleep Elle didn’t think her waking them up in the middle of the night would go down well. She tried Mohinder`s cell phone again but it was no use.
Gabriel looked up suddenly he was sure he had a tap on the window, he shook his head, this was a sign to cut back on the horror films. He heard it again it was as if something had hit the window. Pushing images of crazed serial killers out of his head he went to the window. He saw Elle standing down on the grass throwing rocks at the window. She looked up and waved.
Elle stood smiling on the porch when Gabriel opened the door to let her in.
“Elle what where you doing?”
“I didn’t want to ring the doorbell in case I woke Mohinder`s parents up”
“They’re away on a medical conference for the weekend”
“Ooops”
She giggled and walked inside.
“How did you even know that was Mohinder´s room?”
“I guessed”
“You’re crazy you know that”
“It’s been said”
He looked at her smiling slightly and for a second Elle thought he was going to kiss her, but he just backed away and headed for the kitchen.
“So we’ve got left over pizza and all the horror films you could hope for”
Gabriel cursed himself, he had been so close and staring into her blue eyes all he had wanted to do was kiss her. It was ridiculous; girls like Elle didn’t kiss guys like him.
Elle opened her eyes and blinked, she was laying against Gabriel her head resting under her chin. He look so handsome sleeping, she shook her head she shouldn’t think about her that way it was clear he only saw her as a friend nothing else. She shifted slightly getting up from the sofa, she should go home take a cold shower and attempt to stop thinking of him naked.
Gabriel stretched slightly yawning and then looked round, Elle was gone. He remember the night before watching films on the sofa with her, the feeling that rushed through him every time she grabbed his hand a scary bit. He walked into the kitchen hoping to find her there.
“Morning sleeping beauty”
Mohinder said smiling
“Where’s Elle?”
“Oh it’s nice to see you to”
“Yeah good morning, so where is she?”
Mohinder grinned he didn’t even have to play match maker looks like Gabriel was falling for her already.
“She left about an hour ago”
Gabriel took a deep breath it was now or never.
“Do you have her address?”
Elle lay on the sofa watching TV, she couldn’t get Gabriel out of her mind. The doorbell rang startling her out of her daydream. She walked up to the door to open it, if was probably Mr. Danco complaining about the noise Elle had had a lot of neighbours and he was the worst by far.
Gabriel pressed the doorbell again hoping that Elle was in and that her father wasn’t, he hadn’t heard much about him but he knew he wasn’t the kind of dad that would appreciate Gabriel turning up. Elle opened the door and gasped
“Gabriel”
He’d had a speech prepared explain that he understood if she didn’t feel the same and how he hoped it didn’t affect their friendship, but seeing her there made him forget all of it. He leaned in and kissed her gently.
Elle was tempted to pinch herself to check that it wasn’t just a dream, she could feel his mouth on hers and kissed back wrapping her arms around his neck.
“Wow”
Elle broke away smiling softly.
Gabriel stroked her face slightly
“You’re so beautiful”
“Hardly”
He cupped her chin in his hand
“Shh more kissing”
Elle tilted her head up to his and he kissed her again more passionately.
“Disgusting”
They broke apart suddenly, there was a man with gray hair standing in the yard next to Elle’s shaking his head.
“Kids have no shame these days”
Elle grabbed Gabriel by the hand,
“let’s go inside”
“Who’s that ?”
“You really don’t want to know”
Elle applied the her war stripes with eyeliner
“Are you sure this is a good idea”
Mohinder hissed
“It’s the best plan we’ve got Mohinder”
Gabriel snapped and lent forward so Elle could draw on him.
“If you don’t want to do it you can go Mohinder”
Elle said smiling as she finished off Gabriel’s camouflage.
“It’s a crime we could go to jail”
Mohinder didn’t understand how he could convey that point over to them anymore
“They’ll never be able to prove it was us”
Gabriel said wrapping his arm around Elle
“Besides I have to protect Elle’s honour”
Elle snorted slightly
“I get it Bonnie and Clyde but think about this for a second it’s a crime”
“And selling exam papers isn’t”
Gabriel stated accusingly
“That’s a business enterprise”
“Lets do this”
He said grabbing Elle’s hand
Earlier that day Elle had come out of P.E to find all of her clothes gone and a crowd of manically laughing cheerleaders. Luckily the school didn’t have a dress code because they might have frowned on her wearing only Gabriel’s leather coat the rest of the day.
Gabriel had kindly responded to her SOS text and turned up clutching it, although he had to admit it was sexy to know that it was the only thing she was wearing.
“Look Mohinder you stay here as lookout we’ll go in”
“Fine”
Elle handed him the walkie-talkie
“Press the red button to talk to us”
“You have to be kidding”
“It’s faster than a cell phone”
“And cooler”
Gabriel added
He was all for this plan, it was time the cheerleaders got a taste of there own medicine.
Mohinder watch them sneak across the grass and crack the window.
The walkie-talkie burst to life
“Eagle to base command the hen is still in the cage”
“Adam?”
“Who else would it be Mohinder?”
“Why are you calling yourself eagle and what do you mean the hen”
“It’s a codename and Tracy is still at the party happily grinding the night away, so you’re good to go”
“10-4”
Elle said and Gabriel cracked up
“Come on the bedroom should be up here”
Elle had never seen so much pink it really disturbed her. She ran to the closets and started pulling out the clothes.
Gabriel surveyed there work, the girl sure had a hell of a lot of clothes he mused or at least she used to Elle really was handy with a pair of scissors.
Elle lay back on the bed
“Think she’ll like it”
“Oh I’m sure she’ll love it”
Gabriel lay down next to her and laced his fingers with hers
“It’s never boring with you around”
“You’re not so bad yourself”
Elle leant over and kissed him roughly and he pulled her on top of him. Elle straddled him and planted kisses along his neck. She jumped back suddenly hearing Adam voice
“Okay she’s on her way home”
“Shit”
Elle jumped off Gabriel and they headed down the stairs.
Mohinder was waiting for them in the car, gas running.
“Let’s get out of here”
Gabriel said climbing into the backseat
“Best plan of the evening”
Said Mohinder as he took off.
Elle sat on Gabriel’s lap as he fed her crisps
“And how are the love birds today?”
Adam asked grinning
“We’re fine”
Gabriel said giving Elle another crisp, the last two months really had been the best in his life. He’d had girlfriends before but nothing like Elle there was no one else like her.
“We’re failing history”
Elle added
“Who needs history, not us”
“How can you be failing history?”
“Because there too busy making out to ever work on there project”
Said Mohinder.
“Fear not children if there’s one thing I’m good at its history”
“I think we can survive without you help”
“Your loss, anyway my party’s this Friday and you are all expected to be there”
“No thanks”
Elle said biting Gabriel’s ear
“Yeah we have plans”
He said wrapping his arm around her
“Cancel them, I need people I can actually talk to there”
“Why are you even having a party?”
“For the ladies”
“Of course”
“Yes of course Mohinder, I’m sure we can find you someone a well”
“Oh great”
“How do you even know anyone will come, everyone hates us”
“No ducks, everyone hates you three, everyone loves me”
Elle paused he had a point, there friendship had caused quite the controversy, and it had been decided by most of the student body Adam only hung out with them because they provided him with a variety of sexual favours.
“Besides I’ve been throwing parties since I was thirteen and people have always shown up”
“And the fact you live in a mansion has nothing to do with that”
“You know where I live Mohinder I’m touched”
Elle tugged at her shirt
“You know I hate parties’ right”
“I hate them too”
Gabriel said ringing the doorbell.
Adam ushered the three of the in, true to his prediction the party was full of people.
“Come on Mohinder, I’ve found you a wonderful girl exactly your type”
Adam said grabbing Mohinder and pulling him into the crowd
“I don’t really have a type”
Mohinder muttered as he was dragged off
“Lovebirds help yourselves to drinks”
Adam said before he disappeared
“So”
Gabriel said turning to Elle
“Drinks?”
“Lots of them”
Gabriel looked round trying to spot Elle, Adam had dragged her off to play some sort of drinking game leaving him to look after and extremely drunk Mohinder.
“I think she really like me”
Mohinder slurred at his side
“I’m sure she did”
“Gabriel”
Gabriel turned round and groaned
“Candice”
“Hey baby”
She said and walked towards him
Gabriel seriously considered using Mohinder as a shield; Candice was the worst mistake of his life and he’d made a considerable amount.
“So how have you been?”
She practically purred at him.
“Good”
“Aren’t you going to ask how I am?”
“I don’t really care to be honest”
Elle bit her lip she couldn’t stop giggling, shots were definitely not a good idea. The room was spinning and everything blurred into one, she really needed to find Gabriel. She staggered sideways and leant on the wall.
“Oh Gabriel you always were so funny”
Candice said tossing her head and laughing
Gabriel scowled confused as to why he ever went out with the girl, he had to find Elle.
Elle moaned her head was swimming.
Candice pouted ever since that new girl had come along her Gabriel hadn’t been fun anymore; she saw the girl staggering across the room and suddenly had an idea.
“Oh Gabriel”
She said loudly and lunged forward kissing him.
Elle looked up when she heard Gabriel’s name being yelled and suddenly wished she hadn’t, he was kissing a tall brunette her arms wrapped all over him. She turned round she had to get of there.
Gabriel pushed Candice off himself.
“I’m with someone”
“Not for long”
Candice said laughing and pointing at Elle’s retreating finger.
Elle could hear someone yelling her name but kept walking; getting outside she felt worse, if that was possible.
“Hey are you alright?”
Elle glanced down and saw a boy in a car looking concerned.
“Just great”
“Do you need a ride home?”
“Elle”
She heard Gabriel yell in the background. She could remember everything her dad had ever said about getting into cars with people she didn’t know; all the stranger danger assemblies she’d had to sit through but she didn’t care. She needed to get away, she couldn’t face Gabriel.
“Sure”
She said and climbed into the back seat.
“Elle!”
Gabriel screamed again as he watched her climb into a car.
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