Kisses after midnight (WICKED #0) | ✓

26

"IF YOU BREAK MY child in two, Jay, I will kill you."

"This is not your child, Mateo!" Jay exclaimed, waving the cucumber in his hand.

They had placed their luggage and the supply bags on the grass, the spot they had claimed far enough not to hear the others. If they looked to the left they could see Chase's tent though, his group the only one which dared to get close to theirs. Mateo didn't mind, the silence was pleasant. Though the first emotion he had felt upon seeing Gabriela's name next to his had been stress, it still calmed him to have her by his side. No, the actual source of his stress was standing by the trees, holding his child in his hand like it was a mere stick.

"Give it to me, Jay," he said," I don't trust you with him."

"I swear to God, Mateo," Jay threatened," I will smack you across the face with it if you get closer."

Sahar slapped him on the back of his head then, a disapproving look on her face. In reply Jay placed a hand on his hair, though it probably hadn't hurt at all, his look one of extreme betrayal.

"Jay," she scolded," you're being mean."

"Sahar," he said, eyes wide in shock," how could you choose this maniac's side?"

She didn't budge though and Jay sighed, resigning himself to his fate. At the look of all his hope leaving his face, Mateo flashed him a triumphant grin, knowing already this camping trip would be a fun one. If the activities would be boring, he at least had Jay. Getting a rise out of him could be his new hobby.

His attention turned to Gabriela then, who was unpacking the stuff Clarkson had given them, frowning as she fished out random objects from the bag. She placed everything down in an organized manner and he smiled at the familiar structure she always created. Hesitantly he parted his lips, just about to call out to her -

"What the hell?" Mateo yelled, a hand placed against the side of his head.

Jay had whacked the cucumber at his head like a frisbee, seeming to be very satisfied with his kamikaze move.

"I know you will kill me, Sahar," he said with a smile which showed no regrets," but I had to do it."

Mateo was just about to throw it right back at him when his eyes widened, his grip on the cucumber loosening. Oh right, they were supposed to take care of this. He peered at the vegetable, which now donned a crack in the middle, and shook his head.

Perhaps Clarkson could give them a prize for breaking it the fastest.

"Are you alright?"

Gabriela's touch was like a caress on his skin, her hand grazing across his head. He froze up involuntarily, but quickly recovered, eyes soft when he looked at her. Their argument flashed in front of him again, but he quickly drove everything serious out of his mind. So instead he smiled cheekily and grabbed her hand.

"I'm a machine of destruction, Gabriela," he said," I feel no pain."

"Uh-huh," she said, faintly amused, before just tousling his hair and walking back to the supplies.

"If you feel no pain, can I whack it at your head again? It was the most stress relief I've had in days."

"Go away, Jay."

Sahar narrowed her eyes at Jay and he sheepishly looked down, his hand placed on his neck.

"We're supposed to keep the cucumber whole," she said.

"But Sahar," he protested," Mateo was taunting me, looking all stupid over there -"

"I miss when you were bitter and silent," Mateo sighed.

Sahar glanced at Jay, who was looking like he was ready to receive another scolding, and a her lips tugged up.

"I'm just kidding, Jay," she said," it's nice to see you two get along." She held up a finger. "If you throw the cucumber one more time though, I will break it in two on your head."

Jay looked perplexed, but she just gave him an angelic smile and walked over to Gabriela. He followed her after a moment, crouching down in front of them, and Mateo did so as well. Once they were gathered, he held up the cucumber, his face serious.

"So," he said," what shall we name him?"

"Who says it's a him?" Gabriela said.

"Please don't make me say this," Jay said," but a cucumber doesn't have a gender."

"I say Theresa," Sahar said," she just gives me Theresa vibes."

"What about Bas?" Mateo said suddenly.

Gabriela gave him a confused look. "Why Bas?"

He cleared his throat, regretting his sudden impulse to say that now. Explaining where the name Bas came from would make everything awkward, especially since he had to enclose how close he was with their principal then and why. This was no mood for him to bring up his father. Before he could say anything though, Jay interrupted him, sparing him the explanation.

"Bas is good," he said.

"Sure," Sahar said," Bas sounds cute."

After a second Gabriela nodded as well, though her eyes lingered on him a little longer. He didn't dare look in her eyes, afraid she would see right through him, as she always did.

"Well then," he said," let's set up the tent."

"Do you know how?" Sahar said.

He frowned. "Have you never been camping before?"

"I only saw this in TV shows," she said with a wide smile," so I'm really excited."

"Same here," Jay said," though I'm less excited."

"Ah, yeah," Mateo said," I had forgotten you were rich. No worries though, I used to go every year until I was twelve and after that I went a couple times with Gabriela here." He flashed her a grin. "We can explain everything."

When the look of relief flickered in her eyes he realized she was glad he was acting normal. Honestly, he had been struggling, but when she was so close, he couldn't help but feel normal. There was nothing more familiar than her presence after all.

"You mean I'll explain everything and you'll run off with the cucumber, right?" she said, a teasing glimmer in her eyes.

"I'd rather hear the explanation from you anyway, Gabriela," Jay said," so that's completely fine."

"Hey!" Mateo frowned, insulted.

"You make no sense half of the time, Mateo," Jay said as he held up a hand towards his friend," I can't with you."

"That is part of my charm, you fool."

"What charm?"

"I'll flick you both on the head if you continue," Gabriela said.

That shut them up.

"Okay," she said," I'll assign tasks to each of you. If we work together, we can get this done quickly and then enjoy our free time."

"Aye, captain," Sahar said, saluting her.

They were all busy a moment later, Gabriela's explanations brief and clear. As Mateo placed a pole in the ground, Gabriela coming his way with the necessary tools, the cucumber in her pocket, it somehow felt like a really weird family trip. The thought made him smile and when she reached him, he couldn't help but imagine a future together.

Perhaps everything would be fine after this trip.