He did not answer right away. Instead, Gabe Whitaker slid onto the barstool with an unhurried air of a man who knew exactly what he was about. The sharp line of his jaw was accentuated in the light, and the smell of his aftershave was subtle enough to be caught even with the faint tang of liquor in the air. Gabriel, or Gabe for short, had always been a bit of an enigma even to his friends. A brooding figure, some angst-ridden philosopher wasting his time in academia, practically one step away from being an emo. But at least it gave him some kind of personality beyond the shallow shills that most people happened to be in the 21st century. At least when Gabe spoke, he actually had something to say worth hearing, instead of the vapid nonsense that spewed in practically meme formats out of modern humanityโs mouth. Gabeโs eyes were always dark, unreadable, but there were a few things that made him stand out beyond his obvious cynicism with the species known as human beings. He was a loyal friend, he was never impulsive, and he had always been warm towards Selene without ever trying to make a move on her. Her words hung awkwardly in the space between them, but Gabe took his time in responding.
โDonโt apologize,โ he murmured, his voice a smooth blend of understanding and something harder to place. โIf I were in your shoes, Iโd be angry too. Betrayal cuts deepest when it comes from someone you trust.โ He leaned an elbow casually on the bar, his posture open, nonchalant, but his eyes never left hers. He noted the way her fingers curled into her lap, how her shoulders seemed weighed down by disappointment. She looked so small, so fragile in that moment, and he wanted her to feel it. Not out of pity, but because Gabe wanted her to see Brandon for who he really was. An absolute piece of shit who should never have gotten the woman of his dreams. His dreams, and Gabeโs. The man opposite of her had never confided his crush to anyone, never once spoken out against her dating his friend, but he had always had his reservations. He knew the kind of man Brandon was, flawed like most, and how easily led around by a piece of ass. But seeing Selene here like this, seeing her upset, it made him hate Brandon a little. Enough to try his hand at consoling her.
The bartender interrupted, coming over to ask Gabe what he wanted, and he settled for a simple crown and coke, his eyes never really leaving Selene even as he spoke the words. And once they had privacy again, he leaned closer so he could speak to her without having to raise his voice in the endeavor. โLook, Iโm not going to defend him. What Brandon did, itโs not just a stupid mistake. Itโs a choice, one that shows exactly where his priorities are. You deserve better than that. Youโve always deserved better than that.โ
His head turned just slightly so that he could lock eyes with her, letting the words sink in, a little bit of his own anger darkening his expression, as though Brandonโs actions offended him personally. As he did so, his hand came over, familiar as it touched her knee, and he gave a small squeeze. It could be a squeeze of commiseration, or more, but the perfect placement of that hand, not too high on her knee, meant that Gabe left it open to interpretation as he continued. โIf Iโm being honest, I donโt know how youโve put up with it for this long. Youโve given him everything, and he doesnโt even see it.โ
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