Chapter 30

The hallways are quiet and empty when I open Gabriel's bedroom door and take a look out from behind it. I leave the room and begin to descend the stairs. As soon as Gabriel left the room, I started making plans to explore. Before jumping off the bed and landing here, I had heard a car ignite and drive away and assumed the driver was not in the house. "Hi!" I suddenly turn around and scream in shock as two voices chirp. "You terrified me! Who are you, exactly?" I hold a hand towards my chest while scowling in perplexity.
A girl my height, with brown hair pulled back in a messy bun, is standing next to a boy with blonde hair. She has softer features but otherwise is an exact replica of Gabriel. She is dressed in leggings and a large knit sweater and she has the same green eyes and slim build. The boy's baby blue eyes are fixed on me, and his features resemble Gabriel's angular and sharp features. He is standing in front of me wearing white t-shirt and grey sweatpants. We are Gabriel's siblings. I turn around when a woman's voice speaks from behind me.
She is wearing a white sundress, sandals on her feet, and an unkempt braid in her blonde hair. She looks stunning with her angular features and bright blue eyes. I slowly scan the woman and boy in the room. With the same eyes and hair, they remarkably resemble one another. What about twins? Looking between them, I exhale in awe. "Ugh! Being Isabella's twin would be awful!" Looking at the woman with the blonde hair, he murmurs and shudders in mock disgust.
"Anyways! I'd like to say hello! I'm Paloma, and I enjoy receiving hugs." He shouts as he approaches me while holding out his arms. I squeal as I extend my arms to embrace him. "Olaf!" "Such losers, you lot. "Tangled" is far superior." The girl with brown hair murmurs while rolling her grey eyes. I and Paloma both scream, our eyes widening as we look at her. "Valeria, you are no longer my sister. "Frozen rules" Paloma says forcefully.
Valeria? All of their names are so incredible! I enjoy laughing. Gabriel's sibs are so hip, in contrast to him. As Paloma and Valeria jostle for position in an attempt to re-hug me, Natasha approaches and smiles while placing her hands on my shoulder. "I'm done now. Amanda, take a breath!" She pulls me away as she laughs. "Nice to finally meet you, I'm Natasha. What exactly are you doing here?" "I'm glad to have you guys. Your brother claims that I am in danger, so I must remain here." As I watch Paloma grin ecstatically, I smugly smile.
"Great! Would you like to join us as we go get some refreshments for movie night?" He asks, and I sigh and nod in response. We will be safe because guards will be following us. Can I drive, you ask? Taking the keys away from her brother, Valeria exclaims. "You may accompany me, but I'll be driving." She huffs furiously as Paloma snatches the keys away with a smirk. I'm riding shotgun, up front. When Valeria gives me a wide-eyed stare, I yell and start laughing. "No, I preferred to be seated up front." As she moves down the hallway, she complains and whines.
We both caught up to Valeria after Paloma moves for me to follow. I follow him as he takes off running, waving one final time to Natasha. She isn't a moody sibling, which is a blessing. Chris is still dealing with Linda's brother in that situation! As we follow Valeria down stairs to the ground floor, I have a thought to myself. When she opens the door, a sizable garage with parked vehicles of all sizes and shapes is visible. As I take in every one of them, my mouth dropped open in shock and awe.
We slip inside a Range Rover in a hurry. With a different key, Paloma opens the garage door, the engine's purr resonating throughout the room as he backs out onto the garage. I survey the large area of land as we travel quickly down the dirt road. We quickly get to the neighborhood superKelvinet and enter. When the two siblings begin tossing various snacks and beverages into the basket, quickly filling it to the brim, I turn to look at them. I choose the items I want and we proceed to the checkout while I chuckle at their antics.
Paloma, however, hurls Valeria and I against the wall immediately we leave the shop. When my elbow bumps against the wall, I groan and look up seeing the two looking very tensed and also serious. "What's happening?" I stutter and move forward before being pushed back. I don't like it at all that they are trying to keep me hidden from something. Nothing major; we're just, um, uh. I wait impatiently because I know he's trying to make an excuse. When Valeria informs him that hiding serves no purpose, he sighs. Okay, so these are the people Gabriel said you were in danger from. What else are we gonna to do, oh my god? Using my hands to hold my head in a panic, I. "I'm not carrying my phone with me."
"Sh*t, I left mine at home." Valeria hisses and pats her jacket as well as jean pockets before palming her face. "I figured I wouldn't need mine for one quick trip to the store." Paloma takes a detour around the building, directing us to the back. "All right, we've got to get through that wall and get out of here." I look at the massive stone wall, puzzled, before facing to the two and letting out a long sigh. "Save yourselves without me." "Yeah...no." Paloma grunts as he drags me up against the wall.
Valeria unites her palms for me to climb on, while Paloma pushes me over the wall with a lot of force. He, on the other hand, underestimates the amount of force required to push me, and I end up collapsing face first unto the grass. I curse under my breath just before leaping to my feet only in time to catch the thrown food bags, Valeria and Paloma following closely behind and landing with so much grace that my jaw drops. We sprint out across grassy area as quickly as we can, leaping over a fortunately smaller wall before arriving in a neighborhood I'm unfamiliar with. They don't either, judging by Valeria and Paloma's puzzled expressions.
"It's fine; we'll just go somewhere else and see if we can find our way to the center of the town." Paloma takes a bag from me and walks away, taking a deep breath. When Valeria grips my shoulder tightly, I pat her hand reassuringly. "We're going to be fine. How difficult could it possibly be?" They hum in reply to what I say out loud.