Gabriel: Meeting Sang - The Academy Ghost Bird Series, #5

By C. L. Stone

The Academy: Ghost Bird series in a different look at the very beginning. Read Introductions with a whole new perspective--the boys'. 

Despite having eight great friends thanks to The Academy, what Gabriel Coleman really wants is a connection with someone special. However, he's never had much luck with girls. He doesn't have the sleek looks, wealth, or charm like his friends. The Academy has helped him a lot since his family died in tragic accidents, and he'll always be grateful for what they've done for him, but he can't help wanting more.

When his friends talk about the new girl they've met, Sang Sorenson, he's shocked to learn about the horrible things that are happening to her. He hasn't even met her yet so there's no way he could have guessed how sweet, considerate, and inquisitive she is. How could anyone think to do anything horrible to her? But he knows, if only by her haunted expression, there's more to her than the sweet girl his friends are half in love with already. Of course, he's all in to help her.

From the moment Gabriel and Sang meet, there's an immediate connection. She's a girl who asks him questions, and seems genuinely interested in his answers. Seems genuinely interested in him. Gabriel wants to do the right thing by helping his friends keep an eye on her, but he can't shake the feeling that there's something more between him and Sang. He can only hope she sees it too.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arcato Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 6, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393956730

Book preview

Gabriel 

1

Gabriel Coleman spread-eagled himself on the worn carpet in the living room. He slid his cell phone across the floor, out of reach.

He didn’t want to look at it anymore.

Closing his eyes, he willed himself to forget it happened at all.

Ghnnnnn, he croaked out. He’d gotten up and dressed, but one look at some text messages and he was ready to crawl back into bed.

Across the room, where the counter split the space between kitchen and living areas, Pam pulled away from the pantry and waddled over. What’s wrong with you? she asked, her voice thick and scratchy, a tone she only had before she’d had her first coffee in the morning. She nudged Gabriel in the elbow with a toe. You sick?

No, Gabriel said, without opening his eyes.

You stay up too late again?

No.

She’d paused for a moment, so long that Gabriel thought she moved back into the kitchen, until she was nudging at him with her toe again. You dying?

N...Yes. I’m dying. He waved off her foot. Get your feet off of me.

She left him and for a moment, it was too quiet. She hadn’t gone back to the kitchen.

He opened his eyes just enough to see her picking up his cell phone.

He lunged at her, but the closest thing for him to reach was her foot. He clasped to her ankle. Give it back.

I was just picking it up, she said. She dropped the phone, and it collided hard with his chest. What’s wrong with you?

Of anyone in existence, she was the last one he’d tell. Up late, up early. That’s all.

She was still in her bathrobe, blond hair a mess of ponytail on top of her head. She caught a loose lock of hair to tug behind her ear. Why are you up early anyway?

He flipped around and did a push up off the ground to get back up on his knees. He rolled his head back and looked at the ceiling. He pushed his fists against his thighs, the movement doing little to relieve the feeling of annoyance building up at all the questions. I don’t even know anymore. That was a lie, too. He knew why. Victor would be here any minute. He wasn’t even sure why, actually. There was something they’d do today, for the Academy. Or in prep in case the Academy asked them to do something.

Pam moved away from him, back to the kitchen. She’d putter around for a while, making coffee, looking at her phone. The hair salon she worked at opened at nine, but she wasn’t up this early for that.

Another boyfriend had to get up early for work. She changed her sleep schedule for them.

Gabriel lifted himself up. Normally, he waited inside, but today, he didn’t really feel like being around whenever what’s-his-name-this-time got up; More questions, a lot of awkward feelings mutually shared at seeing the other one in the house.

He’d rather face the mosquitos and the junkyard kids next door for a while.

This morning, it was only Justin out. The four-year-old husky boy that cursed worse than even Gabriel. He was trying to pull a plastic slide out from underneath a mountain of other toys the others had put together yesterday.

Gabriel walked over to the edge of the Coleman’s lot, their lawn mowed down smoothly. The next-door lot, the one with all the kids, was always overgrown. Usually, the father attacked it with a weedwhacker once a month. It was the only way to get around all the toys. What are you doing? Gabriel said after a minute.

Justin tugged at the bottom of the slide. Need it. He yanked hard at the thing, but the plastic was slick, his hands small, and he fell back on his butt. Bitch. He kicked at it from his downed position.

Gabriel stood by, unsure if he should help him. Justin was a brute of a kid. He wouldn’t be surprised if he used the slide to harass or do some damage to one of his siblings.

After a minute, Justin gave up on the slide, looking at the collection of other items around it. Are you watching us today?

Can’t, Gabriel said. I’m waiting for someone to pick me up so I can go.

You never do anymore.

I’m busy. Where’s the others?

Watching wrestling, he said. He kicked the stuff that was sitting on the slide, trying to topple them. I’ve already seen this one.

That was when the silver BMW drove up. Victor.

Gotta go, Gabriel said. He started to walk away, paused and then quickly went over by Justin, enclosed two hands on the end of the slide, and yanked it hard enough to pop it out of the toy mountain. A bike positioned at the top of the mountain toppled to the grass near his feet, catching him in the leg. It was going to leave a bruise. The slide was free though.

Gabriel passed it to Justin. Don’t let me hear you gave someone a concussion with this thing, he said.

Justin grabbed it, yanking it from his hands. "I’m not. I’m not