WestFiction- "In the Arms of an Angel" by Xtine

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In the Arms of an Angel> chapters 17-19

“Shaney!!!” the crop-haired girl screamed, her arms wide open, running towards him. “Shaney!! I can't believe it's you! And in an apron to boot!”

“Gaby!!” he hugged him tight, liking the feel of her in his arms. Calling me Shaney is like music to my ears, he thought to himself. “I'm so glad to see you!” he kissed the side of her face, unable to resist the urge to do so. “I was going to look for you everywhere but me mam wanted me to work in the café because we’re shorthanded.”

“You should have asked for my address or my phone,” she pointed out, still beaming with happiness. “I'm so glad I've met you again!! It's insane but I’ve missed you so much, Stevie boy!” she rumpled his hair and pinched his soft cheeks.

“Wow! Awhile back I was Shaney and now I'm Stevie!” he chuckled. It doesn't matter what you want to call me. You can even call me jackass if you want and I won't mind, he happily thought. As long as I can see you, I'm fine with Stevie and Shaney and jackass.

Anya cleared her throat, feeling left out for a while. She eyed Gaby, hoping she’d introduce her to the lad she was hugging and kissing.

“Oh!” Gaby exclaimed, pulling away from Shane’s embrace. “Shaney, this is my cousin, Anya!” she grabbed Anya`s hand and dragged it to meet Shane’s. “Anya, this is my Shaney here.”

My Shaney. I like that, he thought, nodding his head. “Please to meet you Anya. How are you today?” he asked politely.

“I'm good,” she replied. “I'm bushed though because my cousin here,” she eyed Gaby evilly with a smile on her face, “suddenly decided we have to beat each other up in the middle of the street!” she laughed, punching Gaby playfully.

“OW!” Gaby wailed. She retaliated and swatted her arm slightly. “Ok, let’s stop it. I'm tired now.” She turned to Shane. “So this is the famous Carlton`s Café, eh?”

Shane beamed with pride, his face lighting up like a neon sign. “Yup,” he affirmed. “I work here when I'm not in Westlife and all. Besides loving the job here, it keeps my feet firmly planted on the ground.”

“That's good,” Anya remarked. He's cute, she thought to himself. But it seems like he fancies Gaby. She brushed it off. He's cute but I don't stand a chance with him. Any moment now he looks like he's going to profess his undying love for Gaby.

“Well, why don't you go inside and eat? On the house!” he invited.

The cousins grinned at him. “Sure!” they both said and as they started for the café’s door. Shane walked behind them, smiling widely. I bet I have this goofy look on my face, he thought. When he passed by a mirror, he saw his reflection. A wide smile was plastered all over his face, his teeth showing, his eyes crinkled at the corner, his cheeks have high colors. He looked like he won a horse competition. And he liked what he saw.

CHAPTER 18

Mark rolled on his back, yawning and rubbing his eyes. He eyed his alarm clock and it read 12:15 PM. He went home quite late last night, drinking a couple of beers with Rowen and telling him his girl trouble. Rowen had to scoff at the idea that he, Mark Feehily, the lad girls are fighting for, is having a problem with a girl.

He remembered butting in, “He's just not any girl, Rowen!” Why did he say that? He barely knew Gaby to say she's different from everyone else. He's had less than three hours of contact with her and yet he feels as if he had made an instant connection with her. And how can he forget the dream? He had it again, still the same, except he saw her face as soon as she started to fall. It must mean something, he concluded. What it is, I don't know.

He stood up and went to the bathroom to take a shower. He was intent on washing up and cleaning his privates when the radio started to play their song, “If I let you go”. He shut down the shower and listened to every word. It was the first time in a long while that he had stopped to listen to that song. Sure, it wasn't his favorite but right now, it just seemed appropriate for the situation he was in. “Day after day, time pass away and I just cant get you off my mind…” He sighed and picked the shower and drowned the sounds with the loud blast of water hitting his face like slaps.

After taking his shower, he decided to check Shane out. It was crazy how the lads always say they don't want to see each other for a couple of days when they go home but a day later they’re raring to hang out together. He missed the lads. He missed Bryan’s constant joking around and goofiness. He missed Nicky`s prim and proper and worrisome attitude. He missed Kian`s receding hairline and his guitar talent. He missed Shane's always sleeved-less arms. He missed Anto`s constant nagging every morning when he wants him out of the bed.

He took his car and drove to Carlton`s café because Shane was always there during his free time, that is when he’s not busy riding his horses. Maybe Shane has a clue where I can find Gaby, he thought, suddenly feeling happy, like a kid.

CHAPTER 19

Gaby and Anya sat on one of the corner booths. Shane took their order, being the diligent waiter that he is, and left them on their own for awhile.

“He's cute,” Anya remarked, smiling cheekily at Gaby.

She nodded, grinning from ear to ear. “He is,” she gushed. “He reminds me of Sean for some reason.”

“Ugh!” Anya groaned. “Not Sean! He's too cold and he's butt ugly!”

Gaby swatted Anya`s hand angrily. “Take that back! Sean isn't ugly! He's cute!”

“Sorry,” Anya muttered under her breath. She didn't find Sean cute in any way. She met him once and thought that he was too quiet and insensitive. Anya saw all the signs Gaby was flashing but he was just too caught up in his own little world to stop and take notice that her cousin was in love with him! I always wonder what she found in him that is so endearing, she mused. Well, I guess he must be some kind of a friend if Gaby cares for him like that.

Gaby cleared her throat. “Let’s forget about Sean, ok? I'm so over him. I just wish he was still my friend.” She clenched her fists and took a deep breath. “I'm hungry,” she stated, changing the topic as it was making her sad.

Anya nodded. “Me, too! I could eat a horse!”

“You can't do that! I love horses! You can't eat any horses! And we don't serve horse meat in here!” Shane rattled from behind her back. He was smiling from ear to ear, obviously pleased with his humor.

“Funny,” she said sarcastically. She eyed the tray full of food. “Looks yummy to me!”

“Yeah,” Gaby affirmed, rubbing her tummy. “Burger and chips sounds fab! And pasta as well!”

Shane laid the food on the table and sat beside Anya so he could get a better glimpse of Gaby. She looks better now than the other day, Shane quietly thought. She's got color on her cheeks and her eyes aren’t so tired looking. And her lips, he paused and reverted his eyes back to her lips, her lips look so soft and inviting and….

“Shane!” Gaby shouted. “What the hell are you doing, zoning out like that?” Anya and Gaby were laughing at him.

“What did you just ask me?” he shook his head to dislodge the picture of Gaby`s lips in his head.

“I was asking you what Ronan’s great surprise was!”

“Oh,” he looked away and then flashed them a sweet huge smile. “We're in the Guinness Book of World Records and we're worth more than the Spice Girls! Yay!” he narrated excitedly. “So as a gift, besides this eight-week long vacation, he wanted us lads to get together and throw a massive party!”

“That is sooo great,” Gaby gushed, leaning forward to hug Shane. Anya smiled and congratulated him, too.

Gaby noticed Anya`s unusual quietness. She was usually very talkative and entertaining but today, she was in a quite dreamy mood. She studied her cousin slyly for a minute, watching her artful gazes and the way she ran her hands through her shiny black hair. Oh God! Gaby exclaimed to herself. Anya has a thing for Shane!

“Why are you smiling like a Cheshire cat, Gaby?” Anya asked nervously. Did she catch me staring at Shane? Was I that obvious? She asked herself, cracking her knuckles tensely.

Shane looked up and studied Anya. She had the same eyes as Gaby`s---big dark eyes but with curlier lashes, her lips were pouty and red. Her hair reached past her shoulders and glinted when the rays of the sun hit it. He blushed when he saw Anya staring back at him with a questioning look. “Sorry,” he muttered.

“It's ok,” she said quietly, turning her eyes to Gaby. “Whatever it is you've noticed, keep it to yourself!” She knows, Anya thought. She knows I have a thing for Shane.

They ate silently with the occasional chattering. Several people have arrived for their usual snacks. Gaby leaned her head back. She tried to focus on Shane's head but her gaze won't steady. Her head was throbbing intensely, pulsating like a mad jackhammer. She grasped the soft seat whilst gritting her teeth. “Shit!” she muttered under her breath. Her throat felt clogged. A vomit was coming up, she knew. She bolted right up, her hands on her mouth, and ran to the restroom.

“Gaby!” Anya and Shane both shouted after her, fear evident in their voices.

“I see she told you,” Anya stated, looking straight into his eyes.

He nodded. A thousand and ten thoughts ran through his head. What's happening to her? I saw her looking hurt and in pain. “She told me she has brain tumor when we were in the air plane together. How’d you know?”

“Because I saw the fear in your eyes when she stood up. I heard the fear in your voice when you shouted her name.”

“I can't understand why she’s out here when she should be getting treatments so she would get better,” Shane said, letting out all the thoughts bothering him.

“She’s been through several chemotherapy and a surgery. She took steroids for four months for her chemotherapy but she stopped because it was giving her nasty side effects. My uncle and aunt were very much against the idea of ceasing the intake of medicine but they couldn't enforce it to her. It is her body after all, she says. She doesn't want to be treated anymore, that's what she told me. She lost hope she’d ever get better. The doctors where unsuccessful in taking the entire tumor out during her first and last surgery. There were some that couldn't be taken out because it could cause serious damage. Her parents wanted her to have treatments again but she declined strongly. She told me if she’s going to die, then she will. Instead, she told her parents she wants to travel. I invited her. She agreed. So she’s here.”

“She’s awfully brave. She knows what she wants,” Shane admiringly said. “I wish I could do something.”

Anya smiled, her eyes crinkling. “She’s really brave. But sometimes I wish she wouldn’t be so stubborn and get a treatment to take out the tumor or something so she’d get better. She's so adamant not to be treated again. I know she knows she’s dying. I don't know if she's in denial or just trying to live a normal life. I'm so scared for her.” Tears started to escape her eyes so she blinked them back.

Shane reached across the table and squeezed her hands. “I am scared too. You must think it's insane for me to care so much about her when I know her for only 3 days. But I do care for her, truly.”

She nodded. “I know what you mean.”

Several minutes later, Gaby came back. She took the seat beside Shane. A fake smile was plastered on her pale face. Her eyes were bloodshot and she looked tired. Her hair looked like she just rolled out of the bed.

“Are you ok?” Shane asked.

She nodded. “Yeah, I am. I think I bit on a garlic that's why I threw up.”

Anya snorted. “Yeah right!”

“Whatever, Anya,” Gaby brushed. She wasn't in the mood to fight. Her head was still throbbing but not as hard as it was a couple of minutes ago. She was sorely tempted to take in her medicine, a bottle of prescribed painkillers that makes the pain go away, that she carries in case of unbearable headaches, but she didn't. The pill makes her so groggy and tired and she didn't want any of that. She didn't need any medicines.

“Do you want to go home now?” Anya asked worriedly.

She shook her head. “Nope, I'm having fun right here, sitting beside my Shaney!”

Shane looked at her distressfully. “Are you sure, Gaby? I can drive you guys home if you want.”

“What is it with you guys?” she hissed, her temper flaring. “So I am having a horrible headache and I vomited! What's the big deal? I don't want to go home!” she stood up and dashed to the door and left them staring after her.

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