Kisses after midnight (WICKED #0) | ✓

42

THE LIGHT OF HER lamp burned Gabriela's eyes as she leaned forward over her notes. Sahar had transferred back to Gaia this week and Jay had gone along, something which had made Mateo complain for days. She didn't know why - he texted almost every day with him still. Now he was back with his father Jay didn't go out as much, but neither did she.

Midterms were starting tomorrow and she had spent the past few weeks pouring her heart and soul into them. Keeping up her grades wasn't easy and she had been too distracted with other stuff this semester, so she had no idea how she would do. Mateo left her favorite study snack by the windowsill every day, but didn't come in, knowing that she couldn't afford getting distracted.

He was as carefree as ever about the exams, even in the morning when he woke her up. After revising and drinking two cups of coffee she felt a bit more alive, but that still didn't keep her from almost falling asleep against Mateo's back on his motorcycle. She poured her mind on the papers and when she exited the exams at the end of the day, she felt the tiredness settle in her bones.

"How did it go?" Mateo beamed, waiting for her by the gate.

Chase was standing next to him, looking like he just exited a funeral, and Amelia pulled him in a consoling hug. They had been getting closer and closer lately and she could see the way Chase's face lit up around her. Gabriela didn't say anything about it though, mostly because it wasn't her business. Besides, she was too busy with her own matters anyway to meddle into someone else's.

Penelope and Imani were walking by her side and the both of them spoke at once, voices overlapping.

"Horrible," Penelope said.

"Good," Imani said.

Penelope looked at her girlfriend, eyes wide and filled with betrayal. "I thought we were in this together?"

"Babe," Imani said," you know my GPA, there was no way we were in this together."

"You look happy," Gabriela assessed as she neared Mateo. "Did you finally study?"

"Oh no," Mateo grinned," I couldn't get anything in my head and only knew the bare minimum, but I'm just glad that I can spend time with you now."

He opened his arms for her, waiting with that summer smile of his. She didn't even bother protesting, instead leaning her head against his chest and closing her eyes. It felt like everything was happening all at once and she had had the worst headache because of it ever since she started studying, but as Mateo closed his arms around her she could slowly feel the tension seep away.

"Jesus, I thought you all were supposed to be dumb here! How the hell did I still not know anything on a St Joseph test?"

"You idiot, you think they give different levels of exams at each school? Do you even know how a grading system works?"

Gabriela didn't need to look up to know Luca and Milo had arrived, their usual bickering continuing on. They had stayed to her surprise, but she supposed not many schools were willing to take whatever reckless combination of stupidity and violence the two carried. She had to admit they had grown on her though, especially Milo, with whom she had planned study sessions in the future already.

Mateo still was holding her, his chin resting on the top of her head as he hummed Spanish words. She finished the song, her accent slightly different than his but the words pronounced just as elegantly. In response he hugged her tighter, before finally letting her go as she tapped his arms.