Heyy sorry for the hiatus, had a mental thing HOWEVER weâre so back sorry for the wait! Comment for pt 3 taglist
Taglist- @iheartmusicals
Gabe spent the next few weeks writing in his notes. As things came into his head to say to her he wrote them down. He had questions to ask and stories to tell. This idea of a new friend exited him. Every Wednesday he would beg Diana to let him go to the supermarket, as long as she knew where he was he would be able to.
âMom were out of water bottles, can I go get some?â Gabe stood in the kitchen leaning over the counter watching Diana descend the stairs.
âI can ask your dad to get some on his way backâ he leaned over the counter and sighed.
âNo I want to go, its nice outside, Iâve been stuck in school all dayâ
âThe sun is going to start setting soon gabe, if you really want to go fine but be back before 7â the time was 6:48 there would be nowhere near enough time to find her and speak to her. Any mission to find her would have been worth it to him and maybe today was the day.
-
He spotted the girls father while roaming around, he looked happier than Gabe had remembered him. His hair was combed back, smile on his face. But the girl was nowhere to be seen.
He wanted so badly to go up to him, to ask where his daughter had been. He knew it was no use, that he couldnât see him. Regardless he waved, and left the store.
-
âMom I need to help my friend find his dog, its been missing for a few days nowâ Gabe so desperately wanted to find any reason to go looking for the girl
âyou know youâve been trying to escape alot more lately.. are you doing anything youâre not supposed to? you know you can talk to me about anything even if i donât like what it is i want you to be safeâ Diana was sitting on the couch scrolling on her phone, she shut it off and leaned towards gabe standing in front of her.
âoh my gosh youâre such a mother. Iâm not doing anything wrong Iâm 18 now I just want to explore the world outside of school.â He grabs his jacket and starts walking towards the door
âWell Iâm just letting you know you can talk to me about anything, be safeâ
Gabe just about walked the entire town, he walked and walked calling out for the girl but nobody was listening. Only she would be able to calm his anxiety as it got darker and the streets became empty. Because of Diana being protective he never went out late. At this point he didnât know his way back;Or if he even wanted to go back. He stopped and settled on the side of the road, a dead end. He buries his head in his hands and sits for a while until he feels his body warm. He looks up and the girl is wrapping her arms around him. He flinches a bit and her hold loosens
âHELLOâ he didnât know whether to be happy, confused or shocked but either way he was relieved. The girl was just as surprised.
âWhy are you out so late I thought you only did school?then sports, then go homeâ she keeps her arms around him, not wanting to lose the warmth they created.
âI mean I really wasnât intending on staying out late but I kind of dont know how to get back. Iâve been looking everywhere for youâ
âHow did you even get your mom to let you look for meâ gabe thought for a second, looking at her directly. He notices how close they are, her head resting by his shoulder. He tries to relax but his nerves prevent him from moving an inch.
âI said I was looking for a dogâ
âOH so Iâm a bitch to youâ she moves her body away from him not fully letting go.
âNO oh my gosh whatâ
âIm so glad you found me, Iâve felt very unwantedâ tears threaten to spill as the girl zones out. She rests her head back on gabe to prevent him from seeing.
âAs fun as hunting around town for you was, I would rather not need to come searching again. Do you have a phone?â
âNo gabe Iâm deadâshe responds monotonously
âSo am i and i have a phoneâ his innocent tone made a tear run down the girls face.
âThats because your parents love youâ he takes her hands from his body holding them in his.
âYours do tooâ her head stayed down
âNo they donâtâ
âWell both our parents wish we were alive and I think thats worth alot. Iâll try to get you a phone.â
Please read context HERE before reading to better understand this concept
Reached flow state writing this lowk, enjoy :) comment to be added to taglist for the mini series
Gabe sat in the basket of the shopping cart as Diana walked through the dairy aisle
âArenât you a bit big to be pushed around gabeâ a few bystanders turned their heads and gave concerned looks as she walked past.
âYouâre acting like I weigh a tonâ Gabeâs legs hung over the side of the cart. He picked up a jar from the cart.
âMom since when do you eat kimchi?â He held it up to read the nutrition facts.
âThe doctor said my medicine would work better if I take good care of my body, so Iâm trying a few new thingsâ gabe hated the idea of her getting better, he wanted her to be okay,but he also knew that meant he would not exist.
Meanwhile another young girl was standing next to the yogurt with her father, observing her surroundings as he shopped.
âDad look, if i did that mom would kill meâ She pointed to gabe sitting in the cart as they passed by. Her dad turned around only to find Diana and her cart full of herbal bullshit.
âSee what darling?â The girl had a look of disbelief on her face.
âThe boy my age sitting in the shopping cart, are you insane?â Her dad started laughing which also earned him a few stares
âInsane, maybe but there is no boy in a cart sweetheartâ gabe over heard them and turned to look in their direction to find her staring at him.
âIâll be right back dad donât go too farâ she started walking towards gabe before he could even respond. Gabe got out from the cart and readjusted his clothes being bunched up from sitting.
âHello?â He whispered to not alarm Diana⊠she still heard
âGabe, baby, who are you talking to?â He turned and gave her a reassuring smile, though he himself was confused as to why she couldnât see the girl either.
âDonât worry momâ he turned back to the girl and whispered once again âcome over hereâ she followed him around the corner to the freezers.
âHi, are you real? My dad couldnât see you. I thought id bring you to him to prove a point but I guess itâd be no use.â She crosses her arms over her chest and sighs.
âIm not sure what I am, but I know that I died when I was 8 months old and now Iâm 18 somehow. Only my mom can see me, my dad refuses to acknowledge me and my sister⊠shes coping.â He wanted to overshare even more so badly, about his momâs mental health, his family dynamic. Diana has been his only real friend and he was desperate for a reason why she could see him.
âIm Gabeâ she grabbed his hand and for the first time she swore she could feel warmth again.
ây/nâ they stood there for awhile taking in the feeling until gabe pulled her back to where their parents were.
âGabe where have you beenâ he had the biggest smile on his face, still holding the girls hand behind his back, he stuttered a bit in his response
âI uh I just really wanted some ice creamâ Diana was confused by his response.
âIs thatâŠwhat youâre hiding behind your back..?â His eyes widened and he turned back to look at the girl. She held in her laugh and slowly let go of his hand.
âNo I did find the right flavorâ gabe brought his hand back around to rest it on the cart.
âSecond thought I think I want some fruity pebbles let me grab some ill be backâ Diana shook her head
âI donât know what you are up to but it better not be drugs.â he grabbed the girls hand once again and led her to the cereal aisle. They went behind a product stand and sat down across from each other. He sat hugging his knees and she sat criss cross
âSo gabe, what do you do every day?â She rest her hands on his wrists while looking down at them, craving more warmth.
âWell my mom thinks I go to school so I go there. I canât formally take classes but I still learn and it helps that theyâll never call her for me mis behaving. Itâs spring break so Iâm here. What about you?â He studied her face when she looked up, the way her skin looked flushed yet still perfectly hydrated. The way her eyes almost looked as if they were looking through him, though he knew she could see his face redden as she spoke
âI used to spend the day with my mom, she was drunk most of the time. I could tell she doesnât like me being around. So i just stay in my dadâs apartment. I can really go anywhere but it gets so lonely. We come here every Wednesday. Only Wednesday though because my dad swears itâs the best day to come early. Gives him good luck for the week⊠You said you have a sister, what is she like?â She turns her head slightly and gabe looks away for a second.
âSheâs 16, uhh she plays piano I think. I think my parents had her as a âbackup childâ, they would never admit it though. Sometimes I feel bad for her, it wasnât anyones fault that I died but she has so much weight to carry. Lately sheâs been kind of invisible-â
Gabeâs sentence was cut off by the girls father calling her name from down the aisle.
ây/n I have been looking everywhere for you why did you wander offâ his voice was stern but she ignored him for a second still facing gabe
âIm sorry heâs protective, this was nice. Hopefully Iâll see you again. Thank you beautiful stranger.â She let go of Gabeâs wrist and stood up.
âIâll explain in the car, okay dad?â
Gabe
He felt cold, like something was missing. He wanted so desperately for her to just stay. It felt nice to just sit and talk about the reality of things. Not living in an illusion of a perfect life. Diana soon came with her cart chugging along the tile floors.
âBaby are you okay why are you on the floorâ gabe didnât even bother responding, he just climbed back in the cart zoned out. Diana knew better than to push for a response. They went to check out and one by one gabe handed items to his mom. Contemplating how he could have kept in contact with her.
âits unlike you to be this upsetâ Diana attempted to break the silence again
âHow would you feel if you could never talk to me again?â Diana pulled over, eyes watering.
âWhat makes you think that gabe, youâll always be my babyâ âNo literallyâ he thought. He put his head on her shoulder
âIm sorry mom I didnât mean it like that. I met someone.. a week ago⊠at uhh schoolâ he sighed as he tried to find words âour conversation felt so different and I just know they get me. We have this connection thats just on a different level. But I donât know when or how Iâll see her again.â He lifted his head and Diana turned to him. She gave him a questioning look
âHer, you said her. Youâre getting all existential about a girl?â She starts to laugh and wipes her face
âI thought you were going to kill your self or somethingâ he wanted so desperately to say Iâm dead already mom. But he knew he is there for her comfort. She got back on the road. âSo, will I be able to meet her? Whatâs she like?â It pained him that they would never be able to meet. He wished they were real and could live happily ever after
âSave the questions mom, Iâll update you as we progress. We just met.â They pulled into the driveway.
Reader
âDad you know how Iâm not alive right.â He stayed silent for a moment before nodding slowly, giving a low âmhmâ in response
âOk cool, well you remember when I was telling you about the boy in the shopping cart?â He felt un easy, anxious even.
âYeah what about itâ he almost didnât want to know. He didnât want to hear that he wasnât the only person with pain and a dead child.
âHeâs dead too, he died as a baby. He was a few months old when he died but he is my age too. He was really sweet.â
Her dad stayed quiet. He refused to give in to this imaginary friend of hers. All these years she had been haunting him with the memory of what could have been. Now what happens when his dead daughter gets married to her dead boyfriend and he canât walk her down the aisle.
âGo awayâ he whispered, his rage silent but deadly.
âWhere? Do you not want me to-â he swung his arm over to the passenger seat in attempt to smack the girl. But his hand met the cold leather of his Honda. She had already disappeared.
Read fic here I'm writing a gabe goodman fic and Its starting to become so confusing because of the concept of gabe being the embodiment of Diana's grief. Is he aware that he is not alive or is he simply fueled by the delusions of his existence is one of the most ambiguous questions in my opinion.
My interpretation of it is he IS aware he is dead however caries himself as if he were alive because the people who are aware of his existence treat him as such. Like in I'm alive even he is uncertain of what exactly he is but us as viewers know he is not alive, the people who keep him "alive" (Diana) have given him the capacity to even feel.
In regards to my fanfic, its called "my dead boyfriend" the concept around it is they meet at a grocery store and realize they can see and feel each other, reader is also a "spirit" who's family keeps them alive in memory. They are both tethered to their families so they don't have the power to see each other unless the people keeping them "alive" are near each other. Every Wednesday gabe begs Diana to go to the grocery store at the same time in hopes to see the reader again.