There will be dozens of people who will take you breath away but the one who reminds you to breath is the one you should keep.

-eatsleepmakechanges.tumblr.com

××Playlist××

The tabletop and every flat surface in the room was covered with half the different kinds of pastries known to man.

'You've out done yourself.' I breathed in awe.

'You're amazing.' Leo whispered, glancing around the room. Gavin turned sharply and glared at him but Leo was too busy admiring Kelsey's handwork to notice his blunder.

'My God.' Tom said, reaching for a cupcake. Kelsey slapped his hand away.

'Ouch.' He pouted.

'The supplies were to replace the ones I already used.' She explained, smoothly taking one of the many grocery bags. She began unloading it.

'You played us.' Gavin narrowed his eyes.

'Hmmm... I wouldn't call it that.' She said thoughtfully, sharing a secret smile with Leo.

'I didn't think you had it in you. I guess Gavin is rubbing off on you.' Tom grinned at Gavin's aggrieved expression.

'Me?' He gaped. 'When have I ever--'

'Yesterday when you tricked us into paying for lunch. Two days ago, during football practice.' Tom raised an eyebrow.

'The day before that, at the beach party. During Adriana's...' Leo continued.

'Okay so maybe I may have. A few times.' Gavin grinned what would've been described as a dangerous roguish grin back in my day.

I swallowed.

When did he become... Hot? When did I start noticing? This wasn't part of the plan. Damnit!

'So what's next?' Kelsey asked.

I missed her question because I was so caught up in swooning over Gavin. A one time thing. Just a one time thing, I reassured myself.

'Star!' Gavin.
His irritated voice pierced through my dreamy daze.

'What?' I snapped.

'I've been calling your name.'

'Star isn't my name and neither is Starlight.' I replied, trying to distract him from the fact that he'd just caught me oogling him.

He rolled his eyes in response. Leo, Tom and Kelsey were staring at him, trying to get what they could from the one-sided conversation they could hear.

'How about you use your brain for once? You bought groceries. What do you think you're supposed to do next? I don't know, maybe put them in the right place?' I said scathingly.

'Of course. How stupid of me?' He rolled his eyes.

'How stupid of you indeed! Even a frog would know better.' I snapped. I know I was being mean but it made me feel better about noticing him.

'What did she say?' Kelsey asked.

He glanced at me. 'Her royal highness has ordered us to put away the groceries.' He muttered sarcastically.

'Who are you calling royal highness?' I narrowed my eyes.

He shrugged nonchalantly and turned away but I managed to catch the smile that spread across his lips. An answering smile slid onto mine. Damn him.

After putting away the groceries, we packed up most of the pastries and drove down to the orphanage. To my surprise, Gavin, Leo and Tom were actually pretty good with the kids.

They set up a mini football game in the yard for the older kids while the younger ones played hide and seek with Kelsey. They rewarded them with the pastries. It was beautiful to watch.

Even this kid named Jamie who is crippled, was coaxed into playing. The Sisters said that he never participates in anything because of he's very conscious about his condition. His parents abandoned when he was just three weeks old because of it.

Gavin and Tom somehow convinced him to play and for an afternoon, they got a crippled abandoned beautiful seven year old boy to forget his problems and have fun. Even though I'll never admit it to Gavin, it was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever seen.

Kacie, a bubbly nine year old girl in charge of the score sheet, let out a shrill ear piercing whistle. Gavin taught her how to do it and she hasn't once stopped since. Her aunt dumped her at the orphanage after her parents died.

'Jesus Christ, you've created a monster.' Leo joked, nudging Tom with his elbow.

'Not yet but we'll get there right, Kacie?' Gavin grinned, offering her his palm for a high-five.

She looked up at him with bright adoring eyes. 'You got it, boss.' She smiled brightly, smacking his palm with hers.

'What have you done?' Tom gasped dramatically. Kacie giggled and blushed deeply as Gavin shot her a rakish grin. My breath caught in my throat and for a moment I forgot how to breath.

He caught my gaze and smiled. I smiled back and took in a large much-needed gulp of air. My burning lungs thanked me for it.

'Okay. Everyone!' Gavin called out, looking away. I closed my eyes and took deep breaths, trying to steady my racing heart.

This is not good.

'Guys! Over here!' Tom yelled. In a few seconds, everyone was crowding around them. Kesley and her group were there as well. They'd just finished their game of hide and seek.

The Sisters in charge of the orphanage peeked through the window with wide grateful smiles on their faces.

'Hey, Gavin I won three cupcakes!' Grace, a five year old with a wild mousy brown hair and a fierce spirit grinned, tugging on Gavin's pants to get his attention.

'Up top.' He smiled down at her. She hit his palm with her small callused ones.

'Leo! Leo!' TJ chattered excitedly.

'What's up, sweet pea?' Leo asked, picking up the three year old with a mop of red curls.

'I won a cupcake and a two brownies!' She announced, puffing up her cheeks.

'That's my girl!' Leo grinned, tickling her. Kesley smiled widely at the two.

'Stop! Stop it!' TJ managed between giggles. 'I'll tell Kelsey!' She added. At this everyone laughed. Even I couldn't help it, I giggled.

'Oh you will?' Leo asked, tickling her even more.

'No! No! No! I won't tell. I won't tell anybody!' She giggled.

'Okay.' He stopped tickling her and put her back down. Tom was talking to three boys and a girl about computers. Turns out they're really into techy stuffs.

'So I was thinking about a treasure hunt. What do you guys think?' Gavin asked with a careless smirk.

'Yes!' Janette beamed. A chorus of yeses echoed through the children. Kacie whistled. Again.

'Did he...?' Kesley asked, glancing at Tom and Leo.

'He did.' Tom chuckled.

'Gavin!'

'What? She wanted to know how to whistle.' He defended.

'I can't believe you.' She rolled her eyes but her heart wasn't in it. She was smiling. Gavin grinned that rakish playboy grin.

'What will I do with you?' She asked rhetorically.

'Good thing we'll never have to find out.' He grinned. 'Okay guys, you're gonna have to go in the house while we organize it.'

'Is it going to be like the ones they write about in books?' TJ asked.

'A little.' Leo replied.

'How do we know you won't cheat?' Tasha, a sixteen year old girl asked. She's the oldest. She helped Kesley with the hide and seek and they gushed about something called Five Seconds Of Summer and a Zayn Malik.

Whatever that is.

'You're just gonna have to trust us.' Gavin said flashing her a smile that would've made mothers of my time take their daughters and hide. It literally screamed, trust me at your own peril! Tom and Leo flashed her a similar smile. She blushed a bright tomato red. Can't say I blame her.

She nodded meekly and shuffled all the kids into the house.

As soon as they were all out of earshot, Gavin began. 'So I wa--'

His ringing phone cut him off. He pulled it out of his pocket. 'Hey Ria.'

'Ria?' Kelsey frowned.

'Adriana.' Leo supplied.

'Nah.... I'm not at home.... I'm busy right now.... I don't know when we'll get back... Yes... I'm not sure it's your scene... The orphanage... Yes, the orphanage... Yes, I'm Gavin Connor... Ria!... Okay... Cool... See you then.' He cut the call and slid his phone back into his pocket.

'Please tell me you did not just do what I think you just did.' Kelsey said slowly.

'I did not just do what you think I just did.' He said nonchalantly.

'Phew!'

'Just to clarify, what do you think I just did?' He asked.

'Invite Adriana Parks to the orphanage.' She replied.

'Oh. Then I just did what you thought I did.'

'Are you insane?' She glared. 'Besides aren't you supposed to be dating Asia?'

Tom stiffened at that.

'So I'm not allowed to have female friends anymore?' He raised one eyebrow.

'You know what I mean. This is Adriana. Adriana!' She emphasized.

'Exactly. And you don't know her. You just know what you've heard about her. She's actually down to earth every now and then.' Gavin shrugged.

'Adriana?' Tom asked.

'The Adriana that goes to our school?' Leo asked with a bored expression.

'Yes, that Adriana.' Gavin rolled his eyes.

'Yeah, no bro.' Tom said. 'Adriana couldn't be further from being down to earth if she tried.'

'Look she is, okay? Trust me. She just doesn't let people see it. She thinks she has to be the way she is. And if you've met her parents you'd understand.'

'Right. And you have.' Leo said mockingly.

'Remember that party we had that one time at her beach house and her parents showed up?'

'So?' Tom said.

'They didn't yell at her for the party like she told everyone. They grounded her because she got a stain on the rug and for wearing last season's jeans.' Gavin shrugged. Surprised looks dawned on all their faces. Including mine. How did I not know this?

'I guess that's what you get when your dad is a selfish actor who marries a model who is half his age.' Kelsey said quietly, chastened.

'Actually she's a lot less than half his age. Adriana lied. She's only a few years older than Adriana. She has to watch as her father flaunts around someone who's almost her age while her mother turns into a bitter old crone. Can you really blame her for how she is?' Gavin asked.

'I feel like a horrible person.' Kelsey whispered.

'You could never be horrible even if you tried.' Leo said. Gavin nodded affirmative.

'Since then, I've gotten to know the real Adriana and well, she's a pretty decent person.' He shrugged. 'She actually donates half her allowance to this very orphanage. Every single month, unfailingly.'

'Wow. I guess we really misjudged her.' Tom frowned.

'I guess you don't really know anyone. At least not the whole story.' Kelsey sighed. 'Poor Adriana. Everyone treats her like this bitch.'

'Everyone you meet is fighting a battle. Be kind always.' I whispered.

'What?' Gavin frowned.

'It's just something I heard Adriana say once. I chalked it up to her trying to garner sympathy for wearing the wrong shade of blue. Guess I was far far off.' I shook my head.

'Gavin!' Adriana called, whipping off her shades. 'I never thought I'd see the day. After all my persuasion what finally convinced you to come to the orphanage?'

'That was fast.' He smiled.

'I was in the area. I told you I was going to dro---' She trailed off as soon as she caught sight of Leo, Tom and Kelsey.

'I thought you were alone.' She said in her bitchy tone. It was met with sympathetic smiles. Understanding dawned on her and she stiffened.

'You told them.' She whispered, glaring at Gavin.

'I did.' He admitted.

'You said you wouldn't tell anyone. You promised.'

'I never promised and I've told you several times, I don't like the way everyone treats you.'

'It's not some ploy to garner sympathy if that's what you're thinking.' She glared at rest of them, daring them to challenge her.

'So that's what happened when you told your mom.' Gavin said softly so only her could hear him.

'Yes.' She gulped.

'Adriana, I'm so---' Kelsey began.

'Don't say you're sorry. Just don't. I was a bitch. I deserved everything that was said about me. It's not like I didn't know. I know what I did.' She cut her off.

'So why are you here?' She turned her attention back to Gavin.

'To get this annoying girl off my back.' He replied, shooting me a pointed look. I smiled.

'Okay, I know that's not me. I haven't spoken to you about the orphanage for a while now. So who is it? Asia?' She asked.

'No. This one is a giant pain in the ass.' He said. 'Anyway we were thinking of doing a treasure hunt.'

'Out here?' Adriana frowned, disapproval rolled of her in waves.

Gavin smiled. 'Yes.'

'And what about Jamie?'

'What about him?' Gavin asked.

'Gavin, you are so thick sometimes. The boy's crippled. Getting around the yard maybe a little hard for him.'

'So no treasure hunt?' Kelsey asked.

'No. There can be a treasure hunt but its going to have to be inside the house. All the kids are familiar with it. Even Jamie is used to getting around in the house. It's easier that way and you don't have to worry about the younger ones scrapping themselves on gravel.' She said with the wisdom of an experienced caretaker. Just how many times does she volunteer here?

'Oh.' Gavin mouthed.

'Where are they anyway?' She asked.

'Uhm... We kinda sent them inside so we could organize the treasure hunt.' Gavin said sheepishly.

Adriana rolled her eyes, heading for the house. Gavin, Tom, Leo and Kelsey followed.

'So what's going to be the grand prize?' She asked.

'A box of low fat low sugar Danish cookies.' Kelsey replied.

'That's good. We don't want them getting a sugar high. Trust me. I know these kids.' She said, pushing open the door.

The kids scurried away from the door and tried to pretend they weren't listening in.

'Adriana!' They collectively squealed and rushed forward to hug her. Even Tasha hugged her.

'Here.' She slid a lipstick, a paperback and a bar of chocolate into Tasha's hand. 'If Sister Vivian catches you, I knew nothing about this but if Sister Agnes catches you, I have a get out of jail free card with her. And well with Sister Martha, you're on your own, girlfriend.'

'Got it.' Tasha beamed, pulling her in for another hug.

Everyone took turns greeting Adriana. They all seemed to like her. Love her even.

'Do you think Adriana knows Leo and his friends?' Bart asked, one of the kids Tom spoke to about computers.

'Of course! Adriana knows all the cool nice people.' TJ beamed.

The Sisters also greeted her as well we herded everyone out to organize the treasure hunt which turned out to be a huge success. The children were all sad to see them go.

'We're so glad you came to visit.' Sister Agnes gushed.

'Yes. I've never seen the children so happy. Especially little Jamie.' Sister Vivian smiled. 'Thank you.'

'It was our pleasure.' Gavin said. 'Right guys?'

They all nodded affirmative.

'Thank you.' Sister Martha said. 'They'll remember this and smile for long time to come. They don't get many visitors. Much less any that stay more than a few minutes and actually have fun with them.'

'They're wonderful children.' Kelsey chipped in.

'How are the books?' Adriana asked.

A pregnant paused followed her question.

'Sister?' Adriana pressed.

'Its not that bad. It's just that we have a few maintenance problems we didn't budget for is all.'

'How much?' Adriana asked.

'Adriana, you've done enough. More than enough.'

'How much?' She repeated.

'Five hundred.'

'Oh God.' She sighed. 'Why didn't you tell me? And I spent all my money on some stupid Gucci bag!'

'Adriana, its not up to you to provide for the orphanage. You're just a kid yourself.' Sister Martha said.

'I have an idea.' I piped. Gavin inconspicuously gestured for me to go on.

'Maybe one of you could throw a party and charge a ten dollar gate fee or something. You're all popular. People will come regardless.'

'That's actually a pretty good idea.' Gavin said and curious eyes turned to him.

'What's a good idea?' Kelsey asked.

'We could throw a party. Charge a ten dollar gate fee. We should have raised the money in no time.' Gavin shrugged.

'You're right. That's a brilliant idea!' Adriana smiled. 'We could throw it at my house. My dad's in LA for the weekend.' She rolled her eyes at the last part of the statement.

'I'm not sure about this.' Sister Martha said.

'Don't worry about it Sister. It'll all be fine. Trust me. Everyone here has thrown their fair share of parties.'

'I'll text my friends. As long as there'll be senior boys, they'll pay anything.' Kelsey said.

'You're not allowed to come.' Gavin immediately frowned.

She rolled her eyes and ignored him.

'I'll text everyone else. I've got everything apart from chips and dip at home. Tatiana is going through this stupid diet where she sucks on the chip but doesn't eat it. It's weird and disgusting so I stopped buying chips and told her the grocery store ran out of them about two months ago.' Adriana said.

'She knows you're lying. She has to know how grocery stores work.'

'She would,' Adriana flicked her hair over her shoulder. 'If she ever stepped a foot in a grocery store.'

'You can't be serious.' Kelsey gasped, tamping down the urge to giggle.

'Oh, I am. You have no idea how many times I've used the grocery store lie. With her special French skimmed milk. Low fat cheese. Veggie patties. This weird tasting health drink.'

This time, no one even tried to hold in the laughter.

Author's Note:

Thanks for the 1k reads, guys. I really appreciate it. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

Don't forget to vote, comment and share!