Chapter Three: Cooler Than Me

It had just began to get dark outside when Rusty and Gabrielle pulled up to the snack bar, Rusty got the same strange-excited feeling when she saw the devious look that Gaby would get in her eyes whenever they came here. The last time that she had gotten "the Look" Rusty, Gabrielle, and Willard had gone on such an extreme bender that involved a bebe gun, a pineapple, and a tire swing. Don't ask, they won't tell.

Gabrielle smiled as Rusty and her got out of the car and ran quickly inside, past the police officer stationed outside. Rusty held the door opened as Gabrielle pulled her blue sweater over her head, revealing a pink crop top and floral overalls, giving the illusion she was over 5'5 with doc martins on her small feet

Rusty went to order food, and Gaby's smile grew as she saw Woody, "Hey man, what's up?" she squeaked, ADD kicking in. She's skipped her run today, so if she didn't start moving now, things were going to get crazy. "Hey Gab," greeted her tall friend Woody started laughing quietly to himself, "Saw you talking with Missy earlier, she still trying to kill me?" He questioned.

"You know it."

They both laughed briefly at their shared joke before Woody turned to Ren, who just got in. Gabrielle turned away in order to hide her panic, and laughing slightly as Willard made a fuss about the Frito Pie.

"Hey check the door, are the cops still here?" ordered Gabrielle abruptly, getting worried that the cops would never leave, and the party would never get started.

"Five-O getting his move on." Woody replied with a smile, before walking back over to his friend, "What you got Gabby?" Gabrielle smirked before pulling out a CD case from her bag. "Is that?" Willard walked from Rusty, aghast, same as Woody, and Etta. "Who's the Queen!"

Gabrielle's bowed, "David Banner. Bootleg. That is how awesome I am!" She wasn't that awesome, but it was his new song.

Doc took the CD from Gabrielle and raised an accusing, and wrinkled finger, "Ay Queenie, don't get too krunk out there. First sign of the police, I'm gonna pull the plug." Gabby nodded understanding, scuffing her Doc Martins on the old yellow tiled floor.

"Aye Missy, I don't wanna get a fine, and you don't wanna get another ticket." Gabrielle scoffed at this, it wouldn't be that big of a loss to get kicked off the sports team.

Gabrielle walked with her friends outside the Snack Bar when she gelt a shy hand on her shoulder, "You got a ticket for dancing?" Gabrielle swallowed her butterflies before replying. "I actually have two, one more and I'm off the cheer squad.

Ren's eyes widened as he prayed silently to himself, as any sensible person would have 'Please god let her keep the uniform'

Gabrielle took her spot leaning up against someone's Impala as she observed the townies rock. She gave a sad smile to no one in particular, as tonight she felt completely alone. It was time to get into some hard drugs or something, maybe alcohol.

She scolded herself mentally, who was she kidding? She was too much of a weakling to even buy the stuff. But it was time to put a pin in that.

Her friends were happy, so she was happy for them.

It made her slightly sad because Dusty was staying in, so there went the sarcasm of the night.

Woody was in the middle of the drive in, dancing and looping around feeling free when Gabrielle yelled "Woody!" to cheer him on.

'Fake it Gabby, keep smiling.' She mentally scolded herself again. No matter what happened, tonight just wasn't a dancing night. Or so she thought.

The fake smile dropped from her face when she saw Arielle dancing on Chuck's flatbed straddling a microphone like Miley Cyris: Who Can't Be Tamed.

Couldn't she just be herself? This just wasn't a good idea.

Arielle was going to end up hurt, having to pick out glass and take concussion meds like she did when Chuck threw that beer bottle at her head. Was it worth it? It had to be better than Arielle getting pregnant with Chuck's feeble-minded, tiny-wristed fetus.

God no . . .

Chuck's giving you the look. It was the same look that he got that night.

Avoid him

Avoid him.

Avoid him.

Gabby took a breath and began to focus on other things.

Gabrielle took a breath and began to focus on other things. Like Ren.

There's a good positive, even if he'd never look her way.

The teen turned, curious as to why Woody was pulling Ren's leather jacket off. Poor boy doesn't stand a chance. "I'm good. I don't dance. You go have dun." Gabby's smile was back on her face as she observed the situation. He really dosen't know how persistent Woody could be. Gabby stood up, off the car.

"Me and my boys are gonna push everyone back. Let me see you do that city boy thing." Now Gabrielle was hooked.

Ren began to take over the drive in, music surrounding him. At this point it wasn't just coming from the PA, but the old broken-down drive-in speakers too. Gabby knew Claude must of put a lot of money into keeping them working, and knew the man was a compatriot when it came to defying the dance ban.

Ren loped around their circle like he had been waiting for this since the moment he got into town. She thought of dancing with him, as she and many others were sick of being stuck up in their tiny bedrooms dancing to their headphones.

Arielle continued stripping on the flatbed of Chuck's truck as the white trash male stared shamelessly at Gabrielle, ignoring her sister's show.

'Screw him. He's not coming anywhere near me.'

Gabby resumed watching Ren be amazing, and lose himself in the music. Little did the dark-haired girl know, that he was only looking at her.

He pulled out his best tricks as he saw he had her attentions, mixing his dancing style with gymnastics, climbing up onto a big four-wheel-drive truck and doing a back flip off the hood.

Gabby laughed as the car alarm went off for the blue truck, as Ren looked mildly startled, not expecting the car alarm to be set off so easily

"Whoo!" cheered Gabby, blushing terribly as she said it. But he didn't have to be told twice, hopping up onto the truck for another flip, somehow going higher into the air.

Gabby cheered and cocked her head like a puppy as she overheard the owner of the truck say to Ren, "Oh, she's looking," he said, "Get on that boy." said the guy, staring at Gabrielle.

"What was everyone's deal tonight? Did her hair look super good or something? This is what you get when you try to stay low-key." though Gabby to herself as she tried to convince herself that she had an issue with her crush dancing.

Gabrielle was even more stunned as Ren ran and slid up to her with an amazing force, nearly falling off his feet. She was forced up against the grille of the car as the hot blush curse returned. "I-erm-hey," said Gabby in a small voice that somehow seemed stronger through the music. "Hey." replied Ren simply. "Ren right?"

he grinned, "Very good."

Hilarious.

He took her by the hand, and pulled her onto the dance floor, moving gracefully to the music. This was the most Gabby had ever enjoyed herself for the first time since Bobby and her friends had died. It was perfect. It wasn't just because the two were actually interacting, but Ren saw that he didn't have the beauty entirely. She kept checking over her shoulder, glancing back at Chuck, who was looking freaking pissed while Gabrielle paled, scared. Last time he'd looked like that she was sent to the ER for a concussion and glass scratches.

She'd covered for Arielle's sake, but the asshole had broken a beer bottle over her head. Four inches to the left, and she would be blind right now. "Don't let him scare you."

Gabrielle looked up at Ren (as he stood almost a head taller than her), and smiled, a real smile. Gabrielle felt actual comfort and safety.

'Rare' she thought to herself, and so the dance continued.

With each step, they both got a little closer to each other, dancing a bit dirtier, which in comparison wasn't that bad to others there. Ren could see that Chuck was getting jealous and scoffed to himself. Good. Let him be jealous, tonight was too much fun. Ren smiled down at Gabrielle, enjoying having her close when the music broke off suddenly. Bringing the party to a screeching halt.

Dammit. Of course it was too good to be true.

"She's busted!" someone whispered.

Gabrielle's stomach sunk low as one of the happiest she'd ever been since the accident ended as she heard Claude's voice over the PA.

"Attention. Would Gabrielle please come up to the diner? Your daddy's here for you, Gabrielle."

Everyone at the party turned to see the ever-intimidating town reverend standing in the Diner's doorway. The crowd reacted for their friend's sake, as Rusty was especially mortified to see the only other sane person there about to get "kilt" by her parent.

Ren clenched his jaw uncomfortably, and dutifully removed his hands from Gabrielle's waist.

"Show's over, and thanks." She smiled, beginning to feel strangely invincible. Almost like she was going to throw up. She wasn't used to that feeling. The electrified, heightened feeling with music a moment earlier was now quiet as death while Gabrielle made her way to her father.

Gabrielle's heart dropped to her stomach as she saw her dad standing at the front of the Snack bar, turning back to see Arielle covered in her blue sweater, hiding behind Rusty and Willard. She was safe. Good.

Bitch.

With one last smile at Ren and her friends as she turned to her father, who wasn't looking though her like earlier, but now he was giving her the look of shame, which wasn't exactly uncommon in the Moore House.

"You mother was afraid you didn't have any money. She said you and Arielle would be here. " He looked around the crowd, silently swearing about the Rabble-Rousers.

He gave Ren the "You'll-Burn-In-Hell-For-This " look and Gabby felt full of pity, as now Ren had two guys mad at him.

"Arielle's at the church, Daddy." Reverend Moore made a scoffing sound at his daughter, "Daddy, it's not a big deal. We were just messing around. What's the problem?" She questioned, defending herself.

"I think it would be best if you came home with me." She rolled her eyes; happy she was getting a rise out of him. " Right now. "

"Okay," replied the raven-haired girl simply as she cast a brave face to the other partygoers.

" Daddy gonna take her out to the woodshed. " Ren winced visibly as Willard brought him out of his daze. "What the hell does that mean?" he questioned his new friend, not sure if he wanted the answer. Ren scoffed at Arielle hiding behind that Chuck asshole's truck.

" It means she's in deep shit. "

Oh.

Ren heart sunk as he saw his dancing partner get toted home by the man who made all this amazing spirit illegal. But somehow, seeing that she didn't run away, or scream like he was Dracula when the danced. That had to be a good sign.

Good sign? You like her dumbass. You like the daughter of the man who can make your new life a living hell.

Well shit.

XXXXXX

Gabrielle reflected on the Diner Party as she headed up to her room, smile etched off her face. "Hey, honey. You're home early." Gabrielle shot her Mom the smile as she headed up the stairs to her room. "Yeah." She said simply. "Did you have fun?" questioned Mrs. Moore. "We broke the law, but I think yeah. You know I really did." While on the stairs, Gabby picked up her stray iPod from the stairs as she ignored her father's shouts about whatever the hell he was mad about. At least she was being acknowlaged.

'It's been a good night.' Thought the lovestruck girl.

'For the first time I a long time,

I'm alright'