FANG came out in America yesterday! It seems like old news to me because I read it a month ago, but most of you guys are just getting it! For those who've finished it already, what did you think? I thought it was weird… anyway! This is a big chapter!

"Daddy, I'm going for a walk!"

"Okay, Grace. See you later."

As soon as he heard the door shut, Devin hopped off his bed and hurried down the hall to his sister's room. In the doorway, he paused, making sure she hadn't come back in to get something she'd forgotten, but the house remained silent except for the TV downstairs. So he went in.

If Devin's room was the messiest accumulation of crap on earth, then Gracie's was the most organized. There was plenty of crap-- posters of teenage heartthrobs, magazines stacked neatly in the corner, and a bulletin board full of pictures of her and Markus-- but it was all very orderly, not one item out of place.

Sometimes, he teased her about it, but today, this was exactly what he needed: to get in, get the diary, and get out.

It was under her pillow, which was the second place Devin looked. After he'd been caught looking for it a couple times, Gracie had declared that she'd be moving the diary every week, but she moved it to the same three places every time. For someone so smart, she sure didn't hide things well.

The last few entries detailed her math test, her between-class kissing sessions with Markus, and her fascination with that stupid promise ring. It took a gritting of his teeth, but Devin managed to keep reading, and then he found exactly what he was looking for: an entry from a few months ago.

October 23

Devin, and probably Mom and Daddy, would kill me if they knew this, but today I went back to Markus. He was reluctant at first (Devin really scared him, I think), but I convinced him to take me back.

Doesn't that make me sound so pathetic? I mean, he cheated on me. Any other time, there's no way I would have gone back, but I really need someone right now. Mom and Daddy are completely absorbed with the baby-- not that they shouldn't be. I would be, too. But I still feel lonely at home, so Markus is who I have to turn to right now.

Devin slammed the diary shut before he'd finished reading the entry and turned on his heel, striding out into the hall and down the stairs. He found his dad in the living room, eating chips and watching a football game.

"Where's Mom?" Devin asked, keeping his casual façade for now.

"Upstairs, resting," Dad said, holding out the bag of chips.

Devin took a few and sat down beside his father. With his mom nowhere near, it was safe-- she couldn't know about this. She was so easily stressed, and now there were two babies who could be hurt because of it. "This is Gracie's diary," he said, holding it out to Fang, using his thumb to hold the page with the entry they needed.

Dad looked at the pink book, then at Devin. "You shouldn't go through your sister's things."

He shook his head. She could take his knit cap if she was so angry at him for showing this to their dad; he didn't care. He was doing what was best for her. "I think you need to read this." With that, he opened the diary to October 23 and set it on his dad's lap.

Dad stiffened and hesitated, but then picked it up and started to read. A second later, his eyebrows shot up-- something that could be interpreted as complete shock.

"What do you think we should do?" Devin asked.

Shaking his head, Dad slowly shut the book and handed it back. "Maybe we should have your mom talk--"

"We can't tell Mom," he cut in.

His father sighed and nodded. "We really shouldn't… but it'd be so much easier to dump this on her."

The two exchanged identical half-smiles and low chuckles. Then Devin looked down at the diary. "I'm just afraid she's gonna get hurt again."

"I know. She's gonna hate us, but…" Dad glanced at the front door. "We have to do something."

0000000000

Gracie bounced up the stairs of the front porch, trying to wipe the wide grin off her face but failing. This was how she usually felt after being with Markus: breathless and happy. She looked down at the ring on her finger, and her facial muscles began to hurt from smiling so huge.

After another minute, she managed to look like she had just been walking around the neighborhood, not kissing Markus on the swing set. She stepped into the house and was greeted by her father and brother, standing in the foyer, in front of the huge photos, looking none too pleased.

"What's going on?" Gracie asked, immediately thinking there was a problem with the babies, then realized they weren't worried-- just mad. At her. "What are you guys doing?"

Daddy held something up, and her heart sunk: it was her diary. "Devin found something in here that concerns us."

"I can't believe you read that!" she hissed at Devin, relentless anger making her take a fast step forward. Daddy stepped between them, holding Gracie's arms firmly. "What don't you understand about privacy?"

"Not nearly as much as you," he said stoically, crossing his arms over his chest. "With all that sneaking around behind our backs you do."

Gracie jerked away from her father and shoved Devin, hard, against the wall. He stumbled, then recovered and lunged for her, but Daddy quickly caught him in a headlock.

"I know she pushed you first," she heard Daddy muttering to her brother. "But don't forget you're bigger. You'll hurt her."

Keeping a hold on Devin, he looked up at her. "I think we need to talk."

"You? Talk?" The sarcasm card was something she'd learned from her mother. She didn't use it often, but when she was desperate, it tended to work pretty well. This, however, was not one of those times.

"Yes," he said tersely, cautiously releasing Devin, who glowered at her. "Listen, Grace. Mom and I didn't know you were feeling neglected because of the babies. We're sorry about that. But we don't want you seeing Markus."

"You don't even know him," she snapped, flicking her hair behind her shoulder. "He loves me."

"If he loved you--"

"Then he wouldn't have cheated on me," Gracie finished, having heard Devin say the same thing multiple times. "People make mistakes, Daddy. Ever heard of second chances?"

"I have," he said, unmoved. "In fact, I've given and taken plenty of them. Cheating doesn't deserve a second chance, though, hon."

It probably wasn't the best idea, but she thrust her hand in his face, showing him her promise ring. Registering the shock on his face with satisfaction, she said, "He promised me."

Shaking his head, Daddy opened his mouth to say something, but then her mom's voice floated down from her bedroom. "Fang!"

"Yeah?"

"I'm hungry."

He sighed and handed the diary to Devin. "Be right there," he called. Looking from Gracie and Devin, he said, "Don't kill each other. Gracie… I don't even know what to say. I just don't." With that, he turned around and went into the kitchen, running a hand through his shaggy hair.

Once he was gone, Gracie turned to Devin and snatched her diary out of his hands. "I hate you," she snapped, feeling angry and upset and utterly betrayed. More than anything, though, she felt like sobbing. But she managed to wait until she was safely in her room with the door locked.

Intervention! Drama! Dun dun dun!

Review, please? Please? With a cherry on top?