Gina broke up with Ray the next day and he said no, he wouldn't accept it and she should get that idea right out of her head. They ended up having a screaming match in the hallway before first period and Gina refused to talk to him the rest of the morning.

More than a few of her friends witnessed the fight, and word spread to the others soon enough. Gina just shook her head as Ray stalked off, promising her that she would be sorry.

She wasn't sorry, but within a few hours, she was spitfire mad.

At lunchtime, Ray called his father and soon Gina's father was texting her that she was grounded unless she was with Ray. Tara could hardly believe her eyes as she read the text over Gina's shoulder in Geometry class. But there it was.

Ray senior did not like being bothered at work and made it very clear to Gina's father that his child better start acting right or he would make things very difficult for him. Gina's father had gone up one side of her and down the other.

She had expected as much truthfully, there was a world of difference between her mother's perspective on things and her fathers.

It was Friday and it felt like a very bad Monday to her, she didn't even want to go to the drive in the first place, but she wanted to be with her friends.

There wasn't much to do in this town and the drive-in was as good as it got on a Saturday night without alcohol. So, reluctantly she agreed to go with Ray but planned to get with Tara and Maggie as soon as they got there.

/

At lunch, everyone at their table was talking about the Saturday night, and Gina just felt dread in the pit of her stomach. Her father wouldn't let her go unless it was with Ray, he had made that perfectly clear. She just wanted to live her life the way she wanted to.

Her mother was right, and something had to give.

Across the lunchroom, Rick and Daryl stood by the doorway about to go outside so Daryl could smoke a cigarette. They watched the animated conversation that Gina was having with her friends and every once in a while she would look over toward them.

What was up with that?

"She dumped him this morning," Rick said trying to get a rise out of Daryl.

"And he called his father," Daryl replied.

"What a pussy," Merle said as he and Shelly joined the younger boys and Rick nodded. The four of them went outside to the back parking lot and Daryl lit up.

"Time to strike while the iron is hot brother," Merle said.

"Merle, I am not gonna pounce on her, besides, they ain't broken up, you watch," Daryl said, taking a long drag of his cigarette.

"Worked for him," Merle said pointing at Rick, "Wasn't Lori with that douchebag Robert when you moved in on her."

Rick nodded, "Yup."

"See, it's easy, just go for it, right Shell." Merle pressed.

"He's right Daryl if you like her..." Shelly replied accepting a cigarette from Merle and leaning closer to him as he lit it for her, "Just take my word for it; a girl likes if you take the lead, in a nice way of course."

Rick shrugged, "She's right, Lori just about fell all over herself when I asked her to the prom and told her to dump that guy."

"Well, that's you, that ain't me." Daryl snickered, "My luck don't go that way."

"Not if you don't do anything," Rick said, "You have to do something..."

Daryl huffed, "What would you suggest, hitting her over the head and dragging her to my house."

"Maybe that's a little extreme," Rick answered.

Merle slung his arm around Shelly and pulled her close to him, placing a kiss on the side of her head. His long hair tickled the side of her face and she grinned at him.

"Worked for us didn't it darlin," He said with a grin and Shelly laughed that musical laugh that Merle was falling in love with.

/

Later that day, after school Tara sat down with Gina on the ledge outside the school front door. Lori along with Maggie Green and Glen Rhee who were walking by sat down with her and the four of them commiserated over Gina's situation.

"Can't Jenny handle him?" Tara said with a wink, "You know..."

Gina laughed, everyone knew that her mother kind of cast spells on people, not to do harm, never that. But she had been known to make things happen, or make sure they didn't happen.

"I think I'll have to move in with Jenny, maybe I should have a long time ago." Gina mused.

Notes: Thank you for reading. Please let me know what you think.