Gabby ran the whole way to the tree house with thoughts racing in her head. How did Chris know where she lived? Would he even be at the tree house, waiting for her? She knew none of the answers to her questions and the need to know willed her to keep on running. She came to a slow stop a few feet from the tree house. She saw the light, but that's not what stopped her. It was Chris. He was leaning against the ladder on his left shoulder with his arms folded and his left foot crossed over his right.

"I had a feeling you'd be here," she said as she neared.

"I had a feeling you'd come," Chris replied. Gabby smiled as she put her arms around his neck for a long awaited hug and a much desired kiss. They headed up the ladder and into the tree house. Ace headed down the road.

Chris flipped on the radio and one of Gabby's favorite songs came on: "At Last" by Etta James. Chris offered his hand.

"Dance with me," he said.

"Chris you don't dance," Gabby laughed.

"Dance with me," he repeated. Gabby looked at him for a moment and saw his sincerity. She placed her hand in his, stood, and they put their arms around each other. Gabby put her arms tightly around Chris's neck and rested her chin on his shoulder.

"I'm not gonna let them take you away from me," she cried.

"Me either..." Chris whispered. "Me either." They weren't even dancing now, they were only embracing. They just needed to be in each others arms to know that they were alive, to know that, even though they were barely teenagers, they were in love. They'd found something in each other that no one else had: a heart big enough and more than willing to love.

Ace headed through the large meadow in front of the tree house. He saw the same faint light Gabby had, but in it were two figures meshed together. He recognized one as Gabby with her long hair and perfect bangs. He knew the other person was his loathed enemy: Chris Chambers. He was incredibly infuriated, but he wasn't going to do anything about it... not yet.

"At last... the skies above are blue/My heart was wrapped up in clovers/The night I looked at you..." Etta James' soulful voice filled the tree house.

"Chris, can you do me a favor?" Gabby whispered in his ear.

"Anything."

"Tell me you love me." Chris smiled as he softly pushed Gabby away so he could look in her eyes.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you, too." They pressed their foreheads together as they put their hands on each other's face and looked into the set of eyes in front of them. Chris's big, beautiful blue eyes stared in Gabby's deep green eyes. They were oblivious to anything and everything around them. The only thing that mattered was that for the time being, they were free.

The next morning, Gabby was again lying in her bed, trying to get to sleep. She'd just arrived home and she was dead tired.

"Get up!" Ace yelled, pounding on her door.

"I'm up," she said, sitting straight up.

"Time for the championship game of mailbox baseball!" Gabby sighed irritably as she grabbed a black tank top, a pair of jeans, and one of Ace's shirts that she left unbuttoned. She pulled her hair up in a tight pony tail and headed down the stairs where Ace, Eyeball , Charlie, and Billy were waiting.

"Alright guys, let's ride," Ace said with an evil glare that was directed at Gabby. She knew something was wrong, but it never crossed her mind that Ace knew anything about her midnight masquerade with Chris.

They got in the car. Eyeball headed for the driver's seat like he always did when Ace stopped him. He insisted Eyeball ride in the back and Billy take the front seat. Gabby sat in the middle between Eyeball and Charlie, less than happy. On any other day, Gabby would be more than happy to beat her brother at mailbox baseball, but something was missing... the bat. It was nowhere to be found. Gabby knew she was in trouble.

"Hey Ace, where's the bat?" Billy asked. Ace acted as though he didn't hear anything. His eyes were glued to the road as he chewed the toothpick in his mouth.

"Boys I do believe we have a problem," he finally spoke, once they were on a back road.

"What now?" Eyeball asked, laughing stupidly.

"My sister's been sneakin' around with a guy."

"Go Gabby!" Charlie said. Ace nodded at Billy as a signal. Billy turned around threw his empty beer bottle at Charlie.

"The hell was that for?!" Charlie yelled.

"Shut up," Ace demanded with a low voice. Gabby knew she'd been caught. Ace saw a large truck approaching in the far distance.

"Gabrielle Raiyne Myers, are you gonna see Chris Chambers again?" he asked. Gabby remained silent. She was serious when she saw nobody was going to take Chris away from her. Ace swerved into the lane of oncoming traffic.

"I'm gonna ask you one more time!" The car accelerated. "Are you gonna see Chris Chambers again?!" Gabby looked up and saw the truck nearing.

"Ace get in the other lane," she said. He sustained silence as the speedometer now read 75 mph.

"Ace..." Gabby started. Nothing. "Ace..." The truck came closer. "Ace get back in the other lane!"

"Are you gonna see the Chambers kid again?!" Ace yelled.

"You're gonna kill us all!" Gabby screamed.

"Ace, come on," Eyeball said, becoming scared himself.

"I wanna know if my sister is gonna see that faggot again!"

"Answer him Gabby!" Eyeball advised. She continued to remain silent on the subject.

"We're all gonna die in a few seconds Gabby, thanks to you!" Billy screamed.

"Ok, fine, I won't see him again," Gabby surrendered. She knew Ace was just crazy enough to kill everyone.

"You promise?" Ace yelled.

"I promise."

"You swear?"

"Goddamn it Ace!"

"Swear on mine and Eyeball's name that you will not see Chris again." He did that because he knew how much she cared about him and Eyeball.

"No," she refused.

"Ok," Ace shrugged. He pressed the gas pedal as far down as it would go and the passengers jolted back.

"Only a couple feet away Gabby!" Ace warned. Gabby looked forward and saw how close the truck was now; honking the horn wildly.

"Ace!" she yelled. They were going to crash. Gabby screamed and was clinging to Eyeball's waist. He quickly put his arms around her; he thought they were going to crash, too. There was another honk of the horn and a loud crash, but Gabby nor Eyeball felt anything. Gabby slowly opened her eyes as Ace pulled to the side of the road. He put the car in park and turned in his seat to face Gabby.

"Are you gonna see him again?" he yelled, pointing his finger at her. Gabby was now bawling and digging her fingernails into Eyeball's side.

"No," she cried quietly, shaking her head. Ace nodded at his accomplishment and they finally headed home.

When they arrived, Gabby headed straight for her room. She was way too upset to even think. Eyeball followed her because he knew a stunt like Ace had just pulled could really mess a person up. He sat on her bed with her and allowed her to cry on his chest for what seemed like hours. She couldn't stop asking him why Ace had almost killed then, why they wouldn't let her be with Chris.

"He's no good Gabs, he's not good enough for you," Eyeball tried his best to answer.

"He's your brother!" Gabby exclaimed. Eyeball jumped at her loud volume and looked at her tear-stained cheeks and watery eyes.

"I know," he said quietly. "That's how I know he ain't good for you."