The pair rode quietly, Gabriel's tablet providing musical backdrop. Gabriel glanced at Amee every so often. Amee stared at the road ahead clenching her purse with white knuckles. Gabriel reached out and turned off the car's stereo.

"Is something the matter?" Gabriel glanced at Amee out of the corner of his eye.

"No." Amee squeaked, her grip on her purse tightened.

"You just seem quiet, well more quiet than usual." Gabriel's lips curled in a small smile.

"I'm a bit nervous, and today's been weird." Amee shifted in the car seat.

"So you don't usually take on the axis of evil that controls South Washington High and win?" Gabriel turned the corner, and glanced in the rearview mirror.

"Yes." Amee fixed her hair sweeping it behind her ear. "That's it."

"You know, part of me was glad to see you stick up for yourself finally. I mean I always respected that you could just keep such a calm exterior and just seem to ignore it all. But.. well, if don't stick up for yourself who will?" Gabriel stopped for a red light, and glanced in the rearview mirror again.

"The colonel always says that." She did her best imitation, "You must never stoop to their level, but if it is a fight they want, it is a fight they should get."

"The colonel?" Gabriel raised an eyebrow and looked over at Amee.

"My father, Mr. Military himself." Amee avoided Gabriel's eyes, if I look into them I'll be incoherent, how very attractive!

"Sore spot? I'm sorry." Gabriel's beautiful blue eyes bore into her.

"No..no..I..." Amee's cheeks became rosy and she immediately looked away from those gorgeous blue depths. Gabriel's eyes shifted to the road before him and he accelerated away from the green light, shaking his head. "I just don't know what came over me today, I just snapped. Usually they would have succeeded in mashing my face with that locker, probably ended up in hospital with two black eyes and a broken nose. April probably would have had a concussion. It's like I knew the locker was coming before it was coming. Like I could read the choreography of the hallway. Measure probabilities, judge intent...." Amee trailed off watching the empty storefronts pass.

"You're a strange girl Amee Morris. No one talks like you do." Gabriel grinned and shook his head.

"Oh I'm sorry! I can change..." Amee shifted in her seat again.

"Don't you change a thing, if I wanted cheerleader fluff I would ask Jane out. You are so smart, and beautiful." Gabriel ran his hand though his hair, his cheeks turning a light shade of crimson.

"Smart before beautiful?" Amee looked at Gabriel, who met her gaze, she looked away immediately. Avoid the eyes!

"Would you prefer it the other way around?" Gabriel stopped at another red light and very carefully started to check his face in the rearview mirror for any signs of, well anything.

"Is something the matter?" Amee glanced over at Gabriel as he felt his face over, he blushed.

"No, no, just, never mind." Gabriel put his hands on the steering wheel again.

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"I would much prefer someone like me for my brains, then my appearance, but when someone says I'm beautiful I assume they are just being nice." Amee tugged on her kilt.

"Why would you say that? You're one of the prettiest girls in school, and add to that you spend more time reading books then texting or talking on a cell phone, you stand out. I sort of had you on a pedestal, like you were above all the teenage angst and bullying. And popularity contests. You were just you." Gabriel turned right again, glancing in the mirror for the millionth time.

"You're speaking in the past tense, why is that?" Amee half-glared at Gabriel.

"You joined the cheerleading squad, and you were really cruel to Samantha today, I would even go so far as to say you went over a line. I just assumed you were above all that." Gabriel shrugged.

"First off, I joined cheerleading to get my mother off my back, not that it is any business of yours! Second, Samantha had it coming for a long time, since we were eight years old. Yes I'm human, I get mad, considering what I could have done, I was the gentlest of souls!" Amee's face grew flush, and she glared full on at Gabriel.

"O-k. Maybe we should change the subject." Gabriel cringed away from Amee's wrath.

"What you want to discuss my drug dealing ways?" Amee clinched her fists.

"Um, how about, there..is a black car following us?" Gabriel glanced in the mirror again.

"Yes, secret service, that means two men with guns. Maybe they'll shoot me and end the torture!" Amee shrunk into her seat. "I'm sorry, I'm hungry, I get cranky when I'm hungry."

"Y...you..." Gabriel was staring at her.

"Red light!" Amee shouted and Gabriel slammed on the breaks hard. The car narrowly missed barreling into a tanker full of acid. His hand shook.

"Sorry, it's just...you.." Gabriel pointed. Amee looked in the mirror, her cheeks had begun to sink and her eyes were protruding a bit. She gasped, and then promptly devoured two chocolate bars while Gabriel stared in awe. "Maybe we should take you home."

"No, I'm fine." Amee gave Gabriel her most innocent look. He shook his head, and started going forward.

"I could of sworn you looked like you'd been starved for weeks!" Gabriel rubbed his eyes when he stopped at yet another light.

"Trick of the lights, or something, I'm fine see" Amee showed her hands. Gabriel shook his head again trying to clear it.

Gabrial shook his head again and pulled into the parking lot for the theater. He slipped out of the car and rushed to get Amee's door before she could get it open. He smiled down at her. His eyes perhaps lingering a little too long on her chest. He offered his hand, Amee blushed and accepted.

Amee fixed her skirt absently. Gabriel led the way through the automatic door. The theater was crowded tonight. Gabriel pushed his way to a self serve kiosk and waved his phone over the payment scanner and tapped Amee's phone transferring a ticket to her phone.

"I could have paid." Amee was almost indignant.

"It is a date." Gabriel smirked. Amee felt her annoyance melt away as her gaze drifted up to Gabriel's perfect eyes. "Amee?" Gabriel chuckled.

"Whatever, just let me buy the food then." Amee's cheeks shone a bright hue of rouge.

"Okay, okay." Gabriel motioned for her to take the lead. Amee walked up to the register, and ordered about one of everything. Gabriel blinked in disbelief.

"Would you like a tray?" The theater attendant asked and looked up at Gabriel, who shrugged.

"Better make it two." Amee couldn't help but blush but an ache gnawed at her stomach. After the order was filled Gabriel glanced down at Amee giving her a strange look.

"You feeding the whole theater?" Gabriel held up his overloaded tray.

"What are you my mother?" Amee glared at him, but continued to blush.

"Well no, but this is a lot of foo-" Gabriel found himself cut off by Amee's curt reply.

"I've been sick for a week, I'm starving!" Amee grumbled as she sat down her seat. Gabriel looked like he wanted talk some more, but he was clearly not going to be able to get a word out of Amee who was stuffing her face. She finally stopped after one tray was clear. Gabriel and most of the nearby audience were staring at her. A few whispers about eating disorders. Amee blushed.

"Well..." Gabriel glanced down at the tray he had carried almost scared to take something. He shrugged and looked at Amee.

"Take what you want, I was just hungry. Sorry." Amee shrunk into her seat, crossing her arms, and handing out a glare or two to the older folks giving her disapproving looks. Gabriel didn't say anything and took a stab at the bag of popcorn.