"How is she?" Celine asked the chiropractor later.
"I x-rayed the wrist, and nothing seems to be out of place. I do believe that a few vertebrae are out of alignment in her neck. She's asking to see you."
I jumped to my feet and saw Gabby lying in a chair. "Hey," she said. "What's going on?"
The chiropractor came in. "Just relax, Gabby. I believe the pain in your wrist is because of your neck."
"My neck?"
"Yes. All I'm going to do is crack it." The chiropractor felt around Gabby's neck, told her to breathe out and then there was a crack. "There ya go. The swelling should start going down soon. Until then, ice it."
"I don't understand how cracking my neck can solve the problem." Gabby said.
"Your neck controls everything. Your neck may have been out of alignment for weeks, and falling may have made it apparent."
"Wow." Gabby looked at us. "Thanks."
"No problem." The doctor smiled.
"Hey, Gabby, what do you think about having it outside…kinda like a barbeque?" Taylor asked.
I shifted the ice pack. "I dunno…hey, how about having chili and stuff like that? It'll be chilly at night."
"That's perfect!" Taylor wrote it down. We were planning Zac and Ellie's birthday party. It was already September. "And it should just be our families."
"Right."
"How's the wrist?"
"Better." I could move it now. Amazing. "I was just thinking about this whole thing with Isaac. We agreed never to speak to each other again. So why did he speak my name today?"
"Gabby…" Taylor laid his hand on my arm. "You and Ike were meant to be."
"No…"
"Yes, you were," Taylor said patiently, looking at me. "It's killing you to be apart. Why not just apologize?"
"I dunno. It was just so official…"
"If you ask me, you two should talk to each other."
I put my hand on Taylor's. "Thanks for trying to help, Tay, but it's just not gonna work."
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
"I'm gonna go show our plans to Ike. I'll be back." Taylor squeezed my hand and got up.
Boy, was I mad! Why couldn't anyone understand me? All I had done was open the refrigerator to get a drink, but Gabby acted like the world was coming to an end, by quickly grabbing me and yanking me away. Then my mom had suggested that maybe I should go to my room for a while. All I had done was open the refrigerator door and now here I was in trouble. To make matters worse, it was the day before my sixteenth birthday. Couldn't everyone be a little nice to the birthday girl??
I felt badly for Zac too. He had turned 14 yesterday and hardly anyone batted an eye. No presents…nothing. I almost gave him my present, but we had agreed that we would exchange our presents alone at night by our special pond. It had rained yesterday so we decided to wait until late tonight. At least that was something to look forward to unless somebody locked me in my room, which seemed a possibility, the way everyone had been acting. I had looked all over for Celine, thinking maybe she would have some compassion on my wounded heart and maybe wish me a early happy birthday but she was nowhere to be found.
I hummed the harmony part to the song I'd be singing to myself. Tonight was going to be great! Chili and all kinds of food would be served, everyone would be there, dancing until early morning…and Zac and Ellie had no clue! I had seen the disappointment on Zac's face when no one had wished him a happy birthday, and I knew Ellie was feeling bad too. She'd stayed in her room all day.
"Gabby, ready?" Celine's eyes sparkled. "It's time."
"Okay." I ran a brush through my hair, put a wreath of flowers that Mackie had made me on top and ran out the door. "Ellie, Ellie!!"
"What?" Ellie asked grumpily, coming to the door.
"Come on!" I dragged Ellie downstairs and into the backyard. Isaac was just coming with Zac.
"Surprise!" everyone yelled.
Ellie's mouth dropped open as Celine, Isaac and Taylor started a perfectly harmonized version of "Happy Birthday". Zac ran over to me and hugged me.
"This is great! Food…presents…food…Thank you!" he screeched. I laughed as he dragged Ellie to the food table. Everyone followed to get something to eat.
"Well, I would have to say this is the best party ever!" Ellie said.
Gabby, Zac, Ellie, Celine, Rene, Mackie and I were gathered at a picnic table, chowing down on chili. I had tried to get Ike to come sit with us, but he refused, instead helping out Mom with all the food.
"We've planned it for weeks!" Gabby exclaimed.
"Presents!" Zac screamed. Being his normal goofy self, he approached the present table. Since everyone was finished, Zac and Ellie wanted to open their presents, which there were many of. Ike, Celine and I had gotten a huge stereo for Zac and a big makeup case with makeup for Ellie. Gabby saved her presents for last. She gave Zac a new pair of outrageously orange Doc Martens, which he immediately put on.
"And this is for Ellie," Gabby said. Ellie smiled and opened the box. "This is thanks for being my best friend through everything I've gone through this year."
Ellie's eyes filled with tears as the two hugged. It was obvious they really loved each other. Gabby accepted the part of the "Best Friends" necklaces that she would wear. They were truely beautiful pieces of jewelry.
"Okay, this is a song that we dedicate to Zac and Ellie!" I cried that night. The full moon was out and the stars were shining, and it was the perfect night for Ellie and Zac's birthday party.
Celine had pulled me aside earlier that morning. "I have the perfect dedication song for Zac and Ellie!"
"What?"
"It's called Another Year has Gone By."
"Yes! That's beautiful!"
"Gabby…you've heard the song. You know there are two girl's voices in it, Isaac is playing guitar and coming in on the chorus. I want you to harmonize with me."
"Me?" Isaac would be onstage. How could I sing such a gorgeous song like that with him there?
"Please?" Celine had pleaded. I had agreed
"Guys, feel free to dance. Ellie and Zac…we hope you have many more years to come." I smiled. Isaac sat on his stool and Celine handed me a mike. She pushed me over next to Isaac, I could reach out and touch his face…but I dared not. He looked at me as I stood there.
At Celine's nod, Isaac started strumming his acoustic guitar. Celine came in, her beautiful clear voice ringing through the night. Zac pulled Ellie close to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck happily. When Celine sang , "I'm keeping those words deep down in my heart," my voice came out clearly and higher than Celine's. Isaac glanced up at me, sort of in amazement. His glorious voice came in underneath ours on the chorus, then drained away.
Zac suddenly let go of Ellie and ran over to the mike as Celine sang, "But you never let a birthday go by without announcing how much you love me," Zac grabbed Celine's mike and yelled, "I love you, Ellie!" We laughed and the song went on beautifully.
After it was over and we were receiving our applause, Celine hugged me and said, "Beautiful. You know, Isaac was watching you the whole time." I glance over my shoulder, where he was smiling with Taylor, Zac and Ellie. Our eyes met, and felt such a wave of love run over me that I almost cried.
"Look, Zac," I murmured. He looked down at where our fingers were entwined together. "Not there! There!"
Zac followed my gave and looked over at Gabby, who was standing lonesomely with Celine, watching us. Not us…Ike.
"We've got to get them to dance," I said. "I've got it! You get Ike to the dance floor."
"Are you sure about this?"
"Go!"
Zac let go of me and went over to Ike. I went over to Gabby.
"Hey, Gabby…thanks for singing. It was beautiful."
"Thanks." Her voice was expressionless.
"Come with me." I tugged on her arm and led her over to Zac and Ike. Then I left, running over to the CD player. I put in "More Than Anything" and ran back over to them. I put my arms around Zac and we swayed to the music. I hoped they would start to dance too.
