Gabi, a Girl in Pieces

Gabi reads a poem about her grandmother’s death to her class and receives mixed reactions. Martin defends Gabi’s poem by explaining its unconventional expression of thanks for someone no longer suffering.

When Eric directs an insensitive comment at Sebastian for being gay, Gabi lets Eric walk away fuming, choosing to stick by Sebastian’s side with Cindy. Gabi doesn’t see Eric again for nine days because Thanksgiving break means that school is out, but when she does see him again she isn’t excited to be his girlfriend anymore. She considers ditching school to smoke weed with Sebastian and Pedro, something she’s never done before, but decides to stay in class because “one drug addict is enough in our house, thank you” (96). Gabi is relieved to have made the right decision when the boys are caught smoking and Pedro is arrested.

Gabi admits to herself that she doesn’t have much of a connection with Eric, but she wants to work things out. When she spots Eric kissing Sandra at the mall, though, she again takes refuge in poetry before calling Eric out and breaking off their relationship. Beto is with Gabi when she sees Eric at the mall, and he takes out his own revenge by denting and scratching Eric’s car.