Living With The Webbs

Chapter 16

"Hurry up, Gabby! We're gonna be late!" My best friend, Angela, said from my bed.

"You can't be late to a party, Ang! I'm almost ready anyway." I walked into my room. I had curled my brown hair to perfection, my makeup seemingly flawless.

"Well, we still need to get there soon!" Her golden blonde hair was straight, and her make was simple. Which is the norm for her.

"Then let's go, shall we?" I slipped into my heels, following Angela out of the room. We walked downstairs, passing James, my little brother, on the way.

"Where are you going?" He was a snarky little six year old, but he was adorable.

"I'm going out with Angela." I crouched down to give him a hug, making him squirm.

"Daddy won't like it." He stated, matter-of-factly.

"Mommy said yes, though, so it's ok." I stood straight, heading out the front door. "I love you, James!" I shouted before shutting the door.

I heard a faint response of "I love you, too, Gabby!" I smiled, getting into the passenger seat of Angela's car.

"Your brother is adorable." Angela said. I hinted a bit of sarcasm, but I didn't think much into it.

"He's a little monster, that's what he is." I laughed.

"Tonight is going to be very memorable, Gabby." She looked sideways at me, a half smile on her face. "Trust me, you'll never forget it."

The way she said that, made me nervous.

*~*~*~*

Halfway through the party, I was pretty smashed. I was having a blast. Dancing with anybody that wanted to and drinking different alcoholic concoctions. Angela was playing some game with a bunch of other people.

"Gabby!" I turned in the direction my name came from. Angela was waving me over. I walked to the circle of people, sitting next to Angela. "We are about to play truth or dare." A mischievous glint was twinkling in her eyes.

"Uhm, ok?" They put the empty beer bottle in the middle of the circle. Ashton Jacobsen, a football player for my school, went first, spinning the brown bottle. It landed on Kate Carson, head cheerleader.

"Truth or dare, Kate?" He smirked at her. She chose dare and he dated her to make out with Jessie Turner, another cheerleader.

Ten minutes in, four people were in their underwear, two people had to make out with somebody and another kid had to go streaking.

Angela was next to spin the bottle. It landed on me which made me extremely nervous. She smirked at me. "Truth or dare, Gabbs?" I hesitated.

"Dare?" She looked around the group who were staring back at her, anticipating the dare.

"I dare you to..." She tapped her chin in thought. "Set a tree on fire." Her smirk grew.

"That's really dangerous, Angela." Jessie said, shaking her head.

"It's inly a dare. What could possibly happen?"

I knew I would be the school joke if I didn't do it. Peer pressure is my kryptonite. I stood from the circle, walking out of the house. The alcohol was still swimming through my veins, my judgement clouded. "Any specific tree?" I asked Angela. I wish I didn't...

"The one at the park. The big oak tree." I sucked in a breath, letting it out slowly. I started walking down the street, toward the park. It was about a ten minute walk. It was also fairly close to my house.

The tree was looming in the distance when I approached the park. It was taunting me. I could also see my house, next to the swing set. My mom wanted a house by a park for me and James. It didn't seem like a big deal at the time for my house to be right next to the tree I was about to set fire to.

"What am I going to use?" Angela was quick to pull out a pack of matches from her pocket. Convenient. I lit one, hesitating. There were only three others with us- the rest of the group split so they wouldn't get in trouble.

"Throw the damn thing on it, Gabby!" Angela shouted from a few feet away. I shook the match, exterminating the fire.

"I'm not doing it." I turned to Angela who seemed angrier than she should have. "I'm not setting fire to something so close to my house." Angela ran over to me. She grabbed the matches, lighting one.

"Take the damn match and throw it, Gabriella." Her teeth were clenched, her eyes squinted at me.

"No." She put the match between my fingers. I pulled my hand away, but hers flew, the match falling from her hand. The match landed in a bush.

The rose bush in front of my living room window. The fire ignited, catching the curtain that had gotten through the crack in the window.

"Run!" I heard someone shout. Everything seemed to slow down. I heard sirens in the distance as the fire trucks started. I ran up to the door, opening it.

"Mom! Dad!" Coughs erupted when the smoke reached my breath. "James!" Tears were flying down my face. I didn't know where they would be. The house was full of red and orange flames, licking every surface. I ran the awkward trail between the flames, going toward the stairs. A flame caught my jeans, burning my leg. I shook the fire off. I didn't get up the stairs before the fire trucks reached my house. The door burst open, men in yellow suits running in.

"Help!" I screamed, catching their attention. They ran over to me.

"Is there anyone else in here?" One of them asked. I pointed upstairs, coughing. One nodded, running up the stairs. "Come with me." The first guy stated. He had to pick me up, my leg being too burnt to walk on.

We got outside, the man placing me on the back bumper of the ambulance. a man in a black cop suit approached me.

"What's your name ma'am?" He asked, his American accent startling me slightly.

"Ga-Gabby Stone." My voice was cracking, the cause being the smoke. He nodded.

"What happened here tonight, Gabby?" He asked.

"I-I don't know." I told him.

A firefighter came up to the cop, pulling him aside. The cop asked him something, to which the man shook his head. The cop came over.

"I'm sorry, Gabby. They couldn't find anybody else in the house." My heart stopped. I choked a breath in, the tears forming in my eyes.

"No." I said, sliding from the bumper to the ground. My knees hit the asphalt of the street, my heart clenching. "No, no, no, no." I was full on sobbing now, the realization of what happened hitting me like a battering ram.

They had taken me to a police station, letting me sleep in an office. The next day, four people had come forward, telling the cops that I had started the fire. Angela was one of them. I had a trial set up three days later with an appointed attorney.

I was found guilty.

*~*~*~*

Soooooo.. THE SECRET IS OUT!!

Pretty surprising eh? I wrote this chapter ten different times. I could never find the way to do it. Then I started writing and didn't stop until I finished it. So here you go! Hope you like it. :)

Until next time, my little bundles. ;)

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