“You know what I need to do?""Buy earrings?""I need to fully embed myself in Gabriel's life. I need to get to know the real Gabriel Archer.""You need to buy new earrings," Heather said.Scarlet ignored Heather and went on."No more excuses. The time has come. Today, I am going over to Gabriel's house after school.""Good for you. Now let's talk about shoes." Heather put her magazine down. "They suck.”

“Does this mean I get to be part of the team?” She clapped her hands again.“Yes,” Nate said.“No,” Gabriel said at the same time.“Duuuude,” Nate said to Gabriel between his teeth. “I really want to talk to this Mr. Brooks guy.”“Fine.” Gabriel sighed. “Let her help. I don’t care. But if you die,” Gabriel pointed at Heather, “or get cursed or something, that’s your fault.”Heather nodded merrily, still clapping. “Yay, I’m part of the team.”“We’re not a team,” Gabriel said through gritted teeth.Heather ignored him and looked at Nate. “I think we need a team name.”“Ooh! Good idea.” Nate pointed a finger into the air. “How about Team Awesome?”Heather wrinkled her nose. “Too vague. Team Super Secret Fountain Seekers?”“Too specific.” Nate shook his head. “Team Ash Guy Hunters?”“Ashman.” Heather shook her head. “Too hard to say.”Nate scoffed. “And ‘Super Secret Fountain Seekers’ is easy to say?”Gabriel huffed and started walking toward the door. “You guys can stay here and pick a name and a Team Captain or whatever, but I’m going to find Mr. Brooks.” He opened the door to leave, night falling on the forest around them.Heather said, “Mr. Brooks doesn’t open his door when it’s dark outside.” She shrugged. “So we’re going to have to wait until tomorrow after school.”Frustrated, Gabriel closed the cabin door on the setting sun. “Tomorrow then.”“Perfect.” Nate nodded, shifting his eyes from Scarlet, to Gabriel, and then to Heather.A moment passed.“I call dibs on Team Captain,” Nate said.Gabriel rolled his eyes.”

“I’m baaaaaaaack!” Heather rushed up to Scarlet, completely unaware of Gabriel. “I came, I kissed, I conquered. No, let’s go find you a hot guy with a tasty mouth.”

“Heather turned her voice up full volume. “Gabriel Michael Archer, wake up this minute!”With his eyes still closed, he grumbled, “My middle name isn’t Michael.”“I don’t care. Wake up!”

“Fulton Dumas, do you know where Gabriel Witter is?" "No," he said, his expression changing suddenly from surprised embarrassment to sadness."Are you sure?" Lucas asked."Why would I know where he is?""I don't know, Fulton. Why do you need a thousand stuffed bears? Have you seen Gabriel Witter?”

“No. I'm not buying a shirt."I could buy you a shirt."I don't need you to buy me a shirt."Mercedes pulled him over to the nice GQ-dude who worked the department. "Tell him he needs a new shirt."I don't need a new shirt."Sir, you need a new shirt.”