Gabi worries about Sebastian’s safety when he goes on a date with Pedro, a boy from his Spanish class. Gabi is “both happy and worried” because she knows people could harass the two boys for holding hands in public, or they could even be beaten (48). Sebastian spends the night at Gabi’s and shares details of his date and his new boyfriend. His mother is speaking to him again and he’s enjoying living with his aunt, although his father “is still really angry and doesn’t want to see him” (51).

Gabi experiences her own romantic thrill when she encounters Eric in the hallway and impulsively kisses him. She is shocked at her own assertiveness, and so are her friends when she tells them what happened. Eric responds by asking Gabi to be his girlfriend the next time he sees her at school, to which she quickly agrees.

Things continue looking up when Gabi’s father announces his intention to be sober. Although he’s made this promise before and let the family down, Gabi thinks this time feels different. She writes a third letter to her father expressing hope that he’ll stay sober this time. With so much going on in her personal life, Gabi confesses on October 21 that “school didn’t really matter today” (62).