Gabi, a Girl in Pieces

Ms. Abernard praises Gabi’s zine, although the content prevents her from allowing Gabi to share it with the class, “probably for promoting critical thinking” (203). Martin is also impressed by Gabi’s zine because it makes him think of the female body in a new way, to which Gabi responds, “Mission accomplished” (204). Although the content of her zine is too controversial to be read aloud in her poetry class at school, Gabi and Martin visit the coffee house again and read their zines to the college audience, making $15 and $12, respectively, from selling copies of their work to the audience afterwards.

In her English class, Gabi partners with Ian, a very attractive boy, for a group project. When Ian attempts to kiss Gabi, she stops him, saying, “Uhm...look...you have the wrong idea about me. I have a boyfriend. And he loves me. I mean, you’re hot, but I don’t like you like that. Sorry” (213). Ian doesn’t take the rejection well and tells Martin an alternate version of what took place between him and Gabi. Martin gets upset with Gabi without giving her a chance to explain the situation, but they eventually clear the air days later.

After a failed attempt at purchasing a cheap prom dress from a seamstress in Tijuana, Gabi’s mother takes her to the mall to pick a dress for prom. With prom a couple weeks away, Cindy confesses to Gabi that her sexual encounter leading to her pregnancy had not been consensual: German raped Cindy, but she never told anyone until now. Gabi, frustrated at the truth behind the circumstances of Cindy’s pregnancy, uses her writing as an outlet and drafts a list-poem titled “Instructions for Understanding What Boys Will Be Boys Really Means” (229).

Cinco de Mayo, which Gabi describes as “another holiday where people get to use sombreros and fake mustaches as proof of their understanding and commitment to learning about my heritage” (231), and concern over leaving her mother for college distract Gabi as the school year nears its end. With prom getting closer, Gabi decides to visit the pharmacy to purchase condoms. Gabi and Martin have sex for the first time after prom, after which Martin follows up by leaving Gabi a poetic card with flowers. When Gabi’s mother later meets Martin’s father, Gabi realizes that Martin has told his father about their intimacy, while Gabi’s mother still thinks they are virgins.

On May 24, just weeks before graduation, Gabi encounters German in the hallway at school and cannot contain her rage over him raping Cindy. She attacks German and is suspended from school for one week. Although she has an opportunity to tell the adults and administrators why she attacked German, Gabi chooses not to explain herself because she doesn’t want to expose Cindy’s secret. Because Gabi has never had any disciplinary troubles at school in the past, the principal decides not to report the incident on Gabi’s permanent record, effectively saving Gabi’s admission to UC Berkeley. However, Gabi is still not allowed to walk across the stage at her high school graduation.

Cindy confronts Gabi, telling her, “You didn’t have a right to say anything” (270). Gabi apologizes to Cindy, and the two talk for hours about all the feelings Cindy had been keeping to herself since the rape and throughout her pregnancy. Gabi and her mother also talk through their different perspectives on her leaving for college, and Gabi hears her mother’s concerns—her mother dreads not being close by should Gabi encounter sex and drugs, and she fears Gabi will become too Americanized—while sticking to her dream of attending Berkeley.

Graduation day is June 12. Gabi cannot attend graduation because of the disciplinary action against her for having attacked German at school, but she waits eagerly for her friends and family to join her after the ceremony. Martin is also heading to UC Berkeley in the fall, and Gabi ends her senior year of high school feeling that things “are gonna be all right” (284).