Chapter 3: A Drawing and Being Neighborly

                                    

                                          
A month had gone by. It was Monday, March 4th, 1991. Melanie, Victoria, Christian, Michael, and the rest of the Newsies cast had the day off. Gianna was currently in her biology class and ignoring her teacher, Mr. Barnes, lecture about cellular respiration.


                          
"Come on, Gia. Just draw something," one of Gianna's classmates said. 
"Okay. Who should I draw," she asked. 
"Just do Mr. Barnes," the classmate answered. 
"I don't know if I should," Gianna said. 
"I'll let you come shopping with me and Juliet on Saturday," the classmate said. 
"Fine," Gianna said before she began drawing a picture of her teacher with an angry expression. 


                          
As Gianna was finishing her drawing, Mr. Barnes was standing in front of her. 


                          
"And what is this, Ms. Windsor," Mr. Barnes asked as he snatched the paper from her, crumpled it up into a ball, and threw it away. "Go to the principal's office immediately."
"Yes, sir," she said before getting up and walking to the principal's office. 


                          
The rest of the school day went by quickly for Gianna. She managed to get a friend to drive her home since Isabella was home due to having gotten her tonsils removed a week ago. 


                          
Gianna was suspended for the rest of the week for what she did. To make her day worse, she tripped getting out of her friend's car and scraped the palm of her right hand. She was in tears and didn't want to tell her dilemma to Isabella. She was crying and pacing in front of the area between her and Christian's house. 


                          
Meanwhile, inside Christian's house, Christian was hanging out with Michael. They were watching a horror movie when the seventeen year old had glanced out of a window and noticed Gianna pacing outside. 


                          
"Come on, Christian. The big moment in the movie is about to happen," Michael said. 
"There's a girl out there," he said. 
"No, there isn't," Michael said. 
"Yes! Michael, there is a girl," Christian said. 
"Oh, there is a girl," he said. 
"That's a girl," Christian said as he walked to the front door. 


                          
Christian opened the front door and saw Gianna. 


                          
"Hello. Are you hurt," Christian asked while he noticed Gianna wincing in pain after she touched her right hand. 
"I'm Gia," the blonde replied. 
"Hello, Gia. I'm Christian," the seventeen year old said as he walked over to her. 
"I know. You came home with my sisters after that party in January. I would have never sprained my ankle. I have perfect small feet, the best in the family. But I can never show my face in my home again because I'm in so much trouble because I got suspended from school. Then, I fell out of my friend's car and scraped my hand. Look," she said as she cried and showed Christian her hand.
"Come inside with me. I can clean and bandage your hand, and you can hang out with Michael, who is one of my costars from Newsies, and me," Christian said after he looked at Gianna's right hand. 
"Okay," Gianna said as Christian led her inside. 


                          
Christian closed the door and told Gianna to sit on the sofa with Michael. 


                          
"See, Michael. I told you there was a girl. Now do you believe me," Christian asked. 
"Well, duh," he answered. 


                          
"Michael this is Mel's and Vic's little sister, Gianna, who goes by Gia. Gia, this is Michael Goorjian, one of my costars from Newsies," Christian said. 


                          
"Hi," Gianna said. 
"Hi," Michael said. 


                          
"I'll be right back with a wet washcloth, some hydrogen peroxide, and and a bandage for the scrape on your hand, Gia. Michael, don't scare the poor girl off. She's been through a lot today," Christian said. 
"Okay," Michael and Gianna said in unison. 


                          
Christian quickly came back into the living room and sat next to Gianna on the sofa.


                          
"Okay. This is gonna sting a little," Christian said before putting a bit of hydrogen peroxide on Gianna's wound after cleaning it with the wet washcloth.
"Ow," Gianna squealed. 
"I warned you, didn't I? Anyway, with the bandage on, it should hurt a lot less," Christian said as he put the bandaid on Gianna's wound. 


                          
About two hours later, Christian was in his basement with Gianna and Michael was napping in the living room. 


                          
"Tell the butler that I want this painting purchased for me immediately," Gianna said in a silly yet dramatic voice while showing Christian a painting in an art book. 


                          
Christian couldn't help but smile and laugh at Gianna. 


                          
"They're in here," Michael said while leading Melanie and Victoria in the room. 


                          
"Mel! My hand! Look! It hurts so much," Gianna said. 
"Gia! Thank goodness you're safe," Melanie said as she walked over to her youngest sister and hugged her. 


                          
"What awesomeness! Christian Bale, you must be the happiest boy in the world with all of these books," Victoria said as she picked up a copy of Beowulf off of the huge bookshelf. 
"A person can't live on books alone," he said. 
"I could," Victoria said before put the book back. 


                          
"What happened, Gia," Melanie asked.  


                          
"What did you do," Victoria asked, being curious about what Gianna did. 
"Nothing! I did nothing! I just did a drawing and then Mr. Barnes kicked me out of his biology class for no reason and I got suspended for the rest of the week. When Jenna took me home, I fell getting out of the car and scraped my hand," Gianna replied. 


                          
"Gia! You are grounded for what you did. You disrespected your teacher," Cassidy said after Michael led her into the room. 
"I wish everyone would leave that awful school and that he would die," the blonde said. 
"You did wrong Gia and there will be consequences," Cassidy said. 
"I didn't! I didn't even do anything! I just did a drawing," she said. 


                          
There was a brief silence. 


                          
"Thank you so much for taking care of Gia," Cassidy said. 
"It was no trouble," Christian said. 


                          
"Thanks, again, Christian," Gianna said before he gave her a small smile. 


                          
"Vic, come back and borrow any book you'd like. And please invite your sister Bella next time," Christian said. 


                          
"We must get home to Bella. Girls," Cassidy asked. 


                          
"Come over soon, Christian," Victoria said as she, Melanie, Gianna, and Cassidy began walking out. 
"I will," he said. 


                          
"Oh, uh, Mel! You left your bracelet with a little M charm on it," Michael said, which Melanie didn't hear.
"You can give it back to her tomorrow at rehearsal," Christian said. 
"Okay," Michael said. 
"Wait a second! You like Mel, don't you, Michael," Christian asked. 
"Yeah, I mean she is a nice girl, who cares for her sisters. What of it," he asked. 
"No, I mean, you love her. So, don't you," Christian asked. 
"Yeah, I do. She's just so kind and pretty. And can be quite funny when she wants to be," Michael said. 
"Then, take her on a date," Christian suggested. 
"I'll ask her out on a date when the time is right, Christian," Michael said. 


                          
The girls and Cassidy were glad Christian was helpful with Gianna. Michael just hoped he'd be able to get Melanie to notice him and tell her how he feels.