“I knew you’d come!” the girl shouted in Megan’s ear. Half the beer in her cup slopped over the rim and hit the floor behind Megan. “So you forgive me, right? ’Cuz I swear I didn’t mean to kiss him. I just, y’know . . . slipped!”
Megan pushed her tongue out, freeing it from the hair. A couple of guys on their way down from the second floor noticed and laughed. “Um . . . not Tessa,” Megan said, awkwardly patting the girl’s back.
The girl pulled away, studied Megan’s face, and grimaced. “Who the hell are you?”
“Uh . . . sorry,” Megan replied.
She slid sideways out of the foyer and headed into the room on her left, where the party was raging. Unfamiliar faces surrounded her, laughing, singing to the music, shouting to each other across the room. A group of guys checked her up and down and consulted. Apparently she scored high on their ratings scale, because one of them lifted his chin and made a move to come over and talk to her. Megan panicked and ducked out the nearest door.
In the next room four games of Jenga were being played simultaneously on a purple-felt-topped pool table. At least twenty people were gathered around, watching the action. Megan paused as a scrawny guy with clammy skin made his move. The tower teetered for a long moment, then toppled over, spraying blocks everywhere. The crowd cheered and groaned and pointed. The kid nodded and lifted a hand, then took a beer from his friend and chugged it in three gulps.
“Megan! Hey!”
Finn emerged from the crowd. His wavy hair was tousled and he was wearing a burgundy baseball T-shirt with heather gray sleeves.
“Hey. Wow.” He paused and looked at her like he had never seen her before. “Your hair looks . . . wow. Wavy.”
Megan laughed and felt the color rising in her cheeks. “Yes, it is that,” she said.
“Nice,” he said, with an admiring nod.
“Thanks.”
Finn took a sip from his cup. “So, where’s Evan?” he asked, looking around.
“Not a clue,” Megan said. “Where’s Kayla?”
“Oh, she went to the bathroom,” Finn said, shouting the last word to be heard over the cheers of the Jenga crowd. “To be honest, I don’t think she’s having the greatest time.”
“What? Why?” Megan asked.
“I’m getting the vibe that parties like this aren’t really her thing,” Finn replied.
“Sorry. I didn’t know. I mean, when I basically twisted your arm to make you ask her here.”
Finn laughed. “No, it’s good. At least I finally did it. I don’t know if you picked up on this, but I’m not that great with girls.”
Megan smirked.
“But anyway, I think we’re gonna bail early and go someplace where we can talk,” Finn said, looking around as another cheer exploded from the pool table.
Suddenly an image flashed in Megan’s mind of Finn taking Kayla back to the shed at his house and showing her all his unfinished paintings. The two of them, all alone in the dark night. As Megan looked up at Finn’s profile, she felt a slip of something inside her chest. Whatever it was, she chose to ignore it.
“Megan! There you are!” Ria and Aimee emerged from the crowd.
“Come on! We’re all dancing out back!” Aimee said, grabbing her arm. “Omigod! I knew your hair was going to look amazing like that!”
Megan laughed. “Well, I guess I’m gonna go dance,” she said to Finn. “Good luck with Kayla!”
Megan followed the girls to the screened-in back porch. The wicker furniture had been pushed up against the walls. Loud hip-hop pounded from surround-sound speakers and in the middle of the slate floor, dozens of sweating kids were busting out their best none-too-impressive moves. Aimee and Ria jumped into the middle of the fray, where Jenna and Pearl were already dancing. Jenna’s hair was down and she was without glasses for the first time since Megan had met her. Her arms were linked around the neck of a tall, slim guy with peach fuzz sideburns. His hands were on her butt.
“Who’s that?” Megan asked.
“That’s Jenna’s boyfriend, Bobby,” Ria replied. “They’ll be making out in the woods within the next hour.”
“Excuse me?” Megan asked.
“Happens every year,” Aimee said. “By the end of the night it’ll be like an orgy back there.”
“Wow. That’s . . . special,” Megan said, glancing through the screen toward the backyard. She was disgusted but somehow intrigued. She tried to imagine how many people were back there. She wondered with a pang if Evan and Hailey were already among them.
It doesn’t even matter anymore, Megan thought. He’s totally gutless. He threw you out of his car. But even as she thought this, she knew that if he were to slip his arms around her right then and there, she would dance with him for the rest of the night.
Usher’s latest song came on and Aimee let out such a big and excited “Wooo!” that Megan couldn’t help but grin.
Enough was enough. This was Megan’s first party in her new town with her new friends. It was actually her first real party ever. And for once in her life, she wanted to let go. And obsessing about Evan was only holding her back. She wasn’t going to waste one more second thinking about him.
Ria, Aimee, and Pearl cheered as Megan threw up her arms and started to dance. She closed her eyes and imagined that she was back in her room in Texas dancing with Tracy to whatever was on the radio. She moved her hips, swung her hair, and let her body do its thing. When she opened her eyes again, she caught Pearl’s eye and they both smiled. This was good. This felt really good.
She didn’t need Evan. She didn’t need a guy at all. She had come this far without one, right? Besides, all they did was mess with your brain. Who wanted that?
Bobby whispered something in Jenna’s ear and she gave him a private smile. He took her hand lightly and led her off the dance floor. Jenna stumbled once but caught her balance, laughing loudly. Megan watched as they pushed through the screen door and headed out across the lawn.
“There they go,” Ria said, lifting a hand.
Megan felt a stab of longing and shoved it aside. “I don’t get it. I thought she was kind of . . . I don’t know. . . .”
“Bookwormy and tightly wound?” Aimee asked. “Yeah, this is how she, you know, unwinds.”
Megan was about to return her attention to the dance floor when she spotted Hailey standing next to the door. She was wearing a black tube top and a denim skirt that was so short it could have passed for a belt. She was surrounded by four guys, all of whom were practically drooling into their beers. After a long drink from her cup, she placed it on the edge of the windowsill and tossed her arms around one guy’s neck. The drink toppled over and hit the floor, splattering their shoes with beer. Hailey spit out a laugh and doubled over, clinging to her man. She was beyond drunk.
Just then Evan walked in. Megan’s heart took a nosedive when she saw his face. He went right over to Hailey, took her arm, and pulled her away from her circle of admirers.
Megan stopped dancing, right in the middle of all the chaos. Evan bent his head toward Hailey’s and was saying something in her ear, but Hailey kept looking away. Finally a spark lit up her eyes. She turned her head toward him and yelled something right in his face. Then she stormed out the door into the backyard. Evan put his hands on his hips and took a few deep breaths. He shook his head slowly and went back into the pool room.
Megan could barely breathe.
“Hey! What’s up?” Aimee asked.
“Nothing,” Megan shouted.
She felt a tug in her chest. What had just happened? Was Evan okay? Did he want to leave now? Megan felt an almost physical need to go after Evan. But no, he had already made it clear that he didn’t even want to be around her tonight. This was none of her business. She turned her attention back to her friends and danced.
* * *
Megan came to the top of the stairs and looked down a long hall of closed doors. A few people were milling around, some talking, some making out. A guy in a bac
kward baseball cap came up behind her and pressed his chest into her back, squeezing her shoulder with one hand.
“Hey, hey, hey, pretty lady! You lost?”
Megan moved and crossed her arms over her chest. “Just looking for the bathroom.”
“Well, then, you came to the right guy,” he said. “I’m Christian Todd. You’re at my party.”
“Oh, hi,” Megan said. “So . . . bathroom?”
“And you are . . . ?”
“Megan Meade,” she replied, taking another step back as he swayed slightly.
“Oh, no way! You’re the chick crashing at the McGs’! Sweet!” he said, looking her up and down. “You are hot!”
Megan flushed. “Uh . . . thanks. Bathroom?”
“Wow. You must really gotta go,” Christian said. “It’s that one right there.”
He pointed unsteadily at the first door on the left and Megan slipped away from him as quickly as possible. She opened the door to the bathroom and froze. Wrong door, interesting coincidence.
In the center of the room was a double bed and lying on the bed was Evan McGowan. His feet were on the floor and his hands were curled up into fists next to his temples. He was staring at the ceiling, but he sat up straight the second the door opened.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hey,” she replied. “Sorry, I’ll go.”
“Wait,” Evan said, before she could close the door. “Come in.”
Megan’s heart attempted to hammer its way out of her chest. Somehow she managed to close the door behind her, dropping them into relative darkness. The only light in the room came from an outdoor floodlight that was shining on the back patio.
“How long have you been up here?” Megan asked, hovering by the door.
“About half an hour, I guess,” Evan said.
“I . . . uh . . . saw you and Hailey,” Megan said. “Are you okay?”
Evan exhaled loudly. “No, not really. She’s trying to get back at me; can you believe that? She was down there flirting with freakin’ Mike Bagley and his loser friends. When I didn’t even do anything.”
“Well, she was a little drunk,” Megan said.
Evan laughed sarcastically. “Please. She knew what she was doing when she walked in here tonight. The thing that really gets me is she’s doing it on purpose. When I flirt . . . if I flirt . . . it’s not like it’s premeditated. It’s just my personality. I mean, I’m a nice guy. I’m nice to girls. It’s not my fault if they like me. But I’ve never cheated on her. Not once. You’d think that would count for something.”
He flopped back again, folding his arms over his forehead. He looked so helpless. So—dammit—sexy.
Megan took a few tentative steps toward him and sat down on the edge of the bed. He looked down at her from under his arms and sighed again.
“I shouldn’t be here with you right now for a lot of different reasons,” he said.
Megan bit her lip. It was awkward talking to him over her shoulder. She pressed her hands into the mattress and turned to face his side, drawing her legs up under her. The skirt made it difficult, so she ended up sitting back on her calves. Evan moved his arms away from his face and looked at her curiously, as if he’d just noticed she was there.
“Here’s what I think,” Megan said, looking down at him. “Do you want to know what I think?”
Please say you want to know what I think, because I don’t know if I’m ever going to be this verbal again, Megan thought.
Evan sat up and turned to face her, sitting Indian style. One of his knees touched hers.
“Hit me,” Evan said.
“I think that you’re a really good guy and a great boyfriend,” Megan told him. “I mean, Hailey might be a little insecure, but you’re always thinking about her feelings. You didn’t even want to be seen with me tonight because you thought it would upset her. You really care about her. She really cares about you. Things have a way of working themselves out.”
Evan stared into her eyes. Megan’s heart was pounding in her ears. Her palms started to sweat and the back of her neck felt hot. Her face was inches away from Evan McGowan’s. He was looking deep into her eyes. She couldn’t breathe. Was she imagining it? Was he starting to lean in toward her? Could this be the moment of her first . . .
“Oh, you have to be kidding me!”
The door slammed back against the wall and Megan jumped. Hailey stood in the doorway, her legs spread for balance, her tube top riding dangerously low.
Evan looked from Megan to Hailey, his eyes wide. “Hailey, I know what you’re thinking—”
“I come up here to talk things out with you and you’re alone in the dark with her!?” Hailey shouted. “With her?”
“We were just—”
“Megan, don’t,” Evan said, causing her entire body to burn with humiliation.
“Wow. I mean, really, wow. You two are unbelievable,” Hailey said, yanking up her tube top so violently she almost knocked herself over. “Have fun with your little kicker girl or whatever you call her.”
“Hailey, wait!”
Evan jumped up and followed her out into the hallway. Megan raced after them and past a line of openly gaping spectators. Hailey stumbled down the stairs and disappeared into the living room just as a mass of people started up the staircase, blocking Evan and Megan’s way. Evan shoved through the crowd, but it was too late. Hailey was gone. When Megan reached his side, he was standing in the foyer, struggling for breath.
“Evan—”
“That’s it. I can’t take this anymore,” Evan said, his eyes wild. “I’m outta here.”
“Evan! Wait!” Megan shouted.
But he stormed out of the house without looking back.
* * *
“No luck?” Aimee asked, pulling a lace-fringed pillow onto her lap so that Megan could sit down on the couch next to her.
“Nope,” Megan said, blowing out a breath as she dropped onto the velvety cushions. She looked up at the big, bright blue fish in the aquarium next to her. He was floating right by her face, making bubbles as his mouth opened and closed. “Finn is nowhere to be found.” Megan frowned and looked at her friend. “You’re not mad, are you?”
“Why?” Aimee asked, propping her cheek on the back of the couch. “You didn’t do anything, right? It’s not your fault Hailey flipped out. And besides, that girl has spent most of her life torturing me. One night of being a little unhappy is not going to kill her.”
“Thanks,” Megan said. She could deal with the rest of the partygoers talking about her, but she really didn’t want to lose her new friends.
The news of what had happened upstairs had spread like an oil spill and just like that, Megan had gone from unknown new girl status to “girl everyone is whispering about.” She had looked everywhere for Finn to see if she could get a ride, but apparently he and Kayla had gone off for their private talk. All Megan wanted to do was go home, but she couldn’t call the McGowans and ask for a pickup, because Evan would get in deep trouble for abandoning her. Aimee had been drinking and Pearl and Ria had left with some guys to go get food. Megan was stranded.
“Oh. My. God. You guys!”
Jenna zigzagged into the room from the porch and fell down on her knees in front of the couch. Her hair was a wild mess and her cardigan sweater was misbuttoned. Bobby walked in behind her and leaned back against the wall, eyes at half-mast, looking very at peace.
“Jenna? What happened?” Aimee asked.
“Okay, you are never going to believe who I just saw getting all naked in the woods!” Jenna said. “Hold on. Hold on. I need to be standing for this.”
She pushed herself up and fell backward into some guys walking behind her. Megan lunged to grab her, but one of the guys stood her up straight before moving on.
“Who?” Aimee asked.
“Your sister,” Jenna said, pointing at Aimee. “And her boyfriend’s brother!”
Megan felt a sudden stab of panic and sat forward.
“Wha
t?” Aimee demanded, looking more sober than she had all night.
“Which one?” Megan demanded.
“The ‘gangsta’ one,” Jenna said, laughing uncontrollably as she executed some huge air quotes. “Can you believe it?”
“Doug?” Megan said, her entire throat going dry. “Hailey is out there right now having sex with Doug?”
“Scandal!” Jenna announced, waving her hands.
Megan gaped at Aimee, shocked. How could Doug do this to Evan? How could Hailey do this to Evan?
“This night could not possibly get any more messed up,” Aimee said.
“Oh,” Jenna said, holding her stomach. “Uh-oh.”
Then she turned around and promptly vomited into Christian Todd’s state-of-the-art aquarium.
“Oh! Nasty!”
“Jenna! Are you okay?” Aimee asked, standing up.
“Omigod,” Jenna said, holding her hand over her mouth. “Omigod, I’m so embarrassed.”
She turned on her heel and, shoving right by her boyfriend, stumbled for the bathroom.
“This is not good,” Megan said, turning away from the cloudy water. Between Jenna’s announcement and her regurgitation, Megan was feeling a little sick herself.
“Tell me about it,” Aimee said, looking after Jenna. “She’s supposed to be my ride.”
“I’m talking about Doug and Hailey,” Megan said. She placed her hand on her stomach. “How could they do this?”
“Oh God. Don’t tell me you’re going to get sick too,” Aimee said, sitting again.
Megan dropped her head back and breathed deeply. “No. I think I’m okay,” she said. “Aside from the mental image of Doug undressing Hailey.”
Aimee paled. “Great. Now I’m going to vomit.”
“Aren’t you even surprised?” Megan asked.
“Believe me, you live with my sister for sixteen years and almost nothing surprises you anymore,” Aimee said.
Bobby cut through the room and stopped in front of them, his hands in his back pockets. “Uh, is either of you sober enough to drive?” he asked. “Jenna’s not doing too good.”