Nobody Likes Megan McGowen

29. Invitation

"You can do whatever you want tonight." Megan told Jake, making an effort to be as casual as she could.

"Really?" he seemed surprised, and Megan tried not to look insulted. Like she usually stopped him from doing whatever he wanted anyway.

"Yeah. I'm going out with my friends." she replied.

There was a party at one of the houses in the next neighborhood over that she'd been invited to, and she was really excited. This was going to be her first real high school party.

"Thank you." he told her. And for once he didn't sound like the words pained him to say. "Actually, I was planning on going over to Greg's house tonight. He and his brothers are having a party or something."

"And he asked if you wanted to go?"

Megan tried not to sound jealous, but it was hard. Jake had been going to school for less than a month, and he was already getting invited to parties. She'd been going to school with these kids since elementary school, and this was the first time anybody had ever thought about seeing if she wanted to go.

Megan hadn't actually planned on telling Jake she was going to a party tonight. It wasn't that she didn't want to take him – it was just that she kind of wanted her own space. Besides, she was going to go over Tara's to get ready – like a girls' night. Megan brightened at the thought. They wouldn't have a girls' night that ended up going to a party at Greg's, would they? And Jen never mentioned that Greg was doing anything. Maybe Jake was going to a different party.

"Where does Greg live?" Megan asked slowly.

"Kind of by the woods, I think." Jake told her.

"Really?" Megan tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice. She was pretty sure that was where her party was.

"Yeah." he nodded. Then seeing her expression he asked, "Do you want to come with me?"

"No thanks." Megan said. She would have laughed if she wasn't strangely touched.

"Well, don't worry – if you need me, you can always call me." he told her, misinterpreting the look on her face.

"Or just look across the room." she mumbled.

"Really?" Jake asked, surprised.

"Yeah. Me and my friends are going to a party tonight." she told him. She tried not to sound too hopeful as she added, "Unless it's a different party."

"Eh, probably not." Jake said, dashing her hopes. "You know the address?"

"Blue River something?" Megan asked, trying to remember.

"Blue Ravine?"

"Yeah!" Megan brightened. Then her face clouded over as she realized what that meant. "Oh..."

"Same place." Jake confirmed, grinning. "So I guess I'll see you there."

"Yeah, fine." Megan grumbled. Still, she tried to look on the bright side. If there were enough people there, maybe she could pretend he didn't exist.

●・○・●・○・●

At seven o'clock Megan was at Tara's door, just like she promised. Of course, she'd managed to be the last one there.

"What took you so long?" Tara asked as she led Megan back to her bedroom.

"I'm on time." Megan said, looking through her purse for her phone.

"Close enough." Stacey shrugged. That's when Megan saw the alarm clock by the bed: 7:10. How did that happen?