“Just like that,” I said, looking at Shannen. “One date with Jake and all of a sudden you want to hang out with me.”

Shannen lifted her shoulders. “He’s my best friend.”

I felt like a knife had just twisted inside my chest. I was her best friend not that long ago. She should have been doing this for me, but instead, I was the outsider—the one being grudgingly brought in to the group by association.

Jake held some serious power around here, and he didn’t even know it.

“So. Will you come?” Shannen asked, holding out the envelope again.

“I’ll think about it,” I said, snatching the invite and shoving it into my bag.

Shannen scowled. She wasn’t used to being turned down or put off. “Well, think fast. I need to do table arrangements by the end of the week, and my table is, obviously, the most important. So if you want to sit with Jake, I need to know you’re coming ASAP.”

Sitting with Jake. The thought sent a thrill through my heart. Okay. I had to think about this for a second. Shannen’s party was an event we could actually go to together. It might even make up for the whole prom fiasco. The image of Jake arriving at my door to pick me up, wearing some stunning suit, looking all coiffed, was insanely alluring. All I wanted was to be with him, and this was another chance to do that. Besides, if they really cared that much about Jake, they wouldn’t mess with me—his date—while he was standing right there. Right?

“Okay,” I said, closing the flap on my bag and snapping it shut. “I’ll come.”

Shannen smiled. “Good.”

Chloe actually hugged me. “We’re going to have so much fun!”

“Yeah. Definitely.”

I forced myself to smile back and hoped for the best. But if this invite turned out to be some kind of joke, all bets—and bluffs—were off.

jake

Ally looked amazing. She was wearing this short black dress with skinny straps and a colorful sash thing right under the chest that tied in a bow in the back. And her hair was up with that curl grazing her neck. At some point tonight I was going to push that curl back and kiss that part of her neck. I was practically salivating at the thought of it.

“I like you in a suit,” Ally said, looking me up and down. I’d bought a new light-and-dark-blue striped tie for the occasion.

“Thanks. I like you in a dress,” I replied.

She blushed and looked down at her knees. “Thanks.”

We were standing right outside the open double doors to the country club’s main ballroom. Inside the music was pumping. A couple of girls walked by us, coming back from the bathroom, and shot us odd looks. I didn’t remotely care.

Ever since Shannen had told me she was inviting Ally, I’d been wondering why. Was it some kind of apology? Or was she trying to say she was going to accept her now that we were together? But tonight, I didn’t care. I was just happy that Ally was here.

“Hi, hon! Hello, Jake.”

Ally’s mother came up behind us with Dr. Nathanson. Both of them were all dressed up. Shannen’s mom had invited a few of her own friends, too, including Mrs. Ryan. We said hello, and Ally gave her mom a serious look.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Ally asked her.

My heart gave a thump. I knew she was referring to that Sunday dinner when my mom had helped humiliate hers.

“Ally, we went over this. Danielle invited me, and she has been a good friend,” Ally’s mother said. “I’ve decided to just . . . rise above.” She shook her hair back and smiled.

“Okay,” Ally said. “We’ll see you in there.” Ally took a breath and stared through the doors after her mom and Dr. Nathanson. The room was dimly lit, strobe lights flashing, dozens of heads bobbing around in a sorry excuse for dancing. Over the music it was all screeches, squeals, laughter.

“So. You ready for this?” she asked.

I reached for her hand. It fit perfectly inside mine. “Ready.”

She grinned, and we walked inside. Together. Over our heads was a huge arc of black, pink, and silver balloons. The party had a fifties theme, which was Shannen’s mother’s idea. Vintage record albums dangled from the ceiling, there was a huge, illuminated jukebox behind the DJ, and all the waiters and waitresses were dressed in leather jackets or poodle skirts.

“Hey. The music didn’t come to a screeching stop,” Ally said, pretending to be confused.

“Yeah, and no one’s staring at us,” I replied, playing along.

“Wanna dance?” she asked.

“Not even a little bit,” I said.

She wiped her brow. “Good. Let’s get something to drink.”

I squeezed her hand as we walked down the steps and around the dance floor. I really liked this girl. Really a lot.

“Ally! Hey!”

Chloe appeared out of nowhere wearing a pink dress with a long skirt. Hammond was right behind her, wearing a pink tie of course.

“You look amazing! Love the dress.”

Ally smiled. “Thanks. I like yours, too.”

I greeted Hammond with a hand slap. Chloe hooked her arm through Ally’s and tugged her toward the bar. According to the old-school soda-shop signage, they were serving smoothies, milkshakes, and sodas. Unlike Mr. Appleby, Shannen’s mom wasn’t about to be serving us alcohol.

“I’m so happy you’re here,” Chloe said. “This whole rivalry thing was getting exhausting, no?”

Ally’s brow creased. I bet she was wondering how Chloe could just act like it was okay to forget about the pranks and the yearlong cold shoulder. But that was Chloe. She never wanted to talk about anything unpleasant. I’d tried to explain to Ally about the conversation I’d had with Chloe at the prom—about how Chloe had never wanted to keep her out—but I think it came out all wrong. It was hard to tell her without letting her know I’d been talking about how much I liked her. And without making Shannen look bad.

“I mean, it’s not your fault, what your father did,” Chloe said, placing her tiny purse on the bar. “I just want the whole thing to be over so we can all be friends again.”

Ally glanced at Hammond, who looked away. My skin heated and I loosened my tie a bit. No one knew that I knew about the two of them, and for the millionth time, I wished I didn’t.

“What’ll ya have?” James Dean, aka the bartender, asked.

“Two milkshakes. Strawberry,” Chloe ordered. “Still your favorite?” she asked Ally.

“Yeah.” She looked uncomfortable. I was going to have to get her away from Chloe and Hammond soon.

“Don’t worry about us,” Hammond joked. “We’ll take care of ourselves.”

“Like the independent men you are?” Chloe replied with a smile.

“I’ll have a Coke,” I told James Dean as he left the milkshakes under the mixer.

“Sprite,” Hammond put in.

Once we all had our drinks, Chloe lifted hers in a toast.

“So, Ally, what do you think? Friends again?”

Ally glanced at Hammond. He sipped soda through his straw and pretended not to notice.

“Sure,” Ally said. “Friends.”

We all lifted our glasses and clinked. When Chloe came away with a pink milk moustache, Ally smiled, and I knew she was finally relaxing. It made me relax too.

Until I saw Shannen staring us down from across the dance floor, all smoldery in a slate gray dress and major eye makeup. What was she thinking? And why did she look so pissed off?

ally

It was going well. Really, really well. Chloe barely left my side all night, which meant Hammond was there too, but he and I mostly ignored each other. Shannen had invited Jessica and some of the other girls from the basketball team, so whenever Chloe hit the dance floor I still had people other than Jake to talk to. Aside from a few glares from Crestie girls—I wasn’t sure whether the glares were because I was there or because I was there with Jake, but I didn’t care—no one seemed to notice me.