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Bug puts up his hand to stop me. “I know what you’ve told me. I’m just telling you that you’re wrong.”
“Well, let’s agree to disagree. I’ve already made some big steps today. Don’t you think?”
“Now that we can agree on.” Bug puts his arm around my waist and I rest my head on his shoulder. At least, no matter what happens, I know I’ll always have a happy place right here with him.
Chapter 18
Marjorie
“Do you think I could have some friends over on New Year’s Eve?” I ask my parents a few days before as we’re finishing up dinner.
“You’re not going to Thalia’s?” my brother asks.
“I’m not going to drink during basketball season, so it will probably just be annoying. I was going to see if some of the girls from the team want to come here instead.”
“I take it by that you mean you’re not going to drink because you’re not twenty-one, right, dear?” My dad uses his best stern voice, but the smile on his face tells me he’s kidding. Our parents realize we’re going to drink, so as long as we’re not stupid about it, they don’t really care.
“Obviously,” I joke. “Seriously, though, is it cool?”
“One less kid we have to worry about all night?” My mom laughs. “I think it’s a great idea.”
Morgan raises her hand. “Make that two. I didn’t want to do anything either, so I’ll just tell Jocelyn to come here.” She looks at me. “You don’t mind, do you?”
“Why would I mind? The more the merrier.”
“In that case, I’ll tell her she can bring her one guy friend if she wants to. They’re super tight, but I’ve never met him because he goes to a different school.”
“Griffin Hill?”
Morgan furrows her eyebrows. “No. Keaton Academy. It’s a private school. Why?”
“Oh, I think I’m going to invite someone who goes to Griffin Hill, so I was just curious.”
“A girl someone?” Morgan now raises one eyebrow and smirks. “Is this whoever you got the sweatshirt from that’s hanging on your desk chair like a trophy?”
Why is she being so weird about this? Does she actually think there is something going on with me and Payton? But, why? “It is a girl, and she’s the one whose sweatshirt I have, but she’s just a friend. We work together.”
“Well, I’m still going to Thalia’s,” Marcus says, cutting off our conversation.
For once, I’m thankful for him being in his own world and not listening to what’s going on around him. I’m not sure why Morgan thinks I like Payton, but there’s no reason for us to get caught up in a crazy conversation.
“I bet Lydia is still going to want to go to Thalia’s too,” Marcus adds.
“That’s fine. Lydia is allowed to do what she wants.”
Marcus shrugs. “I just thought you would want to be with your best friend.”
When dinner is over, I text some girls from the basketball team, as well as Lydia, Payton, and Eli. Just as Marcus predicted, Lydia says she’s going to go to Thalia’s because she wants to drink, but Jazmin, Genesis, Samara, Payton, and Eli all say they will come. I can’t decide if I’m happy that Samara is coming. I invited her to be nice since I’m trying to get along with her better. While she was pretty fun to hang out with at the mall, I’m still weirdly pissed over the comment she made about Payton. I’m now worried about how she’ll act around her at my house. I decide if she’s not nice, I’ll ask her to leave. I’m not going to let anyone treat someone else poorly at my own party.
***
On New Year’s Eve, people start to show up at my house late in the afternoon. Samara is the first to arrive, which I’m happy about because that means I can make sure to let her know Payton is coming so she doesn’t make a scene when she gets here.
“Who’s Payton?” Samara asks after I tell her.
Seriously? “She’s my friend who goes to Griffin Hill. The one I believe you referred to as the enemy.”
Samara laughs and rolls her eyes. “Are you still stuck on that? I said I was sorry.” She crosses her hand over her heart. “I promise to be nice.”
