––––––––
I awoke the next morning with a pounding headache and a slew of text messages.
Jake: Meet me at eight tonight in front of your apartment. Wear something nice.
Ariel: Are you okay? I am in major trouble. At least I got to punch Stephanie in the face. I would do it again just for one more go at her.
Jasmine: I heard about what happened. Are you okay? I told Ariel that that party was bad news. Call me when you can.
Cole: Are you okay?
I texted Ariel first.
I’m okay. I am grounded, and have to volunteer at the horse stables after school. It is totally going to suck.
Then Jasmine.
I’m okay. I’ll call you later.
And, finally, the one person that I did not want to talk to. Jake.
Thanks for trying to give me alcohol poisoning. I’m grounded, so no party tonight.
I got an immediate text back from Jake.
Can’t you sneak out like last night?
Me: I know that you don’t know what grounded means, so let me spell it out for you. I cannot go anywhere again ever.
Jake: You have to go.
Me: I.AM.GROUNDED.
Jake: I am not asking you.
Jake: Give me your word that you are coming tonight, or else I will personally call Ariel and tell her what you did. One hour. That’s all you have.
Me: I’ll see what I can do.
Jake: See. All you needed was a little persuasion. See you tonight.
I threw my phone across the room. Just when I thought that Jake was a human being, he pulled this crap. I had to find a way to get away from him. If not, he would hang this secret over my head forever. Maybe I should just call Detective Harding and tell him what little I knew and get it over with. Maybe I should just tell Ariel the truth. Maybe I should have done that from the beginning.
I got up, got dressed, and called Jasmine. I begged her to come over tonight for a sleep over, and she agreed.
I hated myself for that, too.