FRIDAY NIGHT REVISITED

WHEN THE EPISODE ENDED AND THE CREDITS rolled, Heather left the DVD hovering on the menu. Our polish had dried and we each had shiny, pretty nails.

“Did you see Jasmine at all on your way out?” Heather asked me.

“Nope. I got lucky, I guess.” I paused, trying to gauge how they’d react to my question. “So … have you guys come up with any evidence to prove Jas framed you?”

Heather, Julia, and Alison traded glances. Heather ate a green grape before looking up at me. “We haven’t found anything yet.”

“But we can’t wait forever,” Alison said. “Julia and I are going to die if we don’t get to ride soon.”

“I’d feel the same way,” I said.

Julia shook her head. “We’re miserable without riding.”

And suddenly I believed them one hundred and ten percent. Both that they were unhappy and that they hadn’t cheated. I still didn’t trust Julia, or even Heather most of the time, but Alison and I had been getting closer. She really didn’t seem like the kind of girl who would cheat.

“The longer we wait, the harder it’s going to be,” Heather said. “We’ve got to stop talking about it and
do it.”

“If I can help,” I said. “I will. You can trust me. If Jas framed you, I want her to pay.”

The Trio nodded.

“Thanks,” Heather said after a minute. “We’ll let you know.”

Julia glanced at me for a second and for the first time, she didn’t look as if she hated me. Her eyes weren’t narrowed and she wasn’t glaring at me. It was a normal glance.

We blew through a couple more episodes before my eyes started fluttering shut. Everyone else was quiet and Alison looked half-asleep already.

“I’m going to bed,” Heather said.

“Me too,” Julia said.

“And me,” Alison added. “Steph was probably going to be at our door any minute anyway.”

Heather flicked off the TV.

We stood, and tossed our pizza box and paper plates. Alison went into the bathroom and I was alone with Heather and Julia in the living room, waiting for my turn to wash my face and brush my teeth. I sank back onto the couch, fighting to keep my eyes open.

“Are you ever going to talk about the party?” Julia asked.

My heart started pounding and I tried to calm my breathing—maybe Julia would think I’d fallen asleep.

“Oh, please,” Julia said. “I know you’re not asleep. What happened?”

I opened my eyes and took a breath. “I came here to get away from all of that, not to talk about it. Okay?”

“So you’re not going to say anything at all? You’re hiding out here for a night and then you’re going to go back and do what? Pretend nothing ever happened?” Julia pressed.

“Julia, drop it,” Heather said. “We invited her over here to relax and you’re not helping.”

I smiled. Heather had a way of never being outright nice to me, but she’d just shielded me from Julia’s questions. No one said anything as we took turns in the bathroom.

After I brushed my teeth and washed my face, I climbed into Alison’s bed. Soon, I drifted off to sleep and smiled when I thought about how my obsession for lip gloss was almost rivaled by my new love of nail polish.