Greer is mad at me for being mad at her. It's silly and only makes me angrier with her. We don't talk on Monday. Kristy, Abby, and I eat at our own table during lunch while Greer sits at our usual table with Lindsey, Meg, and Sally. During study period, I leave Greer and Meg alone at our table. Instead I sit with Amanda Kerner and Al Hall. Greer and Meg whisper and giggle all period, as usual, with Ms. Shellback, the librarian, shushing them occasionally. Amanda and Al never speak a word to me, or to each other. They keep their heads low over their assignments, working diligently. Although I typically use my study period wisely, I instead spend the period composing a long letter to Anna. We haven't talked since her last visit, the visit of the Big Reveal. I wrote her once last week and she sent me a New Haven postcard. It didn't say much, but she knows I like postcards. I keep them in a special album, all the places I have been and all the places I hope to see.

Tuesday is more of the same.

After school on Tuesday, I find my friends - sans Greer - standing together outside the steps of our building. Sally White's with them. I don't consider her a friend. Just a nuisance.

"Did you miss your bus?" I ask Lindsey.

"No," she answers, tightly. "George is picking me up. He's making me go to the supermarket with him. We're shopping for the party. Are you all coming?"

Kristy nods. "Yeah, Abby and I have our costumes all ready."

"They're great," Abby adds. "But they're top secret."

"I can come," Meg says, which is surprising. Mrs. Jardin's letting her out unsupervised at a party full of Halloween candy and pastries? "My parents are going to the Halloween party at the club." The club is the Greenvale Country Club, where the Jardins are members. The Greenvale Country Club is very selective, which basically means it's very good at keeping out non-whites and Jews. My family belongs to the Briergren Club in Mercer, where we've belonged for years, ever since I was a little kid and my parents still had a social conscience. Now that they are different people, they don't object to the Greenvale Country Club anymore and spend quite a lot of time there with the Jardins. Meg has invited me to the Greenvale Country Club plenty of times, but I refuse to go on principle. Meg has never invited Abby and that's something about Meg that bothers me.

"I haven't decided if I'm going to dress up or not," I say. A costume isn't required. The Duprees never wear costumes and it's their party. "I don't exactly have anything to wear."

"I'm not dressing up," Meg says.

"I might not either," Lindsey says.

"Isn't this kind of lame?" Sally asks. So far she's kept her silence, but I knew we couldn't count on her to keep it for long. We're not that lucky. "You're spending Halloween with a bunch of old professors. That's sad."

I start to point out that Sally's just jealous she's not invited. But Sally would probably take that as a dare to show up uninvited. I'm proud that Lindsey hasn't offered her an invitation. Maybe Lindsey's finally getting over wanting to be chosen by Sally White.

Kristy scrunches her face. "Why do you have to be such a jerk?" she demands. "We've been a lot more polite than most people would be. If you think we're such a joke, then go annoy some other group. We don't need any more jerks with over-inflated egos. We already have Greer."

"Wow. You sting with your words, Kat," Sally replies in her usual bored voice. Her expression doesn't change. She gives no indication that Kristy's words have done more than fill up air space.

A car horn blasts. At the curb, Sally's mother is parked in their black Mercedes. I've never seen anyone but the chauffer pick Sally up or drop her off. And it's the first time I've seen Lisanne Faulkner in person. She still has long curly blonde hair like she did twenty years ago in Tahitian Orchid. I'm suddenly embarrassed, realizing I've seen this woman naked.

Sally's mother blasts the horn again. "It's been a pleasure chatting with you all," Sally says. "Catch you later, Kat, Starshine, Abigross, Lindsey." Sally strides away, quick and confident, as always.

"Did she...did she call me Abigross?" demands Abby, trying to decide to react in shock or fury. She settles somewhere in between.

"I didn't get a nickname!" Lindsey wails.

"Feel free to take Abigross," Abby offers.

"She didn't even say goodbye to me," Meg points out. She doesn't look particularly upset though.

Kristy throws her arms in the air. "That girl!" she exclaims. I expect more, but apparently Kristy can't articulate her frustration further.

I turn to Lindsey, who's rifling through her bag. "I'm really pleased that you didn't invite her," I say.

Lindsey looks up. There's something guilty in her eyes.

I almost gasp. "You invited her?"

Lindsey shakes her head. "Well, no. I figured out her system. If I invited her, she wouldn't come. But if she's not invited, she'll come."

Kristy throws her arms in the air again. "You want that mutant to come? Why?"

Lindsey shrugs.

I don't know what to say. I am simply appalled. After all this time, after all Sally White has said and done, Lindsey still wants to be chosen. How can she be fixated on a slight from eighth grade? How can she weigh her worth through Sally White's eyes? I've always been perplexed by Lindsey, her insecurities and her lies. I know she has problems, problems I will never understand. But why can't she control herself a little better?

"Oh, look, there's George," Lindsey says, quickly. Her grandfather has just turned into the parking lot. "See you all at six!" she calls, racing down the sidewalk toward the car. Her grandfather hasn't even stopped completely when she yanks open the door and jumps in.

"Unbelievable," mutters Kristy.

And I have to agree.

I'm standing in the kitchen an hour later, eating a peanut butter sandwich when the telephone rings. I allow it to ring four times, hoping Tiffany or Maria will answer. They're home. They're upstairs in their rooms and each has her own phone. But on the fourth ring, I take a quick drink of milk, then pick up the receiver.

"Kilbourne residence," I say, briskly.

A boy's voice replies. "May I speak to Shannon?" he asks.

I don't recognize the voice. "Karl?" I reply. Karl Schmauder is the only boy who ever calls for me. But he always calls on my private line.

"No, this is Ross Brown."

"Ross Brown?" I repeat, perplexed. Ross Brown has never, ever called me. Maybe he left something here. "How are you, Ross? Did you enjoy my mother's pretentious dinner?"

Ross laughs in this odd, strained sort of way. "Um...it was interesting. I'd never tried that crab thing before...and I doubt I'll ever try it again." Ross says, then clears his throat. "So...SHS's fall play opens this Thursday. They're doing Dracula. I know you like theater - your sister told me about the play you wrote. So...do you want to go? With me?"

I remove the receiver from my ear and stare at it. It's a good thing Ross can't see the horror currently washing over my face. Ross Brown is asking me out? On a date? I meant him for Meg! A nice normal boy who could put up with her mother. When I asked Meg about Ross on Monday, she said he was "all right" and that, yes, she would go out with him if he asked and her mother approved.

I put the receiver back to my ear after taking a deep breath. "It's nice of you to ask, Ross," I begin, sounding pleasant and regretful, "but I'm already seeing someone."

Ross is silent a moment. "Mrs. Jardin said you were unattached," he says and I know he doesn't believe me. I'm blowing him off.

"Mrs. Jardin doesn't know every detail of my personal life," I reply, almost testily. Then I plunge on, as bold and forward as can be. "Thank you for thinking of me, but honestly, I hoped you would like Meg."

"Meg Jardin?"

"Yes, Meg Jardin," I reply. How many Megs do he and I know in common?

"I thought Meg Jardin was practically betrothed already. Isn't her mother working out the details of her dowry as we speak?"

I laugh. "She doesn't even know that boy!"

"Ah, well, Meg's pretty nice and all, but well...she's not very...not very..."

I can see where this is heading. "Intellectually stimulating?" I finish.

"I was going to say 'smart' but yours sounds better."

I begin to fidget with the phone cord. I know Meg isn't exactly the brightest girl in Stoneybrook, but she's not exactly dumb either. The fact that it matters to Ross is impressive. Meg is beautiful and that's usually all anyone cares about. If he knew her, he would be good for her. "Meg has a lot of great qualities," I assure him. "And she isn't stupid. She's pretty decent in languages and her best subject is astronomy. And she plays the flute. Don't you play an instrument, too?" I remember when he dated Anna, classical music was their common interest. He also wrote Anna poems. Meg likes poetry, as long as it's sappy and romantic.

"I play clarinet in the school orchestra, but I'm not very good."

An idea forms in my head. "What are you doing tonight? Do you want to go to a party?" I ask. I know I'm being pushy, but sometimes people need steering.

I wear Tiffany's Hot Dog On A Stick uniform to the Duprees party. I go alone because Kristy and Abby have to pick up some last minute item for Kristy's costume. They'll meet me there. Lindsey's street is already lined with cars when I turn the corner. I have to park five houses away. I decided to leave my coat in the car, a decision I regret as soon as I walk three feet. Little kids and their parents stare at me as they walk by holding their trick-or-treat buckets. It's Halloween. We're supposed to look silly. I tug on my shorts self-consciously. I've never worn such short shorts. Head held high, I stride down the street, ignoring several children who ask, "What is she supposed to be?" I know I look ridiculous.

Lindsey answers the door when I ring the bell. She's wearing Meg's old field hockey uniform - a short pleated navy and white plaid kilt and a white polo shirt with the SDS crest over the left breast. Meg played field hockey until eighth grade. Eighth grade was when Mrs. Jardin decided Meg needed to put aside childish, tomboyish things, like field hockey and slacks and apparently, eating. It's too bad. Meg was an excellent player.

"You dressed up!" I exclaim when Lindsey lets me in. It's a good sign. Maybe she's finished sulking and acting strangely. Sometimes her odd bouts pass quickly.

Lindsey shrugs. "I guess as long as I'm trapped in this house for one more night, I might as well pretend to enjoy myself. Look, I even have a hockey stick. Meg found it in her basement underneath a row boat. Sadie told me not to carry it around. She said it might be dangerous. I'm seventeen years old! I think I can hold a stick without maiming myself or another person!"

I furrow my brow. Why do the Jardins have a row boat in their basement? But that isn't important. "I invited someone. I hope that's okay. He'll be here around six-thirty."

Lindsey smiles, slyly and grabs my arm. "Is he coming? Your mystery date? I know you're still seeing him. Don't lie to me now!"

I shake Lindsey off. "Who's lying?" I reply. "And yes, I'm still seeing him. But it's still a secret! But no, he isn't coming tonight. He has...other plans." Actually, Wes is chaperoning the SMS Halloween Hop, but I can't tell Lindsey that. "I invited someone else. The son of a friend of my father's. His name is Ross and I think he likes Meg." All right, that's an outright lie. I know he doesn't like Meg, but that could change. "Is Meg here yet? I didn't look for her car."

"Um...yeah...she's in the dining room...with Sally White."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"Well, I guess your plan worked," I say, shortly. I start walking toward the dining room with Lindsey following behind me. She's chattering so fast I can't understand a word. That nervous chatter of hers. The chatter of when she's displeased someone.

Meg and Sally are standing by the dining room table, where a buffet has been laid out. Meg's wearing the same dress she wore to the Stones' party - the short-sleeved white one with the tiny blue flowers and the non-existent skirt. I hope she's better about not flashing her thong this time. She has a paper bowl in her hand and dips a piece of sourdough bread into it. Spinach dip, I assume. Just what she needs when Ross arrives, spinach stuck in her teeth. Sally also has a paper bowl in her hand, but she's dipping tortilla chips in it. She's wearing her black stilettos, as usual, and her tight blue jeans, this time with a mulberry-colored tank top and cardigan. And once again, she is quite obviously not wearing a bra.

"Do you enjoy showing up places uninvited?" I demand when I reach them.

"No, it's okay," Lindsey protests.

Sally's eyes flick over my costume. "Take a job at the mall, Starshine? I'll have to come buy a corn dog from you. And I didn't show up uninvited. Meg brought me."

I glare at Meg. "You brought her?"

Meg's eyes shift, uncomfortably. "Well...I was getting ready to leave and she came to the front door. Did you know she lives on Green House Drive, too? I didn't! She's all the way at the other end."

"We're practically neighbors," says Sally, spooning seven-layer dip onto a chip. "Now I can get rides with Meg anytime."

Perfect. Now she can show up everywhere. "Why don't you have a license?" I ask, irritably. "Was it revoked?"

"I've never lived anywhere long enough to finish driver's ed."

"Why don't you get something to eat, Shannon?" Lindsey suggests, pushing me forward, gently. She wants me to stop arguing with Sally. She wants me to not ruin this for her. Because Lindsey is my friend and sort of unstable lately, I drop the subject and turn from Sally White and focus my attention on the buffet.

I'm biting into a deviled egg when Meg begins laughing. I turn to see what she's laughing at and almost spit out my half-chewed egg. Kristy and Abby are walking toward us, grinning and waving. "Those are your top secret costumes?" I cry, not bothering to swallow. Gross, I know.

Kristy and Abby have come dressed as each other. Abby straightened her hair - I wonder how long that took - and pulled it back in a ponytail. She's wearing Kristy's SDS softball uniform with Kristy's whistle around her neck. She's even wearing the same pale pink eyeshadow Kristy usually wears with mascara and lipgloss. (This may never occur again). Kristy is dressed in Abby's soccer uniform with a soccer ball under her arm and for some reason, an asthma inhaler around her neck on a lanyard. And on her head is a giant curly black wig.

"Pretty good, huh?" Kristy asks. Her face is barely visible underneath all that hair.

"It was my idea," says Abby.

"It was not," Kristy argues. Kristy pushes some hair out of her face and notices Sally. "What are you staring at?" she demands.

"I'm trying to decide who's appearance has most improved."

Kristy turns to Lindsey. "Lindsey, out of respect for your grandparents and their lovely home, I will not dump the spinach dip over Sally White's head."

"You can't reach my head. You're too short," Sally points out.

And then they're off, bickering like an old married couple. Despite my own propensity to trade barbs with Sally White, I really can't listen to her and Kristy for very long. Especially not when Abby jumps in the middle of them. Plus, I need to talk to Lindsey alone. It's been nagging at me since I spoke to Kristy on Sunday. I need to know what Lindsey's keeping secret from me. "I have to talk to you in private," I tell Lindsey, grabbing her wrist and pulling her away. The last thing I hear before we duck into the kitchen is Kristy saying, "Take off those ridiculous shoes. Come on, back to back."

"You're mad about Sally White," Lindsey says when we're in the kitchen.

I sigh. "No. Although the headache she gives me is irritating," I reply, pressing the heel of my palm against my forehead. "I wanted to ask you something."

"And I wanted to show you something!" Lindsey exclaims. "You won't believe the new injustice George and Sadie are heaping upon me!" Lindsey runs to a cabinet by the sink and comes back with a clear plastic jar. It has a blue top.

"What is that?" I ask.

"A pill crusher! George and Sadie have it in their heads that I'm not taking my medication. So, Sunday afternoon, Sadie goes to the pharmacy and buys this! The pharmacist told her it's okay to crush my medication. Now every morning and every night, she's crushing my pills and mixing them with applesauce. Then she sits across from me and watches me eat it!" Lindsey's waving her arms in the air. I really hope the door from the kitchen to the dining room in sound proof. "The pharmacist advised her not to tell me. She said I might throw it up then. Like I'm some crazy person who would purposely throw up my medication!"

I don't want to tell her that right now, she looks like a crazy person. "What does your grandfather say about this?" I ask.

"He's all for it. Sadie is my main persecutor, but George backs her in everything. It's like they're sharing the same demented mind."

I only know one person behaving demented right now. And she's standing in front of me, waving a blue-capped pill crusher in the air. I don't know what pills Lindsey takes or exactly why she takes them. I've always been too polite to ask. Lindsey refers to them as her medication and we leave it at that.

"Can I ask you something? Um, not about your pill crusher?"

Lindsey shrugs. "Of course," she says, sounding completely normal. She returns the pill crusher to its cabinet.

"You know about my argument with Greer, of course," I start.

Lindsey makes her lemon face. I know she's put out with Greer because Greer opted to go to Bart's Halloween party tonight. "Yes. I've only heard about fifteen different versions," she says.

I pause, choosing my words carefully. "Well...on Sunday, I was at Kristy's and she mentioned I needed to talk to you. Something about the softball team code. We were talking about Greer

and her fixation on my lack of a sex life."

The face turns sourer. "Kristy wasn't supposed to say anything! Implying to you there was something to tell is totally in violation of the code!" Lindsey cries. "I wasn't supposed to say anything. Telling Kristy was an accident."

I fold my arms. "What do you know? What's this big secret?"

Lindsey looks uncomfortable and folds her own arms. She stares over to the side toward the sink. "Okay," she says. "I'll tell you. But you can't tell Greer you heard it from me!" Lindsey sighs. "She never wanted you to know, but...she has a thing for Mick. She has ever since you first introduced them last spring."

My jaw drops. "My Mick? Mick Stone?"

Lindsey nods. "She had it pretty bad for him for awhile. She didn't do anything about it! I swear! Greer would never do that to you, Shannon. But she was really jealous. She told me that if Mick was her boyfriend, she wouldn't treat him the way you did. She said you were a cold girlfriend. And now she's mad because he dumped you. She says that since he broke up with you and in such a nasty way, now she can never date him. It would be disloyal."

I stare at Lindsey. Greer would want Mick after how he discarded me? Discarded me like a wadded up tissue. Threw me away without a second glance. Greer would want that? As far as I'm concerned, Greer Carson can have him!

"Please don't tell Greer I told you," Lindsey pleads, pressing her palms together.

"I won't," I promise, unfolding my arms. "I've already moved on. My new boyfriend is much better than Mick Stone."

I know I'm still scowling when I follow Lindsey back into the dining room. Our friends (and Sally) are still hovering by the buffet. Ross Brown has arrived in my absence. To my displeasure, he's not talking to Meg, but rather to Kristy. She's holding a plate of food. Her wig is in the spinach dip.

"Hi Shannon," Ross greets me with a grin. I hope that whatever attraction he felt toward me has passed. "Thanks for inviting me. This is a nice party."

Sally raises an eyebrow. "It's a bunch of fifty-year-old professors in tweed coats and orthopedic shoes. There are only four people actually wearing Halloween costumes and they're standing right here."

Ross gives Sally a funny look, then says, "Uh, the food looks good."

"Ross, this is Lindsey Dupree. This is her house," I introduce them. "And of course, you know Kristy, Abby, and Meg." I give Meg a gentle nudge forward with my elbow. I purposely don't introduce Sally White. "I'm glad you could come on such short notice."

Ross shrugs. "All my friends were going to some wild party at Austin Bentley's. I didn't want to go. His party's are out of control and I don't drink anymore. This party is more my speed these days."

The little warning bells go off in my head. I don't drink anymore. Never a good sign. Ever. I usually don't want to know - it's usually better not to know - but if he's going to date Meg, I have to be sure he's not already a recovering alcoholic or drug addict. "Why don't you drink anymore?" I ask.

"Oh, well," says Ross, looking embarrassed. "Last winter, I got plastered at one of Austin's parties and I threw this girl in the pool. She was drunk, too, and she kind of almost drowned," he explains.

Abby bursts out laughing. Some chewed bread falls out of her mouth. "That was you?" she exclaims. "You're the guy who almost killed Lauren Hoffman? Claudia told me all about that party! She said some cheerleader jumped in after her, but the cheerleader was drunk, too. And then someone threw a chaise lounge in the pool as a life preserver and it hit the cheerleader in the head!" Abby throws back her head, still laughing.

Ross looks even more embarrassed now. Honestly, Abby has no sense of decorum. "Yeah, it was kind of a mess. Can I get something to drink?" he asks Lindsey.

Lindsey nods. "Sure. The drinks are in the kitchen. I'll show you."

When Lindsey and Ross disappear into the kitchen, I slug Abby in the shoulder. Hard.

Kristy gives me a strange look. "What is Ross Brown doing here?" she asks. "Are you dating him?"

Sally suddenly looks interested. "You're dating the geek in the band windbreaker?"

I glare at her. "He is in the orchestra, not the band. And no, I'm not dating him. He's for Meg."

Now Sally gives me a strange look. "You picked her up a boy? Did you buy him at the A&P on your way over? Was he in meats or produce?"

"As much as I hate to agree with Sally," Kristy says and she truly looks sorry, "that is a bit weird Shannon."

"No, it isn't. Meg likes him. Right, Meg?"

Meg shrugs, twirling her black hair around her finger. "Yeah. I guess. I like his spiky hair. I could do without the glasses though. He dresses nice. Should I like him?"

"Are you taking a poll?" Sally asks.

"Yeah, really," says Kristy.

Meg shrugs again.

Lindsey and Ross reappear through the kitchen door, laughing and holding red plastic cups. Whatever they're laughing about, the discussion ends as soon as they rejoin our cluster.

"What's so funny?" Abby asks them.

"I opened the fridge door and - " Lindsey dissolves into giggles again without finishing. Ross is laughing, too. Meg's picking at the sprinkles on her cupcake.

This is not going as I planned at all.

Short of shoving Meg and Ross together, I don't know what to do next. I need time to think. "Excuse me, I'm going to run upstairs. I'll be right back," I announce, turning around and walking away, presumably to the restroom. Instead, I go upstairs to Lindsey's bedroom. I sit down on the bed beside Missy Prissy, Lindsey's ridiculously fluffy gray and white cat. I stroke Missy Prissy's head, wondering why I ever thought I could force Ross Brown to like Meg. Meg is a wonderful person, eventually, when you get to know her.

"You're completely insane, you know," Sally White tells me from the doorway. She strides in, leisurely, glancing around the room. "So, this is where Lindsey Dupree lives." Sally picks up the photo of Lindsey's parents off the dresser. "Oh, Starshine, I knew you had control issues, but really, picking out boyfriends for your friends? That is nuts."

I scowl at her. "Meg told me she liked him," I protest.

Sally scoffs. "Meg couldn't tell you what she likes to eat for breakfast."

"Did you follow me for a reason?"

Sally throws herself across Lindsey's bed, scaring Missy Prissy, who jumps up and hides under the desk. Sally doesn't even notice. "I just came up here to tell you that you're insane. Oh, and that you look like a fool in that outfit."

"Thanks so much," I snap, scooting away from her on the bed. "You know, Kristy's right. If you dislike us so much, you should stop hanging around. I know we're just big jokes to you." We're alone. I might as well speak my mind.

Sally picks up a stuffed white rabbit and tosses it in the air. "I don't dislike you," she replies. "I don't necessarily like you either. But you're growing on me. Like a fungus."

If that came from anyone other than Sally White, I might laugh. Instead, I continue to scowl. I don't trust her. I will never trust her. "You certainly have a pleasant way of demonstrating your esteem for people," I say, testily.

Sally laughs. She's still tossing the rabbit in the air. "I attend two, maybe three schools, a year. What's the point in being pleasant? No one remembers me when I'm gone."

"We never forgot you," I tell her. "How you treated us. How you hurt our group."

"It wasn't personal," Sally replies. She sits up and swings her legs off the bed. "Are you pouting or returning to the party?" she asks.

"I'm not pouting," I protest, standing up.

Reluctantly, I follow her out of Lindsey's room and down the stairs. Halfway down, I spot Lindsey and Ross by the living room window. Lindsey's showing him something in a book. They're laughing.

"Well, Lindsey should be happy. It looks like someone finally chose her," Sally says, not glancing back at me. "Tough luck, Starshine." Sally strides away, making a beelinefor Kristy and Abby.

Meg appears out of nowhere and comes to stand beside me on the bottom stair. She's still picking at her cupcake. Or maybe it's a different one. Maybe she's eaten five in my absence. "It's okay, Shan," she assures me. She doesn't sound disappointed. "My mother would have been mad anyway. She detests Mrs. Brown. What a cow. My mother, not Mrs. Brown." Meg sucks some frosting off her finger and sighs. "My mother's arranging a big dinner for me to meet my future husband and his family. Maybe Price Irving won't be so bad."

I feel terrible. Maybe I am a control freak. I hate it that Sally White may be right. But what's wrong with a little control? I slip my arm around Meg's waist and together we walk across the room toward Kristy and Abby.