Tiffany waits for me at my locker on Wednesday afternoon. I guess we're sisters again. It's nice. I didn't even have to ask for forgiveness. Tiffany simply offered it without words. I don't know if I am capable of that. Maybe I should be.

We push through the front doors out into the overcast afternoon, stepping cautiously on the steps covered in slush, the remainders of yesterday's snow. Greer and Abby stand further down the steps, talking. Greer opens her binder and hands some papers to Abby. I frown, wondering if this is more cheating. Then I remind myself that considering everything, perhaps I no longer have room to judge.

"What were you and Abby discussing?" I ask Greer when Tiffany and I stop beside her. Abby has disappeared into the parking lot with Amanda Kerner.

"I was giving her Kristy's English assignment," Greer replies and I think she suspects why I'm really asking. "Abby's collecting all of Kristy's homework since Kristy missed school again today. You know, to go to that funeral with Mary Anne."

"Oh, yeah," I say and feel embarrassed for jumping to conclusions.

Tiffany touches my shoulder. "I'm going to say goodbye to Tyler, okay?" she says, then hurries off down the sidewalk, sliding on the slush.

I slip my hands into the pockets of my coat. "So…are you and Kristy friends again?" I ask Greer.

Greer shrugs. "I think this stupidness has gone on long enough," she answers. "Why did Kristy and I even stop speaking? Who cares? It's just dumb."

I don't say anything.

"Why? Are you mad?" Greer asks.

"No. You can be friends with Kristy, if you want."

"Good. I think you should make up with her, too. I know Sally's told you the same thing. Despite how childish you've behaved toward her, for whatever reason, Kristy's still trying to be your friend. Eventually, she's going to stop trying. I mean, I know Kristy's annoying and immature and kind of self-righteous, but really, her heart is in the right place. I've told you before, I think she did what she did because she's your friend, not to hurt you."

I shrug.

Greer frowns. "Okay, I'm telling you the truth here because I think you need to hear it. As much as you criticize Kristy for being judgmental and self-righteous, well, you're sort of like that, too. You just do it in subtler ways. Kristy thinks everyone should agree with her opinions and you're the same way."

"I don't know how you can compare me to Kristy!" I cry.

Greer tilts her head to the side and continues to frown. "You're really controlling, Shannon. I mean, you always have been. You have this idea of what's best for everyone and you try your hardest to make certain others follow your plan for them. And when someone doesn't, you get mad. You think you're always right. But you can't be right all the time. Isn't that sort of what happened between you and Kristy? And you and Kristy's mom? They took away your control and proved that you were in the wrong. And isn't that also what happened between you and poor Mrs. Bryar? I mean, come on, Shannon! The woman who cleans your house disagrees with you and you go nuts on her?"

I bite my lip. I shouldn't have told Greer about that. "Do you have a point, Greer?" I ask because I honestly don't understand what she's getting at.

Greer sighs. "I just…I think you try to be a good friend, just like Kristy tries to be a good friend. And I think Kristy – smug as she may sometimes be – her intentions are genuine. But you, Shannon, I think that…not always…but sometimes, there's a certain amount of ego-stroking involved for you. You like being in charge. You like bending others to your will. I know I've not always been the greatest friend, but really, Shannon, neither have you." Greer hugs her binder tight to her chest and watches me a moment. "Just think about what I said. I'll call you later." Greer turns and walks off toward the parking lot.

I stare after her, my hands warming in my pockets. I start to brush away her words, but then wonder if perhaps Greer could have a valid point. After all, much like Sally White, Greer has turned out to be a better person than I originally gave her credit for. Greer wouldn't intentionally hurt me. Not now. And she wouldn't lie.

At home, Tiffany and I pick up around the house. Still no one has hired a new cleaning lady. Mom hasn't said anything about it. Of course, Mom is gone now. She's living it up in Hawaii with her co-workers and her twenty-four year old boyfriend. And I am here. I am here with everything resting on my shoulders. I load the dishwasher, biting my lip very hard, so I won't cry.

And while I clean and put the house back in order, I think about what Greer said. I may not completely agree with her, but still…there may be some truth in there. I don't think Kristy and Elizabeth purposely set out to wreck my life. I don't think there was any malicious intent there. Maybe I've always known. Maybe Greer was right. Maybe I was really just angry with myself.

I tell Tiffany where I'm going and head across the street. I don't really think about it. I just go. There's a churning in my stomach, heavy and sick, and I pause before stepping onto the curb, thinking I may throw up. I take a breath and continue on the way to Kristy's house. I ring the bell. Thankfully, Emily Michelle answers instead of Karen. She tells me Kristy's upstairs.

Kristy's bedroom door is shut. I knock.

"Come in," Kristy calls.

I open the door slowly and peek in.

Kristy's seated on her bed, flipping through a stack of papers. She's dressed in dark gray slacks and a lighter gray sweater with a thin gray headband in her hair. When she looks up, her eyes narrow suspiciously. I don't blame her.

"May I come in?" I ask, quietly from the doorway.

"I suppose," Kristy answers and sets the papers aside. "I was just looking through the homework Abby brought me."

"Oh," I say and sit down in Kristy's desk chair. "How was the funeral?" I ask.

"Sad."

"How's Mary Anne?"

"She's really upset, of course," Kristy replies. "Mary Anne and I, we knew Emily basically all our lives, although I'd never really been friends with her. But Mary Anne, they'd been close. Mary Anne feels really guilty now. You know how grumpy and mad Mary Anne's been the last few weeks. She hadn't exactly been speaking to Emily, I guess. So, now, she feels guilty." Kristy looks down at her hands, which rest on her knees. "Stacey was there. I didn't talk to her though. I didn't know what to say. Stacey looked pretty awful. I feel terrible for her. I feel the worst for Emily's parents though. I know that pretty much everyone dislikes them, but I've never thought they were so bad."

"How did she die?"

"She mixed her asthma medication with sleeping pills or something. A bad reaction, I guess. It's especially sad since her parents are – "

We're interrupted by the door opening. Karen pops her head in. She opens her mouth to speak.

"Whatever it is, I don't want to hear it, Karen!" Kristy yells and tosses a pillow at the door. Karen shuts the door before it hits her. "I can't wait for her to go home to Chicago. She's gotten so annoying," Kristy says, then sighs. "It's really weird to think that someone I know is dead. I mean, I hardly knew her, really, and I never saw her. I hadn't seen her since Homecoming and before that…I guess it was the Hamptons."

I cock my head to the side, perplexed for a moment. "Oh, right, the Hamptons."

"Yeah, you missed out. I'm sure Boston with Mick and his parents was so much more fun," Kristy says, kind of sarcastically. "I told you that was a mistake."

I ignore her last comment. "Was this the girl with the lunatic mother in the lingerie?" I ask.

Kristy laughs. "No, that was Grace Blume's mother. Man, that woman can run." Kristy laughs again.

We fall silent.

"So, why are you here?" Kristy asks, bluntly. I'm surprised she contained herself so long.

I shrug.

"Have you come to yell at me some more or to apologize? I really can't take yelling right now, but I'll accept your apology if you wish to offer it."

Kristy can be so obnoxious.

I bite my tongue though before something nasty slips past my lips. Kristy is Kristy. I should be grateful that she's so easily willing to accept anything I have to offer.

"I've been talking a lot with Sally and Greer," I start, folding my hands over my knee. "And they think I've been unnecessarily rude to you. I think they may be right."

"Is that an apology?"

I bite my tongue a few seconds more before I feel able to speak. "Yes. I am sorry, Kristy. I shouldn't have been so cruel to you…or to your mom. As much as I wish you'd stayed out of things, I guess you didn't do it to hurt me. You thought you were helping."

Kristy frowns. "I was helping," she says. "You were acting like a fool."

I frown back at her.

"Well, you were," she tells me. "And you wouldn't listen. Plus, you really hurt me, Shannon. You were one of my closest friends and all that time you were lying to me. You lied and broke promises and you just became someone else. Someone I didn't like very much. And I tried to talk to you, but you just blew me off. You didn't want to hear what I had to say. Plus, you were really mean to my mom. She didn't deserve that. And…after the last time you were here…she told me what you said about Sam."

There's a moment of silence as her words hang in the air between us.

Kristy shifts uncomfortably. "Obviously. Sam wasn't the brother I thought he was. Or that he used to be. I guess I should have figured that out before he took off. He's just like my dad." Kristy pauses and takes a couple breaths. Her eyes are sad. "I'm sorry for what he did to Tiffany. I mean, it's kind of her fault, too, but she is only fifteen. I'm kind of mad at her, but I'll get over that. I guess."

I nod, not knowing what to say. I came over to talk, but I can't speak at all. I stare down at my lap, choking on the tears that are always there.

"Are we friends again?" Kristy asks. "I still want to be your friend. As long as you don't lie to me anymore. Or make cruel remarks about my mom."

I nod.

"Are you okay?"

I shake my head. I start to cry.

"Shannon? What's wrong?" Kristy asks, alarmed.

I wipe my eyes. "If I tell you something, will you not judge me?"

"You did something worse than sleep with a teacher?"

I cry harder.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to say that out loud!" Kristy says in a rush. "What's wrong? I won't judge you." Kristy stands and brings me a box of tissues off the night table, then she sits down on the bed again.

I wipe my eyes and nose with a tissue. "Greer and Sally already know," I begin, crumpling the tissue in my hand. "So do Tiffany and my mom." I don't make it any farther.

"Yes?" Kristy prompts.

"I'm pregnant," I whisper.

"You are?" Kristy exclaims.

I nod.

Kristy jumps up and hurries over to me. She bends down and hugs me.

"Is it Mr. Ellenburg's?" Kristy asks.

"Of course!" I snap. Does she think I'm a slut?

"Oh, of course," Kristy says. "Oh. Wow. I'm sorry, Shannon." Kristy releases me and stands again. She sits back down on the bed. "Does he know?"

"I told him, but he didn't believe me."

"What a jerk."

"No…he's a good man," I reply, squeezing the tissue harder. "I'm waiting for him to come around. I think he might. Maybe." I bite my lip.

"I hope you don't expect him to marry you," Kristy says, matter-of-factly. "You don't want to turn out like Sam and Janet!"

I scowl at her, briefly. Wes and I would never be like Sam and Janet!

Kristy's voice softens. "Are you keeping it? Or are you putting it up for adoption?"

I study my hands. "Mom made me an appointment to have an abortion," I whisper.

"You can't kill your baby!" Kristy exclaims, horrified.

I cry.

Kristy catches herself. "Oh, Shannon, I'm sorry. I know, I said I wouldn't judge. I wasn't thinking. I just…you know I think abortion is wrong. I thought you thought so, too."

"I do," I reply. "Or I did. I don't know what I think anymore. Mom says I have to have one."

"She can't force you," Kristy points out.

I shrug. "I wanted to make the decision with Wes, but he hung up on me. Now I don't know what to do. Mom, Greer, and Tiffany all say I should have an abortion. Now you say I shouldn't. And Sally apparently has no opinion at all, which is a first."

"Well…this is really something you should decide on your own. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. It's your decision, Shannon. I guess I don't really know what I would do in your situation either. Sometimes we surprise ourselves when we make a mistake." Kristy stares down at her hands, fanning them out. She doesn't speak for a while. "Whatever you decide, Shannon," she finally says, "I'll support you because you're my friend. I'll even go with you, if you want."

"Thank you," I reply, managing to hide my surprise. How can Kristy be so kind to me when all I've been is nasty to her? And not just since she learned about Wes and I, but before, too. I haven't been a very good friend for a long time. I haven't been the friend Kristy deserves. Kristy, Abby, and I used to be so tight. I wonder if we'll ever have that again. I don't think things will ever be the same. And Anna…I've hardly given her a thought in weeks. Everything has changed.

"I promise I won't tell Mom," Kristy says, suddenly.

I manage a weak smile.

"You could talk to her about this though. If you wanted to. You don't have a very good mom," Kristy says as tactlessly as possible. "I'm sorry, but that's the truth and everyone knows it. She shouldn't force you to have an abortion. That isn't right. She should give you time to sort this out. My mom could help you with that. I know you have some kind of hang up about adults, but honestly, Shannon, has keeping adults out of your life really helped very much?"

I shake my head.

"Well, think about it then," Kristy says.

I nod.

"I'm glad we're friends again," Kristy tells me, sincerely. "I'm glad that you trusted me with something so important. I know it's hard to admit mistakes to other people. And I know it can be especially difficult to admit them to me."

I smile and wipe my eyes. "I'm sorry I lied to you all those times and I'm sorry I was so mean. To you and to Elizabeth. Will you tell her I'm sorry?" I don't think I can talk to Elizabeth yet. I don't know if I want to.

Kristy understands. "Sure. I'll tell her when she gets home from work."

"Thanks."

Kristy and I talk a little longer, then she walks me downstairs to the front door. She hugs me. She hugs me very tight. I almost cry again. I can't believe how awful I've been to people who actually care about me. I've been blind. And now I'm paying for it.

I walk across the street toward my house, slowing as I near. There's a strange car parked in the driveway. A navy blue Saab. My first thought is, dear Lord, some moron at the DMV gave Sally White a driver's license because Sally's always talking about buying a Saab since her mother's Swedish. But there's no way anyone could be so foolish to give Sally White permission to drive freely through the streets of Stoneybrook and the rest of the country.

I enter the house. I hear Maria's voice coming from the formal living room, chattering away incessantly. A sense of dread fills me. Who could Maria possibly be speaking to? Do I even want to know? I smooth my school sweater and comb through my hair with my fingers. I leave the foyer, walking toward the formal living room. I pause in the doorway. Maria's seated on the couch, still in uniform, arms spread over the back cushion, yakking excitedly. At the other end of the room, in the armchair, sits a tall, slender woman with short, perfectly coifed white hair, sweeping over her left eye. She wears a dark plum-colored pantsuit and chunky jade jewelry.

Wes' mother.