Nobody Likes Megan McGowen

1. Lunch with Tara Pickett

When the bell for lunch finally rang, Megan hurried into the cafeteria as fast as she could. If she was really quick, she could be near the front of the line and might even manage to get a table today. She didn't really think she'd be able to keep it of course, but it was worth a try. And it'd be a good test of whether or not things had actually changed for her like he promised.

She sat down at the end of one of the long tables near the back of the room. She'd seen an empty round one, but she knew there was no way she'd be able to keep that – better just stick with the end of this one. Jen came up a few minutes later, tray in hand and sat down across from Megan.

"You actually got a table?" she sounded surprised.

"For now at least." Megan told her, shrugging. "Let's just see if it lasts."

"I bet we lose it in five minutes." Jen told her, grinning.

"Three." Megan countered. Out of the corner of her eye, Megan saw a blonde ponytail bouncing towards them. "Actually, two." she corrected.

"Hi, guys!" Tara said brightly.

Megan looked up. Tara Pickett, the most popular girl at school – a senior – was standing there with her lunch tray. What was she doing there? Didn't she usually sit at one of the round tables at the front with all her friends? Or had they decided to take Megan's table just because they could? And here Megan was thinking this day might actually be good for once.

Megan stared at her for a second and noticed that Tara wasn't looking at them like they were in her way. Well, this was new. Megan couldn't remember the last time someone had approached her and Jen in the cafeteria without a look of annoyance. Tara put her tray down at the empty seat next to Megan and pulled the chair out for herself.

"How come you're sitting all the way back here today?" she asked.

"It was the first table I saw?" Megan said uncertainly. She was still trying to figure out why Tara was sitting next to them. Shouldn't she be kicking them out of her way or something?

"I don't think I've ever sat back here before." Tara said, looking around.

"Me either." Megan mumbled. It might be a step down for Tara, but Megan had never gotten so lucky.

"So how have you been anyway?" Tara asked casually. Then she laughed. "I feel like I haven't talked to you in forever!"

That's 'cause you've never talked to me before, Megan thought. But she didn't say that. Besides, hadn't she always wanted Tara Pickett to talk to her? So instead, she just said, "I'm ok. You?"

She was more tentative than she'd meant to be. Fortunately, Tara didn't seem to notice; she grinned at Megan like they'd been friends for years. Megan tried her best to return the look, but she was pretty sure she hadn't managed to keep the confusion completely off her face.

"I'm great. We just finished tryouts for the school play yesterday afternoon – you should have come."

"What?" was all Megan could think to say.

Her jaw dropped, and she did her best not to stare. Was Tara making fun of her? Or did she really not remember the disaster that had been Megan's attempt?

When they'd announced tryouts, Megan had been secretly excited about the idea. She hadn't told Jen of course, on the off-chance she'd fail. But she stayed late after school yesterday, mumbling lines as she walked onto the stage at the front of the cafeteria. But when it was time for her to actually say anything, she'd completely blown it. She forgot everything she'd rehearsed, and when the agonizing three-minute speech was finally over, she nearly tripped getting off the stage. It was so embarrassing! And the snickers she heard as she left the auditorium let her know she'd more than missed her chance. So why was Tara bringing that up now – and in front of Jen? Was that really why she'd sat down next to them?