Nobody Likes Megan McGowen

40. Actually Friends?

Megan woke up for school on Monday actually feeling pretty great; this was the first school day in a week that she didn't have to stare over at her dresser and know that someone was miserable because of her.

She got dressed in the bathroom as usual, and when she got back to her room, Jake was perched on the edge of her desk, feet on the chair. Megan noticed he was still wearing his poufy blue pants. Actually, he hadn't bothered to wear regular clothes since he'd gotten out. Megan hoped it was just laziness on his part and not a sign of something else.

"I think a shirt's part of the school dress code." she told him.

He looked at her like he thought she was nuts for a second before changing to that neutral stare he'd been so quick to bring back.

"What?" she asked. "There's no way you didn't know that."

"I knew that." he told her. "I just didn't think I'd be going anymore."

"...Are you sick of school already?" she asked slowly, even though they both knew that wasn't it.

"Actually, I kind of like school." he admitted.

"Yeah, that's 'cause you're weird." she mumbled. Then she turned serious. "Look, I know you might not like me much anymore...But you should still be able to do things you want. So if you want to go to school, you should. Ok?"

"Alright." he gave a short nod.

"So, I'll either see you in class or later on tonight." Megan left, closing the door behind her before she heard his answer.

Megan figured Jake would probably end up going to school, especially since he was one of those freaks who actually seemed to think it was fun. Although she might think it was fun if she already knew all the answers too.

Still, she was relieved when he showed up for history first period. Of course, he had a doctor's note with him to present to any teachers who needed it. Megan would have been seriously jealous of his ability to just whip up an official note like that – if she hadn't been the reason he needed to do it in the first place.

Megan gave Jake a small wave when he walked back towards his desk, but that was it. She figured she'd leave him alone for the day – hopefully that would help. He didn't really acknowledge her in history or math, but he did end up walking with her to Spanish. They still didn't really talk, but it was better than nothing. When Greg saw Jake walk into the room, he broke out in a wide grin.

"You're back!" he said, coming up to Megan and Jake.

"Yeah." Jake actually looked happy for the first time since that whole bottle thing.

"So what happened to you? Were you really sick?"

"Of course. Had the flu all week." Jake lied.

"Well that sucks. I was kind of hoping you were just taking a sort of...unauthorized break." Greg told him. "So I guess you didn't do anything fun then."

"No – I wasn't really able to go out." Jake told him.

He stood a little straighter, and for a minute Megan didn't see Greg's friend but her genie standing there. Greg didn't notice the subtle change.

"You know we have to do that presentation today, right?" he asked Jake.

"Mr. Clarinval let you put it off?" Jake asked, surprised.

"Yeah – since my partner wasn't here." Greg told him, giving him a knowing look. "He did almost make me do it by myself, but Megan convinced him to wait until you got back."

"She did?" Jake looked over at Megan, surprise on his face. "Why?"

"I didn't want you to get an F – especially since it wasn't your fault." Megan mumbled, looking down at the ground.

"Well, thanks." Jake said.

Megan tried not to be insulted by the obvious surprise in his voice. It wasn't like she hadn't helped her friends out before – why would he be any different?

"Are you still sick?" Greg asked suddenly.

"No, I'm fine. Why?" Jake asked.

"I don't know. You just seem a little...off."

"I must be tired." Jake told him, shrugging it off. But Megan could see he made a conscious effort to relax.

The bell rang and they were forced to take their seats. Class passed about the same as the two before it; Jake basically pretended she wasn't there, and she let him. But when class was out, Megan met him at the door. She was all for giving him his space, but she had something she wanted to ask him.

"You actually like Greg, don't you?" She'd seen how Jake had been when they walked into that room together – it was the first time he'd looked normal in days.

"What?" Jake looked at her like she was crazy.

"Don't give me that look – you do! You're really actually friends with him."

"Yeah, so?" Jake's frown only deepened, like it wasn't what he'd expected to hear.

"I guess I just figured you only hung out with him because he was Jen's boyfriend." she told him.

"Really? And why would that be?"

He stood up straight and set his jaw, like he was getting ready for a confrontation – maybe he hadn't forgiven her as much as she would have liked to believe. She tried to ignore the fact that he was still a little stiff towards her and just answered the question.

"I thought you were just messing with me." Megan felt her cheeks redden, and she hurried to explain. "I mean, you just didn't really seem like the type to make friends with someone just because." Yeah, cause that was so much better. She winced inwardly.

"So you just assumed that I couldn't make friends with anyone?" Now he sounded insulted. "Why? Because I'm just a jinn?"

"Well, I was thinking more because you're not exactly the warm and fuzzy type..." she trailed off.

She didn't like how he just assumed that was the reason, but what could she say? A few weeks ago, he would have been right. Jake gave her a kind of funny look for a minute before a slow smile spread across his face.

"I guess you kind of have a point there." he admitted.

"I know I do." Megan told him confidently. But she was secretly relieved. "So why are you guys friends anyways?"

Jake shrugged, and for a minute Megan thought he wouldn't answer. But finally he said, "It's just kind of nice to have someone who doesn't know about me, you know?"

So that was it. He liked having someone who treated him like an actual person. Suddenly, Megan felt guilty all over again.

"I'm sorry I don't treat you that good." she mumbled. Jake just looked at her and sighed.

"You're actually not that bad." he told her.

"Really?" Somehow Megan had a hard time believing that.

"Well, you did let me go to school with you." And with a gleam in his eye he added, "And you made sure I didn't miss any big assignments I might not have wanted to do."

"Wouldn't want you to miss out on getting up in front of the whole class to show off." she said, giving him a small smile.

"But what if I didn't study for it?" he asked, returning the look.

"Oh, please. You never study – and you already know Spanish. And even if you really didn't know the answers already, you'd just arrange it so you didn't have to do it anyway."

"You know me so well." He said it like a joke, but Megan thought she could hear the tiniest trace of admiration.