The Same Mistakes Club

Chapter Thirteen

Things were a bit awkward the following morning.  Margaret was hungover and miserable.  Maishely was coming over to talk, and I had a feeling it was about what she'd seen between me and Gabriel.

"Hey, how's Margaret feeling?"  Maishely said as she entered my bedroom.

"Not so hot.  She's in the shower now."  I nodded toward the hallway.  "There was no way I could've brought her home last night.  I was able to sneak her in."

Maishely was looking around.  "Wow, I forgot how cool your room is."  I looked around at the 1D posters that lined my walls.  I guess it was pretty cool.  Mostly it was just home.

'Well, I'm glad I have a few minutes alone with you, because there is something that I need to tell you."  Maishely sat on my bed and looked nervous.

"There's nothing going on between me and Gabriel,"  I bluurted out.

"What?"  Maishely replied.

I started pacing my room.  "I was so miserable when I got to the party, and when he suggested going outside and getting away from it all, I just went along with it.  I mean, he's a guy, the enemy.  Not to mention the guy who broke your heart.  I would never - and I mean never - do anything with him."

Maishely shook her head.  "I know that.  I was a little surprised when I saw the two of you."  She laughed.  "It was a little uncomfortable, but you two have always been friends.  What I really wanted to talk to you about was Margaret.  You see...  I saw Parker kissing someone else at the party."

Uh-oh.

"I got there with Audrey and Taylor, and I needed to go to the bathroom.  So I went upstairs, and I walked in on him..."

Margaret was definitely going to kill the messenger for this one.

I lay down on my bed.  "This is going to be ugly,"  I warned Maishely.  "She was really hoping he was going to ask her out."

Maishely shifted uncomfortably and started playing with the frayed end of one of my bed pillows.

"Much better!"  Margaret came barging into my room with a towel on her head and collapsed onto the bed.  "Okay, time to figure out what we're going to do about the complete ass I made out of myself.  I don't think Parker is ever going to ask me out now."

Maishely and I stared at each other, not sure what to say.

Margaret looked exhausted.  "Okay, okay.  I know, guys, and I'm so sorry."

What exactly did she know?

"First."  She turned to Maishely.  "I'm so sorry I was rude to you.  I've been trying to be a good and understanding friend.  And I know, I know... I shouldn't have had any beer but I gave into peer pressure.  I've turned into a sad after-school special, blah, blah, blah..."  Margaret covered her face with her hands.  "Just please don't tell me that Parker ended up hooking up with one of those freshman girls."

Maishely looked at me.  "No, he didn't..."

Margaret sat up a little too quickly, so she had to lie back down, curling up on her side and propping her head up with her hand.  "That's great.  I thought I really blew it...."

Silence.  I looked over at Maishely and saw the look of pure panic in her face.

Margaret wrinkled her eyebrows.  "Wait, what's going on?"  She looked at the two of us.  "What aren't you guys telling me?  Did Parker hook up with somebody last night?"

Maishely looked at me and I shrugged my shoulders.  I wanted to know who it was.  Especially since that girl needed to be put into protective custody once Margaret found out.