Peter didn't know how they ended up discussing Megan having sex on the beach. It was a strange conversation, but it left him feeling uncomfortable. Why was the thought of Megan having sex with some guy unsettling for him? They were just friends, although she was becoming his best friend.

They once sat in the library with nothing to say to one another. Smiling, he thought about how she tried to show an interest in soccer. Their conversation never stopped, as they spoke about everything and nothing. They laughed a lot. His buddies were okay, but they only cared about sports, girls and having fun. The latter normally involved one of the former.

He could be himself with Megan. He could be the boy who helped his single mother when she worked her fingers to the bone. He could be the boy whose father left and who thought for a long time it was because he had misbehaved. He could be the boy who wanted to study hard and become someone. She was there in second grade when his father left. She was there while he studied, and she'd been to his apartment to meet his mother. She knew him better than anyone aside from his family.

Peter spent a lot of time at Megan's house over vacation. When he wasn't working, he was with Megan or Ed. One day, he drove over with Becka and she met Megan's parents. They embraced her as if she were a long-lost relative. He watched as Becka and Megan became friends.

On their way home, Becka said, "You're crazy to not be dating Megan."

"How many times do I have to tell you, we're just friends?"

It wasn't a date, but Peter convinced Megan to go with him to a party that week at his friend, Sully's house. He had told her everyone would be there.

"Everyone, not kids like me. We don't go to these kinds of parties. Your friends don't even like me."

"Only one doesn't, and she's away. You'll be with me. I promise I'll stay with you the whole time."

"You just want me to drive you." She was half teasing and half wondering if it was true.

"No, I could walk if I had to."

She agreed to go, and he agreed they only needed to stay as long as she wanted. The party was typical for high school with lots of kids and loud music. Sully's parents were home, but didn't care what they did. There were drinks, but he wasn't interested, and Megan was driving.

Some kids asked if they were together or where Harmony was. He answered "just friends" and "in Florida". Megan stuck to his side like glue most of the night. At some point, they started talking to Jake Libby, one of his teammates on both the soccer and lacrosse teams. Jake also played hockey, a sport that Peter could never afford to play. It was more than the money, it required lots of time to travel to ice rinks. His mother needed to work and not drive to Lewiston or some town in Massachusetts every weekend.

Libby was a decent kid and came from a family where one or both of his parents would go to his games. Peter's mom promised to come, but rarely made it to any. She was always sorry.

He was a year older and a senior and a decent student. He was in Conrad's class with them, so that was what they were talking about. He turned his back to look at the bowl game on the television, and Megan was gone. He casually walked around looking for her, but couldn't find her. He felt slightly panicked. Some kids were jerks, and this was his crowd, not Megan's.

Eventually he found her with Libby. They were sitting at the top of the stairs, talking and laughing. Because the step itself was only so wide their shoulders pressed together. He watched them from a distance so neither of them noticed him. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but she was smiling and they had their phones out. When Peter realized that they were exchanging numbers, he felt a tightening in his gut. He was jealous. He didn't know why, after all they were just friends. He was with Harmony.

He had learned through the years that jealousy had a way of poking its head. It always left an odd feeling in his stomach. He felt jealous of friends who lived with both their parents in nice houses and had full bellies. He was jealous of Megan for all those things until her parents started treating him like family. He shouldn't be jealous of Libby for liking Megan. It wasn't as if he liked her, because he was with Harmony.

As she drove him home, he asked, "Do you like Libby?"

"He's nice. It's okay, if I do. Isn't it?"

Peter thought for a moment and joked. "Fine with me. I'm not interested in him." When she pulled up in front of his building, he asked if she wanted to come in.

"No, it's late. I should get home. Thanks for insisting I go."

Peter couldn't sleep. He thought about Megan with Jake Libby, but also about Harmony. She would be home in a few days. Had he even missed her? Was he looking forward to seeing her? He knew the answer to both those questions was the same. The real question was what he would do about it? Should he break up with her? Should he continue to use her the way she was using him?

New Year's Eve was a big night in the pizza business so Peter worked all night. He liked his job, and it kept him busy. Being useful and appreciated felt good. Megan and her friend Jen came in early for pizza.

"What are you doing to celebrate?"

"Jake invited some friends over. Jen's coming with me, but I think most of them are seniors."

He looked at her and realized that she looked extra pretty. She did something different with her hair, but he couldn't tell what it was. He had that feeling again. Why was he so jealous? He and Megan were just friends. He took his break and sat with them for a few minutes.

When they were ready to leave, he said, "Well have fun. Don't think of me slaving away."

Megan laughed. "Oh, we won't. Happy New Year Bren." She stretched up on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss on the cheek and turned to leave. He stood there with his mouth hanging open watching her leave to meet another guy and knew he was in trouble.