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So Jenna had been there when it happened. She had seen everything. Why hadn’t that been in the newspapers?
    His first instinct was to bolt. He had to get out of there.He would make up some excuse to tell Darcy later. He was so intent on planning his escape, he barely noticed that someone had tapped him on the shoulder.
    He smelled her perfume before he actually heard her voice, her soft, throaty “Hi, Mike.” Michael looked up and found himself staring right into Amy Ruggerio’s brown eyes. They were heavily rimmed with black eyeliner. Even with the air-conditioning on, the room was unbearably hot. Amy’s face was shiny with perspiration that had streaked her makeup.
    Michael nodded but said nothing. He did not want her to sit down next to him. What if Darcy saw them together? Besides, all he wanted was to leave. He wondered if Amy was with someone or if she had just wandered into the party on her own.
    He remembered how Joe Sadowski had shown up with her at Michael’s birthday party a few days earlier and announced, when Amy was out of hearing distance, that he’d brought her for Michael. She was his birthday present, Joe told him. Joe usually referred to her as the pig, and he’d made it clear he wouldn’t have been caught dead with Amy under any other circumstances. He seemed to think it was a pretty good joke, too, claiming that Amy was so dumb she actually thought he wanted to go out with her.
    “Great party,” Amy shouted above the music. She sat down on the next step up. Michael kept his attention focused on the kitchen door.
    “Yeah.”
    “Not as good as yours, though.”
    Michael wished she hadn’t mentioned his party. It made him think of those ten minutes in the garage with her. And he didn’t want to think about that, not now, not ever.
    “Want some?” She held her bottle of iced tea out to him.
    Michael shook his head. Darcy had just come from thekitchen and was crossing the room holding two cans of soda. She handed him one without acknowledging Amy’s presence. Amy stood up, saying she was on her way upstairs to use the bathroom. Darcy sat down in Amy’s place without looking at her. It was as if she’d never been there at all.
    For the rest of the night Michael went through the motions. He danced dutifully when Darcy suggested it. He accepted the food and drinks she brought him, even though he did not want them. He managed to carry on a conversation with some of his friends, although later he would not remember what they had talked about. He even had the obligatory can of beer out back with a few of the other track stars. By ten most of the kids at the party were drinking beer. Michael knew Darcy hated it when he drank, so he usually didn’t.
    Steven’s parents were upstairs. They had promised not to interfere with his party unless there was trouble. They had no idea that one of the seniors had gotten his older brother to supply the party with a couple of cases of Coors.
    By midnight Michael’s head was throbbing. He wanted nothing more than to go home to bed. Then, just as Darcy was maneuvering him through the crowd for another dance, he felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder. Joe Sadowski belched his beer-soaked breath in his face. “Hey, man. Haven’t seen you all night.”
    Michael could see that Joe was drunk. His friend could barely stand up. His eyes were a watery pink. He leaned on Michael for support. “The word’s out. Your party dropped to second place two cases of Coors ago. Sorry, man.” Joe patted him on the back, pretending to be sympathetic.
    Darcy looked grim. Michael knew she disliked Joe. She would be even less patient with a drunken Joe. “I’ll just take him outside in the fresh air,” he told her. “I’ll be right back.”
    Darcy rolled her eyes toward the ceiling, then nodded. She would be out in the kitchen talking with Suzanne, she told him. Suzanne and her boyfriend had broken up only an hour ago.
    Michael steered Joe out the back door onto the patio