My cell phone beeped and I lunged for it, hoping it was Annie. She hadn't returned my calls or texts since that night at the shore, and I'd been too chicken to go to CVS and corner her. I guess whatever I said to her that night on the beach had been pretty bad. But still, from everything I'd heard from Jake and Shannen, things might have been a lot worse if she hadn't been there for me. Why would she save my ass if she was so mad at me? Was this a temporary freeze out, or were we really not friends anymore?

The text was from Shannen. She was packing too. She and her mom were moving into the condos, three doors down from the one we were vacating. The whole thing was so ironic it made both of us want to vomit on an hourly basis.

Found old bball jersey of urs. Want it?

I texted back.

Def. Gotta walkin closet now.

LOL. F U. :P.

I laughed and dropped the phone back on my bed. Tomorrow I would track Annie down at work. This could not go on. She'd said some mean things to me that night too, but I was willing to forgive and forget. Maybe she would be too.

The doorbell rang and my heart pitter-pattered happily. Jake was here. For a real date. Our first since Shannen's party. Who knew that all I needed to trust him again was for him to drive to the shore, save me from getting arrested, and tell me he loved me?

My stupid heart was a very silly thing.

I had decided not to ask him about the Chloe thing, not to know how far they'd gone or where or when or how. In my mind they had only kissed and nothing more. And they were both drunk. And sad over losing me and Hammond. Maybe Jake was actually passed out and Chloe had just taken advantage. That was the version I liked best.

When I opened the door, he was standing there all smiles.

"Hey," I said.

"Hey."

I smiled. He smiled back. Just standing there, all goofy like that, made my heart full.

"So where're we going?" he asked.

"Nowhere you can't walk to!" my mother shouted from the kitchen.

I gritted my teeth. "I'm still grounded, but my mother said we could go out as long as we don't take your car."

"Oh." He knocked his fists together. "Pizza?"

"Pizza's good," I replied, reaching for his hand as I stepped outside. "We're walking to Stanzione's!" I shouted.

I tugged Jake down the stairs toward the parking lot. He looked over his shoulder at my mom and Gray, and waved.

"Good to see you, Mrs. Ryan . . . Dr. Nathanson."

"Have her home by eleven, Jake," Gray said.

I felt warm all over and had to bite back a retort. Something about him not being my father, not making the rules. Yeah. Living with him was going to be interesting. But as the door closed, I vowed not to think about it. Not tonight. I would not let Gray Nathanson ruin this. I swung Jake's hand back and forth as we crossed the parking lot.

"What are you so smiley about?" Jake asked, grinning as well.

"Just happy to see you," I told him.

"Do you realize when you move, I'll be able to get to you in two and a half minutes? I timed it."

Wow. Could he be any cuter? I leaned my head against his shoulder as we passed by the Orchard View Condominiums sign. "Thanks," I said.

He squeezed my hand. "For what?"

"For being the one good thing about moving back to the crest."

Five weeks. Ally and I had been together for five weeks. In that time I had kissed her, like, a thousand times. Held her hand, like, a hundred. Watched her chew on the inside of her cheek while concentrating, wrap her hair around her finger when she didn't know what to say, dribble ice cream on her shirt while laughing with her mouth full.

And I wasn't bored. Of any of it.

Every time we hung out, it was just the two of us. And every time we hung out, I didn't want it to end. Even if we were just lying on my bed watching a movie, my arm around her with her head on my chest-even that went by too quick. I'd spent the last few weeks of summer not wishing I was down the shore but just sort of floating.

And now, it all had to end. Because tomorrow, school was going to start. And there would be no more long afternoons of just me and Ally. Tomorrow the shit storm would begin.

Or maybe tonight. Because tonight was Connor Shale's back-to-school party. Ally pulled her mom's car to a stop behind Jessica Cox's Sebring Convertible, which I only knew was hers because she'd chosen the unfortunate vanity plate that read j coxxx. We both looked up at the window walls of Connor's house. There were already tons of people inside, and the glass vibrated from the reverb coming off the speakers.

"We don't have to go in," I said.

"No. We really don't," she replied.

We'd talked about it a million times-whether or not to go to this party. Neither of us had spoken to Hammond or Chloe since LBI. Ham and I had been at soccer practice together every day for two weeks, but basically ignored each other. Ally had explained that she and Ham had seen Chloe and me that night in town, and assumed we were together. She'd told me it was what I'd said, when she'd mentioned it, that confirmed we'd hooked up. For all we knew, Hammond still just suspected it. He may or may not have spoken to Chloe. Who knew? All I knew was that I wasn't in contact with a single one of my old friends.

And that I didn't much care. All I cared about was Ally.

"But we do," Ally said, unbuckling her seat belt. "I mean, it's better to get it over with, right? Before school starts?"

"Do you not remember what happened here last year?" I asked.

A shadow passed over her face as she looked back at the front door. I could see it playing out before her eyes. How Faith and Shannen had attacked her. How I hadn't defended her. How she'd left the place near tears.

"Ice cream?" she suggested suddenly, plugging the seat belt back in.

"Sounds good."

I was just about to snap my own seat belt tight when my door was flung open and I was yanked out onto the grass. Ally screamed. I looked up to find Hammond standing over me, his arms down at his sides like a boxer's, his hands curled into fists.

So I guess we knew how Hammond was feeling.

"Hammond! What the hell!" Ally shouted, getting out of the car.

"Get up," Hammond spat.

I pushed myself up awkwardly and shoved him as hard as I could. "What the fuck are you-"

Slam. His fist hit my cheek so hard I was flung sideways. My eye popped, gushing blinking stars across my vision. I held on to Ally's car for dear life, blood seeping down my face. My jaw felt crooked and when I tried to move it, tiny slivers of pain crackled toward my temple.

"Hammond!" Ally shouted, her voice cracking. "What's the matter with you?"

He ignored her and got right in my face. I could smell scotch on his breath. His eyes looked possessed.

"That," he said, spitting all over my cheek as he shoved a finger into my chest, "was for knocking up my girlfriend."

acknowledgments.

Even though I spend most of my day alone in front of a computer, typing my fingertips off, I always feel like I have a squad of cheerleaders behind me, keeping me going. I'd like to thank the following people for always having my back, especially where these books are concerned: Emily Meehan, Sarah Burnes, Justin Chanda, Julia Maguire, Logan Garrison, Paul Crichton, Lucille Rettino, Elke Villa, Krista Vossen, and Jenica Nasworthy.

To all the librarians, teachers, readers, Facebook friends, Twitter followers, bloggers, and fellow authors who supported She's So Dead to Us, my heart swells with gratitude. There are too many ever-changing screen names, handles, and nicknames to mention here, but you know who you are. A very special thanks to Laura Leonard, Courtney Sheinmel, Elizabeth Scott, Jenny Han, Sara Shepard, Gayle Forman, Susane Colasanti, Heidi R. Kling, Kay Cassidy, David Levithan, Jen Calonita, Caroline Aversano, and Christi Aldelizzi for everything you've done and continue to do to help me get the word out about these books.

HUGE thanks to Jaimee Mulholland, Molly Brown, Anna Hickey, and Geralyn Hickey for helping me make certain bits authentic.

And, as always, thank you to my family and friends for tolerating my craziness, listening to my rants, and telling me, always, how fabulous you think I am (especially on those days I don't agree): Matt, Mom, Erin, Ian, Wendy, Shira, Ally, Meredith, Sona, Liesa, Jessica, Courtney, Aimee, Manisha, Lynn, and Lanie. . . . I may not see all of you as often as I wish I could, but I always know you're with me, and that's enough.

And, of course, special thanks to Brady and the little one to come, for lighting up my life.

Also by Kieran Scott.

She's So Dead to Us.