Janelle stood behind the old tree she used to climb when that sort of thing was appropriate for girls her age. In one hand she had the invitation to the party that she had printed out despite having long ago memorized all of the important details. In her other hand she held a glossy gift bag with a preposterously large red bow. Her mother had chosen the gift and she hadn't bothered to ask what it was. Her feelings about teh party were ambivalent to say the least. She hadn't heard from Kelly since the incident at Jared's house last summer and she couldn't imagine why she had been invited. Did Kelly think that was no big deal? Was it no big deal? Was she making too much of it? People say things, that's what her mother said to comfort her that night. They say things and they don't mean them. But if she could say that, why couldn't she say she was sorry? What if she'd been sent the invitation in error? A mass emailing to a distro list she'd forgotten to remove Janelle from? And then she shows up out of the blue? She let that scenario play out in her head but it was quickly replaced by the scenario that had been running on continuous loop for days. Her showing up at the party, Kelly acting like nothiing had happened and herself losing it and freaking out in front of everybody again. She looked into the bag. It was some stuff from the handmade soap store. She lked that stuff and could use a new