a/n: surprise update. also this means the fun chapter comes on Sunday heheh

     Of course, I was struggling to figure out what I should wear.  It was my normal issue, and while I had called Donna and asked what she was wearing, it didn't necessarily help me all that much.  I knew that her style for going out and my style for going out was different.  Even Debbie and Jackie were different as well.  For example, there were part of the girlies who enjoyed wearing all the bright colors that the 80s had to offer, whereas I was only interested in dark tones when it came to going out.

As I stared at my closet, I tried to think of the best option.  Did I want to wear a corset? Did I want to wear a dress? I had absolutely no idea what I was feeling this evening, but I then remembered that Harry was also going to be the one picking me up from Jackie's house later this evening.  It meant that I needed to look somewhat presentable.  Not that I never looked presentable, but I just felt like I had to do a little more than if I were only seeing my friends. 

Though, the more I thought about it, the more I wondered why that thought had even crossed my mind at all.  Sure, I cared about the guy–it was hard not to when he was willing to stay at my house on the weekends while a murderer ran about, when he was willing to protect me from men who had no business getting handsy with me, and when he was willing to buy me random gifts as an act of kindness.  I think it would be weird if I didn't care about him in some form, however, I wasn't certain what the extent of it was.  Did I like him as a friend, or was I starting to wonder what more with him would be like?

Trying to push the thought out of my mind as quickly as it had intruded, I found myself deciding on a pair of tights to start the outfit–of course, it was the pair that Harry had gotten for me.  I had others, but I figured that this was the best bet considering they were new and didn't have any possible rips in the seams the way some of my others did.  After I had pulled on the tights, I grabbed a mini skirt, pulling it up my legs and then zipping it.  Instead of trying to go with the corset look, I decided on an Iron Maiden T-shirt.  Pulling on my Doc Martens, I found myself heading out of my closet to the bathroom to finish getting ready.

Donna was supposed to pick me up around eight, but she was running a little late considering it was nearly quarter past that time.  I found myself trying to read a book on the sofa while I waited for her, and finally, around eight-twenty, she arrived at my door.  Quickly grabbing my bag, I made sure I had my keys before I pulled my door shut, a grin on her face as we both walked to the car.

"I am so excited!" she told me.

"I am also!" I grinned.  "Finally, just a girl's night."

She nodded.  "I am also excited that Jackie said I could stay at her place if I get too wasted.  However, my goal is to not get super wasted since I did yesterday and I have been recovering all day from it."

"Oh, I didn't know she would let us stay over," I stated, pulling the car door open and getting in.

"What do you mean?" Donna laughed.

"I just mean Harry is going to get me later."

"Oh my God, seriously?" she gasped, looking excited as she started the car before glancing at me.  "He's coming to get you later?"

"Um, yeah," I nodded.  "It isn't that big of a deal."

"Not a big deal? Missy, that is two nights in a row!"

My face flushed with her words.  I hadn't really thought of it that way.  I guess it was two nights of him coming to collect me after all, but I truly didn't even realize that until now.  The thought was somewhat surprising to me, especially since I just looked at it as him being kind and coming to get me.  He definitely could have said no, but he chose not to. Instead, he wanted to get me after my plans and I appreciated that more than he would know.

"I mean, I guess.  Like I said, it isn't that big of a deal."

Donna didn't appear to agree.  I could tell by the look on her face that she had a million and one things going on in her mind and it made me incredibly nervous.  Not only was I a little worried about what she would have to say to me, but I was also worried about what she might end up saying to Harry later in the night.  It could range from absolutely nothing to her saying things that flat out were not true but would probably inflate his ego more than it needed to be.

"So he totally wants you," she started as she began pulling out of my driveway.

"Uh, I don't know."

And so knew I faltered.  It was so obvious that I wasn't telling her everything.  If I was speaking to someone that I hadn't known for years, I was certain that I would have been able to skirt by them with my words.  However, Donna could always tell when I was not telling the entire truth.  I mean, I wasn't lying.  I didn't exactly know what was going on between Harry and if he wanted me or not.  But, I did know that we were going out on Saturday and Donna had no idea.

"Come on, you're not telling me something," she went on to say to me.  "What is it? Is it about Harry?"

"Um..."

I didn't know what to say.  I didn't want to lie to her, but I also hated telling her about anything that had to do with Harry in the sense of whether or not I felt anything for the guy.  After all, I was still pretty uncertain about him myself, so there was no way that I would be able to tell her a sure answer.  But, what was there to tell? It wasn't like I was keeping anything detrimental from her.  Maybe I didn't want to tell her because I didn't want to get her hopes up.

"Spill," Donna stated.

"Donna," I complained.

"Maggie, so help me."

"It isn't even anything important."

"Maggie, if you don't tell me."

I knew she wanted to threaten me someway, somehow.  I would normally call her bluff, but a piece of me was worried that if I tried to continue holding in any bits of information from her she would tell Harry something that I didn't want her to tell him when he would get me later.  Of course, I felt embarrassed now, my face flushing as I thought about how to word what I needed to tell her.

"Maggie, come on!"

"Fine, fine," I grumbled, crossing my arms over my chest.  "I am going out with him on Saturday."

"What?" she practically yelled. 

"Um, yeah."

"Do you know what you guys are going to do? This is so exciting! I am so excited for you!"

If I thought my face was red before, I had no idea what color it was now.  I knew that I had felt this warm before, but it was still an uncomfortable kind of warm from being either vulnerable or embarrassed or maybe even both.  Swallowing hard, I thought about what else to tell Donna without giving her too much.  However, I also didn't know very much about our evening, just that Harry and so we're supposed to see a movie.

"He said he wants to go see a movie," I told her  "I'm not sure what we are going to watch, though."

"And then you're going to give him—"

"He isn't going to get a thing!" I quickly told her, my eyes wide at the thought of what she could have said.  "We're friends."

"Yeah, sure, whatever you say.  I just know I would never be able to control myself around a man like that.  I love my husband but God damn put me in a room with a single me and a single him and I would fold immediately."

My eyes widened.  "Donna!"

"What? Do you want me to lie to you?"

She made a good point.  I mean, if she told me anything else, and it was a lie, I would not have preferred that.  Instead, I had to deal with her being overly honest with me.  Though, the more I thought about it, the more I could recall why I loved her so much.  She was always so funny, had a lot of things to say, and would keep me laughing.  It was refreshing to me, especially after spending so much time in college with girls who didn't know how to make jokes.

By the time we made it to Jackie's, it was closer to nine.  I found myself climbing out of the car, Donna following me up to the house.  Of course, I expected us to head inside before we made our way to the bar, but when Jackie opened the front door, her and Debbie came outside of the house.

"Sorry, I'm just ready to leave," Jackie laughed.  "Plus, David was about to say I couldn't go out if you guys didn't show up soon."

"I'm sorry that we're late," Donna told her.  "Johnny and Jules did not want to let me leave, so then it meant that I was late to Maggie's, and now I'm late here."

Jackie laughed.  "Girl, you don't have to apologize.  I have Maxwell, so I know what that's like."

Donna nodded.  The four of us headed to Jackie's car as we greeted Debbie.  Jackie appeared grateful when Debbie offered to drive, however, said that she would be the designated driver since we would be going back to her house.  I figured that made the most sense, the four of us piling into her SUV.

"Maggie isn't spending the night," Donna said as Jackie began to drive.

"Do tell," Debbie grinned as she looked back at Donna and I in the back seat.

"It's nothing."

"Maggie," Donna groaned.  "It is something."

I rolled my eyes.  It was clear that Debbie was now incredibly intrigued, Jackie glancing in the rear view mirror at me.  And, of course, I felt incredibly timid now.  It was like that was the only feeling I had, but I knew that wasn't true.  I just hated being the center of attention and it was very clear that since I was the single one—and I knew a very attractive man—my married friends were bound to ask and tell a bunch of things to and about me.

"Well," Debbie continued. 

"Don't keep us hanging!" Jackie laughed.

"Fine," I whined.  "Harry is picking me up."

"And?" Donna pressed.

"What do you mean and?" I asked.  "He's coming to get me, that is it."

"What are you doing this weekend?" she asked.

"Um," I started, clearing my throat.  "Harry and I are hanging out on Saturday."

"No way!" my friends gasped.

"I wouldn't lie."

"We know that," Debbie giggled.

"We just mean that's great!" Jackie told me.

I glared at Donna, my friend giggling herself as she drugged her shoulders.  I was still in disbelief that I had managed to tell all of them, but I also knew it would come sooner than later.  After all, it wasn't like I normally kept anything from them in the slightest—I just usually waited until after I had done something to tell them.  It was better that way, I felt, and I had all the little details instead of it maybe happening.  Then again, I was pretty sure that Harry and I would hang out on Saturday.  It wasn't something that would fall through, especially since he was so interested in trying to get me to hang out for the past month and a half.

Once we reached the club, it was a quarter till ten.  I knew it was going to be a late night, the four of us getting out of the car.  We headed up to the bouncer, showing our IDs quickly before he allowed us inside.  The place was familiar, and I simply hoped and prayed that Harry was not here.  Certainly, I had been to the club a few times without him, but there were also a few times when he had been here as well and I had no idea until it was too late.  Of course, I would have enjoyed seeing him, I just didn't want my friends to be all over him as well—asking him too many questions.  It would make him nervous, and I didn't want that.

"What are we all drinking?" I asked.

"I'll do vodka lemonade," Donna told me.

"I want a vodka cranberry like what you normally get!" Debbie grinned.

"Jackie?" I questioned.

"Um..."

She began to ponder, and I knew this wasn't that difficult of a decision.  If anything, she was just wasting precious time that we could have used to get wasted.  And sure, I knew she was the designated driver of the evening, but one drink was not going to cause an absolute uproar.

"Jackie?" I tried again.

"Guys, I'm pregnant."

"You are?" I asked excitedly.

"What?" Donna quickly said.

"No way!" Debbie grinned.

"I am," Jackie nodded, smiling at us as she rubbed over her stomach.  "Eight weeks, isn't that so exciting?"

"You're newly pregnant and you want to be here?" Donna questioned.  "We can go home and have a movie night, honey."

"No, please don't worry," Jackie laughed.  "My doctor said it would be fine to go out still."

We all hugged her tightly, telling Jackie that we were super excited and couldn't wait to be there for her along the way.  Donna and Debbie went to get us drinks while I stayed with Jackie.  I thought it was funny, especially since I had been the one to ask them what they wanted.  However, Jackie smiled at me, my arms wrapping around her tightly again.  I was so happy for her, but there was a little piece of me that felt left out.  I still was the one person in the group who didn't have kids, or a husband, and was working on a career.  Even if I enjoyed what I was doing, there was some part of me that was begging to be married with kids like they all were.

"I'm so happy for you," I told her as I pulled away.  "You must be ecstatic."

"I am! David cannot keep his hands off my stomach at night, it is the cutest thing.  We haven't told Maxwell yet."

"He'll be so happy, I'm sure," I laughed.

The two of us chatted for a few minutes until Debbie and Donna came back with my drink.  I thanked them, asking how much I owed them but they brushed me off.  Telling them I didn't mind paying, they still shook their head.  As usual, I was quick to finish the drink.  It amazed them how fast I could get an alcoholic beverage down, the girls laughing while I went up to the bar to get another.

"Here again?" the familiar bartender asked.

"Oh, you know, another weekend."

"Of course," he nodded.  "How about I just hook you up with drinks for the evening?"

It was a surprise to me.  I barely even knew the guy except for when I would come in here and dance—which was normally just the weekend.  However, he appeared interested in making sure that I was taken care of tonight.  The whole thing caught me off guard, my cheeks flushed as I watched him make a vodka cranberry without me even asking.

"You don't have to."

"Of course not," he agreed.  "I just figure you're in here a lot, I can spare a few drinks."

Thanking him over and over again, I walked back to my friends, showing them that I got another drink.  They cheered for me, which was pretty amusing, but I was especially interested in the way that I had already finished one drink and my friends were only a few sips into their first one.

"The bartender said he wants to get my drinks tonight," I told them.

"Wait, seriously?" Donna asked.  "Girl gets asked out on a date and suddenly men are all over you.  Well, we've all known you're the prettiest, but—"

"No!" I whined.  "Oh, please don't do this.  You know I don't like when we play the looks game."

Of course, they had always said it to me.  I didn't think any of my friends weren't pretty, but they always told me that I was the prettiest in the group.  It didn't matter if it was when we had just started high school or now, they always claimed I was the best looking out of all of them.  And sure, I didn't think I was bad looking, but I also didn't think that I was anywhere near the way that they described me.  If anything, I thought I was right on their level.  The perfect amount of pretty where I could get something if I really wanted it but I still had to work for some things as well.

"I bet any guy you walk up to would kiss you," Debbie laughed.

"No," I quickly stated.

"Yes," Jackie and Donna agreed.

"You guys are horrible," I complained.  "I can't believe I'm the target of being picked on now that you all have husbands and kids."

It made them laugh, and while I was amused I could not believe that they were having a field day with this.  Sure, I thought it was funny, but I also had no idea when it turned into the pick on Maggie show either.  Then again, I knew that there was nothing they could pick on me for in high school, so they just tried to take it out on me now.  Sipping down the rest of my drink, I told them I would be back later.

"She's going to get wasted, isn't she?" I heard one of them say as I walked away.

And of course, when I made it back up to the bar, the bartender smiled at me.  He was quick to make my vodka cranberry, though I was surprised to see him make another as well.  It didn't make any sense to me at first, however, I realized why he had not much later.

"You sip them down pretty quickly, I figured you would want two instead of one."

Nodding, I thanked him.  It wasn't long until I was meeting back up with my friends once more, the three of them watching in awe as I downed the first cup before I started sipping on the second cup.  By now, I was definitely already feeling the alcohol throughout my body.  It didn't take long, and I actually enjoyed being out more when I was drunk only because I wasn't as timid.

"Does someone want to dance?" I asked.  "Please say yes."

"Me!" Donna grinned.

Jackie and Debbie said they were going to hang back and watch us have fun, so Donna and I made our way to the floor quickly.  I giggled when some of my drink spilled on the floor, Donna laughing as we began to dance.  It was nothing crazy, just the two of us swaying back and forth and singing along to a Cyndi Lauper song. 

"So, question," Donna said to me.

"I might have an answer!"

It made her laugh.  "Okay, so, I know that you're religious and stuff, but Harry's hot, you know? What if he wants to, you know, get a little more intimate?"

My cheeks burned red at her question.  I knew what she was implying.  All of my friends knew that I was a virgin, and they knew it was because I was very religious.  However, a part of me didn't feel like I would simply change my way of thinking because a hot guy wanted to have sex with me.  That wasn't how that worked in the slightest.  After all, Timothy had been hot—he had asked me plenty of times if I wanted to change my mind—but I never did.

"Maybe if we get married," I laughed, shaking my head.

"Maggie, seriously," Donna was saying.  "Have you given it any thought?"

"Harry and I are friends, so no, I haven't given having sex with him any thought," I told her honestly.  "As a whole, though, I'm in a weird position.  I've been holding onto this thing that I've put so much pressure on keeping intact that I don't know what to do.  Do I let my fifteen year old self down? Or do I continue to nurture her?"

Donna appeared surprised with my words.  I knew it was probably more than she was asking for, but it was my genuine position on where I stood with sex.  At this point, it seemed like such a foreign thing—complex in a way that I was almost scared of it.  Debbie, Jackie, and Donna talked about it all the time and how they enjoyed it, but the mere thought was honestly terrifying to me.  Even if I had been with men in other ways relating to sex, I just couldn't fathom letting anyone get to know me like that.

"I guess you make a good point," she nodded.  "I'm sorry I didn't think of it that way.  You know I would support you with any decision, whether you're going on a date with a super hot guy or not."

Her words made me laugh, Donna and I continuing to dance while I finished off my fourth drink.  It wasn't long until she let me find my way to the bar again.  I laughed when the bartender told me a joke, thanking him for the drink again.  This was more than I normally drank, if I wasn't mistaken.  Three was my magic number, but I had definitely surpassed that.  It wasn't until at least midnight that we decided we needed to head back to Jackie's.  The ride was fun, or, I thought it was and all of my friends laughed at anything that I had to say.  And, once we got back, I was told to play the quiet game with the four of us heading to the living room before they dropped me onto the sofa.

"I'm losing, but can someone pretty pretty please call Har?" I asked quietly.

They nodded, watching as I rummaged through my purse.  It didn't take too long to find his number in my small notebook, Jackie taking it and heading to the kitchen to call him.  I was excited to see him, more so than I thought I would be all things considered.  And, I also knew that my friends were probably very excited to see him as well.

"At least he gets to take care of you," Debbie giggled.

"You think he's going to make you something to eat?" Donna asked.  "Or should we make you something now?"

"He will, he will," I nodded, lying down on the sofa and giggling quietly.  "I'm so sorry I got wasted."

"Why are you apologizing?" Debbie asked.

"Yeah, was that not the point of this evening?" Donna questioned.

"Maybeeee. Not like this, though."

"He'll be here in ten minutes," Jackie said.  "Does he always sound that dreamy? I listen to him in the morning and I swear he doesn't sound like that."

"He always sounds dreamyyyy," I told them.  "He likes to lay with me before I go to sleep any play with my hair and talk to me."

They all looked surprised, a giggle leaving my lips.

"What?"

"He is so into you," Debbie grinned.  "Oh, our favorite single woman is finally going to get a man."

"I wasn't single forever," I told her.  "Rememberrrrr?"

"All of high school and then some," Jackie giggled.  "We do."

It made me laugh, the three girls beginning to talk about their kids while I just sat and listened to anything and everything that they had to say.  I had a good evening with them, and I especially knew that I would continue to have a good evening once Harry was here.  Of course, the morning was going to be rough, but I knew that getting to spend time with my friends was totally worth tomorrow's pain.