Standing at the front door, was Alexa Harper, and behind her, stood her father. She huffed, "Well, don't just stand there, invite us in." Nervously, Megan said, "Uh, come in... My uncle is still in the kitchen, but we can wait in the living room, if you'd like." Alexa's father replied, "That sounds like a great idea. Why don't we follow this nice girl inside? I have an offer I need to discuss with John, and while I do so, you girls can talk about whatever you talk about at school." Alexa smirked at Megan, then said happily, "Sure, Dad. Megan and I are great friends!" Megan hesitantly let them in, and got a frown from Alexa, as she passed by. Closing the door, the ginger led the two guests to the living room, where they all sat on the couch, and waited for her uncle to come in. As soon as the roast was out, John came into the room, and shook Alexa's father's hand briefly, saying, "Mark, it is so good to see an old friend of mine. How's the managing business going?" Mark replied, "It's going good, John. I'm just really busy with taking care of customers lately. How is your job on the school board?" Megan listened as her uncle replied, "The board's good. We've set up several propositions for next year, on how to better the school." Mark smiled, "Well, if you ever need a sponsor, just call me up. I'd be willing to help an old friend out in any way possible." Megan listened, not really sure what to say. Why, oh why did her uncle's guest have to be Alexa's father? John suggested, "Why don't you and I go into the kitchen to talk some of this out. I'm sure the girls will want to catch up." Mark nodded, then followed John to the kitchen, leaving Megan and Alexa alone in the living room. Megan hesitantly looked at Alexa, and said, "So...um...what do you usually do when this is going on?" Usually, she wouldn't even try to make conversation with Alexa, but since they were in her house, and her uncle expected her to be polite, the ginger had to try this once to be friendly. Alexa sneered, "So what? Now you're trying to play with me and be all sweet and nice, but you then go and steal my boyfriend? That, Morse, is just not cool." Looking into the kitchen, and seeing her uncle and Alexa's father talking, Megan said, "Listen, I really don't want to fight about Conner now. We have to work together and make it seem like we like each other. I realize you may not like me, but that gives no reason as to whether or not you want your dad to have this deal work out. For them both, we have to get along. Fight me and tease me at school, but in my house, I am someone you need to respect." Alexa quipped, "Respect?! I don't have to do it, just because I'm in your house, Morse! Heck, I'm better than you will ever be! You want to know why you never made the cheerleading squad? You suck at cheerleading. You will never be nothing more than a chem geek. And overall, you just don't have the looks for it. Who did your firebrand hair? Sleeping Mass of Idiots?" As the room fell silent, Megan thought through Alexa's bold statement. The teasing had been fine at school, because she could take it there, but in her own home, it hurt worse than what she had felt at her old home. Turning to look at Alexa, Megan asked softly, "Why are you so mean to only me? What did I ever do to you, to make you hate me? You know what I think? I think inside, you're insecure about yourself, so you make others feel bad to secure your own being. Now, I'm not saying that's the truth, but I know what it's like to be insecure about your appearance to others." Alexa sneered again, "Oh, so you think we're alike, do you? Well we aren't. Your uncle and my dad are only friends because they knew each other back in grade school. My dad is rich. He's the mayor. Your uncle is just a nobody, like you. It's stupid, really, that they are still close, after what your uncle pulled on my dad." With nothing nice to say back, Megan fell silent, letting herself cool down. So desperately, she really wanted to pound Alexa into the nearest wall, but knew a move like that would be horrible on her uncle's place with the board at the school. Hearing her uncle say, "Time for dinner girls!", Megan slowly headed to the kitchen, her heart pounding in her chest. She took a seat at the table, and watched Alexa do so as well. Dinner that night was quiet, and quite a bore. Megan just played with her food, stirring it around her plate. Despite her uncle trying to start a conversation, the girl kept quiet. She wanted nothing to do with Alexa, nor did she have anything to say to the cheerleader. After dinner ended in silence, as it had begun, Megan's uncle and Alexa's father left the room, to work on new plans for the school, leaving the girls alone again in the living room, with nothing to do. In the living room, the silence lingered, until Megan said, "You know, I'm really sorry for what happened earlier at the Cave. I didn't mean to sit by Conner. It just happened to be the only seat available at the moment." Alexa snarled, "You had a choice, Morse. You knew he was my date, and you had the choice to sit by him. I don't know what's going on in that head of yours, but it's the reason you're not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Take a hint that he doesn't want you, he doesn't need you, he doesn't like you. Frankly, I'm more surprised that he actually let you sit by him, with your 'oh I like dogs' act. That's how a child acts. You're a child. Forget about Conner ever wanting you. He's probably disgusted by you." Megan leaned away from the brunette, and tried to hide the tears. She swallowed to prevent saying anything forceful that could be seen as an insult, because she was raised right, to never talk back to someone rudely. The two girls sat in silence for the rest of the night, either looking at their phones, or just not speaking. Finally, as the clock struck nine, both Megan's uncle and Alexa's father emerged from the office, shaking hands. John said, "It was such a pleasure to get to see you again, Mark. I hope the proposition we discussed works out. And say hi to Tawny for me, will you? I believe the last time I saw her was in high school." Mark laughed, and replied, "Of course I'll do that, John. We all used to be friends in school, and you know she still asks how you've been since Lena passed away two years ago." John smiled kindly, then answered, "I'm fine, I have my niece around. She's great and keeps me from thinking too slow on my feet. Even reminds me of Lena's excited but shy personality." Looking up, Megan saw Alexa stand and walk over to her father, and ask, "Could we please go now, Dad? I need to get a dress for the dance, and pick up a new tie for my date to wear to it. We seriously can't go being in different colored clothes. That would be so tragic!" At the comment, Megan just rolled her eyes. She could tell Alexa was trying to stir up something, by putting Conner into the conversation, but she was going to have none of it. Standing up, the ginger started to walk up the stairs, a bit of anger in her steps, leaving John completely stunned and extremely worried by Megan's small rage.