On July 30, 1999, the sixth episode of Season 2 of "Cruel Summer" unfolded with Isabella breaking the news to Megan that she had ended her relationship with Luke, now that she was aware of Megan's deep-seated feelings for him. Megan, though grateful for Isabella's considerate gesture, was reassured by Isabella that Luke's feelings for her were undeniable, hinting at their inevitable union as the endgame. Isabella confidently asserted that she had moved on and that Luke had taken the news surprisingly well. She encouraged Megan to attend Luke's birthday party without hesitation, predicting that Luke's affection for her would diminish upon witnessing Megan's stunning appearance.
With Megan's mother and sister away, she decided to host Luke's birthday party at her house, enlisting Brent's help in preparations. Brent admired Megan's new look with her hair down, sparking a lively conversation between them. Brent suggested that Luke needed to move on from Isabella by entering a new relationship, hinting at the need for a rebound.
The birthday bash commenced with a lively atmosphere, where Jeff attempted to engage Megan in conversation, but her thoughts kept wandering towards Luke. Luke inquired about Isabella's attendance and asked Megan to invite her, expressing his confidence in handling the situation. He also complemented Megan on her hairstyle as he mingled with his friends.
Jeff and Megan's conversation was frequently interrupted by Megan's inability to keep her eyes off Luke, much to Jeff's growing irritation. When Isabella arrived at the party, Luke watched her from a distance, his eyes betraying his unresolved feelings. The two exchanged words, but Brent's timely interruption steered them away from each other. The group then decided to play beer pong, with Jeff urging Megan to join his team. However, Megan chose to partner with Luke, while Isabella and Jeff formed the opposing team.
The game culminated in Luke being so intoxicated that he stumbled over Megan, causing both of them to fall. They shared a poignant moment, leaving Jeff feeling awkward and excluded. However, the arrival of a female stripper diverted the group's attention. Brent claimed that he had invited her to hook up with Ben, hoping it would help him get over Isabella.
The stripper escorts Luke to the trailer, with Megan trailing behind, curious about their intentions. Under Parker's guidance, the girls are rehearsing their dance routine for the upcoming performance, and Isabella coerces Megan into joining their ranks. Outdoors, the females stage an exhilarating dance in front of Luke and his friends, with all gazes riveted on Megan. The sight of her in a dress, swaying to the rhythm of "Genie in a Bottle," astounds everyone. She beckons Luke to join their dance circle, while Jeff looks on intently.
Indoors, Megan offers Luke a slice of the cake she meticulously baked for his birthday, eliciting his admiration. The two share a tender moment, where Luke laments that they haven't had much time together, and they are almost on the verge of a kiss until Luke suddenly dashes to the bathroom, nauseated from overindulgence in alcohol. Megan eventually steps outside to confront Jeff. He solemnly tells her that her feelings for Luke were evident, and she longed to be with him.
Megan attempts to justify her actions, but Jeff decides to end their relationship. Debbie returns home to find the house in disarray following the party, yet her spirits remain high after her delightful date with Steve. Steve drops her off, engaging in lighthearted conversation with her, while Isabella and Megan observe the two flirting subtly with each other.
December 30, 1999
The girls prepare to embark on "The Plunge," a local tradition that Megan and her friends uphold, where everyone in the town braves the icy beach waters. Suddenly, Megan receives a text from Ned. She deceives Isabella, claiming she has an urgent assignment that demands her immediate attention and ditches the plunge with her and Luke.
Meanwhile, Ned informs Megan about a lucrative job opportunity for her. Prior to the plunge, Luke engages in a workout session with Sheriff Meyer at the gym. The cop assists Luke in his exercises, and the duo strikes up a conversation. As Isabella and Luke plunge into the chilly beach waters together, she informs him about Megan's last-minute bail.
As Luke found himself without a towel, Isabella, out of a sense of chivalry, graciously offered to share hers with him. Meanwhile, Megan arrived at Ned's abode and discovered that he had been grappling with software that was under the impending doom of malfunctioning with the advent of the year 2000, known as the Y2K crisis. Ned, with a tone of urgency, revealed that the software would potentially seize up at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day and earnestly requested Megan's assistance in conducting a crucial test run. Trusting Megan implicitly, Ned entrusted her with the task in his high-tech sanctuary.
Elsewhere, at the beach, Luke and Isabella engaged in a heartfelt discussion about Megan, during which Luke confided that Megan no longer harbored romantic feelings for him. Isabella, with a somber expression, admitted that she had ended her relationship with Luke because she believed Megan had deep feelings for him and that their paths were destined to converge.
In the confines of their car, Luke ventured to kiss Isabella, but she gently resisted, insisting that she couldn't betray Megan's trust. She politely requested Luke to drive her back home. Meanwhile, Megan successfully conducted the test on the system, proving Ned's fears unfounded. As she prepared to leave, Ned opened up to Megan about losing his job due to a lack of understanding regarding his work. Megan, defending Luke, mentioned that he too didn't understand coding and was set to follow in his father's footsteps. Ned, visibly discomforted by the mention of the Chambers, sneered at their perceived high status fueled by wealth. Megan assured him that Luke was a far cry from his father, Steve, but Ned remained unconvinced.
Upon returning home, Megan was surprised to find Luke awaiting her in her bedroom. He apologized for the earlier mishaps and inquired about her day. Instead of revealing her whereabouts, she passionately kissed him, leading to an intimate encounter. Post-coital, Luke recounted the events that transpired between him and Isabella at the Plunge, but he lied, claiming that Isabella had unexpectedly kissed him. This revelation incensed Megan, who harbored a fierce resentment towards Isabella.
July 30, 2000, found Megan engrossed in a laptop in her room, which she claimed to have borrowed from a friend. Her thoughts drifted back to Luke's 18th birthday, marking how drastically different this year had been compared to the previous one. Debbie, curious, attempted to probe further, but Megan, preoccupied, brushed off her mother's questions and resumed her work.
Later in the day, Megan finds herself seated beside Luke's memorial stone, lost in contemplation of him. Brent soon joins her, and together they reminisce about the cherished memories they shared with Luke. Brent confesses that he had been unnecessarily harsh towards his brother and insists that Luke did not deserve the fate that awaited him. Meanwhile, Megan manages to procure the case files related to Lisa's murder from an undisclosed source.
Debbie, intrigued by how Megan obtained these confidential documents, expresses her curiosity. However, Megan urges her mother to set her worries aside, revealing that Isabella had a peculiar pattern: a sequence of falling out with her best friend, followed by the untimely demise of someone. She further adds that Isabella and Lisa had a heated argument before Lisa's tragic drowning. Moreover, Megan mentions that Lisa was mysteriously whisked away by helicopter on the night of her murder. Debbie reminisces that Isabella once had a brush with the law, which her parents had smoothly swept under the rug. Worried about Megan, Debbie checks under the bed in their trailer, as per Isabella's eerie request. To her horror, she discovers a blood-stained cloth that Megan had been secretly attempting to dispose of.
Concurrently, Brent and Steve storm into the Sheriff's office, demanding answers from Meyer. Brent asserts confidently that Isabella is undeniably the culprit, backed by compelling evidence. However, Meyer responds cautiously, stating his reluctance to make any arrests without definitive proof. Steve lambasts the police for their seemingly lax efforts in capturing Luke's killer and declares his intention to hire a private investigator to take charge of the case.
As Megan makes her exit from the cabin, she unexpectedly encounters Steve at the Landry house, desperate for answers regarding his son. Convinced that, as the mother of Luke's unborn child, Megan holds the key to unraveling the mystery surrounding his fate, Steve seeks her out. However, Debbie stands firmly in his way, refusing to grant him access to Megan.
Megan attempts to reach Trevor on the phone, but her efforts are futile. Desperate for guidance, she heads to Isabella's hotel room, revealing that she is aware of Lisa's tragic demise. Isabella, feigning innocence, insists that she was about to confide in Megan and asserts that Lisa's death was an accident, not her fault. She claims Lisa voluntarily plunged into the water, driven by alcohol and emotional distress, and though she tried to follow and save her, it was too late.
Just then, Parker appears outside the hotel room door, eavesdropping on the heated conversation. Megan's accusation that Isabella is responsible for Luke's death, as she was for Lisa's, echoes in the hallway. Alarmed, Parker dashes to the Sheriff's station to inform Meyer of what she has overheard.
The episode concludes with Megan returning home, where Debbie waits with the blood-stained cloth prominently displayed on the table. Her voice trembling, Debbie asks if the cloth bears Luke's blood, pleading with Megan to sit with her and help her navigate the chaotic mess she has found herself in.
