Dan is not sure he'll survive the boring field trip to a remote heritage farm. How could a place with no running water, telephone or electricity be anything but dull? The farmer knows nothing about farming and is angry about having to conduct the tour. And what's with his tattoo? The teacher requ...
I guess I could have phoned, but what was I going to say? Talking to him right then would only have made things worse. He’d want me to say sorry. And I’d want to tell him what a jerk he was. I figured I’d give it a day to blow over. I tried to study for history. I tried to do a landscape for my p...
The only thing Anthony has to do all day is look after Olivia and Marlon, and he can’t even do that right. “Where’s Daddy?” I say. That’s what they call him so that’s why I say it—but this time it almost makes me puke. Olivia doesn’t turn away from the screen. “Downstairs. But you’re not supposed...
“How did you know it was me?” I said in my normal voice. Shane pounded his chest with his fist and dislodged a greasy burp. “Oh, please,” he said. “Who else has ankles that skinny?” “You recognized me by my ankles?” “Yeah.” He shrugged. “Well, that and the Hogg’s Doggs thing. I just put two and t...
La-di-dah. That sounded just like the kind of place he’d live. I thought for a second about heading over on my skateboard and knocking on the door, but I couldn’t do that. Bob knew my face, and I didn’t think he’d be too happy to see it again. I decided to call Consuela on the phone instead. I kn...
I mean it! Stop!” but even as I said it, I knew it wasn’t him. It couldn’t be. He’s too little. Whoever had me was way taller than Richard and stronger too. I tried to scream, but all I got out was one sad little squeak before a hand covered my mouth from behind. The person leaned in hard against...
I was a little nervous about the whole thing. I knew there was no way I should be taking a $10,000 puppet shopping. But like I said—what could I do? I promised. There was another thing too. I’d never had many friends before. Real friends, I mean, who weren’t there just because my dad was a rich39...
He doesn’t know why he has to pee outside or why he can’t just sit down and eat his granola bar. Luckily, he’s learned not to complain. I grab my purse, stuff the blanket into the grocery bag and get going. We have to get out of Cypress—the farther out, the better. I walk as fast as I can—or rath...
I didn’t need this right now. I really didn’t. I blew up. I went, “Quit dreaming, would you? Nobody stole anything! You might have time for this garbage, but I don’t. I’m leaving! I’ve got to redo my entire stupid project thanks to...” I shook my head. I shut my mouth. I didn’t want to get into i...
Chapter Seven I don’t know why I’d been so worried about upsetting Mandy that night. I don’t know why I even bothered trying to be nice to her. A lot of good it did me. The next morning, I got up early. I knocked on her bedroom door. She went, “What?!” like she was already pissed off at me about ...
You, You and Mimi “Family Secrets.” Mimi invites celebrity “heritage sleuth” Laura Buchkowsky to uncover the roots of the public’s fascination with genealogy. I tell Levi I’ve got stuff to do at the library. He helps me up the stairs and says he’ll be back at five to take me to Mrs. Hiltz’s. Joan...
“Get your own.” I jab at his hand with my fork. “Now, now,” he says. “That’s no way to impress the ladies.” He lifts his chin in the direction of the salad bar. I turn and see Dalma coming toward us with a tray full of food. He steals half my fries while I’m looking at her, but I don’t really car...
Like, stupid happy, I mean. By Thursday afternoon—five days later — I knew I’d remember this week for the rest of my life. It was like the goal I’d accidentally kicked in at my very first soccer game when I was four-and-a-half. It was like the day I realized I had hips. It was—in a weird way—like...