I blush but I also laugh. I spot Robin watching us from inside the classroom. I wave.

Robin gives us a hopeful smile.

We smile back.

“Should we go inside?” Penny asks.

“Let’s go,” I say, and take a step toward class.

“Abby!” Jonah says, appearing at my side. We go to the same school, but I almost never see him between classes since his grade is in another part of the building. He grabs on to my arm. “I’ve been trying to talk to you all morning.”

“What’s going on? What’s wrong? Did you lose your memories again?” I ask in a hushed tone.

“No,” he says. He wiggles his eyebrows. “The opposite.”

“What does that mean?” I ask.

“I know what Wallenta is,” he says.

“You do? What?”

“It’s the kingdom that Maryrose and Jax grew up in.”

“It is?” I ask. “They grew up in the same kingdom?”

“Yes,” he says. “They’re cousins! When Jax said he wasn’t going to apologize about what happened to his cousin in Wallenta, he wasn’t talking about Mr. Beast. He was talking about Maryrose!”

Wow. Finally, we know something about Maryrose! We know where she grew up. And that she has a mean, jealous cousin!

The second bell rings.

Wait a sec. “But, Jonah, how did you find that out?” I ask.

“Because it wasn’t just my memories that came back,” he says, walking away from me and smiling mischievously. “I got some of Maryrose’s, too.”

“What?” I ask incredulously.

He taps his head. “Maryrose’s memories! In here!”

And with those words, he disappears down the hall, leaving me staring after him in amazement.

Don’t miss Abby and Jonah’s next adventure, where they fall into the tale of The Frog Prince!

Look for:

Whatever After #8: ONCE UPON A FROG

Acknowledgments

Once upon a time there was an author who was very grateful for:

Aimee Friedman, Laura Dail, Tamar Rydzinski, Deb Shapiro, Becky Amsel, Abby McAden, David Levithan, Ellie Berger, Lori Benton, Tracy van Straaten, Jennifer Ung, Bess Braswell, Whitney Steller, Robin Baily Hoffman, Sue Flynn, Emily Cullings, Elizabeth Krych, Joy Simpkins, Elizabeth Parisi, Lizette Serrano, Emily Heddleson, Emily Jenkins, Cassie Homer, Elissa Ambrose, Aviva Mlynowski, Larry Mlynowski, Louisa Weiss, Robert Ambrose, the Dalven-Swidlers, the Finkelstein-Mitchells, the Steins, the Greens, the Adamses, the Wolfes, the Mittlemans, the Bilermans, Courtney Sheinmel, Anne Heltzel, Lauren Myracle, Emily Bender, Targia Alphonse, Rose Brock, Jess Braun, Lauren Kisilevsky, Bonnie Altro, Robin Afrasiabi, Jess Rothenberg, Stephen Barbara, Jennifer E. Smith, Robin Wasserman, Elizabeth Eulberg, Maureen Johnson, Adele Griffin, Milan Popelka, Leslie Margolis, Maryrose Wood, Tara Altebrando, Sara Zarr, Ally Carter, Jennifer Barnes, Alan Gratz, Avery Carmichael, Maggie Marr, Jeremy Cammy, and Farrin Jacobs.

Extra love and extra thanks to Chloe, Anabelle, and Todd.

Whatever After readers: You are all beauty queens.

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