Chapters (93)
- Cover
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Sixty-Six
- Sixty-Seven
- Sixty-Eight
- Sixty-Nine
- Seventy
- Seventy-One
- Seventy-Two
- Seventy-Three
- Seventy-Four
- Seventy-Five
- Seventy-Six
- Seventy-Seven
- Seventy-Eight
- Seventy-Nine
- Eighty
- Eighty-One
- Eighty-Two
- Eighty-Three
- Eighty-Four
- Eighty-Five
- Author’s Note
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
- Books by Kelly Yang
- Back Ad
- About the Publisher
“When did you decide this?” I ask her.
“When she took the plunge and came out to all her friends,” Ming says. “I’m so proud of her. Her parents are gonna be at the concert too.”
“I’m so happy you’re finally going to tell your parents. Are you scared?” I ask.
Ming shrugs. “What’s the worst that can happen? We’re already a continent apart, right?” She pauses and adds, “And it’s not like they can cut off my tuition . . . I’m already on a scholarship.”
“True,” I chuckle. She points to the donation pamphlet.
“What’s that?”
“Oh, I’m still trying to figure out the connection between xomegan.com and the school,” I say. I look up and see Heather. I quickly put the donation book away as she walks by.
“Can’t wait to see you lose at Snider, Thunder Girl,” she hisses.
I roll my eyes, sick and tired of her harassing me. “Can’t wait to see you get busted for lying on your college applications.”
Heather stops walking. “What did you say?” she asks.
“Buying recommendation letters?” I turn to Ming. “What do you think? Is that a felony?”
“It’s got to be,” Ming says, nodding.
The blood on Heather’s face drains. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I reach into my backpack and take out the hideous rubber hand she stuffed into my locker.
“Here, you can keep it.” I throw it at her. “Unlike you, I don’t need a helping hand.”
Ming high-fives me as Heather walks away.
I grin and go to put the donation pamphlet back. As I’m placing it on the shelf, I thumb through it one last time. I stop on a page called Headmistress’s Circle. It’s a list of major donors who gave more than one million dollars to the school last year. There are five names I don’t recognize on the list, followed by a company name.
Phoenix Capital Limited.
That’s the private equity fund that’s one of the shareholders of xomegan.com! According to the pamphlet, last year they donated a whopping 1.5 million dollars to the school. Why would a private equity fund donate $1.5 million to a random private school in East Covina?
The band room shakes with the cacophony of voices and instruments as Mr. Rufus tells us to settle down. He announces he’s making some changes to our seating arrangement for the spring concert this Saturday. I sit up, putting the donation pamphlet I’d borrowed from the library back in my backpack. I pick up my flute. Please don’t move me away from Zach. Please don’t move me away from Zach.
“Zach,” he calls out.
I look over at Zach, sitting on his chair texting. He looks up, distracted.
“I’m making you fourth-chair clarinet,” Mr. Rufus tells him. “Go ahead and move one chair over.”