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
“Well, try to tone it down, Coach Evans.” She laughs as she guides him over to the couch and coffee table. “Remember, I’m only in high school.”
Oh my God. Is Heather buying speeches from a college debate coach?
For the next half hour, I listen as Coach Evans feeds Heather line by line, exactly what she needs to say to win the debate. As they’re wrapping up, Heather’s mom walks down the stairs with her wallet. She pays him $500 cash.
“There’s a bonus if she makes it to Snider,” she says. “And of course the ten thousand dollars we talked about for the recommendation letter.”
Coach Evans nods as he puts the money into the pocket of his faculty jacket. The whole time, I’m sitting eight feet away, completely invisible to them, scrubbing at their ivory wool carpet until my finger is rubbed raw and the burgundy stain seeps deep into my nails.
Seven
Claire
In the weeks leading up to my departure date, my dad is home every night, my parents reunited by the happy news that I’m leaving for America. They take me to the agent, this guy who grins at me with yellow jigsaw teeth. He tells me everything’s all set for my arrival, and my host family’s so excited. My parents picked the De La Cruzes, figuring I’d be more comfortable living with a Filipino family, since Tressy has been taking care of me all my life. They take me to the consulate to get my visa. To the health insurance broker to get me international health insurance. My father gives me a platinum American Express credit card with an outrageously high limit and tells me to use it in emergencies. My mother tells me to use it whenever.
My grandmother throws me a goodbye party, which all my aunts and uncles come to. Nai Nai congratulates me on being the first of her grandkids to be educated abroad, while my parents stand by proudly and my cousins roll their eyes. I glance down at my phone. Teddy and I still haven’t talked since the day at the park. I can’t believe it’s really over.
My girlfriends and I go to sing karaoke one last time while my mom runs around town doing last-minute shopping. She gets me a new backpack from MCM, makeup from Shu Uemura, beauty products from Dior, and a Moncler jacket, which I put back in the bag.
“Mom, I told you, it’s always warm in LA,” I say.
She takes the jacket, adds it to my mountain of clothes and says, “You never know.” Then she dumps about a pound of pollution masks from Taobao on my bed.
I pick up one of the masks, confused.