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
“I already tried the softer way. It didn’t work!” I tell her. And besides, I’m a debater—I have principles!
“I know and this is so fucked up. I’m so sorry,” Ming says. “But you gotta remember, we’re not like other students.”
I swallow.
“When we fall, we free fall . . . ,” Ming reminds me.
I get off the phone with Ming and stare back at my computer. Slowly I tap Reply. I start the email calmly and cordially, like Ming suggested, trying to hold back. But then the debater in me takes over.
To: Bill Connelly
From: Danielle De La Cruz
Subject: Re: Checking in
Hi Mr. Connelly,
I was confused to receive your email. I don’t think you understand the magnitude of what happened this weekend. Maybe you had too much to drink, but I was sober. You tell me that you believe in me, that you see something special in me and you’re willing to train me, but when you do or say things that make me think you may be interested in something else, it hurts my ability to trust you.
Going forward, I hope you’ll have as much respect for me as I do for you.
Your student,
Dani
PS. Please note I will no longer be needing the private debate coaching sessions from you—thank you for those. I found them really helpful. But given what’s happened, I think it’s best to stick to our group training. I’ll still see you at training.
My fingers sit on the keys when I’m done. I stare at the words, wanting to cover them and, at the same time, wanting to make the font big AF. I reread the email, mind running through Ming’s words and all the ramifications if I press Send—Snider, scholarship, Yale, future—all the while, my heart pumps, Do it!
My cursor jolts back and forth from Trash to Send.
Fuck the softer way.
I press Send.
Thirty-Three
Claire
After my dad dumps me at the restaurant, I wait in the chilly night for an Uber, teeth chattering in my short Dior dress. Finally, I manage to get one. I call Jess in the back of the Uber.
“Jess! I need you,” I whimper into the phone. I’m so sorry I got into that stupid fight with her over Emma Lau. I feel a sob building as I tell her what happened. “Can you believe the bastard just left me in the restaurant?”
“Hang on, girl, I’ll meet you at your place,” Jess says.
She’s waiting for me in my room when I get home. I take off my Dior dress and change into pj’s. Jess helps me wipe the mascara stains and makeup off me. We watch Chinese movies on my computer, cussing our trash dads. She sleeps over, the two of us talking late into the night until we finally fall asleep.