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Back Salt and Sugar Save as PDF
Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. About the Author
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. EPILOGUE
  56. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My classmates look back at Pedro and me expectantly. But working together means having to work with him, and that—that’s impossible. It’s treason.

“I can’t work with him,” I tell Pimentel.

“And I can’t work with her,” he echoes.

“Can the rest of us solve the equation as a group without Larissa?” Luana asks Pimentel, patting Diego on the shoulder to comfort him.

I glare at Luana, and she raises a perfectly tweezed eyebrow at me in defiance.

“No, everyone needs to work together,” Pimentel says.

Diego looks hurt. “Pedro, it’s just for one minute,” he begs, his hands clasped in front of him. But even though Pedro clearly feels bad for him, his answer is still no. Diego then turns to me. “Please? Please?!”

I feel all eyes on me. Waiting for my answer.

“Sorry. I can’t.”

My classmates let out an annoyed grunt, and Diego dramatically rolls into a fetal position on the floor, looking as upset as when my homemade lollipop chipped his tooth years ago.

“In that case,” Pimentel says, looking disappointed, “I’m sorry everyone. Class dismissed.”

12

MONDAY, APRIL 25

During recess, I stand outside the principal’s office, shifting from foot to foot.

Pimentel has been in there forever with Pedro and the principal. I know Principal Oliveira talks, but recess is nearly over and there’s still no sign of this meeting wrapping up.

“No wonder no one wants to be friends with her, she only thinks of herself,” Luana said as she pushed past me to exit the classroom. Her words have been playing in my head ever since. And to think that we liked to play dress-up together when we were little. Her mom uses their living room as a hair salon, and Luana used to swipe brushes and makeup for makeovers that turned both of us into macaws, her fingertips smeared with bright eye shadow that left fingerprints all over her mom’s furniture. She’d always take full blame, even when I tried to defend her.

Now she hates me. Everyone does. Even though Pedro refused to work together, too.

I grab my phone as I wait, pretending to text someone so I can try to ignore my classmates hissing “Salty” at me as they walk past.

No wonder no one wants to be friends with her.

Tears start to fill my eyes. I wish I didn’t care what these bullies think. But I can’t deny that I do care. I need to fix this disaster. Besides, my classmates shouldn’t have to pay for the consequences of my feud with Pedro.

After many chewed fingernails, the door finally opens.

I catch a glimpse of Pedro’s back and Principal Oliveira’s expression, staring at him like she’s trying to solve a difficult puzzle.

Pimentel steps outside, closing the door behind her. I guess the principal isn’t done with Pedro yet.