Chapters (68)
- Cover
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- One
- Two
- Chapter One
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Chapter Two
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Chapter Three
- Ten
- Eleven
- Chapter Four
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Chapter Five
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Chapter Six
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Chapter Seven
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Chapter Eight
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Chapter Nine
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Chapter Ten
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Chapter Eleven
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Chapter Twelve
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Chapter Thirteen
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Chapter Fourteen
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Chapter Fifteen
- The Following Summer
- About the Author
- About the Publisher
Ali stayed put. “That’s right,” she called after him. “Run away! That’s what Sloanes do!”
Alfie disappeared into the fog. Ali wrapped her arms around herself and began to cry. Why had she been so mean? Things had started so well for her in Saint John, but she’d ruined everything. For someone who could be anyone, she realized there was one thing she couldn’t be: happy.
Ali was relieved to find Digger the dog asleep in front of the fireplace when she slipped into the house. She wasn’t ready to talk about her day. Since everyone always said “quiet as a mouse,” Ali set her knapsack on a chair, morphed into a brown mouse, and snuck upstairs. She was scurrying past Gigi’s room when her great-grandmother called out to her.
“Alison, is that you?”
How Gigi heard her was a mystery, but Ali switched back into herself and stepped into Gigi’s bedroom. Gigi was in her chair, staring out the window.
“How are you?” Ali asked, leaning over to kiss Gigi’s wrinkled cheek.
“Surviving. You, on the other hand, look terrible.”
Ali didn’t try to deny it. “Today was the worst day of my life. Everybody hates me.”
“You must have done something horrible; there are lots of students at Princess Elizabeth School and you’ve been there only a couple of weeks.”
Ali collapsed onto the floor and buried her face against Gigi’s knees. “Things were supposed to be better here, but it’s the worst place ever. Except for living with you,” she added, looking up at Gigi with tearstained cheeks.
“That goes without saying. Want to talk about it?”
“Do I have to?”
“I find talking things out helps. Why don’t you start at the beginning?”
What was the beginning? Debate team? Meeting Alfie? Becoming friends with Emily? Turning into a Copycat? Disappointing Murray and Cassie? Arguing with Alfie?
“I never should have joined the debate team.”
“Why did you?”
“To meet Alfie, and then I pretended to like it because he did. But I hate public speaking; I’m terrible at it.”
“I was terrible at first too.”
The idea that Gigi could be terrible at anything shocked Ali. “Every time I do it, my stomach hurts.”
“Then don’t do it.”
“But they’re counting on me.”
“They’ll get over it. That’s one problem solved. What’s next?”