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Back The Copycat Save as PDF
Chapters (68)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Epigraph
  4. One
  5. Two
  6. Chapter One
  7. Three
  8. Four
  9. Five
  10. Six
  11. Chapter Two
  12. Seven
  13. Eight
  14. Nine
  15. Chapter Three
  16. Ten
  17. Eleven
  18. Chapter Four
  19. Twelve
  20. Thirteen
  21. Fourteen
  22. Chapter Five
  23. Fifteen
  24. Sixteen
  25. Chapter Six
  26. Seventeen
  27. Eighteen
  28. Nineteen
  29. Chapter Seven
  30. Twenty
  31. Twenty-One
  32. Twenty-Two
  33. Chapter Eight
  34. Twenty-Three
  35. Twenty-Four
  36. Twenty-Five
  37. Chapter Nine
  38. Twenty-Six
  39. Twenty-Seven
  40. Chapter Ten
  41. Twenty-Eight
  42. Twenty-Nine
  43. Thirty
  44. Thirty-One
  45. Chapter Eleven
  46. Thirty-Two
  47. Thirty-Three
  48. Thirty-Four
  49. Thirty-Five
  50. Chapter Twelve
  51. Thirty-Six
  52. Thirty-Seven
  53. Thirty-Eight
  54. Chapter Thirteen
  55. Thirty-Nine
  56. Forty
  57. Forty-One
  58. Forty-Two
  59. Chapter Fourteen
  60. Forty-Three
  61. Forty-Four
  62. Forty-Five
  63. Forty-Six
  64. Forty-Seven
  65. Chapter Fifteen
  66. The Following Summer
  67. About the Author
  68. About the Publisher

The spot she found today was perfect: to her right were two kids—a boy and a girl—who smiled at her when she sat down, then resumed their heated debate about interstellar travel. They seemed familiar, which meant they were probably in one of her morning classes. To her left, three girls whispered and painted their fingernails. They didn’t glance up when Ali sat down next to them. She’d chosen well.

Eating lunch alone wasn’t horrible, thanks to a rule she’d created in fourth grade at Lawrence Station School: Always carry a book. You were never alone when you had a book. She pulled The Golden Compass out of her knapsack. She and Gigi had started a book club two years ago because Gigi thought it would give them something to talk about during their weekly phone calls. So far, they’d read the Anne of Green Gables books and the first two Harry Potters. The book club kept going after Ali moved in, and the latest book was The Golden Compass. Ali was anxious to read whenever she got the chance. Gigi was the faster reader and had a tendency to share spoilers. Lyra’s adventures didn’t erase Ali’s cafeteria loneliness, but they did make it bearable.

“Emily Arai!” someone squealed.

Ali glanced up and saw a bunch of girls chasing a boy with a basketball. She didn’t need to know who they were to know they were popular. She recognized the girl named Emily from homeroom, because when Ms. Ryder had read her name, Ali had thought it was pretty. Plus, like every popular kid Ali had ever known, Emily had a hidden spotlight that shone on her at all times, so you couldn’t help but notice her.

The five of them did another loop around the cafeteria, only this time the boy skidded to a stop next to interstellar boy and girl. The girls smashed into him, and uproarious laughter ensued.

Basketball boy pointed at interstellar boy. “We could use you on the team this year.”

The girls disentangled themselves and nodded to interstellar boy. Ali knew she shouldn’t stare at popular kids, so she began to read again, allowing herself a quick grin when interstellar girl muttered, “As if.”

Interstellar boy laughed. “You know I hate sports, Tom. Now if you want to play Dungeons and Dragons . . .”

“But you’re like the tallest guy in grade seven,” Tom whined. “We could use you.”

“Sorry.” Interstellar boy did sound apologetic.

Tom didn’t seem to want to take no for an answer. “It’s not because you don’t want to leave your girlfriend, is it?”