And on and on and on. People kept adding more, secrets and stories and facts into the hundreds. Some wrote from anonymous accounts, but many didn’t. Each time Sophie checked, there were more. And on each comment were a dozen responses. Girls saying “I feel that way, too!” or “I’m so sorry about your brother” or “I want a lime soul! So neat!”

The list had officially been replaced. And this time, every girl was on it.

Sophie read and reread her favorite line in what Eve had written about her:

Sophie Kane, a girl with the courage of an army inside her.

That night, as she sat with her mom by the sewing machine, working on their new project—a red jacket for Bella for the spring—Sophie Kane announced, “Mom. I’d like to have friends from Ford over during winter break. They won’t think less of me.”

Her mom stopped fiddling with the spool and sighed. “Honey, I—” she began, like Sophie didn’t already know.

“Mama,” she said, calling her what she’d called her until she was just a little older than Bella. “I know you didn’t want my friends coming over here because you just didn’t want me to be bullied.”

Her mom opened her mouth as if to speak, but didn’t.

“But these kids … they’re not like that. And I’m not ashamed of Silver Ledge or anything. I’m proud of you.”

Her mom didn’t have to say “I love you” or “I’m proud of you, too,” because her eyes did. Because everything she did in life showed Sophie how she felt about her.

“Okay, baby girl. Okay.” After a beat, her mom lifted up a bag of bright red buttons. “Perfect for Bel, right?”

“Perfect.” Sophie smiled.

50

NESSA

On New Year’s Eve, it snowed. Flakes dotted Eve’s curls as Eve and Nessa hopped out of Nessa’s dad’s car.

“Are you ready to see him if he comes?” Nessa asked her.

“I think so.” Eve gazed up at the sky. “I love how purply orange the sky gets when the snow falls at night.”

“It’s nice.” Back to business. “Are you gonna forgive him, because he knew not what he did?”

Eve laughed.

Another car pulled up, and Lara and Erin tapped on the windows from inside Erin’s parents’ car.

Erin came down the ramp with a noisemaker in her mouth and a party hat.

“She’s been blowing that thing nonstop. Please help me,” Lara deadpanned. Lara wore a white flower headpiece in her hair.

“You’re the classiest person I know,” Nessa told her, nodding to the flower.

“And you’re the cutest,” Lara said, taking Nessa’s hand and twirling her around.

“Is you-know-who coming?” Lara asked as they all headed into the building together.

“I think so,” Nessa answered.

“His apology was really nice,” Erin told them. “I milked it for all it was worth. He felt really bad.”

“Yeah, he wrote me an actual letter,” Lara said. “In the mail. I liked the whole pigeon-carrier feel to it.”