I

ready to fall asleep on my face when the fin

parking lot. Most of the Ravenlake kids are clambering into Range Rovers and BMWs, pee

to meet here after school so we could take the bus bac

ater hanging over her arm. She has on the black polo and pants that all of the Ravenlake Prep non-teaching staff wear, and I wa

ng mean to me, but my mom is a hard worker and a good parent, and she doesn't deserve to be on the receivi

bout heartache. Not like sh

rs as it so often is, but when she hears the crunch of my steps o

rl. How was y

ug. "

make any

t. Only time will tell if they are actually going to be my frie

mit. "I think I'm really g

hat wraps around the school to the side parking lot where she parked our ancient, rusted-out Honda. "Y

ing. Both Mom and I tu

lowing as she sticks her head through the window and waves to me and my mom. "Can

out it, she pats me on the shoulder and waves away her own question. "I can

house tonight too if that's

and kisses my forehead. "I'll

door. I climb in, feeling a little guilty about leaving Mo

f the parking lot, leaving Ravenlake Prep i

She lives in a gated community-duh

en romance novel-stone walls, extravagant landscapi

er, is another lev

kle. Her bed frame is also white and tufted with a fluffy white comforter and pink accents. A pink, oversized chai

re isn't a bit of boring, bland space in the room. Every

all bench in the middle of the room and rack upon rack of designer clothe

s how my mouth has fallen open. "Seriously. Bec

's h

the party was going t

rying on clothes, twisting my hair into a hundred different styl

or support. It is softer than my bedsheets and some

can tell she is growing frustrated

little 'stereotypical quirky girl' to wear beat-up s

my familiar high-tops back on. Then, I walk ov

my shoulder, holding up two triangular bits of fabric to cover my boobs. The neckline plunges low

tion Cora has. All of h

ty, but I feel n

my shoulders. "That's how

she is grinning at me and having such a

and party preparations have helped me tak

party will wi