STARTING OVER

One

"Dana, I said let's take it from the beginning again, OK? We're doing 'Meltdown.'"

Dana Larson was startled out of her thoughts. Guy Chesney, the keyboard player for The Droids, Sweet Valley High's most popular band, was looking at her impatiently, waiting for her to snap out of her reverie.

"Hey, sorry, you guys," The Droids' leader singer said with a self-mocking smile. "I guess I was in outer space for a minute there," she added, looking around at the familiar faces in the basement of lead guitarist Max Dellon's house.

"Yeah, well, come on back to Sweet Valley, OK? That's where we're practicing—at least for this Friday afternoon."

Dana smiled weakly. She had been far away. She was thinking about her cousin, Sally Larsonwho was arriving that night to live with Dana's family for a while. Dana hadn't seen Sally since they were very small. Back then, Dana had envied Sally. After all, she was a year older than Dana and it seemed to make a big difference. But she didn't envy Sally any more

After Sally's father had left home thirteen years before, Sally's mother had remarried and given her up to a foster home. When that hadn't worked out, she was sent to another.

For years, Dana's cousin had been bouncing from one home to another. She'd even had to drop back a year in school, because she'd missed so much. Who knew how all that shuffling around had changed Sally, Dana mused.

As she forced her attention on rehearsal, Dana was still preoccupied. She wasn't sure how to break the news to her friends in the band. They were just about the most important people in her life: The Droids spent so much time together, practicing for and playing gigs, that they were like a second family to Dana. So she wanted to tell them about Sally.

The only problem was that Sally's situation was embarrassing. A father who was a bum, no real home, a year behind in school. Sure, it wasn't Sally's fault, but...

They ran through "Meltdown," but Dana couldn't really concentrate. When they had finished, Dana said, "Listen, everybody, I've got an announcement to make."She ran her fingers through her cropped hair. It felt strange to be nervous about talking to the other Droids.

Dana looked at her fellow band members. Emily Mayer was sitting behind the drums, beating a tempo softly on the rim of a snare. In the corner, Max Dellon was leaning against his amplifier with his guitar hanging in front of him, and Dan Scott, the bass guitarist, was sitting next to him on another amplifier. Behind the keyboard, Guy was picking out a quiet melody.

"So, what's the big announcement, Dana?'' Guy asked finally, looking up from the keys.

She laughed. "I don't know why I'm making such a big deal about it. I just wanted to tell you that my cousin Sally is coming to stay with my family for a while. She'll be going to school here."

Quiet, dark-haired Emily smiled. "Hey, that's great, Dana! Think she'll want to watch us practice?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Dana looked from one band member to another. "I hadn't thought about it, but if you guys don't mind, maybe it would be a good way to get her involved, get right into the action." She was greeted by nods and smiles.

"Sure, no problem," Max said. "It never hurts to have a fresh ear listen to us, keep us from getting lazy, you know? Does she play?"

''Well, actually, I don't know." Dana laughed, a little embarrassed. "I don't really know too much about her, to tell the truth. I haven't even seen her since we were little."

Emily spoke again. "How old is she?"

That was one direct question Dana didn't want to answer. "She's a junior," she said, after a moment's hesitation.

Dan, who was sorting through some sheet music, looked up. "So when do we get to check her out?"

"Well, she's coming tonight, so Monday, I guess. I'll bring her to practice, OK?"

The Droids nodded. "Sure, no problem," Guy repeated. "Let's call it quits for today, anyway.I told Lynne I'd take her to dinner."

Dana breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't know why she was so nervous. She told herself firmly that Sally would probably turn out to be a great kid and she'd really like her.

The band busied itself, putting away instruments and picking up school books. But Dana was still distracted. She couldn't stop thinking about Sally, wondering what she would be like and how they would get along.What would she look like? Would Sally like old movies as much as Dana did? What kind of music did she listen to?

She became more excited when she got home. In a few hours, another person would be living there. She went into the kitchen for a snack and found her brother, Jeremy, pouring himself a bowl of cereal. Jeremy was a year older than Dana and was a senior at Sweet Valley High.

"I can't believe Sally will be here tonight," Dana said, getting a bowl and spoon and pouring some cereal for herself. She hopped up on a stool and reached for the new issue of Rolling Stone. Anticipation was making it hard for her to concentrate, and she barely glanced at the articles in her favorite magazine. Finally, she gave up trying to read. "I just can't believe it," she said, taking a spoonful of cereal.

Jeremy grunted. "Yeah. Me neither."

"Hey, come on, Jer." She looked into her brother's dark brown eyes, which were clouded with annoyance. "Aren't you kind of excited about it? Don't you wonder what kind of person she is? Whether you'll like her?"

"No," he said.

"Jeremy, I mean, it'll be like having another sister."

"Ha!" He snorted, bringing the spoon to his mouth. "That's all I need is another sister," he mumbled through a mouthful of cornflakes.

"Sorry! I didn't know it was such a burden to live with me."

"Well, come on," he complained. "I mean, out of the blue comes this cousin we haven't seen in years, and I get talked out of my room and have to move into the attic. The attic!"

Dana made a sour face at her brother. "Oh, Jerry, lighten up. You know the attic is like a whole separate apartment. It'll be much better living up there."

"Yeah, well, I wish Mom and Dad would lay off about this whole welcome wagon stuff," Jeremy stormed on. "You'd think she was some kind of princess or a cripple or something. 'Be nice, kids'," he mimicked in a high voice. "Try to be sensitive and thoughtful. Sally's had a hard time.' God, I'm already sick of her!"

Dana stared at him in surprise. "What's gotten into you?"

He placed his bowl in the sink with a clatter. "Nothing. There are just too many people in my life already, OK? I'm going over to Mark's." Facing his sister, he added defiantly, "And I may stay for dinner."

"All right. Jeez, chill out, Jerry. You don't have to get so wired up about it." Dana raised her eyebrows and gave her brother a quizzical look. "It's none of my business, but you probably should be home before Sally gets here."

Jeremy answered by walking out of the house and slamming the door.

Elizabeth Wakefield sat on her bed, pen and notepad on her lap, lost in thought. The article she was writing for The Oracle, Sweet Valley High's student newspaper, was giving her an unusual amount of trouble, and she was having a hard time concentrating.

Standing up to stretch, she wandered over to the window, eager for a distraction. As she scanned the shady, tree-lined street below, she saw Jeremy Larson ride by on his bike. His face looked like a thundercloud, and he was pedaling furiously.

She stared after him for a moment, lost in thought. After a few minutes, she felt refreshed enough to get back to her article. But shortly afterward, she heard the squeal of tires outside and a car door slamming. She shook her head. "Here comes Jessica," she said softly, an affectionate smile on her lips.

"Elizabeth!" Jessica Wakefield burst into her twin sister's room, panting after her dash through the house and up the stairs. She looked quickly from side to side and then ran to the window.

Elizabeth laughed. "What's wrong, Jess? Is somebody following you?"

Her sister whirled around to face her, her blond hair swirling around her shoulders. "It's an emergency!" she hissed.

"Oh?" Elizabeth wasn't alarmed. Her sister's emergencies were hardly ever more serious than an occasional lip-gloss shortage.

"What's happened this time? Some cute guy didn't look at you during cheerleading or something?"

Jessica folded her arms and looked at her twin imploringly. "Liz, you never take me seriously. Please, for once, will you believe me?"

Elizabeth took one look at her sister's serious expression and stopped smiling. She never meant to hurt her twin. Their special bond made it painful for her if her sister's feelings were hurt, even if Jessica didn't always seem to have the same regard for her. "I'm sorry, Jess, I was just teasing you. Really," she said. "What's wrong?"

Jessica squeezed her hands together and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She was worried, anxious, and excited. "I've got—" Her blue-green eyes opened wide, and she burst out, "I brought home a puppy!"

Elizabeth's mouth dropped open in utter disbelief. "What? Jessica, you can't do that without asking Mom and Dad first!"

"I know," Jessica admitted, biting her lip. Then her face lit up with a brilliant smile. "But they won't even be back from that resort until Sunday night, and it might be too late then. Just come and look at him, Lizzie. A man had all these puppies in a box at the game, and he was just giving them away! He's the most adorable thing you ever saw. Really!"

"The man or the puppy?"

"Liz! The puppy!"

Elizabeth shook her head, smiling in spite ofthe seriousness of what Jessica had done. "But,Jessica, you don't even like dogs. Rememberhow much you hated taking care of Mrs. Bramble's dog?"

"Liz, that was ages ago. We were in sixth grade. I love dogs now."

Elizabeth's raised eyebrows should have conveyed some skepticism to Jessica. The episode with Mrs. Bramble had been a fiasco. Jessica, who had promised to take care of the old woman's dog, had tied it up, then sneaked away to a rock concert, and it had broken loose and run away. It was a miracle the incident had ended happily.

Now Jessica was looking at Elizabeth earnestly. "I really do love dogs now, honest. Especially this one.”

"Jess, you've really outdone yourself this time."

"Oh, Liz, you're smiling. That means it's OK. Come on," she cried, grabbing her twin's hand and trying to pull her from the bed. "Please come look at him." She grinned. "I promise that if you don't absolutely adore him the minute you see him, I'll take him right back."

Elizabeth laughed. "OK, OK! You're dislocating my shoulder!" she teased, standing up.

"Oh, you're the most wonderful sister in the whole universe!" Jessica shrieked. She threw her arms around Elizabeth and then grabbed her hand again.

With Elizabeth in tow, Jessica raced down the stairs of the Wakefields' split-level home and out to the street. "There!" Jessica cried triumphantly, her arms extended.

At the curb was the girls' red Fiat convertible. Though it was a glorious day, the top was up. Elizabeth soon realized why. A pudgy little golden Labrador pup, tail wagging exuberantly, was standing on the passenger seat. His front paws rested on the window, which was open enough to allow him air.

Elizabeth stared, trying to take in every feature of the puppy at once. He had brown eyes and a healthy share of fat underneath his golden yellow fur. He seemed to be grinning with pure delight as he looked at the twins. Elizabeth was captivated.

"Ohhh," she murmured, opening the door. The puppy promptly fell out and then scrambled into her waiting arms as she sat down. He grunted and yipped in ecstasy as Elizabeth fondled his silky ears.

Her eyes shining, Elizabeth looked up at Jessica. "Oh, Jess, he's the most..." She looked down at the puppy squirming in her lap.

"I told you," Jessica said. She was grinning as she reached for the dog and folded him in her arms. "This is without question the most beautiful, lovable, adorable, darling, sweet— " She broke off breathlessly, out of words to describe him. "Puppy in the whole world," she concluded. She gave him a loud kiss.

"You're right," Elizabeth whispered. She couldn’t take her eyes off the puppy. And she couldn't stop smiling.

А car drove past, reminding the girls that they should get their new dog inside.

"Now listen, Liz. I know I should have asked first," Jessica began, as she pushed the door open. "But since Mom and Dad are away for the weekend, I figured we could keep him and hide him, then show them after we've had him for a while." She turned innocent eyes on her sister. "Once they see he's no trouble, they'll say yes. I'm sure of it."

Elizabeth smiled skeptically. "No trouble, Jess? Is he housebroken?"

A momentary look of confusion crossed Jessica's face as they stood in the hallway. She looked at the puppy and bit her lip nervously. But she quickly recovered and widened her eyes. "Liz! How could you even think I'd bring an unhousebroken puppy into our home?" Her face took on a look of hurt innocence. "But just in case he can't wait," she added hastily, "maybe we'd better get some newspaper."

"Jessica! Are you sure he's housebroken? Or at least paper-trained?"

Jessica shrugged. "Oh, don't worry about it. He must be. Let's just be prepared—for emergencies or something."

"Hmmm. Yes, I think we'd better." Elizabeth eyed the puppy with a mixture of nervousness and tenderness. "You're such a doll, little puppy," she crooned as she tickled him under his chin. "But what are we going to do with you?"

He looked up at her with adoring, luminous eyes. The girls laughed with delight.

"He'll stay in my room," Jessica stated firmly.

"But, Jess," Elizabeth warned. "He can't stay there when Mom and Dad get home. They'll find him.”

Jessica hugged the puppy close. "I'II think of something, Liz. I will. Besides, no one evergoes in my room."

She was right about that, Elizabeth thought.Jessica's room usually looked like an earthquake zone, and Mrs. Wakefield had long ago given Jessica her last lecture on neatness. But even if someone did go in, anything as small as the puppy would probably be hidden under mounds of clothes.

"And I'll take such good care of him," Jessica added earnestly. "I really will."

Elizabeth shook her head. She had never seen Jessica so serious about taking on responsibility, but she was sure that keeping the puppy a secret from their parents would be utterly impossible. On the other hand, Jessica had pulled off a lot more outrageous stunts than this in the past. Elizabeth walked into the living room with Jessica behind her.

She tickled the puppy again. "Now you stay quiet and be on your best behavior, sweetheart."

"That’s right," Jessica added, rocking him in her arms like a baby. "Because we want to keepyou right here with us."

In response to that, the pup squirmed out of Jessica's arms and landed on the floor, rolling into the coffee table. Elizabeth lunged forward to grab a vase of flowers just as it skidded across the slick surface to the edge, and Jessica tackled the dog before it could scurry into the hall. For one suspended moment, the two girls stared at each other, scarcely daring to breathe.

Then the dog yipped twice and licked Jessica's face. Both girls burst into laughter.

Two

"We're almost there, Sally. We'll be home in about five minutes."

Sally Larson smiled gratefully at her uncle Hal. Home, she echoed in her mind. Could she really be coming home at last? Could this beautiful, quiet town really be hers?

She settled back against the car seat and looked out the window at the beautiful California town. It seemed that each house was prettier than the last.

Whatever happens, please don't make me leave again, she prayed silently. Please let me stay here. I want a home so much.

Some of the places she had lived before could have been homes. But none of them had worked out. She knew it wasn't her fault. Some people just couldn't adjust to having a new person moving in with their families.But fault or no fault, she'd always had to leave, to move to yet another foster home.

They passed two little boys on bikes. The kids were laughing and calling out to each other in the dim early evening light, and a large, shaggy dog bounded happily along beside them. A sprinkler doused the car briefly as they drove past, and a man stood on his porch, smoking a pipe.

Sally pressed her lips together to keep them from trembling. I'm going to make this work, she vowed to herself. I'll do anything, anything, to make Uncle Hal and Aunt Anne glad I came. And Dana and Jeremy, too, she added.

What about Dana and Jeremy? she wondered. What would they be like? Would they like her? Would they be glad she'd come?

Before she had time for any more speculation, Mr. Larson pulled into the driveway and stopped the car. "Here we are, Sally," he said, smiling. "All set?"

Sally swallowed hard and bravely returned her uncle's smile. She couldn't even bring herself to look up at the house, afraid it would mysteriously disappear if she did.

"Hey, don't worry," he said, seeming to sense her nervousness. He tousled her hair and then gently lifted her chin with his finger. "You'll be just fine, Sally. Honest."

The flood of gratitude Sally felt almost overwhelmed her. But she didn't want her uncle Hal to think she was a crybaby—or even worse, that she was unhappy about the arrangements— so she gritted her teeth. "OK, I guess—" she broke off, trying to gain control of her emotions.

'That's my girl. Let's go!"

Gripping her shoulder bag tightly, Sally followed her uncle up the slate walk to the front door. He opened it and then stepped aside to wave her through.

"Sally, I'm so glad you're here." An attractive woman stepped forward and kissed her on the forehead. "I'm your aunt Anne."

Sally, unused to any kind of affection, blushed, but she basked in the warmth of her aunt's tender smile. Her aunt looked much as she remembered her from years before and from photographs she'd seen.

"Hello," she managed to say in a subdued voice. "Thank you so much for inviting me."

"Oh, not at all! You're part of our family, Sally. And you remember that," Mrs. Larson chided. "And this is Dana."

Sally looked quickly in the direction her aunt indicated, almost expecting to see the same girl she had played with when they were kids. But standing in another doorway was a tall, leggy blond, whose pretty features were crowned by an outrageous hairstyle. She was wearing skintight, black stirrup pants and a gold lame dinner jacket, sleeves pushed up, over a black-and white-checked shirt.

Dana flashed a brilliant smile. "Hi, Sally. It's really great to see you again."

For a moment, Sally was speechless. Was this chic, sophisticated girl, Dana? "Uh, hi," she stammered, suddenly feeling drab in her jeans and cardigan sweater. She looked around quickly. "Isn't—?"

Dana crossed her arms and rolled her eyes dramatically. "My dear brother Jeremy is late, as usual," she said with a grin. "But don't worry, you shouldn't be in too much of a hurry to meet him."

"Here we go!" Uncle Hal came back inside with a suitcase in each hand.

Sally stood in silence, trying to take everything in, the house, her aunt and uncle, and especially, Dana. She seemed so bright, so cool. She would almost be intimidating if she didn't also seem to be so friendly.

"Hey, why don't I show you your room?"

"Sure. Thanks."

Dana smiled again and picked up one suitcase. "It's this way."

As Sally followed her upstairs, Dana chattered. "Sweet Valley's a pretty good school, except for old Chrome Dome. That's Mr. Cooper, the principal. Man, can he be a drag! But we've got loads of good teachers, and all of the kids are great. You'll really like it. Anyway, this is it!"

Opening a bedroom door, Dana gestured grandly. "Your bedchamber, madam."

Sally giggled. "Thanks," she said, steppinginside. "Wow, this is really nice."

"You like it?" Dana bounded into the room and jumped on the bed. "It used to be Jerry's room, but he got moved up to the attic."

A stricken expression clouded Sally's face. "Oh, no! I don't want to put anybody out of their room or anything. I can sleep in the attic. Really."

Dana bounced on the mattress a few times, as if testing it. "Don't worry about it. He's a real grouch sometimes, but the attic is even better than this. Can I help you unpack?"

"Oh, no. I don't really have that much." Sally pointed at her two small suitcases.

"Then, I'll just stay and watch you unpack, OK?" said Dana.

The eager smile on Dana's face was too much to resist. Sally melted, delighted by her exuberant cousin. "Well, sure, if you really want to." She didn't want to seem rude or ungrateful, but she didn't want to be a bother.

"Great. So, anyway, what do you like to do?"

Sally shrugged, still shy. "I don't know, anything, I guess."

"Movies? I love old flicks. You know, the classics. Bergman, Bogart, Hitchcock..." Dana stretched luxuriously and sighed. "Ohhh, I love them. There's a great old theater in town, The Plaza. It's always got something good."

With a little nod, Sally looked at her cousin. "Sure," she said quietly. "I like movies."

"How about music? What sort of music do you like?"

Sally paused a moment as she was hanging up some blouses and skirts. "Well... I don't know," she said, turning around to face her cousin. "Anything, I guess." She colored slightly, thinking how dumb she must sound to Dana.

But her cousin didn't seem to notice. "Great. I'm in a band, you know. We're called The Droids. I'm the lead singer." Dana was lying face up on the bed, scissoring her legs back and forth above her.

Sally stared. Wow! A singer in a band, she thought. How could she ever impress somebody that sophisticated?

"And I told everybody I'd bring you to practice on Monday afternoon," Dana continued. "You could help out and stuff, too, if you want."

"Oh, uh, that's great," Sally said, using what seemed to be Dana's favorite word.

As Dana sat up, eyeing the contents of Sally's suitcase, all of Sally's old insecurities came back. She looked down at her conservative wardrobe, turtlenecks, oxford shirts, blue denim jeans, A-line skirts, a corduroy jumper. Then she glanced up quickly at her cousin's stylish clothes and haircut.She fingered her own brown shoulder-length hair nervously. It looked as if she would never fit in, she worried.

''Hey, listen, Sally, how about if I take you down to the Valley Mall tomorrow, and we can get you some new school clothes? I'm sure Mom would pay for it."

"Well..." Sally looked hesitantly at the clothes spilled out on the bed. She blushed, realizing that Dana must think they were shabby. "I don't want to be a bother. I've got enough stuff for school."

"Oh, come on! How can you pass up this golden opportunity?"

Sally looked at Dana's eager face and then back down at the plaid skirt in her hands. She knew she didn't have the greatest clothes in the world, but at least she felt comfortable in them. And she didn't want her aunt to think she was asking for a whole lot as soon as she arrived. But Dana really seemed to want to.

"Are you sure?"

The look on Dana's face erased all doubt. "No problem. It'll be—"

"Great?" Sally supplied with a shy smile. She couldn't believe she and her cousin were getting along so well so soon.

Dana laughed freely. "You've got it!"

Downstairs, Mr. and Mrs. Larson heard the back door slam. They exchanged a quick glance."Is that you, Jerry?" Mrs. Larson called out. "We're in the den."

Jeremy slouched into the room and stood leaning against the wall. He eyed his parents warily. "Is Miss Neglected Child here yet?"

Mr. Larson heaved an exasperated sigh, obviously trying hard not to get mad. "Yes, she is," he said, his voice tight. "And I might add I'm a little disappointed you weren't here when she arrived."

Rolling his eyes, Jeremy pushed himself away from the wall and took a seat, staring fixedly at the television. "Sorry," he mumbled grudgingly.

"Jeremy! How can you be so—so inconsiderate of your cousin's feelings?" His mother shook her head angrily. "The least you could have done—"

"I said I was sorry, OK? Give me a break."

Mr. Larson stood up and turned off the television, He faced his son angrily. "No, it is not OK, and I will not give you a break. We're talking about my niece, your cousin, and I would appreciate, no, I insist—" he emphasized, fixing Jeremy with a steely glare. "I insist that you treat her with respect and courtesy. I don't expect you to like her immediately, but you can at least go say hello and welcome her into your room."

The two locked eyes for a tense moment.

"Do it."

"All right, all right! Jeez!" Jeremy stood up,digging his hands in his pockets. He shrugged."I'll do it. Satisfied?"

Mr. Larson regarded his son. "No, but it'llhave to do for now."

"And so anyway, there's Max—we use his basement to practice in. He's the lead guitarist. And then— Oh, hi, Jeremy."

The two girls looked up from their positions sprawled on Sally's bed. Sally was slightly disturbed by the blank expression on Jeremy's face.It wasn't a scowl, certainly. But it sure wasn't a smile.

"Hi," she said with a tentative smile. "I'm Sally."

He nodded and looked over one shoulder. Then he glanced back at the girls. "Yeah. Hi. Like my room?"

Sally was stunned.

"Jeremy! You jerk, it's not your room anymore," Dana cried, jumping to Sally's defense.

"I'm sorry, Jeremy. I didn't mean for you to get kicked out on my account." Sally bit her lip. Things weren't getting off to such a hot start with Jeremy. She'd have to make a special effort to make him like her. "I'll switch with you, if you want."

Dana punched her. "Don't say that, dummy. He probably would." Then she stopped herself, seeing the look on Sally's face. "No, honest, he really wouldn't want to switch back now. Right, Jeremy?" She looked pointedly at her brother.

He met her gaze and then nodded slowly. "Yeah. I don't care."

There was an uncomfortable silence in the room for a moment. Sally looked down at her hands, wondering how on earth she could get around this bad first encounter with Jeremy.

Jeremy turned abruptly and headed for the attic.

Dana stared at the doorway for a moment longer, as if she expected him to reappear. Then she shook herself and drew a deep breath. "Boy, talk about the welcome wagon!"

She turned and looked quickly at Sally, whose head was still bowed.

"Hey, Sally, don't worry about him. He's always like that."

Sally looked questioningly into Dana's face. "You're not just saying that, are you?"

With a short laugh, Dana stood up. "I wish. Jeremy was born a drag."

Sally squared her shoulders. She had no choice but to believe her cousin. Otherwise, it meant Jeremy already disliked her, and she couldn't let that happen.

Later, when Sally was finally in bed, she fought off sleep long enough to recapture the last few hours of her day. Sweet Valley was even more than she'd dreamed of, she thought.It was so pretty, and everyone seemed so niceand happy. Except Jeremy, she added to herself, a frown creasing her forehead. She hoped she didn't make him unhappy. Maybe Dana was right. Maybe Jeremy was just a grouch all the time.

She smiled again, thinking about Dana's eagerness to take her shopping. Even if she didn't want new clothes, Sally wouldn't pass up the chance in a million years. If that was what Dana wanted to do, then she'd do it. She'd do anything to make sure she was welcome in the Larson home.

Sally snuggled down into the covers. "Sheets never felt this good," she murmured sleepily. No bed was ever this comfortable. No other town was so beautiful.

Three

"Don't you think malls are wild? They're like the new Main Street, USA, know what I mean?" Dana took a bite of a soft pretzel and gave Sally a huge grin.

Sally looked around her at the colorful storefronts. Old ladies and young mothers with strollers sat on the benches by the fountain. "Yeah, I'm sure a lot of people come here just to watch other people."

"Exactly. OK. Let's hit Lisette's. We can definitely find stuff for you there."

Following Dana, Sally took a deep breath, trying to prepare herself mentally. Shopping with Dana would be fun, she realized. But she also had a feeling that her cousin would want her to buy things that weren't really Sally's style. She was even more sure of it when they entered a store pulsing with music and filled with trendy clothing.

Sally stifled a sigh, glanced at her energetic, confident cousin, and came to a decision. If letting Dana pick out her clothes would help Dana accept her, Sally was ready to agree. She'd agree to anything to gain Dana's friendship.

"Oh, get this!" Dana cried, swooping down on a rack of jeans. She held out a pair of black denims, trying to judge how they would look on Sally. "Do you like them?"

"Yes, I do. Where do you try things on?" Sally looked around, feeling overwhelmed by the lights, colors, and music.

"Over there. And I'll look for more stuff while you're in there," Dana said, waving her on.

As Sally wandered off in search of the dressing rooms, she stared in amazement at the clothes around her. They were so offbeat—and expensive! She glanced at one price tag and shook her head in disbelief. She'd never been allowed to buy such expensive things. In fact, she had hardly ever bought new clothes. Most of what she had was hand-me-down stuff.

She closed the door of a cubicle, hurriedly pulled on the jeans, and studied her reflection in the mirror. They really weren't so wild, she decided. And she added firmly that she should dress more creatively, more like Dana. There was no reason to wear such boring clothes all the time.

"Sally, where are you?"

She jumped up, startled by Dana's voice. "In here."

Dana rattled the door. "Let me in."

Embarrassed, Sally unlatched the door to let her cousin into the tiny room. She wasn't used to having someone with her when she changed.

Dana's arms were laden with blouses, miniskirts, and pullovers in bright colors and patterns. "They're great." She turned her attention to the pile in her arms. "Try this," she commanded, pulling a pink sweatshirt out of the mess.

Sally took it without a word.

"And you can always pick up great things at thrift shops, too," her cousin continued. "And really cheap."

Turning away so Dana wouldn't see her burning face, Sally pulled on the sweatshirt. She'd had to buy lots of things at thrift shops over the years. And not because it was trendy.

"Let me see, let me see." Dana turned Sally around and surveyed her critically. Sally watched her cousin nervously as she was being examined. But all at once, Dana hugged her in a quick, affectionate embrace. "You look great, really."

A warm glow spread through Sally as her cousin beamed at her. It was heaven to be the center of Dana's attention. She was so lively, so spontaneous, so fun. Sally couldn't remember anyone ever making such a fuss over her before.

Overcoming her shyness, Sally returned the hug. "What else did you find?"

For the next few minutes the girls pored over the selection of clothes and made their decisions. Sally objected only once, when she realized how much it would all cost.

But Dana laughed away her worries. "Relax. Mom gave me her credit card. My folks are usually pretty strict with money, but every once in a while they let us go wild, you know?"

Although Sally had never been allowed to go "wild," she couldn't help catching Dana's high spirits, and decided to stop worrying. This seemed to be what Dana and her aunt wanted her to do, so she was happy to agree.

As they walked out of the store, she spoke up shyly. "Thanks, Dana, for helping me pick out these clothes. I've never had such a good time."

Dana paused for a moment, as if surprised. "No problem. I had fun, too."

Elizabeth glanced nervously over her shoulder as Jessica examined the dog collars. It was early for anyone they knew to be shopping, but it was still better to be cautious. At least the Perky Pet Shop was deserted. She looked back as Jessica spoke.

''How about those rhinestones? Aren't they cute?"

"Jess, don't you think it's a little tiny? You put that kind on a French poodle, not a Labrador."

"All right, all right.This one."

Elizabeth turned the brown studded collar over in her hands. "Hmmm. That's better."

"OK, then let's just get it and get out of here."

Jessica hurried to the cash register with the brown collar and a leash, and Elizabeth followed. After the night before, the collar had become their nurnber-one priority. Their pudgy little pup was turning out to be a master escape artist.He could wriggle out of their grasp in a moment. Being able to tie him to something was important. At least that was what Elizabeth had insisted.

"I still think it's cruel to tie up a little baby like that." Jessica pouted as she turned away from the cashier, package in hand.

"Jess, it's not like we're going to bind and gag him. It's just for safety. What if he got loose and ran into the street?"

Jessica stopped and faced her sister with a look of horror on her face. "Don't even say such a thing!"

"OK." Elizabeth laughed. "Let's go."

"Wait a second!" commanded Jessica in a hoarse whisper as they walked out of the shop.She grabbed Elizabeth's arm and held her back. "Maria Santelli and Sandra Bacon are over there. OK, they're gone. I wonder what they're doing at the mall so early?" she added.

Chuckling, Elizabeth began walking. "Talk about drama, Jess. You should be an actress."

"Elizabeth! Jessica! Wait up!"

The twins froze in their tracks, paralyzed by the voice calling their names. Turning around, Elizabeth saw Dana Larson and another girl walking toward them. She heard the paper bag rustle as Jessica whipped it behind her back.

"Hi, you guys," Dana called as she approached. She laid a hand on her companion's arm. "This is my cousin, Sally. She's just moved in with us."

Elizabeth smiled warmly at the pretty, dark-haired girl. "Dana told us you were coming. Welcome to Sweet Valley."

"Thanks," Sally answered, with a tentative smile of her own.

Elizabeth noticed the girl look from her to Jessica and laughed sympathetically. "Yes, we're identical twins."

"Oh, I didn't mean—" Sally began. She felt embarrassed that Elizabeth had noticed her staring at them. But it was hard not to stare, she thought. With their blond, shoulder-length hair, blue-green eyes and slender figures, they were both gorgeous.

Jessica tried to catch Elizabeth's eye. "It's really nice to meet you, but we've got to go now." She started to back away, but Dana stopped her.

"What are you being so mysterious about, Jessica? What are you hiding?" she teased, craning her neck to see around Jessica.

"Nothing!Nothing at all. We're just in a hurry, that's all!"

Dana wasn't giving up easily. "Come on, Jess," she said, folding her arms and tilting her head to one side. "Now it's a challenge. I'm not leaving you alone until you show me what you've got."

Elizabeth could tell her sister was getting desperate. She turned and stared steadily into Jessica's blue-green eyes. "Go ahead, Jess. It's no secret."

Jessica's eyes opened wider as she stared back at her sister.

"Just show them. It's really a joke," she explained, turning to Dana and Sally with a laugh. She took the bag and pulled out the dog collar. "See?"

Dana's forehead creased with surprise. "I didn't know you had a dog."

"Oh, we don't. It's for a costume. Right, Jess?"

Jessica relaxed visibly and reached for the collar. "Isn't it outrageous?" she asked, putting it around her own neck. "It's for a punk outfit. You should wear one at a concert sometime, Dana."

With a shrug, Dana laughed. "That's not a bad idea. Anyway, we've got to go. We have more shopping to do. See you on Monday."

Sally Larson, who had been silent, cast Elizabeth and Jessica a brief smile before turning away with her cousin. "It was nice meeting you."

"Sure. See you in school." As Elizabeth and Jessica watched them head for the other end of the mall, they both breathed a sigh of relief.

"Elizabeth Wakefield! You little con artist!" Jessica squealed, throwing her arms around her sister. "I never knew you had it in you!"

"Yeah, well, let's just get home so we don't have to go through that again, OK?"

Dana and Sally dropped their packages on Sally's bed. "Whew," Dana said, flopping down. "Talk about shopping fever."

She glanced over at her cousin, who was beginning to sort through the bags. Dana took in Sally's straight, shoulder-length hair with the middle part, her pale complexion, her sad eyes, and decided that clothes wouldn't be enough. Sally would need a new hairstyle, makeup, a whole new image.

"You know," Sally said, sitting down with a pair of new shoes in her lap. "This is so incredibly different from, well—" She broke off, searching for the right words. She faced Dana with a look of wonder on her face. "I've never lived in such a nice place before."

"Listen, forget about it, OK?" Dana said. "You live with us now, so you don't have to think about your old life. You can just pretend it never happened, right?" She paused, looking carefully at her cousin's face. "Right?" she insisted.

A look of surprise crossed Sally's features. "Oh, sure, I'll just try to forget about it."

There was an awkward pause as the two looked at each other. Dana wondered briefly if she had hurt Sally's feelings. But she decided it would really be better for everyone if Sally just forgot her past. It was so awful, she must want to.

"Listen, I've got a great idea!"

Sally's face brightened. For a moment, Dana felt guilty. Her cousin seemed so desperate to please her.

"How about if we do a makeover on you, huh? New life, new look, the works!" She beamed at Sally, suddenly impatient and eager for action. Her nature pushed her to go ahead and move.

Sally hesitated, then said, "All right. Thanks."

"OK, let's go to my room. Bring all your stuff so you can try it on."

Dana led the way into her own room, a sanctuary of old movie star posters and art prints, and yanked open bureau drawers. She threw hairbrushes, makeup, and costume jewelry onto her bed. Then she turned to Sally. "You sit there," she directed, pointing with a comb at a chair, "and we'll get to work."

Taking a long hard look at her cousin's face, Dana set to work skillfully with a can of styling mousse and a brush. "Would you mind if I cut your hair just a little?" she asked with a hopeful smile.

Sally hesitated a moment.

"Nothing outrageous. I promise!"

With an uncertain smile, Sally nodded. "Sure. My hair's totally boring anyway. Go ahead!

"Elizabeth and Jessica seemed really nice," Sally said a few minutes later, wincing under the force of Dana's hairstyling. "They're really pretty. But how can you tell them apart?"

Dana shrugged. "I don't know. You just do. After you've known them for a while, you will, too. You should have seen Jessica a couple of weeks ago. She dyed her hair black for some bizarre reason. Then there was no way you could mix them up. Hold still, all right?" She was enjoying taking control and didn't want to talk about anyone else.

They were silent for a few moments. Dana was focusing all her energy on Sally's hair and face. She had a vague, almost unconscious, desire to have Sally look up to her, to think of her as a role model. She would help Sally with clothes and makeup, introduce her to the right people, influence her taste in music, movies, and books.

By the time she was through, Sally would be a whole new person.

Then Sally spoke again. "I'm really excited about going to school on Monday. I feel like for once I'll be staying." She sighed and shifted slightly on the chair. "None of my other schools ever felt right, you know? I always knew I'd end up having to leave."

Behind Sally's back, Dana scowled. She was concentrating on creating a new Sally, but Sally insisted on bringing up the past. "Listen, I really think you should think about the future. And also," she added, coming around in front of Sally, "you should probably tell people you're sixteen. That way they won't know you had to stay back a grade."

She looked intently into Sally's face, searching for signs of agreement. After a moment, Sally dropped her eyes to her lap, and nodded. "If you say so, Dana."

With a sigh of relief, Dana nodded. Why complicate life?she told herself firmly, ignoring the little twinge of embarrassment she felt about Sally's past. "I think it's really the best thing to do."

Four

"How about Spot?" Jessica asked. It was Sunday afternoon, and she was sitting on the kitchen floor by the puppy.

"Spot? Are you kidding? He doesn’t have any spots, you dope."

"I know. That’s why it’s such a good name."

Elizabeth chuckled and turned away from the counter. She set a bowl of Puppy Chow down on the floor. The still-nameless puppy sniffed eagerly at the bowl and began to eat.

Taking a seat on the floor by her twin, Elizabeth watched the dog fondly. A shaft of late-afternoon sunshine slanted through one plant-filled window and lit the puppy’s golden fur. "Why don’t we give him a real name. It’s more dignified."

"Good idea," Jessica said, her expression thoughtful."Such as?"

Elizabeth thought for a moment. "Hmmm. How about something regal, something like…" She paused, looking into space. "How about Prince Albert? What do you think of that?"

Her sister considered it, stroking the puppy’s ears. "Prince Albert," she said experimentally. "Yeah. I like it. Prince Albert. Your Highness." She giggled, bowling to the puppy.

He looked up and wagged his tail. Jessica looked up at the celling. "You know, I can’t stand keeping this a secret." She looked at Elizabeth hopefully.

"Huh-uh, Jess. No way. We agreed."

"Not even Jeffrey?" Jessica asked with an arch smile.

A blush colored Elizabeth’s tanned cheeks. She still felt that special rush of pleasure whenever she thought of handsome, blond Jeffrey French.

He had movedto their California town from Oregon recently and had caused quite a sensation among the Sweet Valley High girls. At first, Elizabeth wasn’t interested in dating him. Eventually, though, he had won her over with his sincerity and charismatic personality.

It would be hard for her to keep a secret from Jeffrey. "OK," she conceded with a grin. "I’ll probably tell Jeffrey and Enid. But only because I trust them completely, and I hate to hide anything from them." Enid Rollins wasElizabeth’s best friend.

Jessica shrugged. "Are you trying to tell me I can’t trust my friends?" One look from Elizabethand she knew the answer. "All right, so maybe Lila and Cara have big mouths."

Their eyesmet suddenly as the same thought occurred to both of them. "Oh, God," Elizabeth groaned. "Don’t tell Cara, whatever you do. She’ll tell Steve, and that’ll be it."

Cara Walker was one of Jessica’s best friends.She dated the twins’ brother, Steven, who was a freshman in college. One word to Cara, and their parents would know about Prince Albert in less than five minutes. This puppy was something to keep from her.

"OK, I’ll just tell Lila – and don’t worry, I’ve got enough on her so she’ll keep it a secret," Jessica said. "Hey, I guess he’s finished dinner," she added, looking at Prince Albert again.

The chubby puppy sniffed at her shoulder and licked her, gazing up at her with adoring eyes. "As long as we can convince Mom and Dad that having a dog is no problem, we can keep you," shetold him, rolling him over and tickling his belly.

Just then they heard a car pulling into the driveway.

"It’s them!"

"They’re home!"

In their hurry to removethe traces of Prince Albert’s dinner, the girls relayed their panic to puppy. As Elizabeth turned to pick him up, she saw a puddle spreading on the floor beneath him. "Oh, no!" she cried.

"Give him to me!" Jessica screeched.She reached over to scoop him up, stood up, turned on her heel, and ran through the house.

"Girls? Where are you?"

When Ned and Alice Wakefield entered the kitchen through the back door, Elizabeth was on her knees on the floor mopping up the mess.

"Hi, sweetheart," hermother said, putting down her purse. "Spill something?"

Her face burning, Elizabethnodded. Trust Jessica to leave her with the dirty work. "Uh, yeah."

Mr. Wakefield set down their small suitcases. "Where’s Jess?"

"Here I am. Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad," said Jessica, breezing through the door her parents had just entered. She kissed them both. "Have a good time? We were so bored this weekend. We didn’t do anything at all. Did we?"

Throwing the last sopping paper towel into the garbage, Elizabeth turned to her sister with a question in her eyes. "That’s right." She held her sister’s gaze, dying to ask her where Prince Albert was, but Jessica turned away.

"How was Casa de los Caballos? Did you have fun?"

Alice Wakefield, whose pretty, youthful face often led people to think she was the twins’ older sister, breathed a contented sigh. She smiled at her husband. "I’d say we had a lovely time."

Ned Wakefield returned her smile. "Yes, we-"

"Well, that’s great," Jessica interrupted. "I’ve got homework. See you later." She turned abruptly and left the kitchen.

"Me, too," Elizabeth said and, ignoring her parents’ surprised looks, she followed her sister out into the hall. "Where is he?" she whispered hoarsely as they reached the stairs.

Jessica paused, one hand on the banister. "He’s in my room."

"Jess, this is crazy. It’ll never work."

Jessica tossed her golden hair back over her shoulders and said with an air of supreme confidence, "Don’t worry, I’ve got everything under control."

Rolling her eyes, Elizabeth muttered, "That’s exactly what I’m afraid of."

On Monday afternoon, Sally shut her locker and leaned against it, completely exhausted. Class schedules, new teachers, finding rooms, her locker combination – her head was spinning from all the things she had to keep track of. On top of that, she figured she must have met every student at Sweet Valley High, and she knew she would never remember all their names. Meeting new people was something she’d had to do all her life, and she was never very good at it. Somehow, when she knew she might never see them again anyway, it was hard to absorb faces and names.

It was especially difficult that day, though, when she felt so unlike herself. She looked down at her clothes. They just weren’t her, she decided. No wonder she felt so uncomfortable.

"There you are. Ready to go? Max is waiting for us outside."

Sally turned to see her cousin striding up to her, looking as full of energy as she had first thing in the morning. Dana was wearing a red miniskirt and a long gray cardigan sweater over a yellow shirt. They looked perfect to her.

"Did I meet Max?" Sally asked, searching her memory for a face to fit that name.

Dana took her arm. "No, not yet. He’s in The Droids, remember? We’re going to his house to practice."

Stopping uncertainly, Sally said, "Oh, I thought I’d just go home, Dana. Is that OK? I’m so tired."

Dana’s face fell. "But, Sally, I told everyone I’d bring you today. They all want to meet you."

Sally bit her lip, trying to decide what to do. She was truly exhausted, and just wanted to go home and relax. And furthermore, she wasn’t really interested in rock music. Being part of a band wasn’t exactly her idea of fun.

On the other hand, Dana looked so disappointed. And one thing Sally didn’t want to do was cause any problems between Dana and her. So if going to The Droids’ rehearsal was what Dana wanted, Sally was willingto do it.

She remembered a girl she had known at a group home, where she’d had to stay once between foster homes. That girl, Marybeth, had told Sally, "When I get a good thing, I’m going to hang on with all I’ve got."Hang on with all I’ve got, Sally repeated to herself. That’s what I’ve got to do. She managed a smile.

"Well, in that case, sure. I’m really excited about meeting all of them."

"Oh, good. You’ll like everybody. I know it. Come on."

Twenty minutes later they were all in Max Dellon’s basement, and Sally was meeting the rest of The Droids.

"Do you play an instrument, Sally?" Emily Mayer asked, offering her a can of soda.

"Well, no. I don’t. Thanks." Sally looked apologetically at Dana and took a sip. "I never had a chance to learn."

"You could sing backup vocals, couldn’t you?" Dana put in hurriedly.

Sally realized immediately that Dana didn’t want her to explain why she’d never had the chance to learn, didn’t want her to tell The Droids what kind of life she’d been leading. She shook her head, hoping she wasn’t blushing. It wasn’t as if she had been a criminal or a drug addict or anything. And it wasn’t her fault either. But she suddenly felt ashamed anyway. "No, I can’t sing either. Sorry."

"Hey, I know. You can sort of be our manager. We need one, guys, right?" Dana turned to her friends, obviously wanting them to accept Sally.

Guy Chesney shrugged. "I guess so. It’s OK with me. You can help arrange our gigs, Sally. And just sort of help out, you know?"

Nodding eagerly, Sally agreed. "Sure, I’d be glad to. That is, if no one minds. I mean, don’t you already have someone to do that?"

Dan Scott laughed. "We did have a professional manager once, but what a joke that turned out to be! He kept promising and promising, but he didn’t deliver. He wasn’t really interested in the band."

"Let’s not get into that, OK?" Dana said, impatiently running a hand through her blond hair. "It’s no big deal. We just need someone sensible to keep track of dates, that’s all. So we don’t double book."

Sally nodded again, eager to please. "Sure, I can do that."

"Let’s get started then, huh?" Dan threw his soda can into a basketball hoop over the garbage can. "And he scores! Let’s go."

As The Droids started tuning up to begin practice, Sally sat back and thought about being the band’s manager. No one had ever asked her to be part of any kind of group before, and it felt great. She just hoped she could learn to like their music.

Maybe liking music was just a matter of practice. Just listening to The Droids a lot would make her enjoy it more, she told herself firmly.

Guy struck a jangling chord on the keyboards and then another. "You know," he announced, sitting back and crossing his arms. "We need some new material. We’ve got to write some new songs."

"Like what?"

He shrugged. "I don’t know. Throw out some ideas."

"Love! Death! Existential struggle!" Emily intoned dramatically, rattling out a drumroll."Agriculture!"

"Yeah, right!" Max laughed. "Next?"

Sally grinned, watching the playful interaction between friends. She noticed Dana nodding her head as she considered an idea.

"How about ‘The Ballad of Maria and Michael’?" she suggested, looking from one player to another. "It’d be hot stuff."

"Give me a break!" Dan begged, shaking his head in disgust. "Those two are a real pair of idiots."

With a start, Sally realized she knew whom, they were talking about. Dana had pointed out the two in school that day. A cheerleader named Maria Santelli was dating a senior named Michael Harris, and apparently their parents didn’t know and weren’t supposed to know. It was a big secret. Dana said she’d heard there had been a bad business deal between the two fathers sometime in the past, and the families were supposed to be bitter enemies. Dana had laughed the whole thing off, but apparently it was the hottest gossip of Sweet Valley High.

Dana shrugged. "Sure, but we could really play up the drama, you know, Romeo and Juliet stuff."

The others joked about it for a few moments, until Emily spoke up. "Hey, wait a minute. How about a song named ‘Romeo and Juliet’? I mean, forget Maria and Michael. The Romeo and Juliet story is still pretty powerful."

Within minutes, the group came to an agreement, and they all began picking out chords, trying different melodies, and tossing out lyrics. A spirit of excitement swept through The Droids as their new song take shape.

Sally was fascinated. She was actually watching the band come up with an idea and expand it into a song. A touch of melancholy invaded her thoughts as she realized that it was just the creative process that was interesting to her. She just couldn’t take any interest in the song itself.

She noticed a pile of sheet music on the table next to her. The pages had the names of different band members at the top, so it was easy enough to sort them. Soon she had five neat piles of songs. And nothing else to do. With a sign of resignation, she sat back again to listen. The band was running through some of their old material now, and since most of their songs were original, she didn’t know any of them. To pass the time, she read through the words of some songs. Then she sat back again.

It was no use, she decided. She would never really be part of the band. She knew they’d probably accept her for Dana’s sake. But that was about as far as it would go.

She let her thoughts wander. Her guidance counselor had mentioned a school newspaper – The Oracle, was it? That was something Sally would have liked to work on. Having been alone so much of her life, Sally had found comfort in writing. Her stories and poems were the only friends she could keep when she moved. But if she had to come to The Droids’ practices two or three times a week, it didn’t looks as if she’d have time for the newspaper, too.

"Hey, Sally? Do you see a sheet of music that says ‘Monterey Way’ on it?" Dan leaned over the table, looking for the music. "Wow, did you just sort these? That’s great." He found the sheet he was looking for in the pile with his name on it and flashed her an appreciative grin. "Thanks a lot."

As he reached to his guitar, Sally felt her heart pounding in her chest. Suddenly, she felt like one of them, and it was wonderful. And she also felt a new sense of urgency: No matter what, she couldn’t do anything to jeopardize this new life. If she had to leave Sweet Valley now, she thought she would just die.

Five

"So how was your first day at Sweet Valley High, Sally? Did youlike it?"

Sally nodded and swallowed. "It’s really nice, Uncle Hal. But I’m afraid I’ll never remember everybody’s name."

"Don’t worry about that now," Mrs. Larson said reassuringly. She looked at her children as she passed a bowl of salad. "I’m sure Dana and Jeremy can help you out whenever you need it."

Dana poured herself a glass of milk and turned her warm brown eyes on Sally. "Sure, no problem. Right, Jeremy?"

Sally looked quickly across the table at her cousin. Since she’d arrived on Friday night, he had hardly spoken a dozen words to her. She decided that having to give up his room had made him dislike her, but she vowed to make it up to him, no matter what. She smiled as he looked up and met her gaze.

"Yeah, right," he mumbled through a mouthful of baked potato.

Sally frowned, wishing she could get through to him, but not knowing how. She decided to concentrate on the rest of the family first. Maybe Jeremy would loosen up with time. "This pot roast is delicious, Aunt Anne. You’re such a good cook."

Mrs. Larson touched her napkin to the corners of her mouth and smiled appreciatively. "That’s sweet of you, dear. Do you cook at all?"

"Oh, I can make hamburgers and things like that. But nothing very good," Sally confessed.

"Well, I’d be glad to show you how if you’re interested."

"I’d love it if you would, Aunt Anne. If it’s not too much trouble," Sally hastened to add. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jeremy’s scowl darken further. Now what did I do?she worried.

"Of course not, Sally. Don’t be silly,” Mrs. Larson replied. "I’ve tried to teach Dana, but she isn’t interested in any aspect of cooking besides the eating part."

"And she’s good at that," Mr. Larson teased, sending his daughter a wink.

Dana made a sour face.

"I think Dana’s good at everything," Sally offered, smiling eagerly at her cousin. "I really enjoyed hearing her sing this afternoon. And I’m so glad they’re letting me be part of the band."

"I’m just OK," Dana said modestly. But Sally could tell she was pleased.

Sally sat back for a moment, relishing the last of her dinner. Everything about this new life so far was perfect – well, almost. She just had to try a little harder to make Jeremy like her. But the Larsons’ home was so nice, and so comfortable. She looked at her uncle and aunt and thought how wonderful it must be for Dana and Jeremy to have two such wonderful parents. She was going to make them glad they’d asked her to stay.

"Well, whose turn is it to clear the table?"

Sally put down her fork hastily. "I’ll do it."

"Wait a minute. It’s Dana’s turn," Jeremy spoke suddenly, sitting up straighter in his chair and turning to his mother. "Sally shouldn’t be doing Dana’s jobs! It isn’t fair!"

"But I don’t mind," Sally insisted. "I want to. Please?" Pushing her chair back, Sally began stacking dishes and taking them to the kitchen. Was that the problem? she wondered. Was Jeremy madat her because she wasn’t doing any of his chores? Sally made a mental note to take out the garbage before she went to bed to save him the trip.

On the way back she overhead Mrs. Larson say, "Well, I just can’t get used to someone actually volunteering to do anything in this house."

Dana looked up as Sally entered, a guilty smile on her face. "I can’t just sit here while you do my job, Sally. I’ll help."

"Oh, no! Please," Sally cried urgently. "That TV show you wanted to watch is starting now. Go on."

Dana looked at her mother and then back at Sally. "Are you sure you don’t mind?"

"I’m positive."

Dana shrugged. "All right. Come on in and watch with us when you’re done."

"I will," Sally replied, taking more dishes. She returned to the kitchen, feeling as though she’d scored a hit. Just keep doing this, she told herself. Be h

Date: 2015-04-20; view: 793