A Tale of Eight Girls: Prologue

Shay Erickson: Nicknamed The Queen of Clever Comebacks, Shay rules Element Middle School. She has perfect hair, glossy white teeth, flawless complexion, and a big house and lots of belongings. Her life seems perfect. But the darkest sort of secrets burden her...

Brenna Merrel: Brenna has always been second banana to Shay. She's always been known as "Shay's friend." But not for long. If Brenna's plan succeeds, everyone will bow down to HER. But she needs an accomplice...

Haley Norton: Haley is the new girl in town, and all she wants is to make friends. When she starts to befriend Brenna, everything seems perfect. But will Casidie, Haley's little sister, ruin everything?

Britt Sanders: Britt is sweet and innocent on the outside. But on the inside, she is mental with grief from her father's recent death. She'll do anything for a friend, at least one, to help her. And by anything, she MEANS anything.

Darci Evans: A spoiled only child, Darci doesn't react very well when her parents accomodate a young Chinese exchange student named Oki. Oki doesn't only hog Darci's parents, she takes all the attention from everyone. When Oki also steals away Karen, Darci's Asian best friend, that is the last straw. Darci works out a scheme to embarass her. It can't backfire, right?

Karen Wang: Even though she's lived in the U.S. for a whole year, Karen feels out of place in the Melting Pot. It doesn't feel like one to her. Everyone seems all American. When her best friend takes in a Chinese exchange student, everything seems great. But Karen soon learns Oki's dark secrets, and suddenly she is caught up in something bigger than herself.

Reese Beldon: Reese is sick with cancer, and she has no hair. No one cares about her, unless they are teasing her. The only friend she has is Rita Raya. But even Rita is turning away. As Reese gets worse, she starts to realize she will have the end with no one there. As stubborn as she is sick, Reese will make sure she will have a friend there at her deathbed.

Rita Raya: When she learns her best friend is soon going to die, an upset Rita breaks apart from her, so she won't get too much more attached. But it is still difficult for her to comprehend. Rita suffers from mental illness, and wants Reese back. But Reese won't take her back after what she's done.

These are the eight girls this story is about. In their thirteenth year, the year that they are in eighth grade at Element Middle School, their lives come together in ways they never thought possible.