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Cloud looked blearily around "We have neighbors?"
Tully didnt bother answering Herabout anyway It made any real conversation impossible, and usually Tully didnt care—she wanted to talk to Cloud like she wanted to watch black and white irls visit, Tully felt her differentness keenly If she had a real faifts to new neighbors—she wouldnt feel so alone She sat down in one of thechairs that flanked the sofa and said cautiously, "I wonder what Grans doing right now "
"Proly od-awful PRAISE JESUS samplers As if thatll save her soul Ha Hows school?"
Tullys head snapped up She couldnt believe heraround with me, but" She frowned How could she put her dissatisfaction into words? All she really kneas that she was lonely here, even a for"
"Do we have ketchup?" her er Helper, poking at it with her fork She aying to the music
Tully hated the disappoint fro out of the beanbag chair
The last thing she heard before she sla, "Maybe it needs cheese "
Late that night, long after everyone else had gone to bed, Kate crept down the stairs, put on her dads huge rubber boots, and went outside It was beco outside when she couldnt sleep Overhead, the huge black sky was splattered with stars It irl looking down at an empty street that went nowhere
Sweetpea nickered and trotted toward her
She cliirl," she said, pulling a carrot out of her parkas pocket
She glanced over at the house across the street The lights were still on ata party with all the popular kids They were probably laughing and dancing and talking about how cool they were
Kate would give everything she owned to be invited to just one party like that
Sweetpea nudged her knee, snorted
"I know I, she slid off the fence, petted Sweetpea one last time, and then went back to bed
A few nights later, after a dinner of Pop-Tarts and Alpha-Bits cereal, Tully took a long, hot shower, shaved her legs and underarht frole crease or curl Then she went to her closet and stood there, trying to figure out what to wear This was her first high school party She needed to look just right None of the other girls froh had been invited She was The One Pat Richuy on the football team, had chosen Tully for his date Theyd been at the local haroup of friends and hers All it had taken was one look between theuys and walked right over to Tully