Sewing in Circles by Chloe Taylor Read Free Book Online Page B

their weird-free pledge.
    â€œHey, Zo—Oh . . . Allie.” Marcus stood in the doorway in his pajamas, his hair standing up every which way.
    â€œHi, Marcus,” Allie said, standing up as if the sofa had suddenly caught fire. “I was just leaving.”
    Zoey looked at her, surprised. Allie hadn’t said anything about leaving until Marcus walked in the room. Zoey wondered if the awkwardness between her friend and her brother would ever end.
    â€œDon’t leave on my account,” Marcus said. “I’m going to get something to eat.”
    â€œNo, it’s okay,” Allie said. “I’ve got a bunch of stuff to get done today with the gift fair coming up so soon.”
    â€œHow are . . . things?” Marcus asked.
    â€œGood!” Allie said brightly. “Busy!”
    She picked up her bag and car keys.
    â€œSee you soon, Zoey! I’m glad you’re in the show!”
    â€œYeah, me too,” Zoey said, although right now, she was feeling pretty awkward about everything to be too glad about it!

    Zoey spent Sunday trying to come up with ideas for accessories that would be different enough from Allie’s merchandise that it wouldn’t seem like they were competing. She kept coming back to the fabric bracelets—like the ones she’d made for Ivy and for her friends. They were pretty easy to make, they looked great, and they were really popular.
    She sketched out several new designs to add to the ones that had been popular at school. The moreshe thought about it, the more she was convinced that the bracelets were the best solution.

    The following day, she showed the new designs to her friends and explained the latest about the gift fair situation.
    â€œI want to stay away from earrings and necklaces, so I’m not directly competing with Allie,” she continued.
    Zoey noticed that Priti didn’t seem as excited and enthusiastic about her designs as usual.
    â€œWhat’s the matter?” she asked.
    â€œWell, it just seems a little . . . I don’t know . . . hypocritical, is all,” Priti said. “I mean, when my cousin’s friend in India copied the sari you made me to wear to my cousin’s wedding and sold the knockoffs in her clothing store, you freaked out because she was copying your work and making a profit.”
    She leaned forward, as if to emphasize her point.
    â€œBut now you’re doing exactly the same thing with these bracelets,” Priti said. “Copying someone else’s design to make a profit. I don’t want to get into a fight like we did last time, but I don’tunderstand why one is okay and the other isn’t.”
    Zoey was taken aback—and, truth be told, upset—by her friend’s criticism.
    â€œI’m not a hypocrite!” she protested.
    â€œI don’t want to make things weird again,” Priti said, clearly distressed. “I just want to understand why there’s a difference.”
    â€œI can see Priti’s point,” Kate said, ever the diplomat.
    â€œMe too,” Libby said. “But I also love the bracelets Zoey made for us, so maybe I’m a hypocrite too.”
    â€œI mean . . . well, when I got upset before, it was early on,” Zoey explained. “And now I’ve learned from being in the fashion business for a while that people make copies all the time. It’s just the way it is, and Daphne Shaw told me to accept it as a compliment when people copy my designs.”
    â€œI guess that makes sense,” Priti said. “Now I understand better.”
    â€œIt would be different if I were claiming these were the authentic bracelets and charging the full price,” Zoey said. “But the ones I make are myinterpretation of the popular design, and I would be selling them at a lower price.”
    â€œThat’s true,” Libby said.
    â€œI like yours better, anyway,”