The Brightest Stars of Summer by Leila Howland Read Free Book Online Page A

together, and now they were being as polite as almost-strangers.
    â€œI saw you at Griffith Park with the Cuties!” Marigold finally said after what felt like a whole minute of awkward silence. “How come you lied to me about having to pack for Mexico the other day?”
    â€œI guess I knew you’d be mad,” Pilar said. “I’m sorry.”
    â€œAre we still best friends?” Marigold asked.
    â€œI don’t know,” Pilar said. “You basically ignored me this spring. It really hurt my feelings. I mean, did you expect me to not make any other friends? The Cuties at least want to hang out with me.”
    â€œI’m really sorry,” Marigold said. “I want to hang out with you now. Can we just go back to how it used to be?”
    â€œDon’t you only want to hang out with famous people now?” Pilar asked, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms.
    â€œNo. Not at all! I’d so much rather hang out with you!”
    â€œReally?” Pilar smiled.
    â€œYes!” Marigold said. “I’ve missed you so much.”
    â€œMe too!” Pilar said. She stood up and hugged her. Marigold hugged her back. Pilar smelled just like herhouse—pleasant and clean and a little perfumy. Marigold fought back tears as she realized how much she had missed their pajama parties and shopping trips.
    â€œSo, are you going to be going to the premiere and stuff?” Pilar asked.
    â€œWell,” Marigold said, “here’s the thing. I’m not in the movie anymore. I was cut out of it.”
    â€œOh my gosh,” Pilar said. “I’m so sorry.”
    â€œI’m definitely not a movie star,” Marigold said. “But the good news is that we can hang out all the time now.”
    â€œOh,” Pilar said. “Now I feel like you want to hang out with me just because your plan to be famous fell through!”
    â€œIt’s not true,” Marigold said. “You’re my best friend.”
    â€œOnly because you’re not in the movie!” Pilar sighed. “Look, I need some space this summer. To think things over.”
    â€œUm, okay. Are you going to be best friends with the Cuties now?” Pilar shrugged. “Can you at least tell me why they don’t like me?”
    â€œThey think that you think that you’re soooo great. It’s like you don’t think you’re a normal, regular girl. Maybe you should try to be more . . . ordinary.” As mad as Pilar was, Marigold could tell that she was trying to give her advice. “At least that’s what you have to do if you want to have any friends in eighth grade.
    â€œI’ll call you when I get back from Mexico in August,” Pilar went on. She picked up the cupcake with one hand, tucked her wallet under her arm, then put her keys and her phone in the other hand and walked out the door.
    She needs a nice bag, Marigold thought. Maybe a clutch. Then she stared at the table in disbelief at the conversation. She had no appetite for her cupcake.
    As soon as Marigold climbed into her mom’s car, she burst into tears.
    Now, on the airplane, Lily tugged on her sleeve.
    â€œHow long is this ride, Marigold?” Lily asked, chewing the sugar-free gum that Mom had bought them to keep their ears from popping during takeoff and landing.
    â€œFour hours and forty-four minutes,” Marigold said.
    â€œOh,” Lily said. Marigold reached into her carry-on bag and pulled out some activities for her youngest sister: stickers, drawing paper, and a book about puppies. Lily opened the puppy book and began to read. “Four hours and forty-four minutes is a lot of time to read about puppies.”
    â€œYou can color, too,” Marigold said. “Just let me know when you get bored.” Then she turned on her iPad, switched it to airplane mode, and opened a diary app that she’d downloaded last night. Now that LosAngeles was safely behind