DIng-dong Veronica pushed the doorbell a second time, and heardloud voices coming from inside the mansion. “It's unlocked!,” Her new best friend Emma Chandlerhollered from inside her house. Veronica twisted the doorknob, suddenly feeling a little scared.This was her first sleepover after she had moved to California. All the houses here were abnormallybig compared to her small town home in Massachusetts. The girls at her school were extremely nice to herat the beginning of the year but eventually they drifted away from Veronica and wentback to their own original friend groups. This was a repeated pattern she had observed aftermoving so much for her mom’s job. She entered the house and peered around. The flickering chandelier swung above her head, nearlybrushing her dark hair. Veronica heard footsteps moving at a rapid pace. It was probablyEmma and her other friends but it took them a few minutes to reach her because the hallwayswere so long. “Ronnie!” Emma ran toward her and clasped her hands.“OMG We were just about to change into our swimsuits and go to the pool!” The pool? They have a pool too!? Veronica nodded blankly and let Emma drag her alongto the backyard with the other girls following closely behind them. Veronica stared atthe tall maroon walls that were covered in portraits of Emma and the rest of her family. Emma and her older sister wearing matching sundressesat their summer villa… Emma’s younger brother posing in front of his brandnew tricycle… Emma’s parents at their wedding… “Nothing like your tiny old house in Massachusetts,right?” Ruby giggled from behind her. It sounded like she was trying to be nice but Veronicacould hear the snideness in her tone. Ruby had always been sort of mean to Veronica in the slightestways. Trying to show her that she didn’t belong here.