Confessions of a So-called Middle Child (20 page)

“Okay, Marta, let's go.” I took back the laptop from Dad. “If they have wireless there, I'll show you a good time.” I glanced at my watch. “It's only a few hours anyway.”

“We'll race over there as soon as we pick her up.” Dad kissed us both. “Hang in there.”

Marta looked relieved. “It's almost over.”

I put my hand on her shoulder. “Yep, soon you'll be home free.”

“Hold it!” Pickler called out. “I'm not done with you yet, Cooper.”

We turned. Oh, great, I thought, here we go again.

He started walking toward us. “I took one look at you, Charlie, and saw what you were.” He shook his head. “The classic middle child, troubled and trouble, but I was wrong about you.”

Was I hearing this right? “You were?”

“I was.” He put out his hand like he wanted
me
to shake it, after all that he'd done to me. “Yes, I was wrong, and I want to apologize.”

Man, I did
not
want to take his hand.

“You did good, Charlie,” he said. “Please accept my apology. I made a mistake. We all make them.” He glanced at his waiting hand, outstretched and bony. “Even you do.”

“That's true, Charlie.” Dad gave me one of those nudging looks.

But you know, I didn't really want to forgive him. I wanted to savor the moment, because, let's be honest, when would I ever hear a principal apologize to me again? There was something so delightful about his hand waiting for mine, I just, I just—

“Now, Charlie,” Mom cautioned.

“Okay, fine.” I looked at all of them. “But I want it in writing, Pick. I want it in those fancy letters, a
huge
apology, and framed, I want it framed.”

He nodded. “You got it.”

And then I shook his hand super
fast
, because it still kinda grossed me out.

 

 

If I wanted other people to forgive me, then I'd have to forgive them too, right? Plus I was pretty sure I was gonna get a
huge
movie deal out of this one.

Later that night, after we got back from the airport and Social Services, and after Mom and Dad went to bed, I opened my jewelry box and tiptoed down the stairs and out the door. Under the stars I walked up to where my favorite statue in the whole wide world was. The stone was cold. I felt the fake cheekbones and rubbed Houdini's not-so-handsome face. I kissed his forehead, wrapped my beads around his neck, and said a big, fat thank-you. And then I walked back down the hill. But before I got to the house, I looked up to the stars and the sky, and I yelled into the night, “Thanks, Trix, wherever you are.”

I hoped she heard me. I knew we were far from over.

Acknowledgments

Phoebe Yeh, my editor, an all-around kind, respectful, and insightful teacher. I am so grateful to have you. Jessica MacLeish, assistant editor, thank you for all the hours spent trying to get Charlie just right. Thank you.

My agents, Victoria Sanders and Bernadette Baker-Baughman, who, from the start, nurtured and protected Charlie like she was their own, promising me they'd find the best home for her, and they did.

My parents—both huge readers, and possibly the kindest most generous people I have ever known—I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Mom, you are a graceful inspiration. Dad, I miss you so much. My husband and my kids—Chiara, Lucia, Pablo, and Rocco—you are the light of my life.

Also wanted to give a huge thanks to Tom Forget and Amy Ryan for the best jacket a girl could ask for. Charlie would be so proud. To a diligent and patient copyeditor, Renée Cafiero, unsung hero: she must hate me and Charlie, but she makes us right. And finally, what is a book without people talking about it and spreading the word? To Lauren Flower, Megan Sugrue, and Olivia deLeon in marketing and publicity for spreading the word from your heart.

Thank you.

About the Author

MARIA T. LENNON
is a graduate of the London School of Economics, a novelist, and a screenwriter. She lives in Los Angeles with her family. Charlie visits frequently. You can visit her online at confessionsofasocalledmiddlechild.com.

 

Visit
www.AuthorTracker.com
for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins authors.

Credits

Cover art © 2013 by Brigette Barrager

Cover design by Tom Forget

Copyright

Confessions of a So-called Middle Child

Copyright © 2013 by Maria Lennon

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

www.harpercollinschildrens.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Lennon, M. T. (Maria T.)

Confessions of a so-called middle child / by Maria T. Lennon —First edition.

     pages      cm

Summary: Charlie C. Cooper, reformed bully, gifted hacker, and middle child wants to make “cool” friends at her new school in Los Angeles, but her psychologist tasks her with becoming friends with the school's “biggest loser.”

ISBN 978-0-06-212690-0 (hardback)

Epub Edition © JUNE 2013 ISBN 9780062126924

[1. Middle-born children—Fiction. 2. Friendship—Fiction. 3. Popularity—Fiction. 4. Bullies—Fiction. 5. Middle schools—Fiction. 6. Schools—Fiction. 7. Family life—California—Fiction. 8. Los Angeles (Calif.)—Fiction.] I. Title.

PZ7.L53935Con 2013

2013021365

[Fic]—dc23

CIP

AC

13   14   15   16   17  
CG/RRDH
   10   9   8   7   6   5   4   3   2   1

FIRST EDITION