Little Women and Me - By Lauren Baratz-Logsted Page 0,3

the universe is cool, except this one shade that looks like what people throw up when they puke in horror films. So what did I look like in it? I looked like a Christmas tree that someone had upchucked.”

“Totally gross image.”

“You’re telling me! And that’s exactly what my entire life has been like. Charlotte or Anne gets first in everything because they’re the oldest and the youngest, and then the other gets second because the oldest or the youngest can’t possibly be last in anything, while I’m always stuck with—”

“Why do you like Jackson so much?” Kendra asks, cutting me off.

“Hello!” I say. “Because he’s gorgeous? Because he’s nice?”

“How is Jackson nice to you?”

I open my mouth to answer, but nothing comes out. Why do I like Jackson?

“And why did you like Kurt so much last year?” Kendra presses. “Or Michael the year before that? Or Dale when we were in sixth grade?”

“I don’t know!” I say, exasperated. “Because they’re all hot! Because they’re nice or funny or smart or something like that. A person can’t always explain why they like who they like!” I pause as something hits me. “Wait a second. Are you saying that I’m … shallow?”

Kendra sighs. “No. I would never say that. I wouldn’t even think it! But sometimes, you go after things or people without thinking everything through first.”

Huh.

That’s a lot to think about. Only problem is, I don’t want to think about it right now. I’ve got to figure out how to fix things so Jackson doesn’t become Anne’s orchid shawl.

“I gotta go,” I say. “I’ve got a ton of homework, plus Mr. O. gave us this big English assignment.”

“You’re not mad at me, are you?” she says hesitantly. “For laughing before and because of the things I said?”

“Are you kidding me?” I say. “Sometimes I wish I could laugh at myself. Don’t worry, we’re good—bests forever.”

“Good.” She sounds relieved. “Meet you in the lunchroom for doughnuts before school on Monday?”

“I’m totally there,” I say, and snap my phone shut.

I decide to be true to what I told Kendra and get my homework done first. True, it’s a lame way to spend Friday afternoon and evening, but once that’s out of the way I can devote the rest of the weekend to plotting a new strategy for Jackson.

Not that I know what that is yet.

I work through my assignments from least favorite class to most favorite, which means moving through biology, algebra, and history before I come finally to English.

What was that assignment Mr. Ochocinco gave us?

Oh, right.

We’re supposed to take a book we feel is nearly perfect, give three things we love about it and one thing we’d change; outline due Monday.

This should be easy enough.

But which book to choose?

I go to my bookshelves. I have a lot of books. You could practically say I live in them.

Something modern like Harry Potter or Twilight? No. Teachers are never impressed with anything modern. They like the older stuff.

Maybe Judy Blume? But what would I change? Turn it into Are You There, God? It’s Me, Marcus? Nah, that wouldn’t work. Besides, to impress teachers, you need to go for the really old stuff.

Which is fine, because I like some of the really old stuff too.

A Separate Peace? No. Even though the ending always makes me cry, I wouldn’t change a thing. It’s a perfect example of how jealousy corrodes love. People really should be careful about that.

Wuthering Heights? No. There’s too much I’d want to change there.

Winnie-the-Pooh? It does qualify as “old stuff,” so you’d think it would have the potential to impress, but how would I change it for the better? Add conflict by making Eeyore a depressed serial killer?

Little Women.

Huh.

For the first time, I pull one of the books from the shelf. As I tug the volume loose from the bookcase, my fingers tingle as though zapped by electricity.

Weird.

I hold the red cloth-covered volume in my hands. I loved this book when I was younger, but I haven’t read it once in the last four years. How much do I still remember of it? Enough to do the assignment without rereading? After all, I’ve read a lot of books in the years in between. Still …

I go to my desk holding the book in one hand, sit down in front of the computer, and think about what to put in the outline. Hmm … Three things I loved about the book …

One. The first is easy. The name of the family: March.