The Sweetest Thing (21 page)

I looked around the disaster that had become our living room and thought about her grounding me, making me come home after school, and being impossible to talk to during a week when I really could have used a big sister. Then I did something that surprised even me: I gave her a big hug.

Feb squeezed me back, then held me out at arm's length. “I don't know what I was so worried about—you're practically all grown up!”

“I don't know about that,” I said, looking down sheepishly at my princess dress.

“I said practically. Hey—Mom and Dad came back early from their trip!”

I almost jumped a mile. “They did? Where are they?” I looked over my shoulder, like they might be wearing lampshades and swing dancing behind the couch.

Feb scrunched up her forehead. “Well, they had to go up to Quebec for this benefit dinner for some iodine deficiency thing, but they're definitely coming back sometime soon … I think. They were only here for like an hour. Mom needed to grab some shoes.”

“Great.” I sighed.

“Hey, don't look so glum, kiddo! They left us gift certificates for that new manicure shop down the street. We'll go tomorrow! Besides, when the cat's away …” She grabbed me by the hand. “Come on.”

“Feb …”

But it was too late: she was pulling me up onto the coffee table with her, and with everyone partying and cheering all around us, I really had no choice but to dance.

“Oh, I totally forgot,” she yelled. “There's some guy here who's been waiting around to talk to you all night!”

“Where?” I whirled around and there was Adam, sitting quietly on a side chair that he was much too big for, and he had Noodles in his lap, and Noodles was fast asleep. He got up and handed Noodles to Philippa, and I could see that he just couldn't stop smiling. Then all he did was walk over to me and say, “Hey, can we talk when you're finished dancing?”

“Sure—” But of course, right then Feb thought it'd be the funniest thing in the world to push me off the coffee table with her hip. I screamed and went up into the air and then fell right into Adam's arms.

“Feb!” I yelled.

“Well, somebody had to do it!” she screamed as she pulled a bunch of other kids onto the table.

“Are you okay?” Adam asked. I had my arms around his neck, and I kicked off my heels. They landed in a potted plant past the couch, and I just sighed.

“Way, way better than okay,” I said.

the insiders

pass it on

take it off

break every rule

hold on tight

girls we love

inside girl

For an Inside Girl,
life isn't always so sweet.

Find out what happens next in Some Kind of
Wonderful, an Inside Girl novel by J. Minter

Still recovering from a disastrous Halloween party at Sara-Beth Benny's house and a short-lived but way-annoying phase when older sister Feb decided to be responsible, Flan Flood is through with romance, and she is hoping to prove to her friends that they mean more to her than any boy. But her old flame Bennett is still lingering in the background, and Adam, the gorgeous quarterback, is as sweet and cute as ever. In this third installment of the Inside Girl series, can Flan Flood stay true-blue to her friends, or will the love bug bite again?

Learn more about Flan and the Inside Girls at
www.insidegirlbooks.com

DON'T MISS A MINUTE OF FLAN'S FABULOUS LIFE—

“I wish I'd known Flan Flood in high school–and not just because she has a hot older brother with hot older friends (although that totally helps). Don't let the name fool you– this is one girl you must get to know, now.” –Lisi Harrison, author of the #1
New York Times
bestselling series The Clique

CHECK OUT ALL THE BOOKS IN THE INSIDE GIRL SERIES!

WWW.INSIDEGIRLBOOKS.COM

Find out how it all began in
the Insiders series, also by J. Minter

“The Insiders are
the
guys to watch. But if you fall in love with them, get in line, right behind ME!”
—Zoey Dean, author of
The A-List

For more info on the guys, visit
www.insidersbook.com

Copyright © 2007 by J. Minter

All rights reserved. You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce, or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

First published in the United States of America in 2007
by Bloomsbury Children's Books
E-book edition published in December 2012
www.bloomsburyteens.com

For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to
Permissions, Bloomsbury Children's Books,
Published by Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children's Books
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010

The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition as follows:
Minter, J.
The sweetest thing: an inside girl novel / by J. Minter.—1st U.S. ed.
p.  cm.
Summary: Flan's life is in turmoil when her older siblings decide to act like strict parents to keep her from becoming out of control like themselves, friends Judith and Meredith fight over a football player who might just have a crush on Flan herself, and Sara-Beth tries to find her style.
[1. Friendship—Fiction. 2. High schools—Fiction. 3. Schools—Fiction. 4. Family life—New York (State)—Fiction. 5. Dating (Social customs)—Fiction. 6. New York (N.Y.)—Fiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.M67334Swe 2007    [Fic]—dc22    200700889

ISBN 978-1-61963-074-1 (e-book)