Pages 1 - 29 Summary

At the opening of the novel, the protagonist, Lia, is eating breakfast with her stepmother Jennifer and Jennifer announces that Lia's best friend, Cassie, has been found dead in a motel room. Although Jennifer doesn't want to speak ill of the dead, she is glad that Lia hasn't been spending time with Cassie lately. She feels that Cassie was dragging Lia down. After delivering the news, Jennifer abruptly leaves for work, dragging her daughter, Emma, Lia's stepsister, along with her. She promises Lia that her father will speak to her when he gets home from his meetings, but she didn't want Lia finding out about Cassie at school. Before she leaves, Jennifer tries to get Lia to eat breakfast, and in her mind, Lia counts the calories of each of Jennifer's suggestions, secretly denying them. She leaves a note for Emma...