Picture Perfect #5 Read Free

volunteer at the soup kitchen,” her mother said. “And then on Sunday we have to do the shopping, and in the afternoon is our weekly family hike. We’re completely booked up.”
    â€œWhy can’t I skip one of those things?” Gracie asked. “Just once, for one weekend, so I can have a normal sleepover with my best friend.”
    Ms. Hardwick’s eyebrows drew together in confusion. “You see Mari every day at school. You’ve gone to her house three times this month. Weekends are family time.”
    â€œYou know how important family time is, Gracie,” her dad put in. “It’s the three of us against the world!”
    â€œI don’t want to be against the world, though,” Gracie replied. “I want to be part of it.”
    Her parents both laughed. “It’s just an expression, honey,” Mr. Hardwick said.
    â€œIt means family comes first,” Ms. Hardwick agreed.
    â€œOf course it does,” Gracie said. “But how come everybody else manages to have family and friends?”
    â€œSweetheart, what’s gotten into you?” her mother asked. “You’ve always loved our weekends.”
    â€œMaybe Mom and Dad aren’t cool enough for her anymore,” Mr. Hardwick joked.
    Before Gracie could think of how to respond to that, the phone rang.
    Gracie’s parents still hadn’t gotten her a cell phone of her own. They gave her one of theirs to use on special occasions, when they thought she would need it for security. Since they both had cells, any call on the landline was usually for Gracie.
    â€œAre we expecting a call?” her father asked.
    Ms. Hardwick shook her head. “It’s probably a sales call. You didn’t tell anyone they could call during dinnertime, did you, Gracie?”
    â€œOf course not. But can I get it?” Gracie asked. “I’m not hungry anyway.”
    Her mother frowned, looking concerned, but she nodded. Gracie pushed back her chair and went over to grab the phone.
    â€œYou’re never going to believe this!” Mari cried without even saying hello. “It’s the best thing ever! Ever ever ever !”
    â€œUm, hi,” Gracie said, confused why Mari would be calling right then.
    â€œSorry, I know it’s against the rules to call during dinner,” Mari said. “I was so excited I didn’t realize what time it was until I had already dialed your number.”
    â€œThat’s okay, we were having a sort of fight,” Gracie replied. “Or a talk. Or something.”
    â€œUh-oh. Are you in trouble?” Mari asked.
    â€œI don’t think so.” Gracie shot a look at her parents, who had gone back to eating. “Usually I wouldn’t have been allowed to answer the phone, but tonight my mom let me. I must have gotten to her. She thinks I’m being weird.”
    â€œWeird how?” Mari asked.
    â€œI was complaining about how she never lets me do anything.”
    â€œOh.” Gracie heard Mari blow a bubble with her gum. “Well, it’s about time you complained. But your mom is right—you are acting weird. You’re not a complainer.”
    â€œI know.” Gracie bit her lip, feeling a little guilty. Had she been too harsh on her mother? “I guess I should apologize.”
    â€œNot until you hear my news!”
    â€œRight. Sorry. What did you call about?” Gracie asked.
    â€œOnly the most amazing thing in the history of things,” Mari told her. “My sister Kat just called from college. She’s working on this crazy experiment for her sociology class where she and another person are supposed to do a life swap for two weeks.”
    â€œLike, switch lives?” Gracie said.
    â€œYup. Live in each other’s dorm rooms, go to each other’s classes, hang with each other’s friends, all that. At the end, they write a paper about what they’ve learned,” Mari replied.