The last few days, I worried that Kayla’s friends might come to their senses and take back the sleepover invite, but that never happened. Then I worried that my mom would say no. Kayla asked her at dinner last night if we could both go, and I held my breath as she thought about it. Finally, she said yes. I almost dropped my fork, I was so shocked. Kayla later told me that she knew asking in front of her dad would kind of force her hand. At least I’m not the only person who can see that my mom doesn’t want me out of her sight.
This is proven once again as I start getting ready.
“Jasmine, Idowant you to have fun,” Mom says, appearing in my doorway as I throw a pair of pajamas in my tote. “You know that, right?”
“Okay,” I say, because it certainly hasn’t seemed like it. “I’ll see you later, Mom.” I slide past her.
Kayla is all smiles when I get into the car, and my mood instantly lifts. She turns left out of the driveway, and we pass our school, heading in the direction of the neighborhood with the enormous houses.
“Did you remember to pack something to sleep in?” Kayla asks as she pulls into a circular driveway and comes to a stop. My mouth falls open as I look at Alice’s house.
“Uh, yeah, I did,” I manage to say, my eyes fixed on the brick mansion in front of us. There are two white columns framing a grand front entrance and holding up a terrace that looks like it’s filled with the whole plant section of Home Depot. It’s sort of magical.
“Alice’s grandparents are loaded,” Kayla says.
“Apparently.”
Kayla laughs as she hops out of the car. I hoist my bag over my shoulder and follow her to the front door. Kayla rings the bell and I feel my stomach twist a little. She must sense my nerves because she nudges me with her hip.
“Breathe, Jasmine. This’ll be fun,” she says.
I smile. “Yeah, you’re right.”
The front door swings open. “Evening, girls,” says an older woman with bouncy gray curls.
“Tired of seeing me yet, Ms. Mary?” Kayla says.
“Not a chance, but it might be time to get you a set of keys,” she says, waving us inside. “A new face today. Who do we have here?” Ms. Mary asks as we step into the foyer. A glittering chandelier hangs from the ceiling above an enormous staircase.
“This is my sister, Jasmine,” Kayla says.
“Alice is okay with adding a member to your little group?” Ms. Mary whispers with a smirk.
“She’s getting there.” Kayla shrugs.
“Well, nice to meet you, Jasmine. I’m Ms. Mary, Alice’s nanny,” she says.
“Hi, Ms. Mary.” I try to smile through my nerves.
“Let Alice know there are sandwiches down here if you girls get hungry before dinner,” Ms. Mary says, walking away.
We head upstairs and I follow Kayla to the first door at the top of the landing. Alice’s name is carved into it with a crown over theA. The door swings open before Kayla touches the knob.
“You’re here!” Alice screams.
Kayla slaps her hands over her ears like Alice broke her eardrums.
“What, I can’t be excited to see you?”
“Notthatexcited,” Kayla says, laughing as we step into the room.
Unsurprisingly, it’s massive. Light filters through gauzy white curtains draped across windows on the far end. The walls are a soft pink and there’s a king-size canopy bed in the center.
“Where is everyone?” Kayla asks.
Alice shuts the door and looks at us like she’s about to burst out laughing.
“What?” Kayla says.
