Some people would say this is the story of a photograph. How it was taken and what happened to me after the whole world saw it. And it is. But it's also the story of a lot of other things. So look at the picture all you want. I am so much more than what you see. “A page turner that tells a powerful truth about girls and about our culture.” - Chris Crutcher “Frank, fearless, and very funny, Laura Ruby explodes stereotypes.” - E. Lockhart, author of The Boyfriend List and Fly on the Wall “[Teens] should take heart in Audrey’s courage and comfort in the notion that life goes on, even after a horrific humiliation.” - Kirkus Reviews “Leaves readers with plenty to ponder.” - Publishers Weekly “Frank, realistic portrayal of teen life.” - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (starred review) “Clear-eyed and perfectly pitched, this is an incredibly brave story, and Laura Ruby is a writer to watch.” - Lisa Tucker, author of The Song Reader “Good Girls sizzles with passion, insight, humor, and wisdom. A stunning read.” - Rosemary Graham, author of Thou Shalt Not Dump the Skater-Dude and Other Commandments I Have Broken “Harrowing, honest, poignant, and wickedly funny, Laura Ruby’s so-good novel comes out swinging.” - Libba Bray, author of A Great and Terrible Beauty “A brave, funny, and realistic love story about high school seniors and the assumptions they all make about each other.” - Carol Weston, author of For Girls Only and Girltalk Some people would say this is the story of a photograph. How it was taken and what happened to me after the whole world saw it. And it is. But it's also the story of a lot of other things. So look at the picture all you want. I am so much more than what you see. Laura Ruby  is the Michael L. Printz Award–winning author of many books for adults, teens, and children, including Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All and Bone Gap , both National Book Award finalists; the ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection York: The Shadow Cipher and its sequels; the Edgar Award nominee Lily’s Ghosts ; and the Book Sense Pick Good Girls . She is on the faculty of Hamline University’s MFA in writing for children and young adults program and lives in the Chicago area. You can visit her online at lauraruby.com. Good Girls By Laura Ruby HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. Copyright © 2008 Laura Ruby All right reserved. ISBN: 9780060882259 Chapter One Beg Me Ash says she's the Dark Queen of the Damned. I say I'm the Empress of the Undead. My dad, passing by the bathroom where we're getting ready, takes one look and declares us Two Weird Girls from Jersey. "That'll work," Ash says. Tonight, we're Goth. We've got the layers of black mesh shirts, the cargo pants rolled up to the knees, the ripped fishnets, the combat boots, the white face makeup and the smudgy rings of eyeliner. Ash brought a can of black hair spray, but she's already used most of it on her curly brown hair. "Not sure if there's enough left for you, Rapunzel." "Shut up and start spraying," I say. My hair is blond, and long enough to tuck into the back of my cargoes. Ash blackens the strands around my face and puts skunky streaks all around the back. The noise scares Cat Stevens—aka Stevie, The Furminator, and Mr. Honey Head—who is watching us from his perch on the toilet tank. He jumps down and dashes out of the bathroom. "What did you do to Stevie?" my mom calls. I hear her murmuring, "Poor baby kitty. Little marmalade man." After Ash finishes, we crowd the mirror. "We are so hot," she says. And we are. Dark and freaky and brooding, the way vampires might look. I should like it more than I do. My black bra doesn't fit right, and the straps dig into my shoulders. The fishnets itch. It's a stupidly warm night, and I'm already sweating. Plus, I've got on so much mascara that when I blink, my lashes spike my skin. It's different for Ash. She's sort of Goth-y anyway, with her pierced eyebrow and sharp cheekbones and the German swearwords courtesy of her Deutsch grandma. I lean closer to the mirror. "I should have bought contacts. In the store, I saw these green lenses with slanted pupils, kind of like a lizard." Ash frowns. "You have the coolest eyes on the planet. Amber." "Right," I say. "Like that stuff insects get caught in." "Plus," she says, ignoring me, "you don't get contacts for one Halloween party." Ash blinks her own dark eyes, lush as melted chocolate. "And you can stop being so cranky, please." "Sorry." I bite my lip. "Can you believe this is our last Halloween together?" Ash's hands fly up. "Enough with the 'Can you believe this is our last whatever?' stuff. It's October . We've got like eight whole months of school left." "More like seven." "Seven, then." "Six if you count vacations," I say. "Audrey, the key word is 'months.' Besides," she says, digging her elbow into my side, "there are more important things to worry about right now." "Like what?" "Like a certain person by the name of Lu