A funny, relatable middle school drama about two Colombian American girls who have always been BFFs—until sixth grade turns everything upside down. Luchy Zapata is starting middle school, and she’s muy excited. She and her two best friends, Cami and Mateo, will finally be at the same school. Luchy and Mateo will be in art class together, and she and Cami can try out for the same soccer team! As long as they’re all together, Luchy can handle anything. But Cami has been acting weird ever since she got back from visiting family in Colombia. She’s making new, “cool” friends who just seem mean. And suddenly, everything about Luchy and Mateo is too immature for her. Luchy is determined to help Cami remember how special their friendship is. They’ve been BFFs their whole lives, and that can’t just disappear in a poof of glitter! But…what if Cami doesn’t even want to be friends anymore? Alexandra Alessandri is the award-winning author of The Enchanted Life of Valentina Mejía ; Grow Up, Luchy Zapata ; Isabel and Her Colores Go to School ; and Feliz New Year, Ava Gabriela! . The daughter of Colombian immigrants, she is also a former associate professor of English, a writer for Curriculum Associates, and a poet. Alexandra lives in Florida with her husband and son. Chapter 1 1 It’s a well-known fact that Colombians living outside the motherland will find a way toward each other like magnets. Like now. Mami and I stand beside a glass case filled with cakes, pastries, and breads at the grocery store. All we have to do is pick up my birthday cake. That’s it. Easy-peasy, right? Wrong. We hear them first, the other Colombians. It’s the singsong of the accent, the lilt of speech, only this time it’s loud, like a super annoying woodpecker. It comes from the mom in front of us who’s trying to calm her crying toddler while grabbing her other daughter’s arm to keep her from sprinting away. Mami pauses, her eyes going all round and doe-like as she smiles at them. But I don’t have time for it today. I tug at her shirt. “Focus, please. My party starts in—” I glance at my watch. “Thirty minutes. Cami is probably already waiting for me. I can not be late to my own party!” I give her my most Edvard Munch silent scream to prove my point. She clucks her tongue. “Ay, qué dramática.” As if me not wanting to ruin my birthday party by being late is dramatic, but whatever. Mission accomplished. She turns her back on the mom with the kids and flags the attendant behind the counter. Within seconds, I’m staring at my Hello Kitty cake, with white puffy meringue frosting, a rainbow hugging its sides, and HAPPY 11TH BIRTHDAY, LUCHY! spelled out in bright red letters. It’s the most beautiful creation I’ve ever seen. And, between you and me, the best part is the sweet gooey guava filling inside. My mouth waters at the thought. Seven minutes later (but who’s counting?) we’re striding back out into the bright Miami morning and toward our car. Out here, the sky stretches out in a perfect periwinkle blanket. As we head home, I drum my fingers against my legs and press my forehead against the window. Houses and cars blur past me but we’re still several blocks away. “My goodness, mija.” Mami glances over at me. “Cálmate. We’ll be there soon.” My house isn’t too far, but every second feels eternal as I count the beats between now and when I’ll see my BFF for the first time since the start of summer. It’s been a long two and a half months without Cami, but that doesn’t matter now. It’s my birthday, the weather is fantabulous, and soon, the Wonder Twins will finally be back together again. “You nervous about tomorrow?” Mami asks, pulling into our community. I shrug. “A little, I guess.” Tomorrow is the start of middle school. Sixth grade feels scary, like the deep end of the pool when you’re just learning how to swim. What if I sink? Papi keeps telling me we’ll all be in the same fishbowl, and Mami keeps reminding me that Cami and Mateo will be with me. Power in numbers and all that. But part of me can’t help worrying. I know I won’t technically be alone. We got lucky—magnet schools are lottery based but all three of us were accepted into the same program and we have some classes together. Still, what if I have no one to sit with at lunch? What if no one else wants to be friends with me? Then there’s the possibility of getting lost. My new school is three times as big as my old one and that’s kind of terrifying. Mami pulls into a spot by the pool entrance and turns to me. “It’ll be fine. You’ll see. Sixth grade will be an amazing year.” I hope so. Papi and my abuelita are already by the pool when we get there. Abui, as I like to call her, is pinning balloons underneath the table umbrellas. Between them, a giant banner with streamers reads HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LUCHY! in big block letters and, in smaller ones underneath, ¡ADIÓS, SUMMER! Mami places the cake box beneath the shade of one umbrella and looks up at th