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crybaby.”
    “Maybe Princess Penelope is supposed to be a crybaby,” Sophie said.
    “No,” I said. “Princesses aren’t supposed to cry. Princesses are strong. They have to be, for the lightbulb fairies and transportation elves they’re supposed to protect.”
    “Oh,” Sophie said. “I never thought of that.”
    The call waiting went off. “That’s the other line,” I said. “I have to go.”
    “Okay,” Caroline said. “See you tomorrow.”
    “See you tomorrow,” I said, and hung up. “This is Allie Finkle speaking,” I said to whoever was on the other line.
    “Hello, Allie Finkle,” said a lady. “This is your mother’s friend Joyce from work. Is she there? I’d like to tell her what a great job she did on Good News! just now.”
    “Sure,” I said. “I’ll go get her.”
    So. It was starting. Basically, my mom’s first TV appearance had ended only five minutes ago , and she was already a celebrity! My dramatic life change was about to begin.
    Sure, after everyone went home, my dad made me help him fill the dishwasher.
    But I didn’t mind because soon, I knew, we’d have a housekeeper to do all that, just like Mary Kay Shiner. Maybe even a butler. I mean, the family of a big TV star couldn’t be expected to empty and fill their own dishwasher! That would just be ridiculous. After this week, I’d probably never have to do a single chore again.
    It was really hard to sleep that night. For one thing, Mewsie was still so excited from the party (he loved having company) that he kept bouncing around my room, batting his catnip ball back and forth. It was really, really annoying, but he was still too little to let outside—especially at night.
    Plus, I couldn’t stop thinking about my new life as the daughter of a TV star. When I got to school, probably the kids were going to swarm all over me and stuff. It was going to be really hard to sign all those autographs without getting a wrist cramp, but I was just going to have to try. I didn’t want them to think I was a snob like Cheyenne!
    Then there was the part where I was maybe—probably—going to get the role of Princess Penelope. This would obviously make people even more jealous of me. I mean, if it happened. Which it might not. But it probably would. I was going to have to be very sympathetic to Sophie when she started crying because she didn’t get the part of Princess Penelope.
    I wouldn’t be at all sympathetic to Cheyenne, though. Because I didn’t care about her at all.
    Even though I thought I’d never fall asleep, I must have, because I woke up the next morning to find Mewsie massaging my hair and making tangles out of it, as usual. I carefully untangled his claws and got dressed, putting on my best purple leggings and jean skirt, my high-tops and my most colorful hoodie. I knew it was important to look good for my first day as a TV star’s daughter, and as the star of my class play…but not too good. I really didn’t want people to think I was a snob.
    Because that’s what happens when you’re a star, and all. Most people love you.
    But some people can’t rise above their jealousy. They warn about stuff like this all the time in Missy’s teen magazines.
    When Erica came to pick me up to walk me to school, she didn’t seem to notice how carefully I’d picked out my clothes, or the beautiful styling job I’d done on my hair, using many multicolored sparkle clips.
    But that was okay. I realized it was just because I’d been so subtle about it.
    And when we got to the stop sign, Caroline and Sophie didn’t notice, either. That was okay, too.
    “Allie,” Caroline said, instead of saying anything about my new look, “your mom was so good last night.”
    “And she looked so pretty,” Sophie said.
    “I know,” Erica said. “Didn’t she? I didn’t think she looked like a rabbit at all.”
    “I wonder how many people saw her,” I said. That wasn’t really what I wanted to know, though. What I really wanted to