Summary

To avoid losing Cole, who has become a very popular girl, Birdie learns to perfect the act of blending in by changing her hair, clothes, and way of talking. Another girl, Maria, invites Birdie to go steady with a particular boy, and by agreeing, Birdie gains admission to a clique of girls and becomes more popular.

Birdie bears a resemblance to a murdered girl named Luce Rivera, whose violated body was found in the neighborhood of their school. Birdie’s mother warns her (but not Cole) to be careful of perverted men who seek out girls like her.

Birdie is invited to spend the night at Maria’s house, where she tries hard to be a perfect friend. She is impressed with the matching furniture in Maria’s house, Maria’s wealth of stylish clothes, and the abundant food in the kitchen. When Maria curls Birdie...