While I was writing/attempting to write these acknowledgments, I convinced myself that I had pink eye, strep throat, and about five incurable diseases. Which is to say, I’m really good at procrastinating and really good at thinking I’m sick.

Scholastic Book Fair day was my favorite day of school as a kid, and it truly is a dream come true to have my first novel published with Scholastic. Thank you to everyone at Scholastic who made it happen, and especially to my editor, Orlando Dos Reis. He was amazingly patient with me in all my moments of doubt and insecurities as a first-time author. His incredible feedback guided my writing in directions I didn’t know it could be guided in, and it was an honor to shape the story with his suggestions and edits. Thank you to Nick Eliopulos and David Levithan, for taking a chance on me, and for entrusting me with such a fun project. Thank you to Nina Goffi for designing a cover that I feverishly adore. Thank you to Melissa Schirmer, Jessica White, the production department, and everyone else at Scholastic who helped make this book a reality.

I couldn’t have written this book without the support of my family and friends. Thank you, all of you.

Nicholas, thank you for the support, love, and encouragement. Not just while I was writing this book, but the entire time I’ve known you. Which is a long time, and a lot of support, love, and encouragement. Thank you for being one of my first readers, and thank you for all the times you sat next to me on the couch while I was writing and talked out plot points, character aspects, and went over proper airplane and airport lingo with me.

Mila, your presence is in every page. I wrote so much of this book at night, with your video monitor propped up next to my laptop, watching you sleep while I typed. Thank you for inspiring me and encouraging me every single day. And thank you for the blueberry pancakes.

Mom, thank you for taking me to the library hundreds (thousands?) of times when I was little and for letting me read at the dinner table. Thank you for always believing in me, even when I didn’t.

Greg, big brother, thank you for encouraging me to keep writing, for being so supportive, and for being such an inspiration.

Dad, wherever you are, I did it.

Cosmo Sagristano, Erin Cicatelli, Dawn Kuc, Bob Kuc, Natalie Kuc, Nico Medina, Billy Merrell, Oriane Wilkerson, Rudha Kerr, Rachel Losh, Lauren O’Neill-Butler, Kellie Porter, Molly Kolb, Tricia Callahan, Anna Teten, Jessie Shaffer, Autumn Stannard, Chrissy Denardo, Lindsey Keith, thank you for letting me freak out about the book at all stages, and for encouraging me when I needed it most.

And finally, thank you to everyone at Giocare, especially Bridget Clark, and to Cecilia Grace Figueroa, for spending time with Mila while I spent time writing. She’s lucky to have gotten such wonderful care from you, and I’m lucky too.

Keep dreaming and believing, everyone.