I WAS SITTING IN my room and kind of regretting that I’d run upstairs and slammed the door. Now I could hardly go back down and watch America’s Next Top Model, which is only my favorite show of the week. If I did, it would be sending a message that I had cooled down, and I had not.

So I wasn’t surprised when Mom knocked a few minutes later. I’d been pretty sure she would. Before I answered I dashed into my bathroom and dabbed my face with water to make it look like I’d been crying. Then I flung open the door.

But it wasn’t Mom. It was Leonard.

“Hey, Ashley,” he said, his voice all tight and nervous. “I asked your mom if I could come up and talk to you. I just wanted to say I know this must be really hard on you, and I realize it’s going to take time for us to get to know each other. But if you ever need to talk—”

For the second time in one night I slammed my door.