Good friends and big trouble . . .
Sophia Rizzo is a good writer on the school newspaper, she's nice, and Elizabeth likes her. But all the other kids at Sweet Valley Middle School - including Elizabeth's twin sister Jessica - make fun of Sophia because her familyis poor and her brother is alway's in trouble. Even Elizabeth's parents tell her to stay away from Sophia.
To show Sophia that she's her friend no matter what anybody says, Elizabeth decides to go against strict orders from her parents and throw a secret birthday party for Sophia. But is Elizabeth willing to pay the price if she's caught?
Excerpt:
"Liz, are you telling us that the school play, the most important event of the whole school year, is in the hands of raggedy Sophia Rizzo?" Jessica gave an anguished cry.
"Sophia and five other kids, including your own sister," Elizabeth said. "Besides, if you'd been with me this afternoon, you'd know what a terrific writer Sophia is!"
"If I'd been with you this afternoon," said Jessica, "I'd probably have been sick. I can't believe you set foot in that girl's house."
"Yeah," Steven agreed. "Who needs to hang out with losers like that?"
In an instant Elizabeth's happiness about the show was destroyed. She looked at her brother and sister, finding it hard to believe that her own family could be so shallow and heartless. "How do you know what Sophia's house is like if you've never been there?" she asked them. "And how do you know what she's like if you've never even talked to her? And whoever left that cruel note in Sophia's desk doesn't know the first thing about giving people a fair shake."
"Liz," Jessica said, "it's not as though I wrote that letter all by myself. The Unicorns took a vote on it, and we all agreed this town would be a lot better off without the Rizzo family."
Elizabeth was tired and angry. She was disappointed in Jessica and Steven. "If being friends with Sophia means being left out by snobs like the Unicorns, then I won't mind in the least!"
Will anyone have a fair chance against Jessica? One of the Gang