Once, when she was in seventh grade, Dr Ayars bought his daughter an expensive white dress with a designer’s label on it. Laura loved the dress. She was sure that it was going to change her whole life. She looked pretty in it. Her father had said so. And Laura was going to wear it to school and all the popular girls were going to think she was pretty too. They would all like her – even Lisa Sommers, the prettiest girl in the class. They would ask her to sit with them during lunch instead of by herself in the back of the room. They would ask her to play hopscotch with them during recess instead of making her stand away from them where no one would talk to her. And who knows? Maybe Lisa Sommers would invite her to go over her house after school.

Laura was so excited she could hardly sleep. She got out of bed very early the next morning, showered, and put on her new dress. Her older sister Gloria, who was really popular with the boys, helped her get ready. Gloria brushed Laura’s hair out, curled it, and even added light touches of make-up. When Gloria was finished, she stepped back and let Laura look at herself in the mirror. Laura tried to be critical but she could not help it. She looked pretty.

‘Do I really look okay?’ she asked her sister hopefully.

Gloria hugged her and stroked her hair. ‘Just perfect.’

When she came down to breakfast, her father smiled. ‘Well, well, just take a look at my little princess.’

Laura giggled happily.

‘You look lovely,’ her mother added.

‘The boys will be fighting in the playground today,’ her father chipped in.

‘Do you want me to walk you to school?’ Gloria asked.

‘That would be great!’

Laura beamed with joy as she headed to school with Gloria. When they reached the edge of the playground, Gloria turned to her little sister and gave her another big hug. Laura felt warm and secure in her sister’s arms. ‘I have cheerleading practice after school,’ Gloria said. ‘I’ll see you at home later tonight, okay?’