Page 15 of The Good Girl's Guide to Being Bad

Good God, I thought. When Colton Freakin’ Bishop, bad boy extraordinaire, started sounding like a poet, there was something very wrong. A change had to be made, I decided. If I wasn’t so “nice,” maybe I would’ve already been accepted byDancer’s Edgeand checked off a few of the items on my “Carpe Diem List.” If I had gone to that party tonight, maybe I would’ve been the one Kyle kissed instead of the one he got sick on. If I was more like Anna or Liz, maybe I wouldn’t be about to end my senior year un-kissed, un-touched and…undeniably pathetic.

I didn’t want to graduate high school with any regrets, was tired of living quietly.

I was so sick of being the good girl.

I just didn’t know what to do about it.

“Okay, here’s what I think you should do.”

Betty wasted no time finding me first thing as she and the rest of the Shady Grove residents walked (and wheeled) into Senior Night at Corner Street Ballroom, my parents’ studio. Her face was even more vibrant than usual, mostly due to the spectacular evening gown she was wearing. Emerald green really was her color. The “Birthday Girl” sash and tiara were nice touches.

“I thought about you all last night,” she continued. “About the nun thing. About that rejection and how those silly people think you’re too sweet, too nice, unexciting, basically lifeless—”

“Geez, Betty, okay. I get it,” I mumbled.

“Sorry, dear, I got carried away. Anyway, even watching a movie didn’t help. It was like I couldn’t sleep until I finally thought up a solution.”

“And did you?”

“Yes, and Cora was wrong,” she said. “Sadie, you don’t need a man.”

“Okaaay?” I still had no idea where she was going with this.

Betty tilted her head. “What you need…is a makeover.”

“A makeover?” I repeated.

“Yes.” As she nodded, the rhinestones in her tiara twinkled like stars, catching the light. “Alife makeover. They think you’re too dull? They say you lack experience? Well then, go out and get some experience. All you have to do is prove them wrong. It’s not that hard when you think about it.”

What she was saying made a lot of sense, but—

“Betty, that all sounds great,” I said. “But how do I get life experience?”

“Hmm,” she said. “I thought about that one, too. Sadie, first I need to ask you: Are you open to change?”

My mind went back to yesterday, and I didn’t have to think long. I nodded.

“Well then, that brings me to step two of my solution. For your life makeover, you’ll need a coach, a guide, someone to help you on your quest to break out of your shell. Man or woman, it doesn’t matter. It just has to be someone who can show you how to walk on the wild side. Someone who knows how to be…well, a little bad.”

I just stared.

“Don’t look at me like that, dear,” she sniffed. “I was a bit of a hell raiser in my day, and you see how well I turned out.”

“No, it’s just…you’ve thought a lot about this,” I said.

“Of course, I have. You’re one of my favorite people.”

My heart warmed. “Are you offering to be my coach?”

She laughed. “Good Lord, no! You need someone who can get out and show you the world. Trust me, dear, a life makeover is the answer to all your problems. It sounds fabulous, doesn’t it?”

“A life makeover,” I said, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders. “I like it. How’d you come up with that anyway?”

“Well, like I said, I couldn’t sleep. So, I was watchingPretty Woman, and—”

“Betty,” I said flatly. “Please tell me, you did not just solve my life problems based on a movie about a heart-of-gold hooker and her millionaire playboy.”

Betty crossed her arms. “So what if I did? You love the idea.”

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