THE SMART THING Is to Prepare for the Unexpected.So reads the fortune cookie fortune that Amanda receives at the beginning of her familys vacation to Florida. Amanda knows all about preparing for the unexpectedher mother, whom she calls The Captain, is always hard on Amanda, and its just when Amanda lets her guard down that the very worst comes through. Looking for acceptance, Amanda turns her attention to boys, and doing whatever she can to be popular at school. That includes making out with the gorgeous senior Rick in his car after schooleven though he has a girlfriend. And when Rick offers her The Deala real, official date to the Homecoming in front of everyone, in exchange for her virginityAmanda jumps at the chance. But no matter how you try to prepare for the unexpected, sometimes you cant. Sharp, chatty, and brutally honest, this debut novel is compulsively readable and heartbreakingly real.From the Hardcover edition.
