It's Glynnis' first day at her new school in America, and she already feels out of place because the rest of her class says the Pledge of Allegiance. She's partnered with Leora, a girl in her class who is ruthlessly bullied by their classmates. When Glynnis returns home, her mother is distraught and complains endlessly about their move from England to America. Her father tries to find some positives, but Glynnis' parents argue about who is at fault for the move. For the next few days, Glynnis attempts to navigate the politics of her new school. Two girls, both named Megan, are the "it" girls. They both bully Leora, who clearly has less money and perhaps an unstable home life. Glynnis struggles to make friends. One of the Megans hands out invitations to her sleepover birthday party, but both Glynnis and Leora aren't invited. One night, Glynnis asks her mother why people are mean to other people, and her mother replies that some people make it too easy. Glynnis tells her mother about the sleepover, and her mother says she and her friends used to play cruel pranks on other girls at sleepovers. The next day, the two Megans ask Glynnis to buy them chocolate milk because she's at the front of the lunch line. Despite Leora telling Glynnis that it's against the rules, Glynnis buys the milk and then sits with the Megans at lunch. Glynnis tells them about the sleepover pranks and the Megans decide they need to invite Leora so that she can be the one who gets pranked. Leora gets the invitation and decides to go, but she loses a button on her shirt and her mother won't let her leave. Glynnis' father picks her up from school unexpectedly, as he hopes to get dinner together, but Glynnis wants to go home to see her mother. When the two get home, Glynnis' parents get into a big argument. Megan calls Glynnis' house and invites her to the sleepover because Leora can't go anymore. Glynnis begs her father to let her go, while her mother cries alone in the bathroom.