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butter in a mousetrap for producers.
    “Natalie Phan, you are a genius,” I say.
    “I know.” Nat reaches around and gives herself a pat on the back.
    “No, you don’t even know how perfect that is. Last night, Miranda told me that Samir’s going to be on LifeLine’s new race-around-the-world show. He’d go crazy if Miranda got on some other show and stayed in the game longer than he did.”
    “Oh my God, yes . I love this.” Natalie grabs her phone. “Let’s see who’s casting right now.”
    “Miranda will never go for it, though. She thinks reality TV is, like, the entertainment equivalent of eating Twinkies.”
    Nat looks puzzled. “Twinkies are delicious.”
    “And this is why you’re my friend. But Miranda’s more of a crème brûlée girl.”
    “Let’s just look, okay?” Her eyebrows scrunch together as she scrolls. “Okay, she’s not a lesbian looking for love. She’s not a single man who wants to lose fifty pounds. She’s not a trained bounty hunter, as far as I know. Ooh, how about Catwalk , the definitive pet fashion show? I’ve seen her make amazing Halloween costumes for Chester and Otto.”
    “I’m not sure dressing up the cats on national television is the best way to prove she’s cooler than Samir.”
    “Valid point.” Natalie’s quiet for a minute. “How about Hive Mind ? ‘Contestants live together in a house and compete in cooperative challenges against groups of social animals, including meerkats and hyenas.’ ”
    I wrinkle my nose. “I don’t really think that’s her style.”
    “A bunch of these are team shows, like Jack of All Trades and Oregon Trailblazers . How about—” Her eyes suddenly widen. “Oh my God, Claire. Look.”
    She passes her phone over. The text on the screen reads,
Ruby Harris Casting, in association with LifeLine TV, is holding emergency casting calls in New York City and Los Angeles this Saturday, June 8. We are seeking two last-minute replacement teams for Around the World , a new race-around-the-globe show to air during prime time. If you’re unmarried, between the ages of 18 and 35, and want to challenge yourself physically and mentally while competing for a million dollars, we want to see you there!
    My jaw nearly hits the floor. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
    “This has to be it, right? The show Samir’s on?”
    “I don’t know what it’s called, but she said ‘some race-around-the-world show on LifeLine.’ There can’t possibly be two of them.”
    “It’s a sign,” Nat says. “The universe is trying to tell us that she has to audition for this show.”
    “It’s perfect. But how are we going to convince Miranda to do it?”
    “Convince me to do what?” My sister is standing at the bottom of the stairs in a Middlebury tank top and rumpled sushi-print pajama bottoms. There are dark circles under her eyes, but even after a night of tossing and turning, her hair looks artfully messy, like a stylist arranged each piece.
    I jump up. “Hey! You’re awake! How do you feel today?” I wonder if I’ll be able to feel a shift between us this morning, now that we’ve spent all that time bonding over revenge and she’s seen how good I am at being her friend, not just her little sister. “Natalie got you a muffin.”
    Her face brightens the tiniest bit. “Yeah? What kind?”
    “Cranberry pecan.”
    “Awesome.” She takes the bag and sits down next to me. “Thanks, Nat.”
    “You’re welcome. Hey, Claire told me about Samir. That totally blows.”
    All three of us jump as a piercing shriek and the sound of shattering glass come from the television. “ What are you guys watching?” Miranda asks. She stares as slivers of mirror rain down on the used pregnancy tests around Jakarta’s bare feet.
    “Speed Breed,” Natalie says, her mouth full of muffin.
    “Seriously? You guys watch Speed Breed ?”
    It occurs to me that this isn’t the optimal show to have on while we try to convince my sister to become a