The story revolves around a 12-year-old girl named Lizzy who wins a lottery. After initially thinking of sharing the money with her family, she decides to run away from home. She visits her friend Meg, who helps her plan her escape. Lizzy steals money from her piggy bank and gives it to Meg to buy her lottery tickets. Meg also books a flight to Orlando, Florida, where Universal Studios is located.
Lizzy's plan to run away is thwarted by her older sister, who discovers her intentions. Lizzy manages to escape her house and flees to Orlando. However, she is caught by the police and taken back home. Upon her return, her family is relieved to see her safe. The police had managed to track down Lizzy's friends and retrieve her lottery winnings.
Lizzy is disappointed to learn that her friends have been arrested and her money has been returned. She is also upset to see Meg, who she had considered a friend, looking sad and alone. The story ends with Lizzy and her family going to Disneyland, a place she had initially wanted to visit.
1. The narrator, Lizzy, has a dream of a string of numbers which she can't get out of her head.
2. Lizzy sees the same numbers on a lottery sign outside a local supermarket, reminding her of her dream.
3. Lizzy decides to buy a lottery ticket with the numbers from her dream.
4. Lizzy's friend Meg, who is in her 20s, helps her buy the ticket as she is of legal age.
5. Lizzy decides to run away from home after finding out that her family won't be going on summer vacation.
6. Lizzy goes to Meg's place and they collect the amount in the lump sum.
7. Lizzy hides the money in her backpack and feels a sense of excitement about her upcoming adventure.
8. Lizzy's older sister, Lizzy, finds out about her plan to run away and confronts her.
9. Lizzy throws a vase at her sister, Lizzy, to distract her and hides the cash under her mattress.
10. Lizzy goes to Meg's and asks her to book a flight to Orlando, Florida.
11. Lizzy decides to go alone to Orlando and Meg gives her an encouraging smile.
12. Lizzy's flight is at 6 in the morning and she quietly packs all her stuff at night.
13. Lizzy hides her bags in the shed outside the house and sneaks out of her house when her older sister is not around.
14. Lizzy gets on a bus and a cop climbs aboard the bus and sits next to her.
15. Lizzy is taken to the airport and is mesmerized by the glamour and happening city of Orlando.
16. Lizzy books a room in a rundown motel and hides her money under a loose floorboard.
17. Lizzy joins a group of older kids who offer to help her get into Universal Studios.
18. Lizzy has the best time at Disneyland and misses her own family.
19. Lizzy's new friends invite her to a party and she agrees.
20. Lizzy tries smoking for the first time and breaks into a house with her friends.
21. Lizzy feels like a grown-up who can do whatever they please and hang around with cool friends who love to party.
22. Lizzy's new friends find out where she's hiding her money and tie her up in her motel room.
23. Lizzy's new friends search the bathroom and go through her bags to find her money.
24. Lizzy's new friends celebrate finding her money and leave her room.
25. Lizzy is gagged for the next few hours and feels like she is going to die.
26. Lizzy hears loud voices from outside and the door to her room is opened by the police.
27. Lizzy is untied by the police and is taken to the airport.
28. Lizzy's family is waiting for her at the airport and she is overjoyed to be back home.
29. Lizzy's family finds out that her money has been recovered and she is relieved.
30. Lizzy's family decides to go to Disneyland as a family vacation.