The narrator, Jules, shares a story about his life-changing friendship with Amanda, a poor and exceptionally bright scholarship student. Despite their different backgrounds, they become inseparable, and Jules learns about Amanda's difficult past, including being an orphan and working multiple jobs to support herself.
When Amanda is involved in a car accident, Jules' father decides to adopt her, but only if Jules keeps the truth about their family's wealth, built by stealing from Amanda's family, a secret. As Amanda becomes more comfortable in her new life, she changes and becomes more outgoing, but also more manipulative.
Amanda eventually discovers the truth and exposes Jules' family, leading to a huge scandal and a lawsuit. Jules' father is forced to step down from his mayoral candidacy and give up a third of his property.
Years later, Jules and Amanda meet again in Bora Bora, where Amanda has started a new life. They apologize to each other, and Jules acknowledges his family's wrongdoing. They decide to reconnect and maintain a relationship as cousins.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The narrator's grandfather owned several shoe factories, and they were a wealthy family.
2. The narrator's grandfather had an older brother, Amanda's grandfather.
3. Amanda's family lost their wealth due to the narrator's grandfather's actions.
4. Amanda grew up in foster homes and had to work multiple jobs to support herself.
5. Amanda was a scholarship student at the narrator's school.
6. The narrator and Amanda became friends after the narrator helped her with her bike.
7. Amanda refused the narrator's invitation to a birthday party due to feeling self-conscious about her clothes and appearance.
8. Amanda was hit by a car and hospitalized, and the narrator visited her.
9. Amanda's foster mom told the narrator that Amanda had tried to find her relatives but was unsuccessful.
10. The narrator's dad agreed to help find Amanda's family, and they discovered that Amanda was the narrator's second cousin.
11. The narrator's dad did not want to reveal the truth to Amanda, fearing it would affect his mayoral campaign.
12. Amanda discovered the truth and confronted the narrator's dad, who asked her to keep it a secret.
13. Amanda agreed to keep the secret in exchange for being adopted by the narrator's family.
14. Amanda changed her behavior after being adopted, becoming more outgoing and confident.
15. The narrator felt left out and started to distance themselves from Amanda and their family.
16. Amanda ran away from home and revealed the truth about the narrator's family's wealth to the media.
17. The narrator's dad had to step down from his mayoral campaign, and Amanda sued the family for her share of the wealth.
18. The court ruled in Amanda's favor, and the narrator's dad had to give up one-third of his property.
19. Amanda and the narrator lost touch after the court case.
20. The narrator and Amanda reunited years later in Bora Bora, where Amanda had opened a sushi restaurant.