Ellie, a high school student, recounts her unbelievable story of mystery, suspense, and betrayal. She lives with her mom, a pizza chef, and her best friend Gia, who is known for being odd and liking bugs. Ellie starts dating Billy, who seems perfect, but things take a turn when Ellie discovers Billy's dad is in the mafia and has taken over the pizzeria. Billy's dad tricks Ellie's mom and Gia's mom into signing over their business, but Gia has been secretly recording Billy and his dad's conversations and gathering evidence. Gia eventually exposes Billy and his dad's scheme, and they are arrested. The pizzeria is returned to its rightful owners, and Ellie and Gia become heroes at school. The story highlights the complexities of friendship and the power of loyalty and determination.
Here are the key facts from the text:
1. The narrator, Ellie, is an only child who lives with her mom, a pizza chef.
2. Ellie's mom has a cookbook and a popular YouTube channel.
3. Ellie's mom started a pizzeria with her best friend when Ellie was six years old.
4. Ellie's mom's friend has a daughter, Gia, who is Ellie's age.
5. Gia and Ellie are very different, but they are close friends.
6. In third grade, a boy called Ellie "poop girl" after she spilled chocolate ice cream on her shirt.
7. Gia stood up for Ellie and chased the boy away with a stray dog.
8. Gia is interested in science and spends most of her time in the school lab.
9. Ellie starts dating a boy named Billy, who seems perfect.
10. Billy's dad invests in Ellie's mom's pizzeria and promises to make it a huge success.
11. However, Billy's dad turns out to be a con artist who takes advantage of Ellie's mom and Gia's mom.
12. Billy's dad changes the sign on the pizzeria to "Fitz Pizza" and starts taking over the business.
13. Ellie's mom is devastated and faints when she finds out what's happening.
14. Gia discovers that Billy's dad is in the mafia and has been using the pizzeria as a front to launder money.
15. Gia records Billy's dad talking about his scheme and gets Billy to confess.
16. Gia sends the evidence to the police, and Billy and his dad are arrested.
17. The pizzeria is returned to Ellie's mom and Gia's mom, and things go back to normal.
18. After the news gets out, Gia and Ellie become popular at school, and the pizzeria becomes busier than ever.