Elsie, a high school student from Georgia, shares her story about being raised by parents who valued her physical appearance above all else. As a result, Elsie was forced into modeling at a young age, despite her passion for math and physics. When she reaches high school, Elsie decides to take a stand against her parents' wishes and quits modeling. She cuts her hair, starts wearing glasses, and focuses on her studies.
Elsie's decision leads to a rift with her sister Ari, who has always felt overshadowed by Elsie's beauty and popularity. However, when Elsie starts dating a famous model named Nate, Ari becomes even more resentful and tries to sabotage Elsie's relationships and opportunities.
Despite the challenges, Elsie perseveres and gets accepted into a prestigious college program for physics. During an interview with a reporter, Elsie's answers are sabotaged by Ari, leading to an argument between the sisters.
However, the argument leads to a turning point in their relationship. Elsie realizes that Ari is not just a mean girl, but a complex person who is struggling to find her own identity. The sisters begin to reconnect, and Ari starts to pursue her own interests and passions.
In the end, Elsie and Ari learn to appreciate and support each other, and their relationship becomes stronger as a result.
Here are the key facts from the text:
1. The narrator, Elsie, is from Georgia.
2. Elsie's parents thought she was the most beautiful newborn they had ever seen.
3. Elsie's parents signed her up for a modeling contract when she was young.
4. Elsie hated modeling but did it to make her parents happy.
5. Elsie's sister, Ari, was born when Elsie was older.
6. Ari felt ignored by their parents, who focused more on Elsie's looks.
7. Elsie started high school and wanted to focus on her studies, particularly math and physics.
8. Elsie's teacher questioned whether she was suited for an advanced class because of her modeling career.
9. Elsie cut off her hair and changed her style to distance herself from modeling.
10. Elsie's parents were upset about her new look.
11. Elsie's friends were shocked by her new appearance, but she didn't care.
12. Elsie met a guy named Nate, who was a model, at the mall.
13. Nate and Elsie started dating and had a lot in common.
14. Ari started modeling and wanted to be the most famous model in the world.
15. Elsie got accepted into college to study physics and was going to be the youngest student in the country.
16. Ari was jealous of Elsie's achievements and relationship with Nate.
17. A reporter interviewed Elsie for the news, and her mom helped her prepare by writing down answers to the questions.
18. Ari misplaced Elsie's answer sheet, causing her to struggle during the interview.
19. Elsie and Ari had a heart-to-heart conversation, and Ari apologized for her behavior.
20. Elsie and Ari started to rebuild their relationship, and Ari found a new passion for acting.
21. Ari found a boyfriend who liked her for who she was.
22. Elsie and Ari went on a double date with their boyfriends before Elsie left for college.