The Princess Diaries Read online

  The Princess Diaries

  Meg Cabot

  “Whatever comes,” she said, “cannot alter one thing. If I am a princess in rags and tatters, I can be a princess inside. It would be easy to be a princess if I were dressed in cloth of gold, but it is a great deal more of a triumph to be one all the time when no one knows it.”

  * * *

  A LITTLE PRINCESS

  FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT

  Contents

  Epigraph

  Acknowledgments

  Tuesday, September 23

  Sometimes it seems like all I ever do is lie.

  Wednesday, September 24, Fifth Period

  Lilly’s like, “Mr. Gianini’s cool.”

  Thursday, September 25

  In Algebra today all I could think about was how…

  Friday, September 26

  LILLY MOSCOVITZ’S LIST OF HOTTEST GUYS

  Later on Friday

  I was measuring my chest and totally not thinking about…

  Saturday, September 27

  I was asleep when my mom got home from her…

  Sunday, September 28

  My dad called again today, and this time Mom really…

  Monday, September 29, G & T

  Today I watched Mr. Gianini very closely for signs that he…

  Tuesday, September 30

  Something really weird just happened. I got home from school,…

  Wednesday, October 1

  My dad’s here. Well, not here in the loft. He’s…

  Notes from G & T

  Lilly—I can’t stand this. When is she going to go…

  Thursday, October 2,

  Ladies’ Room at the Plaza Hotel

  Well.

  Later on Thursday,

  Penguin House, Central Park Zoo

  I’m so freaked out I can barely write, plus people…

  Even Later on Thursday

  Of course, I couldn’t hide out in the penguin house…

  Friday, October 3, Homeroom

  Today when I woke up, the pigeons that live on…

  More Friday, Algebra

  Lilly could tell right away something was up.

  Really Late on Friday,

  Lilly Moscovitz’s Bedroom

  Okay, so I blew off Mr. Gianini’s help session after school.

  Saturday, October 4,

  Early, Still Lilly’s Place

  Why do I always have such a good time when…

  Later on Saturday

  The whole way home from Lilly’s I worried about what…

  Saturday Night

  I can’t even believe what a loser I am. I…

  Sunday, October 5

  I can’t believe Mr. Gianini told her. I can’t believe he…

  Monday, October 6, 3 a.m.

  I’ve been up all night, worrying about getting caught cheating.

  Monday, October 6, 4 a.m.

  I tried washing the quadratic formula off my shoe, but…

  Monday, October 6, 7 a.m.

  Decided to wear my Docs and throw my high-tops away…

  Monday, October 6, 9 a.m.

  Realized in the car on the way to school that…

  Monday, October 6, G & T

  Okay. I admit it. I looked.

  Tuesday, October 7

  Ode to Algebra

  Wednesday, October 8

  Oh no.

  Thursday, October 9

  I found out why.

  Friday, October 10

  Princess lessons.

  Saturday, October 11, 9:30 a.m.

  So I was right: Lilly does think the reason I’m…

  Saturday, October 11

  I can never go to school again. I can never…

  Later on Saturday

  Well, I don’t know who Lilly Moscovitz thinks she is,…

  Past Midnight, Sunday, October 12

  She still hasn’t called.

  Sunday, October 12

  Oh my God. I am so embarrassed. I wish I…

  Later on Sunday

  Oh, okay. According to my mom, who just came into…

  Even Later on Sunday

  I just turned on my computer to look up some…

  Even Later on Sunday

  Just when I thought things might be looking very slightly…

  Monday, October 13, Algebra

  When Lars pulled up in front of Lilly’s building to…

  Later on Monday, French

  So even if Lilly and I weren’t in a fight,…

  Later on Monday

  Oh my God. I am in so much trouble. Nothing…

  Monday Night

  Well, I don’t know what I’m going to do now.

  Tuesday, October 14, Homeroom

  No Lilly again this morning. Not that I expected there…

  More Tuesday, Algebra

  Oh my God. I can’t even believe this. But it…

  More Tuesday, English

  No boy will ever ask me out. Ever. EVERYONE has…

  More Tuesday, French

  Today in G & T, in between showing me how to…

  Tuesday Night

  Grandmère says Tina Hakim Baba sounds like a much better…

  Wednesday, October 15, Homeroom

  No Lilly again today. Lars suggested we’d make better time…

  Later on Wednesday, Before Algebra

  This totally weird thing happened. Josh Richter came up to…

  Wednesday, Principal Gupta’s Office

  It’s over.

  More Wednesday, English

  It isn’t fair.

  More Wednesday, French Class

  I guess I should have my picture on the front…

  Wednesday Night

  No wonder my dad was so mad about Carol Fernandez’s…

  More Wednesday

  My mom thinks the person who tipped off Carol Fernandez…

  Thursday, October 16, Homeroom

  Well, this morning my face was on the covers of…

  Thursday, Algebra

  Today in Algebra Mr. Gianini was totally trying to teach us…

  Thursday, G & T

  So I was eating lunch with Tina Hakim Baba and…

  More Thursday, French

  When I went to my locker after lunch to get…

  Thursday Night

  Grandmère says: “Well, of course the boy likes you. What…

  Friday, October 17, English

  OH MY GOD!!!

  More Friday

  You will not even believe what just happened. I was…

  Friday, G & T

  Okay, so I don’t know who Lilly Moscovitz thinks she…

  Friday Night

  Abbreviated lesson with Grandmère today because of my spending the…

  Saturday, October 18

  When I got home, the first thing I did was…

  More Saturday

  Well, I’m sitting here in my new dress, my new…

  Saturday Night,

  Ladies’ Room, Tavern on the Green

  Okay, so I lied. I brought this book anyway. I…

  Later Saturday Night,

  Girls’ Room, Albert Einstein High School

  Why?

  Sunday, October 19

  I just woke up from the strangest dream.

  Sunday Night

  Grandmère showed up at the loft today with Dad in …

  About the Author

  Credits

  Copyright

  About the Publisher

  Acknowledgments

  The author wishes to express her gratitude to the people who contributed in so many ways to the creation and publication of this book: Beth Ader, Jennifer Brown, Barbara Cabot, Charles and Bonnie Egnatz, Emily Faith, Laura Langlie, Ron Ma