SOLVED. YA book. Friendship triangle between Heather, Rosie and protagonist. Read late 1990s/early 2000s. [s]

[Zev]

I read this in the very late 90s or early 2000s. I don't remember the protagonist's name. Her friend Rosie drops her to be friends with the popular girl at school, but this is really because Rosie has a crush on Jake, the popular girl's boyfriend. Heather is the new girl in town, and she becomes friends quickly with the protagonist. They go to an event on the weekend where fried food and soda are sold. Heather likes root beer floats and the protagonist says, "You can't get a root beer float!" "Why?" "I mean, you can, but the Brown Cow is better!" Heather orders one and likes it.

Heather, the protagonist, Rosie, and a guy named Glenn who is kind of a loser according to them, are all in the same science class together. There is a science experiment involving invisible ink (lemon juice) used to write messages on paper and held over Bunsen burners to reveal what was written. The protagonist writes "Welcome to Englewood, Heather," on her paper and Heather smiles. Glenn tries to read the message Rosie wrote to him but holds it too close to the burner and the paper lights on fire. Rosie puts it out quickly with a beaker of water and is described as cool-headed. Science is her favorite class.

The weird tension between Rosie, the protagonist and Heather increases as Rosie refuses to get to know Heather and challenges the protagonist to pick one of them to be friends with. Heather offers the protagonist gummy candy on another day and the protagonist describes "the boulder in my stomach shrinks and drops to my toes as Heather smiles."

I don't remember how the conflict is resolved, but all three girls wind up being friends at the end. The protagonist gets her period for the first time and the three girls celebrate. The edition I read was a paperback book and I remember it being physically glossy and smooth.

I'll comment if I remember anything else.

[Becca]

I've Lost My Best Friend by Megan Howard

[Zev]

Yes! Thank you!

[Rachel]

Oh! I’ve been looking for this one, too!