New Troubles at Spence

At the beginning of this book, it starts off right after winter break (when Gemma closed the realms). Ann, the low esteemed troubled girl, has to deal with all of her fellow classmates being debuted in the spring while she is stuck being the maid for her cousins because she is from a poor family and is at Spence on a schaolarship. Not only does she have to deal with her friends recieving all of her dreams but now that the realms are closed, she has no sanctuary to be what she wants to be. She has always given herself cuts on her arms, but Gemma instinctively notices that they have started coming in more frequent intervals. And Gemma's other best friend, Felicity, is the rebel who seems to have everything she wants handed to her. But little does Felicity know that she may not be sponsored to have a debut, therefore not allowing her her grandmother's fortune, which would force Felicity to grovel at her father's feet. Both friends nag Gemma to open the realms again, but Gemma simply cannot make the shimmering door appear in her mind. Kartik also has not been seen since the last realms trip, which depresses Gemma, for she longs to see her face and kiss his lips once more.