Who Can You Trust?

{{Book }} Who Can You Trust? is the first book in the Rockett's World series. It was written by Lauren Day and released on August 28, 1999. The first two chapters were included as bonus content with Rockett's Camp Adventures and Secret Paths to Your Dreams.
 * image=WCYTfrontcover.png
 * author=Lauren Day
 * illustrator=Unknown
 * date=August 28, 1999 (English} April, 2001 (Spanish)
 * publisher=Scholastic (English) Ediciones B (Spanish)
 * isbn=0-439-04405-7 (English) 84-406-9854-2 (Spanish)
 * previous=None
 * next=What Kind of Friend Are You?

Back Cover Synopsis

 * Welcome to Whistling Pines Junior High School, where new girl Rockett Movado's figuring out who's who and what's what. She has to make some big decisions. Like who might be a friend for life and who's a full-time phony? And is it safe to trust everything she hears? Rockett's choices really count. She's learning who she is and where she fits in -- and any move she makes could change everything.


 * Rockett's got some embarrassing scoop about popular Nicole . And if more people knew the truth, Nicole's social status could slip. But Rockett has more than one reason to keep the secret to herself.

Acknowledgements
The book's acknowledgement thanks Principal Barbara Rubin and the staff and students of Edward Bleeker #185 in Flushing, New York.

Summary
The book opens a month after the Movados moved to Whistling Pines and 3 weeks after Rockett started school at Whistling Pines Jr High. Several events in Rockett's New School, like Rockett and Dana wearing the same outfit and Rockett being appointed to the yearbook staff, are referenced.

Rockett's brother Jasper receives prints of the photos he took while at a summer computer camp, Camp Alt.Fun , and eagerly shows them off to her. While going through them, she comes across a picture of Nicole dancing with Arnold. While she's unsure if she should show it to anyone, she decides to take it with her to school.

In Homeroom, Mr. Baldus reveals that he, Mrs. Tinydahl, and Mr. Rarebit have come up with a multi-class project for them. They must each give an oral report of an essay, complete with art, about a "defining moment" in their lives that made them think about their place in the world. As Baldus is not supposed to give assignments in Homeroom and the project counts as 1/5th of their grades in both Language Arts and Art, no one is happy about it. Nicole, however, thinks it will be easy and tells Stephanie and Whitney about how her summer in Paris watching fashion shows inspired her to be a model. Rockett knows she's lying, but decides to stay quiet about it.

During the class change, Jessie comes up to Rockett and asks her if she knows what she's going to talk about for the project. As Jessie mentions doing something on Egyptology, Rockett notices a zit on Jessie's face, but decides not to tell her about it. Shortly after, as they leave homeroom, Nicole and Stephanie point the zit out to her instead and reminding her that, because it's School Picture Day, it will be forever memorialized in the yearbook. Darnetta, who had started walking with them a little bit before, promises to let Jessie borrow some acne cream before she gets her picture taken.

Rockett breaks from the two to get her art notebook from her locker. Whitney, who has her locker next to Rockett's, is also there and asks for help on her homework about the book Tuck Everlasting. A little down from not being able to help Jessie, she perks up and mentions that she had read the book at her old school last year. Before they can hash out the plans, Nicole appears and starts to talk about The Ones' plans for a sleepover on Friday the 13th. Whitney points out that they need to work on their student government campaigns. Nicole gloats that no one could win in an election against her for School President and that planning it would only take 15 minutes. Sighing, Whitney tells her that they have to go over the list of guests for the sleepover that Stephanie has, and that they should get her and go to art class together.

As she leaves her locker, Mavis grabs Rockett's elbow and implies that she knows about the photo. Rockett plays dumb and rushes to get away from her. As she does, she bumps into Arnold, who gets into an argument with Mavis after complimenting her. This is enough time for The Ones to see the three together and for Nicole to mock them.

The CSGs have art class with Rockett, which also happens to be a special elective that meets every day called "talent art". Miko encourages Rockett to work with the three of them on their Defining Moment project. Even though Dana doesn't like Rockett due to them wearing the same outfit on the first day of school. After some discussion about possible topics for each of them, they decide to go to a craft store in the mall after school, and then head over to Nakili's house to work on their projects over pizza.

Later, while waiting to take her school picture, Rockett strikes up a conversation with Arrow. She talks a bit about the band she started with Viva and Ginger, and how she doesn't think they're as good as Rebel Angels, Ruben's band. After Rockett gives Jessie some encouragement as she goes to take her photo, Arrow muses about how photos always reveal deeper truths.

At lunch, Rockett decides to take a chance and sit with The Ones. When she reminds Whitney of her request for homework help, Whitney, horrified, pretends that she doesn't remember doing it. Humiliated, she leaves and sits near Jessie and Darnetta.

Later in the week, after talking to her dad about driving her and the CSGs to the mall, Rockett decides that her defining moment was when she gave her dad the idea to invent fluorescent flea collars after he almost ran over a cat with her in the car. It gave her the idea that she could combine her art with science to help people. But she also muses that the photo of Nicole could also be a defining moment. Since it taught her that not everyone in Whistling Pines is what they seem to be.

On Thursday, Mrs. Tinydahl gives her class a pop quiz on Tuck Everlasting. When she asks Whitney what gave the Tuck family immortality, she doesn't know the answer. In a snap decision, Rockett noisily pulls a water bottle out of her backpack and unscrews the cap. Whitney gets the hint and answers the question correctly: a magic spring. After class, Ruben compliments her on the good deed, noting that it won't go unpunished.

The next morning, at their lockers, instead of thanking her more formally, Whitney nervously hands Rockett an anonymous letter instead. As she hurries to the bathroom to read it, Mavis stops her and warns her not to believe what's written in it. The letter turns out to be from Ruben. It states that he thinks they should hook up and wants to meet her at the side stairs near the track field at the end of the day, and then go to the juice bar afterwards. Unfortunately, she would have to bail on the CSGs in order to meet him. The letter states he wants to keep things secret and requests that she not tell anyone about it.

For the rest of the day, she weighs the pros and cons of telling Ruben about her previous plans and telling the CSGs about the meeting. Ultimately, she lies to the CSGs about her dad suddenly needing to go to a meeting and goes to meet Ruben instead.

After school, Rockett waits for 45 minutes at the steps with no sign of Ruben. When he does show up, he's walking home with Arrow and tells her to have a good weekend. It's then that The Ones, Cleve and Max reveal themselves as the ones who wrote the note. As Rockett contemplates showing the picture to them, the CSGs show up. Their replacement ride from Murasaki isn't supposed to show up until later. Max tells them about how they pranked her, but Miko and Nakili are still upset about Rockett blowing them off. When she runs off to the Birdcage, tears streaming down her face, Mavis pulls up with her brother and offers to give her a ride home.

On Saturday, Rockett calls Miko and apologizes for skipping out on them. Miko forgives her, noting that what happened was punishment enough. Afterwards, she pastes the photo of Nicole and Arnold onto a sheet of oak tag shaped like a mask. She has decided to use it for her project.

While she's working on it, Jessie drops by unannounced and, after the two go up to her room, asks if Rockett and her are friends. While Jessie was the first person at WPJH Rockett spoke to, it is starting to feel like Rockett is only her friend when no one better is around. Rockett assures her that they are friends, but that she also wants to get to know other people more too. Jessie assumes that it's so Rockett can find someone better than her. Unable to convince her otherwise, Rockett decides to tell her about the photo and her plan. Aghast, Jessie warns her not to go up against Nicole. Rockett angrily refuses to back down, but Jessie insists that she should, pointing out that Nicole has lived in Whistling Pines her entire life and knows everyone while Rockett is still new. This doesn't convince her, but it is enough to get her to promise Jessie that she will think about the plan before she does it.

On Monday morning, Jessie pulls Rockett into a secret meeting in the girls' bathroom with Miko and Nakili. Jessie told them about Rockett's plan and thinks that Rockett would respect their opinions over hers. Both Miko and Nakili agree that it's a bad idea and don't want to see her get hurt. Miko assures her that the prank was ultimately harmless, everyone will forget about it in short time compared to what Nicole might do to her, and that she should get over it. Rockett isn't convinced. Nakili then points out that Arnold will also be hurt by it even though he did nothing wrong. Rockett thinks that he will thank her instead, since word will get out that he dated the most popular girl in school. Jessie and Nakili point out that Arnold doesn't care about such things. Eventually, they convince her to prepare two reports: one about her original idea and the other about the photo. (No one at school mentions the letter prank during the day, proving them right about everyone forgetting it.)

After all of them have left, Dana emerges from a stall marked "out-of-order". She had heard the whole conversation, and it gave her some inspiration.

The day after, on Tuesday afternoon, Cleve, Max, and Chaz bump into Rockett's backpack while she messes with it in the hallway. As her stuff falls out, Nicole and Whitney suddenly appear to help pick it up. When the boys use Rockett's sketchbook as a football, Nicole catches it and scolds them for being immature. As Nicole leads the boys to class, Whitney apologizes for the prank and thanks her for her help in Language Arts, though Rockett doesn't completely believe that she's being sincere.

The next day, the day before the Defining Moment project is due, The Ones approach Rockett at her locker and ask her if she wants to come to their sleepover. When she laughs them off, they explain that the letter was an initiation of sorts and that they're now convinced that she's cool. Rockett still isn't convinced, but Nicole insists that it's not another prank. When she asks if Jessie can come, they explain that they're only inviting cool girls. When Nicole asks if she'll come if Jessie can come, Rockett tells them that she'll let them know tomorrow.

In a Confession Session shortly after, Nicole reveals that Dana wrote her a note about how Rockett has been keeping a secret from her and is trying to defuse the situation before it harms her reputation. Stephanie and Whitney don't know that that's why Rockett is invited and assume Nicole is just being fickle.

That night, Rockett calls Miko, Nakili, and Jessie for their advice on whether or not to attend the sleepover. Miko and Nakili don't know why Nicole would suddenly invite her, but think she should go anyway. If only to find out exactly where she stands with The Ones. Jessie, however, is hesitant about the fact that an invitation was extended to her, since Nicole has never invited her to anything. But she thinks they should go anyway, hoping that it might just be a peace offering. Before they hang up, Jessie asks Rockett about the project. Rockett tells her that she's going with her original idea.

The next day, Rockett gives her original presentation about her dad's invention without any incidents. At the end of the day, Whitney asks her if she's decided on the sleepover. But she decides to ask Mavis before giving her final answer. She flags her down in the corridor and almost immediately, Mavis tells her that the party is a trap. When Rockett asks how she knows that, Mavis points out that it's the same way she knew about the letter, and that Rockett didn't listen to her that time. As she wonders whether or not to take Mavis' advice, Rockett sees Jessie happily telling Darnetta about the party and how well the school year is going for her. She ultimately decides to go, rationalizing Mavis' "sixth sense" away as just being lucky guesses.

Rockett and Jessie are the first ones to arrive at Nicole's house. When Stephanie and Whitney get there, Nicole tells them about a game they played at her cousin's sleepover called "Under the Bed". During the game, whoever arrived to the sleepover first hides under the bed while the host ask the other guests questions, some about the person hiding. The goal being for the person hiding to find out how well others know them or what they really think about them. Rockett immediately assumes it's another prank, but Nicole assures her that she was the one under the bed at her cousin's sleepover, that it's fun, and that it will only last for a few minutes. As the other guests arrive, Nicole ushers the two under her bed. Most of the guests are indifferent to Rockett, merely noting that she has an obvious crush on Ruben and that Arnold used to like Whitney before liking her. Her only bad spot is that she hangs out with Jessie, who the group thinks is childish. Jessie starts to cry as the group badmouths her. Angrily, Rockett pulls her out from under the bed.

Rockett angrily scolds all of them for judging others and not knowing anything about their so-called friends. She then reveals where Nicole had been during the summer and that she's going to reveal the proof at school on Monday. When she grabs Jessie and rushes out of the house, Jessie points out that there are no phone booths they can use to call for a ride. But as Rockett contemplates the horror of having to face The Ones again, Mavis' brother's car comes around the corner and Mavis offers to give them a ride home.

The next morning, Nicole shows up at Rockett's house and returns the stuff she left in her room. When Rockett coldly tells her to leave, Nicole asks why she's upset when no one said anything bad about her. They get into an argument about how Nicole doesn't understand friendship and how Nicole thinks it was no big deal since Jessie had to know how The Ones thought about her and she has an ally or two in Rockett and Darnetta. When the topic of the secret comes up, Nicole tells Rockett not to underestimate her and that no one will believe her. She demands to see the picture when Rockett tells her about it, and tells her she's bluffing when Rockett refuses to let her see it. After more arguing, Rockett gets the idea to call Jasper. Jasper confirms that he saw Nicole at camp, which causes a very pale Nicole to leave.

At school on Monday, everyone was staring at and whispering about Rockett. When she gets to her locker, Miko, with Nakili and Dana in tow, tells her she heard that she was spreading rumors about Nicole. When she starts to get the picture out of her backpack, Nakili tells her that Nicole has already convinced the rest of the school that the picture is fake; that Jasper edited the picture by putting Nicole's head on someone else's body. Miko and Nakili aren't sure which story is true, while Dana sides with Nicole. Angry that no one will believe her, Rockett storms off to find Jessie.

She finds her and Darnetta in the girls' room. Jessie thinks the whole situation has gone too far, doesn't want to get in the middle of it, and thinks Rockett should drop it. Jessie hates seeing people yell at each other and just wants everyone to get along. As she considers Jessie's advice, Rockett realizes that she still hasn't gone to Arnold for his side of the story.

In homeroom, Ruben passes a note to Rockett expressing his disappointment in her for spreading rumors. Darnetta then passes Rockett a note telling her that if she wants to prove that the picture is real, she needs to get the negatives. When she tries to catch up with Arnold, Mr. Baldus stops her to talk about her sudden distracted mood and her project grade. When she finally leaves, she bumps into Arrow, who tells her that karma will come back to haunt Nicole and all that matters is that Rockett knows the truth.

After art, while trying to figure out where Arnold might be, she bumps into Mavis. She asks Rockett if she wants her to spread the word that the picture is real, but Rockett isn't sure. When she tries to thank her for rescuing her twice, Mavis tells her she knows what she wants to say and that she's welcome.

Rockett finally catches up with Arnold another period later. He is uncomfortable with her presence, but follows her into the empty cafeteria for a conversation. He pretends to be more interested in not being late for class until Rockett demands to know why he won't tell her the truth. Arnold confirms that he doesn't want to be thought of as dating Nicole and chides Rockett for not considering how the photo might hurt him. He also states that he was merely "[rescuing] a damsel in distress" and thought that Rockett would be the kind of person who didn't care what The Ones thought. He leaves as the bell rings, telling her that their conversation didn't happen.

In a Confession Session, Arnold reveals that he danced with Nicole because he felt sorry for her. She didn't know any of the other campers and everyone was making fun of her. Plus, it would have allowed him to get closer to Whitney. He also realizes that Rockett did care about his feelings and plans to tell her that he forgives her.

Before lunch, Rockett finds a note in her locker from the CSGs telling her to meet them in the girls' room. Miko and Nakili have found out about Dana's note and force her to apologize. At the others' insistance, Dana also extends an invitation to Rockett to go out for pizza after school the next day with them. Rockett decides to forgive Dana and agrees to go with them.

In Language Arts, Rockett writes a note to Ruben asking him to meet her after school. When he gets there, she tells him the entire story about the picture and all of the things The Ones had done to her, including the fake note from him. He thanks her for telling him and points out that he would just tell a girl if he wanted to hang out with her, not leave a note.

As he leaves, Nicole comes crashing into her and demands that Rockett listen to her. Rockett is done listening to her, but at her insistence, gives her five minutes. Nicole explains that, while her family was planning to go to Paris, the plans fell through at the last minute due to her parents' work committments. Her mother forced her to go to computer camp in order to keep her from just sitting around and doing nothing for the whole summer. (Her parents thought she needed to learn a skill, even though Nicole is already computer-savvy.) For the first time, she was unpopular, and Arnold took pity on her and danced with her at the end-of-camp dance. She insists that if Rockett tells anyone about their conversation or shows the negative to anyone, she will regret it. Rockett points out that nearly everyone believes her then asks what she has to gain from this. Nicole states that if she agrees to a truce and stops pushing the subject, Nicole will tell everyone that she didn't know the picture was fake, and would fess up to her doing it as revenge for the fake note and the sleepover.

After a long period of silence, Rockett agrees to the truce, but only because Arnold wouldn't want things to go any further. As she starts to leave, Nicole asks if Rockett would like to run for a position in the student government on The Ones' ticket. Regardless of her decision, Nicole promises to tell everyone the new explaination, and points out that her running with The Ones and standing up for Jessie will increase her popularity at the school. Rockett leaves without giving her an answer.

When Rockett finds Jessie alone in the Birdcage, Rockett suggests that they and Darnetta hang out. When Jessie asks her why she's in such a good mood, Rockett informs her that the whole ordeal is over. The start of the school year may have been a little bumpy, but she feels like the rest of the year will be smooth-sailing.

Continuity
During her storyline on the Purple Moon website, Felicia reveals to Nicole that she heard about her attending computer camp with Rockett's brother over the summer from the other Ones.

Localizations
A Spanish translation of the book, (titled ¿De quién me puedo fiar? (lit:  Who Can I Trust?)) was released in April 2001 by Ediciones B. It was translated by Victoria Alonso.