by Alyson Noel
1) That’s a picture of my old room. Though of course it wasn’t empty like that when I occupied it! I guess I just didn’t really think to take a picture until I’d already packed everything up for the big move. But it’s weird how seeing it looking so bare and abandoned like that makes me realize how in the end, it was never anything more than just four walls, a door, a closet, and a window. Which makes me feel kind of dumb for allowing myself to get so attached to it. And if you need any further explanation on just what exactly I mean, then please feel free to check out photo #2.
2) So what we have here, ladies and gentlemen, is basically four walls, a door, a closet, and a window. Which also happens to be all of the elements that make up my new room. Which means it’s not all that different from my old room. And even though the carpet’s a little plain for my taste, my aunt Tally promised to send me one of those cool, Greek flokati rugs like I had in my room at her place, you know, just to jazz it up a little (and remind me of my other home!). Which just goes to show that HOME, like PARADISE, is really just a state of mind.
3) That’s my best friend, Nat, who was kind and generous enough to dedicate her one and only day off (well, this week anyway) from her job at the You’ve Been Framed! art supply shop to help me unpack most, though not all, of my boxes (but only because there turned out to be far more than either of us bargained for, which, I have to admit, has made me reconsider my aunt Tally’s philosophy toward accumulation and mass consumerism, as I can’t help but wonder if she just might be on to something!). Nat also helped me organize my closet and drawers, which is so incredibly nice of her and lucky for me since she’s really good at “spatial relations” (her words, not mine). Notice the uber-cool earrings she’s wearing? I made those ones too!
4) That’s a picture of my dad, his girlfriend, Melanie, and me having dinner at the condo he just bought. And even though it wasn’t really necessary, since it’s not that far from the apartment, I still ended up staying the night because they were sweet enough to go to the trouble to decorate my room, and they were anxious for me to try it out.
5) This is a picture of my room at my dad’s place. Notice the boy band picture on the wall? Well, just so you know, it’s no longer there. Because Melanie and I took it down, then snuck it into my dad’s office and hung it up behind his desk when he was in a meeting, since both of us are convinced that he’s the one who secretly likes boy band music!
6) This is a picture of Mr. Holly Golightly that Yannis sent me all the way from Tinos. Just so you know, Holly is now living with his cousin’s little eight-year-old daughter, Tatiana, and he seems to be quite happy and very well fed from what I can see. And Yannis continues to visit every now and then just so he can whisper in Holly’s ear and make sure he never forgets me.
7) This is a picture of Harbor High School, that was taken the day Nat and I stopped by because she was so excited about the new art lab she just couldn’t wait until school started. I don’t know if I mentioned this before, but Nat is REALLY into art. She likes to paint, no, actually, she LIVES to paint, and she’s really good at it too. She’s also good friends with the art teacher (yup, she’s the kind of girl who makes friends with her teachers, what can I say?), and by the time we left I’d decided to switch one of my electives to an art class too. They have this pottery class I didn’t even know about, but now that I do, I’m really hoping they’ll let me switch.
8) This is a picture of Amanda, Jenna, Levi, and Casey, who we just happened to run into that very same day, since the guys were there for football practice and the girls were there to watch them. And even though I’m not positive, I kind of think Amanda and Levi might be together now, since she seemed a little disturbed when he came over to talk to me. But I am totally sure that Jenna and Casey are together, mostly because they were hanging all over each other. Though you know how these things go, and by the time you read this they could have totally switched back, or moved on to someone else entirely. And while I have to admit that it felt really awkward to run into them at first, in the end, we pretty much just said hey, shared some news, and went our separate ways.
And that’s it!
So if anyone is actually out there and reading this—then don’t forget to comment!
Love,
Colby
Circle in the Sand
Blog Comments:
Tinian Arts said:
We mailed the rug today, so expect to receive it in a few weeks!
We both really miss you—the house is so quiet without you!
Love,
Tally & Tassos
Natalie Zee said:
Yup, I’m a big art-fart dork who makes friends with her teachers, and now the whole world knows! Are we still on for tonight? My art show starts at eight—I’m so nervous!
ColbyCat said:
I’m just about to upload one of your paintings so “the whole world” can see how awesome they are! See you at eight! Don’t sweat it—you’ll be great!
Anonymous said:
I’m still here, still reading your blog, still missing you.
ColbyCat said:
And still ANONYMOUS?
Anonymous said:
Hopefully not to you.
ColbyCat said:
DEFINITELY not to me.
Anonymous said:
By the way, our moon is half full tonight.
ColbyCat said:
I’m heading out now.
Anonymous said:
Kalinichta!
ColbyCat said:
Kalinichta!
Also by Alyson Noël
Saving Zoë
Kiss & Blog
Laguna Cove
Fly Me to the Moon
Art Geeks and Prom Queens
Faking 19
Acknowledgments
Big, huge, glittery, confetti-strewn thanks go to: Matthew Shear and Rose Hilliard, to whom I’m eternally grateful; Kate Schafer, for too many reasons to mention; Sandy Sherman, the perfect yang to my yin; and every single one of my readers—you guys totally rock!
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
CRUEL SUMMER. Copyright © 2008 by Alyson Noël. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.stmartins.com
ISBN: 978-1-4299-3859-4