mad maddie:
when i broke up with ian last year, it was awful. i was just so stupid about it. and i never told you or angela, but part of me really regretted it.
zoegirl:
we knew that. you didn’t have to tell us.
mad maddie:
well … i’ve always thought that if i ever DID get back together with ian, it would have to be for real. for the long haul, you know?
mad maddie:
but even tho i tell myself and tell myself that neither of us is ready for that, i DO like him. a lot. and he told me he … oh god. please don’t make a big deal of this, ok?
zoegirl:
he told you what???
mad maddie:
we were outside my house, just leaning against his car and talking, and suddenly he got all solemn. he said, “i can’t believe this. after last year … i never thought we’d be doing this again.”
zoegirl:
oh my gosh
mad maddie:
and he took my hand, and we just … looked at each other for a really long time.
zoegirl:
oh, maddie
zoegirl:
i’m getting the chills!
mad maddie:
but i can’t talk about it anymore. too scary.
mad maddie:
what about you and doug? have you planned a date for the big wonka wonka love-fest?
zoegirl:
this friday. eeeek, talk about scary!
zoegirl:
i’m telling my parents i’m going to the senior daze campout, but really doug’s going to get us a hotel room.
mad maddie:
zoegirl:
i’m nervous
zoegirl:
it’s all so big. everything about this year is big.
mad maddie:
and there’s nothing we can do about it, is there? we just have to hang on and enjoy the ride.
Sun, Mar 26, 2:20 PM E.D.T.
SnowAngel:
hiya, madikins. yes, pelt-woman can keep the chicks—as long as i get visitation rights.
mad maddie:
hey hey! u back on atlanta soil?
SnowAngel:
just flew in an hour ago, and boy my arms r tired. (hardy-har-har … )
mad maddie:
that’s great about the chicks—pelt-woman will be so happy.
mad maddie:
and now, time to report the results of a very scientific experiment. ready?
SnowAngel:
uh, sure
mad maddie:
the tacky gold glitter polish you made me put on my toes is finally gone.
SnowAngel:
what gold glitter polish?
mad maddie:
from last summer. remember?
SnowAngel:
from last …?
SnowAngel:
hold on. you mean that time you borrowed my sandals and your toes looked like little crabs, so i gave you a pedicure? THAT gold polish???
mad maddie:
i was too lazy to ever use nail polish remover, so i just clipped off little moons of glitter as virgin growth inched up my toes. and today i clipped off the very last bit! my toenails are pure once more!
SnowAngel:
are you telling me you left that nail polish on for … omg … 8 months???
mad maddie:
that’s the scientific experiment part! now we know that it takes 8 months for toenails to completely cycle thru!
SnowAngel:
no, now we know that yr an unhygienic slob!
mad maddie:
didn’t we already know that?
SnowAngel:
wow. i’m both disgusted and impressed.
mad maddie:
why thank u
SnowAngel:
and now i’m outta here. i’m biking over to logan’s to do the deed. wish me luck!
Sun, Mar 26, 9:31 PM E.D.T.
SnowAngel:
hey again. and before you ask: NO, i didn’t break up with logan. but it’s not my fault! it’s like, where is he? he’s not at home and he’s not answering his cell. what’s up with that???
mad maddie:
i told you he was acting weird that day i saw him at the drugstore. maybe he’s avoiding you.
SnowAngel:
why would he be avoiding me? i’ve been gone for a week—you’d think he’d be DYING to see me.
SnowAngel:
oh well. can’t say i didn’t try!
Mon, Mar 27, 10:04 AM E.D.T.
SnowAngel:
logan is acting WAY odd. almost rude!!!
mad maddie:
did you break up with him?
SnowAngel:
not here at school. gonna meet to talk this afternoon.
mad maddie:
maybe he knows it’s coming?
SnowAngel:
maybe, i dunno. strange, that’s all!
Mon, Mar 27, 8:15 PM E.D.T.
SnowAngel:
well, i did it. i broke up with logan.
zoegirl:
oh, a. how’d he take it?
SnowAngel:
not so great. hold on just a sec—i don’t wanna have to tell you and maddie separately. i’m gonna start a new thread with both of y’all.
Mon, Mar 27, 8:17 PM E.D.T.
SnowAngel:
hey, mads. already told zo, but the deed is done. I broke up with logan.
mad maddie:
ah. finally.
mad maddie:
so how’s the ol’ guy doing? is he suicidal?
SnowAngel:
gee, mads, how sympathetic
SnowAngel:
no, he’s not suicidal, unless by suicidal you mean uncharacteristically antagonistic.
zoegirl:
what do you mean?
SnowAngel:
remember how i told y’all he was acting strange in the hall? well, that’s how he acted when we talked after class, 2. like … i dunno. pissy. like he’d forgotten my b-day and knew he was gonna get reamed for it, so he was trying to head me off by being mad 1st. does that make sense?
mad maddie:
but your b-day’s in july
SnowAngel:
uh, yeah. that was me giving an example.
zoegirl:
i know what you mean, i think. like, 1 time doug forgot to call when he said he would, and i was upset, but he didn’t think i *should* be, so he acted defensive rather than just apologizing. like that?
SnowAngel:
but what did logan forget to do? meet me at the airport? call me when i was in el cerrito? what does he have to be defensive about?
mad maddie:
give us the play-by-play, maybe that’ll shed some light
SnowAngel:
SIGH
SnowAngel:
i waited till we were alone, and then i told him i needed to tell him something. in this hostile voice he goes, “yeah? what?” and i said i thought we should break up, cuz things hadn’t been good b/w us for a while and we both knew it.
mad maddie:
and?
SnowAngel:
and there was a super-long silence—a BAD silence—and then he just said, “fine.” i reached out to touch his arm, and he jerked away.
SnowAngel:
i feel awful. did i do the right thing?
zoegirl:
yes, angela, you did the right thing. you’ve just got to give him time.
mad maddie:
and if you find yourself having a moment of weakness (cuz you will, i guarantee it), just remind yourself: plump bottom. got it?
SnowAngel:
plump bottom, right. *smiles wanly*
SnowAngel:
it just didn’t go the way i expected. but maybe that’s part of the hardness of it? maybe break-ups aren’t supposed to go the way you expect?
zoegirl:
did you bring up the jeep?
SnowAngel:
he said, “keep
it,” and i said, “no, no, that wouldn’t be right. once it gets out of the shop, YOU keep it.” and he said, “fine.”
mad maddie:
oh man, that’s harsh
zoegirl:
shop? why’s it in the shop?
SnowAngel:
i can’t believe the jeep is gone! poof, just like that!
mad maddie:
but your conscience is clear—that’s the thing to remember.
zoegirl:
i’m still not getting the “shop” bit. would somebody please explain?
mad maddie:
teeny repair work, ok? now stop talking about the jeep. yr not exactly being Miss Sensitive.
zoegirl:
right, right. sorry.
SnowAngel:
don’t worry, zo. there’s nothing you could say to make things worse than they already r.
zoegirl:
oh. um, okay.
zoegirl:
but in that case … can i ask you something else? although it might be on the insensitive side too, so i’ll wait if you want.
SnowAngel:
go ahead, i don’t care
zoegirl:
what about senior prom? who are you going to go with now that you and logan have broken up?
mad maddie:
zoe! wtf?!
zoegirl:
i’m not trying to be a jerk. just … it’s 2 weeks away!
SnowAngel:
oh god. what have i done?
mad maddie:
zoe, yr not only Miss Insensitive, yr Miss Complete and Utter Idiot.
mad maddie:
angela, I’LL take you to prom. you can go with me and ian.
SnowAngel:
you asked ian to prom? YOU ASKED IAN TO PROM?
mad maddie:
er … guess i did. but you can come with us, and i swear you won’t be a 3rd wheel.
zoegirl:
oh, now that’s reassuring
mad maddie:
shuddup, you started this!
zoegirl:
i deliberately didn’t mention it BEFORE she broke up with him, okay?
zoegirl:
angela, i don’t wanna make things more complicated. i just didn’t know if you had considered this 1 particular aspect, and i thought maybe you’d wanna figure something out before it’s too late. you’ve been looking forward to prom your whole life!
SnowAngel:
omg
SnowAngel:
i think everyone’s gonna have to go away now. i think my brain has had enough.
mad maddie:
nice work, zo
Tues, Mar 28, 5:14 PM E.D.T.
zoegirl:
maddie, i have something big to say, and it’s not about angela—although i did feel sorry for her today wandering around all mopey.
mad maddie:
yeah, me too. but she’s tough. she’ll be ok.
mad maddie:
wassup?
zoegirl:
my mom just got a call from ms. kelley.
mad maddie:
ms. kelley, the college counselor? pourquoi?
zoegirl:
i got into princeton. i got into *princeton*, mads.
mad maddie:
whoa! for real?
zoegirl:
i’m, like, stunned. i’m technically not supposed to know yet, but ms. kelley heard from princeton’s admissions office and she was so excited she let the secret slip.
mad maddie:
what happened to the sabotage?
zoegirl:
that’s the ironic part. they LOVED my essay on nat’l pigtails day—they thought it was “indicative of an independent thinker” and that it was a refreshing change of pace from the essays they usually get!!!
mad maddie:
holy shit
zoegirl:
i know!
mad maddie:
so how do you feel?
mad maddie:
i mean, crap, zo, you got into PRINCETON. that’s gotta make you a little happy?
zoegirl:
that’s what’s so confusing! it *does* make me happy. or proud, or whatever. especially because my mom is so happy and proud.
zoegirl:
but even though princeton is a great school—it’s not where i want to go! it’s not me, maddie. it’s stodgy and elitist and pretentious. they have “drinking clubs,” if that gives you any idea.
mad maddie:
drinking clubs? i’m liking that idea. what’s wrong with drinking clubs?
zoegirl:
you’re imagining some rowdy, casual, bar scene kind of deal. it’s not like that. it’s more of an old boys network, where you sit around a polished oak table and make witty literary references while drinking beer from a stein. sooo not my cup of tea, especially because i don’t even like beer.
mad maddie:
have you told that to your mom?
zoegirl:
no
zoegirl:
yes
zoegirl:
i don’t know. she thinks once i go there i’ll love it, just like she did. and when i bring up kenyon and how that’s where i really want to go, she blows it off like i’m a little kid who doesn’t know what she’s saying.
mad maddie:
so just say, “no, i’m not going.”
zoegirl:
uggggggghhhhhh
zoegirl:
you don’t understand. you’ve known since day one that you want to go to santa cruz, and even though your parents aren’t thrilled, they’re not psycho about it. for you everything’s simple.
mad maddie:
yeah? what if it’s not?
zoegirl:
what’s not simple about going to your dream school? what’s not so simple about, and i quote, “getting the hell out of this dump”?
mad maddie:
nothing, yr right. what was i thinking?
zoegirl:
i’ve got to go, my mom and dad want to take me out for a celebratory dinner.
mad maddie:
the irony. i get into a school i want to go to, and my parents do nada. you get into a school you don’t want to go to, and your parents lavish you with fine cuisine. so sad!
Wed, Mar 29, 4:50 PM E.D.T.
SnowAngel:
i passed jana in the hall today, and she thoroughly laughed in my face. she whispered something to terri that i KNOW was about logan, and then she smirked like she knows something i don’t.
mad maddie:
she just wants you to THINK she does. anywayz, why do you care? you’ve risen above the whole jana malarkey, remember?
SnowAngel:
i know, i know. but when i saw logan in the hall—not at the same time as jana, but later—he didn’t even look at me—and not in a “i am hurting so i will ignore you” kinda way. it was just … stone-cold nothing.
mad maddie:
well, you broke up with him. not to be harsh, but that’s just the way of it.
SnowAngel:
it’s not that i want him to be devastated … but maybe i do? at least a little?
SnowAngel:
it’s so out of character for him to be totally “whatever” about it.
mad maddie:
let it go, that’s my advice. think about something else.
SnowAngel:
like what?
mad maddie:
like … the fact that ian got accepted into georgia’s honors program! i knew he would, but i’m still happy for him.
SnowAngel:
which means we’ll prolly hear soon ourselves. eeeek, that makes it feel so real! you and zoe have already gotten your 1st acceptance, but not me!
mad maddie:
i was thinking that instead of the senior daze campout, we should drive to athens to visit your soon-to-be-home. wanna?
SnowAngel:
yeah!
mad maddie:
do you mind if ian comes too?
SnowA
ngel:
the more the merrier. and i promise i’ll be in a better mood!!!
Thu, Mar 30, 8:12 PM E.D.T.
SnowAngel:
hey, zo. i just got off the phone with mary kate—we were going over all the end-of-the-year senior activities—and she says mr. pittner authorized the bonfire for the campout tomorrow night. he said they can do it in the faculty parking lot as long as they have an adult chaperone present at all times.
zoegirl:
that’s awesome. too bad we’re all gonna miss it!
SnowAngel:
i know, it almost makes me wish i was going. they’re gonna make s’mores and tell ghost stories and sing songs, and practically the entire senior class is planning to be there. it’ll be so corny!
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