Book Read Free

Ttyl

Page 10

by Lauren Myracle


  SnowAngel:

  he is?

  zoegirl:

  he IS

  SnowAngel:

  oh

  SnowAngel:

  well, then i’m not gonna call him back! i was going to, just to let him apologize, cuz i’m sure he feels really shitty. but he’ll just have to call me himself!

  zoegirl:

  good for you

  SnowAngel:

  we’ll see how he likes that, huh?

  Tues, Oct 5, 10:12 PM E.D.T.

  zoegirl:

  omigosh, i did it. i just told angela what a loser rob is and that she has to get over him!

  mad maddie:

  ooo, way to be tough. did she listen?

  zoegirl:

  i don’t know. but maybe?

  mad maddie:

  yay, zoe. WAY TO GO!

  Wed, Oct 6, 5:33 PM E.D.T.

  SnowAngel:

  i’ve made up my mind: i’m gonna stop letting this rob business tear me up.

  mad maddie:

  for real?

  SnowAngel:

  cuz it’s just stupid, right? why should i waste my life pining after him when all it’s gonna do is make me miserable?

  mad maddie:

  now you’re talking. good girl, angela.

  SnowAngel:

  so i’m on my way to his house right now, only i just biked up a really steep hill so i stopped to take a break. *pant pant*

  SnowAngel:

  but i’m five minutes away, and when i’m there, we can finally just talk and get it all out.

  mad maddie:

  ANGELA!!! i thought u meant

  mad maddie:

  nvm. but didn’t u already talk and get it all out, that day in french?

  SnowAngel:

  no, cuz that’s when he thought we weren’t gonna be together anymore, which is ridiculous. i mean talk it out in a good way, so we can work out all our problems.

  mad maddie:

  so ur just gonna show up on his doorstep?

  SnowAngel:

  yeah, cuz then he can’t turn me away.

  mad maddie:

  er… doesn’t that tell u something?

  SnowAngel:

  i’ve caught my breath. bye!

  Wed, Oct 6, 5:47 PM E.D.T.

  mad maddie:

  shake a leg, zo. up and at ’em.

  zoegirl:

  huh?

  mad maddie:

  angela’s biking over to rob’s. she’s almost there, and she said she’s gonna make him talk things out once and for all.

  zoegirl:

  oh no

  mad maddie:

  so get your mom to drop u off at angela’s house. say u’ve gotta help her with her math or something.

  zoegirl:

  why? she’s already left!

  mad maddie:

  yeah, but we’ll be there when she gets back.

  zoegirl:

  ohhhhh

  mad maddie:

  we’re the ones who have to pick up the pieces!

  Thu, Oct 7, 4:01 PM E.D.T.

  zoegirl:

  you doing any better today? you ran off after sixth period before i could find you.

  SnowAngel:

  too busy crying. go away!

  zoegirl:

  but… you answered my text. you can’t be THAT busy.

  SnowAngel:

  well, i am. and my thumbs hurt. and also i keep hoping rob will text or call or email or SOMETHING, and that he’ll tell me it was all a big mistake. that tonnie was talking out of her ass, and that the only reason he didn’t tell her to shut up was cuz he’s too nice of a guy.

  SnowAngel:

  pathetic, i know

  zoegirl:

  i don’t think he’s going to, angela.

  SnowAngel:

  i said I KNOW! god!

  zoegirl:

  all right. it’s your life!

  Thu, Oct 7, 4:30 PM E.D.T.

  mad maddie:

  have u checked on angela?

  zoegirl:

  she’s a mess. she didn’t want to talk to me.

  mad maddie:

  she wldn’t talk to me, either. i texted her, and she said go away. i called her, and she answered, but she was all pissy.

  zoegirl:

  it’s like she’s mad at us for being right.

  mad maddie:

  i know.

  zoegirl:

  i think she skipped french too, because she didn’t want to deal with seeing rob. and i’m glad we ate lunch in the courtyard, because kristin said he and tonnie were all lovey-dovey during lunch.

  mad maddie:

  yeah, kristin told me that too. don’t they have any respect?

  zoegirl:

  obviously not

  zoegirl:

  well, at least now angela knows.

  mad maddie:

  uh, yeah. i’d say the run-in at rob’s house probably did the trick. what did tonnie say when angela confronted them? “u brought it on yourself by being so blind”?

  zoegirl:

  as if angela should have read the signs and figured it out herself, without rob having to spell it out.

  mad maddie:

  altho the signs WERE there. i mean, WE knew.

  zoegirl:

  still, rob is a total wimp. it’s basically like he had tonnie break up with angela for him.

  mad maddie:

  oh well. u win some, u lose some. i just hope angela gets out of her funk before tomorrow, cuz in only 7½ short hours…

  zoegirl:

  u turn 16! wh-hoo!!!

  Fri, Oct 8, 4:00 PM E.D.T.

  zoegirl:

  are you ready for maddie’s party?

  SnowAngel:

  we’ve got almost an hour before we’re supposed to be there, zo.

  zoegirl:

  i know, but i’m so excited! aren’t you?

  zoegirl:

  megan just called to get directions, and she really thinks maddie has no clue.

  SnowAngel:

  maybe. i dunno.

  zoegirl:

  angela! snap out of it. this is MADDIE’S PARTY, remember?

  SnowAngel:

  i’m just… i’m not really in the party mood.

  zoegirl:

  so get in the party mood. forget rob and forget tonnie. are they really more important than your best friend’s party?

  SnowAngel:

  *flutters fingers lethargically in air*

  zoegirl:

  are you dressed, at least? what are you going to wear?

  SnowAngel:

  ur just asking to cheer me up. ur trying to distract me.

  zoegirl:

  no, i really want to know.

  SnowAngel:

  *sighs*

  SnowAngel:

  mermaid print shirt, faded levi’s, maddie’s bottle-cap belt, brown leather clogs. scent: hard candy.

  zoegirl:

  that sounds so cute! i bet you look TERRIFIC.

  SnowAngel:

  oh, and my blue old navy hoodie tied around my waist, in case it gets chilly.

  zoegirl:

  excellent idea

  SnowAngel:

  u know, i really DO need this tonight. after my hell week, i mean. i just need to get out and be with u guys.

  zoegirl:

  i hear you. oh, and check this out. mr. h asked what my plans were this weekend. isn’t that odd?

  SnowAngel:

  he DID?

  zoegirl:

  after english, after everyone else left the room. it’s odd, isn’t it?

  SnowAngel:

  i dunno. a little, maybe.

  SnowAngel:

  what did u say?

  zoegirl:

  that we were having a surprise party for maddie. he asked if boys were coming, and i said no. then he got this funny look on his face and said, “good.”

  SnowAngel:

  what does THAT mean?

  zoegirl:

  tha
t he doesn’t want me lured away by some sophomore hottie, because he wants me for himself? JUST KIDDING!!!

  SnowAngel:

  shit, zoe, i bet that’s exactly what it meant.

  zoegirl:

  i said i was KIDDING.

  SnowAngel:

  i mean it. he’s flirting with u.

  zoegirl:

  you really think so?

  SnowAngel:

  omg, u sound pleased.

  SnowAngel:

  u better be careful, zo. take it from me: ALL GUYS SUCK.

  zoegirl:

  maybe so. that doesn’t mean all MEN do!

  Sat, Oct 9, 11:14 AM E.D.T.

  mad maddie:

  red-hot! our team is red-hot! our team is R-E-D! H-O-T! and once we start we can’t be stopped! goooooooooo team!

  SnowAngel:

  maddie? um, what r u talking about?

  zoegirl:

  i think she’s doing a cheer. you know, like a cheerleader would do.

  mad maddie:

  thank u SO MUCH for my surprise party!!!! U R AWESOME!!!!!

  zoegirl:

  you’re so welcome! it was fun!!!

  SnowAngel:

  were u really and truly surprised?

  mad maddie:

  i was. it was perfect. and i was so glad that u were back among the living. i was really gonna have to hate u if u were a sourpuss on my big day.

  SnowAngel:

  thx, i guess. last night was great, but this morning i woke up missing rob again. i still am really sad.

  mad maddie:

  i know, i know

  mad maddie:

  but the pops is blaring the horn for me to get my fanny to the car. bday brunch, u know.

  SnowAngel:

  try to have fun. and have fun at work tonight, bday girl!!!

  Sun, Oct 10, 1:12 PM E.D.T.

  mad maddie:

  i hope yr there, cuz i have big news. big big big.

  zoegirl:

  i’m here. spill!

  mad maddie:

  excellent. which do u wanna hear first: maddie and ian get down and dirty OR maddie scores one for the gipper?

  zoegirl:

  ooo, give me the down and dirty.

  mad maddie:

  let me first just say that i would have told u this earlier, like at the crack of dawn when i called our dear friend angela.

  zoegirl:

  the “crack of dawn” being what, around 10:30?

  mad maddie:

  but noooooo, you didn’t answer my call, cuz u were off being holy with mr. h.

  zoegirl:

  i’m here now, so tell me!

  mad maddie:

  i dunno. u church types might find what i’m about to say offensive…

  zoegirl:

  maddie? i swear i’m going to flush your phone down the toilet if u don’t tell me now. i’ll reach through space, grab your phone, and flush it down.

  mad maddie:

  hmm. i suppose i’ll take pity on u, since i’m older and wiser and know how foolish u youngsters can be.

  zoegirl:

  TELL ME!

  mad maddie:

  well there we were, me and ian. we’d gotten off work at around 11, but instead of going anywhere, we decided to hang out in my car—doesn’t that have a nice ring? hang out in my car?—and listen to music.

  zoegirl:

  grooving in the gremlin. nice.

  mad maddie:

  ian had some watered-down rum and coke left over from a party he’d gone to on friday, and before u get all freaky on me, NO, i didn’t have any.

  mad maddie:

  well, maybe a sip.

  zoegirl:

  maddie! you JUST got your license, you cannot drink and drive!!!

  mad maddie:

  a sip, zoe. i barely got my lips wet. ian drank the rest of it, which wasn’t that much, but it was enough to, like, loosen him up a little.

  zoegirl:

  and???

  mad maddie:

  and it was fun

  mad maddie:

  it was funny, actually, cuz even with the rum and coke, he was totally shy. he put his arm around me and shifted so that i was leaning against him, my back to his chest, but all he did was kiss the top of my head over and over.

  zoegirl:

  that’s sweet!

  mad maddie:

  so we didn’t really get down and dirty. we got… smudged. but it’s a start, right?

  zoegirl:

  absolutely

  mad maddie:

  and u know what’s really awesome? the fact that he goes to a different school.

  zoegirl:

  huh?

  mad maddie:

  i know, it’s weird. but it’s like i can be whoever i wanna be around him, cuz i don’t know shit about his school and he doesn’t know shit about mine. so none of that garbage gets in the way.

  zoegirl:

  what garbage? like jana, you mean?

  mad maddie:

  well, yeah, altho i don’t mean just jana. and anywayz, she’s not as bad as i thought. but ALL that stuff, all the cliques and hierarchies and in-crowds and out-crowds—i don’t have to deal with it when i’m with ian.

  zoegirl:

  sounds nice

  mad maddie:

  it is

  mad maddie:

  and now r u ready for maddie scores one for the gipper?

  zoegirl:

  who the hell is “the gipper”?

  mad maddie:

  i have no idea. some football coach? but in this case it’s you and angela.

  zoegirl:

  i’m the gipper? all right. how’d you score one for me?

  mad maddie:

  u AND angela, i said. yr both the gipper. cuz during brunch yesterday i bit the bullet and talked to my parents about letting us go to cumberland island.

  zoegirl:

  and…?

  mad maddie:

  i told them how it’s only five hours away, and how we wouldn’t do any driving once we got there cuz we’d be camping out on the island, which we’d have to take a ferry to get to.

  mad maddie:

  i told them about all the research i’d done, which made me sound extremely mature and industrious. i even printed up maps to show them. AND i said we might get to see wild horses, which would be, like, an experience of a lifetime.

  zoegirl:

  wow. are there really wild horses?

  mad maddie:

  yeah, isn’t that cool?

  mad maddie:

  so anywayz, i told the rents all of this, nodding very calmly and answering their questions, and when we were done talking, they looked at each other and said they’d think about it!!!

  zoegirl:

  that’s awesome!

  mad maddie:

  now it’s up to u and angela. u’ve got to get going with your parents!

  zoegirl:

  email me all of that information, the maps and stuff.

  mad maddie:

  tell them to at least consider it. don’t let them give u an answer right away!

  Mon, Oct 11, 7:42 PM E.D.T.

  SnowAngel:

  hey, mads, don’t yell at me, ok?

  mad maddie:

  what r u talking about?

  SnowAngel:

  i called rob. i just wanted to hear his voice.

  mad maddie:

  angela!!!

  SnowAngel:

  but i hung up when he answered. i just didn’t know what to say.

  SnowAngel:

  aren’t u gonna respond?

  mad maddie:

  and say what? u called rob, which was bad. but u hung up before u actually talked to him, which was good, even tho it makes u kinda like a stalker.

  SnowAngel:

  except then i got worried that he’d see my name on his calls list, so i called right back.

  mad maddie:

  ANGELA!

  SnowAngel:

  i was
all, “that was so weird! i just called u, but u never answered. is there something wrong with your phone?”

  mad maddie:

  u asked if there was something wrong with his phone?!!

  SnowAngel:

  there could have been! phones go screwy all the time.

  SnowAngel:

  u don’t think he thought i was making it up, do u?

  mad maddie:

  why no, angela. why on earth would he think that?

 

‹ Prev