it broke my heart to see her striding down the halls with her lips clamped together. it’s gotta be killing her. u’d think she’d WANT her friends around her at a time like this, or that she’d at least wanna TALK to us about it!
zoegirl:
maybe it’s a pride thing. like, now that everyone knows what happened, she’s determined to hold her head up and pretend she doesn’t give a damn.
SnowAngel:
tough to do when ppl are interrupting geometry to ask how much she charges for a private party.
zoegirl:
i can’t even imagine
SnowAngel:
and what does mr. miklos do? he just stands there blinking and rubbing his neck, saying, “class, class! could we bring it down to a dull roar?”
SnowAngel:
he had no clue, did he?
zoegirl:
do you think *any* of the teachers know?
SnowAngel:
if they did, there’d be a BIG deal being made out of it.
SnowAngel:
*shudders*
zoegirl:
what about maddie’s parents. do u think they know?
SnowAngel:
i hope not. i’m sure SHE hasn’t told them.
zoegirl:
if it were me, can u imagine what my mom would do?
SnowAngel:
it’s lucky mark’s out of high school, or he’d have heard about it, and he definitely wld have told them. so MAYBE she’s safe.
SnowAngel:
did u see jana after school, sitting on the steps with terri and jane olsen?
zoegirl:
no. what did they do?
SnowAngel:
they were just hanging out, laughing and joking around like “la-di-da, isn’t life great.”
SnowAngel:
in my head i was like, “u bitch! don’t u know that u’ve ruined someone’s life?! don’t u even care?”
SnowAngel:
but of course she doesn’t, or she wouldn’t have sent that email.
zoegirl:
u were right from the beginning, angela. she’s evil.
SnowAngel:
one good thing: i was talking to my mom about jana last night—not the specifics of the maddie thing, just in general—and my mom said that girls like jana peak in high school and then wonder why the rest of their lives seem so rotten.
SnowAngel:
so just wait. we’ll see jana at our 10th reunion and she’ll be fat and pathetic. she’ll work at walmart and wear a horrid blue smock.
zoegirl:
maybe
zoegirl:
i almost wish someone would email pics of her doing something embarrassing, you know? maddie made a mistake. maddie did something dumb. yes.
zoegirl:
but jana is no saint. only because she’s the kind of person she is, she somehow manages to make everyone else look bad.
SnowAngel:
i’m gonna try maddie again. i know she probably won’t talk, but i have to do something!
Wed, Nov 10, 9:15 PM E.S.T.
SnowAngel:
hi, maddie. still not answering my calls, i see. don’t u WANT to talk to me?
SnowAngel:
i want to talk to you…
SnowAngel:
i just wanted to let u know that i love u. zoe does too. we’re still your friends, even if u don’t think so. we’ve always been yr friends, and we always will be.
SnowAngel:
ALWAYS.
Thu, Nov 11, 10:01 PM E.S.T.
SnowAngel:
hey, zo. remember in 8th grade when my parents rented a house at myrtle beach, and u and maddie got to stay with us for a whole week? and we had that contest to see who could eat the most banana pudding?
zoegirl:
ha! yes!
zoegirl:
and the rule was that the only thing we could wash it down with was fanta grape, and afterward maddie looked pregnant because she’d eaten so much.
zoegirl:
what made you think of that?
SnowAngel:
nothing, i guess. i was just thinking about all the stuff we’ve done together.
zoegirl:
yeah
zoegirl:
i know what u mean
Fri, Nov 12, 5:05 PM E.S.T.
zoegirl:
listen, angela… i was hoping i could talk to you about something that doesn’t have to do with maddie, if that’s ok.
SnowAngel:
of course. i’m at 7-11 with chrissy, but she can be entertained for a l-o-n-g time in the candy aisle. shoot!
zoegirl:
it has to do with mr. h.
SnowAngel:
i figured. intrigue!
zoegirl:
shut up, it’s not THAT exciting. but this morning at friday morning fellowship, he said something that sort of weirded me out.
SnowAngel:
were the two of you alone, or were you with the whole group?
zoegirl:
the whole group was there, but mr. h and i were sitting at the far end of the table, and no one was paying attention to us.
zoegirl:
at least i don’t think anyone was paying attention to us. if they were, and they heard what he said…
SnowAngel:
*bams on glass case of hot dogs*
SnowAngel:
what? what did he say?!!
zoegirl:
he was talking about next weekend, which is when he’s going to be house-sitting for the kravitzes, and at first it was like… sexy. kind of.
zoegirl:
(don’t laugh!)
SnowAngel:
what do u mean?
zoegirl:
just that nobody was listening, but they COULD have been. and that made it… i don’t know. exciting.
SnowAngel:
oh man
zoegirl:
he told me about how nice the kravitzes’ house is, and he told me about the hot tub again.
zoegirl:
then he lowered his voice and said, “you’re still coming, right?”
SnowAngel:
FUCK.
zoegirl:
please don’t say that word. *especially* that word.
SnowAngel:
what’d u say?
zoegirl:
i said, “i think so, yeah,” and he said, “good.” then he touched my hand really lightly and said, “you can wear your bikini.”
SnowAngel:
!!!
SnowAngel:
i was KIDDING when i told u to wear a bikini!
SnowAngel:
i was not…
SnowAngel:
u r not…
SnowAngel:
TEACHERS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO SAY “YOU CAN WEAR YOUR BIKINI” TO THEIR STUDENTS!!!!
zoegirl:
i know!
zoegirl:
at first i thought he *was* just teasing me, and i said, “yeah, right, me in a bikini. wouldn’t that be a lovely sight.”
SnowAngel:
and…?
zoegirl:
and then his eyes kind of dipped over my body, and he said, “it would indeed be a lovely sight. i’m looking forward to it.”
SnowAngel:
“it would indeed”?!!
zoegirl:
i know. it sounded fake, like something a cheesy guy on a TV show would say if he was hitting on a girl. although i know how ridiculous that sounds, because why would he hit on me?
SnowAngel:
zoe, u have got to open your eyes. he IS hitting on u. MR. H IS HITTING ON U.
SnowAngel:
the question is, what r u gonna do about it?
zoegirl:
i don’t know!
zoegirl:
i’m flattered, i guess. but all of a sudden it feels… REAL. in a physical way, like with… well, like with *bodies*, and not just as a meeting of the minds.
SnowAngel:
only u would talk about yr affair as a “meeting of the minds.”
zoegirl:
NOT an affair.
SnowAngel:
not yet…
zoegirl:
anyway, my stomach’s in knots, and whenever i think about it, i feel like i’m going to throw up.
SnowAngel:
poor zo. ur just nervous.
zoegirl:
but is that a good thing? should i be nervous, or should i be… i don’t know… suddenly begging to be homeschooled?
SnowAngel:
i can answer that last one. u r *not* allowed to be homeschooled.
zoegirl:
okay. but. i’m 15. he’s 24.
zoegirl:
he’s 9 years older than me—and he’s my teacher.
SnowAngel:
ur just now realizing this?
zoegirl:
no. i’m just now admitting that maybe it’s a little sketchy.
SnowAngel:
so ur not gonna go hot-tubbing with him?
zoegirl:
i never said that
SnowAngel:
so u R gonna go hot-tubbing with him?
zoegirl:
i never said that either, although as far as he knows, i am. but if i do, i’m most definitely not wearing a bikini.
SnowAngel:
u should wear one of those granny suits, one of those old-timey ones that covers up your entire body.
SnowAngel:
or a scuba outfit. ha!
zoegirl:
ack, this is not helping
zoegirl:
i wish i could talk to maddie about it, even though i know she’d just make fun of me. but maybe that’s what i need.
SnowAngel:
yeah
SnowAngel:
did u hear what happened in 6th period? how brant simms offered her ten bucks for a peep show?
zoegirl:
what an ass
zoegirl:
how’d you hear that?
SnowAngel:
a couple of kids were talking about it in history. they shut up when i sat down.
zoegirl:
poor maddie. poor, poor maddie!!!
SnowAngel:
i saw her walking to her car when i was on my way to drama club. her eyes were all puffy. i called out to her, but of course she didn’t turn around.
zoegirl:
she wldn’t talk to me when i went up to her during lunch, either.
SnowAngel:
i miss her, zoe
zoegirl:
me too
Sat, Nov 13, 10:30 AM E.S.T.
SnowAngel:
zoe—i have an awesome idea!
zoegirl:
oh yeah?
SnowAngel:
let’s make maddie a care package!
zoegirl:
to cheer her up, you mean?
SnowAngel:
exactamundo. we could decorate a box and fill it with candy and tacky magazines and stuff like that.
zoegirl:
hmm…
zoegirl:
and we could write her a sappy poem telling her how much we miss her, maybe?
SnowAngel:
perfect
SnowAngel:
altho u’ll have to write it since i suck at that stuff.
zoegirl:
maybe we cld take a selfie of the two of us looking sad and forlorn. hey, i know—we cld have our arms over each other’s shoulders, and then one of us cld have her other arm out in the air, around the place maddie would be if she were there. it’ll show, like, the gap she’s left in our friendship. how we aren’t whole without her.
SnowAngel:
ooo, ur good. we can send the pic to rite aid and get it printed it up. we can use the quickie service!
zoegirl:
how will we get the care package to her once we’ve made it? will we actually mail it?
SnowAngel:
nah, we’ll just leave it on her doorstep and run.
zoegirl:
i’ll c if mom can drop me off. see you soon!
Sat, Nov 13, 6:12 PM E.S.T.
zoegirl:
so how did it go when u dropped off maddie’s box? sorry i had to leave so early!
SnowAngel:
at least u got to help me put everything together. oh, and your poem was fabulous. *strikes pose* u r our buddy, our buddy to stay, till ur all dried up and peeled away.
zoegirl:
that part was from an old garfield comic about a dead toad. i can’t take credit.
SnowAngel:
who cares, it’s funny. and it’s perfect for maddie cuz it’s mushy but not too mushy. she’ll love it.
zoegirl:
did u see her when you delivered it? was she at home?
SnowAngel:
she was, cuz i saw her in the living room, peering at me from behind the curtains. i thought for a minute she was gonna come out, especially when she figured out what i was doing, but she didn’t.
zoegirl:
damn
SnowAngel:
i even texted her! i was like, “peekaboo! i seeeeeee you!” but she ignored me.
SnowAngel:
but maybe our care package will be just the thing. she can’t hold out forever.
Sun, Nov 14, 1:35 PM E.S.T.
SnowAngel:
it’s sunday, if you haven’t noticed, and, if you haven’t noticed, i’ve been VERY patient, just sitting at Sbux waiting for you to call.
SnowAngel:
but did u call? no. no u did not.
zoegirl:
what was i supposed to call you about?
SnowAngel:
r u kidding? TELL ME HOW CHURCH WAS, FOOL!
zoegirl:
oh, that
SnowAngel:
did mr. h talk about the hot tub again?
SnowAngel:
did he make any moves when u were in the car together?
zoegirl:
this time i got my mom to drop me off and pick me up. i thought about riding all that way with him and got freaked out.
SnowAngel:
why’d u even go, then?
zoegirl:
well, i do like the church service. i honestly do. and i was worried i’d hurt his feelings if i just didn’t show.
SnowAngel:
huh
SnowAngel:
so did he say anything at all?
zoegirl:
he told me he liked my dress. he whispered it really softly during one of the hymns.
SnowAngel:
was he being creepy or cute?
zoegirl:
i don’t know. both?
zoegirl:
cute, mainly, but i get scared at the thought of being alone with him.
SnowAngel:
uh, zoe? *flicks zoe’s head with finger* hate to break it to u, but if ur scared to be alone with a guy, that’s called creepy. i think it’s time to cut this one loose, soldier.
zoegirl:
what am i supposed to tell him? he bought sparkling apple juice for us and everything!
SnowAngel:
WHAT?!!
zoegirl:
whoops. i wasn’t going to mention that.
SnowAngel:
mr. h bought sparkling apple juice? why?
SnowAngel:
OH! for your big hot-tubbing date?!! that is so dorky i think i’m gonna cry.
zoegirl:
he’s going to get strawberries and chocolate too, only i’m pretty sure i don’t want to go anymore.
zoegirl:
help!
SnowAngel:
this is crazy, zo
zoegirl:
i know
SnowAngel:
want me to call the school board?
zoegirl:
omg, don’t even say that. he would be so dead. and so would i!
zoegirl:
anyway, he trusts me. he would freak if he knew i’d t
old anybody, even you.
SnowAngel:
but c’mon, what is he thinking? that it’s normal to be hitting on a 15-year-old student?
zoegirl:
it’s my fault for going to backwork all those times. i gave him the wrong idea.
SnowAngel:
u don’t seriously believe that, do u?
zoegirl:
kind of
SnowAngel:
first of all, u didn’t give him the “wrong” idea, cuz up till now u’ve totally been crushing on him and u know it.
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