SnowAngel:
my heart is like a balloon, but I don’t want to get Maddie’s hopes up until it’s for sure!
zoegirl:
wow. Angela. you are amazing!!!!
SnowAngel:
I know, right?
SnowAngel:
gtg—Anna says even more girls are lining up. they just keep coming!
zoegirl:
omg! AAAHHH!
zoegirl:
I’m going to get online and check fares again. call me when we have enough!!!
Thu, Nov 21, 6:26 PM E.S.T.
SnowAngel:
ohhhh, Maddie! we have something to tell you!
zoegirl:
it’s a good something, Mads.
SnowAngel:
yeah, so are you there? say “here” if you’re there.
SnowAngel:
wait. that came out wrong. if you say “here,” but you are actually “there” . . .
mad maddie:
relax, I’ve got this.
mad maddie:
*clears throat*
mad maddie:
present. how’s that?
SnowAngel:
Maddie! you answered!
zoegirl:
hurray! and HA, your answer made me laugh.
SnowAngel:
why laugh?
zoegirl:
from seventh grade, remember? Mrs. Rollins would call roll, and everyone except Maddie would say, “here.” but Maddie, being Maddie, had to be different.
zoegirl:
“Angela Silver?” “Here.” “Zoe Barrett?” “Here.” “Madigan Kinnick?” “Present.”
SnowAngel:
oh yeah! you were so weird! you’ve *always* been weird!
zoegirl:
but we have a REAL present for you, Mads. hee hee.
mad maddie:
is it a turkey?
SnowAngel:
it is not a turkey.
SnowAngel:
go check yr email.
mad maddie:
*eyes Angela and Zoe suspiciously*
mad maddie:
if it’s an e-card or something, I don’t want it. not to be rude, but it wld just make things worse.
SnowAngel:
go check yr email. we’ll wait . . .
mad maddie:
meh. grumble grumble . . .
SnowAngel:
Mads? yr taking a loooong time. why r u taking such a long time?
zoegirl:
come back!
SnowAngel:
did she fall down?
SnowAngel:
*cups hands around mouth* Maddie! did you fall down? press the button on yr lifeline to call an ambulance!
mad maddie:
you guys! omg, you can’t do this. it’s too much!
SnowAngel:
too bad, cuz we did.
zoegirl:
and it’s nonrefundable, as you can see, so you’re stuck.
zoegirl:
you’re coming home for Thanksgiving!
mad maddie:
omg. but . . . how’d you do it?
SnowAngel:
ehh, we’re tricky.
SnowAngel:
we’ll tell u all about it in person, but right now you’ve got some packing to do.
zoegirl:
but are you happy? this is GOOD, Maddie, right?
mad maddie:
are you kidding? it’s fucking great! it’s like . . . it’s like . . .
mad maddie:
fuck. it’s like a happily-ever-after movie ending, but this time it’s real.
mad maddie:
and I can’t even . . .
mad maddie:
*deep breath*
SnowAngel:
it’s ok. whatever it is, you can tell us.
mad maddie:
Zoe? Angela? you two are my lifeline. and yr making me weepy, and it’s pissing me off.
SnowAngel:
yay!
SnowAngel:
weepy and pissed, but HAPPY, right?
SnowAngel:
*this* is what life is supposed to be like. this, and not any of that other crappy shit we’ve each had to deal with!
zoegirl:
except . . . it’s all life. we can’t just have the happy parts.
SnowAngel:
yes we can, because tomorrow night we are all going to be together in Atlanta!
zoegirl:
Mads, I bet you’re thinking that this is great but that it’s just a temporary fix. a Band-Aid.
zoegirl:
it’s not, though, and I say that because YOU helped me through my dark time.
SnowAngel:
*huffs*
SnowAngel:
and I didn’t?
zoegirl:
no, you did. of course you did. you were both there for me, just like we were there for you, Angela, when you pierced your foot and all that.
SnowAngel:
which is why I’m happy. we will ALWAYS be there for each other, cuz that is the law.
zoegirl:
all I’m saying is that . . . we’ll figure it out. we’ll soak each other in while we’re in Atlanta, and it’ll remind us of who we are, and we’ll each go back to college a little stronger.
zoegirl:
like that girl you met on the fake “Young Frankenstein” night. you said you met a cool girl named Morgan. was she fake too?
mad maddie:
Jordan, not Morgan, and no, she wasn’t fake. she was real, and so was the fire at Taco John’s and the weird boy who went “eeeee.”
zoegirl:
so, you’ll find Jordan again, then. or if not her, some other cool person.
SnowAngel:
and Zoe’s going to keep writing and maybe join the lit magazine, and I’m going to be Angelina the fashionista, AND CAN WE PLZ JUST BE HAPPY NOW?
mad maddie:
it sounds good. I’ll give you that. it also sounds . . . easier said than done.
zoegirl:
so what are you saying? you’re worried you’re not up for the challenge?
mad maddie:
yr trying to provoke me, Zoe. don’t think I can’t see that.
zoegirl:
is it working?
mad maddie:
ah, screw you both. I love you two, and yes yes yes, we shld just be happy now!!!
SnowAngel:
yaaaaaay! and *I’m* not worried at all. everything will work out cuz we’ll MAKE it work out.
SnowAngel:
anyway, as a dear dear friend once said to me: you only live once . . .
zoegirl:
ha. nice, Angela.
mad maddie:
damn straight.
mad maddie:
yolo, baby! yolo!!!
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I feel so privileged—and grateful—to have been given the chance to hang out with these girls again and to celebrate the joy of friendship. To all my friends, thank you for enriching the journey in one way or another. :) To everyone at abrams: Erica, Maria, Nicole, Jen, Maureen, Elizabeth, Jeff, Elisa, Jody, Mary, Jason, and Michael, you are all so talented at what you do, and you do it so beautifully. I am constantly humbled by your talent and forever appreciative of your hard work. Pamela, Jenny, Melyssa, nina, and Jackie, y’all make me laugh and you let me cry, just like good friends do. My crazy family? Y’all aren’t really *that* crazy, just crazy enough.
Susan, damn. How fortunate I am to move though life with you as my friend and my editor. There is no one finer in either regard.
Al, Jamie, and Mirabelle, all three of you light me up, and all three of you provide most excellent creative material without even knowing it.
Randy, you gave me a word-count schedule, you sent me flowers, you brought me champagne and chocolate and Moroccan stew. You support me every step of the way. You are my miracle. I love you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
LAUREN MYRACLE is the author of
many books for teens and young people, including the New York Times bestselling Internet Girls series, Shine, Rhymes with Witches, Bliss, The Infinite Moment of Us, and the Flower Power series. she lives with her family in Fort collins, colorado. Visit her online at laurenmyracle.com.
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