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Ttyl

Page 17

by Lauren Myracle


  zoegirl:

  maddie! we would never do that.

  mad maddie:

  still, i want you to promise.

  zoegirl:

  i promise, i promise

  mad maddie:

  cuz like u said, it’s over. and now i’m gonna go crash, maybe take a nap.

  zoegirl:

  be easy on yourself!

  Mon, Nov 1, 8:02 PM E.D.T.

  SnowAngel:

  something is clearly wrong if i’m at the mall and i can’t even find the enthusiasm to go to victoria’s secret, right?

  zoegirl:

  for you to pass up victoria’s secret? yes, something is wrong.

  zoegirl:

  what’s going on? is it about maddie? are you worried about her too?

  SnowAngel:

  i called her from the gap and told her the pastel sweater sets were on sale, and she didn’t even snort.

  zoegirl:

  ooo, that’s bad

  SnowAngel:

  so now i’m sitting by the fountain staring at all the pennies in the water. all the lost wishes.

  SnowAngel:

  it’s very depressing, zoe

  zoegirl:

  (((((((((hugs)))))))))

  SnowAngel:

  did maddie tell u anything about what happened? u know, at that frat party?

  zoegirl:

  uh, not really. just that she didn’t have fun. did she tell you anything when you talked to her just now?

  SnowAngel:

  the same thing

  zoegirl:

  huh. well, she’ll snap out of it. she’ll be okay.

  SnowAngel:

  i guess. only… i kinda think there’s more going on than she’s admitting.

  zoegirl:

  what do you mean?

  SnowAngel:

  well, u didn’t hear it from me, but i think something happened b/w her and jana.

  zoegirl:

  so she DID tell you!

  SnowAngel:

  tell me what?

  zoegirl:

  about how maddie called jana a… a mean word for a lesbian… but only because margaret called her that first.

  SnowAngel:

  what’s a mean word for a lesbian? i’m confused.

  zoegirl:

  starts with L, ends with O…

  SnowAngel:

  lesbo. right. hate that word.

  zoegirl:

  and that’s what maddie and jana had that big fight about. isn’t that what you’re talking about? and then after that maddie got wasted and made a fool out of herself?

  SnowAngel:

  omg, she told me not to tell you!

  zoegirl:

  she told *me* not to tell *you*!

  SnowAngel:

  that is sooooo maddie. i can’t believe this!

  SnowAngel:

  except i hadn’t heard about the lesbian remark, which throws a new spin on things.

  zoegirl:

  it does?

  SnowAngel:

  i’m talking about the whole shirt thing. cuz if jana wanted to get back at maddie, u’d think she’d do something that didn’t involve, like, a girl doing a striptease. cuz what does THAT say about jana, u know?

  zoegirl:

  HUH?

  SnowAngel:

  don’t make me say it. it’s too embarrassing. and for everyone to be throwing money? i know maddie was drunk, and i’m not BLAMING her, but god.

  zoegirl:

  angela, what are you talking about?

  SnowAngel:

  wait… u said she told u!

  zoegirl:

  i’m beginning to think she left some parts out.

  SnowAngel:

  *gulps* uh…

  zoegirl:

  you have to tell me, angela. you started it, and you have to finish it. WHAT HAPPENED?

  SnowAngel:

  shit

  SnowAngel:

  well, maddie got drunk on kool-aid punch, right?

  zoegirl:

  yes. i know that part.

  SnowAngel:

  she didn’t exactly explain it, but i get the sense that jana got her to do, like, a table dance in front of the whole party.

  zoegirl:

  no way. that’s impossible.

  SnowAngel:

  she ended up with somebody else’s shirt on, zo. and no bra.

  zoegirl:

  oh god.

  zoegirl:

  oh my god.

  zoegirl:

  all she told me was that she’d gotten a little out of control.

  SnowAngel:

  that’s one way to put it

  zoegirl:

  CRAP, angela

  SnowAngel:

  i know

  zoegirl:

  this is terrible. i can’t even get my head around it. she took her SHIRT off?

  SnowAngel:

  but listen, we’ve got to be super careful not to let on that we talked. she’d be furious if she knew.

  zoegirl:

  uh, YEAH. i think we should pretty much not bring the party up at all, but if SHE wants to talk about it, she can.

  SnowAngel:

  mainly we’ll just act normal, altho we’ll be extra extra nice to her.

  zoegirl:

  sounds good

  zoegirl:

  still, angela.

  zoegirl:

  god.

  Mon, Nov 1, 8:21 PM E.D.T.

  SnowAngel:

  it’s strange that maddie hates how much her dad drinks… but then she goes out and does the same thing. it’s strange, isn’t it?

  zoegirl:

  i know. i thought of that too.

  SnowAngel:

  poor maddie!!!

  Tues, Nov 2, 9:30 PM E.D.T.

  zoegirl:

  want to hear something gross?

  mad maddie:

  i guess

  zoegirl:

  i ran into megan at eckerd’s, and she was buying one of those long wraparound bandages for her two-year-old brother. apparently he fell off a chair, only the chair fell with him, and it landed on his hands and peeled three of his fingernails off. isn’t that awful?

  mad maddie:

  oh, ick

  zoegirl:

  i know. they have to keep his hand wrapped up for like a week, which is why megan was buying more bandages.

  zoegirl:

  she said his fingers look all sad and raw, like little sea creatures without their shells.

  mad maddie:

  poor kid. that sucks.

  zoegirl:

  yeah

  zoegirl:

  that’s all i have to say, really. i just wanted to shoot the breeze.

  mad maddie:

  shoot away

  zoegirl:

  i already did

  mad maddie:

  oh

  zoegirl:

  so… i guess i’ll go to bed.

  zoegirl:

  unless you have anything you want to talk about?

  mad maddie:

  nope, not really

  zoegirl:

  that’s ok. you’re doing all right, though?

  mad maddie:

  hmm, let’s think. jana’s still acting as if i no longer exist, terri and margaret whisper to each other every time they see me, and i still haven’t gotten up the nerve to call ian.

  mad maddie:

  ohhhh, and you and angela r walking on eggshells around me cuz u think i’m gonna collapse. so yes, i’m absolutely fabulous. thx for asking.

  zoegirl:

  i’m sorry. i didn’t mean to make things worse.

  zoegirl:

  is there anything i can do?

  mad maddie:

  yeah, go to bed and stop worrying about me. it makes me feel pathetic.

  zoegirl:

  you’re not pathetic, maddie.

  mad maddie:

  whatevs. night, zo.

  zoegirl:

  uh, ok. good night.
/>
  Wed, Nov 3, 8:21 PM E.D.T.

  SnowAngel:

  mad-a-lad-a-ding-dong!

  mad maddie:

  ouch. tone down the enthusiasm, i beg u.

  SnowAngel:

  where’d u disappear to after math?

  mad maddie:

  nowhere, i just went home.

  SnowAngel:

  but i thought we were going out for ice cream!

  mad maddie:

  u had a drama club meeting, remember?

  SnowAngel:

  u could have waited for me. it only lasted an hour.

  mad maddie:

  i felt like going home, that’s all.

  SnowAngel:

  well. let’s go now. *bats eyelashes adorably*

  mad maddie:

  no thank.

  SnowAngel:

  why not?

  mad maddie:

  i’m not in the mood.

  SnowAngel:

  how can u not be in the mood for ice cream? c’mon, sling yourself into the gremlin and come pick me up.

  mad maddie:

  sorry

  SnowAngel:

  pralines ’n’ cream, mint chocolate chip, chocolate mousse…

  mad maddie:

  i said no, angela. give it up.

  SnowAngel:

  u can’t stay holed up forever, u know.

  mad maddie:

  oh god, here it comes

  SnowAngel:

  it’s true! u’ve got to show jana that maybe she thinks she can drop friends whenever she wants to, but that *you’re* sticking with us, baby. u don’t need a friend who calls her other friends “lesbos,” anyway.

  SnowAngel:

  be strong. show her that you cldn’t care less what she thinks of u.

  mad maddie:

  that’s a great plan. only i DO care.

  SnowAngel:

  but why?

  mad maddie:

  wait. who told u about margaret calling jana a lesbo?

  SnowAngel:

  u did

  mad maddie:

  no, i didn’t

  SnowAngel:

  obviously u did, or how would i know?

  mad maddie:

  fuck

  mad maddie:

  did u talk to zoe? don’t lie!

  SnowAngel:

  what r u talking about? of course i talked to zoe. i talk to zoe every day.

  mad maddie:

  u know what i mean. did u talk to zoe about… that night?

  SnowAngel:

  no!

  mad maddie:

  did u?

  SnowAngel:

  NO, i swear!

  mad maddie:

  ANGELA!

  SnowAngel:

  if i tell u, will u promise not to be mad?

  mad maddie:

  omg! i can’t believe u!

  mad maddie:

  PLEASE tell me u didn’t tell her about the x-men shirt. PLEASE.

  SnowAngel:

  she said u’d told her! i thought she already knew! it’s yr fault for telling us each a little bit and then expecting us not to worry about u!

  mad maddie:

  i hate u, angela. i really do.

  SnowAngel:

  don’t say that. it was totally an accident, ok? i’m sorry!!!

  mad maddie:

  FUCK. did u tell her everything?

  SnowAngel:

  not EVERYTHING, just… everything u’d told me. but come on, we’re talking about zoe. she doesn’t care!

  mad maddie:

  FUCK.

  mad maddie:

  zoe is the last person on earth i wanted to know about this. she already has so many things to feel superior to me about. now she thinks i’m a slut too.

  SnowAngel:

  ur not a slut

  mad maddie:

  yeah, just like ur not a lying bitch.

  SnowAngel:

  maddie!

  mad maddie:

  fuck off, angela. go sob to zoe about it and STAY OUT OF MY FUCKING BUSINESS!!!

  Wed, Nov 3, 8:59 PM E.D.T.

  SnowAngel:

  shit, zoe. shit, shit, shit.

  zoegirl:

  angela, what’s wrong?

  SnowAngel:

  it slipped out. maddie and i were txting, and it just slipped out.

  zoegirl:

  what slipped out?

  zoegirl:

  oh, crap—about the frat party? or rather, the fact that you told me about the frat party?

  SnowAngel:

  she’s pissed. she called me a bitch.

  zoegirl:

  what?!

  SnowAngel:

  which pisses ME off, but more than that i just feel bad. i didn’t mean to make her so upset!

  SnowAngel:

  oh god, i think i’m gonna throw up.

  zoegirl:

  angela, relax. it’s going to be okay. somehow it’s going to be okay.

  SnowAngel:

  i dunno, zoe. she is PISSED.

  zoegirl:

  should i call her?

  SnowAngel:

  not unless u want her to bite your head off.

  zoegirl:

  it’s just, you shouldn’t be the only one she’s mad at. we both messed up, not just you.

  SnowAngel:

  well, thx for saying that.

  zoegirl:

  does she know that we weren’t gossiping about her? that we were just worried? i mean, she kind of brought this on herself.

  SnowAngel:

  i told her that. didn’t go over so well.

  zoegirl:

  oh

  SnowAngel:

  *breathe, angela, breathe*

  zoegirl:

  she was that mad, huh?

  SnowAngel:

  u wldn’t believe

  zoegirl:

  well, tomorrow we’ll be all humble and apologetic. she’ll calm down. by lunch everything will be back to normal.

  SnowAngel:

  ur right. i hope. cuz what else is she gonna do, give us the silent treatment?

  zoegirl:

  she’s maddie. we’ll work this out.

  SnowAngel:

  okay. but… u don’t think i’m a horrible person?

  zoegirl:

  you’re not a horrible person, i promise.

  Thu, Nov 4, 5:38 PM E.D.T.

  zoegirl:

  hi, maddie.

  mad maddie:

  screw u

  zoegirl:

  seriously?

  zoegirl:

  maddie, come on. you wouldn’t answer your phone and TALK TO ME, but you’re fine with texting me and being a jerk?

  mad maddie:

  yep, that’s me, the jerk. thanks for rubbing it in.

  zoegirl:

  quit being this way. you wouldn’t talk to me in homeroom—thanks a lot, that made me feel terrific—and who knows where you were at lunch. don’t you even want to hear what i have to say?

  mad maddie:

  rent a billboard. then the whole world will know.

  zoegirl:

  look, i’m sorry. i’ve told you 100 times. i’m trying to be patient, but this is getting ridiculous.

  mad maddie:

  ooo, i’m scared! r u gonna quote the scriptures at me? drag me to church? if i did a striptease in front of a teacher instead of in front of ten million frat boys, would THAT be ok?

  zoegirl:

  again, I AM SORRY you are sad. I AM SORRY i’m part of what made you sad. but i’m not gonna talk to you if you’re going to be like this.

  mad maddie:

  a) “sad” doesn’t even begin to cover it, and b) u say u wanna “talk,” but only on your terms.

  mad maddie:

  well here’s a news flash: i don’t give a rat’s ass. so forget about me and go spin your little fantasies about mr. h, since that’s all u ever do anywayz. at least i’m not a stuck-up prude afraid to actually have fun.

  zoegirl:


  you’re not being fair, maddie. and you’re being… mean.

  mad maddie:

  yeah? tell it to angela. u 2 can cry on each other’s shoulders and slam me behind my back.

  mad maddie:

  oh. wait. u’ve already done that, haven’t u?

  zoegirl:

  that’s it. i’m done.

  mad maddie:

  boo-fucking-hoo. and in case u missed it the first time around, SCREW U!

 

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