TTFN (11 page)

SnowAngel:

omg, i just realized! chive IS a stoner!!!

mad maddie:

huh?

SnowAngel:

i said he was a stoner at dylan's party, and u were like, “nooooo.” but he's TOTALLY a stoner boy.

SnowAngel:

u knew it all along, didn't u?

mad maddie:

well …

mad maddie:

he's more than that, tho. he's not JUST a stoner boy.

SnowAngel:

i'm just saying. *looks knowingly at friend*

SnowAngel:

u can't pull 1 over on me, madderoo!

SnowAngel:

mornin', sunshine. did u have fun at work last night?

SnowAngel:

zoe?

SnowAngel:

wow, it must have been REALLY good if you can't even take the time to text back yr dearest friend. either that or really bad …

zoegirl:

sorry, sorry, texting someone else

SnowAngel:

who?

zoegirl:

just someone

SnowAngel:

okay. WHO?

zoegirl:

it was doug, that's all. he texted me, i didn't text him.

SnowAngel:

doug texted u? why?

SnowAngel:

did he ask about me?

zoegirl:

you know, angela, it's not *always* about you.

zoegirl:

we were talking about work, that's all. about that little kid who cracks us up, graham cracker. last night graham kept presenting his cheek to me and saying, “you can kiss me if you want. little boys need lots of kisses.”

SnowAngel:

aww, i love little kids. they're so pure.

SnowAngel:

wanna know what i did last night? and just to give u a hint, “pure” would not be the way to describe it.

zoegirl:

that's right, you went out with maddie and chive! how'd it go?

SnowAngel:

AND meade AND brannen AND whitney.

SnowAngel:

i have to tell u, zoe, i'm feeling weird about it.

zoegirl:

how come?

SnowAngel:

i dunno. i've been trying to figure it out. i've been trying to figure out chive, mainly. maddie really likes him, u know.

zoegirl:

do you not?

SnowAngel:

no, i DO like him—at least when i'm around him. he's smart, even tho he talks so s-l-o-w-l-y. and he's funny. he was totally cracking me up last night, calling everyone “boogie.” as in, “m-boogie, what's happening?” or “c'mon over here, a-boogie, and get yo-self some chips.”

zoegirl:

he is pretty charming, isn't he? i remember that from dylan's party.

SnowAngel:

AND he's extremely hot

SnowAngel:

i can see why maddie's into him. i just think he holds too much power over her.

zoegirl:

like jana last year?

SnowAngel:

maybe … but different. chive isn't trying to use maddie, i don't think. and he DOES care about her, i can tell. he just doesn't care about her ENOUGH.

zoegirl:

maybe he doesn't care about anyone enough.

zoegirl:

you know he kissed whitney, right? but maddie was all, “it's no big deal, bodies are bodies, blah blah blah.”

SnowAngel:

last night chive was giving maddie all kinds of attention—laughing at her jokes, looking at her in that lazy, bemused way of his—but he was sitting next to whitney and stroking her forearm the whole time.

zoegirl:

ick. *so* uncool.

SnowAngel:

i'm sure maddie can't be too thrilled about that, but of course she won't admit it.

zoegirl:

i don't get it. there's no way i could watch the guy i like fool around with another girl.

SnowAngel:

“the guy u like”? who's the guy u like?

zoegirl:

what? nobody!

SnowAngel:

then why would u say that?

zoegirl:

why would i say what?

SnowAngel:

zoe, r u hiding something?

zoegirl:

angela, please. we're talking about chive, remember?

SnowAngel:

oh yeah

SnowAngel:

u know he's a stoner, right? well, guess what: now maddie's becoming one too.

zoegirl:

becoming a *stoner*?

zoegirl:

no way

SnowAngel:

she's tried it, tho. she really has.

zoegirl:

hold on. maddie tried *pot*?

SnowAngel:

yes, pot.
weed, ganja, doobage, gank.

zoegirl:

gank? gank is an extremely stupid word.

zoegirl:

and no, i didn't know she tried it, because of course she didn't tell me.

SnowAngel:

cuz she thinks ur a nun

zoegirl:

that is so irritating. and she shouldn't be smoking pot. it kills brain cells. doesn't she know that?

SnowAngel:

i'm not even sure she liked it that much, from what she said.

zoegirl:

but i bet she pretends she does in front of chive. am i right? to protect her tough-girl image?

SnowAngel:

well … possibly. i was afraid they were gonna light up last night, but they didn't. brannen was like, “we're out of pot, dude. who's gonna go on a pot run?” but nobody ever did anything about it.

zoegirl:

lovely

SnowAngel:

crap, i g2g. my mom's yelling at me from downstairs—some family is here for a 2nd showing of the house.

zoegirl:

a 2nd showing? oh no!

SnowAngel:

don't worry, i have a plan. i heard the evil realtor say that the man wants to know about our neighbors, cuz his current neighbors r really loud. so as i leave, i'm gonna happen to mention the
thoroughly bitchin garage band that practices two doors down. *snickers*

zoegirl:

what garage band?

SnowAngel:

exactly

SnowAngel:

ttfn!

mad maddie:

z-boogie! i saw u hanging out with doug at his locker, and unless i am mistaken (which i sincerely hope i am), i heard him saying something very disturbing.

zoegirl:

what are you talking about?

mad maddie:

ahem. and i quote, “u can kiss me if you want. little boys need lots of kisses.” !!!

zoegirl:

oh gosh. you heard that?

mad maddie:

what kind of twisted games r u playing, zo? PLEASE tell me u don't pretend to be his mommy. PLEASE tell me u don't spank his iddle-widdle bottom.

zoegirl:

maddie, gross!!!

mad maddie:

WELL?

zoegirl:

it's an inside joke, from saturday night when we worked together. he wasn't being himself. he was just being … cute.

mad maddie:

“little boys need lots of kisses”?!!!

zoegirl:

please stop. you're making me blush.

mad maddie:

have u told angela yet? cuz i gotta say, if ur gonna be flirting with him in the hall, she's gonna find out.

zoegirl:

i know, i know … but there's so much going on with her right now. i don't want to make things more complicated. and i don't want to make her mad at me.

mad maddie:

ha—i would love it if she got mad at u. she NEVER gets mad at u.

zoegirl:

maddie, that's a terrible thing to say! why would you even say that?

mad maddie:

that's why u have to TELL her, u idiot. on every single sitcom in the world, this is how problems start. some idiot plays dumb and doesn't tell someone else what's really going on, and then there's mass confusion and mistaken assumptions and everything ends in chaos. u shld know this, zoe.

zoegirl:

i *do* know. i do. but when you're in the middle of it—in real life, not tv—it's completely different. it's harder than you think to tell the truth.

mad maddie:

not for me

zoegirl:

then you tell her!

mad maddie:

no ma'am, miss zoe. i'm having too much fun watching you squirm.

mad maddie:

but i do want u to swear to me that u'll straighten this whole mess out, mmmkay?

zoegirl:

fine. i will, i really will.

mad maddie:

when?

zoegirl:

tomorrow, i promise

mad maddie:

i'm doing this for your own good!