TTFN (12 page)

mad maddie:

dude! i know yr in class, but i'm bored!

zoegirl:

maddie, go away

mad maddie:

if you want me to go away, why'd you respond?

zoegirl:

because my phone's on vibrate. otherwise i wouldn't have.

mad maddie:

ooo, vibrate. is it as good as your special chair?

zoegirl:

mad maddie:

have u told angela about doug?

zoegirl:

not yet

mad maddie:

u better!

mad maddie:

how about now? have u told her by now?

zoegirl:

stop texting me during class!

mad maddie:

so u haven't?

zoegirl:

ms. aiken is staring. i'm turning you off.

mad maddie:

hi, zo. me again. do u feel like ur being spied on?

zoegirl:

maddie, what are you doing here? this isn't your free.

mad maddie:

peaches doesn't care. she loves me. anywayz, the media center isn't your own private idaho.

mad maddie:

have u told angela?

zoegirl:

no, because i'm being stalked by a deranged lunatic who thinks it's more fun to text and make waggly eyebrows than to JUST COME OVER AND TALK TO ME.

mad maddie:

okey-doke, i'll come over and talk to you. in a nice loud voice that everyone can hear.

zoegirl:

on second thought, don't. i'll tell angela as soon as i get home from school. are you satisfied? now go away. i have to finish this paper!

mad maddie:

*singsong voice* yr home from school! HAVE U TOLD HER?

zoegirl:

you're a freak. i'm calling her right now. bye!

zoegirl:

hi, maddie. it's me.

mad maddie:

oh really? u mean someone didn't steal yr phone? awesome!

zoegirl:

shut up, smarty-pants.

zoegirl:

i just wanted to tell you that i called angela, just like i said i would, but i didn't tell her about doug.

mad maddie:

omg. what's your excuse this time?

zoegirl:

they sold the house, mads. her mom sold the house.

mad maddie:

WHAT?!!!

zoegirl:

they're moving as soon as finals are over!!!

mad maddie:

as soon as

mad maddie:

zoe, that's less than 2 weeks!

zoegirl:

i know

mad maddie:

i just

mad maddie:

i don't even

mad maddie:

they're seriously moving? this is real?

zoegirl:

angela could barely get the words out, she was crying so hard.

mad maddie:

holy fucking shit

mad maddie:

where r they gonna LIVE?

zoegirl:

the apartment mr. silver rented has three bedrooms, so they'll join him there. i guess that was the plan all along.

zoegirl:

what are we gonna do, maddie?

mad maddie:

i have no flipping idea

mad maddie:

but for now, we better get going.

zoegirl:

where, to angela's?

mad maddie:

where else?!

zoegirl:

hey, mads. did you read angela's FB status? it's so sad.

mad maddie:

i know. i was gonna txt her, but all those scowly faces made me think, “ooo, better back off.”

zoegirl:

i had the same thought, but then i realized that right now is when she needs us the most. so i called her—and she sounded *very* depressed.

mad maddie:

well, duh. she's moving 3,000 miles away.

zoegirl:

it was like she wasn't even angela anymore. her voice was all pale and listless, and she kept saying, “this sucks. this just totally sucks.”

mad maddie:

that's how she was at lunch too

zoegirl:

i tried in my nicest way to suggest that being depressed isn't gonna help anything, and she goes, “i think it's an appropriate response, zoe.” like i was being stupid for trying to cheer her up.

mad maddie:

we shld do something fun tomorrow night. maybe that would help.

zoegirl:

yeah, sounds good. i feel bad that i can't do something with her tomorrow night *and* saturday night, but i've got to work.

mad maddie:

where u'll c doug, nudge-nudge, wink-wink

mad maddie:

u still haven't told angela, have u?

zoegirl:

it's so not the point right now. it would just make her feel worse.

mad maddie:

ur playing with fire, zoe. mark my words, this is gonna come back and bite u on the ass!

mad maddie:

hey, gal. since u never decided what u wanna do tonight, zoe and i decided for u. put your party hat on … cuz we're going BOWLING!!!

SnowAngel:

*lifts head from the depths of hell* bowling?

mad maddie:

chop-chop! if we get there early, we can beat the rush.

SnowAngel:

there's a rush to go bowling?

mad maddie:

on a friday night? we're talking high drama, baby. ker-ash! she scores another strike!

SnowAngel:

i haven't gone bowling since last year when i went with doug and steve and chrissy. doug and steve slipped notes into the holes in chrissy's ball
and pretended they were from a mystery admirer, remember?

SnowAngel:

that was so fun. but nothing will ever be fun again.

mad maddie:

YES IT WILL. oh, and be sure to wear crappy shoes. don't ask—just do it.

SnowAngel:

pardon me, but i don't own any crappy shoes

SnowAngel:

hey, do u think doug would come with us if we called him? maybe that's what i need to perk me up, a dose of doug-love.

mad maddie:

er … no doug. this is a girls' night, full of bonding and wacky hijinks.

SnowAngel:

right, right

SnowAngel:

but i have been thinking … maybe, before i leave, i'll give doug something to remember me by. *wink, wink* he's certainly waited for it long enough.

mad maddie:

angela, no

SnowAngel:

why? it would be the thrill of his life.

mad maddie:

bad idea. trust me.

SnowAngel:

yeah, i guess it wouldn't be fair. *sigh*

mad maddie:

that's right. leave the poor guy alone.

SnowAngel:

altho who said love was fair? and long-distance relationships CAN work, u know …

mad maddie:

FORGET ABOUT DOUG

mad maddie:

now go dig thru your closet and find your rattiest sneaks. i'm coming to pick u up!