TTFN (4 page)

SnowAngel:

zoe! it's been so long since i saw u—almost a whole hour! u left your sweatshirt at my house, dumb-dumb head.

zoegirl:

oops, sorry. would you bring it to me tomorrow?

zoegirl:

is maddie still there?

SnowAngel:

she just left, *after* patching the butt of her jeans with duct tape cuz she realized they were ripped. it cracks me up, this “i'm such a crazy-ass” stage she's in.

zoegirl:

crazy like at donovan's wedding?

zoegirl:

it blows my mind that her mom would call her … what she called her … and she would think it's funny.

SnowAngel:

but her mom was drunk. she didn't MEAN it.

zoegirl:

yeah, but that makes it even more mind-blowing. do YOU get drunk with YOUR mom?

SnowAngel:

hahaha. my mom would be the one marching around and slapping drinks out of people's hands.

zoegirl:

i like maddie's mom a lot. and of course i love maddie. i just worry about her sometimes.

SnowAngel:

oh, she knows what she's doing. probably.

SnowAngel:

what'd u think about chive?

zoegirl:

i don't know. i need to meet him before i decide.

SnowAngel:

i wish she was still going out with ian.

zoegirl:

agreed. ian is such a good guy.

zoegirl:

you think they'll ever get back together?

SnowAngel:

no, cuz u know how maddie is. when she gets hurt, that's it. there's no looking back. and ian really hurt her, even tho he didn't mean to.

zoegirl:

and even though she'll never admit it out loud. she's so funny that way, always having to be so tough.

SnowAngel:

like with chive and the whole smooch-and-run incident, u mean?

zoegirl:

exactly. i know maddie thinks that's fine—it's her typical maddie no-big-deal approach—but sometimes i think she's putting up a front. i mean, when you fool around with somebody, it has to mean *something* doesn't it?

SnowAngel:

u would think so, yeah

zoegirl:

she and i talked about that at your house, actually. it was while you were downstairs searching for the dvd. i think i maybe said some things i shouldn't have.

SnowAngel:

ooo, like what?

zoegirl:

like that i don't agree with the whole friends-with-benefits philosophy. like i think that works out great for guys, but not so much for girls.

SnowAngel:

i don't think that's a bad thing to say. why is that a bad thing to say?

zoegirl:

i'm just worried i came off a little harsh. i kept talking and talking, and all these words came out of my mouth, like … word-vomit. somehow being with maddie just brings that out in me.

SnowAngel:

word-vomit. lovely. it's pretty hard to offend maddie, tho. i'm sure it was fine.

SnowAngel:

so did u notice my parents and how freaky-deaky they're being? they're thoroughly hiding something. it is so obvious.

zoegirl:

huh

zoegirl:

well, whatever it is, i wouldn't worry about it.

SnowAngel:

???

SnowAngel:

what happened to “i'm sure it's something good” and “maybe they're taking u to hawaii!”

zoegirl:

nothing, it's just

SnowAngel:

just WHAT?

zoegirl:

ok, fine. your dad *did* seem a little off.

SnowAngel:

how so? tell me, tell me, tell me.

zoegirl:

i don't know. he didn't stick around and tease us the way he usually does.

zoegirl:

i guess he just seemed strung out.

SnowAngel:

cuz it is no doubt very exhausting doing price comparisons b/w PT Cruisers and VW bugs. omigod—do u think he's getting me a bug?!!

zoegirl:

er … i'm not sure that was the vibe i was picking up.

SnowAngel:

if i got a bug, i could put a daisy in that little flower-holder thing. i think that is so cute, how they come with their own little vases.

SnowAngel:

but a used car would be ok 2. ANY car would be ok. then i wouldn't have to rely on u and maddie all the time.

zoegirl:

i know i said to stay positive, but what if it's not a car?

SnowAngel:

what, now u think it's something bad after all? like that my parents r getting a divorce, or that my dad's got cancer?

zoegirl:

angela, no! i'm sure it's not that!

SnowAngel:

it's not like those thoughts haven't crossed my mind. i overheard my mom talking to my aunt sadie on the phone, and she was saying things like “i'm completely overwhelmed” and “don't know how we'll tell the girls.”

zoegirl:

oh crap, angela

zoegirl:

did she mention anything about … anything else?

SnowAngel:

anything else like what?

zoegirl:

hold on—just got a text from mads. be right back.

SnowAngel:

zoe!!! u r supposed to be talking to ME, not maddie!

SnowAngel:

get back here this instant!!!!

zoegirl:

angela's all freaked about her parents—she brought it up, not me—and i feel really weird about the whole starbucks encounter. should i tell her about seeing her dad with the lip liner woman?

mad maddie:

shit, don't ask me

zoegirl:

i'm sure it's nothing, but at the same time i don't want to be the one to bring it up.

mad maddie:

then don't

zoegirl:

but if it was *my* dad, i'd want to know.

zoegirl:

i think.

mad maddie:

u think 2 much, zoe. that's your problem.

zoegirl:

you're right, you're right. no need to worry angela over something that could be nothing until we find out for sure!

zoegirl:

hey there, i'm back

SnowAngel:

yr on my bad list *glowers fiercely*

SnowAngel:

abandoning me like that when my father could very well have a deadly disease!

zoegirl:

i'm 99 percent sure your dad doesn't have a deadly disease. really, i am.

SnowAngel:

so what's going on with maddie, who's apparently so much more important than me?

zoegirl:

please. she had a biology question.

SnowAngel:

???

SnowAngel:

u guys aren't in the same class.

zoegirl:

i know, but mr. mack uses the same exact lesson plans. boring boring.

SnowAngel:

oka-a-a-ay, but i'm taking bio too. why didn't she ask ME her question?

zoegirl:

you poor thing! you're having a hard day, aren't you?

SnowAngel:

yes *sniff, sniff*

zoegirl:

oh, angela. you better go have some chocolate, or better yet some ben & jerry's. or both.

SnowAngel:

perhaps i will. in bed with my bunny slippers on and a drop of lavender oil on my pulse points for relaxation.

zoegirl:

SnowAngel:

*takes deep calming breath. takes deep calming breath again*

SnowAngel:

it CLD still be a car. my dad cld be strung out about car payments … cldn't he?

zoegirl:

angela, put it out of your mind. you're going to drive yourself crazy. now go get that new york super fudge chunk!

SnowAngel:

ok, ok. good night!

SnowAngel:

*stomps into room and plops down on bed*

SnowAngel:

am i a happy camper? no, i am not. care to hazard a guess at why?

zoegirl:

er … did something happen when you got home from school?

SnowAngel:

i caught my mom talking to my aunt sadie AGAIN, and in front of her on the coffee table was an empty container of maple pecans, which she only eats when she's stressed. so i confronted her, and she finally admitted that something IS going on.

zoegirl:

she did? whoa.

zoegirl:

did she say it has to do with … life changes?

SnowAngel:

life changes?

SnowAngel:

omg, do u think my mom's going thru MENOPAUSE?

zoegirl:

menopause?! no, i was talking more about … life changes in general. when people, u know, change.

zoegirl:

but that doesn't matter. just tell me what she said!

SnowAngel:

*groans*

SnowAngel:

what she SAID is that she didn't wanna talk about it w/o my dad and chrissy. so we're going to dinner tomorrow night, and they'll tell us then. chrissy and i get to pick the place—anywhere we want.

zoegirl:

anywhere you want to go? oh no!

SnowAngel:

what?

zoegirl:

nothing, it's just that it's so Lifetime Movie of the Week. parents *always* let the kids pick the restaurant when they're about to give bad news.

zoegirl:

i remember one about a girl whose parents were getting divorced, and her friend was like, “don't pick mcdonald's, because then you'll never wanna go there again. pick some place you really hate.” so she picked a chinese restaurant and ended up getting sick all over the table.

SnowAngel:

i'm not picking mcdonald's, and i'm not picking chinese. i'm sorry, but i'm picking some place really good, cuz if they're gonna give us bad news, they're gonna have to do it over a super-nice meal.

zoegirl:

and then there's that strategy, which is equally good.

SnowAngel:

oh god

SnowAngel:

i'm probably not getting a car, am i?

zoegirl:

well …

SnowAngel:

i'm gonna call maddie. i have to tell her what's going on.

zoegirl:

chin up, angela. just remember: everyone loves you no matter what!