L8r, G8r (5 page)

mad maddie:

have u ever noticed how much airports are like shopping malls? i cld buy noise reducing headphones! caramel apples! an i
atlanta shirt with OR without babydoll sleeves!

SnowAngel:

babydoll sleeves, for sure

mad maddie:

yeah, that's gonna happen

mad maddie:

also, so many peeps with signs that say things
like, “welcome back, troops!” it's odd, but sweet. i asked a guard if today was some special day for the military, and he said no, that EVERY SINGLE DAY ppl come to the waiting area to support the armed forces. it made me a little teary.

SnowAngel:

you? really???

mad maddie:

not cuz i believe in the war. i'm a lover, not a fighter! but there's something slightly amazing about all this outpouring of support.

SnowAngel:

where's zo?

mad maddie:

angling for the closest spot she can get to the place where passengers come out of security. she looks like she's going to piddle her pants.

SnowAngel:

aw, cute. what a warm welcome that wld be. a “warm” welcome??? get it???

mad maddie:

hilarity, hilarity. hey-hey, new group of peeps coming off escalator. bye!

zoegirl:

oh, angela, i am so in love!

SnowAngel:

hey, zo. sorry about not making it to the airport.

zoegirl:

that's ok. i mean, i'm sorry 2, but no big deal.

zoegirl:

doug says “hi,” btw

SnowAngel:

aw, “hi” to him 2

SnowAngel:

so did you fall into a passionate embrace the instant you saw him?

zoegirl:

well, his parents were there, so more like a really big hug. but omg, it felt *amazing*! it was like my whole body just opened up against his. like, ahhhhhh, this is what i've been missing.

zoegirl:

his arms were so strong, and he smelled so good, and he held me for what seemed like forever.

SnowAngel:

sounds wonderful

zoegirl:

i couldn't keep my hands off him. seriously, it
was like an addiction. i can totally see where that expression came from, that absence makes the heart grow fonder.

SnowAngel:

huh, maybe i should i try that with logan. whaddaya think—should i send him off to SEA the world?

zoegirl:

and on the way home, we *did* get to … you know. be more physical. his parents had a driver waiting for them in a limo, so for the car ride back it was just me and doug and maddie.

SnowAngel:

doug didn't wanna take the limo?

zoegirl:

no way! he wanted to be with me!

zoegirl:

mainly we just snuggled, since maddie was in the front seat. but it was pure bliss.

SnowAngel:

“pure bliss”? wowzers.

zoegirl:

you know what i mean, cuz you have that with logan.

zoegirl:

hey, let's go on a double date this weekend! you and me and doug and logan!

SnowAngel:

uh … sure. i mean, lemme check with logan, but that would be fun.

zoegirl:

not on friday, cuz on friday i want doug all to myself. but how about saturday? it could be a pre-valentine's thing, since valentine's day is the following tuesday.

SnowAngel:

okey-doke—IF my nose is back to normal.

zoegirl:

angela, logan won't care. he worships the ground you walk on … which is good, because otherwise i might worry that you'd steal doug away. (jk! i'm TOTALLY just kidding!)

SnowAngel:

zoe! it makes me feel bad that you would even say that.

zoegirl:

i'm sorry, i guess i'm just thinking about last year.

SnowAngel:

well, don't. god.

zoegirl:

but i know you would never do that. we're in a totally different situation now. we're both so lucky!

SnowAngel:

not to bring you down or anything … but are you doing all right with the whole jana weirdness? maddie finally gave me the complete story—sounds icky

zoegirl:

it was. i told doug about it, but he didn't understand why it creeped me out. so i explained jana's whole history with us, and turns out he didn't remember *any* of what happened in 10th grade. doesn't that blow your mind?

SnowAngel:

u think everyone should remember just cuz we do?

zoegirl:

well, yeah!

SnowAngel:

me 2

zoegirl:

i mean, jana emailed that picture of mads to the whole entire school. you'd think doug would remember a topless photo!

SnowAngel:

maybe he never saw it

zoegirl:

everyone saw it. didn't they?

SnowAngel:

well, doug doesn't travel in the same circles as “everyone.” that's part of his charm.

zoegirl:

yr right. and actually, that makes me happy. he does not need an image of a topless anybody in his mind.

zoegirl:

but anyway, i told him that from sophomore year on, jana's been nothing but trouble for all 3 of us. how on the one hand that made it hugely satisfying to see terri take her on, but on the other hand it gave me a chill. cuz now jana associates me with her moment of shame … and with jana you never know where that's gonna lead.

SnowAngel:

pissed and unstable—not a good combination. (plus you know her secret about Boo Boo Bear, hee hee)

zoegirl:

but in a way talking to doug about it was good, because he didn't see what the big deal was even
after i explained. it made me be like, “ok, time to chill. you have better things to do than worry about jana.” i have doug back, and that makes everything ok.

zoegirl:

g-nite, angela! I'M SO IN LOVE!!!!

mad maddie:

YO! why aren't you at school, missy?! you didn't stay home cuz of your nose, did you?

SnowAngel:

hey now, how shallow do you think i am?!

mad maddie:

angela …

SnowAngel:

well … yes. yes i did. you wld have 2 if you looked like me!

mad maddie:

yr missing Senior Pet Day! how can you miss Senior Pet Day? yr the prez of the planning committee that came up with this swill!

SnowAngel:

swill! the senior planning committee comes up with delightful activities to celebrate senior-ness. it does not come up with SWILL.

mad maddie:

ted aronson brought a pig. he dressed him in tighty-whities.

SnowAngel:

did you bring chumley the psycho kitty?

mad maddie:

yeppers, on loan from my dear bro mark. he piddled on mr. bradley's carpet.

SnowAngel:

mark?

mad maddie:

good one. no, chumley.

SnowAngel:

i'm so sorry i missed it

mad maddie:

you should be. i can't believe your aunt sadie let you stay home cuz you think you LOOK bad. here i am in the fluorescently lit media center with chumley the psycho kitty digging gashes into my thighs, while yr languishing about eating bon bons and feeling sorry for yourself.

SnowAngel:

the blister is at its peak of foulness, maddie. it is a pustule of terror.

mad maddie:

ha. “The Pustule of Terror,” coming soon to theaters everywhere.

mad maddie:

which actress should we get to play you?

SnowAngel:

ooo, excellent question. but if we're gonna make a movie, we have to make it of all 3 of us. and we're not calling it “The Pustule of Terror.” we'll call it … hmm. “The Winsome Threesome: Senior Year.” how 'bout that?

mad maddie:

very nice. and now: the cast?

SnowAngel:

i know who i want for me: leighton meester

mad maddie:

dude, yr so not leighton meester. she is icy cool, and you are lovely and warm.

SnowAngel:

*preens happily* i am?

mad maddie:

how about taylor swift?

SnowAngel:

hahahaha. i wld LOVE to be played by tay-tay, but her hair's the wrong color.

mad maddie:

so she'll dye it a lovely light brown

mad maddie:

or … i know! reese witherspoon!

SnowAngel:

2 old. i luv reese, but i don't wanna be played by an oldhead.

mad maddie:

i've got it. hayden panettiere, only once again with a minor dye job

SnowAngel:

ooo, i like hayden panettierre! she's approachable, not snotty, and she cares about clothes, but not in a show-off-y way. i say yes to hayden!

mad maddie:

what about me?

SnowAngel:

oh, yr easy. mary-kate olsen, cuz yr so shy and retiring.

mad maddie:

ha ha

SnowAngel:

let's c … for real?

SnowAngel:

we need someone who's beautiful, but not ladylike.

mad maddie:

definitely not ladylike

SnowAngel:

someone who wears sweats instead of tiny tees. who's not afraid to chug a beer or tell a dirty joke. someone you'd want to party with.

SnowAngel:

i know! jennifer lawrence!

mad maddie:

oh yeah, right!

SnowAngel:

i'm serious! jennifer lawrence in one of her blondie phases. she's tough and beautiful, just like you.

mad maddie:

i wish, but thx for the thought

mad maddie:

hold on—ow!

mad maddie:

sorry, chumley was doing some nipping.

SnowAngel:

what about zo? i'd say katie holmes, except that her having a kid and being divorced kinda throws a wrench into that. katie's perfect in terms of the sweet-shy-smart category, tho.

mad maddie:

plus the dark eyes and dark hair, especially now that zoe's grown it out. although personally i liked zoe's hair better when it was chin length.

SnowAngel:

really? i like it long. now she can do french-twist-y things, very elegant.

mad maddie:

but katie falls into the oldhead category too, so i'm axing katie.

SnowAngel:

how about kristen stewart? KIDDING!

mad maddie:

oh barf. the hair? sure. but *nothing* else, and certainly not that pouty-eyeliner thing she has going on.

SnowAngel:

oh! ellen page! ellen page!

SnowAngel:

or wait, that girl from City of Bones, remember?

mad maddie:

ellen's good, but she's a bit snarky for zoe. she'd have to lose the 'tude. the other actress you're thinking of is … wait a sec … lily collins.

SnowAngel:

yeah! her!

mad maddie:

how about this: we'll offer the job to ellen and lily both, and whoever accepts 1st gets the role.

SnowAngel:

deal

SnowAngel:

who should we get for the role of snarky evil dragon lady?

mad maddie:

otherwise known as jana?

mad maddie:

it's our movie. she's not invited

SnowAngel:

good point

mad maddie:

altho i DO have a new chapter in the dragon tales. zoe and i were chatting by our cars this morning, and jana pulled up next to us in her station wagon. i took a sneaky-peek for Boo Boo Bear, but there was waaaaay too much crap. mcdonald's bags and coke cans and that ratty army blanket she keeps handy for who knows what.

SnowAngel:

her skanky interludes?

mad maddie:

probably—with Boo Boo Bear looking on!

SnowAngel:

it's weird how a girl who cares so much about her appearance can be such a slob when it comes to her car.

mad maddie:

i know

SnowAngel:

if i had a car, i'd treat it right.

mad maddie:

you could hide a horse in jana's backseat and she'd never know.

SnowAngel:

did she say anything when she saw you guys?

mad maddie:

she climbed out of her car and gave us an absolute death look, and zoe, being totally un-subtle, elbowed me in the ribs and said, “see? see? i told you!”

SnowAngel:

what'd you do?

mad maddie:

i burst out laffing—i couldn't help it.

mad maddie:

jana was THIS close to marching over and scorching us with her fire-breath, i'm not kidding.

SnowAngel:

you just draw ppl to you, don't you? yr so sweet and cuddly.

mad maddie:

why yes, i am

mad maddie:

wanna know who i've drawn to me who i very
much wish was UN-drawn to me? and i'm not talking about jana. i'm talking about a certain someone who latched onto YOU when you lived in el cerrito last year, and who now, apparently, has latched onto ME.

SnowAngel:

uh oh *chortles into hands*

SnowAngel:

did you get another email from glendy?

mad maddie:

glendy is YOUR nutcase, not MINE. why is she sending me her stupid freakin chain letters???