TTYL (14 page)

zoegirl:

maddie! you there?

mad maddie:

um, yeah…

mad maddie:

where's the fire?

zoegirl:

it's angela. we need to go over and be with her—NOW.

mad maddie:

???

zoegirl:

she's been crying to me over the phone for the last hour. she went out to dinner with her mom and chrissy, and while she was there, guess who she ran into?

zoegirl:

TONNIE AND ROB. as in, on a date. she said they were snuggled up in a booth sharing an awesome blossom.

mad maddie:

christ, that sucks.

mad maddie:

what the hell is an awesome blossom?

zoegirl:

u know, those fried onion thingies with the dipping sauce. and what's worse? angela and rob shared one on their first date too.

mad maddie:

is bennigan's the only restaurant rob goes to???

zoegirl:

not the point. angela is devastated, so i told her we'd come over and spend the night. watch movies and eat tons and tons of junk food, that sort of thing.

mad maddie:

sounds good. i'll see if mark can give me a ride.

zoegirl:

on the phone, angela kept saying, “is it cuz tonnie's prettier than me? IS it?” i feel so bad for her.

mad maddie:

did she say anything to rob when she saw him? and did he see her?

zoegirl:

he saw her, all right. angela said he stared at her for like ten seconds, and then he turned to tonnie and started talking really animatedly, even though a blush had spread from his neck all the way up his face.

zoegirl:

angela grabbed chrissy and her mom and jerked them out the door, and then she burst into tears.

mad maddie:

that asshole

zoegirl:

and then apparently her mom made some super-supportive comment like, “just let it go, angela. he's obviously the type of boy who only cares about appearances.”

mad maddie:

good lord

zoegirl:

so we should get over there, because she's totally a mess.

mad maddie:

gotcha. i'm on it!

mad maddie:

hey, poor sad angela. your tweet made me want
to hug you. r u really at krispy kreme, or was that another “walking the lonely train tracks” fake-out?

SnowAngel:

i really am at KK. I walked here, hoping that getting off my butt wld help, but it didn't. so now i'm expanding my butt with donuts.

SnowAngel:

i hate myself, basically.

mad maddie:

don't hate yourself. hate rob. have u talked to him?

SnowAngel:

no

mad maddie:

well, good. he's not worth it.

SnowAngel:

i TELL myself that, but that's not how it feels.

SnowAngel:

i need u and zoe. ur the only ones who understand. you're coming back tonight, right?

mad maddie:

ouch. that's actually why i texted. i want to—i do—but i can't. i'm scheduled to work, and i can't find anyone to trade shifts with.

SnowAngel:

no! u HAVE to!

mad maddie:

but zoe'll be there. u'll be fine.

mad maddie:

i'll call u tomorrow!

SnowAngel:

hey, mads. hey, zo. i had a totally crappy time at school today, just so u both know. *sniffle, sniffle*

mad maddie:

ah, shit. i'm sorry.

SnowAngel:

i didn't wanna go at all, but mom made me. how unfair is that?

mad maddie:

terribly unfair. those damn parents, always wanting their damn kids to go to school. i say we revolt.

zoegirl:

how was french? did u and rob talk?

SnowAngel:

yes. he said that tonnie was the one who asked him out, and he didn't know how to say “no.”

mad maddie:

that is the lamest excuse i think i've ever heard. please tell me u told him to go to hell.

SnowAngel:

i told him it really hurt my feelings.

zoegirl:

good for u

mad maddie:

what?!!! he treated u like dirt, angela. telling him he “really hurt your feelings” isn't gonna do it.

SnowAngel:

he also said that tonnie is just a friend, even if she wants to be more, and that he's sorry if he ruined something good just cuz of her.

zoegirl:

IF he ruined something good?

mad maddie:

he's a dick. and he looks like that weird brother guy on “arrested development.”

SnowAngel:

he does not!

mad maddie:

zoe? back me up?

zoegirl:

well, not EXACTLY. but kind of. just a *teeny* bit, if he were way older.

mad maddie:

ok, he's the young version of the weird bro on “arrested development.” it's still bad!

SnowAngel:

maybe i'll email him. shld i email him? cuz he acted like things were over b/w us when he was telling me about tonnie, but maybe that's just cuz he's afraid i won't give him a second chance.

mad maddie:

ANGELA. STOP RIGHT NOW.

SnowAngel:

but what if it's true love? i can't walk away from true love!

zoegirl:

do you REALLY think it's true love?

SnowAngel:

it MIGHT be. and i don't wanna be the kind of person who's not willing to put in the work, u know? love takes work. it's not all cake and ice cream.

mad maddie:

all right, i can't deal with this. bye, ladies.

SnowAngel:

maddie?

SnowAngel:

zoe, did maddie really go away?

zoegirl:

looks like it

SnowAngel:

maddie doesn't get it, cuz she's never been in love. but it's better to have lived and loved than never to have loved at all.

zoegirl:

i guess

SnowAngel:

it's TRUE. and now i'm gonna email rob like i said i would, cuz u've made me feel so much better.

zoegirl:

i have?

SnowAngel:

yeah. thanks for the pep talk, i needed it.

mad maddie:

zoe, angela is her own worst enemy, you know.

zoegirl:

i love her so much, but i do kind of understand what you're saying. but i don't know how to tell her that to her face. i don't even know if i want to say it to her face.

mad maddie:

i do. i just wanna shake her shoulders and say, “GET A CLUE! HE IS A LOSER!!!”

zoegirl:

i know. it's so sad.

mad maddie:

yeah, but it's also just ANNOYING.

mad maddie:

i didn't wanna mention it in front of angela, but can i tell u what a great time i had at work saturday night?

zoegirl:

with ian?

mad maddie:

we splashed dishwater at each other—it was vair vair flirty and fun. and get this: he asked if i wanted to hang out with him next weekend, after our shifts r over.

zoegirl:

no way!

mad maddie:

way!

zoegirl:

you said yes, i'm assuming?

mad maddie:

oh, i was very coy as i turned bright red and mumbled, “uuh, sure!” i was quite the vixen.

zoegirl:

oh, maddie, you are going to have an awesome birthday weekend. you're still going out with me and angela on friday, right?

mad maddie:

ack—i totally forgot. actually, the rents have had a rare moment of parental affection and wanna
take me to that brazilian restaurant where u get heaps and heaps of meat. sounds like my kind of place, baby.

zoegirl:

this friday? they're taking you to Meat Land this friday?

mad maddie:

uh, yes, since that would be my bday…

zoegirl:

but you said u'd go out with us!

mad maddie:

so we'll go out saturday instead, only it'll have to be in the morning since i work that night. ooo—we could do the all-u-can-eat breakfast buffet at shoney's!

zoegirl:

yeah, but angela had her heart set on being with you on your exact birthday. i don't mean to make a big deal out of this, but she'll be really disappointed if we don't get together.

mad maddie:

that's ridiculous

zoegirl:

i know, but still. she'd be really, really disappointed. she's just so fragile right now.

mad maddie:

fine. i'll tell the rents to take me out another time, i guess.

zoegirl:

excellent idea. maybe THEY can take u to shoney's.

mad maddie:

whatevs

mad maddie:

welp, time to bounce. mark is gonna take me driving in a minute here, and i must do my limbering-up exercises. rotate the wrists, rotate the neck, practice my patented scan for dogs and small children…

zoegirl:

have fun.

mad maddie:

only four more days!!!