Yolo (38 page)

mad maddie:

huh

mad maddie:

I just reread that text and am now realizing that I prolly sounded . . . well, not overly convincing.

mad maddie:

just trying for gallows humor, I guess.

mad maddie:

it means SO MUCH to me that y'all even tried.

mad maddie:

and, thx to Angela, I now know that homeless ppl can make excellent friends!

mad maddie:

I will be thankful for that, and thankful that I will not be sleeping behind a dumpster like Jermaine.

mad maddie:

it's all good. really.

SnowAngel:

do you believe in miracles?

zoegirl:

sometimes. in theory.

zoegirl:

what's going on?

SnowAngel:

I know that ppl usually talk about Christmas miracles, but I'm in the middle of a Thanksgiving miracle. remember my business class and how I had to make
a fake business? and so I made up Fashion Rescue: For the Girl on the Run!

zoegirl:

yes . . .

SnowAngel:

WELL, Lucy and Anna made up fliers and wrote testimonials and stuff. they posted them all over campus, and Anna passed them out to everyone in the Zeta house.

SnowAngel:

they know how worried I've been about Maddie, and they wanted to do something too, just like Holly and Gannon did.

SnowAngel:

and now I'm tearing up. ACK.

zoegirl:

wait wait wait! why are you tearing up? WHAT'S GOING ON?

SnowAngel:

also, I told Anna I was taking a VERY QUICK break—she's being, like, my set-up-appointments person—so I've gotta make this fast and get back to the next person.

SnowAngel:

we're $85 closer, Zo! I'm giving fashion advice and helping ppl reinvent themselves AND THEY'RE PAYING ME FOR IT!

zoegirl:

no way!

SnowAngel:

way!

SnowAngel:

thank you, Business 101! thank you, Professor Business Lady! I might even take Business 202 if there is such a thing, and grow up to be a Business Lady myself one day!!!!

zoegirl:

you're making money and you have appointments and you're a fashion consultant? I kind of think you already ARE a business lady, Angela!!!

SnowAngel:

ooo, really? cool!

SnowAngel:

lots of my clients are Zetas, which I'm somewhat blown away by. Anna wrote “Sisters for Sisters” on the flyers she handed out at the Zeta house, and even tho I depledged, they're still helping out.

zoegirl:

all of them? even the jerky ones?

SnowAngel:

well, no. just the nice ones. but there are enough nice ones to make a difference.

SnowAngel:

they're lined up outside my room just waiting to give me money!

zoegirl:

to help Maddie?

SnowAngel:

no, to pay for the service I'm offering. (and I AM good at this stuff. every one of my clients has left happy.)

SnowAngel:

but also for Maddie, since that's what the money's for.

SnowAngel:

my heart is like a balloon, but I don't want to get Maddie's hopes up until it's for sure!

zoegirl:

wow. Angela. you are amazing!!!!

SnowAngel:

I know, right?

SnowAngel:

gtg—Anna says even more girls are lining up. they just keep coming!

zoegirl:

omg! AAAHHH!

zoegirl:

I'm going to get online and check fares again. call me when we have enough!!!

zoegirl:

it's a good something, Mads.

SnowAngel:

yeah, so are you there? say “here” if you're there.

SnowAngel:

wait. that came out wrong. if you say “here,” but you are actually “there” . . .

mad maddie:

relax, I've got this.

mad maddie:

*clears throat*

mad maddie:

present. how's that?

SnowAngel:

Maddie! you answered!

zoegirl:

hurray! and HA, your answer made me laugh.

SnowAngel:

why laugh?

zoegirl:

from seventh grade, remember? Mrs. Rollins
would call roll, and everyone except Maddie would say, “here.” but Maddie, being Maddie, had to be different.

zoegirl:

“Angela Silver?” “Here.” “Zoe Barrett?” “Here.” “Madigan Kinnick?” “Present.”

SnowAngel:

oh yeah! you were so weird! you've *always* been weird!

zoegirl:

but we have a REAL present for you, Mads. hee hee.

mad maddie:

is it a turkey?

SnowAngel:

it is not a turkey.

SnowAngel:

go check yr email.

mad maddie:

*eyes Angela and Zoe suspiciously*

mad maddie:

if it's an e-card or something, I don't want it. not to be rude, but it wld just make things worse.

SnowAngel:

go check yr email. we'll wait . . .

mad maddie:

meh. grumble grumble . . .

SnowAngel:

Mads? yr taking a loooong time. why r u taking such a long time?

zoegirl:

come back!

SnowAngel:

did she fall down?

SnowAngel:

*cups hands around mouth* Maddie! did you fall down? press the button on yr lifeline to call an ambulance!

mad maddie:

you guys! omg, you can't do this. it's too much!

SnowAngel:

too bad, cuz we did.

zoegirl:

and it's nonrefundable, as you can see, so you're stuck.

zoegirl:

you're coming home for Thanksgiving!

mad maddie:

omg. but . . . how'd you do it?

SnowAngel:

ehh, we're tricky.

SnowAngel:

we'll tell u all about it in person, but right now you've got some packing to do.

zoegirl:

but are you happy? this is GOOD, Maddie, right?

mad maddie:

are you kidding? it's fucking great! it's like . . . it's like . . .

mad maddie:

fuck. it's like a happily-ever-after movie ending, but this time it's real.

mad maddie:

and I can't even . . .

mad maddie:

*deep breath*

SnowAngel:

it's ok. whatever it is, you can tell us.

mad maddie:

Zoe? Angela? you two are my lifeline. and yr making me weepy, and it's pissing me off.

SnowAngel:

yay!

SnowAngel:

weepy and pissed, but HAPPY, right?

SnowAngel:

*this* is what life is supposed to be like. this, and not any of that other crappy shit we've each had to deal with!

zoegirl:

except . . . it's all life. we can't just have the happy parts.

SnowAngel:

yes we can, because tomorrow night we are all going to be together in Atlanta!

zoegirl:

Mads, I bet you're thinking that this is great but that it's just a temporary fix. a Band-Aid.

zoegirl:

it's not, though, and I say that because YOU helped me through my dark time.

SnowAngel:

*huffs*

SnowAngel:

and I didn't?

zoegirl:

no, you did. of course you did. you were both there for me, just like we were there for you, Angela, when you pierced your foot and all that.

SnowAngel:

which is why I'm happy.
we will ALWAYS be there for each other, cuz that is the law.

zoegirl:

all I'm saying is that . . . we'll figure it out. we'll soak each other in while we're in Atlanta, and it'll remind us of who we are, and we'll each go back to college a little stronger.

zoegirl:

like that girl you met on the fake “Young
Frankenstein” night. you said you met a cool girl named Morgan. was she fake too?

mad maddie:

Jordan, not Morgan, and no, she wasn't fake. she was real, and so was the fire at Taco John's and the weird boy who went “eeeee.”

zoegirl:

so, you'll find Jordan again, then. or if not her, some other cool person.

SnowAngel:

and Zoe's going to keep writing and maybe join the lit magazine, and I'm going to be Angelina the fashionista, AND CAN WE PLZ JUST BE HAPPY NOW?

mad maddie:

it sounds good. I'll give you that. it also sounds . . . easier said than done.

zoegirl:

so what are you saying? you're worried you're not up for the challenge?

mad maddie:

yr trying to provoke me, Zoe. don't think I can't see that.

zoegirl:

is it working?

mad maddie:

ah, screw you both. I love you two, and yes yes yes, we shld just be happy now!!!

SnowAngel:

yaaaaaay! and *I'm* not worried at all. everything will work out cuz we'll MAKE it work out.

SnowAngel:

anyway, as a dear dear friend once said to me: you only live once . . .

zoegirl:

ha. nice, Angela.