yes?
SnowAngel:
my goodness. it seems I do not know Cute Boyâs name.
SnowAngel:
I knew it once. I am almost positive I did.
zoegirl:
why did your date ditch you?
SnowAngel:
Todd? who knows, who cares. buh-bye, Todd! hello, cute new boy!
zoegirl:
itâs after midnight, Angela. Iâm going back to bed.
SnowAngel:
because itâs after midnight? what kind of reason is that?
SnowAngel:
Iâm still at party. Iâm going to celebrate this after-midnight business by finding Cute Boy again. more kissing! me like kissing!!!
Sat, Sept 28 , 11:52 AM E . D . T .
zoegirl:
you awake?
zoegirl:
itâs 9 oâclock in California land. it is NOT too early to be texting you.
zoegirl:
lame!!!
Sat, Sept 28 , 10:05 AM P . D . T .
mad maddie:
u rang
zoegirl:
I did! cuz I wanted to tell you that I did it: I went out with Holly and Gannon from my creative writing class, and it was so fun!
mad maddie:
my ladyfriend! way to go!
zoegirl:
we laughed and talked, and Holly ate a jalapeno pepper because she will try ANYTHING at least once (thatâs one of her mantras), and it was just . . . fun. and later Iâm going to call Doug and have a good, normal conversation with him. Ifeel like I can, now that Iâm more me-ish. does that make sense?
mad maddie:
whatâd yâall do
zoegirl:
we went to dinner at a place called the Zooming Burrito.
zoegirl:
our waiter started off being totally aloof, but Holly is seriously the friendliest person I have EVER met, and she kept trying to draw him out. she said her theory is that most people who come across as rude are actually shy, but that everyone needs human interaction, so she doesnât let their rudeness put her off. she just tries harder.
mad maddie:
huh. cld be awesome, cld be insanely annoying.
zoegirl:
eventually she said flat out, âSo, Teddy, whatâs your story?â
mad maddie:
Teddy = waiter
zoegirl:
Teddy equals waiter.
zoegirl:
Holly propped her chin on her hands and looked up at him, smiling and waiting, and finally he told us that heâd just moved to Ohio from Wyoming, and that everything was still new to him, and that he wanted to be a chef one day . . .
zoegirl:
he basically went on and on, and it was cool. it was obvious that he was happy to have someone take an interest in him, you know?
mad maddie:
Holly sounds like Angela
zoegirl:
yeah, kinda, but Holly is more . . .
zoegirl:
hmm. Angela is a people person for sure. but Holly takes it a step further. she, like, loves the whole world and not just people. she says she wants to experience every single thing she can. oooâsheâs like YOU in that way!
mad maddie:
hahahaha
zoegirl:
and speaking of, how is your end of the deal going?
mad maddie:
pretty well.
zoegirl:
spill
mad maddie:
um, I went out with Zara and the Esbees. I had a fun time too.
zoegirl:
did you really, or are you just saying that?
mad maddie:
how lame wld that be, to lie about my eveningâs fun-ness? gee, thx, Zo.
zoegirl:
forgive me. details, please.
mad maddie:
well . . . you sure you can handle it
zoegirl:
Iâm pretty sure I can
zoegirl:
yes?
mad maddie:
we went to a casino and played blackjack. it rocked.
zoegirl:
whoa. for reals?
mad maddie:
ANDâpregnant pauseâit turns out that yrs truly is a whiz at counting cards. (and apparently no one can read my puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-poker face.)
zoegirl:
Maddie! double whoa!
zoegirl:
but donât you have to be 21 to gamble?
mad maddie:
ah, technically. it didnât seem to be a problem.
zoegirl:
did they check IDs? was there a bouncer or something?
mad maddie:
do you want me to be retroactively busted? fine, Iâll go turn myself in.
zoegirl:
noâsorry sorry sorry. youâre getting your Maddie-ness back, just like Iâm getting my Zoeness back. forgive my Good Girl nail-biting?
mad maddie:
sure, kid. *ruffles Zoeâs hair*
mad maddie:
anywayz, I walked away a hundred bucks richer, while Zara came out sixty dollars