Yolo by Lauren Myracle
SnowAngel:
helloooo, Maddie. I think I’m supposed to be in this mysterious “geology lab” I keep hearing vague references to, but it’s far too confusing. why wld being enrolled in one class require you to have to go to a second class?
SnowAngel:
it’s like going to the dentist and getting yr teeth cleaned and then being told to go to some weird other place to get yr new toothbrush.
mad maddie:
u realize yr going to fail geology . . .
SnowAngel:
no way, silly. my geology professor loves me.
SnowAngel:
all of my professors love me, because I am an excellent class participator.
mad maddie:
when yr not txting, that iOS
mad maddie:
*is
SnowAngel:
when I’m not texting that iOS. exactly.
mad maddie:
SnowAngel:
ANYway, I fear my soul is being sucked away. must stop being addicted to Twitter!
mad maddie:
and tumblr and FB and Instagram . . . shld I go on?
SnowAngel:
I checked on our friend Jana, and she’s not a happy camper. wanna hear more?
mad maddie:
no
mad maddie:
but ok, sure.
SnowAngel:
all of her recent tweets have been about how depressed she is, how stupid college is, and how she wants to drop out.
mad maddie:
maybe she shld.
SnowAngel:
what? why wld you say that?
mad maddie:
cuz going to college just cuz yr expected to doesn’t make a ton of sense, not when u think about it.
SnowAngel:
but . . . college! learning stuff and getting smarter! it’s important!
mad maddie:
which is why yr skipping yr geology lab again. nice.
SnowAngel:
ok, but there’s other stuff too. college isn’t JUST about book learning.
mad maddie:
my point exactly. you can teach yrself anything you really need to know by going to the library.
SnowAngel:
why are you arguing on Jana’s side? I *like* college. don’t you?
mad maddie:
dude. what idiot doesn’t like college?
SnowAngel:
aargh! you are being very aggravating!!!
Tues, Nov 5, 3:47 PM E.S.T.
SnowAngel:
what’s crack-a-lackin, homeslice?
zoegirl:
trying to finish short story about a girl who is like Icarus and sprouts wings, only I don’t want her to end up flying too close to the sun.
SnowAngel:
no. wldn’t want that.
zoegirl:
really need to work. sorry!
Wed, Nov 6, 11:03 AM P.S.T.
mad maddie:
oooo-eeee! makin’ bacon!
SnowAngel:
yr so weird
SnowAngel:
oh, look, Carrie Benway’s dog snuck up behind her and sniffed her neck.
mad maddie:
*I’m* weird?
SnowAngel:
I don’t even know who Carrie Benway is.
SnowAngel:
do we know who Carrie Benway is?
mad maddie:
she’s the girl with the sneaky dog, ya dum-dum.
SnowAngel:
and . . . *double-tasks to read Twitter feed* . . . Justine Schu is helping to get the chores of the world done. huh. that is perplexing to me on many levels.
mad maddie:
who’s Justine Schu?
SnowAngel:
I have no clue. how did all these ppl I don’t know end up on my Twitter feed????
mad maddie:
*cuffs Angela fondly on cheek*
mad maddie:
cuz yr so darn likable. it’s cute.
SnowAngel:
you’re in a good mood today. what’s up?
mad maddie:
Thanksgiving break is getting closer. what can I say?
SnowAngel:
and sweetpea252 is going to have sex on a Popsicle. lovely.
mad maddie:
what about Jana? any news on Jana?
SnowAngel:
well, let’s see . . .
SnowAngel:
Jana Whitaker is going to cut and dye her hair—or maybe she already has.
SnowAngel:
she posted some selfies, and . . . aye-yai-yai. I wonder if she seriously is trying to self-destruct, cuz her haircut is more of a chop, and the color is bright orange. bright BRIGHT orange. what was she thinking?
mad maddie:
she needs your Fashion Rescue services.
SnowAngel:
she certainly does. oh, which reminds me! guess what?
mad maddie:
what?
SnowAngel:
the girl Reid and I rescued must have told someone what happened, which is good, cuz . . . well, cuz you can’t keep the bad stuff in. you have to share or you’ll implode.
mad maddie:
how do you know she told?
SnowAngel:
Anna says there was a chapter meeting about it. no names, and it doesn’t sound like anyone’s going to be turned in, but the Zetas are axing that particular fraternity from all social engagements for the rest of the year.
mad maddie:
the whole rest of the year. wow, that must sting.
SnowAngel:
yeah, I know. but.
SnowAngel:
at least it’s out there. and Anna said everyone took it seriously, and that the Zeta president used the whole meeting to talk about party safety and all that.
mad maddie:
and those guys get off scot-free. yay!
SnowAngel:
that part sucks. but maybe they woke up the next morning and felt hugely guilty. I sure hope so.
mad maddie:
I hope so too. I’m just not nearly as optimistic.
mad maddie:
but Angela? you did a GOOD THING. I love ya, lady.
SnowAngel:
*melts*
SnowAngel:
I love you too, Mads. forever and ever and ever.
Thu, Nov 7, 5:33 PM E.S.T.
SnowAngel:
dudes!!!! I am so happy! I went to Shakes Alive with Reid today—we held hands, yummy-yummy, and we kissed, yummy-yummier—and guess what?
SnowAngel:
WE SAW JERMAINE!!!!
SnowAngel:
do you two remember Jermaine? the guy who lived in my dorm room for a while?
mad maddie:
I remember that quite clearly, yes.
zoegirl:
I, too, will never forget.
SnowAngel:
well, he’s working at Shakes Alive. he got a job! at Shakes Alive!
zoegirl:
Angela, that’s awesome.
mad maddie:
does that mean he’ll give u free milkshakes?
SnowAngel:
ooo, maybe
SnowAngel:
he gave me a HUGE smile when he saw me, and he cldn’t talk for long, but he’s doing so much better. and the Lutheran church is doing a community-wide Thanksgiving meal, so he’s going to that, which means he won’t be alone on Thanksgiving!
SnowAngel:
all sorts of things to be thankful for, yeah?
zoegirl:
absolutely. like being brave because a certain friend made us swear to be!
SnowAngel:
how were you brave, or is the braveness yet to happen?
zoegirl:
it’s yet to happen. I’m going to an open mic night tonight at a coffeehouse called the Cup & Chaucer. if I get up enough courage, I might read one of my short stories.
SnowAngel:
the burning girl one?
zoegirl:
SnowAngel:
yr turn, M-boogie. what r u thankful for?
mad maddie:
um . . .
mad maddie:
toilet paper. I’m thankful for toilet paper.
SnowAngel:
Maddie!
mad maddie:
what? I am! also salt. also fingernails, and before u scold me, think about it. FINGERNAILS ARE AWESOME.
SnowAngel:
ok, Maddie. ok. *pats Maddie on the head*
mad maddie:
and I’m thankful for Thanksgiving break, ya dum-dum head!
mad maddie:
sooooooooooooooooooooo—*takes breath*—ooooooo excited.
zoegirl:
me too
SnowAngel:
me three
zoegirl:
it’s time for me to meet Holly, so I’ve got to go.
mad maddie:
yeah, I’m outta here too. tootles.
SnowAngel:
smoochie-smoochie!
Thu, Nov 7, 10:20 PM E.S.T.
zoegirl:
I read my short story at the open mic night, just so y’all know. out loud, in front of thousands of my closest friends.
zoegirl:
twenty of my closest friends?
zoegirl:
ok, two of my closest friends (at least here at Kenyon) (Holly and Gannon) and eighteen random people.
zoegirl:
but I did it, and everyone applauded, and I’m so giddy, I feel like spinning around in circles!
Thu, Nov 7, 8:45 PM P.S.T.
mad maddie:
whoa. all that and still in bed before—*does quick time change calculation on fingers*—before eleven!
mad maddie:
u go, girl!
Sat, Nov 9, 5:00 PM E.S.T.
zoegirl:
omigod. this is TOO BIZARRE
zoegirl:
GUESS WHO JUST CALLED ME????? out of the blue! saying he MISSED me and had made a huge mistake and was just confused about life and lonely and didn’t know what he was doing?????
SnowAngel:
no!
SnowAngel:
no.
SnowAngel:
NO.
mad maddie:
did he mention Canyon?
zoegirl:
I saw his name pop up on my phone and my heart STOPPED.
zoegirl:
I almost didn’t answer. my body did that hot-cold-hot-cold thing and my knees went wobbly. I mean, it was just DOUG, but the Doug I knew seems so far away from the Doug who exists now.
SnowAngel:
what did he say? was it good or bad?
zoegirl:
it was confusing. not good or bad, but definitely confusing.
mad maddie:
explain
zoegirl:
sigh
zoegirl:
it was painful to hear his voice. painful to realize for sure (and the way I realized for sure is because my body told me) that I didn’t want to get back together with him, although that’s ALL I wanted when he first broke up with me.
mad maddie:
so what changed b/w then and now?
zoegirl:
oh, you know. everything. Holly and Gannon and going running every morning. being brave and reading aloud at the coffeehouse.
zoegirl:
I’m happy, or at least happyish.
zoegirl:
no—I really am happy, and *this* is my life now. the thought of slipping back into loving someone but never seeing him, not truly knowing what HIS life is like, not truly being part of his life . . .
SnowAngel:
you wld have felt like you were regressing
zoegirl:
exactly. but this is DOUG we’re talking about.
zoegirl:
the whole thing played with my mind.
mad maddie:
what about Doug? is he doing ok?
zoegirl:
yeah, I guess. he didn’t fall apart and start sobbing or anything.
zoegirl:
he wants to get together over Thanksgiving break, just to hang out.
SnowAngel:
and?
zoegirl:
and I said sure—but as friends. but I didn’t say the “friends” part out loud because it would have sounded so cliche.
zoegirl:
so if a hanging-out situation comes up, y’all are coming with me, k?
SnowAngel:
of course!
SnowAngel:
*hugs Zoe from across the space-time continuum*
SnowAngel:
I think you handled it really well, babes.
mad maddie:
true dat. our little Zoe’s growing up.
Sun, Nov 10, 5:01 PM E.S.T.
SnowAngel:
o.
SnowAngel:
m.
SnowAngel:
g.
SnowAngel:
Zoe’s life has become nutso. yesterday Doug called her, right? well, guess who called her *today*?
SnowAngel:
Canyon! the girl who lives on his hall!
SnowAngel:
she SAID she was calling cuz Doug’s her friend and she cares about him and hates to see him sad. she SAID she really hoped Zoe wld give him another chance.
SnowAngel:
but doesn’t that sound almost fake-nice? fake-concerned?
SnowAngel:
if she’s that worried, she shld just comfort Doug herself.
SnowAngel:
or maybe she did, at one point, AND THEN SHE BROKE UP WITH HIM! and that’s why he called Zoe!
SnowAngel:
but Zo didn’t answer. Canyon left a message, and Zo isn’t planning on calling her back.
SnowAngel:
COLLEGE IS SO WEIRD!!!!
Mon, Nov 11, 1:04 PM P.S.T.
mad maddie:
just checking in with my girls to pass on a very important public service announcement:
mad maddie:
happy Monday!
mad maddie:
tick tick, tock tock, Thanksgiving break’s just around the clock . . .
mad maddie:
I can’t wait!
Tues, Nov 12, 2:22 PM P.S.T.
mad maddie:
hi, ladies! *waves*
mad maddie:
happy Tuesday!
mad maddie:
where are y’all, ya big lugs? yr not, like, studying or sumpin, are ya?
mad maddie:
well, whatevs. call me. text me. send me some of that good ol’ winsome threesome loving!
mad maddie:
until then . . . happy Tuesday!
Tues, Nov 12, 6:40 PM E.S.T.
zoegirl:
NOT happy Tuesday. not for me. very very sad Tuesday.
zoegirl:
maybe I’m overreacting. I don’t know. but I need to talk, and neither of you are answering your phones.
zoegirl:
call me!!!!
Tues, Nov 12, 7:14 PM E.S.T.
SnowAngel:
Zo! just saw this. txting instead of calling cuz I’m at Starbucks, and I have very strong opinions about how ppl shldn’t hold phone convos in public places.
SnowAngel:
what’s wrong???
zoegirl:
you know my creative writing class that I love so much? my professor said I suck, and that I’ll never be a writer, and that I should give up now and never take another writing class again.
zoegirl:
I’m not kidding. she did!
SnowAngel:
she did not. what really happened?
zoegirl:
in class she passed out access codes for registering for CW 200, which is the next creative writing class. only the creative writing track is a “selective” track, meaning your professor has to say you’re good enoug
zoegirl:
like, the first creative writing class you can just sign up for. but after that, you have to get permission.
SnowAngel:
but Zoe, yr an amazing writer. there’s no way yr prof didn’t pick u to go on.
zoegirl:
except she didn’t!
zoegirl:
she announced at the beginning of class that she knew we all wanted to go on to the next level, but that unfortunately that’s not the way it works and it wasn’t within her power to change the system.