TTYL (19 page)

zoegirl:

maddie, where ARE you? i've called half a dozen times, but you never called back. plus you never
stopped by last night. what was up with that—were you too busy with ian?

mad maddie:

i'm here, i'm here. chill.

mad maddie:

and ian and i hung out a little, but i was home before 11:00.

zoegirl:

so why didn't you come over?

mad maddie:

i guess i was just worn out. sorry.

zoegirl:

that's okay. but you hung out with ian! yay! did you have fun?

mad maddie:

it was all right

zoegirl:

that's all? just all right?

mad maddie:

yep

zoegirl:

oh. so what are you doing now?

mad maddie:

nothing

zoegirl:

ok-a-a-a-y

zoegirl:

is something wrong, maddie?

mad maddie:

shld there be?

zoegirl:

no, it's just…

zoegirl:

we're texting, but we're not *truly* texting, because i'm the only one really saying anything.

mad maddie:

well, sorry to disappoint. guess u'll have to text angela instead.

zoegirl:

huh?

mad maddie:

she's the one you confide in, after all.

zoegirl:

what? maddie, i have no idea what ur talking about.

mad maddie:

right. of course.

mad maddie:

so how was YOUR weekend?

zoegirl:

it was fine. we missed you last night, though.

mad maddie:

i bet. what about friday night? u miss me then?

zoegirl:

maddie, is THAT what this is about?

mad maddie:

me: so what r u up to tonight? u: oh, nothing.

mad maddie:

god, zoe, u lied to my face!

zoegirl:

maddie…

mad maddie:

why did u tell angela and not me?

zoegirl:

truthfully? because i knew you'd make fun of me, and i'm sick of it.

mad maddie:

you still should have told me. i HATE it when u and angela have yr stupid little secrets.

zoegirl:

well, i'm sorry. i didn't mean to hurt your feelings.

mad maddie:

well, u did

zoegirl:

i'm sorry. i really am.

zoegirl:

maddie? r u still there?

mad maddie:

i'm here

zoegirl:

do u forgive me?

mad maddie:

no

mad maddie:

r u gonna tell me about it, at least?

zoegirl:

we had pizza and hung out. happy?

mad maddie:

what about mr. h? angela says that's why u got those new jeans, to get him all hot and bothered.

zoegirl:

i did not!

mad maddie:

did he jump your bones?

zoegirl:

see, maddie? this is the problem. you act offended if i DON'T tell you, but when i DO, all you do is rag on me.

mad maddie:

i'm not ragging on u. i'm serious. one day he's gonna lure u away and lock u in a sex prison, i'm not kidding.

zoegirl:

i told you all there is to tell. we sang songs, cherryl ann booth gave a devotional, some of the kids played jeff's dad's pinball machine. the end.

mad maddie:

sounds dull as nails

zoegirl:

it was. but hey, you're the one who asked.

mad maddie:

zoe? u still there?

zoegirl:

yeah

mad maddie:

i just wanted to say—quickly—that i DID have fun with ian. it was better than all right.

zoegirl:

aw, maddie, that's great.

mad maddie:

i didn't tell u at first cuz u were on my bad list. but then i started thinking, what if somehow ian saw what i said? not that he ever would. but what if he did, and he thought i wasn't into him?

zoegirl:

how would he see?

mad maddie:

he wouldn't. but that's the thing about privacy and phones and the internet, it's just kinda spooky. i mean, everything's out there, u know?

zoegirl:

you're paranoid. the government is not tapping into our texts, and neither is ian.

zoegirl:

but just in case: DON'T WORRY, IAN! MADDIE REALLY DOES LIKE YOU!

SnowAngel:

hey, miss maddie-pie

mad maddie:

hey, angela. how's tricks?

SnowAngel:

just another day in sophomore paradise. *hums and floats about room*

mad maddie:

wld this have to do with drama club, per chance? old what's-his-name the college guy has made quite an impression, i see.

SnowAngel:

his name's ben. *sighs* ben schlanker.

mad maddie:

ben schlanker? as in schlong + wanker.

SnowAngel:

oh god, maddie. plz.

mad maddie:

schlanker. that's hysterical. if u get married, u'll be angela schlanker.

SnowAngel:

damn u. WHY do u plant these things in my head?!!

mad maddie:

or i suppose u could hyphenate. then u'd be angela silver-schlanker.

SnowAngel:

enough about the name. *glares*

SnowAngel:

do u wanna hear how wonderful he is or not?

mad maddie:

i'd rather make fun of his name some more.

SnowAngel:

he's Jewish, maddie. “schlanker” is a nice, normal Jewish name, and ur being racist.

mad maddie:

sccchhlllanker. hahahahahahahahahahaha.

SnowAngel:

ANYWAY, today ben told us that u have to claw to live, that suffering is what life is all about. isn't that cool?

mad maddie:

u have to *claw* to live?

SnowAngel:

he said suffering brings things into focus. most ppl go la-la-la-ing along for all of their lives, he said, but artists have to stay sharp. we can't be afraid to embrace pain.

mad maddie:

so i suppose u'll be plucking eyebrows, then? applying lots of hot-wax facials?

SnowAngel:

huh?

mad maddie:

ur the makeup girl. ur in a prime position to help the actors embrace as much pain as possible.

SnowAngel:

u just don't get it, do u? oh well. yr loss.

mad maddie:

does this ben guy even know your name?

SnowAngel:

YES he knows my name. today he said something about adam lancaster needing a scar, and he glanced at me and said, “which angela'll take care of, right, angela?”

mad maddie:

does he have a girlfriend?

SnowAngel:

*growls*

mad maddie:

does that mean yes?

SnowAngel:

he talks about some leslie chick a lot. apparently she goes to GA State with him. but maybe she's just a friend.

mad maddie:

uh huh. good luck with that!

mad maddie:

i gave jana a ride home again today—don't tell angela.

zoegirl:

lovely

zoegirl:

how is ol' jana?

mad maddie:

she's good. she cracks me up, all the crazy things she's done. she's actually been cow-tipping, can u believe that?

zoegirl:

no. where'd she find a cow in atlanta? and even if she did, that's mean.

mad maddie:

it's not mean. it's funny. but anywayz, she has this awesome idea for how to make a statement about how dumb the speed limit is. wanna hear it?

zoegirl:

i suppose

mad maddie:

well, u know how EVERYONE drives over 65, right? which makes it totally pointless to even have a speed limit. i mean, seriously. we shld be like germany where everyone just drives at their own speed.

zoegirl:

that's jana's statement? be like germany?

mad maddie:

hold yer horses. here's her idea: we're gonna get a bunch of ppl to drive out to I-285. we'll have at least 4 cars, 1 for each lane, and we'll work it so that we're all right next to each other. mad maddie: then we'll set our speed at EXACTLY 65 mph, all at the same time. we'll TOTALLY block traffic. won't that be awesome?!!

zoegirl:

i don't get it. how will you block traffic by going 65 mph?

mad maddie:

cuz no one goes 65 mph! but this time they'll have to cuz no one will be able to pass us!

zoegirl:

you've got to be kidding zoegirl: you're not actually gonna do this, r u?

mad maddie:

hell, yeah. it's brilliant.

zoegirl:

haven't you heard of road rage? you're gonna get shot!

mad maddie:

that's ridiculous

mad maddie:

i thought you would get it, since you care about issues and stuff.

zoegirl:

important issues, not rebelling against the speed limit.

mad maddie:

whatevs. we're doing it this friday during rush hour if u wanna come.

zoegirl:

have you heard anything i've just said? NO, i don't want to come. it makes me nervous just thinking about it.

mad maddie:

yeah, isn't it great? that's what i love about jana. when i'm with her, i get this excitement inside of me and an “i'm ready to do anything” attitude. it scares the shit out of me.

zoegirl:

and you like that?

mad maddie:

i love it mad

maddie:

speaking of excitement—have u asked your parents about cumberland island yet? u keep saying ur gonna, and then u never do!

zoegirl:

oh! i DID ask them, and they pretty much said no freakin way. mom's exact words were “three 15-year-olds alone on the highway? are you out of your mind?”

mad maddie:

hey! i'm 16!!!

zoegirl:

i told her that. it didn't make any difference.

mad maddie:

did u beg and plead and throw a fit?

zoegirl:

they're not going to go for it, mads. it sucks, but they're just not.

mad maddie:

well, i'm gonna figure something out. i'm not giving up yet!