Yolo (4 page)

mad maddie:

Zo? Angela?

mad maddie:

anyone . . . ?

mad maddie:

curse this different time zone nonsense!

mad maddie:

but! my plan! Zo, did Angela tell you I have a plan for the three of us?

mad maddie:

if not, that's ok. I'll tell you myself. I haz a plan!

mad maddie:

it came to me on the plane ride. I was reading the stuff in my orientation packet, and there was a section with advice from past students, and one of them said something like this:

mad maddie:

“college is a time to experiment. your path won't always be clear, but this is your chance to figure out what you want to do with your life. don't let fear hold you back.”

mad maddie:

and I totally agree. don't y'all?

mad maddie:

so we, the winsome threesome, are going to make a pact that we will Eat. College. Up. we gotta hit the ground dancing before the music slows down!

mad maddie:

we'll try everything that comes our way, and we won't be afraid, because even tho we're spread out all over the country, we're still here to support each other.

mad maddie:

I know you're probably thinking, “der, of course we'll support each other. it's a given!”

mad maddie:

and it is, but I mean it in a very intentional way. like, if we ever need that extra push to try something scary, we can think to ourselves, “hey, if Angela can stick with the Business 101 course she accidentally registered for and Zoe can stand up to the girl who hogs the washing machine by leaving her wet clothes in it FOR HOURS, then surely I can [fill in the blank].”

mad maddie:

yolo, baby.

mad maddie:

YO.

mad maddie:

LO.

mad maddie:

so that's my plan, kiddos. we won't say no to a single opportunity that comes our way.

mad maddie:

everyone in? if not, speak up now . . .

mad maddie:

*hum of distant mini-fridge*

mad maddie:

*crickets chirping*

mad maddie:

*ticking of clock*

mad maddie:

we all agree! YAY! here's to taking the leap!

zoegirl:

as for your plan . . .

zoegirl:

I agree in theory, but I'm not *quite* sure I'm ready to commit to doing *everything* that comes my way. I'm saying that to be honest, because you know that if I make a pact, I take it seriously.

zoegirl:

right now, tho, I'm about to take off to see Doug and I need one of yr pep talks.

zoegirl:

Mads?

zoegirl:

oh yeah. time zone. oops.

zoegirl:

well, I'll be on the road for a couple of hours, so if you wake up in time, call me. I need to know how you and Ian are handling the whole awful distance thing!!

SnowAngel:

is she at Oberlin? is she with Doug?

mad maddie:

yes at Oberlin. not sure if she's with Doug-o. when we hung up, she was still sitting in her car in the parking lot. said her stomach hurt from nervousness.

SnowAngel:

poor girl. there's something wrong if you're nervous to visit yr boyfriend, huh?

mad maddie:

yeah. she told me how Doug's been pulling away, and how scared she is, and I just wanted to . . . agh. give her a Popsicle.

SnowAngel:

a Popsicle, huh? cuz Popsicles always make things better?

mad maddie:

exactly

SnowAngel:

you and Ian are dealing with the same stuff, but you don't have a nervous tummy about him, do you?

SnowAngel:

btw, how IS Ian? the boy goes to the same school as me and I never see him. prolly cuz he's a GDI.

mad maddie:

what's a GDI?

SnowAngel:

a goddamn independent

mad maddie:

a goddamn whatie-what?

SnowAngel:

it means he's not a Greek. he didn't pledge a fraternity.

mad maddie:

haha. can you for a single microsecond see Ian in a fraternity?

mad maddie:

*gives Angela a microsecond to ponder*

mad maddie:

hahahaha. thought so.

SnowAngel:

whoa, you type FAST.

mad maddie:

but no, Ian doesn't give me a nervous tummy (except in a good way). then again, he came and saw me off at the airport, so it's been all of two days since I've seen him.

mad maddie:

then AGAIN, he's Ian. we're solid, babes.

SnowAngel:

SnowAngel:

and now back to me. since I am *not* a GDI, and since I'm super-cool, I'm going to a mixer tonight at the Kappa house.

SnowAngel:

wanna know the theme?

mad maddie:

Angela. surely you know by now that I am not a “theme” girl.

SnowAngel:

it's “Can't Be Tamed.” as in, ROAR! R-O-A-R!!!

mad maddie:

ugh. blah. GROSS.

mad maddie:

the idea of a roaring sorority girl is very disturbing and likely to give me nightmares.

SnowAngel:

boom-boom-clap on yr head.

SnowAngel:

it's going to be fantastic. everyone gets to dress up as an animal! or a pet!

mad maddie:

an animal OR a pet?

mad maddie:

what kind of pet isn't an animal?

SnowAngel:

*sticks out tongue*

mad maddie:

ooo, I've got one. how about a louse? lice live on your head, so that makes them pets, right?

SnowAngel:

no

mad maddie:

Angela, it wld be MY DREAM COME TRUE if you go to your party as a louse. wld you? for me? please?

mad maddie:

SnowAngel:

I'm not going to my first mixer as a louse. *pouts and puts hands on hips* I mean GOD, Maddie. like, really?

mad maddie:

you're imitating a sorority girl when you ARE a sorority girl. sweet!

SnowAngel:

I'm going as a

mad maddie:

a kitten? really?

SnowAngel:

meeee-ow!

mad maddie:

HACK HACK HACK HACK HACK

mad maddie:

that is the sound of me coughing up a hair ball. is it yr goal to degrade women everywhere?

SnowAngel:

*licks paw* *arches back* *swishes tail sexiliciously*

mad maddie:

barfing again

SnowAngel:

at least I have plans. my roommate, Lucy, never has plans. ALL SHE EVER DOES IS STAY IN THE ROOM AND READ.

mad maddie:

reading! in college! the horror!

SnowAngel:

and when she does go out, she does weird things, like lurk around the dorm all skulkishly.

SnowAngel:

she's also stealing my Q-tips.

mad maddie:

?

SnowAngel:

I'm not kidding. Lucy is stealing my Q-tips, and it's NOT cool, only I don't know how to confront her about it.

mad maddie:

how do you know she's stealing yr Q-tips? do you count them?

SnowAngel:

don't judge

mad maddie:

you're my boo thang, A. I wld never.

mad maddie:

hey—you're on board with plan yolo, right?

SnowAngel:

dude, it's college. I was never planning on NOT living it up. plus, you're *my* boo thang. how cld I say no to you?

mad maddie:

excellent. just took a screen shot so you can't go back on yr word. byeas!