Dedication
For all of the readers
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Dedication
Friendssssssss
Gabrielle, Mom
Ivy, Gabrielle
Friendssssssss
Prianka, Sage
Gabrielle, Mom
Friendssssssss
Victoria, Mom
Friendssssssss
Friendssssssss
Mara, Cecily
Victoria, Mom
Vishal, Prianka
BFFs
Gabrielle, Ivy
Cecily, Mara
Positive Vibes
More Positive Vibes
The Squad
Prianka, Sage
The Squad
Vishal, Prianka
The Squad
Cecily, Mom
The Squad Forever
Prianka, Sage
Woo!!!!!
BFFs
Gabrielle, Miriam
Squad Forever
Gabrielle, Prianka
BFFs
Quick Side Chat
Squad 4 Life
Gabrielle, Mom
Squad 4 Life
Victoria, Mom
Squad 4 Life
Cecily, Mom
Squad 4 Life
My Loves
The Crew 4life
The Crew 4life
I Love You Guys
Vishal, Prianka
Friendssssssssssssssss
Friendssssssssssssssss
Best Friends Forever
Best Friends Forever
Glossary
Acknowledgments
Excerpt from11 Before 12
About the Author
Books by Lisa Greenwald
Back Ad
Copyright
About the Publisher
YORKVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL
Yorkville Middle School Text Alert: Today is a SNOW DAY! All Yorkville schools are closed, and after-school activities and meetings are canceled. Stay warm & dry!
Friendssssssss
VICTORIA
OMGGGGGGGGG
SNOW DAYYYYYYYYYY
CECILY
Woo
GABRIELLE
Sooooooo happy
NO MATH TEST FOR ME
PRIANKA
Guyssssss
I went back to bed & u all just woke me up
Blarrrggghhhhhhh
VICTORIA
Sorry, Pri
GABRIELLE
Can we all go sledding @ the golf course later?
VICTORIA
Oooh yeah!
VICTORIA
Will beg my mom to let me go
PRIANKA
LOL, Vic
What is she scared of
It’s sledding not bungee jumping
VICTORIA
Ugghhhhh I don’t even know
CECILY
I’ll see about sledding
May stay cozy @
VICTORIA
Blargh, Cece
CECILY
Gonna go make breakfast
Ttyl
Gabrielle, Mom
MOM
Gabs?
Are you up?
GABRIELLE
Yes
Hi
MOM
Mrs. Minkin is worried about slipping on the snow when she has to take Elroy out. Can you help her take him out?
GABRIELLE
Ok
Give me 10 min
Don’t want to get up
MOM
I think he has to pee
Come now, please
Will be a mitzvah
GABRIELLE
Ok
Coming
MOM
Love you
Dear Diary,
Hi, it’s me, Cecily. I think I should come up with a better name for you since you’re brand-new. Thank you, Ingrid, for this fab Christmas gift. Don’t know why I’m thanking her here since she can’t see this (AT LEAST I HOPE SHE WON’T SEE THIS!) but anyway.
So, hmmm. Where to start? Well, the thing is, I still have feelings for Mara. Sometimes they go away or maybe they’re just in the back of my mind when I’m busy but then when I see her for a long span of time or talk to her, I feel like I like her again.
She just looks at me in a different way than anyone else. And I can’t explain it; I just want to be near her. I mean, I know I bailed on the summer trip with her, and I felt bad about it but it was the right decision. But now I like her all over again.
UGGG!!!
I never want to text first because I hate waiting around for her to text back. It stresses me out waiting for those three dots that show she’s typing.
This is a depressing way to start you, my new beautiful journal, but what can I do?
Here’s some happy news, though: TODAY IS A SNOW DAY! SO WOO! Maybe she’ll come sledding . . .
Xoxoxo Cecily
Ivy, Gabrielle
IVY
Gabs! Do you have a snow day today?
GABRIELLE
IVY
Yessssssssssss
I miss you sooooooo much
I wish we lived closer
How many more days until summerrrrrrr camp
GABRIELLE
Ha too many
IVY
How are you my love
GABRIELLE
Eh
I’m ok
IVY
Just ok?
GABRIELLE
Well school is still sooooo hard
I just don’t feel like I have “my thing.”
Ya know?
IVY
Ummmmm
No idea what u mean
For real
GABRIELLE
Ha ok. Like, everyone has something they’re passionate about. And I don’t have that. I don’t have my one thing that I’m really good at
IVY
Oh yeah
Hmmmmm
Well you gotta explore your passions
GABRIELLE
I know
Duh LOL
What’s your passion?
IVY
Ummmm learning about other countries I think
GABRIELLE
Hmmmm. See! That’s cool
IVY
I’ll help u find your thing
GABRIELLE
K thanx
Gotta go
Going sledding
IVY
K have fun
Friendssssssss
GABRIELLE
On my way 4 sledding!
CECILY
Same!
PRIANKA
Me too
So glad you’re joining, Cece!
VICTORIA
Yaaaayyyyyyy
I had to FOR REAL beg my mom to let me go sledding
Like the most begging ever
SOOOO ANNOYING
VICTORIA
Anyway whatever
Bundle up!
From: National Teen Poetry Competition
To: Prianka Basak
Subject: Congratulations!
Dear Ms. Basak:
We are pleased to share that your poem, “Follow the Wind,” is the third-place winner in this year’s National Teen Poetry Competition, sponsored by Poets Magazine. More information will follow shortly about the awards ceremony.
Best wishes & congratulations!
Samuel F. Kingsley
National Teen Poetry Competition, Chairman
Prianka, Sage
SAGE
Did u get the email
PRIANKA
Yesssssssss
SAGE
I�
��m so sad
PRIANKA
Oh no
SAGE
They thanked me for entering but I didn’t win
Not even like 8th place
Did you
PRIANKA
Ummmm
SAGE
???
PRIANKA
I actually came in 3rd place
SAGE
Wow
Congrats
PRIANKA
Are you sledding today
SAGE
No
I gotta go
PRIANKA
Xoxoxo
Gabrielle, Mom
MOM
Hi, Gabs. Hope you’re having fun sledding. Please be careful! Also, Elroy needs a walk again when you get home. Thanks for helping out. Love you.
GABRIELLE
K, Mom, but why can’t you take Elroy out?
MOM
Gabrielle. Don’t be rude.
Friendssssssss
VICTORIA
Guys, has anyone seen Colin & Jared?
Their friends say they’re missing
Every time we go down the hill we get all spread out
Where is everyone
Totally freaking out
Victoria, Mom
MOM
You left your laptop on
I can see your texts on your computer
Concerned about kids missing
Are you ok?
Were the kids found
Are you ok?
Victoria, hello?
Answer me now
Missed call from: Mom
Missed call from: Mom
Missed call from: Mom
VICTORIA
Mom. Stop.
Just because my computer is open does not mean you need to snoop
Calm down
I’m fine.
Friendssssssss
GABRIELLE
Sorry just saw this
I know u sent forever ago
They were found
GABRIELLE
Dummies
Now videoing people going down the hill
So lame
And my mom keeps calling me to check in
Where r u guys now
Friendssssssss
CECILY
Hiiiii
Who wants to meet me @ top of hill for one last run
Then walk
PRIANKA
Coming
Was with Vishal
I love him again BTW
GABRIELLE
LOL
Hi
Where is Vic now
VICTORIA
Hi
I’m home
My mom picked me up
GABRIELLE
Omg why
VICTORIA
UGH
VICTORIA
Worst thing ever
Will explain later
GABRIELLE
R u ok
VICTORIA
Yeah can’t talk
CECILY
K who is meeting me and walking home?
Freezing
PRIANKA
Me
Coming
GABRIELLE
Same
Mara, Cecily
MARA
OMG, Cece
Are u back yet
CECILY
Hi
Yes
Just got back from sledding
I need to thaw out lol
MARA
Did you see what happened
Wayyyyy glad I stayed home
CECILY
Ummm
CECILY
IDKWYM
MARA
So Mae & Marisa went sledding
I stayed home
Duh
Anyway
Marisa flipped her sled over and into this snowbank ditch FACE-FIRST
And the front of her snow pants totally ripped open!
Jared video’d it & posted and zillions of people have seen it already
He used hashtag #MaRIPa
CECILY
WHAT
CECILY
Like she died?!?!?
MARA
NOOOOO
Because of her ripped pants
CECILY
Ohhhhhh
I knew he was recording all the stuff but I didn’t hear about Marisa
I just got home
That’s ridic
How is she doing
MARA
CRYING nonstop
Miserable
MARA
Her mom already left a message for Mr. C
CECILY
OMG
I feel so bad
I didn’t see it happen
And obv I’m not on social media
Blargh
MARA
Anyway
Wanted to tell u
CECILY
K
MARA
Did Vic say anything to you about it
CECILY
Umm no
Not yet anyway
MARA
I think her mom saw it on social media before anyone else
CECILY
What really?????
MARA
Yeah
So nutty
Mae said Vic’s mom came to pick her up right away
CECILY
Wow
I know she got picked up early but I didn’t know why
CECILY
OMG
I gotta go warm up, tho
Too cold to text
MARA
Bye
Call me later
Victoria, Mom
MOM
Victoria, get down here this instant
Now
MOM
You must understand that when I see these texts and the horrible sledding posts come up on your social media feeds, I must act. It is my job to keep you safe.
I do not read your texts all the time, but when you’re off on your own, I have to stay informed on what you are doing.
VICTORIA
NO YOU DON’T
You don’t trust me
MOM
I do not trust the other kids
VICTORIA
You made a whole scene at sledding
I am sooooooo embarrassed
I refuse to talk to you
Vishal, Prianka
VISHAL
Pri!!!!!
I KNOW I JUST SAW YOU BUT I AM SO PUMPED 4 U
PRIANKA
Pls stop typing in all caps
But thank you
VISHAL
You’re so talented
PRIANKA
LOL I am!!!!
VISHAL
Hahahahahahahah
Can I take you out to celebrate
PRIANKA
Is this real or a joke?
VISHAL
Real!
PRIANKA
Ok, prob not in the snow, tho
VISHAL
LOL I know
Let’s go to Jennie’s!!!
Do you know they have burrata stuffed with burrata now?
PRIANKA
Really
VISHAL
Yes!
PRIANKA
K I’m in
VISHAL
PRIANKA
VISHAL
Oh wait
PRIANKA
??
VISHAL
Did u see what happened @ sledding w/ Victoria and her mom
PRIANKA
IDKWYM
VISHAL
She got picked up early after the whole #MaRIPa thing
PRIANKA
I missed this completely
What is #MaRIPa
Brb fone dying
Need to charge it
BFFs
PRIANKA
Guys anyone there
My fone has been dead for like 2 hours
It wouldn�
�t charge
Need to tell you 2 big things
PRIANKA
Also want to check in on Vic
GABRIELLE
Hi
Just got back from walking my neighbor’s dog
AGAIN
I asked my mom why she can’t help and she says some responsibility is good for me
PRIANKA
Lol sounds like a mom
GABRIELLE
Vic r u ok??
CECILY
Hi
VICTORIA
I am fine
Thank u for the s’mores kit, Cece
GABRIELLE
Yeah! Thanks!
PRIANKA
Ditto!
VICTORIA
What are the 2 big things, Pri?
PRIANKA
Welllllllll
First of allllllll
.............
GABRIELLE
Spill it, Pri!
PRIANKA
K
I came in 3rd place in the national teen poetry competition!
There’s an awards ceremony & everything!
Maybe u can all come
Think it may be in Fla, though!
Maybe surprise Disney trip!
VICTORIA
Oooohhh
PRIANKA
Soooo that’s one fab thing
GABRIELLE
GO, PRI
CECILY
Soooooo awesome, Pri!
PRIANKA
And the other thing . . .
Vishal kind of asked me out like on a real date
CECILY
What????
PRIANKA
He wants to take me to Jennie’s to celebrate the win
GABRIELLE
Omg soooooo cute
Can’t believe u like him again
After all the women’s day stuff LOL
PRIANKA
Well yeah
But I taught him the error of his ways
PRIANKA
Such a dummy not understanding the importance of women’s day
GABRIELLE
True
VICTORIA
Has V Day dance been scheduled yet
GABRIELLE
I think so yea
But with a community service element
That’s the new key to everything @ school
CECILY
Planning meeting soon
VICTORIA
So Pri may have a real date for it?!?!
PRIANKA
Maybe but don’t go loony tunes, Vic, LOL
VICTORIA
Stop
GABRIELLE
What about u and Arjun, Vic?
VICTORIA
IDK we don’t talk so much lately
Plus I doubt I will be able to go