xoxo Pri
Cecily, Gabrielle
CECILY
Pri doesn’t even get that I’m mad @ her . . .
Doesn’t she c how dumb it was 2 do that & how much she hurt V’s feelings
Gabs, hello
R u there
GABRIELLE
I’m here . . .
IDK what 2 say.
It’s all messed up
I’m scared of writing anything bc of my mom w/ that app!
CECILY
Ugh ok
Bye xox
From: Gabrielle Katz
To: Colin Hayes
Subject: no subject
colin,
hey. i’m emailing you instead of texting bc my mom has that app to see my phone and i’m freaked out. meet me at my locker tomorrow before school and i will tell you who sent the note.
—gabby
From: Prianka Basak
To: Gabrielle Katz
Subject: Mad at me, too?
Gabs,
Are you mad at me, too? It was an accident. I didn’t mean to hurt Victoria’s feelings. Can we talk?
I miss you!
Pri
Cecily, Mara
CECILY
My friends turned crazy, I think . . .
MARA
CECILY
Pri got in major trouble bc she was mean to Victoria on text
She got her phone taken away & promise u won’t tell any1—Gabs is the 1 who sent note to Colin.
MARA
OMG OMG OMG OMG
CECILY
PROMISE YOU WILL NOT TELL ANY1.
MARA
= sealed.
CECILY
Com
E over after school tomw?
MARA
MEMO
From: Mr. Carransey, Principal Yorkville Middle School
To: ALL SIXTH-GRADE STUDENTS, ALL SIXTH-GRADE PARENTS
Re: Valentine’s Day Dance
Dear sixth graders and parents:
The Valentine’s Day dance has been canceled. Students were warned about the consequences of their behavior, but the social cruelty continued. It’s more than that—I see you when you are talking to one another, and sometimes you do not even lift your heads to talk face-to-face. Your eyes are glued to your phones. Do you value your phones more than social decency? Spend some time thinking about this.
Sincerely,
Edward Carransey
Principal
Yorkville Middle School
Be the change you want to see in the world. —Gandhi
Colin, Gabrielle
COLIN
R u sure bout that note?
GABRIELLE
Uh huh
COLIN
Doesn’t make sense
We r just badminton partners
GABRIELLE
Trust me
COLIN
I don’t like her tho . . .
GABRIELLE
So just forget about the note, k
COLIN
U r kinda weird
GABRIELLE
Am not
GTG
Dear Diary,
I did another dumb thing. I can’t even put it in writing. I think my mom is snooping. Everything feels terrible. I want to run away.
Love,
Gabby
Cecily, Mara
MARA
So much fun hangin w/ u yest
CECILY
I KNOW
Good thing we r normal 1s in our groups so we can hang
MARA
Totally
Every1 is bonkers
But I have to tell u something . . .
Promise not to freak?
CECILY
Ummmm
MARA
Sooo Gabby’s locker is next to mine & I heard her talking to Colin before 1st period . . .
CECILY
Yeah
MARA
She told him u sent him an anonymous love letter or something?
CECILY
What
Me?
R u sure you heard right
MARA
Yeah . . . It was like she didn’t know what to say or something . . . Seemed SO SO SO weird
Ummm I am so confused
People r just getting weirder
MARA
I KNOW
CECILY
Let’s run away 2gether 2 our own island or something
MARA
OK!!!!
CECILY
I am so embarrassed tho
I don’t like Colin!!
We still have to play badminton together
What should I do??
MARA
Pretend u don’t know . . . Just act normal
CECILY
UGH this is soo annoying
Does any1 care about getting the dance back
MARA
IDK
CECILY
I want to skip school 4ever
I am in a fight with Prianka
& now Colin thinks I like him
& tbh this is soooooo awkward
MARA
It’ll be ok
Just hang w/ me
CECILY
M girls + C?
MARA
Hee hee
We don’t even call ourselves that anymore
CECILY
K, nighty night
MARA
SWAK
From: Prianka Basak
To: Cecily Anderson
Subject: I MISS YOUUUUU
Hi, Cece,
I miss you so much. I don’t know when I’m getting my phone back. Please talk to me, Cece. I wrote Victoria an apology letter. I need to tell you what happened at Bal Vihar on Sunday. I think Vishal wants to go out with me. What should I do? I really miss you. . . .
xoxo Pri
Prianka Basak’s Sad Missing Her Phone Poetry Book
Poem 1
Prianka is sad
Her phone is gone
When will she get it back?
How does anyone survive without a phone?
I wish I knew
From: Gabrielle Katz
To: Prianka Basak
Subject: CAN YOU USE THE PHONE AT ALL??
Pri,
I’m writing this from computer lab. I really need to talk to you in private. Can you use the phone? Like a landline? It is really important.
xo Gabs
READING LOG
V— Here are my reading log pages. So sorry again about that group text. I feel so bad for Auggie. Middle school is hard enough with a regular face, ya know? —G
I know—but even saying “regular face” sounds insensitive, to be honest. Thanks for apologizing. Here are my pages. —V
From: Prianka Basak
To: Gabrielle Katz
Subject: NO PHONES ALLOWED
gabs,
i’m not allowed to call/text/anything. i am only allowed on email to get school assignments, so even this is illegal. meet me in front of the cafeteria before 1st period tomorrow and we can talk. me and vishal are a real couple! omg. too bad I can’t talk to him at all outside of school or bal vihar. BOO HOO.
smooches, pri
Cecily, Gabrielle
CECILY
I am so so so mad at u btw
I figured u’d at least tell me urself what u did, but I had to hear from like 3 other peeps
GABRIELLE
I am so sorry, Cece
I wanted to tell him it was me
But at last second I froze & I was like “well, Cece can handle anything” so I said u
But I am so so sorry
CECILY
DON’T CRYING CAT FACE ME!!!!!
WE ARE PAST EMOJIS RIGHT NOW
I don’t like Colin
I don’t like any boy right now
I need a break, ok
Please don’t text me anymore
GABRIELLE
Please please please
forgive me
I will do anything
CECILY
I SAID DON’T TEXT ME ANYMORE
Poem 2
We wish and wish and wish and wish
But some things don’t come true
It is the way of life
Might as well get used to it
From: Gabrielle Katz
To: Colin Hayes
Subject: Hi
Dear Colin,
I need to tell you something. It was me who wrote the note. I don’t know why I lied and said it was Cecily. I guess because you are badminton partners and it seemed believable and I got scared. I have liked you for a really long time. I guess that’s all I have to say.
From, Gabby
Hi, Cece. I’m writing you this note because you said not to text you anymore, but you didn’t say I couldn’t pass you a note between classes. I am so so sorry about what I did. I don’t have a good excuse, really, but I got scared. Can we please talk? xoxo Gabs
Dear Gabs, I know you’re sorry. Thanks for apologizing. But honestly, I just can’t deal with the drama right now. I’m still really mad and I think I just need a break from you and Pri for a bit. —Cece
Gabrielle, Victoria
VICTORIA
Gabby, r u there
GABRIELLE
Yeah
Hi
VICTORIA
Just wanted to say that I saw u crying after school 2day by the bus line
I felt really bad but I didn’t know what 2 say
So I’m texting u now 2 check in
GABRIELLE
Oh, thanx
That’s really sweet of u
U r def the Summer of Yorkville
VICTORIA
R u ok
& YAY!
Summer is my fave char in WONDER!!!!!! “If you can get through middle school without hurting anyone’s feelings, that’s really cool beans.”
GABRIELLE
Seriously
I guess my friends & I can’t do that . . . Cecily is mad at me & Pri still doesn’t have her phone but all she cares about is Vishal & I sent Colin that anonymous note & then I admitted it was me, & I haven’t heard anything from him since & my mom said we are definitely moving this summer . . .
VICTORIA
Wow that was a long text
Longest text I’ve ever gotten
That is prob so dorky to say
GABRIELLE
LOL not dorky
VICTORIA
Maybe Colin doesn’t know what 2 say
Boys r kinda slow LOL
GABRIELLE
LOL. Maybe
VICTORIA
It’ll all work out
GABRIELLE
U think?
VICTORIA
Yes
Def
If u ever want 2 talk or uh text I’m here
GABRIELLE
LOL
Thanx, Victoria
Cecily, Mara
CECILY
So do u think I should write that email 2 the grade about putting our phones in Mr. Carransey’s office 4 a day
MARA
I think it’s a great idea
CECILY
His secretary said she’d put out a box and just make sure all phones are labeled
I think it’ll make a strong point
MARA
Def
CECILY
I’m nervous—what if no1 does it?
MARA
Well, send the email & then ask people to respond if they’re gonna do it
Ya know
CECILY
Good idea
From: Cecily Anderson
To: 6th Grade Students
Subject: Phones and texting
Dear classmates:
By now you have all heard that Mr. Carransey canceled the Valentine’s Day dance because of social cruelty in the school. It is in the other grades, too, but mostly our grade. I thought we could all prove that we value each other more than our phones, by doing a phone drop. We’ll all put our phones in a box in Mr. Carransey’s office and leave them there overnight. Hopefully he will be pleased by this and realize that we are done with social cruelty and texting and social media, and he will reconsider having the dance. Please reply and let me know if you will be participating. Then I will provide instructions.
Sincerely,
Cecily Anderson, 6th grade rep
Cecily, Mara
CECILY
OMG—have gotten so many responses
MARA
Everyone is gonna do it?
CECILY
I think so!
I’ll give it a few more days
MARA
Yay we are totes getting our dance back
CECILY
YAAAAA
Dear Diary,
Colin still hasn’t responded about the note. Cecily isn’t talking to me. I am embarrassed to bring it up to Pri. So embarrassed.
Love,
Gabby
PRIANKA
Guess who has her fone back????
GABRIELLE
Welcome back
CECILY
Welcome back but I’m still not talking 2 either of u
GABRIELLE
Right, well, this is texting not talking
CECILY
BLARGH
GABRIELLE
Cece, I liked ur idea of the phone drop
PRIANKA
I liked it 2
CECILY
Thanks
GABRIELLE
How’d you get ur phone back, Pri?
Cecily HAS LEFT THE CHAT
Prianka, Gabrielle
GABRIELLE
Sheesh she’s really not talking to us
PRIANKA
Guess not
GABRIELLE
Soooooo how’d u get it back???
PRIANKA
Well
Long story
Ready?
GABRIELLE
Yesssss
PRIANKA
Well, my parents said I couldn’t get it back until I realized what I’d done & how my words affect others so I was like, uhhhh . . .
But then I realized what I could do
In my meeting with Mr. Carransey I told him I could start a task force
Like a group
GABRIELLE
I don’t get it
PRIANKA
Like we could have meetings and stuff 2 make sure every1 is being nice & using their phones for good
GABRIELLE
Ummmm ok sure
PRIANKA
Isn’t it genius
We r going 2 start in march!!
GABRIELLE
I guess?
PRIANKA
GABS, it is genius
GABRIELLE
Congrats, Pri
U got ur phone back & u r helping humanity 2 . . .
PRIANKA
YES YES YES!!!!!
DEAR PRIANKA:
I GOT THESE LETTERS AT THE COMIC BOOK STORE. AREN’T THEY COOL? IT HELPS TO PASS THE TIME IN STUDY HALL. DO U THINK WE’LL GET THE DANCE BACK?
—VISHAL
Cece, Hope you go to your locker before lunch to see this note!!! I just walked by Mr. Carransey’s office, and the box for phones is almost full! GO YOU! xoxo Mara
From: Colin Hayes
To: Gabrielle Katz
Subject: Note
Dear Gabby,
Thanks for telling me about the note. Sorry I forgot to write back for so long. It’s cool that you like me.
—Colin
Prianka, Gabrielle
GABRIELLE
What does that email mean??
PRIANKA
IDK
Guess he thinks it’s cool
GABRIELLE
Do u understand?
PRIANKA
Not really
Hee hee
GABRIELLE
UGH
BYE
Cece, I am so so so sorry about the who
le thing with the note. Please forgive me. Meet me outside the cafeteria for lunch. I am so so sorry.
I love you. Gabs
MEMO
From: Mr. Carransey, Principal, Yorkville Middle School
To: ALL SIXTH-GRADE STUDENTS
Please meet in the auditorium after third period.
Thank you,
Edward Carransey
Principal
Yorkville Middle School
Be the change you want to see in the world. —Gandhi
Cecily, Mara
MARA
OMG, CECILY!
U did it
U got the dance back
CECILY
Well, we ALL did it
Every1 dropped their phones
The whole grade
MARA
I can’t believe it
SO EXCITED THO
CECILY
Me too!!!!
Dear Cece,
Congrats on all your hard work on getting the dance back. I just want to say sorry again for the note thing. It was inexcusable. Please find with this note a bag of peanut m&ms. Your favorite. Please forgive me.
xoxo Gabs
BFFAE 4 REAL
CECILY
OK, u guys, thx 4 all the notes & emails & everything
I’m done being in a fight
PRIANKA
4 real?
GABRIELLE
YEAH??
CECILY
I missed u guys
But here r new ground rules
READY?
PRIANKA
YUP
GABRIELLE
YUPPPPPP
CECILY
1. No texting fights
2. Make sure u know who u r group texting
3. No lying about secret admirer notes