Gabrielle, Prianka
GABRIELLE
Hey
Major drama going on that I haven’t told anyone
PRIANKA
What
GABRIELLE
I feel like I may need to do summer school
I mean I don’t have to
But Ms. Brickfeld says it could help
PRIANKA
OMG, Gabs
GABRIELLE
IK
Anyway what happened at lunch
PRIANKA
Everything went crazy
Vic is obsessed
She wouldn’t stop asking me questions
PRIANKA
Miriam sat with us btw
So maybe that was why, too
IDK
GABRIELLE
So what happened
PRIANKA
Well Cece started crying
I mean in her Cece way where you can’t really tell but I could tell
GABRIELLE
Yeah IKWYM
PRIANKA
So she left
And then Vic ran after her and it was all so awk and dumb
GABRIELLE
Ughhhhhhhh blarghshshshh
PRIANKA
Exactly
GABRIELLE
It’ll be ok
I gtg
Wish I could talk more but drowning in hw
Feeling miserable
Love youuuuuu
PRIANKA
Mwaaahhh
From: Summer in Maine Volunteer Corps Staff
To: Cecily Anderson
Subject: RE: Question
Dear Cecily,
We understand that things come up. We are grateful you reached out because we have a waiting list of scholarship applicants. Please let us know by Friday if you are definitely changing your mind about attending the program.
Best wishes,
Una Tolaf
Summer in Maine Volunteer Corps codirector
One must maintain a little bit of summer, even in the middle of winter.
—Henry David Thoreau
SPINE POETRY CONTEST!
Grab some books from the library and make a poem out of their titles—book spines facing you!
Get creative! Have fun!
Display your spine poetry on the shelf in the library!
First, second, and third place will receive prizes.
Prianka, Cecily
PRIANKA
Cece
U around
Just wanted to check in
CECILY
Hi
PRIANKA
How are u
CECILY
Ehh
I’ve been better
PRIANKA
Ugh, Cece, I’m sorry
CECILY
Not ur fault obvs
PRIANKA
Ik but still
CECILY
It’s a lot of stuff
Not just the Hannah F bat mitz
PRIANKA
What else
CECILY
IDK
I just feel like everyone leans on me
All the time
PRIANKA
I’m sorry
I leaned on u with poetry stuff
CECILY
That’s not the main issue
I just need space
PRIANKA
Do u want to talk
CECILY
Not rn
But thanks
PRIANKA
K
Love u, Cece
CECILY
Love u too
Dear Journal,
I am in the worst mood EVER. I don’t usually get like this, but when I do it’s serious. And this is mega serious! I am so annoyed at everyone. Well, I mean, not everyone. Ingrid has been really helpful lately so that’s been good. But I am so annoyed at Victoria and I feel like I can never say anything since she’s so sensitive and emotional and always cries to her mom. I never want to make it worse but she is driving me crazy. She’s obsessed with this Hannah Fletch bat mitzvah thing and always asking everyone so many questions about it. I mean, we’re not invited, so can she just try and get over it or at least put it out of her mind? Why is she torturing herself with these questions and at the same time torturing me, too? IT’S MAKING ME SO CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!! Also, I don’t think I want to spend the summer with her and Mara and Mae. It was fine when it was just Mara and me but now I feel like Mae is nervous about it and I just want to go and feel free and not be so bogged down by all of these people and their stress. I need to get out of it. My gut is saying get out of it but I don’t even know how. I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. I just want to not feel so stressed. UGH. Please help.
Love, Cecily
Pri! Did we discuss the poem in your pocket idea? We need to pass that along as well. I think it would be so cute.
Sage! How does it work?
Basically everyone brings in little slips of paper with poems on them and then they pass them to people in the hallway and they put them in their pockets and then pass and on and on . . .
Isn’t this like the take a poem, leave a poem thing? The one we are doing with the bowls?
Kinda but poem in your pocket just sounds so cute, doesn’t it?
Yeah, we can add it. I feel like we can just do as much as possible with poetry for the full month.
Agree
Hiii Journal!!
So for the first time in forever I feel like things are actually fine with my friends. I am in a good place with Ivy and in a good place with my school friends, even Miriam and stuff. And I am soooo excited I was invited to Hannah F’s bat mitzvah. But this school thing is insane. What am I gonna do? I may need to go to summer school for real and then what about Outdoor Explorers? Why is everything so hard all of a sudden? I should probably stop writing here and get to work but I can’t focus. It’s kind of making me crazy.
Okay, bye.
Love, Gabs
Miriam, Gabrielle
MIRIAM
Hi
GABRIELLE
Hiiiiii
MIRIAM
What are u up to
GABRIELLE
Trying to do hw
U
MIRIAM
Same
But I wanted to ask u something
Is Cece ok
MIRIAM
I felt really bad about her crying @ lunch
GABRIELLE
IK
I feel like she is prob fine
She holds everything in
And then bursts at random times
MIRIAM
Oh
GABRIELLE
I mean obv she wishes she was invited
But Cece is strong
And a genius
She will be ok
MIRIAM
Yeah
MIRIAM
I feel so bad but I am just sooooo excited
GABRIELLE
I know
Me too
Did I tell u Pri & I & our moms are going shopping together
MIRIAM
Yeah
My mom said I can get a new dress, too
GABRIELLE
Ooh so fun
MIRIAM
Ya
K just wanted to say hi & check in
GABRIELLE
Cool
GABRIELLE
Back to hw
MIRIAM
If u ever want to meet for another hw date I am totally game
GABRIELLE
Thanx maybe
Bye
MIRIAM
Bye
Prianka, Gabrielle
PRIANKA
Sooooo excited for our shopping day
Did u tell the other girls we’re going
GABRIELLE
No
You?
PRIANKA
No
Don’t want to rub anything in
GABRIELLE
Same
PRIANKA
But what if they ask us for plans
GABRIELLE
IDK
We’ll say we are busy with diff stuff
Did I tell u my mom and I have a meeting with Ms. Brickfeld in guidance about summer school
PRIANKA
Noooo
But what about outdoor explorers
GABRIELLE
IDK
May shorten the time
I feel like I need extra help tho
And I may get tested for ADD or ADHD or both
PRIANKA
For real
This feels like so much to deal with, Gabs
I’m sorry
GABRIELLE
It is too much
But may explain why school has always been hard
And why it’s so hard for me now
PRIANKA
Yeah could be good
GABRIELLE
Maybe I could have been in honors all along LOL
PRIANKA
Who even cares about honors tho
GABRIELLE
Yeah
But it’s a thing
And people take it seriously
PRIANKA
Yeah but
It doesn’t measure your self worth
I don’t believe in it YKWIM
We are more than grades
GABRIELLE
Haha ok, Pri
U r seeming really intense rn
PRIANKA
It’s how I feel
We need to dig deeper
GABRIELLE
Ok
Rn I need to dig deeper into my hw
PRIANKA
LOL k
GABRIELLE
Bye
PRIANKA
Bye
From: Evelyn Brickfeld
To: Gabrielle Katz, Diana Katz
Subject: Summer
Dear Gabby and Diana,
Wonderful to meet with both of you! I’ve spoken to all of Gabby’s teachers. We’re in the process of lining up some weekly after-school extra help sessions for her as well. I’m also going to recommend an evaluation to rule out ADD or ADHD. Our school psychologist, Ms. Arlo, can help with that.
Please be in touch with any questions.
All my very best wishes,
Evelyn
Friends
GABRIELLE
Hi, guys
I have to tell u something
Anyone there
Helloooooo
Ok bye
Dear Mom, I’m happy you suggested this. It’s a little weird but I’m willing to give it a try. You asked if I have anything on my mind and I actually do. I hope you won’t be mad, though. Here goes . . . I don’t want to do the summer volunteer corps thing. It seemed great but I just don’t want to. I feel tied down with Mara and Mae and Victoria and I want to be on my own. I always feel like I am responsible for people and I don’t want to be. I wrote to the program and it’s okay to cancel. Thanks in advance for understanding. Love, Cecily
Oh, Cecily, wow. I am sorry to hear this. You should never feel locked into anything like this, especially at your age. That said, commitments are important. I think we need to sort out why you don’t want to do it, and see if there is any way to get around it. Maybe summer can be a combination of programs. I know this is our first journal exchange, but this seems like something better discussed face-to-face. I love you.
Friends
VICTORIA
Hi, guys
Sorry I wasn’t around before
How is everyone
GABRIELLE
Hi
I am ok
I need to tell u guys something
I’m being tested for ADD
VICTORIA
Really
GABRIELLE
Yeah
GABRIELLE
Might explain a lot of my issues all along with school
VICTORIA
Wow
R u ok
GABRIELLE
I am
I think
A little nervous for the eval
PRIANKA
We are here for u, Gabs
CECILY
Definitely
& since we are confessing things
GABRIELLE
Well this isn’t really a confession but
CECILY
Vic, this mostly pertains to you
VICTORIA
Uh-oh
CECILY
I think I may drop out of volunteer corp
My heart isn’t in it
I want to do something totally on my own this summer
VICTORIA
Omg, Cece
CECILY
I love u
U know that
VICTORIA
Can we pls discuss in person tho
CECILY
We can
GABRIELLE
Way to steal my moment, Cece
CECILY
LOL
GABRIELLE
Not laughing
Whatever I gtg
PRIANKA
Guys WIGO
VICTORIA
Things just went from calm 2 crazy in 2 min
PRIANKA
For real
VICTORIA
Things always feel on the verge of insanity
PRIANKA
TBH, IKWYM
Cecily has left the chat
Gabrielle has left the chat
VICTORIA
Ugghhhhhshshshsh
PRIANKA
For real, Vic
Mara, Cecily
MARA
Victoria just texted me
What is this about u not coming to the summer program
CECILY
I just feel suffocated
I want to do my own thing
MARA
But u made a commitment
CECILY
I know
And I feel really bad
But it just doesn’t feel right to me
MARA
Is this bc of Mae coming
CECILY
No
Honestly I just want to be on my own
MARA
No matter what program u do, u won’t be on your own
I can’t talk about this anymore
I am so angry
CECILY
I’m sorry
To: Summer in Maine Volunteer Corps Staff
From: Cecily Anderson
Subject: Decision
Dear Ms. Tolaf:
I will not be attending the Summer in Maine Volunteer Corps program. Many thanks for understanding.
Sincerely,
Cecily Anderson
I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.
—Louisa May Alcott
From: Mr. Akiyama
To: Yorkville Middle School Students
Subject: Poem in Your Pocket Day
Hi, students,
See below for an email from Prianka Basak and Sage Zelnick
Hiiii, fellow students,
We are SO excited Poetry Month is here! And guess what? We are officially declaring Friday as Poem in Your Pocket Day! It’s an annual NYC thing and we’re bringing it to Yorkville Middle School!
So here’s what you have to do: make copies or write out your favorite poem on slips of paper and put them in your pocket and carry them around all day! Share them as many times as you can: with fellow students and teachers and people on the street. Anyone, really! There will also be a mic set up in the auditorium, so pop in and read your poem aloud.
Yay!!! Enjoy Yorkville Middle School’s first annual POEM IN YOUR POCKET DAY!
Yours in poetry,
Prianka Basak & Sage Zelnick
Prianka, Cecily
PRIANKA
Cece?
I wanted to reach out & check in and make sure u r ok
U don’t seem like urself lately
CECILY
I am ok
I feel better actually
CECILY
A weight off my shoulders
I may do this program where we help rebuild homes in El Salvador
It’s late to apply but if I get a scholarship I can go
My parents can’t afford all these fancy things the kids do here
People don’t understand that not everyone is rich
And I just feel like I need some space from it all
PRIANKA
Yeah I know what you mean
That’s sorta how Gabs felt earlier this year with the different groups
CECILY
I know but that’s not how I feel
CECILY
I just want to literally be on my own
And do my own thing
With nobody I know
PRIANKA
Wow, Cece
That feels super intense
CECILY
I know
It’s the truth tho
Gotta explore
Be free
I feel burnt out TBH
PRIANKA
Got it
CECILY
Glad u understand
PRIANKA
I don’t feel the same
But I know what you mean
CECILY
That counts, too
PRIANKA
LOL k
CECILY
Mwah
PRIANKA
Mwah
Prianka, Vishal
VISHAL
Yo
PRIANKA
Hey
VISHAL
This poetry stuff is cool
PRIANKA
Duh I know
VISHAL
I didn’t realize it before
YKWIM
PRIANKA
Yeah well glad u like it
VISHAL
Good job, Pri
PRIANKA
Lol thanks
Hiiiiiii
VICTORIA
Hi, guys
Putting all the aside
I had an idea
Anyone there
Hiiiiiii
CECILY
Hi sorry
What’s ur idea
VICTORIA
I think we should plan a pool day and sleepover just the 4 of us before we all part ways for summer
Not to be exclusive but just keep it chill
We r always so happy @ the pool