So sorry for my delay in responding. I LOVE this idea. Also, thrilled the dance committee will be at the PTA meeting on Monday. Stop by my office on Monday morning to discuss further.
Wonderful thinking!
Mr. Carransey
*sent from my iPhone. Please excuse typos*
From: Cecily Anderson
To: Edward Carransey
Subject: New Initiative
Dear Mr. Carransey,
I stopped by your office earlier but you were in a meeting. I want to start something new. I had to check with my mom first, though.
It’s called SOCIAL MEDIA FOR GOOD AND NOT FOR EVIL. Everyone will sign a pledge that they vow to use social media in a different way. It won’t be for leaving people out or bullying someone or anything like that. The situation with the viral video of Marisa (#MaRIPa) was horrible. I know Jared got in trouble and was suspended for a week but we need to really take it a step further.
It seems like it all started with the whole thing with Sami and the ranking and the #broboom thing and now the video. Social media has become toxic to the extreme. I really want to make this change. Please let me know what you think.
Thank you, Cecily Anderson
I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.
—Louisa May Alcott
The Crew 4life
GABRIELLE
Hiiii guyssssss
How amazing was that meeting?
Side note . . .
Maybe I should start a dog-sitting business?
CECILY
Ooh
Meeting was so fab
PRIANKA
YAYYYYYYYY
AGREE
PRIANKA
Vic, all the parents LOOOOVEEEEEEDDDDDD the fundraiser idea
VICTORIA
OMG
CECILY
Also the moms are totally chatting & bonding rn
Soooooo excited
VICTORIA
Let’s eavesdrop & feel out the vibe for Mama Melford & the dance
CECILY
Feel out the vibe is our new group motto
GABRIELLE
LOL
GABRIELLE
U love mottos, Cece
CECILY
I DO
Social media for good and not for evil
Woo to all
Feel out the vibe
I think that’s it
WOO TO ALL
Stop texting for a bit and eat
The Crew 4life
GABRIELLE
K who has the best hearing out of all of us
PRIANKA
I’ve been eavesdropping this whole time
They’re explaining to Vic’s mom how chill our town is compared to others
Cece, ur mom is talking about Ingrid and how she didn’t grow up too fast and how everything is age appropriate
CECILY
That’s kinda true
VICTORIA
What is my mom saying
PRIANKA
She’s saying she trusts you but doesn’t trust others
VICTORIA
LOL that’s always her go to
PRIANKA
So she feels like you should skip the dance bc it may get wild
My mom is zoned out
I think she feels its ok since she knows I love Vishal lol
CECILY
She knows that??
PRIANKA
Yes duh
All the moms in the Indian community want us to get married hahahahahahah
PRIANKA
Vic did your mom know u loved Arjun for a time
VICTORIA
No wayyyyyyyyyyyy
GABRIELLE
Why did that even fizzle
Also do the moms think it’s weird we’re not even talking and just sitting here next to each other texting & eating
PRIANKA
They don’t seem to notice . . . or care LOL
VICTORIA
It fizzled bc I got bored of it
GABRIELLE
Got it
Ok
PRIANKA
Anyway
I think they’ll make progress with your mom, tho, Vic
VICTORIA
You do??
PRIANKA
Yeah
Gotta be patient and wait this out
VICTORIA
She doesn’t like people to tell her what to do, tho
PRIANKA
They’re def not
Just chatting
Seems chill
VICTORIA
I just want to have a normal mom
Literally all I’ve ever wanted
CECILY
But haven’t we talked about this?
How no one is normal
VICTORIA
Lol yeah
But like your moms
I just want her to be like that
GABRIELLE
They snoop, though, too
We told u that
VICTORIA
It’s different
GABRIELLE
IKWYM
PRIANKA
Wait omg
Vic, your mom just confessed something
VICTORIA
????
PRIANKA
About the incident at the mall
How she’s never dealt with it
How she’s always afraid all the time
It consumes her she said
Mama Basak just had great idea
PRIANKA
She said your mom should write you a letter and open up about her feelings
VICTORIA
Really?
Wowwww
I can’t even believe she is opening up to them
GABRIELLE
Our moms are kinda magic
The original baby yoga crew LOL
But happy to welcome Mama Melford in
VICTORIA
So choked up
CECILY
Same
But let’s stop texting
Let’s lighten this up a bit
Can we play this game Ingrid told me about
So much fun
GABRIELLE
Yessssss
CECILY
Should we include the moms???
VICTORIA
Ummmmm
GABRIELLE
Good for bonding
Let’s do it
GABRIELLE
Can’t believe they’re letting us stay out so late on a school night
Let’s see how long this lasts . . .
I Love You Guys
GABRIELLE
OMGGGGG
Who knew our moms could be so funny
This game is sooo much fun
CECILY
Srsly
CECILY
I am most likely to organize a protest
PRIANKA
UMMMM
At least you’re not most likely to fall asleep eating a burrito
VICTORIA
OMG thought my mom was gonna flip when she got most likely to ask to speak to the manager
LOL
GABRIELLE
Honestly this is so funny
My mom is most likely to offer to host the super bowl party and not show up hahahahahahahahahah
GABRIELLE
This is the besttttttt gameeeeeee
VICTORIA
This is the first time I’ve heard my mom laugh in foreverrrrrrrr
I want to always remember
To take a step back
To appreciate
And admire the magic of friendship
It is a gift
We realize it again and again and again
These people fill me up
They see me
They understand me
They accept me
Sisters
Real-life sisters
Even though we’re
Not
Even
Related
Vishal, Prianka
VISHAL
Yo
PRIANKA
Yo
VISHAL
Still thinking about our Jennie’s visit
PRIANKA
Yeah
VISHAL
But I have to confess something
TBH I think that might have been too much burrata
PRIANKA
LOL
PRIANKA
Kind of agree
VISHAL
You’re cool, Pri
PRIANKA
Right back atcha
Gonna go to bed now
VISHAL
Later, Pri
PRIANKA
Later
Sweet dreams
Friendssssssssssssssss
PRIANKA
Anyone up??????
I know it’s so late
But I can’t sleep
And Vishal just texted
And I loooooove him
CECILY
Hi!
I’m up, too
Too wired to sleep
PRIANKA
Right??
CECILY
Ya so happy how ice cream date went
PRIANKA
Me toooooo
Dear Victoria,
Prianka’s mother gave me this idea to write you a note and it feels funny but I am going to try it. I prefer face-to-face, but maybe this will be easier for me to express my thoughts.
You are right that I am overprotective. It has always been hard for me. To be honest, motherhood is challenging. You are my precious gem and I worry all the time that something will happen to you. I know you can’t understand but perhaps you will when you’re a mother yourself. If you want to be.
The incident at the mall when you were four completely scarred me for life. You were missing for twenty minutes. It felt like an eternity. Beyond that, you could have drowned in the fountain. I always felt like it was my fault. I didn’t keep you safe.
But I got a second chance and somehow the universe saved us. But what if that was a one-time thing? I always fear that I will lose you, my most precious treasure. I always feel like I will fail at keeping you safe.
I am going to try and be more relaxed. I know you have done so much with the dance. I am proud of you and I don’t want to hold you back from going. It scares me that students from other schools will attend. I don’t know if I can trust anyone. I have trouble with that.
I am glad I can be open with you and I hope we will forge a new path of understanding.
I love you more than words can ever express.
Mom
Friendssssssssssssssss
VICTORIA
Um guys
This may be bad form
But I am taking a pic of the letter my mom wrote me and sending to you
Hellloooo
Ok here it is
Keep this top top top secret
VICTORIA
Hi guys
I am regretting that I sent that
Please delete immediately
CECILY
K
GABRIELLE
K
PRIANKA
K
Dear Mom,
I don’t even know what to say. Thank you for opening up to me and for being honest.
I love you so much,
Victoria
PS Does this mean I can go to the dance?
OMG, Vic—now that a few days have passed, how do you feel? BTW, adding initials at the ends of our entries in case we read this decades later and we forget who wrote what. OK?
We need this to be accurate. —PB
I feel really relieved. I think we are on a new path and it’s a good one. —VM
Sooooo poetic!!!! —PB
I agree!!!!! Such a good first step! And we have so much fab stuff coming up!!!!! —GK
I know—this is really such a huge year. —PB
Woo to all! —GK
Woo to all!!!! —PB
Woo to all!!!!!! —VM
Woo to all FOREVER. —CA
Vic, does this mean you can go to the dance??? —PB
I think so!!!!! —VM
Best Friends Forever
VICTORIA
Can everyone come to my house to get ready for the dance?
Obv my mom wants to take tons of pics
She said she can drive us all over, too
PRIANKA
Fine with me
Just soooooo excited
CECILY
Yayyyyyyyyyyy
GABRIELLE
Works for me, toooooooooo
VICTORIA
Best Friends Forever
VICTORIA
Just want to take one minute before we leave for the dance to say how grateful I am for you guys and all of your help with everything. I know we are all together but we can’t talk freely in front of moms, duh, and I just love you all so so so much.
VICTORIA
Only one thing left to say . . .
Woo to all
GABRIELLE
Woo to all x2
PRIANKA
Woo to all x3
CECILY
Woo to all x4
VICTORIA
Glossary
2 to
2gether together
2morrow tomorrow
4 for
4eva forever
4get forget
any1 anyone
awk awkward
bc because
BFF best friends forever
BFFAE best friends forever and ever
BI Block Island
BNF best neighbors forever
b-room bathroom
b/t between
c see
caf cafeteria
comm committee
COMO crying over missing out
comp computer
deets details
def definitely
DEK don’t even know
diff different
disc discussion
emo emotional
every1 everyone
fab fabulous
fabolicious extra fabulous
fac faculty
fave favorite
Fla Florida
FOMO fear of missing out
fone phone
FYI for your information
gd god
gg gotta go
gma grandma
gn good night
gnight good night
gr8 great
gtg got to go
hw homework
ICB I can’t believe
IDC I don’t care
IDEK I don’t even know
IDK I don’t know
IHNC I have no clue
IK I know
IKWYM I know what you mean
ILY I love you
ILYSM I love you so much
JK just kidding
K OK
KIA know-it-all
KWIM know what I mean
l8r later
LMK let me know
LOL laugh out loud
luv love
n e way anyway
NM nothing much
nums numbers
nvm never mind
obv obviously
obvi obviously
obvs obviously
OMG oh my God
ooc out of control
PBFF poetry best friend forever
peeps people
perf perfect
pgs pages
plzzzz please
pos possibly
q question
r are/our
ridic ridiculous
rlly really
RN right now
sci science
sec second
sem semester
scheds schedules
shud should
some1 someone
SWAK sealed with a kiss
TBH to be honest
thx thank
s
tm tomorrow
TMI too much information
tmrw tomorrow
tomrw tomorrow
tomw tomorrow
totes totally
ttyl talk to you later
u you
ur your; you’re
urself yourself
vv very, very
w/ with
wb write back
whatev whatever
WIGO what is going on
wknd weekend
w/o without
WTH what the heck
wud would
wut what
wuzzzz what’s
Y why
Acknowledgments
Many, many thanks to: Dave, Aleah, Hazel, the Greenwalds, the Rosenbergs, my BWL Library & Tech crew, Alyssa Eisner Henkin, Maria Barbo and the whole Harper Collins/Katherine Tegen crew: Katherine Tegen, Jon Howard, Gweneth Morton, Sara Schonfeld, Molly Fehr, Amy Ryan, Kristen Eckhardt, Vaishali Nayak, Sam Benson, and Jessica White. Last but never least: my ultimate gratitude to all of the readers!
Excerpt from 11 Before 12
If you like TBH, you’ll love this other series by Lisa Greenwald!
Start reading on the next page!
One
“KAYLAN!” RYAN POUNDS ON MY door. “You overslept! School starts today! You’re already late!”
I run to beat him over the head with my pillow, but I’m too slow. “Ryan,” I shout down the hall. “You’re a jerk! Karma’s a thing, you know. Bad things will happen to you if you’re not nice to me.”
After five deep breaths, I call Ari.
“You want to go to the pool?” I ask her as soon as she answers.
She replies in her sleepy voice, “Kay, look at the clock.”
I flip over onto my side, and glance toward my night table.
8:37.
“Okay,” I reply. “I’ll admit: I thought it was later. At least nine.” I pause a second. “Sorry. Did I wake you?”
Ari sighs. “I’m still in bed, but you didn’t wake me.”
“Agita Day,” I tell her. “August first, red-alert agita levels. I’m freaking out over here.”
August 1 signals the end of summer, even though you still have almost a month left. August 1 means school is starting really soon, even though it’s still twenty-nine days away.
“Oh, Kaylan.” She laughs. “Take a few deep breaths. I’ll get my bathing suit on and be at your house in an hour. I already have my pool bag packed because I had a feeling you’d be stressing.”
“Perfect.” I sigh with relief. “Come as soon as possible! But definitely by nine thirty-seven, okay? You said an hour.”