And I miss your mom and her cooking. Why couldn’t she have rubbed off on my mom? Things I will probably not understand until I’m in college. There are so many things I bet I just won’t have the ability to get until I’m outta this town. All that is to say, Stef, I would LOVE to come over and have your mom’s dinner. I would love to talk and do our figure-life-out old-school conversation. And I am not assuming the Nantucket cottage offer still stands, but I can’t think of a better way to bid South High an official farewell. In a cottage on an island with my best friend.
I will keep writin’ you until you can find it in your heart to forgive me this one last time. Hey, I imagine siblings fight and make up a ton, right? And we are sisters, Stef. So I do hope that counts for a lot.
Diego is so lucky to have you. And while he was very, veeery good-lookin’ before, havin’ you by his side has made him flat-out gorgeous. I say that simply as a testament to you. You make people shine. I ask to be one of the lucky ones who gets the benefit of your Halley’s Comet.
Hearts and Stars and Galaxies . . .
Tara
Dear Matt,
I guess there is no better time to thank you than now, what with the cast list bein’ posted on the board and all. Seems Matt and Tara and Joy were destined to share the stage as equals. I think Joy will be a wonderful Anita to my Maria. And you as Tony . . . well, watch out, world!
I can’t believe I had the audacity to tell you many moons ago that you wouldn’t get Danny Zuko. I only said that, Matt, because never in the history of South High has a Freshman gotten a lead out of the gate. And then you followed that brilliant T-Bird turn with a plush role in The Diary of Anne Frank—a show we will likely grieve the cancellation of for a thousand lifetimes. And here you are now in the spring of your rookie year at South High landing the greatest (or at least one of the greatest) roles for a guy in the theater: Tony.
Sure, there have been many a production of West Side Story, but Matt, come on, me as Maria and you as Tony!! I just can’t fathom any version of this iconic show being as good as what we will deliver come show night! I guess today begins our next long journey together, Matt. This time as co-stars. If you recall, you and I wished for this. We wished to be Danny and Sandy, but alas, the gods chose to make us wait, make us grow, make us learn before putting us together as one of the world’s most anthemic fictional Supercouples: Maria and Tony. I simply have no words. Sandy had always been a dream role of mine, and Eponine! Oh, how I scribbled in my diaries that I would be her. But the secret I’ve been sitting on for the better part of my life is that above all else I wanted to play Maria. You can even ask my diaries. J to the k . . . those are under lock and key and hidden better than Anne hid hers.
I am thanking you because you were so thoughtful when responding to my anxiety-filled questions pre-Nashville. Your calm and soothing answers helped me more than you know, Matt. I got to Nashville a changed girl. I got to breathe for the first time in a long time. I think Nashville has better air than our town (add that to the list of things that are better out there beyond our Mass Pike exit).
And because of you and your classic Matt Bloom pure heart, my squad won Nationals and I was named MVP. Most Valuable Player. Little old me . . . MVP. Who’da thunk it? Gettin’ that recognition from the National Cheerleading Association has given me tremendous pause, Matt. I know now that I have an important position here at South High. I’m a leader, and lead is what I intend to do these last months here. I guess getting the LEAD in West Side Story is the universe just saying, “Lead, Tara, lead. And don’t get off track!” Universe . . . I won’t.
You know, it’s funny how junk works, Matt. Even in my frustration and confusion I told you that Christopher was cheating on me. You think I would tell just anyone that? No. I told you because I, as I have since day one, trust you. And even when, in my past, I would get wicked mad and fly off the handle . . . even then I knew I could trust you. I will be breaking up with Christopher very soon. I just wanna do it gracefully. We did have something major, he and I. We were a nonfictional Supercouple. But not everything is what it seems. I can say that with certainty now.
I’m heart-warmed that you’ve found a sacred friend in my dear friend Stacey Simon. That girl is solid, and for me to say that is a humungous deal.
Hey, if I could put my arms around all of us, everyone at South High, and just tell everyone it’s all gonna be okay, believe you me, I would. But I have human arms, and they just don’t stretch all that much.
I hope me, you, and Joy can work hard and make West Side Story the greatest thing to ever hit a stage. As Maria I pledge to keep the vibes great among cast and crew. I’m even bakin’ my famous gooey double-chocolate-chip cookies as a welcome treat for everyone.
Someday, Matt. Somewhere, Matt. We absolutely will find a new way of living . . . and you know what else, Matt? We (and I know this as sure as
