Your life sounds really heavy right now, and I know what that feels like, and I am so sorry you’re hurting right now.
You absolutely should have gotten Sandy! That is outrageous, and I feel like everyone knows it. I KNOW IT, and that’s all that matters. You are a gift to the theater, Tara. You are a true actress. And this Joy girl is a flash in the pan. There’s no way she is as talented as you. But I’m sorry you didn’t get the part. You were born to be Sandy.
As for Stacey . . . I think your history with her might actually be slightly different than what you’ve thought.
The balloon-day conspiracy is complicated, I’ll give you that. I’ve always said I never actually saw Stacey pop your balloon, but you are right I never disputed your theory on that. Maybe she did. Maybe she didn’t. But who she is now is not who she was when we were five. And I know how much you wanted to take your parents to Tony Roma’s, but I’ve told you this a million times and will tell you a million more . . . you are not the reason for any of their “stuff.” If anything, Tara, you are the reason they are still working hard to make it work.
And I don’t want you to think that I’m defending Stacey, but Tara . . . she did fall off the chairlift and her knee did pop out. She did go to the hospital, and she was on crutches for, like, three months. I’m your best friend, and I was the only one who knew you were scared of heights, and I was also the only one who knew you had a crush on the chairlift operator guy.
And I know how badly you wanted to move away and go to New York. Selfishly I half loved that time because you slept over almost every night, and it was like we lived together, and I loved that more than anything. My parents loved it, too. The other half of me hated it because of everything going on at your house. And no, I was not in Mr. Donovan’s class, but from what I heard Stacey didn’t laugh at you. That foul animal Dougie Fitz blew a boogie on Jessica Klein’s back and HE laughed. He also got suspended. And from what I heard Stacey offered you her aunt and uncle’s phone number in case you needed anything in New York . . . you know, when you moved there.
After spending so much time with her on Nantucket I realized Stacey Simon isn’t at all what we thought, Tara. She doesn’t think of herself as popular and doesn’t wake up and stare in the mirror going, “I am the most beautiful person in town.” She’s actually very insecure about stuff. She thinks everyone HATES HER. I know, shocking.
She struggles just like us. She and Justin have a ton of problems and have broken up a bunch without anyone ever knowing. She tries very hard to keep her private life private, but I told her that is hard when everyone makes up ideas about her or spreads rumors about her which then everyone thinks are trumors. She is even considering not going to Prom because she doesn’t want for her and Justin to win Prom queen and king because she thinks people will . . . well . . . that they’ll think the system is rigged in her favor. Stacey feels like no one in this town has ever understood her. I can relate to that. Can you? I think you can, Tara. I know you, and I think you can relate to that.
Stacey, who did wear her famous jean jacket a lot over the summer, asked if the three of us could hang out. Would you be open to that? Would you give her a chance? Would you give me a chance?
And I was thinking, you know . . . if you are willing to let me teach you how to sew that we could make matching purses out of your hearts-and-stars sheets. You know, like, the next version of our BEST FRIEND NECKLACE. Think about it?
Mwah, Miss Trésor.
Muchly and Moreso,
Soup
To Whom It May Concern a.k.a. my boyfriend Christopher Caparelli’s across-the-street neighbor a.k.a. you are a FRESHMAN so DON’T YOU FORGET IT—
Hey, a few things, Marty . . .
I wanted to cut something off at the pass, hon. Christopher is very, veeeerry upset right now ’cuz he has heard, as people at South High tend to do, that you are bein’ a little bit conceited since you got the lead in Grease. I have tried to calm him down, but he’s just really mad that you are acting different. It’s almost like you think you’re the real Danny Zuko. Well, that’s what people are sayin’, anyway. You are very young and impressionable. I can see that now. And yes, Matt, you have a great theatrical voice and sure you can dance super good, but that does not necessarily mean you’re a star.
I am and will continue to talk Christopher off the ledge. He wants to confront you, but I’m tryin’ to stop that from happenin’. And he listens to me, Matt. And you know I’m like your big sister, so I am just lookin’ out for you here.
I’m gonna first tell you about stars. Not the ones in the sky, Silly Young Person. Though I do love lyin’ on a blanket in Camel Lot and stargazin’. You don’t even know what Camel Lot is, Matt. And you might never know. ’Cuz it’s my special place where I go to think about all the chaos this town brings my way. It would take the specialest person in the world to experience Camel Lot with this girl.
Back to stars. A star is a person who
