TBH, This Is So Awkward Read online

  DEDICATION

  For Hazel

  CONTENTS

  Dedication

  BFFAE

  Dolphin Squad

  4Ever

  Squad

  Prianka, Cecily

  The Musketeers

  Cecily, Victoria

  The Girls

  Lucky

  Luvies

  Cecily, Victoria

  Gabrielle, Victoria

  Girlzzz

  The Best Squad In The World

  BFFAEAEAEAEAEAEAEAEAE

  Dance Girls 4Eva

  Unknown, Gabrielle

  Cecily, Victoria

  Prianka, Cecily

  Unknown, Prianka

  Mom, Gabrielle

  Dance Dance Dance

  BFFFFFFFFF

  Cecily, Victoria

  The Girlzzzzz

  Cecily, Mara

  The Girlzzzzz

  Prianka, Cecily

  Sick Cece

  Sick Cece

  The Crew

  The Crew

  Unknown, Prianka

  Crew

  BFFFFFFFF

  Unknown, Prianka

  Vishal, Prianka

  Prianka, Cecily

  Prianka, Gabrielle

  Mara, Cecily

  Emergency Sleepover

  Victoria, Cecily

  Cecily, Mara

  Vishal, Prianka

  Mom, Prianka

  Vishal, Prianka

  Squaddddd

  Party People

  The Real Squad

  Unknown, Victoria

  Mara, Cecily

  Prianka, Cecily

  Unknown, Victoria

  Vicnickim

  Party People

  BFFAEAEAEAEAE

  Da Crew

  Colin, Gabrielle

  Babezzz

  Girliesssss

  BFFs

  Girliesssss

  BFFs

  Girliesssss

  BFFs

  Girliesssss

  Colin, Gabrielle

  ILY2SM

  Colin, Gabrielle

  Cecily, Gabrielle

  Cecily, Mara

  Colin, Gabrielle

  Cecily, Mara

  Cecily, Gabrielle

  Gabrielle, Victoria

  Cecily, Mara

  Cecily, Mara

  Prianka, Gabrielle

  Prianka, Gabrielle

  Cecily, Mara

  BFFAE 4 Real

  Vishal, Prianka

  Dance Girlzzzzzzz

  Squad BFFAE Best Girls Eva

  Glossary

  Acknowledgments

  Back Ad

  About the Author

  Books by Lisa Greenwald

  Credits

  Copyright

  About the Publisher

  BFFAE

  CECILY

  I know we will c each other @ bus in 3 min but doesn’t it feel like we’ve been out of school for soooooo long

  Scared 2 go back

  GABRIELLE

  Yes! Running late

  Hold bus 4 me!!!

  PRIANKA

  Already here! Hurry!!

  Sixth-Grade English

  New Year’s Resolutions

  On the back of this page, please write a letter to yourself with your New Year’s resolutions. Be as honest as possible. You are the only one who will see it. We will mail it back to you in December so you can see the progress you made over the course of the year.

  Good luck and have fun!

  Dear Self:

  Ummm. This is so awkward. So . . . what are my New Year’s resolutions? Well, I want to do well in school, maybe all A’s, even. I also want to make new friends, but still stay friends with my BFFs, Pri and Cece. Maybe I will run for student council or something, too. Wow—this is a lot to do in one year. I’m tired now! OK, bye, Self, LOL!

  xoxox Gabs

  Gabs. Do you have any clue what Mr. D is talking about? xo Pri

  PRI! Literally no clue. :( xoxo Gabs

  DOLPHIN SQUAD

  PRIANKA

  Sneaking to use fone in 2nd fl b-room

  Maybe u will sneak 2

  How’s 1st day back

  CECILY

  U sent that text 4ever ago—just got it

  We r allowed 2 use phones in sci this sem

  Mr. D made special app 4 labs

  Dear Cecily,

  Happy New Year! Hee hee. I have a New Year’s goal and a New Year’s resolution. My goal is to get the highest average in the grade, and keep up with Ingrid. It’s hard having an older sister who is a genius. My resolution is to not get so stressed when big projects are assigned. Also to volunteer more. And maybe convince Mom and Dad that we should adopt a shelter dog.

  Love, ME

  READING LOG

  Hi, Reading Log Partner Gabrielle! My email is: [email protected] and my phone number is 203-555-2792. Bye!

  —Victoria

  ugh, GABS! i am so mad we aren’t reading lab partners this semester. i am stuck with talon corbet! :( xo Pri

  I know, Pri!! I think Ms. Marburn split us up on purpose! UNFAIR! xoxox Gabs

  Dear Victoria Grace Melford,

  My New Year’s resolution is to survive this. My parents are the absolute meanest in the entire world to make me move in the middle of the school year. Seriously, who does that? My dad should’ve just stayed in Philadelphia for the rest of the year. But no, we had to move and now I am stuck here knowing nobody. So yeah, I don’t care about New Year’s resolutions. I just want to survive this torture.

  Sincerely,

  Victoria Grace Melford

  From: Gabrielle Katz

  To: Prianka Basak, Cecily Anderson

  Subject: COMPUTER LAB! YAYYY!!!

  Hi, girlies!!!!

  I’m in Ms. Pinelli’s computer lab right now and we’re learning how to get our notes and homework off the new school system they installed over break. Do you know it’s called Sestina? So fancy! But of course I took a break to email you guys! I LOVE YOUUUUU!!!!! Write back ASAP. Or text. OR see you on the bus!

  xoxoxoxoxoxo FOREVER,

  Gabs

  Dear myself:

  Hi, Prianka! How are you? I’m good, Prianka. Nice to hear from you. HAHA! I crack myself up. OK, time for New Year’s resolutions! Umm. Basically my New Year's resolution is to make my bed every day, keep my room clean so Mom doesn’t freak, and pretty much be the most awesome girl in the grade.

  Love, Prianka

  4EVER

  CECILY

  Did we all survive 1st day? Sorry I missed bus ride home but I got the boots!

  GABRIELLE

  Barely survived all this happened

  1. Pri & I got caught passing notes in English

  2. Ms. Marburn said to consider it a warning

  3. We r reading THE HUNDRED DRESSES

  It’s Ms. M’s fave! YIPPEE

  CECILY

  Oh so jeal!!!

  PRIANKA

  Hate how they change scheds each sem

  Only 1 study hall now

  CECILY

  I don’t have any classes w/ M girls this sem, do u

  PRIANKA

  Just saw them @ lunch

  All wore same mint green uneven tee

  So matchy matchy

  GABRIELLE

  Ewwww

  I didn’t see that

  CECILY

  Should we match tomorrow

  JK

  GABRIELLE

  LOL

  PRIANKA

  I gotta start hw

  Mom is already nagging me & have Bal Vihar class laterz

  CECILY

  Mwah

  GABRIELLE

  TATA xo

&n
bsp; Cece!! U HAVE A BOY BADMINTON PARTNER

  GABS!! U R DOING HAND NOTES AGAIN!!! MY MOM WILL BE SO MAD!!!

  ONLY WAY TO PASS NOTES IN GYM—NO PAPER!

  From: Victoria Melford

  To: Kimberly Higgins, Nicole Landenor

  Subject: MISSING YOU!!

  Dear Kim and Nicole:

  I miss you guys so much. I am so mad that my parents made us move. Isn’t it illegal to make your daughter move schools midyear??? So far my new school is terrible. No one talks to me! I mean, I know it was only the first day. But I had nowhere to sit for lunch. I just sat at the end of a table and ate silently. :(Can we please plan a sleepover over spring break? Tell me everything that’s going on. Maybe I can convince my parents to move back.

  xoxo Victoria

  Dear Diary,

  I like Colin so much. I know you already know this, because, duh, I’ve written it a million times. I want to tell my friends I like him but I’m so scared. We don’t talk about boys like that ever. I wonder if Colin will ever like me. Or if he’ll ever know I like him. :( And guess what? Colin is Cecily’s badminton partner!!!

  Love,

  Gabby

  SQUAD

  PRIANKA

  U guys r never gonna believe this

  Remember that kid Vishal who goes 2 Bal Vihar with me

  He switched 2 Yorkville from West End

  GABRIELLE

  R u serious

  Midyear

  PRIANKA

  IDK. My mom said something about a math program here

  Pos, he’s a math genius

  CECILY

  Wait just got back from store

  R u serious

  Kid who played in Little League World Series & u made me watch but he was a benchwarmer

  PRIANKA

  Yes that kid Vishal

  Funny, right

  CECILY

  Totes

  Snacks for sat sleepover: soft batch cookies, swedish fish, baked lays, doritos, hershey’s miniatures, iced tea, and Sprite

  & I can always get more

  GABRIELLE

  YUM

  Thank u

  PRIANKA

  YAY SO EXCITED

  CECILY

  See u 2 mañana

  PRIANKA

  Smooches

  GABRIELLE

  Nighty night

  READING LOG

  Hi, Victoria—Here is my reading log. I only read six pages last night. This is my 1st time reading this book. Have you read it before? How does Wanda stay so calm? If u have questions about my notes, let me know. K bye. —Gabby

  From: Cecily Anderson

  To: Gabrielle Katz, Prianka Basak

  Subject: Hi from 7th period study hall

  Hi, friends!

  I’m writing this from study hall. We’re allowed to use computers today. Mara had to change her schedule because she got moved into honors math, and now she’s in study hall with me. But she’s not so bad. Don’t roll your eyes, Pri! HAHA. SO excited for our sleepover. 1 more day!

  xoxo Cece

  From: Vishal Gobin

  To: Prianka Basak

  Subject: Hi

  Dear Prianka,

  Sorry I didn’t have time to answer your question at Bal Vihar. I am only here for the rest of this year probably. There is a trial program where they want to let kids take classes at both schools for middle and high school and I signed up to test it out. It’s weird. The cafeteria hot dog was probably a bad choice.

  Hope you are having a nice day.

  Sincerely,

  Vishal

  Prianka, Cecily

  PRIANKA

  U think Gabs is acting weird?

  CECILY

  4 a sec I thought she was on this group text

  Heart pounding

  PRIANKA

  Would not be that stupid, thankyouverymuch

  So do u

  CECILY

  Ummm

  We need to stash phones the sec we hear her flush, k

  We r texting behind her back @ a sleepover

  This is bad

  PRIANKA

  K

  Answer me

  CECILY

  IDK

  I feel bad talking bout her, even over text

  PRIANKA

  K

  Sorry

  Just worried

  CECILY

  K she flushed

  Put phone away

  Dear Diary,

  I couldn’t write in you last night because I slept over at Cecily’s house. It was fun but I felt like I had too many secrets. One, the Colin thing. Two, that we may be moving before the summer. They are my BFFs, but I couldn’t bring it up. You are the only one who knows this stuff. I’m tired now. Bye.

  Love,

  Gabby

  THE MUSKETEERS

  CECILY

  Guys we need 2 decide what club 2 join this sem

  GABRIELLE

  Complicated bc I’m doing 1 night @ my dad’s & 1 night @ my mom’s now

  Pickup times & buses & stuff . . . UGH

  Maybe chorus?

  Think they’ll pick T-Swift songs?

  CECILY

  Prob

  Mrs. Sempra likes to do current stuff

  Ingrid always sang pop songs & stuff

  Do it

  GABRIELLE

  K yeah

  Fun

  PRIANKA

  Now I wanna do chorus

  Can we do more than 1

  CECILY

  Maybe, let’s ask

  We can all do chorus 2gether

  That could be great

  GABRIELLE

  We need a cool name tho

  Like “Shake It Off Sisters” or something . . .

  Ya know

  Is there an emoji for 3 girls

  PRIANKA

  Yeah let’s brainstorm

  I gtg

  Madre calling me 2 set table

  Later, luvies!

  CECILY

  Ciao

  GABRIELLE

  Bye bye mwah

  Cecily, Victoria

  VICTORIA

  CECILY

  Who is this

  VICTORIA

  Victoria

  From homeroom

  I was going over class list Ms. Enarack handed out & I saw ur # & figured I’d text

  CECILY

  Oh hi

  Do u like dogs or something

  VICTORIA

  yup luv them

  CECILY

  Cool

  VICTORIA

  K um bye

  FUN TO TEXT W/ U!!!!!!!!!!

  CECILY

  K bye

  THE GIRLS

  CECILY

  Guys, guess what happened when I was waiting for my mom 2 pick me up after Spanish extra help

  GABRIELLE

  ???

  PRIANKA

  Tell us

  Y r u taking so long

  CECILY

  So u know how Ingrid said middle school valentine’s dance is like major deal . . .

  GABRIELLE

  Yea GET TO THE POINT

  CECILY

  So Mrs. Lakely was leaving school & going 2 her car & she told me she’s fac advisor 4 the dance again

  & she remembered how Ingrid was such a huge help for it 2 years ago . . .

  And she wants me 2 help organize a committee

  PRIANKA

  R U SERIOUS RIGHT NOW

  CECILY

  YES YES YES YES

  Pays to have a fab older sis

  GABRIELLE

  OMG! This means we can literally RUN the biggest event of our lives so far

  Like we are in charge

  CECILY

  Haha yeah guess so

  I mean we’ll need 2 ask other people 2 join & stuff

  Make posters & have a meeting

  It can’t just be us 3

  GABRIELLE

  Right

  PRIANKA

  Soo cool


  K gtg get ready 4 bed

  C u at bus 1st thing in morn

  Smooches

  CECILY

  MWAH XOXO

  GABRIELLE

  XOXOXO 2 infinity

  WE CRUSHED THAT BADMINTON GAME!!!!!!!!!! —Colin

  I KNOW!!! GO TEAM Cs!!!! —Cecily

  LUCKY

  PRIANKA

  We r luckiest peeps in the world

  Did u see how long wait list was 4 chorus

  How did we get so lucky

  GABRIELLE

  IHNC honestly

  CECILY

  I know & Mrs. Sempra loved idea 4 our trio 4 solos & stuff

  She was totes into it

  GABRIELLE

  Rlly

  U saw her

  CECILY

  She was subbing 4 homeroom today

  I feel bad because new girl Victoria didn’t get picked

  She was sobbing in homeroom

  GABRIELLE

  Oh

  She is my reading log buddy

  PRIANKA

  Sad for Victoria

  CECILY

  She says she really misses her friends at her old school

  PRIANKA

  Oh sad

  GABRIELLE

  BTW when is 1st dance comm meeting

  CECILY

  I need to finalize w/ Mrs. Lakely

  Prob next week

  Guys, Victoria asked for ur cell #s . . .

  GABRIELLE

  Umm . . .

  She already has mine from homeroom

  PRIANKA

  Yeah & I don’t even know her

  CECILY

  She’s in our gym class right

  GABRIELLE

  Guys, can we get back 2 the dance comm disc?

  CECILY

  K let’s make list of songs we may wanna do 4 chorus & then we can bring to Mrs. Sempra

  & we can start practicing

  GABRIELLE

  K

  Gonna go work on list & text 2 u guys

  PRIANKA

  Same

  From: Kimberly Higgins

  To: Victoria Melford

  Subject: I MISS YOU

  Victoria,

  I miss you so much. School isn’t the same without your weird lunches and your crazy hairstyles. Are you still bringing cold eggplant pizza for lunch? What are your new friends like? Are the classes hard? We miss you so much. Write back ASAP.

  Lots of love,