the sulky teenager that i am/was

So anyway (which is a bad way to start a writeup, as my high school English teacher taught me ... No I made that part up :D as I am currently missing my self who was one of my high school English teacher's best students hehehe ... just kidding :D), I've spent Sunday so far in tears over the Second Summer of the Sisterhood* of the Traveling Pants (which is bad for grades, but to heck with my papers for now).

I just feel that somehow, part of us will always be that uncertain afraid brave adolescent, who in hating, loved more.

CARMABELLE

"Well." Carmen lifted her arms in the air and locked her elbows. She examined her hands up there. "Let's see. I want you to leave me alone, but not ignore me. I want you to miss me when I go away to college, but not be sad. I want you to stay exactly the same, but not be lonely or alone. I want to do the leaving, and not have you ever leave me. That's not really fair, is it?"

Christina shrugged. "You're the daughter. I'm the mother. It's not meant to be fair." She laughed. "I don't recall you changing any diapers."

Carmen laughed too.

"Oh, and one other thing." Carmen rolled back onto her side, facing her mom. "I want you to be happy." p. 283


LENNY
Dear Bee,

I send you the Pants full of love and strangeness. ... I mean putting yourself out there in the way of overwhelming happiness and knowing you're also putting yourself in the way of terrible harm. I'm scared to be this happy. I'm scared to be this extreme.

Love,
Lena

LENA, again
Two important things happened on Lena's fourth and last day in Greece. The first thing was that Grandma gave Lena Bapi's hideous white tasseled shoes, and amazingly, they fit Lena's giant feet. Grandma looked aghast, like she hadn't actually meant for Lena to put them on, but Lena was very pleased.

*By Ann Brashares, who should go and meet Australia's Melina Marchett, who wrote Looking for Alibrandi. Because I say so :D. thanks DD for the loan of the books!