If it seems like the breaking of up of the BSC was quick, well, it wasn't.
Truth is, since the last day of eighth grade, nothing has been the same. SMS is no longer a school I can call my own; I won't be able to go down into the basement and find Cary Retlin among SMS's deepest (and dankest) secrets. I don't think I will be able to feel the same way about SHS as I do about SMS. For one thing, SHS is HUGE. SMS only 382 people, which is pretty small for a public school. SHS is Kelsey Middle, SMS, and some people from places like Stoneybrook Day School all put together. It's scary to think about.
So the summer was filled with Claudia, Stacey, and Mary Anne excitedly talking about the changes in our lives. Claudia designed a line of jewelry for Stacey's mother's new clothing store, Paradisa. Mary Anne's spent the summer adjusting to her new barn-house; plus Dawn was here for the summer so she was wrapped up in hanging out with her sister.
Me? There's nothing new in my life. No boyfriend, no changes in my family (lord knows we had enough of those from 7th-8th grade--now known as the BSC era of my life). So there I was, watching everyone else rather talk about other things than baby-sitting, and not really caring all that much about the Club.
The Club was a very time-consuming thing, but for me, it was always a labor of love. Talent shows, writing in the Notebook--every time I sat in that director's chair, I saw how one little idea of mine REALLY succeeded and exceeded what I'd hope for it. My experiences in the BSC somehow meant to me that I could do the same thing for a business that made a lot of money and didn't have the word "club" in its title. The BSC, it seemed, was a foreshadow for my future.
Hopefully, the end of the BSC isn't giving away any hints about what is going to happen to my future business venture.
The day after the breakup, my friends and I went to Washington Mall. We had planned this last week, so no one had any idea that it would turn into a "Cheer Kristy Up" trip then.
Sam (a recently licensed driver) drove us there in the Junk Bucket. He was meeting his new girlfriend, Laura Sanchez, and reluctantly agreed to drive us. I'm sure he regretted his decision when Stacey had him play U4Me all the way there. I was sort of regretting it too: not only was I not in the mood for shop (not like I ever am), but I HATE U4Me.
As the last chords of "Never Say Goodbye" faded out, we pulled into the parking lot. Claudia and Stacey spilled into the parking lot like Shannon (the puppy, not the human) does when she's let out.
"Where first?" Claudia asked.
"Food court," I replied.
Stacey rolled her eyes. "Steven E.," was her suggestion.
Mary Anne and Claudia agreed. Three to One. It was designer clothes time.
We walked at a brisk pace through Lear's and through the rest of mall that was in the way of Stacey and Claud's holy grail. When we got there, me, the athlete, was nearly out of breath, but Stace and Claud weren't even winded.
"I'm not into this prairie stuff," Stacey informed us. "I know it's cool and all, but I never had a need to look like Laura Ingalls Wilder."
"I love those books. And the TV show too. Michael Landon was such a great dad," Mary Anne sighed, thinking of a childhood filled with rainy days spent reading about farmlife, I guess.
"Who's Michael Landon?" Claud asked.
"Who cares?" Stacey replied. "Look at this skirt! It'd be fantastic on you, Kristy!"
Everyone laughed. Me, Kristy, spend my money on a designer skirt? Get real!
By this time, Claudia had picked out a turquoise sheer shirt, Stacey a sleek safari-style top, and Mary Anne a delicate tiered skirt. I found nothing but a pair of sunglasses. I thought they'd be great until I looked at the price tag--60 dollars. Yikes! I dropped them like a hot potato.
"You know," Stacey said wistfully. "Once I'm no longer getting jobs through the BSC, I'm not really going to have money to spend on clothes."
"Can't you work at your mom's store?" Mary Anne asked.
"Yeah, but living paycheck-to-paycheck is different from getting, like, 30 dollars per job in one lump sum."
"Well, I know that I may have to cut down on my junk food habit," Claudia said forlornly.
Mary Anne smiled. "I bet your parents will be happy!" Everyone laughed, except, of course, me.
Mary Anne noticed this, of course. "Sorry Kristy," she said quickly, and gave my shoulders a quick squeeze.
I managed a weak smile.
Truth is, since the last day of eighth grade, nothing has been the same. SMS is no longer a school I can call my own; I won't be able to go down into the basement and find Cary Retlin among SMS's deepest (and dankest) secrets. I don't think I will be able to feel the same way about SHS as I do about SMS. For one thing, SHS is HUGE. SMS only 382 people, which is pretty small for a public school. SHS is Kelsey Middle, SMS, and some people from places like Stoneybrook Day School all put together. It's scary to think about.
So the summer was filled with Claudia, Stacey, and Mary Anne excitedly talking about the changes in our lives. Claudia designed a line of jewelry for Stacey's mother's new clothing store, Paradisa. Mary Anne's spent the summer adjusting to her new barn-house; plus Dawn was here for the summer so she was wrapped up in hanging out with her sister.
Me? There's nothing new in my life. No boyfriend, no changes in my family (lord knows we had enough of those from 7th-8th grade--now known as the BSC era of my life). So there I was, watching everyone else rather talk about other things than baby-sitting, and not really caring all that much about the Club.
The Club was a very time-consuming thing, but for me, it was always a labor of love. Talent shows, writing in the Notebook--every time I sat in that director's chair, I saw how one little idea of mine REALLY succeeded and exceeded what I'd hope for it. My experiences in the BSC somehow meant to me that I could do the same thing for a business that made a lot of money and didn't have the word "club" in its title. The BSC, it seemed, was a foreshadow for my future.
Hopefully, the end of the BSC isn't giving away any hints about what is going to happen to my future business venture.
The day after the breakup, my friends and I went to Washington Mall. We had planned this last week, so no one had any idea that it would turn into a "Cheer Kristy Up" trip then.
Sam (a recently licensed driver) drove us there in the Junk Bucket. He was meeting his new girlfriend, Laura Sanchez, and reluctantly agreed to drive us. I'm sure he regretted his decision when Stacey had him play U4Me all the way there. I was sort of regretting it too: not only was I not in the mood for shop (not like I ever am), but I HATE U4Me.
As the last chords of "Never Say Goodbye" faded out, we pulled into the parking lot. Claudia and Stacey spilled into the parking lot like Shannon (the puppy, not the human) does when she's let out.
"Where first?" Claudia asked.
"Food court," I replied.
Stacey rolled her eyes. "Steven E.," was her suggestion.
Mary Anne and Claudia agreed. Three to One. It was designer clothes time.
We walked at a brisk pace through Lear's and through the rest of mall that was in the way of Stacey and Claud's holy grail. When we got there, me, the athlete, was nearly out of breath, but Stace and Claud weren't even winded.
"I'm not into this prairie stuff," Stacey informed us. "I know it's cool and all, but I never had a need to look like Laura Ingalls Wilder."
"I love those books. And the TV show too. Michael Landon was such a great dad," Mary Anne sighed, thinking of a childhood filled with rainy days spent reading about farmlife, I guess.
"Who's Michael Landon?" Claud asked.
"Who cares?" Stacey replied. "Look at this skirt! It'd be fantastic on you, Kristy!"
Everyone laughed. Me, Kristy, spend my money on a designer skirt? Get real!
By this time, Claudia had picked out a turquoise sheer shirt, Stacey a sleek safari-style top, and Mary Anne a delicate tiered skirt. I found nothing but a pair of sunglasses. I thought they'd be great until I looked at the price tag--60 dollars. Yikes! I dropped them like a hot potato.
"You know," Stacey said wistfully. "Once I'm no longer getting jobs through the BSC, I'm not really going to have money to spend on clothes."
"Can't you work at your mom's store?" Mary Anne asked.
"Yeah, but living paycheck-to-paycheck is different from getting, like, 30 dollars per job in one lump sum."
"Well, I know that I may have to cut down on my junk food habit," Claudia said forlornly.
Mary Anne smiled. "I bet your parents will be happy!" Everyone laughed, except, of course, me.
Mary Anne noticed this, of course. "Sorry Kristy," she said quickly, and gave my shoulders a quick squeeze.
I managed a weak smile.