Author's note: This story is the fourth installment of the "Songs About Jane" series, which revolves around Jane Morgan. The first story is "Calamity Jane," the second is "Paint Them a Picture, Jane," and the third is "Queen Jane Approximately." Reading those stories beforehand isn't essential to this one, but they would just some helpful context.
Diana, Age 12
Seventh grade is when Diana and Jane begin to grow apart. They have no classes together at all, and Jane is placed in the advanced math and science programs. Furthermore, Jane's free time is suddenly limited, as she signs up for school activities all across the board: yearbook, chorus, band, tennis, drama club, student government, and cross country. They don't even have the same lunch period anymore. In elementary school, Diana would spend several days a week with Jane after school. Now, it seems like Jane is too busy with sports, clubs, and committees to so much as watch a movie together.
But where Jane is distant from Diana, she seems deliberately cool toward Trixie. Diana isn't sure if anything happened, and Trixie denies it, but they must have had some kind of argument.
However, Trixie and Diana are in most of the same classes together, so at least Diana can spend time with one of her friends. Fortunately, like her, Trixie is in the regular science class, and they team up for the majority of their assignments.
But just after Christmas, Diana's world suddenly turns upside down. The holidays are less stressful than usual for her family; some of their stock investments have paid off, finally. Diana and her siblings receive various gifts, going well beyond the clothing and necessities usually given to them. One of her presents is an expensive at-home spa kit, and another is a luxurious silk scarf. Her brothers are inundated with toy cars and trucks, while her sisters are showered with plush toys. The constant worry about finances seems to have lifted, and Diana is relieved, not only for herself, but for her parents and younger brothers and sisters.
In early January, her family strikes it rich on the stock market, and their situation changes so quickly Diana's head is left spinning. Gone with the cramped apartment on Main Street- instead, they have a glamorous mansion on the Hudson. No more of her parents working multiple jobs to make ends meet- now, her mother stays home while her father has a secure gold collar position. No more watching her younger brothers and sisters, no more chores of any kind- there's a flock of servants to take care of every little thing.
The rags-to-riches transition makes her family an instant hit with the media, and now dozens of reports clamor for interviews, photographs, and television appearances. Thrust into a spotlight she doesn't want and doesn't know how to navigate, Diana closes in on herself, shying away from the attention. Becoming a celebrity overnight, even a small-scale one, is exhausting and stressful. Her life is changing enormously right before her eyes, and nothing she does can slow it down.
She begs her parents to let her remain at Sleepyside Junior-Senior High and not send her away to some snobby preparatory school, even though she's embarrassed at suddenly being the center of attention there. As awful as it is having no privacy, with her and her family's lives being reported in the society pages, starting over at a new school would be even worse.
At any rate, her closest friends seem to take her status change in stride. Trixie treats Diana no differently than usual, and neither does Jane, when they have the chance to talk.
"My birthday is in a few weeks," Jane tells her. "My mom is taking me shopping for it next weekend. Why don't you come along?"
"That would be great," Diana says fervently. "I'd love a chance to leave the house and just be normal for a few hours."
When the morning of the shopping trip arrives, Diana dresses nicely but casually, in clothes that won't be a hassle to reassemble in the changing rooms. The doorbell rings just as she's hurrying toward the stairs, rushing to answer before Harrison has the chance. He's quicker than she, though, and Jane enters the foyer just as Diana descends the staircase.
"Hey, Diana," Jane greets her with a smile. "Your home is lovely. I'm so jealous."
"It's all right," Diana says grudgingly. Personally, she finds their new mansion cold and inhospitable. "Would you like to say hello to my parents before we go?"
"Sure," Jane says. "Lead the way."
"Your mother is taking tea in the parlor, Miss Diana," Harrison informs her.
"Thank you, Harrison," Diana says, an edge in her voice. Her face heats as she escorts Jane to the parlor, simultaneously giving her a firsthand look at the house. She wonders if she seems silly to Jane, going from a small apartment to suddenly living in a big house with all sorts of servants and various types of expensive art and decorations.
For her part, Jane doesn't appear bothered by any of it.
"I really have to apologize," Jane tells Diana. "I haven't made much time for you and Trixie, and that's really unfair of me. And I don't want to make excuses, but- well, things at home are no better than they usually are. Anyway, I'm sorry for not being there for you."
"Oh, it's all right," Diana says, relieved as they approach the parlor. "I just want to have a nice day out together."
As they enter the room, Diana's mother looks up from her magazine. "Why, Jane!" She exclaims. "How to good to see you! But what are you doing here?"
Diana's stomach drops. "Well- she's here to take me shopping, remember? I told you about it, at least three times," she adds frantically.
"Oh." Diana's mother deflates slightly. "I must have forgotten."
"I'll be off then." Diana moves to go, but her mother stops her.
"Wait, Diana," her mother interferes. "Both of you, I'm so sorry," she says apologetically. "I didn't just forget your engagement with Jane. I also invited Trixie over to spend the morning and have lunch."
"You what?" Diana cries.
"I just thought it would be nice for you to have one of friends over, dear," Diana's mother defends herself. "You've been so isolated lately, and I thought you could do with some cheering up." She glances at Jane, apology written all over her face. "And of course, Jane is welcome to join in-"
"That's all right, Mrs. Lynch," Jane says hastily. "My mother's waiting on me in the car, and she's counting on me to go up to White Plains with her today. I do hope you all have a nice visit, though."
"I'm so sorry," Diana says desperately to Jane over and over as they walk back to the front entrance. "I meant to hang out with you today, honestly-"
"It's perfectly fine, Diana," Jane reassures her. "We can do something together next weekend. Knowing my father, we'll have a huge fight and he'll hand over his credit card in lieu of an apology." She smiles. "If you're free, we can go shopping then."
"That sounds good," Diana agrees in relief.
Harrison opens the door for Jane to leave, revealing Trixie, her hand poised in midair to ring the doorbell.
"Oh, hello, Diana, Jane, sir," she says, offering a smile at Harrison. "I didn't expect to see you, Jane. Will you be joining us?"
"Not today," Jane says pleasantly. "I just stopped by to pick up some photos for the yearbook. Have a good day, all." With a wave, she departs, walking toward her mother's waiting car.
The mix-up leaves Diana ashamed, confused, and embarrassed, even if Jane was kind about it. She becomes even more uncomfortable throughout Trixie's visit when it becomes clear that the lifestyle of her and her family has changed, but Trixie still expects her to be the same old Di. And Diana isn't sure if she still is that person, or if she can even play the role.
Still upset about the entire incident, Diana finds herself declining Jane's invitation for the next weekend.
"I'm really sorry, Jane," Diana says, old and new guilt washing over her. "But my family is scheduled to visit my grandparents that day. I won't have the time to go shopping with you." The lie comes to her easily.
"No worries," Jane says agreeably. "I could use the time to work on my science fair project. Oh! My Uncle David just gave me a puppy- his name is Pepper, and he's a Caucasian shepherd dog. You can come over and meet him when we choose a different day to hang out. Third time's the charm, right?"
"Right," Diana says, but her stomach lurches with the word. She loves Jane and considers her a good friend, but she doesn't know how to explain her lies, or even why she felt like she should lie.
On Saturday, Diana's mother drags her to the White Plains mall. Diana doesn't object too much, and she's also not worried- after all, Jane said she was going to be working on her science fair project.
After buying miscellaneous items from shops they'd previously never been able to afford, Diana's mother pushes her into a beauty salon and requests a complete makeover for Diana.
"You're a very pretty girl, dear," her mother says fondly. "It's time you decided to use that to your advantage."
Dutifully seating herself at one of the cosmetics stations, Diana waits patiently as the makeup artists match her skin tone and muse about blush and eyeshadow shades. She's not paying much attention, but when she spots a familiar figure in the mirror, panic sets in.
Jane is here, standing about halfway across the store. And if she sees Diana, she'll realize Diana lied to her about not being able to go shopping.
Shame floods Diana, and she turns her face away. Maybe Jane won't recognize her.
No such luck. A split second after when Diana accidentally turns forward to glance at her reflection, Jane turns around and spots her in the mirror, offering a friendly smile and wave.
Feeling absolutely horrible for her deception, Diana looks away, pretending she doesn't see Jane, but just then is joined by another familiar figure.
"Why, look who it is!" Trixie exclaims, strolling up to the cosmetics station. "Hey, Diana. How's it going?"
"Trixie, what are you doing here?" Diana hisses. She can feel her face growing red.
"Moms is here to pick up some lipstick," Trixie says. She makes a face. "She's also having me try on all sorts of clothes. She's probably going to give me some horrid dress or dumb high heels for my birthday."
Mortified, Diana watches Jane in the mirror. At first, Jane appears to be confused at seeing Trixie with Diana, but then her expression morphs into a blend of hurt and anger. She turns away from Diana, and doesn't look at her again before she leaves several minutes later, departing on her own.
The next week at school, Diana is enduring a now-normal part of her routine: get to class without meeting anyone's eyes in the hall. She deliberately looks down at the ground to avoid even a single gaze, but this tactic proves to be faulty when it comes to rounding corners. She collides with another person, and her books scatter all over the floor.
"I'm so sorry!" Diana exclaims, scrambling to retrieve her books as other students try to avoid tripping over them. "I'm sorry, I should have been looking where I was going-"
"Oh, it's fine," the other person soothes. "Oh, here's one of your notebo-"
The abrupt pause brings Diana to look up at the other person, and to her dismay, it's Jane.
Realizing identity of the person she's trying to help, Jane drops the notebook, and it falls to the floor with a slap. Standing, Jane pointedly ignores Diana, brushes off her skirt, and strides past her.
More ashamed and embarrassed of herself than ever, Diana merely watches her former friend walk away.
