BSC in NYC
Author's note: Kristy's little song there at the end is the BSC theme song from the videos that came out in the '90s, so if you recognize it, that's why.
My friends and I were on the train headed back to Stoneybrook. Nobody was talking and everybody looked sullen. I didn't know why this was because we had just spent some time in New York City, the most exciting city in the world! Even Stacey, our city girl, had her arms crossed and was glaring out the window.
I was the first one to speak up. "Didn't anybody have a good time in New York?"
Claudia, who no longer had her hot pink and silver mohawk, and was back to her regular long, glossy, black hair, replied, "Everybody was staring at me like I was some kind of freak when I had my new hair style."
"Well, Claud, it was a little crazy," Dawn pointed out.
Claudia glared at her. "At least I didn't end up in the pages of US Weekly attacking J-Lo!"
Dawn crossed her arms. "That no talent hack got what she deserved! I just hope the many readers of US Weekly see what a cruel and heartless woman she is and boycott all her movies, music, and merchandise."
"I'll tell you who I'd like to see people boycott," Mary Anne huffed. "Cam Geary, that's who. He is a grade-A, class-A son of a you-know-what. I hope when Ghetto Knight comes out, it's panned across the board by critics."
"With a title like Ghetto Knight, I'm sure it will," Jessi said, rolling her eyes. "Besides, I don't know why you're so surprised to find out that Cam Geary was a jerk. I always sensed he was from watching his interviews on Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood."
"Yeah, he always acted like he was hot stuff," I agreed.
"Besides," Jessi continued, "You were never going to marry Cam, so what does it matter? I, on the other hand, suffered a deafening blow when I found out Quint - my Quint, the one I was going to marry - told me he was gay." She lowered her voice. "That means he likes other boys!"
Stacey snorted. "Jessi, I could have told you that when I first met him! The fact that he's a ballet dancer was a huge tip off on my gaydar to me."
"Well, excuse me," Jessi replied, "but I live in Stoneybrook where there's less gay people than there are black people, so how was I supposed to know he was gay?"
"You're eleven, you'll get over it," Stacey snapped. "And at least your dad's girlfriend didn't embarrass you by writing an article about you which isn't even true for the whole city to read!"
We were all quiet for awhile, looking at each other uncomfortably. We had all read Carrie Bradshaw's article and every word she had written, while unkind, was true about Stacey.
Claudia patted her best friend's should reassuringly. "Carrie Bradshaw has no idea what she's talking about and it's no wonder she can't get a man! Your dad was too good for her. And she only wrote those means things about you because she's jealous."
"Thank God my dad dumped her," Stacey said. "He was furious when he read the article! He knows his baby girl would never do those things!"
"Well, I bet nobody had a worse time than me," Mallory said, finally speaking up. "I was treated like a baby at the American Girl Place, nobody liked my story about Meaghan and Ryan Mouse I read at NYU, and I wasn't picked to be an extra on Hannah Montana, but Karen and Jessi were." She slumped in her seat and pouted.
"Well, I think it's safe to say we all had a sucky time in New York," said Dawn. "Maybe some worse than others." She narrowed her eyes at me. "But what about you, Kristy? Did anything bad happen to you?"
I shook my head. "No, actually, I had a great time."
"Well, I'm glad somebody was able to," Stacey muttered.
"We should have gone to California," Dawn said. "Then everybody would have had a great time."
"Oh, you mean like the last time when we all went when Stacey nearly died in that car accident, Kristy got into a fight with Sunny, Mallory made herself look like an idiot with her dyed blonde hair-"
"Hey!" exclaimed Mallory.
"-and I had to baby-sit for an asthmatic girl who nearly died?" finished Mary Anne.
"Well, at least none of our problems were published for the whole country to read about!" Dawn snapped back.
"You guys, let's not fight!" I pleaded. "We're the Baby-SItters Club! Say hello to your friends! Because you know that your friends are always there."
"Oh, Kristy, must you always sing that stupid song?" groaned Stacey.
"You can always count on me, and I can count on you," Mallory and Jessi chimed in with the theme song I had made up for our club.
The others joined in reluctantly. "Good times, bad times, inbetwen my friends will see me through."
"We'll be sharing wonderful times everyday," I croon. "All together, singing a song, growing in every way!"
"Say hello to your friends! Baby-SItters Club! Say hello to the people who care! Nothing's better than friends! Baby-Sitters Club! Cuz you know that your friends are always there!" we all sing together. "If I'm feeling down and out, if I'm feeling blue, I know I can lean on you, my friends will see me through. We're growing up together, never to part!"
We were soon all singing, my friends forgetting about the crappy time they had in New York. After all, we are the BSC and we can get through anything!