Mary Anne grinned as she re-read Sharon's journal entry. She felt her body fill with a warming comfort as she thought of how her dad and stepmom first began dating. As she looked into the box of her parents mementos she noticed an album with notes and pictures falling out of it. She picked up the book and gently opened it being careful not to tear the pages. She brought the book close to her and she tried to figure out what it was that was glued to the page. Is that straw? Why is there straw or hay glued in here? As she turned the book sideways she was able to read a description. Our first date, bike riding and ice cream. This is the grass Richie pulled out of my hair after I fell off my bike.
She turned the page slowly reading each description carefully. She couldn't believe that her scatterbrained step-mother had devoted so much time and effort into these scrapbooks. Even the smallest of details was glued in the book with a little description. She saw a ticket with the words SHS Halloween Hop embossed on it and eagerly turned the pages slowly looking at the pictures. Sharon had dressed up as Cher and wore a long dark wig with bell bottoms. It didn't look as if her father had dressed up at all. Mary Anne squinted as she looked at the pictures. Her father had his head back and was laughing in one of the pictures but as she looked closely, she noticed Sharon with a sad expression in her eyes. Frowning, she picked up Sharon's journal and began reading again.
Oct 25
ARGH! My parents make me so mad. Every time I bring up Richie's name or talk about something we did, they exchange this look. It's driving me crazy. I had told mom that I was upset because I wanted to dress in a costume for the dance but he didn't. She said "Well maybe you should go with a boy who can afford a costume." What the hell? They are so obsessed with the fact that he doesn't have money. I told her he didn't want to dress up because that's not his thing but she wasn't listening. I think I am going to dress up as a mermaid or as Cher. I tried to get Richie to dress like Sonny but he just looked at me funny.
Nov 2
Sorry I haven't been updating. Things have not been going good. My dad found out that Richie's dad is the janitor at his office building. He sat me down and tried to feed me a load of bs about being with our kind and certain social groups belong together. Blah blah blah. I wanted so bad to tell him about when I went out with Mr. Moneybags-Kip Keller last summer, and he tried to get me into the backseat of his car. When I told him that I didn't do that he all but left me on the side of the road. If that's the social class he wants me to date…NO THANK YOU! Anyways, Halloween Hop was kind of a downer. I got into a huge fight with my parents about Richie right before he came to pick me up. They want me to stop seeing him. Who are they to decide who I date? I was kind of out of it most of the dance. Richie had fun though. I think we are going to double with Ginger & Jim next weekend. My friend like Richie, why can't my parents.
Not all has been bad though. After the dance, when he walked me to my door…HE KISSED ME! I hoped he would, he was all nervous and so cute. He finally asked me if it would be alright to kiss me. Of course I said yes! Ginger thinks he's going to ask me to go steady. I hope I hope I hope. Although my parents will probably hit the roof. Why can't they understand that he makes me happy?