AfterCROCK (Otherwise known as Aftershock)
This is the final book in the SVH series, before we move onto SVSY. In the previous book, an earthquake leveled the town of Sweet Valley and destroyed the Wackfield home. Diz and Enid were nearly electrocuted during the chaos and Jessica failed to save a little girl’s life. And oh yeah, two unattractive and non-wealthy peripheral characters kicked the bucket. I know, I know. It’s horrifying. Where will the Wackfields wolf down six tons of pancakes and waffles every morning?
Okay, now that we’re all caught up, let’s move on with this asinine plot, shall we?
We open with Jessica having a nightmare about Alyssa’s tumble off the edge of a crevice caused by the recent earthquake. Alyssa loses her grip and is left hanging by one hand. Jessica watches in horror as [Alyssa’s] fingers slip loose one by one. Four…three…two…For a split second, just Alyssa’s index finger held her from her death. How very Wile E. Coyote of her! The only thing missing was her eyes popping out of her head, remaining in the air for a split second, and then following her body as she plummeted to her death.
Jessica wakes up screaming bloody murder in a posh guest bedroom at Fowler Crest, where the Wackfields are staying while their home is being rebuilt. But the Fowlers only serve imported French pastries for breakfast. They would never allow anything as gauche as pancakes and waffles into their home.
Jessica lies in bed in the ornate guest room, crying her eyes out and feeling guilty for not saving Alyssa. Jessica wants to run to her sister for comfort, but Diz was ordered to get a ton of rest in order to recover after nearly being electrocuted. I don’t get it, she wasn’t electrocuted! What is there to recover from? A snake bite perhaps?
Jessica decides to be thoughtful for once and does not wake her sister. She worries about waking Lila, because she and Lila don’t have that type of friendship. Jessica basically admits to herself that their friendship is superficial and that they never discuss any personal problems. Jessica brushes aside these worries and decides to be an obnoxious houseguest. YOU CRAZY BEYOTCH! NEVER WAKE UP LILA FOWLER!
Jessica tells Lila that she can’t sleep, because she keeps dreaming about the girl that she killed. Lila argues that Jessica didn’t kill Alyssa and that it sounds like Jessica tried to save her. Jessica explains that she failed to save Alyssa, which is the same thing as killing her.
Lila, who is very logical for one thirty in the morning, says, “It’s completely different. You didn’t throw her into the hole.”
Lila’s right. Jessica didn’t kill Alyssa. In fact, she didn’t do anything wrong THIS TIME. However, earlier in the school year, she caused her boyfriend’s death by spiking his drink with magical vodka. She also nearly caused Annie Whitman to commit suicide. And she also - Oh forget it, the laundry list is too long!
Lila tries to make Jessica feel better by telling a tale of her own failure. “Well it's like when I had this garden party for my father's birthday, right? I put R.S.V.P. 'cause it was a sit-down dinner. But some people came that like did not R.S.V.P. I was like totally buggin'. I had to haul ass to the kitchen, redistribute the food, and squish in extra place settings. But by the end of the day it was, like, the more the merrier. And so if the government could just get to the kitchen, rearrange some things, we could certainly party with the Haitians. And in conclusion may I please remind you it does not say R.S.V.P. on the Statue of Liberty.”
Okay, okay, she didn’t say that. But it was pretty damn close. She tells Jessica about some huge faux pas she made with seating arrangements for one of her father’s business parties. Confused, Jessica asks Lila what her point was in telling this story.
HELLO, IT WAS HIS 50TH BIRTHDAY!
Lila explains that she thought she ruined her father’s event, but her father gave her credit for at least trying to help. Lila realizes that her faux pas and Alyssa’s death are not the same thing. Jessica agrees. Lila apologizes and explains that she doesn’t know what to say, but knows that Alyssa’s death wasn’t Jessica’s fault. Jessica gives her a big hug and thanks her for trying. I would snark, but aw shucks, that’s kind of sweet.
Jessica then wakes up Diz, who is supposed to be resting from her bout of almost electrocution. Diz also tries to convince Jessica that Alyssa’s death was not her fault, but Jessica doesn’t believe her. After a while, Jessica curls up next to Diz and goes to sleep.
Diz lays awake (THANKS, JESSICA) thinking about the earthquake. She mourns over Olivia’s death, thinking that it was especially tragic because Olivia had just gotten together with Ken. Ah, yes. Her life (and death) would not have been quite so meaningful if she had landed a chess player instead of a quarterback. She finally won the respect of her fellow SVHers, only to be crushed to death in one of those pesky refrigerator-related fatalities. Oh cruel fate…
After this brief interlude, Diz returns to thinking about her favorite subject - HERSELF. She wonders who could have possibly saved her and Enid from the brink of death by electrocution. Somehow, she comes to the conclusion that it must have been Devon Whitelaw.
The Wackfields aren’t the only people who can’t sleep tonight. Ken has been tossing and turning all night, mourning Olivia. He feels a tremendous amount of guilt. Unable to move the refrigerator off of her by himself, he ran for help. Olivia died while he was gone, because her hair was frizzy and some icky non-blond color.
Ken comes to the conclusion that he killed her, because he failed to save her. Are he and Jessica going to get back together? They have so much in common.
And now we join Devon, who is brooding while he recklessly rides his motorcycle through the cracked streets of Sweet Valley. Oh and I should mention that it’s dark, because all of the streetlights are down. What a brainchild! Devon rides up to Miller’s Point and is horrified to discover that there isn’t much left of it. It seems that most of Miller’s Point has crumbled into the hillside. There isn’t even room for one car on the point. Devon thinks to himself, that nobody would be driving their cars up here to make out ever again.
LIES! Tizzie hooks up there on their last night before going away to college in the first SVU book. How kind of Sweet Valley to rebuild this make out spot for all the John Pfeifers in training.
Anyway, Devon dwells on and on about the fact that he abandoned the love of his life because he was too chicken shit. Finally, he comes to the conclusion that he left the Wackfield home because he’s a survivor. Whatever, Devon… You’re boring! QUIT BORING EVERYBODY!
The next morning, Lila and Jessica drive around town to check out all of the destruction and chaos. The downtown area is pretty much in ruins and so are most of the expensive boutiques. Poor Lila…
They drive past Chez Sam, where Jessica reminds Lila of the time that she went on a date there while pretending to be Daniella Fromage.
Jessica is very relieved to discover that the high school is still in tact without much damage. Then she has a nervous breakdown when she discovers that the Dairi Burger is torn asunder. Both girls reminisce about all the fun (and sometimes not so fun) times they’ve had at their former hangout. Lila mentions that she first confronted John Pfeifer at the Dairi Burger. CONTINUITY ERROR ALERT! Lila confronted John for the first time at her own costume party. Jessica reminisces about all the fun times she had with Sam Woodruff. The ghostwriter kindly informs us that Sam had been killed in a tragic car accident, but what Jessica remembered most about him was how sweet he’d been and how much she’d loved him. What Jessica remembers least about him is the fact that SHE KILLED HIM!!!
Anyhoo…
Lila changes the subject and talks about the party they had after the Battle of the Junior Classes. Jessica bursts into tears, because Olivia at the party with them. Oh, please… I can’t even begin to count the number of times Jessica was cruel to Olivia. I know she’s been through a lot, but I’m really having trouble believing that our favorite sociopath is honestly all that devastated over Olivia.
Lila and Jessica quit reminiscing and head back to Lila’s house.
Enid and Diz also drive through the streets and Diz complains about the poshness of Fowler Crest. Gee, I know her home was destroyed and everything, but at least she isn’t out on the street! INGRATE! Diz tells Enid that the luxuriousness of the Fowler home reminds her of the time that she and Jessica were au pairs for a royal family in France. For fuck’s sake, another nonsensical reference! Why do I get the feeling that we’re going to have to endure several million more of these about almost every book in the series?
Diz and Enid drive through town, gaping at the destruction, and looking for a way to help. They run into Maria Santelli, who is searching for recruits to help set up a refugee center for earthquake victims without wealthy friends.
As Lila and Jessica drive home, they see a group of people clearing away rubble in front of a convenience store. Lila pulls over when she spots Todd helping with the clean up. Lila thinks that he looks sexy in a working class kind of way, but then happily remembers that he’s rich. Oh, Lila…
Lila and Todd almost kissed when they were trapped in the Wackfield bathroom together during the earthquake. Lila’s hoping that Todd will tell her that he can’t stop thinking about her, and so on. Todd blows her off to help clear away the rubble. Lila is miffed and threatens to kill him if he ever tells anyone about what almost happened between the two in the bathroom. They both angrily stomp away from each other. Lila, no. YOU CAN DO BETTER!!!
After Lila drives off, Todd mopes. It turns out he does have strong feelings for Lila, but he still isn’t over Diz. Yechhhh! What is the matter with him? Why is this even a contest? She’s Lila Freaking Fowler! And she probably wouldn’t cheat on you like a certain blond, aqua eyed, saintly ho bag.
Later that day, Diz drags Jessica for a sunset walk on the beach. Diz hopes that the ocean will make Jessica see that life is worth living. That’s an awful lot to ask from the Ocean.
Diz pesters her so much, that Jessica actually asks, “If I come with you, will you shut up and stop bothering me?” You know, I kind of like Jessica in this book!
Diz agrees and they trudge along by the water’s edge. Diz frets about Jessica, thinking that she has never acted quite like this before. Hey, I know death is a common phenomenon in Sweet Valley, but it still isn’t an every day occurrence. JUST LET HER GRIEVE! I really shouldn’t be too surprised by this callous Wackfield attitude.
And now we get a recap of Jessica’s dead pseudo-gangster boyfriend saga. It’s from Diz’s point of view, which only makes it that much more annoying. Folks, this may be a record. The ghostwriter recapped both Sam’s death and Christian’s death in the very same book. I don’t think I’ve ever come across a Sweet Valley book that actually acknowledged both deaths in the same book. Usually one boy gets slighted, and unfortunately that boy is usually Sam. In case you can’t tell, I totally heart Sam! I’m on pins and needles, waiting to see if we’ll get a recap of James’s death.
As the girls walk along the beach, they come across the collapsed Beach Disco. Diz tries to cheer Jessica up by joking that it’s a good thing Diz didn’t end up having Jessica’s surprise party there. Jessica bitches her out, sarcastically screams that it’s much better that Olivia and Ronnie died at their house, that Diz was almost killed by power lines, and that she ran out to get ice for the party and “killed” a little girl. I almost love Jessica for this. If only she had remembered Enid’s near death experience. Poor Enid, why doesn’t anyone ever acknowledge her existence?
The next day, the Wackfields go back to their house to try to salvage personal items. Diz and Alice act all fake over-the-top cheerful, which Jessica and I both find completely obnoxious. Diz and Alice get out of the car and Jessica finds it odd that Alice bothers to unlock the door when there is a huge hole in the side of the house. Am I the only one who is scared that Jessica is the voice of reason in this book?
Jessica goes up to her room and begins sorting through her things. Almost everything is trashed, but she manages to salvage a few things. The first thing she recovers is Christian’s surfboard, which only has a few scorch marks from the fire. Jessica reminisces about winning the surfing competition with his board.
She also managed to salvage Sam’s dirt bike helmet and Jessica reminisces about the time that Sam saved her from the cult. I’m not sure why his helmet reminded her of a cult, but whatever!
And then, the crowning glory of the entire SVH series! Drum roll, please!
Jessica thinks to herself, “How could I have been so foolish as to ever think life was fun? What kind of shallow monster have I been? All the time I was surrounded by death and never realized it.”
I’m literally in a state of shock right now. Either this is supposed to be some kind of defining moment in Jessica’s life, or the Ghostwriter is simply mocking the entire series. I’m thinking that it’s the latter.
Meanwhile, the mall is having a huge sale to help the earthquake victims replace their wardrobes and personal affects. Amy and Lila arrive at the mall, and Lila hates the mob scene. Amy babbles on and on about the sale and says that she doesn’t even know where to start her shopping spree.
Lila awesomely thinks, “How about in Brains R Us?” Hahahahahahahahaha!
Lila decides that they should shop at Lisette’s and Bibi’s, because she thinks that the expensive stores will be less crowded. Amy chimes in that she wants to go to Kiki’s, because it’s her FAVE.
Lila thinks, “Of course it is. Which explains why you always dress like a refugee from a third world nation.” OUCH! And, I almost forgot - hahahahahahahahahaha!
Amy rambles on about the fact that people are only shopping at the mall to feed their inner children.
Lila angrily replies, “That is not why everyone’s out shopping. To feed their inner child. Please. People’s stuff got destroyed in the earthquake, and there’s a sale. Duh.” God, I love Lila.
Lila and Amy run into Bruce Patman, who brags about being accepted into the business program - the most prestigious department at Sweet Valley University. Isn’t kindergarten more prestigious than all of the departments at SVU combined? Lila calls him out, asking if his father’s donation of a new wing for the library had anything to do with his acceptance into the program. Bruce gets all flustered when he remembers that Lila’s father is on the board of directors at SVU. I can’t think of a book where Lila’s been more awesome!
After they leave Bruce to his wallowing, Amy teases Lila about Bruce. Amy thinks that sparks are flying between them. I would say that this is an interesting coincidence, except that this book was probably published after the book where Lila and Bruce got together in the SVU series.
And then things turn ugly! Lila and Amy bump into Todd. Lila and Todd get into a screaming match and Todd calls Lila shallow. Lila cuts him down, asking what Diz saw in him that mad her jump all over Devon Whitelaw. I’m guessing it was his violent temper.
Todd angrily responds that Lila doesn’t even have the right to say Diz’s name and that she doesn’t have one-tenth the decency and kindness that Diz has. Hey, Todd! That’s a good thing! Diz’s idea of decency and kindness is to cheat on you every other week. I can’t remember Lila ever cheating on anybody. I’m just saying…
Lila holds back her tears and storms off. Todd feels guilty and wants to run after her to grovel. He also wants to grab her and kiss her. So violent…
Speaking of Diz, she and Enid show up at Devon’s doorstep and thank him profusely for saving their lives. Devon is confused at first, but decides it’s best to go along with their version of the story. Diz is even more attracted to him now that she believes he saved her life. Diz and Enid ask Devon for details about how he saved them, because neither of them can remember a thing. Devon makes up some bullshit story that the girls lap right up. Devon lies and says that while he helped Diz pull Enid to safety, Diz fell down and was knocked unconscious. Devon then claimed that he brought Enid to safety and went back to rescue Diz. Diz wants to make out with Devon, but stops herself because Enid is there. I’m surprised Diz actually acknowledged Enid’s presence and didn’t just start humping Devon’s leg right then and there.
On her way out, Diz asks Devon to go to a movie with her sometime soon. Devon is thrilled. Don’t expect to get in her pants, dude!
Later that night, Alice Wackfield checks up on Jessica and acts like a real parent for once. This book is totally blowing my mind… Jessica cries about killing Alyssa again. Alice assures her that she has no reason to feel guilty, but that if Jessica is feeling guilt, it might help if she volunteered at the refugee center. Jessica complains that it will be too geeky. Oh well, so much for Jessica’s new personality… Alice convinces her that it will not be geeky and talks her into volunteering the next day.
The next day at the refugee center, Maria Santelli makes Jessica watch an eight-year-old boy named Marcus. Marcus’s father is lying unconscious in the hospital and he has no other family. He’s been staying with Maria’s family, but Maria is too busy running the refugee center to play with him. Jessica dreads this assignment at first, but then decides that she likes Marcus and worries about his father.
A bunch of families have offered to take in people who lost their homes in the earthquake. Maria begs Diz to take charge of matching up families. Diz asks why Maria wants her to do this, instead of an adult.
Maria replies, “Don’t take offense to this Liz, but well… you’re you.” HOW BARFTASTIC!
At the end of the day, Diz thinks that she’s never been this exhausted, except for that time she outraced a flash flood in Death Valley. Hooray for more nonsensical references!
The girls pass by the Wackfield home on the way to Enid’s house and spot Devon’s motorcycle. They stop the car and Enid flirts outrageously with Devon. She even convinces him to drive her home on his motorcycle. Diz then kindly recaps her motorcycle tragedy for us. Diz gets extremely jealous as she watches Devon and Enid ride off. Don’t worry, Diz. Devon doesn’t love Enid. Nobody loves Enid…
Devon is extremely uncomfortable during the motorcycle ride and thinks that the geeky girl is getting just a little too friendly. I’m so embarrassed for Enid right now… Devon wishes that Diz was riding behind him, holding onto him. He even fantasizes that Diz would slip her hands under his shirt during the ride. Dream on, Devon! Diz would never be so brazen!
Devon has to pass by his house to get to Enid’s but is stopped by a group of reporters gathered on his lawn. They ask all kinds of questions about how he saved the lives of two girls during the earthquake. He tries to avoid answering, but Enid opens up her yap.
Later that night, Diz watches the news with her parents, Lila, and Lila’s parents. Diz brings in a big bowl of popcorn and George Fowler asked where she got it. He’s confused because he gave the cook the night off. Diz snarkily replies that she made the popcorn herself. Alice gives her a warning look and Diz immediately backpedals and tells George how much she likes his kitchen. THAT’S RIGHT DIZ, DON’T BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU!
Dyan Sutton appears on the screen. Lila talks about how Dyan used to be a sportscaster, but was recently promoted. CONTINUITY ERROR ALERT! The ghostwriter informs us that Mrs. Sutton had been WXAB’s sportscaster for over a year. IMPOSSIBLE! Amy Sutton moved back to Sweet Valley after the school year had already started. Who knows what month it was, but even if it had been September, Dyan could have only been a sportscaster for nine months. Somebody obviously forgot to read the Cliffs Notes!
Dyan interviews a reluctant Devon and a way too exuberant Enid. Lila mocks Enid’s dress and Diz doesn’t stick up for her at first because of her earlier jealousy. Then she feels slightly guilty and half-heartedly defends Enid. No wonder Enid dumps Diz during the SVU series…
Jessica wakes up from another nightmare and runs out of Fowler Crest.
Olivia’s mother phones Ken and asks him to give the eulogy at Olivia’s memorial service. Then she invites him over for lunch the following day. After the call is over, Ken flips out and runs out of the house.
Ken and Jessica run into each other (not literally) on the bleachers at the school football field. The two embrace and cry in each other’s arms. They both admit that they feel guilty for killing someone and each try to convince the other that they are not at fault.
Jessica tells Ken that she wishes she had died instead of Alyssa. Ken gets angry and calls her a liar. He chews her out, because she didn’t even know the little girl, while Ken lost the love of his life. Hey, Ken! Jessica can relate. She’s lost the love of her life three times already! Ken tells Jessica that she doesn’t understand true love, because she cheated on him so mercilessly. Ken storms off and both think angry thoughts towards the other.
The next day, Maria Slater tells Diz that she’s pretty sure that Devon didn’t save her and Enid. Maria explains that she regained consciousness while she was lying on the lawn and remembers hearing Devon refusing to help Diz. Diz doesn’t believe Maria, the two argue, and Diz stomps off in anger. BORING!
Speaking of boring, Jessica is skimming rocks with Marcus at Secca Lake. She starts reminiscing about the time that Todd secretly visited her from Vermont and they hooked up at Secca Lake. ANATHEMA!
Marcus interrupts her little reverie and asks her to take him to the hospital to visit his father. Jessica reluctantly agrees.
Ken arrives at Olivia’s house and her parents pressure him to give the eulogy at the memorial service the following day. Ken finally breaks down and tells them that he can’t, because Olivia’s death is his fault. He tells the Davidsons that he didn’t come back with help fast enough to save her. The Davidsons assure him that it isn’t his fault and insist that he spend some time in Olivia’s art studio before he says no to giving the eulogy. This is getting a little creepy… I won’t bore you by running through his time in the studio, his emotional breakthrough, and yada yada yada. To sum it all up, Ken emerges from the studio in tears and agrees to do the eulogy. Duh…
Jessica and Marcus arrive at the hospital and discover that Marcus’s father has come out of the coma. Jessica’s spirits are slightly uplifted. Oh and apparently Diz forgot to take her clothes home from the hospital and the nurse recognizes Jessica and gives her the clothes. This may seem unimportant, but it will lead to a very lame discovery later.
Maria Slater shows up at Fowler Crest to see Diz. The two apologize to each other and Maria convinces Diz to try hypnosis in order to get her memory back. Maria comes up with some far-fetched reason to explain how she knows how to put someone under hypnosis. Trust me, it’s too stupid to repeat.
Maria successfully hypnotizes Diz. First, Diz relives the night that she won Todd away from Jessica after Todd punched Rick at Kelly’s Roadhouse. Maria laughs and says that Diz was making weird kissing noises while she was under. EWWWWWWW!
Then, Maria asks her about the earthquake. Diz starts complaining about a snake, falling in the water, and how heavy Enid is. Sheesh, don’t give the girl a complex or anything. Did we not learn anything from Robin Wilson’s short-lived bout with anorexia? Maria argues that if Enid was heavy, then maybe Devon really wasn’t helping Diz save her. Diz argues that Devon wouldn’t lie, because she could never fall in love with someone who lied to her that horribly. That’s interesting logic, isn’t it?
After Jessica gets home from the hospital, she discovers that Alyssa’s parents and brother are at Fowler Crest. Alice and Ned contacted Alyssa’s parents to let them know that Jessica wasn’t taking Alyssa’s death very well. Of course Alyssa’s parents rushed right over to comfort Jessica. This is just absurd. I don’t know what else to say. I think it was incredibly inappropriate of Alice and Ned to contact the dead girl’s parents to comfort Jessica. Of course, it’s typical Wackfield behavior…
Alyssa’s parents try to make their son say something to comfort Jessica, but he flips out and blames Jessica for Alyssa’s death. I don’t think Alyssa’s death was Jessica’s fault, but I’m really glad that someone had the sense not to comfort Jessica in this case. Jessica agrees with Alyssa’s brother, blames herself again, and runs off crying.
Meanwhile, Diz removes the clothes from the hospital bag and is confused as to why they smell like chlorine. She thinks for a minute that Devon’s story might not add up, but quickly squashes this thought. Because she wuvs him…
Alyssa’s parents make their son follow Jessica to apologize. At first, he doesn’t say anything and then breaks down crying. He tells Jessica that he was only blaming her so that he wouldn’t have to blame himself. Then he begs Jessica to forgive him. Oh lord… Why is it always about Jessica? At the end of this lunacy, Jessica finally realizes that neither one of them is at fault. She finally stops blaming herself for Alyssa’s death.
The next day, everyone attends Olivia’s memorial service. During the service, Diz notices that Dana Larson is wearing a silver arm cuff in the shape of a snake. How very appropriate for a funeral… Anyway, this brings back Diz’s memory.
THE END
I keed, I keed! Oh if only the book had ended right then and there. I had to suffer through the rest of the book and now you do too! Well, I guess you could just stop reading this recap. But please don’t!
Diz remembers the rattlesnake in the pool. And pulling herself out of the pool after Devon had abandoned her. So that’s why her clothing smelled like chlorine. Good work, Nancy Drew!
Diz remembers that she saved Enid alone, because no one else gives two shits about Enid. Diz stares at Devon and she knows that he knows that she knows that he did not save her life. Are you still with me?
Hey, Diz! Can we get back to your dead friend’s funeral now?
So, Olivia’s parents invite people to speak about Olivia. Penny Ayala says some boring things about The Oracle. A slew of Olivia’s ex-boyfriends say some inane things. Then Nicholas Morrow gets up. Instead of talking about Olivia, he talks about how Olivia helped him when he was grieving over his dead sister, Regina. REGINA ALREADY HAD A FUNERAL! CAN WE PLEASE TALK ABOUT OLIVIA! FUCKING SWEET VALLEY!
But it gets better. Nicholas starts talking directly to Olivia. Nicholas tells her good-bye and says, “Say hello to Regina for me.” I swear on my life that I’m not kidding!
Finally, Ken gets up to give a sappy eulogy. But at least he talks about Olivia! I won’t bore you with the details. To summarize, Ken says that Olivia made him a better person, she inspired his soul, and that she could always see the best in everyone that she met.
After the service, Lila cries her eyes out. She feels terrible that she never got to know Olivia. She wishes that they had been friends, so that she would have finally had a real friend. Todd comes up and comforts her.
Diz confronts Devon and asks why he lied about rescuing her. Devon asks if she has all her memories back and she admits that she still doesn’t know who rescued her and Enid. Devon asks how she knows that it wasn’t him. Diz can tell that he’s lying and is horrified that she threw away her relationship with Todd over someone so deceitful. I for one, think its karma. Look how many times Diz has lied to or cheated on Todd.
Meanwhile, Todd kisses Lila and feels nothing. Lila is as disgusted as I am that he kissed her at a funeral.
The two have an argument and Lila says, “You’re the worst kisser I’ve ever had the displeasure of meeting lips with. No wonder Elizabeth dumped you. It was the smartest thing that dork ever did!” THANK GOD OUR LILA IS BACK!
Unfortunately, Amy witnessed the kiss and she blackmails Lila into buying her a new wardrobe for school in the fall. I approve! I wish Lila would take me shopping!
Diz continues to confront Devon and backup arrives in the form of EVERYBODY. Ken speaks up and says that he knows for a fact that Devon didn’t save Diz and Enid. While he was running out of the house looking for someone to help him lift a refrigerator, he saw a stranger pulling Diz to safety. A stranger? Really? That’s the best you could do, Francine?
Anyway, Devon finally breaks down and admits that he lied. Everyone shuns him and Devon leaves. Not just the funeral, HE LEAVES TOWN! Someone throw a parade!
Later that night, Diz stops by Todd’s house as he’s packing to leave for basketball camp. She finally apologizes for how she treated him during the whole Devon fiasco. He accepts her apology and knows that he still has strong feelings for her. She asks where they stand and Todd tells her that he doesn’t know if there will ever be trust between them again. Is that a rhetorical question? He tells her he’ll miss her and that she’s his best friend. YUCK! Oh well, at least he finally grew a pair and didn’t take her back.
The next morning, everyone gathers to scatter Olivia’s ashes into the ocean. After the ceremony, Ken apologizes for yelling at Jessica the other day. Jessica apologizes for being insensitive. This book is still blowing my mind… As Jessica, Diz, and Lila head back to Fowler Crest, Jessica realizes that she’s a different person now and that Sweet Valley will never be the same.
WHAT THE FUCK? WHO WAS THE STRANGER? Did anyone read SVSY? Does Francine ever tell us? If not, we should all just vote on who we think it was. I think it was ALF.