SVH #20: Crash Landing!
The violently purple cover never happened. Liz wasn't around for the CRASH LANDING! But of course, we have to make a Wakefield twin prominent in as many books as possible, so here's an Elizabeth who is surprisingly clean and gorgeous for having just rescued her best friend.
George Warren and Enid are flying above Secca Lake. Enid is gushing over the green hills and the lake and wonders if anyone from SVH is watching, even though nobody knows it is them. George is silently angsting over how he can tell Enid he doesn't love her anymore. He loves Formerly Fat Robin Wilson, because she understands his dream of being a pilot! Um...I know this is high school romance, but still. One thing in common? Isn't that a bit cheesy? He angsts! The engine suddenly cuts out! He panics! Enid screams! He tries to guide the plane across the lake, but it sinks. Enid saves George's life, because he goes unconcious. She pulls him out of the plane, but as she does so--and he wakes up--she hits herself hard on her tailbone. There is a very painful hurt...foreshadowing, anyone? George has to pull her to shore, because she's LOST ALL FEELING IN HER LEGS!
The SVH crew, including Todd, Ken Matthews and Robin Wilson (but not the Twins), panics. Todd runs into Secca Lodge to call 911 and "pants" into the pay phone. Enid and George are rushed into the hospital.
The twins are at the police station with their parents because Jessica was threatened by her latest date, Jack Howard, because she discovered he was a druggie (which book was this? Anyone?). Steven isn't there, it explains, because he's at college (wow! finally!). They overhear on the radio about the plane--the plane Liz knows Enid's on. For some reason, even Jessica practically has a mental breakdown. I'd expect drama because she knows Enid, but she acts like Enid's her closest friend. As for Liz, Liz practically melts. We still get the "gorgeous, blue-eyed, perfect-size-six blonds" spiel, though!
Eventually, Mrs. Rollins, the Wakefields, and George--who was so saved by Enid he was released--find out Enid's paralyzed! George sneaks into Enid's room. Enid's drugged into sleep, but he mopes over her and blames himself and wonders what to do about the girlfriend situation. Elizabeth goes home and cries into her pillow and mentally tears down George for having mixed emotions and for almost cheating on Enid. He's not going to DARE break up with her now! Because St. Liz, who's NEVER cheated before, will make sure of it.
On the next school day, Jess wonders if she should go to the gourmet cooking class she signed up for! The teacher is late and she ends up making mustard and cursing Lila. She's so upset over Enid (Jess, not Lila). But then the handsome, young, French teacher-chef comes in. Jess drools. Lila snarks. That's our girl. Jess hasn't even spoken to "Jean Pierre" (come ON!) and she's in love.
Gossip! Allen Walters (Robin's bf, also dangling in the George-Robin fiasco) and Robin broke up, and George is seen at Robin's house when Jess and Lila go to tell Robin that cheerleading practice is changed. Liz and Jess believe that Robin and George actually decided to finally start seeing each other now. The twins are so mad! They are better than that! *snort*
During the next days, all the circles--Cara, Lila, Jess, Liz, etc.--is all a-gossip about the latest "Cheaters?" fiasco. Jess and some of her followers give Robin the cold shoulder. Liz finally gets to visit Enid, and it is WONDERFUL for Enid. She mentions she's glad she got to see George. Liz says nothing. George comes into the room; Enid gushes. Back at his home, from George's POV, we see that he knows Liz, who knows the truth of the Robin-George-Enid fiasco, won't tell Enid. But he thinks that the expression in her blue-green eyes drove him crazy! He doesn't know if he can tell Robin that it is over, and keep living a lie.
The whole drama between Liz and George and Enid continues until an operation, not mentioned before, is suddenly done to Enid. Suddenly, she will soon be able to walk again! But then Liz and George have a heart-to-heart. George insists he knows what he's doing by not telling Enid. Liz worries about what he'll do now that Enid can walk.
Robin Wilson has her own POV. People at SVH, students, her classmates, have been avoiding her, right? For advice, she arranges to meet someone at Casey's ice-cream parlor. Who could it be? None other than St. Elizabeth! But for once, Liz can't give advice. She is too upset! It's an overly dramatic scene. It boils down to--Robin wants to hook up with George again if Enid gets 100% better, but Liz says Enid won't be 100% for a long time because of the shock, and that there's been too much lying.
Then Liz is worried because Enid's in a depression spiral. I can understand that. But she stresses out because Enid isn't herself and isn't all happy jolly and isn't walking, even though she can! It's not normal "I am so sorry Enid's depressed" worry, it's "How dare Enid not be a perfect, happy follower!" worry. So she angsts until a dinner party, where Enid eats lots of spaghetti, but acts weird around George and says she didn't go to physical therapy. Hmm...
Enid notices George is distant. He loves me, he loves me not? At "the biggest dance of the year" (see B plot), George acts weird, and Enid makes him dance with someone else. Then she sees him dance with Robin Wilson, and cries into Elizabeth's arms.
Enid shuts down and she really thinks she can't walk. Mrs. Rollins goes to Liz for help, and she arranges for Teddy Collins, Mr. Collins' son, to fake drowning in front of Enid. Teddy can really swim very well, but Enid doesn't know, so she JUMPS UP AND SAVES HIM! Enid realizes she can walk and should walk! Enid lets all the drama go...
THE B PLOT...
Jessica enrolls in her cooking class, and tries to win the heart of the handsome French teacher-chef, Jean-Pierre. The "biggest dance of the year", which is one of only dozens and dozens, of course, is coming up. She must be with Jean-Pierre at the dance! This cooking class is great; Jessica is into haute cuisine. She starts turning her nose up at ordinary food and combing cookbooks to help her cook. She gets kind of good, and makes all kinds of great dishes. One day she stays deliberately after class, trying to get Jean-Pierre to notice her. He compliments her cooking, but then a gorgeous, red-headed French woman flies in and wraps herself around him! His wife! Still, Jess wants to prove to her family she can cook, so she stays in class, eventually making her family a seafood salad--and gives them food poisoning, opening up to lots of teasing (I actually felt semi-sorry for Jess here).
Additional snark:
The girls trade off loading the dishwasher, and Jessica thinks it is too much work (this occurs in several other books, too). Because loading the dishes from four people and pouring soap flakes into the dispenser is so hard.