Elizabeth's Secret Diary Vol II Part Four
Thanks for bearing with me on this one, there's not much left now. I just realised I am meta-recapping - ie. Elizabeth is recapping the events of each book, and I am recapping Elizabeth's recap (similar to meta-thinking which is thinking about thinking, or even cooler metafiction which is what my favourite books and movies are about [for example the book "Sophie's World" by Jostein Gaarder, and the movie "Stranger than Fiction"]). At this time in the morning on so little sleep, the concept sounds very deep and philosophical to me. And philosophy is, believe it or not, my number one interest.
So then what am I doing recapping childish Sweet Valley books (which requires actually re-reading them) at age 24? The question is just too complex for my brain to answer at the moment, so I'll procrastinate in answering it by finishing off my recap. Does that make sense? Probably not, but still sadly my writing is probably not much worse than Elizabeth's.
Part Four
So Mr Wakefield is arriving home again from the temporary separation. About time! Elizabeth is happy, though she's having trouble ignoring her conscience reminding her that she's a cheating cheater who cheated.
There's a new girl in school named Claire Middleton who has transferred from Palisades. Elizabeth says she and Enid would love to get to know her, but Claire doesn't seem keen to talk to them. Wonder why?
Dana Larson is ranting about how she's fed up with love. Elizabeth can't believe Dana is single because she's so pretty and should be fending the guys off with a stick (if they're SVH guys though, it's quite possible that Dana is single by CHOICE ... then again its SVH, so of course no one is single by choice because how can you possibly be happy unless you're in a relationship?). Dana says that all the guys she dates are low-quality (I'm actually starting to like Dana: she thinks the guys are low-quality because of their personalities [either they are totally obsessed with themselves or have nothing to offer], there is no mention of looks). Dana wonders if its worth the effort. Remembering the corresponding maturity levels of the guys my age when I was in high school, I totally empathise with her. She also sees romance as wasting her time, which it certainly can do especially the Sweet Valley version.
Aaron Dallas looks grumpy. Liz interferes and finds out its for the same reason as Dana's rant. Later, Todd jokes that Dana and Aaron should get together. Liz thinks it's a fantastic idea because it would be a tragedy to remain single indefinitely at SVH. Liz calls the idea "Operation Pair-Up" and Todd bets her that it won't work. If Liz loses the bet, she has to grant Todd three wishes. If Todd loses the bet, he owes Liz three wishes.
Liz gets a friend to say (in earshot of Dana) that Aaron has a crush on her, and another friend to say (in earshot of Aaron) that Dana has a crush on him. Liz and Todd invite Dana and Aaron on a double date with them. Dana and Aaron get along well, but then the topic of love comes up and they both reiterate their antirelationship vows. Liz tells Dana that Aaron couldn't stop talking about her, and gets Todd to tell Aaron that Dana couldn't stop talking about him.
Aaron and Dana start to show interest in each other, but then Todd screws it up. He left a love letter in Dana's locker pretending it was from Aaron, but didn't bother to change his handwriting. Dana showed it to Aaron and he recognised Todd's handwriting. Dana figured out that her whole budding relationship with Aaron had been completely contrived by Liz and Todd.
Liz is furious about Todd and the fake love letter. They fight and she accuses him of sabotaging Dana and Aaron's romance just to win a bet. Todd slams the door and leaves.
There is a mention that Jessica was annoyed that Liz tried to set Dana up with Aaron as she'd started to like him (that almost counts for a continuity point, Ghostwriter). The Battle of the Bands is coming up and the prize is a trip to LA. Jess and Lila volunteered their services as roadies to a band called Spontaneous Combustion in the hopes of winning. (I thought Sweet Valley was within easy driving distance of LA, how can that trip be a prize worth being a roadie for? Especially when Lila's dad has the money to fly her to Paris whenever she wants.) Lila, at least, is smart and has Jessica doing all the hard work. The band members are named Spy, Motor and Wheels.
Jessica: Wheels had the nerve to ask me if I wanted to be his chick!
Elizabeth: (laughing) His . . . chick?
Jessica: I informed him that Jessica Wakefield wasn't anybody's chick. Then I poked him in the chest, hard, with one of his stupid drumsticks. I think he got the message!
Ah, I love Jessica. You go girl!
Liz goes to call Jeffrey but chickens out. Her chickening out in that situation was the best thing she could have done for poor Jeffrey. LOL Elizabeth writes the following in her diary: The other thing I've learned is to not meddle in other people's romances. I want to acknowledge the noble sentiment, except that we all know she turns out to be a hypocrite time and time again.
Liz and Todd argue again, this time over who should apologise first. Jeffrey walks in and yells at Todd for raising his voice to Elizabeth. Todd tells Jeffrey to butt out. Jeffrey says Elizabeth is one of the nicest, most sensitive people he knows (evidence that he might be in need of glasses and a hearing aid). Todd says that Jeffrey's problem is that Elizabeth chose Todd and loves him, not Jeffrey. Jeffrey says Todd's wrong . . . for a moment Liz think's he's going to tell . . . then he tells Todd that Elizabeth loves him like a brother.
Dana was really embarrassed about what had happened between herself and Aaron, and was avoiding him. Todd told Aaron the whole story, Aaron confronted Dana, and they confessed their feelings. Yay, everything is right again in the SV universe, none of those dreaded single people walking around nonchalantly as though there's more to life than being in a romantic relationship. Well, almost right. Jessica plugged the wrong socket into the wrong outlet and the band Spontaneously Combusted (doesn't sound like anyone was seriously injured though). Liz laments the fact that she thinks she's made too many mistakes for Todd to take her back, and considers joining a convent (um, I hate to break it to you Liz, but I'm not sure if they'd take you either seeing as you've broken at least half of the ten commandments).
Liz finds a typed note in her locker telling her to meet under the clock to kiss and make up. She goes and finds Todd there. They kiss, apologise, and then Todd mentions the note he received. Turns out Aaron and Dana did a much better job of note-writing.
Elizabeth gets her three wishes (she jokes about a dozen roses, doing her chores and carrying her books - Todd said he was going to make her wash his car) but instead chooses:
1. that they never have a pointless argument again
2. that they will always be together and happy
3. the biggest best kiss ever
The sad thing I just realised is that the first two wishes didn't come true.
Elizabeth surveys the school to find out what they'd like to change. She condescendingly assumes that people will ask for better snacks in the machines, longer lunches, fewer tests, etc. Instead Manuel Lopez wants the way history is taught to be changed, Penny wants to get rid of Pi Beta Alpha, Sandra wants girls sports to get the same funding as boys sports.
Andy Jenkins and Tracey Gilbert (Patty's cousin) have been experiencing racism. They are both African-American (and I feel a flicker of annoyance that up until recently so many books and TV shows behave as though African-Americans can only date other people who are the same ethnicity - ie. have similar levels of melanin pigmentation to their skin).
Liz receives a letter from a girl who wants to play varsity football. She also receives a letter recommending that blacks, hispanics and asians are all kicked out of the school (which is probably less than five students in total), and is horrified. There is tension felt throughout the school now that all these grievances have been dredged up. Andy has a fight with his best friend Neil, accusing Neil of being just like Charlie Cashman (the main racist bully - and a continuity point for the Ghostwriter).
Andy is bashed (witnessed by his friend Neil). Neil claims that he saw the bashing happening, walked up to them, and the bullies scattered, and that he wasn't able to recognise any of them. Later it turns out that Neil was actually one of the bullies and threw a punch because he was so mad at Andy for thinking he was racist that he began behaving exactly like the bullies. Liz isn't sure if Andy will forgive Neil.
Jessica decides to invite Claire Middleton to pledge to join Pi Beta Alpha. Claire is, of course, good looking . . . maybe that was important back at Palisades, but as I've said before, at SVH almost everyone is good-looking and so there's nothing special about being pretty. Claire also dresses like a tomboy.
Scott Trost (Ken's Quarterback replacement) is kicked off the team on academic probation. Both Ken and Claire try out for the vacant position. Claire criticises cheerleading as sexist and silly, so Jessica decides to get revenge. Jessica finds a photo of a guy named Ted in Claire's locker and assumes its her boyfriend. The cheerleaders do a cheer while Claire is playing, ending with, "We know about Ted!" Claire abandons the field. Jessica then finds out that Ted is Claire's older brother who died of a brain tumor.
Claire is second-string quarterback and wins the game when she is called in to play after Ken has trouble with his eyes.
Epilogue:
Liz closes her diary and realises that she's a hypocrite for judging Todd for kissing Michelle, when she has kissed Jeffrey many times behind Todd's back. She calls him but he's not at home, and Mrs. Wilkins explains that he dropped Michelle off at the airport and should have been back by now. Elizabeth correctly guesses that Todd's at their special spot at Secca Lake. She finds him there and they kiss and make up.
Btw, I've finally started to publish the Sweet Valley fanfiction novel that I wrote for NaNoWriMo on my journal, for those of you who mentioned you were interested in reading it.
So then what am I doing recapping childish Sweet Valley books (which requires actually re-reading them) at age 24? The question is just too complex for my brain to answer at the moment, so I'll procrastinate in answering it by finishing off my recap. Does that make sense? Probably not, but still sadly my writing is probably not much worse than Elizabeth's.
Part Four
So Mr Wakefield is arriving home again from the temporary separation. About time! Elizabeth is happy, though she's having trouble ignoring her conscience reminding her that she's a cheating cheater who cheated.
There's a new girl in school named Claire Middleton who has transferred from Palisades. Elizabeth says she and Enid would love to get to know her, but Claire doesn't seem keen to talk to them. Wonder why?
Dana Larson is ranting about how she's fed up with love. Elizabeth can't believe Dana is single because she's so pretty and should be fending the guys off with a stick (if they're SVH guys though, it's quite possible that Dana is single by CHOICE ... then again its SVH, so of course no one is single by choice because how can you possibly be happy unless you're in a relationship?). Dana says that all the guys she dates are low-quality (I'm actually starting to like Dana: she thinks the guys are low-quality because of their personalities [either they are totally obsessed with themselves or have nothing to offer], there is no mention of looks). Dana wonders if its worth the effort. Remembering the corresponding maturity levels of the guys my age when I was in high school, I totally empathise with her. She also sees romance as wasting her time, which it certainly can do especially the Sweet Valley version.
Aaron Dallas looks grumpy. Liz interferes and finds out its for the same reason as Dana's rant. Later, Todd jokes that Dana and Aaron should get together. Liz thinks it's a fantastic idea because it would be a tragedy to remain single indefinitely at SVH. Liz calls the idea "Operation Pair-Up" and Todd bets her that it won't work. If Liz loses the bet, she has to grant Todd three wishes. If Todd loses the bet, he owes Liz three wishes.
Liz gets a friend to say (in earshot of Dana) that Aaron has a crush on her, and another friend to say (in earshot of Aaron) that Dana has a crush on him. Liz and Todd invite Dana and Aaron on a double date with them. Dana and Aaron get along well, but then the topic of love comes up and they both reiterate their antirelationship vows. Liz tells Dana that Aaron couldn't stop talking about her, and gets Todd to tell Aaron that Dana couldn't stop talking about him.
Aaron and Dana start to show interest in each other, but then Todd screws it up. He left a love letter in Dana's locker pretending it was from Aaron, but didn't bother to change his handwriting. Dana showed it to Aaron and he recognised Todd's handwriting. Dana figured out that her whole budding relationship with Aaron had been completely contrived by Liz and Todd.
Liz is furious about Todd and the fake love letter. They fight and she accuses him of sabotaging Dana and Aaron's romance just to win a bet. Todd slams the door and leaves.
There is a mention that Jessica was annoyed that Liz tried to set Dana up with Aaron as she'd started to like him (that almost counts for a continuity point, Ghostwriter). The Battle of the Bands is coming up and the prize is a trip to LA. Jess and Lila volunteered their services as roadies to a band called Spontaneous Combustion in the hopes of winning. (I thought Sweet Valley was within easy driving distance of LA, how can that trip be a prize worth being a roadie for? Especially when Lila's dad has the money to fly her to Paris whenever she wants.) Lila, at least, is smart and has Jessica doing all the hard work. The band members are named Spy, Motor and Wheels.
Jessica: Wheels had the nerve to ask me if I wanted to be his chick!
Elizabeth: (laughing) His . . . chick?
Jessica: I informed him that Jessica Wakefield wasn't anybody's chick. Then I poked him in the chest, hard, with one of his stupid drumsticks. I think he got the message!
Ah, I love Jessica. You go girl!
Liz goes to call Jeffrey but chickens out. Her chickening out in that situation was the best thing she could have done for poor Jeffrey. LOL Elizabeth writes the following in her diary: The other thing I've learned is to not meddle in other people's romances. I want to acknowledge the noble sentiment, except that we all know she turns out to be a hypocrite time and time again.
Liz and Todd argue again, this time over who should apologise first. Jeffrey walks in and yells at Todd for raising his voice to Elizabeth. Todd tells Jeffrey to butt out. Jeffrey says Elizabeth is one of the nicest, most sensitive people he knows (evidence that he might be in need of glasses and a hearing aid). Todd says that Jeffrey's problem is that Elizabeth chose Todd and loves him, not Jeffrey. Jeffrey says Todd's wrong . . . for a moment Liz think's he's going to tell . . . then he tells Todd that Elizabeth loves him like a brother.
Dana was really embarrassed about what had happened between herself and Aaron, and was avoiding him. Todd told Aaron the whole story, Aaron confronted Dana, and they confessed their feelings. Yay, everything is right again in the SV universe, none of those dreaded single people walking around nonchalantly as though there's more to life than being in a romantic relationship. Well, almost right. Jessica plugged the wrong socket into the wrong outlet and the band Spontaneously Combusted (doesn't sound like anyone was seriously injured though). Liz laments the fact that she thinks she's made too many mistakes for Todd to take her back, and considers joining a convent (um, I hate to break it to you Liz, but I'm not sure if they'd take you either seeing as you've broken at least half of the ten commandments).
Liz finds a typed note in her locker telling her to meet under the clock to kiss and make up. She goes and finds Todd there. They kiss, apologise, and then Todd mentions the note he received. Turns out Aaron and Dana did a much better job of note-writing.
Elizabeth gets her three wishes (she jokes about a dozen roses, doing her chores and carrying her books - Todd said he was going to make her wash his car) but instead chooses:
1. that they never have a pointless argument again
2. that they will always be together and happy
3. the biggest best kiss ever
The sad thing I just realised is that the first two wishes didn't come true.
Elizabeth surveys the school to find out what they'd like to change. She condescendingly assumes that people will ask for better snacks in the machines, longer lunches, fewer tests, etc. Instead Manuel Lopez wants the way history is taught to be changed, Penny wants to get rid of Pi Beta Alpha, Sandra wants girls sports to get the same funding as boys sports.
Andy Jenkins and Tracey Gilbert (Patty's cousin) have been experiencing racism. They are both African-American (and I feel a flicker of annoyance that up until recently so many books and TV shows behave as though African-Americans can only date other people who are the same ethnicity - ie. have similar levels of melanin pigmentation to their skin).
Liz receives a letter from a girl who wants to play varsity football. She also receives a letter recommending that blacks, hispanics and asians are all kicked out of the school (which is probably less than five students in total), and is horrified. There is tension felt throughout the school now that all these grievances have been dredged up. Andy has a fight with his best friend Neil, accusing Neil of being just like Charlie Cashman (the main racist bully - and a continuity point for the Ghostwriter).
Andy is bashed (witnessed by his friend Neil). Neil claims that he saw the bashing happening, walked up to them, and the bullies scattered, and that he wasn't able to recognise any of them. Later it turns out that Neil was actually one of the bullies and threw a punch because he was so mad at Andy for thinking he was racist that he began behaving exactly like the bullies. Liz isn't sure if Andy will forgive Neil.
Jessica decides to invite Claire Middleton to pledge to join Pi Beta Alpha. Claire is, of course, good looking . . . maybe that was important back at Palisades, but as I've said before, at SVH almost everyone is good-looking and so there's nothing special about being pretty. Claire also dresses like a tomboy.
Scott Trost (Ken's Quarterback replacement) is kicked off the team on academic probation. Both Ken and Claire try out for the vacant position. Claire criticises cheerleading as sexist and silly, so Jessica decides to get revenge. Jessica finds a photo of a guy named Ted in Claire's locker and assumes its her boyfriend. The cheerleaders do a cheer while Claire is playing, ending with, "We know about Ted!" Claire abandons the field. Jessica then finds out that Ted is Claire's older brother who died of a brain tumor.
Claire is second-string quarterback and wins the game when she is called in to play after Ken has trouble with his eyes.
Epilogue:
Liz closes her diary and realises that she's a hypocrite for judging Todd for kissing Michelle, when she has kissed Jeffrey many times behind Todd's back. She calls him but he's not at home, and Mrs. Wilkins explains that he dropped Michelle off at the airport and should have been back by now. Elizabeth correctly guesses that Todd's at their special spot at Secca Lake. She finds him there and they kiss and make up.
Btw, I've finally started to publish the Sweet Valley fanfiction novel that I wrote for NaNoWriMo on my journal, for those of you who mentioned you were interested in reading it.