Dedication
For Rhonda,
unofficial publicist extraordinaire
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Dedication
Vishal, Prianka
Boys Are So Clueless
Prianka, Cecily
Cecily, Gabrielle
Boys Are So Clueless
Miriam, Gabrielle
IWD!
OMG
Gabrielle, Miriam
Mara, Cecily
IWD!
Sage, Prianka
Miriam, Gabrielle
IWD! Woo!
Gabrielle, Cecily
Hiiiiiiii
Mara, Cecily
Eloise, Cecily
Vishal, Prianka
Gabrielle, Cecily
Prianka, Cecily
VC Crew!
Whoaaaa
Prianka, Gabrielle
Whoaaaa
Victoria, Cecily
Prianka, Gabrielle
Prianka, Sage
Prianka, Cecily
VC Crew!!!!
Cecily, Ingrid
Ingrid, Cecily
Miss & Love U Guys
Ivy, Gabrielle
Prianka, Gabrielle
Gabrielle, Ivy
Gabrielle, Prianka
Prianka, Cecily
Miriam, Gabrielle
Prianka, Gabrielle
Friends
Friends
Mara, Cecily
Prianka, Cecily
Prianka, Vishal
Hiiiiiii
Hiiiiiii
Cecily, Mara
Prianka, Gabrielle
Prianka, Gabrielle
Prianka, Gabrielle
Ivy, Gabrielle
Glossary
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Books by Lisa Greenwald
Back Ad
Copyright
About the Publisher
Vishal, Prianka
VISHAL
Yo
PRIANKA
What’s up
VISHAL
Did you do this women’s history month essay
PRIANKA
Yeah working on it now
Writing about my aunties
VISHAL
Ughhhhhhh
PRIANKA
What?
VISHAL
Why do we need to do another essay
PRIANKA
It’s important to celebrate women, Vishal
VISHAL
What about celebrating men
PRIANKA
I cannot believe u just said that
VISHAL
What’s the big deal
PRIANKA
It’s women’s history month
VISHAL
I know
What about men’s history month
PRIANKA
Are you serious rn ???
VISHAL
What
PRIANKA
Duh every month is men’s history month
Don’t you see that
VISHAL
Ummm not really
Sorry to offend tho
PRIANKA
Also, um, what’s the deal w/ #broboom
VISHAL
It’s just a thing people are saying IDK
Like the guys in school teaming up
PRIANKA
For what tho
VISHAL
Just bc like in the news lately it’s all the women’s stuff going on so we wanted our own thing
PRIANKA
Who made that up
VISHAL
No clue
PRIANKA
But don’t u see all of life is a boys + men’s thing since basically the beginning of time?
VISHAL
Huh?
PRIANKA
Men don’t need to be celebrated or highlighted bc they always had the rights—to vote, to work outside the home, to go to school, a million things
Women have always had to struggle
VISHAL
R u really mad
PRIANKA
It’s a little shocking u need me 2 point this out to u
VISHAL
Um ok
Again sorry to offend
PRIANKA
K I got that
VISHAL
Hahahahahahahah
Good talk
PRIANKA
Yeah but I gotta run
VISHAL
K
PRIANKA
Talk later bye
Boys Are So Clueless
PRIANKA
Omg u guys
Why are boys soooooo out of it
GABRIELLE
PRIANKA
Vishal does not get why it’s dumb to suggest there should be a men’s history month
GABRIELLE
LOL
PRIANKA
And he was whining about the assignment
GABRIELLE
Was he joking
PRIANKA
Kinda but not totally
Funny but not funny ya know
CECILY
Ya
They need to be enlightened
We need to help them
VICTORIA
Hahahaha
PRIANKA
Seriously
PRIANKA
They just don’t really have a sense of the around them
GABRIELLE
I guess
IDK
CECILY
This doesn’t make u guys so mad
PRIANKA
It does
VICTORIA
I don’t pay attention that much TBH
GABRIELLE
Same
Too much going on
Prianka, Cecily
PRIANKA
Cece?
CECILY
Ya
PRIANKA
I feel like u r the only one who gets what I was saying about boys
CECILY
Oh haha IDK
PRIANKA
No I mean it
CECILY
I know what u r saying
We are the deep thinkers in the group
CECILY
Don’t tell the others tho
Actually we are side chatting now
We should stop
PRIANKA
True ok
Bye
CECILY
Mwah
Love you, Pri
Prianka’s Poetry Journal
Sometimes I wish
I went to an all-girls school
It would be so civilized
No roughhousing in the hallway
No dumb comments
Well maybe some
But not as many
Boys are great
But they can also be so dumb
When do they grow up
I wish I knew
Cecily, Gabrielle
GABRIELLE
Cece?
CECILY
Hi
GABRIELLE
Are u around this week after school
HW is sooooo hard & I thought maybe u could help me
CECILY
I think I’m around yeah
Just text me the morning u want to meet, k?
GABRIELLE
K
GABRIELLE
Thank u SOO much
CECILY
Mwah
From: Jeremy Cavanaugh
To: Anthony Mawslin
Subject: RE: DUDE!
Ugghhhhhhh meant to forward to u . . .
From: Anthony Mawslin
To: Jeremy Cavanaugh
Subject: DUDE
From: Jeremy Cavanaugh
To: Honors History Section 2
Subject: RE: Women’s History Month assignment
Ugggghhhhhhh. #broboom
__________________________
From: Rose Summer
To: Honors History Section 2
Subject: Women’s History Month assignment
Hello, students:
I wanted to email in case you forget to check your Student Portal Notes. Please be prepared to share your Women’s History Month assignment with the class. I want to work on our public speaking. I’ll bring in treats for us all to share.
Happy writing!
Ms. Summer
It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it. —Eleanor Roosevelt
Dear Ms. Summer:
We’re not allowed to use laptops in study hall today due to some kids violating the computer policy, so I’m leaving you a note. What Jeremy Cavanaugh wrote was not acceptable. This “bro boom” thing is out of hand. Boys are saying it all the time now. I can’t sit by and let things like this go unnoticed. These little things add up to be big things. I hope we can discuss this further.
Thank you,
Cecily Anderson
Boys Are So Clueless
CECILY
Hi
Anyone still up
I have to tell u about the email Jeremy accidentally sent to our whole history class
I can’t sleep
He is so rude
GABRIELLE
Crying over hw
What’s up
CECILY
Just soooooo mad @ Jeremy
GABRIELLE
Cavanaugh or Sulren?
CECILY
Cav
He wrote ughhhhhh about us all sharing our women’s history month assignments and used that dumb broboom hashtag
He sent it to the whole class and Ms. Summer was on the email
PRIANKA
Vishal says that all the time
CECILY
OMG that is nuts
VICTORIA
Really really nuts
GABRIELLE
Now that I think about it the boys in my gym class are always yelling out broboom like doofuses
VICTORIA
Yeah I hear boys say it all the time in the hall
What does it even mean
PRIANKA
Something about boys standing out since there’s so much about women in the news lately
Boys teaming up or something
CECILY
Ewwwww
GABRIELLE
For real
That is not cool
CECILY
Ugh I am so mad
I wrote to Ms. Summer about Jeremy’s email
CECILY
She saw it but I had to say something anyway
Us girls have to stand up for ourselves
We need to take a stand
And not allow this to go on
GABRIELLE
Def
Go, Cece
K back 2 work for me
CECILY
Dear Victoria,
We found this at that cute artsy store downtown and knew you’d love it! How are you?
We miss you in Philly!!! Come visit soon, pleaaasseeeee.
xoxoxox Kim & Nic
PS Pick out a postcard and send one back to us, okay?
Will be fun! We can be POSTCARD PALS! LOL. :)
PPS POSTCARD PALS FOR LIFE
TO: Victoria Melford
1318 Bristol Court
Yorkville, NY 11001
Miriam, Gabrielle
MIRIAM
R u coming over after school
GABRIELLE
Yeah
MIRIAM
Cool so excited
GABRIELLE
Same
Need to do hw tho
Drowning
MIRIAM
OMG why
GABRIELLE
It is sooo hard for me
GABRIELLE
Not for u?
MIRIAM
Not really
GABRIELLE
Hmmm ok
Maybe u can help me
MIRIAM
Sure
ICB Sami is @ private school
GABRIELLE
Me neither
MIRIAM
I wonder if it’s easier or harder than our school
She is in serious trouble, though
MIRIAM
No phone for a year
And she’s in therapy to figure stuff out
Her parents felt like she needed a smaller school environment
Kind of amazing she got in tho since she was expelled from here
GABRIELLE
Yeah that’s true
Hmmm maybe smaller environ will help her IDK
Hope she sorts out her issues & doesn’t feel the need to rank the kids @ her new school
R u upset she’s not here anymore
MIRIAM
A little
MIRIAM
She wants 2 go with her
GABRIELLE
Will she
MIRIAM
IDK pos
Eloise gets whatever she wants pretty much
TBH I feel like so many people here r like that
YKWIM?
GABRIELLE
Yeah I def do
I gtg now
So sorry
GABRIELLE
Almost got caught messaging in study hall againnnnnn
MIRIAM
LOL bye
From: Cecily Anderson
To: Mr. Akiyama
Subject: International Women’s Day
Dear Mr. Akiyama:
I know this is very short notice because International Women’s Day is only a few days away. It’s actually on a Sunday so that makes this even trickier, but I think we need to have an event for it at school. I’m sort of surprised we haven’t had one before.
Can we make this happen on Friday? We can highlight amazing women in history and in our community: everyone from the teachers to the cafeteria staff to the people in the main office. We need to highlight all women and celebrate them and get everyone involved! This is very important in light of some recent events. Ask Ms. Summer if you’re curious. She is doing a special thing for Women’s History Month in class, but I think we can actually make it a whole-day, school-wide event.
I’m happy to come speak to you in person as well.
Please say yes.
Thank you,
Cecily Anderson
I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.
—Louisa May Alcott
IWD!
CECILY
Guysssss
1st of all I decided I’m not using emojis anymore
I know it’s awk but I am just over them
And I don’t have the time bc I have so much hw
GABRIELLE
OMG I KNOW SO MUCH HW
CECILY
Anyway
I was gonna wait 2 tell u until Mr. A approved this but I am so excited that I can’t wait
PRIANKA
??
NO CLUE WIGO
Also
CECILY
Lol ok
I want to have an event on Friday for International Women’s Day celebrating all women
GABRIELLE
Ohhhhh so that’s what IWD stands for LOL
CECILY
Ya
CECILY
After all the stupid broboom stuff it became clear we need an event more than ever that will celebrate women & show how awesome we are
I was so angry but then I got fired up & really wanted to do something meaningful
Make a difference ya know
My mom & sis agreed 2 bake for it
Bake sale
and all $$ goes to the women’s shelter in town
Maybe ur parents want 2 help, too
GABRIELLE
This is happening fri
I had no idea
I feel so overwhelmed & out of it all the time
GABRIELLE
Why can’t I ever keep up
CECILY
No no
It hasn’t been announced yet
I just realized IWD is Sunday so I wrote to Mr. A
PRIANKA
Ohhhh
GABRIELLE
But Mr. A didn’t write back yet?
CECILY
No
But fingers crossed
GABRIELLE
Yes
GABRIELLE
Should we recruit more bakers
CECILY
Not yet
VICTORIA
This is such a good idea
Omg I love it
Girl power 4 life
CECILY
Love the enthusiasm, Vic
VICTORIA
U knowwww itttttt
Also since u cut emojis I need to make up for itttttt
VICTORIA
CECILY
Haha
K I’ll keep u guys in the loop
Dear Journal,
I feel so in between with everything. I think that’s what happens in March. I’m at this in-between time of the year where not much is happening but everything is happening all at once. I guess that’s how life always is maybe. I don’t know. I confuse myself. I feel in between friends, too, though. Miriam and I are so close now and I’m close to the Hannahs, too, but not as much. And of course obviously Cece, Pri & Vic. And I think I am making it work but sometimes it still feels awkward. Maybe life was simpler with one group? Who knows. And then I have my friends from camp, too. And I am so excited to go back this summer. I feel like Miriam kind of wants to come but won’t say it. So we’ll see what happens with that.
I am also sooooo stressed with schoolwork. I hate it. Why do I even have to be in school? It’s just soooo hard for me. It seems easier for everyone else and I don’t get it.
OK, gotta go to bed.
Love, Gabs
OMG
VICTORIA
U guysssss
U r not going 2 believe what I heard
Apparently Hannah F’s bat mitzvah invites are going out soon & they’re a model of her bedroom
CECILY
What????
VICTORIA
Like 3D model
Each person gets one
GABRIELLE
For real
GABRIELLE
This is true
Her dad is driving around in their convertible to hand them out to everyone in town
The rest are being mailed
She told us @ Miriam’s sleepover last week
VICTORIA
OMG