Chapter Six Ninth Grade
Dear Collin,
Have you read the last Harry Potter book yet?
Last week I went to a party at the bookstore with some friends where they released the book at midnight.
It was so cool. I was surprised my parents let me stay out that late, but recently they’ve been letting me do a lot of stuff they wouldn’t normally let me do.
Anyway, I finished it in a few days, and now I’m kind of sad that there’s no more Harry Potter books to look forward to.
I’ll just have to look forward to the rest of the movies coming out.
I’m actually not going on any vacations this summer.
My parents are going to Cancun, but that’s fine, because I’ll be at volleyball camp.
I’ve actually asked my dad if we could go to Chicago a couple times, because I think it’d be cool to maybe meet you, but he always says it would be a waste of money to visit there. I guess he doesn’t like Chicago.
Are you excited to start high school?
Sincerely,
Glory.
August 11, 2007
Dear Glory,
I did read the last Harry Potter book! My sister Brittany went to one of those midnight release parties like you did, and she let me borrow it after she was done.
I thought it was awesome, but I wish there weren’t so many people who had to die.
Now I kind of want to read all of the books again.
Maybe if there’s a snow day this winter I will.
I am excited to go to high school. I’m looking forward to doing all the activities and going to all the football games, even though our football team is terrible.
I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately.
When you mentioned maybe coming to Chicago I thought about all the places I could show you and all the things we could do together.
Maybe I could come to Phoenix sometime. My brother says that when he gets a car, he’s going to drive it all the way to Los Angeles.
Maybe I could convince him to let me come along and stop in Arizona.
I think it would be cool for us to meet someday. What do you think?
Bye,
Collin
September 14, 2007
Dear Collin,
Do you remember Michael Dunford? He totally did become hot like his older brother.
Over the summer he got taller and tanner and he got his braces off and he suddenly has all these muscles and he’s just so cute!
He’s in my Algebra class and I can’t stop staring at him, and he keeps catching me staring at him and it’s so embarrassing!
And now all these other girls like him and I’m so jealous.
I think he still likes me, but he’s been ignoring me, which I guess I deserve because I’ve been so mean to him all these years.
I should have just made myself like him and then I could be dating the hottest guy in the ninth grade!
You should totally come to Phoenix. Maybe you could come next summer and you could meet Michael and tell me what you think of him, and we could all go out to a candlelit dinner and you could play your guitar so Michael and I could dance together. That would be amazing!
I like going to football games too! Michael’s on the freshman football team and I’m thinking maybe I should be a cheerleader so I can spend more time with him, but that would conflict with Astronomy Club so I’m not sure.
Did your brother buy a car yet? I can’t wait until I’m able to drive. Then I could go to the planetarium any time I wanted.
Sincerely,
Glory
November 7, 2007
Dear Glory,
One time I knew a guy that was totally buff, but then a few years later he just got really fat. That’s probably going to happen to Michael Dunford.
So far high school has been fine. I joined the basketball team because they don’t have a soccer team, and the coach says I’m pretty good. I’m also in band. Are you still doing art and photography?
How was your Halloween? Mine was really lame because my mom made us all dress up like farm animals and go to our church Halloween party. I had to be a chicken. I felt like such an idiot.
I probably won’t be able to make it out to Phoenix next summer because I’ll be so busy having a girlfriend and stuff. I don’t have a girlfriend yet, but I’m sure I will by summer because so many girls like me.
Bye,
Collin
December 4, 2007
Dear Collin,
I really need your help. Michael Dunford is still ignoring me and it’s driving me crazy!
Plus, he keeps flirting with Rochelle Connors, and she’s the worst. What should I do?
What do you like about girls? What are some things girls could do to make you like them?
If I can’t get Michael Dunford to fall in love with me again I’ll just die!
I’m still doing some art, but not as much because I’m so busy with extra homework and volleyball.
I decided not to do cheerleading, because I didn’t really like any of the girls on the squad, but maybe I should have.
Rochelle Connors is a cheerleader. What are you playing in band?
The trumpet? You should play the saxophone.
That’s much cooler. I’m sorry your Halloween wasn’t so great, but I wish I could have seen you in a chicken costume.
Anyway, please help me know what to do about Michael.
Sincerely,
Glory
January 19, 2008
Dear Glory,
I’m sorry you’re having so much trouble with Michael Dunford.
I just like girls that are nice and that are easy to talk to.
You should be yourself, because he liked you before.
Although now you seem like you’ve changed.
Or maybe you should pretend you don’t like him.
It sounds like he liked you better when you did that.
You’re probably scaring him if you’re staring at him all the time.
Or maybe you should give up on him, he might have just moved on.
Yeah, I’m still playing the trumpet in band, but I wish they would let me play the guitar in there. I think a little electric guitar would make some of the songs we play way more exciting. I tried playing the saxophone once when my friend Jimmy let me borrow his. I didn’t like it that much.
We’re having a pretty good basketball season, we’ve only lost a couple times.
We might make it to the championships. There’s this group of girls that come to all the games.
I think a couple of them like me, but it’s kind of annoying because they’re always screaming my name when I have the ball and it’s hard to concentrate.
Bye,
Collin
February 6, 2008
Dear Collin,
You are a genius! I did what you said I should do.
I just pretended that I didn’t like Michael and stopped looking at him and trying to talk to him, and a few days later he walked up to me and asked me if I wanted to go out.
So we went to the movies and we held hands the whole time and it was awesome and now we’re dating and everything is perfect!
Well, except that my parents have been fighting a lot, but I’m sure they’ll work things out.
This is going to be the best Valentine’s Day ever!
Good luck with the basketball championships!
Sincerely,
Glory
February 19, 2008
Dear Glory,
I’m glad everything worked out for you.
Bye,
Collin
March 14, 2008
Dear Collin,
What was up with your last letter? Are you mad at me or something? Or maybe you’re just really busy with basketball and band.
Things are going really well with me and Michael.
I am so in love with him! Lately my parents haven’t been home that much, so we spend a lot of time making out on my couch.
It’s the best. I can’t believe I ever thought he was annoying!
We even laugh about all the times he tried to get me to like him when we were younger.
We’ve been talking about going to summer camp together, but I want to do art camp and he wants to do some video game camp.
I’m sure it will be fine as long as we’re together.
But it’d be better if it was art camp. I’ll talk him into it.
Anyway, how are you doing?
Sincerely,
Glory
April 3, 2008
Dear Glory,
I’m not mad at you, I just don’t really like writing to you anymore.
You’ve changed a lot. You used to be like, “Ew! Boys are gross! I’m going to go live on Mars and be awesome!
” And now all you do is talk about stupid Michael Dunford because he sprouted some biceps and likes to stick his tongue in your mouth.
And your parents are clearly having relationship issues, but you don’t care as long as you get to roll around in your big ball of hormones!
You sound like my sister Brittany when she was in high school.
All she did was talk about how hot all these boys were and it was so irritating.
Now she’s in college and she still talks about boys, but she also talks about important things, like politics and new bands that she’s discovered.
I actually kind of miss her. So maybe once you grow up a little bit and stop talking about Michael Dunford all the time, I’ll want to write to you again.
Bye,
Collin
April 10, 2008
Dear Collin,
You are the worst! Just because we’ve been writing for a few years doesn’t mean that you know me!
I might have changed a little bit, but I’m just a normal, teenage girl!
I told you about Michael because that’s what’s going on in my life.
He and I might not have much to talk about, but I very much enjoy his tongue in my mouth, thank you very much.
It makes me feel dizzy and excited. And my parents are fine, they’re just both stressed out about work right now.
Are you jealous of me or something? Why do you care? Supposedly you have all these girls falling at your feet, but I bet you’re lying about them. You’re probably just some scrawny nerd who looks like Harry Potter and nobody likes you!
Have fun with your stupid trumpet!
Sincerely,
Glory