California Diaries #9: Amalia, Diary Two
This is supposedly an Amalia book, but most of it is actually about Maggie? Although I guess that’s part of the Amalia thing… worrying more about other people than herself. She spends most of this book obsessing about Maggie’s disordered eating and helping to get Maggie into therapy. (Which is great… therapy for everyone!!)
Amalia, also the manager of the band Vanish (for which Maggie is keyboardist/vocalist), scores them a deal to play the Vista Homecoming Bash (and make $500 - which is pretty good for a high school band). Of course it’s very stressful leading up to it, and Maggie keeps freaking out amid all of her other struggles, but eventually she pulls it together and in the end the show goes super well. IS VANISH GOING TO GET A RECORD DEAL? CAN WE GET A VH1 “BEHIND THE MUSIC” ABOUT THIS?!
Meanwhile, in stuff that’s actually about Amalia, she’s still getting over her abusive relationship with her ex James. Because of James’s bullshit, she has a list of (mostly true) facts about guys:
Amalia’s rules come at an awkward time, because a super cute and nice new guy named Brendan magically appears in her homeroom (straight outta Jersey). He’s kind, listens to her, makes her a mix tape (the ultimate expression of like-like in the 90s), and tells dad jokes. What’s not to like?! Originally Amalia brushes it off because she doesn’t believe Brendan could like her (despite everyoooone repeatedly telling her he does) but things finally click when he brings her a pretty rose at the Homecoming Bash. Once she figures shit out, they slow dance! The ultimate expression of ~LUV~ for eighth-graders (at least in 1998).
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