Happy Endings Are All Alike. Sandra Scoppettone

gravitated toward girls with more interests and ideas. “They’re too heavy for me.”

      “Jaret doesn’t like them much either, dear heart.”

      “Then why does she hang out with them?”

      “Nobody else to hang out with. After all, what was she supposed to do when the big crowd from last year graduated?”

      Most of Jaret’s friends had been a year ahead of her and when they graduated she was left behind. Then when school started again, and Ann Murchison and Nancy Auerbacher invited her to a party, she began to go around with them.

      “Well, I don’t know, Bianca. She just turns me off. I’m not into all that stuff, you know.”

      “And what, dear heart, do you mean?” She stubbed out her cigarette, ceremoniously blew the last puff of smoke from her holder and dropped it into her shirt pocket.

      “Dope and booze and stuff.”

      Bianca gave a long trilling laugh as though she were practicing scales. “Don’t make me laugh.”

      “Seems I already did.”

      “Jaret doesn’t even smoke cigarettes.” She punctuated this with a bob of her head.

      “I still don’t dig her.”

      Bianca rose grandly, swept around the room, gesturing wildly. “All right, all right, say no more. I will not bring her here. She’ll be relieved.”

      “What do you mean?” Peggy narrowed her eyes, insulted.

      “Well, if you must have the truth she had no desire to come. She feels the same way about you but she was going to do it as a favor to me.”

      “Well,” Peggy said, scrunching up on the couch where a makeshift bed was arranged, “what a humungus nerve!”

      “You are simply absurd. Why on earth do you care?” Bianca returned to the chair, trying for an elegant position: one arm over the back of the wing, legs crossed, work-booted foot dangling.

      “You see, that’s just what I thought. Jaret Tyler thinks she’s queen of the gazinga or something.”

      “No, she doesn’t. She thinks you think you are.”

      “Me?”

      “That is correct.”

      “Me?” Peggy said again, appalled. “I’m the most down-to-earth person you’d ever want to meet.”

      “Well, so is Jaret.”

      “I’ll bet!”

      “You want to?” Bianca patted her frizz.

      “Want to what?”

      “Bet.”

      “What are you talking about?”

      “You know, sometimes I doubt that high I.Q. of yours. Would you like to bet that you find Jaret Tyler a very down-to-earth, fabulous person?”

      “How much?”

      “A Cher record.”

      “I hate Cher, Bianca. I think she’s revolting.”

      “Yes, I know. You can choose who you want. I suppose you want the Beatles. So ancient.”

      “I have all their records. You can buy me a book when I win. The complete Edna St. Vincent Millay.”

      Bianca grinned.

      “What’s so funny?”

      “She’s Jaret’s favorite poet too. You have a lot in common, Peggy. You’ll see.”

      “I’ll see nothing.”

      “Oh, you are trying. Anyway, I won’t be able to come around as much after Monday, you know, so it would be practical to like her.”

      “I guess I’m supposed to ask what happens on Monday, huh?”

      Bianca looked hurt. “You’ve forgotten. Oh well, I suppose you have other things on your mind. We begin rehearsals for The Little Foxes. I’m playing Regina, of course.”

      “Of course.” Peggy kidded Bianca about her acting but she also admired her and thought she was very good.

      “I must fly now, dear girl. Tomorrow I’ll return with Jaret and you will owe me a Cher record. You’ll adore each other. You’ll see. Ta-ta.”

      Bianca won her Cher record. Within ten minutes Jaret and Peggy were laughing and talking. It was true. They had many, many things in common. They were so enjoying each other, in fact, that Bianca, who sat silent on the other side of the room, experienced a momentary twinge of jealousy. But then she realized she was pleased that her two dearest friends in the world would now be best friends themselves.

3

       June 23rd

      Tonight was graduation. Only two more years for me, then freedom. Can’t wait. You won’t catch me wearing that cap and gown though—no way. They can send me the dumb diploma by carrier pigeon for all I care.

      Me and the guys hung out in front of the Bee Hive and watched when the seniors came out after grad. They were all going to some club or something. Richie and Brett had the Buick really souped up. They are some dudes! Richie was with big-jugs Karen and Brett with Pam . . . per usual. That Karen . . .

      I’ll take some of that. Any time.

      Later we ran into Pete, John and that creep Stewart. I gave the punk a couple jabs. He makes me want to puke. How can he let himself get out of shape like that? If there’s one thing I hate it’s fat.

      When I came in, Himself was sitting watching the tube . . . some dumb movie out of the dark ages. . . . He wanted to be pals and buddies and all that crap . . . but I said I wanted to sack out. Who needs to be pals with your Old Man?

      Tomorrow starts vacation. Maybe something cool will happen this summer. One thing, for sure, I’m going to get me a piece. No two ways about it.

4

      “Do you know what today is?” Jaret asked.

      “Two days after graduation.” Peggy smiled.

      “And what else?”

      “June twenty-fifth.”

      “That’s right. And what’s the twenty-fifth?” She pushed a piece of Peggy’s blond hair out of her eyes.

      “I give up. What?”

      “You have no romance in your soul.”

      “Yes I do and you know it.”

      Jaret could see Peggy’s green eyes teasing her and felt relieved. She sometimes became afraid that suddenly Peggy would change her mind or lose interest or something. Not that she didn’t trust Peggy. She just couldn’t believe her own good luck. How was it possible that she had found someone as wonderful as Peggy to love? And be loved by?

      “You do know what day it is, don’t you?”

      “Sure. How could I forget?” Peggy took Jaret’s hand, kissed the fingertips, then held it. “It’s been two months.”

      Now Jaret felt slightly foolish for thinking Peggy had forgotten.

      Sensing this, Peggy said, “Don’t be so insecure, Jare. I’m into this gazinga just as much as you.”

      “I know. But I feel like I have everything and I just don’t believe any one person can. I keep waiting for some kind of zap. It always seems if you get a lucky break, if something great happens, then something lousy happens