Yolo Read online

  OTHER BOOKS BY

  LAUREN MYRACLE

  ttyl

  ttfn

  l8r, g8r

  bff

  The Infinite Moment of Us

  Shine

  Bliss

  Rhymes with Witches

  Luv Ya Bunches

  Violet in Bloom

  Oopsy Daisy

  Awesome Blossom

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Thirteen Plus One

  Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks

  Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances (with John Green and Maureen Johnson)

  How to Be Bad (with E. Lockhart and sarah Mlynowski)

  PUBLISHER’S NOTE: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Myracle, Lauren, 1969 –

  Yolo / Lauren Myracle.

  pages cm — (Internet girls, the)

  ISBN 978-1-4197-0871-8 (hardback) —

  ISBN 978-1-61312-504-5 (ebook)

  [1. Instant messaging—Fiction. 2. Best friends—Fiction. 3.

  Friendship—Fiction. 4. Interpersonal relations—Fiction. 5. Colleges and universities—Fiction.] I. Title. II. Title: You only live once.

  PZ7.M9955Yol 2014

  [Fic]—dc23

  2014014986

  Text copyright © 2014 Lauren Myracle

  Book design by Maria T. Middleton

  Published in 2014 by Amulet Books, an imprint of ABRAMS.

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.

  Amulet Books and Amulet Paperbacks are registered trademarks of Harry N. Abrams, Inc.

  Amulet Books are available at special discounts when purchased in quantity for premiums and promotions as well as fundraising or educational use. Special editions can also be created to specification. For details, contact [email protected] or the address below.

  115 West 18th Street

  New York, NY 10011

  www.abramsbooks.com

  To Al, who is fantastic

  CONTENTS

  Fri, Sept 20, 4:30 PM P.D.T.

  Fri, Sept 20, 7:39 PM E.D.T.

  Fri, Sept 20, 10:39 PM P.D.T.

  Sat, Sept 21, 8:53 AM E.D.T.

  Sat, Sept 21, 9:38 AM P.D.T.

  Sun, Sept 22, 11:56 AM E.D.T.

  Sun, Sept 22, 7:30 PM E.D.T.

  Sun, Sept 22, 10:21 PM E.D.T.

  Mon, Sept 23, 9:00 AM E.D.T.

  Mon, Sept 23, 9:14 AM P.D.T.

  Mon, Sept 23, 12:18 PM E.D.T.

  Mon, Sept 23, 9:55 AM P.D.T.

  Tues, Sept 24, 2:02 PM E.D.T.

  Tues, Sept 24, 12:00 PM P.D.T.

  Wed, Sept 25, 11:01 AM E.D.T.

  Wed, Sept 25, 10:44 PM E.D.T.

  Thu, Sept 26, 8:44 AM P.D.T.

  Fri, Sept 27, 8:00 PM E.D.T.

  Fri, Sept 27, 11:59 PM E.D.T.

  Sat, Sept 28, 11:52 AM E.D.T.

  Sat, Sept 28, 10:05 AM P.D.T.

  Sat, Sept 28, 2:05 PM E.D.T.

  Mon, Sept 30, 3:30 PM P.D.T.

  Tues, Oct 1, 5:43 PM E.D.T.

  Tues, Oct 1, 6:17 PM E.D.T.

  Tues, Oct 1, 6:20 PM E.D.T.

  Wed, Oct 2, 7:00 PM E.D.T.

  Wed, Oct 2, 7:45 PM E.D.T.

  Wed, Oct 2, 8:31 PM E.D.T.

  Wed, Oct 2, 10:35 PM E.D.T.

  Thu, Oct 3, 9:05 PM E.D.T.

  Thu, Oct 3, 9:47 PM E.D.T.

  Fri, Oct 4, 11:11 AM E.D.T.

  Fri, Oct 4, 4:25 PM E.D.T.

  Fri, Oct 4, 7:30 PM E.D.T.

  Sat, Oct 5, 12:01 PM P.D.T.

  Sat, Oct 5, 4:54 PM E.D.T.

  Sat, Oct 5, 6:30 PM E.D.T.

  Sun, Oct 6, 9:34 AM E.D.T.

  Sun, Oct 6, 11:00 AM E.D.T.

  Sun, Oct 6, 7:28 PM P.D.T.

  Sun, Oct 6, 11:28 PM P.D.T.

  Mon, Oct 7, 7:35 AM E.D.T.

  Mon, Oct 7, 1:01 PM E.D.T.

  Mon, Oct 7, 5:55 PM P.D.T.

  Tues, Oct 8, 2:22 PM E.D.T.

  Wed, Oct 9, 6:01 PM P.D.T.

  Wed, Oct 9, 6:38 PM P.D.T.

  Thu, Oct 10, 8:44 PM E.D.T.

  Thu, Oct 10, 9:20 PM E.D.T.

  Fri, Oct 11, 11:30 AM P.D.T.

  Sat, Oct 12, 2:01 PM E.D.T.

  Sat, Oct 12, 5:13 PM E.D.T.

  Sun, Oct 13, 11:33 AM E.D.T.

  Sun, Oct 13, 11:48 AM E.D.T.

  Mon, Oct 14, 7:55 PM E.D.T.

  Tues, Oct 15, 3:00 PM E.D.T.

  Wed, Oct 16, 9:33 AM P.D.T.

  Wed, Oct 16, 10:00 AM P.D.T.

  Thu, Oct 17, 12:42 PM E.D.T.

  Fri, Oct 18, 5:07 PM P.D.T.

  Sat, Oct 19, 1:00 PM P.D.T.

  Sun, Oct 20, 9:02 AM E.D.T.

  Sun, Oct 20, 11:10 AM E.D.T.

  Sun, Oct 20, 3:30 PM P.D.T.

  Mon, Oct 21, 6:55 PM E.D.T.

  Tues, Oct 22, 12:00 PM E.D.T.

  Tues, Oct 22, 3:34 PM E.D.T.

  Wed, Oct 23, 4:15 PM E.D.T.

  Thu, Oct 24, 2:22 PM P.D.T.

  Thu, Oct 24, 5:40 PM E.D.T.

  Fri, Oct 25, 4:05 PM E.D.T.

  Fri, Oct 25, 2:47 PM P.D.T.

  Sat, Oct 26, 1:28 PM E.D.T.

  Sat, Oct 26, 1:34 PM E.D.T.

  Sat, Oct 26, 1:38 PM E.D.T.

  Sat, Oct 26, 1:40 PM E.D.T.

  Sat, Oct 26, 1:45 PM E.D.T.

  Sat, Oct 26, 11:15 AM P.D.T.

  Sat, Oct 26, 1:23 PM P.D.T.

  Sat, Oct 26, 5:01 PM E.D.T.

  Sun, Oct 27, 11:28 AM E.D.T.

  Sun, Oct 27, 12:45 PM E.D.T.

  Mon, Oct 28, 4:00 PM E.D.T.

  Mon, Oct 28, 2:38 PM P.D.T.

  Tues, Oct 29, 12:03 PM E.D.T.

  Wed, Oct 30, 5:00 PM P.D.T.

  Wed, Oct 30, 10:17 PM E.D.T.

  Thu, Oct 31, 10:50 AM E.D.T.

  Thu, Oct 31, 5:45 PM E.D.T.

  Thu, Oct 31, 8:42 PM P.D.T.

  Fri, Nov 1, 1:01 AM E.D.T.

  Fri, Nov 1, 8:05 AM E.D.T.

  Fri, Nov 1, 10:30 AM E.D.T.

  Fri, Nov 1, 1:36 PM P.D.T.

  Sat, Nov 2, 4:03 PM E.D.T.

  Sun, Nov 3, 7:00 PM E.S.T.

  Mon, Nov 4, 2:00 PM E.S.T.

  Tues, Nov 5, 3:47 PM E.S.T.

  Wed, Nov 6, 11:03 AM P.S.T.

  Thu, Nov 7, 5:33 PM E.S.T.

  Thu, Nov 7, 10:20 PM E.S.T.

  Thu, Nov 7, 8:45 PM P.S.T.

  Sat, Nov 9, 5:00 PM E.S.T.

  Sun, Nov 10, 5:01 PM E.S.T.

  Mon, Nov 11, 1:04 PM P.S.T.

  Tues, Nov 12, 2:22 PM P.S.T.

  Tues, Nov 12, 6:40 PM E.S.T.

  Tues, Nov 12, 7:14 PM E.S.T.

  Tues, Nov 12, 7:23 PM E.S.T.

  Wed, Nov 13, 7:24 AM E.S.T.

  Thu, Nov 14, 2:45 PM E.S.T.

  Thu, Nov 14, 8:12 PM E.S.T.

  Fri, Nov 15, 9:01 AM E.S.T.

  Fri, Nov 15, 9:15 AM E.S.T.

  Fri, Nov 15, 9:17 AM E.S.T.

  Sat, Nov 16, 1:00 PM E.S.T.

  Sun, Nov 17, 2:00 AM P.S.T.

  Sun, Nov 17, 11:26 AM E.S.T.

  Sun, Nov 17, 12:41 PM E.S.T.

  Tues, Nov 19, 3:50 PM E.S.T.

  Tues, Nov 19, 3:54 PM E.S.T.

  Wed, Nov 20, 1:03 PM P.S.T.

  Thu, Nov 21, 4:00 PM E.S.T.

  Thu, Nov 21, 6:26 PM E.S.T.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Back Cove
r

  Fri, Sept 20, 4:30 PM P.D.T.

  mad maddie:

  YO, ANGELA, I’VE JOINED THE COLLEGE GIRL RANKS AT LAST!

  mad maddie:

  do I get my special beret now?

  SnowAngel:

  Maddie! my Cali girl!

  SnowAngel:

  rock on, UC Santa Cruz. you so smexy!

  mad maddie:

  girl, I will hit you on the head with a frying pan if you call me smexy. gross! boo!

  mad maddie:

  but. California. SO FRICKIN GORGEOUS.

  mad maddie:

  the sky is so blue and the forest is everywhere and there is sunshine sunshine sunshine, and I LOVE IT.

  SnowAngel:

  we have the sky and the sun in Georgia too, dumdum. and! omg! we also have s!

  mad maddie:

  is different here. is stunning. so are the students, as apparently it is the law that all California kids must have good genes. I might have to dye my hair blond.

  SnowAngel:

  yr hair is already blond

  mad maddie:

  eh, fair enough

  SnowAngel:

  so weird that yr JUST NOW starting the semester. do you realize that I’ve been at UGA for over a month? and that Zoe’s been at Kenyon for almost as long???

  mad maddie:

  why, yes, Angela, I do realize that.

  mad maddie:

  do you think I’ve lived in a time bubble for the last four weeks? do you think I wanted to stay in Atlanta—IN MY PARENTS’ HOUSE, WITH MY PARENTS WHO STILL USE TV TRAYS SO THEY CAN EAT TOTINO’S FROZEN PIZZA WHILE WATCHING “FAMILY GUY”—while you and Z were off having Adventure Time in your sparkly new lives?

  SnowAngel:

  aw, now. I’m sure yr parents heat up the pizza before eating it, silly.

  mad maddie:

  you’d be surprised

  SnowAngel:

  but seriously. it’s like Zoe and I are college grads, practically, while you’re still a wee freshman. *pats wee Maddie on her blondie head* *uses wee voice* look at you, wearing yr big girl college beret!

  mad maddie:

  hey, you need to be nice to me. the flight to California was five hours long—and the whole time I was strapped in next to a man who watched episode after episode of “House Hunters” on his tablet WITHOUT HEADPHONES.

  SnowAngel:

  “House Hunters” normal or “House Hunters International”?

  mad maddie:

  he was on a plane full of other ppl. how cld he not know to wear headphones? I kept wanting to say something to him, but I didn’t. and then I kept hoping that one of the flight attendants wld say something to him, but none of them did! ever!!!

  SnowAngel:

  I like “House Hunters,” even tho the couple already knows which house they’re going to buy before the show is filmed. did u know that?

  mad maddie:

  nope, and while I love you, I don’t really care.

  mad maddie:

  but I did some thinking on my long-ass flight and I had a very brilliant realization that I wld like to share with you.

  mad maddie:

  you know the expression “you only live once”?

  SnowAngel:

  as in yolo? *lifts eyebrows*

  SnowAngel:

  no, never heard of it. just like the ten-year-old my sister babysits has never heard of it, and just like my *grandmother* has never heard of it.

  mad maddie:

  har har har

  mad maddie:

  you and me and Zoe, we’ve all gone our own ways and we’re spread out all over the country and we’re, like, growing up and shit.

  SnowAngel:

  “growing up and shit.” You’ve gone all sophisticated, college girl.

  mad maddie:

  but just cuz we’re growing up doesn’t mean we have to grow apart.

  SnowAngel:

  Maddie, that’s so corny! you’re so adorable!!!

  mad maddie:

  and with that in mind, I have a plan for keeping us together.

  SnowAngel:

  does it include finishing my business hw for me? cuz shocking as it is, I wld actually NOT like to weigh in on how modern control theory is used in evaluating economic conditions.

  SnowAngel:

  MY BUSINESS CLASS IS SOOOOOO BORING!

  mad maddie:

  I feel for you. back to what *I* was saying. I just think we shld—

  mad maddie:

  shit

  SnowAngel:

  you think we should shit?

  mad maddie:

  my orientation leader is calling everyone over for a group activity. I’ve gotta go.

  SnowAngel:

  hold on. you think we shld what?

  mad maddie:

  tell ya later. will call as soon as I can.

  SnowAngel:

  don’t use drugs! drugs make you stoopid! that’s what the orientation person’s going to tell you!

  mad maddie:

  kk, I won’t. don’t u either!

  Fri, Sept 20, 7:39 PM E.D.T.

  SnowAngel:

  Maddie made it to California! yaaaaaay!

  zoegirl:

  I know, cuz I saw her pic of the UC Santa Cruz sign.

  zoegirl:

  did you talk to her? is she thrilled to finally be there?

  zoegirl:

  did you tell her what’s going on with me and Doug?

  SnowAngel:

  no, cuz she just got there.

  SnowAngel:

  and I’m totally not saying this to be insensitive, but the stuff with Doug is really just . . . well . . . more of the same, isn’t it?

  SnowAngel:

  altho you know I am always here and that I am hugging you from . . . however many states there are b/w GA and Ohio!

  SnowAngel:

  hey, quick question, my smartie friend. just randomly asking, but . . . however many states *are* there b/w GA and Ohio?? ten? twelve? four and a half?

  zoegirl:

  two. but you’re right. let’s change the subject.

  SnowAngel:

  okeydoke

  SnowAngel:

  in that case, I will share with you that I kinda want to strangle my roommate and burn her with fire.

  zoegirl:

  oh, that Lucy. what did she do now?

  SnowAngel:

  to start with, I think she’s stealing from me. I will save that topic for another time, however.

  SnowAngel:

  what I’m annoyed about right now is her bad attitude. last night we had an all-dorm BBQ, and she rolled her eyes right out of her head when everyone sang the Georgia fight song, which goes like this:

  SnowAngel:

  Gooooooo, Dawgs! Sic ‘em! Woof, woof, woof!

  zoegirl:

  huh

  zoegirl:

  wow

  SnowAngel:

  it takes one’s breath away. I know.

  SnowAngel:

  but Lucy, who as you know IS ALSO A FRESHMAN AT UGA, showed no love for the poor little Georgia Bulldogs. and then later she started an Instagram account for “UGA Haters.” isn’t that so tacky?

  SnowAngel:

  she used a pic of a confederate flag, which happens to be hanging in the window of one of the frat houses.

  zoegirl:

  ew

  SnowAngel:

  ew to the flag or ew to Lucy’s hate page?

  zoegirl:

  both

  SnowAngel:

  AND she’s been making snide remarks about the Greek system in general. she thinks I’m a horrible person for joining a sorority, even tho the Alpha Zetas wld NEVER hang a confederate flag anywhere.

  zoegirl:

  did she say that on her hate page? I hate hate pages, btw.

  SnowAngel:

  she said that everyone who goes to Georgia is a redneck, a racist, or a beauty queen—or very possibly all three. AND she made fun of the woof-woof
song.

  zoegirl:

  SnowAngel:

  so explain, please: why did Lucy enroll at a school she hates?

  zoegirl:

  state school? low tuition?

  SnowAngel:

  SnowAngel:

  unhelpful

  zoegirl:

  yeah, well, Lucy may not be your new BFF (she better not be!), but at least you have a roommate.

  SnowAngel:

  puh-lease. having a single is living the dream, my friend. no sympathy points there.

  zoegirl:

  grrr. everyone says I’m soooo lucky to have gotten a single, but I don’t know.

  zoegirl:

  sometimes it’s nice . . .

  zoegirl:

  but sometimes it’s lonely.

  SnowAngel:

  I’d happily mail Lucy to you if I cld, but alas, I have yet to persuade her to climb into an envelope.

  SnowAngel:

  as for the lonely . . .

  SnowAngel:

  go ahead, toots. let it out. is there a new Doug installment since the awkward phone call installment?

  zoegirl:

  no. I’m just missing him like crazy.

  zoegirl:

  but our phone call this morning WAS awkward. something weird is definitely going on between us . . . but please don’t lecture me, because I already know I’m being pathetic.

  zoegirl:

  if Doug’s going to break up with me, he’s going to break up with me, right?

  SnowAngel:

  if Doug breaks up with you, he’s an idiot—and if there IS something weird going on, I’m sure it’s just the whole being at different colleges thing.