Chapter 1: Cammi Adams
November 21,1991
”Just what makes the Wakefields tick,Cammi?”, Terri Adams asked her sister as Cammi got ready for Abbie Richardson’s birthday party. “They’re probably the most popular girls we know,behind Lila or Cara or Ellen. They somehow have time for every activity under the sun,and they don’t even break a sweat. How do they do it,sis?”
Cammi shimmied into her party pants. “The same way you’ve got time to both do your homework and play tennis at Moon Beach with Rosie and the girls. They’ve got a whole week to do it in. And it’s the same for me,Ter. I have Boosters on Wednesdays and history club on Fridays,and I get those done too. Not having ballet anymore has made it pretty easy on my schedule.” She changed the subject. “What do you think,Ter? Does this dress go well with my ‘mark?”
Terri eyed the dress from where she sat on the bed. “It doesn’t clash,Cammi. You’ll look good in it. You always look good,not like me.”
Cammi looked incensed. “Never say that again,Teresa Rae Adams! You always look good yourself!”
”But do I? Some people call me the ‘Bloodhound’. After the shape of my nose.”
”Well,then they’ll have to call me that too!”, Cammi responded indignantly. “We’ve got the same nose”, she added,touching the tip of her nose to the tip of Terri’s and smoothing the younger girl’s hair.
Terri allowed herself a slight smile. “Thanks,sissy.” Cammi stood up and smiled as well,then began getting ready for the party.
Chapter 2: Terri Adams
Notes:
The gang are seniors at this point. This is a short scene of prom preparations.
May 8,1994
”Sal?”, Terri yelled down the ladder,suspended in a corner of the Valley Inn’s ballroom. “Could you pass up a new brush,please? This one’s getting cranky.”
”Sure thing,Ter”, came the voice of Sally Larson from the floor. She rummaged among her bags.
”And tell Jeannie to check her console:the south lights are all at sixes and sevens.”
Terri looked out over the ballroom to the work crews getting it ready for the senior prom. Jeannie West sat at a piano-like console overseeing the operation of the fairy lights that would illuminate the room come prom night,in two weeks’ time. Caitlin Ryan and Mandy Miller were talking with the head waiter regarding when dinner was being served. Diane Kaplan was supervising the placing of the DJ’s booth while John Pfeiffer and April Dawson tested the sound system.
It was an orderly scene,certainly better than last year. Their junior prom hadn’t been as organized. The sound system had been all over the place. The food had been subpar,to say the least. The lights had been too bright,causing more than a few pairs of eyes to tear up over the course of the evening. The gym floor had been slippery. At least this prom would be better,and Terri would help make sure of it.
Chapter 3: Danielle Alexander
October 11,1986
Danni stood nervously behind the barre in Madame Andre’s classroom. She wished her parents had signed her up for Madame Cartier’s class instead, as that looked more interesting. Danni wanted to be a ballerina when she grew up,but did it have to be this hard?
She noticed the blonde girl standing next to her looked nervous too. She held out her hand. “Hello. I’m Danielle,but you can call me Danni.”
”Jessica Wakefield.” The blonde shook her hand.
”I just moved to Sweet Valley from Santa Barbara.”
”And my family’s been here since my daddy and mommy were little”, Jess said, sounding a little snobby to Danni. She ignored it. “It’s nice to meet you.”
”You should talk to Liz,my sister. She’s the one who wanted to try ballet. I think she’ll be better at it.” With that,Jess introduced the blonde on her other side.
”I think you’ll like it here in Sweet Valley,Danni. We have amazing beaches here. And the kids are usually friendly,unless you’re Caroline Pearce or someone like her”. Danni knew Caroline Pearce as a thin,gossipy redhead from her homeroom,so she was inclined to agree. It looked like she was off to a good start in Sweet Valley.
