Girl Talk #4: Rebel, Rebel

By L.E. Blair. Published 1990.

Sabrina. NO.

Sabrina starts this book quite put out, as none of them are invited to Stacy the Great’s party. Why would she invite any of you? Y’all hate each other.

Randy, of course, really doesn’t give a shit about going. She’s more excited about her best friend from New York, Sheck (I keep reading it as Shrek), coming for a visit the week of Thanksgiving.

And then Randy has a problem. She always thought the deal was that she and her mom were going to live in Acorn Falls for a year, then hightail it back to New York next June. But Randy’s mom is an artist, and it’s going really well for her in Acorn Falls. She says something about a show next fall, and Randy freaks the fuck out. So she starts thinking about going back to New York by herself and living with her dad and his new girlfriend. She goes back and forth on this for a while, but when Shrek comes, she all, “Screw this, I’m going back to New York.”

When Shrek arrives, Randy sees what she heard is true, and Shrek has turned out pretty cute. But Randy doesn’t really care about that, she’s just excited to see him. But he does grate on her nerves a bit, constantly putting down Acorn Falls. She knows it’s not New York, but she doesn’t really think it’s so bad.

A couple of other people do notice Shrek’s hotness. Sabrina, of course, and also Stacy the Great. Ignoring the girls, Stacy invites Shrek to her party. But Sabrina kind of butts in, and invites herself and the other girls. It’s kind of awesome. Totally rude, but awesome. 

Randy actually stands up for herself and Acorn Falls, and asks Shrek to stop picking on everything so much. He does, and neither of them makes a big deal out of it. That’s quite refreshing. Then they go tobogganing with the other girls, and they all have a really good time.

They go to Stacy’s party, and it’s ok. Stacy tries to get all up on Shrek, but he’s not really having it. He dances with Randy, and even with Allison when Randy asks him to. Randy and Shrek have a bit of a moment, he kisses her cheek, but it’s left pretty open-ended.

And Randy decides to stay in Acorn Falls, to the relief of all her friends except for Shrek. He’s pretty bummed about it. The thing that bothered me though, is that she never discussed moving back with her mother. How does she know her mom would have even let her? But, in the end it doesn’t matter anyway.

o   Randy says having a twin is “pretty unique.” A) Not really. B) There’s no such thing. It’s either unique or it’s not.

o   Randy calls her parents “M” and “D”.

o   Room Porn-ish: Randy and her mom don’t live in a house, but a barn.