TO: GWEN
Hi girlie! Got the other cheerleaders’ $$ for Prom limo—did you send yours?
FROM: DAD
TO: GWEN
Guinevere, the bank just e-mailed me an overdraft warning for your account. What don’t you understand? Our assets are frozen until the SEC investigation is complete. There is no money for you to spend. I had the bank block charges for your Prom limo and Prom dress so you wouldn’t incur further fees.
FROM: GWEN
TO: MORGAN
Ugh, I wired the $$ but my phone has been glitchy. Would never miss the limo with you girls. Especially when you see who my date is . . . :) Will give you a check tomorrow!
FROM: GWEN
TO: ART
Hi! Amaaaazing job at the game yesterday!! KNIGHTS RULE! I cheered super loud to distract the other team during that field goal—pretty sure they missed because of me!
With all your hard work on the field you probably forgot Prom’s on Saturday! Better ask that special someone before it’s too late . . . :) FROM: ART
TO: GWEN
Gwen! What’s up?
You ladies did great yesterday
And yeah. Prom. Ugh.
Btw Lance said he asked you but you’re locked. Who’s the lucky guy?
FROM: GWEN
TO: ART
You’re friends with Lance?
FROM: ART
TO: GWEN
Yeah, we go back
Don’t hang at school much
Complicated
FROM: GWEN
TO: ART
What else did Lance say about me?
FROM: ART
TO: GWEN
I know he likes you. Told him he shoulda asked you sooner.
You really don’t want to tell me who you’re going with huh :P
FROM: GWEN
TO: ART
You don’t know him.
FROM: GWEN
TO: ELAINE
CALL ME NOW.
FROM: ELAINE
TO: GWEN
Sorry I hung up on you.
You told me Art Pendragon asked you to Prom and now you’re telling me he didn’t.
I can’t believe you lied to me.
FROM: GWEN
TO: ELAINE
And I can’t believe there’s a $2000 BET POOL about whether I’ll hook up with Art Pendragon at Prom! I told you not to tell anyone!
FROM: ELAINE
TO: GWEN
I didn’t! I only told the squad.
How was I supposed to know you were MAKING IT UP
FROM: GWEN
TO: ELAINE
Suppose Art finds out!
FROM: ELAINE
TO: GWEN
Knight Cheerleaders = Circle of Trust
FROM: ART
TO: GWEN
Hey. You seen the #Excalibur tag on Joust?
FROM: GWEN
TO: ELAINE
THE WHOLE SCHOOL IS ON JOUST BETTING IF I CAN PULL #EXCALIBUR. ART WANTS TO KNOW IF I’VE SEEN IT.
FROM: ELAINE
TO: GWEN
Can’t talk. French tutor.
FROM: GWEN
TO: ART
I hadn’t seen it! Not really a fan of those shady apps.
You must be flattered. Guess people want us to go to Prom together :) FROM: ART
TO: GWEN
Flattered? Not sure about that
All the Knights want us to go together too.
FROM: GWEN
TO: ART
So why don’t we?
FROM: ART
TO: GWEN
1. You’re going with another dude
2. I told Lance you were hot and he said you and I look alike, which means I’m a narcissist and want to hook up with myself FROM: GWEN
TO: ART
1. Another Dude’s appendix burst and he’s in the ER and can’t go to Prom so now I can go with you!
2. Lance is just jealous. You and me belong together. Prom King and Queen in gold crowns. Rulers of Camelot Prep. Don’t you want me as your queen?
FROM: ART
TO: GWEN
2. Couldn’t do that to Lance.
FROM: GWEN
TO: LANCE
Hi Lance! So nice out tonight. Too bad we have that English test tomorrow. Mr. Merlin said the essay is on whether “Hades and Persephone” has a happy ending. We could study together if you want. Btw, you wouldn’t care if Art goes to Prom with me, right?
FROM: LANCE
TO: GWEN
I’d rather talk on the phone.
FROM: GWEN
TO: LANCE
Reception is bad in my house.
FROM: LANCE
TO: GWEN
Well to answer your questions, yes, I’d care if you went to Prom with Art seeing that you lied to me about going with someone else.
And no, I don’t want to study together, because the last time we studied together, we had sex and now you’re asking me if you can go to Prom with my best friend.
FROM: GWEN
TO: LANCE
Calling you.
Thursday
FROM: ART
TO: GWEN
Lance said you studied together last night for Merlin’s.
You should have told me.
I was up till 2 a.m. googling whether “Hades and Persephone” has a happy ending.
(I say no. Girl gets kidnapped, ping-pongs between two God brothers, and goes to hell.) FROM: GWEN
TO: ART
Studied together? More like Lance gave me some ideas for the essay question. (There was no ping-ponging btw, and she does get to leave hell for a few months at a time. I’d say the ending is happy. Girl gets to be a queen.) FROM: ART
TO: GWEN
Lance said he was going to your house
Texted him for like 3 hours after and he didn’t answer FROM: GWEN
TO: ART
Forgot my book at school, Sherlock. He came over to let me borrow his. Since when is Lance your best buddy FROM: ART
TO: GWEN
Next time invite me.
FROM: GWEN
TO: LANCE
I SAID IF YOU TOLD ANYONE WE HANG OUT I’D HURT YOU.
FROM: LANCE
TO: GWEN
I didn’t tell him we hooked up. I told him we studied.
FROM: GWEN
TO: LANCE
STUDIED = HOOKED UP YOU IDIOT
FROM: GWEN
TO: ART
Hey :) Why don’t we blow off first two periods and study for Merlin’s at my house?
FROM: ART
TO: GWEN
Lance and I are at the gym.
Trying to get him swole but he keeps texting during sets ha ha.
Says it’s the girl he’s taking to Prom but won’t tell me who FROM: GWEN
TO: LANCE
I’M NOT GOING TO PROM WITH YOU.
FROM: LANCE
TO: GWEN
You said you’d think about it when we were cuddling.
FROM: GWEN
TO: LANCE
You know how Merlin talked about “Persephone’s Crisis”? i.e. Persephone could never exist as a person outside of her mother until Hades took her to hell? Well, maybe she needed Hades to take her to hell for her to find out what she really wanted.
FROM: LANCE
TO: GWEN
So you’re Persephone. I’m Hades. And hell is Prom?
FROM: GWEN
TO: LANCE
I should have never let you come over last night.
Or any night.
FROM: LANCE
TO: GWEN
Then why did you?
FROM: GWEN
TO: LANCE
Because when I’m with you I don’t feel lonely.
FROM: LANCE
TO: GWEN
I’m the only guy you feel safe with. You’re the only girl I trust. Art will never see you the way I do. Art will only see what you want him to see. You and him have that in common. Why do you think you both keep me a secret? Ha.
I’m the only one who knows the real Art and the real Gwen.
FROM: GWEN
TO: LANCE
Just because we hooked up doesn’t mean you know the real me.
FROM: LANCE
TO: GWEN
The real Gwen can’t take four steps without knocking into something and peeking around for someone to blame it on. The real Gwen puts concealer on the tiny birthmark on her cheek because she can’t stand a flaw and yet is drawn to me, whose face is a mess.
The real Gwen has a room full of well-thumbed books and yet acts barely literate in class so boys won’t think she’s a nerd. The real Gwen is complex and weird and cool and yet pretends to be shallow and simple and empty. I see through all of it. Real Gwen is the one I love.
FROM: LANCE