FIFTEEN by Beverly Cleary [chapters 7 & 8]

CHAPTER 7 - THE LONG, DARK, DANCE-NIGHT OF THE SOUL

Jane confides in Julie and sets the WHS telegraph in motion. Julie will do recon and report back. PLEASE don't let it be Marcy that Stan is taking. In the meantime she throws away her back scratcher and unravels Stan's Christmas socks. Julie finds out that it isn't Marcy and offers Jane a babysitting gig the night of the dance. 

Jane decides to put the dance behind her and concentrate on her studies and get a scholarship to one of those Eastern women's colleges. Oh Jane, we've all dreamed of attending Vassar. The babysitting job is for a lovely nerd in a comfy house, perfect for a solid study night. But Jane opts for self-reflection. 

As usual, the Krushes perfectly illustrate her state of mind and Bev gives a perfect description of the all consuming sadness you hopefully leave behind when you leave high school. "Ten years from now I'll look back on this night and laugh, Jane thought. But she knew in her heart it was not true. In ten years she might look back, but she would not laugh, not even then. This night was too painful to laugh about ever."

CHAPTER 8 - GIRL FOR SALE

Janie calls first thing in the morning. It turns out that Stan's date, the diminutive Bitsy, is an old family friend. Julie wasn't a fan if her size, but admits that she was perfectly darling. Nonetheless, the girls let their claws out a little. Turns out Stan is a wonderful dancer according to Julie. 

Then the doorbell rings and Jane has to hang up. It's Stan and he's hell bent on talking this out. Jane wants to be stone-hearted, but accepts a ride to her her babysitting job, albeit cooly. 

Turn's out, Stan has a car! It's a very old car, but Jane can't help herself. She loves it and tells him so. He says he wanted her to be the first girl to ride in it. Minds out of the gutter, pervs. Jane channels her inner Marcy and waves a "Hello there!" to a girl from her math class. Oh Jane, be careful, girl! 

It gets even better. It turns out that Bitsy was a previous engagement and Stan would have preferred to take Jane. There is a delightful litany of ways that Bitsy annoyed Stan. Then Jane gets a little nervous because they are essentially parking. She decides to get a chaperone in the person of Julie. 

As they drive, Jane works on her "new Marcy gesture" of brushing her hair out of her eyes. Are you nervous that Jane will become a Marcy clone? Fear not, and read on. 

Jane is fascinated by the word carburetor - "this is the first time she met the world in conversation." 

The picture is delightful - Julie and Buzz are very excited about the car. Cleary writes, "With the two boys under the hood, Jane and Julie looked at each other and, without uttering a word, carried on a conversation." And then describes the conversation perfectly. Then they talk about the car out loud because all the real stuff was said silently. 

Then Buzz freaking ruins it all because he is going for the laugh rather than reading the room. I've done it myself. Then Jane, being all Marcy-fied sells her first kiss to Buzz for 50 cents which he gives to Stan. Gross on all counts. 

Stan is pissed. He is quiet as they drive away and he throws the half-dollar in the bay. 

Jane realizes a small part of her wanted to pay back Stan for the long, dark, dance-time of the soul that she just went through. She's so self actualized. She wholeheartedly apologizes and Stan accepts it. 

But he is pale...so pale.