MISSING: Chapter 2

MISSING
Chapter 2: HICCUP

In the social scene at the Academy of the Holy Trinity for Boys and Girls, Diana Silverling is best equipped. Her preparations do not collaborate until high school – arguably the most favorable time for popularity to flower in a given individual. Di is never really ostracized – a rare individual to pass from grade school through adolescence almost completely untouched by that parasite, malevolence, that feeds on most youth.

Di is a “lifer” at the Academy of the Holy Trinity for Boys and Girls. A scrappy blond, she does not come into her beauty – or bust – until she piques high school. However, children are not so transfixed by outward appearances as their elders are. Di has always been nice and plays well with others. Her hair casts her the coveted role of Princess or otherwise heroine. In middle school boys like her. She is not the fierce queen of the middle school playground – who has boobs and an elusive best friend with 2 first names and bigger boobs, and access to cigarettes. However, the fierce queen of the middle school playground is remarkably savvy in social politics; she keeps Di as a secure second-hand. The Queen protects the throne viciously and pulls Di up: Rapunzel. Di does not have to fight for any claim; the work is done for her.

The classmates overthrow the queen and crown Di because she is nice, and because she is already very near to the correct location for a queen to be, at the top of the hill. Mrs. Carol Silverling is glad to play the position through Di. Brush your hair a bit; don’t you see all the boys looking at Di. Di has play dates with the Courtlings, and the Silverlings sit next to the Trentons at church. Carol fabricates a carpool with the principal’s son so she can not drive twice a week. Di is always entrusted into a good family’s care when Mr. and Mrs. Silverling fly to San-Somewhere for a getaway. She tells Di, “hold on. Just hold on.”

Little Anna Campbell does not have blond hair. Her family moves from Belgium when she is four. This small ornament always adorns her. Her mother says, “hello lovey,” and sings, “Anner,” when boys call for her on the telle. Anner knows words like torchlight and lolli. She can win affection by reverting back to “the bubbler” or “the lou.” She carves herself out as a cute young thing. She falls – for a short while in Middle School – when her class schedule aligns her with the second-rate group of girls and boys. She cares too much about others. But Anner plays soccer for the local team; this opens a secret COURSE/MEANS OF ACCESS for Anner. Her father coaches the team and she can set play dates and car pools with the other girls. Mrs. Campbell always bakes crispies for after the game. She keeps Anner’s water bottle cooled with ice. In high school Di joins the soccer team.

Rory Goodchild is a bit too beautiful to completely shine in her surroundings. Beauty can turn a double edge in the delicate game of girlhood. Beauty wins affection with boys, which can increase social standings. In social politics all things matter; which boys call you amorous matters immensely. An element of awareness towards competition also matters. The Queen keeps Rory close. Di keeps Rory close. Anner keeps Rory close. Rory is too beautiful to find her way to the top. She is also too beautiful to fight her way there. Rory stays always an arm’s length away from the top of the hill. Her mother expects her to keep her room tidy, and mow the lawn weekly. Rory barely protests, and almost never contests in public. “Why even bother inviting her over after soccer – she probably has got her laundry still to do.”

Alexia Lamont; Lexa, Di’s confidante. Not so much skimpy as she is lithe: a fashionable trait for any middle school girl. Lexa is good at soccer and her sister is best friends with one of the popular boys’ sisters – this is very fortunate. Lexa is friends with one of the popular boys! She doesn’t even care. She doesn’t need to care. Di chooses Lexa to keep company with her at the top. Mrs. Silverling probably actually inspires the choice – Lexa is a very likely candidate. A perfect means: sleepovers; carpools; “Di should join Lexa’s soccer team!” “Diana, join Lexa’s soccer team!” Mrs. Silverling talks with Anner’s Dad. She volunteers to drive the girls – Rory, Anner, Lexa, and Di to soccer after school. She bakes cookies that vie with Mrs. Campbell’s crispies– the girls are tiring of Mrs. Campbell’s crispies anyway. Mrs. Campbell would step down, if not for Anner’s continual prompting.
***
Many years later, a mother recognizes that all of the girls must have suffered at least a small wound of envy, for wanting to be Di, or for wanting to have Di & Lexa.
How many girls have this story; Diana Silverling does not because her father is an alcoholic. Lexa knows because Di needs someone to tell her emotional processing-s to. She needs to elect someone eligible for vacation trips where he might come home drunk. Mrs. Campbell and Mrs. Goodchild probably don’t want their daughters to know anyway. Neither princess has the capacity to help manage such a twist.
Circumstances pair Anner and Rory together after Di pulls Lexa up to the top of the hill.