Friends Forever (BSC) #6: Stacey and the Boyfriend Trap

Stacey is back in New York City for New Year’s Eve and she wants to hit the town. Her dad reluctantly agrees to go downtown with her and his girlfriend Samantha, but bundles himself up. Stacey wonders if she might run into Ethan, who she hasn’t seen in awhile. She doesn’t see him, but she does end up on TV. Luckily everyone back home saw her and Mary Anne’s dad even taped it. She decides to be a better friend and while you might think she’s talking about Claudia, she actually means Ethan.

The two get together for a quick meeting before she goes home. She still likes him, but she knows breaking up was a good choice. She tells him all about the fight with Claudia and he tells her about an art showing back in Connecticut. They talk some more and then she has to run.

There must be something in the water because she comes home to find a letter from Toby. Stacey remembers what happened the last time she saw him and isn’t sure if she should write him, but she finally sends him an email. They email each other back and forth a few times and he asks if he can stop by and see her on his way to a college visit for his older brother. She reluctantly decides to meet him, but just as friends.

Stacey then learns that her favorite/math teacher Mr. Z is moving to Texas. She and Pete Black both really like him and decide to throw him a farewell party. The idea kind of spirals out of control, with different people pitching in to help and even high school students wanting to attend. She also sees good old Wes, her former crush. He’s actually applying for the job and she invites him to the party.

Stacey and Jeremy are having a few problems, which is mainly because he’s an asshole. He hung out with Claudia while she was out of town and he seems to mention her a lot. He even suggests having her draw a bunch of sketches as party decorations. It doesn’t help that Robert, her ex-boyfriend, wants to help out with the party and Pete is acting like he wants more than friendship from her. Stacey goes over to Claudia’s house early, hoping to talk to her about the party. Claudia agrees to make the pictures for the party, they talk and they make up.

On the day of the party, Toby stops by her house. He looks exactly the same, but he keeps acting like he’s so mature and buff (he works out now). She kind of wants him to go away, but his parents are late picking him up. Then Ethan shows up too. She ends up taking them both to the party, where Robert, Pete, Sam and Jeremy are all waiting. Jeremy doesn’t seem to have a problem with all of her exes and finally confesses that it made him realize that she has more in common with all those other guys than she does with him. So, they break up.

Stacey feels a little down, but then has a chance to talk to Ethan. They have fun together and she realizes that she still kind of likes him, so they make plans to see each other the next time she’s in town. When the book ends, she wonders if maybe she had the chance to see everyone together, just so she could figure out which one was the right guy for her.

*Claudia’s sketches seem like way too much work for a party! She actually does a sketch of Mr. Z, plus sketches of all these mathematicians.

*Sam gets mentioned multiple times in the book, but Stacey never even talks to him. I kind of always liked them together, so that annoyed me a little.

*When Ed takes her and Samantha out, they barely have to wait at a restaurant to get a table. Yeah, waiting in line for 15 minutes…without a reservation…on New Year’s Eve…in New York City.

*Why would Toby even write her? Did he try Mallory first and learn she’s no longer in town or did he think he had a shot with her?

*Apparently Toby did think he had a shot because he makes a comment about how they didn’t really “do anything” and then kisses her. What did he expect her to do, let him cop a feel while her mom was three feet away?

*Mary Anne’s barn-house is almost done. She takes Kristy and Stacey to the mall with Sharon, looking for ideas for her new room. Kristy wants a loft style bed, with red, black and grey shades. Stacey likes a room with street signs everywhere. Mary Anne picks one with a picket fence headboard and a garden mural on the wall.