Student Body - Dvorak, Jenny - Diary

 From the diary of Jenny Dvorak

March 3
Don't tell anyone, but I'm scared out of my mind. Today I mailed out my application to Wintervale University. I made the huge mistake of telling people at school that I was applying. Trish Vannos and Rachel Stefano laughed in my face.

"What makes you think you rate?" Trish said. "Wintervale's a top school. I could get into Wintervale. You? I don't think so."

"No, no, no," Rachel added, "she'll get accepted. I hear they'll take almost anyone to work in the cafeteria..."

I used to think they were my friends when we were all cheerleaders together. Then they started spreading these rumors about me and this guy I don't even like...

Nevermind.

Being a senior's not supposed to suck, but at Somerset High it really does. At least for me. I just thought being a senior would make getting used to another new school a little easier. Y'know, seniors rule. Mrs. Jacobs, my latest foster mommy-dearest, says I set myself up for disappointment 'cause I expect too much. Maybe she's right.

If I could just get accepted at Wintervale then everything would be different. I just know it. Wintervale's such a good school. Getting accepted there means you're special. To someone like me, who doesn't even know what her real name is, that means a lot.

But I know I'm dreaming.

March 17
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">It's been two weeks since I sent out my application to Wintervale. Mrs. Jacobs says that's not a lot of time. I need to be patient. The two of us have never connected. Never have, never will.

I read over my last diary entry before I started writing. It ended with the word "dreaming." When I was a little girl, I used to dream about being a princess. I wanted to live in a mansion with servants taking care of me and rich, handsome princes fighting over me.

I hate that fantasy. It hurts to think about it.

April 16
Guess what? It's been a month since I last wrote in this diary. Not much has changed. Except that I'm going to Wintervale University in September!!!

I got the acceptance letter today. Just wait 'til I show it to Trish and Rachel. Hey, maybe I can help them get jobs in the cafeteria!

October 5
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">I can't believe it's been six months since I got the letter. So much has changed, so much has happened... I think this is the first chance I've had to sit back and relax.

Wintervale's so hot. There's so much to do. Sports, clubs, plays, art festivals... There's this one band that plays here all the time called Colonel Mustard. You should see the drummer. This dude can rock my world any time...

It's like heaven here compared to what I'm used to. My scholarship only covers room and board. I have to work two part-time jobs to pay for my classes. My roommate, Justine, already knows what sorority she wants to join during Rush Week. She wants me to join with her. Can you tell I'm excited? Yes yes yes yes yes! I just wish things would slow down a little so I could check out all the cool stuff happening on campus.

One way or another, I'll find the time.

December 19
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">Hello, dreary diary. Two months have gone by... I never have any time to write!

It's a cold Winter day, eight inches of snow. Classes are canceled, so I have a little time. For a change. Justine's become a real snob ever since she joined Alpha Phi. I wanted to join with her, but how was I supposed to know it cost money to be in a sorority? She knew I wasn't rich. If I was, I wouldn't have to share her computer.

Wanna know a secret?

I was the one who flamed her in the Frat Chat room. To be honest, it didn't feel that great. They say living well is the best revenge. How am I supposed to do that when all I have time for is work and classes?

January 8
I've got a boyfriend!

Well, sort of. It's been going on a little under a month. His name's Coyote. Well, that's his screen name. I don't know what his real name is. Not yet. I'm working up my nerve to ask him for a face-to-face. We meet in the Hot House, kind of a chat room for Ratskellar wannabes.

I swear, I can tell him anything. Last night I told him about my princess fantasy. I didn't even worry about whether he'd think it was stupid, I just told him. Now he's calling me "princess."

Is this what being in love's all about?

February 12
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">Dear diary, has it really only been a month since I told you about Coyote? Well, he's history. But I have a whole new life now, so I don't care!

I'm still trying to get used to all this.

I might as well just hit you with it all at once: My real parents found me. They're rich. Filthy rich. They live close by, and they want me. It turns out I wasn't abandoned at all. Not by my parents. It sounds impossible, but I was kidnapped when I was just a baby. This private detective and his friend, a lawyer, figured it all out. I'm not going to get into the whole deal. I hear they're selling the rights to the story for a TV-movie. (I hope they don't get one of those kids from 90210 to play me.) But it's really all true. Fingerprints and DNA tests have proven that I'm Jenny Dvorak, not Jenny no-name.

My dreams have come true. I have a family. Servants wait on me. Believe it or not, I belong to a country club! I no longer have to eat one meal a day because it's all I can afford. Now I can have anything I want, anytime I want it.

I am a princess. For real.

Guess what happened to Coyote? I caught him with Justine. You'd think he would've been smart enough to use another screen name, y'know? It's almost like he wanted to be caught. All I can say is bye-bye jerk. I'm lookin' for a prince. I wonder if that drummer guy from Colonel Mustard has a girlfriend?

April 12
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">Two months of life at the top. And you know what? I'm getting used to a life of luxury. No problem.

School has started up again. All the top sororities have been fighting over me. I'm going with Alpha Phi, just so I can have Justine kissing up to me.

Mom and Dad let me spend as much money as I want. Money doesn't mean anything to them. They care about what's important to me. They don't just talk at me, they actually listen. No one ever has before.

I've been out on dates. Real dates. Were talking princes and fancy dress balls. And next month, Mom's taking me to Paris.

Just 'cause.

March 9
Three months now of living in paradise. I broke up with two guys today. One of them wanted to marry me. As if. I'm only just finding myself. I'm not going to let anyone tie me down.

Honestly, why should I? I'm an heiress--and I'm going to enjoy my life for a change.

May 21
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?

Calm down, that's the first thing. I logged on tonight. Why, I don't know. I just had this strange feeling that I would have mail, so I checked the box. Coyote's back, and he had one heck of a story to tell. According to him, it's all a lie. I'm not Jennifer Louise Dvorak. He arranged everything. The private investigator and the lawyer work for him. They faked all the lab tests and stuff. I called up both of them, thinking Coyote was just being a jerk 'cause I dumped him... And they both said it was true.

Coyote wants me to do stuff for him. Nothing really bad. Steal some files out of the computer lab. Go out with this guy that HE wants to know more about. Coyote says if I don't do it, everything will come out. Mr. and Mrs. Dvorak will find out that I'm not really their daughter. Even worse, Coyote'll make it look like it was all my idea to begin with.

He says it won't be so bad. A few favors now and then. It's the way I'll pay him back for making my princess fantasy come true.

When he put it like that...I didn't know what to say. Maybe it's the price I have to pay.

Maybe I don't have a choice.

September 23
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">It's been over four months since I agreed to play Coyote's game. Last week, in my mythologies class, I learned that the Native Americans had a character called Coyote in their myths and legends. He was the Trickster god. He could assume any form, and he always knew everything that was going on inside a person's head.

Sound familiar?

There is no Coyote. Not really. This guy, this lurker... I have a funny feeling that he may be using different screen names with everyone. Finds his way to get his hooks into them. He's invisible. He's everywhere and nowhere all at once. He's got me. God help me, he's got me good...