Sometimes I think if my mother wasn't so good at pretending to be happy she might be better at actually being happy.

More from My So-Called Life

• I'm in love. His name is Jordan Catalano. He was let back, twice. Once I almost touched his shoulder in the middle of a pop quiz. He's always closing his eyes like it hurts to look at things.
• Like with boys, how they have it so easy. How you have to pretend that you don't notice them... noticing you.
• My parents keep asking how school was. It’s like saying, “How was that drive-by shooting?” You don’t care how it was, you’re lucky to get out alive.
• Things were getting to me. Just how people are. How they always expect you to be a certain way. Even your best friend.
• Walking into someone else’s house for the first time is like entering another country. Not that I’ve ever been to another country.
• I bet people can actually die of embarrassment. I bet it's been medically proven.