Get The Girl ✓

author's note

T H A N K   Y O U

This was the funnest and funniest story I've ever written.

I can't describe it. The humour is comical and definitely echoes that of a sitcom television show. It's charismatic, effortless and light-hearted.

The characters seem so natural and compatible — and that was on accident. I created their personalities separately, not knowing how they'd end up complimenting each other in the most amusing way.

This story was experimental more than anything: I used present tense, the climaxes were platonic/familial rather than just romantic, and I purposely set a timeline of 2014, just because. I was given the known stereotypes and turned them into my own personage(s).

Get the Girl proved that I can divert from the usual scheme of my own writing and make something completely brand new.

For all you dedicated readers — I see you. And I love you. You've made this experience a joyful memory. Thanks for being a part of it.

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T H E  L I S T  2 . 0

Along the story, Jude has secretly ticked off numbers on Addie's List.

1. Go to her best friend's party (14) — Addie's best friend doesn't necessarily mean Liv. It could also be her little sister, Penny. Jude was in the parking lot of the mall that Penny's birthday party was held.

2. Play her favourite sport (10) — Addie doesn't have a favourite sport. But remember when Jude almost tackles Addie while she practiced for a marathon? What did they do next? They ran together.

3. Take her out on a burger date (13) — Well, Jude was in a burger date with Addie when they all went out together to "practice" for the play. Even if that was her idea.

4. Compliment her cat (33) — Addie doesn't have a pet cat. But what does she have that equivalents to a pet? Something precious to her, that she keeps in her house at all times? One word: gnomes.

5. Buy her yellow lilies (18) — When 4/6 of the gang goes to Aquatica, Addie stops by a booth to buy sunglasses. Jude bought them for her. Daisy-shaped sunglasses.

6. Watch a horror movie together (20) — That horror night with Trey/Justine.

7. Kiss in a spontaneous fashion (27) — Jude's kiss on her neck was pretty spontaneous during the Blacklist Party.

8. Show her off (27) — Also during the Blacklist Party.

9. Make her 18th birthday special — Loophole. She's still seventeen.

10. See if she's okay (all) — Jude's always been there for her. Bingo.

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A L T E R N A T I V E  E N D I N G S

I had a lot of drafts on how I should end the story. There was just so many possibilities, and I didn't truly decide it until halfway through the book. There were two alternative endings that almost made it:

AE #1: Addie and Trey are friends. Addie helps Trey get the girl. Addie falls for Trey. Trey doesn't feel the same way. They make up & remain friends. The end. Jude doesn't exist.

AE #2: Addie and Trey are friends. Addie helps Trey get the girl. Addie falls for Trey. Trey doesn't feel the same way. Addie falls apart. Jude is there for her. Addie realises Jude has been there for her this whole time. Trey helps her "get the guy." The end. Jude is nice, approachable and all around good guy. Not at all brutally honest, rough or intimidating.

In both AEs, Addie and Justine aren't close / never had that "friendship" they have in this final version. Justine is a side character and merely acts as Trey's love interest. Nothing more.

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S P I N O F F (S)

#1: Search Party [status : on hold]

Search Party stars Sydney Jenkins, a girl who goes in to a party she's not sure she's ready for. Maybe because her ex-lover is there, or maybe she's dreamt of this before. And when mere coincidences become far too familiar, paranoia ensues. Add in strangers with hidden motives and who are just batshit crazy... you've got yourself one hell of a night.

Notes: It's more of a short story; a midnight escapade where they travel from different spots. Most importantly, it kicks off during one specific event that happens in Get The Girl — can you guess what that is?

#2: New Romantics [status : TBA]

New Romantics will be Liv and Vic's story during college. It's still very new, but here's the general plot: they find out they're attending the same university, and despite having recovered from their awkward high school drama, there's still some tension residue there. Emotional & sexual. You name it. That being said, this story will follow Liv as she explores her sexuality — she's known all her life that she likes girls, so when she starts liking Vic, that changes everything.

The golden trio of this cast will be *Olive, Vic, and Laney freakin' Burke.

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E X T R A (S)

Since I love this book too much, and I love y'all too much, I am, as we speak, currently writing three extra scenes from the book. Each extra is focused on each couple — that is, Trey/Justine, Addie/Jude and Liv/Vic, in that order. And each of them will centre around each couple's crucial moments in their relationships. I'll leave you to guess as I finish them.