2. Secrets

“What Jessica wants, Jessica gets–even if someone gets hurt!”

I really hate Grease. It’s not because of the hokey characters or forever-repeated musical numbers; I just can’t bear that ending! Sandy turns herself into a bad girl because she thinks it will make Danny like her. Ta-da! It works, happily ever after. Argue if you will – you have to read a lot into the plot to come up with a different interpretation.

When Sandy’s a goody two-shoes, the popular elite of Rydell High want her as one of theirs, but they shun slutty Rizzo and her gang of hoodlums. In this world, popularity and a clean rep go hand-in-hand. Sweet Valley High exists within this same parallel universe. The Secrets plot is driven by Jessica’s pulsating disdain for the “nerdy” Enid Rollins (who just happens to be Elizabeth’s best friend). Jessica finds a top-secret letter that reveals that Enid had a shady past that included (gasp!) DRUG USE. Even worse than the drug use is that Enid, who has a cute, popular boyfriend, has kept in touch with a boy from her bad-girl past! A once-delinquent penpal! HOW COULD SHE?? Jessica proceeds to use this information to try and ruin Enid’s life.

The real surprise is that this flimsy plan works. When everyone in the school finds out about Enid’s shady past (and when her boyfriend finds out she’s been conversing with another boy by post) Enid’s rep is ruined. But Jessica also manages to screw up Enid’s relationship with Elizabeth, who Enid thought was the sole keeper of these secrets. Enid logically (?) assumes that Elizabeth is responsible for their release to the public. As if Elizabeth could be so cruel.

How, PLEASE tell me HOW are we supposed to sit back and take this kind of behavior from Jessica? To me, this series is so far shaping up to be a classic tale of good versus evil–Jessica is Elizabeth’s evil twin. But I am 96% sure that we are supposed to view them merely as two different types of people. Different...like Luke was different from Darth Vader. I have to say, if Jessica doesn’t learn a lesson or two soon, I’m not going to be able to stand for much more of this.

Editor's note: Are you looking for the 2017 podcast episode on SECRETS? Click here to blast ahead 11 years! 

Comments

[chickenzombies]

I always wanted to hate Jessica...except that Elizabeth's smarmy holier-than-thou chin-upness made me want to choke on my own bile and die. So maybe it cancels itself out? I think I'm trying to justify why I could still possibly find them so thoroughly entertaining!
(originally posted Friday, September 4, 2009 - 11:43 AM)

[Marissa Flaxbart]

Haha, yes! I learn that about Elizabeth as time goes on…now they are both unbearable! But in a fun way…;)
(originally posted Saturday, September 5, 2009 - 10:02 AM)

[sheeba]

I always thought jessica was a bitch. At least Elizabeth was smart and she was a writer. All Jessica did was shop and cause drama
(originally posted Thursday, October 8, 2009 - 10:12 AM)

[ninghil]

And this is why I thought Senior Year is better than all the series. It's very real. BTW, Jessica's my favorite. LOL
(originally posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 - 12:20 AM)

[Lori]

I always hated Jessica the most. She was a psycho.
(Saturday, December 19, 2009 - 09:30 PM)

[CalicoDrive]

I love Jessica! Yeah, she's a total ho bag and she puts people in comas with her recklessness, but you know you'd rather eat lunch at her table with Lila and Amy than spend it talking about the Save the Whales rally with Liz and Enid. Come on!
(Friday, February 5, 2010 - 10:45 PM)

[Naomi]

When I first started reading Sweet Valley I loved Elizabeth, but over time I got sick of her self-righteousness. At least Jessica acknowledges her faults.

But when I played Sweet Valley with dolls with my best friend, it turned out that while I wanted to be Jessica, and she wanted to Elizabeth, we were both much better at being the other twin (I was much better at acting like Elizabeth, she was much better at acting like Jessica). So maybe its a liking someone for traits that you subconsciously wish to possess, and disliking someone for traits that you wish you didn't possess.
(Friday, February 12, 2010 - 08:40 AM)