Audre & Bash are Just Friends

“As usual, Audre Mercy-Moore was at the party, but she wasn’t partying. In fact, she only heard the muffled party sounds (Ice Spice and screechy laughter) through the walls. But she could imagine the rest. No doubt the air was thick with the scent of fruity vape smoke, Sol de Janeiro perfume, and pizza. Assorted sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds were hooking up all over Reshma’s parents’ furniture. Her classmates were wearing a copy-paste blur of Brandy Melville and white Air Force Ones. This party was identical to every other party.”

Williams establishes the young adult romantic comedy’s contemporary setting through her use of auditory imagery, such as rapper Ice Spice’s music, and olfactory imagery, such as “the scent of fruity vape smoke, Sol de Janeiro perfume, and pizza.” The author’s diction, with words like “a copy-paste blur” and “identical,” conveys Audre’s disinterest in the predictable routine, while the italics on the words “at” and “partying” underscore Audre’s lack of participation. This connects to the theme of Learning to Embrace Authentic Experiences—Audre is still an observer, rather than a participant, at the start of the story, something that she consciously seeks to change.

“Honestly, all Audre Mercy-Moore wanted to do was go home and pack for ‘Dadifornia’—that is, her annual summerlong stay with her dad and stepmom in Malibu Beach, California. The trip was her heaven, her summertime reward for busting her ass all year to be a model student. Her dad’s cottage was so cozy, with its sun-faded teal exterior and seaside deck. Audre’s bedroom window faced the beach, where the roar of the ocean lulled her to sleep every night.”

“Dadifornia” is a portmanteau that reflects Audre’s creativity and her great fondness for her father’s home in Malibu, California. The author depicts the beachside cottage as a soothing paradise through visual imagery, such as the “sun-faded teal” exterior, and auditory imagery, such as “the roar of the ocean.” Diction reinforces how much the protagonist is looking forward to her annual trip; it’s “her heaven” and her “reward.” This passage helps emphasize the depth of her disappointment when she learns that she will spend the summer in Brooklyn.