Cara Walker

Cara Wakefield (nee Walker) is a character in the Sweet Valley High series as well as a major character in the book Sweet Valley Confidential.

She is unique in that she was close friends (at different times) with both of the Wakefield twins, although she became far closer and loyal to Elizabeth.

When she was first introduced, Cara Walker was the best friend of Jessica Wakefield. She and Jessica had a lot in common, as it involved with fashions, boys, being in Pi Beta Alpha, their sorority, and their circle of friends, which included Lila Fowler.

Cara was also known as being a shallow and flighty gossip. From the start of the series, she had always had a crush on Jessica's brother, Steven Wakefield.

However, a romance between the two wouldn't occur until SVH #23-24 (Say Goodbye and Memories). Cara could be very snobby, especially when she was around Jessica and Lila, but deep down did have something of a conscience. She was very beautiful with dark hair, dark eyes and an olive complexion.

At times, she would tell Jessica that she deserved what she got, especially when the consequences came from something hurtful that she had done. This trait would serve her well in later stories.

In the aforementioned SVH #23 and 24, Cara's world came crashing down. Her parents, who had been having marital problems, finally divorced. Mr. Walker moved to Chicago, taking Cara's 10 year old brother, Charlie with him. Cara remained with her mother, Jacqueline, who calls her "Cara mia".

Never feeling more alone, even with Jessica, Cara turned to Steven, and they began to bond after the losses in their lives. Steven had just lost his girlfriend, Tricia Martin; and Cara was dealing with the relocation of her father and brother. They bonded, and began a tentative relationship. However, Betsy Martin, Tricia's sister, did her hardest to demolish the relationship.

At first, Elizabeth Wakefield wasn't sure what to make of Cara, because she had never really liked her, because of her gossipy and flighty nature, but when she realized the change in her brother that Cara had brought out, she was impressed.

From that moment on, Liz and Cara became good friends and would eventually bond.

Although she still remained friends with Jessica and Lila, her role in their group was superseded by Jessica's new friend, and Elizabeth's former best friend, Amy Sutton.

It was revealed in Book #66, Who's to Blame? in a hidden subplot, that Cara and Jessica finally had a huge argument due to how the latter was treating Liz, blaming her for the breakup of her parents.

Jessica cruelly blamed Liz for their parents' breakup, and due to her nastiness, drove an emotionally destroyed Liz out of the house.

Even Lila Fowler, Jessica's frenemy, was appalled at Jessica's maltreatment of Elizabeth, knowing what it was like being from a broken home.

Cara, herself having come from a broken home, stood up for Liz and told Jessica off. What Steven had told her about Jessica was finally obvious. She would hurt anyone and nobody was safe from her venom.

By this time, Cara knew she was done with Jessica and finally saw her former friend for the vicious treacherous schemer she really was.

Despite being ordered to apologize, Cara walked away and did not look back. She knew who needed her and who cared about her.

Even Lila berated Jessica for her cruelty, staying that Cara had every right to be angry and that Jessica had no call to hurt Liz the way she did. This was one of the few times that Lila actually had compassion for Liz.

Lila even further told Jessica that she preferred Liz to Jessica.

Remembering how kind Liz had been to her during her shoplifting situation, she pointedly told her enemy that Liz always put others above herself and wasn't selfish, unlike Jessica, who was always selfish and self centered.

She called her an entitled spoiled brat who should try living a day in her shoes to see what it was like being the child of a divorced family. A furious Lila stormed off to class, leaving Jessica humiliated.

This unabashed cruelty certainly ended Cara and Jessica's friendship for good, and she was aiming to make a new start with Steven and her new close friend, Liz.

She and Steven team up to discover Jessica's evil plot to break up her parents so she could match them with others and convince her father to run for Mayor of Sweet Valley, so she could lord it over everyone as the Mayor's daughter.

Steven and Cara were determined to put a stop to Jessica's callous disregard for their family and also to exact revenge on her for what she had done to Liz.

Cara had finally seen Jessica for the cruel person she really was, and she was eager to be there for Liz. She would join forces with Steven in helping to find her.

After finding her at Enid's, where she was staying, Steven and Cara gently convince an emotionally devastated Elizabeth to return home with them.

At first, she was afraid to, because she was petrified of Jessica's vicious cruelty, but Cara and Steven would eventually persuade her.

Cara and Steven gently reassured her that they were on her side and they won't abandon her, and if Jessica made any more trouble for her, she would have to answer to them.

She finally consents to go home, supported by her brother and her newest friend.

Later on, they, along with Enid, would confront the cruel Jessica about her shabby treatment of her sister, and then the three give her an ultimatum.

That she either apologize to Liz for her treatment or else be exposed for what she did, which would lead to a long grounding and total humiliation.

Jessica defied them all and even went and called their bluff. She was quite proud of her nastiness, and was intent that her way would win out. For Cara and Steven, that was the final straw.

Eventually, Steven, furious that Jessica harmed Liz in the vicious manner she had, would reveal Jessica's unabashed cruelty towards her to his mother and she is furious.

Although she was furious that Jessica had treated her family with such flagrant and callous disregard, Alice was even angrier that Jessica's heartless antics nearly shattered her older twin daughter's emotions.

Elizabeth's sensitive nature was something that Alice understood and she was very protective of her about.

Steven, despite his equal treatment of his twin sisters, had also always been more protective of Elizabeth, due to her very sensitive nature.

Alice and Ned eventually get back together, realizing how much they truly loved each other. She also told her husband what Jessica had done to Elizabeth and he was angered as well.

After they get their relationship back on track, they help a distraught Elizabeth realize that their trial separation wasn't her fault and that she was loved and cared about.

They, along with Cara and Steven, gently reassured her that Jessica would be severely punished for her blatant cruelty towards her.

This helped mend Elizabeth's grieving heart and the tragic situation helped solidify Cara Walker as one of her most cherished friends. They were bonded from there on in.

In the end, Jessica is publicly humiliated by everyone for what she had done, especially to Liz, and was grounded for a long time by her parents due to her sheer maliciousness.

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN CARA'S LIFE, POST SVH
Later on, Cara's mother received a job opportunity in London, and Cara moved with her. She had almost married Steven to stay with him in California, but they realized that they were not ready for marriage. So she left, but not after saying goodbye to Elizabeth, one of her most cherished friends.

In the book, Sweet Valley Confidential, Cara returns from London and was shown to have been a math whiz in college and was even accepted into a graduate program at MIT. She gave it up to be with Steven when he goes to law school in Los Angeles. They eventually marry, but then the marriage sunders; because of Steven's cheating.

Cara's friendship with Elizabeth, which grew from high school, is still strong.

Cara thinks her marriage is floundering because Steven was cheating on her with another woman. He had been cheating, but not with another woman, but another man, since he realized that he was gay.

Jessica told to Cara of Steven's cheating on her with Aaron, which angered her. Cara denounced Jessica, and then she confronted Steven about what he did. Steven found out about Jessica telling her and he let his younger twin sister have it as well. Todd defended her and called Steven out for having not told Cara this.

At the end, Cara and Steven became civil, and she met a businessman whom she was fond of. They attended the wedding of Todd and Jessica. She and her former in-laws are still friendly, her friendship with Elizabeth is solidified even more (Cara and Liz adored one another); and she also forgave both Steven and Jessica for their duplicity.