You Wouldn't Like What I Said

Scene 1: Addington High Courtyard

Heather Blakely

Not today. Not now.

I see Leo and hide behind the wall.

With any luck, I won't have to see him until class on Monday...and even then, we don't have to speak.

"Heather?"

Then again, luck has never been on my side.

"Oh...hi," I muttered as I walked out.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing..."

"Elle...found this." He opened his hand and showed me scraps. It's ripped to pieces..."Figured you'd want it back."

"Wow, thanks," I said, scornfully.

"I'm sorry. But, you were throwing it away though, right?"

"Right, that makes this okay, then." I shook my head and huffed. "I'm so sick of you two."

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you find this entertaining? Is this what you both do for fun?"

"Us?" Leo scoffed. "None of this would've happened if you left her alone in the first place."

"I apologized to your psycho girlfriend."

"No, you didn't. And don't start calling her names."

I scowled. "Go to hell."

"What're you so mad for? I didn't even have to come here and-"

"You need me to be the punchline of every joke because there's nothing else that's interesting about your relationship. I hope I gave you a great laugh, now forget it all and leave me alone."

"I didn't read it."

"You expect me to believe that?" I crossed my arms.

"I don't care either way at this point." He shrugged and gave me a judgmental glance. "And you say she's the crazy one."

"Literally yes."

"I must have a type then."

"Oh, and what's that? Completely insane for putting up with you?" I argued.

"Yeah, I don't think you minded with how fucking clingy you were."

"Please," I rolled my eyes. "If I was clingy it's because you are so insecure and jealous that it was the only way to comfort you."

"What, you think I was afraid a guy wouldn't be able to see past your looks and realize how boring you are?"

"No, I think you were afraid a guy would find out I was dating a loser and try to save me from you."

He scoffed. "Would've been doing me a favor."

"Be happy I didn't break up with you sooner."

"Right, I could tell you were dying to," Leo replied, sarcastically.

"Well, there was always this glaring reason."

"Don't be shy," he gestured for me to continue. And I want this to be over so badly...

"You were never good enough for me," I said, coldly.

A moment passed, silence as he stared at me...stunned, even though he didn't show it on his face.

"Okay." Leo nodded and started to back away... "Then, fuck you."

Scene 2: Addington High Interior Courtyard

Audrey Michaels

Natalia takes Trevor's hand from off of mine and glares at him.

"He only does this when you're around," I acknowledged.

She caresses my face and brings her lips to mine, her misplaced jealousy driving her to kiss me eagerly and far more sensuously than she would in such a public place. Even after pulling back, she held my head in her hands and drew her tongue up my bottom and top lip. "I do this even when you aren't around," she teased.

He smirked. "I'd hope so. If you don't, I can't imagine who will."

"You can go now, Trevor," I told him.

"Giving me the boot? Your oldest friend? Where is the love?"

"With me," Natalia said. "Audrey likes nice things."

"Audrey hasn't seen my nice thing."

"I'm going to get a drink," I sighed. "When I get back, there better be a ceasefire."

The bickering is senseless. Trevor enjoys rousing up Natalia, and she doesn't seem to understand that. The very idea of Trevor frightens her. No one is normally this close to him without getting a lot closer, so I understand, but Trevor has become a part of me just like she has.

A hand comes across the numbers on the vending machine before I could reach it.

I am going to order one of those tranquilizer guns that they use in zoos.

"Audrey, what a coincidence," Maisilyn sneered.

"Not really.

"Do you know what I find interesting?"

"Not yourself, I'm sure."

"Mm." She narrowed her eyes. "Natalia Moreau is in a relationship with you, yes?"

"Yes, so don't look too hard. She wouldn't bat an eye in your direction."

"Or write her own papers, apparently."

"What are you on about now, Maisilyn?"

"I help Ms. Carter grade papers in exchange for extra credit."

I rolled my eyes. "Try hard."

"You're one to talk. So desperate for your less-than-apt girlfriend to get into college that you are writing essays for her?"

"How low of you." A sigh left my lips. "Mindless babbling. Jealous rumors."

"Is that so? She went from turning in C+ attempts to suddenly getting lucky with an A? Put your papers next to her spontaneously good one and the similarities are all too clear."

"That evidence is circumstantial at best."

"Let's find out, shall we? I just saw Ms. Carter go into the office." She pointed in the direction of it.

I could call her bluff...but she has a great poker face...and I have a dry cleaning bill that proves what lengths she'd go to get under my skin. "What do you want?" I crossed my arms.

"I'm glad you asked." She opens her purse and takes out a card. "Come to this address at 7 on Friday. Black tie attire."

"Why?"

"Because you don't have another choice. Unless you want Nat shipped off to...well, who cares?" Maisilyn smiled, deceitfully and conniving and hideously conceited. "Oh, and don't bring...either of them," she motioned toward Natalia and Trevor. "There are no plus ones."

Scene 3: The Sinclair Residence

Alison Sinclair

"Mother, what's wrong?" I quickly approached when I saw her crying. My father is sitting silently as far from her as they can get on the same sofa. I glowered. "What did you do?"

"Alison, sit down," he said.

"No."

"Sit!" He pointed to a chair. "That behavior, your insolence, ends today."

I sat grudgingly but turned away from him and instead toward my mother. "What's going on?"

"I've asked for a divorce," he answered.

"...Why?"

"You don't have to pretend you aren't aware. I have disclosed my indiscretions."

I scoffed. "So that you can leave?"

"No, of course not."

"Then why?"

"I am tired. Tired of hiding and lying, sneaking around...living in shame. I'm done with it all."

My arms crossed. "I want to live with her."

"We're not at that point yet, Alison."

"How can you not be? You can't stay here. You can't bring them here. Just because it's out in the open doesn't mean you can screw every waiter in town right under our noses."

His teeth gritted. I can't tell if it's out of frustration or the aforementioned shame, but I couldn't care less.

"I see that you are too upset to have this conversation. Go to your room, and we will continue this over dinner."

"No, I-"

"Go, Alison."

I stood up, angrily, giving another look to my weeping mother. "Take the house. Take everything." Bleed. Him. Dry.

"Don't say anything to anyone about this," she practically shouted. "The last thing I need is the worst mistake of my life being broadcasted throughout New York."

"I won't. I swear."

"Swear," she spat contemptuously as she pulled herself off of the couch. "Before God! Before everyone you damned-" a glass flew across the room, narrowly missing my father before it shattered against the wall.

"Mom-" I called out, worriedly but she kept walking away.

"Not now, Alison, please!" She shouted her way throughout the house until I heard a door slam shut.

"She needs time..." he said, a short distance behind me.

I turned and gritted my teeth at the man who ruined our family. "I can't believe how selfish you are. She needs you to leave us the hell alone."

Scene 4: Jordan's House

Matt Jensen

"I heard there's another band out here that's some serious competition," Ned said to me.

"That good?"

"I haven't listened to them but Frankie said he's gonna scope them out this weekend if you're down."

"Yeah," I replied, absentmindedly. I haven't been fully tuned in to this conversation, but he didn't notice.

Part of my attention just wouldn't stay off of her.

Leo's been bent out of shape the whole day, I think. Elle's grabbing on him and kissing on him trying to make him smile at least once, but he won't bite.

I can't stand myself. I'm half convinced I want her so bad because I know I can't have her...ever at this point.

She locked herself in Claudia's room the rest of the night at the sleepover. When Claudia finally got in to check on her, she gestured to us that Elle was crying. It pisses me off that he would do that because I would never do that.

Leo stands up and heads in the direction of the kitchen. Elle looks disheartened by whatever is going on.

What the hell is going on?

No one else does, so I follow after him. Something tells me Danny either knows the issue or has an idea of what it might be.

I walk in and Leo's leaning against the counter talking to Zach.

"What's up with you?" I asked.

He sighed. "You pissed at me too?"

Kinda.

"No."

"Everyone else is. Join the party. It's real fucking fun."

Zach cleared his throat. "Speaking of fun parties..." Leo gave him a death stare, and Zach's face fell instantly. "...never mind."

His expression eased from the guilt. "What about 'em?"

"I said I'd do one...and I don't know how."

"Why are you throwing a party?" Leo complained.

"It was an accident-" Zach waved him off," I'll figure it out myself," he mumbled his way out of the kitchen.

Quiet replaced him, and it's probably necessary but I sorta wish he stayed and irritated Leo enough to make him snap and then open up as an apology for going off in the first place.

"Elle's not mad at you. She likes you too much," I said.

He shook his head. "She's not mad at me because I got mad at her."

"Why?"

"She did something dumb." He stared down at the ground. "But it doesn't matter anymore. It's better now that she did."

"Oh..."

"My bad for leaving you at Claudia's...I heard it wasn't too bad for you, though."

"It was alright." I shrugged.

"Alright with Claudia pouncing on you, huh?" He chuckled.

I laughed with him but shook my head. "You know I'm not into her like that."

"Right. Mandy." He smirked. "I can say something to her if you want."

"Nah."

"I think she's kinda liked you ever since you took her to that dance."

"Has she?"

Leo shrugged. "She'll give you a chance. Mandy's cool like that."

"Yeah...but I got it."

"Okay."

I give a once-over to the dimly lit, cluttered kitchen. "You staying in here?"

"Guess not," he said, begrudgingly. But I'm just happy to make him face everyone again.

We leave, and I go over to where I was on the floor while he goes back to her. She lifts his head up, concern in her eyes, and since he's suddenly allergic to talking things out— he just kisses her. A lot. Way too much.

He likes her more whenever he's feeling bad about himself. I figured it out, so why can't she?

And why do this right here, right now? He's fully on top of her, and I wonder how I ever liked dirty movies— this is bad enough with their clothes on.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" Danny said, and when I looked up, he was facing Mandy.

"Yeah," she responded. It came off as casual but her face said otherwise.

They haven't hung out much recently. I really thought something was happening there...fuck...I hope I'm not the reason they stopped.

There's so much shit going on within this group and we don't even know what all of it is. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth every time we're around each other.

"Your party's gonna be a bunch of kids from Chester, right?" I asked Zach.

"Pretty much."

"I'll stop by with a couple friends. As long as seniors were there, people will think it was fun."

He smiled big. "Hey, thanks."

"You need booze," I told him.

Zach nodded. "Football players."

"Screw the football team so they bring beer to your parties. Good job, Zach," I joked.

"It was one football player."

"Yeah, sure, Casanova."

"Danny," Leo scolded when he saw him walking back with Mandy. When I glanced up, he was looking back and forth between me and her to say what he was thinking without having to speak.

"I know. Shut up," Danny replied.

Real smooth, you two.

Amanda laughed— probably because of how unsubtle they both are. I'd be surprised if one of them didn't already tell her that 'I like her.'

But since she is cool, she's not gonna be weird about it. She gets back in her spot on the couch and moves closer to where I am on the floor. Her hands tangle in my hair, lightly scratching my scalp. It feels nice, and I don't want to keep my eyes open anyway...he never let go of Elle...so I lay my head back and stare up at Amanda before closing everything else out.