Class Blues

Scene 1: Addington High

Leo Rylin

"Are you sick?" Jordan asked.

"No, couldn't sleep last night." I rub my eyes. I know I look like shit.

"Wanna smoke?"

"I'm out."

"I got you." He shrugged and took a step forward before retreating immediately. "Oh, fuck-" Jordan nudged me over and over as Elle marched toward us with an old grocery bag on her arm.

"Here's all your shit!" She reached into the bag and started throwing stuff at me.

Jordan and I duck and weave while my things smash against the lockers and hit the ground. "Stop! Are you nuts?"

"Fuck you!" Elle kept exercising that pitching arm.

"Calm down." I wrangled her wrists so she couldn't hurt anyone—me or the bystanders.

"Get off of me!" She writhed and fought until I let go. "You broke up with me for her didn't you?"

"Who?"

"Don't play dumb." She scoffed. "I knew it. I can tell when you're lying."

"I didn't break up with you for anyone. I just didn't want to keep stringing you along."

"I could kill you." She grabbed her hair and paced in frustration. It doesn't look like she slept well, either. I wish it didn't give her time to come up with theories... "This whole fucking time, you were thinking about her."

"No."

"Why are you still lying? You already dumped me!"

"I'm sorry. I really am," I spoke calmly hoping she'd do the same. "Do you want to talk? We can go outside."

"Am I embarrassing you?" She steps out into the hallway with her arms open and raises her voice. "Are you embarrassed right now?"

"You're gonna get detention."

"Oh, can you ask your girlfriend if she can call her daddy to get me out?"

"Please stop," I muttered knowing Heather walked by when I was trying to catch my headphones before they hit my face.

We both caught a glimpse of each other but she must've kept walking instead of enjoying the shit show.

"Was Matt telling the truth?"

"About what?"

"Was he telling the truth?"

"...it's complicated."

"It's yes or no."

I sighed and shrugged defeatedly. "Elle, I-"

"You piece of shit," she said in disbelief.

"Alright, that's fair."

"Oh, fuck off." She pushed me and I stayed away hoping that would be the end of it.

"Did you leave anything with me that you want back?"

"Um...my heart," she announced as she started leaving the scene of the crime, "my virginity, and...the past few months of my life since you asked."

Once she put up her middle finger and turned away, I leaned against the lockers and let out a deep breath.

"Damn," Jordan said. "Some of the things on that list are gonna be kinda hard to give back..."

Scene 2: Sinclair Residence

Alison Sinclair

"If we leave now I can beg the dean not to call my parents. If we wait any longer it will be too late," Tony argued.

"You won't have to beg when I find the doctor's notes. I use them all of the time. They're here somewhere."

"I won't get into much trouble. I'll tell them I had an incident with my uniform and was trying to avoid a demerit."

I turn to look him in the eye. "Will you be hit?"

He puts his head down. "...Not hard."

"He moved them, but I can't find them. Give me a minute."

"Alison," a deeper, aged voice resounds behind me.

"...I thought you were called in," I said to my dad.

"I thought you were in school."

"We're going," I sighed. "Could you write us excuses?"

"Why aren't you there already?"

"It's my fault. My homework wasn't done and Tony helped me, but now we're late and his parents will punish him for my mistake."

"Fine."

"...Can you also call and tell them we're on our way so that they don't speak to his parents before we get there?" I asked, reluctantly.

"Tony, could you excuse us?" He said.

"Yes, sir." He nodded and left out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

"You don't understand," I pleaded, "his father will-"

"I spoke to the divorce lawyer today."

"Oh...should I be concerned?" I've already come to terms with the separation. Mom and I can take care of each other.

"Your mother..." he shook his head. "She's not coming back."

I scoffed, skeptically. "Where is she?"

"London."

"For how long?"

"Indefinitely."

"Indef..." I shook my head. "...But what about me?"

"Do you want to go?"

"Am I allowed to?"

"I won't stop you."

"Will she?"

He pressed his lips together and avoided facing me. "I don't know."

"She can't just...leave forever."

"I did this. I'm sorry."

My nails dug into my palms, but tears drew before blood could. "I hate you."

He looked pained to hear it, but I didn't stand around and wait for him to complain.

"Ali..." Tony reached for me full of worry when he saw me leave out.

Oh, right...I have to put my feelings aside so that they don't come at Tony's expense.

I carelessly rub my tears onto the sleeves of my blazer as I storm back in. "You have to write the note for Tony!"

"Yes." He got up to fetch his book that I couldn't find.

"And you have to call!"

"Okay." My father nodded.

"And-" I lose momentum. "...why did you stay?" You had more of a reason than her to leave.

"I thought that if you could forgive me, you'd still want me here."

Scene 3: Addington High

Heather Blakely

I wish we had chemistry today...

It would have given me an opening to check on him without seeming...nosy or over-concerned about someone who is no longer my concern...

"Hi," I said—maybe a little too cheerily.

"Hey."

"How are you?"

"Fantastic." He gave me a thumbs-up.

"Yes, I can tell," I said, sarcastically. "Do you want to be alone?"

Leo shook his head and patted the spot next to him.

Neither of us speak—I don't have anything prepared, I only wanted to make sure he was okay.

"You bought more?" I asked when seeing the cigarette butt by his shoe.

"No, Jordan gave me one."

"Will you?"

"You can't stop me from smoking, Heather," he smiled, slyly.

"I can try."

"What, are you going to annoy me into not doing it anymore?"

I smirked. "Well, if anyone can..."

He smiled back at me and shook his head.

"Sorry about how I left out the other day. We had a good night and I kinda ruined it."

"No, it's okay. I had a lot of fun with you."

"We should do it again sometime."

"Drugs?"

"Shut up," Leo laughed. "But yeah. I could use the high..." He smirked, "and the entertainment."

"I'm so glad I amuse you." I rolled my eyes, playfully. "Won't my presence cause problems for you?"

Leo shook his head. "We can be friends now."

"So that was a break up..."

"Wasn't it obvious?"

"Who am I to judge how couples fight?"

He scoffed as he chuckled. "If you see people throwing things at each other—feel free to judge."

"It was pretty one-sided. She threw, you dodged."

"I deserved it," he admitted. "I feel like shit for hurting her. I never wanted to break anyone's heart."

"It's not so bad after a while." I rubbed his back. "I'm almost over you."

"Almost?" Leo looks at me. "I thought you were through with me."

"I want you to think that so it doesn't boost your ego knowing you're not easy to forget."

"It doesn't." He stared at the ground again.

"Are you sad too? About your breakup?"

"Not as much as I should be and not for the right reasons. I'm a fucking asshole."

"Be nicer to yourself."

"I should be meaner."

"She's going to do that for the both of you."

"Watch out, okay?" He warned. "She kinda blames you."

"The letter?"

Though, she shouldn't have stolen it—I would be upset and suspicious if someone wrote about my boyfriend that way. So, I've been keeping my distance...

from her, at least.

"A lot went down. I don't want to tell you all of it, you'll think I'm a dick."

I smiled and shrugged. "I already do."

"Thanks," he said in joking offense. "Alright. It was the letter and me sneaking off to hang out with you and then lying about where I was because I knew she'd freak out even though nothing was going on between us. We weren't messing around or anything."

"I'm aware."

"But when me and Elle messed around..."

"Mhm."

"Just in the beginning...or whenever she reminded me of you, I would picture...you."

For a moment, I thought I didn't hear him correctly...but I did. "Wow..." I replied, my eyes widening and my mouth falling open.

"Don't look at me like that, I was still in love with you and trying to deny it."

"How did she remind you of me?"

"It was just the matching skirts. It would bring back memories that I let myself keep thinking about when I shouldn't have."

"Should I question where your mind went when we were together?"

"No." He shook his head. "No, you had my undivided attention. Believe me."

"Why should I?" I teased.

"I thought about you even when I was getting myself off." My jaw dropped and he shrugged. "You asked."

"Fine. I believe you." And miss the shock I get from hearing you say inappropriate things shamelessly.

"It was worse the past couple weeks. You're always up here for some reason." He points to his head. "Trying to be your friend when we've never really done that before isn't easy. I see you or hear your name and my brain just resets to how it was when I thought about you constantly, and it's making me fuck up when talking to people."

"That's understandable."

"Yeah?" He said like he really needed to hear it.

"Of course. Whenever someone asks if I'm seeing anyone or have somebody special or am in love—you're the first thing I think of, and I don't even have you anymore." There is comfort in knowing we both share that pain, but it makes him even sadder hearing me say it. "Do you want a hug?"

"Yeah." He nodded and wrapped his arms around me without a second thought.

And when it came time to let go, he held on tighter.

"Leo?"

"Hm?"

"Are you okay?"

He didn't answer immediately, but I felt him nuzzle against me.

"Can I keep hugging you?"

"Yes."

Scene 4: 74th Street

Ethan Carey

Finding Anna has come at an opportune time considering the parents who chose me have also chosen to hate me. I've kept it to myself that I know the circumstances surrounding my birth. We haven't been engaging in any family time anyway with my dad being sick...and on house arrest...and blaming me for his life going downhill.

I told Anna about it—she said that they should 'ease up,' and that if they wanted to punish me they should've let me take the fall and learn the hard way. In her mind, it would damage me less to face legal consequences than to be isolated by my parental figures. But she doesn't know what prison would do to someone in my standing.

We have been talking a few times a week over the phone. The in-person contact seemed premature for... blood-related strangers. She's nice...and I'd be an entirely different person if she raised me. I can get a glimpse of that with Mara.

The doorbell rings and I get to the stairs quickly to shout, "I'll get it."

"Ethan, you did not ask if you could have guests," my mother nagged.

"It's family."

"Pardon?"

"Hello," I said after opening the door to a middle-aged woman holding Mara's hand.

"Hi, are you Ethan?"

"I am. You must be the babysitter."

"Yeah, Anna's best friend." She hands me a bag with Mara's things, I presume.

Anna had casually mentioned that she was having difficulty finding someone who could watch Mara for the day while she worked overtime. Apparently, the babysitter could only keep her for a couple of hours. I don't know why I was compelled to volunteer...

"Did she tell you who I was?"

"She said you might..." the woman stood there, hopelessly curious.

"Another time." I put on a smile and opened the door wider. "Come on in, Mara."

"I'll pick her up in a few hours."

"Great, see you then."

She nodded and let the door shutting bid her farewell.

"Ethan, who is..." she looks at Mara like she's some sort of intruder.

"This is my little sister," I answered, smugly. "If you don't remember having her, fret not, I'm sure you don't remember having me either."

She seemed both stunned and afraid which is the only emotion she has shown to me other than anger and sadness since the entire—breaking multiple laws debacle.

I catch her feet taking backward steps, she probably wants to rush off and ask my father to handle this so that she doesn't have to.

I waved goodbye and opened the front door again. I have babysitting to do and don't have time to debate my genealogy.

"So, how's school going? You...do go to school, right?" She nodded. "How old are you?"

"7," she replied, holding up five fingers on her left hand and two on the right.

"What do you want to do?" Mara shrugged her shoulders, shyly. "Not even one thing?" She kept quiet but stared at me as if I was supposed to decide what she could possibly be interested in. "Okay," I sighed. "Ice cream...candy...playgrounds...crayons? Running around recklessly with no set destination and a false sense of invincibility?" She remained silent. "No?"

Well, this is harder than I thought. I frequent cafes and bars and places kids would either dislike or be prohibited from. My community service group are boys older than her, and they are easily swayed because I know how they think—I used to be them.

"Audrey!" I call for her when I see her across the street.

I get the feeling she would have ignored me had I not been with child.

"Who have you kidnapped?"

"Funny. She is my sister-" Audrey's face goes through many expressions. I put my finger to my lips, "don't ask."

"Don't tell," she chided and prepared to go on with her day sans me.

"Can I trouble you for some assistance?"

"No."

"Where did you go as a child to have fun?"

"What?" She furrowed her eyebrows at me.

"I've never been a small girl-"

"Debatable."

"Well, that would explain your attraction, wouldn't it?" I teased, and Audrey sneered, not finding my joke as funny as I did. She tried to leave again but I begged. "Please. I want her to have a good day with her—brother."

She groaned but glanced at Mara and looked as if she might be considering humanity—like the scene in the grinch when his heart grows from a raisin to a full-sized grape. "Come on." Audrey walked ahead of us to where a car had been patiently awaiting her return before I deterred her.

"You heard her Mara. We're going on an adventure to-"

"The stables," Audrey answered, luring Mara into the town car with promise of giant, hoofed animals.

"Good idea."

She shrugged. "Every little girl wants a pony."

"You ride horses?" I asked, climbing into the car last. "That explains some things."

"I did—I haven't in a while." She leaned over to Mara. "Have you ever been on a horse?"

"No..." She said, quietly.

"I have one," Audrey enticed. "Her name is Anastasia. She's mine, but I'm willing to share."

Mara lit up at the thought, and when I glanced over at her again, she had taken out what appears to be a sketchbook and started drawing something just awful, completely horrible...but I'm assuming it was meant to be a horse.

"Thank you," I told Audrey.

"It would be cruel to let you bore her to death when she's so young."

"Speaking of cruel," I smirked, "I must ask...how long do you think you'll be able to hide your affair with Maisilyn?"

"I'm not having-"

"Relax, you're among peers." I gestured out to me, Mara, and the driver. "I even covered for you."

"Excuse me?"

"You were seconds away from being discovered when I redirected Natalia."

"Why?"

"I assume you want to keep her. I never would have guessed you were a cheater."

"She kisses me," Audrey defended.

"And you let her."

"She wants us to..." She quieted her voice, "be intimate. A one-time affair just to absolve any tension and attraction."

"One time? That's doubtful." Even one-night stands sometimes get another round in the morning. "What made her draw this indecent proposal?"

"A crush."

"Nothing more dangerous."

"I don't want to lose Natalia."

"Then don't. Temptation is almost as strong as hate, and you love focusing both of those on a singular person. Irresistible concoction, but it's ammonia and bleach—stay away from it."

The car slowed to a stop as well as our conversation.

I genuinely appreciate being civil with her. She makes decent company and we never run out of topics to discuss. It's a shame I have whatever the opposite of the Midas touch is.

"Should we go look at all the horses before you meet Anastasia?" Audrey asked Mara.

Mara nods vigorously and takes Audrey's hand after the door opens.

They head toward the stables while I stay behind. I have a small fear of horses—I don't like their eyes, so I try not to be near them.

This still counts as me babysitting my sister...even if she spends most of her time with horse trainers and thoroughbreds...or even Audrey.

"She's excited," Audrey said as she walked back to me.

"Who knew you were good with children?" I would've pegged you as a stroller kicker.

"They're innocent, it's hard to be mean."

I nodded—gazing at where Mara was smiling brightly and giddily waiting to start her career as an equestrian. Hopefully, this gets her out of her shell and allows her to say more than single-word sentences.

Perhaps it's me who isn't good with children...

"I am so sorry, Audrey."

She turns to me as if she were about to question what I was apologizing for...but it doesn't take long for her to realize and roll her eyes at me. "Save it."

"Okay." I nodded. "But I am. Even though I never gave you a real apology before now, I knew I owed you one."

"You decided to wait until everyone thought I was crazy and obsessed?"

"In my defense-" she shot me a glare that meant my life was in danger. "You were rightfully obsessed with me. It was intentional, and I'm sorry for that too."

"Intentional?"

"If I could make you fall in love with me, I figured I could make anyone. I feel Maisilyn may have the same outlook on you that I did."

"Which is?"

"It was that you were something to aspire to."

No one who asked Audrey out got an answer that didn't strip them of their will to live.

I accomplished what was once impossible.

"That's not so bad..." She said, more so to herself.

I shook my head in disagreement. "You can see yourself as a trophy, but you shouldn't let people treat you as one."

"Why not? I like to be polished and displayed."

"Once you've won the prize, you play a new game."

She huffed and crossed her arms. "Why can't I win for once?"

"What are you playing?"

"Everyone else's game apparently. Trevor said that Maisilyn was only tormenting me because she liked me. I should've listened and got as far away from her as possible before she could burrow into my skin like a tick."

"Well, Trevor is in love with you, so you might be the single person on this earth who could benefit from his advice. He wouldn't steer you wrong."

"He's not in love with me," she said like it was a laughable statement.

"He seems to think he is, and who am I to argue?" I could see by her face that she wanted to question it but didn't know what to ask. "You don't have to worry about having another Maisilyn on your hands. He won't act on whatever he believes he feels. He said that he couldn't give you the relationship you would want—though, you clearly don't know what you want."

Audrey gazed disbelievingly at me. "You find out you have siblings stowed away somewhere and suddenly you're wise and—kind?"

"Yes."

"You're too twisted for Freud," she sighed.

"And Freud would blame you for how twisted our child would've been."

Scene 5: Bedell Wellness and Rehabilitation Center

Danny Cole

"You eating alright?" Mick asked.

"Yeah, there's food in my house."

"Good. I was going to offer you dinner otherwise."

"Nah, if I was hungry, I'd have her get me something." I gestured toward Heather sitting outside of the room. She's always keen on buying me shit no matter how many times I tell her to stop doing that for people, especially me since I barely like her.

"Is that your girlfriend?"

"No," I scoffed. "She's my brother's ex-girlfriend." Mick raised an eyebrow and leaned back like he was preparing to hear a fucked up story. "It's not as weird as it sounds. She's here because of him."

"You got a brother who knows you're here? You do the family thing?"

"He's not my real brother, and he doesn't know I'm here. And that family therapy shit is just a cash grab, it won't help." I wave Heather over and she seems happy to be included for some reason. "Heather, Mick, Mick Heather."

"I'm his sponsor." He reached out to shake her hand.

"That's amazing. I was afraid he'd never call you."

"Sometimes it takes being scared of yourself to finally set you on the right track."

"I wasn't scared."

"Tough guy," Mick ridiculed. "It was nice meeting you, sweetheart."

Heather smiled as if she were so happy for me. "He seems nice."

"He's alright. He used to play guitar for a band that had one hit in 82 or something. It went to his head and now he comes here so he doesn't relapse on heroin and hookers."

"Oh..." I can tell she's trying not to judge. "What was the band's name?"

"I don't fucking know."

"...What made you call him?"

"Don't worry about it," I said, but she was clearly worrying.

"Have you put any more thought into telling another friend?"

"I'm good on my own."

"I feel better about you saying that now that you at least have a sponsor."

"Yeah, whatever."

"We have a line set up in the new house. I'll give you the number before I leave."

"You need me to drop you off? I got my van back."

"Sure, thank you. I'll go and sign you out."

I nodded and went over to the phone in the waiting area since I had time. I have to keep up appearances while I'm getting better so no one asks any questions.

"Hello?" Matt answered.

"Yeah, it's Danny. I'm staying at your place tonight, is that cool?"

"It's cool. I was supposed to hang with Leo...but uh, I don't think that's happening anymore."

"One of us will get ahold of him later on. I heard Elle kicked his ass in school, so he's probably pissed at home."

"Ready," Heather announced beside me.

"Who was that?" Matt asked.

"No one. Be there in a bit." I hang the phone up and direct Heather toward the door. "Let's go."

The nurses like to wave and stuff when we walk by. I think it's part of the whole "keeping you comfortable" thing so you're more likely to come back. Some of them are really easy on the eyes, too...but Mick just made me realize how many people here see me with Heather and think we're dating. The shrinks say I need to focus on myself and my sobriety, anyway, but damn I want a nurse.

"Can I ask you something you will find annoying?" Heather said.

"Okay."

"Did you know Leo was going to break up with Elle?"

I chuckled. "I knew that when he got with her."

"Why did he break up with her?"

"Because he's Leo." The amount of dudes that'll tell a girl they love her just to get into her pants—and Leo likes the word too much to say it if he doesn't mean it...even if it gets him some. "Why didn't you ask him? I know you hang out."

"We don't. He didn't acknowledge that we were friends until today."

"You shouldn't be."

"Why not?"

"You know, Val wouldn't let me be her friend either because everyone knows that shit doesn't work. If there's too much between you, you can't be friends. You start doing things that friends don't do."

"There isn't-"

"There's too much between you," I asserted. "Have you thought about it?"

"About what?"

"Getting back together with the guy."

"I did before the semester started."

"And now?"

"A lot has happened. I don't think it would feel the same."