See You Later

Scene 1: Addington High

Danny Cole

"I have a surprise for you," Elle cooed.

"Yeah?" Leo asked.

"Tonight."

My face drew together. "Ew."

She rolled her eyes at me. "Shut up."

"Is it that?" He questioned.

"No. What kind of surprise would that be?"

"I mean...I wouldn't complain."

Elle shook her head and smiled, turning her back to him and draping his arm over herself.

He looked down at her while she leaned against him, but then his eyes shot back to where they must've been before I realized.

Heather is with some dude— and he's kissing her and holding onto her and my heart drops like it's my ex-girlfriend over there.

It's not a big deal, it's morbid curiosity— you see your ex, you're going to look. You see your replacement, you're definitely gonna look. It might sting a bit but it doesn't mean you care.

You can't be obvious or let your girlfriend see you scoping them out, though. Earth to fucking Leo, Elle sees you, dumb ass.

"I'm going in," I announced, garnering both of their attention.

"We should go too," Leo said to Elle just as I expected. "I can walk you to that seminar thing."

"No," Elle groaned.

"You have to show up. They take attendance."

"I want to switch to yours."

"You have Danny," he said, jokingly, and she frowned at the sight of me.

Feeling's mutual, sweetheart.

I walk ahead of them. Being made the third wheel pisses me off and I refuse to do it. I'd rather look like the father leading my two annoying ass, incestuous kids.

Heather passes me, meaning she's walking even faster than I am trying to get away from those two. I almost forgot we got put in the same group, and even though we're cool now, we know not to say 'hi' in public.

I sit in the back anyway, and she sits next to Trevor. The library sucks at the best of times, but this whole thing makes it worse.

The whole point is to help us with our college applications or something but most of the kids here talk about how they're paying professionals to do it, so this is a drawn-out waste of time.

"Today's session will be solely information-based, so I thought we'd do a fun warm-up assignment first," Miss What's-her-face said. "I want you to write a letter that says goodbye to high school and what you'll miss about it."

Nothing. Good fucking riddance.

One of the student suck-ups goes table to table passing out paper, and when he hands me mine, I finish the assignment as quickly as I start it.

Goodbye, you piece of shit.

Miss Whatever-her-name-is paced around the room, glancing at people's papers. She never comes as far as me and whoever else is back here. "You don't have to write a substantial amount, but it should be meaningful."

Heather lifted her head. "Are you collecting them after?"

"Yes."

Dammit.

Heather took out another sheet and started writing a fresh letter.

Guess we both have bad words to cover up.

Goodbye, you piece of—crap.

And I hand it to the suck-up without an ounce of remorse. It won't get any more meaningful than that.

He goes to collect Heather's letter once he makes it to the front.

"Oh, this isn't-" she puts her hand down on the page and hands him a different one. "Sorry."

Heather immediately balls up the bad letter and Trevor takes it to the trash for her. I wonder if he's working on that...

I will make her do the group therapy thing with the rest of us fuck ups if I ever see her kissing that-

Now, what the hell are you doing?

Elle suspiciously glances around before reaching into the waste basket.

For fuck's sake.

She takes out the balled-up paper and unravels it. Whatever is written down must've been worth keeping too since she stuffed it in her bag and walked toward the exit.

I look across the class to see if anyone else saw, and there is a nerdy-looking guy behind me who makes eye contact.

I throw my arms out in defeat. "Aren't you going to do something?"

Scene 2: Central Park

Ethan Carey

"You're late," Charles complained.

"Sue me."

"I don't have to. I charge a late fee." He holds out a manila envelope. "Here."

"What is this?"

"Your amended birth certificate."

I unclasp the envelope while walking over to a bench. This one has my parents' names, so how is the other the original certificate? "It still says I was born in Queens. I refute that misinformation."

"Because you were born in Queens. It's where your birth mother had you— at 16," he explained. "I'm sure I don't have to go into detail about how private adoptions work."

Adoption.

"No."

Deep down, I think I always suspected something was off...

My parents wanted another child. I remember them talking about it when I was around 7. They were constantly seeing doctors, and my mother started buying these weird supplements and trying all of these different things...and I never did get that sibling.

"I understand this may be difficult to take in."

"It's fine." I swallow hard but shrug my shoulders to seem indifferent. "So, did they die in a tragic car accident or did they just not want anything to do with me?"

"Your father, birth father, wasn't a part of any of it. From what I gathered, Anna Murphy only had her family's support. They were young, it happens."

"I will be 19 soon. That excuse doesn't hold up."

"To be fair, your parents...the current ones, did have the records sealed. They didn't want any of you to know anything about each other. I had to work to get this."

"Where is Anna?" I asked.

"Your favorite place...Queens."

Scene 3: Chrystie Street

Matt Jensen

Claudia opened the door. "Matthew."

"I bought beer." I lift up the case

"Gross..."

"I think it's shitty to assume girls just want wine coolers."

"It is." Elle grabbed the beer from me.

"Leo's not here yet?"

"I thought he'd show up with you," she whined. "I don't know where he is."

"Fuel..."

"Huh?"

"The show. They're playing at Club Sixx."

"So, he's not coming?"

"He told you he was, right?" I asked, and she nodded uncertainly. "He's just late."

"Why didn't you go?"

"You wanted me to come here...didn't you?"

"Yeah, but if he didn't listen, I don't know why you did," she said, walking away in annoyance.

"He'll be here soon. I know it."

He's a good guy. He deserves her.

"Well, we're not waiting up. We can play spin the bottle with Matthew's shitty Budweiser," Claudia declared.

"You're welcome?" I said, offendedly.

"Great. A game only for lonely, single people," a girl mocked.

"No, that's not an excuse to bitch out. Everyone get in the circle right now," Claudia demanded.

I only know two people here...and as the circle formed, I found Elle.

"Are you gonna play?" I asked her.

"No."

Claudia interjected, "your boyfriend stood you up. You have a free pass."

"Rules?" I raised an eyebrow.

"At least 5 seconds, tongue if you're into it, and if you get the same person 3 times, you have to-"

"Make out in a closet."

"No, smart ass. My room is right there, you can do better than that."

"Alright."

Elle whispered in my ear. "She's flirting with you."

"Is that what you'd call it?"

"Uh-uh. Shut up or share with the class," Claudia pulled Elle over to sit next to her.

"Who's going first?" One of their friends asked.

"I think she should," Claudia said while facing Elle.

"I don't want to play," she responded, but Claudia takes Elle's hand anyway and pushes the bottle hard enough for it to move around a bit.

It was a weak spin, the bottle barely turned and ended up landing in the middle of two girls.

"Come on," Claudia complained, "stop being a party killer."

"Ugh," Elle huffed and gave it a real spin, hard enough for someone to get dizzy if they stared at the bottle too long.

But I'm dizzy because it stopped on me.

Even if I wanted it to...what am I supposed to do now...

I keep my eyes on the bottle instead of making eye contact with Elle. I know I can't kiss her.

I know she wouldn't want me to.

I should've bought canned beer.

"Well?" Claudia said.

"She-" I started to say, but when I looked up, Elle was moving toward me.

No way...

I'm frozen, so she has to come all the way over. God, she smells like all of my favorite things and I don't even know what they are— just her. My nails are digging into the carpet, my mouth is watering, I don't want to close my eyes yet because I like seeing her. But, they close when she's close enough...

And her lips touch my cheek.

Because what else, right?

Elle stood up out of the circle. "I'm going to see if Leo left a message at my place."

They booed her as she left and she gave us the middle finger since we know where her priorities are. With Leo.

Who isn't even here.

"That was not a kiss," Claudia said, and then my face is pulled into hers...for at least five seconds...with tongue since she's into it, and—

I should've bought canned beer.

Scene 4: Club Sixx

Leo Rylin

"You're too drunk. She's going to kill you," AJ pushed me. He's mad that I'm cutting the night short. He's not the only one.

"She'll kill me if I don't show up at all."

"Worth it."

I nodded and laughed. "That was fucking fun."

"We need to get something in your system other than alcohol," Danny said, responsibly.

"Pizza," AJ suggested, pointing to the place across the street.

I shook my head. "Chinese. I just had pizza."

"Who cares?"

"Me, it was yesterday that's too soon."

"Pizza from there?"

"No, I was with Heather somewhere on her side."

"Now why were you with Heather?" Danny sighed.

"Aren't you supposed to stay away from her?" AJ chuckled and smirked.

"I was helping her out with something."

"Yeah, I bet," he said, sarcastically.

"You told Elle that?" Danny asked.

"...no. There's nothing to say, we-"

"She stole one of Heather's assignments in the library today."

I stopped in my tracks. "...She cheated off of Heather?"

"Not to turn in or anything. I mean, it was opinion based but she still kept it."

"Why?"

"Ask your girl, this has nothing to do with me."

"Not tonight," I breathed out. It's been a good few days.

"You can use it to help yourself. You know, when she snaps on you for pregaming too hard," AJ added

"I don't wanna have either conversation, honestly."

"What happened to the Leo who didn't lock down any chick no matter how hot?"

I shrugged. "Shit happens."

"Needed someone to bring home to ma?" He teased.

"I don't think my mom likes her for real. She was just happy I got a new girl," I admitted.

"Why doesn't she like her?" AJ questioned, empathetically confused, but Danny didn't seem surprised at all.

"Because she doesn't think I do. Not that much, at least. It's like everyone's waiting for me to dump her or something."

Danny looked at me, still unmoved. "You want to dump her?"

"No, I'm not gonna do that. I do like her," I said, seriously. "But I should've waited before going out with her so fast. Like how you're waiting with Mary."

"I'm never locking down Mary."

"Why not?"

"It's better for her if I don't." He shrugged. "I'll hurt her."

"Then what are you doing all the time if you're not with her? I know you're not working."

"Nothing," he replied too quickly.

My eyes narrowed as I smirked. "...You're with some other girl every day, aren't you?"

"Mind your business."

"Matt and Amanda. You and— who? Kat again?"

"Not Kat," AJ said with a devious smile

Danny scoffed. "Don't fucking tell me."

"I'm working on it," AJ chuckled.

"Yeah, I fucking bet you are."

"Was she off limits?"

"No."

"Then shut up."

"We should go to the movies," I announced as we passed a poster for The Devil's Advocate.

AJ huffed. "You have to go to Claudia's thing!"

"Right." I rubbed my eyes, trying to snap back into focus.

"Someone get him some fucking coffee."

"I don't like it."

"Who cares? Coffee and a shower and you'll be good as new."

"I need to go to sleep but when I get there she's gonna want me to hang out and talk to people."

"And then get her off and cuddle." AJ nodded in agreement.

I shook my head and sighed. "I'm going to sleep."

"She's gonna kill you."