Whatever the Outcome

Scene 1: Addington High Library

Heather Blakely

"Will this be a proper movie theater experience? Popcorn and candy?" Tony asked Lisa.

"Yes— hopefully."

"It was nice of Audrey to get this pushed through. There were a lot of proposed events."

"I went above Audrey."

"To the dean?" I asked.

"To Natalia."

I smiled to myself— Audrey's a control freak who hates giving up power...unless it's to Natalia. "She's good for Audrey. I didn't know anyone could be so right for someone."

"Yes, you did."

"Didn't you do a physics project on the concept of soul mates?" Tony teased.

"...no," I crossed my arms, closing myself off.

He chuckled but didn't pry. "I don't have a free period, so, unfortunately, I have to go."

"See you during lunch?" Lisa asked him.

"Sure," he replied, smiling in reassurance.

Lisa's eyes follow him until he's out of the door and then she quickly turns back to me. "I need to talk to you. It's boy stuff."

"Me?" I questioned. "Not sure I'll be of much use."

"You're who I go to."

"I don't see why. I'm not swimming in romance."

"You could be."

"I'll do my best," I sighed.

"Austin Duran asked me to the autumn ball, and I said yes— but I think he likes me...in a potential girlfriend way."

"But you don't like him in a potential boyfriend way?"

"No. He wasn't even my first choice as a date...but I can't have my first choice."

"Why not?"

"He's dating someone."

"Who is it?"

"...Tony."

"He's in popular demand these days, isn't he?" I can't imagine what that will do to his head...

"What should I do?"

"Let Austin know you're not interested in pursuing a relationship, but you'd be happy to be his date to the ball."

"And if he says forget it?"

"Forget him. I'll be your date."

Lisa smiles and reaches out for a hug. I let her...but leave her embrace rather quickly. I've been trying to keep to myself.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Sure," I said in a higher pitch.

"...really."

"It's nothing I care to discuss."

I don't know where I stand just yet.

But God, are my feelings hurt.

"Heather..."

I sighed. "The consequences of fighting fire with fire are not stressed enough." And you would've thought Leo and I learned our lessons by now.

Scene 2: Video Bin

Leo Rylin

"If I get a job next door, we can be like Dante and Randall," Zach said while looking out the door.

"Don't get a job until you have to."

"Why not? I'll be able to buy whatever I want."

I scoffed. "Yeah, like video games you won't have time to play anymore."

"I thought you liked it here."

"I do. It's peaceful."

He glanced around the empty store. "You wanna be alone?"

"Nah, you're not bothering me."

"Okay, then...are you in a fight with Danny again?"

"No."

"Oh." He kept quiet for a minute, trying to piece together why I'd want peace. "It's none of my business, I was just asking."

"I'm not fighting with anyone who matters, so you don't have to worry about it."

Zach nodded. "A school dickhead, huh?"

"Pretty much." I sighed. "Me and Heather got into it and she told me I was never good enough for her, so..."

"Heather said that?"

"Why is everyone so shocked about the shit Heather would say?"

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"There's nothing to be sorry about. Who cares?"

"Right. No one," Zach responded, quickly and uncomfortably.

I feel bad for shutting him down, it seems to be happening a lot, and it's just because of my bad fucking moods.

I press my lips into a smile. "So, what's going on with you?"

"Nothing, really."

"How's the roommate situation?"

"Awesome. We're good friends again...like before anything went down."

I nodded. "That's hard to get back to."

"Kinda, but we figured it out. We do everything as friends. My mom said we're on our own for dinner so we're gonna grab something when he's done with practice."

"Do you need money?"

"Nah, but I do take donations." He smiled and put his hand out. "I'm a good cause."

I chuckled and shook my head. "I don't do charity."

"Aren't you and Elle gonna see each other less now that you're both working?"

"Maybe a little." I shrugged. "Why? You worried about us?"

"I dunno. My mom lost a couple boyfriends because of bad schedules."

"That wouldn't break us up. We're not nine to five."

"Good. I know you like— love her and stuff."

Yeah.

I mean...

"...Yeah."

The door opens, letting blinding sunlight cut the conversation short.

Jace walks in but pauses when he sees me. "I guess this neighborhood is losing property value."

"Can I help you?"

"I need to return this." He puts a movie on the counter.

Rocky II

"Okay."

"Wasn't aware this was your place of business."

"Just started," I said with forced politeness before I could turn away from this fucking jerkoff and stare at a computer, instead.

"I'll keep that in mind."

I huffed. "I can't find you in the system."

"Did you spell it correctly?"

"How many ways can you spell 'Jace?"

"Kendal has one 'L'."

Typical-

"Heather's ex-boyfriend," Zach's eyes widen in revelation.

"I wasn't aware you two had a kid," Jace said, furrowing his eyebrows at Zach.

"I'm almost 16," Zach complained and looked at me, but I just gestured to show him how short he is. He'll grow some more...maybe.

"You know of me. Who are you?" Jace said.

"Zach...Heather's friend— ex-friend," he gave me an apologetic glance after the slip-up. "Heather's real mean."

Jace smirked in my direction. "What'd she do to you?"

I hand him a receipt that confirms he returned his movie on time. "You're good to go."

"I was thinking of asking her out for old time's sake. Do you know if she and that guy are serious?"

"Adam?" I asked.

"Anton?"

"Aiden."

"Arnold."

"I don't know what's up with them. Ask her."

He leaned on the counter and smirked. "Would you like me to tell you what she says?"

"No."

Scene 3: 74th Street

Trevor Bailey

I suck my teeth at the sight of Ethan sitting in a room full of children. "From nightclub to daycare. My, how the greats have fallen."

"I'm not babysitting. This is a work-study experience for them," he gestured toward the boys doing what looks to be homework.

"These infants work for you?"

"They are small adults."

I raised an eyebrow. "Whose trust funds are locked tightly?"

"I don't give them cash, I give them tips."

"He's teaching us how to be like him," one of them spoke.

I chuckled. "Oh no."

"They want helpful critiques. Things that would make them more likable, more popular with girls," Ethan explained.

"Then, I'm the one they should be talking to. We're vinegar versus honey, I attract more flies."

"Flies, exactly. I have higher standards."

I scoffed. "No, you have weirder kinks."

"Kinks?" A boy questioned.

"They're-"

"No," Ethan said, sternly. "This is why I give the advice."

"Ethan got me invited to Christina Emmy's birthday party."

"You like Christina?" I asked the child. "Well, maybe Christina likes girls, and you'll never have a chance."

"Someone's projecting," Ethan argued.

I nodded. "Me."

"Audrey's not solely a kitten shop."

"No, but she's happy where she is."

He inhaled sharply. "Stiff competition?"

"Again, no."

"Consider it a blessing in disguise. She makes a vicious ex."

"I would never break up with her."

"Easy to say, harder not to do."

"I love her completely. It just isn't meant to be."

His eyes narrowed in skepticism. "You're serious..."

"Why wouldn't I be?"

Ethan furrowed and unfurrowed his brows before looking away. "Well, be careful, she's fertile. There are too many kids in the system, as is, and they don't always get the best fake parents."

"Your father isn't your actual father and you turned out better than you would have with the biological one."

"I'm a fraud," he declared.

"Sans the identity crisis..."

"They should have told me."

"What would knowing have done for you?"

"You go your whole life hearing 'oh, he gets this from his mother' or 'he gets that from his father,' and it can't be true if they are just people who signed a contract to be friends with you."

"Wealthy, important people signed that contract when you were doomed to grow up outside of Central Park," I said. "You are better off."

"How would I know where I would have been better off?"

"If you were born into a good situation, they wouldn't have gone through the trouble of sending you somewhere else." I focus my eyes away from Ethan and the children. "...Sometimes someone you call your sister may actually be your daughter but it's better for everyone if she thinks you're her brother. It happens more often than you would assume."

"What?"

I shrugged. "For example."

"Can you come with me? I'm going to see her...Anna."

"You shouldn't do this. Once it's done, it can never be undone, do you understand?"

"The can of worms is already open. I want to know...if I look like her."

"It shouldn't matter."

"But it does."

"A dad is whoever you call dad."

"I'm not looking for another father," Ethan exhaled. "He didn't want anything to do with me— at least Anna had a tough decision to make."

"He might have had a tough choice too."

"Another pregnant teen girlfriend?"

"It's not easy. He has to live with it— knowing a baby may be born with his face or his hair or some undeniable part of him that he has to deny."

Ethan scoffed. "Has to."

"Yes."

"What would you know? You don't need a private investigator to find out who your biological parents are."

"I won't go with you."

He scowled disappointedly. "Some friend."

Scene 4: Chester High Field

Zach Teeling

"You didn't have to wait for me," Evan said as he walked over.

"It's no problem. I like watching."

"You should try playing."

I shook my head. "I'm only good at dodgeball."

"Because you duck whenever something's thrown to you."

"At me."

Evan starts backing further into the field. "Come on," he tosses the football up into the air and catches it.

"No— you're going to hit me in the face."

"I'll throw it low."

"Even worse."

"Alright," he puts the football in my hands, "you throw."

"What if I hit you in the face?"

"I'd rather you didn't," Evan chuckled.

I walked onto the field with him and tried to get close enough for my aim not to suck, but Evan kept stepping further away.

I threw it-- not at his face, and not lower...but he still had to stretch far to catch it.

"Not bad," he lied.

"You're just saying that."

"Catch," Evan said as he threw it.

My hands went up to defend my life, but I did it. "I got it!" I raise the football to the sky like it's the Superbowl trophy.

"So, run," Evan motions toward the area reserved for touchdowns.

"No, I don't want-" I start to say, but he's already charging at me like a madman, so now I have to sprint down the yards to the stick thingies in the ground that mark the touchdown, and I'm screaming because this is terrifying-- and this is why my mom laughed when someone asked if I played any sports.

I'm tackled before I even get close to scoring. Evan makes sure he hits the ground and I land on him, instead.

I roll off of him while he's hysterical with laughter. "Why'd you scream?" He barely got out.

"Why did you chase me?"

"That's how you play."

"Stupid game." I let out a breath.

"Did I hurt you?" He asked, locking eyes with me...and making my stomach feel weird.

"No." Not this time.

"I'm gonna go get changed."

"Okay. Good idea."

"You can wait in there if you want," he offered, referring to the locker room.

"Nah...it'd be weird sitting there watching you undress."

"It's only weird because you said it like that," Evan laughed, standing up in the process. "It's just gonna be us, right? For dinner?"

"Yeah, why?"

"No reason."