Waiting on the Weakened

Scene 1: Rivington Street

Danny Cole

My dad crashed his car into our house last night.

It didn't go all the way through, he's still alive, and the fucking airbags didn't even deploy—but he got wasted and drove the fucking car into the fucking house.

The phone rang in the kitchen. It made my stomach hurt, but I've been expecting it.

"Hello," I answered, my voice raspy and my throat burning from throwing up.

"I'm sorry, Danny."

"It's fine."

"You shouldn't have to deal with this." He sighed. "I'm...gonna talk to somebody, okay?"

"Okay."

"I know I really messed up this time. I'm sorry."

"It's fine," I mumbled again. I'm not shedding another fucking tear because of this prick.

"There's medicine for it, you know? It'll make me sick if I even smell the stuff."

"Alright."

"Don't worry about the house. Insurance will take care of it. Did anyone knock?"

"No, the neighbor put up a tarp."

"Good. He's a good guy,"

"Yeah."

"That's all, then."

"Bye."

"I love you-"

I hung the phone up.

I want to drink what's left in the house.

After everyone left, I smoked some weed to calm myself down and ended up curled in a ball crying like a fucking girl. Getting high made me think about how shitty my life is and how I have to take care of everything if my dad went to rehab...and how much worse I'll feel when he relapses.

So I had a drink on his behalf. Enough to have me puking a couple hours later.

And I'd do it again...just so I won't have to think about anything today or feel something other than sick.

Matter of fact—I will do it again.

There's a bottle of gin waiting for me next to a half empty beer I was using as a chaser before I blacked out.

It tastes as bad going down as it does coming back up.

Especially with what I ate...and what I'll probably be eating again. Cold fries that came with a sub I got a couple days ago. There's also freezer burned hotdogs I can throw in a pan. And another case of beer because dear old dad would never go without.

My aunt told him that if he doesn't stay sober, she's considering yesterday the day he died.

It feels like that. Like he's dead and I didn't realize that him dying meant more than me not having a dad anymore.

I can't believe I'm left to pick up pieces.

The phone rang again and I groaned loudly. What the fuck does he want now?

I yanked the phone off the post. "What?"

"Hi, Danny," Heather said.

"...What do you want?"

"I think my bracelet fell off at Jordan's house. I remember having it on in the room, so maybe that's where I lost it. Could you ask him for me?"

"Yeah. Why didn't you get your boyfriend to go by and see?"

"I'm not speaking to Leo, if that's who you're referring to."

I scoffed and started laughing. "Who else would it be other than the guy you liked to dry hump in my backseat?

"Have you been drin-" She stopped herself. "Are you alone?"

"Why?"

"It sounds like you might be."

"Whatever. Talk to him, I can tell he's starting to go crazy again thinking about you and what happened last night."

"I will," she replied. "Do you want to come over?"

"No."

"Well, why not?"

"Well, why?" I snarked.

"You could have dinner."

I bet she's not eating freezer burned pork and old fries...

"Okay."

"Don't drive," she insisted.

"You have no idea how much I don't want to ever fucking drive again," I chuckled, disheartened.

"I will have a car pick you up soon."

I nodded. "Did you cook?"

"I can't cook," Heather admitted. "But I ordered in."

"...what'd you order?"

"Chinese."

"Tell your driver to haul ass."

Scene 2: Lickster Records

Zach Teeling

"Hey, Elle," I waved to her and Matt looked back at me like I ignored a social cue...as if we could've gotten past her without her knowing

"We're not staying," he added.

"Did I ask?" She scowled.

Matt put his head down. "No."

Yikes.

Leo's empathy was obvious. He saw Elle's hatred and Matt's lovesickness and patted him on the back. "Payday," Leo reminded him and shook some excitement out of him. "Hurry up. We've got shit to buy."

Matt started to smile a bit and walked into his boss's office, leaving Leo and me outside of it.

We looked at each other and it went without words that we shouldn't go back onto the floor where Elle could see us. Instead we went further into the back where only employees are allowed. Luckily no one else is here. Matt said Elle and Susie talked shit about Leo so much that almost everyone that works at Lickster hates him.

"Which one do you think is Matt's?" I asked, running my fingers over the lockers.

"Probably one of the ones with a lock on it."

"Yeah," I respond, and start opening the ones without a lock. They probably make sure they're empty, but it'd be great if something cool was left behind.

If only I was lucky enough. After checking four in a row, I figured all I'd find were empty bags of chips and candy wrappers. But I opened one more and saw that Matt's wasn't one of the locked ones after all. A piece of notebook paper wafted out of it.

"I bet he lost the key," Leo laughed and I went to fetch the paper. "What's that?"

"It's a bucket list," I answered. "Streak at graduation. Punch Marky Mark. Kiss..."

I looked up at Leo and he took it from me. He ran his face over his mouth and chin. "Kiss Elle."

It's up there twice. Not back to back so maybe he doesn't notice the "Kiss Elle again" listed at number 7.

"Where are you going?" I follow after him cautiously and he made me want to find out our destination.

"Hey." Leo stood at the register.

"Fuck off," Elle turned away.

"Matt made this months ago." He holds the list out. "When you and me were still-"

She snatched it out of his hand, I guess she really wanted to drive in the point that they're not cool.

Elle talked to me like I was an 8 year old, so I don't know much about her other than she would stare at Leo a lot and bite him softly which I thought was weird. But her face changed a bit when reading and I think that might be a good thing. "So? Handle your own friend."

"There's nothing to handle. He wouldn't have risked this if he didn't really fucking like you. I just thought you should know."

"Thanks, I really appreciate it." She smiled and tilted her head like a creepy doll.

Leo pulled his lips in and nodded. "Bye."

We're waiting outside the store now, apparently.

"You're okay with that?" I questioned.

"Matt and Elle?" I nodded. "Yeah, they'd be a good match."

"But she was your girlfriend." Leo shrugged. "Does not being okay with it mean you're a bad person?"

He shook his head. "Think it just means you still feel things. Love or hate or both. I don't have any of that for her."

"Heather?"

"A lot for Heather."

"So it'd make you mad—and jealous? And sad..."

Leo chuckled. "I'd lose my shit."

"Me too."

"That's okay. Besides, no good friend would go around feeling up a girl you'd lose your shit about—or dude you'd lose your shit about."

"But Heather would be mad at you."

"She gets mad at me." He nodded. "I usually just try to make sure she doesn't stay that way."

"How?"

"Danny's method worked pretty well, but I couldn't really use it until after we were together so..."

"What is it?"

"Word for word he told me that if it's something small, fuck her brains out, and if it's something big, buy her flowers."

"Sounds like Danny,"

"Yeah, I don't understand how he thinks sometimes," Leo said...and something about it felt gloomy.

"Are you fighting?"

"No," he replied. "But you know since he's been dealing with the pills and doing all the rehab stuff it kind of made things different now."

"He seems the same to me."

"He is—I'm not saying he's not the same guy, but this guy's doing things I'm not used to him doing."

"Rehab?"

"And other stuff."

"Like what?"

"It's just weird sometimes."

"Spit it out," I huffed.

"Danny and Heather are...close now. And it fucks with my head because I'm not even close with her anymore," he confessed.

"Why not?"

"Because we did that already."

"So?"

"So it didn't work:"

"So?"

"So what?"

"So that doesn't mean you can't do it again."

"Shut up."

Scene 3: Central Park

Jace Kendal

"What's so intense?" I asked as I interrupted what appeared to be a deep conversation.

"Tony spent the night in jail," Ethan answered.

"Hilarious."

"I'm serious."

"What could Anthony Milligan possibly do to get thrown in the slammer?"

"He and his dad don't have the best relationship."

"Tell him to join the club," Trevor scoffed.

"Arthur Bailey doesn't think he's Muhammad Ali."

"Did Tony finally kill him?" I raised an eyebrow. I was in the house when his dad was slapping him around once. He didn't know I was there, of course, and he was almost as embarrassed as Tony.

Ethan shook his head. "Assault and battery. His mother is trying to convince his dad to drop the charges, but he isn't budging."

"Damn. We should go see him, shouldn't we?"

"They won't let you. You'll have to wait until he's moved out."

I sighed, "His dad kicked him to the curb, didn't he?"

"No, it was Tony's idea. We're getting a place together."

"Alison is okay with that?"

"It's either me or let her boyfriend get beaten," Ethan put his arms out arrogantly. "Besides, now he will have a place to pop his cherry. Her dad is back on chastity patrol since he and her mom separated."

"Karma."

Trevor slaps the back of my head.

"He'll come to find she's mighty generous when she's vulnerable," Ethan remarked.

"He'll come before she starts," Trevor joked.

"Speaking from experience, are we?" I laughed.

"No, I can't back you up on that, Jace." He pushes up against me, staying just as close even when I stand still to avoid the grass. "I can outlast anyone who gets the pleasure," Trevor whispered."

"Pleasure, my ass," I move away and smile off the weirdness.

"If you insist."

"Can you be any gayer?" I asked and anticipated another response that meant 'yes.'

"You're both gay we were talking about a girl," Ethan intervened.

"Let's talk about a new one. Now that Lisa is all broken up from our newly interesting Tony, why haven't any of us sealed that heart with our...love," Trevor inquired.

"Go for it," I suggested.

"No complaints?"

"I know you think it's pathetic, but I'm going to ask Venus to meet. I don't want to wonder if I missed out in the future."

"Do it in public, you pathetic fool." He shifted his gaze to Ethan. "And your excuse is?"

"She's not my type."

"And the truth is?"

"I'm not interested?"

"And the reason is?"

"I don't want any distractions this year." Trevor bore his eyes into him. "Alright, I'm seeing someone already."

"Do tell."

"Not a chance." Ethan winked and waved goodbye.

I shook my head. "He's a dick."

"Yes, and speaking of-" Trevor starts taking a few steps in the direction of his place. "You should get a new tailor. The measurements are off for your pants." He focuses his eyes on my crotch. "It looks like you have a semi."

Scene 4: The Helmsley Hotel

Leo Rylin

Heather walked up to me like she was nervous or something. "Leo," she greeted.

"You're pissed at me, huh?"

"I'm not."

"Is it because I lost you at the party yesterday? I thought you were-"

"Leo, I'm not angry," she said, calmly.

"Aren't you avoiding me?"

"I don't like to avoid you, especially since it usually makes me so happy to see you."

"Usually?" She frowned. "I feel like I keep asking and you keep not telling me. What's wrong?"

"You're right. I haven't been honest." Heather kept her eyes low. "I hate this. I thought that I could get used to it or that you would change your mind about the restrictions on our...thing, but that was naive. You told me what you wanted, and I knew that we weren't on the same page, and I still agreed. I shouldn't have."

I lift her head up by her chin. "What are you saying?"

She stares into my eyes. "Friends." She shook my hand. "Platonically."

"That's what you want?" I asked, wondering if she really knew what it meant.

"Isn't it what you want?"

...fuck, what do I know?

"Yeah...it is."

"You're not upset with me?"

"No."

"You're not upset at all?"

"I'm not happy..." I sighed. "But I told you, no hard feelings. We're still good."

"Good." She wrapped her arms around herself. Discomfort.

I stepped closer. I can hug you if you want, you don't have to hold yourself. "What about you?"

"I'm a little sad..."

I took another step. "Butterfly-"

"Don't." She backed away. "It's late and cold."

"Want to watch a movie or something?"

"I'm sorry, I have a guest..."

"Oh."

"I would, otherwise."

"It's not a problem." I backed away even more.

"Okay." She smiled in the way that was barely noticeable. "I guess we should say goodbye then."

I nodded. "Bye."

"Goodbye," she said, but didn't leave immediately. She never does. I always think of it as her taking a picture of me before she goes.

"Fuck," I rubbed my hands over my face and then watched her disappear. Why is everything so fucking hard. I folded my arms on the front desk and laid my head down for a second.

I should've said something. She just told me she wanted there to be more between us, didn't she? Fuck, I'm scared now.

"Hello?" The lady comes back to the desk. "Can I help you?"

"No."

"You can wait over there for them." She gestured toward the chairs but I looked at her in confusion about who she thought was coming down. "Ms. Heather and Mr. Daniel," she clarified.

"Danny, huh?"

"Excuse me if I've misspoken." She either isn't sure that's his name or doesn't know if she should've told me he was here.

"Do you have any change for the phone?" I gestured toward the exit so she'd know I'm not sticking around. The lady smiles politely and hands me the hotel phone. "Thanks."

I turned my back to her as I made the call. It's not like I need extra privacy, but the idea of her spying comes to mind.

"Hello, Sheena speaking."

"Still wanna hang? My plans fell through."

"Leo?"

"Yeah, I'm on your side of the city."

"Then you should come over."

"...You don't want to go out and do something?" I said, skeptically.

"...Over here?"

"Yeah, alright. Give me your address."