Scene 1: Johnny's Grill

Leo Rylin

"Stop staring," I said as AJ unsubtly gave his undivided attention to people who didn't want it.

"Look at her," AJ shook his head and smirked.

Cherry and AJ broke up a couple weeks ago and now she's on a date with another guy. Whenever she even glances at him, she rolls her eyes or glowers. I know the feeling.

"Why are you doing this to yourself?" Matt asked.

"I'm not doing anything."

"That's your girl with somebody else and you want a front-row seat for it?"

"You said it yourself. She's my girl."

Cherry and her date got up from the table and AJ smiled knowing they had to pass us to get to the exit.

"Hey, Cher," he said as she walked by, and she gave him the deadliest glare I've ever seen.

"Shit," I winced.

"We'll get back together. She loves me."

"I can tell."

"That dude is not her type. Boring little clean-cut prick won't last a week before she's calling me."

"Why don't you just call her and apologize?"

"How'd that work for you?" AJ raised an eyebrow. And I raised my middle finger. "Well, I'm heading out. Hit me up if you do something later."

I shake my head as he walks out, waving to us.

"I hope Cherry isn't dumb enough to get back with him."

Matt chuckled. "She chased you for a year, so what do you think?"

"I think I was better than him at least."

"Hey," Zach sat down beside me with a tray of burgers and fries for the table.

"No boyfriend? Or Oliver or whatever."

"Not tonight."

He said they're just friends, and I get the being friends part, but I don't think you can say "just" when I walked in on them making out a couple times.

And this friend is kinda different from the guys Zach usually brings around. I don't really like him.

"Is Elle coming?" Matt said.

"Nah, she's with Claudia."

"She could've come too."

"She doesn't know anyone. When we hang out, she feels like a third wheel," I explained. "Besides, I've been with them enough this week."

Claudia's the best friend who's more like a sister to Elle, and I guess they were inseparable or something before me, so she tags along a lot to keep up the bond.

"Tired of being one of the girls?" Zach teased.

"It's cool that her friends like me, but I don't want to be around them all the time."

"You think she likes to be around yours all the time?" Matt laughed to himself, knowing the answer already.

"Probably not. You guys can be really fucking gross." They'll have a whole conversation about the dirtiest thing they can think of. But I prefer that to listening to Elle and Claudia and whoever else go on about guys they like or girls they know and who did what and 'how insane is that?'

"We're dialed down around them. It's never even my best stuff."

"Your toned-down stuff is still bad. You get stoned and start a whole conversation about boobs."

"I didn't start it. There was a dude who did art stuff, and someone asked if he drew nude models and that started it."

"Did he draw nude models?" Zach questioned.

"He said he did once but he's more into that still life shit. Besides, all I said was all boobs are good boobs."

"How do you think you looked when we walked in there and you were drawing different types of boobs on a napkin?"

Matt put his arms out and smiled. "Picasso."

"Move." Danny comes up behind him and swats his arm out of the way.

"Are you wearing the same clothes from yesterday?" Matt asked.

He nodded. "Slept in the van."

"What the fuck?" I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Why?"

"Didn't feel like breaking a window to get into the house. My dad pushed a bunch of shit up against the door so I couldn't get back in."

"Why didn't you come over?" I said, offendedly.

"Didn't feel like it."

"What are you gonna do tonight?"

"Who cares? I'll figure something out." He pointed toward Zach's half-eaten burger. "You gonna finish that?"

And he pushes it over to him because it looks like Danny probably hasn't eaten all day.

He really fucking bugs me sometimes. Never wanting to accept help.

"All of you should stay over. I've got nothing else to do."

Scene 2: Milligan Townhouse

Alison Sinclair

"Yes?" A middle-aged woman opens the door.

"Hi, I'm Alison, you must be Tony's mother. It's nice to meet you." I reach out to shake her hand. The Milligans hardly attend the events and never host. And I'm beginning to see why. She looks at my hand as if it's diseased. "Okay..." I put my arm down. "Is he here?"

"What is this regarding?"

"We're friends..."

Tony runs to the door with a hint of fear in his eyes. "Hey..." he said to me before turning toward his mother. "Could I?"

She angrily whispers to him and he whispers back clearly trying to defend himself and calm her down.

Whatever he said got her to go away, but not without a disgusted parting glance.

"Did I do something wrong?" I asked him.

"I wish you would've called..."

"I'm sorry...I thought it would be better to come and see you."

"It's not that I don't want you to. But, I'm not exactly...allowed to be around you."

I tried to laugh. "What?"

"After I took the blame for you last year, I was told not to see you anymore."

"Then how have you?"

"There's a lot I'm not supposed to do. So, I don't tell them the truth when I leave. They think I'm in the Latin club, the school newspaper, yearbook, and lacrosse. And that's why I'm not home all the time."

"But when you're out with the guys-"

"Without permission. I say I'm sleeping over at someone's house, someone they approve of— not Trevor, I'm not allowed around him either."

"Well, could I talk to them? Explain myself?"

"I don't know, Al. They're catholic...devout." He stared down at the floor, uneasily. "They'd say things..."

"Things like?" I pried, and that uneasy look never left his face.

His mother stepped into view again. "Anthony, don't keep your guest waiting."

"I'll be right in," he replied, shutting the door a bit more so she couldn't see me.

"You have guests?"

"Her name is Sabrina."

"...Whose name is Sabrina?"

"That's what I was talking about in my letter-"

"That letter you sent me, the one that said you had something so important to tell me. Something you didn't want to write and yet you didn't want to tell me at school..." it was over some random girl?

"My parents introduced us at church. She goes to Sarafine Francis...an all-girls, catholic school."

"So, this isn't by choice?" I said in relief. "We can get you out of it. Let me think."

"No, I don't want out of it. She's actually great. We have a lot in common."

"You agree with them, then? Your parents and those asinine rules?"

"I understand them."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"They don't want me with someone...too wild."

"Like me." I crossed my arms.

"I didn't say that."

"You implied it, you always do. Is this what you meant when you said I needed parents like yours? What did you tell them about me?"

"Nothing. That would make my life more difficult not yours."

I scoffed in disdain. "I can't believe you."

"You're mad at me? For what?"

"Do you think everyone would still let you follow them around if they knew that you were keeping tabs to run and tell your parents so you could all judge us behind our backs?"

"I'm not judging you."

"It doesn't make you better than anyone, Tony, that you're a little catholic boy who only gets in trouble on behalf of other people. It makes you boring. And I imagine anyone your parents approved of would be an even bigger snore than you."

"Where is this coming from?" Tony asked and could probably tell by my face that I don't exactly know. "You're with Jace, so I think you should worry about yourself." He stepped back in and closed the door.

Oh, no.

How did you know?

I swiftly turned away, huffing as I began to leave.

"Young lady?" His mother called out from a window. "Don't come by here anymore. Anthony is a good kid. He will remain that way."

"If that's what you believe, then you know him even less than I do."

"I know about you. Girls like you. Stay away from my son."

Scene 3: San Abroeus

Heather Blakely

"You know they'll be closing soon," Ethan set a cup in front of me, coffee I shouldn't be drinking this late.

"I'm aware."

"What's this?" He peers over to the papers I'm sorting through.

"Fashion show planning."

"Oh, about that," he sighed. "I'm not sure I'll be able to attend."

"Why not?" I complained.

"My parents want me to avoid places their friends and the press will be, so I won't be asked questions about my father's case."

"Great, so I'll have fewer of my friends there."

"Trevor will be there...if only to try and pick up models. Audrey will be there...if only to try and pick up models."

"That's true," I said, amused.

"And you'll have Alison."

"Mm..."

"Jace?"

"Neither."

Ethan smirked. "So, the story unfolds."

I sighed. "Are you sure you can't come?"

"I'll see what I can do...if you're desperate for me to be there, something must be wrong."

"I just want it to be fun."

"Pressure?"

"I took a lot of time off from the social scene...I feel like I don't fit in anymore, and this is my way back."

He nodded. "I understand."

"How?"

"After the drama following the love...square I got into— I went for a drastic change that left me cut off from my normal social circle, as well."

"You still won king of hearts."

"Yes, but Trevor was right, I only won because he started publicly dating someone and lost the vote. Can you imagine all the girls he told about his opposition to dating— just to end up with Alison?"

"I wouldn't have voted for him either," I admitted.

"...There's also a chance that Natalie the newspaper girl stuffed the ballot box."

"Natalie hates me."

"Invite her, and then pretend to be having the best time of your life so she can report that your show was a success."

"Great, I'll fake it," I said with a mocking smile.

"Make it sound less depressing..."

"I can't. I think I've planned the most boring event in the world."

"Look..." Ethan leaned forward and lowered his voice. "I know some of the models that are going to be there. They like the party scene, and they are bound to bring some of it with them. I can make sure they have enough to share."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's just say, you definitely won't be bored."

Scene 4: Carlyle's Piano Bar

Trevor Bailey

"This is nice," Jace said as he looked around.

"Dinner, dancing, that date you always wanted."

"Gee, thanks."

Someone taps my shoulder and I turn around.

"Following me now, are we?" Audrey asked.

"To the ends of the earth."

"What do you think?" She motions to the general atmosphere.

"You were right, this is an interesting space. I might reinvent myself here."

"You like jazz clubs?" Natalia said skeptically.

"More than anything."

"I'm going to get some food," Jace gestured to the bar serving it.

"And I'll get drinks," Audrey added, as happy as ever. "Blue lagoon?" She asked Natalia.

"Perfect." Natalia smiles at her. And the smile stays even when Audrey walks away with Jace. For the most part..."So?" She faces me.

"Yes?"

"Odd meeting you here."

"Is it?"

"You weren't invited."

"Why Natalia, I'm beginning to get the impression that our friendship is on the rocks," I said with a sly smile.

"We're not friends. You're friends with my girlfriend. I don't know how, but you are."

"Special bond," I put my hand over my heart.

"I wouldn't say it's all that special."

"I think you're funny."

"Joy," she said sarcastically.

"Is there something you'd like to say to me, Natalia?"

"No," she responds, her eyes centering on the woman of her affection. I do the same, Audrey's wearing white while draped in crystals. A goddess, as I've always seen her as. Natalia laughs, and I look to her to be let in on the joke. "It's not going to happen."

"What ever could you mean?"

"You're pathetic for even thinking about it."

"You're jumping to conclusions."

"Oh, okay, you must be staring at Jace like a dog in heat."

I laughed until my lips fell into a smirk. "I could be. You don't know me."

"I'm not an idiot," she rolled her eyes, "and there's not a single thing that you could give her that she doesn't get from me."

"I think there could be one thing."

Natalia leaned in close to me, never breaking eye contact. "Anything you can do, I already do better."

"I could give you a run for your money."

"It's things like this that make me proud I'm not attracted to men. You always think too much of yourselves." She drops her coat from her shoulders revealing her great beauty underneath, glitz and glamour and all that has Audrey enamored. Along with her figure, of course. "You don't mind, do you?" She tosses the coat over my shoulder.

"That's what I'm here for."

"Mhm." Natalia saunters over to Audrey

This attitude looks good on her. A lack of confidence is what threatened to ruin her before. I'm glad she's found it. It's what Audrey deserves.

"Did I miss something?" Jace questions when he sees the once over Natalia gives me before making sure Audrey is heading in a direction I'm not.

"Nothing at all," I smirked. "Aren't they great together?"