Scene 1: The Helmsley Hotel

Heather Blakely

"I should move too," Alison said.

She came over to get her pick of the stuff I'm not taking with me. I'm sure some of it may be hers, anyway.

"You can stay in our new house."

"Have you bought it already?"

I nodded. "My dad said you can see the ocean from my room."

"I can't believe you're really going..."

Me neither...

"We're all leaving, I'm just getting my fresh start a little earlier."

"We've been here too long," Alison sighed. "We shouldn't know so much about everyone."

I smirked. "Or remember their old personalities."

"How awful they were," she agreed. "Do you remember that list that went around in middle school with the names of every girl in our grade?"

"When they were just rating us?" I asked in horror. "And the girls who got any number under 7..." no one did anything to stop the taunting if they were fortunate enough not to be the targets.

"Even the 7s were bad. Nick gave Gabrielle a 7 because he's seen 'really pretty girls' and then she dated him a month later."

"Nick was a 5."

"Don't join in," Alison reprimanded.

"Why are 12-year-olds meaner than 17-year-olds?"

"That is debatable," she said, discontented. "My uncle called my dad complaining about this poll my cousin ended up on at school. It was a chart of some sort— nicest lips, nicest legs, best boobs, best butt. It caused a PTA meeting, but she does go to public school."

"Those flyers about the boys felt pretty public school..."

" I think whoever's responsible made them quite professional. Now, Audrey's banners were public school."

"Perhaps this is where we intersect." I shrugged. "Public or private school, we're horribly immature when it comes to bullying the student body."

"I would say the flyers were warning signs...not bullying."

"Jace certainly felt bullied."

"Oh," Alison said, unsympathetic but intrigued.

"Though...his immediate response was that girls aren't that great either."

She scoffed. "And he wonders why people have bad things to say about him."

"He's a work in progress, but we both fell for the good qualities."

"There aren't enough to keep seeing him."

"Which is why we broke up." I nodded. "But, we are going out after school on Thursday." Alison narrowed her eyes in judgment. "It's for a project he roped me in with a school club. I'm a volunteer, apparently."

"You read the flyer. Don't fall for him again."

Scene 2: Orchard Street

Matt Jensen

"Ma!" I yelled out, walking through the beaded curtain.

"Yes?" She answered from where she was.

"You know, Elle, right?"

"Hello, sweetheart." My mom reached out for a hug whether she remembers her or not.

"I told her you'd show her how to do the tarot cards."

She gasped and put her hands together. "I'd love to. Are you learning for a particular reason?"

"She's super witchy," I replied.

"Spiritual"

I put devil horns behind my head.

"Scared?" Elle teased, and I smiled at her.

"I'll do Matt's reading first since he has so much to say."

"I'm an open book." I sit in front of her while she gets her cards out of their special case.

"Which spread do you want?"

"Surprise me."

"Past, present, future." She gives me the deck to shuffle like the pro I am. I'm really good at anything that involves cards.

"Okay." I put them down and she pulled three from the stack.

Elle watched closely, clearly more than I was because I kept looking at her.

"Eight of swords," my mom announced the first card.

Elle glanced at me, worriedly. "That looks bad..."

"Upright it means you feel trapped or victimized by something you don't think is in your control. There is a lot of negativity around the eight of swords...but if you look at the picture, the girl is not completely trapped. There is a way out."

"It's the past." I shrugged, encouraging her to move on to the present.

She flipped over another card. "The moon. Represents worry and uncertainty, when it's facing away from you it means a change is coming. You're working through these feelings by fixing them...or burying your emotions."

They both look at me, and my mom knows that I never like when she tries to fish for information using these readings. I figured out a long time ago that this was her way of not "intruding" when she wants to find something out.

"Next."

"Ace of cups," she said, proudly. "See, didn't I tell you? This with the moon, your path leads to new love in the future and an abundance of happiness and friendship."

Not likely.

"Your turn." I got up to switch seats with Elle.

"We'll do a different spread for you. That way you'll know two," my mom said. "Do you have a question? People sometimes ask about their love lives, their dreams, or if they're going to get that job they've always wanted."

"What about their love lives?" She asked.

"When will they find the right person, if they already have...anything."

"I think I'm good for now. I have my person."

"Then, I have the perfect spread." She hands Elle the cards. "Current situation. Obstacle. Advice."

"I'm nervous," she said as she shuffled them cautiously like that would put the good cards upfront.

"Don't be. It's all about your intention."

"Ready." Elle handed them back and watched my mom lay them out.

"Two of swords. The swords have a lot to say today," my mom smiled like this isn't one of the scary-looking ones. "The girl is blindfolded so she can't see what's in front of her. The swords are crossed, blocking her from something or pointing in two different directions meaning she has to choose between them. Why do you think you drew this card?"

"I don't know..."

"The card could be about the other person," I said, knowing the other person is Leo.

"Three of cups. Hm..."

"Is that bad?"

"It wouldn't be— if it was pointing toward you." She sighed, "the three of cups could mean you are feeling crowded in a situation. Have you been wanting space away from others?"

"No, I hate being alone."

"Then...in romance, this could mean there's a third person involved somehow. Someone who is causing a disconnect and will harm the relationship."

Oh, fuck. It's me. I'm the obstacle, I have to be.

And we make eye contact like she knows something.

"Do you think I'm chasing him away by being...myself?"

"Why would you say that?" I asked, offendedly.

"I'm kinda possessive..."

"So is he."

"No, he's not."

If someone even looked at Hea— never mind.

"I bet he likes having a girlfriend that gets jealous over him."

"Eight of cups." My mom turned over the last card, redirecting the conversation. "Abandoning something in search of what will bring you peace and happiness. I love this card. It shows there's always an answer to your problems. A happy ending."

"I don't get it though. I don't know the problem."

"Follow your intuition. You probably know more than you're letting yourself believe."

And once again, we made eye contact.

"What are you doing this weekend?" Elle questioned.

"Working, maybe..."

"After?"

"Nothing."

"Want to do me a huge favor that's not even that big because you'll be hanging out with your bestest friends?" She batted her eyes and smiled and made sure she was too cute for me to deny. I sighed and motioned for her to go on. "Keep Leo company at Claudia's. He needs one of his own friends there or he'll never get comfortable."

I groaned and turned away from her. "I hate third wheeling."

"There will be a lot of wheels."

"There better be."

Hanging out with just the two of them makes my stomach hurt. And I'm scared that one day one of them will figure out I'm into her.

I don't want to be the third person that'll fuck up their relationship by being the reason Leo dumps her.

Scene 3: Madison Street

Leo Rylin

"I'm still not convinced my textbooks are gonna help," I said as I let her into my house.

"I am. They're practically written by the founders of Harvard," Amanda argued.

"Isn't the GED kinda specific?"

"General education, Leo."

"All I've got is my English book. I don't bring the rest home."

"That's fine, English and math are the only important ones anyway."

We walked into my room and I started scouring around for it.

"You know there are classes you can take to help you pass the test."

"They cost money. I can barely afford my half of the rent as it is."

"There are free ones."

"When you find one, sign me up."

"Good luck." I slide the textbook onto my dresser where she's staring in the mirror.

"Thanks." She wiped her fingers under her eyes to clean up her makeup.

"Well, don't get eyeliner on it. I have to give it back or pay for it."

Amanda looks at the book and then back at me. "How much?"

"You don't wanna know."

"What are you going to do without it? Is there a test or something I should remember you have?"

"Nah, I'll use Elle's or Danny's."

She went silent for a minute.

"...Is he okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't he be?"

"You haven't noticed anything weird about him?"

"You mean him being tired all the time?" She shrugged. "I think he's got a job now that he doesn't want anyone to know about. He's busy every day, not around too much."

"A job?"

"He wants to get out of his dad's house. He's old enough."

"You should just...keep an eye on him."

"...what's up?" I asked, and she got too reluctant to respond.

The front door opened and closed

She pressed her lips together. "That's my cue."

I rolled my eyes at her but let her walk out of the room.

"Hey, mom."

"Hi," she replied before she could turn around and see someone else here too. "Amanda."

"I was just leaving," she put on a guilty smile like she's not allowed over.

"Are you hungry?"

"Really?" Mandy sounded surprised. "Yeah."

"It's healthy, so Leo's going to hate it."

I scowled at her. "...What is it?"

"Stir fry."

"Oh," I said in relief and sat on the stool next to Mandy's.

"How was your day?" Amanda asked her.

"Today was awful."

My eyebrows furrowed. "What happened?"

"Those 2 days Penny was sick, I worked doubles at the diner and called out at the bakery." I nodded. "There was a big order for a kid's birthday party. Cupcakes, cake, cookies, brownies, and lots of 'em. They were up to their elbows trying to get it done on time, but it had been on the books for 2 weeks. They expect me to remind them of everything like they're children."

"So they're mad at you because they don't know how to do their jobs?"

"Yes, and they hardly said a thing to me all day. They would speak to each other and get quiet when I was around."

"They sound like teenagers," Amanda commented.

"I will go in there and order 75 salty muffins, wait until they're done, and then tell them I changed my mind."

"Salty?"

"Yeah, because no one else is going to buy that shit either."

"Language, jellybean," my mom sighed.

"You can quit and I'll get a job."

"No, those teenagers can give me the silent treatment all they want as long as work gets done."

"It's okay, I was already thinking about it. Everyone's got one."

"Okay, as long as you're doing it for yourself and not for me."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll go fill out an application this week."

Scene 4: Madison Street - Zach's Apartment

Zach Teeling

My mom opens the door to us playing video games on the floor. "Goodnight, boys. Lights out."

I sighed, "goodnight."

"Goodnight, Ms. Teeling." Evan smiled his grateful 'I do chores and say ma'am' smile before being a good boy and getting up to turn the light off.

"Light off, volume low. She won't check," I said to him.

"I am pretty tired," he admitted, going over to his sleeping bag instead of grabbing a controller.

"Fine." I rolled my eyes and turned the tv off too.

He chuckled. "We'll play tomorrow."

I shook my head as I climbed into bed. "I'm faking sick tomorrow."

"No, you're not. We're going to school."

"I don't like people knowing who I am, or guys high-fiving me for bad reasons," I huffed. "And they keep asking if I hang out with gay guys because it makes girls like me more? That's not a thing."

"It's a thing."

"Why?"

Evan shrugged. "It is."

"This sucks."

"The whole team is giving you props."

"For what?"

"Jared went out with Karlie for a while and said she wouldn't let him get anywhere."

"So why would he believe that she'd let me?" I said, exasperated. "It's like Rock Paper Scissors. Musician beats athlete but they both beat Zach."

"Musician beats athlete?"

"Play a note, sing a song, and you're immediately attractive."

"That's why you were flirting with Lucas?"

"Was not."

"I saw you drooling."

"Yeah right," I scoffed just as he broke into laughter. "What's funny?"

"People see you...and think you are capable of hooking up with a girl." He laughs even harder, clutching his stomach like this is painfully hilarious.

"I— I could be," I defended.

"Yeah, if she was topping you."

"Shut up." I throw a pillow down at him but he catches it and keeps laughing.

"Silver lining to being kinda homeless is us being friends again."

"Knew it would happen eventually."

"Me too."