"Are you sure this is all you want?" I pass Zach a straw for his milkshake.

"Yeah, thanks for buying. I only get like ten dollars every two weeks if I'm lucky." He shrugs and I nod understandably.

I used to be the same way when I was younger, you know, before the drugs. I'm not saying I deal heavily, but when I'm given product, I make it move. Nothing crazy, just natural grown weed gifted to me by friends who expect me to smoke it myself. I've never really had a taste for the stuff, though.

"So...Zach," I spoke hesitantly. "I brought you here for a reason, and I think you know why..."

"...you said we were hanging out with the guys?"

"I mean, we are, but they're not here yet, and I wanted to talk with you for a bit first." I shrug casually, though I'm freaking out on the inside.

I've been trying to avoid it for a while, hell, I think I've been avoiding him. I don't want to come off at him the wrong way, but is there a proper way to ask: "Hey, man, are you gay?" I feel like he would've told me, and I'm not even sure if I'm in the position to question him on it.

Am I supposed to wait for him to tell me?

"Alright?" He seems to tense up. I basically pulled the "we need to talk" card and gave even myself anxiety.

"You know you're like a kid brother to me, right?" I ask rhetorically. "We can tell each other anything." ...mostly.

"Like what?" He furrows his eyebrows before redirecting his attention to his milkshake.

"Uh- well, I guess I'll start then," I sigh and try to think of something to say,"...Cherry Marshall and I had this sort of fling, and when I tried to end it, she got upset and did some...things to try to convince me otherwise. She's difficult sometimes, I think all girls can be difficult at times...don't you?"

"I mean, yeah? I guess, I never really thought about it."

"Sure, but the night I didn't want to go see her, you told Danny that you'd go, instead. What did you plan on doing?"

Now, this, I've been wondering ever since I realized Zach was probably into guys. Cherry Marshall is definitely not a guy, I can attest to that.

"I dunno, Cherry has a dog, and we're not allowed pets in our apartments, so it's nice seeing hers. Plus, she thinks I'm adorable and gives me all the snacks in her house when I'm there," Zach smiles as he laughs.

"Oh, so no intention on kissing her or anything, huh?" I raise my eyebrows.

"Nah, she's your girl and way too old for me," he says without hesitation.

"I'd tell you she's up for grabs now, but you already have someone, right?" Zach shrugs in response. "They were at the sleepover we dropped you off at, right?" He kept his head down to avoid eye contact. "...it's a boy, right?" Zach finally looked up at me, his breath visibly quicker, and his eyes locked on mine like a deer in headlights. "Zach, are you-" I'm cut off by the sound of loud but distant chattering. Matt walks in with Jordan and some girl I've never seen before.

Matt runs over and obnoxiously drums on the table. "Leo! Zachy-boy! How's it hanging?"

"Things are razor, Matt. Where've you been?" I sigh.

"Getting high with this asshole and his pretty lady," Matt laughs and points toward Jordan and the unnamed girl as they walk up to the table.

"Yeah, and we're starving so let's order half the menu, okay?" Jordan asks and looks around the table in hopes of assurance.

Zach clears his throat before standing up, "I actually uh— have plans to meet up with someone now, school project and stuff. I'll see you guys," he quickly waves us off.

"What? No, Zach-" I called out for him, but he wasalready walking out of the door.

"Would either of you like a piece of lime with your drink?" Audrey offers as she hands us our glasses.

"No, thank you. I've always preferred a strawberry with mine."Lisa smiles as she sips her drink.

"Oh, you fit right in. I knew I liked you from the start," Audrey fawns.

Frozen strawberry-limechampagne has always been an Audrey slumber party specialty. We usually have it with truffled popcorn while we watch a film, it's like posh movie theater snacks. However, this time the "we" is Audrey, Lisa, and me, but no Alison.

Lisa is kind, I like her, but two days ago, Audrey didn't. When we first met Lisa, Audrey told me that she was too boring and average to be our friend. Now that Alison is on her bad side, Lisa suddenly isn't.

"So, I was thinking we could watch Sleepless in Seattle instead of My Fair Lady since we've seen it so many times-"

"Or, we can skip the movie and do something fun for once," Audrey suggests.

Since when do we ever "skip the movie?"

"I'm up for anything," Lisa shrugs as she smiles.

"There's a lacrosse game tonight. Heather, as the girlfriend of one of the star players, I'm shocked you didn't know."

"I did know, I just don't really care. It makes no difference to Jace whether I'm there or not," I shrug.

"Okay," Audrey said slyly as she turned away, "I've just been hearing things, that's all."

I sigh and give in, "what things?"

"A little birdie told me that when you're not there to cheer him on...other girls are."

"So?" I narrow my eyes at her.

"It would be 'so' if he didn't give them the time of day, Heather, but he does. We all know how underclassmen girls get about our boys." She glared at me, "it would be absolutely pathetic if you lost him to a fifteen-year-old, I would be secondhand humiliated for you."

Jace Kendal, son of Geoffrey and Leona Kendal. Geoffrey was practically the Hugh Hefner of the upper east side, Leona was portrayed as the angel who made him settle down and start a family. However, reality knows that his trips to the Hamptons are filled with Colombian cocaine, booze, and local housewives...you know, since strippers and prostitutes are too obvious in a place flooded with reporters.

Leona doesn't mind, nonetheless, because reality also knows that the deep tissue massages she gets from her masseur go deeper than one would've initially thought.

It's all grounds for divorce, but they're still happily married.

I will not live the way they do.

"I'll talk to him about it, it's nothing to be dramatic over," I speak as though I'm not concerned about Jace's fan club.

"Or— we can go see for ourselves." Audrey smirks, "what do you say, girls?"

"I've never been to a lacrosse game," Lisa says happily and nods in agreement.

"Fine, I guess," I breathe out.

"Perk up, sweetie, no wonder he's entertaining his cheerleaders instead."

"Friday the 13th....a classic, am I right?" The little nerdy cashier commented as he pointed to the small tv sitting in the corner of the counter.

"Right," I sighed and looked away as he rung up my beer.

"You can never be too early for Halloween." He laughed to himself.

"Mhm," I nod, "Uh- can I get a pack of Marlboros too?"

"Beer and cigarettes...long day?" He chuckled and reached above him for the smokes

"Just a regular Tuesday," I shrug.

"Can I see some I.D., please?"

"You sure can..." I say confidently as I take out my wallet and fish for my fake I.D. that says I'm a twenty-seven-year-old man from Denver.

"Nice picture," The cashier squints at the card, "Jonathan Ramone? I remember when you were just Daniel," he smiled.

I furrowed my eyebrows and quickly snatched the card back. "Have we met before, man?"

"Well, don't you remember? My mom used to babysit you..." he spoke, but it didn't ring any bells. "I invited you to my 11th birthday party, you came for a slice of cake and then left...."

"Believe it or not, but I do that often," I admit.

"Dude, it's Kenny. Kenny Rogers, we went to elementary and middle school together."

I gasp, "Rat-face Rogers?"

"Yeah, people kinda stopped calling me that once we got to high school," Kenny mumbled.

"I can see why," I nod, "puberty did kind of okay with you. You look more human, now."

"That's good...I guess. I never really thought I looked like a rat, but-"

I toss some cash onto the counter. "Have a good one, Kenny," I wave him off and walk away.

It really has been a while. It's nice to see him making something of himself. Maybe he'll grow to have a little rat-faced family. A wholesome guy like Kenny Rogers would be a great dad.

...I could've used a Kenny Rogers.

I sit on the curb, there are no cars in the parking lot other than my van. It's cold and really dark out, but it's better this way.

I take a beer from my case and use my keys to lift off the top. It's sad...I hesitate before I take even a sip of any alcohol because I fear becoming my father.

Way to ruin my fun, jackass.

I hear footsteps approaching, but I don't bother to acknowledge them. For some reason, people think eye contact means you have to smile.

"Danny?" I look up and squint at the figure illuminated by the light.

"Leo? Is that you?" I shield my eyes from the white glow of the store. "How've you been?"

"How've I been? What's been going on with you? I would've thought you were dead if it wasn't for Val!" He seemed frustrated, "...Are you okay?"

I tap the case of beer on my side. "Never been better."

Leo looks skeptically at me before taking a seat on the curb as well. "I went by your place, your dad said he hadn't seen you in two weeks."

"Like you said, I've been with Val." I take another swig of my beer.

"...your dad got hurt pretty bad, huh?"

"I guess so," I sigh and let the weird tension grow thicker around us.

Leo hates uncomfortable silence, that's why fights between us never last long. He's always one to find something to talk about.

"Wanna see something cool?" Leo asks. I nod and he takes a beer out of my case without permission, of course, but I don't complain. "Watch this," he says while pulling a nickel out of his pocket. He glances over to make sure I'm paying attention before positioning the nickel under the beer cap and popping it off.

"Aye!" I applauded and he smiled proudly.

"Remember Sean? He taught me," Leo said and I chuckled in response.

"Gotta Love Maldonado, man," I smile.

Sean Maldonado graduated from our old school, Miller High, and now we only see him at the parties. He "teaches" us younger guys a lot of things. He taught me how to flip drugs and get girls, I was an apprentice to him.

"You know I hate when you do this, Danny. You always have to be the 'tough guy' who doesn't give a shit about anything," Leo says in annoyance. "You're really gonna fuck yourself over. When shit happens, you're supposed to talk to someone. I live right down the street."

I nod in understanding, "I get it, Leo, but it doesn't matter. I know you're there, so it's fine. I don't need anything else."

He opens his mouth to speak but closes it instead of saying anything, nodding and sighing in response, instead.

Silence began to set in, and I almost felt bad for being the way I am. I thought..."Leo must hate having a counter dependent best mate,"

but then he spoke...

"This place is dead...we should go do something, yeah?"

"Would you look at her?She's wearing his jersey number...she looks absolutely ridiculous," Audrey scoffs at the sight of Alison happily sporting the number 20.

I'm not in complete understanding of what happened between them, but I am glad that I no longer have to pretend that I don't know about Audrey and Ethan's secretsex dates.

I can hardly keep my own secrets, let alone anyone else's, especially from someone as close to me as Alison. I don't know how Audrey could sleep at night knowing she was sleeping with the one guy Alison wanted most.

I was there when it all started. Audrey and I went to a bar to avoid having to study for our exams. A few martinis later, Ethan Carey walks in with a friend. I didn't think anything of it, but we couldn't ignore the fact that they kept staring at us from their table.

"Do you want something, Carey." Audrey turns toward Ethan.

"Maybe I do..." He smirked.

"Oh, really? And what might that be..."

Ethan leaned back in his seat and gave a look that showed he only had the worst intentions. "Come here, Michaels," He motioned her over with just a finger, and though she pretended to be reluctant, she walked over with no hesitation...and suddenly I was "studying" alone.

"I think they're kind of cute together-" Lisa spoke out of turn but was quickly cut off by Audrey's death stare. "...I'm joking, obviously," She laughs awkwardly.

"Lisa, go get us drinks," Audrey demands.

"...there's no concession stand or anything here."

"Don't you think I know that? Get in your little car and go buy some." Audrey says sternly. "Run along," she shoos her away.

"Okay?" Lisa said in confusion before walking off sad and nervous.

"That was mean," I sigh.

"You know what, Heather? You don't have to be nice to everyone, alright? People aren't going to feel worse when they walk all over you just because you're nice."

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," I scowled at her before stepping down from the bleachers and leaving her there alone.

I can't stand to be around her when she gets like this. Audrey has a habit of taking her anger out on everyone when she's upset about one thing. You like Ethan, we get it. Yet, you let Alison crush on him too so that there'd be another person bringing him upwhen you wanted to talk about him.

She makes her own bed but refuses to lay in it.

"Uh oh," I hear someone say before I turn to my left and see a few burnouts hiding out under the bleachers."Bitches brewing," he snickers at the sight of how upset I am.

I glare in response and roll my eyes at Leo who is standing with them but not doing anything to stop his friends.

"Do everyone a favor and go fuck yourself," I spat

I rolled my eyes in irritation while I walked away, listening to the sound of their distant chatter, "How sad, you would think a girl like her would have a cleaner mouth."

How sad, you would think a burnout like you would know you're not welcome here.

I've never even seen them at school events before, but I definitely never cared to look. I come to see Jace when he wants me to, and tonight I came to see the girls who think they love him more than I do, but now that I'm here, it doesn't bother me anymore. If they stood a chance, I wouldn't have found out from Audrey.

It just sucks that my ride home was forced to leave to get us drinks.

I wandered through the doors that lead straight to the boys' locker room, it's the only way I could get into the school.

I have an art project due in a week, and I haven't even started on it. It's supposed to be a piece surrounding the colors of fall, so I got a leaf-shaped canvas and planned to glue multi-colored roses onto it. However, the roses are still sitting in a box in the art room.

I turn the hall and pray to God that the door is unlocked as I approach the dark room. It opens with ease and I sigh a breath of relief.

The supply closet is always open, so that was never a worry. Unfortunately for me, my stuff was on the top shelf and spilled all over the ground when I jumped for it.

"Of course," I complain to myself before I kneel down to clean it up.

"I don't think you're supposed to be in here..." I jump at the voice but regain my composure when I see it's just Leo.

"And yet you followed me?"

"Well, it looked like something was bothering you," he shrugged.

"And now that something is you."

"Is this making you feel better?" Leo raises his eyebrows.

"What?" I narrow my eyes at him.

"Being a bitch to me."

I immediately scowled, "what do you get off of calling me a bitch?"

"Whatever you get off of being one to me." He said slyly with his cocky demeanor.

I huffed in annoyance and went back to gathering my flowers, pretending as though he weren't even near me.

"Want some company?"

"No," I said coldly.

"Too bad, I'm staying." Leo replies and walks over to me. "You weren't planning on using these, were you?" He picked up the glue sticks by my side and put them back in the bin.

"What are you doing?" I ask when he starts rummaging through another box.

"I'm guessing you've never done anything like this by yourself before..." I stared blankly at him, "you see this?" He lifted up a hot glue gun, "you're crazy if you think regular glue is going to make all of that stick."

I sigh and watch him plug it in before taking a seat across from me on the floor.

"I don't need your help, you know?"

He chuckled. "Yeah, I know," Leo said as he started putting glue on the bottom of the roses.

I shook my head at his response but didn't bother arguing with him any further.

I guess it would be faster if we both worked on it...

"...I've got a 'D+' in physics right now, by the way. So...thanks, I guess," Leo breaks the silence.

I pause, "That's a good thing?"

"It's better than the 'F' I had, that's for sure."

I cringe at the thought of failing the way he does, "uh, okay...if you're not busy tomorrow morning, you can come by my place before 12 and I can try to get you to a 'C,' at least."

"Before 12? Why the hell are you awake so early?"

"Leo," I give him a disappointed look, "do you want to pass or not?"

"First of all, I am passing," he says proudly. "And second, even if it wasn't so early, I hate going around those fancy hotels you people live in. Everyone looks at me like I'm going to rob the place."

"Well..." I drag on, "it's probably because of how you dress, that's all."

"What? What's wrong with the way I dress?" He asks, clearly offended.

"Nothing," I put my arms up in surrender, "I don't mind it, but the whole 'grunge scene' just isn't really accepted by a lot of people."

"Oh, yeah, because rich people don't listen to good music," Leo nods in understanding, "or go to concerts that aren't in their living room, or watch movies from this era."

"Now, you're just teasing," I shake my head in disapproval.

"Tell me I'm wrong," he looks intently at me as he waits for me to try to deny what's majority true.

"I watch movies from this era, that's all that matters."

"Have you seen "Dazed and Confused" or "Fast Times at Ridgemont High?" He tests me.

I nod, "you're a cliché, Leo, did you know that?"

"And you're not one at all, did you know that?" He smirks.

I smile skeptically, "but you're only nice to me when your friends aren't around."

"I guess, we can add that to the list of things we have in common."

"I-"

I'm cut off before I can finish speaking.