Teenagers roam around the schoolyard, hanging out on their lunch break. While everyone else enjoys their time off at the schoolyard, Milo stays indoors.
He sits in one of the practice rooms of his school; strumming on his guitar, practicing different chords and looks at different sheets of music. A knock is heard on the music room door. Milo looks up to the person entering the door.
Sophie: Back in here, I see.
Milo smiles and clears a place for Sophie to sit.
Milo: Hey, Scout. No time, no see.
Sophie rolls her eyes.
Sophie: You know how things are.
Milo doesn’t answer Sophie. He knows what she’s talking about.
Milo: Won’t they come looking for you?
Sophie: *shakes her head* I told them I was going into one of the study rooms to do some studying. They strongly declined the offer.
Milo: Does Laurie and her minions ever study?
Sophie: *offended* This isn’t like those bad teenage movies with the “mean girls” being stupid.
Milo looks embarrassed and looks away from Sophie. They both don’t say anything.
Milo: Sorry, I just–
Milo huffs and puts down the guitar to face Sophie.
Milo: I just don’t understand why you’re friends with someone like Laurie. She’s so… Laurie.
Sophie: And I’m so Sophie?
Milo: Exactly!
Sophie: Milo, I can be friends with people who are different than I am.
Milo: Scout, she’s mean to everyone. Don’t you see it?
Sophie: That’s just who she is. She’s really nice when you get to know her.
Milo: *rolls eyes* I doubt it.
Sophie: What about your friend? Mollie? She seems like she’s not a nice person either.
Milo: She’s not! But she’s still a decent person!
Sophie grabs her backpack and starts to walk out the music room door.
Milo: Wait, Scout–
Sophie turns around and looks at Milo.
Sophie: Have a good day, Milo.
Sophie walks out.
Milo: Scout!
A couple of months ago…
Sophie walks down a block, looking at her phone to navigate herself to her destination. Her hair is in a braid as she wears a floral dress and sneakers with a mini backpack. She stops at a tree and gets ready to message Milo until…
Milo: Boo!
Sophie: *startled* Ahhh! Bloody hell, mate!
Sophie looks up and there is Milo, sitting in a tree-house. He laughs and pokes his head back in.
Milo: Come up!
Sophie hesitates, but proceeds to climb up the ladder to the tree-house. Once she gets up there, she looks into the tree-house. She’s at awe.
Sophie: Is this your secret hangout?
Milo: Only when I’m at my grandparent’s house.
Sophie sits on a cushion and looks around.
Sophie: Did they build this for you?
Milo plays with the squishy ball before he answers.
Milo: You ask waaay too many questions.
Sophie: All your answers are open-ended and up for discussion.
Milo cocks his eyebrow in amusement.
Milo: Are you always this curious about things?
Sophie: I just like getting the answers to questions I ask.
Milo chuckles to himself.
Milo: You remind me of this character I read in a book in my English class last year.
Sophie: *shocked* You actually remember a book you read in class?
Milo: *deadpans* Ha, ha. I’m serious! There was this one chick in this book that just always wanted the answers to everything because she was the smartest girl in her class…
Milo ponders the thought.
Milo: Ah! Scout!
Sophie: *shocked* To Kill A Mockingbird?
Milo: There we go! You’re totally Scout!
Sophie laughs and Milo stares at her in awe.
Sophie: Scout Finch? Why is that?
Milo: You’re always curious about things. Always want to get the answers to the questions you ask, no matter how difficult they are to answer sometimes.
Milo takes a deep breath.
Milo: You’re also the smartest person in our class, like Scout was in the book.
Sophie smiles at the comparison.
Sophie: I’m flattered, but that doesn’t answer the question about the treehouse.
Milo: *smiles* Well if you must know, Scout…
Milo’s smile fades and he takes a deep breath to start off the conversation.
Milo: My grandparents built this tree-house for my mom when she was a teen.
Sophie: That’s sweet! Did your mom give it to you?
Milo doesn’t say anything right away, he thinks of the words to say.
Sophie: Milo?
A voice is heard from outside. He pushes Sophie down to the ground so she doesn’t get noticed by his grandmother:
Grandma Mezzrow: *looks up at the tree-house* Milo?
Milo: Yes, grandma?
Grandma: Make sure you wash up before you come in for dinner, it should be done within the net couple of minutes.
She walks back into the house. When the door is shut behind her, Milo helps Sophie get back up.
Milo: Sorry, Scout.
Sophie smiles and nudges Milo.
Sophie: Sophie.
Milo: Oh no, you’re definitely now Scout to me.
Sophie rolls her eyes as Milo playfully laughs.
…
The music room door swings open, and Milo gets ready to call for Sophie. He’s too late. He looks at the person standing in front of him: Mollie.
Letters From Liz. 