Sophie sits in a seat with chocolate milk all over her clothes. She looks around the office, nervously bouncing her leg in place: she has never been sent to the office in this type of situation before. She starts to tear up until she sees the door opening, Laurie walks out of the principal’s office unbothered. Sophie begins to panic.
Sophie: Look, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to cause trouble, I swear, I–
The lady at the front desk tells Sophie to sit back down on the bench, in which Sophie listens. She fidgets with her fingers. Another student walks into the office and sits in the seat next to Sophie. It’s Milo, who now has an eye-patch on his right eye. Sophie looks worried.
Sophie: Milo!
Milo looks at Sophie, and the lady at the front desk shushes the teens.
Milo: *whispers* Are you okay? Is your mom picking you up?
Sophie: My mom is going to kill me; 10 years of good grades and good behavior all now down the drain thanks to Laurie.
Milo: You’re probably not that much in trouble if this is your first time being sent to the office.
Sophie doesn’t listen; she still nervously looks around the office, not sure what’s going to happen next. Milo places his hand on her shoulder to bring her back to reality.
Milo: Hey.
Sophie looks at Milo, wide-eyed and nervous. Milo swallows hard and takes a deep breath before saying anything to Sophie. Before he can, the Principal’s office opens, in which makes Sophie immediately stand up from her seat.
Principal: Miss Lee, your mother is here to pick you up.
Sophie: *frantic* Principal Sommers I am so sorry I didn’t mean to get into a fight I would never do it again please don’t put it on my record I–
Principal: Miss Lee.
Sophie stops talking; her tears continue to fall down on her face. Milo watches, feeling horrible.
Principal: You are not in trouble, but I don’t want you coming back in here again for doing the same thing again, alright?
Sophie nods her head quickly. Sophie’s mother enters the main office and sees her daughter. She points at her daughter and walks towards Sophie.
Mrs. Lee: Sophie…
Sophie: Mom I am so sorry! I didn’t–
Mrs. Lee: Ya~
Sophie stops talking. Milo gets uncomfortable in his seat now that Sophie’s mother is here. The Principal allows Sophie’s mother to sign her out. Before Sophie leaves the office with her mother, Milo politely stands up, which takes her mother off-guard.
Milo: Mrs. Lee?
Sophie’s mother turns around to face Milo; Sophie looks at Milo, not knowing what he’s doing.
Milo: Sophie truly did nothing wrong. A mean girl was messing with her and she was simply defending herself.
Sophie’s mom ponders on the thought. She simply nods her head.
Mrs. Lee: Thank you, Milo.
She turns around and walks out the office with Sophie. Milo is unsure if he made the situation worse or not.
Moments later, a man enters the main office and is directed towards Milo. Milo looks up when his father calls out for him.
Milo Sr: Milo? What happened to you?
Principal: Mr. Kamalani.
Milo Sr. looks up at the principal.
Principal: Why don’t you and your son come into my office?
Milo Sr. looks down at Milo, concerned about what needs to be spoken with the principal. Milo doesn’t have any idea what is coming.
…
The front door of an apartment is opened; Milo walks in while his father closes the door behind him. Jennifer is seen cooking dinner in the kitchen and holding her lower back; she’s very pregnant. She immediately notices Milo’s eye.
Jennifer: Milo? What happened?
She looks at her husband, in which he does not look happy.
Jennifer: *to her husband* Milo?
Milo Sr: Nothing new Pep, just our son getting into trouble again, almost not graduating because of them…
Milo: *defensive* That’s not true!
Milo Sr: Really? So the fact we spent our afternoon in your principal’s office discussing the potential expulsion and you not graduating was not “not true”?
Jennifer: Wait, what?
Milo: *to Jennifer* I was trying to get my friend out of a fight!
Milo Sr: Yet, you were the one sent to the office, and the one that got in trouble! Seriously Milo, what the hell has been going on with you?
Milo doesn’t answer, he remains upset and pouty.
Milo Sr: I swear it’s like ever since you’ve been “friends” with this friend of yours, it’s like you keep fighting their battles for them! *to Jennifer* This time, it wasn’t Mollie.
Jennifer: Milo?
Milo begins to feel overwhelmed.
Milo: Just leave me the fuck alone!
He storms into his room and slams it shut.
Milo Sr: *yells* That homework better be the only thing you’re doing in there! If I even hear just a tiny bit of noise that isn’t your pencil and paper, you’re going to be grounded!
Nothing is said back. Milo Sr. take in a deep sigh and sits on the bar stool, facing Jennifer in the kitchen.
Milo Sr: I just don’t know what to do with this boy, Pep.
Jennifer: What did the principal tell you?
Milo Sr: One of the girls was the one that hit him in his eye.
Jennifer: Why is he even fighting with girls in the first place?!
Milo Sr: Pep… that girl that he’s been hanging out with; you know the one he was working on that project with?
Jennifer: *recalls* Sophie?
Milo Sr: She was involved.
Jennifer: She never came across as a girl who would get into fights though.
The couple take a moment and look at each other. Their thoughts are on the same page.
Milo Sr: There’s more to this girl than Milo is telling us about.
Jennifer: He totally likes this girl, and I’m worried he’s not going to graduate because of her.
Milo Sr ponders on the thought, brushing his hair back and leans forward onto the counter.
Letters From Liz. 