Dani and Tanner walk out of their cab in front of Micah’s house. The cab drives away, leaving the couple standing in front of the house. Dani begins to walk towards the front porch until Tanner notices something and stops Dani.
Tanner: Babe.
Dani: What?
Tanner points in the direction he’s looking at.
Tanner: That’s the motorcycle Micah’s been checking out at the shop. He was able to afford it?
Dani: *not interested* I don’t know, we can ask him after we’re done cursing the shit outta him…
The couple walks up to the front door and ring the doorbell.
…
Dani and Tanner are accompanied by Jennifer, Micah’s mother. She walks them inside the living room area.
Jennifer: Micah should still be in his room; it’s not like he’s been anywhere else for the last couple of days. Maybe with you two here, he’ll feel better.
The couple nods and Jennifer smiles in response.
Jennifer: Well, you know where his room is. Daniella, tell your mom I said hi and that she and your dad need to come to visit us soon!
Dani: Will do! Thanks, Aunt Pep.
The couple walks down the hall, towards Micah’s room. When they reach it, Tanner hesitates and gets nervous to knock on the door. Dani, on the other hand, isn’t afraid and begins to knock on the door.
Dani: Micah?
Without an answer, Dani storms into Micah’s room; Tanner is right behind her. When they enter the room, the room is dark and smelly. Dani walks towards Micah’s windows and opens the blinds which summons Micah from under the covers of his bed.
Micah: Come on, it’s too bright…
Dani: *annoyed* Bitch, it’s 2 in the afternoon, get your ass up!
Tanner: Babe.
Micah removes himself from his covers to quickly pull down the blinds. Dani loudly sighs and turns on the light in Micah’s room, which annoys him.
Micah: I don’t remember calling you guys over.
Dani: You didn’t, so we took the liberty to come over to talk some sense into you.
Micah rolls his eyes and ties his messy dreads up in a bun.
Micah: Well, you’re wasting your time. I’m completely fine.
Dani: Not leaving your house for days on end isn’t “fine.”
Micah: *annoyed* Look, I already get enough shit from my family, I don’t need it from you two! So if you’re gonna be like that, y’all can leave!
Micah sits at his desk and turns around, not facing the couple. Tanner walks up towards Micah and sits at the edge of his bed respectively.
Tanner: Listen bro, we’re just worried about you. You missed amateur night this month at the Oxy Lounge, we haven’t seen you on campus in a while, and you’ve been MIA online. As your best friends, we just want to know what’s going on.
Dani: And it better not be because–
Tanner: Dani, I got this.
Dani doesn’t say anything else, she just sits with Tanner on Micah’s bed.
Tanner: What’s going on, bro?
Micah finally turns around from his desk and takes a deep breath, letting it out in a big sigh.
Micah: This shit fucking hurts, man. I fucking loved that girl and she just let me fucking rot.
Tanner: Why did she break up with you in the first place?
Micah: She’s shooting a movie in Sweden–
Dani: We know that, but that can’t be why she broke things off with you–
Micah: *annoyed* It was a lot of things, okay? Like she barely has been my girlfriend ever since she’s been trying to make this acting thing happen.
Tanner: But you knew this was the price you had to pay to be with her.
Micah rubs his face with his hands; frustrated.
Micah: She wasn’t so distant when the tabloids discovered she was living in New York though. She was still herself, not caring about the media and all of the bullshit, and–
Tanner: She was also into music, too.
Micah doesn’t say anything for a moment, he just picks at his fingernails.
Micah: She was so fucking dope, bro. She played in the all-boys band in high school without ever letting those other guys get to her and her confidence. She was such a badass.
Tanner: That’s also the girl you fell in love with, and I think that’s the girl you’re holding onto when you say you loved her.
Micah looks at Tanner, offended at what he said.
Micah: With all due respect Tanner, just because you’re studying to be a therapist doesn’t qualify you as one without a degree.
Dani: You’re lucky he’s the one talking to you and not me!
Tanner: Babe!
Dani: No! It’s my turn! Micah, we told you a long time ago something just felt off about Kalia. She never wanted to hang out with all of us, she always had to “leave early” whenever you guys would hang out, and that bitch just had no personality which is ironic since she’s trying to be a damn actress–
Micah: Fuck you, Dani!
Dani: Do you hear yourself right now? Defending someone who’s literally across the fucking globe not giving a shit about anything else besides her new shiny acting career! The tabloids were keeping your relationship with her more together than she ever was, dude!
Tanner: Dani, please–
Dani: *keeps going* Now you’re letting her affect your own career and your fucking education! One of your classmates literally came to us the other day and asked if we heard from you because your professor was threatening to fail you!
Tanner: *yells* Dani!
Micah is surprised to hear this new information.
Micah: Wait, what?
Dani: Some girl came up to us to ask you where the fuck you’ve been since you haven’t been to class in God knows how long…
Micah: Who was it?
Dani: *annoyed* I don’t know her name! But she sure cared more about you than I ever saw “your girlfriend” showed us.
Micah: *angry* Just get the hell out of here, guys. I don’t want to talk anymore about this.
Micah turns around towards his desk, ignoring the couple. Dani extends her arm to turn the chair back in their direction which makes Micah furious and stands from his chair.
Micah: For fuck’s sake, leave me alone!
Dani: So you can sulk about that pathetic bitch?
The two friends begin the bicker as Tanner is the one having to play peacemaker with him. He gets fed up and yells.
Tanner: Shut the fuck up and calm down, both of you!
The volume of Tanner’s voice shocks Micah and Dani. They both quiet down.
Tanner: Micah?
Micah: What?
Tanner: How did you get the motorcycle?
At first, Micah is confused.
Micah: What?
Tanner: The motorcycle that was at the shop. The one you were eyeballing. Where’d you get the money to buy it?
Micah doesn’t say anything, but Tanner pieces two and two together.
Tanner: She bought it for you, didn’t she?
Micah: *annoyed* You should know; you’re the one that told her about it.
Tanner: I didn’t think she was serious when she asked though! Did she really buy you the motorcycle?
Dani: *interrupts* I’m sorry, but what does this have to do with anything?
Tanner: *realizes* She bought you the motorcycle as a parting gift, didn’t she?
Micah doesn’t answer, his face is sullen.
Dani: Are you fucking serious? That bitch planned this?!
Dani gets up and angrily walks around Micah’s room. Micah is too exhausted to fight back.
Tanner: It hurts, bro; but don’t let this shit stop you from doing what you want to do.
Tanner gets up from the bed and gets Dani so that they can leave.
Tanner: Come on, babe.
Dani: Nuh-uh! Not until I get some answers–
Tanner: *stern* Dani.
Dani: Fine fine! *as she walks out* When the hell did you get so assertive like this? I’m rubbing off on you or something…
The door closes behind the couple. Micah sits back down on his desk chair and grabs his phone from the charger. He scrolls through his messages and begins typing one on his phone.
Micah: Hey Roe. I'm sorry for what happened the other day. That was stupid and unlike me to do that. Thank you for having my back. See you in class.
Sent.
Letters From Liz. 