The teens leave the rehearsal room with their bags packed, ready to call it a night. Danny stands next to Nicki; Milo stands next to Jennifer. Everyone is in agreement how they will disperse.
Nicki: Today was a good rehearsal! I like how this new song is coming along.
Danny: *smiling at Nicki* It’s going to sound sick at the next gig.
Milo and Jennifer don’t say anything; tension is felt.
Nicki: Well, I’m going to walk home with Danny; are you guys okay going home yourselves?
Milo: *mumbles* Of course, go home with the serial friend dater…
Jennifer looks at Milo; she is the only one to hear his comment.
Jennifer: Of course, we literally live on the same block, so…
Danny: We’ll AIM you when we get home; we’ll see you guys in school tomorrow.
The teens go their separate ways in their designated groups. Once Jennifer and Milo are far from Danny and Nicki, she immediately slaps Milo’s arm. He jumps up; shocked.
Milo: The hell was that for?!
Jennifer: What the fuck has been your problem all day? I heard what you said about Danny.
Milo: I was hoping that Danny heard what I said…
Jennifer steps in front of Milo, stopping him in his tracks.
Jennifer: I thought we were over the whole thing about Danny.
Milo: No, you are over the whole thing with Danny; I don’t have any reason, or get any benefits, for forgiving him.
Jennifer: *annoyed* For the sake of our band–
Milo: *angry* That you guys vetoed me into! Seriously Pep, why doesn’t anyone see just how fucking wrong this whole dynamic is?
Jennifer: You’re the only one that has this issue with Danny! Ironic since this had nothing to do with you in the first place!
Milo: Ironic since he’s saying that my own best friend hasn’t told me the entire story!
Jennifer pauses; off-guard.
Jennifer: Entire story?
Milo: *clarifies* En-tire-story. Maybe I can’t choose to forgive and forget Danny from the story you told me. Maybe the issue was that you made Danny out to be this whole villain in your story that it was only right for me to support my best friend and side with her. Maybe you were the true villain in this situation.
Jennifer: Are you fucking kidding me right now?
Milo: So let’s start from the very beginning, shall we?
Jennifer: *angry* Milo!
Milo: *recalls* Danny Campbell; the most popular guy in 8th grade because of his guitar skills and because he won the talent show two years in a row, whatever. He decides to talk to you in Spanish class because he has a hard time learning the differences between the pronouns; he has to have some idea that you are crushing on him the way you used to melt every time he would call out your name–
Jennifer: Shut the fuck up, Milo!
Milo: *continues* So you guys decide to hang out after school, making me lie for you when you were on a strict time schedule for cursing out our homeroom teacher just months prior; that’s not relevant to your story but more of a reminder for you that I was around, supporting you and having your back even after voicing my concerns about you all of a sudden dating him–
Jennifer tries to push Milo away; he dodges away.
Milo: *continuing* You guys bond over music, potentially want to start a band together where you sing and he plays the guitar even thought you were already in one to begin with, and whatever; you guys hit it off. Of course, he has the free one day during winter break, he invites you over, and you go right ahead and–
Jennifer: *yells* Just stop it already!
Milo: *yells back* Fuck him! No condom, nothing! You get caught up in the moment that you don’t even know if he came–
Jennifer throws a punch at Milo, landing him on the jaw. Milo fumbles back, holding his mouth.
Milo: Fuck you, Pep!
Jennifer: Fuck you too, Milo!
Jennifer runs in the opposite direction, away from Milo. A group of adults circle around Milo to help him off the ground.
…
Jennifer walks into the house, slamming the front door shut. Her mom, Lydia, and Justin, are sitting on the sofa. Jennifer stops and observes them; it angers her even more.
Lydia: Hey! You know better than to slam doors in the house.
Jennifer walks right past her parents, stomping towards the staircase. She can hear her mom call out her name; she doesn’t look back.
She walks into her bedroom and slams the door. She immediately notices Maryette, laying on her bed playing her Nintendo DS.
Maryette: Oooo, you slammed the door…
Jennifer: *annoyed* Shut up!
Maryette: I’m gonna tell Mom!
Jennifer: For fuck’s sake, leave me alone!
After another yelling match between the two sisters, Lydia opens the bedroom door to moderate the argument.
Lydia: What is the issue now, you two?
Maryette: Mom, Pep slammed–
Lydia: *to Maryette* That’s enough.
Jennifer tries to sneak out of the bedroom; Lydia catches her before she does.
Lydia: *to Jennifer* You are not exempted from this, Pep.
Jennifer: All I want to do is do my homework and be left alone! Is that too much to ask?!
No one says anything. Before Jennifer breaks down, she walks out of the bedroom and immediately runs back down the stairs. She passes Justin, now standing near the counter in the kitchen.
Justin: Is everything okay?
She doesn’t answer him; she walks past Justin and back to the front door. She, once again, slams the door behind her. She looks across the street and notices the front door of Milo’s house open. It’s Eloise, Milo’s mom. She notices Jennifer across the street and waves at her. Jennifer fakes a smile, waving back.
Jennifer: *through her teeth* Your son is a piece of shit.
Letters From Liz. 