Jennifer and Milo walk down the street after school. Jennifer is seemingly in a better mood than earlier. Jennifer walks ahead of Milo, ultimately walking backwards to face Milo. He carries his instrument case on his back while also carrying Jennifer’s large tote bag of school books.
Milo: Pep, you really can’t go through this bag and empty some shit out of it?
Jennifer: Everything in that bag is something that I need in there! I have music binder, change of clothes for dance practice, my roller skates–
Milo: *shocked* You have your roller skates in here?
Jennifer: Where else would I put them?
Milo laughs and shakes his head as they continue to walk down the street.
Jennifer: Thanks for going to the pizza place with me today. It’s good to know that the pizza place is one thing that hasn’t changed in my life. you know?
Milo: I get it, but always remember that nothing is ever going to change with us.
Jennifer smiles as they continue to walk to the pizza place. Once they get to the front of the store, Milo’s relaxed expression vanishes from his face. He’s shocked at who he sees sitting in the pizza place: Gwen. She immediately sees him when he walks in.
Milo: Gwen… hey…
Gwen looks at Jennifer before he looks over at Milo. Milo clears his throat and looks at Jennifer.
Milo: Uhm, you guys met before, right?
Gwen looks at Jennifer and smiles; Jennifer does the same in a fake way.
Gwen: Yeah, back at your show a couple of weeks ago. *to Jennifer* you have such an good voice.
Jennifer: Thanks.
Milo clears his throat before speaking.
Milo: *to Gwen* So, what brings you here?
Gwen looks at Milo; confused at the question.
Gwen: I… uhm, really wanted to get a slice of pizza before my violin practice…
Milo looks at Gwen and nods before turning his head to look at Jennifer.
Milo: We’re here for a slice as well; do you want to… uhm… sit with us at our table?
Jennifer looks at Milo; not interested in having new people sit at their table.
Gwen: *surprised* Oh, are you sure? I uhm…
She looks at Jennifer before she looks back at Milo.
Gwen: Don’t want to intervene with your plans.
Milo: No, no it’s fine; right Pep?
Jennifer: *fake smiles* The more, the merrier.
Gwen nervously looks at Jennifer as she speaks and immediately looks at Milo. The three teens walk over to their usual table near the window. Gwen sits on one side of the booth while Milo and Jennifer sit at the other side. There’s an award silence happening. Jennifer smiles and starts up the conversation.
Jennifer: *to Gwen* So… you also play the violin, huh?
Gwen: *nods* I do. Milo and I have been practicing our pieces for the showcase coming up.
Jennifer: *raises eyebrow* Oh? *looks at Milo* Is that so?
Milo: *shy* Not always; I help those who need it.
Gwen scrunches her eyebrows together, confused at Milo’s statement.
Milo: *clears throat, looks at Jennifer* The strings section has a lot of issues when it comes to getting the chords correct, so I tend to help out and stuff.
Jennifer: Oh… How nice of you to help out your string-mates… *to Gwen* Milo’s a great person to learn from. He’s a dual major.
Gwen: So he’s mentioned to me before.
Jennifer isn’t fond of Gwen’s snappy response.
Jennifer: Our vocal choir doesn’t have tutoring sessions like that. We’re expected to know our music once we learn the whole thing from our teacher.
Gwen looks at Milo; his face is flushed.
Jennifer: Right, Milo?
Milo: Uhm… right.
Gwen shifts in her seat; uncomfortable.
Milo: *to Gwen* Did you go to the West Wing for practice?
Jennifer: *intervenes* The West Wing?
Milo: Yeah, the area where–
Jennifer: –No, no; I know what you’re talking about. I just didn’t think people used those rooms for actual practice.
Jennifer nudges her elbow at Milo, making him visibly uncomfortable.
Jennifer: Remember when Gregg got caught making out with that girl in the west wing rooms? *laughs* I thought they closed them off because of that incident.
Milo: Pep…
Jennifer: I would not want to be the one practicing in those rooms; I’m better off using the acoustics in the girl’s bathroom.
Jennifer laughs and sighs once she’s done.
Jennifer: Anyway, enough about those gross rehearsal rooms…
Gwen: *begins to get up* I have to get going; I promised my mom I’d be home for dinner on time today, so–
Milo looks up at Gwen, feeling guilty and embarrassed.
Jennifer: After just having pizza?
Gwen: My parents are big on all of us having dinner together.
Gwen quickly gathers her things an begins to slide out of the booth.
Milo: Gwen–
Gwen: *turns around* It was nice meeting you officially.
Gwent turns around to leave, making Milo jump out of his seat in the booth.
Milo: Gwen–
Jennifer: Milo?
Milo quickly turns around and looks at Jennifer. She looks at Milo with a confused look on her face. Milo tries to play it off by sitting in the seat where Gwen was.
Jennifer: Dude, are all your bandmates that weird?
Milo: *sighs* Come on, Pep…
Jennifer laughs off the weird conversation and takes a bite of her slice.
Jennifer: I’m just saying, you should start hanging out with the vocal heads instead of your band geeks… besides Nicki, she’s the only exception.
Milo: *lighthearted* Good save; you know I would’ve told Nic you called her a band geek.
Jennifer: Dude, I had to talk her out of making her AIM screen name “thatbandg33k”!
Both teens laugh; Milo looks out the pizza parlor’s window, watching Gwen walk down the long block by herself. The smile fades away.
Letters From Liz. 