All of the lights in Jennifer’s room are off, and the sound of cars driving by in the street outside is the only auditable noise. Milo’s eyes are open, looking up at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep. He turns his head towards Jennifer, where he lies on her bed. He notices a dim light reflecting against the wall. He lifts his head towards see that Jennifer isn’t asleep, but is on her cellphone.
Milo: Pep?
Pep’s dark shadow moves on the bed, reacting to the sound of Milo’s voice.
Jennifer: What are you doing up?
Milo: What are you doing up?
Jennifer looks down at her phone, waving it up slightly to show Milo.
Jennifer: Playing ‘Snake’.
Milo: *confused* Playing ‘Snake’?
Jennifer: Yes, playing ‘Snake’–
Milo: Why in the world are you playing ‘snake’–
Jennifer: *annoyed* Because I can’t sleep, obviously!
Milo doesn’t say anything back. Silence fills the room. Jennifer sighs, readjusting on her bed.
Milo: Why can’t you sleep?
Jennifer: I’m just not tired…
Milo: Was spending your whole day after school with Nate not tiring?
Jennifer sits up on her bed, turning on her night lamp on and putting on her glasses. She looks annoyed.
Jennifer: I don’t know; was whatever the hell you were doing not tiring?
Milo rolls his eyes, now sitting up from the sleeping bag. He sighs, seemingly defeated.
Milo: I’m tired of fighting with you, Pep. Like… I’m physically and emotionally tired of constantly feeling like we’re entering a battle.
Jennifer doesn’t say anything back.
Milo: Like, why can’t we go back to when things were simple between us?
Jennifer: When has anything been simple with us?
Both teens look at each other, analyzing the expressions on the other’s face.
Milo: Before everything just got… serious. Before our fights were about who’s taking the last slice of pizza back at the shop after school, or about not picking each other as their dodgeball team member. When did our fights begin to be about other people outside of our friendship?
Jennifer: *mumbles* When life got serious.
Milo sighs and gets up from his sleeping bag to sit on the edge of Jennifer’s bed. They take a brief moment to reflect on things before speaking.
Jennifer: Like, when did our fucking lives get so difficult? I feel like everything is just so complicated now. We have majors that require so much of our time to practice and perform that I can’t even go and be a teenager anymore.
Milo turns his head to look at Jennifer, who’s looking down at her bed.
Jennifer: And like… my mom is really having another baby. She’s really having a baby with the same person that left us behind and no one sees the problem with that.
Milo continues to look at Jennifer and notices her face is damp. She had been silently crying as she spoke. He looks down pondering his own thoughts in his head.
Milo: I know everything feels like it’s changing. We are changing, into the people we are meant to be. But, if we let people dictate the direction we’re heading, we’re going to look back and regret just not doing what we wanted to do when he had the chance.
Jennifer looks at Milo now, wiping her face before she does.
Milo: Even if that means not getting on your case about the guys you choose to date.
Jennifer tightens her lips into a smile, sighing before responding.
Jennifer: I appreciate you always looking out for me. It always comes from a place where you are genuinely concerned for my well being, and not for some hidden agenda. But, I just wish that you had some faith in me. Like, all I want is for you to trust my word.
Milo: I know—
Jennifer: Like I never asked you to protect me from the world; like I need to get into shit so that I can learn and grow from it…
Milo: I know…
Jennifer: And all I want is for my best friend to see that and support me, whether or not you agree with my decision making…
Milo: *slightly irritated* I know, Pep—
Jennifer: No, you don’t, Milo.
Milo and Jennifer are now face-to-face, getting annoyed at each other’s responses.
Milo: You don’t think I know all of this?
Jennifer: You act like you don’t know it.
Milo: You don’t think I’m constantly battling with being your best friend versus being–
Milo stops for a second before he continues to speak. Jennifer looks at him, wondering what was going to be said. Milo looks at her, letting out a sigh before shaking his head.
Milo: I’m sorry. I never meant for it to come off as being judgmental or not being a good best friend. I just want the absolute best for you after everything that has happened in your life. You deserve the absolute best, Pep.
Jennifer doesn’t say anything back. She sits there, looking at Milo. He looks at her back, noticing her hard interior crumbling down. He knows that Jennifer only lets her guard down for the people she trusts entirely. He half smiles at her, hoping to comfort her in some way.
Milo: I will try to listen more, and understand where you’re coming from with things that I may not agree with at first. You’re your own person, and… life is just too short to not be enjoying each day like it’s your last…
Milo stares out into space, Jennifer notices the usual behavior, snapping her hands in front of his face. He shakes his head and snaps back to reality. She laughs once he does.
Jennifer: Dude, we’re only fifteen. Shit is gonna happen and make a day not as great as the others, but I get where you’re coming from.
Milo smiles.
Jennifer: I will try to not be so defensive when you disagree with me. I want to be able to hear you out without immediately feeling like I’m being judged. I guess part of the reason why I react the way I do is because I do value your opinion. Like, I want my best friend to feel proud of me, and cheer me on–
Milo: But of course I would do–
Jennifer: –whenever I feel like no one else does.
The teens look at each other without saying a word.
Jennifer: A part of the reason why we are best friends is because we confine in each other. We both don’t have other people in our lives that we trust with our deepest, darkest secrets.
Milo begins to bite the inner corner of his mouth.
Jennifer: I don’t have anyone else to talk to that wouldn’t judge me–
Milo: You have Nicki though.
Jennifer: Nicki is the one that I exclusively tell girl stuff to, the type of stuff that boys don’t like to hear us talk about.
Milo: *laughs* I get it.
Jennifer: Exactly. But everything else… I can only talk to you about. You understand what it feels like to be misunderstood by your family, to the point that you don’t even feel like you’re a part of it.
Milo ponders the thought, nodding his head to agree.
Jennifer: And I miss having you here as my person.
Milo and Jennifer take a moment to look at one another. Nothing is said, but the two are dangerously close to each other. Milo begins to get nervous; he doesn’t remember ever being this close to Jennifer without her freaking out about personal space. Before he can decide on what to do next, the bedroom door flies open, which causes the teens to quickly move away from each other.
They look toward the door and see a girl’s silhouette in the doorframe. Jennifer sighs loudly once she realizes it’s her sister.
Jennifer: *annoyed* What are you doing in here?!
Maryette: It’s freezing in Matt and Brie’s room, so I need a sweater to wear.
Milo sits and watches the sisters talk to each other, trying to not get in the way.
Jennifer: Whatever; make it quick so I can go back to asleep already.
Maryette rolls her eyes and enters the room and looks in her closet for a sweater. Jennifer and Milo look at each other, speaking in only facial expressions and laughing.
Letters From Liz. 