Jennifer paces back and forth in the garage, feeling impatient and anxious. She sighs the longer the silence fills the room, although both Danny and Nicki are sitting on the small couch in the room. She flips open her cellphone, becoming annoyed when she doesn’t get a message from Milo.
Jennifer: I swear he does this shit on purpose.
Nicki: With all due respect, we all got this emergency meeting text thirty minutes ago…
Danny: He’ll show up.
The girls turn their heads towards Danny.
Danny: He always does.
Jennifer: Yeah, just never on time.
She stops pacing once she sees Milo running down the block. She loudly sighs, walking back toward the inside of the garage. Milo finally reaches the garage, clearly out of breath.
Milo: Sorry, I was in the city–
Jennifer: The city? For what?
Milo catches his breath, looking at Jennifer.
Milo: I have a summer job.
Nicki: *surprised* Wait, you got into SYEP?
Jennifer: SYEP?
Nicki: *to Jennifer* Summer Youth Employment Program. *to Milo* I applied as soon as the application opened and they waitlisted me saying there were more students qualifies for it. *shouts* I literally applied the moment it opened!
Milo: *nervous* I guess they really liked my application.
Jennifer: *changes the subject* Nate has us opening for him and his band for the Summer Bash in August.
Milo doesn’t say anything, but express disgust on his face.
Nicki: *surprised* Really? We haven’t even had a real band practice since we were in school.
Jennifer: I know, but now we all have the time to focus on this gig; it could really catapult our band into stardom!
The teens don’t react to Jennifer’s excitement. Jennifer sighs, throwing her hands down.
Jennifer: Am I the only one that gives a shit about this band?
Danny: It’s not that, it’s just–
Milo: *interrupts* I don’t have the time to be in band practice every day.
The teens turned their heads, looking at Milo now. Jennifer crosses her arms; annoyed.
Jennifer: Did I say we’re having practice every day?
Nicki: We only have a couple of weeks to put a set together; we don’t want to play the same one we did for the last show.
Jennifer: We have plenty of time to rehearse some new songs *to Milo* Milo, can you come up with like three songs in two weeks?
Milo: Two weeks?! Pep, that’s not reasonable for me to do.
Jennifer: You’ve done it before for us.
Milo: I have a full-time job now, Pep. I don’t have the time to juggle my job, the band, and Gwen all in one day–
Jennifer: *annoyed* You’ve been in the band way before you got into a relationship
Milo: *scoffs* Dude, she’s not just my girlfriend; she’s also the girl having my baby.
Jennifer doesn’t say anything; she directs her attention to Nicki and Danny.
Jennifer: We’ll sing something we know already. I thought it would be cool to debut something new, but I guess we’ll just do one of our old and tired songs.
Milo rolled his eyes, walking over to the spot of the garage he typically stands at. He doesn’t say anything, he just starts taking his instrument out of his case. The other teens watch him and slowly go into their positions.
Milo: Let’s do ‘Never Will I Ever‘.
The teens follow Milo’s lead, starting the chords for the song. Jennifer walks to the mic stand, getting ready to start singing the lyrics.
Jennifer: *sings* ‘You’ve waited years to hear those wedding bells // years pretending everything’s well // you sit there and smile pleasing the watching crowd…
Milo side-eyes Jennifer as he plays, hearing the cadence of her words.
Jennifer: *continues to sing* Round of applause for hiding your frown // even in reality, somewhere deep down you know the truth behind that smile…
Jennifer gets into the song, occasionally looking over at her band; specifically Milo. Milo stares Jennifer down whenever she does, creating tension in between them.
…
Jennifer walks into her bedroom later that night, watching her sister play computer games on their shared computer. She rolls her eyes, plopping herself on her bed and flipping open her cellphone. She looks at Milo’s AIM away message and scrunches her eyebrow in distaste.
milokama31: busy, bbl ! -- 7.13.07 x3
Jennifer’s heart sinks reading the date, feeling the reality of her best friend now being in a serious relationship with Gwen. She flips her phone shut, tossing it in the drawer of her nightstand and lays there, quietly crying in her pillow.
…
A couple of days later, the band meets in the garage of Jennifer’s house. While Danny and Nicki sit in the back where they tune their instruments, Jennifer is pacing around the area, looking down at her phone. Shortly after, the side door of the garage opens, and Jennifer’s mom leans her head in.
Lydia: Everything going alright in here?
Jennifer: *sighs* We’re waiting for Milo before we can start.
Lydia: *snaps fingers* Ahh, I was going to ask him for help lifting this box upstairs for me.
Danny: *gets up from seat* Ms. Lewis, I can help you with it.
Lydia looks at Danny before answering. Danny swallows hard.
Lydia: Thank you, Danny; I would appreciate that.
Danny smiles and follows Lydia out of the door. Nicki and Jennifer look at each other; Jennifer’s eyebrows cocked up.
Jennifer: *teasing* Teaching that boy some Nicki Lidl approved manners?
Nicki: Someone had to teach him to hold the door for a woman.
The girls laugh together, but it’s cut short when Jennifer looks out of the garage and sees Milo walking down the street, notably holding Gwen’s hand. The couple gets closer to the garage, greeting the two girls.
Milo: Hey, guys–
The girls say hi to Milo; Jennifer pretends to be working on something at the other end of the garage. The teen couple stop at the entrance of the garage.
Milo: I hope you guys don’t mind that Gwen is here; we have somewhere to be after practice today.
Nicki: Of course we don’t.
Nicki greets Gwen and walks her to the small sofa on the corner. Jennifer walks up to Milo, handing him a pocket-size amplifier for practice. She doesn’t say anything to Milo. He notices.
Milo: So, we’re practicing until 6 today?
Jennifer: Yeah, like we always do.
Milo: Gwen and I have to leave a little earlier to make–
Jennifer: *annoyed* You guys have a date planned or something?
Milo: We just have something important to do after practice.
Jennifer looks up at Milo.
Jennifer: Maybe being in the band is just too much for you right now.
Milo: *annoyed* Who said anything about that?
Jennifer doesn’t answer back; Danny walks back into the garage after helping Jennifer’s mom.
Danny: *to Milo* Hey, bro–
Danny notices Gwen on the sofa with Nicki.
Danny: *waves* Hi, nice seeing you.
Gwen smiles as a response. Nicki gets up from the sofa, walking over to her position near her instrument. Milo walks over to his spot, closest to Gwen. Jennifer looks at them before looking towards the rest of the band.
Jennifer: So, Nate told me he’s been in contact with Nicki about the programming for the show.
Nicki: Yes! We’re going right before his band performs; after the intermission but before their main event.
Jennifer: Nate always has the best interest for us–
Milo rolled his eyes as he adjusted his guitar attached to his strap. Gwen, unaware of the tension, smiles as she grabs Milo by the arm, getting his attention. Jennifer notices and quickly clears her throat. The gesture makes Gwen pull back from Milo.
Jennifer: So, I think the three song set should be ‘Never Will I Ever’, ‘Gone Girl’, and–
Danny: How about ‘Breathe for the First Time’?
Jennifer: Ehh, that song is so old now…
Milo: It’s one of our better songs out of the three.
Jennifer: It’s also the only one you wrote for the band–
Milo: *defensive* I’ve been too busy to sit down and write new songs–
Danny: *takes initiative* I think we should showcase our very first song and debut the new one as our last song.
The group doesn’t protest. Nicki smiles before she answers.
Nicki: That’s actually very smart, babe.
Danny’s face gets red, clearly blushing. Jennifer huffs and puffs, adjusting her mic stand.
Jennifer: Fine. Let’s do, “Never Will I”–
Gwen: *interrupts* You mean ‘Breathe for the First Time’? Since that’s the one you guys are opening with…
Jennifer: I know, it’s just that we haven’t practiced the new song enough yet.
Milo turns to face Jennifer, feeling a bit overprotective of Gwen. Gwen doesn’t say anything back.
Milo: Let’s just practice in the order that we’re performing them in.
Jennifer doesn’t respond; she simply turns back forward, facing the mic stand. Milo counts the band down, and the band begins to practice. Every now and then, Milo looks over at Gwen, smiling in her direction as she sees her vibing to the music. Jennifer takes note of it and grows annoyed.
The group finally gets to their last song, taking a short break before they start.
Milo: *to Gwen* You’re good? Need some water or a snack?
Gwen: I’m okay; thanks though.
Milo smiles as he takes his short break sitting with Gwen on the sofa. Jennifer pretends to not notice the couple getting cozy on their break, walking over to Danny and Nicki. Once she gets to them, she notices them getting cozy as a couple. Nicki is the one to get off Danny’s lap when Jennifer gets close.
Jennifer: Get a room that’s not my garage.
Danny’s face gets red as Nicki looks at Danny. She turns back around and looks at Milo and Gwen.
Nicki: *teases* Did you give them the speech?
Jennifer: I don’t know Gwen like that; she might cry and take it too serious or something…
Nicki: Come on, Pep; she’s really not that bad.
Jennifer: I just don’t like outsiders listening in on our rehearsals.
Nicki: She’s more than just an outsider at this point…
Jennifer turns her head at Nicki.
Nicki: It’s… different, yes; but this is just how the new norm is gonna look like.
Both girls look at Milo and Gwen.
Nicki: He actually looks really happy. I don’t know; it’s like Gwen gave him this… light. He just finally feels like the Milo we know, y’know?
Jennifer stares at the young couple, noticing Milo’s wide smile as Gwen speaks to him.
Jennifer: It’s kind of like he’s in love with her already.
Nicki: So soon? I mean… *whispers* I really like Danny, but I’m not sure if it’s… y’know.
Jennifer: Put it this way: would you have kept the baby if Danny got you pregnant?
Nicki hesitates in answering.
Jennifer: Exactly.
The two girls continue to look at Milo. Jennifer feels uneasy, feeling like Milo really does love Gwen more than he is letting on… and Gwen loves him back.
Letters From Liz. 