
The final bell of the school year rings, which prompts the students of Waverly High to leave for the summer. Danny and Nicki walk out together, noticing that Jennifer is already outside, talking to some other people.
Nicki: *to Danny* When do you think she’s finally going to snap?
Danny: As soon as you mention his name.
The two teens walk down the steps together and toward Jennifer. As they get closer, Jennifer turns her head and smiles at them.
Jennifer: Hey, guys! You guys met my friends, right?
She points to three complete strangers. Nicki and Danny doesn’t say anything.
Nicki: I don’t belie–
Jennifer: Nicki, Danny; this is Michelle, Theresa, and E-Dot.
Danny: ‘E-Dot?’
E-Dot: Short for Edward.
Nicki: Oh! Like the Twilight book series?
E-Dot: *confused* Uhm… I guess…
An awkward pause between the group of teens; Jennifer clears her throat to break it.
Jennifer: I’ll see you guys at Nate’s studio later tonight!
The other teens wave goodbye to Jennifer and walk away. Jennifer turns around and faces Nicki and Danny.
Jennifer: You guys have anything to do tonight? We could all go to Nate’s together.
Nicki: Pep–
Jennifer: *ignores* It’ll be fun! Him and his brothers are gonna play some music and chill and his friends are–
Nicki: *stern* Pep.
Jennifer stops.
Jennifer: What?
Nicki doesn’t say anything. Danny intervenes.
Danny: Uhm… is everything okay with, uhm–
Nicki: Pep, you can’t just act like Milo doesn’t exist.
Jennifer: *annoyed* Who said anything about Milo?
Nicki: Exactly. One day you’re like oh-em-gee, we made up and are best friends again and now you cringe every time we mention Milo.
Jennifer: I’m allowed to change my mind.
Nicki: Just because he did something stupid that you weren’t involved in?
Danny’s head quickly turns to face Nicki.
Danny: Babe–
Jennifer: *getting mad* Nah, let Nicki speak her mind. *to Nicki* How would you feel if your best friend keeps this huge secret from you for months, acting like it’s nothing serious, and then misses your most important show of the season to tell me that he got some random chick pregnant?
Nicki: Gwen isn’t just some random girl. She’s a girl in his section in band–
Jennifer: She’s random to us, Nicki! When has Milo ever introduced Gwen to us as his friend? If he had time to lose his virginity with her, he had time to introduce her to the important people in his life!
Danny: Maybe he felt like he couldn’t.
Nicki: Babe–
Jennifer: *defensive* I’m starting you feel like you guys are taking Milo’s side in this.
Nicki: *annoyed* This isn’t about taking sides!
Jennifer: You either agree with what he’s done, or you don’t–
Nicki: Just because I don’t agree with it doesn’t mean he’s a bad person, Pep.
Nicki takes a moment.
Nicki: Milo was there for you when you were in this situation.
Jennifer: Real class act, Nic; bringing up the past I had with your boyfriend to prove a point–
Nicki: I don’t give a shit about that!
Danny rubs Nicki’s shoulder to calm her down.
Danny: Nic–
Jennifer starts walking away from the couple; Nicki follows her, and Danny follows Nicki.
Nicki: You can run away all you want from this, but if you want to continue to run away from your problems, then go right ahead–
Jennifer stops in place and turns around, causing Nicki and Danny to jolt in place.
Jennifer: Milo had every opportunity to tell me who Gwen was. Milo had the opportunity to bring this girl around and properly introduce us to her. Instead, he decided to keep her a secret; and for what?!
Danny: He was probably afraid you would say something negative about Gwen, especially if he likes her–
The girls turn around to face Danny.
Danny: I’m just saying.
Jennifer: So, we had to find out about a crush he has on a girl by telling us he got her pregnant?
Danny is speechless; Jennifer rolls her eyes and attempts to walk away. Nicki grabs Jennifer by the arm, stopping her to do so.
Nicki: We didn’t know Milo liked Gwen like that.
Jennifer: *confused* Like that?
Nicki: I had a feeling he liked her, but–
Jennifer: So you knew about this?
Nicki: Pep–
Jennifer: *mad* No! I’m sick and tired of everyone knowing what’s going on, and I’m in the dark being the last one to find out! What; does Milo flirt with Gwen in band class? Sit next to her and help her with her music and stares all loving at her and then acts like she’s ugly outside of class?
Nicki: It’s not even like that–
Jennifer: It feels like that; that’s my point. It feels like I was placed in the middle of a story, not knowing what happened before that. It feels like my own best friend, who was angry at me for not telling him the entire story about Danny and me, but then does the exact same thing. And you both knew something was going on between them and never told me.
Danny: Milo never said–
Nicki: It’s fine, Danny. *to Jennifer* You’re right. Milo did the exact same thing he was upset at you for doing. That’s not right, but what good is it to tell us how you’re feeling and not Milo himself? Would you have believed me or Danny if we told you we suspected Milo liked Gwen?
Nothing is said.
Nicki: Exactly, and even then; you know me well enough to know that I don’t tell other people’s business. That was not my story to tell you, Pep.
The bus across the street begins to pull up at the bus stop. Jennifer takes note of it.
Jennifer: I gotta go. I’ll see you tomorrow for practice; if there’s even still a band to practice for.
Jennifer runs across the street to catch the bus, leaving the teen couple standing on the other side of the sidewalk.
…
Milo opens the front door of his house, letting out a huge sigh. He drags his feet towards his room, taking the shortcut so that he doesn’t have to pass his parents in the kitchen and living room. He enters his bedroom and puts his bag on the floor and plops his back on the bed. There is a knock heard on the other door of his bedroom.
Elise: *outside of the door* Milo?
Milo squeezes his eyes shut before he gets up, opening the bedroom door. Once he does, he walks back to his bed.
Elise: How was your last day of school?
Milo: It was okay. Just chilled in our classes before getting dismissed.
Elise begins to pick up various pieces of clothing from the floor, and places it in Milo’s hamper.
Elise: I would’ve thought you were going to hang out at Jennifer’s after school.
Milo: I wasn’t really feeling good in school today so I just came straight home.
Elise: Oh, okay; well take it easy for today, and make sure to have everything put away when you’re feeling better—
Milo: Okay mom…
Elise: And don’t forget that those summer job applications are due later next week too, so try to finish them up and hand them in please—
Milo sits up from the bed, looking at his mother.
Milo: Why is dad forcing me to get this summer job anyway? The dual major program in Waverly is expecting us to work on some pieces before—
Elise: Your father doesn’t want you to sit around for two months doing nothing; especially if we’re called for a business trip in between school break.
Milo: *annoyed* So I can’t have a summer break, but you and dad can work in some foreign country for a couple of weeks?
Elise sighs before she smiles at Milo.
Elise: When you graduate high school and then college, you can decide where in the world you’d like to work from; for now, it’s here for Summer Youth.
Milo rolls his eyes as his mother walks out of his room with some laundry in a bin, closing the door behind her. Milo sighs and walks to his computer, signing onto AIM. Gwen’s screen-name is still logged off. He shuts his eyes closed, tight as if he’s trying to vanish the thoughts away from his head. He hovers Jennifer’s screen-name to see that her away message is some cryptic sad song lyrics. Milo sighs one last time before logging off of AIM himself, turning his computer monitor underneath his desk with his toe.
Milo gets up from his desk and walks to the mirror. He looks at himself, not recognizing the person in front of him.
Milo: *to his reflection* What the fuck am I supposed to do about this? How did this even happen–
Before he could finish his sentence, his father opens the bedroom door without knocking.
Milo: *annoyed* Dad, you’re suppose to knock–
Montrel: Your mom shouldn’t have to be doing your own laundry, son.
Milo: *defensive* I didn’t tell her to do my laundry, she came in here and–
Montrel: And those job applications? When am I going to hear that they were sent out?
Milo: I’m working on it, dad–
Montrel: I’m telling you now; you’re not sitting in this house all summer doing nothing; today isn’t an exception.
His dad closes the door, leaving Milo feeling frustrated. Milo grabs his house keys and a drawstring bag from his desk, exiting the bedroom door from the opposite end, out of sight from his parents.

