Burnouts 2: Without Butterflies

See You Later

Scene 1: Addington High

Danny Cole

"I have a surprise for you," Elle cooed.

"Yeah?" Leo asked.

"Tonight."

My face drew together. "Ew."

She rolled her eyes at me. "Shut up."

"Is it that?" He questioned.

"No. What kind of surprise would that be?"

"I mean...I wouldn't complain."

Elle shook her head and smiled, turning her back to him and draping his arm over herself.

He looked down at her while she leaned against him, but then his eyes shot back to where they must've been before I realized.

Heather is with some dude— and he's kissing her and holding onto her and my heart drops like it's my ex-girlfriend over there.

It's not a big deal, it's morbid curiosity— you see your ex, you're going to look. You see your replacement, you're definitely gonna look. It might sting a bit but it doesn't mean you care.

You can't be obvious or let your girlfriend see you scoping them out, though. Earth to fucking Leo, Elle sees you, dumb ass.

"I'm going in," I announced, garnering both of their attention.

"We should go too," Leo said to Elle just as I expected. "I can walk you to that seminar thing."

"No," Elle groaned.

"You have to show up. They take attendance."

"I want to switch to yours."

"You have Danny," he said, jokingly, and she frowned at the sight of me.

Feeling's mutual, sweetheart.

I walk ahead of them. Being made the third wheel pisses me off and I refuse to do it. I'd rather look like the father leading my two annoying ass, incestuous kids.

Heather passes me, meaning she's walking even faster than I am trying to get away from those two. I almost forgot we got put in the same group, and even though we're cool now, we know not to say 'hi' in public.

I sit in the back anyway, and she sits next to Trevor. The library sucks at the best of times, but this whole thing makes it worse.

The whole point is to help us with our college applications or something but most of the kids here talk about how they're paying professionals to do it, so this is a drawn-out waste of time.

"Today's session will be solely information-based, so I thought we'd do a fun warm-up assignment first," Miss What's-her-face said. "I want you to write a letter that says goodbye to high school and what you'll miss about it."

Nothing. Good fucking riddance.

One of the student suck-ups goes table to table passing out paper, and when he hands me mine, I finish the assignment as quickly as I start it.

Goodbye, you piece of shit.

Miss Whatever-her-name-is paced around the room, glancing at people's papers. She never comes as far as me and whoever else is back here. "You don't have to write a substantial amount, but it should be meaningful."

Heather lifted her head. "Are you collecting them after?"

"Yes."

Dammit.

Heather took out another sheet and started writing a fresh letter.

Guess we both have bad words to cover up.