Burnouts 2: Without Butterflies

And Just Like That

Scene 1: Elle's Apartment

Leo Rylin

"Come on," I sighed.

"No, screw you."

"You spent time on it."

"Yeah, and I spent more time waiting for you and you couldn't even bother to show up." She threw the entire 'congratulations' cake into the trash. That was the surprise. She baked it herself to congratulate me on getting a job.

"I'm sorry."

"Save it for Matt, asshole."

"Why was he even there?" I sighed.

"So you would know someone!"

"I'm sorry..."

"Sorry," she mimicked.

"You know what? Let's talk since you're such an angel. Danny saw what you did in the library."

"What did I do?" Elle crossed her arms.

"Where is it?"

"What?"

"Whatever you took from Heather."

"I didn't take anything from her," she said, her voice raising in pitch. A tell. I crossed my arms in return. "She threw it away."

"You're a dumpster diver now?"

"It was recyclables."

"Yeah, sure, Oscar the Grouch. Hand it over."

Elle huffed and went over to her book bag. She grabbed a folded paper out of the front pouch and held it tightly in between her fingers. "Are you going to read it?"

"Why would I need to? You already did."

"And for good reason, she-"

I take the paper away. "Forget it. This is fucked up Elle."

She scoffed. "I'm pissed at you, remember?"

"Yeah, we've always had a lot in common."

"I wouldn't have done anything at all if I didn't hear that you're always with her in class acting like her best fucking friend."

"Who the hell said that?" I asked. "Claudia?"

"You're not denying it."

"Yeah, I am. We get paired up sometimes, it's not my fault. I'm not choosing her."

"I told you that I'm not-"

"You're not comfortable, I heard you. But I won't flip her off whenever I see her, okay? I'm not comfortable when you do shit like this." I hold up the contraband.

"I don't like how you're turning this on me."

"I'm sorry I didn't go to the sleepover, I know it was important to you, that's on me. But this is on you, and now I have to give it back to Heather and apologize for what you did."

"Give it back?" She sounded offended. "Throw it away. That's where she wanted it."

"I'm not gonna hide that this happened."

"She doesn't have to know."

"You'd want to know."

"So, what? She's not me."

"You don't want her to know you stole it because you're scared she'll come after you again?" I questioned.

"I am not scared of her."