Burnouts

The Cost of Alone Time

Scene 1: Madison Street (Zach's Apartment)

Leo Rylin

"God, she's so hot," Matt groans watching Salma Hayek in a bikini. He turns to Zach, "This does nothing for you?"

"She's hot," he shrugs.

"Exactly."

"So is George Clooney with tattoos."

Matt scrunches his eyebrows up at him but then starts to smile and nod. "Kinda hot."

"Let's go to Club Sixx later," I suggested.

"Alright," Matt agreed. "Danny?"

Danny looks at me and then shakes his head, "nah, I'm good."

I scoff and laugh to myself. I didn't mean to invite him anyway. He won't do anything but complain.

"What's up with you guys?" Matt said uncomfortably.

"Nothing," Danny replied.

"He says 'nothing' then starts bitching," I spat.

"I'm bitching? You gonna start whining about your girlfriend any time soon? We're all waiting."

"I don't whine about her, you do, and it's only because Val dropped your ass."

"If I say shit about Heather it's because she made you into a pussywhipped service boy. Val ain't got nothin' to do with it."

"I haven't even talked to her today."

"Big deal."

"Yeah, big deal. You're sitting here acting like what I do with Heather fucks with your life or something."

"I've said what I wanted to you. I'm done with this shit."

"Good, talk about something other than me then."

Zach's eyes shifted around at all of us..."Wouldn't it be cool if it was just summer already?"

"So you can hang out with us all the time and avoid your boyfriends?" Matt joked.

"I'm not avoiding-" Zach sighed, "yeah, it's hard to hide in my room if I have to go to school and stuff."

"You stressed yourself out trying to be the gay Hugh Hefner."

"It's two guys, not a whole house full."

"Two too many," I smirked.

"You used to have like 5 girls."

"To fuck, that's it."

"I don't want to be like that."

"Wait a year or two, you will," Matt said confidently.

"Ugh," Zach groaned and laid flat against his bed. He turned 15 and dug himself a hole to celebrate in. I chuckle as he lays there. "You keep laughing at me."

"It's hilarious watching you fuck up over and over and stress about fixing it," I admitted.

"If you guys could have more than one person— would you?"

"I can't focus on more than one person." I give all my love and feelings and gross shit like that to Heather. There's nothing left for anyone else.

"Like multiple girlfriend girlfriends or just girls?" Matt asked.

"Girlfriends."

"And they know about each other?"

"Yeah."

"It sounds cool but like...hard. What if I pick favorites and they get mad?"

"You wouldn't either, Danny?" Zach waited for his response.