Burnouts

The Boy/Girl Rule

Scene 1: Madison Street (Zach's Apartment)

Zach Teeling

I look to where Aaron's at on the bed, his eyes move from the sketch pad in front of him to my face at that same moment. "Are you drawing me again?"

He smirks and flips the page, "no...how's the essay?"

"I hate this prompt. I feel like I'm lying whenever I start to write."

"You're an avid movie watcher, and you can't find a character to compare yourself to?"

"Who would you compare me to?"

"Maybe Daisy from Gatsby."

"Daisy?"

"Where'd you get the lamp?" He nods toward the red lava lamp on my nightstand. "I thought you weren't allowed to have one."

"It was a gift, and my mom hasn't seen it yet. Why am I Daisy?"

"I would've given you one if I knew you could keep it. Who got it for you?"

"A friend from school. Why'd you say I was Daisy?"

He chuckled. "You go around to everyone telling them how badly you want a lava lamp until somebody budges?"

"Something like that. So, Daisy, why?"

"You know he came to my store, right? I rang it up."

What's it called when you accidentally breathe in a bunch of air like you're about to say something— but you have nothing to say...so you stare...and stare...and stare.

"It's-" I shake my head, "just a lamp. No big deal, he was being nice."

'For all the gifts I never got you,' he said.

"Must be great to be his friend then."

Yes, and I could've shown my gratitude with less tongue...but

"I'll give it back."

"Daisy had two guys. One who loved her, and one who didn't want to see her with anybody else. In the end, she made a stupid fucking choice and somebody got really hurt."

Scene 2: Madison Street

Heather Blakely

"How many exams do you think you will have to take?" I push my books aside.

He chuckles, "All of them."

"I doubt that."

Leo lays on my lap and looks up at me. "Kind of feels weird that school is out soon."

"Why?"

"It's been a crazy year, that's why."

To think, I barely knew you when we walked through those doors in September.

"What do you want to do this summer?"

"You," he smiles.

"And what else?"

"This." He smiles again. "Then a few parties, we can go to concerts, I can take you to club sixx, we can watch movies, and hang out outside when it cools off— just fuck up my sleeping schedule."