Yesterday

YESTERDAY (LOVE WAS SUCH AN EASY GAME TO PLAY)

        VIOLET FINTRY is a hurricane that forgets to stop to breathe.

        It's fine by her, she thinks; she doesn't need to breathe, not really - she fills her lungs with things other than air. Gravel and wine and the shards of the hearts she's broken. God knows there's a lot of those.

        You're a heartbreaker, Violet Fintry. She can't remember who it was who told her that first; it's been said so many times that the speakers all bleed into one. She wears the title with pride, because it is the only one she has.

♠

        HEART #1: DAVEY COLTON, NINTH GRADE (BREAKER: VIOLET FINTRY)

        Things were never going to go last with Davey. After all, they were fourteen and he touched her boobs too much and only kissed properly when they were drunk. Or maybe Violet could only pretend that he kissed properly when she was drunk (too drunk to know what qualified as good kissing). Whatever. Things were never going to last with Davey.

        This is how Violet breaks up with him:

        VIOLET: Hey, Davey.

        DAVEY: It's Dave, Vi, Jesus. How many times?

        VIOLET:

        VIOLET: You've been Davey since preschool.

        DAVE(Y): [glaring] Exactly.

        VIOLET: Okay.

        DAVE(Y):

        VIOLET:

        VIOLET: So how's soccer?

        DAVE(Y): Fine.

        VIOLET: Cool.

        [There is a long silence. DAVE(Y) returns to his cell phone. VIOLET almost sighs, but doesn't - she is used to this. It's how most of her dates with DAVE(Y) go.]

        DAVE(Y)'S PHONE: Beep.

        DAVE(Y)'S PHONE: Beep.

        DAVE(Y)'S PHONE: Beep.

        DAVE(Y):

        VIOLET:

        DAVE(Y):

        VIOLET:

        DAVE(Y)'S PHONE: Beep.

        DAVE(Y)'S PHONE: Beep.

        DAVE(Y)'S PHONE: Beep.

        VIOLET: Uh, Davey - Dave.

        DAVE(Y): [not looking up from his phone] Yeah.

        DAVE(Y)'S PHONE: Beep.

        VIOLET: Uh.