Burnouts

Make it Make Sense

Scene 1: Madison Street

Leo Rylin

"Not bad," Heather says, "I see you managed without me." She hands me back the graded homework assignment I scored a 'B' on.

"Barely," I shake my head, "I used some notes you left over here and pretty much guessed the rest."

"Oh, hush," she playfully rolls her eyes, "you're smarter than you know."

"No, I know," I shrug, "I'm just not the go to college kind of smart."

"You are to," Heather argues, "what do you want to do after you graduate?"

"Well...I figure graduating is good enough. My dad graduated, but my mom didn't because she had me and it was tough. So...I think I'll stay here, Manhattan, I'll get a job...something in construction maybe."

"Leo," she said sadly.

"Heather, do not give me that teacher talk where you tell me that if I apply myself I can become the fucking president or whatever, it's not true."

"I wasn't..." she looked empathetically at me, "you're not old enough to be the president."

I chuckle and shake my head. "Yeah, that's what's stopping me, butterfly."

"You can't honestly expect me to believe there isn't something else you'd like to do."

"I mean...sure, I guess. It'd be cool to have my own record store."

"Then do that," Heather suggests, "go to school for business. Open up your own record store, it can even be close to home."

I shake my head. "I don't want to waste away in a classroom any longer than I have to."

"So you'd rather waste away ruining your hair with a hard hat?"

"That's what you're worried about?" I smirk, "my hair?"

"Leo," she groans, "I'm serious."

"Are you really going to argue with me about this?" I laugh and lay back against my bed.

"Yes!" She huffs and moves to hover over me.

Suddenly it feels a million degrees hotter in here.

"What do you care, anyway?" I look up at her.

"I just do, okay?"

"Okay," I nod and try to hide my smile.

"Don't look at me like that..."

"Like what?" My voice comes out shallow.

"The way you do...like I'm completely out of my mind and you're the only one who knows it."

I smirk, "maybe I am...but I promise I won't tell."

She smirks in response and starts to slowly back away, but I grab her waist to keep her near. I'm not sure why, I just did...

Heather doesn't move. We don't look away from each other, and for a moment, I swear we might just-

"Where you at, Rylin? I'm here," Danny makes a loud entrance, and Heather retreats to the end of my bed.

I've never heard of such bad timing.

"Fuck..." I sigh, "I forgot to ask for a rain check," I tell Heather. "Wait here," I climb out of bed and head out into the living room.

"There he is," Danny pats me on the back.

"Man..." I look behind him and see Val and Cherry, "did you have to bring them with you?"