Burnouts

Only if Goodbye Felt Like You

Scene 1: Addington High

Heather Blakely

"I think I'll leave before the snow falls on Friday night," Audrey says.

"Spain again, AJ?" Alison asks.

"Why not? It's beautiful and warm this time of year," Audrey furrows her eyebrows. "Heather will come with me, won't you, hon?"

"Um..." I hesitate.

"Um?" She turns to me, "you're staying here? For what reason?"

"Well, I don't know yet...maybe I'll stay, maybe I'll leave for two weeks with you."

"What could you possibly do with all of us gone?" Audrey says doubtfully.

"I'd..." I look away from her as he passes us by, glancing for a second and letting his eyes scan me up and down before turning back. Alison looks to him as well, so I quickly tear my gaze away, "I'd find something to keep me occupied, I guess."

"Something," Ali says skeptically, her eyes still on Leo.

"I'll save you a seat on the plane for when you inevitably change your mind."

"I think I'll go to class now, okay?" I say rhetorically.

"Heather-" Audrey calls after me, but I continue walking away. "It's physics— what does she like so much about physics?"

The class is pretty much full as soon as I step in, despite the fact that we still have time. I watch as everyone consults in their pairs in preparation for the project.

Leo is in his usual seat at the back of the class.

"Hey," I say and then smile when I get his attention. He doesn't say anything back, so I keep speaking, "Uh— I brought the signs," I take them out of my bag, "these are the ones you have to hold." He nods and takes them out of my hand...still not bothering with any actual responses. "Okay," I sigh at his indifference, "I guess, I'll see you up there then..."

I walk over to my desk but turn to glance at him before I sit down. We make eye contact, but he's expressionless. When I glance at him once more, this time with subtly, he notices again and still makes no attempt of acknowledgment.

He hates me. Nice.

"Good morning, class. I've received the written portion of your projects already. Therefore, I hope you're all prepared to give your demonstrations today."

Not anymore, no.

"Ms. Chang, will you take volunteers first?" The girl next to me asks.

"No, we will be going alphabetically, starting with— Ah, Ms. Blakely, will you and your partner come up, please?"

I nod and stand to my feet because what she said was more of a demand than a request. I head to the front of the class and just hope Leo is close behind me. We are apparently no longer on speaking terms...which is almost comical considering the other day we were practically on bedroom terms.

I shouldn't have let it get that far.

"Whenever you're ready," Ms. Chang motioned toward the two of us, and Leo annoyedly held up the sign with the title of our project.

"Quantum entanglement...in a simple definition is the idea that two particles can be linked to each other even if they are separated by billions of light-years. One can never be described independently from the other..." Leo passes me a sheet, "For example, on this paper, we drew a smile on the left and a frown on the right using a blue marker. On the back, we drew a frown on the left and a smile on the right in red marker." I hand it over to Leo so that he could rip it in half, "now, we both pick a random half of the paper and fold it up..." I demonstrate as I speak, "let's say we then go to opposite sides of the country," Leo and I stand with our backs to each other, "we're still connected..." I say with a glint of happiness when he takes my hand in his. "Once I open my half, the state of mine will determine his," I unfold the paper and show the class, "I have a blue smile...so that automatically means-"