Burnouts

Enemies from Lovers and Lovers to Friends

Scene 1: Chester High (Locker room)

Zach Teeling

"Hey," Evan runs up next to me as we're heading in.

Take the fucking hint, I've been ignoring you all class.

"What?" I say harshly and watch as his face fills with despair.

Good.

I scowl at him before turning the corner toward my locker.

I hurry to get it open so I can leave as soon as possible. I fucking hate gym.

"Hi."

I sigh heavily, clenching my jaw, "hello. Evan."

He stands there in silence, trying to figure out a way to drag out a conversation through the enmity.

"So, we haven't spoken in a while..."

"Or like ever, right?" I mutter under my breath.

"Do you want to talk about that? Because once you hear the full story-"

"Nah, I'm good," I close the gym locker and grab my bag from off of the bench.

"Your friend cornered me. He put me in a bad spot, I had to make something up," Evan says in a hushed voice loud enough for only me to hear.

I stop walking and turn slowly toward him.

"I wish I never met you."

He shook his head, "you don't mean that."

"No, I do," I reaffirm. "I could've figured everything out without you." Why did you have to be so important? Like there wasn't any other way I could've realized I was gay. And, "Why won't you leave me alone already?"

"Because...I love you."

I shove him as hard as I can, and his back hits the lockers behind him.

"Zach..." he says in shock.

I push him again, and he tries to back away from me.

"Fuck you!" I push him another time, and he stumbles toward all the guys who took notice of our 'fight.'

"Would you fucking stop?" He says as he looks around at all the people he needs to be "tough" for, and I can see that he's getting angry.

"For what?" I challenge. "Push back."

"No."

I laugh menacingly, "why not?" He doesn't respond. "You want to take a swing at me?"

"No!"

"Then why not? Say it. Tell everyone why you're too much of a wimp to fight back," I push him one last time.

And he hits me.

Hard.

I fall to the ground and feel dizzy for a few seconds, but I still look up at him through the blur.

You're still blue.

"Dammit, Zach!" He backs up, shaking off the pain in his fingers.