S1 E3: Another Year, Another Cheer

Kenzie Tartaglione (Master of Ceremonies):

It is a Friday night in Wildmoore. At the old, now unused quarry mines, pumping bass music can be heard for about a mile out. Parties at the quarry are few and far between. There are simply easier places in town to throw a part as well as safer places. The Duncan residence. Any house, even the abandoned ones on the Moore estate. But, the risk of a quarry party is part of the fun and seeing the padlocked gates, the “No Trespassing” signs, and the danger warning are the first pump of adrenaline through everyone’s veins.

The quarry is part of the old copper-zinc mine that went out of working order in the 80s and has been supposedly locked up tight ever since. There’s still a lone bus stop outside the fence but it is not longer part of the town route. The pavement it sits upon is cracked, weeds growing up the metal frame. This used to be used by the miners to get from town to work.

The sun has set a long time before, a couple hours before the party was slated to begin and furthermore, before you all arrive. And there are a few things about quarry parties that everyone know. Number one, where exactly in the mine the party takes place. Number two, that you don’t leave the front gate open even if there’s a car directly behind you. Everyone let’s themselves in. Number three, you don’t leave your car outside the fucking gate you absolute asshat. Somebody did it once and they’ve never been forgiven. And number four, you clean up your shit and you don’t leave anything behind.

Ivy and Sawyer are in a car, driving through the Moore property and as they come up to the gate, Caleb and Sam swerve out of the woods, bike tires kicking up the dust and the gravel as you both – as all three of you – as all four of you, head towards the front gates.

You see them chained with a padlock. You see danger and warning signs, no trespassing signs. It is just a little bit after ten pm and the party was scheduled to start at nine so there aren’t a cavalcade of cars or people but you do see, a couple people currently climbing the front fence, up and dropping over on the other side. But Ivy, you drive the car up and pause at the front gate. Caleb and Sam swing out, off the path a little bit. And it is dark and the only lights are the headlights of the car.

April Consalo:

I break and look over and see Caleb and Sam and I turn to Sawyer.

April (Ivy Duncan):

Hey, I gotta go park somewhere else. I’m just going to drop you. Is that okay?

Brennan Hershock (Sawyer Hook):

Yeah, sure, that works.

April (Ivy):

Cool, cool, can I – can I have the drugs?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, let me – yep.

Brennan:

And Sawyer takes out the drufs we agreed upon and takes the other and leaves. Pull down the ski mask.

April:

I roll down my window and I’m like

April (Ivy):

Don’t do that.

Brennan:

Wave my hand back.

April (Ivy):

Don’t – Jesus Christ…

April:

Roll my window back up and I pull out and go park somewhere else.

Kenzie (MC):

Sam is standing, holding the bike between their legs and looks over at you as they watch Sawyer get an Ivy drive away.

Kenzie (Sam):

Yo, what do we do with our bikes?

Mads McDonnough:

Caleb is still fresh coming off the high of twisting through the forest with his best friend. And watching Sam’s eyes move about to Ivy and Sawyer, Caleb visibly retreats a little bit, steels himself.

Mads (Caleb Moore):

Um, I – I – we can just stash them behind –

Mads:

He looks around.

Mads (Caleb):

Look, there. There’s a tree that’s fallen over. We can just put it under kind of. It should be fine. I mean the only thing that’s going to touch it is gonna be like a toad.

Kenzie (Sam):

Okay, you don’t think anybody’s going to like steal the bikes?

Mads (Caleb):

Oh… no. No, no, where else would we even put them?

Kenzie (Sam):

I don’t know can we get ‘em inside.

Mads:

I look over to all the kids that are moving into the quarry. Do I see any bikes inside? Anything that looks like I can prop this up somewhere.

Kenzie (MC):

So, I would say that you are at the front gates, so you don’t see the actual mine yet from this angle. The few kids that you saw climb up and over the gate didn’t have bikes with them, but there would be places inside to put the bike if you could get it inside.

Mads:

He thinks for a minute.

Mads (Caleb):

We should probably – uh – yeah, let’s just take them inside. If we need to leave fast, we’ll know where they are then. Not that we’re going to leave fast. Precautionary.

Kenzie (Sam):

Well, we’re going to leave like in an hour. Yeah? One hour and we’re done.

Mads (Caleb):

One hour and we’re done.

Brennan:

Sawyer is probably so tunnel visioned on looking for three people that I’m not even sure that Sawyer notices Caleb and Sam. I would look to everybody else climbing the gate and I would give that a shot. I think he takes a couple of steps on there and then probably starts shaking a little bit, muscles start twitching, and then drops back down. Takes a big huff and inspects the actual lock to see if he can unlock it.

Kenzie (MC):

The padlock is stuck through one of the chain links of the chain that is also wrapped around these gates. And it is moved in position but isn’t clicked down.

Brennan:

Sawyer throws his hands up like, “Why did I – why did I even try – why are people climbing at all?” Unlocks it, goes in, slips the lock back through.

Kenzie (MC):

Yeah, you unlock it and unwrap the chain a little bit and actually there are two gates so they push open as you go in and then you can close them.

Brennan:

Yeah, definitely make sure to close it, lock it back up. Don’t want to break any rules.

Kenzie (MC):

Are you actually locking it or are you leaving it how you found it?

Brennan:

No, no, no. I’m leaving it how I found it. And then Sawyer will strut toward towards the bass, keeping an eye out for mostly Adam.

Kenzie (MC):

I think after watching Sawyer undo the padlock, Sam is like

Kenzie (Sam):

Oh, well, we don’t have to lift the bikes over the fence. Okay. I thought we were going to have to like… somehow (laughs). Whew!

Mads (Caleb):

Yeah, this makes everything a lot easier. Here. Come one.

Mads:

I’ll reach forward and mirroring what we just saw Sawyer accomplish, unlatch it enough that we are able to open the gates up enough. Sam goes in front of me. I go next, pull it closed again, but not locking it entirely, trying to leave it as it was. Then, holding my hands back from it like it’s about to spontaneously combust before going

Mads (Caleb):

Whew! Okay. Uh… come on.

Kenzie (MC):

Ivy, you pull off the road to the left, around the trees and following the fence between the edge of the woods and the fence and you pull around and eventually find a space where there are almost a dozen cars trying to park, hidden, in the tree line. It’s not like when you got to an outdoor venue. It is just being like, “I think my car will fit here,” and they put it there.

April:

I look around for a little bit, trying to find a place where this really nice car will be less conspicuous. So, I pull a little bit deeper into the trees than some people have. And I sit there for a second. I start going through the bag of drugs that Sawyer gave me. I take out a little baggie of coke.

April (Ivy):

Sick. Sweet.

April:

I tap a little onto the dashboard and line it up with my dad’s credit card. Then, I snort a line of coke.

April (Ivy):

Okay, cool. Sick.

April:

I pull my flask out and I chug a bunch. My tolerance is going to be super high. I already know because I fed recently so even though I’ve just chugged a bunch of vodka and taken a line of coke, I barely feel anything. Just kinda feeling good. So I do another line. I pull my mirror down and fix my lip gloss and make sure my eyeliner is perfect. I look int the mirror and think for a moment. Take my hair out of a ponytail, make sure its down. And then I finally get out of the car. Make sure my door is locked and then I’m walking through the forest and even though I’m in my high heels, I’m pretty steady.

I look around and there isn’t really anyone else around, so I decide to run and get there in just a few moments. Smooth my skirt down and hop the fence.

Kenzie (MC):

The drive is mostly dirt and small pebbles and you make your way up into the quarry and deeper into the mine. The entrance was used to hold a lot of machinery and there are some buildings for the people who used to work here. And as you go back it climbs back and upward until you reach the actual mine itself and it kind of circles as well on the outside to get in.

I would say as you all kind of come into this space, just a little bit behind each other, Ivy its frustrating how Adam has actually outdone himself. It’s not that the party wouldn’t have been better if you could have thrown it, but, its that he didn’t completely and utterly fail. He actually succeeded. The part of the property that all the parties take place in is the cetner of the strip mine. You have your base camp and dance floor on the bottom and then the tiers of stone mount above you, except now when you’re coming into it, it’s all spread out below you.

This way it protects the party from onlookers, creates kind of this like vortex of music and energy and allows people to go off and find their own spaces on all these different tiers. It is extremely loud even at the top of this and you see possibly over a hundred people scattered about. Adam got his hands on some heavy duty equipment so there are massive speakers wired up. And currently an empty DJ booth set up on one of the rises that faces the makeshift dance floor. Not being able to hang lights in this wide open space, he has affixed white, multi-colored, flashing, strobing lights to the base of each of the tiers that creates a dizzying array of visual noise that adds to the sound of the music, the sound of the laughter, the sound of the talking and yelling and roughhousing.

You can see the kegs that Shane Thompson had originally gotten for what would have been the first day of school party at your house and that they are here, set up near what is definitely makeshift, yet seemingly a full bar set-up. There’s never been a party thrown by a Duncan, a Moore, or a Hook that was every bring your own anything. And its quite clear that this is no different.

Sawyer, you’ve come in before anybody else and have spotted Adam down, playing host, and have made your way down the tiers. Caleb and Sam, you have come in swiftly behind him and so see that he is running down. You take stock of the places around you and Sam goes

Kenzie (Sam):

Um, maybe we should like find our spot and put the bikes there and just like post up there and feel it out.

Mads (Caleb):

You want to find a spot to post up at? Sam I thought you were like really excited to mingle with people. I mean I’m fine with posting up somewhere. I can do that. But, didn’t you want to – I don’t know –

Mads:

He gestures his hands outward to how many people are here.

Mads (Caleb):

If we’re going to be here for an hour I don’t want to like hold you back.

Kenzie (Sam):

No, no, I think I need like ten minutes to just like – ‘cause I don’t know where to even begin. So, I think I need just like ten minutes to watch what everybody does to figure out what I should do.

Mads (Caleb):

Yeah, yeah, that sounds good. Hey!

Mads:

And then I’ll turn to the side, all of these kind of makeshift buildings and whatnot. Next to one of them there is a beaten up picnic table that people have graffitied the shit out of.

Mads (Caleb):

Look, we can stash out bikes under there and just kind of hang for a minute.

Kenzie (Sam):

Is that the picnic table that we’re also going to take a shit under?

Mads (Caleb):

We’re not shitting under any picnic tables!

Kenzie (Sam):

I know, I know, I was just bringing it back around.

Mads (Caleb):

You’re going to kill me, you’re going to kill me, you’re going to kill me.

Kenzie (Sam):

Okay let’s go put our bikes down and maybe actually that would be a good vantage point. We can just chill at the table for a bit and just look down and watch. And then I can make my entrance. That’s what people do, yeah?

Mads (Caleb):

Entrance?

Kenzie (Sam):

Yeah.

Mads (Caleb):

Sure, you know what, yeah, okay, Sam, you can have an entrance.

Kenzie (MC):

As you guys bring your bikes up and take a seat at the table, Ivy, you come around the corner and see them both there before you see what’s before you.

April:

Ivy is in full party mode. She has flipped the switch while shew as running and now that she has arrived, she is glowing and does not have a hair out of place that doesn’t look messy in like a sexy, rockstar way. Ivy is wearing a matching black set that has these almost oil slick iridescent sequins all over it. IT’s a skirt, a mini-skirt and crop top and there’s laces down the sides of the top with leather straps hanging down. And she is wearing black, lace-up heels. She has a lot of glitter on her eyelids and eyeliner but somehow, she doesn’t look over dressed. She just looks really, really cool.

She walks in and clocks Sam and Caleb.

April (Ivy):

Hey, sup, dudes.

Mads:

Caleb doesn’t answer right away. Instead, you watch as he gives you essentially a once over. Eyes tracking down and then back up to your face. And he looks at your mouth for a minute but instead of it being – I don’t know I feel like what Ivy is used to whenever people stop there – there’s a moment where he face sort of scrunches up and then he looks back up to your eyes and there is an acknowledgment of something.

April:

Ivy holds his gaze. Looks over at Sam after a moment.

April (Ivy):

I hope you like the party. If you need anything, you should come to me.

Kenzie (Sam):

Uh, okay!

April (Ivy):

¬¬¬¬¬Actually, I got something for you.

April:

She reaches into this teeny-tiny, sparkly purse that she has one her shoulder where she put the rest of the drugs, and she takes out a little baggie of Adderall and flicks it in his direction.

Kenzie (Sam):

Um, I already took my medication for the day.

April (Ivy):

Okay, yeah, cool. Sorry. Sharing is caring. You want some coke instead or something?

Kenzie (Sam):

Uh?

Mads (Caleb):

You have (clear throat) um…

Kenzie (Sam):

I’ve never done – well, how would coke mix with the Adderall I already took.

Mads (Caleb):

It wouldn’t.

Kenzie (Sam):

It wouldn’t mix? Or it wouldn’t mix well, Caleb?

Mads (Caleb):

It wouldn’t mix well. Why did you –

April (Ivy):

Okay, yeah, sorry I asked. Um, I’m going to go in now.

Kenzie (Sam):

Thanks! I’ll – I’ll see you, yeah, mm-hmm, this is nice of you.

Mads (Caleb):

No, Sam, it’s not –

April (Ivy):

Bye, Sam.

Kenzie (Sam):

Bye.

April (Ivy):

Bye, Caleb.

Mads (Caleb):

Bye, Ivy.

Kenzie (MC):

And you hear as you walk away, you hear Sam go

Kenzie (Sam):

I don’t know why I completely forget every single word I’ve ever known.

April:

Even though I’m not looking at them at this point, I throw my head back and laugh.

Mads:

I

pinch just above my nose on my brow line for a minute, trying to use that momentary snip of pain from my nails to come back into my body after realizing that his ex-childhood friend of mine is supplying coke now.

Mads (Caleb):

Ahhhh, you know what Sam? We have one hour. We have one hour.

Kenzie (Sam):

Mm-hmm.

Mads (Caleb):

And then we’re going home.

Kenzie (Sam):

I’ve actually never taken more Adderall than my doctor prescribed me. Would it make me – it wouldn’t do what it does to everybody else, right?

Mads (Caleb):

Would it just make you sleepy?

Kenzie (Sam):

Would I just like become – get like comatose and just sit on this bench all night?

Mads (Caleb):

Yeah. But you have a bag of it now and there’s a lot of high schoolers here. I’m not saying that you should or anything but… if you wanted to, you could use it as a bargaining chip.

Kenzie (MC):

They look like you’ve just given them an incredible idea.

Kenzie (Sam):

Caleb, I have to start saving up for “Crush and Egg.”

Mads:

Caleb’s eyes open up wider. Math and like stars are running through his fucking brain right now saying this,

Mads (Caleb):

You need to save up for – I need to save up – we need to save up for “Crush and Egg.”

Kenzie (Sam):

I bet four of these would be the equivalent of one game. So we sell eight of these bills in this bag and we’re golden for October.

Mads (Caleb):

If we sell these. We’ll not only have the game, we’ll have the gas money, we’ll have anything else we’ll need to get there… Sam…

Kenzie (Sam):

This is brilliant

Mads (Caleb):

Why weren’t we doing this sooner?

Kenzie (Sam):

Oh, well, because I can’t sell my own Adderall because I kind of need it.

Mads (Caleb):

Oh, yeah, no, you’re non-functioning. It’s kind of embarrassing.

Kenzie (Sam):

Yeah, so, two issues though. One is I’ve never sold drugs. Two is I’ve never talked to most of these people so how am I just going to sell them drugs?

Mads:

Caleb is nodding his head along with Sam saying this.

Mads (Caleb):

I also have never sold drugs before or talked to most of these – I see why we haven’t done this before. And its because we have not done this before.

Kenzie (Sam):

We just gotta – like I was – I was gonna try to talk to people tonight anyway so my intro can just be like, “Hey, do you want some Adderall?” Easy peasy. In there. We’re friends.

Mads (Caleb):

That’s a totally normal, really acceptable segue into winning over the hearts and minds of youth. You’re correct. If Ivy can do it…

Kenzie (MC):

They stand up on the bench of the picnic table and hold their arms out and you see the bagginess of their clothes hanging off of them.

Kenzie (Sam):

I mean there’s some major difference between me and Ivy so…

Mads:

Caleb reaches up to cinch into the waistline where Sam’s shirt it and then pulls out a rubber band from his back pocket and ties it up in that way that every, fucking, middle-school girl did with their shirts.

Mads (Caleb):

You’re fine. You can do this. We can do this.

Kenzie (MC):

They start nodding their head slowly and then it starts speeding up a little bit and then they suddenly drop back into a seated position on the bench and their hands slam into the table and they go,

Kenzie (Sam):

Okay, I just need like five more minutes.

Mads (Caleb):

Okay, okay, I’m gonna scope – that’s what you do when you sell drugs, right? You scope?

Kenzie (Sam):

Yeah, I think you scope when you sell drugs. I think you scope.

Mads (Caleb):

Okay.

Mads:

I am going to stand up straighter and I am going to survey this quarry like it is the only job I’ve ever had my entire life.

Kenzie (MC):

As you watching out amongst what everybody is doing, you see Sawyer reach the base of the quarry and head his way over to Adam.

Brennan:

Sawyer stops before entering the thick of it.

Brennan (Sawyer):

(deep breaths)

Brennan:

Hyperventilates, walks over to the side, reaches into the bag, digs through, gets out a small little baggie – a little Ziplock – opens it up and inside the baggie are a bunch of colorful, little pills, all with little indentations of symbols on them. And he grabs one pink one that has a little skull on it. Looks up around and then puts it on his tongue. Zips up the bag. Puts it bag in. Swallows. I’ll make a beeline to Adam, simultaneously keeping an eye out for Natalie and Master Kush.

Kenzie (MC):

I would say that right now you don’t see Natalie and you don’t see Master Kush.

Brennan:

Thank god.

Kenzie (MC):

Adam is easily spotted by the bar. He is playing bartender right now. I suppose knows a little bit more of what to do than most high-schoolers but it’s still very rudimentary and he’s mostly just pouring lines of shots down the bar. Knowing him growing up, you were really close, and you knew that he was able to shift personas depending on the group he was hanging out with. So you have seen him dressed to the nines, in the ceremonial clothes that you all have and wear whenever the houses get to together. You have seen him in pajamas. You have seen him in cargo shorts and a tank top. You have seen in him his hocky jersey. You have seen him just casually at school. And it seems like he might have mixed signals this time around because he's wearing a very nice pair of pants, dress pants that are rolled up at the bottom with high top Converse on and a red tank top with “Wildmoore High Hockey” written on the front of it. He has a baseball cap on backwards.

Brennan:

I will very not stealthily make my way straight towards Adam and knock right in front of him.

Brennan (Sawyer):

What’s goin’ on?

Kenzie (Adam Moore):

Hey! Uh, you here for shots?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Oh, no, it’s me.

Kenzie (Adam):

Yeah, yeah I gathered.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Oh, yeah.

Kenzie (Adam):

You’ve got a whole vibe, man.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah.

Brennan:

I pull the ski mask back down.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Uh, can we like chat? Do you got a second?

Kenzie (Adam):

Yeah, yeah, give me one second. Hey, Ryan! You want to come ov – Cool!

Kenzie (MC):

And you see, Ryan Bishop – on the cheer squad – come over and take the bottle of vodka from his hands and he follows you out from behind the bar.

Kenzie (Adam):

Yeah, dude, what’s up? You’re being really serious. We’re at a party, man.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Oh, yeah, no, I’m good I’m just –

Kenzie (Adam):

Shake it off.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah (groan).

Brennan:

Sawyer will fucking shake violently.

Kenzie (Adam):

There ya go.

Kenzie (MC):

And he slaps you on the shoulder.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, so, uh –

Kenzie (Adam):

Oh, yeah! Sorry, sorry, totally forgot. I texted you.

Brennan (Sawyer):

No. Yeah, no, it’s all good.

Kenzie (Adam):

Yeah, okay, cool.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Totally.

Kenzie (Adam):

v\

Understand. Business mode.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Hey! Can I see your hat?

Brennan:

Sawyer’s eyes are just wide.

Kenzie (Adam):

Uh… yeah, yeah, sure.

Kenzie (MC):

Takes the hat off, puts it on your head the right way and just runs his hand through his hair.

Brennan:

I’ll take off the hat and I’m like,

Brennan (Sawyer):

Ah, this is a really nice hat.

Brennan:

I’ll put in that bag of purple pills into the top of the hat and then pop it back on top of his head and say,

Brennan (Sawyer):

Fits you really nice.

Kenzie (Adam):

Feels like exactly what I needed.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah. So, that one’s – that hats for you. Anything else, I mean, you got – you got me so whatever you need.

Kenzie (Adam):

Dope.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Do you want me to just like – it looks like you’ve got a lot on your hands do you want me to take care of this?

Kenzie (Adam):

Yeah, yeah, if you want to be the official, uh, I was gonna say drug master but that sounds really not good.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, no, no. Let’s just avoid that word entirely. I’m here to sell X-box controllers.

Kenzie (Adam):

Yeah, if you want to start parsing it out, Kush said that we were good so…

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, what was – is he here tonight?

Kenzie (Adam):

He was – he was around earlier. I haven’t seen him in a bit but he dropped some stuff off bcasue they’re trying to do hookah over there. So, he brought that shit. His mom let him, I don’t know – that’s kind of gross actually that I’m thinking about it now. She let him rent it from the store for free.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, that’s cool. I mean he is actually – honestly he cleans his stuff pretty well.

Kenzie (Adam):

Oh, okay.

Brennan (Sawyer):

He’s pretty on top of things. Yeah. It’s better than you’d think.

Kenzie (Adam):

Do you think they’re gonna like put it back in the store and say used on it, ‘cause like…

Brennan (Sawyer):

Oh, no, no. I mean like he’s cleaning it for us. I’m sure he’s used it around the house like everything that’s in that store has definitely been used.

Kenzie (Adam):

I’m gonna like not go there.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, it’s kinda like a resale thing. Is he like – is he in good spirits?

Kenzie (Adam):

Uh, I mean I don’t know him that well. He usually just does a quick hand off to me and that’s basically the end of our communication.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, I getcha. How – you having fun?

Kenzie (MC):

He looks at his phone and he’s like,

Kenzie (Adam):

Yeah, so, the football team lost like we thought they would so I’m sure they’re gonna be just a whole lot of fun when they get here.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Oh shit. Where’s the DJ at?

Kenzie (Adam):

Oh, uh, yeah Jordan will be here in like half an hour and will take over for a bit but we’re just blasting some tunes now and waiting for her so…

Brennan (Sawyer):

Cool. Alright, I guess I’ll get on it. I prolly just meet up with you later.

Kenzie (Adam):

Yeah, man, do you like, do you want some before you leave? We can like do it together.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Fuck it, let’s take drugs.

Kenzie (MC):

Pulls two of the pills out. Hands on to you.

Kenzie (Adam):

We gotta do that thing people do with shots where you like cross the arms and then do it, yeah?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Should we like cross our arms and then throw it in the other one’s mouth?

Kenzie (Adam):

(laughing)

Yes, yeah. That’s exactly what we should do, dude. Okay.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Ready?

Kenzie (Adam):

Alright.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Wait, hold on, don’t drop this ‘cause this is expensive. So, don’t miss.

Kenzie (Adam):

A little dirt’s never killed anybody. Three, two, one.

Kenzie (MC):

I think you both catch it. Dry swallow it.

Kenzie (Adam):

That’s what we needed those shots for man. Oooh.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, let’s go get some shots and then I’m making my rounds. I needed this.

Kenzie (MC):

Throws his arm around your shoulder or around your neck and it’s like one of those things where he could almost me giving you a noogie.

Brennan:

I put my arm around the waist.

Kenzie (MC):

You guys walk over to the bar and Ryan just slides a couple down. The bar is just a wet mess and it’s sticky. There’s clear liquid. There’s some blue stuff. There’s whiskey mixed in with it. It’s just a mess.

Kenzie (Adam):

What should we cheers?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Let’s not get beat up tonight!

Kenzie (Adam):

You know what man? I’m gonna go with the flow. Let’s do it.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, going with the – that’s a better one. Going with the flow is much better –

Kenzie (Adam):

Oh no, I meant I was going to go with the flow and –

Brennan (Sawyer):

Oh! About getting beat up? Okay.

Kenzie (Adam):

I was just going to use your cheer.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Going with the flow.

Kenzie (Adam):

We’ll do that one instead, sure, man. Going with the flow!

Kenzie (MC):

Knock it on the table, throws it back.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Wow, nothing better to chase drugs with than alcohol.

Kenzie (Adam):

Hey, we’re living it up tonight! Also, by the way, we’re gonna tap these kegs real soon if you want to get in on the stand competition… let me know.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Oh shit.

Kenzie (Adam):

So make your rounds, come back to me.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, let me – I’ll be back in like thirty.

Kenzie (MC):

You start walking away and you shake off this itch that he is acting so hard.

Mads:

Caleb watches the exchange from his little perch of the two of them getting on so well. And its not like he hasn’t seen this his entire life growing up. The two of them being so inseparable form each other that their essentially the same person sometimes. The sight though? His hand is holding himself steady against the wood of this picnic bench while Sam is turned off in another direction and he feels the wood crack and splinter for a minute before looking down and realizing his hand has almost burnished a couple of little fingerprint marks into the wood itself. He quickly pulls his hand back and stuffs it into his hoodie pocket.

Mads (Caleb):

I think I have an idea. Give me a second to figure it out. You’re almost good?

Kenzie (Sam):

Yep, yep, I’m gonna be good in like a minute and a half. Counting down.

Mads (Caleb):

One, two, no, just do it in your head.

Kenzie (Sam):

Yeah, I was.

Mads (Caleb):

Oh, right, that’s what I – nevermind.

Kenzie (MC):

Ivy you get a text from Alina.

Kenzie (Alina):

Hey, I’m gonna be there in like seven minutes. Can you meet me outside? Or are you in already? What is the plan?

April:

I text Alina back.

April (Ivy):

Come in. Meet you at the bar. Heart.

April:

I also saw that interaction between Sawyer and Adam. As much as it would normally upset Ivy, instead of getting as upset, she just immediately makes a beeline for Sawyer before he can get too far away and grabs his hand and says,

April (Ivy):

You’re coming with me.

Brennan:

You look and Sawyer’s eyes are pretty dilated at this point.

April (Ivy):

Oh shit.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Dude, what?

April (Ivy):

Oh my god.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I gotta make my rounds.

April:

S

he holds his face in both of her hands and puts their noses together and she’s like,

April (Ivy):

You’re already there. You’re already with me, dude!

Brennan (Sawyer):

Dude… I feel fucking great.

April (Ivy):

You are great.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Dude, you’re great.

April (Ivy):

No, you’re great.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I love you.

April (Ivy):

I love you! Will you take a shot with me?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yes, I will take a shot with you.

April (Ivy):

Let’s do it. Ryan!

Brennan (Sawyer):

Ryan!

April (Ivy):

Ryan!

Brennan (Sawyer):

Another shot!

Kenzie (Ryan):

Comin’ right up!

Kenzie (MC):

Pours the shots. You see that he has a camera hooked over, around his torso. And he’s like,

Kenzie (Ryan):

Can I do one with ya?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah.

April (Ivy):

Absolutely not.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Oh, nope!

April (Ivy):

What the hell is wrong with you? You have to like support all of us tomorrow at practice. You cannot get fucked up tonight.

Kenzie (Ryan):

Uhhhhhh, okay. You’re giving weird vibes, Ives. I don’t…

April (Ivy):

Ryan, is this a place of complete savagery or do we have a lime to chase this shot with?

Kenzie (Ryan):

Uh, okay…

Kenzie (MC):

Grabs a lime from a bin under the bar top and passes it, hesitantly, to you.

Kenzie (Ryan):

I’m gonna like do a shot anyways.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Dude, Ryan, you’re like the best bartender I’ve ever had in my life.

Kenzie (Ryan):

Okay…

April (Ivy):

Ryan, you’re literally the worst.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I

’ll definitely take a shot with you.

Kenzie (Ryan):

Okay.

Kenzie (MC):

Cheers Sawyer’s glass.

Brennan (Sawyer):

P

sych! (laughs) Ivy come on let’s do a shot.

Kenzie (Ryan):

Are you fucking kidding me, man!? Fuck you!

April:

Ivy takes her shot.

April (Ivy):

Whew!

April:

And like sticks the lime in her mouth and overtly, sexually, sucks on it while making eye contact with Sawyer and then, discards it onto the bar.

Brennan:

Sawyer will lay down the shot glass, grab you by the hand.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Dude, going with the flow tonight.

April (Ivy):

Yeah.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Right?

April (Ivy):

You know, that kinda sounds nice. Going with the flow.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I’m gonna go make my rounds and then I’m gonna meet up with you.

April (Ivy):

Okay, but, if I don’t see you on the dance floor in like fifteen minutes, I will hunt you down.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Okay, shit, my timeline’s all fucked up because I think I said something about –

April (Ivy):

Okay, bye!

Brennan (Sawyer):

See ya!

Brennan:

Sawyer will strut off.

April:

Ivy actually goes around the bar and shoos Ryan away and starts making some beverages for her and Alina.

Kenzie (MC):

I think I’m going to have you make a roll. The shut someone down roll against Ryan.

April:

I got a three and then a two. Add one. Okay, six.

Kenzie (MC):

As you have insulted him and come around and tried to take his job from him.

Kenzie (Ryan):

You know what Ivy? You don’t have to be a dick about it. This wasn’t really what I was trying to do tonight anyway.

Kenzie (MC):

And slams the tequila bottle on the counter and looks over and says,

Kenzie (Ryan):

Adam! Take your job back!

Kenzie (MC):

And he walks out of the bar and Adam walks behind it. And he stands too close to you for comfort but far enough away where its not touching you. Somebody comes up and he grabs a glass – or a cup, and puts some ice in it and passes it off. And not looking at you says,

Kenzie (Adam):

See your as bossy as ever.

April (Ivy):

You know this is actually kind of an okay party so if you could like not be a dick, that would be great.

April:

Ivy keeps mixing various liquids into these glasses. At this point they’re both pink and they smell very strong. But like over the smell of the liquor, she can also smell Adam and he smells really good.

April (Ivy):

Why do you have Sawyer running around for you?

Kenzie (Adam):

He asked… he actually didn’t ask, he offered.

April (Ivy):

He offered?

Kenzie (Adam):

I thought I was just going to get a bag of drugs tonight and do my thing but he said he would take care of it ‘cause I was busy.

April (Ivy):

Are you? Busy with who?

Kenzie (Adam):

Ivy, I’m hosting the party. I’m busy.

April (Ivy):

You always were a very friendly host.

Kenzie (Adam):

I could say the same to you.

April:

She actually looks at him for the first time with a death glare but it’s not quite as intimidating just because that’s kind of how she looked at him like half the time in their relationship.

Kenzie (MC):

He meets your eyes.

Kenzie (Adam):

You look better… than you did earlier.

April:

She looks back down.

April (Ivy):

I am better.

Kenzie (Adam):

That’s quite clear. You stopped playing games, I guess.

April (Ivy):

I was never playing games with you, Adam.

April:

And then she looks up at him.

April (Ivy):

And honestly, don’t pretend you don’t miss it.

April:

And then she picks the two drinks up and goes,

April (Ivy):

Alina!

Kenzie (MC):

Alina’s coming down the tiers and just goes,

Kenzie (Alina):

Hey!

Kenzie (MC):

Waving at you. She is for some unknown fucking reason – you told her to dress slutty and she is dressed like Julianne Hough in the 2011 Footloose. It is short, jean shorts with the front pockets sticking out and a very tight and like tied across her stomach, green tanktop. Truly just completely odd vibes.

April:

Ivy approaches her, holding both of the drinks and then is just like,

April (Ivy):

What are you - what is going on?

Kenzie (Alina):

You don’t even want to know. Okay, like, my parents are being so ridiculous. You’re lucky I got out of the house tonight.

April (Ivy):

Okay, - hold – can I?

April:

And then she goes up to Alina’s tanktop and just rips the neckline open.

April (Ivy):

Okay. That’s like… better.

April:

She’s holding the drinks in her elbow and kind of like,

April (Ivy):

Okay, here, take this at least.

Kenzie (Alina):

Yeah, yeah.

April (Ivy):

Okay, great, um, do you know where Natalie is?

Kenzie (Alina):

No, I thought she would – is she not here? I mean I know you said that you weren’t with her anymore, but I guess I just thought she’d be here already.

April (Ivy):

I haven’t seen her.

Kenzie (Alina):

She hasn’t texted me. I just figured I’d see her here.

April (Ivy):

Yeah, you know what? Who cares? You’re here. I’m here. Bitch, let’s go.

Kenzie (Alina):

That’s what I like to hear!

April (Ivy):

Let’s go dance. Right now! Let’s go.

Kenzie (Alina):

Let’s go.

April (Ivy):

Okay, chug, chug, chug, let’s go.

Kenzie (MC):

She is trying so hard to chug this and while you easily just take it all in, halfway through she’s like,

Kenzie (Alina):

Okay, alright, I gotta like, whew!

April (Ivy):

No, bitch, you can do this.

April:

And Ivy like tips the bottom of the cup into her mouth.

Kenzie (MC):

Grabs your arm.

Kenzie (Alina):

Okay, okay.

Kenzie (MC):

And finished it all off.

Kenzie (Alina):

Goodness, that was very strong, girl, what are you doing to me?

April:

She like grabs her by the jaw and is like,

April (Ivy):

You are going to thank me in about ten minutes.

Kenzie (Alina):

I always do. Do you have anything else on you though?

April (Ivy):

Oh, don’t you know? I have everything you could ever want. I’m fucking Willy Wonka, bitch.

April:

And she opens her little purse again.

April (Ivy):

What were you thinking?

Kenzie (Alina):

I was thinking some E, thank you.

April:

Ivy takes it out of her purse, puts it on her own tongue, and says,

April (Ivy):

Open.

Kenzie (MC):

Alina sticks her tongue out.

April:

And they mack. They make out. Ivy and Alina are like – they do kiss often but its like the most friendly, platonic, making out. There’s definitely nothing there.

Kenzie (MC):

No one has ever tried anything past – it always ends in giggling and then you guys move on.

April:

However, at the end of this makeout, while they’re holding each other and giggling, Ivy does throw a look over her shoulder, directly into Adam’s eyes.

Kenzie (MC):

He is watching you. Angry is not – like it’s not a fierce anger look that you receive. It’s more of a amused… like it’s a seriously amused look that he gives you.

April:

I can’t help but be dissatisfied by his reaction. I wanted to piss him off more. So, I drag Alina to the dance floor.

April (Ivy):

Come on, this is why we’re here anyway.

April:

When Ivy dances, she just like commands the whole room. But also, she’s aware of everyone noticing her, but, is not self-conscious at all. She’s just extremely free and wild and there’s almost like a feral quality. She’s just like having so much fun that it’s hard to look away.

She’s also dancing in very close proximity to Alina.

Kenzie (MC):

Alina has her head bent backwards, hair swinging back, eyes closed, one hand on your shoulder, one arm in the air. I think for a second, you focus in on the length of her neck, the very, small, little pulse of the vein that you see there.

April:

Even though I just fed, I feel that pull. I want to feed again. And it throws me off for a second. I just take a shot from my flask instead.

Mads (Caleb):

Okay, so that idea that I had? If Adderall can get us two Crush and Egg games what can something a little heavier get us.

Mads:

Caleb is going to grab Sam’s head and turn them in the direction of where Sawyer is now wandering around, blitzed out of his fucking mind.

Mads (Caleb):

If I can convince him to give us some better stuff, I think we’ve made it.

Kenzie (Sam):

I don’t know what to sell that stuff for though. Like I know how much Adderall costs.

Mads (Caleb):

Well, how much does Adderall cost?

Kenzie (Sam):

Okay, so I know how much a bottle of my Adderall costs, I was going to sell each pill for twenty dollars.

Mads (Caleb):

Okay, well, what if we double it. That sounds right.

Kenzie (Sam):

For forty dollars?

Mads (Caleb):

If the Adderall is like twenty or twenty five, whatever I can get out of him would be like forty or forty-five.

Kenzie (Sam):

Understood. Okay, so not selling the Adderall for forty dollars. Caleb, I wouldn’t buy Adderall for forty dollars.

Mads (Caleb):

No, uh no, no, no. We can still sell the Adderall but if we have the other stuff then –

Kenzie (Sam):

We’re not going to be like getting in over our heads here, right? We’ve never done this.

Mads:

Caleb pauses for a moment on this little crazy train trip of a terrible multi-marketing sales scheme that he’s just devised in the past five minutes of his friend disassociating on a bench next to him.

Mads (Caleb):

No, no, like I said if Ivy can do it, if Sawyer can do it, we ‘ll be fine. And hey, no one would expect it from us.

Kenzie (Sam):

Do you want me to do the talking with Sawyer? Or are you going to do the talking with Sawyer?

Mads:

He takes in a deep breath.

Mads (Caleb):

I can do it.

Kenzie (Sam):

Do you want back up? I’ll come. I’ll come and I’ll stand like a bodyguard. Arms crossed.

Mads (Caleb):

Yeah, um, mmm.

Kenzie (Sam):

I look intimidating. I mean I can’t see myself but this makes me feel powerful.

Mads (Caleb):

I love you and you are such a wonderful person and I say this with all of that love in my heart, you’re not very intimidating. What you are – what you are though! Is an amazing yes-man.

Kenzie (Sam):

That’s true. Alright, let’s go!

Mads:

He like reaches forward and lightly claps his palm against Sam’s and goes,

Mads (Caleb):

Go team.

April:

At that moment, Ivy screams across the dance floor and goes,

April (Ivy):

Sawyer! Your fifteen minutes are up, slut!

Brennan:

Sawyer will finish off this conversation and kind of give a cool little handshake kind of grip with somebody and slip something off to them. Even if its not playing, he’s hearing some sort of Duran-Duran or The The and he starts doing the running man, really well, into the dance floor.

Mads:

I am going to wedge myself between Sawyer and the dance floor so that I am taking up the entirety of his line of vision and fix him with just a very intense stare and my mouth set ina firm line.

Brennan:

As soon as you get in front of Sawyer, just by coincidence has closed his eyes and is now doing the thriller sideways.

Mads (Caleb):

Sawyer.

Brennan:

Doesn’t notice. Keeps going.

Mads (Caleb):

Hey, hey!

Mads:

And I’m going to reach out, hold onto his shoulder.

Brennan:

Sawyer snaps out of the dance.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Oh, you!

Mads (Caleb):

Me.

Kenzie (Sam):

And me!

Brennan:

Sawyer goes in for a hug.

Mads (Caleb):

Ooh, um…

Brennan (Sawyer):

Oh my gosh! It’s great to see you.

Mads (Caleb):

We have the same homeroom.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Well, yeah, I know but like, it’s great to see you here.

Brennan:

Takes off the ski mask.

Mads (Caleb):

Let me see that.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Should I keep it back on? Is it cooler?

Mads (Caleb):

No.

Mads:

I’m gonna take it and then hand it off to Sam.

Kenzie (Sam):

Do you want me to put it on?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, put it on.

Mads (Caleb):

Oh, Sam.

Brennan (Sawyer):

See, I knew it looked cool and menacing like if you were – if someone came up to me and they were wearing that I’d be like, “Woah, I’m about to take them seriously.”

Kenzie (Sam):

So like if somebody came up to you wearing this, you would buy drugs from them?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yes. Did we just become best friends?

Kenzie (Sam):

I have an offer for you.

Brennan (Sawyer):

What, whats, what?

Kenzie (MC):

Sam pulls out an Adderall pill.

Kenzie (Sam):

Twenty dollars.

Brennan:

Sawyer still elation on his face but gets a little more serious.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Good luck selling it at twenty.

Kenzie (Sam):

Is that not a good price?

Brennan (Sawyer):

I mean, I’m selling fifteen per pill and then forty for a triple.

Mads (Caleb):

Shit. Listen to me for a minute.

Mads:

And Caleb’s going to lean into his space a bit more.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Your hair looks so good.

Mads (Caleb):

Thank you. Yours looks –

Mads:

I

’m going to lean forward and mess with his hair a little bit because it got all fuffed up whenever I took off – whenever the ski mask came off.

Mads (Caleb):

There. You look good now.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Thanks.

Mads (Caleb):

Yeah any- anytime. Look. We’re new at this and you’re not.

Brennan (Sawyer):

At like partying?

Mads (Caleb):

At the –

Kenzie (Sam):

selling of drugs.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, Imma be honest, guys, like might not be the night.

Mads (Caleb):

Why not?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Well, you know, Master Kush has kinda got – he’s got his fingers all over this spot. I don’t think he’d be super stoked to hear somebody else is intruding on the space.

Kenzie (MC):

Sawyer, you feel a hand on your shoulder and Caleb you can see this, not much taller than you, but a more mature face with a little bit of stubble.

Kenzie (Master Kush):

Yeah, don’t think he would be, guys.

Brennan:

Sawyer, slowly turns.

Brennan (Sawyer):

MK, what’s up, man?

Kenzie (Master Kush):

How you doing Sawyer?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Pretty good, we’re making good profit.

Kenzie (Master Kush):

Yeah?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah I think you’re going to be really happy.

Kenzie (Master Kush):

Wouldn’t love to be disappointed.

Brennan (Sawyer):

After, after this party, I mean, we’ll talk at The Tunnel. It’ll be - you’ll be real pleased.

Kenzie (Master Kush):

Alright. This is halfway to an apology I suppose.

Kenzie (MC):

Looks up at Caleb. Nods. Looks over to Sam. Nods.

Kenzie (Master Kush):

I’d be careful where you are selling my product.

Kenzie (Sam):

Uh… these aren’t yours. These are mine. Yep! Brought ‘em from home.

Brennan:

The whole time, Sawyer has his hand in his pocket on the switchblade.

Mads:

Caleb’s going to – he sets his jaw a little bit and has watched this interaction of the physical contact of Master Kush placing his hand on Sawyer. The tension that’s snapped through the other kid’s body. He’ going to square his shoulders, roll them back a little bit and cant his head to the side and say,

Mads (Caleb):

We’re doing just fine here.

Mads:

And level Master Kush with a burning stare.

Kenzie (MC):

His eyes narrow and he looks at you intently.

Kenzie (Master Kush):

Welcome back, baby Moore. Lot of things have changed.

Mads (Caleb):

Oh? Enlighten me.

Kenzie (Master Kush):

It’s what happens when you’re gone for so long. You’ve made some changes though too.

Mads (Caleb):

What can I say? I’m getting back on my feet again.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Hey, guys, it’s cool! Let’s just like – it’s a party, let’s have a good time. Caleb, let’s go chill over here. MK –

Kenzie (Master Kush):

Meet me up with the bags empty.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, totally.

Brennan:

And I will attempt to usher Sam and Caleb with me.

Kenzie (Sam):

That guys like really intense. Oh my god!

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, uh, hey are you good?

Mads (Caleb):

I’m fine, Sawyer. Don’t I look fine.

Mads:

He looks at you now and there is something behind his eyes that is almost like turning a little bit.

Brennan:

You can see in Sawyer’s eyes as he stares into yours, almost stress tears. They’re starting to well up a tiny bit.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Listen, it’s all good. Why do you guys want to sell drugs.

Mads:

He comes back to himself a little bit. Shakes his head.

Mads (Caleb):

The game. The sequel.

Brennan (Sawyer):

(gasps)

Mads (Caleb):

We need to afford it. So, this sounded like the next best option.

Kenzie (Sam):

Pretty much the first option that came into our brains actually.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Listen, all the money, it’s going straight into – it’s going into a Venmo account. So, I’ll take what you guys got and I’ll just sell those for cash and I’ll give it back to you. It’s for a good cause. Trust me, I’ve already saved up enough for it. So, I’ll help out.

Mads (Caleb):

Sawyer are you okay?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah! I’m good. I just – I’m good. I’m good.

Kenzie (MC):

You see big, dilated eyes, and a little slur to the words as he speaks and the tears that are welling up.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Hey! Ivy’s about to get mad at me. I don’t want – I gotta go dance for a bit. Do you guys want to meet up later? I can take what you got and then I’ll just – where are you guys going to be hanging out? Are you posting up somewhere?

Kenzie (Sam):

We were going to start mingling, I think. Caleb, yeah?

Mads (Caleb):

Yeah. We’re going to mingle.

Brennan (Sawyer):

We can meet up at the end by where everyone’s shits at the picnic tables.

Kenzie (Sam):

Well, we were going to leave in like forty minutes.

Mads (Caleb):

We weren’t leaving in forty minutes. We’ll be here.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Okay, cool, yeah, the DJs going to show up in like thirty or something. So, yeah, you guys should stay.

Mads (Caleb):

We’re going to stay.

Mads:

I look at Sam.

Mads (Caleb):

We’re going to stay.

Kenzie (Sam):

Yeah, yeah, we’re staying. We were always going to stay!

Kenzie (MC):

Big thumbs up.

Mads (Caleb):

Go find, Ivy. She has no patience.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, well, here I’ll take what you guys got.

Kenzie (Sam):

So, twenty dollars per pill, yeah?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Let – no – don’t worry. You guys will have enough. I know how much it costs.

Kenzie (Sam):

Oh, we haven’t really met officially.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Oh!

Kenzie (MC):

Sam puts their hand out.

Kenzie (Sam):

I’m Sam.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Oh my god! I’m such an ass. Yeah, I’m Sawyer.

Kenzie (Sam):

Yeah, I mean like I know (chuckle) I know you but we’ve never met met so –

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, you seem cool!

Kenzie (Sam):

Oh, well thanks. That’s nice of you.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, if you like Crush and Egg you’re probably really cool but uh, alright guys, I’m seriously, literally about to get my throat torn out so I’m gonna go dance.

Mads (Caleb):

I don’t think you need to worry about that tonight.

Brennan:

Sawyer just gives you a wink and then walks off towards Ivy.

Kenzie (Sam):

Is Sawyer being threatened? What does that mean?

Mads:

Caleb balls up his hands into little fists and pushes his nails into the meaty part of his palms and they make little, tiny crescents there.

Mads (Caleb):

I don’t know. Something’s not right. Where’s Master Kush now?

Kenzie (MC):

Looks like he had walked from the bar through the dance floor and is going away from the dance floor.

Mads:

I watch him walk away until I can’t quite see his figure anymore and I let out a breath that almost holds in my chest for a minute and then shake my hands out to let that energy release.

Mads (Caleb):

It’s okay that we stay longer, right? I don’t know where that came from.

Kenzie (Sam):

That’s okay! I mean I’m the one who wanted to come and I was saying an hour so you would come with me so I’m fine.

Mads (Caleb):

I know, I kinda –

Kenzie (Sam):

Yeah, you just blurted that.

Mads (Caleb):

Yeah, I really super did. Should we get a drink? I think that helps relax you, right? Especially somewhere like this. If we’re walking around with drinks in our hand, I think people will want to talk to us more, right?

Kenzie (Sam):

I have had in my life a total of like one, teeny-tiny, teeny-tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny sip of red wine one time at dinner at Thanksgiving because my grandmother thought it was grape juice.

Mads (Caleb):

One time I drank and entire six pack because Adam convinced me it was the new kind of root beer and then I barfed on myself. So, you know, both of our track records are kind of the same.

Kenzie (Sam):

Yeah, it didn’t taste good so I hope they don’t have red wine here.

Mads (Caleb):

No, I don’t think they do. It’s bound to be better than whatever we’ve had, right?

Kenzie (Sam):

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Mads (Caleb):

I mean people like to drink alcohol, it probably tastes really good. It’s just we’ve had the wrong kind.

Kenzie (Sam):

You know what? I never even thought about that, but you’re right.

Mads (Caleb):

Yeah, no, it totally makes sense. Why else would anyone want to drink it?

Kenzie (MC):

As you guys are heading towards the bar, you hear this big jock guy - Cal Finnigan, who is a senior on the hockey team – you see him put his hands around his mouth and shout up to where everybody entered the party.

Kenzie (Cal Finnigan):

Hey! Yeah, it’s alright! Losers are welcome too!

Kenzie (MC):

And you see at the top is the entirety of the football team coming in together.

Mads (Caleb):

(groans) It’s like a turf war between two different kinds of meatheads.

Kenzie (Sam):

I would love to not have any altercations with any of them so honestly, I’m very, very, very, very glad that Sawyer has the drugs.

Mads (Caleb):

You know, it’s a win-win, I think. That worked out much better than I thought.

Kenzie (Sam):

Yeah, I would love to stay as far away from them as possible.

Mads (Caleb):

Let’s do that.

Brennan:

Sawyer gets up to where Ivy is, turns around and sees the football team and is like,

Brennan (Sawyer):

Oh shit! Ivy, fifteen more minutes.

April (Ivy):

Are you fucking kidding me, Sawyer!?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Dude, this is the best timing. I gotta go get these guys.

Kenzie (Alina):

That’s okay! Be a party pooper, Sawyer!

April:

Ivy over dramatically almost screams as he leaves and then she searches the crowd for Natalie.

Kenzie (MC):

You don’t see her.

April:

I look around for Naia.

Kenzie (MC):

You see her sitting up on the third tier, just feet dangling over, and she’s just looking through her phone. It does look like she has a cup sitting on the stone next to her.

April:

I smile and then I look over at Alina and touch her shoulder and I go,

April (Ivy):

Are you good for like a second?

Kenzie (Alina):

I was just waiting for you to say you were going to go say hi to her, so yes, go!

April (Ivy):

Oh my god, shut up! Okay, okay, I’m going. I’m going.

Brennan:

You get a vibration on your phone.

April:

I check it.

Brennan:

It’s from Sawyer and it’s a voice message.

April (Ivy):

Jesus, fuck.

April:

I play it and hold it close to my ears and hope that my really great hearing will help but even though I can hear it, the recording is simply unintelligible.

April (Ivy):

Use your words idiot. As if I could hear that in here. Also brb, hot goth girl time.

April:

And then I just drop my phone back in my purse and make my way over to Naia.

Kenzie (MC):

She has her phone and you kinda look over and you see that she is scrolling through Instagram stories. It doesn’t look like she’s really watching them. It looks like she’s clicking through them so they don’t come up as new on her feed anymore. She raises an eyebrow and looks at you.

Kenzie (Naia):

Hey.

April (Ivy):

I didn’t think you’d actually show up.

Kenzie (Naia):

Well, there’s not much else to do in Wildmoore on a Friday night.

April (Ivy):

You know, you’re not wrong. But, uh, Adam said you were going to be telling people’s fortunes.

Kenzie (MC):

She closes her eyes and winces.

Kenzie (Naia):

Yeah, he came up with that himself. Um, I am not –

April (Ivy):

(chuckles)

Kenzie (Naia):

Doing that.

April (Ivy):

Yeah, I figured.

Kenzie (Naia):

He is quite something.

April (Ivy):

Yeah, uh, that’s a good word for it.

Kenzie (Naia):

Give you props for putting up with that for so long.

April:

Ivy kind of like looks down for a second. She does not want to be talking about Adam really any longer.

April (Ivy):

Yeah, I mean, you know! We all make mistakes. I’m actually trying to make a few if you’re going to be around for a while.

Kenzie (Naia):

You gotta get a new line.

April (Ivy):

Yeah, you know, it’s been a little while.

Kenzie (Naia):

It worked once, I guess I could let it work once more.

April (Ivy):

Do you want to split a tab with me?

Kenzie (Naia):

I – yeah, yeah, sure. I’m usually just a weed kind of girl but why not?

April (Ivy):

I mean it’s no pressure but could be fun.

Kenzie (Naia):

I guess we’ll see.

April:

Ivy reached into her teeny-tiny purse and pulls out another tab. This time she rips it in half before she puts it on her own tongue. And then gently touches the bottom of Naia’s chin and she just says

April (Ivy):

Open.

Kenzie (MC):

She does. She sticks her tongue out a little bit.

April:

Ivy kisses her.

Kenzie (MC):

Roll to turn someone on.

April:

Nine.

Kenzie (MC):

And in that moment that you put your finger under her chin, you had forgotten from the last time you had probably drunkenly made out, that she has a tongue ring. Just a little reminder as you go in to kiss her. But she kisses you back. She’s leaning into you more, has the hand on the back of your head and her fingers are twisted in the hair at the nape of your neck.

April:

I pull away just half an inch just to swallow the tab.

Kenzie (MC):

As you do, she glances down at the dance floor and she says,

Kenzie (Naia):

He is looking if that’s what you want to know.

April:

I don’t look towards him. I just grin and say,

April (Ivy):

Perfect.

April:

And start making out with her again.

Kenzie (MC):

Caleb and Sam were going up to the bar. You see that Adam is behind the bar, looking distracted. As you near, you watch him slam a glass onto the bar top. It shatters. And its like he doesn’t even see you and he storms off.

Mads:

I don’t even bother to look at whatever it is that he is going toward. The opportunity of him being gone and taking whatever is here, is way more important. I am going to start grabbing at bottles, at cups, at anything that is within reaching distance of me. Shoving things into Sam’s hands -

Kenzie (MC):

Glasses clink together as they’re trying to hold them all.

Kenzie (Sam):

Do we really need all of this?

Mads:

And then quickly moving the two of us the hell away from here.

Mads (Caleb):

I do not want to come back here if Adam is the one that is the bartender tonight.

Kenzie (Sam):

Do you think we should sell this instead of the drugs?

Mads (Caleb):

I think maybe the whole selling thing is a total bust and we should just leave that to people who are much more experienced. I don’t know what got in me before but what’s going to get in us is… these bottles. This.

Kenzie (Sam):

Okay, okay. Uh, yeah, let’s just go.

Kenzie (MC):

As you guys are going, Sam pulls up really quick and stop you with his elbow because you see Terry, the morning announcement anchor, slamming backward across the stone floor here and you see the quarterback of the football team, bearing down on him. Right in front of your face you hear,

Kenzie (Quarterback):

Yeah? Well you jinxed us.

Kenzie (MC):

And the quarterback rears back and punches Terry across the face. There this loud gasp across the crowd and the music is still pumping but everyone on the dance floor has stopped dancing and is watching this happen. People have their phones out and are recording it. Terry has fallen onto his ass, hand over his face where he was just punched.

Kenzie (Quarterback):

Yeah, that’s what you get. Because do you know how we feel after you made fun of us all morning? And then we did end up losing. And then you just want to come here and rub it in our face?

Kenzie (MC):

And he’s got other guys on the team backing him up.

Mads:

Everything in Caleb’s brain starts to backpedal for a moment and here’s this distant voice and its himself saying, “Ignore it. Just let it happen. At least it’s not you.” And then there’s something else that sort of trips over itself in his brain that’s almost like this violent, screeching, howling and he barks

Mads (Caleb):

Hey! Get off him! What the fuck are you doing!?

Mads:

And he starts to, all the bottles that he’s holding, he unloads as much as he can off to Sam and drops one in the process but is moving forward directly into this line of fire.

Kenzie (Quarterback):

Stay out of this, dude! It doesn’t concern you.

Kenzie (MC):

And Terry’s like.

Kenzie (Terry):

Man, it was just a joke! Man, take a joke.

Kenzie (MC):

And the guys is still bearing down on him.

Mads:

I am pulling forward faster now. This adrenaline that has come out of nowhere kicking up in me and spurring my muscles on.

Kenzie (MC):

He’s reaching down and grabbing Terry by the shirt and lifting him up and pulling back to punch him again.

Mads:

I’d like to tackle him please.

Kenzie (MC):

Alright I think that’s a lash out roll.

Mads:

So, I rolled an eight. My volatile is plus two so that’s a ten.

Kenzie (MC):

You’re a tall kid so you’re roughly the same height but he is bulkier than you. It doesn’t really matter, you have the adrenaline coursing through your veins and you run up and jump on his back and grab him around the neck and pull him down with you.

Mads:

As I am grappling with him and trying to pull him just this way and that off of Terry.

Mads (Caleb):

You seriously think you can control something like you being a piece of shit. Come one.

Kenzie (Quarterback):

Dude, get off me! This has nothing to do with you!

Kenzie (MC):

You don’t know if he’s trying to swing at you or if he’s just trying to get you off of him but his arm does come up and connect with your noise.

Mads:

Whenever it comes up there’s this firework display behind Caleb’s eyes and he moves back into place and says,

Mads (Caleb):

It is now!

Mads:

I’m going to fucking punch this guy in the face.

Kenzie (MC):

Alright, roll me another lash out.

Mads:

That is a five and a six so it is an eleven plus two for volatile. That is a thirteen. I’m at his back, one arm in front of him sort of barring his shoulders into place and the other one is trying to hold around where his neck is. I am going to rake my nails across his face, enough to get him to slacken in my grasp, before using the other arm to spin him around and then deck him in the neck. I want him to gasp.

Kenzie (MC):

You see that your nails have ripped lines in his face. Blood is trickling down. And as you spin him around and connect with his windpipe, and you hear a crack. You hear,

Kenzie (Quarterback):

(choking, gasping, sounds)

Kenzie (MC):

There’s another loud gasp and he’s clutching at his throat and trying to take in breath.

Mads:

I am standing there, both of my hands balled up next to me, breathing heavy, heaving in these gasps of air and my face pinches back in a way that when I open up my mouth again, its like my teeth have elongated slightly. There’s this rapid, manic, look in my eye as the pupils are narrowing down and I’m staring at him, waiting for him to make another move.

Mads (Caleb):

Is that it?

Brennan:

Sawyer, when he sees that, texts Adam

Brennan (Sawyer):

You need to get over to this spot. ASAP

Kenzie (MC):

A couple of the guys get down to lift him up. His head is lolling like he’s passing out. Just some random person in the crowd says, “Call an ambulance!” And Terry next to you is like,

Kenzie (Terry):

Dude, did you break his neck… what the hell.

Kenzie (MC):

His football friends are just looking at you, a little scared, and a little confused about how this ended the way it did. Cal Finnigan who had originally yelled up to them and insulted them on their way in, comes over and shoves them and is like,

Kenzie (Cal):

Alright, time for you guys to fucking leave.

Kenzie:

One of the guys goes, “Do you see him? He’s not going to be able to play! He can hardly breathe right now!”

Mads (Caleb):

Oh please, he could barely play to begin with.

Kenzie (MC):

Another one of the guys is like, “Oh yeah, you want to say that again?”

April:

At this point, we stopped kissing pretty immediately when the fight broke out and I was watching Caleb carefully.

Kenzie (Naia):

Is that – did Caleb just deck that dude?

April (Ivy):

Hey Naia?

Kenzie (Naia):

Yeah.

April (Ivy):

I have to go do something real quick but I promise, I will be right back.

Kenzie (Naia):

Okay.

April (Ivy):

Yeah, sorry. This isn’t about you. You’re great.

April:

And she runs away in her heels.

April (Ivy):

No, you’re great. I’ll be right back!

April:

As she approaches, she hears the last few insults there.

April (Ivy):

He didn’t break his fuckng neck, guys. Look at him. He’s fine.

April:

And she glances at how he is still alive and breathing.

April (Ivy):

Look, nobody call the fucking ambulance. Nobody call the fucking cops. Just get the fuck out of here, okay?

April:

She tries to manipulate him.

Kenzie (MC):

Yeah, he chokes in a breath and the heels of his feet start working at the ground as he tries to kick himself up even though the guys are holding him.

Kenzie (Quarterback):

It wasn’t even worth coming here, guys. (coughs) Let’s just fucking go.

Kenzie (MC):

And they all turn to leave.

April:

Ivy makes sure that they are actually leaving and then whips around on Caleb, grabs his arm, and drags him away from the spectator circle.

Brennan:

Sawyer follows them.

April:

I pull him all the way to the edge of the quarry, like against the stone. Shove him against the wall. I get really close and I hiss at him.

April (Ivy):

What the fuck do you think you’re doing?

Mads:

This whole time Caleb – everything, all of his sense narrowed into that and even when Ivy was dragging him away from it, his eyes just watching the retreating forms of the football team. Knocking him into the stone reset something for a second and he comes back for a little bit and you see those narrow, narrow pupils start to widen back and there’s a flicker of proper recognition now whereas he was kind of going on auto pilot for a minute.

Mads (Caleb):

What? What? Get off me! What are you doing?

April (Ivy):

Um, I’m trying to save your ass here.

Mads (Caleb):

I don’t need saving, Ivy.

April (Ivy):

If it wasn’t for me, you were about to just expose yourself in front of the entire fucking school.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Uh, that was awesome! Oh my gosh.

Brennan:

Sawyer walks up.

April:

Ivy rolls her eyes but does not look at Sawyer. She’s still watching Caleb.

April (Ivy):

Sawyer, do you think you could be slightly more helpful in this situation?

Brennan (Sawyer):

What? Uh, yeah. I mean, was it not awesome?

April (Ivy):

I don’t know. Caleb, do you think that was awesome? Do you feel awesome about what you just did?

Mads (Caleb):

Why do you do that? That thing?

April (Ivy):

What are you talking about?

Mads (Caleb):

Where you make it sound like I’m an idiot who doesn’t acknowledge any of his (sighs)… whatever. I’m fine. They left, okay? Thank you, Ivy.

April:

Ivy half smiles but the intensity is not gone from her eyes.

April (Ivy):

You’re welcome, Caleb.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Hey, hey, guys, I mean, listen, it all worked out. Uh, you know, Caleb you stood up for somebody and that was cool. That’s what was awesome. I mean, its all good, right? We’re all good.

Mads (Caleb):

Where is Terry? Is he – is he okay? Wait… did he?

Mads:

I’m going to look around and see if I can actually find the poor kid.

Kenzie (MC):

You see that somebody has brought him over to the bar he’s leaning against it and he’s got this rag of ice pressed up against his face.

April:

Ivy also looks over at him and clocks that he’s bleeding. At this point she realizes that her hands are in Caleb’s shirt and that there is also blood on his shirt. She lets go of him really suddenly and backs up.

April (Ivy):

I’m going to go get some air actually.

April:

And then doesn’t say bye and darts away.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Uh…

Brennan:

Sawyer darts his eyes between the two of them. Looks at Caleb.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Are you good?

Mads (Caleb):

I’m fine, Sawyer. Thank you.

Brennan:

I will hand you some cash.

Brennan (Sawyer):

At least I got this before all that happened. It’s from them so… I don’t know if that changes if you want the money but its probably – they paid twice then I guess.

Mads (Caleb):

Yeah, yeah, I guess they were good for something while they were here.

Brennan (Sawyer):

That was awesome. I’m just saying.

Mads (Caleb):

You think so?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah. Yeah. I, uh, do you think we could chat about this another time? I just want to make sure Ivy’s like not gonna like go on a rampage you know what I mean?

Mads (Caleb):

Yeah, um, thanks.

Mads:

I’m gonna reach out and take the money and my hand holds there for a minute. There’s this little squeeze almost before I’m pulling the money away. And bowing my head down, almost like I’m bashful, and then scratching at the back of my neck.

Mads (Caleb):

Go, go get, Ivy.

Brennan:

Sawyer taps you on the arm and says,

Brennan (Sawyer):

Respond to my texts.

Brennan:

And then runs off.

Mads (Caleb):

Stupid.

Mads:

I’m gonna see if I can find Sam now.

April:

I am stalking through the crowd. This whole night I have been very on ten. People have noticed that Ivy is a little more magnetic thatn usual, a little more intimidating than usual, but something is now off about it and the attractive factor has multiplied but not nearly as much as the intimidating factor. People are parting as she walks through them. She can see they are feeling afraid for some reason and she knows they don’t know why. She is heading back towards Naia but her heart is beating realy fast and she is starting to feel the effect of some of the drugs she has taken that night so things are a little soft around the edges and her cheeks are very warm and pink.

Brennan:

I think Sawyer would be running or half jogging after you. Right before you get to Naia, you feel his hand clasp yours. And then he keeps moving.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Come on.

April (Ivy):

What?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Come on.

April (Ivy):

Okay, okay, what? Where are you taking me?

Brennan (Sawyer):

We’re going to go get some air.

April (Ivy):

Okay, fine, but I have a hot goth girl to get back to.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I know I saw it. Somebody posted a TikTok and you were on there. You were makkng out with her.

April (Ivy):

A TikTok?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, you work fast.

April (Ivy):

Jesus Christ.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I’m sure were gonna see that fight too. Uh, come on.

April:

I make eye contact with Naia and wave sort of like, “Ugh, sorry,” and gesture towards Sawyer draggin me away.

Kenzie (MC):

I think you can probably see if from here. She raises her eyebrows and gives you a face of like, “I’m not surprised.”

April:

I manage to wink at her before I get dragged away.

Brennan:

Sawyer will take you through the party and will continue to lead you up and out of the initial quarry and more towards where those picnic tables are above.

April:

Ivy is kind of pacing. She shakes off Sawyer’s hand once they get to the picnic tables.

Brennan:

Sawyer will take you now, by the cheeks,

Brennan (Sawyer):

Hey, dude, you good?

April (Ivy):

Yeah, I mean, I’m, uh, tripping balls relatively for me. I don’t know. I Don’t know. I just – I don’t feel very in control right now. This whole – that whole thing with Caleb. I don’t know. It threw me off for some reason. I don’t know. I don’t know what’s happening.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I get it. I think we probably each maybe still feel a little protective but we also gotta kinda help each other out.

April (Ivy):

Look I didn’t do that because I felt protective over him, okay? I did that because he was about to expose – look, we are being watched by every single kid in there. If Caleb’s going to be a fucking idiot, I have to do something about it. It doesn’t have anything to do with him.

Brennan:

Sawyer will take out the switchblade.

April (Ivy):

Jesus Christ.

Brennan:

And it is fully knocked out and he puts it on the picnic table.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I was, uh, also ready to step in. And listen, I don’t really get it to the extent that you guys do. But you’re not alone in that.

April (Ivy):

I know. I know. Seeing Caleb lose control like that, it made me – I don’t know! I don’t think I want to be in control anymore. At least not like how I have been. I want –

April:

And Ivy sits down hard on the grass and puts her head in her hands and half screams.

April (Ivy):

I just want so much.

April:

And she doesn’t know what else to say. She just looks up at Sawyer.

Brennan:

And Sawyer will also take out his phone and put it on the picnic table. Presses a button on his phone, clicks the volume up, up, up, and “Careless Whisper” starts to play and Sawyer will walk over and extend his hand.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Well I know I kinda dodged you to sell some drugs so maybe we take a little air here and I’ll get a dance.

April:

Ivy looks up at him and now her pupils are also blown. As frustrated as she is, she also grins and puts her hands in his, but only because this song is great.

Brennan:

Sawyer will start doing like the snake. Like just total – every move is just an eighties dance move. The like Roger Rabbit fucking like all these different moves and starts to take your hands and starts to just have you dance with him and guides you through a bunch of silly, half-assed break dances. Eventually he’ll try and pull you in.

April:

Ivy actually laughs out loud at these dance moves and is not embarrassed to do them alongside him. For a moment she feels extremely normal. So when Sawyer pulls her in close, she lays her head on his shoulder.

April (Ivy):

This is really nice. It’s also nice of you to do this. I’m sorry.

Brennan (Sawyer):

We’re best friends. What else am I good for?

April:

Ivy has her head on his shoulder and against her forehead she can feel the pulse in his neck. She grips his shirt.

April (Ivy):

Yeah, of course. You’re my best friend too.

April:

Her mouth floods with saliva.

April (Ivy):

Yeah, Sawyer. Whew.

April:

Starts breathing heavily.

Kenzie (MC):

You feel this change in her body. It’s been five, almost six years now since she had even brought up the possibility. When you had offered it previously, she had been quite angry that you would consider that as a thing that could happen even though it was something that happened when you guys were kids so often – it just seemed like a thing that you did. You can tell that she is not going to ask now.

Brennan:

Sawyer will take your hand that’s gripped onto his shirt and will move it up to the pulse on his neck.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Whatever you need.

April (Ivy):

Are you sure?

Brennan (Sawyer):

It’s not like it’s the first time. It was something about us I kinda miss. It was nice to be able to be helpful.

April:

Ivy looks him dead in his eyes and is like,

April (Ivy):

Yeah, it isn’t the first time but it’s different now. It might feel different now.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I don’t think it really matters.

April:

Ivy is like hyper-aware of the pulse of blood on her hand and between being so close to so many humans tonight and the smell of the blood and now this, even though she would normally never consider it, she takes his hand and lick a stripe up his palm. As she does so, she like cuts his palm with one of her teeth and starts to feed.

Brennan:

I think Sawyer would allow Ivy to get what she needs. If she becomes too intense, or over-bearing, or moves away from the hand, I think then he would have some sort of reaction.

April:

Ivy is very lost in this feeding. She’s pretty high at this point and she hasn’t fed on Sawyer in so long. She hasn’t fed on someone she really loves probably since Adam. This warm feeling of intimacy and love and safety washes over her as well as being the second time that she’s fed in one day, which she has not done in years either. All of this mixes into this heady, wild, colorful, high. She rips Sawyer’s hand away from her mouth and grabs him by the head and presses their foreheads together and laughs.

April (Ivy):

Holy fuck, man.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I feel a little light-headed. Is that the drugs or is that this?

April (Ivy):

I think that’s this.

April:

And then she checks in on his eyes for a second.

April (Ivy):

You taste amazing.

April:

Goes to kiss him.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I think I’m gonna pass out.

Brennan:

And he starts to fall.

April:

Ivy catches him.

April (Ivy):

Oh my god, oh my god. Holy. Oh my god. I’m so sorry. Jesus Christ.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah, it’s been awhile.

April:

She slowly lowers him to the ground, basically holding all of his weight.

Kenzie (MC):

You also get a headrush, Ivy. Of all of the drugs that Sawyer had taken as well, flooding into your system.

Brennan (Sawyer):

(singing) I’m never gonna dance again.

April (Ivy):

Okay, Sawyer, you’re actually freaking me out now. Are you like good?

April:

She lifts up his eyelid.

April (Ivy):

Sawyer?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah. Yeah! What?

April (Ivy):

Uh-huh. God, I don’t… do you need like water or something?

Brennan (Sawyer):

I think I need Adderall.

April (Ivy):

Oh, I have that! Do you need – do you want that –

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeah.

April (Ivy):

- now?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yeup.

April (Ivy):

Okay, cool, yeah. Uh-huh.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Yep, right now.

Brennan:

And I’ll swallow the Adderall.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Ooooh, I’ve dry swallowed so much today.

Brennan:

Look at the blood on my hand.

Brennan (Sawyer):

No that’s not a good, that’s not a good chaser. My own blood.

April (Ivy):

No, no, let’s not – you don’t – you don’t want to do that.

Brennan (Sawyer):

How are you feeling?

April (Ivy):

I feel –

April:

And Ivy sits up and looks around at this glowing, colorful, soft world around her.

April (Ivy):

I feel amazing.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Well, that kinda hurt. Kinda felt good.

April (Ivy):

How are you feeling? Like about –

Brennan (Sawyer):

You gonna leave me hanging? Give me a high five.

April:

Ivy high fives him back. She kinda squints.

April (Ivy):

This isn’t like weird right?

Brennan (Sawyer):

I think it’s only weird if we decide that its weird. I don’t feel weird.

April (Ivy):

I don’t feel weird either.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Then it’s not weird.

April (Ivy):

Not weird.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Should we…?

April (Ivy):

Yeah, are you… can you stand? Do you want me – I can carry you.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Okay, yeah, let’s do that. I’m kinda curious.

April (Ivy):

Okay, sick.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Holy shit, you’re strong as fuck.

Kenzie (MC):

As you are carrying Sawyer, you glance to your left and you make eyes with Natalie.

April:

I see Natalie. How does she look, like emotionally?

Kenzie (MC):

She’s looking at you confused and as if something had been confirmed to her.

April:

I don’t tell Sawyer that I see her and I continue to carry Sawyer towards the party.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Fucking on the dance floor.

April (Ivy):

Yeah?

Brennan (Sawyer):

I’m ready. I’m ready to get into it.

April (Ivy):

Let’s do it!

Brennan (Sawyer):

Let’s fucking go.

April:

Ivy does carry him all the way into the center of the dance floor and then like drops him. She starts dancing closer to him than she did before. It’s not like how she would dance on other people but it is more intimate than it was before.

Kenzie (MC):

Caleb, after they leave you, you go searching for Sam. You hear,

Kenzie (Sam):

You know, they, he, but never she!

Kenzie (MC):

And you see this person standing over them, looking at them as they are laid flat on their back and all the bottles are in a pile. And there are a couple cans rolling around. And you see this person go, “Thanks for letting me know, I jus wanted to know if I could have some.

Mads:

I take in this fucking scene of my best friend, who I for a moment in time had forgotten about and then immediately was so worried that I had abandoned them. And what would have happened to them, what they would have thought about. And then it comes back to me. Eh, it’s Sam. I approach the table and look over to this other kid that’s there and then fish around and find one of the bottles that is mostly empty, but just has a little bit in there, I fish it out and hand it over to them.

Mads (Caleb):

You can have this one.

Kenzie (MC):

“Thanks. They seem like they need maybe to go home.”

Mads (Caleb):

They’re fine.

Kenzie (MC):

“Alright.” And unscrews it and chugs it down. “Thanks!” Walks off.

Mads:

I look down at Sam.

Mads (Caleb):

You still in there?

Kenzie (Sam):

Yeah. I had those seltzer things and they were berry flavored

Mads (Caleb):

Oh my –

Kenzie (Sam):

But here’s the thing, okay, so it only happened because like you and your other friends went off and then I just had all this shit and I didn’t know what to do with it and I also didn’t know what to do with myself, so I was like, well Caleb and I were going to try to drink this anyway so I might as well just do that. And I got two down…

Mads (Caleb):

Sam, this is you on two hard seltzers?

Kenzie (Sam):

I could’ve anticipated that I would be the lightest of weights. And I am. Because let me tell you something Caleb, when I drank that little, tiny, tiny, tiny sip of not grape juice, I think I blacked out.

Mads:

I am going to sit next to where Sam is laying and reach down into the pile of alcohol. And I don’t know enough about anything really, just that you drink it so I’m just going to fish out something random. I pull up a bottle. It’s kinda like a brownish, amber color to it. I crack open the cap that’s there and take a sniff of it and peel back for a minute as it overwhelms me entirely.

Mads (Caleb):

Well, it sounds like I need to catch up to you pretty quickly then.

Kenzie (Sam):

You should do that.

Mads:

I’m going to try to take a mouthful of it, not understanding that I should probably try this in a shot instead. I hold it in my mouth and the taste burns by cheeks and my tongue. I almost gag on it but then I kinda buckle in and force myself to swallow it down and then immediately start coughing.

Kenzie (Sam):

That didn’t happen to me because these were actually good alcohols.

Mads (Caleb):

Oh, no, well, it’s too late now to go back. This is not – this is not what I had planned for this night at all. None of this was supposed to happen.

Kenzie (Sam):

Yeah, so I actually think that I had it in my brain that you were non-confrontational. But I saw you tackle a man and punch him in throat. Which is not something I think I ever anticipated my best friend doing.

Mads (Caleb):

What do you think of it now?

Kenzie (MC):

They roll over onto their stomach.

Kenzie (Sam):

That was very surprising to me.

Mads (Caleb):

Surprising good or surprising oh my god I’m so scared of you and I never want you near me again?

Kenzie (Sam):

Oh my god I can’t believe he just did that we should probably fucking talk about why he just did that.

Mads (Caleb):

I don’t know if you knew this –

Mads:

And I, again, sheepishly bow my head down and then rub at the back of my neck, not knowing how to explain anything and knowing that I can’t, even if it’s Sam.

Mads (Caleb):

I mean, sometimes I just – I get a little, I get a little, I get a little everything and sometimes it’s angry and sometimes it’s other – mostly angry, um, just sometimes it happens a little bit. It kinda runs in my family. It’s nothing to worry about though. I would never do – he had it coming. He had it coming.

Mads:

And I say it again nodding like I’m trying to convince myself of it too.

Kenzie (Sam):

Isn’t there a song? He had it coming.

Mads (Caleb):

He had it coming?

Kenzie (Sam):

Yeah, there’s a song!

Mads (Caleb):

Well, I mean, he like really only had himself to blame in this. If he didn’t actually like try to -

Kenzie (Sam):

Yeah, wait, hold on! That’s part of the song!

Mads (Caleb):

There’s a song?

Kenzie (Sam):

Yeah. Yeah, I’ve heard Vic singing it in the hallways sometimes.

Mads (Caleb):

Oh no.

Kenzie (Sam):

I don’t know the whole thing but I think it’s a song. Anyways Caleb did you know that there are places you can go to deal with anger and stuff because my mom’s uncle had to do it for a little bit.

Mads (Caleb):

You mean like –

Kenzie (Sam):

Anger management. That’s what I mean. But not in like a judgey way because I’m not judging you. Just in a like, you know it could help if you needed it to help.

Mads (Caleb):

I’ll look into it, okay? I have to ask my parents about it.

Kenzie (Sam):

I might have also found a pill with a skull on it and put it in my mouth.

Mads (Caleb):

It wasn’t Adderall. You know what Adderall looks like.

Kenzie (Sam):

I don’t think I’ve ever seen an Adderall pill with a skull on it. That would be funny.

Mads (Caleb):

Oh, Sam. Well, it’s good? You’re feeling good now, right?

Kenzie (Sam):

Yeah, you know, where’s Ivy? I’ve gotta talk to her about something.

April:

Right at that moment, Ivy lets out a huge whoop from the dance floor and if Ivy was glowing before, she’s shining.

Kenzie (MC):

Sam’s like,

Kenzie (Sam):

Oh, god! She’s like a lighthouse.

Kenzie (MC):

And picks up another can and cracks it open.

Kenzie (Sam):

I gotta go talk – I gotta ask her a question.

Mads:

I’m about to hold them back and then think for a minute after everything that just happened tonight I did that was off the handle, and instead of the hand trying to hold them back, it pushes them forward.

Mads (Caleb):

Shoot your shot.

Kenzie (Sam):

I’ll be back! It’s important (sighs)

Mads:

I’m going to give them a little salute.

Kenzie (MC):

Sam walks towards the dance floor. They’re clothes are really baggie and they’re not a good dancer so they can’t like fluidly move but they’re like jutting their arms out. The seltzer is sloshing out of it a little bit. They come up and they come up right to you and they’re like,

Kenzie (Sam):

Hey!

April:

Ivy flips her hair around.

April (Ivy):

Hey.

Kenzie (Sam):

I got a question.

April (Ivy):

Sure.

Kenzie (Sam):

I’m – I’m Sam, remember? You met me up there and in the hallway on the floor.

April (Ivy):

Yeah, your Caleb’s little friend?

Kenzie (Sam):

Yeah! Well, hmm, I mean we’re the same age.

April (Ivy):

Really?

Kenzie (Sam):

I’m in your homeroom. Doesn’t matter. I have a question.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Sam you want some cocaine!

Kenzie (Sam):

Mmmmm.

April (Ivy):

Don’t give like –

Brennan:

Sawyer snorts.

Kenzie (Sam):

Maybe but I have a question. Ivy, my question is – maybe I should be quiet about this.

Kenzie (MC):

They come in closer and they get up on their tiptoes and try to whisper in your ear.

April:

Ivy allows this to happen but is also making eye contact with Sawyer like, “What the fuck is going on?”

Brennan:

Sawyer is fucking gone. Out of his mind gone.

Kenzie (Sam):

Okay, question is: Is your dad okay?

April (Ivy):

My dad!?

Kenzie (Sam):

Yeah.

April:

She does not whisper.

Kenzie (Sam):

Are we allowed to talk loudly? Yeah, yeah, Ivy, is your dad okay?

April (Ivy):

I think so. Why? What are you – wait, how do you know my dad?

Kenzie (Sam):

Oh well he was a very nice and (laughs) very hot man and he picked me and Caleb up from school today.

April (Ivy):

Really?

April:

Ivy pulls back a little bit and actually looks at Sam full on.

April (Ivy):

My dad picked you up from school today?

Kenzie (Sam):

Yeah! Well, Adam ditched Caleb which means he ditched me and then Caleb called his mom and his mom must’ve called your dad and then he came in a really cool car, picked us up. But, I was just wondering if he was okay because I was sitting in the back seat and there was like – is he hurt?

April:

At this point Ivy is so fucking confused. While she’s not like incredibly impaired from the drugs, its hard for her to actually pay attention to this conversation.

April (Ivy):

I’m sorry. I’m just confused about – what does – why did Caleb call my dad?

Kenzie (Sam):

No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Caleb called his mom to tell on his brother –

April (Ivy):

Okay, okay, but why do you think my dad is hurt?

Kenzie (Sam):

Oh, I just didn’t know if he was and I wanted to know if he was okay because there was a bloody rag in the backseat.

April:

Ivy tries to think for a second.

April (Ivy):

Yeah, uh, he’s, you know… I forgot that he, he did mention he got a nosebleed today.

Kenzie (Sam):

I hate those. Do you ever just wake up and your nose starts bleeding out nowhere? Like your dreams came and attacked you and then you bled in the morning when you woke up? Ridiculous.

April (Ivy):

No, that doesn’t happen to me.

Kenzie (Sam):

Well, you’re not missin’ out on anything.

Brennan:

Sawyer will walk and like super fucking gone, barely able to manage speech,

Brennan (Sawyer):

Hey, do you still have that ski mask?

Kenzie (Sam):

Oh its’ – yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Kenzie (MC):

And out of a back pocket, they pull it out and give it to you.

Brennan:

Sawyer will put on the ski mask and pat Sam on the side shoulder, really hard, harder than he thinks, and he will walk over to the edge of the dance area and pick out Master Kush and I would like to sit there in my drugged out state and gaze into the abyss. I’m assuming at his point, my bag of drugs is pretty good to being all sold, if not all sold, and Sawyer is debating on the method in which he should tell or apologize quote unquote.

I rolled two ones.

Kenzie (MC):

You sit there in this drug induced state trying to figure out what type of apology Kush is looking for. Why you even really need to apologize since he’s the one who punched you? And you zone out and you don’t really know how much time has passed but all of a sudden Master Kush is this close to your face. And he’s like,

Kenzie (Master Kush):

Sawyer. Sawyer! Yo, dude, come back. Did you sell my drugs or did you take them all?

Brennan:

Sawyer will push the bag into him and just step back.

Kenzie (Master Kush):

Waitin’ for an answer.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Check your Venmo account. Hey, I sold your drugs. I’m done. I’m not coming to The Tunnels anymore. You and your whole fucking band – you guys can fuck off.

Kenzie (Master Kush):

(chuckles)

Kenzie (MC):

Hesitates for a moment just staring at you and then scoffs into a bit of a laugh.

Kenzie (Master Kush):

You’re so fucking high, man. You’ll be there tomorrow like you always are.

Brennan:

Sawyer will pull out the switchblade and point it at him.

Kenzie (MC):

Puts his hands up.

Kenzie (Master Kush):

Dude.

Brennan (Sawyer):

I said, you and your scumfuck friends can fuck off.

Kenzie (Master Kush):

Who do you think you’re messin’ with, Runtz? I brought you up here from nothing. You begged to be a part of this.

Brennan (Sawyer):

And now I’m out.

Kenzie (Master Kush):

You don’t just back out. Leave me hanging high and dry like that?

Brennan (Sawyer):

Check your Venmo. I wouldn’t say that’s leaving you high and dry. We’re good. We’re equal. We’re square. Go fuck yourself.

Brennan:

And I’ll put down the switchblade and walk back to Ivy.

Kenzie (MC):

Kush says, quite loudly,

Kenzie (Master Kush):

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Sawyer, you and your whole family and your stupid little friends thinking you’re all so high and mighty compared to the rest of us. You can go fuck yourself.

Brennan:

Sawyer keep walking.

Kenzie (MC):

He walks away as well.

April:

Ivy heard that last bit and as Sawyer comes back up

April (Ivy):

What the fuck dude are you getting in a fight now?

Brennan (Sawyer):

(sighs) Nope, I’m clearing up a situation. I don’t feel super hot.

April (Ivy):

Hey, uh, little dude.

Kenzie (MC):

They’re kind of like just dancing around themselves in a circle. And they go,

Kenzie (Sam):

Okay! Just tell your dad that I’m glad he’s okay.

April (Ivy):

Will do.

April:

She regards them.

April (Ivy):

Um, hey, Sam?

Kenzie (Sam):

Yep, that’s my name.

April:

She gets close to them and looks at them and is like,

April (Ivy):

You don’t need to tell anyone that my dad gave you guys a ride home, okay?

Kenzie (Sam):

Okay!

April (Ivy):

I think Caleb might find it embarrassing.

April:

She gently moves hair out of his face.

Kenzie (MC):

His eyes widen.

April:

She gives him a huge smile.

Kenzie (MC):

He smiles drunkenly back.

April (Ivy):

Perfect!

Brennan:

Sawyer is right in front of your face when you turn and he grabs your hand and puts it up against his chest and its like duh-doomp, duh-doomp, duh-doomp, duh-doomp, duh-doomp, duh-doomp, duh-doomp, duh-doomp.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Dude, I’m starting to freak the fuck out.

Kenzie (MC):

As your heart starts beating up, there’s a staticky sound over the mic that hasn’t been used yet and the music kinda comes to a complete halt and you hear a record scratch.

“Hey, everybody, we just want to let you know. Our DJ for the night, Jordan, has arrived!”

And you hear the doo, doo, doo, doo, doo sound of horns coming over the speakers as Jordan who is in your homeroom class… She is a band geek through and through, like a musical prodigy. Can play any instrument you set in front of her. You have seen her perform with the band. She does a ton of really cool classical stuff. But then, her opposing side is that she’s a pretty great DJ. And usually is the one called upon to do parties, has been doing them since middle school and maybe even a little bit before that, when she shouldn’t have actually been invited to any of these high school parties. But she was so good at mixing that they were like, “You can come here.”

No one has ever seen her drink on the job. She takes it very seriously. And you see her walk up onto the little stage and booth that they erected for her. She doesn’t speak. She takes the mic from whoever introduced her and she stands for a moment, mic held in her hands as if she’s kind of like praying, looking at the turntables. And then she looks up and she says,

Kenzie (Jordan):

Let’s get this fucking started.

Kenzie (MC):

Throws on her first track and the speakers blast out this mix of EDM that’s layered over a pop track and everybody just starts jumpin’, and dancin’, and hootin’ and hollerin’, as Ivy is feeling Sawyer’s heart beat out of his chest.

Brennan:

Sawyer starts shaking and then starts jumping with everyone else. He’s starting to sweat.

April:

Ivy, normally, would be more concerned about Sawyer but the beat is just so good and he seems to be having a good time so she kind of holds onto the back of his neck and pulls him down for a second and she’s like,

April (Ivy):

Sawyer.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Huh!

April (Ivy):

Are you good?

Brennan (Sawyer):

We’re going with the fucking flow tonight.

April (Ivy):

Yeah, yeah, but like -

April:

She gets this wave of guilt as she realizes the reason that Sawyer is now so fucked up is her fault.

April (Ivy):

I just – I need to make sure that you’re actually okay.

Brennan (Sawyer):

What do you mean!?

April (Ivy):

Just like if you start to black out can you call my name before you do so.

Brennan (Sawyer):

Ivy! Let’s dance!

April (Ivy):

No! Don’t say it now you idiot!

Brennan:

And I lift up your hand I try to make you jump.

April:

I start dancing. I do not jump. I do not fist pump. But I do start dancing and it is wild and free and fun. Then I look around for all the people that I know.

Kenzie (MC):

You don’t see Natalie. You don’t see Adam. You don’t see Alina. You don’t see Naia.

April:

I glance over my shoulder and see that Sam is still having a great time and I kind of gesture that they can come join us. And we all start dancing together.

Kenzie (MC):

Enthusiastically.

April:

Very enthusiastically.

Brennan:

Sawyer is going in and out of consciousness with every jump.

Kenzie (MC):

Caleb, you are sitting off where you had found Sam and watch as Ivy and Sawyer drag them into their little circle that they’ve made.

Mads:

I’ve been sitting up here. I tried to take another sip of this mystery liquid that burned so much I could feel it coming out of my nostrils. I gave up after that and then found one of the little hard seltzers that was leftover that Sam mentioned so I’ve just been working on that. I don’t have a great tolerance. I am cruisin’ right now. As I’m watching the three of them and especially the joy and delight that’s on Sam’s eyes thinking like maybe we should do things like this more if it really does make them that happy. My attention is split in this sort of hazy phase between watching them and then where Master Kush walked away to.

Kenzie (MC):

He walked up toward where everybody entered from and disappeared around the building.

Mads:

I look to the three of them again. They’re blasted. They’re distracted and they’re having a good night and I wouldn’t want to interrupt that. But I can still do something. I can make the night better. I can help them all. So, I chug back the rest of the drink that I have and then I’m going to see if I can find Master Kush.