somewhat lurking

Ava: I don’t know why you like camping so much, none of our stuff is here, it’s boring. Wren: Do you really need any of it? Ava: What’s wrong with Levi? Wren: I don’t know-.. his lame girlfriend dumped him, I guess. Ava: If she’s lame, why’s he sad about it? Wren: Beats me. Ava: Where do you think that saying came from? Am I supposed to beat it out of you? Wren: Try it, squirt. Ava: That’s a stupid nickname, what about the word squirt means small anyway..?

[phone vibrating] Archie: Do you have any idea how hard it is to find someone on social media when they don’t post any pictures of themselves and have a completely random username? Wren: yeah, it keeps weirdos like you away Archie: Well, it failed. Wren: good for u Archie: I thought persistence was an admirable trait? Wren: stalker behaviour tbh.. bye … [Wren locked her phone, hesitating slightly; maybe she should’ve tormented the guy a little more before blocking him completely, or maybe he’d just wanted to apologise and she shouldn’t have been so impulsive-.. oh well, it was too late now] … Archie: What the-.. ugh! Madison: Did someone catfish you again? Archie: You can talk, slathering mountains of that nonsense on your face every day. [Madison snickered as Archie huffed and tossed his phone across the coffee table carelessly, sending it clattering to the floor; her cousins’ ridiculous outbursts never failed to amuse her] Beverly: Archibald! Archie: Oh, be quiet. Beverly: [tuts] Your attitude is foul, mister. … Wren: Meh. Oscar: [yelling] Wren, what the hell are you doing up there?! Wren: COMING!

Alex: Isn’t prom supposed to be the best night ever? Robin: I think the movies just kinda romanticise it, to be honest. Alex: Let’s go poke around backstage or something… … Robin: Let’s go. Alex: Why, what’s wrong? Robin: I just need some air… … Alex: Is he okay? Robin: He’s just having a panic attack. Levi: [pants] Just?! Robin: You’re alive, aren’t you? Levi: I thought I was having a fucking heart attack. Robin: Yeah, they’re super fun like that. Levi: I knew I shouldn’t have come. Robin: We were just saying the same. Alex: What happened? Levi: Doesn’t matter-.. cat’s out of the bag, I guess. Alex: Oh, maybe it’s for the best? Levi: Maybe, but I was kinda banking on the football team for a scholarship one day… Robin: Let’s worry about that later, wanna get outta here? Alex: Ugh.. yes, please. Levi: Okay.

[stairs creaking] Levi: What’re you doing? Wren: I could ask you the same-.. this is my house, after all. … Wren: Love the fact that dad shared his insomnia with me. … Wren: What’s up? Levi: Nothing. Wren: If you say so… [tv chatter] Levi: Penny kinda broke up with me… Wren: Only kinda? That’s a shame. … Wren: Don’t you think you could do better..? Levi: Than Penny? It’s a miracle she even acknowledges me.

[dogs barking] Penny: So, you don’t live in a gated community that doesn’t allow guests? Levi: No. Penny: And your dad’s not a banker? Levi: No. Penny: You’re not rich then? Levi: We’re barely hanging onto middle class, our water got shut off the other week. Penny: And you’re seriously friends with that weirdo, Robin? Levi: He’s not a fucking-… Penny: [huffs] Whatever! Is there any part of your life you haven’t lied about? Levi: Uh, I guess I still like school stuff, y’know? Like science and math or whatever. Penny: Wait, you don’t even like football? Levi: No, I’m just sorta good at it. I can play the piano though, but I’d rather learn guita-… Penny: I don’t care! Levi: I never meant to lie for so long, I just didn’t think you’d wanna talk to me if you knew the truth… [Penny paced back and forth; her features tainted with disgust whenever she glanced at Levi] Penny: You’ve literally lied about yourself the whole time I’ve known you-.. I don’t even think I do know you! How am I supposed to decide if I want to talk to you or not if I don’t know who you are?! Levi: We could start over, if you want? Penny: Or, you could find someone who likes dweebs that never cut their gross hair or wash their face and smell of grease and lie all the time! Levi: You don’t think that about me-.. do you? Penny: Maybe I do, maybe I don’t, who knows?! Isn’t it fun being lied to? Levi: You’re a fucking hypocrite-.. don’t act like you’re perfect, ‘cause you’re not! [Penny scoffed; she wasn’t about to let Levi turn the tables on her, this was about what he’d lied about, not her] Levi: Please don’t go, I’ll-… Penny: I don’t even want to look at you right now, or ever. Levi: Penny, please… … [Levi swallowed the lump in his throat as his mother hastily took Penny’s spot in the doorway. She didn’t even try to hide the fact she’d been listening] Nadia: Well, that was a disaster-.. self-inflicted, by the sounds of it. Levi: Get out. Nadia: Aren’t you going to go after her? Levi: Get out. [Levi’s voice wobbled unsteadily, failing to sound half as assertive as he wanted to] Nadia: You forget whose house this is, sweetheart. Levi: Whatever. [Nadia rolled her eyes with a dismissive titter as Levi easily gave up and slithered past her] Nadia: You’re just like your father, pathetic and unsuccessful as a result.