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.

Manager: Levi, tills! Levi: But-… Manager: They’ll wait ‘til later, move your ass! [Levi sighed wearily, tossing his greasy rag upon the counter with a classic amount of teenage enthusiasm] Levi: I barely know how to work the tills. Manager: Well, you’re the only one on shift with half a brain and Mel called in sick, so today’s your lucky day-.. again. … Bianca: I promise it’s not as bad as it looks… [Penny grimaced, she’d smell like burgers for a week if she so much as stepped foot in such a disgusting place] Penny: I can’t eat carbs, Bianca. Bianca: I literally saw you eating waffles for breakfast the other day. Penny: Do we have to? Bianca: My sister insisted on having her dumb party here and it was actually pretty good, I swear! … [overlapping chatter] Bianca: [giggling] Hi, stranger. I’ll have… [Levi stared straight through Bianca; his gaze locked on Penny’s look of utter horror and contempt. How was he supposed to talk his way out of this one-.. what on earth was she even doing here?] Penny: This is where you work? Levi: No, I’m just-.. I, uh-… Penny: Ew. Levi: Wait! Penny: Don’t touch me. Levi: I can explain, okay? I-… Manager: Levi! Levi: One second! Manager: Erm, no-.. leave those poor girls alone and get back to work, there’re people waiting. [Levi remained rooted to the spot, impervious to the chatter around him and his managers impatient yelling] Levi: I’m gonna throw up… Manager: Oh, for god’s sake-.. not there! … Levi: Penny! Penny: Go back to work, Levi. Levi: My parents just wanted to teach me the value of money or whatever-.. I don’t want to work here. [Levi wrung his hands together awkwardly, even he didn’t believe his own words anymore. Sure, the Grease Trap was disgusting and the hours sucked, but at least it got him out of the house. His co-workers were kinda fun too, and he got free food most nights; hell, even his manager treated him fairly and somewhat appreciated him] Penny: I know I’m not the cleverest person ever, but if you think I’m stupid enough to believe that… Levi: You’re not stupid. Penny: And since when did you need glasses?! Levi: [sighs] Can you just give me a chance to explain everything? Penny: Why, so you can carry on lying and avoiding me? I think I’m over-… Levi: Trust me one last time, then you can decide, please..?

Alex: Uh, hey… Harry: What do you want? Alex: Nothing, I just-.. we haven’t really spoken since the party, so… Harry: Yeah, ‘cause you told me to leave you alone. Alex: I know, but maybe you should just ignore everything I say. [Harry raised an eyebrow in compliant confusion, saying nothing more] Alex: I didn’t mean… [Alex trailed off, making a nervous noise half between a squeak and a laugh] Alex: Not literally, y’know? Alex: Okay, so don’t ignore everything I say, more like-… [Harry slammed his locker shut and clutched his head restlessly as Alex rambled on] Harry: Ugh, you confuse the hell outta me, Alex-.. I don’t want anything to do with you! [Alex flexed her sweaty palms fitfully, growing hot with a mixture of rage and embarrassment as Harry stormed off. Why did she always make such a mess of every social interaction beyond small talk, why did she have to think so hard before uttering a single word to anyone? No one else had to] [It wasn’t fair…] [A few scattered gasps echoed throughout the now quiet corridor as Alex slammed her fist into Harry’s locker] … Robin: Wait! Alex: Leave me alone. Robin: Alex, stop! Alex: I said, go away! It’s not safe to be around me, okay? Robin: What’re you talking about? Alex: I just… [Alex held back a sigh, she should’ve known Robin wouldn’t be dissuaded so easily-.. she wasn’t sure whether to be frustrated or grateful that her words had no effect on him] Robin: Everyone lashes out sometimes, it’s not a big deal-.. I don’t care. Alex: But it’s different with me. Robin: I don’t see how. Alex: I don’t either…