The bell for first period rings, the students go their own way, moving through the world as if it were any normal day, notes were passed, classes were slept through, some maybe even learned a thing or two. forwarding to gym class just placed right before lunch time. Wearing school-issued shorts and t-shirt Rachel jogs laps around the basketball court catching up with kollok cinema and insured servant Mickey Jones sixteen, sophomore.
Rachel: "Hey Mickey uh ZERO um what the hell I am so sorry not sure why I said that you're not a zero i didn't- shit."Mickey flustered by the situation wondering if Rachel really did mean what she said
Mickey: "Yeah um where have you been? I've been covering your shifts for like a week, you don't know how much I had to talk to Brad."
Rachel: "I'm sorry I was just really sick."
Mickey: "I'm just worried about you."
Rachel: "I'm fine, i'm fine thanks for covering I appreciate it."
Mickey: "Yeah I mean any extra money for me."
Rachel: "Do you? you wouldn't know what reels are coming in this week?"Rachel trying to derail the conversation to a new subject trying to avoid the previous topic.
Mickey: "Uh no I haven't been really paying much attention i just sit up by the booth. But wait I'm not gonna- You're gonna be back right?"
Rachel: "I mean i don't remember seeing anything on the schedule, I wish something would come out, so we could stop showing silence of the lambs on three screens."
Mickey: "Yeah but you'll be back right? Cause you know i've covered for you for a week that's a lot of hours, its really just us working there."
Rachel: "Hey what do you do up in the booth all night anyway? sure watching movies."
Mickey: "I mean no, i'm just up there writing but, you know a break would be nice if you're gonna come back to work."
Rachel: "I've been pushing boss to get a reel of troll two, I read about it in the observer it's supposed to be the worst film ever made, like how does something that is the worst even get made."
Mickey: "Yeah it is so i don't wanna work that night."Mickey clearly trying to bring back the conversation to original topic but Rachel keeps derailing her and droning her.
Rachel: "Look- okay and i guess team in two is coming out in a couple of weeks-
Mickey: "Hey if you need me to cover for you-"
Rachel: "Marcus won't shut up about it so when it comes out will you just get him in for free for me?"
Mickey: "I mean sure fine, I could do that."
Rachel: "And, I know you're upset because you very clearly keep bringing it up but, do you mind covering for me some more tonight I might have to leave work early."
Mickey: "Just tonight?"
Rachel: "Just tonight, I'm back I promise, I'll owe you a lot already."
Mickey: "alright, you're just lucky I need the money."
Rachel: "Yeah... yeah"
Mickey: "It's nothing to do with your dad right? is everything okay?"
Rachel: "Um no everything's fine, thanks kid I appreciate it."The bell rings as Rachel finishes the conversation with Mickey, waves her goodbye and veers toward the entrance of the gymnasium where Marcus is waiting for her.
Rachel: "Hey let me grab my bag really quick okay I brought some grub with me, you mind sitting out front with me?" she casually grabs her bag of clothes and her little knapsack filled with lunch and leads Marcus out of the school towards the front steps.
Marcus: "Yeah sure of course i don't mind. so uh what's going on"
Rachel: "Um... I'm ready."
Marcus: "Yeah you got your bag, got it"
Rachel: "What? No i want to- I want to come over to your house tonight when you get off work, Mickey already said she'd cover for me."
Marcus: "Yeah i know we've done this before."
Rachel: "I uh- stole some condoms out of my parents room, but if you don't want to use them that's okay too."
Marcus: "Oh... uh look we've talked about this it's like you know I want to just as much as you want to but I just- I know my parents-"
Rachel: "I-It's now or never Marcus!"
Marcus: "What do you mean now or never we just started dating for a couple of months and we got time and look I know my parents aren't home that much but, if they come home at the time that we're doing that, there's gonna be a lot of issues like, when you come over and we're just hanging out watching movies with me which is great, which I love like that's fine but, anything more than that, I would get in really big trouble you know, but that doesn't mean I don't want to, because i do like I'm a dude and your a lady and that's what we do right but I just- I just can't get in trouble you know?"Rachel feeling dejected grabs her remaining lunch stands defiantly, turns and walks back into Kollok High.
Marcus: "Hey Rachel look let's just talk about it why don't you come over and-" she raises her right hand stopping him from speaking any further Marcus's rejection appears to hurt her more than he assumed it would as she continues to walk back to school, Marcus feeling stupid sits at the front steps alone contemplating his decision.