High School Kinda Sucks

"School has been a bummer" Bryan said. "The school work is tripling" he said.

"I know, try spending time in here doing all of it" Joe said. "It's rough. And that new algebra stuff, impossibru!" Leena smiled. "How's my Leena bear?" she asked.

"I'm lovely" she said. "we finished the mock trial today, defense won Bee tee dubs" she said. "Sean's suspension is over and we got back together" Joe smiled. "I finally get the work we're doing in pre-calc and--"

"You broke up with Sean?" Bryan asked. "See the things i don't know!" he exclaimed. "No fair!"

"We didn't break up" she said. "Just separated. I wanted to give him some time to sort his shit out" she explained. "And we had sex before i came here, too" they all giggled. "I think he's almost there" she said. "I think it bothers him still ad he's not ready to forgive you but he's damn close"

"So can we sit together at prom?" Joe asked.

"I think we might be able to" Leena said. "I know i really want to, i'm actually kind of excited to go!"

"I'm glad" Bryan said. "I need to talk to Sean first before we can make up our mind, we might be able to do it"

"Hopefully"

"I'm going with the cast theory now" Leena said. "Once i get my cast off i really feel like he'll be different"

...

“So I feel like things are getting back to normal” Ross said. He walked outside to Leena’s car again. “So you completely learned lefty driving?”

“Pretty much. It’s weird but with a gimp leg but it’s chill. Maybe even easier than doing righty” she said.

“Bryan told me he talked to Sean today”

“Did he?”

“During gym” Ross said. “Bryan is not convinced that we’re ready to be a gang again”

“I knew he wouldn’t be” Leena sighed. “What else did he say?”

“It seemed to me Sean still has some rage against Joe, and I think even against us”

“What do you mean by ‘us’?”

“Bryan said Sean’s just mad at the world. Like he’s mad at Joe for driving drunk, he’s mad at Bryan and I for being totally chill about it, and he’s mad at you for being so close to Joe and trusting him and forgiving him so much” they got to Leena’s car. “And I think you’ll hate me for this—but I agree with him” Leena was confused, you could see it on her face. “I just wonder sometimes, you were both drinking. They found more then the legal limit for adults in Joe’s blood. Did you know? I mean you barely had anything to drink, maybe a little blazed but you were with it”

“That was the last thing I was thinking about” she said. She opened her back door and put her things in.

“When I think about it—you guys were acting pretty friendly that night”

“Oh my god” Leena could feel the anger boiling. “You think we were off to fuck don’t you?”

“I never said that”

“But that’s what your implying” she said. She slammed her car door. Some of the other students in the area noticed.

“I never said that, Leena” he said. She limped over to her front door and opened it.

“I can’t believe you, Ross” she said. “I thought you were my friend. But your just like the person you were freshman year. Jumping to conclusions and making impressions when they aren’t there” she said.

“Leena, I’m just asking. Why were you guys so friendly that night. You can’t seriously wonder why I’m asking!” She got into her car and closed the door. She split out of the parking lot before he even had a chance to get an answer. “Fuck!” he exclaimed. He kicked the car next to where Leena parks, the alarm immediately went off. Ross ran across the parking lot.

…

“So leena hates me” Bryan looked at the lousy showing of bro’s night. He wanted them to reunite again at Joe’s room in the hospital.

“Leena told me” Joe said. “I don’t know the whole story since she was so angry.”

“I didn’t mean it like that” Joe shrugged. “And you believe her, don’t you?”

“I don’t believe her, but I don’t know why you would think that”

“I was just asking”

“Leena’s going to hate me for saying this but…The reason why we left together and we didn’t invite Sean or anything was because we were coming up with ideas for Sean’s birthday” he said. “We wanted Sean to be suspicious that something’s going on. We weren’t going off to fuck. We’re third cousins through marriage so that would be weird” he said.

“Oh” Ross said.

...

"So if you won't go to semi because you don't have a date, then we'll find you one!" Lauren exclaimed. "it won't be that hard, your cute, funny and relatable! I think anyone would be lucky to take you!" Holly blushed.

"it'll be so easy to find you a date...what about Randy? or Josh? or Dakota?" Emma named a few. Sohee shook her head.

"Emma, do you know the bro code at all?" Lauren asked. She shook her head.

"I lived in texas, they dated their cousins" she joked.

"Ok well in the north" Sohee said. "We don't date or friendly date each others ex-boyfriends or love interests" she said. "So no Randy or Dakota"

"And i kinda had a thing with Josh sophomore year" Lauren said. "it's just complicated because then we might get jealous even though we have our own boyfriends"

Emma nodded. "John?" she asked.

"I think he's taking Rachel" Sohee said. "Or at least Rachel wants him to ask her"

"Ok let's go to juniors--Evan?"

"He's annoying" Holly said.

"Sean?"

"Leena and Sean just got back together yesterday" Lauren said

"Joe?"

"He's an old boyfriend" Sohee said.

"Who haven't you dated?" Emma asked. "I can't think of anything else?" Kyle walked over to their lunch table.

"There is no one Sohee hasn't date" Kyle joked.

"Ha-ha" Sohee fake laughed. "Do you know any single guys who would want to take Holly to semi?"

"Anyone, Ross had a thing for her...oh wait" he said. He quickly walked away. Holly sighed

"I really shouldn't go"

"No you really should!"

"I don't want to be the seventh wheel. It sucks to watch you guys all be happy with your boyfriends"

...

"Did you ask Karo out yet?" Lauren asked Matt in the lunch line. He sighed "C'mon. It's like five words: Will you go out with me...okay maybe it's six words"

"I know but it's hard I had a long convo with her during study about lacross. I found out she loves lacross from Leena" he said. "But i didn't feel comfortable asking her" Leena shook her head

"P..u..s..s..y" she said

"I'm not a pussy!"

...

"Joe's coming home from the hospital!" Leena exclaimed. She attacked Bryan in a big bear hug in the middle of the hall. "I'm so pumped!"

"When?"

"In two days!"

"Sweet, bro's night at his night then" Bryan said "Did you get your dress for prom? and is he even cleared to go?"

"Yeah it's in a week and a half he can go. As for my dress i finally got it"

"What color?"

"Dark blue...i'm not much of a dress person so we'll see how long it actually stays on. Wink wink" Bryan chuckled. "Where we having our after party?"

"Can't at my place, it's a friday night. I'll ask Sohee if she can have it at our place. But she's not into weed so we might have to reconsider"

"I'll ask Sean later"

"So your not talking to Ross?" Bryan asked.

"Uhhh" she groaned

"Ok nevermind"

"Did he talk to you about it?"

"Yeah, last night when we went to Joe's hospital room...where we had bros night...and you didn't attend" he gave her the guilt look.

"I did go, just two hours before you guys did" she smirked. "I'm mad"

"Joe explained it to us and i think Ross feels pretty bad about it. I don't blame him. I didn't think you would fuck around with Joe you guys are like brother-sister. But i thought you guys were suspicious"

"Did Joe tell you why?"

"Yup" Bryan smiled. "He told us the whole plan, it sounds great, i think Sean will love it"

"Would love it, Sean would love it"

"Why past tense?"

"I wont throw it if i can't have all my friends there"

"His birthday is July 3, right?" Bryan asked. she nodded. "I'll make it work"

..

Lauren walked out to her car with Deanna at the end of the day. "Oh Dee" she said. "I love you, i do, but you need to stop this" Deanna was sobbing

"I know but i like him so much...i just can't believe i cheated again I really like Ross but i really like Zack, too"

"Jeez" Lauren stopped a few yards away from her car.

"That's your car?" Deanna asked. They got closer and saw a bunch of flyers. THe one Casey had given Lauren teh day before. The one calling Lauren a baby killer. "Who would do this?"

"Can you take these off, i need to see Mr. Cassidy" Lauren marched back into the school with one of the flyers in hand. She got to the vice principals office and slammed the flyer down on his table. "These needs to stop" she said immediately. "I am being targetted and hazed by some anti-abortion group that isn't even certified to be a club!" she exclaimed. "Their request was denied" she said. "But they still have meetings here and they still do this to me! And i heard they did it to another girl last year...so please" Mr. Cassidy took a look at the flyer.

"Take a seat" she sat down but she was still fuming.

"I had an abortion, yes, but it was months and months ago. I want to forget this and move on. I almost did until this started" she said.

"Ok, i hear your case" he said. "When can you get your mom or dad down here?" she sighed.

"My dad doesn't know about it, can we do it without his consent?" Mr. Cassidy shook his head. "He really can't know, i'm 18 i did it legally!"

"I'm sorry Lauren, i can talk to these girls but i'd like to arrange a meeting with parents and i can't if yours isn't present"

"Ok" Lauren left the office. ONly few more weeks until graduation.