Small Block - Act Two

Small Block written by Ashley Lauren. Thank you for listening
to Small Block. Please note that there is adult language
throughout that is not suitable for young listeners. Furthermore, there
are a few items that might be triggering for some readers.
These include suicidal ideation discussion, transphobic language, homophobic language, minor
instances of fat phobic language. All phobic language is used
intentionally for thematic reasons. It is not used without thought
or due to either naivete or bigotry. Thank you again
for listening to Small Block. Now onto the show.
Oh hey, cool, you're back. I'm glad I changed my
mind about my dark thoughts for the moment at least.
But now Beck's, my former best friend, is super pissed
at me.
Well, yeah, is that because I'm a girl?
What kind of question is that?
Plus I totally like keV, my current best friend, down
during the Battle of sexes. It's not the way I
envisioned things going.
Yeah, you think at least we get.
To spend home coming weekend at our friend in bandmate's
Dizzey's house. We're still fighting over whether or not to
go to the dance, though not that any of us
have dates yet.
It'll be fun.
We should go. Definitely not going.
I'd like to go, but anyway, we just met Miss
World and her sick DeLorean man. I hope he gets
a ride in it. I could use a win, especially
with my dad on me about girls. In Saint John's BacT.
Two interior, Dizzy's room, morning sun streams in p awakens
Top Bunk. Alone in the room, he listens nothing. He
quietly slips the yearbook from under his pillow. A kleenex
sticks out a makeshift bookmark. He opens to Beck, smiling
with the butterfly. He gazes fondly. He glances at the
DeLorean poster on the wall, then back to Beck's He
trials different ways to ask her the big question.
Do you want to go to the dance with me?
Through the wall toilet plush faucet, Pee quickly returns the
Kleenex with Becks and shoves the yearbook under his pillow.
keV enters from the bathroom an unopened but sweating sprite
and hand backpack in the other what about Cooma at
my funeral?
What it makes sense? You're not killing yourself.
keV opens the sprite, SIPs. Pee reaches keV passes him
the can.
You'll probably like die surrounded by your hat wife in
perfect kids.
Pee takes a long drink, returns the can. He adjusts
his purple beanie worn through the night.
You know the dance might not be so bad.
Please, I'm not going to be the dateless loser in
the corner with his other dateless loser friends while Becks
laughs at me.
She wouldn't laugh at you. I mean I could, I
don't know, like have her hang with us at the dance.
She's super nice?
Yeah you want her to hang with us? Now?
Maybe next time you two can have a heart to
heart and you can tell her how super nice I am.
keV chugs the sprite. He throws the empty can at
the trash. It misses. He sorts through his bag by
his pillow. Pee rolls over, facing the ceiling. He softly
sings guns and roses coma.
Hey, you cut me in a Cooma, and I don't
think Alana ever come back to this.
Pee looks at the closed door. No dizzy glances at
the door again. Deep breath, here goes.
There's some shit that I want to tell.
The door pounds open. Where's my dad's penthouse home?
All?
Dizzy storms into the room, glaring at Pee.
I know you took it from the stack of my parents' bathroom.
Her dad has a stack of penthouses. Did you take it?
keV shakes his head.
All fifty seven issues need to be fifty seven penthouses
in the bathroom, and you never told us everything.
Needs to be fucking perfect, or my dad.
Will be pissed.
I told you I didn't take it.
And I'm telling you you're a liar.
Dizzy grabs Pea's backpack. keV props his pillow behind him.
Don't just my bag, doe.
Dizzy dumps the contents onto the floor. Books cascade out,
followed by clothes and a zip lock with a T
shirt inside. A blue trapper folder falls out, papers, scattering
p rushes to the floor, collecting them.
That's our fucking lyrics man.
Dizzy spots something under PA's pillow. He tosses the pillow
to the floor. He holds the yearbook. Confused, dude, are.
You whacking off to the yearbook?
P Eye's the Kleenex book mark sticking out at the top.
Where are you hiding it?
P jumps up, grabs the yearbook. He lets it fall
to his side, the Kleenex drifting to the floor.
Just put the shit back, okay, and whatever else you're
hiding my dad?
Where is your dad anyway? I'm here like every weekend
and haven't seen him in months.
Dude, outside, Missus D pulls into the driveway.
I've seen your mom working her ass off, though, while
you bitch about how she won't make you bon tet
or ribs or a fucking sandwich.
Dizzy's on the verge of tears.
Some shit should stay inside, bro, It's got to be
perfect when it comes back.
P shakes his head and pushes past Dizzy into the
hallway interior your hallway, living room, kitchen continuous. P walks
towards the kitchen. Missus D quietly closes the front door,
her eyes ringed.
Dark morning, Missus D.
They enter the kitchen, Pee gets water. Dizzy enters quiet.
How's uncle Chris?
Missus D turns to Dizzy, tired a faint smile.
Okay, for now, your boys want omelets anything you want inside.
Dizzy glances at P first and shakes his head. Missus
D hands him three bontete. She winks conspiratorially, I can
make more.
Before he runs out.
P offers Dizzy a cold sprite. He takes it. They're okay.
Interior Dizzey's bathroom. Short time later. P opens a ziplock
in front of the mirror, an impeccably folded ban t
shirt inside sepultura. Beneath the remains, he inspects every milli
leader carefully leaning close, he spots a tiny crumb.
Real quick millimeter, Sorry.
I did. He inspects every millimeter carefully leaning clothes, he
spots a tiny crumb. He brushes until every trace is gone.
Exterior street, Planet VHS. Short time later, the sun shines
brightly on the perfect sepulteur of shirt Pee. Kevin Dizzy
walked towards the Planet VHS parking lot. They each hold
different ice cream treats. keV Flintstone's push Up, Pop Dizzy, firecracker,
Pee drumstick.
Come on, I want to get the crow.
He walks even faster, Pe grins at. Kevin walks even slower.
keV slows in kind. They talk quietly.
The crow soundtrack is so badass.
Why did you say becks could hang with us?
I just meant at the dance if we went, you
brought her up.
keV thinks about it.
We're cool, right, dude, always You're my brother, and yeah
I still like her, just not the same way I
used to.
keV nods thinking. Dizzy notices how far behind they are.
The fuck keV, We.
Just wanted to give you space, and I want to
give you my fat cock.
In your ass.
Ever, consider how tiresome it is hearing gay shit from
you all the time.
Ever, consider HOWRD like you better if your mouth was
full of dicks instead of words.
keV laughs. Pea smacks Kev's arm, but smiles. P Flat
tires Dizzy Dizzy nails to put his shoe back on.
Fucker.
Finally, at the store, pe reaches for the door handle.
Dizzy runs past him, flinging the door open. The door
flies into Pete, knocking his hand. The drumstick mashes onto
his chest, leaving a huge vanilla smear spattered on his shirt.
Fuck you, we.
Gotta go back, you wish looks like Kev's load blasted
all over your chest.
Kevin Dizzy laugh Seriously, Please let's go back interior Planet VHS.
Moments later, Beck stands at the front of the Blockbuster
style video store. Pe tries to hide his shirt, but
nothing doing.
Welcome to Planet VHS.
Pee looks keV dumped a load on your chest.
Reach out if you need me.
VHS stands for very Hospitable Service.
She walks off, smiling. Pea's face burns. Dizzy leans over
the tape return counter, trying to see what just came in,
but it's obscured. P follows behind keV closely China hide
his shirt. The three boys sort through the rows of
tapes on the counter.
Chick flick, chick flick. Seene it ah, chick flick, it's
not fucking in. Thanks for insisting we come here today
instead of yesterday.
Pee, we can do son in Law again.
Dizzy renews his efforts.
Pe pulls a tape naked Gun thirty three and a third.
Anything but Son in Law.
Tapes clunk into the return bin. Dizzy searches for help.
He signals to a manager. She talks into her headset.
Bex arrives. Moments later. P stands behind keV.
Need help, sounding out the titles.
Are any of those the crow?
Pe leans to keV quietly Gotten quarters interior Your Planet
VHS back room. Short time later, a small arcade setup
with a few game cabinets. P alone plays Super Street
Fighter two Turbo. He's Cami, a blond female military fighter.
He fights Gile, a blonde male military fighter. Cami and
Guile battle back and forth, the two blonde fighters looking
like mirrors. As a trade blows, they connect simultaneously with
each other. They collapse double ko. A quarter is placed
by the bottom of the screen. Next, P turns, Becks
is right there, shit.
Hey, now, till yesterday I thought we were still friends.
She inspects P's chin.
M you shouldn't shave your one hair. You look like
a girl without it.
Listen, I'm Beck's pushes in the quarter.
I'll be gentle since your Bodyguarden his gunzel are outside.
That's funny. Sam Spade calls a guide gunzel in Maltese
facl falcon. Sorry, this is like a tong twist. That's funny.
Sam Spade calls a guy a gunzel and Maltese falcon.
Bes stares dead eyed, answers deadpan.
Oh my golly, do you know where I could possibly
rent such a film? Listen I'm an idiot.
Beck's hits start short time later. Pe and Beck's eye
the screen intensely. Cammi pee flips, Blanca becks, a green
manimal grabs and bites her. Ko bes wins, t Zep
almost went around, though she checks her watch.
Seven minutes left, three or five.
Pe glances toward the door. No sign of keV. Deep breath.
This is kind of embarrassing, But is it about the shirt?
Bit fucked up?
You'd show with my favorite album looking more like Beneath
the Seaman.
But I'll forgive you for that.
He looks at his beneath the remain shred with the
huge ice cream splotch. He turns to the door, still
no sign of keV.
It's not the shirt. I wanted to ask listen, that
wasn't me yesterday. I mean, it was obviously me, but
not like the real the real me. You wouldn't do that,
Oh yeah, because it looked.
Like you the fuck dude.
keV shoots P a loaded look from the doorway.
Eight whole minutes without pee, postpartum much.
Maybe I wanted to see you flowers over there.
Please, I'm busy kicking P's ass.
At least I think it's p. There's a debate. P
avoids both their eyes. He stares into his reflection in
the game screen.
It's not what you think, dude. We just went a
few rounds with everything yesterday. You know, I didn't want
her to feel bad.
Beck snatches her remaining quarter as she leaves. Beck's wait,
guess this one.
Isn't the real you either, Right, she's gone.
P stares at the door.
Not like you used to, huh.
Interior Planet VHS. Moments later, P and keV midchat find
Dizzy at the wall of the crow boxes.
She called next, she.
Can call whatever the fucks she wants. You don't have
to play.
keV walks a couple of aisles over. Pe calls after him.
Who doesn't continue playing. When someone calls neck.
Forty seven fucking boxes and not a single goddamn actual tape.
It I knew we should have come yesterday.
keV rapturously brings the box for son in law.
May, I suggest, son in lawge, it's featuring the lady
of my dreams, Miss Carla Gugino.
I'd rather shoot myself in the butthole. You like it?
I used to like it?
Oh God.
A distressed video. Clerk runs past the boys, tearing towards
the bathroom. Dizzy turns to Pete, who peers over the
aisles looking for Becks.
Isn't there anything else?
You want?
Something more filmy or whatever?
You know, what I heard is pretty good? The crying
game brow either of y'all seen it?
No Peace spots Becks talking to a tall, thin woman
with a VCR case. The woman's short skirt shows her midriff,
yellow flower in her hair.
So, I'm sorry, short shirt shows hrt middrift.
Yes, I was wondering how her short skirt show. As
I was saying it, I'm like, how does that work?
I was like, okay, Pea Spots Becks talking to a tall,
thin woman with a VCR case. The woman's short shirt
shows her midriff, yellow flower in her hair.
So this ira A girl's gonna fuck this girl?
Right?
Irn guy? But great?
Oh that's such a director thing to do.
But that was so good.
So this ira A guy is gonna fuck this girl right.
Beck smiles broadly, almost beaming. She points at a shelf.
The woman turns, revealing her face Miss World, Miss World
surprise turns. She waves. The boys approach fourteen fifty for
the weekend.
Returns for the VCRs are inside the store.
I'm here Sunday.
If you wanted to hand it directly to me, anything else,
I may.
Help you with no thank you, becks reach.
Out if you need me.
VHS stands for a Very Hospitable Service.
Beck smiles wistfully. Reluctantly, Lee leeves Pea's eyes follow Dissey
tries to locate the Dolorean out the store window.
So lucky that we came today. I thought any more
about a ride. Our parents will be at the homecoming
game later we're playing Saint John's. You could meet them.
They'll tell you no big deal and we can go
for a ride there.
God, I'd love to see everyone from school. Look at
you ride around with a hot chick blasting pantara.
My parents will buy you a Freedo pie.
Miss World smiles, can't tonight it. Dizzy turns back to
the shelves.
It's fun talking music and you all seem nice. But
a ride's a bad idea. I'm an adult.
It's weird.
Peace face falls here it is. Dizzy holds up the
box to the crying game.
So, like I said, this IRA guy is going to
fuck the school, right, It's like any normal, boring sex
scene tits or whatever.
But then the camera.
Keeps going down and she has a fucking dick.
P and keV both stop what they're doing.
They show it.
Dizzy nods. Miss World listens intently.
She hot should be on dudes, plus, it should have
been huge. If you want to shock people, what does
the guide deal?
Hits her in bukes obviously.
Miss World's eyes circle the group. keV bursts out, laughing.
I'm sorry.
Then we go again, Pease.
keV bursts out laughing.
Aceventure is so smart.
Miss World steps in taking the tape from Dizzy.
Tomorrow morning, same house, Yes, deal, for real, promise eleven am.
I want to talk to your parents first, though, Sweet,
I'll wear my Metallica shirt. No, my Primus shirt again. No,
maybe my nine inch nail shirt.
You brought four shirts, but only one pair of underwear.
Five shirts.
Miss World puts the crying game back on the shelf.
Rent something else.
Dizzy points to the tape in her hand that the crow.
She displays her tape Peggy Sue.
Got married tomorrow At eleven, she leaves.
Shit, holy shit, I'm going to ride in the Dolorean tomorrow.
I can't even imagine what it'll be like to actually
be inside it.
keV waits till she's at the register, then quietly picks
up the crying game. He looks at P and Dizzy shrugs.
Pe gazes at Beck's cheerful smile as she rings up
Miss World Interior Planet VHS checkout. Moments later, Diszy checks
the tape return one last time. Becks works one of
two registers. P and keV wait for the other. Only
one customer ahead, but their video clerk, the same one
who ran by earlier, shifts back and forth uncomfortably. P
picks up a Cadbury cream egg from the discount bin.
Oh those don't deserve to exist.
I like the center.
Dizzy returns, the customer leaves. Their clerk turns to Becks.
Oh God, this new medification.
I can't hold it.
Cover me.
The boys look to Becks's register. She smiles sweetly at them.
Moments later, tapes slide across the counter. P adds the
cream egg. Shit tastes like butt, you eat butt, Bes
laughs loudly, then stops, abruptly deflating Dizzy. Pe swaps the
egg out for a purple grape tootsi pop. Bex holds
up the crying game. Pe looks at Becks. He adjusts
his purple beanie.
Yeah, let's put it back.
Beck slides it under the counter.
God, damn man, I want to rent two movies.
keV slides son in law across the counter. He and
Pee silently watched. Dizzy stare at it.
Fine, I get to ride in a dolare in. I'll
give you son in law.
P nudges Kevin, congratulations.
Touching a true sacrifice. That'll be a eighty Oh wait,
you guys wanted the crow right.
Guess what my mom just returned.
Dizzy raises his hands to the lord. P gives Becks
a sincere thank you smile, the kind with a sheepish
apology included. Beck smiles warmly. She slides the tape across
the counter. Yentel tense, crowd noise builds getting louder. P
drops his head the exterior homecoming game nearby field evening
peace head raises. Nearby crowd noise floats on the wind.
Pete charges down the field, weaving past Saint John's eighth
grade defenders. All the players are in street close a
playground game. The football floats through the dark night sky,
arcing downwards straight into the hands of the receiver on
the homecoming game mainfield. Simultaneous, the Varsity pond Hill receiver
catches the ball, tears toward the end zone. Bright stadium
lights bathe everything in fluorescent drama. Go pond Hill and
beat Saint John signs on one side. He walks with US.
Saint John's is King and pond Hill. Each ship signs
fill the opposing stands. The receiver cuts sharply, dodges a tackle,
dives touchdown. The pond Hill crowd erupts yes. Cheerleaders scream wildly.
Exterior homecoming game nearby field. Simultaneous, eighth grade girls talk
about anything else as they kind of watch pee in
the team play on a small field away from the
stands spill from the real games. Lights illuminate the play.
Cheers wapped across the night air. Pe turns looks for
the ball. The girls couldn't care less when a defender
tags Britt the QB. The boy who threw the football
to p in the hallway, keV is wrapped on the sidelines.
Come on, brit pe let it out, baby.
Peace Team huddles, Pea scans the sidelines. No becks fourth
and five, last shot. Dizzy's chest heaves, He spits, pe
adjusts his purple Beanie tugs his shirt taut.
Sorry, he's a cough the whole time. God Safeties are
playing close in center. I can't speak.
Sorry, have some water.
I'll have some too.
He's are playing close in center. I'll be free if
I go left.
Sounds good beef, guys.
Those Saint John's faggots are gonna blitz tiff I need
that juice, dance fake.
And go in the middle. Plug the left. Dizzy stop Jack.
Tiffany thick athletic girl at Britz locker before nods.
I'll have that fat fuck nursing my dick when we're done.
Moments later, they line up. Pee crouches ready.
To bluefore too hot.
Pea sprints, Dizzy, mirrors and blocks Jack at the line
of scrimmage. Britt drops back in the pocket. Tiffany plants
her feet and wraps her arm around Dan. She hurls
him to the ground. Dizzy slimps, collapsing into the dirt.
Jack's free. He runs through the gap. Dizzy left open.
Brit sees Jack getting closer, his arm goes back to throw.
Dizzy scrambles on the ground, lunges his craning fingers grasp
Jack's ankle. Jack tumbles brits free Pee buttonhooks. The ball
sails through the air. It's wide left. Pee leaps extending
his arm. Got it.
Fuck yeah, bitch p.
Runs safety scramble from the middle. They're too far. Touchdown, peace, cheer.
Now interference.
That was clean.
Jack, you lost, no way, he's he's dirty. We win you.
Saint John's fucks think you're owed everything.
That's what we're doing. You got caught.
Get over it, you and your bitch.
He nods it.
Dan. You want to go, bitch keV charges onto the field, Yeah.
Let's go, motherfucker. I'll scull fuck you so hard. Archaeologist
will think they've discovered a new fuck.
Oh no, that was perfect the way it was.
Yeah, what happened to you?
You want to go, bitch keV charges onto the field.
Yeah, let's go, motherfucker. Oh skull fuck you so hard.
Archaeologists will think they've discovered a new species.
Saint John's team laughs.
Archaeologists, me and your school is stupid.
Beating your ass though.
keV points to the giant scoreboard above the real field.
Pond hills ahead seventeen to seven. P runs over one
of the Saint John's players, trips him, Pee tumbles. He
stands fixing his purple beam.
Damn boy, don't I know you from the buffet?
I've seen less jigl Angello.
Guess there is always room.
The Saint John's team laughs. P looks down his soft
belly's partially exposed his shirt rode up in the fall.
He quickly yanks his shirt taut. Jack, Dan and the
Saint John's team leave, cheering. P joins Kevin Dizzy. Dizzy
high fives keV.
Thanks for having my back.
They ain't taking my boys t d away.
keV looks to P, beaming that stay was sick.
No way brit gets that pass off without you.
P extends his fist to Divvy.
P extensisty.
P extends his fist to Dizzy, but before Dizzy can
bump it.
But that catch, though, could you see P from the ground,
It was awesome man.
Dizzy dusts the grass and dirt from his clothes. P
and keV watch as A walks away past the edge
of the light throwing middle fingers to Saint John's exterior
homecoming game nearby field. Moments later, Kevin p walk.
Dizzy earned us that win. That kid's all hard.
You wouldn't have had to save it if he hadn't
fallen in the first place. And brit our class may
think that dude's hot shit, but it's garbage. Motherfucker's never
thrown an on target pass ever. The team owes you
the victory. You you deserve that shit. Fuck those Saint
John's bup puppets.
P E's keV. keV kicks a small rock deep into
the night pond hill for life bitches. keV tilts to
see the stadium lights. Pea studies him.
Next year, we'll settle in the real game. You gonna play.
Maybe maybe you'd be a starting receiver as a freshman.
Who knows how many touchdowns you'd score. Everyone would revere.
You peace silent. He steals a glance at keV.
What's your deal? Seriously, deep breath.
My parents are making me apply to schools for next year,
keV slowly, and if I get in anywhere, I'll be gone.
You want to go?
You're kidding me? Not unless you go?
They i'd the Saint John's eighth grader's laughing.
Ugh God, my dad would cream if I got into
Saint John's. Over my dead body though. I told the
Saint John's interviewers that I don't fit in at all
boys joint and that religion has no place in school.
And then I quoted Jesus Saves Slay.
Here you quoted those religious fucks Slayer.
I tanked the interviews at every school.
Dude, there's such a bro dude.
The whistle blows halftime shit.
I told my dad i'd find him before halftime.
Want me to come with Kev's silent. I don't get it.
When I see him, He's super nice to me, and
then he yells because you're on the phone with me
and all the other shit you tell me, he says,
would have to change for that asshole to like me.
keV laughs bitterly. He walks away, singing Metallica's Disposable Heroes.
You will do what I say when I say.
Pecked the exterior homecoming game stands. Short time later, P
locates his parents in the stands. Dad nods at the field.
Could be you. Next year, girls love football players. Hopefully
you'll be on the other side.
Though, I just go to touchdown with the guys, but
Saint John's jerks pulled bs and said it didn't count.
Don't hide behind excuses. Leave an opening and your opponents
will find a way to crawl out. Seal the deal.
Girls love football players. I wanted to play football, sweat
passion the guys.
Girls love rock stars too.
If they play real music.
P looks down he sees Beck's head toward the concessions.
Need drinks, corn dogs, terry peace.
Mom pulls out a crisp twenty dollars bill. She shuffles
through other twenties until she finds the most wrinkled one.
She hands it to Pee, saving the crisp one. Pean
nods to Dad freedo pie. Make sure they slather the
chili and cheese. I don't want to be able to
see on it. And a soda bucket. They got big Red?
Really the hell's wrong with big Red?
Pete turns to Mom.
Course, please, how about a cream soda? Harris go with
him for the beer.
Bexs is halfway to the concessions alone.
I want to make it easy on you both.
Wouldn't you prefer a cream soda?
Mom opens her wallet.
I'll put this twenty away.
Moments later, Pee and Dad head toward the concession stand.
Christine's wedding is Sunday. If you need to get clothes
or anything tomorrow for.
The dance, I get a date.
I'll let you know.
Chad. You know his uncle grown up. He couldn't find
anyone to take the dances at your age, not in
high school either, could have had anyone too, running back,
Good luck in That guy wasn't till much later he
found people he jibed with like him.
Get what I mean, I'm a loser and I won't
find anyone until I'm older.
No, what this guy was.
Dad looks around, then leans in clothes. He's, uh, he
likes I like girls, Dad.
Of course, of course I was just checking in, not
that there would be anything wrong with you didn't like
girls the nineties. You can be anything these days. Yeah,
when you lean when you lean in, can you give
me more of a quiet voice. Yeah, he's I don't
wake the baby and.
Just say to you on the of course, of course,
like and of course, of course I was just checking in.
It's like, thank you God, thank you God, thank you God,
thank you God.
He's uh, he.
Likes I like girls, Dad, Of course, of course.
I was just checking in, not that there would be
anything wrong if you didn't like girls. It's the nineties,
you can be anything these days.
Up ahead, he can just make out the back of
Becks's head.
I guess it's not so bad, go and stag. Plenty
of unbridled phillies.
Around, Jesus Christ.
Phillies.
Yeah, phillies. What do you call them?
Chicks? What about?
Her?
Dad points out a thin girl high school freshman junior.
Her.
He points out a more age appropriate, but even thinner girl.
Not for me. She thinks metal sucks.
That music's holding you back.
Her dad points out the thinnest girl yet, a cheerleader.
That's literally the varsity cheerleading captain.
Really, that's short taken Preston Jacobs makes sense. QB's always
get the girls. Muscular, but not too muscular. Handsome must
be a DNA thing. You ever see an ugly quarterback
and they're never fat, another benefit of playing.
He tugs the corners of his shirt. Taught Beck's is
just ahead. Pe pee wheels. Mister Welch approaches with a
large covered box.
Tough break yesterday, I shouldn't have spoken so openly in
front of the class.
Seen Becks around.
It's okay, and I know well, I doubt she's hiding. Okay,
gotta finish setting up the UH halftime surprise.
He motions to the box.
He carries hope you enjoy. Mister Richards Welch.
Nods and smiles of Dad, then leaves.
Doctor Richards, You uncouth fuck. I'd bet money that Saint
John's make sure their teachers know the station of their students' parents.
Who's Becks.
Beck's Bech's dad?
You know who she is, So what's the deal?
Nothing, I just gotta apologize Dad's size.
You gotta be courteous to women, be a mensch, right.
Dad points out different than girls.
Any one of these could be yours. You're just gonna
act right, Dad.
Spot's a larger girl from behind, buying cotton candy. He
doesn't recognize her. He chuckles and points with his thumb.
Some are easier to get than others.
P follows Dad's thumb to see Becks buying cotton candy.
He quickly averts his gaze, focusing on a large locust
shell on the ground. He scratches his whisker almost forgotten.
Be's is gone. Pee looks around. She's nowhere.
Happy belated birthday Mom insisted on the ridiculous ribbon.
Dad hands Pea something. Pe looks upward at him. Exterior
homecoming game. Short time later, Pea's face turns, scanning for Becks.
He walks past the concessions, past the restrooms, past everywhere.
She's vanished. Sighing, Pee turns around. Bex Is right behind him.
Jesus Christ.
Pee jerks Doctor Pepper, sloshing out of his cup and
onto his hand. Beck smiles.
I've been chattowing you for five minutes worth it.
She peers around him as he regains his wits.
No cav he's with his dad. My condolences to both
of them.
You'd like it if you got to know him.
Yes, I've always thought that, pe laughs.
Can I have some of your cotton candy?
Can I have some of your doctor Pepper?
They swap. She makes a face.
Does this diet.
Pa nods, Beck shrugs it off, drinks again.
So I've been tailing your ass? Who we looking for you?
Beck's turns the cup vertical and drains the soda. She
holds it above her mouth so that Pee can watch
the last drops fall in.
Now I'm sad we're alone.
You've been doing such a great job humiliating yourself in
front of people.
That's nothing new.
Mom still talks about Whattroplex.
Just your mom.
Oh, I do too, and my dad and my sisters
some cousins.
Haven't been to a water park since.
Pea smiles. He looks at the bright stadium lights in
the distance. His face shifts.
What just wondering if I'll ever have lights like that
shining on me.
Aren't you planning to play next year?
I mean the band No, it's hell complate to one
point six million people in Russia. Pantara played earlier in
the day and their crowd was over five hundred thousand.
They're from here and they played over half a million
fans going bat shit for their music.
What was that song you wrote me in fifth grade?
Sunshine Heart?
Beck smiles.
I just wanted to see if you still remembered.
Thought i'd forget.
It's not fifth grade anymore.
You know what I remember most about? What troplex?
Bex looks at him like he's a dumb ass shitting
your swimsuit on the lazy river and then duck walking
with an inner tube.
Stuck in your ass so your suit wouldn't fall off.
No one else would have laughed with me, I mean,
no one else would have made me laugh.
Their eyes meet connected, they look deep into each other,
the moment suddenly intimate, close and raw.
I missed you.
He pushes his purple beanie up. He puts a knee
on the ground, raises the cotton candy like a proposal.
Will you go to the dance with me?
Be's is shocked, you can't use my cotton candy. Pe
stands returns to the cotton candy. Boom alone, firework explodes,
painting this guy.
Whoa mister Welcher's surprise.
Boom boom, more fireworks. The glow paints their faces. Pea's eyes,
naked and deep, connect with Becks's.
I think you feel sometimes you're the only one who
knows how special you are, not when we were friends.
Boom boom boom boom.
Okay the dance okay.
Boom boom, boom boom. The finale of the fireworks. They
burst in aggressive beauty. Pee overjoyed screams excitedly. Dear Pee,
Pee turns keV is clearly worse for wear after his dad.
He might have been crying.
Thank got, I thought I was gonna find you with
fucking becks again.
Fucking becks. Huh.
Beck steps from behind Pee. Kev's face dre He looks
like he's been punched. He hurries away.
I take it you didn't mention this.
Yeah, seven tomorrow, if that shit's squared by then.
Moments later, boom, the last few fireworks ignite as keV
stomps ahead.
It's not what you think, Hey, it's not what you think.
keV strides forward without turning.
Yeah, well, every time I turn my back for a
fucking second, you run through her.
You're my best friend, man, swear. keV stops, closes his eyes.
Pee catches up.
Just tell me, man, the truth. Tell me.
P nervously stammers what.
We're just friends?
Do you even like me anymore?
Pee breathes again, relieved, of course, keV laughs bitterly stomps forward.
Can't even be honest with me?
Did your dad fuck you up?
keV wheels on him, eyes ringed red.
I love her, dude, I love her.
Okay, I told you when we're eighteen, I'll find a
way for you to meet carlos man.
X.
keV storms toward their classmates ahead. Pee dazed follows, X,
you think I'm stupid?
Just friends? My ass fucking piling it up with her
like old times.
You're gonna be best friends forever and I'm not gonna
have either of you.
Well, joke's on her because you're chasing me and she's alone.
They reached their classmates, passing around a soda bucket, a
ninety six ounce cup with a handle and lid. James
offers pe the bucket.
Beer, Pe, I'll have some. You fucked us, bro, Just
give me the fucking beer.
Pe nods at James. James gives keV the bucket.
Going to the dance tomorrow, Pee taking two breakfast becks.
PA's head snaps towards Zach. The whole group of boys
erupts in laughter. keV stares at the ground.
Can you imagine Pee going with double quarter pounder with
she's McDonald, Every dance would be a slow dance.
Maybe it's true, you guys are best friends forever.
People's down as Purple Beanie tries to play it cool, as.
If caught you alone with her twice today?
Oo p Eye's keV hurt a moment of guilt than
keV steals himself. James hands Keb the cup of beer.
Classmates laugh and holler. keV tilts his head back, drinks.
Moonlight and floodlights paint peas face different hues interior Dizzy's
room later that night, blue, red, white, yellow light flickers
on Pea's face. Bare Knuckle three, the import version of
Streets of Rage three, a video game on the TV.
The Boss, a ridiculous gay stereotype named Ash, enters the fight.
PA's purple beanie framed face focuses intently on Ashes. Ash
is heavily muscled, black goatee, purple cop hat, black legless leotard,
green stockings that end mid thigh, and women's knee high
heeled boots. A large gold women's symbol medallion hangs from
Ash's neck. Pea plays as blaze fielding badass female cop
in all red miniskirt, boots, crop top.
Sl That's all I'm saying.
I'm sure you could see everything I did wrong from
the sidelines.
Pee tries to ignore them. On screen. He expertly counters
Ash's prancing kicks. Ash laughs effeminately. My stomach Kurtz keV
walks past Dizzy. He covertly rummages in his pillowcase, removes something.
He exits.
You're right. The import version of this game is the shit.
Dizzy lowers his car magazine and watches the screen. I
kick this fagots ass light every day Blaze wins. Ash
lies on the ground and sits up sobbing outside. A
car starts and drives off. Pee pauses the game, freezing
Ash on the ground.
Mid cry, your mom's leaving this late. Dissy stares at.
The window even after the curtain goes dark.
My dad would have gotten a kick out of him.
He hates homos.
You can fight him now if you want.
P stands, puts the purple grape tootsy pop in his mouth.
Dizzy raises the magazine.
Maybe later if the moot hits, give me a coke too,
not coke interior hallway.
Moments later, P closes Dizzy's door. The bathroom door opens,
keV pulls him inside interior bathroom continuous. P surprised it
doesn't smell bad.
Thought your stomach was fucked up.
keV hands Pa. Penthouse Magazine, August nineteen ninety four. A
black and white photo of a beautiful, dark haired woman
on the cover. You did take it, keV angry takes
a breath to calm himself.
This is a peace offering. I was gonna show it
to you anyway, but I'm showing you now, So listen.
Do you want to look at this?
P shakes his head. keV takes the magazine. keV listens
at the door. No dizzy. He removes a box of
Q tips and a large bottle of hand soap from
under the sink hold this. P hands Pa, a white
first aid kid with a big red cross. He pushes
the magazine deep in the cabinet, replaces the other items,
and shuts the door.
Coming back, P shakes his head.
Grab Dizzy a drink.
keV leaves. P assesses his purple beanie reflect in the mirror,
pulls his shirt taut. He twists his arm looking for definition.
He examines his lone whisker, it's starting to sprout. Minutes later,
Pea's eyes peer out from behind the penthouse first aid
kit and other items on the counter. He idly rubs
his lone chin hair and examines the magazine. Flips through
stops at a pictorial with a man and a woman
He examines the images almost scientifically, almost confused. Quickly flipping through,
he suddenly stops, captivated by two women kissing, Debbie and Drahikza.
His face changes. He crunches through the last bit of
purple shell on the grape Tutsi pop. Finally reaching the center,
he gazes at the two women kissing, his face soft,
his eyes intense, searching no lust. P shakes his arm,
extending and curling his fingers. He turns the page delicately,
attention wrapped, his world existing only within the two women's
gloss paged fantasy interior Dizzy's room. Short while later, Pee
returns to find Dizzy and keV wrestling on the floor.
keV locks in a sleeper hold on Dizzy. Dizzey's face
reddens as he struggles. Finally, he taps keV.
Mate mate a fuck.
keV releases. He opens his sweating sprite.
Drinks start son in law, bitch.
Dizzy reluctantly opens the coke that keV brought.
Him, no wrestling for it was your suggestion. You're gonna
welch now.
I don't want to see that stupid movie again. Back
to the future, fucking please.
In less than ten hours, I get to ride in
a Deloreate of all the cook cars in the world,
I picked the DeLorean to ride in first, and for once,
I'm gonna get what I want and I want to
be hyped as fuck.
Bro, No one cares about that busted ass car outside
of you and Pee. It looks like an industrial fridge
with a windshield. It sucks, Bro, I won I want
to watch son in law. I don't get to marry
Karla in ten hours. You know how much I care
about her. Let me have this. She's the girl of
my dreams, the person I do anything to spend my
life with.
No one else comes close. She'll be an amazing mother.
You know when we get wake up. She's famous. She's
a fucking movie star, and you're nobody. You never will be.
Damn it, Get over it.
Fuck you.
I'm so fucking sick and tired of hearing you can
play all the time like a bitch. I slipped at
the game. I slipped, bitch.
At least I wasn't playing cheerleader on the sidelines. Fuck you,
and fuck Carla. You can't always get what you want.
Dizzy crashes out of the room with the door slamming
behind him.
Fuck, dude, what the.
The door flies open?
Why the fuck am I leaving? This is my fucking room, y'all?
Motherfuckers leave, Get the fuck out now.
Dizzy storms over, kicking the ground under their legs.
Get the fuck out.
Dizzy turns the TV back to bare knuckle three. The
game still paused, the effeminate ash frozen mid sob. Dissy
snatches the controller as P and keV shut out. He
kicks the door shut interior Dizzy's garage. Moments later, P
and keV enter the air is heavy. P sits with
his guitar. He idly plays it as is no amp.
Dizzy should focus on his love life, not yours.
keV slowly slides down the wall until he reaches the floor.
Play Something.
P flips the amp on clean channel neck pickup. He
plays a melancholic, somewhat bluesy lick. keV closes his eyes.
Guitar fills the room with a shared pain. keV flips
off the ceiling light, toggles the string lights lining the room.
The warm glow offers barely more light than candles or
a Christmas tree. keV picks up his bass, turns on
his amp. He plucks a single, rumblings his stained note.
He plays off P, driving the rhythm and weaving a
harmony around P's notes. Kev's groove in places. P plays
a slow, sorrowful lead line. keV adds chords as P
moves in and out of rhythm and lead. Their eyes
connect the way that only can happen with music. P
nods slowly at keV, whose mouth twists slightly. P kicks
to the distortion channel. They play, charged more complex than
during practice, the sound intricate, thoughtful, and their own building
to a furiously beautiful climax. They hit their final notes
in munison. keV leans back, shadows, covering part of his face.
That took my CDs.
You hung up at nine.
Same difference makes he only got the wallet.
Back on clean channel. P plays softly.
You're not Dave Mustaine, you know no Bex was. I'm
Kirk Well, he's still a Metallica.
Yeah, you like me. I had more than Metallica.
Look I get it, I overreacted, my bad bro just
no more becks tonight, okay.
Pean nods a few moments later, How did you know?
Yentel?
keV chuckles quietly.
My aunt told me that one of my parents' last
attempts at patching things up was weekly date nights. This
was when I was almost two, So they went to
Yentel because my dad's an idiot and doesn't know.
Shit about movies.
Midway through, my mom turns to my dad and tells
him she wants to divorce. He stands up in the
middle of the theater, yelling like an asshole.
You've heard him.
People are screaming at him to shut the fuck up.
They can't to stop the movie. Now they're on their
way back to the car. My mom hasn't said anything
since she said she wanted to get divorced. He finally
asks her why, and she says, I can't be myself
with you.
Peace studies Kev's face as he plays I.
Wish I knew what she meant when she wanted to
be but she died the next year.
I watched you until a Lot Now restaurant. She moved
back to Japan. Dad won't give me our number.
keV leans into the light.
Shadow King could be great. You know that shit just now.
People would die for us.
We'd be all over the radio.
Can you imagine looking out from the stage knowing every
single person there is with you, feeling what you.
Feel, thinking we're God's.
Kev's baseline sounds similar to Nirvana.
After a moment, Kraig fucked me up, man, How can
you give that shit up? The adoration and the recognition
he had everything.
Still?
Like you said in Senseless Prints, you can't fight me
because I quit. They could fight him if he walked out,
and they still beat him up. Kurve, fuck me up, man,
How can you give that shit up? The adoration, the
recognition he had everything.
Still?
Like you said in Scentless Apprentice, you can't fire me
because I quit. Fucking rock star move Now they talk
about his genius more than when he was alive.
He stops playing, He tugs at his purple beanie. Kev's
bass provides a dark minor key warmth.
He hurt. Man. I mean, you can laugh with your friends,
or play music toward the world, anything, everything's good. Then
in those moments, the good moments, the pain goes away
until you remember it, and then in the moments between
the laughs, you remember it, and then you can't remember
how to forget it. You can wish you were someone else,
anywhere else, but that's not possible, so you push it
back inside and keep it there, and eventually that's all
that's left. There was something beautiful once, but now it
doesn't exist because there's no more space to hold it.
Well comes to every night in my house.
Pse soft cords ring out as he speaks.
When I was four, I wanted a cabbage patch kid
more than anything. So Christmas morning, I'm tweaking, not knowing
which one I'll get because I've seen neighborhood kids with
all these cool ones, like different hair, different clothes, all
these colors and hairstyles. My friend Sarah had this girl
with an orange jacket and sneakers, and my next door
neighbor Emily had one with like big red hair. All
of them were so bright and exciting and wonderful. Some
I fucking this big wrapped box under the tree while
my parents make coffee. Then my grandparents had to have breakfast.
Is killing me. I don't think we got to presence
ntill like ten thirty, dude, No, I know. Finally I
unwrap it and there it is, like brown hair, blue overalls,
blue checkered shirt. I think he had a red hat maybe,
but I lost it. I hated him. Why would anyone
choose him. He was boring, ugly, but I didn't want
to be ungrateful because I wanted a cabbage Patch Kids
so bad, and I got one, and my mom said
my dad had gone all around town and found the
last boy doll in town. So I pretended I loved it,
But every time I looked at it, like I knew
it could have been better. That's not what I was given.
That was the first time I remember feeling the gray.
It was like I didn't know if the sun still
existed even though it was out. Everything was just cold,
like I'd forgotten what warmth was, and I didn't know
how to remember the sun. Maybe Kurt couldn't remember either,
Maybe all he knew was cold. You gotta know warmth
to feel the sun.
Write that down the last thing right now, sick fucking.
Lyric the folders in the room, keV looks round nothing piece.
He's a notebook by the drum kit. Oh, Dizzy's notebook.
keV rips out a sheet of paper, hands it to
pea interior Dizzy's room. Short time later, Pe returns with
a glass of water. Dizzy and keV begrudgingly coexist there
on the floor, not close but not separate, partially eaten
bontette on plates, almost like a burrito. The tube of
rice rests on the banana leaves. The pork is in
the middle, surrounded by a layer of beans and then
of rice. They watch Naked Gun thirty three and a third.
Kev's eyes stay on the screen. Every so often, Dizzy's
eyes drift to keV. Pe gets a CD wallet and
a yellow sports Discman from his bag on the bunk.
He removes a disc with a white skeletal spiral. He
adjusts headphones around his purple beanie nine inch nails. Eraser
starts insects or aliens, playing instruments made of straws until
the the drum start pounding. Pe gazes at Anna Nicole
Smith on the TV Curvy Beautiful. He carefully takes out
Dad's gift. Two sealed envelopes tied with a bizarre ribbon
guitars alternating with the classic Groucho Marx black glasses, big
nose mustache disguise. First letter is from Green Tree Prep,
second is Saint John's Green Tree. First we regret to
inform p exhales in relief. Jagged guitar's crashing. The song's
vocals start, need you, dream you, find you, taste you,
fuck you, use you, scar you break you. Pee quietly
and meticulously peels open the Saint John's letter. Trembling, He
unfolds the paper and reads congratulations. He closes his eyes slowly,
deep breath scans further. The panel was particularly impressed by
your distinct candor and courage that confirmed you are Saint
John's material above any other factor. The song continues, lose me,
hate me, smash me, erase me. PA's eyes dart above
the letter to his friends. Kevin Dizzy both laugh at
the movie. Resentment fades, smiles turn real. The song echoes
peas thoughts kill me, kill me, kill me. keV blissfully
eats the Vontette motions pe to push his headphones back.
We'll have them at our feet, dude.
P Weekly smiles. He puts the headphones on. Eraser continues,
kill me, kill me, kill me. End deck two, Yeah
Woo