I nodded. “In Hawaii.”

Nicole’s eyes widened. “Are you serious? Go!”

“Are you crazy? Daddy would never let me. Besides what am I going to do, go and tell her what a rotten mother she is?”

Nicole cocked an eyebrow. “Maybe she wants to apologize.”

“As if I’d even accept her apology in this lifetime.”

“If it were my dad, and he wanted to see me, I’d do it. And he’s been gone longer than your mom. Yeah, even though he’s a double WPE and a bastard and doesn’t deserve the time of day, I would still go.”

“Yeah, but—”

“Jackie, what if this is the only chance you’ll ever have? I mean, think about it. What if something happens to her? Or to you? How would you feel then?”

“Listen to you, Miss Mature,” I smirked. “Hey.” I elbowed her and pointed across the quad to where Andy Webb approached. “Don’t look now.” I pretended not to see him, hoping he’d veer off, but Nicole waved him over.

“Hello there, Andrew,” she said brightly.

“What happened to your shit list?” I hissed in her ear, but she nudged me away.

“Got any weed?” Andy asked. I shook my head and handed him the McDonald’s cup.

He took the lid off and gulped the rest of the booze. I grabbed the cup away from him as he let out a big, asshole guy-belch.

“You’re such a pig, Webb,” I said.

Nicole reached into her purse and held out a joint.

“Hey, Andy?” she singsonged, waving it like a temptress.

“You didn’t tell me you had any dope,” I said.

Andy reached for the joint, but Nicole pulled it away, giggling. He grabbed her around the waist and tackled her. They tumbled on the grass, Andy wrestling her to the ground until he snatched the joint.

“C’mon, let’s go smoke,” Nicole said, straightening out her blouse.

Andy jumped to his feet and stuck the joint behind his ear. “No can do. Got an audition after school. Thanks for the buzz though ladies.”

He sauntered off down the path to the cafeteria, laughing.

Nicole’s face turned red and frozen like she’d been slapped by snowballs.

“I’m gonna kill him,” she said.

“Yeah okay, kill him,” I said. “Let’s ditch Algebra and buy some ciggies, okay?”

Nicole didn’t answer. She kept staring at the spot that had been Andy.

INT. BELAIR MANSION

MORNING