Jack
I don’t know if giving her the gift worked or not.
Brady
How do you not know?
Jack
Because I gave it to her but then she called me her fake boyfriend again.
Jack
I don’t know what to do.
Jack
She acts so nice, and it feels like she likes me.
Jack
But then she’ll call me her fake boyfriend.
Jack
I don’t know how to feel about it. What do I do?
Brady
Well, dude, you’ve got other problems, anyway.
Brady
You know how Mike tried to give Hazel a ride home the other day?
Jack
Yeah? What about it?
Brady
He’s looking for you.
Brady
Apparently he’s asking around.
Brady
Your plan worked, but it isn’t working like you think it is.
Brady
It’s only making Mike angrier.
Brady
He’s been making fun of you, man. Saying things about when we were in middle school.
Brady
How you used to wear the same clothes to school everyday.
Brady
You know, before your mom got a better job and before you got that part-time job during the summer.
Jack
He’s such an asshole.
Brady
Yeah, he keeps joking about your trailer house.
Brady
Most people think he’s just a jackass…
Brady
But you know, some of the dumb ones are eating it up.
Jack
He’s got to stop. Why is he doing this?
Brady
He’s obviously mad you got Hazel’s attention when he couldn’t.
Brady
His fancy car couldn’t do shit for him.
Jack
Don’t say that to him.
Jack
In fact, don’t say anything to agitate him.
Brady
I’m trying not to, but you’ve got to think up something soon.
Brady
Because he’s gonna keep poking at you until you break.
Brady
And if this fake boyfriend gig gets blown up, it’s bad for you and Hazel.
Brady
That rumor will be worse than what you used to wear in middle school.
Brady
He’ll say you can’t land a girlfriend or something. You have to fake it.
Jack
I didn’t think about that.
Brady
It’s because you don’t think.
Brady
You didn’t listen to me…
Jack
Maybe I should stay away from her.
Jack
Because if Mike sees me with her, he’ll just tell her crap about me.
Jack
And I don’t know how to tell her about Mike and what he’s saying.
Jack
If I stay low so I’m not pissing him off anymore, maybe he’ll chill out.
Jack
And Hazel doesn’t need any more of his crap.
Brady
I don’t know what to tell you, man.
Brady
But this isn’t a great start to a relationship.
Jack sighs, running a hand down his face.
He’s sitting out in his yard in an old lawn chair, frozen with confusion.
How can he protect Hazel and stop Mike from talking about him?
He’s still there when Mike approaches him.
Jack
What are you doing here?
Mike
I have to ask you myself.
Mike
I need to understand.
Jack
Dude, back off. Seriously.
Jack
It’s none of your business.
Mike
Is she just playing you?
Mike
She practically jumped into my car when I picked her up at school.
Jack
You know as well as I do that you’re lying about that.
Mike
And you know how it is here, Jack.
Mike
You don’t get in the way.
Jack
I was never in your way.
Jack
You’re just not on her radar.
Mike
Listen, she’s trouble.
Mike
Just like she did to me.
Mike
She’ll turn you on, then shut you down. She’s a tease.
Jack
Don’t talk about her like that.
Mike
You’re a guy who lives here, in a trailer park. You think she’d stay with you if she knew?
Mike
She’ll jump the moment she sees you’ve got nothing.
Jack
I think that’s all in your head.
Jack
So why don’t you go home and forget about her?
Jack
I don’t need you to worry about me.
Mike
I’m telling you to stay away from her.
Jack
How come I don’t believe you?
Without answering, Mike walks away.
Jack pulls out his phone, tempted to text Hazel.
But after a minute, he puts the phone down, unsure how to warn her about Mike.
