Hazel
Wait, where are we going?
Jack
I thought we’d go get some coffee before school.
Jack
I’ve got a few free drinks on my reward card.
Hazel
Nice. I’ve some cash, too.
Jack
Don’t worry about it.
Jack
I’ve got you covered for our cheap date.
Hazel
If you’re there, I don’t need anything else.
At the coffee shop, Jack and Hazel find seats at an outside table. They sip their drinks.
Jack
I can’t believe we ordered the same thing.
Hazel
Great minds think alike.
Hazel
I can’t wait until high school is over. I’m gonna go out for coffee all the time.
Hazel
I like taking it slow in the morning.
Jack
That can’t be all you want to do.
Hazel
No. That’s not everything.
Jack
So what else is there? What’s your plan?
Jack
Everyone seems to have one.
Hazel
I can’t decide if I want to do language studies…
Hazel
With maybe a degree in art on the side.
Hazel
I’m pretty sure I want to do something with translation.
Jack
There are a lot of options.
Hazel
I know! I can’t decide.
Hazel
There are too many classes to take that sound interesting.
Jack
Honestly, not sure if college is for me.
Jack
But it’s expensive. Especially since I’m not sure about what I want.
Hazel
What are some of things think you would want to do, though?
Jack
I mean, I know I should do something lucrative and practical, like engineering or medicine…
Jack
But I know this sounds crazy, but I like studying other cultures.
Jack
It’s why I took Japanese. I like Asian culture.
Jack
So maybe I should look into International Studies.
Hazel
The college I was thinking about has that degree.
Hazel takes out a small junk journal, flips it open and turns to a page.
It shows some college options, tuition notes, and degree programs.
Hazel
I was looking into it the other day.
Jack
Because you want to take all the classes?
Hazel
I wouldn’t mind a school that had more than one degree I was interested in.
Hazel
I might go for multiple.
Jack
You want to be a student for life?
Jack
But you don’t like high school.
Hazel
I like learning. I’d do it on my own.
Hazel
I just don’t like…you know…when people pick on me.
Hazel
How mean they can get.
He flips the pages of her journal.
Jack
You really organized this.
Hazel
Take it with you. See if anything interests you.
Jack
You sure? Don’t you need it?
Hazel
I can get it back from you later.
Hazel
Maybe if you want, I’ll make one for you. We can work on it together.
Jack
Wow. Sure. I’d like that.
Jack
So where do you want to live? I mean, after college.
Hazel
Well, if I do translations, I can work anywhere. I’d probably do it out of my house.
Hazel
And I’d love someplace with four seasons. I like snow and mild summer.
Hazel
Just some cozy town, a place where the people are all nice.
Hazel
Yeah. But it’d also have to be near an airport so I can travel.
Jack
You’ve got it all figured out.
Hazel
What about you? Where do you want to live?
Jack
In a small house. Near an airport.
Jack
So I can spend money on traveling.
Jack
After studying all those places, I’d like to visit them.
Jack
Maybe start a travel vlog.
Hazel
Your idea is better.
Jack
Actually…it sounds like we’re talking about going the same direction.
Hazel
Did you really want that? What you said?
Jack
I know it isn’t like a doctor. Girls like doctors, don’t they?
Hazel
Doctors make the worst husbands, I hear.
Jack
They work a lot of hours.
Jack
They are gone all the time.
Jack
If you ask me, I’d rather see my wife and kids on occasion. Whenever that happens…
Hazel
I don’t think I’d marry someone for his job. If I wanted the job, I’d get it myself.
Jack
But you’d marry a travel vlogger?
Jack
You like nice guys, huh?
Hazel
Well I don’t like guys who harass me and then abandon me on the side of the road.
Jack
I hope you never date a guy like that.
Hazel
What kind of girl would you date?
Jack
I guess…a nice girl. Someone who wants the same things as me, hopefully.
Hazel
That’s always a good idea. It’s how relationships last, yeah?
Jack
Yeah, and I’d want it to last.
Jack
Oh, but we won’t survive high school if we don’t make it on time.
Hazel
Oh my gosh! We only have ten minutes until the bell!
Hazel
Will we make it to school in time?
Jack
We should be okay, but let’s get going.
Jack and Hazel get in his car. He starts to drive as Hazel muses aloud.
Hazel
Maybe this is a good thing.
Hazel
Maybe walking in late, with coffee, will make everyone think we’re actually dating.
Hazel
After what Mike said yesterday…
Jack
Let’s avoid him today, okay?
Jack
If you see him, go the other way.
Hazel
I was going to do that anyway.
Hazel
But he’ll have to leave me alone eventually.
Hazel
If I stick with my fake boyfriend long enough, right?
Jack
Maybe. But let’s not shove this fake relationship in his face, okay?
Jack
We want him to think we’re dating, but we don’t want it to be the only thing he thinks about.
Hazel
You’re not worried about him, right?
Jack
That’s why we’re doing this, isn’t it?
Jack
He might get aggressive toward you if he didn’t think we were together.
Hazel
I guess…I mean, yes.
Hazel
I hope you won’t quit on me.
Hazel
I think I’ll be worse if you do.
Hazel
I mean it. I mean…I think this situation…will be worse…
Jack
I won’t abandon you, Hazel.
Jack
I said I’d help. I will.
Hazel
It is working, the others left me alone yesterday.
Hazel
Once Mike backs off, we’re okay.
Hazel
He’s really the only one we have to worry about.
Jack
I guess. Well, you better get to class on time, okay? No detentions on your permanent record.
Jack
Not when we’ve got colleges to pick out.
During class, Jack flips through the college journal Hazel gave him…
Mom
Hey, kiddo. Everything okay?
Mom
Aren’t you supposed to be in class?
Jack
I just had a quick question.
Jack
You know how you kept saying I should go to college for something?
Jack
But I kept saying it might be too expensive if I don’t know what I’m going in for?
Mom
It is expensive, but it doesn’t have to be.
Mom
Not if you work part-time. And manage your money.
Jack
Okay…I mean I’d appreciate it, but it’s a struggle as it is now.
Jack
But, I’ve been thinking, maybe I should look at a few.
Mom
You think I’d say no to that?
Mom
What’s gotten into you? You weren’t that interested in college before.
Jack
I was looking at a couple of schools someone mentioned to me.
Jack
They aren’t that expensive.
Jack
No…just…someone at school.
Mom
Well whoever that is, keep talking to him. I like him already.
