Part Three: Dammit Janet

"That was fun," Faye agrees. She sits down, slightly out of breath. "Oh wow, I got really unfit since my soccer days," she says. She reaches for the bottle of wine she brought and finds with disappointment that it's just a screw top. She'd have liked to open a cork with her knife.
"I need a break, but I'd love to dance some more later." She tries to subtly catch Em's eyes. "Might even switch up partners a bit."

"I dunno," Em says when Jaden asks about why she called the get together, rolling her eyes in amused fashion when George produces his precious spliff. She meets Faye's eyes and holds them for a moment as she goes on, not saying anything about Andy's uptightness.

"Just wanted to see everyone. Catch up. What we all went through... I mean... pretty crazy. I wanted everyone to know, and to see, what an amazing person Faye is now. I wanted to apologize to everyone for dropping off the radar like I did. I think most of you know why, but... I still should have stayed in contact."

It's a heavy moment and it's quiet for a few seconds, but then Morgan grins. "Plus I wanted to dance and sing like an idiot. So... check those off."

George leans back, stuffing the joint back into his pocket; it didn't seem like anyone was interested. Yet. Plus, he didn't want to wreck Andy's deal, drugs and athletes didn't mix and if he had his scholarship blown, that would be on George,

"Okay, time for some sexy Juvie stories, Em. Rumour has it that you spent time in Clark County Detention. What I want to know is was it all girls, or were their boys in a different wing? And how did you end up in there anyway? Seemed you were in there for too long for overdue library fines."

George can almost see the black cloud forming over Em's head as he utters the words sexy Juvie stories. Her eyes narrow, her shoulders set -- but his follow-on questions are rapid-fire and amusing enough that the girl can't hold her edge, and she smiles and lifts her eyebrows.

"Manslaughter," she says easily, sipping at her beer and making a gross! face as she swallows.

Faye takes a large drink directly from the wine bottle. Already knowing the story, she's unfazed by Em's revelation (and also doesn't question it as a potential joke). Instead, she turns to Georgie and comments: "You apparently really like sharing other people's secrets. Seems to be one of your less endearing qualities."

George fingers his lighter, contemplating Em's revelation. He knew it was going to be a serious crime, but manslaughter was the far end of that spectrum.

And then it all made sense. If she was innocent, or if it was self defense, she would have reached out for help, looked to find purple on her side. But guilt, well, he knew as well as anyone that guilt made you hide, shame drove a wedge between you and those you cared about most of all. That's why there were no letters. She was guilty and felt ashamed.

"I hope you found someone to talk to. Carrying that around all these years... If you ever need to talk, you know I love you like the sister I never had and will always listen."

He looked at the others. "We all know a little about carrying dark secrets."

He walked a half dozen paces away from Andy and lit the joint.

"Yeah, sorry. I think I misheard. A what? George pal, I might as well join you tonight..." he said at George.

"A what Em?? Geez!... I've been the first to go away to study and I kinda lost touch, but I had no idea... What the hell happened Em? I mean who?... Why?.. What the actual hell?!"

Em takes another sip, determined to get through her one beer as Faye chugs from the wine bottle. The dark haired teen gestures to her chin, indicating to the other girl that a dribble of red wine had escaped, then she looks at Jaden and shrugs. "Let's save it for another time? It has to do with my brother and I finding out what happened to our parents, and an... accident at the DART Loop. Back before it flooded. Someone was killed, my brother and I took the fall."

She watches George go, lighting up his joint... something clearly weighing on him.

Faye's comment about switching partners later wasn't lost on him. She was pretty. Very pretty, but it was all too weird and he wouldn't let his thoughts go any further on the subject. Then his head blew up a little when he heard Em say that she was in juvie for manslaughter. That was pretty serious stuff.

He started thinking about lectures the team got from their soccer coach about associating with the right people, and how doing the wrong thing could potentially damage your career, and here he was drinking beer. Great. And he wanted to kick George when he mentioned sexy juvie stories. How insensitive was that? So he was glad to see him walk off with the joint and happy that Em didn't want to reveal any details now. Their get-together was already a little too much. So much had changed for some.

"Sure Em. You don't ever have to tell us if you don't want to. It's your business," he said, glaring after Geroge and Jaden, even though they both had become somewhat contrite.

Faye wipes her chin when Em points it out and then offers the bottle, to her or anyone else.

Em takes the bottle, so now she's two-fisting it. Taking a drink of the wine, her eyes go wide and she nods after swallowing. "Oh yeah," she says as she hands Andy the rest of her beer. Another long swig and then, "This is better. Wine is better."

Already light-headed, the brunette cocks her head at Andy.

"So... where'd you learn to dance, big guy?"

"On the soccer field?" He takes the bottle of wine from Em and chuckles. He figures since he's already had two beers, why stop now? Besides, it's the most relaxed he's been in a long time. The pressures of performing as a college athlete weigh heavy upon his shoulders.

"Soccer training does help, but mostly from being dragged onto the dance floor and forced to learn or look dumb. College girls don't take no for an answer so I figured Id better get with the program. It's fun though, isn't it? It's a great way to blow off steam and you did great, Em."

"College girls?!" Em exclaims as Andy drinks. She glances sideways to make eye contact with Faye, then takes the bottle back and raises it to her lips. She's smirking as she guzzles, then says, "Gotten over your paralyzing fear of the fairer sex then, have we?"

"Well...yeah, those are my friends now," he says as he takes a few more glugs of the wine, wipes his lips with his sleeve, and returns the bottle to Em. "Um...well yeah I suppose. It's been seven years. We've all grown up, haven't we?"

"Right. Friends...", Faye says sarcastically. When she handed the wine bottle over to Em, it was already almost half empty. And it shows in her eyes that she's had quite a lot. "I figure we can all guess what you mean by 'grown up'." She let's out a brief, snorting laugh.

Like on cue, Jaden begins to jam on a tune that seems oddly familiar and yet not quite so.
He seems to have picked up a reggae tune, doing some ridiculous reggae vocalizations during the intro.

"Georgie ma man; let's show dem whiteys how to groove properly, yes? Come now, sing with me brahder."


The Tune

Andy is feeling entirely too mellow to get annoyed at anything and he's not even sure if Faye means what he thinks she means. He decides to have some fun. "Okay, Faye. What did I mean by grown up?"

Meanwhile, his eyes try to see what George and Jaden are up to as the herbally pungent smell wafts over in his direction. He wonders what they are talking about as they get stoned.

George begins to sing in an outrageous Jamaican accent, toking on the joint and blowing smoke like a chronic.

Come as you are, as you were
As I want you to be
As a friend, as a friend, mon
As an old enemy
Take your time, hurry up
Choice is yours, don't be late
Take a rest as a friend
As an old memory

Memory
Memory
Memory, mon

Come doused in mud, soaked in bleach
As I want you to be
As a trend, as a friend
As an old memory

Memory
Memory
Memory, mon

And I swear dat I don't have a gun
No, I don't have a gun
No, I don't have a gun

Memory
Memory
Memory
Memory (No, I don't have a gun)

And I swear that I don't have a gun
No, I don't have a gun
No, I don't have a gun
No, I don't have a gun
No, I don't have a gun

Memory
Memory, mon!

When Andy calls Faye out, she suddenly freezes for a moment, before somewhat catching herself and stammering out: "Well, you know. Right? College girls..." She had not expected to have to elaborate and that makes this whole thing suddenly super awkward to her. With a bright red face, she turns to Em. "Gimme back that bottle."

Em is swaying to the music now, grooving with her eyes mostly closed. She holds up the bottle for Faye when the other girl demands it, then giggles when her taller friend grabs it and discovers it's empty!