Beth stood by Dean's locker waiting for him to return from fourth period. She'd dashed out of her class as quickly as she could so she would be able to catch him before he headed out to lunch. Something was wrong and she didn't know what. He hadn't spoken to her in a week. They'd had plans to go to the movies last Friday but he had never picked her up. She'd tried calling him and talking to him at school, but he just ignored her. Beth didn't understand this sudden change in her boyfriend. She had absolutely no clue why he was acting this way.
Seeing him approach, Beth stood slightly off to the side so she could make a surprise attack. If he saw her, she knew that he'd just turn and walk the other way.
As soon as he opened his locker, she made her move. "Hey," she said.
Not bothering to look at her, Dean muttered a "hey" back.
Chewing on her bottom lip, Beth stood awkwardly for a moment before summoning the courage to broach the topic at hand. "So...you're not talking to me...why's that?"
Dean scoffed. "Why don't you think real hard and I'll bet you can figure it out." Slamming his locker shut, he began to walk away from her.
"Dean!" Beth cried, chasing after him. "I don't have the faintest idea what you're talking about! Why are you mad at me?"
Furiously, Dean stormed towards her and whipped a piece of paper out of his backpack. Shaking it in her face, he shouted, "This! This is what I'm upset about! How did you think I was going to feel after learning that my girlfriend is screwing some other guy? All this B.S. about "let's wait" and "I'm not ready." Apparently, you were ready with whoever the hell this guy is."
Beth's heart stopped as she took the note from last week's detention out of his hands. Why hadn't she thrown it away? How had Dean gotten ahold of it? "It's...it's not what you think Dean..."
"Oh, really?" Dean yelled, his face turning almost purple. "It's not what I think? What do you think I'm stupid? How else can I interrupt And don't you ever kiss me again?"
Beth closed her eyes. She'd completely forgotten that she'd written that. "Can we go somewhere and talk in private, Dean? Please? I promise I'll explain everything."
By this point, they had the full attention of everyone in the hallway. Beth could feel all their eyes, all their judgment, and she just wanted to sink into the ground. If Dean loved her, surely he would give her a chance to explain?
To make matters worse, Cindy, her so-called-friend, arrived. Sidling up to Dean, she rubbed his arm comfortingly and nuzzled his shoulder with her cheek. "Deansie, let's go get some lunch. Let's get as far away from this skank as possible."
"Who are you calling a skank, Cindy? Don't you have your own boyfriend? Why are you rubbing up against mine?" Tears of anger and hurt welling in her eyes, Beth looked to the fluorescent lighting in the ceiling and willed them not to fall. She couldn't give everyone the satisfaction of seeing her not only humiliated but crying as well. She did have some dignity after all.
"Beth, stop. You're only embarrassing yourself. We're over. I hope it works out with note guy," Dean said, brushing past her.
Dozens of shocked eyes were all still staring at her after Dean and Cindy had left. Unable to bear it any longer, Beth turned and fled.
"Thanks," a blonde cheerleader murmured as she walked away with a used copy of A Clockwork Orange. Rio pocketed the two twenties and was ready to head out of the library when he overheard a familiar voice.
He slowly approached the far corner of the library, the microfiche station that hardly anyone used. Next to it was a couch and peeking through the shelves Rio had his suspicions confirmed. The voice he'd heard belonged to none other than Elizabeth Marks. And she was crying...hard. Tears were streaming down her face as she struggled to get the words out to her friend, Raquelle or Rebecca, who was trying her best to comfort her.
Rio's stomach rumbled. He really should grab some lunch. Yet, he couldn't manage to get his feet to move.
"Ruby, it was so...so embarrassing. He just broke up with me in the middle of the hallway and that two cent hooker, Cindy, was basically cheering him on. Ugh! I hate them so much!
"Dean doesn't deserve you. I've told you before that you can do better. WAY better. It stings now, but you might find that this is actually a good thing."
Rio nodded in agreement. He was starting to like this Ruby chick more and more. And who knew why, but listening to this conversation he felt almost happy. Beth wasn't dating Dean anymore. Maybe she would...
"That's not even the worst part!" Beth continued. "We're gonna get kicked out of our place today. We have until 5 to pay our rent and all I have is thirty-five dollars from selling the necklace Dean got me for Valentine's Day."
"Oh, Beth. I'm sure it's going to be OK," her friend replied less than convincingly. "The landlord isn't going to just kick a woman and her two kids out onto the street."
"I'm surprised our landlord has waited this long to kick us out. My mom hasn't paid rent for three months. I'm worried we'll have to live in our car. I'm worried about what's gonna happen to Annie and what will happen to me. I don't know what to do. I don't...I don't know what to do..." sobbed Beth, dissolving into tears as she leaned against her friend's shoulder.
Guilt twisted Rio's gut as he watched the private moment between the two girls. He hated seeing Beth this upset. Maybe he should have given her another chance...maybe there was still something he could do...
The alarm for fifth period rang. "Crap!" Beth moaned. "I'm going to be late." She'd wasted her entire lunch period crying like a stupid baby. Reaching for the box of tissues on the end table next to the couch, she was startled at seeing Rio approach. She hadn't seem his since detention because he'd skipped biology all week. Ruby squeaked in surprise when she caught sight of him.
"How much?" Rio asked.
"What?" Beth responded in confusion.
"How much money do you need? To make rent?"
Beth's heart rate sped up as it dawned on her that Rio must have overheard her conversation with Ruby. Just how much of it had he heard? Surely, not the part where she'd talked about him kissing her? How it had felt better than any of Dean's kisses and how it had made her buzz and tingle a bit. She closed her eyes, hoping he hadn't heard any of that.
"She needs two thousand dollars," she heard Ruby answer for her.
Rio shot a look her way as if to confirm this was correct. Beth nodded mutely.
Rio whistled. "That's quite a chunk of change, ma. Do you know how to drive stick?"
Beth nodded. Ruby had taught her last summer.
"I've got a way you can make some cash. If you want in, meet me under the bleachers in an hour."
As Beth made her way to the bleachers, she was starting to feel hope again. Her heart felt lighter. Maybe everything would turn out OK after all. She'd get the money for rent, find a job at the mall to help her mom pay the bills, and make Dean listen to her side of the story. If he only knew what was going on, he would understand and take her back. Everything would go back to normal. She could have her perfect and uncomplicated life back. She wouldn't ever need to ask Rio for help again. Although she was super relieved that he'd agreed to help.
This time, when she reached the meeting location, Rio was already there. He tossed his keys at her. "You drive," he said, motioning to his car parked by the curb.
"Ooookay...," Beth replied somewhat skeptically. She wasn't quite sure why they needed to drive somewhere. Maybe their customers were off campus. "Just so you know I've been practicing my hand off skills and there won't be any more slip ups. Also..." Beth reached in her backpack and pulled out a roll of Scotch tape. "We can use this to tape it inside the book. Extra security."
Rio shook his head and laughed. "Girl Scouts, always prepared."
"That's the Boy Scouts," Beth corrected.
"Yeah, where we're going we're not going to need the Scotch tape."
"What are we going to do?" Beth asked, nervously.
"We're gonna hit up the Git N Split on 11th. We better hurry if we're gonna make that five o'clock deadline of yours."
Beth stood frozen still. He couldn't. No. He couldn't be suggesting that they rob a store? Could he? "Are you saying we're going to rob the Git N Split?" Beth whispered.
"Yeah."
"I thought we were just gonna sell some drugs."
"You think you can make two grand in one afternoon from selling a few bags of weed to some high school students?" Rio said, shaking his head at her naïveté.
"I can't...I can't do that," Beth stuttered. "I can't rob a store."
"Relax, sweetheart. All I need you to do is drive the getaway car."
"But...but...but..." Beth continued to sputter.
"You need that cash today, right? Let's go get it." And tired of the conversation, Rio started heading to his car.
Looking back over his shoulder, he called, "You comin'?"
Grasping the keys tightly in her hand, Beth called back, "Yeah."