Scene XXI: Jennie is in the boys' room. Josh is doing homework. Drake is out doing community service.

Josh: Why do you like hanging here when Drake isn't here?

Jennie: Hey, don't sell yourself short! You're good company. Besides, I don't really feel safe being in my apartment all alone.

Josh: I can understand that.

Jennie: I feel bad about what I'm doing to Drake, though.

Josh: What do you mean? You're not doing anything to him.

Jennie: He's been my rock the last few days since all of this. This isn't what he "signed up for". I mean, sure, I know he "changed" and everything, but until now it's not like he couldn't leave if he felt the need. Now it's like he's trapped. He keeps being here for me, but does he really have a choice? No one is insensitive enough to break up with their girlfriend after something like this. What if he'd been thinking about it? I can't keep seeing him. I'm going to let him off the hook.

Josh: Don't do that. Do you know where he is right now?

Jennie: No. He's out doing something, but he wouldn't tell me what.

Josh: He really cares about you. He found the guy that attacked you. Took me with him, actually. We beat him up, because he was so upset about what he did. Does that sound like someone who doesn't care? THEN I had walked away, but he was still yelling at the guy, and a police officer caught him. He got assigned community service. That is where he is right now. Cleaning up run down parks because he defended YOU. So if you "let him off the hook" then BOTH of you are going to be really unhappy.

Jennie: You can't be serious. Why didn't he tell me?

Josh: He thought you might get mad.

Jennie: Mad? For putting himself through community service because I was too chicken to report it? I don't think so. I just wish he'd have told me sooner. I never knew he cared that much.

Josh: I guess that old adage is true, then, isn't it?

Jennie: Which one is that?

Josh: Actions speak louder than words.

Jennie: Heh, I guess it is. Funny huh?

Drake enters the room looking like he needs a shower. Jennie looked like she needed a vacation. She was near tears (again) but she was relieved after what Josh told her.

Drake: Are you alright? What are you doing here?

Josh: Jennie, can Drake and I talk for a few minutes alone?

Jennie: Yeah sure.

She exits

Drake: What's going on?

Josh: Drake, I think you need to tell her how you feel about her.

Drake: What do you mean? She knows how I feel.

Josh: Yeah, because I had to tell her!

Drake: What are you talking about?

Josh: She was in here looking miserable, so I struck up a conversation with her. You have no idea how scared she was.

Drake: What do you mean?

Josh: She said that she wasn't being fair to you. That up until now you had a way out, but that no guy is insensitive enough to leave his girlfriend at a time like this, and what if you had been thinking of leaving her before then. She said she was going to "let you off the hook". So I told her that you were doing community service for defending her, at which point she practically broke into tears of joy that you weren't just sticking around out of obligation.

Drake: Oh, man I had no idea she felt that way. I feel horrible. I better go talk to her.

Josh: Yeah I think you better.

Drake goes downstairs where he finds Jennie on the couch.

Drake: Hey, wanna go somewhere?

Jennie: sniffling Okay.

Drake: I'm going to take you home and then we're going to talk.

Jennie: What about Mindy? She's living with me now, remember?

Drake: Josh is going to get her to come over here.

Jennie: Okay.