You just got out of class. Alex just got out of their chemistry test. You pull out your phone to check in.
[[> Did you survive chem?]]
[[> Still alive?]]
> Nope! ~faints~
[[> I wish I was there, it's cute to watch you think.]]
> Just barely.
[[> I wish I was there, it's cute to watch you think.]]
> Awesome.
> I can't wait to show you my outfit.
> I MIGHT have gone a bit nuts with the theme.
> Oh no, what have I gotten myself into?
[[> Remember I vetoed the matching gills!]]
> I guess you did, haha.
> I can't wait to show you my outfit.
> I MIGHT have gone a bit nuts with the theme.
> Oh no, what have I gotten myself into?
[[> Remember I vetoed the matching gills!]]
> ...
> NOOOOOOOOO
> Why did I trust you to dress yourselffff
[[> -_____________________-]]
> Hey! I am perfectly capable of dressing myself!
[[> Like when you wore plaid pants to meet my parents?]]
> Excuse you, they're *fashion forward.*
> Haha, whatever.
[[> I'll see you at 8, then?]]
> Yep, on the dot!
> Can't wait. :)
[[Next.]]
You pull up to Alex's house and put the car in park. It's 7:55. Text them and let them know you're here.
[[> I'm outside. Ready when you are!]]
> :P
> At least classes are over now.
> Are you still going to pick me up before the dance?
[[> Yessir!]]
[[> I promised, didn't I?]]
8:02.
Should you text Alex again?
[[> Hello? I'm outside.]]
[[No, wait a bit.]]
8:12.
[[Stay in car.]]
[[Go knock on door.]]
8:07.
They did say 8 o'clock sharp.
[[Wait->> Hello? I'm outside.]]
8:17.
It's getting late. You might not make it to the dance in time.
[[Go knock on door.]]
The door burst open. Alex is standing there, smiling, draped in a floor-length gown. Over the skirt are streamers of fabric in all different shades of blue and green - handsewn on, of course. Alex has on dark green lipstick and lots - and really, a *lot* - of eyeshadow.
[["I texted you."->Oh my gosh!]]
[["I've been waiting for twenty minutes."->Oh my gosh!]]
"Oh my gosh! I was so busy getting ready I didn't check my phone!"
They twirl around, and the streamers flow in a circle around them, reminiscent of seaweed.
"What do you think? I even went to the beach last weekend and got some seawater to use as perfume! See, smell!"
They jump into your arms and you do smell the seawater, regrettably. It smells like fish and sewage and you sigh. You tried to control Alex, but it looks like it didn't work.
[["We should hurry, we're going to be late."->Sorry.]]
[["You did say 8 o'clock...we really get to get going."->Sorry.]]
"I'm sorry, ready to go?"
[[Yep!->Of course.]]
[[Are you positive you have everything?->Of course.]]
"Of course, [[let's go]]!"
8:36. You're on your way to the dance. Things are a bit tense - the two of you sit in silence. Alex is going through their bag.
"Shoot, I can't find my wallet."
[["Seriously?"->I must have left it]]
[["I thought you said you had everything!"->I must have left it]]
"I must have left it when I grabbed my phone."
You sigh, exasperated.
[[Do you really need it?->Um]]
[[Do we need to turn back?->Um]]
Alex looks at their hands. "Um...if it wouldn't be too much trouble..."
[[You already made us late, no one will notice a few more minutes.]]
[[We're already running late...]]
Ariel's gaze doesn't leave their lap. "Thanks."
[[Next->Next 2]]
Alex's gaze doesn't leave their lap. "Okay...I guess I don't really need it for tonight."
[[Next->Next 2]]
You two hurry through the entrance to the dance hall, and then freeze. There are people everywhere - talking, laughing, milling about. You squint your eyes, trying to look for a free table admist all of the tumbling colors.
You turn to Alex. "We got here too late, it looks like all the tables are taken."
Alex shakes their head, and starts bouncing up and down excitedly.
"No, look! I see Sam over there!"
You follow their finger, and sure enough, your friends have a table near the band. Sam is standing up, waving his hands.
"Guys! Over [[here]]!"
Sam smiles as you two approach, and gives an exaggerated bow. There are two seats saved. You and Alex both sit down and take stock of everyone around you.
Sam and his date Luis have on matching blue bowties and kerchiefs. Ruby's dress a deep orange, and her bangs are tucked behind her ear with a hairpin made from coral - their theme, it looks like, as Zane has a piece in his jacket pocket. Alex is definitely the most committed to the theme - you can see that while you refused matching gills, they drew some in on their neck anyway.
You notice that everyone has gotten food. You motion to Alex, and you get up and [[head to the buffet]].
something something not nice in private emphasize public/private persona [[shift]]
You slide back into your seat and dig your fork into your pasta. Alex does the same, but eats at a much slower pace - clearly, they don't share your ravenous appetite.
Everyone else has already finished their meal. Ruby puts her elbows on the table and leans towards you.
"Alex, I love what you did with your makeup! It looks just like seaweed."
You snort.
[["The most attractive of all underwater flora."->Alex looks down]]
[["My date ladies and gentlemen, the budding sea gardner."->Alex looks down]]
Alex puts their fork down and stares at their lap. “I’m going to go to the restroom, I’ll be right back.”
[[You continue eating.]]
The conversation has died down a bit - Ruby and Zane have gone out to the dance floor. When Luis gets up to refill his water glass, Same moves next to you. “Hey, Alex has been gone for a while.”
[[“Yeah, I guess so.”->Sam]]
[[“Oh, I didn’t really notice.”->Sam]]
Sam sighs. “Look, there isn’t an easy way to put this, but I think all of us are thinking it. You’re really not that nice to Alex - you made them feel bad about their outfit, and don’t seem to recognize when they’re upset.”
[[“They know I didn’t mean it.”->Sam2]]
[[“Alex says they like my honesty.”->Sam2]]
Sam shakes his head. “It’s not just now. You do little things like that at school, and when we hang out. Maybe Alex thinks it’s normal, but it’s not okay. You really need to be more respectful of them and need to stop putting them down.”
[[“Oh.”->Sam3]]
[[“Then what am I supposed to do?”->Sam3]]
“There’s no easy fix, but you can start by finding Alex right now and apologizing for your behavior this evening.”
You look at the door to the ballroom.
[[Head to the restrooms to go find Alex.]]
It doesn’t take you long to find them. They’re sitting outside the restroom, head on their knees. Alex looks up as you approach. You sit down next to them.
[[“Hey.”]]
//We are planning on inserting a minigame here, where the player will have to choose the correct words to apologize for to Alex. We are still working on this, and would appreciate help! But for now, here are the two outcomes.//
[[MINIGAME WIN]]
[[MINIGAME LOSE]]
“Alex, I was a jerk. I hope you can accept my apology, but I understand if you don’t.”
They grab your hand. “I appreciate you recognizing what you did wrong - we can both try to check ourselves and make sure we are being respectful.”
“Sounds great.” You kiss Alex on the cheek. [[“Let’s go back and see what everyone else is up to!”]]
You get up and reach out your hand to Alex. They take it, hesitantly, and you two head back to the ballroom. You join the table again, where everyone has gathered for a break from wild dancing, and jump back into the conversation. Alex is still a bit quiet, but starts laughing at Ruby’s story of how she mixed up the genders of her guinea pigs.
Same leans over. “Uh, I don’t know if you made things better…Alex still seems upset.”
[[“We talked it over. They seem fine!”->badending1]]
[[“Don’t worry. I apologized, everything is okay now.”->badending1]]
Sam looks straight at you. “Actually, it’s not. Alex might forgive you know, but what about the future?”
You remain silent.
“You need to change, or you’re going to lose Alex - and probably, all of us. If you really care about Alex, why would you treat them that way?”
[[I guess I have a few things to work on.->resources]]
1 in 3 young people will be in an unhealthy relationship. Learn to recognize the signs, and stop abuse before it happens.
(links to resources, including a DoSomething pamphlet)
FACT ABOUT TEENS STAYING IN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS
FACT ABOUT TEENS IN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS
RECOGNIZE ABUSE BEFORE IT BECOMES PHYSICAL
maybe stats on how people don’t change, it evolves into something worse, etc?
Double-click this passage to edit it.You two enter the ballroom. The noise level has risen significantly, but at the table you can see Sam and Luis arguing. Alex looks at you, and you hurry over to see what’s up.
“Luis, I SAW you looking at them!”
“I’m allowed to look around the room, aren’t I? Or is that too much to ask?”
“You know what I mean.”
[[“Uh, Sam?”->epicwin1]]
[[“What’s going on, guys?”->epicwin1]]
Sam crosses his arms and glares and Luis. “He was staring at Casey again.”
“Allegedly starting!” Luis shoots back, clearly just as angry as his date. “I had a crush on them freshman year, but seriously I haven’t thought about it in years. Will you please calm down?”
[[“Luis, is what Sam says true?”->epicwin2.1]]
[[“Sam, aren’t you overreacting?”->epicwin2.2]]
“Not at all! Sam, this is ridiculous. You’ve seen my texts, I haven’t talked to Casey in ages!”
[[“Hold up.”->epicwin3]]
[[“Wait, what?”->epicwin3]]
“Am I? You could be deleting your texts after talking to Casey so I don’t see them.”
[[“Hold up.”->epicwin3]]
[[“Wait, what?”->epicwin3]]
Look look at Sam, bewildered. “You read Luis’s texts?
[[“Weren’t you just lecturing me about how I needed to be more respectful of Alex?”->epicwin4]]
[[“Dude, what about what you were saying earlier? Way to have a change of heart.”->epicwin4]]
“This is different!”
[[“No, it’s not.”->epicwin5]]
[[“It really isn’t.”->epicwin5]]
Alex jumps in at this point. “Sam, listen. This is the same thing.”
You smile gratefully at Alex before turning back to the couple. “I made mistakes, and I apologized to Alex. We’re going to try to be better at communicating. Do you see what’s wrong?”
“Reading Luis’s texts isn’t cool, even is he gives you permission. It’s way too controlling.”
[[“You need to calm your jealousy and trust him.”->epicwin6]]
[[“You are obsessing, and this isn’t healthy.”->epicwin6]]
“You seriously need to check yourself and apologize to Luis immediately. What you are doing is not okay.”
Sam looks a bit confused, but turns to Luis. “I...I guess I was out of line.”
Luis snorts. “You guess?”
“No, I was. And I’m sorry.”
[[“You guys will need to talk about this more.”->epicwin7]]
[[“This conversation isn’t finished.”->epicwin7]]
“Sam, you need to cool off.” He nods in agreement.
Alex turns to Luis. “If you need anything, you can talk to me, okay?”
He nods in response. [[“Sure. Thanks.”->resources]]