The two of them walk downstairs, into a neat-and-tidy finished basement.

Amina
It's dingy, but it's safe from her second-hand smoke. Unless there's a draft, or something.

Padgen
How are you with that, by the way?

Amina
I vape low micks, I get enough from upstairs. It's probably why I started. You wanna try? It's apple-cinnamon flavor.

Padgen
No nicotine?

Amina
Yep.

Padgen takes a puff, and chokes on it. It's sweet, and spicy, and surprisingly smooth.

Padgen
(Cough, cough.) It's go-od!

Amina
You're crying!

Padgen
Am not.

Amina
Haha.

Padgen
Good thing it's low mick. Nicotine is...

Amina
(Rolling her eyes.) Bad for you, I know.

Padgen
...a naturally occurring insecticide, produced by some species of nightshades, mainly tobacco. Some larger animals use it as a stimulant by chewing on its dried leaves, but the raw plant is poisonous to touch, and addiction can lead the animals to overdose. It should never be handled with bare hands, so like... I dunno, I guess I just don't want it in my lungs.

Amina
Uh... okay?

Padgen
I just thought that was interesting to know.

Amina
You're a brainiac, huh? You'd better not suck at pool.

Padgen looks around. There's three bedrooms: one Tamara's, one Amina's, and one with a simple bed and desk. Tamara's door is covered in small, black marks, like from tire grease. Amina's has a pink, glittery sign with her name on it.

In the middle of the larger basement space is a pool table, and another table for playing cards and board games. On the side, a mini-bar, with four stools. There's a couch against the wall, and a loveseat. Both look well-sat.

Amina grabs two root beers from the mini-fridge, and tosses one to Padgen. She takes a pool cue and chalksit, while Padgen collects the poolballs into the triangle.

Amina
You play?

Padgen
There's a table at the dorms, but I was never any good. My femdad took me to the bar to play a round, but then she just got drunk and had me call her a cab home.

Three Weeks Ago...

There's an empty beer glass with a shot-glass inside, and Padgen waiting to play pool in the distance. Moji, sloshed like a shark, hangs over the counter and waves Padgen over. She tries to pass her phone to Padgen. Instead, she hands him a coaster and a piece of garlic bread.

Moji
(Wavering.) Whichever one of those is... the thing...

Padgen
(Unimpressed.) Yeah, I'm just gonna use my own.

Padgen pulls out his flip-phone, and dials.

Present Day...

Amina
She sounds cool. She say you can live with her after the summer?

Padgen
They're 'reorganizing'. She said Anjali's worried about her crystal collection, it's a lot of heavy stuff to move.

Amina
My mom's psychotherapist? THAT Anjali? NO WAY!!

Padgen
Oh-?

Amina
TAMARA!!

Tamara
(In the distance.) WHAT?

Amina waits, and Tamara walks downstairs.

Tamara
What's up?

Amina
His mom is our mom's therapist!

Tamara
Who is?

Amina
Him, Padgen.

Tamara
Amina, that's a girl.

Amina
That's what I thought at first, too.

Tamara
No, that's actually a girl, playing dress-up or something.

Amina
Dude, don't be a jerk.

Tamara
If anyone looks like a boy, it's you in that neck-puff.

Amina feels the puff-tail at the back of her neck, and runs her hand over her head, where the hair is completely drawn-back. She gets visibly upset.

Amina
(A little distraught.) Shut up!

Tamara
Make me!

Tamara takes a pool cue and starts whacking Amina with it. Amina hits back, and the two of them start punching each other in the shoulders. Despite that, they don't look too angry – like they do this all the time.

Tamara
Ouch! Whatever, you enjoy your party. Two boys at once is a little skanky for my tastes.

Padgen
Just a friend, actually.

Tamara
Ew, a nice-guy? Gross. You can do better than that, just by sticking with Sujay.

Amina
He really is just a friend, Tamara. And he's moving in, remember?

Tamara
What? Fuck that. For how long?

Amina
The summer, mom just explained it!

Tamara
God damn it. I'm going to Saanvi's, then. Don't wait up for me.

She turns for the stairs, then looks back at Padgen.

Tamara
Oh, and if you're waiting to make some kind of move, you'd better do it when Sujay's not around. He gets, like, actually upset. Doesn't stop her, though.

Amina
(Flustered.) SHUT UP, Tamara! I haven't done that, I've been good!

Tamara
(Teasing.) So far.

Tamara walks up the stairs, and slams the door on her way out. Not in an angry way, but a careless way.

Amina
Whew. Sorry you had to see all that.

Padgen
Thanks for sticking up for me.

Amina
You're a witness now, to our special brand of dysfunctional. I can't let you leave without a good story.

Padgen
You know, I-

Amina
Don't care. You seem like an actual nice guy, not a 'nice-guy'. Just stick to that and we'll be fine. You didn't come here looking to smash, did you?

Padgen
No, I just honestly need a place away from the hellhole I grew up in. Smashing is on the bottom of my list of priorities, next to jello juggling.

Amina
(Laughing.) That's... you'd be surprised how similar those two things are. I'll have to set you up some time, with someone outside the group. Get you right, with the universe.

Padgen
Is she... okay?

Amina
Who knows! Let's play.

Amina cracks the cue ball into the pyramid, and the game begins.

Amina
She's totally gay, though.

Padgen
How can you tell?

Amina
Takes one to know one. I'm bi, myself.

Amina winks, and Padgen takes a shot.

Padgen
And Sujay?

Amina
Straight as an arrow, far as I know. But Mayor Mom wants me out on a white carriage when I'm eighteen, and I really do like him. He's got purpose.

Padgen
That's... a plan.

Amina
You might have noticed, but Tamara's the favourite, then it's Amadu. Then me, stuck in third place. Adelaide sees her as the daughter she'd rather have. She's thinking one day Amadu's gonna-

CLAK! A bulls-eye shot, corner pocket.

Amina
...then get 'er hitched, and they'll be the power-couple that carries on her mayoral legacy.

Padgen
I feel like I just walked into townie-royal blood-war.

Amina
Welcome to Casa Del Thompson. Now, about this girl you're into... what's she like?

Padgen
Don't tell Tamara, but... it's her cousin, Brilly.

Amina
(Brows raised.) The hot one? Oh, boy, you bout to be innit for the long haul. You gon' be waiting in LINE, till she's retired. You'll be lucky if you don't die first.

Padgen
(Resignated.) Uh... yeah, probably. Might as well not bother, huh?

Amina
I didn't say that. Why you give up so fast?

Padgen
Let's just say I'm already aware she's out of my league, I'm just hoping for some kind of miracle.

Amina
What, like Christmas?

Padgen
(Cracking a smile.) What, in July?

Padgen lines up a shot, and misses it. Then the cue ball sinks.