Nighttime at Ericson's. The courtyard is quiet, bathed in pale moonlight. Violet slips out of Clementine and AJ's dorm room, a small box in her hands. She heads to Tenn's room, drops it off, then walks out into the open air. For a moment, she just stands there, staring at the sky. Then she sits at one of the old picnic tables, alone. Rhett hesitates. Then pushes off the wall and follows.
He sits across from her without ceremony.
Violet looks up, surprised, but doesn't speak.
Rhett: "You still pissed at me?"
A beat. Then—
Violet: "Yes."
(Not true. But old habits die hard.)
Rhett nods, reaches into his jacket, and pulls out a bottle of Jack Daniel's. Places it on the table between them.
Rhett: "I was an asshole. What I said… wasn't fair."
He cracks the seal, takes a swig, then slides it toward her.
Violet stares at it. Then picks it up, drinks, and exhales hard.
Violet: "You weren't wrong, though."
Rhett doesn't reply. Just waits.
Violet: "I did sleep with you because I didn't wanna feel like shit for one night. So. Yeah."
He nods, understanding. Pulls out a crumpled pack of cigarettes, lights one. Offers it to her. She shakes her head.
The smoke curls between them.
Rhett: "Saw you coming out of the new kids' room. Used to be the twins', right?"
Violet: "Yeah."
Rhett: "You don't mind? Them using Minnie's and Sophie's beds?"
Violet: "No. They've been dead a long time."
Rhett: "A year ain't a long time."
She doesn't argue.
Silence. Then—
Rhett: "Hated this. Not talkin' to you."
Violet raises an eyebrow. "Really?"
Rhett: "Yeah. You're the only person in this damn school I actually like."
Violet (smirking): "What about Rosie?"
Rhett (rolling his eyes): "She's different. I love her."
They chuckle. It's easier than it should be.
Rhett: "So. The new kids. You actually like 'em?"
Violet: "Talked to 'em. They seem nice."
Rhett (snorts): "AJ's a goddamn brat. Violent, loud, bites people—fuckin' hell, Vi, the kid elbowed Marlon in the ribs today just for walking behind him."
Violet: "He's scared."
Rhett: "He's a menace." He takes another drag. "And Clementine? Got a list of shit I've picked up in less than a day. Nearly got us all killed with that car crash. Lets the kid run wild. Acts like she's got everything under control when she clearly doesn't."
Violet: "You're real fun at parties, you know that?"
Rhett (grinning): "Fuck you."
They pass the bottle back and forth. Talk about the year they lost—stupid shit Louis did, Ruby's failed attempts at brewing moonshine, the time Mitch accidentally set the greenhouse on fire.
It's easy.
It's normal.
And when the bottle's half-empty and the night's worn thin, Rhett stubs out his cigarette and says—
Rhett: "We good?"
Violet looks at him. Then nods.
Violet: "Yeah. We're good."
Rosie, who'd been asleep under the table, yawns loudly.
Rhett sighs. "Alright, fine, we're going."
Violet laughs.