Pam

She packs up her supplies and looks around the room where she’s spent most of her senior year. The independent study art studio has been like a second home to her. She loves how it always smells of oil paints and clay.

She’s got a collection of sketches and watercolors. A real portfolio! She’ll use it to apply to art programs.

Roy’s got a job at some paper warehouse for the summer, so soon they’ll have enough to leave Scranton forever. They can move to Philadelphia or New York.

There are so many possibilities. The final bell rings. She’s free.

*****************

Jim

The auto mechanics teacher lets them hang out in the garage all day. Pete’s brought booze and they sit around talking about their glory days: basketball games, teacher pranks and making out at the quarry.

He’s been special here…a real BMOC. Everybody loves him and his sense of humor.

Out there in the real world, though? He’s nobody. His dad got him some internship selling something boring and he’s afraid that the best years of his life are behind him.

The bell rings. His buddies leave. He takes another sip from the flask and wishes it didn’t have to end.