Scripted Scene by Chela Novak (2011)
A small living room, late summer. Sometime between midnight and early morning. TV is on, playing a useless reality show. Kim is laying on the couch, cell phone nearby, bottle of NyQuil on a table. Jamie is lounging by her feet, glancing from Kim to the TV.
KIM
Do you have the remote?
JAMIE
(looks around, moves some pillows)
Um…no. Is it under you?
KIM
I don’t know, never mind. (Checks her phone, sighs again, and turns it off.)
JAMIE
He hasn’t changed his mind, huh.
KIM (shakes her head.)
I don’t think he’s going to.
JAMIE
He will, Kim. He’s gotta know what he’s missing by now, right?
KIM
No.
JAMIE
Well, it’s good to be hopeful, right?
KIM
No.
(A few beats of silence.)
JAMIE
Do you need anything?
KIM
No.
JAMIE
Do you wanna talk? I feel like you haven’t really talked-
KIM
Really, there’s nothing to talk about.
JAMIE
I’m just saying, if you want to talk-
KIM
I get it.
JAMIE
You know that I’m-
KIM
Here for you. I get it.
JAMIE
But you know that you can trust-
KIM
I trust you. There’s just nothing to say, Jamie.
JAMIE
There has to be something, Kim.
KIM
Nothing.
JAMIE
Alright.
KIM
Yeah.
JAMIE
So there’s nothing wrong.
KIM
Nothing.
JAMIE
So the guy you’ve been with for a year and a half left, and you’re fine.
KIM
Yeah.
JAMIE
Then why are you still sleeping on the couch.
KIM
It’s comfy.
JAMIE
You hate this couch.
KIM
No, it’s okay.
JAMIE
Okay Kim. So you’re not upset about Jake at all?
KIM
I’m fine. I’m just tired.
JAMIE
When’s the last time you left the house?
KIM
I don’t know. Week ago maybe.
JAMIE
Oh. That’s healthy.
KIM
Yeah, new natural remedy for weight loss.
JAMIE
Seems like you need a remedy for something else.
KIM
I’m fine.
JAMIE
I’ve known you for too long.
KIM
How many years now?
JAMIE
That’s irrelevant. Do you miss him? (silence) I get that you’re hurt or whatever Kim, but honestly, can you explain it or something? I mean we’re just worried. And by we I mean everyone. Like, all your friends. We wanna make you happy, you know? Do you want cake? (Kim sniffles and tears up at the mention of cake. Jamie doesn’t notice.) And like, we’ll get you a clown, or a puppy, or something. Cake first though, you love cake. What’s your favorite kind…I forget. (thinks for a second.) Oh! That yellow cake with butter cream, right? The King Kullen one. And we’ll make you lamb burgers. If this doesn’t make you smile, honestly I give up.
(Silence. Kim sits up.)
KIM
I don’t like lamb.
JAMIE
Yes, you do. Remember, your party when you made those lamb burgers?
KIM
I didn’t make those.
JAMIE
Yeah. Yeah you did. You made lamb burgers. With cheese. And onions. Remember?
KIM
I didn’t make them.
JAMIE
Are you trying to make me crazy? I have pictures, Kim. (Jamie reaches for her laptop.)
KIM
I don’t want to see them.
JAMIE
So you know you made lamb them.
KIM
I didn’t make the lamb. Someone else made them.
(Silence.)
JAMIE
Oh.
KIM
Yeah.
(They sit in silence for a moment.)
JAMIE
Sorry.
KIM
It’s fine.
JAMIE
You okay?
KIM
I’m fine.
JAMIE
Cake though, okay? I’ll get you one tomorrow.
KIM
Jake liked butter cream. I hate butter cream.
JAMIE
You always ate it though.
KIM
Yeah.
JAMIE
Do you want something else then? (Silence. Kim pulls the blanket over her tighter.) Anything?
KIM (quiet)
I want Jake.
JAMIE
So you do miss him.
KIM
Obviously.
JAMIE
You could have just said that-!
KIM
You should have known.
JAMIE
You kept denying it.
KIM
Yeah.
JAMIE
Yeah?
(silence.)
KIM
You’re not gonna get it. My mom doesn’t get it. And we know how many men she’s been through.
JAMIE
Can you try me?
KIM
I miss him. Really bad.
JAMIE
I don’t know why.
KIM
What?
JAMIE
Nothing.
KIM
You don’t know why what.
JAMIE
I don’t know why you were with him.
KIM
I love him.
JAMIE
He was so bad for you, Kim.
KIM
He wasn’t.
JAMIE
Yeah…yeah he was. He didn’t care what you wanted, you said it before you didn’t even like that cake and-
KIM
Oh, my god. Just stop.
JAMIE
No! You’re practically my sister, and you’ve been crying over this stupid guy all week. No, actually, you know what? You’ve been crying over him for the entirety of your relationship. He made you happy sometimes. I’ll give him that, but he always made you feel like shit about yourself! You could never be enough for him. And that’s not fair, Kim, because you’re a hell of a lot. He’s selfish. And yeah maybe he loved you, and yeah maybe you guys had fun and all but honestly! You barely even needed me! All you needed was that stupid guy who took all of you!
KIM
I knew you wouldn’t get it.
JAMIE
Look! You’re not even denying it! Because you knew! You probably even knew the whole time, Kim! Did you? Why’d you stay!?
KIM
I love him.
JAMIE
Stop with that. Stop it. You’re still not denying it. So tell me about it then! Tell me why!
KIM
Remember when your guinea pig died, Jamie?
JAMIE
That’s irrelevant!
KIM
I hated that stupid pig! Remember how it bit me all the time, right? And then when it died, I buried it with you? I even got it a flower! I fucking hated your guinea pig. I still have scars from where that dumb thing bit me!
JAMIE
I knew you hated her, and this is all irrelevant! I don’t care, Kim. I’m going to tell you how I felt about him if you won’t just tell me–!
KIM
I can’t deal with it! I don’t want to talk! You don’t want to know! You don’t! I don’t care about me. I want to sit here. For the rest of my life. And never see anyone again. I miss him. And I can’t cry enough. Not deep enough! I’m not even tired, but I’m exhausted! I don’t need food. And everything reminds me of him. Why am I watching this stupid TV show? Because I went through every other one. And they all reminded me! I’m sleeping on the couch! God, Jamie! Because my room reminds me! And my bed! And everything! It’s the stupid air! And forget breathing. Fuck that. Like when you had strep, and couldn’t swallow. Like that. He was my best friend. He was. And he promised. Too much. And I probably shouldn’t have promised the things I promised. But we did.
JAMIE
It’s not like you didn’t mean those things,–
KIM
But did he?
JAMIE
I… I don’t know, I never really talked to him,–
KIM
Do you think he’ll come back?
JAMIE
Do you want him back?
KIM
Did you just hear what I said?
JAMIE
He hurt you.
KIM
Yes.
JAMIE
He hurt you so bad, Kim! He said he didn’t love you! Why do you want him back! You could have anyone!
KIM
I love him! I knew you wouldn’t get it!
JAMIE
I get it. You got screwed because you gave him everything that was you! You were his puppet girl. And look. I’m sure he loved you. We all saw it, okay? No one doubts that. But Jake hates himself. He got high making you feel stupid, Kim. You’re so much smarter than him. I hated you with him. I hated it. And I dealt with it. But he is bad for you.
KIM
I want him back.
(A few seconds of silence.)
JAMIE (Gets up and heads for the door.)
Look, I know I should help you, but you’re impossible.
KIM
Are you actually leaving?
JAMIE
Didn’t you say you don’t care about anyone else anymore?
KIM
Jamie… please. I can’t handle it.
JAMIE
I know! But there’s nothing I can do! (Walks farther out the door.)
KIM
You’re leaving?
JAMIE
I’m not mad. I just can’t believe you’re like this.
KIM
Me neither.
JAMIE
I know you loved him, Kim.
KIM
Yeah.
JAMIE
And even though I hate him, I think he loved you.
KIM
Yeah.
JAMIE
So you know if you need me, I’m–
KIM
Right next door? I know.
JAMIE
Are you sure you don’t want cake.
KIM
Anything but butter cream, please.
JAMIE
You know you’re gonna be fine.
KIM
Yeah.
JAMIE
He’s really dumb.
KIM
He got a 2200 on his SAT.
JAMIE
And you got…?
KIM
A 2340.
JAMIE
Exactly.
– Chela Novak, 12th grade, The Ross School.
