A Great Afternoon: A Dramatic Play in One Act

here is a play I wrote in 2003 - it is a drama (?!?!?!) and it seems like a whole other lifetime ago when I wrote it - and it's really really really long - and possibly full of cliches about relationships - don't worry the next thing i publish will be a return to form (good new weird and silly stuff)

A Great Afternoon

A play in one act

Characters:    

Charlie – He is a grade 12 student.  In this scene he is wearing glasses, and has a polo shirt and a pair of jeans on.

Julie – She is also a grade 12 student. She is wearing a nice summer dress with a light cardigan over top.

Setting: bus stop outside school

Time: after school in spring, nearing graduation

Lights come up on a bus stop outside of the school, with the opening music still playing. The music should be some up-tempo jazz music. After a moment, Julie walks in carrying a big bag of books. She looks exhausted and her hair and clothes reflect that. She looks down the road for the bus, and then checks her watch and sits. She opens her bag and takes out a compact and tidies up her hair and clothes. The she takes out a novel and starts to read. After a few moments, Charlie runs up and sits down. Julie looks up, smiles, and moves down a bit to give him room. As Charlie sits, the music fades.

Charlie: (enthusiastically) Hey Julie!

Julie: Hi Charlie, what’s up?

Charlie: Not much. It’s nice to see you. Are you waiting for the bus?

Julie: No, Charlie, I’m currently walking home.

Charlie: (laughs) Right. Why are you here so late today? I never see you around at this time.

Julie: I was at the library trying to get some work done. I’m a bit behind and then, you know it was so warm, and I’m so tired these days, I just sort of dozed off, and then I woke up and it was after 5. What about you?

Charlie: The debating team had a research meeting for our debate next week against Van Tech. Mr. Morris was there to help us, and he had us going over the key points and arguments again and again. We’re working pretty hard at it all.

Julie: I’m sure, you guys always do. What’s the topic this time?

Charlie: Mandatory expulsion for students that get caught drinking or using drugs at school functions. We are arguing the “pro” side.

Julie: I remember when we were in grade 8 how the senior boys basketball team got caught drinking on that trip to the Island and nothing happened…

Charlie: …and the administration tried to keep it a secret.

Julie: Which didn’t work, and then two weeks later Chad Mora got caught drunk at the school dance and he got expelled. Athletes always have a double standard. God, I hate that!

Charlie: Yeah, one rule should definitely apply to all of us, but I’m just not sure if expulsion is the way to go. It is pretty harsh, especially if you never had done anything bad before, like Chad. The basketball team should have got in trouble, but they were never going to expel the whole team and the team managers – some of them were top students and others were lined up for scholarships to university. Also, many of their parents made key financial contributions to the school.

Julie: Right. But all of that just makes the school rules seem hypocritical.

Charlie: I’m going to argue that maybe we need some sort of “three strike” system. So offenders get a couple of chances and the ability to improve themselves. Depending on the seriousness of what they did, of course.

Julie: Sounds like you’ve already been thinking about it a lot; I’m sure you’ll do well. You’ve always been good at arguing a point and thinking on your feet.

Charlie: Thanks.

(A long pause where both look like they are trying to think of what to talk about, then they both look up the street to see if the bus is coming)

Charlie: Isn’t it wild that we’re almost finished?

Julie: Yeah, grad is just around the corner. Kinda scary how fast it has all gone. I mean, doesn’t it feel like yesterday being in grade 8?

Charlie: It sort of feels like yesterday, but it also feels like a long time ago too – sort of a bit of both, I guess. But I’m so ready to get out of here. University is going to be awesome. After five years here, I’m definitely looking forward to something new…Wow; it is so funny running into you like this. I mean I haven’t seen you all week. Where have you been hiding?

Julie: Just busy working every evening at the restaurant. Dad’s been sick and mom has been staying home a lot to take care of him. I’m so tired. I’ve been working until midnight every night.

Charlie: Well, you’re still looking great. (pause) Missed you in Chapman’s class today.

Julie: Yeah, I just can’t handle that these days.

Charlie: Haven’t seen you there for a while. Exams are coming up soon, you know.

Julie: Charlie…not you too, okay?

(They sit silently, and she opens her book again. You can sense that there is a fair amount of discomfort between them. She stares at her book for a moment and then quietly asks…)

Julie: What are you up to these days?

Charlie: The same stuff. Working at the bookstore on weekends, and reading a lot. Playing lots of tennis. Trying to get back into the trumpet, but I just don’t have time. I’ve also started revising my notes for exams.

Julie: But they are still over a month away! You are so damn organized!

Charlie: Better than the opposite.

Julie: Yeah, you don’t have to tell me that. How are your mom and dad?

Charlie: Good. They ask about you sometimes. My mom was just saying last night how much she misses having you come over for dinner and playing scrabble or Trivial Pursuit with the family.

Julie: Yeah. It was always a lot of fun. I’m just so busy with work, and…I don’t know. I just…we don’t…

Charlie: Things have changed.

Julie: (nodding in agreement) Things have changed.

Charlie: It is odd talking to you like this – it feels like it’s been ages that we sat down and just talked.

Julie: Yeah, it’s been awhile.

(They both hear something a look up the street. Their eyes follow the bus that passes, but it is not their bus)

Charlie: Why they have busses that drive around saying “not in service” I’ll never know. It is almost like they drive them around to tease you.

Julie: Whenever I’m out late downtown, and aching to get home, one of them passes.

Charlie: So, I heard about you and Jake.

Julie: (sighs) Great.

Charlie: I mean I’m sure you don’t want to hear this, but everyone is talking about it.

Julie: I’m sure. Well, I always wanted to be popular. I guess the losers don’t have anything better to do with their time.

Charlie: Are you okay about it all?

Julie: Whatever. It is what it is.

Charlie: Um, I don’t want to remind you, but I told you so. I mean, when you guys first starting going together, I just knew…

Julie: (over sensitively) Charlie, I don’t want to talk about this right now!

Charlie: (apologetically) I’m sorry Julie. (pause) I’m sure you are having a tough time the past few weeks.

Julie: It has been tough. I mean we were inseparable for the past year and now…I feel incomplete, and alone. I…I don’t want to bother you with the details. I’m sure you’ve got to get home.

Charlie: Hey, I’m in no rush and it could be just like old times, try me.

Julie: You knew it wouldn’t last, huh?

Charlie: Jake is the kind of guy who wants to have the control; you are too smart and too headstrong for him. I think he went with you because you were different from all of the other bimbos who throw themselves at him. You were a challenge. And he probably sensed that you wanted to move up into the “in” group. And, you are obviously good looking too.

Julie: (teasingly) You think I’m good looking?

Charlie: (embarrassed) I mean, um, well, yeah. You are. Of course you are. (quickly changes the subject) Hey, did you hear that Mr. Roberts and Ms. Clarke are dating?

Julie: Oh, that is just a rumor. There is no way I’m believing that.

Charlie: No really, some people saw them having dinner together on the weekend.

Julie: Can’t people have dinner together and not be dating?

Charlie: I guess. But wouldn’t that be funny if they were. Could you imagine them…

Julie: Charlie, grow up! Stop being a pervert!

Charlie: You know, I think that after Jake realized that you were never going to be dependent on him, he dumped you. It’s a pretty classic and predictable story.

Julie: But it still hurts. I mean, we were together for the whole year and then he drops me right before grad, with no explanation. What a bastard! It just makes me so angry! I try calling him and he acts like we don’t even know each other. I see him in the halls laughing it up with his friends and…I…I feel so helpless and I’m just so upset, Charlie.

Charlie: (moves over to comfort her) I’m sorry Julie. I know this won’t mean much right now, but you will be better off in the long run. He was an idiot and was always starting stuff and was out drinking all the time on weekends. I think you liked him because he was so different from you, from your parents. But, it could never work. You have to know that deep down.

Julie: Yeah, I guess. (Looks up the street for the bus) Charlie?

Charlie: Yeah?

Julie: I feel bad that we have grown apart this year.

Charlie: (obviously a bit upset about the subject) Really? I’m surprised to hear you say that.

Julie: I miss talking to you. You were always so good at giving me advice, and you always made me laugh.

Charlie: I always wanted to talk to you at school, but you seemed a bit unreachable. I mean I wanted to, but…and I saw you sitting in the cafeteria so many times…it seemed like you felt that you outgrew me; that I was your past.

Julie: Things can’t stay the same always you know that. We aren’t 12 anymore…. But, you know, despite everything, I never stopped thinking of you as a friend.

Charlie: You’ve got a bizarre way of showing it sometimes.

Julie: (frustrated) You know you stopped calling me too!

Charlie: Why would I call someone who acts like I don’t exist in front of her new, improved friends at school?! You think I’m looking for new improved ways to lower my self-esteem?

Julie: What do you want me to say? That I’m sorry?

Charlie: That would be a start.

Julie: Well I am! Okay!

(He looks at her and just shakes his head with a bit of a sad look on his face)

Charlie: Julie, you’ve changed.

Julie: A bit, I guess, but it’s not that I changed, Charlie, I just grew. I got into new things and new interests and you stayed in the same rut.

Charlie: It’s not a rut – I like my life. And we were best friends! For a long time! I can’t believe that didn’t mean more to you!

Julie: (hurt) How can you say that? Of course our friendship meant…I mean, means a lot to me.

Charlie: And you can’t say that you didn’t have lots of fun times with me. 

Julie: Yeah, we had fun, but the stuff we were both into, well that was growing so old. It was so last week if you know what I’m saying? I grew up. You didn’t. And that is what bugged you the most.

Charlie: (sarcastic laugh) You wanted so badly to get into the “cool” group. Why that meant so much for you, I’ll never understand. You couldn’t handle hanging out with a loser like me! So you turned your back on me, and latched onto Jake and that whole group! God they are so pretentious and walk around like they own the place!

Julie: Oh, shut up! You don’t know them, and you don’t obviously don’t know me that well either!

Charlie: (starts to get up) You know, I don’t need this. I’m sorry for bothering you Julie. Good luck with everything.

Julie: Charlie, why are you so pissed off? I mean I can understand being a bit annoyed, but I don’t think you have any right to be that angry with me. I’ve never been mean to you. Even though we haven’t hung out as much together, you know I’m still the same Julie. It’s not like I dropped off the face of the earth.

Charlie: Yeah I was angry. But then I also started resenting you for not being my friend any more.

Julie: I’m still your friend Charlie!

Charlie: I’d love to believe that. (they share a long look and then he looks away).You know I always felt that we’d become closer friends again someday. I know you, and I know that deep down inside that you are an awesome person. But, I was…am so frustrated.

Julie: We’ve never stopped being friends. It is not like we haven’t been friendly at all the past year.

Charlie: But not in the same way as before.

Julie: Friends grow apart all over the world everyday. Only completely naïve people or young kids think that relationships are static and unchanging.

Charlie: Now that’s funny, you patronizing me.

Julie: Go screw yourself.

Charlie: Right. Great. (starts to get up again) I’ll see you sometime.

Julie: (grabs his arm) Charlie! I want to patch things up. I want to smooth things over.

Charlie: Do you? Do you really?

Julie: Yeah.

Charlie: How do I know that you won’t toss me aside again? Nothing like being made to feel second-class by your closest friend. Don’t think I want to go through that again.

Julie: I’m sorry! Okay!

(She starts to cry and there is a long pause where he is unsure of whether to comfort her or not and just when he starts to extend his arm towards her, she says)

Julie: Anyway, I thought you hated me!

Charlie: What?

Julie: Hey, this is not all my fault. It goes both ways, buster. I didn’t just wake up one morning and stop talking to you. You resented my popularity. You were jealous of my new friends and the new social scene that I was apart of. I was doing stuff and improving myself and you…you held that against me. Like I’d broken a friendship pact.

Charlie: I don’t even know where to start telling you how wrong you are about all of that.

Julie: Really? If you stopped for a minute, and didn’t have to be right about everything, and were honest with yourself and me, I’m not sure if you’d say that. You were jealous. You just are so stubborn that you won’t admit it!

Charlie: Fine! I was jealous! Happy? I hate being the brunt of jokes. I was envious of your social life. But, you know, I don’t care so much for popularity; I was honestly satisfied with having you as my friend. I don’t need lots of people around me to make me feel like a good person.

Julie: But what does that mean – “having me”. You didn’t have me. I wasn’t yours to have. We weren’t dating. We were good…great friends. And I wanted to you to join me in these new things I was doing. I didn’t abandon you as you have convinced yourself. I invited you to some parties and that ski weekend and to that car rally. But you acted like it was all beneath you, and that you just weren’t interested.

Charlie: I wasn’t.

Julie: I asked less and less, with each “no” that I got from you and after a while, stopped asking altogether.

Charlie: I…shouldn’t have let it slide like that. I’m shy around people I don’t know. That group is so self-confident and out-going. I don’t fit into groups like that. I’d be uncomfortable the whole time.

Julie: I thought it could be a chance for us both to have more fun. We can’t spend our whole lives having pizza and playing games with your parents. And then, after we sort of stopped talking – I wanted to go up to you and catch-up a number of times, but I saw that look in your eyes whenever I walked by.

Charlie: What are you talking about?

Julie: You resented me for…you know.

Charlie: For pretending that I didn’t exist?

Julie: For lack of a better term, I guess. I…I just found it hard to approach you. And I felt so bad about how they bugged you and made fun of you…I wanted to stick up for you all of those times and tell them all how great a guy you were, but I just couldn’t.

Charlie: I know. I do know that. I knew you felt bad, I could see it in your eyes. But, you have to know how much it really hurt all of those times, and it still does. It really sucks each night when you go to bed that the whole next day isn’t going to be any different from the day that is ending.

Julie: I’m sorry Charlie. Truly. You have to believe me. Look, don’t leave. We are getting all of this stuff out in the open. We are talking again. This could be the start of the renewal of our friendship, and…I really, really need a friend right now.

(A long pause)

Julie: And I ‘m really happy that I ran into you after school today.

(A long pause)

Julie: Charlie, give me a break, please! (stands) I’d be honored if you’d walk me home – like we used to…everyday. Man that was a long time ago. I don’t know where that bus is, and it is getting a bit cold. What do you say?

Charlie: (stands) Why do you need a friend now? Just because of Jake? What about the whole gang? You seemed like you were fitting right in.

Julie: Yeah, well, it just feels too damn weird hanging out with that whole crowd. And, I don’t really fit in with them – the girls are so shallow; anything not about movies or music or sex is beyond them, and the guys…well they just can’t analyze anything meaningful or make me laugh – like really laugh. I feel like I’ve been drifting around the hallways alone the past few weeks. And…I do miss us. We were a good team. Come on walk me home.

Charlie: (pause and then a big smile) Yeah, sure.

Julie: I’m really sorry that we’ve grown apart this year. I’d like…I’d love for us to get things back on track. I miss hanging out with you and those long phone conversations and our little study parties. What do you think?

Charlie: I can’t stay mad at you, Julie. But this is just a bit out of the blue. I think about all of those times when I saw you in the hallway at lunch or at a school dance and I ‘d say “hi”, or wave, and you seemed to act like you didn’t know me. Like you were embarrassed to admit to your new friends that I was your friend.

Julie: Charlie, I was an idiot. I’ve admitted that to you….You know, I guess a small part of me did feel embarrassed. I…I acted like one of them. I wanted to fit in. You were my past and I was trying to distance myself from you and that and everything. I acted like an ass and I don’t expect you to totally forgive me right away or to totally understand.

Charlie: You know, I do understand a bit. I just thought I knew you better, and the person I thought I knew wouldn’t be so shallow or treat a true friend like that. I mean, really. But, yeah, you know I’d be lying if I never thought about wanting to be part of the popular crowd, to be accepted, to not being considered a nerd or a geek by everyone at least for a day. I just wasn’t willing to sacrifice myself. Give up my independence. Compromise myself. Even if it would great to have lots of friends and not have to spend so many Saturday nights with my parents and little sister watching Disney movies. But then, they wouldn’t really be my friends, and they were never really your friends. Others might not respect me as much as I wish they would, but I respect myself – I really like myself, despite my moments of self-doubt. I would hate myself if I hung out with people that I know didn’t respect me and who I know that I didn’t respect.

Julie: You know, you’d be surprised, but they, and others, respect you more than you think. I mean they’d never admit it out loud, but inside they would love to have good grades come so easily, and to have so many opportunities available to them after this year. And many of them, even Jake, are really much deeper than they’d ever let on. I saw glimpses of the real Jake every once and a while, but he just couldn’t drop his tough guy, his me-against-the-world façade long enough. Inside is a pretty insecure guy who just wants real friends too. None of that gang is really truly his friends either, and I think he knows that.

Charlie: Wow, that’s sweet. I’m so touched. Maybe, I should send him a Get Well card.

Julie: I’m serious. He’s an asshole a lot of the time, and I really hate him right now, because he hurt me, but he isn’t nearly as bad as a guy as you think. I was slowly starting to fall in love with him, the real him. And I think he broke up with me because he couldn’t deal with a real relationship and with the real emotions that that involves. He isn’t in touch with his own emotions yet.

Charlie: Maybe he was scared that you’d find out his horrible secret, that he is a human too.

Julie: You know, sarcasm aside, you are probably right. He isn’t ready to be judged by others for who he really is. So he acts tough and cool, and that can be pretty attractive sometimes…for a while. But it isn’t enough to base a long relationship on. It is well and good to have a fling in high school, but we’d move apart from each other in the long run. I need someone who is a bit more intellectual, more sensitive and someone who can really listen to me and care for me.

Charlie: We both want the same thing. Those are all of the things that I want to. I guess the problem with still being teenagers, is that most of our “peers” are still so consumed with posturing and their image, that they don’t show their real selves often enough. I show myself and I have almost no friends.

Julie: You know, I bet the too of you have more in common than you think.

Charlie: Me and Jake? Right, like what?

Julie: Well, he plays tennis. And he really likes poetry.

Charlie: He does?!?!

Julie: Well, he would probably never seek it out on his own, but I dragged him along to a reading a couple of times and we actually had our best conversations afterwards. You know I feel bad for him and his friends and all of those bitchy girls they hang out with sometimes. Not too often, but in my kinder moments, I do feel sorry for them. Sure they “own” the school now, but I mean what are most of them going to do with themselves after high school? Imagine our ten-year reunion. They’ve got gas station attendant and Slurpee machine operator written all over them. It’s pretty sad actually.

Charlie: I’ll cry for them, next chance I get. You know it is really hard for me to feel too much sympathy for that whole crowd, when they spend so much time making my life unpleasant.

Julie: Oh it isn’t that bad! You’re overstating things.

Charlie: Possibly, I guess. I’ve been known to have bouts of hyperbole before. But, I guess my main complaint is that it is so easy to be generally nice to others all of the time, to treat others how you’d want to be treated. So, when I see Howie and Kirstin and Sam, to name three, being really mean, it unnerves me so much. They could just…be nice. It is so easy and cathartic then imagine how awesome school would be.

Julie: Yeah, but that is just a dream world  -real life just isn’t like that. And you aren’t perfect yourself, you know. You aren’t Mr. Nice and Friendly all of the time either, although you are sort of cute when you get “into” something  - your brow furrows up a bit and you start using big words like “hyperbole” and “cathartic”.

Charlie: Thanks.

Julie: Great. So, do you, like, think that we can become good friends again? Don’t leave me in suspense. I’m really sorry about how I ignored you. And I knew you resented me for going with Jake…

Charlie: You got that right.

Julie…and I’m not anymore. You were pissed off at me for “choosing” him over you. You’re right to be bitter – I’m pretty amazing.

Charlie: Ha ha ha.

Julie: Well…

Charlie: It is so odd having this conversation with you. I’ve thought about all of this so many times. So many times. I’ve played out a version of this meeting in my head so many times. I’ve dreamed of you apologizing and pleading with me to forgive you.

Julie: So, this is a dream come true, I guess, right?

Charlie: Don’t flatter yourself.

Julie: Come on Charlie! It’s me Jules! Julie-wooly. (Tickles him)

Charlie: (laughs) Stop it!

(She continues to tickle him, and he falls over laughing uncontrollably)

Charlie: (in fun, laughing manner) Stop! Get off!

Julie: (in mocking, sinister voice) Only I know your weakness. I am in control now!

Charlie: (joining in) Not if I have anything to do about it, earthling.

Julie: (climbs on top of him threatening to tickle) Submit to my rule! Obey my commands! Kneel before me.

Charlie: (squirming to get away) Never!

Julie: Maybe this will convince you (tickles him as hard as she can).

Charlie: Stop. Please. Yes. I’ll do what ever you say.

Julie: Say you will forgive me…(she pauses)…and kneel before me…(she tickles again).

Charlie: Yes! Yes! Oh God, make it stop.

(He pushes her off, and they roll around tickling and laughing and then they fall down and lie next to each other laughing out of breath. After a few moments, she looks at him)

Julie: Yes, to what?

(They look at each other for a moment, and then both start laughing again, and then slowly sit up)

Julie: (softly) I’m sorry Charlie.

Charlie: I know.

(He brushes the hair out of her face and she smiles. Her helps her pick up her books. They stand, dust themselves off and gather their bags.)

Charlie: I’m sorry too. I didn’t act like a true friend, and I realize that I wasn’t receptive to having a long talk with you. I did shun you. I was angry, but I’m not now. I…this isn’t easy for me…I really missed you too. 

(They exchange a long heartfelt hug, and then stare deeply into each other’s eyes for just a moment, then Julie breaks the silence abruptly and turns away and sits; Charlie maintains the look for a second, his mind elsewhere, and then he snaps out of it and sits too)

Julie: Have you finished your essay for English yet?

Charlie: Yeah…last week.

Julie: Wow! Seriously?

Charlie: Yeah.

Julie: You have always been so on the ball.

Charlie: I just don’t like putting things off. And I need all of the time I can spare as I’m also training hard in tennis. My dad thinks I have a real chance for a scholarship back east.

Julie: That’s awesome. You must really be working hard at it.

Charlie: Training three days after school each week and every weekend. It’s all pretty tiring. But, all of the hard work is really paying off; I’m just so tired all of the time.

Julie: I can imagine. You and me both. I guess grade 12 is where it all starts really happening. Hey, I remember hearing that you finished second in the city championships. You must be thrilled and your parents must be so proud.

(No response, and Charlie looks away)

Julie: They’re not?

Charlie: (softly, but with tons of built-up anger) You have no idea.

Julie: Alright Charlie, now it is your turn to open up to me. What is going on?

Charlie: I don’t feel like talking about it. Let’s talk about your essay topic.

Julie: No, don’t do that. It sounds like something is really bugging you, and I want you to share it with me. It sounds like you are doing so well in the tournaments you are playing in and you just said that you have a real chance at a scholarship for university. So, what gives?

Charlie: (snaps) My dad will never be satisfied! He pushes me so hard, and …man; he can be such an asshole sometimes! It pisses me off!

Julie: Really? I…find that so hard to believe.

Charlie: Well believe it. It is just so damn annoying! I can’t work hard enough to please him. No result is good enough for him. Even when I win, he has a long speech for me afterwards about all of the mistakes I made and how I have to train more hours next week and the week after that so I can keep improving. And…and it just keeps going! There is no satisfying him and I hate it! And I hate tennis, and I hate him! 

(There is a pause as Julie is shocked by the news)

Julie: Is it that bad?

Charlie: (calmed down and composing himself) Yeah…no…whatever. It is just frustrating and I have such a hard time standing up for myself when it comes to conflicts with my dad.

Julie: But you don’t actually hate tennis and I know you don’t hate your dad.

Charlie: Yeah…and I really just want to make him happy and to have him tell me how great I am and how much he loves me. I hate him for making his approval and his love so hard to obtain.

Julie: You know he loves you.

Charlie: He does, but he just…

Julie: Can’t you really speak to him and tell him how you feel? He always seemed like a reasonable guy to me.

Charlie: Well sometimes looks can be deceiving. People are always good at putting on a different face for the public than they do for their families. You know, I have tried to talk to him about this, but I…it is so confusing. Part of me hates how driven he is, but part of me feels so badly for him because this was his dream for himself. He was the tennis prodigy when he was young, the one with all of the potential.

Julie: Your dad was good tennis? Wow, I just can’t see that.

Charlie: He’s put on quite a bit of weight over the years.

Julie: What happened to him?

Charlie: I’ve heard him tell this story a million times. I almost think he wants me to hear it, to make me guilty, so I won’t give it up. Anyway, he twisted his knee really badly in a training session when he was 17 and he ended up needed arthroscopic surgery on it. It took 10 months to rehab and heel and then he was right back into it so hard right away and it happened again in the middle of the provincial championships. He was leading in the finals, and he had a great chance to win it all. And that was it. He ruptured his ACL, lost the match, lost his scholarship to Stanford, and …it is really just so sad and I can just see it in his eyes how much he wishes he were out there on the court instead of me. In the end, no matter how frustrated I get with it all, I just don’t want to let him down. He’s tough on me, and I do hate that, but I just want to please him.

Julie: I remember when we were young, how much you used to love tennis. We both did. Remember how we used to play in those little tournaments at the park?

Charlie: Yeah, that was so much fun…(shakes head) you know, my dad has gotta be the most competitive guy ever. Whenever my mom or me try to get him to relax about my tennis, he just goes on and on about being the most that you can be and never settling for second best and whatever other slogans he can think of at the time.

Julie: He sounds like he should be recruiting for the U.S. Army.

Charlie: And the crazy thing is, I’m competitive too and I like training hard…or liked it. I want the scholarship not as much, but almost as much as he does. But, the unrelenting pressure that he puts on me and the fact that whatever I do is never good enough has just killed all of my enthusiasm. I almost think that I do badly sometimes just to spite him.

Julie: I guess that makes sense, I can’t really tell, nothing in my life is anything like that. What does your mom think about it all?

Charlie: She is the opposite end of the spectrum. She’ll sit in the stands and clap and smile and give me thumbs ups all match long regardless of the score. She is great, but could never really critique my play or strategy. And I need that to get better. For her, I can do nothing wrong, she watches me through a mother’s loving eyes.

Julie: That sounds really sweet.

Charlie: Oh it is. I really love knowing that I can turn around after any point and see her smiling face…and next to her is my dad with his scowl and running his hands throw his hair.

Julie: Can’t she talk to him for you? Get him to back down a bit?

Charlie: She talks to him. It does work a bit. He listens to her and I think he knows that he has his priorities a bit mixed up. I mean, he is a smart guy and I think every once and a while, he hears himself and realizes that he is blowing it all out of proportion and that it is, in the end, just a game, and I am really just a kid still. He really does love me, but just has an odd way of showing it sometimes. I think that the situation will improve when I go away to school. I know he’ll miss me, but he’ll also have to find a new hobby rather than following me around to training sessions and tournaments.

Julie: I hope so.

Charlie: And he is always trying to motivate me by telling me that maybe I just don’t have the talent necessary. He tries to piss me off, so that I’ll work harder. But, I’m starting to think he’s right. I mean I’m good, but I’m not that good.

Julie: But, you’re doing so well.

Charlie: Yeah, but there is being good and there is being really good. If I were destined to be a pro, I’d already be there at this point, or at least I’d be much further along. As frustrating as it all is, with my dad and all, I’m pretty sure it will be okay.

Julie: I hope so. So you don’t really hate him then?

Charlie: Not really, I overreacted a few minutes ago. It is frustrating, to say the least, and I don’t share these feelings ever  - you are the first person I’ve talked to about it, not counting my mom. Thanks, Julie

Julie: No problem, ol’ pal. I hope it all works out for the best.

Charlie: Thanks, Julie. (A pause) You said earlier that your dad is sick.

(A very sad look instantly passes across her face)

Charlie: (he puts his hand on her shoulder) What’s wrong?

Julie: (big sigh) He had a heart attack.

Charlie: Really? Man…I…I’m so sorry Julie. Jesus Christ. How are you doing? And your mom – she must be having a hard time. I have no idea.

(Silence)

Charlie: Julie, please tell me how you are.

Julie: I…I’m just so tired. (She squeezes his hand and then shifts to face him) I’m having a really hard time sleeping.

Charlie: Do you feel like sharing your thoughts? I mean you must be having some really intense feelings these days.

Julie: You really want to hear them? I mean I know we just made up and all, but a few minutes ago you sounded really pissed off at me. Are you sure that…I don’t want to saddle you with all of this sad stuff.

Charlie: Are you kidding? Julie, forget about all of that selfish stuff about me being angry with you – that is so unimportant, so trivial compared to this.

Julie: Well, it is really tough on mom.

Charlie: I bet.

Julie: She has been quite upset, and that has made me so upset. I mean she is usually telling jokes, and animated stories and then all of a sudden nothing; she is so quiet now. It is such a difference and I realize now, how much I miss the house being filled with her laughter. And I feel so guilty that I used to sit up in my room and curse at her and her stupid laugh. I’d do anything to hear it these days. It is very tough on the family. The restaurant is our life. If we don’t open it and work, we don’t make money.

Charlie: What about you personally, Julie?

Julie: I’m okay…I guess. It is just a huge shock, and I don’t know how to think about it all. My brain is just full of everything all the time. I feel like I’ve gone crazy.

Charlie: (with a small smile) Welcome to my world. (She gives him an odd look) I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have…with all of that and with the whole thing with Jake I can see why you’ve been missing classes. Have you told Ms. Baker, I’m sure she would be sympathetic and maybe even let you write exams in August?

Julie: No. I…I want to get on with my life. I’ve been moping around for the past two weeks. Jake wasn’t right for me, and my dad will hopefully be okay, I want to get back to class next week and regain my positive outlook on things.

Charlie: If there is any way I can help…you know that I’m there for you.

Julie: Thanks Charlie, I mean that, but I think it will be okay. I hope it will be okay. Dad is at home now. He is far from 100%, but he is stable and just needs lots of rest. Whenever I’m not working or at school, I try to rush home to be with him.

Charlie: I understand.

Julie: I never felt any urgency about a relationship the way I feel now with him. I mean he could have died. He almost did, and he is so lucky to still be with us. That is how I feel right now – lucky to still have him. And I’ve spent so much time out of the house this past year, avoiding family situations, yelling at my parents and just not being a great daughter. I just keep thinking that if he had died, I’d be filled with so much regret. It just kills me to think how bad I would have felt. I’m just trying to show him how much I love him.

Charlie: It is weird how it often takes a tragedy, or a real scare like this, to remind us how important our loved ones are to us.

Julie: Yeah. That’s so true. It’s funny, but I think that this situation with my dad has actually strengthened the love between my parents, or at least infused it with more urgency. And my dad wants to hear everything about my day and he is always asking my opinion about things. He never used to do that before. I hate admitting this out loud, but I almost think that in a small way the heart attack has been a good thing, even though it has made the whole family so upset. Do you know what I mean?

Charlie: Yeah. It often takes something really harsh to wake people up. I think that it reminds us how impermanent life really is. You never know how much you’ll miss something until it is over or gone. We end up taking situations and people for granted, we shouldn’t, but everyone does.

(She slides down the bench and puts her head on his shoulder and he puts his arm around her to comfort her)

Charlie: You know in a sort of similar way, and I’m not trying to say these two situations are parallel, but I don’t think I ever realized how much you meant to me until we weren’t speaking to each other.

Julie: It is nice to hear you say that. I feel the same way. This, our being back on good terms today, and hopefully permanently, is easily the best thing that has happened to me in a while.

Charlie: What’s second?

Julie: I had a really good pizza last night.

Charlie: From The Candia Taverna?

Julie: Yep.

(They share a short laugh, and she sits back up again)

Charlie: It’s nice to hear you laugh. So, can you run the restaurant on your own?

Julie: Well, it is tough, but I’ve spent my whole life growing up there – I know the place inside and out, and my mom does come in whenever she can. My brother-in-law has been doing a lot of the cooking too, and optimistically, my dad, if everything goes well, will be able to be back at work next month.

Charlie: I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.

Julie: It is so odd sharing my feelings out loud.

Charlie: I know it must be tough on you – I appreciate you sharing with me.

Julie: Yeah, I always did feel comfortable with you. It is cool how quickly this feels just like old times. But, that isn’t even what I was meaning. With Jake, I never felt that what I thought mattered to him. I mean really mattered. He didn’t cut me off or ignore me, but he just never had any advice for me. He was always saying things like “that’s harsh” or “good luck, babe”, and he’d often admit that he had no idea what to say. And to top it off, he never shared any feelings with me deeper than telling me he loved me after we made out.

Charlie: I don’t feel like hearing about you two kissing.

Julie: Don’t worry, I’m not going to share any more of those details anyway. After a while, with him sharing nothing and not really seeming to completely care about my feelings, I just sort of stopped sharing. I can’t live like that.

Charlie: And nor should you. I knew you two weren’t good together.

Julie: I tried to make it obvious for him when I was upset, but he isn’t one of the most perceptive people that I’ve ever met.

Charlie: Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.

Julie: It is odd, after a year with Jake, I couldn’t tell you one inner feeling that he had.

Charlie: I’m sure you aren’t missing out on much, I don’t think there is much up there.

Julie: Yeah, but as I said earlier, every once and a while I thought…I thought he was on the verge of opening up. I tell you, underneath that mask, there is a thoughtful, caring person. He just has had a lot of practice bottling it up. It is so horrible being in a relationship where you can’t have heart-to-heart conversations.

Charlie: Well, it is over now. I guess you can be thankful, in a small way, that he ended it. You got out and it didn’t stretch out for a few more years. Imagine how badly you’d feel if you were with him for 5 years.

Julie: Yeah.

(They sit in silence for a few moments)

Charlie: Tell me about your essay.

Julie: I’m having a hard time writing a conclusion, and an introduction and…lets just say that the whole thing isn’t really coming together to well. I mean, I know what I want to say, but every time I write it down, it never quite sounds good. And then I start thinking that I’m not saying enough and that I should just scrap the whole thing and start again. How about you? You’re writing about The Canterbury Tales, right?

Charlie: Yeah. I’m done. I dove right in and started writing the very first day we got the assignment. I biked up to the UBC library and got out a few literary critiques of The Tales, and reread of few of the sections, and then the whole thing sort of wrote itself.

Julie: You make me sick sometimes. And you’ve read the whole book? Doesn’t that book go on forever?

Charlie: It is a long book, but Chaucer was an incredible writer. I just got right into it and the next thing I knew I was done. As far as the writing goes, it really helps having a mom who is a professor in the Creative Writing department at UBC. I mean I’m not saying she helps me too much, it is just that I think I find it easy writing, just because we did so much creative writing together when I was growing up. And of course she demands to read everything that I write and always gives me lots of good suggestions for ways to improve things.

Julie: That sounds great.

Charlie: It is nice, but just once I’d like to call something I write a 100% Charlie creation.

Julie: That’s cool though. My parents can’t help me much – they never did that well in school, and even if they could, I don’t think they would. They just don’t seem to care that much…well that’s not true. I mean they want me to do well in school, but it seems that my filling up the salt and peppershakers at the restaurant by 4:45pm is more important than my homework. Whenever I ask for help on things, they always say “You’re almost an adult now, and you have to learn how to do it yourself.” It sucks when you are always pleading to be treated like an adult, and then it comes back to bite you in the ass.

Charlie: Life is ironic sometimes. Hey, what is your topic again?

Julie: I’m writing an essay on The Catcher In The Rye.

Charlie: Wow! That’s awesome! Holden Caufield riding that bomb! What a great book! I’ve read it twice, and that doesn’t count the French translation I read for Ms. DuMont’s class last year.

(Julie shakes her head)

Charlie: You know, since I’m done my essay, I could, you know if you want, help you with yours. I mean, I absolutely love the book and I am free this weekend.

Julie: And you want to help me with my essay?

Charlie: Yeah, of course. Maybe we could get together this Friday after my tennis training? Around 8:30 at my place?

Julie: That would awesome! We could order Chinese and maybe even get a movie for afterwards.

(They look at each other and smile)

Julie and Charlie: Just like old times…Jinx!

(They laugh and hug)

Charlie: Do you remember the first time we met?

Julie: Hmmmm. I’m not sure…no, I don’t think so. I mean I know it had to be when I was seven, because that is when my parents moved here from Seattle.

Charlie: So you don’t remember? (Melodramatically) Oh! I’m so hurt!

Julie: Don’t get me wrong, I remember lots of stuff we did together when we were young, I just can’t recall the very first time I met you. Why, do you?

Charlie: Of course! I was biking one afternoon around the neighborhood, and I rode past this house with a bunch of moving vans being unloaded. And there, on the front steps, was this girl playing with her Barbie dolls. I watched her play for a few minutes from across the street, and then I called out “welcome to the neighborhood” and then rode off really fast before she could see me. I was, and I guess still am, pretty shy around girls especially cute ones that I’ve never met before.

Julie: (giggles) You thought I was cute?

Charlie: Yeah, sure. You had your hair done up in pigtails, and you were wearing this colorful dress and you had the most awesome smile.

Julie: Wow – talk about a good memory, it almost sounds like you were stalking me!…Hey! What do you mean, “had” a great smile?

Charlie: Wrinkles do suck, and…I hate to break it to you, but you are getting pretty old.

(He laughs and she smacks him on the shoulder)

Julie: (hitting him on the shoulder) Screw you!

Charlie: (laughing) In your dreams, psycho (they playfully hit each other, while laughing)…so then after I called out to you, and you looked up, I biked off fast like the shy little boy that I was.

Julie: Well, I do remember that, I just didn’t realize that was you. I also remember thinking that it was odd that you were watching me and couldn’t come over to say hi.

Charlie: Then we were in the same class together in grade 4 and became friends in class – you didn’t know anyone and I was the only boy who wasn’t playing “kill each other” ball on the dirt field everyday at recess and lunch.

Julie: I remember you and your mom coming over for lunch on a weekend to our house, and we went over to the park and played on the swings and in the hazelnut trees.

Charlie: Oh God, I loved that park – I have so many good memories from there. And we probably spent a million hours in those trees over the years.

Julie: It is weird, because we aren’t even that old yet, but I already miss being young and having no worries at all. I mean each day you woke up and had nothing that made you stressed, nothing that weighed heavily on your mind and no responsibilities. That is like true freedom. With all of the business of graduation and exams and all of the big decisions that come with becoming adults, makes me really miss having my biggest problem being whether to go swimming with Susie or to play at the park with you.

Charlie: I don’t know…I mean I miss being young in some ways, and the memories are great, but I like the fact that I’m becoming an adult and getting to make more and more of my own decisions and I love responsibility. I think that the more responsibility you get and the more independence from your parents, the more free you really are. I mean how free are you when you are a child? You really have to do whatever the adults tell you.

Julie: I guess, but not having to make decisions is great. Also, all of this crap with Jake and the stuff with the restaurant and my dad…it is just making me go insane. I wake up each morning and for a second I forget what is really going on. You know when you are having this great dream and when your alarm scares you awake because you set the radio volume too loud, there is this moment where you lie there and look around and are confused because the dream seemed so real. Then, you remember that your boyfriend broke up with you, your dad nearly died and that you haven’t studied at all for these huge life-affecting exams coming up really soon.

Charlie: Jake was…is a loser, your dad is getting better, and I’ll help you study for your exams. Okay?

Julie: Yeah…

Charlie: I mean I have dreams too, dreams that my dad would let me just enjoy tennis, dreams that I could make close friends more easily and dreams that I wasn’t spending every Friday night alone. Then I wake up and…(shakes head). Do you remember how we used to lie in my backyard in our sleeping bags and just look at the stars and just talk?

Julie: Of course, I do. How I could forget? I used to love those nights.

Charlie: You were my first kiss you know.

Julie: And you were mine.

Charlie: I even remember that we promised to marry each other when we got old enough.

Julie: (laughing) Right. I’d forgotten about that. That seems like a whole lifetime ago.

Charlie: So, are we still on?

Julie: Charlie!

Charlie: Just kidding. (Looks away, then quickly gives her a look to judge her true feelings). Have you ever tried to imagine yourself in the future?

Julie: (laughs) Do you mean when aliens will be our masters?

Charlie: Yeah. No, I mean like in your 40s when you have a family and are settled down. Do you imagine what your life will be like?

Julie: Um. A bit. But I guess that I’ve always tried to live in the present. I have a hard enough time making decisions right now to let me worry about the future.

Charlie: Well, I’m talking about worrying about the future; I’m talking about just trying to imagine yourself as a 45 year old – how you will be different from how you are right now and what sort of life you will have?

Julie: Do you think about this stuff a lot, cause I really don’t.

Charlie: I do, more recently than before. I guess with these exams coming up and having to really think about my future more than ever, has me sitting there some days and just trying to imagine where I’d like to live, what my job will be like and what sort of family I picture myself having. But actually, I always seem to focus on what I don’t want rather than really knowing what I do want.

Julie: That makes sense – I think it is easy to focus on all of the stuff that we don’t like sometimes.

Charlie: Absolutely, like I know that I don’t want to end up like my dad.

Julie: That’s a bit harsh – your father is a great guy, despite his hang-ups, but we all have hang-ups.

Charlie: My dad is an awesome guy, but I just don’t want to become a parent who lives through his child.

Julie: That is inevitable. That is what parents do. That is why they become parents, I think.

Charlie: I just mean one who has regrets and unfulfilled dreams of his own and then pushes his child to try to succeed where he himself failed. One thing that I’m learning from this situation is that I just don’t want to be like that with one of my kids.

Julie: That’s fair enough, but it is much better to have a parent or parents who care too much and are too involved than the opposite side of that spectrum. And all adults have regrets; I don’t think it’s possible to not regret things. The goal, I think, is to not waste your life being consumed by regrets.

Charlie: Do you want to have a family someday?

Julie: I don’t know if I’d be that good a mother, honestly. I couldn’t imagine a little kid learning how to be a human being from me. I’m really not a role model.

Charlie: So critical! You’d be great, I think.

Julie: Maybe…I’m in no rush to do all of that, that’s for sure. That is going to happen, if it does happen at all, many years from now. Why, what about you, do you want to be a daddy?

Charlie: Definitely.

Julie: Soon?

Charlie: Well, there a few things I would need to do first, like get a girlfriend. But no, I’d want to go to school, get settled into a job, have some money and do some traveling first.

Julie: I just need to focus on today and tomorrow. I’m not sure what I want to do this summer let alone where I want myself to be in 5 years or whether I want to have kids. I’m nowhere near ready to even think about settling down.

Charlie: I know that I’m young, but I look forward to settling down and having my own place. I don’t want it all right now, but I have as part of my long-term plans.

Julie: (smiles) You’ve always been like that. You’ve always been the responsible, organized, motivated one, and I…

Charlie: ...have always been the spontaneous, take-things-as-they-come, everything-that-happens-was-meant-to-be one. I love that about you. I often wish I could just do things, rather than needing to know every detail before hand.

Julie: That’s funny – I’ve always been envious of you and your ability to organize and plan. Even when we were young, you were always so on top of things. I’d love to be more organized – I feel like I’m always racing to get things done. That was what I loved about being a kid – you didn’t need to be mature and responsible. But, you were like that even as a kid.

Charlie: It is odd how we both like ourselves, and yet we both like and admire the qualities in each other that we don’t have. I wish I were more like you and could just do new things and go out with new people and not just always be…me, if you know what I mean.

Julie: Yeah, I know. I’d love to escape from my existence and myself too, this last week especially. I think what you said is really true about all people. I mean I look at others and just love parts of their personalities that are unlike me. I think recognizing those areas are ways in which we improve ourselves. If we see a quality that we don’t have in people we hang out with, it often rubs of on us. That is why our parents are always trying to steer us away from hanging out with the wrong crowd.

Charlie: My parents never had to do that, quite the opposite actually; they encourage me to hang out with new people, not the wrong people, of course, but to just try to make new friends. I mean there are people they wouldn’t want me to hang out with, but they knew that I would never choose to relate to those ones. You know, whenever I complain about people I hate at school, my mom always says two things. First, that “hate” is a really strong word – it is the opposite of love, which is the strongest possible positive emotion, and that hate means that you almost want the person dead. So, I guess I don’t hate any of them. And she also says that if people are mean to you in life it almost always indicates that they are jealous of you, and wish that they could be more like you. I’m not to sure if I totally believe that – I think my mom, all moms, often say stuff just to keep their kid’s self-esteem up. I don’t think all of the losers at school are jealous of me.

Julie: You’d be surprised. You are athletic, you get awesome grades and you speak well in front of people - you have a million options and you can do whatever you want with your life. Who wouldn’t be envious of that?

Charlie: I guess…it just seems like “those” people have a whole different set of priorities. And they certainly aren’t the friendliest people in the world – they seem to go out of their way to try to make me feel like a loser. I really hate, I mean can’t stand, those guys sometimes!

(Charlie gets up and walks over to check the bus timetable)

Julie: Hey! Isn’t this Friday going to be fun?

Charlie: Yeah.

Julie: Well, don’t sound to enthusiastic. You know, I don’t have to come over if you are too busy or think you’ll be too tired after your tennis.

Charlie: (spoken with mind elsewhere) No, I’ll be fine and I want to see you. I…I’m just thinking about something else.

Julie: (she looks at him and he looks away) What’s up?

Charlie: Well…oh, nothing. It’s not important.

Julie: Tell me…. C’mon Charlie – tell me!

Charlie: No! It’s embarrassing. I shouldn’t have even thought about it.

Julie: Embarrassing? You? Now you have to tell me! Don’t make me hurt you! Cause I will. You know I will. Don’t make me come over there.

(She gets up and smacks him on the arm)

Charlie: Alright…(smacking her back and then looking away from her). Well…did you know that I used to like you? (Pauses for a second) I mean, actually I had the biggest crush on you.

Julie: I know.

Charlie: You do?!?!?

Julie: Yeah! I think everyone knew. My parents did, your parents definitely did, and I think most of the kids in school knew.

Charlie: Oh. Well, that is embarrassing. Just great. Thanks.

(He goes and sits down and she quickly joins him and sits right next to him.)

Julie: Charlie, don’t feel embarrassed. I was so flattered that you liked me that much. And you know I was surprised that you never acted on it. You were a perfect gentleman to a fault. I thought, so many times, that you would lean over and kiss me, or at least try to hold my hand. Or something. I knew you wanted to. I was uncomfortable for you.

Charlie: I thought about it so many times. I just…I don’t know, I didn’t know how to do it properly.

Julie: You can’t think everything through in life. Sometimes you have to be impulsive. You can’t have everything all planned out…

Charlie: Yeah I know. I thought about it…I wanted to, but I…I just didn’t want to offend you or scare you off by being too aggressive, and I kept on imagining a fun, cool evening that I would ruin by trying something. I never knew if you were into it; if you liked me that way. We had such a great friendship, and I really didn’t want to damage it. You were pretty much my only real friend, and if I lost you I’d have nothing.

Julie: I thought about it too. I honestly wasn’t sure what I wanted, I knew that you were interested, but after the summer between grade 11 and 12 passed, and nothing happened, I…

Charlie: You mean…(his mouth drops open and is momentarily at a loss for words)…you liked me in that way too?

Julie: You were my not only my best friend in the world, but the person who I trusted the most and the person with whom I shared my deepest, most personal secrets. I knew you cared about me as much as someone our age could, and…yeah, I grew very close to you. If you had started kissing me one night, I…I probably wouldn’t have been able to resist, even if I didn’t think it was a great idea.

Charlie: Wow. I’m stunned. Why didn’t you say something?!?!? I thought you’d be pissed off at me if I did something! We…why did we let all of those chances pass us by?

Julie: Well, it wasn’t the first thing on my mind. I was totally thrilled with our friendship the way it was, and I didn’t really completely think of you in that way…. but, the main reason was that I was waiting for you to make a move.

Charlie: But how was I supposed to know that? Am I supposed to read your mind? I’ve always wondered how women always expect men to be able to do that and then get annoyed when they can’t. It’s pretty hard to do, you know.

Julie: There was that one night when we went to see Taming Of The Shrew in the park. Do you remember that night?

Charlie: Yes, of course.

Julie: We had a great dinner on the beach, saw an incredible play and then walked along the beach into an incredible sunset…

Charlie: I bought us frozen yogurt cones, then we sat down on the sand and lay back on our blanket and looked up at the stars and tried to spot constellations and we talked and talked and talked. I wanted that evening to last forever.

Julie: And there was a moment where the conversation paused, I’ll never forget that moment, and you looked into my eyes the way no one before or since had ever looked into them before. It was incredible. It was so powerful. That moment was a perfect moment. I know I’m young, but I know you don’t have too many moments like that.

Charlie: (he sits and thinks for a few seconds) I remember that. I…I was so in love with you. That was the first time that I ever felt true, strong love in my life.

Julie: And I knew you wanted to kiss me and I was ready and then…nothing happened. You got up and dusted the sand off your legs and I…I was stunned for a second and then got up too. It was almost as if when that moment passed that that was it. Our friendship was different afterwards. And then I think Jake asked me out at the end of the next week, and I wasn’t sure what to do, I didn’t want to hurt you, but I liked Jake and I was craving to really get into the whole social scene in grade 12 and I was so excited that Jake liked me and I just went for it.

Charlie: I didn’t think it was possible for me to feel worse then I did back then about all of that, but I do now. I knew that I blew it, but I had no idea that you were into it at all. God, I’m such an idiot!

Julie: Charlie, don’t regret the past. We had so much fun together and relationships are so complicated. And they end. Jake and I will never hang out and talk, but you and I will always have each other. And I really still care about you, a lot.

Charlie: You do?

Julie: I never stopped caring about you when Jake and I were dating, and I really missed us.

Charlie: Oh Julie, I missed you so much too. I…

(She grabs him and they share a long hug, and then he looks at her and smiles)

Charlie: Can I kiss you? I mean, if you are okay with it and everything. I…think it would feel nice if you are into it.

Julie: You don’t ask! It ruins the moment.

Charlie: Can we pretend that I didn’t ask?

Julie: But you did ask! And don’t be such a wuss – if you want something, do it!

Charlie: So does that mean you are okay with it?

Julie: Stop doing that! If you want to kiss me, kiss me!

Charlie: I just don’t...I mean we haven’t talked for a long time like this today and then all of a sudden out of the blue…I mean I’ve dreamt about this for like forever…and Julie, um…I…

(She grabs his face and kisses him, and then they break apart quickly.)

Charlie: (Leans back on the bench, crosses his legs) Cool.

Julie: See that wasn’t that hard, was it?

(He dives in and they share a long kiss, and when they break they sit there arm in arm.)

Charlie: That was great! Julie, not that I want to label things or plan everything, but what does this mean? I mean we barely talk for the last year, and then we randomly run into each other and now I finally got a chance to kiss you. Are we…what happens…I don’t know if…

Julie: Look, I’m glad we got that out of the way. You, I, we needed to do that. Probably a few years ago. But, let’s keep things in perspective. It was a nice kiss.

Charlie: Actually we kissed twice.

Julie: A really nice pair of kisses.

Charlie: Agreed.

Julie: Now, do you still want to get together this Friday?

Charlie: Yes! Of course! Why…don’t you? This hasn’t changed things has it? I mean you pretty much dared me to do it.

Julie: We’re not playing Truth or Dare  - you wanted it and I just helped give you the final push. And yeah, things have changed. But things changed a lot this year and it will never be the same as it was when we were 16 and that was different from when we were 10.

Charlie: I just want to be close to you. I need you in my life.

Julie: I couldn’t agree more. Let’s start spending more time together again and we’ll see where it goes. If Friday goes well, we’ll go out on an actual date. But we don’t need to rush stuff, right?

Charlie: I’ll try. I’ve got to admit that I’m pretty excited right now. Can we kiss some more on Friday? Cause I’d like to. Really.

Julie: Yeah, I think we can fit in some kissing, and maybe even some snuggling too if we make some real in-roads on my essay. Don’t forget that that is the “excuse” for me coming over, right?

Charlie: Right…Julie?

Julie: Yeah, Charlie?

Charlie: What a great afternoon this has been.

Julie: Yeah.

(They stand, hug, hold hands and walk off the stage as the music plays and the lights fade to black.)

The end