[MalReynolds]

(End Scene)

(The lights come up on SEAN and PEARL’s apartment. SEAN has just dosed and is riding a high, while PEARL stares at him)

SEAN: There’s enough for another hit, Pearl. Come on, take it.

PEARL: No.

SEAN: I can’t take another hit. Come on, Pearl, tradition. Keep up the tradition, keep up, keep up, keep up!

PEARL: ... I don’t want any right now.

SEAN: What’s the matter?

PEARL: (Standing and walking towards the door) Nothing.

SEAN: Come on, what is it?

PEARL: (Turning to SEAN) I love you.

SEAN: I love you too, babe, now take the hit, come on.

PEARL: No... I love you.

SEAN: What?

PEARL: You heard me.

SEAN: Don’t do this. Why are you doing this?

PEARL: Because I can’t not. I do love you.

SEAN: Pearl...

PEARL: I know. I know, Sean.

SEAN: I’m sorry if I led you on, but...

PEARL: You didn’t. It’s my fault.

SEAN: What is it! Why is there blame? It’s no one’s fault, not anyone’s.

PEARL: I have to get out of here.

(SEAN moves to block her)

PEARL: What are you doing?

SEAN: Don’t be this way.

PEARL: I just need some time to think. Just a little bit of time.

SEAN: Things... don’t have to change between us, Pearl. Nothing has to change.

PEARL: But everything has, hasn’t it?

SEAN: ... Come on, Pearl... Just take the dose. You’ll feel better, and then we can forget you ever said anything.

PEARL: I don’t want to take back what I said. I... I hurt now, but it’s better than having to look at you throw this all away.

SEAN: Don’t turn into my mother. Don’t you dare turn into my mother, Pearl.

PEARL: I read your book, Sean, when it first came out. I read it cover to cover and it put Dan Brown to shame.

SEAN: A kindergartener could put Dan Brown to shame.

PEARL: But you know what I mean.

SEAN: Pearl...

PEARL: And now it’s this. You’re about to lose your apartment, your book contract... Why are you throwing it all away.

SEAN: I’m not.

PEARL: That’s bull****.

SEAN: Pearl, don’t leave...

(PEARL pushes SEAN out of the way)

PEARL: I’ll be back. We need to talk. I might need to move out, I don’t know.

SEAN: Pearl, please don’t.

PEARL: (Smiles at SEAN) It’s already been done. (Walks off stage)

(SEAN stumbles back to the sofa, collapsing. He’s just lost a best friend to a misguided romance – he is devastated. He begins to frantically scratch his nose before crying out and pulling his phone)

SEAN: Abraham, hey, can you come over? Something just happened with Pearl and I don’t want to be alone right now... I want... Yeah. Thanks.

(SEAN leans back, staring at the door. After a few seconds, there’s a knock)

SEAN: It’s open. Come in.

(ABRAHAM walks in. He looks much better than he did when we first saw him – he has clearly left the drug dealing business and moved on to bigger and better things)

ABRAHAM: Hey, Sean.

SEAN: Hey you.

ABRAHAM: So, you and Pearl have a fight, then?

(SEAN nods)

SEAN: She loved me.

ABRAHAM: You didn’t love her? I always thought that you two would... Make a great couple. Really.

SEAN: No. I could never see myself with her.

ABRAHAM: Oh, come on. She’s not that bad. A little work and she’d be damn near bangable.

SEAN: I’m just not attracted to her.

ABRAHAM: Why not?

(SEAN stands. He’s torn)

SEAN: I don’t want to talk about it.

ABRAHAM: Didn’t you call me over to talk? Or are we going to shoot hoops or something.

SEAN: Can we talk about something else?

ABRAHAM: Why talk about something else when this is clearly what’s bothering you.

SEAN: ... It’s not just Pearl, Abraham.

ABRAHAM: Your parents? I heard about your Mom. I’m sorry to hear.

SEAN: Abraham, you’re my friend, right?

ABRAHAM: Your best friend.

SEAN: Am I your best friend?

ABRAHAM: Of course.

SEAN: What about Cathy?

ABRAHAM: What? My wife?

SEAN: Am I your best friend over Cathy?

ABRAHAM: Sure.

SEAN: How long have we known each other?

ABRAHAM: Uh... Your brother introduced us at the literati party for your first book. Maybe four years? I know we went to the same high school.

SEAN: Yeah, we did. You played basketball.

ABRAHAM: With my height, who wouldn’t?

(SEAN smiles)

SEAN: You’ve always been a good friend, Abraham.

ABRAHAM: Thank you. You’ve been a good one too, Sean.

(SEAN stands there, staring at him. ABRAHAM is staring right back)

ABRAHAM: ... What?

(SEAN moves over slowly. ABRAHAM doesn’t move. SEAN puts his hand against ABRAHAM’S cheek)

ABRAHAM: What are you doing?

(SEAN leans in to kiss him. They briefly kiss, before ABRAHAM pulls away)

ABRAHAM: What the hell are you doing, Sean!? What the hell!?

SEAN: I’m sorry, I just –

ABRAHAM: What was that? Why did you do that?

SEAN: I couldn’t... I’m sorry.

ABRAHAM: Sorry my ass! I’m married, Sean. I’m married. I have a wife. Cathy, you know Cathy. Why... Why would you go and do a goddamned thing like that? Why would you do that?

SEAN: I love –

ABRAHAM: Don’t say it. Don’t you dare say it.

SEAN: You didn’t feel anything, then.

ABRAHAM: (Clearly bothered because he DID feel something) No! NO!

(SEAN steps forward and ABRAHAM shoves him)

ABRAHAM: Get away from me!

SEAN: Can’t we talk?

ABRAHAM: God, I don’t know – I –

SEAN: You felt it, then.

ABRAHAM: (Is practically ripping his hair out) I don’t know! I don’t know if I felt anything!

SEAN: You felt it.

ABRAHAM: There’s nothing to feel, Sean. Nothing.

SEAN: There’s something there. You’ll get used to the idea, Abraham.

ABRAHAM: No. No. No. No.

SEAN: Trust me.

ABRAHAM: Get away from me, queer!

(ABRAHAM shoves SEAN hard – SEAN falls over, slamming against the ground. He stares up at ABRAHAM, who swings down and hits him in the jaw, hard. SEAN drops, but gets back up on his elbows to look at ABRAHAM, who swings down at him again. SEAN, clearly losing conciousness props himself back up to look at ABRAHAM, who swings down, knocking SEAN out)

ABRAHAM: (Realizing what he did) I’m sorry. God, I’m so sorry.

(He stumbles to the door, opening it. PEARL is standing in the door frame.)

PEARL: Hey Abraham.

(ABRAHAM says nothing but rushes past her. PEARL walks in and gasps as she finds SEAN sprawled out on the floor. She cradles his head in her arms)

PEARL: Come on, come on, Sean. Come on...

SEAN: I’m not dead. Might as well be.

PEARL: What happened?

SEAN: ... It turns out Abraham isn’t quite as gay as I thought he would be.

(PEARL chuckles)

PEARL: Sean... (Kisses his forehead) It’ll be okay.

(SEAN stands)

SEAN: I know it will be. I know it will. I thought it... I thought it was a sure thing. Ah, my jaw.

PEARL: A slam dunk.

SEAN: A slam dunk... Funny. He played basketball in high school. I think I admired him even then. God, that feels like it was so long ago. And then I thought it must have been fate when he ended up at my book party.

PEARL: Fate is a funny thing.

SEAN: I didn’t have anything in common with him. I learned how to play basketball so we could start hanging out... I started... Heroin because he sold it.

PEARL: Why don’t you stop? He stopped selling.

SEAN: I can’t. Just like I can’t help not hating him right now. He did what he had to do, you know? He’s married. I was in the wrong. Who am I to drive a wedge between him and Cathy? I’m no one. I’m a flash in the pan novelist. I’m not even his real best friend.

PEARL: It’s okay, Sean. It’s okay.

SEAN: It doesn’t feel that way.

(PEARL sits down on the sofa)

SEAN: I don’t know what I’m going to do.

(SEAN moves over to the sofa, sitting down and putting his head in PEARL’S lap. SEAN begins to scratch his arms and cry)

PEARL: Just hang in there, baby... Just hang in there. It’ll get better. Don’t beat yourself up. (She runs her fingers through her hair while he sobs)

(As the lights go down, SEAN’S phone begins to ring)

(END SCENE)

(The lights come up on PETER’S apartment. He’s sitting down with his guitar while OPAL watches. In the back hangs the picture that PRETTY MAMA painted him)

PETER: It’s still not as intense as I would like it to be.

OPAL: It’s a folk album, Peter. It’s not going to be intense.

PETER: But it’s not... It’s lacking something. There’s no punch. I’m no different than anyone else out there that’s trying the same thing.

OPAL: Not true. You have me, they don’t.

(PETER’S cell phone begins to ring. He picks it up and looks at the name)

PETER: It’s Sean. I’m letting it go to voicemail.

(Almost as soon as the phone stops vibrating, his house phone rings)

PETER: Don’t answer that.

OPAL: Why not?

PETER: He wants money or drugs. It’s never life or death with him.

OPAL: You don’t mean that.

PETER: I do.

(OPAL stands up and looks at the picture PRETTY MAMA painted)

OPAL: She’s gifted, you know.

PETER: She is.

OPAL: Are you just agreeing with me, or do you actually believe that?

PETER: I believe it.

OPAL: Well, why?

PETER: Why what?

OPAL: What sets her apart from other painters.

PETER: Her technique.

OPAL: (Smiling) Well, I think it’s cute that you agreed with me just to agree with me.

PETER: How can you tell?

OPAL: You can’t quite put your finger on what sets her apart.

PETER: I’m terrible with analysis.

(OPAL smiles as PETER slides up behind her and wraps his arms around her waist)

OPAL: She’s been through it all.

PETER: And that’s what makes her a good artist?

OPAL: An artist is a product of their environment. I’ve always believed that. And she’s been through so much.

PETER: So, I’d have to suffer my entire life to write an album?

OPAL: No. You have to draw on experiences. Otherwise... If you write it having lived a happy or normal life, it will be a happy or normal album. If you write it having lived a terrible life, it will be a dark album... All of those are beautiful extremes, nothing else. Not representative of life.

PETER: Like smiling for pictures.

OPAL: Well, I guess so. It’s a cumulative total that will help you create. You’re happy, the album is happy. You need to detach yourself from your emotions, because I have to tell you, it sounds so saccharine as it is. Let the neutrality of your life take over. Let some suffering in.

PETER: I can’t help it, being around you.

(There’s a knock at the door. SEAN does not wait for PETER to pretend to not be there)

SEAN: Peter, open up!

PETER: Go away Sean.

SEAN: Peter, open up!

PETER: I forgot the rubber band on the door, Sean, but you can’t come in.

SEAN: Mom is dying.

PETER: What?

(OPAL pulls away from PETER)

OPAL: ... what?

SEAN: She’s in the hospital, but she won’t last through the night, Peter. She won’t last for a few hours. She’s going, man, she’s going...

PETER: I’ll be right out, Sean.

OPAL: Your mother is alive?

PETER: ... Yes.

OPAL: Your father?

PETER: ... Yes.

OPAL: Why would you lie to me about that? Of all things, why would you choose to lie to me about your parents being alive?

PETER: You just assumed they were dead, Opal.

OPAL: Oh, Peter, don’t try and blame this on me. We’ve been together for five months. Five. Every second of every day was another opportunity to tell me the truth.

PETER: My parents are rich.

OPAL: So what?

PETER: You disliked – hate the wealthy.

OPAL: But I like you.

PETER: I was afraid that if you found out, you wouldn’t... I don’t know. It made more sense in my head, Opal.

OPAL: I’m sure it did.

PETER: Opal, I’m sorry.

OPAL: No. No, don’t apologize.

PETER: But I’m sorry.

OPAL: You don’t trust me. You don’t trust my feelings. I would still love you if your parents lived in a house made of solid gold, Peter, because you are not your parents.

PETER: I’m sorry I didn’t trust you. I’m so sorry.

OPAL: I need to go for a walk.

PETER: No, please. I need you with me. I need you with me at the hospital. I can’t go through this without someone by my side.

OPAL: I’ll be there for you. I just need to clear my head. You drive, and I’ll walk.

(PETER walks over to the door, and turns to OPAL)

PETER: I love you, Opal.

OPAL: I love you too, Peter. Don’t you ever forget that.

PETER: I don’t think I will.

(PETER steps outside of the apartment. SEAN is waiting for him)

SEAN: Jesus, I didn’t expect you to come out. I was about to leave.

(PETER pushes SEAN against the wall)

PETER: I’d hit you, but it looks like someone did a number on your face already.

SEAN: What?

PETER: I told you – I told you never to mention our parents on front of Opal. Never.

SEAN: I kind of figured this was important.

PETER: I’ve never had a fight with her in five months. Never said an unkind word to her and I – I don’t know how close it came tonight to ending.

(OPAL walks out of the apartment. She stops and kisses PETER before walking on)

SEAN: Yeah, looks like it came really close to ending.

PETER: Get the hell out of here.

SEAN: I took a cab over. Can I get a ride to the hospital?

PETER: No. No, I don’t want you in my car. I don’t want you anywhere near me.

SEAN: Come on – come on, Peter. Don’t do this.

PETER: Yeah, yeah. I don’t want you in my car. I want you out in the elements. I hear it’s about to rain, so maybe you should get running.

(PETER walks offstage, swinging his keys around his finger. SEAN walks into the pit, and begins to make his way towards the ‘hospital’, but after getting halfway through the pit, ABRAHAM enters behind him)

ABRAHAM: Sean.

SEAN: (Turning) Who – Oh, Abraham. Hey.

ABRAHAM: I’m sorry.

SEAN: (Begins walking towards him) No, no, I’m sorry, I had no right to –

(SEAN’S apology is cut short as ABRAHAM removes a gun from behind his back, firing it once into SEAN’S stomach. SEAN stops walking forward, dropping to his knees)

SEAN: What?

(SEAN pitches forward. ABRAHAM stands and stares at the body for a few seconds before running away. )

(Blackout. END SCENE)