Fourth Floor

Apartment #414

"Are you gonna sit on your laptop all day long?"

"..."

"Ruby? Did you hear what I said?"

[Crunch of chips.]

"Hmm."

"Ruby!"

"What?"

"Take those damn headphones off, for goodness' sake! Why are you spending your entire life sitting in one place on that laptop of yours?"

"Technically, I'm not sitting on the laptop. I'm sitting on a chair."

"Don't act smart with me, young lady."

"Mom, I'm on vacation. Just gimme a break, okay?"

"Ruby, your grades are -"

"You think I don't know that? I do, okay? I'm a terrible child, and an utterly incorrigible mess. I get it. Just leave me alone."

"How dare you talk back to me like that?!"

"Mom, please. Just leave."

"No, I won't! What has happened to you, Ruby? You've become -"

"A nightmare?"

"..."

"Thought so."

"Get off of that laptop and go outside."

"To party, get drunk and waste my life getting high?"

"Ruby!"

"Can you please just leave me alone, Mom? You don't know anything about me."

"You're my daughter. I know everything."

[Bitter laugh.]

"Yeah, right."

"Ruby, why are you acting like this? You've got a wonderful life with such caring parents and loving friends. You were a star at school and loved life. What's going on?"

"Trust me, Mom. You have no idea."

"Enlighten me, then."

"Monsters."

"What?"

"Monsters. In my head."

"Shut up, Ruby. You have no reason to feel this way. What the actual hell is wrong with you?"

"I knew you wouldn't understand."

"I'm your mother. Of course I understand. I understand that whatever you're saying right now is utter nonsense. What is this happening, huh?"

"Mom, stop."

"No. Listen to me. I -"

"Stop!"

"..."

"This is my life and I know what I'm doing. Just go, Mom."

"..."

"..."

"Fine. Have it your way."

[Slam of door.]

"Oh, if you only knew how lost I really am."