Fragments of His Being | ✓

ACT II - SCENE I

ACT II

SCENE I

[Setting: The sitting room/kitchen of QUINN's family's apartment. It was late on a Sunday afternoon, and his sister — Janet was reading a book on the couch as QUINN watched her from behind the kitchen counter.]

QUINN: I like him.

JANET: (Shrugs.) You like who you like. (Flips to the next page of the book in her hands.)

QUINN: (Sighs as he looked up at the ceiling patched with wet stains.)

[It had been raining frequently, and their roof didn't look like it was taking it well. It was odd how the rainwater tickled down through the cracks and through all floors.]

QUINN: I guess, but what should I do? Should I just keep quiet about it or—

JANET: (Looks up from her book.) Whatever you want to do. Why are you asking me even?

QUINN: (Laughs a bit.)

JANET: (Shakes her head, making her curly dark hair bounce with the action.)

JANET: Though, if I were you I'd tell him. I'm not sure if you notice the way he looks at you. It's quite endearing.

QUINN: Really?

[He hadn't really noticed anything — in fact, he'd thought maybe CODY was bored of hanging out with him. CODY had come to his place a few more times when he couldn't go home, and he'd met QUINN's sister once.]

JANET: Yup, but it could be a savior complex thing, you do kind of protect him. I don't know — I might be reading into things too much.

QUINN: (Sighs.)

[He'd recently come to terms with his feelings. They might have been easy to ignore when they were just isolated thoughts like His eyes are beautiful, and He's cute, but realization crashed down on him when CODY started clouding his thoughts. He'd get worried about it, want to be around him, and it'd crossed the line when he realized CODY was all he wanted to think about when he tried to masturbate like any normal teenage male.]

QUINN: So, do I just say I like you? That's kind of all out there, and direct—

JANET: Look, I really don't know. Maybe ask him on a date? (Closes books to look over at her brother.)

QUINN: Oh. (Runs hand through curls.)

JANET: I'm not sure why you like him, though. He seemed like a bit of an airhead, but he's cute, I guess. A little messy looking, but cute.

QUINN: (Rolls eyes.)

[JANET could poke fun at QUINN all she wanted, but she didn't really know CODY — QUINN knew CODY. There was just something pure and delicate about him that QUINN liked. CODY, the boy that helped animals and picked his words carefully not to cause offense. The boy who enjoyed talking about comics and games you could find in newspapers.]

QUINN: He's not an airhead, just a bit quiet.

JANET: He seemed afraid. Like I'd pounce on him or something, and I'm tiny and terrible at fighting so that's not even possible.

Silence.

[QUINN didn't reply to her words, deciding that it was better not to air CODY's personal business.]

QUINN: I'm going to my room.

JANET: (Flips a page from her book.) Don't oversleep. If you're not up for dinner you won't have it at all.

QUINN: (Laughs as he leaves for his room.)

Curtains fall.