Fragments of His Being | ✓

ACT II - SCENE VI

ACT II

SCENE VI

[Setting: On the streets. CODY and QUINN are on their way home together — their fingers slightly touching as they walk through the long, but quiet path together.]

CODY: (To QUINN.) Tell your mum I said thanks for the food. It was great.

QUINN: (Smiles.) Sure thing.

CODY: (Laughs.)

QUINN: What? What are you laughing at?

CODY: (Squeezes QUINN's hand a bit.) Nothing. I'm just happy.

QUINN: (Smiles, looking up ahead.) That's good to hear.

[The two boys continued to walk together until they got to an abandoned shack they usually stopped by. They made to sit on the stairs, talking about everything and nothing as time passed by.]

QUINN: Maybe you should start making an actual appearance on the basketball court?

CODY: (Shakes his head before burying his head in his hands.) No.

QUINN: You're still afraid of my friends?

CODY: (Shrugs.)

QUINN: (Sighs.) Whenever you're ready then.

CODY: Thanks.

Silence.

QUINN: Is LINDSEY still bothering you?

CODY: (Looks up then shrugs.) Not really.

[LINDSEY had been pestering CODY since QUINN and CODY started hanging out together. She'd mostly taunt him with crude questions, and that was all there was to it.]

QUINN: Good. (Turns to CODY) Don't take her seriously, okay. She's just jealous.

CODY: I won't.

[The two boys stared at each other as the conversation faded away.]

QUINN: I always want to kiss you. Is that normal?

CODY: (Turns away as his face grows warm in embarrassment.)

QUINN: (Laughs.)

QUINN: Honestly though. I really like you.

CODY: (Turns back to QUINN.)

QUINN: We're not dating or anything — I think, but you can tell me anything. I don't know, your happiness kind of matters to me now. (Nervously laughs.)

CODY: (Looks down at his worn-out shoes.)

QUINN: Bends forward so that he's on the same level as CODY's face) Hey, am I making you uncomfortable?

CODY: (Raises his head before shaking it) No. I just don't know what to say—

QUINN: (Smiles) You don't say much, but it's okay.

CODY: (Smiles.)

QUINN: Hey.

CODY: (Looks at QUINN.) Hmm?

QUINN: (Goes quiet for a while.) What are we?

CODY: (Stares at QUINN before looking away.)

Pause.

CODY: Whatever you want.

QUINN: Really?

CODY: (Smiles) Yeah?

QUINN: Boyfriends?

CODY: Yes.

QUINN: So, you'll date me?

CODY: (Shakes his head as he begins to laugh.) I thought I already said yes.

QUINN: (Smiles before he chuckles.) I was just checking.

CODY: (Rolls his eyes.)

[The two boys got up from the concrete stairs before continuing their journey home. The two were a bit flushed, their fingers casually brushing as they walked in close proximity. Something had changed — the atmosphere felt lighter, and their moods seemed bright. A word had done that — glued them to each other.]

[Just before CODY got to the front door of his house, he tugged QUINN's hand, leading the taller boy to the small backyard.]

QUINN: (Frowns slightly as he watched CODY take a hold of his face.) What?

CODY: (Smiles before pulling QUINN down a bit so that he could kiss him.]

QUINN: (Smiles when CODY breaks the kiss.) I like that. (Stares CODY in the eyes) Again...?

CODY: (Laughs before repeating the action.)

[They kissed for a bit under the shade of the trees in the backyard, and their chuckling was drowned out by the sound of birds chirping and a neighborhood dog barking.]

[The two of them had never felt the swirl of emotions within them before. QUINN felt full, like his patterned monotonous life was finally interesting and full — CODY was filling the emptiness. CODY felt happy — truly happy for the first time in his life.]

Curtains fall.