Shadow's Artbook and Stuff #6

Script

MusicDevil Reconnecting
written by Hannah Lyle
Characters
Nova - tall lanky boy, old friend of Lillian.
Lillian - petite girl who just moved back after six years of being in another state. Best friends to Nova.
NOVA and LILLIAN walks into NOVA's bedroom, closes door behind them. LILLIAN looks around.
LILLIAN
Wow... hasn't changed much since we were little, has it? (walks over to a periodic table poster) well, this is new at least.
NOVA
(follows LILLIAN over to poster) Six years and I've only added one poster. (laughs quietly) god, has it really been that long?
LILLIAN
I know right? I missed you.(sits down on his bed) You've definitely grown. You're like a foot taller than me now.
NOVA
(sits next to her) Its called puberty. (flashes a awkward smile)
LILLIAN
Yeah, yeah I know. Its just... Its been a while, you know? I see you're a chemistry wiz now.(laughs some) Did your brother get you into it?
NOVA
(shakes head immediately) Eh, no, no he didn't.
2.
LILLIAN
(taps chin) Was it your Chemistry teacher... uh Mr. Jones, right?
NOVA
Mr. John. (clears throat) Yeah, guess you can say that... (rubs back of neck and glances away)
LILLIAN
(looks at him) Say... um you warned me against him when you found out I was in his class... yet he seems to like you a lot... why did you say he hated you?
NOVA
Well, uh... can we not talk about this now? We just reunited, lets have some fun! You know, like the old days.(nervously smiles)
LILLIAN
(bites her lip) Nova, whats going on?
NOVA
Nothing.(says quickly)
LILLIAN
It doesn't seem like nothing, are you-–
NOVA
Nothing like that! (NOVA stiffens, eyes widening)
LILLIAN
(taken aback) You didn't let me finish?
NOVA
I didn't need you to finish to know what you were going to accuse me of. (sighs)
LILLIAN
Well... sorry, its just... you were always seclusive, but you seem more so now... (looks down)
3.
NOVA
(bites lip) Its nothing...
LILLIAN
You keep saying that, but it feels like its something...(gently grabs his arm) Are you being bullied?
NOVA
(hesitates) No. LILLIAN (stares at him intently) Then where did those bruises come from? (motions to arm)
NOVA
I'm just clumsy! (refuses to make eye contact) C'mon, you know me... I can never keep my balance... big feet, remember? (tries brushing her off)
LILLIAN
(huffs) There are too many bruises for you to be saying "I'm just clumsy". (frowns, air quotes with fingers)
NOVA
Why are you hounding me? Like seriously, I'm fine... (says last part unsure)
LILLIAN
I'm hounding you because you are my friend, Nova! I'm worried about you! (eyes soften some) I just want you to be okay...
4.
NOVA
(grits teeth,
eyebrows furrowed) Heh, didn't seem worried about me when you cut off all communication... barely talkin' to me in those six years saying you were "busy"... (says this in a sharp tone)
LILLIAN
(seems hurt) Nova... I'm sorry, okay? I-–
NOVA
(immediately
interrupts her) Sorry what? For ditchin' me and treatin' me like a ghost? (snorts) Doubt that, you seemed to have a grand ol' time with your new and improved friends in Jersey!
LILLIAN
Nova stop this! I'm back now, doesn't that count for anything? At least I didn't act like you never existed when I walked into class! I went straight over to you!(gets to feet abruptly)
NOVA
(glares at her) You just felt guilty...
LILLIAN
No, I didn't! (says defensively) I was looking forward to seeing you and wanted to surprise you!
NOVA (doesn't respond,
paces room) ...
5.
LILLIAN
Nova, look. Its been six years, and I know I haven't been around as much as I should have been, but I am here now. ( takes his hand) And I want you to be okay. I want you to talk to me...
NOVA
(grimaces) Fat lot of good that's done me.
LILLIAN
Nova. ( tightens her grip)
NOVA
Will you just stop? I can defend myself.
LILLIAN
Well, look how good that's been going.
NOVA
(tugs hand away) Whats that suppose to mean? I don't need you to protect me anymore, Lillian.
LILLIAN
You can't go at this alone.
NOVA Just watch me. (hisses)

LILLIAN
(looks at him as if
NOVA is a stranger) Whats happened to you? You're not the sweet kid from when we were younger... you've become colder.
NOVA
(shoulders sag) And you are not the girl I knew either. Times change, Lil. It does for all of us.
6.
LILLIAN
But this much? Nova, look at me. I'm still Lillian, I'm still me. I know its been a while but not much has changed...
NOVA
You're wrong, everything has changed.
LILLIAN Nov-–
NOVA What?
LILLIAN
Why are being like this?
NOVA
Like what? Angry? Its a natural thing when a person upsets you, Lil! (says sharply)
LILLIAN
Well, I'm sorry I have a life, Nova! Not everything I do revolves around you! I can Have different friends, I can live in different places! Its not all under my control, you understand?
NOVA
I wasn't saying it did!
LILLIAN
(glaring) It sounds like it, Nova! You're releasing all this anger and stuff onto me and it hasn't even been a day! You could just be quiet and just listen for once!
7.
NOVA
For once? I always am quiet, haven't you noticed? I never try to complain about my own problems! But look at the one time I do! I get yelled at and called selfish! Why can I not express my own thoughts? Why can I not finally release whats been cooping up for the past /six years/?! (emphasis Last two words)
LILLIAN
Nova, calm down! I wasn't saying that and you know it!
NOVA Oh, do I now? Do I? Tell me what part of that was misinterpreted? Tell me!

Silence falls upon both of them for a few seconds, NOVA and LILLIAN staring at each other expectantly. LILLIAN opens her mouth to talk but is quickly silenced by NOVA.

NOVA (CONT'D) (exasperated) And no, I will not calm down! Listen to me when I say this to you, Lillian, because I will not say this again!
NOVA pauses before speaking again
NOVA (CONT'D) Its been six long years, and a lot of crap has happened to me! I don't need you storming in here acting like nothing ever happened, because it has! I needed you and you decided your new friends were worth more than me! I texted and texted and called and all that yet you barely responded! You were my only friend, Lillian! And you left me! Don't think for one second that I will forget that, because-– unlike you, I've had no one else to go to! I was alone!
8.
LILLIAN (opens mouth before closing it again) Okay...Okay fine... I see your point... lets both calm down...I get it, I really do... I just-– its been a while... can we just, you know, catch each other up?
NOVA (looks at LILLIAN and
takes a few deep breaths )
LILLIAN (visibly relaxes) Its okay, you've had that pent up for a while, haven't you?
NOVA nods slightly, his body becoming less tense.
LILLIAN (CONT'D) (walks over and takes
his hands in hers) I'm sorry...
NOVA
I know... (glances at her)

Pulls NOVA over to the bed and sat him down, eyes determined

LILLIAN
Lets start this over, shall we?
NOVA (seems hesitant) A-alright...
LILLIAN (smiles) Good! Now. Shall I start or you?
NOVA Uh... you, you start.
LILLIAN (nods) Alright, what do you want to hear first?
9.
NOVA (glances side to side
in thought) Uh... Why didn't you respond much...? (asks hesitantly)

LILLIAN
(blinks at that and
glances away) I... I don't know, really. I saw them and knew you were trying to contact me, but... I guess I didn't know how to respond? I'm not going to make an excuse for it. I guess I was dealing with a lot of stuff.
NOVA
(nods slowly) How are you...? LILLIAN
Okay, I guess. Not the best I've ever been but...
NOVA
Same goes for me... If you couldn't already tell. I mean, it was kinda obvious at how I have been, hasn't it?
LILLIAN
(laughs some) Yeah, it was made loud and clear... sorry again.I know that doesn't do much, but that's all I have.
NOVA
I know that, I haven't fully forgiven it... but well, time will only tell, huh? (he shrugged) Lets just start back up slowly, not jump into how we use to be...
10.
LILLIAN
You're all too right about that... (smiles some) So, lets catch up, shall we? (turns to him and takes his hands) Hows your mom?
NOVA
Good, getting old but she still is pushing forward, even without dad. Dylan finally went to college so, just me and mom.
LILLIAN
She's strong, wonder how she does it? I mean-– she adopted you even though she was already forty...
NOVA
(laughs some and
smiles) Yeah, I am a handful... I love her though... she is my mom, even not by blood. Anyways, enough about me. What about you? Nothing much has happened that was big for me, has there been big things for you?
LILLIAN
Me? well, yeah... a lot has happened actually. Mom and dad got divorced... I'm living with dad now. That's why we moved back here... (scoffs some) He's already got a new girlfriend and everything...
NOVA
(frowns at that ) I-I'm sorry... uh are you okay?
LILLIAN
(takes deep breath
before smiling, eyes unfocused) I'll be fine, things happen for a reason, right? We just need to keep moving forward. Everything will be okay if we keep moving forward!
11.
NOVA
But you can be sad if you need too. Lil, look at me. If you need to be sad, you can be sad... (eyes worried) things don't have to be always okay, okay?
LILLIAN
(focuses on NOVA, smile faltering) Nova, I'm fine! Look at me, I'm fine! I-–
NOVA
No, you're not.
LILLIAN
(long pause) I'm... (bits lips and looks away) You're right... I'm not... I'm not okay.