He and America are in bed, it's dark.
AMERICA Baby. Baby. I need more water, baby. Bring me a glass of water.
She switches on a bedside light. A folded wheelchair leans against the wall. America nudges Daniel, he doesn't budge. Using only her arms and torso, she drags herself out of bed. She falls on the floor face down, Daniel wakes.
DANIEL Merica, what happened?
AMERICA I need some water. I tried to wake you up.
DANIEL I'm sorry, I didn't hear you.
AMERICA I've been trying for hours.
He helps her back into bed.
DANIEL I'm sorry. Come on. Just a second. Okay?
He goes.
AMERICA Bring the Vicodin.
DANIEL I'll bring one.
AMERICA Bring two. No, bring three.
DANIEL Are you hurting?
AMERICA (under her breath) I'm always hurting.
He comes back.
DANIEL What hurts?
AMERICA My head. Give me two.
DANIEL Like a headache?
AMERICA Like a very bad headache, yes.
He gives her two. She takes them with a tiny bit of water.
DANIEL Drink some more.
AMERICA I'm fine.
DANIEL You don't want to fuck up your stomach.
AMERICA My stomach's fucked, baby, who gives a shit.
DANIEL It is not. Drink some more.
AMERICA Lay off!
DANIEL You want juice?
AMERICA Forget it.
DANIEL I'll bring you juice.
AMERICA Back to bed, no juice. Back to bed, lights out. What are you doing?
DANIEL Putting this away.
AMERICA Leave it, save yourself a trip. You know what you need to do?
DANIEL What.
He sets the Vicodin down.
AMERICA Mix me some of that good shit.
She picks the Vicodin up and shakes out a few more.
DANIEL Please don't say that.
AMERICA I'm serious, what is this bullshit?!
She throws the open Vicodin bottle across the room, pills scatter.
AMERICA I know you've got the stuff somewhere.
DANIEL I don't.
AMERICA You've got it in the basement.
DANIEL I don't have it anywhere.
AMERICA Get it then.
DANIEL Your mom would kill me.
AMERICA What the fuck is that? My mom?? Do you see my mom anywhere?
DANIEL You should have seen her.
AMERICA My mom doesn't give a shit about me. She never has.
DANIEL She does.
AMERICA My mom doesn't even know me. Neither do you by the way.
DANIEL She's trying to.
AMERICA If you mention her again— Don't you fucking mention her again.
DANIEL Let's sleep.
AMERICA That's what I just said. Bring me one of those.
DANIEL You've had enough.
AMERICA My head..
She laughs insanely.
AMERICA My head hurts.
DANIEL Wait twenty minutes.
AMERICA Six of these isn't gonna do shit to me. I need another one. Please.
He brings her one more.
AMERICA What a ripoff.
He gets in bed, turns out the light.
AMERICA What you need to do—
DANIEL What?
AMERICA Mix me some of that good shit.
DANIEL Stop saying that.
She's laughing.
AMERICA That would be great wouldn't it, if we had some of that. Just a little..
DANIEL I think maybe you should go back with your mom.
AMERICA I'm not sure if you heard me from before, but she hates me.
DANIEL You know that isn't true.
AMERICA Hates me.
DANIEL She doesn't—
AMERICA Absolutely hates me. Has since birth.
DANIEL She sounds worried.
AMERICA She's just acting like she is, she feels like she has to!
DANIEL I think she is really very worried about you.
AMERICA You're just trying to get rid of me.
DANIEL I'm not—
AMERICA Also, stop talking to my mother.
DANIEL I think you should call her.
AMERICA I will call her, when I'm dead.
DANIEL What's wrong?
AMERICA Everything's perfect.
DANIEL Talk to me.
AMERICA Perfect.
DANIEL I'm going to bed.
AMERICA No.
DANIEL What does that mean, no.
AMERICA It means you're not going to bed.
DANIEL Why is that?
AMERICA Because I don't want you to.
She crawls over him and flips on the light. They stare at each other with animosity.
YOU ARE READING
A Simple Love Story
General FictionDramatic play about a teacher and a student who fall in love with drugs.
