Fragments Of His Being

ACT I - SCENE V

ACT I

SCENE V

[Setting: The school day was over, and most students had made their way to the school's compound where they talked to their friends and the crowd thinned with time. The sun was harsh, so most people were by the school's brick walls, trying to take shade. QUINN was with a group of his friends. They were talking by the school entrance.]

LINDSEY enters stage.

LINDSEY: (To QUINN.) hey! How are you?

QUINN: (Turns.) Oh. Hey LINDSEY... (Runs a hand through his hair.)

LINDSEY: (Smiles as she places her hand on QUINN's shoulder) Can we talk now?

QUINN: Sure.

[The two of them walk off to the other corner of the wall together. QUINN put his hands in his pocket and stares down at the floor, while LINDSEY crossed her skinny hands over her small chest.]

LINDSEY: So?

QUINN: So, what?

LINDSEY: (Rolls eyes as she touches her braids) Acting like you're oblivious is getting old. I'm not sure whether you think it's cute, but it's not. I'm asking about what I asked you to think about. Will you give me a chance? We can go for a date and you can decide then.

QUINN: LINDSEY...

LINDSEY: (Stares at him) What? Don't keep me waiting.

QUINN: I'm not interested, I'm sorry.

LINDSEY: (Frowns as she shakes her head) So, it's true.

QUINN: What?

LINDSEY: So, it's true that you're gay. I mean, it makes sense. You won't date me, you won't date any other girl, and look at you — (Motions towards him) You're good looking. Are you telling me that you've not even considered dating, not even once? Even with the amount of people that approach you?

QUINN: (c***s head to the side in thought) I haven't.

[If QUINN had to be honest to himself he'd never thought of dating anyone at all. His life had been mostly friends, books and home. Although his friends talked about the dates they were going to, or the people they'd laid, the whole discussion had always felt annoying to QUINN.]

LINDSEY: (Chuckles a bit) Sure, I believe you.

[Her tone was jeering — mocking.]

QUINN: (Watches LINDSEY walk away.)

QUINN: (Sighs)

[QUINN walks back to his friends.]

HOZIER: How did it go?

QUINN: I guess she was a little pissed.

FRIEND GROUP: (Laugh.)

[The all headed for the basketball court as they usually did after school. They were seniors, so they didn't have to worry about anyone being in there, all they had to do was ask them to leave.]

KARL: (To QUINN.) Stay with us, man. You're always drifting off.

FRIEND GROUP: (Laugh.)

QUINN: (Hold's hand to head.) I'm sorry.

KARL: (Rolls his eyes before tossing the basketball to QUINN.)

QUINN: (Catches the ball mid-air before dribbling it on the court and causing the game of disorganized basketball to continue.)

[Throughout the match QUINN found himself looking over at the bushes by the side of the rusty court gates, but he never spotted CODY. A feeling of disappointment mixed with worry filled him, and he couldn't mask it properly, which caused his friends to ask him if he was okay from time to time.]

QUINN: (To HOZIER.) I'm fine. (Tucks Basketball under his arm as everyone made to leave.)

HOZIER: Well, you don't look it.

QUINN: (Sighs.)

[The group of boys walked home together, and people stopped at their individual houses as they continued their journey. Soon enough it was just KARL and QUINN. They got to their apartment complex, and KARL was now with QUINN at his door.]

KARL: If something's bothering you can tell me.

QUINN: (Smiles.) Thanks for worrying about me, but I'm fine. I promise.

KARLS: (Hesitant smile.) If you say so. (Walks away.)

QUINN: (Sighs.)

QUINN: (Closes apartment door.)

[QUINN continued to wonder where CODY had been. He wondered if he was sick, or if the lean boy had just grown tired of watching him and his friends play basketball, and for some reason  that made QUINN feel sad.]

[But why is it bothering me? Quinn asked himself as he rolled on the mattress of his small bed.]

Curtains fall.