Play 154: Guess What?

CHARACTERS
VINCENT, 17
ALEX, 17

(Vincent is sitting hunched over a desk in a dark room staring at a computer screen with a tired look on his face.)

(He yawns.)

VINCENT
(Muttering to himself.)
What to write…what to write…

(He taps his hand on the desk next to the computer repeatedly.)

VINCENT
I could...

(Beat, he moves his hand over the keyboard.)

No.

(He puts his hand back on the table.)

(Beat.)

(A look of frustration comes across his face, he runs his hand through his hair.)

VINCENT
Fuck.

(He starts tapping his foot on the ground.)

(Alex enters.)

(Vincent looks up at him.)

VINCENT
Hey.

ALEX
(Excited.)
Hey, guess what?

VINCENT
What?

ALEX
It’s gonna be amazing.

VINCENT
(Unenthused.)
Really?

ALEX
Seriously, you better brace yourself.

VINCENT
(Dripping with sarcasm.)
I don’t think I can contain the fiery torrents of excitement building up inside me.

ALEX
Ready?

VINCENT
(Flatly.)
Oh, but I am.

ALEX
Okay.

(He grins.)

Guess who doesn’t have any idea of what to write?

(Beat, Vincent’s expression sours even more.)

VINCENT
(Coldly.)
Me.

ALEX
That’s exactly right!

(Beat.)

VINCENT
Fuck you.

(Alex’s expression changes from overly happy back to normal.)

ALEX
It’s not like you didn’t see it coming.

VINCENT
I couldn’t help it, it was just so clever and original.

ALEX
Fuck you.

(Pause.)

(Vincent looks down at his watch, then back up.)

VINCENT
Thank you for wasting five minutes of my time to write this.

ALEX
Any time.

(Beat.)

Well, see you later.

VINCENT
That was all you came for?

ALEX
Pretty much.

(Vincent shakes his head.)

ALEX
See you later.

VINCENT
Yeah.

(Alex exits.)

(Vincent looks back to the computer. Suddenly it appears an idea has come to him, his hands rush to the keyboard.)

VINCENT
(Smiling slightly.)
Yeah…

(He starts typing, then after a few seconds, stops.)

(Pause.)

No.

(He hits one key repeatedly.)

(Pause, he stares at the screen.)

VINCENT
(Muttering.)
Fuck.

(Lights down.)