“SEMI-AUTO BIOGRAPHICAL”

(Lights up. It is late evening. Jennifer is preparing to go out for the night. She attaches her accessories, ear rings, etc. She is running late. Travis enters from the US stairs. A couple light bruises can be seen aside his mouth and temple.)

JENNIFER

Hey!

TRAVIS

Hey.

JENNIFER

Heard what happened yesterday.

TRAVIS

Bet you did.

JENNIFER

What’d the dentist tell you?

TRAVIS

Well, he thinks I may have swallowed a piece of my molar, but at least they were able to get all the pieces of shattered lawn gnome out of my gums. (beat) Listen, I’m sorry about canceling the game tonight. I... Well...you understand, I hope.

JENNIFER

Oh, yeah...no. I understand. Don’t worry.

TRAVIS

Actually... There’s an...afternoon game tomorrow. Second of the weekend series. You...interested?

JENNIFER

Uh...tomorrow? I WAS kinda’ hoping to get an early start on midterms.

TRAVIS

Oh...yeah, well... I just...

JENNIFER

I’m not saying “no.” Just not in a HOCKEY frame of mind right now. (beat) Why don’t you ask me again in the morning?

TRAVIS

Yeah, sure.

JENNIFER

FUN.

(A CAR HONK is heard O.S. of the front door.)

That’s me!

(She grabs a small purse and crosses to the USL front door, stopping at Travis.)

Hope you feel better.

TRAVIS

Thanks. (beat) You..uh... Look REALLY good.

JENNIFER

Oh.

(She pats his cheek.)

Thank you. (beat) I know though, but thank you.

(She exits. Travis turns on the TV and sits on the DS sofa. Aaron and Rebecca enter from the USL door, silent. Something is wrong between them.)

TRAVIS

Hey.

AARON

(solemn) What’s going on?

TRAVIS

Just about to watch “Nick at Night.” Up for a little Andy Griffith?

REBECCA

Where’s Jesse?

TRAVIS

Think he’s asleep. This is supposed to be a good one. It’s a lost episode that the network shelved cause it teaches Opie the wonders of masturbation.

(Aaron and Rebecca have tension between them.)

TRAVIS (cont)

Or if you guys weren’t doing anything, I could break out Triple Yahtzee.

(Silence.)

No that’s all right, Travis.

(He stands and crosses to the US stairs.)

(sarcastic) We’re just gonna’ stay here and make you feel uncomfortable, cause we want to be alone right now to talk about private stuff. You can go to your room and we’ll stay here in the living room cause the LIVINGROOM is where you wanna’ go if your looking for PRIVACY.

(He exits. Rebecca sits on the recliner, nervously cleaning under her finger nail with her teeth.)

AARON

So...you didn’t say what you thought about it.

(Rebecca remains silent.)

Did you...enjoy it?

(Rebecca shrugs.)

(beat) Would you say it was an...intelligent picture?

(Rebecca shrugs.)

Wasn’t too far fetched?

(Rebecca looks at him.)

What?

(She looks away.)

Did I say or do something...that upset you? (beat) Mean, wanted to skip the reception and come home, that’s fine. Since then you’ve not said a thing. What’s going on?

REBECCA

(long pause) Where’s my copy of YOUR script?

(Aaron glances around.)

AARON

Uh...there.

(He spots it on the coffee table.)

REBECCA

What did they change out of it?

AARON

Well...it wasn’t really a...comedy, more a light-hearted drama.

REBECCA

(long beat) Is it about US?

AARON

(He stares at Rebecca.)

Yes.

(Long silence.)

Well... not SO much. Mostly just INSPIRED, say... You know, kinda’ “what if”...scenario.

REBECCA

What if? What if...you and I...became...involved?

AARON

No. Not INVOLVED. Shoot, we’re already involved, as close as we are. Mean, just a little...MORE than...what we are.

REBECCA

What ARE we to you, Aaron?

AARON

(beat) I... We’re... I don’t know...anymore. (beat) I would say we’re friends, but...friends don’t GET as close as we are. Doesn’t seem, to do us justice. I’d say we’re like brother and sister, but siblings aren’t usually as...physical as you and I tend to be when we’re...alone.

REBECCA

What DO you know about us then?

AARON

(Thinks.)

You are...my favorite person. I look at you...and I see the best things about myself reflected back. I’m ALWAYS thinking of you and if you’re all right. If dipshit in there is beating the crap out of you.

REBECCA

You’re quoting your movie.

AARON

The movie’s quoting me.

REBECCA

I don’t know...what to say.

AARON

You don’t HAVE to say anything.

REBECCA

Okay, would you stop with the little perfect and thoughtless things you usually say. I can hardly stand it.

AARON

Why?

REBECCA

Cause I’m not used to them. I’ve known you for ten years, and YOU give me better things... More supportive... Every guy I’ve been with hasn’t given me the kind of... As YOU...do.

AARON

Came in a little broken, but I think I know what you’re saying.

REBECCA

NO, you don’t. I sat in that movie theater, staring at this “Crystal” character, hearing her words and thinking to myself, “Gaw, it seems like I’ve heard that before.”

AARON

You have.

REBECCA

I know. I’VE SAID THEM...TO YOU. (beat) And it’s not that I’m upset you’ve put our private conversations on the screen. To be honest, it’s almost flattering, but what irks me is the story. Is THAT how you wish us to be? You want us to dissolve this perfectness, this special affection you and I have for something more...cliched and un-original?

AARON

I want to have you in my life as much as I can. Don’t care where WE are going, or end up. I’m happy the way we are. I AM. BUT...I think it’s natural to think of how things might be if they...were different.

(Conversation becomes more aversive.)

REBECCA

What is that? You want me in your life as MUCH as possible.

AARON

I do.

REBECCA

If you wanted to be around me SO much, WHY is it every time you came to town, you’d stay with OTHER friends for the weekend and maybe squeeze in an hour to run by and say “hi.” Or call from your motel room and not even come here so I can see you. Always making me feel like I’m someone you’re forced to see and not WANT to.

AARON

This is REALLY an issue with you, isn’t it?

REBECCA

It doesn’t sound like it?

AARON

(long beat) You are SO wrong.

REBECCA

I am.

AARON

You can’t even SEE why I’ve been staying away this bit.

REBECCA

Cause of Jesse, I know.

AARON

NO, Rebecca. (beat) Cause of US.

REBECCA

Come on.

AARON

Look at us. YOU can’t keep a healthy relationship with any man because as soon as you mention MY name, they get jealous. Why? Cause you don’t stop talking about me. And THEY know it? YOUR love life falls apart because of me and my place in your life. INSIDE you. My relationships don’t even get a chance to start. Why do you think I haven’t had a girlfriend in the last three years?

REBECCA

Holy... Has it been THAT long?

AARON

Yes. Believe me! Every time I get put in a spot where I meet someone I like or am attracted to...YOU always pop in my head. “What is Becca going to think of her? Will they get along? Could this girl ever know me the way I want to be known? The way...REBECCA ...knows me.” (beat) And it’s that point, that I say, “It’s taken me ten years to show Becca who I am completely.” You know everything there is to know about me. Not a thing about me is a mystery to you. You know my every sigh, my every laugh, my every qualm, my every insecurity,...and you still love me. As I do you. Everything you do says SOMETHING about how you’re feeling to me. Every raise of an eyebrow, all the ways you lay in your sleep, how you clean under your fingernails with your teeth when you’re about to confront something you don’t want to.

(Rebecca stops immediately.)

AARON (cont)

Come to this realization that I am going to have to slowly open up, bit by bit, to someone NEW to get to this place again...with HER. I get so...exhausted by the thought. (beat) If we keep going...the way we’re going...we’re going to self destruct. I’ll end up resenting you for my being alone most of my life. YOU’LL resent ME for ruining whatever happiness you’re trying to get from your marriage or anyone else you may be with if it doesn’t work out. Can’t you see? WE...are not healthy.

REBECCA

(Ponders.)

No.

AARON

(beat) What...no.

REBECCA

No. I would much rather have you at my side than NOT. I don‘t care what problems come up, even between US. I want you with me. Staying away is never an option. THAT isn’t healthy. Not for US.

AARON

You’re not looking from the right angle.

REBECCA

I’m looking at a man I love and place above all other people, including my husband, that would rather stay away and ruin ten years of friendship than to simply see the one person he claims to be the GREATEST person in his life.

(Aaron crosses closer.)

AARON

That’s not fair. You know how unfair this is for me. I thought I was doing the right thing for your marriage.

REBECCA

At what cost, Aaron?! I love you. I don’t want to LOSE you. You’ve given me everything I’ve ever looked for in another person. Don’t take THAT away from me.

AARON

I can’t take this anymore. I can’t NOT think about you. You keep me up nights wondering if you’re happy.

I THOUGHT IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR US!

REBECCA

(snaps) WELL, IT WASN’T!

AARON

I SEE THAT, BUT AT LEAST I KNOW WHAT IS NOW!

REBECCA

YEAH!

(Aaron plunges his lips to Rebecca’s with ten years of denial exploding behind it. They’re embrace is long and mutual.

A moment passes and A FLARE of red and orange is seen through the USL windows. A ROARING FLAME can be heard O.S. The couple breaks apart without noticing.)

REBECCA

I...SO...don’t know if I’m ready for this.

AARON

You think I do?

(They kiss again. Travis enters rushing from the US stairs in only sweat pants. He crosses and exits SR into the kitchen. Rebecca and Aaron break again, hearing commotion.)

The hell was that?

(Rebecca sees the lights from the USL windows.)

REBECCA

Holy shit!

(Aaron crosses to the windows, looking out.)

AARON

Oh, fuck.

REBECCA

What?

AARON

Travis’s car is on fire.

(Travis enters from the kitchen, waddling with a mop bucket filled with water. He crosses USL as fast as possible.)

TRAVIS

(to Aaron) Wanna’ get the door?

(Aaron does so, and Travis exits with the bucket. Rebecca crosses USL. She and Aaron look at her. Aaron puts his arm around Rebecca’s waist. They are close to kissing again.

Jess rushes out of the SR bedroom door in his robe, startling Aaron and Rebecca.)

JESSE

What’s going on out...there!

(He sees Rebecca and Aaron, obviously nervous.)

(beat) Or should I say...in HERE.

(Lights bang out to black.)

End of Act One.