CHARACTERS
● Jocelyn: overthinker, anxious. College age.
● Kate: sarcastic, direct. Jocelyn’s best friend. College age.
● Matt: drug dealer, a little spacey, chill. College age.
TIME AND PLACE: Modern day, outside a high
school at night.
AT RISE: JOCELYN is in the driver’s seat of her
mom’s car idling next to the sidewalk. Her friend KATE is in the passenger seat with her feet on the dashboard. Music plays quietly in the background.
Cover Art by Leslie Huang (@blackoutcity_)
JOCELYN
I sooo should not have taken my mom’s car to this, like what if someone takes a picture of the
plates and my mom gets arrested for buying D-RUGS!
(awkwardly, like a word she never uses.)
KATE
Dude your window better be rolled all the way up when you say that shit.
(JOCELYN checks all her windows to make sure they’re closed. KATE laughs.)
JOCELYN
You said that and I actually thought for a second I was dumb enough to have a window cracked.
KATE (teasingly)
To be fair, you are dumb enough to have a window cracked.
(JOCELYN swats KATE on the arm)
JOCELYN
Hey!
(They both laugh. They are very comfortable with each other.)
I’m glad we’re finally doing this, though. Like I’m totally nervous–what’s new–but winter break is
almost over and this is gonna be an awesome memory to have.
KATE (nodding)
Kinda a crazy way to reign in the New Year, but I’m excited for tomorrow. What I can’t believe is
that Matt actually asked us to meet in front of Lincoln High…like, the irony is just a little too on
the nose.
JOCELYN
You know he lives like a block away. It’s just convenient for him. But yeah, I get it, I haven’t been
here since graduation.
KATE
Remember I visited once last year. It was so weird, though, I felt like I was in one of those
dreams where you show up to school with no pants on. Except I had pants on, I was just old.
JOCELYN
To be fair, you are old as fuck now.
KATE
Correction. We’re old as fuck.
JOCELYN
Nah, I’m still a teenager for a whole two more months. Pack it up grandma.
KATE
Wow you got jokes now? What happened to being nervous.
JOCELYN
Dang, I actually forgot why we were sitting here for a second.
KATE
Where the fuck is Matt anyway? Didn’t he say he was leaving his house like five minutes ago.
JOCELYN
I mean, are you actually critiquing the customer service of someone selling us drugs?
KATE
Fair enough. But, I don’t know, I had first period with Matt senior year and he always showed up
five minutes early.
JOCELYN
Ok well I had last period with Matt senior year and he barely ever showed up.
KATE (nodding)
A truly multifaceted man indeed.
JOCELYN
Do you remember that time that Matt and Nick set off the fire alarm during our chem test and
Mr. Hendley wouldn’t even give us more time?
KATE
I was so pissed off that day, I really didn’t need anything else going against me on the test. I
can’t believe you not only kept dating Nick after that shit, but you literally gave him head in the
stairway after school.
JOCELYN
I never said I made good decisions in high school Kate; you know this. What I can’t believe is
that you didn’t date any guy at our school.
KATE
I’m sorry did you see the guys at our high school?
JOCELYN (laughing)
Ok fair, fair.
(beat)
You were like the hottest girl in our grade, none of those guys would have deserved you
anyway.
(KATE turns away blushing and tries to hide it. It is clear JOCELYN doesn’t compliment her like that often. JOCELYN doesn’t notice. JOCELYN checks her phone)
Okay but seriously, where is this dude? I’m worried some cop is gonna pull up and start asking
questions.
(KATE turns back to her)
KATE
Joss, we don’t even have any drugs on us. What would they even accuse us of?
JOCELYN
I don’t know! What if Matt shows up, drugs in hand when some cop is right next to us.
KATE
You’re reaching juuuuust a little, honey.
JOCELYN (laughs)
Don’t you honey me!
(beat)
With that verbiage, maybe the cops will think we came here to hook up.
(teasingly, poking KATE’s unamused face)
KATE
Jocelyn—
(JOCELYN cuts her off)
JOCELYN
I know, I know, you’re too classy for car sex in front of Lincoln but you know many say that I’m
actually quuuuuite the catch and I—
KATE (angry)
JOCELYN!
(JOCELYN stops, taken aback at how angry KATE is at her joke. KATE turns away from JOCELYN looking out the window. Her face is red.)
JOCELYN
Kate, is everything ok? I’m sorry, I didn’t realize that joke would make you so mad. You know I’m
absolutely kidding right? I just—
(KATE cuts her off, pointing past JOCELYN)
KATE
Matt’s walking up to the car.
(KATE squints out the window at the figure approaching)
At least I think it’s Matt.
JOCELYN
Oh, shit. Ok, ok should I like, just roll down my window or should we get out or–
(As JOCELYN is talking, MATT knocks on her
window, indicating that she should roll it down. He is holding a thermos and eating spongebob-shaped kraft mac & cheese from it with a spork.)
Guess that answers that.
(JOCELYN rolls down her window halfway)
Hey, Matt, what’s up.
MATT
Hey Joss, hey Kate. Sorry I’m late. My mac and cheese had like 5 minutes left on it when you
texted me and I didn’t want to light my house on fire or whatever.
JOCELYN
You’re totally, that’s totally fine. We didn’t even notice, right Kate?
(JOCELYN turns to KATE to give her confirmation; she does not get it.)
Right well, anyway…. here you go.
(JOCELYN hands MATT a bill, he puts it in his
pocket and hands her another bill. She looks down at it for a second, confused, before adjusting and putting it in her pocket.)
MATT
Cool well, I’ll see you guys around then. Nick’s over at mine all the time, Joss, you should pull
up sometime.
JOCELYN (laughing)
I haven’t talked to Nick since last winter break. I think I might have to pass but thanks for the
offer.
(MATT shrugs nonchalantly)
MATT
No worries. Hit me up if you two need anything whenever.
(MATT grins and winks at them before turning
around and walking away. JOCELYN puts up her
window. She takes the bill out of her pocket and
unrolls it.)
JOCELYN
I really thought for a moment that Matt just gave me my change and nothing else. I didn’t realize
it’d be so small.
(JOCELYN holds up a little baggie of non-specific drugs before rolling it back in the bill and putting it in her pocket)
First successful drug deal complete.
(JOCELYN puts the car into drive)
Shall we get the fuck out of here?
(KATE shrugs noncommittally, clearly still unhappy about something. JOCELYN notices and puts the car back into park.)
Ok Kate, what’s up. Tell me what I did and what I need to say, you know I can’t function when
you’re mad at me. You’re my best friend in the whole world.
KATE (blushing)
Look it’s nothing ok, just
(beat)
don’t make jokes like that.
JOCELYN
What? Jokes about us hooking up? I’m sorry I didn’t realize it made you uncomfortable.
(in an attempt to lighten the mood)
Didn’t realize the thought was just soooo disgusting.
KATE
Joss, I literally just told you to stop making jokes like that.
JOCELYN
Ok my bad really, my friends at college and I make those kinds of jokes all the time. I guess I
didn’t realize they don’t translate to us.
KATE
Yeah it’s whatever I just don’t want you to, ok?
JOCELYN
Yeah ok.
(beat)
Ok, this might be like totally obtuse to ask, but it’s not because we’re girls right? Because I
thought you were cool about that kind of stuff. Or like, I don’t know, I feel like I’d know if you
were homophobic, but I guess I just always assumed that you—
KATE (heated)
Ok you need to stop talking right now. I am not HOMOPHOBIC, JOCELYN. I had a massive
crush on you in high school, I literally could not have cared less about the boys in our grade.
And you’re like the straightest girl I know and that’s fine and I’ve made my peace with it, but
calling me hot and making jokes about us hooking up is not what I need to hear.
(JOCELYN looks taken aback, fumbling for words)
JOCELYN
Kate…
KATE
You really don’t have to say anything. Honestly, I’d prefer you didn’t.
(KATE looks away from JOCELYN,
embarrassed)
This is why I never told you. I didn’t want to see this look on your face, I didn’t want you to worry
about me when Nick was such an emotional drain on you anyways.
(JOCELYN winces at the mention of Nick’s
name)
And I’m glad you’ve moved past that because you deserve someone better than Nick but sitting
outside Lincoln just makes me feel like we’ve regressed back into those people and I just want
to get the fuck out of here.
(JOCELYN’S expression is thoughtful. She
bunches her skirt.)
JOCELYN (quietly)
I really didn’t know Kate, about any of this.
(beat)
I’m not straight. At least, I think I’m not.
KATE
What? I–When did you realize this?
JOCELYN
I don’t know, I never really thought about it in high school. The Nick drama kept me pretty busy, I
guess. But going to college really makes you question who you’ve been the last 18 years of
your life. There were like no out people at Lincoln, so meeting some queer people first year
made me realize that maybe I didn’t just like guys.
(JOCELYN shrugs. Beat.)
You could have told me in high school, you know.
KATE
I didn’t want anything to change. I didn’t want to lose you, you’re my best friend.
(KATE AND JOCELYN hold a gaze. JOCELYN
reaches out to hold her hand. KATE takes it)
JOCELYN
I’m so sorry you thought you would lose me. You know if you murdered someone, I’d help you
bury the body.
(When KATE laughs unintentionally, JOCELYN
laughs in response. Some of the tension is gone)
I just thought you were too mature for the boys at our school. You were always so driven, I
wanted to be just like you. I didn’t want Nick to define me in high school, but I let him, and I
missed out on so many things because of it.
KATE (tenderly)
Hey, don’t be so hard on yourself. It’s nice to feel wanted, I get it. We were so young, we’re still
so young.
(They sit there for a few moments, forgetting they wanted to leave. They are still holding hands across the center console.)
JOCELYN
Kate?
KATE
Yeah Joss?
JOCELYN
What did you mean when you said you made your peace with it?
KATE
I meant like that I knew the situation was what it was, or at least I thought I knew. So, I went on
with my life.
JOCELYN
So, you don’t like me like that anymore?
(KATE sighs. She lets go of
JOCELYN’S hand)
KATE
I don’t think people simply stop liking people. Like if you liked someone for long enough, there
was a reason for that and unless they did someone to irreparably damage that view of them in
your mind, you probably still remember why you liked them. And, I don’t know, I guess a part of
me still remembers why I liked you, but I shoved that part of me deep, deep down when I
thought there was no chance. Does that make sense?
JOCELYN
Yeah…yeah it does.
(beat)
Sorry you know me; I take a million years to process new information and this is definitely the
most process-worthy information I’ve been given in a while.
KATE
Yeah, I know Joss. You don’t have to do anything right now; I’m not asking you to make a
decision about anything. I told you,
(KATE shrugs)
I made my peace with it a long time ago.
(There’s silence. JOCELYN fidgets with her hands,
looking down. KATE looks out the window at the
school. A moment. JOCELYN looks up at KATE,
breaking the silence)
JOCELYN
What if…what if I was asking something of you right now?
KATE
What do you [mean]—
(JOCELYN cuts her off)
JOCELYN
Just let me finish before I lose my nerve. What if I asked you to kiss me right now? What would
you say?
KATE
Fuck. Fuuuucck. You’re actually doing something bold and I have to be the one to say no to
you?
(JOCELYN looks hurt and physically closes in on
herself.)
JOCELYN
Shit. Kate, I’m so sorry. I thought like….you said that and then like you’re you and I’m like wow
oh my god but like…oh my god….I—
(JOCELYN fumbles for words, incredibly flustered and not making eye contact with KATE)
KATE
No, no Joss please listen to me.
(KATE speaks quickly and desperately)
It’s just not that simple. I thought about something like this–well, maybe not this setting, but you
and me–for so long in high school.
(She laughs at the irony before becoming more serious)
But I can’t drop everything because you want me to kiss you. That’s not fair to me and not fair
to….
(KATE trails off, not wanting to finish the sentence)
JOCELYN (softly)
Is there someone at college, Kate?
KATE (defeatedly)
Yeah, there is. It’s pretty new but she’s… we really get along.
JOCELYN
You don’t have to explain yourself.
(beat)
I’m happy for you, honestly. I’m just sorry I didn’t realize when it might have mattered.
KATE
I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.
(beat)
I’m really proud of you for asking me.
JOCELYN (embarrassed)
Yeah well…might take me a little while to work up the courage to be bold again.
(She’s still not holding eye contact. KATE grabs JOCELYN by the shoulders and shakes her)
KATE
Do NOT let me be the one and only time you asked for something you wanted! You are PAST
Nick, past all of that shit. We’re at a fucking drug deal for christs’s sake, you have $90 worth of
straight up drugs in your pocket! You are the stupidest, funniest,
take-your-mom’s-car-to-a-drug-deal-est girl I know!
(With every adjective KATE pokes JOCELYN’S arm, JOCELYN starts to smile and giggle more with each poke)
JOCELYN (laughing)
I hate you so much.
(KATE waves away her comment)
KATE
Yeah, yeah you too. Let me buy you some ice cream, okay?
(JOCELYN nods, putting the car into drive. She puts a song on the radio. JOCELYN looks straight ahead, bumping to the music. KATE turns to look at her and smiles sadly, JOCELYN catches her gaze and sticks her tongue out at her. KATE smiles more happily and looks down at her phone. JOCELYN looks at KATE for a moment, a wondering expression on her face.)
END OF PLAY
