From: Like Objects Waiting to Topple
by Zachary Lopane
SOPHIE’s apartment. It’s far more lived in than JACK’s place, and much smaller. There are only two rooms: the bathroom and the bedroom-kitchen-living-room.
On every surface there is some shirt or skirt or tchotchke or unfinished craft or decorative light. Despite this, the apartment is welcoming and miraculously unclaustrophobic.
ELLIE stands in the doorway separating the two rooms, clearly in the process of getting ready.
SOPHIE sits on her bed, doing her makeup in a small mirror on her bedside table in the glow of warm light. She only looks up at ELLIE in quick glances.
The sun is setting, and the evening chatter from outside can be heard. The world feels, at once, alive.
Sophie
Stop, it’s good!
You look good.
Ellie
I look like.
A librarian.
Sophie
People are into that, y’know.
Ellie
I’m not trying to-/
Sophie
I’m just saying.
Ellie
It’s just not what I thought we were going for tonight.
Sophie
We’re not “going for” anything.
Just trying to have fun.
You can have fun looking like/ a librarian.
Ellie
Can I just borrow one of your tops?/
Sophie
You always do this! You don’t need to-/
Ellie
I was thinking that little black one you were wearing/ last week?
Sophie
Fine, whatever.
If it’ll get us out of here faster/
Ellie
I owe you my life/
Sophie
It’s hanging around here…
(SOPHIE glances around the room without truly looking.)
Sophie
Somewhere. Maybe try/ the bathroom?
Ellie
I’ll check the-
Yeah.
(ELLIE turns and looks around the bathroom and begins flipping through clothes hanging from the shower curtain rod.)
Ellie
Y’know, I might be able to find it if you actually cleaned up in here.
Sophie
What?
ellie
(speaking up) I was just saying it wouldn’t hurt to reorganize a bit.
Sophie
I don’t have any space to reorganize.
(half-beat)
Sophie
Y’know, not everyone can live in their brother’s fancy/ apartment.
Ellie
/Found it!
(ELLIE begins to get changed into the new shirt.)
Sophie
And anyways I don’t need to make it any easier for you to take my clothes.
(beat)
(ELLIE steps out of the bathroom, still adjusting her outfit. For the first time, SOPHIE really looks up.)
Ellie
What were you saying?
Sophie
It’s just-
Nothing.
Ellie
(laughing) What?
Sophie
Nothing-
You were right.
(half-beat)
Sophie
This- You look great.
Ellie
I told you!
(They look at each other for a moment.)
Sophie
Come here for a sec, let me see something/
(ELLIE steps closer.)
Ellie
What?
Sophie
Your eyeliner. It’s a little smudged.
Ellie
Oh shit/ I’ll-
Sophie
I’ll fix it. Don’t worry about it.
(ELLIE sits down on the bed and leans in.)
(half-beat)
(SOPHIE begins fixing her makeup.)
Ellie
Don’t make it worse-
(ELLIE pulls away for a moment.
(SOPHIE give her a pleading look, and ELLIE leans in again.)
ELLIE
I mean you’re the one in a rush and if I have to redo/ this-
Sophie
I won’t have to redo it if you-
(laughing) Stay still.
(beat)
Sophie
How are things with you and Adam?
You sounded…Stressed. On the phone.
Ellie
They’re/ fine-
Sophie
Fuck! I messed it up um…
Sorry, let me grab a wipe.
(ELLIE watches as SOPHIE moves some things on the nightstand.)
Sophie
That one was on me.
(SOPHIE moves closer to ELLIE’s face again and goes back to fixing her makeup.)
Sophie
What were you saying?
Ellie
I think-
I don’t know but-
I think It’s over for us. /
Sophie
Oh shit, what um-
I’m sorry.
(half-beat)
Sophie
How did it happen? I thought you guys were/
Ellie
No I mean-
Stop. Don’t be sorry.
We’re still together. But I think, tomorrow, I’ll tell him.
It’s just. Not. Working. I don’t know.
Sophie
El/
(ELLIE leans back a little.)
Ellie
It’s like when I’m with him-
When I’m with him, everything is happening and it’s fine but like-
I’m not really there?
Like, of course, I am really there I just-
(half-beat)
Ellie
You know when you’re driving somewhere you’ve been before. Like the kind of drive where you’ve done it so much you don’t even think about it?
And you’re in the driver’s seat and you’re making all the right turns but you don’t even-
I mean, you blink and you’re home. And it’s nice to be home, really, it is nice.
And sure. You get to skip the traffic but-
Maybe I wanted to enjoy the ride?
Like, when I’m with other people, when I’m with you I get to be present, like really take everything in.
And it’s obviously not the same situation, I mean…
(half-beat)
Ellie
I mean I’ve been with him for what? Coming on six months?
And already, we do the same things over and over and-
Adam is sweet, he’s so so nice.
I’m worried I-
I don’t want to get stuck.
(half-beat)
Ellie
I’m just taking the next exit.
Sophie
I’m sorry, I had no idea it wasn’t, um, working like you’d want it to?
Ellie
Stop it, it’s fine. Sometimes things just aren’t…meant to be, y’know?
(ELLIE leans in one more time, SOPHIE just looks as her and smiles.)
Sophie
No, El. You’re all set.
(They look at each other.)
(ELLIE looks in the mirror.)
Ellie
It looks great, thanks.
(for a moment, their eyes meet in the mirror..)
Sophie
Come on, let’s go.
END SCENE