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Home room. That morning after the night before feeling, it affects many people. Things that happened the previous
day come to haunt them. Usually related with excesses of food or drink, but not always. Sometimes, it may be a bit
more complicated. ’Les affaires des coeur’ were never easy.
ELY is sat at the front by himself. JEN is sat with MARIE and TERRI, occasionally she looks over at ELY, who
seems a bit distant. She doesn’t seem to show what she’s feeling, her face is expressionless. STEVE and SIMONE
walk in, both smiling. They are talking loudly, but ELY doesn’t turn round
SIMONE:
Hey Ely, what’s up?
ELY:
Oh, hi Sim, Steve. Not much really, you know how it is, same old, same old.
SIMONE:
It’s just that you don’t look too happy. Are you sure there’s nothing wrong?
ELY:
No, I’m fine really, just the old back-to-school blues, nothing serious.
SIMONE:
I know, it’s never much fun is it?
STEVE:
You’re telling me. Looks at JEN’s place What’s this, Jennifer’s not here? Surprise, surprise!
ELY:
Yeah, she is. He turns to point at her, STEVE looks round in acknowledgement
STEVE:
Oh I see. Why’s she over there?
SIMONE:
Yeah Ely, has something happened between you two?
ELY:
Well... He pauses for a few seconds No, she just wanted to speak to Marie and Jasmine, she often does, y’know.
SIMONE:
Oh, okay, it’s just you seem a bit down today.
ELY:
C’mon Sim, you should know that’s how I am sometimes, trust me, there’s nothing to worry about.
SIMONE:
Oh, you’re not always depressed, you’re a fun-loving guy aren’t you?
STEVE:
Yeah, like me. ELY laughs
ELY:
I wouldn’t go that far. But seriously, there’s nothing wrong, I mean, school’s just started again, I should be okay for
uh, a week or two.
STEVE:
Well, I’m gonna go chat with the guys, I’ll see you later.
STEVE goes off to the back of the classroom
ELY:
So then Simmy, how’s things with that guy you met, what’s his name?
SIMONE:
Oh yeah, Matt.
ELY:
Oh, don’t tell me you don’t like him anymore?
SIMONE:
Well, it’s not that, it’s just that, well, I don’t think I really want to go out with him.
ELY:
But I thought you said he was really nice?
SIMONE:
Yeah he is, that’s the problem, it’s making it really hard for me to dump him. Don’t suppose you could help me
out? She looks pleadingly up at him
ELY:
But I don’t even know the guy! You’re just gonna have to be brave, Sim.
SIMONE:
Oh, but it’s difficult.
ELY:
Yeah, but you gotta do it.
SIMONE:
Yeah, you’re right I guess, I’ll do it tonight. Yes, tonight I’ll ring him, and tell him...well, tell him something.
ELY:
I’m sure you can do it Sim, just believe.
SIMONE:
Thank you Ely, let’s hope that by tomorrow this’ll all be forgotten.
ELY:
Yeah, a distant memory.
SIMONE looks over at JEN, then back at ELY
SIMONE:
How’s things with you and Jennifer? Managed to convince her you’re the right one for her yet?
ELY:
Well, not exactly, things didn’t really go according to plan, you know how lucky I am.
SIMONE:
So what went wrong this time?
ELY:
Most things as usual. I told her how I feel about her, she said she needed time to think about whether she felt the
same way.
SIMONE:
And did she?
ELY:
Do you think I’d look this unhappy if she did. No, she said that she couldn’t go out with me, that it wouldn’t work out
at the moment. So I kinda feel stupid, saying those things and then being rejected, again.
SIMONE:
Oh, don’t be so hard on yourself Ely. She must be blind if she can’t see what a great guy you are, really nice, good-
looking, what more could she ask for?
ELY:
I don’t know, but maybe there is no hope for me with her, I mean, if those things were true, she’d have at least
given me a chance. But, there must be something she wants that I don’t have. She said she just wanted to be
friends. Trust me Sim, if you ever have to tell someone that you don’t want to go out with them, try not to say ‘I’d just
like to be friends’. If they really like you, it can be really bad.
SIMONE:
Doh! I was going to use that with Matt.
ELY:
I’m sorry, but those words are horrible to hear. My heart just kinda split in two when she said that, but, hopefully, I’ll
live to see things through.
SIMONE:
So you’re gonna keep at it then?
ELY:
Yeah, I believe this is right, and that’s not true of many things at all. If I’ve felt this way for such a long time, I believe
it has to be worth the wait and perseverance involved. One day Sim, one day we’ll be together, and I’ll look back at
all this and I’ll think ‘it was all worth it’. That’s what I look forward to.
SIMONE:
You’re really set on the two of you being together, aren’t you?
ELY:
I think about it as much as I do about her. It’s what’s meant to be, I know it.
SIMONE:
Well, I’ll leave you with your thoughts then Ely, I hope you stay happy.
She gets up to leave
ELY:
You know me, always happy.
She goes to the back, leaving ELY alone again. JEN looks over at him, says something to JASMINE and MARIE
and begins to come over, ELY is staring blindly when JEN comes over.
JEN:
Hi Ely, this seat taken?
ELY:
No, course not, help yourself. So you decided to return?
JEN:
Look Ely, I’m sorry, I don’t mean to hurt you.
ELY:
Don’t worry, I’m okay. I respect the way you feel. It’s not like I can change it.
JEN:
So we are still friends then?
ELY:
I’ve said it before, I could never not have you as a friend. Along with Sim, you’re the most important person to me.
You know that.
JEN:
Yeah I know. So then, what’ve we got next.
ELY:
Uh, English I think.
JEN:
You wanna walk over with me?
ELY:
Sure, what about Marie? You’re not going to leave her behind, are you?
JEN:
Oh, she can come along as well.
ELY:
Fine, that’s cool with me.
JEN:
C’mon Marie, we’re going.
MARIE:
Okay, you coming then Ely?
ELY:
Wouldn’t miss it for the world.
- cut to -
