Endless square of asphalt, sectioned off by yellow lines. Sodium lights buzz overhead. A FACULTY PARKING ONLY sign bolted to the pole. Empty this time of night.
DARRELL stands sharing a cigarette with two TEENAGERS.
DARRELL
—fucking frigid, huh?
BOY
Yeah.
DARRELL
I mean, this time ’a year—
BOY
’S true.
DARRELL
Wind’s roaring down from fucking Canada, freeze our dicks off ’cause of some shitty jet stream, something ’a that nature.
GIRL
Uh-huh. (BEAT) Where’s Tim?
DARRELL
Fuck should I know?
GIRL
I dunno.
DARRELL
Probably work, hanging out with his gook buddies, whatever—
GIRL
Oh.
They shuffle about for a moment, puffing away on the cig.
DARRELL
Anybody got some cash? (BEAT) Come on, I got us that bottle ’a vodka! Fucker took three joints to give it to me—
BOY
I hate that guy . . . son-of-a-bitch’s always working.
DARRELL
Nobody’s got a fucking dime?
GIRL
I left my purse at home—
DARRELL
Great. (BEAT) Should go back and slash that motherfucker’s tires! That was fuckin’ uncalled for . . . (to the BOY) Huh? You wanna?
BOY
Uhhh . . . nah. Too far, man, walk all the way back there.
DARRELL
Seriously, though—
BOY
Get ’em next time.
DARRELL
Fuck—
GIRL
I don’t care. If you feel like it, I’ll walk back with you.
DARRELL studies her a moment, then stubs out his smoke and lights another.
DARRELL
Shit! Forget it . . . fucking frozen out here. I may head out, time is it?
BOY
Two-thirty. I should prob’ly take off.
DARRELL
’Kay. See ya.
BOY
Take it easy, man.
DARRELL
Yeah.
BOY
Bye.
GIRL
See you later, Darrell—
DARRELL
So long. (BEAT) Hey, you see Jenn today?
BOY
Nah, I think she was sick or something. Went home early.
GIRL
No, I saw her. At the mall. Having fries with that red-haired chick.
DARRELL
The one cute one?
GIRL
Yeah, Liz-whatever, and somebody else. Girl I don’t know.
DARRELL
Huh.
GIRL
Uh-huh. Looked like her, anyway . . . over at the Big Boy’s.
DARRELL
Oh. (BEAT) ’Kay. See ya.
GIRL
—I thought you guys broke up.
DARRELL
What, no. Told you that?
GIRL
I just, I dunno, heard it or whatever.
DARRELL
No way—
GIRL
Well, maybe I got it wrong. Maybe.
BOY
Fuck’s that mean, all cryptic and shit?
DARRELL
You heard it or not. Which?
GIRL
—I thought I did.
DARRELL
Where?
GIRL
I dunno, just around.
DARRELL
Come on, no . . . that’s, like, fucked.
GIRL
Oh.
DARRELL
Totally.
(DARRELL puts a stop to this by turning away and kicking at the blacktop.)
So, she was with that red-haired girl?
GIRL
Think it was her—
DARRELL
A girl, though, right?
GIRL
Looked like it.
BOY
“Looked like” or not?
GIRL
I’m pretty sure, yes. That Liz. And this other one. (BEAT) Oh, and Tim, too.
DARRELL
Whaa?
GIRL
Outside, when I was first going in . . . I saw ’em talking for a minute.
DARRELL (caught offguard)
Oh. Outside. Whatever. I don’t care—
GIRL
—right.
They stare at one another, then the BOY waves and starts off.
BOY
So, I’m outta here . . . see ya, dude.
DARRELL
Right.
BOY
You going tomorrow?
DARRELL
Later. Maybe some dodge ball in gym or something—
BOY
That’d be sweet! (to the GIRL) You coming?
She falters a moment, looking at DARRELL.
GIRL
Ummm, yeah, in a minute or so. Gonna bum a smoke first—
BOY
’Kay. Whatever—
He moves off into the darkness. DARRELL stands with the girl in silence for a bit.
DARRELL
—fucking weeknights, huh?
GIRL
Yeah.
DARRELL
Boring as shit—
GIRL
Yep.
DARRELL
That dick . . . wouldn’t go back with me, cut those tires. I knew it!
GIRL
Nope.
DARRELL
’S like, hey, how ’bout a little support or whatever . . . meant to be friends here.
GIRL
I s’ppose.
DARRELL
Fuck’s that supposed to mean?
GIRL
Just saying . . . (BEAT) Don’t ever really know a person, right? Can’t, not inside.
DARRELL
What?
GIRL
—nothing.
DARRELL
No, what? Hanging back, all secretive and shit tonight, don’t think I caught that?
GIRL
Uh-uh—
DARRELL
Bullshit, “uh-uh,” come with that guy and now standing around here, shooting it with me. What’s up?
GIRL
No, I’m not doing anything, I just—
DARRELL
Five minutes and you ain’t even glanced at my smoke, so don’t fuck around. What?
(The GIRL shifts from one foot to the other, uneasy.)
Go ahead . . . (offers a puff) Here.
He hands over the last of his Camel and she sucks it down.
GIRL
Listen—
DARRELL
Uh-huh?
GIRL
Jenn’d hate me if I told ya this—
DARRELL
So, why do it?
GIRL
’Cause. (BEAT) . . . I like you.
DARRELL
Yeah.
GIRL
You could tell?
DARRELL
Sorta. Always looking at me and shit.
GIRL
I know. (BEAT) So . . . maybe I shouldn’t—
DARRELL
Start that “girl” crap, come on! Just say it.
GIRL
’S about Jenn. I mean, about Jenn and someone—
DARRELL
Uh-huh. Anybody I know?
GIRL
Ummm . . . I don’t know the whole thing, I just . . . you know—
DARRELL
Fuck, just go for it.
GIRL
I only heard parts of it, from this guy I know. We’re sorta related. Works at the pet store—
DARRELL
Yeah, and?
GIRL
Listen . . . do you like me at all?
DARRELL
You’re okay, yeah.
GIRL
Good. Great . . . cool.
DARRELL
’S absolutely fantastic. You’re not careful, I’m gonna ask you to fucking homecoming . . . (smiles) Now, come on . . . who?
GIRL
—just . . . somebody.