I Know You
Rachal Genualdo
Bea is sitting on the top bleacher reading a book. Autumn walks up the right side of the bleachers and sits on the top bench next to Bea.
Autumn
Hey.
Bea keeps reading. She knows who it is; there’s only one person it could be.
Bea
Hey.
Bea hands Autumn a chocolate bar from her bag, still not looking up from her book. Autumn doesn’t look bothered by the apparent silenceand takes the chocolate bar. They’ve done this before.They sit in silence for some time as Autumnlooks at something in the distance and eats her chocolate bar.
Autumn
You’re quiet.
Bea
I’m always quiet.
Autumn
This is a different quiet.
Bea
How so?
Autumn
I was hoping you’d tell me.
Autumn looks at Bea. Bea still doesn’t look up. There’s a pause.
Bea
Don’t look at me like that.
Autumn
(teasing)
Like what?
Bea
Did you talk to him yet?
Autumn
Don’t change the subject.
(pause)
It’s complicated.
Bea
Why don’t you run along and bother him, then?
Autumn
Do I really bother you?
Bea looks at Autumn for the first time since Autumn sat next to her and Bea puts her book down.
Bea
(smiles)
All the time.
Autumn and Bea close more of the space between them absent-mindedly.
Autumn
Tell me how.
Autumn breaks off half of her chocolate bar and hands it to Bea. Both of them take a bite of their piece.
Bea
I’d rather not. Whatever I say would just go to your head and you’d do it more often.
Autumn
Would that be such a bad thing?
Bea remains silent, and Autumn smiles.
I don’t believe that you think I bother you.
Bea
Why ask, then?
Autumn
I wanted to see what you’d say.
Bea
You bother me with how oblivious you can be sometimes.
Autumn
(laughs)
What’s that supposed to mean?
Bea goes back to reading. Autumn pauses until she thinks she figures it out.
Autumn
You’re mad because of the letter he gave me?
Bea
I could care less about him.
Autumn
Don’t make me keep guessing.
Autumn rubs her arms. Bea puts her book down and hands Autumn her jacket. Autumn puts it on.
Bea
(sighs)
What you said to him surprised me, okay?
Autumn
But I didn’t say anything.
Bea
Exactly. I thought you’d turn him down.
Autumn
Oh, I did.
Bea
You did? You just said you didn’t say anything.
Autumn
I didn’t. I just ripped up his letter and handed it back to him.
Bea
(smiles)
You did not.
Autumn
He deserved it, too. He wrote about the same shit he’s been telling me for weeks. It was getting annoying.
Bea
And everyone says you’re the nice one.
Autumn
Not everyone can sulk around constantly like you do.
Bea playfully shoves Autumn.
Autumn
Oh! I almost forgot, I got this for you.
Autumn hands Bea a book.
Bea
Audre Lorde?
Autumn
Yeah, it’s a collection of her poems. I told the cashier at the bookstore about you, and she said you’d like it.
Bea
I can’t tell whether I should be upset that I’m so easily read or impressed that she was right.
Autumn
Be impressed, I don’t want to reject anyone else today.
Bea
(smiles)
Alright.
Bea puts her other book away and keeps the new one on the bench next to her.Bea looks through her bag for another book and when she finds it, she hands it to Autumn.
Bea
Here, this is the one you started on Friday.
Autumn takes the book and starts to read next to Bea, leaning her back against Bea’s shoulder. The two read their respective books.
Bea
Just so you know, you could never bother me.
Autumn looks straight ahead of her and smiles.
Autumn
Yeah, I know.
End of Scene.
