UNREQUITED
By David-Matthew Barnes
Copyright © 2004
OP
Y
CHARACTERS:
MERCURY JONES - 15. Quirky. Eccentric. Somewhat introverted.
She has a unique style that is all her own. She dresses
outrageously and her hair is often streaked with a variety of colors.
TRAVIS EMERSON - 16. Good looking. Athletic. Emotionally
scarred. He is deeply plagued by his dysfunctional family and their
issues.
TC
PLACE: The supply room of Abraham Lincoln High School, in a
rural town in Arizona.
TIME: The night of a senior prom. Spring. Present year.
MUSIC: A suggested song for productions of this play is Unwanted
as recorded by Avril Lavigne.
NO
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Unrequited received a world premiere at
The Creative Place Theatre in New York. The play opened on
February 24, 2003. The show was produced by Love Creek
Productions and directed by Josh Adler. This production was
nominated for the Samuel French Festival 2003. The original cast
was as follows:
MERCURY JONES, Dawn Merin
TRAVIS EMERSON, Michael Schreiber
DO
DEDICATION: For Stephanie Kuehnert. Just for being herself.
When the play begins, we are inside of the dingy and dusty supply
room of Abraham Lincoln High School, a small school that is
located in a rural section of Arizona.
It is the night of the senior prom and music can be heard, faintly
drifting into the room, creating a dream-like quality.
The room is small and cramped and resembles a modern-day
dungeon. Cobwebs hang from the high corners of the room. Metal
shelves are stacked with dated school supplies. Cleaning supplies
such as mops, buckets, rakes, shovels, and trashcans are all
cluttered around in a permanent state of disarray. This room has
not been used on a regular basis for at least fifteen years.
The room is very claustrophobic and even somewhat eerie.
OP
Y
There is a single window, small and nearly at the edge of the
ceiling, through which cool blue moonlight pours inside in thick
and sharp strips.
TC
A few seconds pass before the door creeps open and MERCURY
peers inside. The volume of the music increases and fills the
room like a swell. MERCURY is dressed in a stunning white prom
dress, which is starkly contrasted by a pair of black combat boots.
A rhinestone necklace, matching earrings and barrettes shimmer
as SHE steps further into the room and into the beams of
moonlight. The doors slam shut behind her. MERCURY quickly
checks to make sure that SHE isn’t locked in by opening the door
and letting it close again. The volume of the music decreases and
returns to almost a murmur. MERCURY moves deeper into the
room, colliding with a metal trashcan.
(MERCURY remains still, almost frozen, for a moment.)
DO
NO
MERCURY: (to an imagined person beside her) My name is Mercury
Jones. I know I’ve gone to school with you for nine years now, but you
only know me as that weird girl who sits behind you in history class.
(there is an imagined response, to which SHE laughs) Oh Travis,
you say the funniest things sometimes. Really, you do. (another laugh,
but softer and more innocent) Normally, I wouldn’t be caught dead at
a zombie fiesta like this airhead prom, but I’m here because of you,
Travis. Because even though you
Copyrighted material. All rights reserved. Caution: Professionals and
amateurs are hereby warned that this play is subject to a royalty.
Performance rights may be purchased from Dominion Publications. ALL
FURTHER INQUIRIES CONCERNING PERFORMANCE RIGHTS, INCLUDING
AMATEUR RIGHTS, SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO BROOKLYN PUBLISHERS
LLC, PO BOX 248, CEDAR RAPIDS, IA 52406. (1-888-473-8521,
www.brookpub.com.)
OP
Y
represent everything I have decided to loathe and hate and you have
chosen to surround yourself with shallow, vapid, insecure, overprivileged hedgehogs, I still love you. I know you’re different from
them. You just don’t have the guts to prove it. But I believe in you. I
know if you were given the chance to be yourself, to be who you
really are - I have been in love with you since you smacked me in
the face with that red rubber dodge ball and knocked my tooth out in
the fourth grade and I bled all over the place until they rushed me to
the emergency room in an ambulance and I lost my shoe. It’s love,
Travis – that is what has brought me here. Unfortunately, when I
look at you, my eyes start to cross and when I talk with you, I end
up spitting all over myself. But tonight, I am here to tell you that I
am, without a doubt, one hundred percent, totally and completely,
insanely and madly…
NO
TC
(SHE stops as she hears someone laughing outside the door.
MERCURY ducks behind the metal shelves, out of view. The door
bursts open and TRAVIS enters in a rage. The music lifts and dies
down as the door opens and then closes behind him. HE pounds a
fist against one of the walls and kicks one of the trashcans. HE is
wearing a white tuxedo shirt, unbuttoned a little and untucked,
black dress pants and black patent leather shoes. From a front
pocket HE pulls out a flask. HE winces a little from the aftertaste
and wipes his mouth clean with the back of his right hand.
MERCURY emerges from her dark hiding spot. TRAVIS does not
see her at first. SHE clears her throat and TRAVIS nearly jumps out
of his skin.)
DO
TRAVIS: What are you doing in here?
MERCURY: Hiding. Did I scare you?
TRAVIS: Yeah, you scared me. You shouldn’t sneak up on people like
that.
MERCURY: Sorry.
TRAVIS: You should be.
MERCURY: I said I was sorry.
TRAVIS: I didn’t know anyone was in here.
MERCURY: We’re locked in.
TRAVIS: What are you talking about?
MERCURY: The door – it locks automatically.
TRAVIS: How come you didn’t – You could have said something. No
one will ever find me in here.
MERCURY: I know. That’s why I’m here.
TRAVIS: You locked yourself in?
MERCURY: Not on purpose.
TRAVIS: You’re weird.
DO
NO
TC
OP
Y
MERCURY: (boldly) That’s right, Travis Emerson. I’m the weird girl
who sits behind you in history class.
TRAVIS: Why are you looking at me like that?
MERCURY: Like what?
TRAVIS: You have this weird look on your face.
MERCURY: I do?
TRAVIS: Yeah, you looked at me and your eyes crossed a little. It’s
scary.
MERCURY: Would you prefer that I not look at you?
TRAVIS: Just don’t stare at me.
MERCURY: I’ll try.
TRAVIS: What are you doing here? You don’t seem like the type of girl
who goes to the prom.
MERCURY: What’s that supposed to mean?
TRAVIS: Do you have a date?
MERCURY: I brought my cousin.
TRAVIS: Do I know him?
MERCURY: No. He’s in college. He lives in Miami.
TRAVIS: You brought your cousin to the prom?
MERCURY: Yeah, but he’s stoned out of his mind.
TRAVIS: Pot?
MERCURY: Ecstasy. He loves the stuff.
TRAVIS: Never tried it.
MERCURY: Me either.
TRAVIS: Gimme a break. You‘re a total druggie.
MERCURY: No, I’m not.
TRAVIS: I don’t believe you.
MERCURY: Why would I lie to you?
TRAVIS: Because you’re a freak.
MERCURY: I don’t do drugs. I’m not a loser, Travis.
TRAVIS: How do you know my name?
MERCURY: Doesn’t everybody know your name?
TRAVIS: I guess. It’s a small town.
MERCURY: I’ll bet you ten bucks that you don’t know my name.
TRAVIS: (after a moment of thought) Jupiter.
MERCURY: Close. It’s Mercury.
TRAVIS: Your mom named you after a planet?
MERCURY: No, I was born in Mercury, Nevada. It’s hot there.
TRAVIS: It’s hot in here.
MERCURY: (hopeful) Really?
TRAVIS: Mercury, Nevada – isn’t that the place where they test nuclear
stuff?
MERCURY: There’s probably radiation in my veins.
TRAVIS: Man, I knew you were weird.
MERCURY: Can I have a drink?
DO
NO
TC
OP
Y
TRAVIS: I don’t have – (SHE points to his front pocket. Reluctantly
HE pulls out the flask and hands it to her.) All right, you can have
a sip, but that’s it. This stuff has to last me all night.
MERCURY: (SHE uncaps the flask but doesn’t drink yet) Your
father’s whiskey?
TRAVIS: Yeah, so? Wait – how did you know that?
MERCURY: He keeps it hidden in the bottom drawer of his desk at
home. Every once in a while, he drinks himself into oblivion and
you’re the one who has to put him to bed. Sometimes he even
vomits on himself. He has a favorite chair. The brown recliner with
the rip on the right arm and some of the stuffing is spilling out. He
sits there for hours, drinking, saying mean things to your mother,
telling your sister that she’s a slut and calling you a big
disappointment. Sometimes, he doesn’t even make it to dinner.
He’s already passed out by then. You pick him up out of the chair
and you carry him to his room, with one arm around his neck, like
you think about strangling him. His feet drag across the floor and
sometimes, he’s so heavy that you stumble and knock things over,
like pictures or one of those teacups that your Mom collects. And
none of you say it to each other, but you all silently agree that things
– that life – would be so much simpler if he would just die. But he
won’t. Because he’s filled with rage and angry people always outlive
the happy ones. Because they’re stronger.
TRAVIS: Who told you that?
MERCURY: And your mom…she locks herself in the bathroom,
sometimes for hours. She counts pills and contemplates. Usually,
she tweezes her eyebrows – so much that they bleed.
TRAVIS: How do you know all of this?
MERCURY: Relax. Don’t freak out. I used to be friends with your sister.
TRAVIS: You did? When?
MERCURY: I was twelve. She hasn’t spoken to me in three years.
Since she became a cheerleader, I’ve become invisible.
TRAVIS: You were in my house?
MERCURY: Almost every weekend for an entire summer. (SHE hands
him back the flask) I’ve already had your father’s whiskey before. I
don’t like it. It’s the cheap stuff.
TRAVIS: I don’t even know you.
MERCURY: Yes, you do. Remember, I’m the weird girl who sits behind
you in –
TRAVIS: In science class. Yeah, yeah. You already said that.
MERCURY: Actually, I’m in your history class.
TRAVIS: I’ve never seen you in that class.
MERCURY: Maybe you should turn around and look at what’s behind
you once in awhile.
TRAVIS: Maybe you should mind your own business. (takes a swig
from the flask) This is crazy.
DO
NO
TC
OP
Y
MERCURY: You better take it easy on that stuff. We might be stuck in
here all night – maybe even all weekend.
TRAVIS: No, someone will come looking for me.
MERCURY: Like who?
TRAVIS: You don’t seem very anxious to leave.
MERCURY: Are you?
TRAVIS: Why wouldn’t I be? This place gives me the creeps.
MERCURY: I kind of like it.
TRAVIS: Well, you would. Girls like you who dress strange, you’re all
into death and witchcraft and worshiping the devil and stuff like that.
MERCURY: You’ve got it all wrong. Girls like me are into poetry and
foreign films and postcards from Paris. We’re quiet. We keep to
ourselves because if we opened our mouths, no one would listen to
us.
TRAVIS: I think it’s all a front.
MERCURY: Prove me wrong.
TRAVIS: I bet you can’t name a foreign film.
MERCURY: (the winner, SHE reaches for his flask again) Camille
Claudel. It was French. Released in 1988. The star of the film,
Isabelle Adjani, was nominated for an Academy Award for her
brilliant performance.
TRAVIS: Let me guess, you work at a video store.
MERCURY: No, I work at the senior citizen center.
TRAVIS: They let you near old people?
MERCURY: Every Thursday night.
TRAVIS: What do you do there?
MERCURY: I host the bingo game. I call the numbers. B - 5. I - 17.
TRAVIS: They pay you for that?
MERCURY: I volunteer.
TRAVIS: Nothing better to do with your time?
MERCURY: I have plenty to do.
TRAVIS: I never see you at parties. I never see you at the football
games or the basketball games.
MERCURY: It’s not my scene.
TRAVIS: Because you’re never invited.
MERCURY: But you are.
TRAVIS: Naturally.
MERCURY: It’s because people like you.
TRAVIS: Is that what this is about? You have a crush on me, don’t
you?
MERCURY: Don’t flatter yourself.
TRAVIS: Don’t lie to me.
MERCURY: I never knew you were so egotistical.
TRAVIS: What makes you think I am?
MERCURY: (shrugs) The way you look beyond me.
TRAVIS: What? You mean, like my sister?
DO
NO
TC
OP
Y
MERCURY: It’s easy to ignore me. You’ve been doing it since fourth
grade.
TRAVIS: What are you talking about? I didn’t know you in fourth grade.
MERCURY: You knocked my tooth out playing dodge ball.
TRAVIS: That was you?
MERCURY: Jupiter, herself.
TRAVIS: (after a moment; guilty) Well, I didn’t mean that – we were
just kids, you know.
MERCURY: What are we now? We’re not exactly friends.
TRAVIS: We don’t hang out in the same crowd.
MERCURY: I don’t have a crowd, Travis. It’s just me – me alone. That’s
it.
TRAVIS: Well, maybe if you didn’t dress like that.
MERCURY: It takes a lot of work to look like this.
TRAVIS: But you would be pretty if –
MERCURY: So, you think I’m ugly?
TRAVIS: I didn’t say that –
MERCURY: Yes, you did.
TRAVIS: You’re not ugly.
MERCURY: But you don’t think I’m pretty?
TRAVIS: You’re just not my type.
MERCURY: How would you know? You’ve never even seen me before,
remember?
TRAVIS: It’s just – well, you freaked me out with all that stuff you know
about my family.
MERCURY: Would it make you feel better if I told you that my family
was messed up too?
TRAVIS: Are they?
MERCURY: Not at all, actually. My mom and dad have been happily
married for over twenty years.
TRAVIS: So. That doesn’t mean anything.
MERCURY: My parents love each other. Do yours?
TRAVIS: Yeah.
MERCURY: Liar.
TRAVIS: They do.
MERCURY: Fine, then. But do they love you?
TRAVIS: Nobody does.
MERCURY: That’s not true. Everybody adores you.
TRAVIS: No, they don’t.
MERCURY: Well, I do.
TRAVIS: I knew it! You do have a crush on me.
MERCURY: For six years.
TRAVIS: Why? What did I do?
MERCURY: You make it sound like a punishment.
TRAVIS: I had no idea –
MERCURY: I think you’re pretty. Even if you think I’m ugly.
DO
NO
TC
OP
Y
TRAVIS: That’s not what I said, Jupiter.
MERCURY: Mercury.
TRAVIS: Look, Miss Radiation, you’re starting to irritate me.
MERCURY: Because I have feelings for you and it makes you
embarrassed – or maybe because you might have feelings for a girl
like me, but you’re too much of a coward to do anything about it?
TRAVIS: Fine – you’re cute.
MERCURY: Cute?
TRAVIS: I just don’t know why you have to dress so weird.
MERCURY: I don’t know why you feel no one loves you.
TRAVIS: Because no one does. Get it through your head.
MERCURY: You own this place. You get away with murder and you
love it. You know how gorgeous you are and you use that to get
what you want.
TRAVIS: If I’m so horrible, then why do you like me?
MERCURY: (a realization) I have no idea.
TRAVIS: Now you’re the liar.
MERCURY: Guilty.
TRAVIS: Why did you have to say that stuff about my family? I mean, I
was having a good time.
MERCURY: No, you weren’t. Your girlfriend is out there letting every
guy she knows feel her up. She hasn’t said more than two words to
you all night. Why did you have to tell me I was ugly?
TRAVIS: I don’t even know you –
MERCURY: You’ve never even tried.
TRAVIS: You’re not ugly.
MERCURY: And you’re not perfect.
TRAVIS: I know that.
MERCURY: I used to think that you were.
TRAVIS: Why?
MERCURY: Maybe I was hoping you would be perfect.
TRAVIS: I don’t mean to sound like a downer, but nobody is perfect
MERCURY: You were – in my eyes – for awhile.
TRAVIS: I’m not anymore?
MERCURY: No. Now that I’ve met you –
TRAVIS: You think I’m a jerk?
MERCURY: You’re not as sweet as I thought you were.
TRAVIS: Is anybody?
MERCURY: Am I as weird as you thought I was?
TRAVIS: No – I think you’re even weirder now.
MERCURY: Sorry.
TRAVIS: I’m just kidding. So do you dress crazy and put all kinds of
colors in your hair just to get attention?
MERCURY: I do it to be different.
TRAVIS: Yeah, but this is high school. This isn’t the best place to be
different.
DO
NO
TC
OP
Y
MERCURY: It isn’t the easiest place to be in love, either.
TRAVIS: Then why do you do it?
MERCURY: I was in love with you because I convinced myself that you
were perfect.
TRAVIS: That’s not what I meant. Why would you choose to be
different?
MERCURY: I just want to be myself and not some lame carbon copy of
everyone else.
TRAVIS: Wait a minute. You’re in love with me?
MERCURY: I was. You were the only reason why I came to the prom.
TRAVIS: But I came here with Jennifer.
MERCURY: She isn’t very nice to you, Travis. And forgive me for
saying this, but she’s uglier than sin.
TRAVIS: What are you talking about? Jennifer is hot.
MERCURY: But she doesn’t even know you. Like stuff about your
family and how you want to be a pilot someday.
TRAVIS: How did you know that?
MERCURY: Where would you fly if you had a plane?
TRAVIS: I don’t know. Someplace where my folks could never find me.
Maybe Australia. That would be cool.
MERCURY: Maybe you’ll go someday.
TRAVIS: Maybe.
MERCURY: Don’t laugh because this is really embarrassing.
TRAVIS: Tell me.
MERCURY: I used to dream about you and I flying together. In a plane.
You were the pilot and you were taking me to some secret
destination. As a surprise. For our anniversary or something corny
like that.
TRAVIS: Like that would ever happen. I’m not really romantic.
MERCURY: That’s because you’re stuck up. Totally conceited.
TRAVIS: People just like me.
MERCURY: Everyone?
TRAVIS: Everyone I meet.
MERCURY: I wonder how you sleep at night.
TRAVIS: In a bed like everyone else.
MERCURY: No, I mean with your ego. It must be tough to find a big
enough pillow.
TRAVIS: Do you usually insult guys that you claim to be in love with?
MERCURY: I can’t answer that question. I’ve never been in love with
anyone but you.
TRAVIS: I’m sure you’ll find someone else.
MERCURY: Well, you won’t.
TRAVIS: What are you talking about? Jennifer is crazy about me.
MERCURY: She’s not as crazy as I am. No one ever will be, Travis.
Mark my word. No matter where you go in life, what you do, who
you marry or who you screw over, no one will love you the way I did
DO
NO
TC
OP
Y
until tonight. I saw beyond the surface. I saw you flying above all of
this. I saw what you did with the pain, how you tucked it all away
behind your smile. We’re not so different, you and I. I dress weird
and I keep to myself. You hide everything you feel. Don’t you see?
We’re both masters of disguise. Never let ‘em see who we really
are. I can’t tell you that my heart isn’t broken. I came here to the
prom tonight, hoping that you would see a different side of me. I
wanted you to notice me. I wanted us to leave this place together,
this dance, this town, this life. I bought this dress and I paid my
cousin forty bucks to come here with me. Now, he’s higher than a
kite and my feet are still on the ground. And that’s how you and I
are different. Until you let go of all of this, Travis, you’re not going
anywhere. You’re stuck. (pause) But I’m not. I’m free. I got my eye
on the sky.
TRAVIS: (emotionally affected by her words) I don’t even know what
to say to all of that. You have everything all figured out. (pause) I
envy you.
MERCURY: I have a lot of time to think about things. While I’m waiting
for those invitations you mentioned.
TRAVIS: You wouldn’t come to a party even if someone asked you to.
MERCURY: No, I probably wouldn’t. My time is worth more than that.
TRAVIS: So is mine.
MERCURY: Travis?
TRAVIS: What?
MERCURY: I lied. (pause) The door doesn’t lock automatically.
TRAVIS: You mean –
MERCURY: You can go now.
TRAVIS: Go?
MERCURY: Back to the dance. Back to ugly Jennifer. Back to your
ridiculous life.
TRAVIS: Why are you so angry?
MERCURY: It’s all part of my image. I don’t really hate you, Travis, but
it will be easier to pretend that I do.
TRAVIS: I can’t believe you. You’re a trip. I don’t think anyone has ever
liked me as much – (a realization) Wow. This is kind of cool. I just
realized. You’re the first person who has ever said she was in love
with me.
MERCURY: Lucky me.
TRAVIS: Thanks, Mercury.
MERCURY: (hiding her pain) Don’t mention it.
TRAVIS: So, are you going back to the prom now?
MERCURY: No. You go ahead. I think I’m going home.
TRAVIS: (after a moment) Well, I guess I’ll see you around then
MERCURY: In history class.
TRAVIS: I’ll look behind me this time.
MERCURY: I’ll be there.
OP
Y
TRAVIS: (HE starts to leave, then stops) Hey, let me ask you the
same question. If you had a plane to fly, where would you go?
MERCURY: I don’t want a plane. I want a rocket. I want to go to the
moon.
TRAVIS: Oh yeah? That’s cool. (HE punches her lightly in the
shoulder as if SHE were “a buddy.”) Maybe you’ll get there
someday. (exits)
MERCURY:
(after a moment) You’d better believe I will. (As
MERCURY lifts her eyes up, towards the small window, the
music swells and the lights fade to black.)
DO
NO
TC
End of Play
DO
TC
NO
OP
Y