I Like Where We Are

 

FADE IN:

INT: JACK’S ROOM – NIGHT

 

Jack and Maggie are laying on the bed, but this time Maggie has her back against the headboard with her arms around Jack, who lying on her stomach. The room is dark except for the soft glow of Christmas lights that surround Jack’s bed. His eyes are closed.

 

MAGGIE

I still can’t believe they just left you there.

 

JACK

It makes sense. I mean that was probably one of the few things they did right. You just accidentally beat the piss out of someone; you don’t want to drive them home now, too.

 

MAGGIE

What was the guy’s name?

 

JACK

I’m pretty sure it was Terry. But it could’ve been Dave.

 

 

MAGGIE

Terry?... Sounds like a girl’s name.

 

JACK

(laughing)

Y’know that’s what I thought too.

 

MAGGIE

Do you know who he is?

 

JACK

Nope. But I’ll find out. Do you know him?

 

MAGGIE

The name sounds familiar, there aren’t many people named Terry, but I don’t think so.

 

JACK

Yea, I don’t know, I’ll get my brother on it, and we’ll think of something to get back at him.

 

MAGGIE

(laughing)

With your brother’s help you’ll be using his credits cards by Monday.

 

JACK

Oh, that’s definitely not enough. I’ve got to think of something much worse.

 

MAGGIE

Really?

 

JACK

They kidnapped me, threw me in a trunk, beat the s**t out of me, by accident, and then made me walk three miles home. I’ve got to do more than buy a Wave Runner and a billiards table in his name.

 

MAGGIE

(excited)

Oh you should buy a Wave Runner! We’d have so much fun!

 

JACK

(sighs)

Yea, I guess.

 

MAGGIE

      (a beat)

You know, until you had told me what’d happen, I thought that Jeff got a bunch of his friends to kidnap you and beat you up.

 

JACK

I was convinced that that’s what’d happened. (>>>)

JACK (CONT)

It was funny though when I brought up Jeff, the guy was like, “Who the f**k is Jeff?” and then he goes, “You piss of a lot of people don’t you.”

 

MAGGIE

(laughing)

Well, you should piss people off.

 

JACK

Yea, but I don’t.

 

Maggie’s phone begins to ring. She starts looking around the room confused, but then Jack reaches into his pocket and pulls her phone out.

 

JACK

Oh, yea, I forgot, he gave this back.

 

MAGGIE

Oh thank God, I thought I was going to have to get a new one.

 

She looks at the phone.

 

MAGGIE

(displeased)

Ooh, it’s Jeff.

 

JACK

Speak of the devil. His ears must’ve have been burning.

 

Maggie throws the phone on the bed.

 

JACK

You’re not going to answer?

 

MAGGIE

No.

 

JACK

Won’t he get worried.

 

MAGGIE

Yea, but, whatever. He’s probably calling about that party.

 

JACK

You think?

 

MAGGIE

Yea, I mean we were supposed to be there an hour ago, but I just never called him.

(a beat)

I don’t think I’m going to go.

 

JACK

Oh?

 

MAGGIE

Yea, I mean, I would’ve rather stayed here anyway. But now I have an excuse.

(cutesy; rubbing his head)

I have to take care of you.

 

JACK

Not really, though. I mean, you can’t tell him that.

 

MAGGIE

Meh, I think I will though.

 

Jack picks his head up off of her stomach and looks at her.

 

JACK

You’re going to do what now?

 

MAGGIE

Yea, I think I’ll tell him.

 

JACK

Becauuuuuuse?

 

MAGGIE

Because I’m going to break up with him, silly.

 

JACK

... Becauuuuuse?

 

MAGGIE

(laughing)

Because I want to. I’m tired of sneaking around. And it’s not like it’s a huge secret, everyone, but him, knows. It’s just way too much to maintain. I’m starting to run out of excuses.

 

JACK

Oh... Well, good luck with that.

 

He puts his head back on her stomach.

 

MAGGIE

(pause; whispering)

Psst. Jack.

 

JACK

(whispering)

Yes?

 

MAGGIE

(whispering)

This is the part where you say, (>>>)

MAGGIE (CONT)

“Oh, yea, Mags, this whole ordeal of getting kidnapped has made me reprioritize my life, and I’m going to break up with whatserface.”

 

JACK

(matter of factly)

Not in my script.

 

MAGGIE

Jack.

 

JACK

Alright.

 

He picks his head up off her stomach again, and looks at her.

 

JACK

Mags.

 

MAGGIE

Yes?

 

JACK

This whole ordeal of getting kidnapped, and beaten up, has made me reprioritize my life, and I’m going to... line?

 

MAGGIE

Break up...

 

JACK

- break up with whatserface... also known as Claire.

 

MAGGIE

Good.

 

He puts his head back on her stomach.

 

JACK

Anyway, I already did, so it doesn’t really matter.

 

MAGGIE

(surprised)

Wait- what? When?

 

JACK

Last week.

 

MAGGIE

Why?

 

JACK

She was just never around. She was always home, and if she wasn’t, she was in her room and just wanted to be left alone.

 

MAGGIE

Oh.

 

JACK

Plus, I think she was cheating on me.

 

MAGGIE

Oh, right, and you need to nip that in the bud as soon as possible.

 

JACK

Exactly.

 

MAGGIE

(a beat)

What’d she say after you broke up with her?

 

JACK

Um... she said that she understood and that we’ve been drifting apart for a while.

 

MAGGIE

Like a year, or so?

 

JACK

(laughing)

Yes, like a year or so... But then she got pretty deep, and started talking about how she wished she didn’t have such separation anxiety for her family, because that’s what’s made it so hard, and why she goes home every weekend. And then she said that she wanted to stay friends.

 

MAGGIE

Did she cry?

 

JACK

Um... no. Why?

 

MAGGIE

Because then she’s cheating on you.

 

JACK

You think?

 

MAGGIE

Yea, I mean, you’ve been together for like a year and a half, and you break up with her randomly, one day, and she doesn’t cry. Something’s definitely going on there.

 

JACK

Do you think Jeff will cry when you break up with him?

 

MAGGIE

No.

 

JACK

Then there goes that argument.

 

MAGGIE

But I wouldn’t put it passed him. I mean we’ve been together for way longer than you and whatserface-

 

JACK

Claire.

 

MAGGIE

Yea, and it might come as a shock to him, so really, who knows?

 

JACK

(a beat)

Do you think he’ll try to kick my a*s when you tell him?

 

MAGGIE

Probably.

 

JACK

Just tell him that when he kidnaps me to not throw me in the trunk. It’s f*****g uncomfortable.

 

MAGGIE

(laughing)

I’ll make a mental note... Do you think Claire would?

 

JACK

Go all Tonya Harding on you? No probably not. Even if I did tell her about you; and even if she did cry, I don’t think she would. She’d take it gracefully.

 

MAGGIE

Who’s Tanya Harding?

 

JACK

Don’t worry about it?

 

MAGGIE

So I have nothing to worry about then?

 

JACK

Like you said, though, who really knows?

 

Pause.

 

MAGGIE

Jack?

 

 

JACK

Yes, darling?

 

MAGGIE

      (hesitates)

I love you.

 

JACK

I know.

 

She hits him on the back of the head.

 

MAGGIE

Jack.

 

He picks his head up and looks at her.

 

JACK

I love you, too.

 

Maggie smiles and kisses him. He puts his head back on her stomach.

 

FADE OUT.

 

JACK (VO)

It was

(long ‘a’)

patronizing, by the way.

 

MAGGIE (VO)

I f*****g knew it!

Author's Note

(>>>) This means that there's a page break during the line.