Act Two:

[The same scene, the next day, the room is empty. The bed is still unmade and remains in much the same state as it was the day before. The early evening sunlight floods in through the window and falls across the unmade bed.]

[Enter Nick with Laura. She is a quiet, pretty girl of about the same age as Nick. She is shorter than Sarah, but not by much. She has medium length blonde hair and is dressed as students do (!?), jeans, t-shirt etc.]

Nick: And this is the bedroom. I kinda use it as I hanging out area too. It’s either that or sitting at the kitchen table.
Laura: Very nice. Haven’t made your bed I see, typical boy.
Nick: (he makes to try and tidy the bed, shoving clothes under the duvet and half heartedly making the bed) Yeah sorry about that, was in a bit of a hurry this morning. Had to…um, get to the library, you know how it is.
Laura: (walking around the room, taking in her surroundings) I’m sure.
Nick: Would you like a cup of tea?
Laura: Got anything stronger?
Nick: Think I’ve got some whisky somewhere.

[He hunts around for the whisky, finds an empty bottle on the floor, looks disappointed, then exits the room into the kitchen, clearly remembering where he left another bottle.]

Nick: (VO) Always keep a bottle spare just in case. I know it’s here somewhere, just be a minute, make yourself at home.
Laura: (looks about the room again and then sits gingerly in the armchair, moving Sarah’s sock as she does. Her phone beeps with a text message and she gets it out, reads the message.)
Nick: (appears at the door, triumphant with a half full bottle of whisky and two glasses in his hands.) Mission accomplished. Whisky is okay isn’t it?
Laura: Yeah, great. Do you have any cigarettes?
Nick: Didn’t know you smoked.
Laura: I do every now and again. When I drink whisky. Do you have any?
Nick: No I don’t smoke.
Laura: Wasn’t there a little shop just downstairs?
Nick: Yeah. (Pause) Do you want me to go and buy you some?
Laura: Well we might as well do this properly. Drink Whisky, listen to a bit of Tom Waits.
Nick: (smiling at the prospect) Yeah okay. Wait here, I’ll be back in a minute. (In a mock Chicago, proabition era voice) Here toots, do you wanna pour us a couple of fingers of the brown stuff…
Laura: (gives a slight laugh) Sure thing boss.

[Exit Nick]

[As soon as he is gone, she walks to the door to check that he actually has gone then she gets her phone out and dials a number. She wanders around the room as she talks on the phone, nervously playing with various bits and pieces.]

Laura: Hi, yeah it’s me…well I’m in, so far so good…no he’s being really sweet, just gone to get me some cigarettes…well I do sometimes, when I drink whisky…well I do that sometimes too…not too sure really, listen to a bit of music, drink the whisky, see what happens…I know, I know but he’s really sweet…I won’t let him take advantage of me, well not if he doesn’t want to!..yes I will, don’t worry, I’ve spent my whole life being sensible why would I be any different tonight…well we’ll just have to see won’t we. Look I’d better go he’ll be back any second…yes I will, I’ll try and call later, well that’s if I can of-course…okay, you too…yeah see ye tomorrow…bye.

[She hangs up the phone and stands for a second, thinking. She sees the whisky that she has left on the dresser, she walks up to it and pours herself a healthy shot, she swallows it and almost gags but manages to keep it down.]

Laura: Blimey, quite a kick. [She eventually gets out]

[She pours some whisky into both glasses and leaves them by the bottle on the dresser, retreating to the single-seater chair where she sits down and breaths out a sigh.]

[She sits for a minute looking around the room again and then eventually we hear the return of Nick. He enters into the room, a bag of shopping in his hand, he puts it on the floor by the door and crosses to the chair, he sits on the edge of the bed.]

Nick: Sorry I took so long. Thought I’d get some stuff for the morning. Not that I thought you’d be…
Laura: Oh no, it’s fine I…I poured the whisky, it’s over there on the dresser.
Nick: Oh great, here’s your cigarettes, hope Marlboro Lights are okay most of the people at uni smoke those so I thought they’d be a safe bet.
Laura: They’re great, thanks. Do you have an ashtray?
Nick: Oh, er, yeah I’ll get something.

[He retreats to the kitchen and returns with a mug, in the intermediate time she has lit a cigarette, she sits there, nervously smoking.]

[Nick goes over to the dresser and picks up the glasses of whisky, he tips one of them down his throat, gags a little but recovers and pours himself another. He hands one to Laura and sits on the bed again.]

[Pause]

Nick: Oh, some music. What would you like? Anything in particular?
Laura: You choose.
Nick: Okay.

[He gets up and goes over to the stereo.]

Laura: Oh, do you have any Smiths records?
Nick: The Smiths? No I don’t. I hate The Smiths.

[He puts a cd on, the Stills, he returns to his position and sits down again. The following conversation is slightly awkward, nervous.]

Laura: Who’s this?
Nick: The Stills.
Laura: It’s good.
Nick: Yeah. I saw them in town a couple of months back, really good.

[Pause]

Laura: It’s a nice place you’re got here. Just on your own are you?
Nick: Yeah, that’s the way I like it these days. Need my space. Lived in halls in the first year but didn’t really like it. Can’t stand all that ladishness, student nights are for the dogs.
Laura: Yeah, I know what you mean.
Nick: Do you live in halls?
Laura: I did. In the first year. Didn’t really like it either.
Nick: Where do you live now?
Laura: Just with a friend, over in Mile End. Just the two of us, its nice, well I like it anyway.
Nick: Mile End eh. Nice part of the world. Been mugged yet?
Laura: Not yet.
Nick: Sorry, that came out quite badly, I didn’t mean…I used to have a friend that lived over that way, he was at uni the year before I started. I’d come up and visit him, we’d go out and get drunk in all the old east end boozers. He showed me where the Krays used to drink and all that. The one where they’ve still got the bullet holes in the chair. Then we’d go back to his flat, in one of those high-rise efforts. Could see all across London, all across the city, it was amazing, just sitting there, Radiohead on the stereo just staring at London, not saying anything. It’s a beautiful city from far away. Never wanted to live anywhere else.
Laura: Where are you from?
Nick: Reading, well just outside Reading. A little village called Kidmore End, lived there all my life.
Laura: What’s it like?
Nick: It’s nice, well as nice as a place called Kidmore End can be really. Full of middle class townies trying to escape the city. They’ve made a little bit of money and so they think they are country folk because they own a range rover.
Laura: I know the type.

[Pause]

Laura: I hate the word ‘nice’.
Nick: ‘Nice’?
Laura: Yeah. My old English teacher at school used to say it was the ugliest word in the English language. Could mean anything. The least descriptive word there is. He used to put huge crosses through our work if we used it.
Nick: Yeah, I suppose your right. In which case ‘nice’ is the perfect word to describe Kidmore End!

[They laugh, slightly]

Laura: So you decided to flee the awful country and come and live in the centre of it all then did you?
Nick: Something like that. I think everyone that’s from Reading dreams of moving to London at some stage. Escape the peril of normality. Just half an hour down the M4 and there you are, civilisation.
Laura: Well I’m from Norwich so I think I can appreciate what you mean. Suburban hell.
Nick: Uni seemed like a good idea. In that I mean that I had no idea what to do with my life and if I went to uni I’d have three more years to work it out.
Laura: Have you worked it out yet?
Nick: Ask me again in a year.
Laura: Okay.
Nick: Do you think I should feel any guilt for that? Do you want a top-up?
Laura: Yes please. What do you mean guilt?

[He gets up and retrieves the bottle as he does. Fills her glass and paces the room, firmly on his high horse as he speaks.]

Nick: Well what I mean is that- should I feel any guilt for not knowing what I wanna do? For using up a valuable university space when I don’t really want to be here. I’m really not too bothered about my course, it probably won’t get me much of a job at the end of it and to be honest I haven’t really done a day’s work since I’ve been here. Haven’t done a day’s work in my life if I’m being honest.
Laura: What are you here for then?
Nick: The life experience of-course. There are people that would give their eyeteeth to be in my position, to have the chances and the money that I have behind me and look at me- I don’t care. It’s awful, isn’t it?
Laura: Well I can’t really agree with you. I’m here to get a good education.
Nick: Are you?
Laura: Yes.
Nick: Yes, but are you really. I mean does the idea of staying up late every night, getting drunk and talking about bollocks not intrigue you in the slightest? If you didn’t think it would be all parties and late nights when you applied then you are being quite naive.
Laura: Well of-course I enjoy having a laugh, I like getting drunk as much as anyone. Just because I want to do well doesn’t mean I have to be in the library every night. That’s the beauty of it, there’s time to work and time to go out.
Nick: Well, maybe. Otherwise you wouldn’t be here now right?
Laura: Well, yeah I suppose not.
Nick: University’s not what it used to be you know. People used to feel privileged to go to uni, now you need a degree to work in an off-license, devalues the whole thing. If you’re clever enough then the work isn’t really that hard, you can get by with doing fuck all.
Laura: Well as I said, I want to do well.
Nick: I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…
Laura: No it’s fine, please…
Nick: Can I start over?
Laura: You don’t need to.
Nick: Please.
Laura: Okay.

[Nick stands up and sticks out his hand, Laura also stands and takes it, they shake hands]

Nick: How do you do Miss, my name is Nicholas and I am a student at a very prestigious East London university.
Laura: How do you do sir?

[She curtseys and then giggles, she sits down, slightly self-conscious. Nick also sits down again.]

Nick: Well now the introductions are over we can carry on with our civilised conversation.
Laura: Yes indeed.

[Pause as neither party can think of anything to say.]

Laura: When I was at school matron used to say that a silence like that meant an angel had just flown overhead.
Nick: An angel eh? Is that a good or a bad thing?
Laura: A good thing I think.
Nick: Matron. Take it you went to private school then?
Laura: For my sins.
Nick: Did you like it?
Laura: Yeah, I loved it. The school was an old Victorian country house, it had once been owned by some London banker or something. Beautiful building in the middle of beautiful grounds. Had a lovely time there. Probably the best time of my life.
Nick: Sounds nice.
Laura: Nice!

[They laugh]

Nick: Laura…(he stops, as if he is about to say something, but can’t quite find the words)
Laura: What is it?
Nick: I think I need another drink.

[He knocks back his drink and Laura sips at hers. He pours another one for himself and knocks that back too, he offers her another one]

Laura: Not just for the moment thanks. Going to my head a bit.
Nick: It’s good for you whisky. Go on have another one.
Laura: Are you trying to get me drunk Nicholas?
Nick: No. I mean, maybe, no I don’t, sorry I…(he gets up and walks about the room, clearly suddenly nervous)

[Laura gets up and walks up to him]

Laura: It’s okay if you are.
Nick: If I am what?
Laura: Trying to get me drunk.
Nick: Really?
Laura: Relax.

[She leans forward and kisses him, he responds and they kiss.]

[It finishes and Laura smiles, she sits on the end of the bed and ushers him to sit next to her, he does. She kisses him again. This time it is longer and more passionate. Nick starts to relax and becomes more involved.]

[They break again and Laura undoes her shirt and takes it off, she smiles again at Nick who is just staring at her, transfixed]

Laura: You going to stay fully clothed?

[Pause]

Nick: Oh, sorry.

[He rips his t-shirt over his head and throws it on the floor. They embrace again, Nick becoming a lot more passionate. Laura laughs.]

Laura: Woah, relax, we’ve got all night.

[He kisses her neck]

Laura: Oh that’s nice, you can keep doing that.
Nick: Nice?!
Laura: Oh yeah, sorry. That’s fantastic. Simply top notch.

[He stops]

Nick: Don’t take the piss.
Laura: I’m not. Oh I’m sorry. Honestly I’m not. Come here.

[They kiss again. Then she breaks, she stands up and pulls her trousers off, then stands in front of him, in just her underwear.]

Laura: Shall we get into the bed?

[Pause]

Nick: Yeah. Good idea.

[He leaps into the bed, she follows suit, they climb under the duvet, clothes flying everywhere as they do.]

Laura: Think I’ve found your pyjamas.
Nick: Oh, I’d chuck ‘em on the floor if I were you.
Laura: Oh Nick, how long have those been there?
Nick: Not sure, can’t remember the last time I actually wore pyjamas in bed.
Laura: Oh Nick.
Nick: Come here you.

[She laughs again, amidst moans of pleasure.]

Laura: You have got a condom haven’t you?
Nick: Have you not?
Laura: No. I take it you don’t then.
Nick: No I don’t. It’ll be okay.
Laura: Nick.
Nick: We’ll sort something out.
Laura: Nick! Get off.

[They both sit up in bed.]

Nick: Okay okay okay. [Pause] Right, there must be one around here somewhere.

[He jumps out of bed wearing just his boxer shorts, which are Dennis the Mennis ones. He runs frantically about the room looking for a condom, in vain of-course.]

Laura: Nice boxer shorts.

[Nick looks at them]

Nick: Oh yeah. Christmas present.
Laura: Yeah right.
Nick: Look I can’t bloody find one anywhere.
Laura: Well you’d better son or this party ends here.
Nick: I’ll run down to the shop again.
Laura: Good idea.

[He starts putting his clothes on, then stops]

Nick: You don’t fancy going do you?
Laura: What?
Nick: Well I know them down there, buy most of my food and stuff, I’d be embarrassed. They treat me a bit like a son. If you go you won’t be embarrassed.
Laura: Don’t be so stupid. The sooner you go the sooner we can…well, get on with it so to speak.
Nick: But…
Laura: Where do you normally buy them?
Nick: Well I…pub toilets normally.
Laura: I see. Look they won’t mind, they saw us coming up here, what do they think we’re going to be doing, playing scrabble?
Nick: (very reluctantly) Well okay. The reward does justify the trouble I suppose.
Laura: You don’t know yet!

[Stands for a second and then throws his jacket on over his shirtless top, he grabs his wallet, no shoes on and runs out of the room.]

[Laura laughs gently to herself.]

[She waits until he has gone and then gets out of the bed, in just her underwear, she hunts around for her bag, finds it and gets her phone out. She sits on the chair and dials a number.]

Laura: Hello…yeah it’s me…no it’s going really well…no I’m still in his flat…he’s just gone downstairs for (beat) a minute…oh to get some milk I think…well he likes his tea…not too sure, would’ve thought so…what do you mean?…be careful? He’s a pussycat, well more like a family dog really. A Labrador or a coca spaniel…I’m fine, please just let me, do my own thing…look this was your idea remember…I know, I know, but to be honest I don’t really care about that at the moment…well maybe a little bit…just some whisky…well I do sometimes, when I smoke…your just going to have to let me make my own mistakes then aren’t you…I’m sorry I’m going to have to go I think I hear him coming…no, sorry, you had your chance, I’ll see you tomorrow…bye…bye.

[She hangs up and throws the phone into her bag.]

[She finds the whisky and has herself a quick shot, to steady the nerves. She walks around the room again, comes across the mirror and looks at herself. She pouts. Runs her hands threw her hair, trying to make herself look more glamorous in front of the mirror.]

[Enter Nick, he stands for a second watching.]

Nick: Alright?

[Laura spins around, catches him watching and almost falls over. She regains herself and runs behind the curtain, covering herself up.]

Laura: What the hell are you doing?
Nick: I just got back.
Laura: Well you could’ve knocked.
Nick: Are you joking, if I’d knocked I would’ve missed that.
Laura: Well can you please look away.
Nick: What are you doing behind the curtain?
Laura: That’s…that’s nothing to do with you. Please look away, I should like to get dressed.
Nick: Dressed! I’ve just been on a bloody mission around East London for condoms and you want to get dressed. I don’t think so love.
Laura: Well I’m afraid you’ve destroyed the mood now…can you please go away somewhere, into the kitchen.
Nick: The kitchen! Look, I’m sorry I caught you dancing in front of the mirror but it really doesn’t matter to me. In fact you looked pretty sexy. Why don’t we just go to bed and, well if you’re lucky I’ll let you dance for me.
Laura: I was not dancing. I was just sorting my hair and make-up out.
Nick: So what are you doing hiding behind the curtains then?
Laura: I am hiding behind the curtains because you will not look away.
Nick: What’s so wrong, we were perfectly happy just now, ready to get on the good foot and do the bad thing!
Laura: You know when you put it like that it just makes me wanna leap into bed with you.
Nick: (approaching her) Look I’m sorry. I’ve just been winding you up. Honestly, I’m sorry, let’s just go back to where we were, forget this happened. We can put on a cd or something, drink some more whisky, laugh like we were before.
Laura: I don’t think so Nick. Can you hand me that t-shirt please.
Nick: Laura.

[She holds out her hand. He picks up the t-shirt (which is his) and hands it to her, she puts it on and steps out from behind the curtains.]

Laura: Thank you.
Nick: So what now?
Laura: Now I should like to go home.
Nick: Go home?! Oh Laura.
Laura: Don’t ‘oh Laura me’.
Nick: We were having a really nice time before, what changed?
Laura: ‘Were’ being the operative word.
Nick: Look I’m sorry. Lets start over again.
Laura: We did that before if you remember. Can you call me a cab please?
Nick: You’re a cab.

[She does not laugh.]

Nick: I was only joking. (He sits on the end of the bed) I’m not very good at this am I?

[She sits next to him]

Laura: Well it could’ve gone better I suppose.
Nick: I am sorry Laura, you do know that don’t you?
Laura: I know. Look why don’t I put a cd on?

[She gets up and goes and puts a cd on. The 13 Senses, track three, The Invitation. She goes and sits next to him again. They look at each other again. Eventually they kiss. It is short and less passionate than before. Laura pulls away first.]

Nick: Do you still want me to call you a cab?
Laura: I’m not sure. I’ll see how I feel in a bit.

[She gets up again and wanders around the room again. This time coming to rest in front of the dressing table, Sarah has left some make-up etc. (stuff that a girl would have and a boy not) she goes through it, but does not say anything.]

Nick: I’m so bloody useless with girls, that’s my problem. Always find a way to fuck it up.
Laura: Oh don’t feel so sorry for yourself Nick.
Nick: I’m not. I’m just ill equipped to deal with women.
Laura: How are you ‘ill equipped’?
Nick: I’m a man.

[She laughs]

Laura: You’re not ‘ill equipped’ to deal with woman, you’re a bit of a prat but you got me back here didn’t you?
Nick: Yeah, and now you wanna leave.
Laura: Well, maybe I could stay the night.

[She shuts the curtains and gets into the bed.]

Laura: I’m going to sleep in your bed with you, but there’s to be no funny business, okay? You missed your chance there.
Nick: You sure you don’t want me to sleep on the floor?
Laura: (thinks about it) No, it’s alright, you can sleep on the otherside of the bed from me. No touching! Okay?
Nick: Well okay if you insist.

[He takes off his jacket, trousers etc. and gets into bed next to her. He turns off the light before he does. The scene is only lit by the moonlight flooding in from behind the curtains.]

Nick: Is this far enough away?
Laura: Yes. Well maybe you could move a little bit closer, I’m pretty cold.

[He does]

[Pause]

Laura: Nick?
Nick: Yeah?
Laura: Night then.
Nick: Night.

[Pause]

Laura: Nick?
Nick: Yeah?
Laura: I’m not tired.
Nick: Me neither, it’s only eight thirty.

[Pause]

Laura: Nick?
Nick: Yes.
Laura: You still got those condoms?

[Lights down]