Act II, Scene II
985 Words
(Neighborhood)
(Eric races out of a door, dressed in his uniform and turns around and slams it hard behind him. He then brings a key from his pockets and locks it while panting and sweating heavily. He turns to go but however, collides with Philip who ignores the need to keep a distance. It's a very weird and awkward scenario for both of them as such incidents perceived as deliberate actions backed by strange motives)
Philip: ( rubs his forehead and draws back into a crouched position) Sorry
Eric: (irritated, pinching his nose and squinting his eyes) Bro, what the …. What did you breath into my….., that's …gay
(He paused and saw Philip in a crouched position picking a case equivalent to half his height. He watches him apply the strap to his chest)
Eric: Ah, you got your keyboard (approaches him curiously).
Philip: (moves away, clutching the case) whoa, stay back. (Rises)
Eric: (pauses) I was just coming to see what you got there
Philip: It's just a keyboard
Eric: Alright, let me see
Philip: (Uneasy) No, no, no. Let's get to school first. We can't be late..just (cuts off)
Eric: (relents) Okay. (turns and starts walking away)
Philip: Wait… (stutter) wait (gropes for his school bag (extends arm and jiggles it)
(Eric halts and extends his arm backward; bending his fingers repeatedly. Philip hands it over and Eric walks rapidly ahead till out of sight. )
Philip: Wait na!!
(Philip jogs till he meets Eric frozen)
Philip: (stops) Eric?
(Eric ignores)
Philip: (sombre, with authority) Eric!
(Eric still ignores him. Philip walks ahead and faces him: seeing the fear inscribed on Eric's face. He takes Eric's hands)
Philip: (stares at him) C'mon let's not stay here. I know another route. (pulls harder)
(He leads Eric who follows absent mindedly to a different route where they stopped)
Eric: (regains composure) What? (turns and finds Philip beside him holding hands) The heck, man? (breaks off and jerks back quickly)
Philip: You are back ..to your senses, I see
Eric: Yeah. And you are freaking out of yours. (Points) You stay the hell away from me if you're gonna keep up with your advances
Philip: (puzzled) Wait a minute, what are you insinuating? You trying to say what I think you're trying to say?
(Eric walks away)
Philip: (calls out) Do you know this route?
Eric: It's fine as long as you aren't here.
Philip: (mutters) Well you have my bag (starts to jog)
(Eric sights him and turns immediately. He holds the school bag in front of him as if hiding behind it)
Eric: Hey, hey, back off. (shakes the bag)
(Philip walks past him)
Philip: Stop acting stupid and just follow me
(Eric watches him till he was distant enough before following)
Philip: So how was the rehearsal? (slows down)
Eric: (excited) It's going good at least in the beginning . I performed, had a great turnout but for some reason Mr Clement has most of them in a choir speaking in tongues
Philip: Tongues?
Eric: Yeah, they all are like (pretends to hold a paper) Re, Re, Mi, Fa,... (Pauses) And that's crazy. I don't see any rappers do stuff like that.
Philip: I think those are solfa notations, a guide to keep singers in line of harmony.
Eric: That doesn't matter, anyone can make music their own.
Philip: With solfa notations, yes. What if you're performing someone else's song? Why don't you make that your own!
Eric: (defiant) Of course I can, it's called ‘sampling’ and people love it. Stuff like that doesn't matter
Philip: (sighs) For an instrumentalist, it does. Haven't you seen a pianist playing with sheets of paper?
Eric: In cartoons, yeah but….
Philip : (interrupts) See there you have it. Sheet music is important. (Pause) Also will it be alright to waltz in with this (signals at the case)
Eric: Oh that's alright. The principal is on our side. We even rehearse from recess till school closure. So don't worry (pats him) you would fit in and soon enough start speaking in tongues.
Philip: (laughs) whatever (brushes his hand off)
(They become awkwardly quiet)
Philip: (stutters) I'm sorry about this morning. I should have kept my distance and respected boundaries.
Eric: I should have been more cool and not overreacted. Like I really had a lot of thoughts; you did make a good mom in my imagination……
Philip: (raises a palm) Shut up, you mad man.
Eric: Hey, you are the guy who almost kissed me…..but I leave at that. Sheesh with all these cringe talk, we might be running late.
Philp: We are almost there. Calm down a bit
(Eric looks around)
Eric: Here feels so oddly familiar.
Philip: (looks at him) Yeah, I live around here. My house isn't far off.
(Eric stops walking)
Philip: (realizing, immediately flustered) Calm down, it's not what you think. I also walk to school alone here. Besides you were acting weird so I brought you here
Eric: ‘brought me here?’ (looks at Philip)
Philip: (annoyed, stutters) I live here…. I walked to school here… before I knew you. Sometimes you just dey vex me
Eric: Ok ok I understand (walks ahead) Sorry
Philip: (still agitated) Even Jared lives here. (Calms down) Besides we are carrying Jared's stuff. He dropped them over before leaving early
Eric: Why. What's he up to?
Philip: I…. don't…know
Eric: So while we are being his servants. Where is your bag ?
Philip: (nonchalant) I don't need it. Everything I need is in my desk; got a lock and the key is dangling on my belt.
Eric: We could get an assignment. Then what will you do?
Philip: (smiles) I have you and you have me (pause) to copy from..(stares away)
Eric: (after an awkward silence) That sounds cringe no matter how you put it.
Philip: (sighs) Agreed. I might die of cringe.
- Writer
