Scene 11

Lights go up on a therapist’s office, where ROBIN, MOM, and DAD sit awkwardly together, a full duffel bag next to them. Nearby, a male THERAPIST sits in a chair with a clipboard. Soft classical music plays in the background.

THERAPIST Now take one last deep, deep breath… and open your eyes. Thank you! Our meditation is finished. Now, what can you all tell me? How are you feeling?

MOTHER Calmer, definitely.

THERAPIST Good, good. Others? Agreement? Wonderful. Sometimes we forget to slow down and breathe, and everything just keeps building up and building up, and we don’t know what to do with it all. This was a simple short exercise that you can practice at home when you feel yourself getting stressed. Any questions for me? Concerns? Anything at all? No? Alrighty! Well, I think that that was a very successful session with you all. Please do go home and remember our homework. Thank you again for coming, all of you. I hope you have a wonderful time at your winter formal tonight, Robin.

ROBIN Thank you, Nick! high-fives the THERAPIST; As the family leaves the office with the duffel bag, lights go down on it, and they cross to center stage, where MOM and DAD stop and each give ROBIN a kiss on the forehead.

FATHER Love you, dear. gives them an awkward punch in the arm

MOTHER Tell Ezra’s mother hello for me, honey. hugs ROBIN tightly

ROBIN Too tight! Too tight! takes a deep breath when MOTHER lets go

MOTHER Sorry, dearest. I love you, okay?

FATHER Yes, love you, Robin. hands the duffel bag to ROBIN

ROBIN Love you both.

MOTHER and FATHER both walk off stage, and ROBIN walks in the other direction to where HAZEL and EZRA wait for ROBIN. EZRA has no crutches anymore and wears formal men’s attire with a bowtie and his hair done nicely. HAZEL is sitting upside down in her chair, wearing sweatpants and a hoodie. ROBIN knocks on the door, and gets shouting from EZRA to come in.

EZRA If it’s Robin, come in! If not, screw off!

ROBIN Yeah, it’s me! Opens the door and closes it behind them. They take off their coat and toss it on the floor. Hey, Ezra. Hey- Hazel? You good?

HAZEL Yeah, I’m good. I mean, my head feels a little weird at this point, but it’s fine. What’s up?

ROBIN Not much. Just got back from therapy. You guys ready for the dance?

HAZEL Hell yeah! falls off her chair.

ROBIN Is that what you’re wearing?

HAZEL What? No. I was kidding. My dress is in the bathroom. I was gonna wait and see what you showed up wearing. I guess I should go change now though. Hey, actually, you can change first. I’m gonna do my makeup quick before I put my dress on. takes out a bag of makeup.

ROBIN Um, okay. walks off-stage to go change as HAZEL starts doing makeup.

HAZEL Hey, can I do your makeup?

EZRA I don’t usually wear makeup.

HAZEL Come on, it’s a special occasion!

Silence comes from EZRA, who sits on his phone.

HAZEL Pleeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaase!

More silence.

HAZEL Pretty please with sugar on top and all that good shit and-

EZRA Oh for the love of- fine!

HAZEL Yes! I’ll just do a little bit, don’t worry. She sits on his lap, making him yelp in surprise, and starts putting a ton of makeup on his face (MUST HAVE EXTREME HIGHLIGHT; can ad lib parts here as they argue with each other). Finally, she’s finished, and she steps back, showing the crowd a very grumpy, makeup-covered EZRA, who smiles halfheartedly. As he uses his phone as a mirror to check out his new face, ROBIN walks slowly on stage in their formal masculine attire with styled hair, some light makeup (besides extreme highlight), and smiles at them.

ROBIN How do I look? HAZEL and EZRA both look over, HAZEL smirking seductively and EZRA looking slightly turned on.

HAZEL Hello, sexy… Hahahaha, I’m just kidding, I’m a lesbian.

EZRA You look… wonderful. Amazing. Handsome. I think that tonight is going to be memorable.

HAZEL I should hope so. starts heading off-stage I’m going to change. See you losers in a bit! exits

EZRA and ROBIN smile, staring after HAZEL, who is now off-stage. Then they turn to each other again.

ROBIN So…

EZRA So.

ROBIN What do you think?

EZRA About what?

ROBIN Anything!

EZRA Well, I think that you look absolutely wonderful, and I can’t wait to spend the whole night with you.

ROBIN The same to you.

EZRA Thanks. Beat.

ROBIN So, Hazel did your makeup, huh?

EZRA Yeah, I didn’t have much of a choice. I figured, it’s one of our last high school dances, might as well let her do it. You know?

ROBIN Yeah. Beat. Man, I am not going to miss high school at all.

EZRA gives a humorless laugh Yeah, me neither. This really just sucks a lot. I can’t wait to get out in the real world, where things will be different.

ROBIN I agree. I don’t know if I’ll like it or not, but at least we won’t have to deal with all the high school drama anymore.

EZRA Amen.

ROBIN So… what are you thinking about the future?

EZRA I really don’t know yet. Probably college, not sure where, then… I don’t even know what. You?

ROBIN Yeah, I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and I think I want to get out of here and go somewhere. I’ve applied to a few schools out in New York that will hopefully accept me. I don’t know much yet either.

EZRA New York? That’s awesome! I’ve always wanted to go there…

ROBIN Come with me.

EZRA Maybe I will.

There is a short pause between the two. ROBIN finally sits down next to him, and he brushes their face with his hand romantically. ROBIN takes his other hand in their own, pausing, but then suddenly pulls away, turning the other direction. We shouldn’t do this. What if someone finds out? A gay couple? At our school? God, imagine what they’d do to us…

EZRA Robin, we can’t always hide who we are. We can’t control who we are, and we shouldn’t have to. These are our lives, not everybody else’s. Remember that. They can’t control us any longer. We can’t be scared any longer. Okay?

ROBIN Ezra, I-

HAZEL storms onto stage proudly, hands on her hips, dressed in a fancy, formal dress and high heeled boots. Ta-da! Strikes a pose How do I look? EZRA and ROBIN smile at her.

EZRA Wonderful.

ROBIN Beautiful.

As these lines are said, MIA enters, in a pretty dress and high heels, matching HAZEL.

MIA Hazel! You look amazing!

HAZEL Thanks, darling! You too!

EZRA Mia! How’d you get here?

MIA Oh, your mom let me in.

EZRA Huh.

HAZEL Well, I guess we should head to the dance now! What do y’all think?

EZRA exchanges a glance with ROBIN and proceeds to nod at the same time as them I don’t see why not.

Lights go down as they all head off-stage.

END SCENE 11