SIDE 1

MARCUS & JAYDA

Balcony Chemistry Scene

Characters:

• Marcus Reed

• Jayda Monroe

Location:
Apartment Balcony overlooking Dallas

JAYDA enters carrying a drink.

Marcus leans against the railing.

Watching traffic below.

Neither speaks for a moment.

JAYDA
You know...

You're weirdly comfortable for somebody who technically homeless.

MARCUS
Residentially flexible.

JAYDA
See?

That.

MARCUS
Words matter.

JAYDA
Apparently not to landlords.

Marcus laughs.

MARCUS
That's fair.

A beat.

JAYDA
You really got put out because you cheated?

MARCUS
I prefer "mismanaged expectations."

JAYDA
You cheated.

MARCUS
Allegedly.

JAYDA
Marcus...

You literally admitted it.

MARCUS
I admitted confusion.

JAYDA
You admitted another woman answered the phone.

MARCUS
That doesn't automatically mean cheating.

JAYDA
Boy...

Marcus grins.

JAYDA
How are you this calm?

MARCUS
Because panic don't pay rent either.

JAYDA
Neither do you.

MARCUS
Okay.

That was unnecessary.

JAYDA
But accurate.

Marcus studies her.

MARCUS
You always this mean?

JAYDA
Only to people I like.

Marcus pauses.

MARCUS
That sounded promising.

JAYDA
Don't do that.

MARCUS
Do what?

JAYDA
Whatever this is.

MARCUS
Charm?

JAYDA
Delusion.

MARCUS
The haters always call it delusion first.