A Sketch by Jean-Pierre Martinez
Cecilia and Alice are sitting and having coffee.
Alice – You’re going to Normandy for Vincent’s birthday?
Cecilia – Yes. I can take you if you want. My mum is lending me her car.
Alice – Great. (Pause) I think Max said he’d be there.
Cecilia – Okay… (Pause) But why are you telling me that?
Alice – What?
Cecilia – About Max.
Alice – I just mentioned it…
Cecilia – Come on… I heard a little hint in your voice.
Alice – Not at all.
Cecilia – We’ll be about a hundred people at this party. Why are you talking about Max?
Alice – I don’t know… Max and you…
Cecilia – Nonsense. Who told you that?
Alice – No one. But everyone knows he’s in love with you, right?
Cecilia – Everyone?
Alice – Except you, apparently. Aren’t you interested?
Cecilia – Is he the one who asked you to talk to me about it?
Alice – Not at all, I assure you… (Pause) Well, a bit…
Cecilia – Okay… I thought we were past that age.
Alice – Well, he’s not, you see. (Pause) So?
Cecilia – I like him but… he’s just a friend.
Alice – I see.
Cecilia – Yes, of course, I’ve noticed that…
Alice – Noticed what?
Cecilia – That he looks at me strangely.
Alice – He’s quite cute, isn’t he?
Cecilia – But he’s so serious. If I slept with him one night, I feel like the next morning he’d bring me breakfast in bed and propose. And that a month later we’d be ordering furniture from IKEA.
Alice – And…
Cecilia – I can’t picture myself in that scenario.
Alice – I understand.
Cecilia – And honestly, a guy who doesn’t even have the courage to ask you face-to-face if you want to go out with him.
Alice – I guess he was afraid of getting rejected.
A pause.
Cecilia – And you?
Alice – Me?
Cecilia – Do you like Max?
Alice – I don’t know… Why not…
Cecilia – Okay…
Alice – No, I just said… why not.
Cecilia – And he’s sending you to talk to me on his behalf…
Alice – It seems like you impress him.
Cecilia – Unfortunately, the feeling isn’t mutual. Do you see him often?
Alice – We revise for the exams together sometimes.
Cecilia – I see… Should I tell him that you’re interested in going out with him?
Alice – That would be quite funny…
Cecilia – Yes.
Alice – But a bit cruel.
Cecilia – He kind of asked for it, didn’t he?
They laugh.
Alice – And what about you? What are you doing next year?
Cecilia – I don’t know… I don’t even know what I’m doing this summer.
Alice – You’re not going to drop out of university, are you? Like Fred…
Cecilia – Fred?
Alice – He’s going to the States at the end of the month.
Cecilia – Oh right… Is he going for a long time?
Alice – I don’t know.
Cecilia – Fred is quite a character.
Alice – More amusing than Max, anyway.
Cecilia – No, I mean… he’s always joking around, but…
Alice – What?
Cecilia – I’m not sure if he’s as cheerful as he likes to make out.
Alice – Do you think he’s gay?
Cecilia – No… Well, I don’t know. Do you think he’s gay?
Alice – I don’t know… You should try and find out, you’ll see…
Cecilia – In any case, he’s right to leave here.
Alice – Yeah… Have you ever been to the United States?
Cecilia – I think the furthest I’ve been in my life is London.
Alice – No? You’ve never flown before?
Cecilia – I have… to go to London.
Alice – You’re joking?
Cecilia – No, I assure you. And you? Have you travelled a lot?
Alice – Well, I’ve moved around a lot. Up until I was ten. My father was in the military. But moving isn’t really the same as travelling, you know. I lived in Germany and in several African countries. I can’t even remember which ones. For me, moving was mostly about leaving my friends behind. When I arrived somewhere, I knew I shouldn’t get too attached. Because six months later, or at most two years, I’d be moving on. And I’d never see them again.
Cecilia – And after that?
Alice – After my father died, we stopped moving. It’s terrible to say, but I think my father’s death was a relief for me… The chance, finally, to settle somewhere. (She looks close to tears.) You’re not going to move away, are you?
Cecilia – No, don’t worry… I’m staying here.
Cecilia puts her hand on Alice’s to reassure her.
Black.
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A sketch from the collection The Rebels
Link to the collection for free download (PDF)
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