(CURBSIDE SCENE) Ginger Pierce Davis June 4, 1997

Lights up on Jessica, she is in her early to mid teen and dressed in baggy mismatched clothing. She is sitting on curb at the side of a gas station convienience store. It is summer, early afternoon, sheÕs been here for hours. There is the sound of cars passing occasionally and she watches the people walking around the front of the store ignoring her. Bryan walks by and makes eye contact with Jessica and smiles at her, when he comes out of the store he tosses her a bag of peanut M&Ms and grins as he walks by. Zack comes around the corner, looking for her. Goes to her, standing.

ZACK Where the hell have you been? IÕve been looking for you all day. LetÕs go. LetÕs Go. (calm, sits with her) You okay?

JESSICA Fine. Fine.

ZACK Have you eaten? (she offers him the M&Ms) You hate peanuts. Guess you donÕt get many handouts over here, you should sit out front where theyÕre pumping their gas.

JESSICA Fuck you!

ZACK Where did you sleep last night? I called Karey and your mom-

JESSICA Why the hell would I be there?!

ZACK Yeah, that was her response, too. I even called the youth shelter.

JESSICA You what?

ZACK ItÕs where youÕre going to end up if you keep pulling stunts like this. Look, I got worried. ThatÕs what big brothers do, right?

JESSICA YouÕre not my brother, donÕt fucking call yourself my brother!

ZACK Well, IÕm the closest thing youÕve got. (coming back and sitting with her) Listen, Jessie, IÕm sorry about the other night. (pulling her hair through his fingers) I didnÕt mean to upset you, I just, I thought you wanted...It wonÕt happen again, okay? (no response, he looks at her hair) You need a bath.

JESSICA Fuck you!

ZACK Watch your mouth! Come on, IÕll buy you a slurpee.

JESSICA They donÕt have slurpees here, this place sucks.

ZACK IÕll buy you a hot dog then. Come on, letÕs go home! (tries to pull her up)

JESSICA Stop it! DonÕt touch me!

ZACK Calm down.

JESSICA I donÕt have to go with you. I donÕt have to go anywhere.

ZACK I got stuff for dinner. I went shopping, got ice cream too, and popcorn. We can rent videos.

JESSICA Go away, IÕm not coming with you.

ZACK So what? So what are you going to do, sit here all day? YouÕre going to sleep on the beach like a bum and eat your M&Ms waiting for another hand out?

JESSICA Leave me alone.

ZACK Jessie.

JESSICA Leave me alone.

ZACK Jessie, youÕre a mess. LetÕs go home, shower, eat, get some sleep. Okay? Jess?

JESSICA What?

ZACK What is wrong with you?

JESSICA Nothing.

ZACK Jess, youÕve got sand in your hair, you havenÕt eaten, and youÕre sitting in the gutter. DonÕt act like you donÕt need this.

JESSICA ItÕs not a gutter.

ZACK ItÕs not exactly the honeymoon suite either.

JESSICA Why did you say that? Why did you say it like that?

ZACK Like what?

JESSICA Nothing. Nevermind.

ZACK (sitting with her again) Why didnÕt you wake me? You didnÕt even leave a note, what the hell am I supposed to think happened to you? If you werenÕt going to stay why didnÕt you call Karey, or Jason, or-

JESSICA They donÕt have any room. Nobody has any room.

ZACK So what were you thinking? (no response) Can I have an M&M? (she hands him one) So whatÕve they got, slushies here?

JESSICA Cherry and razberry. TheyÕre too sweet.

ZACK Somebody buy you one?

JESSICA Yeah.

ZACK Turn your tongue colors? (sticks out his tongue)

JESSICA Yeah.

ZACK Blue?

JESSICA Yeah. (smiling, leans into him and he puts his arms around her)

ZACK You didnÕt have to go, you know. You always have a place to stay with me. I promised, remember?

JESSICA I know.

ZACK (stroking her hair) I donÕt want you to go.

JESSICA I know.

ZACK Good. (he kisses the top of her head, then her forehead) LetÕs go home. (he tilts her face up and kisses her lips, she pulls her whole body away from his quickly and looks at him) What? (she turns herself away from him)

JESSICA IÕm not going.

ZACK Jessie!

JESSICA IÕm not going. IÕm not staying with you anymore.

ZACK Why not?

JESSICA IÕm just not, okay?

ZACK Fine, then where are you going to be? You just said nobodyÕs got any room. You donÕt have another choice. (no response) Fine. Fine! (he gets up and starts to leave, stops after a few paces and stands turned away from her)

JESSICA Zack, donÕt go.

ZACK Are you coming? Last chance if you donÕt want to sit here all summer. Last call.

JESSICA (looks around, looks at him, starts to stand) Zack? DonÕt be mad. Zack? (she walks over to him and puts a hand on his back, he doesnÕt move and she leans her head against him moving in closer, he waits a moment before holding her and then smiles at her and with an arm around her shoulder leads her away while she looks back)

BLACKOUT