The Next Morning

Knock, knock! A door opens.

Keo
Can I help you?

Shop
Hey, I was just wondering if you wanted to go to the Spring Dance with me, later.

Keo
(Annoyed.) Why are you holding a microphone?

Shop
I'm not holding a microphone.

Keo
Yes, yes you are.

Shop
Okay, just pretend I'm not holding one.

Keo
(Resignated.) Fine.

Shop
(Relieved.) So you wanna go?

Keo
Uh... thanks, dude. Look, I don't wanna give you the wrong idea-

Shop
Neither do I! Let's just go since we have nobody else to go with. Unless you do have someone to go with?

Keo
You realize I'm a boy, right?

A very long silence for the middle of a conversation.

Shop
OF COURSE! Yes. Yeah, I knew that. But that's what I'm saying, is-

Keokuk
That you wanted to go...

Shop
...as...

Keokuk
...frriiiends?

Shop
YES! Y'know, as friends, cause you're obviously a guy, and all.

Keokuk
Not that there's anything wrong with-

Shop
Of course not!

Keokuk
And if you were into guys-

Shop
WHICH I'm NOT! Haha...

Keokuk
I mean, either way, you're just not my type, no offense.

Shop
(Deflated.) None... none taken, bro. All good.

Keokuk
...gooood.

Birds chirping. Two cars honking at one another in the distance, followed by revving of an engine.

Shop
So... did you write that story that Noko read on the radio the other day?

Keokuk
No, I sent it to the PurpleFox by mail. He has a P.O. Box. Which one is Noko-

Shop
Uh, HAHA! Did I say Noko? I meant... NOPE! FORGET I SAID ANYTHING!

Keokuk
Okay... then.

Shop
So the dance, as friends. Buddies, dance bros. You wanna... go?

Keokuk
I might. My head feels... foggy. I think I've been in my room, for too long. You're the first person to talk to me in, like, months. At least, who wasn't a teacher coming to yell at me. It's not like I have anywhere else to go.

Shop
I feel like that too, sometimes. Nowhere to... (ahem). To go, all that fog. You just gotta... BITE THROUGH IT!

Keokuk
Bite the fog?

Shop
AS HARD AS YOU CAN!

Keokuk
Right, I'll, uh... try that. What kind of person is Noko?

Shop
(Sighing.) She's super cool, really pretty. Hot, actually. And smart.

Keokuk
I'll bet. Why don't you go with her?

Shop
Oh, she's like a sister to me, honestly. Also, she's not... generally interested in me, that way. I don't really see her that way either, it'd be like fucking your-

Keokuk
Yeah, I heard you the first time.

Shop
She's also Kosumi's girlfriend, in the future, probably. Actually, definitely; I'm calling it now. I thought you knew all about that, though.

Keokuk
Kosumi? Kosumi's... he's DEFINITELY gay, Shappa. Bi at LEAST.

Shop
...right! Right. And you would know! Wouldn't you? Because you... kissed him. That one... time. Or several times, I guess.

An awkward pause.

Keokuk
(Insecure.) ...are you here to make fun of me? Is that what the mic is for?

Shop
(Worried.) NO!! No, not at all. That's just for me, I run a little podcast. I could get your story out there, actually, if you wanted. Talk about what you're going through, maybe... help people understand, possibly? What it was like, for you? As a person? Human... being?

Keokuk
Yeah... yeah, uh, maybe. I don't mind that, actually, that idea. See, it wasn't as- it's not as cut and dry as it sounds, alright? And whatever my preferences might be-

Shop
Or are, currently-

Keokuk
Yeah, regardless, I mean, it was a... a tough situation. You'd have to know the whole story, to know where I was coming from.

Shop
(In jest.) Or coming into! Haaaa.

Keokuk
...dude, not funny. We never went that far, I'm only fourteen.

Shop
Oh, okay. Lots of people...

Keokuk
...

Shop
Have already... when they're only...

Keokuk
...

Shop
Okay, yeah, so anyway, what you're saying is... that never happened. Good, okay, got it. So we can hash out some details like those, some time, on my show! And you're down for that?

Keokuk
Yeah, yeah I am.

Shop
Okay, so I should just come out and say, cause nobody else is here: it's Noko, who's running that secret show, after school-

Keokuk
I gathered that.

Shop
Okay, well you should meet her! Have you met her? Before?

Keokuk
This is the first I've heard of her. How'd you meet?

Shop
Oh, we hit it off at the Halloween party. I went bobbing for apples, and I got THREE at the SAME TIME, in ONE BITE! HAHAHA! Noko was naturally impressed with my skillz. She wanted to be my girlfriend, but I told her she's just not my type. So we're best friends now.

A window opens.

Keokuk
She asked you that?

Shop
She wasn't serious, I don't think. I mean, maybe she was and changed her mind when she got to know me. That doesn't sound great, does it? For me.

Keokuk
Uhhh... no, haha. No, it doesn't. But I get it.

Shop
Good, good stuff.

Keokuk
Gooood... stuff.