Sitting Side by Side 

CHARACTERS:
Patrick
Wesley

Setting:
A small coffee shop.

(Patrick and Wesley are sitting, catching up. Wesley is just getting over a cold.)

 PATRICK

One joke. I said one joke and it was all over.

WESLEY

What was the joke? 

PATRICK

I don’t know. I tried to say something like “oh, that’s such a basic white gay,” and he got very, very quiet. We’re talking a sustained quiet. Thirty seconds or more.

WESLEY

…Oh no.

PATRICK

The rest of it went fine? I mean, I like to think it went fine, but at the same time I might have just been so desperate for it to work out that I thought it went fine in my head, because now all his responses are like, “yeah,” or “idk,” or “haha same” and I’m just like…I messed it up again.

WESLEY

…It’s been one day.

PATRICK

I know.

WESLEY

Maybe he’s just doesn’t want to talk today.

PATRICK

Or he fucking hates me.

WESLEY

Well, if he does, why would you want to date him? 

PATRICK

Because he’s nice. And sweet. And cute. And I thought. I thought we were genuinely getting along. We watched a movie. I sat right next to him. It was kind of boring and just people talking, and my shoulder was right next to his. I could feel when he was breathing…It felt like the first time in a long time I was connected to someone.

WESLEY

Connected?

PATRICK

Do you ever think about how little you touch other people? Like yes, there’s hugs and high-fives and fist bumps, but just…sitting next to someone for over an hour? Not even cuddling. You’re just sitting there on his tiny twin bed and you’re next to him and you’re both breathing not quite in sync.

WESLEY

I can’t remember the last time I…I really did that, I guess.

PATRICK

That’s my point. You don’t really know how much you need it till it happens. Then it’s happening and you feel like you have proof you’re alive and exist and then the next day it’s all just “yeahs” and “okays” and you’re worried you won’t have it again.

WESLEY

Yeah. Okay.

PATRICK

Yeah. Okay.

(A pause)

Do you feel better?

WESLEY

I do.

PATRICK

Are you sure? You still look a little…

WESLEY

Are you implying I look bad?

PATRICK

No! No, not at all! You were sick yesterday, so I was just checking up on you—

WESLEY

I’m sorry about that, by the way. That I had to cancel.

PATRICK

Don’t worry about it.

WESLEY

At least you got to go on your date because of it.

PATRICK

Yeah. At least that happened.

WESLEY

…Did you think that—that we were going to go on—

PATRICK

A date? No. I mean, we’re friends. I don’t think you’d, like, swing this way.

(The dialogue begins to overlap.)

WESLEY

No! You’re right! I was just making sure—

PATRICK

—I mean you’re very cute, if that’s what you’re really asking—

WESLEY

—because I wouldn’t be very upset—

PATRICK

—And I wouldn’t want to hurt—

(They both stop.)

WESLEY

Hurt me?

PATRICK

I—That’s what would happen, right? I mean, that’s all that ever ends up happening. Someone gets hurt. Or the other one does. Or you both do. Then it’s over for good.

WESLEY

Right. Of course.

PATRICK

And I mean, my track record when it comes to this type of thing is abysmal, absolutely abysmal—

WESLEY

Then why keep trying?

PATRICK

What?

WESLEY

Why do you keep trying if you know it’s going to end up horribly?

PATRICK

…There’s— I need— I can’t be lonely. There’s got to be someone—someone there.

WESLEY

Are you lonely now?

(Patrick nods.)

Would you be lonely with this boy? From last night?

(Patrick hesitates, then nods.)

Then I don’t know why you’re worried.

PATRICK

…Because I can trick myself.

WESLEY

What do you mean?

PATRICK

I can trick myself that I’m not. That at the end of the day he’d want me there. That I could come to him.

WESLEY

Even if you couldn’t.

PATRICK

Even if I couldn’t.

WESLEY

…I’d—I’m there for you.

PATRICK

Of course you are! I wasn’t saying you aren’t. You’re one of my best friends, literally—

WESLEY

Patrick—

PATRICK

What?

WESLEY

Last night…

PATRICK

Yeah?

WESLEY

I’m sure it went really well.

(Patrick smiles.)

PATRICK

Aw! Thanks, Wes. You always— Well, you always know what to say, don’t you?

WESLEY

I try my best!

PATRICK

I don’t know what I’d do without you.

WESLEY

You’d manage, I’m sure.

PATRICK

No. I don’t think I would.

WESLEY

Well, hopefully neither of us have to find out.

PATRICK

You asked me if I was lonely. Are you lonely, Wes?

(Wesley does not answer.)

Wes? 

WESLEY

Sometimes I feel like that’s all there ever is, you know?

(A heavy silence.)

PATRICK

I—I don’t know—

WESLEY

You don’t have to worry about me, though.

PATRICK

I—I do—

WESLEY

You can stop then. There’s nothing to worry about.

PATRICK

If I said that to you, would that make you stop worrying about me?

WESLEY

…No.

PATRICK

So, you do worry about me?

(Wesley laughs.)

WESLEY

It’s hard not to.

PATRICK

(Not hurt.)

Wow. Ouch.

WESLEY

Just saying!

PATRICK

We can both just agree to worry about each other.

WESLEY

Sure. That’s—Yeah.

PATRICK

Just two people worrying about each other.

WESLEY

It’s like we’re a couple or something.

(The air changes.)

PATRICK

Yeah.

(A moment of silence. Patrick checks his phone.)

I’ve got to—It’s a quarter till—

WESLEY

Right. Yeah.

PATRICK

See you later, Wes.

(Neither of them moves.)

Wes?

WESLEY

Yeah?

PATRICK

You—You’ll be okay if I go?

WESLEY

Yeah. Of course.

PATRICK

Okay.

WESLEY

I’ll text you.

PATRICK

I’ll respond.

(A small laugh from Wesley.)

WESLEY

That’s good.

PATRICK

I do have to go, though.

WESLEY

Yeah! Fingers crossed he responds.

PATRICK

Oh. Yeah! Yeah.

(Patrick gets up to leave.)

WESLEY

Patrick?

PATRICK

Hm?

WESLEY

…Nothing.

(Patrick gently smiles, and then exits. Wesley sits, then puts his head in his hands.)

END