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This Shouldn't
Have Happened
Whitney walks home. The Dundee streets are lit by streetlights and the occasional passing car.
From the other direction, Dillon approaches Whitney. Dillon is incredibly high.
WHITNEY: Dillon?
DILLON: Hey, that’s my name too.
WHITNEY: What?
DILLON: (recognizing Whitney) Oh no, it’s Whitney.
WHITNEY: Yeah, it’s Whitney.
DILLON: Are you mad at me?
WHITNEY: Oh, yeah.
DILLON: Then I should probably go.
WHITNEY: No!
DILLON: But I want to!
WHITNEY: Were you driving my truck stoned?
DILLON: No.
WHITNEY: Then how’d you get to York?
DILLON: York, Nebraska?
WHITNEY: Yeah.
DILLON: You went there?
WHITNEY: No, you did.
DILLON: When? I’ve been dancing all night.
WHITNEY: I can see where you go! You’re still sharing your location!
Whitney pulls out her phone to show Dillon the Find My Friends map, but Dillon’s phone is still in York, NE.
Dillon digs through their pockets.
DILLON: Oh no, my phone! I knew I felt off balance. Can you take me there?
WHITNEY: Dillon, where the hell is my truck?
DILLON: On the street.
WHITNEY: Where on the street?
DILLON: The side of it. It’s parked by the curb. Classic parking.
WHITNEY: I mean, where in Omaha?
DILLON: By my new apartment.
WHITNEY: I already looked over there.
DILLON: Then I don’t know.
WHITNEY: Dillon!
DILLON: I know! I fucked it! I’m sorry.
Dillon cries.
DILLON (CONT’D): I fucked everything up, and I’m so sorry. I don’t even really understand what happened. I just really thought things would turn out fine.
Whitney looks on silently. She is unsure how to respond.
DILLON (CONT’D): I miss you so much. I know I wasn’t always the nicest towards the end, but I always loved you so much. And there’s still this big part of me–maybe this is just stupid to say and I shouldn’t do it, but I guess it’s now or never because it’s not like you are ever going to talk to me again now–there’s still this big part of me that thinks that…if you would give me another chance, I could do better.
Dillon waits for Whitney to speak, but she doesn’t. So Dillon continues.
DILLON (CONT’D): Breaking up, it’s been really hard. For me, at least. But probably for you, too. They say you don’t know what you had until it’s gone. And that one really resonates with me, because that’s how I feel all the time now. It was so good to have you. I…I know I would be a good partner to you now, because I know how much I want this.
Dillon waits for Whitney to speak, and she does.
WHITNEY: When you cheated on me–
DILLON: And I’m sorry about that! I really am!
WHITNEY: Well, when you cheated on me, I was heartbroken. I felt crushed. But as time went on and I got used to living without you, I just felt so much better. So much freer. Living without your criticism and your need for control, living where I was really trying to listen to what I wanted and not just worry about what might make you mad, it was like a new life. But then, you wouldn’t leave me alone.
DILLON: Because I love you! And I knew you wouldn’t just talk to me if I didn’t do anything.
WHITNEY: Well, to me, it feels like you still won’t respect me. You still have to be in charge. Even if that means getting your friends to gang up on me every time I leave the house.
DILLON: They’re not just my friends. They’re ours.
WHITNEY: No, they’re your friends. And you can have them. I know who my friends are, now. This has all made it pretty clear.
Silence.
DILLON: I mean, I just love you so much. What am I going to do without you?
WHITNEY: I guess that’s on you to figure out.
The two stare at each other, waiting for someone to speak.
WHITNEY (CONT’D): Can I have my truck keys back?
Dillon reaches into their pocket and hands the keys over.
WHITNEY: Thank you.
Whitney walks away. Dillon sits down on the curb and cries.
Walking home, Whitney passes her truck parked on the street a couple blocks away from Dillon’s new apartment. She gets in and cries for ten straight minutes. It is an aggressive cry that hurts her face and throat. But once it was done, and she knows she can finally put this whole ordeal behind her, she feels amazing.
The End.
From the other direction, Dillon approaches Whitney. Dillon is incredibly high.
WHITNEY: Dillon?
DILLON: Hey, that’s my name too.
WHITNEY: What?
DILLON: (recognizing Whitney) Oh no, it’s Whitney.
WHITNEY: Yeah, it’s Whitney.
DILLON: Are you mad at me?
WHITNEY: Oh, yeah.
DILLON: Then I should probably go.
WHITNEY: No!
DILLON: But I want to!
WHITNEY: Were you driving my truck stoned?
DILLON: No.
WHITNEY: Then how’d you get to York?
DILLON: York, Nebraska?
WHITNEY: Yeah.
DILLON: You went there?
WHITNEY: No, you did.
DILLON: When? I’ve been dancing all night.
WHITNEY: I can see where you go! You’re still sharing your location!
Whitney pulls out her phone to show Dillon the Find My Friends map, but Dillon’s phone is still in York, NE.
Dillon digs through their pockets.
DILLON: Oh no, my phone! I knew I felt off balance. Can you take me there?
WHITNEY: Dillon, where the hell is my truck?
DILLON: On the street.
WHITNEY: Where on the street?
DILLON: The side of it. It’s parked by the curb. Classic parking.
WHITNEY: I mean, where in Omaha?
DILLON: By my new apartment.
WHITNEY: I already looked over there.
DILLON: Then I don’t know.
WHITNEY: Dillon!
DILLON: I know! I fucked it! I’m sorry.
Dillon cries.
DILLON (CONT’D): I fucked everything up, and I’m so sorry. I don’t even really understand what happened. I just really thought things would turn out fine.
Whitney looks on silently. She is unsure how to respond.
DILLON (CONT’D): I miss you so much. I know I wasn’t always the nicest towards the end, but I always loved you so much. And there’s still this big part of me–maybe this is just stupid to say and I shouldn’t do it, but I guess it’s now or never because it’s not like you are ever going to talk to me again now–there’s still this big part of me that thinks that…if you would give me another chance, I could do better.
Dillon waits for Whitney to speak, but she doesn’t. So Dillon continues.
DILLON (CONT’D): Breaking up, it’s been really hard. For me, at least. But probably for you, too. They say you don’t know what you had until it’s gone. And that one really resonates with me, because that’s how I feel all the time now. It was so good to have you. I…I know I would be a good partner to you now, because I know how much I want this.
Dillon waits for Whitney to speak, and she does.
WHITNEY: When you cheated on me–
DILLON: And I’m sorry about that! I really am!
WHITNEY: Well, when you cheated on me, I was heartbroken. I felt crushed. But as time went on and I got used to living without you, I just felt so much better. So much freer. Living without your criticism and your need for control, living where I was really trying to listen to what I wanted and not just worry about what might make you mad, it was like a new life. But then, you wouldn’t leave me alone.
DILLON: Because I love you! And I knew you wouldn’t just talk to me if I didn’t do anything.
WHITNEY: Well, to me, it feels like you still won’t respect me. You still have to be in charge. Even if that means getting your friends to gang up on me every time I leave the house.
DILLON: They’re not just my friends. They’re ours.
WHITNEY: No, they’re your friends. And you can have them. I know who my friends are, now. This has all made it pretty clear.
Silence.
DILLON: I mean, I just love you so much. What am I going to do without you?
WHITNEY: I guess that’s on you to figure out.
The two stare at each other, waiting for someone to speak.
WHITNEY (CONT’D): Can I have my truck keys back?
Dillon reaches into their pocket and hands the keys over.
WHITNEY: Thank you.
Whitney walks away. Dillon sits down on the curb and cries.
Walking home, Whitney passes her truck parked on the street a couple blocks away from Dillon’s new apartment. She gets in and cries for ten straight minutes. It is an aggressive cry that hurts her face and throat. But once it was done, and she knows she can finally put this whole ordeal behind her, she feels amazing.
The End.
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