Love Doesn't Ask Why

Characters

MARK is 17 and is a creative arts student in his first of four years at university. He has a crush on ERIC but is too shy to say it at first. He likes to write.

ERIC is 18 and is enrolled in the same course as Mark. He too is shy, despite his extroverted appearance.

EMMA is 17 and is Mark's best friend. She too is enrolled in the same course, but Mark does not yet know this. She has known Mark since the final year of high school, since they were in the same English class.

Act One

Scene One

(It is the first day of university for the year. MARK steps off a bus and stands gazing at the massive building in front of him. He walks through a large door slowly while looking at his timetable and a map of the campus.)

MARK: Writing, room 981. Gah, all those stairs. (starts walking slowly)

(Upon finding the room, MARK sees EMMA standing a few metres from the door.)

MARK: Wow, imagine that. We're doing the same course. (laughs)

(EMMA turns around to face MARK.)

EMMA: Mark? Oh my god. You're probably the last person I'd ever expect to do creative art.

MARK: (laughs) You're probably right, but it has writing and you know how much I love to write.

(Enter ERIC. He walks past them and stops a few metres away. EMMA slyly looks at MARK.)

MARK: Don't look at me like that. (giggles)

EMMA: (whispers, nudging MARK) Go introduce yourself.

(MARK looks in ERIC's direction to see ERIC looking at him. Their eyes meet momentarily. MARK is intrigued by ERIC's crystal blue eyes, but quickly looks away. ERIC continues to look at him.)

MARK: (to himself) Damn, why do I get so nervous?

Scene Two

(In Writing class. The teacher is writing notes about proofreading. ERIC is sitting two seats away from MARK who is sitting next to EMMA, who is reading a novel. ERIC leans over to talk to MARK.)

ERIC: Hey, I'm Eric.

MARK: Mark. (motions to EMMA) This is Emma.

ERIC: (raises his eyebrows) Hey.

EMMA: Hey. (goes back to what she was reading)

TEACHER: Now for your first assignment. Don't fret, it's not that long or difficult. Just a short piece about anything. Anything at all. It'll count for fifteen per cent of your final assessment, and is due on the last day of the semester. If you're having trouble, I suggest you read pages six through eight of the subject guide. Okay, you can go now.

Scene Three

(MARK and EMMA are having lunch together. MARK has a cup of coffee in front of him.)

MARK: I think I'm in love. (sighs and sips his coffee) And I've only known him for a few hours.

EMMA: And that's a bad thing how exactly?

MARK: Well, it's a bad thing because I'll become so stupidly obsessed with him that I'll scare him or I won't be able to tell him at all. What's the point of being in love if you can't actually be in love?

EMMA: Hmm, tell him before you become that obsessed then. (laughs) Go for it, I know you wanna do him anyway.

MARK: (blinks) What? Shut up.

EMMA: Told you so. (grins)

(Fade; End Act One)

Act Two

Scene One

(Fade slowly into scene. A few months have passed; it is now autumn. MARK is sitting outside. It is cold and raining lightly. ERIC sees him and walks over to him.)

ERIC: Can I sit here?

MARK: Sure. (moves over slightly) (Silence)

ERIC: How are you going with the writing assessment?

MARK: (sighs) Haven't even started thinking about it. (his head slumps into his hands)

ERIC: Same here. (turns to half-face MARK) Are you okay?

MARK: Not really. (tears begin to well up in his eyes)

ERIC: Wanna talk about it?

MARK: Why would you care about what's bothering me? You hardly even know me.

ERIC: Just being concerned, that's all. Sorry if I made you angry.

MARK: (blinks) No, it's my fault, I shouldn't have snapped like that.

(ERIC puts his arm over MARK's shoulder.)

MARK: Where do I begin? Umm, well, I like someone. But I'm not sure if they like me back, and I'm too scared to make the first move.

ERIC: Ah, I knew it was something like that. Well, if it makes any difference, you and I are exactly the same. But seriously, the worst thing isn't getting rejected, it's not even trying at all.

(MARK lifts his head up.)

MARK: You think so?

ERIC: Yeah, def...

(MARK quickly leans over and kisses ERIC. Pause. MARK suddenly realises what he is doing, and stops; getting up to run away. Tears are pouring out of his eyes as he runs.)

ERIC: Wait... (looks sullen)

Scene Two

(MARK is in a university bathroom standing in front of a mirror. His eyes are swollen from crying.)

MARK: What the hell was I thinking?

(MARK turns the tap on. He places his hand under the stream of water and wipes his face. The door opens behind him; he looks in the mirror. He turns the water off, turning to face ERIC.)

MARK: I'm sorry...

ERIC: Don't be, you don't need to explain. You did what you felt you had to do, and besides, it wasn't that bad. (grins)

(MARK stares at him. He is confused.)

MARK: Oh, I thought there was no way you could ever like me. (Silence)

ERIC: Nonsense. (thinks) What would you do if I were to kiss you right here and right now?

MARK: I'd... (tone softens) fall even more in love with you.

(ERIC slowly takes a few steps towards MARK; they are standing about half a metre apart. They stare into each others' eyes for a moment, before leaning in to kiss each other. Pause. They break apart slowly.)

MARK: Wow.

ERIC: Wanna get out of here?

MARK: Yeah...

Scene Three

(In ERIC's car. ERIC is driving. MARK is mostly silent. They have been driving for half an hour. The sun is beginning to set as the car stops outside ERIC's house.)

MARK: (gets out of the car) Wow, it's big.

ERIC: Hah, just wait till you see my bedroom. (laughs)

(They walk into the house, and up the stairs to ERIC's bedroom. MARK sits on the bed. In front of him is a desk with a computer, a camera and a large pile of photos on it.)

MARK: You're a photographer?

ERIC: Well, I suppose you could say that. Not professionally or anything, I do it in my spare time. Have a look at some if you want.

MARK: Okay.

(MARK picks up a small pile of about ten photos off the desk. He goes through them slowly. He stops, and looks meticulously at one. It is a slightly blurred photo of a busy crowd moving along quickly.)

MARK: This one's really good.

ERIC: Thanks. (blushes)

(ERIC sits on the bed next to MARK. MARK places the photos back on the desk. Silence. They turn to face each other. MARK puts his arms around ERIC's waist, and places his head on ERIC's shoulder. Pause.)

MARK: I love you.

ERIC: I love you too. (puts his arms around MARK's waist, pulling MARK closer to him)

(Pause. MARK lifts his head up to kiss ERIC. Pause. He slowly unbuttons ERIC's shirt, throwing it on the floor. He lies down on the bed, pulling ERIC on top of him. Their bodies are rubbing against each other.)

ERIC: How far do you want this to go?

(Fade; End Act Two)

Act Three

Scene One

(A few days later. MARK is at EMMA's house. They are casually chatting.)

EMMA: So, how was it? (grins)

MARK: Awesome. I never expected it to happen so fast. (laughs) Not that it really matters anyway.

EMMA: (laughs) Honestly, I'm not surprised. You probably have no idea how adorable you two are together, do you?. I was expecting you two to do it eventually.

MARK: (blushes) Really?

EMMA: Yeah, you better believe it.

Scene Two

(MARK is finally writing his Writing class assignment. He has already written three pages, and is on the fourth.)

MARK: (while writing) April 28. This is due in two weeks and I'm only writing it now. I've been putting it off for so long, because I've been lost for ideas. I still am, but I'll just go with what comes to my head.

On the first day of university this year, I fell in love. I fell in love with someone I didn't even know. I fell in love because of the look in his eyes. I saw something, I don't really know what. I think perhaps I saw that he was in love, I'm not sure. It doesn't make a difference, because there was something there that attracted me to him.

It took me three months to say something. Three months too long. We talked on occasion, but not really. It was mostly about class work and things like that.

It was a cold autumn day and it was raining. I sat there, trying not to feel like I was worthless because I was denying everything to myself. He sat next to me, bringing up class work again. I didn't want to hear it, and was about to cry. When he was concerned, I knew something was there. I don't really know why, but I kissed him. I myself didn't even expect to do it. It was strange, and I felt like I was going to die when I realised what I was doing. But everything turned out good, somehow.

I wonder what would've happened if I'd said something earlier. Would it all be like it is now? Would we be in love? Would I have been rejected? Would I be unhappy? I don't know, and I never will.

It doesn't matter though. I'm in love, and that's all there is to it. But I still sometimes wonder why I'm so in love. Is it because of that look in his eyes? Or because I took a crazy chance and it worked? Or because I feel like I've known him for a lifetime? Ah, I don't know; I probably never will. I don't really need a reason for being in love. I should just be happy that I am.

(Slowly zoom out from MARK as he reads what he wrote over again. Fade.)