theatre + jennie

ACT 1 SCENE 3

eve was a really different girl. she talked really fast and her hips followed the beat of the song, managed to keep the rhythm of her body in check. her character was something i haven't seen before - one second she was a bubbly bean; another second she turned into fully-fledged woman that spoke of equality and rights. one taste of her vibe, you will automatically crave for more - wanting to get closer to her.

as i grew eager to know more about her, i asked, "are you gay?" after thinking about what i had just said, my cheeks redden in crimson as i felt embarrassment for asking such a stupid and obvious question. 

however, she respectfully replied in a very enthusiastic tone, "of course honey! i work here! would a straightie work at a lesbian club, silly?" her smile sent me a mental hug, assuring me that i should be comfortable around her.

"sorry i asked, i'm.. i'm a playwright. and i wanted to write about.. something attaching to homosexuals. i thought going to a club would spark an idea." my voice went faint at the stares of other girls looking at me. 

"oh... right! you're that famous playwright, aren't you? i knew you were a coolie!" she snickered, hitting my right shoulder in a playful way. jisoo noticed this and voiced out, "eve, stop flirting! you do know she's straight right?"

"but we are in a lesbian club aren't we?" eve mischievously replied. "anyway, how's the writing going?" she continued once again.

"i just came up with this idea last night. at this moment, things are going great. consistent is key though, seems like i have to visit more often to get more insight." 

"that's a good move." eve grinned in approval. i took it as a compliment, even though i knew she was flirting with me. what can i say - maybe i attract girls naturally. as we talked, i realized my pager rang multiple times, most of them coming from audrie. i went to the nearby payphone to call her, where she told me that nora had wanted to meet us. promptly, i dismissed myself and made my way as quick as possible.

-

sitting in a room with just nora and audrie felt odd. usually we would gather with a larger group of people but this time it felt more intimate. nora crossed her legs and spoke out, "i'm here with you two to announce some news." 

straightaway, i glanced at audrie swiftly before asking, "what is it?" 

"you were offered to premiere your play at her majesty's theatre in another 2 months. preferably something new." said nora. "this is serious. the royals would be there to witness your work and i say, this is a huge opportunity for you and for us. do you have anything in mind?"

audrie had wanted to comment on her question but i stopped her when i tapped her thighs, and said "well... audrie and i had came up with an idea to write about... something out of the ordinary... something uncommon...lesbians...." audrie couldn't help but cringe at what i had just said.

"what?" nora asked in skeptical tone. "are you.. hearing yourself? you want to talk about... homosexuals... in front of HER majesty? this is absurd." 

"well... we were just thinking... um.." audrie tried to help us to get out of this messy situation but failed to do so when nora looked concerned, almost as if we were too ridiculous to be taken seriously. she paused and soon continued, "maybe we could make it interesting? fun? something as close to a parody that will send an unintended message?"

"well. i'm not trying to be personal but homosexuals are not my forte." replied nora. i was surprised upon hearing what she said. i've always thought she was open-minded enough to see situations in a different perspective but.. maybe not. maybe she was just like everyone else in this miserable closeted society.

wanting to not give up, i tried to convince her for the very last time, "what if i can persuade you that gays are people, not aliens? i'll draft my very first script next week, and i promise you it will change your mind. if not, we can scrape this idea immediately." 

nora sat there contemplating for a few seconds before agreeing. i was glad at how everything turned out but also worried about what's going to happen in the next few weeks, or (heck) months. one thing for sure, is that going to lesbian clubs would be more of a habit rather than a routine. maybe some couple rounds of gin would help too. 

i paged jisoo for the last time before heading out. honestly, i was surprised at what i had just said back in the meeting room. i don't know why but i've always felt familiarity with gay people - i could never relate to them but i knew how difficult their life were at times like these.

i remembered having a crush at greg, a senior at high school. i was merely a shy freshman, therefore when i wrote my very first confession letter, i tried to keep my cool and stop myself from shaking so much when i had to slip it into his locker. 

when we met at the back of the gym, he was seen in a frantic. he sat himself beside me, as if he had wanted to cry. "i'm telling you this not because i hate you, but because i don't have anyone else to tell." i asked him what was on his mind and he bawled out, "i'm gay. and my parents kicked me out last night."

we sat there like long time best friends, chatting and talking about our lives in general. i bought him home secretly, where he sneaked into my room through the window and slept for the night. the next morning, he went away. leaving a goodbye letter and his green jock jacket. i still kept it in my wardrobe on display every time i search through my clothes. 

from that day onward,  i could never imagine having the need to run away for loving who you truly love.