Laurels Literary Magazine Fall 2014 | Page 52

britches, so I whittled him down to size. But why are you really here? PETER: I think my phone’s in here. I left it during study period. WENDY: I think I saw it. Over there, second-from-the top shelf, right side. By Ancient Greece. (Peter follows her directions to his phone.) There. That’s it. (As Peter reaches for his phone, it lights up and makes a text alert like little bells.) PETER: One sec, I gotta . . . yeah . . . (Checks the text and replies.) Ok. WENDY: Anything important? PETER: Naw, it’s just my girlfriend. The usual, “miss you, hugs and kisses, see you tonight”. We’ve been together a long time. WENDY: Don’t let me keep you. PETER: No sweat. I shall banish her to my pocket. Away! (Pockets his phone.) Hey, wanna help me put these books away? It’s just torture seeing the library like this. WENDY: (Gets up. They start re-shelving the books.) So, you like books? PETER: Not really. I hate reading. But I love stories. WENDY: Yeah. (Awkward pause as they continue shelving books.) Sorry, I don’t usually get like that. It’s just my dad . . . things aren’t so great between us right now. 50