Let you go once, but not twice …

(Jenny, Shane and Alice sit together at The Planet sipping on coffee and are sharing a laugh)

Alice: Oh my God you guys, ins’t that …

Jenny: (interrupts Alice) Marina ….

(All whatch, slightly shocked, Marina stepping out of her car)

Shane: Wasn’t she ..? When did she..?

(Another woman gets out of the car and kisses Marina on the lips. Jenny is seemingly dissapointed)

Alice: (chuckles) Talking ’bout an unexpected surprise.

(As Marina and her friend walk in, both Shane and Alice greet her with both excitement & disbelief. Meanwhile Jenny is lost in her thoughts)

Marina: Well, I thought that it would be a good idea to come back to the place that made me, for a while.

Shane: It was about damn time too!

Alice: Come and take a seat with us so you can introduce us to your friend (winks)

Marina: Everybody, this is Silvia, Silvia these are my good friends: Shane, Alice and ..uhm.. Jenny

Shane & Alice: Hi!

Jenny: (noddingly) hey ..

Alicia: (with a heavy accent) So how was la vita in Italia?

Marina: Oh! I forgot what a beautiful place it was and what beautiful people it had (gives a quick stare towards Silvia)

Silvia: She seemed a little lost in the beginning but she found her steps quite quickly(smirks)

Shane: So, uhm Marina, how… you know how are you?

(Jenny who was still shocked raises her head to see Marina’s expression)

Marina: Well, I’m better.. I had a rough time and I needed a break. (Looks at Silvia) But all is better now …

Alice: Well that’s the best news I’ve heard today! (sincere) We’re happy for you.

Marina: God, this place has changed since the last time I was here.

Silvia: Wait is this the notorious bar you’ve talked about so much?

Marina: Yeah, I ..

Jenny: (interrupts Marina) Where did you met?

Marina: Excuse me?

(Everybody stares at Jenny)

Jenny: You & Silvia … You seem quite happy together. I’m just curious (shrugs)

Marina: Well uhm, when I had … when I had those problems.. I had some sort of uhm, staff around me. They were there to help me out of my negative spiral. And uhm, Silvia was a part of that staff.

Silvia: She never told me what really caused her to be in the state she was in. She would just tell that circumstances have brought her to there.

Marina: (defendingly) Yeah but..

Silvia: Shhh, it’s ok. I understand it now; some things are better left unsaid. And it all makes part of your mystique I guess. (gives a soft kiss on Marina’s lips)

(the tension is clearly filling the air ..)

Jenny: Uhm excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom

Shane: K.

(Everybody whatches Jenny leave)

Alice: (staring at her whatch) Shit! I’m late for work. Shane, can you drop me off? My fucking car’s in the garage again.

Shane: sure, no prob Alice: I’m sorry guys, we really have to go now

Shane: (jokingly) You’re not going back to Italy the moment we leave this place aren’t you?

Marina: (smiles) No we’ll stay for a while.

Alice: K, see you around then … say bye to Jen from us! ( Bot Marina and Silvia nod)

-Outside-

Shane: Whats Jen gonna think of us leaving her there al alone?

Alice: Well, she’ll either kill us or kiss us.

-The Planet-

Marina: I’m gonna fresh myself up, I’ll be back in a sec hon (kisses Silvia on her forehead)

Silvia: K, hurry ..

– Bathroom –

(Jenny’s watering her face while talking to herself softly in the mirror)

Jenny: (in a desperate voice) What am I going to do?

(Marina walks into the bathroom and goes into one of the stalls without giving Jenny a look. Jenny, who’s now leaning against the wall, slowly slides down onto the floor burying her face in her hands)

Jenny: No, no ..not again.

(Marina walks out towards the sink, again not giving a glimpse to Jenny. Jenny then gets up and stands behind Marina. Both look into the mirror infront of them)

Jenny: (whispers) I know you and Silvia aren’t made for eachother just like you knew that Tim and I weren’t meant for eachother.

Marina: Silvia and I ….

Jenny: (Turns Marina towards her and puts her finger on her lips) Shhh, I’ve been dealing with bad luck since the day that I was born in every aspect of my life. (Jenny’s hands are now on Marina’s hips) I don’t want that anymore, and I’m gonna do everything I can to start having some freaking luck and happiness

(silence)

Jenny: I let you go once, but I won’t let you go now 

( Jenny’s lips are very close to Marina’s, but just before they lock Jenny leaves the bathroom, leaving a clearly affected Marina behind)

* Second part *

– (later that day) Jenny’s place)

(Jenny is lying down on her bed, eyes closed, with her notebook next to her. Meanwhile, Shane arrives from work and goes to the fridge to grab a drink)

Shane: Is anybody home?!Jen?!

(Shane walks in the bedroom and sees Jen on the bed. She steps quietly towards her, before she jumps on Jenny, who wakes up in shock)

Jenny: You bitch, you scared the shit outta me!

Shane: (chuckles) Oh come one, don’t act as if you’re not excited to have me on top of you!

Jenny: (overly dramatic) Oh yeah Shane I’ve been waiting for this moment since the day i met you.

Shane: K, k cut the sarcasm (picks up the notebook) Are you back to writing?

Jenny: Well I thought I had some new found inspiration, but I couldn’t keep my mind straight for a second

Shane: Does your new found inspiration start with a m and ends with an A?

Jenny: (covers her eyes with her hands)Ugh, don’t mention it!

Shane: (slides from Jen’s body and rolls on next to her) I’m listening …

Jenny: No, no I don’t want to be a nag again.

Shane: Oh come one it’s –

Jenny: (interrupts) Okay so it’s like this. Everything seems to be going perfectly fine with me, well almost. I mean I admit, I have my inner-strides, but I manage. But the moment she comes in my life, I’m screwed.

Shane: (smirks) Isn’t being screwed a good thing?

Jenny: (nagging voice) Shaaaaaaaaaaane!

Shane: (chuckles) K, k I’m kidding. Look the only reason you’re feeling ‘screwed’, is because you care about her and it irks you that she’s with somebody else. And the thing is, she’s crazy about you too. There’s some sort of ultimate temptation going on between you two and you can’t just ignore that.

Jenny: But I got no choice. She seemed happy with that Silvia-chick

Shane: (rolls her eyes) Silvia is a woman you can find on every corner of the street. And Marina doesn’t go for that kind of women. She goes for special women, women who have a story to tell, women who have a certain kind of mystery around them that makes you want to dig deeper and deeper into their personality. (starts stroking Jenny’s hair) Marina goes for women like … like you.

Jenny: (baffled) Wow, t-thanks … that really means a lot to me Shane.

Shane: Well it should mean a lot to you. Cause it means that you’ll go after her and not let her pass you by.

Jenny: Look, I admit that she drives me mad, but what if doesn’t feel the same about me anymore?

Shane: Well, let’s find out

Jenny: What do you mean?

Shane: I mean go and change your clothes, wear a smokin’ dress, talk literature and I’ll ask Kit if she can lend me the keys to her office so you guys can ‘hang out’ (raises an eyebrow)

Jenny: (smirks) Fuck you! (pillow-fight in the making, no not a naked one you pervs ;) )


( that night) -The Planet-

( Jenny, Shane and Alice all sit and the same table and are having a talk. Meanwhile, Marina and Silvia are sitting cosyly in a couch)

Alice: (teasingly) Sooo, what’s up with the sexy dress Jenny?

Jenny: What? This old thing? I’ve been wearing this for agaes!

Alice: (smiles) Yeah right, I’ll just act dumb and nod.

( all start to laugh)

(Jen takes a look towards Marina and sees her kssing Silvia passionitly)

Jenny: I don’t know, maybe this wasn’t a good idea

Shane: Easy now. The night is still young. Plus you can do you’re writing-in-too-large-tracksuits tomorrow, you might even have some new found inspiration (winks)

(Jenny smiles)

(All three of them are keeping an eye on the couple. Just when Jen looks away and seems to have been giving up hope, Silvia gets up and heads towards the restroom)

Alice: Bingo! Damsel in distress at 4 o’clock!

Jenny: Maybe I shouldn’t go .. this is silly.

(both Alice and Shane roll their eyes)

Jenny: Okay, okay I’m leaving already

Shane: Go get’er sexy

Alice: Make us lezzies proud!

(Jen heads towards Marina. Both look a little uncomfortable)

Jenny: Hey

Marina: Hey

Jenny: So … How are you?

Marina: I’m fine, thanks. You?

Jenny: (smiles) I’m ok. Look about this morning ..

Marina: Yes

Jenny: I’d like to apologise but I can’t. Cause I’d be apologising for something that means a lot and feel right to me.

Marina: Jenny look –

Jenny: No wait let me finish. I can’t just ignore the fact that you’re there around me. I care about you and seeing you with somebody else breaks my heart.

Marina: Well maybe you can feel what I’ve felt for so long when you’ve been with Lord who knows who.

Jenny: Yes and maybe you can feel in what a fucked up situation I was. ( a beat) Look I didn’t came down here to discuss the past with you. I’ve made mistakes and you’ve made yours, but I want to put that all behind for this (holds both of Marina’s hands firmly) I want to be with you Marina, and I know you want the same thing.

Marina: I can’t do this Jenny. I went through hell these last two years. I can’t risk breaking my hearts again.

Jenny: Than why are you breaking it right now?

(Alice and Shane who have been following the conversation from their table, gesture that Silvia is on her way back)

Jenny: I can’t talk with you right now. Come to my place tomorrow. Just you and me. Just make up some kind of excuse to Silvia. I want to talk to you about a million things.

Marina: I’m sorry Jenny but I can’t –

Jenny: Please Marina, I’m begging you

Silvia: (mockingly) Are you making people beg to you again? Nice to see you again, it’s Jenny right?

Jenny: (surprised) Yes, it is. ( a beat) uhm I was just saying to Marina that there was this expo on her favourite author tomorrow.

Silvia: Ah? And who may that be?

Marina & Jenny: Anne Carson!

(both look away a little embarrased)

Silvia: (smiles) Wow, she must be really good. But uhm literature isn’t really my thing so I’ll just stay in tomorrow I guess.

Marina: No, no I’m not going!

Silvia: Don’t be silly, I know how much literature means to you. You go and enjoy yourself (gives Marina a gentel kiss)

Jenny: I’m gonna leave you guys. It was nice seeing you again. ( To Marina) The expo starts at 8 at the usual place (winks)

Marina: (hesitant) Okay i’ll try to make it

Jenny: Ciao

Marina & Silvia: Ciao

( as Jenny turns around a smile appears on her face and she gently bites on her lip)

* Part three to follow *