**

A taxi drives down the street, and Jenny and Shane sit in the back seat.
Jenny’s arm is around Shane’s.
“Why are you so nervous?”, Jenny asks.
Shane doesn’t look at her.
“I’ve never done this before”.
“How have you dumped girls in the past?”.
“Screening calls”, Shane throws her an anxious glance, “Any suggestions?”.
Jenny shrugs.
“I knew this guy last summer in the Hamptons. He and his girlfriend at the time were madly in love with each other. But she had this huge weight problem. His friends taunted him mercilessly about it. You know, ‘How do you breathe when she sits on your face?’, ‘It’s embarrassing for you to be seen with her’…”, Jenny chuckles, “…Finally he couldn’t take it anymore and decided to dump her. She flipped and went on the defensive. I distinctly remember him saying the same thing over and over again… ‘I’m completely fucked up, I’m completely fucked up’…. Poor fatty never had a chance”.
Shane’s jaw clenches.
The cab pulls up to the curb and she gets out, heading into the building.
Jenny leans out the window.
“Don’t be weak”, she says, coldly, before the cab drives off.

**

Shane rings the doorbell.
Mrs. O’Shea answers the door.
“Hi”, Shane says, nervously, “Is Carmen at home?”.
The woman beams.
“You must be Shane. I’ve heard such nice things about you”.
Shane blinks her eyelids and tries hard to smile.
“Carmen!”, the woman calls out. Then, she turns to Shane and steps aside.
“Come on in…”.
As Shane closes the door behind her, Carmen enters the room.
As soon as she sees her, a beautiful smile lights her exotic features.
“Hi…”.
Shane looks down.
“Hi”.
Mrs. O’Shea ducks her head, clasping her hands.
“Well, I’m going to head back to the kitchen. You two have fun”.
Starting to walk away, she mouths “She’s cute!”, to Carmen.
She just smiles and nods.
Then, she gently takes Shane’s hand.
“Would you like a tour?”.
“Sure…”.
Carmen leads her down the hall to a guest room.
“This is my room…”, Carmen whispers closing the door behind them.
She rests her hands against Shane’s collarbone and smiles against her lips.
“You think we can be quiet?”, she murmurs, softly, embracing her.
Shane remains lifeless.
“This isn’t working out for me anymore”, Shane states, flatly.
Carmen giggles, starting to unbutton her shirt.
“Yeah, me neither”.
Shane steps back.
Carmen looks her in the eyes and, suddenly, realizes that she’s not joking.
“What’s wrong?”. Her head ducks to a side.
Shane swallows and stares at her own shoes.
“It’s not you, it’s me. I’m completely fucked up”, she says, croakily.
Carmen frowns, shaking her head.
“What are you saying?”.
“Why aren’t you understanding?”.
Carmen bites her bottom lip in confusion.
“I love you…”, she says, softly.
Shane nods, still staring at the floor.
“I know. I wish I felt the same. Unfortunately, I feel nothing. I think it was just the conquest. Sorry, I’m completely fucked up”, she repeats.
A tear rolls on Carmen’s cheek.
“Why are you trying to hurt me?”.
Shane grits her teeth, trying hard not to shake.
“I am just being honest. I just wanted to see what… What you were like in bed”.
Carmen attacks her, but Shane grabs her hands and fends her off.
She pushes her against the wall and covers her mouth with her hand.
“Ssst! Ssst! I don’t think Mrs. O’Shea would appreciate you acting like a total psychopath”, she whispers.
Carmen slinks to the ground, starting to sob.
“You don’t know how to love…”, she murmurs between the tears.
Shane closes her eyes.
“You don’t even know me. The fact of the matter is there is someone I love. She’s smarter, prettier… You don’t even compare to her. The only reason I am here is because she wants us to be exclusive”.
Carmen looks at her with teary, big eyes.
“But you knew this was important to me…”.
“What, your virginity?”, Shane grimaces, “Well, that’s over now”.
Carmen clutches her stomach and continues to sob.
Shane moves towards her, feeling like she’s about to break in pieces, feeling like she’s doing everything wrong, feeling like she just can’t stand it anymore.
Carmen closes her eyes, bows her head.
“Please, go”.
Shane stops. She stands up, lifting her chin.
“Sorry”, she repeats, “I am completely fucked up”.
She leaves the room and closes the door behind her.