Amelia:Thanks for picking me up from school today. (Looking around) This place is pretty nice.

Dan:(Texting on his phone)Yeah, just give me a sec

Amelia:So, I finished reading No Exit today.(She waits for a response, there is none) Yeah I’d definitely say it’s my favorite play of all time. It’s about what it’s like to live in hell. The funny part is that the guy wrote it in Paris during the Nazi occupation of France. So he was basically saying living under the Nazi’s was like living in hell. Except it completely went over everyone’s heads and got past all the Nazi censors.

Dan:(Still texting) cool

Amelia:It’s about this Guy who dies and gets sent to hell, and when he gets there he’s all confused because he was expecting like fire and torture devices but instead it’s this little room with two other people and a locked door. (Still nothing from Dan) It’s pretty interesting because the three people end up hating each other and torturing each other by just being there. No one can be happy without making the other two miserable, it’s like this endless cycle of hate.

Dan: Amelia, please give just give me a moment. I’m trying to take care of something right now.

{Amelia momentarily looks hurt and then looks angry. Dan finishes up and puts his phone on the table. He’s ready to listen but Amelia is done speaking. They sit in silence as Amelia stews.}

Dan:How was school?

Amelia:Fine.

Dan:How was day?

Amelia:Boring?

Dan:Boring, what did you do?

Amelia:Nothing.

Dan:Crazy weather we’re having, it’s definitely starting to get cold again.

Amelia:Yep.

Dan:You have a good jacket.

Amelia:Mmmhhhm.

Dan:You sure? You’ve grown a lot since last year.

Amelia:Yeah I’m sure.

{Dan breathes a long sigh}

Dan:Listen Amelia I want to talk to you abou-

Amelia:(Softly) How long?

Dan:What was that?

Amelia:I said, how long?

Dan:I’m leaving for good this time.

{Amelia looks unfazed she’s heard this all before}

Amelia: Oh course, that sounds sensible.

Dan: Amelia please, it’s not my fault I swear it’s your mother, every day she comes at me with another wild accusation. What am I supposed to do, the women’s paranoid!

Amelia: And whose fault is that!

Dan: It was once, two years ago. What does she want me to do, go back in time and get her, cause god knows she never moved passed it.  She just keeps playing that day over and over in her head playing the victim, but it takes two to make a broken marriage.

Amelia: Oh yeah and leaving will diffidently show her how committed you are now.

Dan: I just can’t do this anymore.

Amelia: So what is this going away fest, (sarcastically) I’m honored really.

Dan: Amelia I’d really appreciate it if you’d showed me some respect or at least treated the situation with some maturity. I’m going to be going away. (No reaction from Amelia) For a long time...

Amelia: What do you want, you want me to do, you want me to throw myself of your feet, beg you not to go ‘Oh dear papa do not leave us, how will we ever fair without your wisdom and strength’, you want me to Cry. I’m not going to. I’m done crying, I ran out of tears a long ago.

Dan: I just wanted to talk to you before she did; I wanted you to hear my side of the story. The women is a monster, I’m constantly catching her going through my phone when I go to the bathroom, and snooping through my emails at night. I can’t talk to her four more than five minutes without her bringing two years ago up. I can’t doing anything for her without being suspicious, and whenever something doesn’t go her way she won’t even talk to me, How am I supposed to fix it if she won’t even tell me what’s wrong.

Amelia: I don’t know. I really don’t know what you expected me to do or say, I’m your daughter not your therapist. I’m busy fighting my own battles how am I supposed to fight yours to. I’ve got a dad who leaves twice a month, and a mom needs someone to vent her frustrations on when her husband is gone! (Amelia stops and takes a long breath)  I stopped sleeping at night. I keep finding myself waiting, waiting for the screaming to start, for hollow sound of luggage wheels rolling across a wooden floor, the slamming of doors, and the sobbing. I’m constantly afraid that at any minute it’ll start up again. At this point I’m relieved when you leave cause that means the nights, are quiet.

Dan: Here (Tries to give Amelia a 20)

Amelia: (Lets the dollar drop) I don’t  need your money.

Dan: Amelia don’t be difficult.

Amelia:I don’t need you.

{Dan looks hurt}

Amelia: Listen if you’re gonna leave, then leave. Go! (Dan doesn’t move) You know in No Exit there’s this part where the three people are trapped in this room together are they are just torturing each other and talking about how they would do anything to leave, to get away, when suddenly the door to the outside swings open. And you know what happens, no one leaves.

Dan: Amelia, I’m sorry

Amelia: Yeah me too.

Fin.