Shaky Hands | Teen Ink

Shaky Hands

May 7, 2018
By sophiehood BRONZE, Valley Village, California
sophiehood BRONZE, Valley Village, California
2 articles 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
“On the whole human beings want to be good, but not too good, and not quite all the time.”
― George Orwell, All Art is Propaganda: Critical Essays


ALAN, an awkward teenaged boy on a date.
JULI, an awkward teenaged girl on a date.
ANNOYED MAN, a grumpy middle-aged man, sitting behind them.
WISE WOMAN, the grumpy man’s wife.
PATRONS, various ages and types.


SCENE 1


Two rows of six movie theater
seats suggest a larger theater.
Eight Patrons stare out over the
audience as if looking up at a
screen. Light flickers on their
faces as a trailer plays.


(Juli and Allan shuffle down the
aisle to their seats, annoying the
patrons the bump as they pass by.)

 

JULI
Excuse me. Sorry.


ALAN
Woops. Sorry about that.


(As they take their seats, Juli
nervously offers popcorn.)


JULI
You want some?


ALLAN
No thanks. I kinda feel like it’s wrong to eat the popcorn
before the movie has started.


JULI
Oh, yeah, I get that.


(Their knees bump together and
they make eye contact. Allan
quickly moves his leg away.)


(All the Patrons notice this.)


ALLAN
Sorry.


JULI
(smiling)
Ha ha, it’s ok.


(Lights dim as the movie begins.)


ALLAN
I think it’s starting.


JULI
You can legally have popcorn now.


ALLAN
Good, I don’t want another run in with the popcorn police.

 

(Juli laughs too loudly and is
then shushed by Annoyed Man.)


JULI
(whispering)

No you wouldn’t want that.


(Allan reaches over Juli to get
popcorn. She responds as if he’s
making a romantic advance.)


ALLAN
(flustered)
Could I have the popcorn?


JULI
(embarrassed)
Oh, uh, yeah, for sure.


(Juli then readjusts in her seat
so she is further away from him.
The other patrons glare at them.)


ALLAN
(whispering)
You know, the main guy and girl in this movie play brother
and sister in another movie that came out earlier this
year.


JULI
So it’s kinda like incest?


ALLAN
(laughing)
Well if you put it like that -- but yeah I guess.


JULI
(laughing)
I mean I didn’t mean to make it creepy.


ALLAN
Don’t worry I’m pretty sure I made it that way --


ANNOYED MAN
(interrupting Allan)
Just be quiet and watch the movie!


(Juli and Allan go dead quiet.)


(Yet all the patrons are still
watching them instead of the
movie. Stealing glances as...)


(Juli moves her arm onto the
armrest beside Allan’s hand which
was already there. Juli and Allan
both pretend to be paying full
attention to the film as they
slowly inch their hands closer and
closer together until...)


(The other patrons watch them, on
the edge of their seats. Movie
music adds to the suspense!)


(...Their hands touch! They are
both startled by the contact.)


(Patrons gasp.)


(Nervous, they hold hands. Patrons
react with smiles and eye-rolls.)


ALLAN
Your hands are kinda shaky.

(Juli pulls her hand away.)

 

JULI
(embarrassed)
Oh, sorry. That uh, happens‚ sometimes.


(Allan grabs Juli’s hand back and
turns to her.)


ALLAN
No, it’s cute.


(Juli puts her head on Alan’s
shoulder.)


(The Annoyed Man is fed up.)


ANNOYED MAN
Has young love always been this‚ irritating?


WISE WOMAN
(mocking)
Just be quiet and watch the movie.


(Mirroring what Juli had done
earlier, the woman puts her head
on the man’s shoulder. End Scene.)


The author's comments:

A young couple's awkwardness distracts everyone trying to watch a movie. Either a play or a short-film-script.


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