What do you know of love, Lance?
In the dramatic scene from Falling Flame, Caroline gets real with Lance after she realizes he missed out on his audition opportunity.
CAROLINE: (She lifts the window and takes a deep breath.) Ahh, it’s nice out. We should have kept this open all night…what time is it?
LANCE: I haven’t checked.
LANCE approaches the window. Looks outside.
Feels like 2PM-ish.
CAROLINE: Don’t you have that reading today?
LANCE: Reading?
CAROLINE: The audition… wasn’t that today?
LANCE: Was that…?
Caroline searches for and finds her phone.
CAROLINE (looking at her phone): It’s four o’clock!
LANCE: Well, sh’t—there goes that.
CAROLINE: There goes what?
LANCE: Forget it. It’s too late. It was this morning.
CAROLINE: Was it?
LANCE: Yeah, it was. Damn it… it was nothing serious.
CAROLINE: You sure you have the right day?
LANCE: Yeah, it’s Thursday today.
CAROLINE: Why did you miss the audition?
LANCE: I forgot about it.
CAROLINE: How?
LANCE: ‘Cause you’re here.
CAROLINE: I know I’m here.
LANCE: You’re more important to me.
Lance begins to kiss Caroline’s neck.
CAROLINE: Stop.
LANCE: What’s wrong?
CAROLINE: Can’t you call them?
LANCE: Who?
CAROLINE: I don’t know—whoever’s holding the auditions. Maybe we can leave now… you shouldn’t miss it.
LANCE: It’s too late. It was at 11am.
CAROLINE: That’s fine. Come on, let’s leave now—we’ll just say you missed your train, you were with family for the weekend, or something!
LANCE: No way.
CAROLINE: But why did you miss out?
LANCE: Why do you care?
CAROLINE: It was a good role for you.
LANCE: It was alright.
CAROLINE: No, it wasn’t. I read it.
LANCE: What did you read?
CAROLINE: The script!
LANCE: No you didn’t.
CAROLINE: I did. I saw it on your desk. I read it when I was waiting for you to come back from Ashton’s.
LANCE: You didn’t tell me that.
CAROLINE: It was good, Lance!
LANCE: Why didn’t you say anything?
CAROLINE: It’s not my place to say anything!
LANCE: What else did you read on my desk?
CAROLINE: Did you not read it?
LANCE: I skimmed it.
(pause.)
I’m not an actor anymore, Carol. The last time I did a film was four years ago.
CAROLINE: You just did a play last year!
LANCE: Well, that was…that was with a director I knew. It was a favor. I’m focusing on other things now.
CAROLINE: Other things?
(Pause.)
Didn’t you say Ashton was going to set up a meeting with you and his agent?
LANCE: (laughs)
CAROLINE: Why are you laughing?
LANCE: That was my agent. I was the one who introduced them, and they’ve been working together ever since.
CAROLINE: And you need a new agent?
LANCE: Yeah.
CAROLINE: Why—
LANCE: Well, he dropped me—without a meeting or a mere phone call about it. This is after he’s made bank with Ashton. I’ve been trying to get a new agent ever since.
CAROLINE: Can’t you go back?
LANCE: Didn’t you hear me, Carol? I was dropped.
CAROLINE: Why?
LANCE: Because I wasn’t booking anything. Listen, can I take you out for dinner?
CAROLINE: Your brother’s been working nonstop.
LANCE: …I know…
CAROLINE: He can’t help you?
LANCE: My brother? (pause.) Doesn’t work that way…
CAROLINE: I need to get going—
LANCE: So soon?
CAROLINE: Lance, we’ve been hunkered down in this apartment for almost two days.
LANCE: I know.
Lance kisses Caroline.
Caroline breaks away and gathers her things.
(beat) You sure? I can take us out for something.
CAROLINE: No, I have to leave. I need a proper shower. I need to get some things sorted out.
Lance goes to kiss Caroline again.
I have no time, Lance!
LANCE: Woah, take it easy. Why are you getting so snappy?
CAROLINE: Because you’re not…
LANCE: Say it.
CAROLINE: You’re not making the effort—with anything.
LANCE: Are you my mother?
CAROLINE: I’m not even your girlfriend.
LANCE: Do you want to be?
CAROLINE: What do you think we are?
LANCE: (Teasingly) We’re two people falling in love.
CAROLINE: (Serious) Love?
LANCE: Was that stupid of me to say?
CAROLINE: What do you know of love, Lance?
LANCE: I thought we were somewhat serious.
CAROLINE: We… (beat) We’re having fun, but…this can’t be getting much more serious than it is…right?
LANCE: Well, that’s up to us, isn’t it?
CAROLINE: Yeah, but where is this even going, honestly?
LANCE: I thought we liked each other.
CAROLINE: And?
LANCE: There’s an “and”?
CAROLINE: At some point, shouldn’t there be?
LANCE: Do you want to be my girl?
CAROLINE: Girl? I’m a grown woman, Lance.
- To read the full one-act ePlay, find purchase link below:
In the one-act eplay Falling Flame, Caroline breaks the delusion that Lance is hiding behind in order to help him see his own life clearly. 1 Woman, 1 Man. Drama.
