Connected_

Scene 1
[ A boy and a girl sit on a couch, center-stage. They sit on opposite ends, as far away from each other as
possible. They both hold a phone in their hand. The BOY looks down at his phone, grins, and types visibly
types something. He looks back up from his phone as the GIRL flinches and looks down at her phone. She
grins, just as the BOY did and types. She drops the phone and this cycle repeats. Without looking at each
other, in fact avoiding eye contact, they simultaneously scoot closer to one another on the couch, yet still
a ways apart. They look around, pretending nothing had happened. The BOY picks up his phone and
types a number in; the GIRLs phone rings, and she picks it up to her ear. ]
GIRL: (looking questioning) Hello..?
BOY: (after short pause) So you really think Im that cute?
GIRL: Well, yeah. I guess.
BOY: Sweet Cause I think you are, too.
[ They take another scoot closer to each other, still looking around as if nothing happened. ]
BOY: So, uh
GIRL: (chuckles) So
[ One more scoot, and the couple is practically touching in the middle of the couch but saying nothing.
Suddenly, the silence is broken by a beeping from the GIRLs phone. This indicates that she is receiving
another call. She looks at her phone, punches a button, and raises it back to her ear. ]
GIRL: Hello? (pauses, listening) Yeah, okay. Be right out.
[ She puts her phone in her lap and types a number in. The BOYs phone rings and he picks it up. ]
BOY: Hello?
GIRL: That would be my dad Hes here to pick me up.
BOY: Oh, okay. Good night I guess.
GIRL: Bye.
[ She hangs up the phone and begins to walk off stage left. Right before she gets out of sight, the BOY
springs up off of the couch, pulling his phone out to call her while chasing her offstage. Before he is able

to get a hold of her, she is gone. He sluggishly walks back to the couch and falls face first into the
cushions, pouting. ]

Scene 2
[ The BOYs FRIEND enters stage right. He leans on a table on stage, and picks up his phone. The BOYs
phone rings. ]
BOY: (tiredly, mumbling) Hello?
FRIEND: Wake up, sleepyhead.
[ The boy weakly lifts his head off the couch to see the FRIEND in his house, and he jumps back, now wide
awake. ]
BOY: What are you doing in my house?!
FRIEND: Back door was unlocked. You should probably be more careful when your parents are out of
town and youre all alone.
BOY: Does that give you the right to just break into my house?
FRIEND: (picking up an apple off the table and taking a bite, with his mouth full) So howd the date go?
[ The BOY makes a whining noise, frowns, and drops his face back into the couch cushion. ]
FRIEND: Ooh, rough man. Shes a keeper.
[ The BOY mumbles something through the couch, incomprehensible. He doesnt move. ]
FRIEND: You know I cant hear you like that.
[ Being a good friend for many years, having always been like a brother to the BOY, the FRIEND walks
over to the couch and straightens the BOY to sit upright. He takes a seat next to him. ]
FRIEND: Tell me what happened.
BOY: (whiny, his words trail off) Its embarrassing!
[ The BOY moans again and rests his head on his FRIENDs shoulder. ]
FRIEND: Its gonna be alright, bud. Youre listed as my brother on Facebook; I got your back. Just tell
me what happened so I can at least try to make you feel better.
BOY: (sulking) Well things were going really well at first. Like really well. We have this sort of textual
chemistry I guess you could say. But yeah, things were moving really fast and they got serious really fast.
(he pauses, preparing himself for what he is about to say) I called her.

FRIEND: Look at you, calling on the first date!

BOY: Then her dad got here (he drops his head to the opposite side of the couch of his FRIEND)
FRIEND: (pulling the BOY up by his shirt) Ah, cmon! You just told me you guys talked for real!
BOY: I dont know. She didnt seem very happy when she left. Do you think I moved too fast for her?
Maybe talking on the phone is too old fashioned for her.
FRIEND: Who knows, dude. Girls are just like that. (after a pause) Here, lets get you to bed.
[ He begins to stand and help his friend to bed, but is stopped and sits back down. ]
BOY: I think Im just gonna sleep here.
FRIEND: You gonna be okay?
BOY: Yeah, man. Thank you.
FRIEND: No problem; its what Im here for.
BOY: Sleep tight.
FRIEND: (walking off stage right, he stops before exiting) Hey, I love you man.
[ The FRIEND grins, hangs up the phone, and walks off stage right. The BOY drops his phone and once
again falls onto the couch. His phone rings, and he lifts it to his ear. ]
BOY: Hello? (pausing between phrases) Hi, mom. No, I didnt e-mail a thank you to grandma yet. Mom,
nobody e-mails any more, why cant I just call her? Mom, I really dont think shes gonn- (cut off by
mother on phone) Mom, she wont care. Okay, mom. Ill e-mail her. Okay Okay. OKAY. Night, mom.
[ He cuts off his mother, pulling the phone away from his ear and hangs up. Before he can lie back down,
his phone rings again. He picks it up, and the GIRL walks on stage left. She never comes in contact with
the BOY or even looks at him; she looks off and strolls around the stage as if she is in another place, not
right next to him. ]
BOY: Hello?
GIRL: Tonight was fun.
BOY: (his face brightening) It was? I mean, heck yeah it was!
GIRL: Calling on the first date, huh?
BOY: (taking a deep breath) Yeah, sorry about that. Got caught up in the moment.
GIRL: No, dont worry about it. It was fun! Youre a really sweet guy.

BOY: Youre, like, beyond amazing so shush.

[ They both laugh a little, and the GIRL slowly walks closer to the BOY. ]
BOY: You know, its weird. I feel like youre right next to me right now.
GIRL: Phones can do that. I feel like they bring everyone together. Like were all tangled with each
other and close somehow. (she pauses, frantically) Shoot, my dads coming. I gotta go. See you
tomorrow!
[ She runs off stage left. The BOY smiles and starts to lie down again, hanging up the phone. Before his
head hits the cushion, his phone rings once again. He jumps up and answers his phone. ]
BOY: (annoyed) Who is it now?
EX: (from offstage) Is that any way to talk to your ex girlfriend?
[ The BOY freezes, his eyes open wide, and he doesnt speak. ]
EX: How was your date tonight with that tramp? You know, the one you cheated on me with?
(sarcastically, every word choice is an attack to the BOY) Geez, has it really already been five days? Im
surprised it took you so long to move on. I mean, you guys already had your little relationship going
while we were dating. I still cant believe you were texting her beneath the camera the whole time we
were Skyping.
[ The BOY, still petrified, quickly hangs up his phone and drops it to his lap. He shivers and slowly lies
back down. As the lights begin to fade, his phone rings once again, and his eyes shoot open. Before he
can do anything else, he sets his phone on the ground and slides it across the stage. The ringing
gradually fades as the BOY smiles, closes his eyes, and finally goes to sleep.]

Scene 3
[ The lights brighten onstage as an alarm on the BOYs phone goes off to wake him up. He rises groggily
from the cushions and stretches out-specifically his fingers- and rubs his ears. His phone rings. He walks
to it and picks it up while his FRIEND enters stage right with his phone up to his ear. ]
FRIEND: Ready for school?
BOY: Youre in my house, arent you?
[ Still facing stage left, he pivots around to see his FRIEND standing by the table. His face is tired and
emotionless. ]
FRIEND: I told you to lock your back door!

BOY: (walking stage right) Let me just grab my laptop.

[ He picks up his laptop off of the table and the two begin to walk off stage right. ]
BOY: You could have at least locked it when you left last night.
[ As they walk off, the scene shifts to a classroom setting. Student extras enter the stage, mingling and
messing with their phones. The BOY and his FRIEND enter stage right. ]
BOY: All Im saying is that I dont think they got the proportions of the yellow birds face right.
FRIEND: I dunno, man. I think Angry Birds is perfect the way it is. Imagine if the yellow birds face was
square. The world might be a different place.
[ They take a seat in their desks, as does the rest of the class. Each student possesses their own laptop
that sits directly in front of their face. Only about half of the room is taken up. The TEACHER of the class
is not physically a part of the classroom, but teaches by means of technology. ]
TEACHER: Where is everyone?
STUDENT: I think theres a virus going around.
TEACHER: Well then I guess theyre the lucky ones, because I have a lot of stuff to go over. You would
not believe how many of you spelled tomorrow t-o-m-o-r-r-o-w. This class is called Text Speak, guys, not
olden days English. Im sending the papers back to you now, and I want to see some improvements
please. Youre in high school now, and I expect you to be able to use improper English. (She types and
fiddles with her laptop, pulling up the lesson.) Can someone please tell me how to correctly abbreviate
tomorrow?
STUDENT: 2-m-r-w?
[ As the class resumes with the lesson, the BOY pulls his phone out of his pocket and holds it to the side so
that it is visible to the audience. He types something on his phone and places in his lap, looking back at
the laptop. ]
TEACHER: Good, how about forever?
[ The GIRLs phone rings out loud, interrupting the lesson. She quickly pulls it out of her pocket and
silences it. ]
TEACHER: Okay, if youre going to text in my class, at least silence your phone.
GIRL: Im so sorry, I thought it was silent.
BOY: Yeah, we were just uh practicing our text speak!
TEACHER: Yeah, nice try. Just be thankful Im not an old teacher that doesnt even let you guys talk
during class. They all think its disrespectful to text while someone else is talking, which is actually true.

BOY/GIRL: (simultaneously) Sorry.

TEACHER: Well I guess Ill give you guys the rest of the hour to finish up your revisions on your papers.
Before you ignore my suggestions, does anyone have any questions?
FRIEND: Can you tell me how to abbreviate the words I typed out?
TEACHER: Now what kind of a teacher would I be if I just gave you the answers? Use your resources;
you have Google for a reason! If nobody else has any questions, I dont have anything else to teach
today. You guys are free to leave whenever.
[ All at once, multiple ringtones sound, and the students pick up their phones, beginning to chatter and
exiting both sides of the stage. The BOY, GIRL, FRIEND, and another female student remain seated and
on their laptops. This female student is the EX. She approaches the BOYs desk as he stands up and closes
his laptop. As he faces the other way, she pulls out her phone and calls him. ]
EX: (As he picks up) Hey, heartbreaker.
[ The BOY freezes and turns around to face her. He jumps back onto his desk. ]
EX: Trying to talk to the tramp during class, huh? Thats quite a risk all for a girl like her.
BOY: I dont think I really needed your input, but thanks.
EX: Why didnt you answer me last night? Tramp got your tongue?
[ The BOY hangs up his phone and drops it to his side, standing right in front of his EX. Her mouth drops,
shocked and offended. She calls him again, crosses her arm, and taps her foot as he lets it ring. She
angrily ends the call and storms off stage left. The GIRL stands up and approaches the BOY, calling him. ]
BOY: Im sorry, who is this?
GIRL: Very funny. Im starting to think your ex isnt too fond of me.
BOY: Oh, cmon. Its not that bad.
GIRL: She hates me.
BOY: She really hates you.
[ The EX enters stage left and storms across the stage. As she passes the couple, she pulls out her phone
and types something, then drops her hands and continues to exit stage right. ]
GIRL: One second, my phone just vibrated.
[ She takes her phone from her ear and reads something on the screen. She returns to the call. ]
GIRL: (nodding) The text said tramp

BOY: (laughing) Cmon, lets go to my place.

[ They begin to exit stage right, but after a few steps the BOY stops. ]
BOY: We should probably go the other way
[ They both laugh and exit stage left. ]

Scene 4
[ The BOY and GIRL enter stage left, both carrying their laptops, and take a seat across from each other
at a table. They open their laptops and a Skype call is started. ]
GIRL: Ew, I look disgusting.
BOY: You look beautiful.
GIRL: Oh can it.
BOY: (purposefully being cheesy) I swear, my screen brightens when youre on it.
GIRL: You know I already like you. You dont have to suck up and try to win me over any more.
BOY: Its the truth!
[ The GIRL puts her hand over her webcam. ]
BOY: Cmon, you know I cant see your beautiful face when you cover up your camera like that!
GIRL: Thats the point. (pauses, changing subject) So, why do you think your ex hates me?
BOY: I mean I did cheat on her with you. I was texting you under the camera the whole time we were
Skyping once. Calling on the first date probably didnt help much either.
GIRL: How did she already hear about that?
BOY: I swear people hear about others personal lives from the internet before they even know!
GIRL: And why is calling on the first date such a big deal anyway? We call our friends every single day,
even the people we dont like if we talk to them, so what makes dating any different, you know? Why
does a relationship suddenly make things so awkward? Its like everything is back to square one, back to
texting, the moment its Facebook official. Its stupid. Why is it unheard of to call someone, something
you do every day, just because its the first date? And someone please tell me why calling someone on
the first date makes me a tramp when everyone else does it?
BOY: I totally agree. Why do relationships have to be so awkward in the start even if youve liked each
other for a long time? They should be something that totally natural and easy going, you know? I think it

just takes that one amazing person that you can be totally normal with from the start without all the
awkwardness and complications. It took you.
[ They both lean in towards their computers, pouting their lips as if they are going to kiss. They stop
when their face reaches the computer, and both kiss their webcam. Their heads are practically touching
at the top of the computers but their lips do not actually touch in this kiss. The GIRL starts vigorously
typing. ]
BOY: Were on Skype, what are you typing for? Just talk.
GIRL: (while typing) Its awkward!
[ She continues to type and covers her camera out of embarrassment. ]
BOY: (reading the messages aloud) Better the first or second time? (in his own words) Wait, what? That
was only the first one! (reading again as she types) I drugged you once
[ The GIRL takes her hand off the camera and giggles. She continues typing. ]
BOY: (reading) But really, we should do that more often, it was fub. (puzzled, pauses) Fub?
GIRL: Fun sorry.
BOY: Oh good, your microphone works. Can we just talk now?
GIRL: Just keep reading.
BOY: (reading) I dont know about you, but I felt something when we kissed, and it wasnt the buzz of
the laptop.
[ The BOY smiles and looks at the screen for a few seconds. He continues reading. ]
BOY: Im an idiot. (in his own words) Youre mean.
GIRL: Kiss me, you idiot.
[ They kiss again and the lights fade out. ]

Scene 5
[ The BOY is lit up at the table by the laptop in front of him. He is typing something, smiling occasionally.
The rest of the stage is dark. ]
BOY: (whispering, responding to the GIRLs messages) I dont like that we cant talk when were away
from each other. Your parents sleep so early. Long distance relationships suck. I dont care if you live
down the street, its long distance to me!

[ In the direction the BOY is facing, the EXs face with a crazed look is lit up by the brightness of her cell
phone. The BOY jumps back and whips out his phone, calling her. He runs stage left and flips the lights
on. She picks up. ]
BOY: What are you doing in my house?!
EX: The back door was unlocked.
BOY: And does that give you the right to just walk into my house?
EX: (not knowing how to answer, changing the subject) So, I see youre Skyping with your tramp. Have
you been texting under the table the whole time?
[The BOY quickly runs to the table and closes his laptop. Now being close to his EX, she grabs his phone
from his hand and quickly scrolls through his texts before he can react. He snatches his phone back and
pulls it to his ear. ]
EX: Do you text your mother with that phone?
BOY: (mouth having already dropped, drops lower) What are you doing here?!
EX: I just came to (trails off) Is that a new couch?
BOY: Get out, please, if youre only going to insult me.
EX: (whiny) But I dont wannaaaa.
BOY: Oh my gosh, your brain is fried right now! Youve spent a bunch of time on the internet today,
havent you? You know thats worse than being drunk! How long have you been on today?
EX: Since I got home.
[ He pulls down his phone and messes with it. He brings it back to his ear. ]
BOY: 300 tweets today?! And two full photo albums of yourself on Facebook? Yep, that explains it.
EX: Im fine, Im fine.
BOY: Here, Ill walk you out, can you at least make it home?
EX: (dramatically) Im FINE.
BOY: (escorting her off stage left) Please dont do anything stupid.
EX: (exiting stage left, trailing off) Have fun with your traaaamp!
[ The BOY turns around and catches his breath. He hangs up his phone and returns to his laptop, opening
it. ]

BOY: Hi, sorry about that. Crazy exes: what can you do? (responding to message) Ah just my luck, you
have to go to bed right after I get my ex out of the house. Alright its okay. Good night, sleep tight, dont
let the nanobugs bite.
[ He leans in, kisses the camera, and closes his laptop. The BOY walks over to the couch, lies down, and
the lights fade out. A bright light interrupts the darkness and shines on the BOYs face. He shields his eyes
and sits up. Another bright light reveals the GIRL entering stage right, looking dreamy in a flowy gown
and a blank expression. The BOY notices her and calls her. She picks up the phone to answer the call but
keeps the phone at her side, not talking into it. ]
GIRL: (monotone/dreamy, still walking closer) Back doors unlocked.
BOY: Uh Can you even hear me? Pick up your phone!
GIRL: Just talk.
[ She hangs up her phone and drops it onto the couch. ]
GIRL: Talk.
BOY: What the Wait, how did you? Did you just?
[ The GIRL suddenly drops her blank expression and looks at the boy as if what she just did was nothing
special. She uninterestedly walks to the front of the couch and takes a seat. She crosses her legs and
looks at her nails, bored. ]
BOY: (the phone still at his ear) What is going on?
GIRL: Oh, cut it out.
[ She swats the phone out of his hand, and it falls to the couch. ]
GIRL: Youre dreaming, you idiot.
BOY: (without thinking) I have a history of dating girls that verbally abuse me.
GIRL: You realize you just talked without your phone?
[ The BOY dramatically grabs his throat as if he is suffocating, and pulls his phone back up to his ear. ]
GIRL: Would you stop that? Drop you phone.
[ He looks at his phone, ends the call, and slowly drops his phone to the couch, letting go of it. ]
GIRL: Now just talk.
[The GIRL gets up from the couch and exits stage right so that the BOY is only lit up on stage. He opens
his mouth and forms the shape of words, but nothing comes out. He closes his eyes. ]

10

EXTRAS: (all at once, volume building) Talk, speak, just say something, try, no phone!
[ The voices all mesh together and the volume builds more. The BOY opens his eyes, and the voices
suddenly stop. The lights go out. ]
BOY: Am I dead?

Scene 6
[ The lights come up, and the BOY is sitting on the couch in the same position, eyes wide awake. His
FRIEND enters stage right. ]
BOY: (staring into space) The back door was unlocked.
FRIEND: Whats wrong?
BOY: (still distant) Is it possible to talk without your phone?
FRIEND: Im sorry, what did you just say?
BOY: (coming out of his phase, making eye contact) You heard me.
FRIEND: I dont know man, Ive never really thought about it.
[ He takes a seat next to the BOY and realizes how crazy the thought is. ]
FRIEND: Wait, no! Do you know how insane that is? I dont think our mouths even work without the
microphone there, do they? No, man, theres no way thats possible. And dont you dare even think
about trying it, dude. It could be dangerous.
BOY: I just had this dream
FRIEND: Crazy stuff can happen in dreams, but theyre not reality, so please dont do something as
stupid and crazy as putting your phone down for one second just because of a dream.
BOY: This dream just felt so real. It made me think that talking without our phones is actually
something that can happen.
FRIEND: Your girl was in it, wasnt she?
[ The BOY avoids eye contact and doesnt say anything. ]
FRIEND: You cant let some girl or a crazy dream with that certain girl ruin your life! Okay imagine you
have a dream that your girl tells you to purposefully lose Words with Friends. You wouldnt give up your
college scholarship over that, would you?

11

BOY: Having talked on the phone my whole life, talking without it in the dream made me feel so free.
Things just felt so much more real.
FRIEND: Please dont let this get into your head. Even if it were possible, which it probably isnt, you
shouldnt risk it for a dream you had.
BOY: Whats the risk? Its talking without holding a cell phone to your ear or a laptop shoved in your
face.
FRIEND: Please just dont. Have safe text and talk protected with your phone up to your ear.
[ The BOY avoids eye contact once again. ]
FRIEND: Promise me.
BOY: We should probably get to school.
FRIEND: Are you gonna wear that?
BOY: Oh shoot, yeah let me change real quick.
[ He takes off his shirt, only to have a different one on underneath. His FRIEND gives him a look. ]
FRIEND: Thats gross.
BOY: What? Theyre only going to see me from the shoulders up, so as long as Im wearing a different
shirt, Im fine.
[ The FRIEND only shakes his head, and the two exit stage left. The scene changes to the classroom
setting once again. Center stage, a group of students is huddled and talking amongst each other on their
phones. The BOY and his FRIEND exchange glances and approach the group. The BOY ends their call and
dials another students number. The STUDENT turns around. ]
BOY: Whats happening?
STUDENT: Your ex committed Facebook suicide!
BOY: She deleted her Facebook?!
STUDENT: Yeah, man! Her parents sent her away to some asylum or something!
BOY: Oh my gosh I talked to her last night.
STUDENT: Dude, thats rough. I mean I know she was pycho and everything but I never expected her to
go as far a want to live without Facebook.
BOY: Hey, dont talk about her like that. You dont know what really happened; probably just a rumor.
STUDENT: Why are you defending her? She was awful to you!

12

BOY: I just cant help but feel like its my fault.

[ The EX creeps in front of the down left curtain, hiding from the students in the classroom upstage. She
makes eye contact with the BOY and signals him over to her. He double takes and nervously tried to
escape his ongoing conversation. ]
BOY: Shoot! I think I forgot my mouse in my locker. Excuse me.
STUDENT: (as the BOY slips away) Who still uses a mouse?
[ The BOY hurries downstage and stands with his EX in front of the curtains. She puts a finger over his
mouth, signaling to keep quiet. They both pull out their phones and begin to text, alternating who picks
up their phone, types, and sends the message. Frustrated, the BOY calls her. ]
BOY: This is taking too long. What are you doing here?
EX: Shh!
[ She peers around the curtain to make sure nobody hears them. ]
EX: I had to tell you that it wasnt your fault.
BOY: Then why did you do it?
EX: I didnt.
[ She receives a very confused look in return. ]
EX: Okay, just stay with me and dont freak out. I dont even know why Im talking to you So last night
before I ended up at your house, I was working on that paper for Text Speak, but my laptop died and I
couldnt find my changer. So Im on my parents computer, right? And this e-mail pops up on the screen
from my aunt saying something about how her kid did something really weird. Okay Im gonna tell you
what it said, but you have to promise not to freak out. The e-mail said that my cousin Talked without
his phone.
[ She winces, expecting a scream or dramatic gasp of confusion. Instead, the wheels in the BOYs head
begin to turn, remembering his dream. He stands still. ]
EX: Wow, youre the first person to not freak out, probably because you werent listening. You never
listened to me ever you jerk.
BOY: I was listening! Just thinking cause-
EX: Let me finish my story. So the e-mail was saying stuff like how my cousin didnt even realize what
happened and my aunt didnt know what to do or if the kid was okay and all this really confusing stuff. I
literally stayed up all night researching what it even means to talk without your phone, if its possible,
everything. So I asked one of my close friends that never liked you if she had ever thought about talking

13

without her phone and she FREAKED out on me like it was a life or death situation. I mean if you really
think about it, we talk out loud anyway. Its just a matter of the phone being held up to our face. So by
then I had already lost it, and I ended up asking my mom about it, and she went nuts, so I had to get out
of the house, and I ran to your house and, well, yeah. But when I got home, my mom had told my dad,
and now here I am.
BOY: (slowing her down) Whats the whole Facebook suicide thing, then?
EX: I guess she just got so scared for me that they deleted my Facebook as a cover-up. Theyre sending
me off to some mental rehab clinic. I guess they just made me seem crazy so that nothing would spread
around the class, and so nobody would get the same idea that apparently is dangerous to our health.
BOY: Too late.
EX: What?
BOY: I had this dream last night that I talked without my phone.
EX: (after a realizing pause) You cant tell anyone.
[ The BOY flinches and drops his phone to see an incoming call. ]
BOY: Hang on, I have another call. (switches) Hello?
[ The FRIEND is upstage in the classroom, looking around. ]
FRIEND: Dude, where did you go? Everyones starting to log on.
[ The BOY changes phone calls again, talking to his EX. ]
BOY: (pushing the EX further in front of the curtain) I have to go Look, I dont know whats going on
here, but I think you may be right.
EX: (finding her words) Im so sorry.
BOY: Im sorry, too. I shouldnt have betrayed you like that.
[ In this bonding moment, they hug. The EX soon reverts back to her old personality and pulls away. ]
EX: Youre still and idiot.
[ She begins to walk away. ]
BOY: (sarcastically) Have fun with your parents!
EX: (answering his sarcasm) Have fun with your tramp!
[ She exits stage left. ]

14

Scene 7
[ The BOY returns to the classroom. He takes a seat center stage, opening his laptop with the rest of the
class. Again, half of the class is gone. ]
TEACHER: Alright, since most of you are gone again, Im going to make this short and sweet. Everyone
pull up your history website. Can anyone tell me who our founding fathers are?
[ The students fumble on their computers. Meanwhile, the STUDENT raises his or her hand high. ]
TEACHER: Anyone besides you? Cmon guys. I know you know this. Nobody ever taught you about all
the way back to Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs? This is a serious part of your education, and I dont
know if you all are just lazy and quiet or youve really been spending too much time on the internet to
learn about the history of our lives. Imagine where youd be today without everything they made for us.
Your lives would be so much more difficult without the necessities they gave us. Since you guys didnt
answer that one, can anyone tell me-
BOY: I have a question.
TEACHER: Yes?
BOY: Can you talk without your phone?
[ The class freezes. Some students are very confused, others pondering, others shocked. The TEACHER is
stunned by the question, and nobody speaks. ]
TEACHER: Everyone close your laptops. We need to have a quick private conversation.
[ The students surrounding the boy all shut their laptops and immediately pull their phones out. While
some furiously text, others call each other, making judgmental points and whispering about the BOY. His
FRIEND looks nervously around the room. The GIRL walks in up left, confused and looking at the FRIEND
for answers. ]
TEACHER: What are they doing?
BOY: (slightly looking around) Talking about me already.
TEACHER: Well you kinda deserve it. What else did you expect from a question like that?
BOY: Well Can you?
TEACHER: Look, I really shouldnt be talking to you about this, but youre a bright kid, and I know I can
trust you. Basically, were all on the same page about this-the teachers. We all have started to realize
that we talk on our own anyway; we just have always had some means of technology in front of our
mouth.
BOY: Right. Whos to say we cant just put it down?

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TEACHER: Thats the thing: nobody is stupid enough to be the first to try it. Nobody knows what will
happen. So by this point in time, all I can tell you is to not try anything without knowing the
consequences. The last thing we need is for a student to endanger them self just to try something.
Please, just dont mention it again. Some of your classmates arent as sharp, so were going to play this
off as you being on the internet too long. Adults are treating this seriously-thats how your friend was
sent off this morning, so please be safe and keep your mouth shut.
BOY: Im sure everyone in the school already knows by now.
TEACHER: Its okay. Ill delete their chat history.
BOY: Thank you, it means a lot.
TEACHER: Can you send them all a text telling them to open their laptops back up?
[ The BOY fumbles with his phone and the class opens their laptops, putting their phones away.]
TEACHER: Alright everyone, thats enough excitement for today. Just keep working on your essays and
well call it a day.
[ The TEACHER and everyone in the class close their laptops and disperse, calling each other. The GIRL
approaches the BOY and calls him. ]
GIRL: What was that?
BOY: Come with me.
[ He grabs her free hand and leads her off up left. ]

Scene 8
[ The couple enters down left, still on the phone with the BOY leading the GIRL by hand. ]
GIRL: Whats happening?
BOY: Okay, Im gonna need your complete trust in this. What Im saying and what we do stays between
us, promise?
GIRL: Promise, but I needed to ask you about something, too.
BOY: You first.
GIRL: You were in my dream last night, and I know Im gonna sound crazy here cause honestly I didnt
really understand it at first, but my dream last night was that I could talk without my phone.
[ The BOY stares at her. ]

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GIRL: Yep, you think Im crazy. Im gonna go now before-

BOY: No. When you came in late, I asked the same question: whether we can talk without our phones. I
asked the question because last night I had a dream that you told me to.
[ The GIRL now stands, staring. ]
GIRL: So, youre telling me that we had the same dream last night about the most bizarre question ever
asked?
[ He nods and they stare at each other, letting it soak in.]
GIRL: You said that what we do stays between us. What were you planning on doing?
BOY: I want to try it.
GIRL: (breathing out, preparing, and smiling) Okay. I trust you more than anyone, and even if
something were to go wrong, at least I got to try it with you. Its gotta be some sign that we both had
the same dream, right? Lets do this.
[ They walk to the table and sit across from each other. He pulls out the chair for her. ]
BOY: We could change the world talking without your phone.
GIRL: It wont be like anything anyone else has ever done before. Its crazy to think about.
BOY: Before we do this, I want you to know something.
GIRL: Shoot.
BOY: If anything were to happen, I just want you to know that Im really glad it ended up with you.
GIRL: (smiling) Yep Had a feeling you would say something super cheesy.
BOY: I just wanted you to know.
GIRL: Yeah, yeah. I feel the same. Youre one of the best things thats happened to me. You made my
life so much less complicated. Well, besides your baggage.
BOY: Lets not talk about her.
GIRL: You were worth every time I got called a tramp.
BOY: (after laughing) Well, I guess this is it.
GIRL: I have a feeling the world is gonna be a different place without our phones.
BOY: I think itll be better. Give us time to see the little things.

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GIRL: (after pause) Alright, lets get this over with.

[ They hold their phones out to touch and kiss, just like the laptops. ]
BOY: 3
GIRL: 2
BOY: 1.
[ They slowly drop their phones to the table and let them leave their hands. They keep eyes locked on
each other and never break the eye contact. ]
GIRL: (as if answering a phone) Hello?
[ They both smile, and the stage goes black. ]

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