Aayla and Artemis Ch. 01

ARTEMIS is in the kitchen getting breakfast ready. She's about to make pancakes, she goes to the fridge and pulls out milk and eggs, puts them on the table and moves towards the pantry. AAYLA enters the kitchen, messy haired, droopy eyed, wearing her polka dot green pajamas. Her feet drag and shift as she slowly moves towards the table, groaning as she clutches at her forehead. Artemis looks up as she bends to the bottom of the cabinet pulling out a bag of flour, she sees Aayla enter.

Artemis: Well, good morning sleepyhead!

Aayla: (groaning) Holy fucktard. My head is killing me.

Artemis: (laughing) Evidence of a killer night.

Aayla: [she slowly moves towards high cabinet, pulls out a mug and pours herself some coffee. She heads towards the table and sits.] I'm never going to drink again.

Artemis: [assembles pancake ingredients into bowl] (laughs) Lie.

Aayla: [sips coffee] Lie.

Silence except for the sound of the beater hitting the sides of the glass bowl. Aayla continues to sip on coffee.

Aayla: I don't even remember what happened last night.

Beating sound stops. Artemis turns facing Aayla.

Artemis: Umm, yeah. About that, there's something we need to talk about.

Aayla: Oh God. What did I do this time?

Artemis: You didn't necessarily do anything. You did say a couple things though.

Aayla: I... said a couple things... What did I say?

Artemis: The topic of relationships came up.

Aayla: [under her breath] Fuck.

Artemis: You started asking me about Will and then I asked you if you liked anyone at the moment, and you said...

Aayla: [chugs the coffee]

Artemis: ..you said you liked me.

Aayla: (in a hurry) Well would you look at the time! Time really does fly when you're having fun. (laughs nervously.)

Aayla struggles putting on her jacket as she tries to leave as fast as she can.

Artemis: Where are you going?

Aayla: I gotta leave. Umm, I have an... an.. an appointment! Yeah that's it. I have a doctor's

appointment. Sorry, gotta run!

Aayla makes her way to the front door, but Artemis puts herself in between.

Artemis: You're not going anywhere.

Aayla: Yeah, I am. Could you move? I'm going to be late!

Artemis: Aayla, you told me yesterday morning when you were sober, that after we went out you were going to be sleeping over because you knew you'd be smashed at the end of the night. Then, in the morning we'd have breakfast together and then we'd hang out for the rest of the afternoon. You told me you didn't have anything else to go to and you were willing to do whatever. You do not have an appointment.

Aayla: I do! They just called and told me that I shoul—

Artemis stares at Aayla and raises an eyebrow.

Aayla: (sighs, defeated) No, I don't...

Artemis takes Aayla's hand and pulls her towards the chair she was sitting in. Aayla looks down at Artemis' hand in hers. Electricity runs down from her hand to her vagina. She gets a little wet just thinking about the contact. She takes a quick inhale of breath and reluctantly follows Artemis's lead.

Artemis: (Points to chair) Sit. Why were you trying to leave?

Aayla: (shrugs and avoids eye contact)

Artemis: Aayla. Look at me. Look!

Aayla looks up at Artemis.

Artemis: Spill.

Aayla: (sighs) Fine. [shifts weight on chair] I – I don't know who I am. Well I know who I am, what I mean is I don't know what I want. My compass doesn't work. I've been struggling with this for a while now, since the beginning of January. Since... I first saw you.

Artemis: What?

Aayla: Ever since I saw you sitting there in room 205 at the orientation, I've started to question myself. Seeing you there when Gretchen fucked up your name, or when she was squealing like a stuck pig about your life back home, I felt something. Something entirely different. I remember thinking that that girl is the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my entire 19 years of living. And ever since then, I've been trying to get close to you. The closest I've ever gotten to you was when my head was in your lap at Johnny's place when we were celebrating Catherine's birthday. I tried more that night but you kept moving towards John or Carlo, and at that moment, I started to give up. I told myself: "Fuck it. I don't stand a chance to anyone here." I mean come on! How the hell could I catch your attention when I can't even get a normal guy to give me a second look down the hallway. But you, you've gotten so many of those, trust me. Here I am, this fucking sack of potatoes. I gave up. After Catherine's, I gave up. I mean come on! Who would want to get with me when there are people like you around. Who would want to be with this (gestures to body) ....who would even try....? There's me, and then there's you: this gorgeous girl who is out of my league. And you know what? I still love you. I can't not love you. (laughs) It kills me to not reach over and brush your stupid bangs out of your face.

Aayla looks down and fiddles with her fingers

Artemis: Why –

Aayla: I need to leave. (Aayla gathers belongings and heads towards the door still in her pajamas.) I'm sorry about whatever I confessed to you last night. Thanks for the drinks and the coffee.

Artemis: Aayla, come on, don't leave. Please, sta—

Aayla: I'll see you around at school okay (leaves.)

Artemis stands there staring at the door.

*********

In the basement of UBC. The beginning of the day, the class is gathered in the lounge chatting. Aayla quickly passes by avoiding eye contact. Artemis sees Aayla walk by.

Artemis: (smiling) Hey!

Aayla looks up momentarily and responds with less enthusiasm.

Aayla: Hi.

Aayla turns, head down, and half-jogs to the SUB

Artemis: Hey, wait!

Artemis runs after Aayla.

In the SUB, Aayla is sitting a corner next to the window, a book covers her face and she's wearing her headphones, the sound of Sail by AWOLNATION is playing audibly. Artemis half-jogs towards Aayla, out of breath.

Artemis: I need to talk to you.

Aayla puts book closer to face.

Artemis: Really? Really. You're kidding me. (Artemis pulls book away from Aayla and pulls down her headphones.)

Aayla: What is your problem?!

Artemis: I need to talk to you.

Aayla: We are. What do you want?

Artemis: (sits down) I want to talk about yesterday.

Aayla sighs and begins to put headphones back on. Artemis takes them off and puts it behind her back.

Artemis: Hear me out. I know you're embarrassed and pissed off that I found out, and I know you think that no one loves you but you're wrong. You are so wrong Aayla. I do.

Aayla: (looks up, baffled) You what?

Artemis: Love you.

Aayla: Stop fucking with me. It's hard enough already that I have to think about this. Do you think you're being funny? Bringing this up? ARTEMIS. You. Have. A. Boyfriend. Of three years! Don't fuck me over. (Aayla reaches behind Artemis, grabs her headphones and book, races out the SUB).

Artemis follows angrily, trying to catch up with the now sprinting Aayla who is making her way to the path around the student golf course. Artemis finally catches up and spins Aayla around.

Artemis: Will you please stop?! Look at me! I'm trying to tell you something.

Aayla: I can't do this Artemis. I can't keep up with you. I can't! It's too hard for me to—

Right at that moment, Artemis grabs Aayla's face and roughly pulls it towards her own, kissing her with so much force that Aayla drops her headphones and book onto the ground. Aayla's eyes are open wide with shock. She is too shocked to respond that she lets Artemis kiss her till she breaks off.

Artemis: (smiles) I've been trying to tell you something Aayla, and if you don't keep your mouth shut you'll never hear it. I love you. You hear me? I love you. I don't have a boyfriend, never have! What you told me in my kitchen, of how you felt when you saw me? I've been having the same feelings towards you. I know it sounds crazy, but it's true. I only said I had a boyfriend so the guys in our class would stop hitting on me. Seeing you everyday at school and not being able to talk to you about this, to touch you, or kiss you, it killed me every day. I love you, Aayla.

Tears swell up in Aayla's eyes as she processes this new information.

Artemis: You've finally shut up. (giggles) What do you have to say about that?

Aayla looks into Artemis' eyes and moves one hand to her waist, and the other to the back of her neck. Gazing longingly into the eyes of this girl she's been dreaming about, Aayla pulls Artemis towards her and kisses those soft, sensual lips she's been fantasizing about. Both sets of eyes close as their lips intertwine and their tongues dance. They break off once again.

Aayla: Follow me. I want to try something with you.

Aayla picks up her headphones and book, stuffs it into her bag and takes Artemis's hand, dragging her deeper into the trail.