Being Just Friends
written by Tobie Abad

Cast:
WILLIAM , male bisexual. Good looking, smartly dressed. Slightly athletic build.

BEN: , male heterosexual. Best friend of WILLIAM. Attractive and very well dressed. Athletic. Health buff.

BEN enters the scene, carrying with him numerous pieces of clothing. WILLIAM is sitting on the chair, holding a cigarette. The cigarette is unlit. WILLIAM looks like he is hesitating, and trying to say something.

BEN
Here are the shirts I borrowed from you. Yes, I know its been quite a while since you lent them but I thought you might want them back before you go.

WILLIAM
(Still fidgeting with the cigarette) Hey its okay. Actually, I was thinking you can keep them. After all I can buy a new wardrobe once I get to L.A. (a pause) Right?

BEN doesn't respond. Instead, he places the clothes down on the bed and seems to be trying to find the right words. WILLIAM stands from the bed and approaches him. They move closer to each other, about to kiss... LIGHTS FADE OUT.

LIGHTS FADE IN, BEN is still by the bed, placing the clothes down. WILLIAM is now placing the cigarette into his mouth, preparing to light it.

WILLIAM (to audience)
Like I was saying. Its easier to get through things that never happened.
(lights the cigarette) Especially those that never will.

BEN
So, you excited about the trip?

WILLIAM
Who wouldn't be? Quite frankly, how many people do you know can go to Los Angeles? Much less, live there? Its a whole new life I have waiting for me there. New people to meet, places to see. All that crap. Maybe I'll even get lucky and land a great job over there. Los Angeles is just a drive away from Hollywood.

BEN
I'm happy for you.

WILLIAM
Yeah. (a pause) Yeah... I guess I would be if you were the one going.
(another pause) Then again. Maybe I wouldn't be.

BEN
Will, its going to be okay.

WILLIAM
(forcing himself to smile) Of course. I mean, this is what I wanted all my life. This is the chance that I've been waiting for. This is something that I need to do.

BEN
Hey, (holds WILLIAM's shoulders) you're going to be okay. You're going to be fine. I have faith in you. Come on, you've got the talent and the imagination! You're a writer, damn it! You can handle it.
(a pause, waiting for WILLIAM to say something. He doesn't. Ben continues.)

BEN
I know you're scared about having to start over. About leaving the country and having to build from scratch. But I know you can handle it. I mean, you of all people Will? You can make friends with anyone you want! I mean, remember that time we attended that party?

WILLIAM
Yeah, I began to make friends with everyone in there and before the night was over, it was almost as if I knew them ever since.

BEN
See! I don't see why you have to worry?

WILLIAM
It's you. You're the reason, Ben. I don't think I'm ready to leave you.

BEN
Will? I know you have feelings for me but you know I'm not.. I'm... you know I'm straight.

WILLIAM
I know. (softer) I just don't want to leave. I don't think I'm ready to go. I don't think I want to go.

BEN
Will, I'm not... changing. No matter how long we hang out together as friends. I'm straight and I don't think that's going to change.

WILLIAM
You don't have to tell me that, Ben. I know you aren't changing. But that doesn't mean I can stop feeling what I feel for you.

BEN
I know. And I'm sorry but that's the way things are.

Both remain silent. WILLIAM focuses on his cigarette, looking away from BEN. BEN sits on the bed, staring at the floor. The silence becomes uneasy. Stretching soon to be a foreboding feeling of loneliness. Finally, as if he could no longer take it, BEN stands and walks up to WILLIAM. He gives WILLIAM a hug from behind. The LIGHTS FADE OUT.

LIGHTS FADE IN, BEN is still sitting on the bed. WILLIAM is still smoking his cigarette. Both are not looking at each other's way. Neither have moved.

WILLIAM (to audience)
Yes, he knows I'm bi. And yes, he knows I love him. And yes, he knows he's straight. (a pause) I wouldn't let him hug me.
Hugs are for lovers and pillows and family members you haven't seen for so long. I guess friends, too, hug at times. But I won't let him hug me.
Because it just makes things worse.
It just makes me realise how little I can ask of him.

BEN
Listen, we're best friends right?

WILLIAM
Of course.

BEN
And I like you to know that I love you. As a friend.

WILLIAM
Figures. (stands up and walks to bed) That's how it always is anyway. "I love you as a friend." (laughs) Isn't that what people normally say when they are trying to break up with someone?

BEN
Will, come on, don't make this hard for me.

WILLIAM
Ben, first of all you aren't breaking up with me. Secondly, we aren't even an item at all! So quit it. You don't have to play the "I'm sorry but I don't love you" role.

BEN
(sighs) Whatever you say. (Walks up to the table, grabbing a cigarette)

WILLIAM (to audience)
Look at him. He's stopping. He's sitting down and smoking instead. Don't you people get annoyed when someone does exactly what you told them to do? I mean, I always told him to quit it just because I thought that would make him push further. I guess that didn't work.

BEN begins to blow the smoke out slowly, as if seeing something appearing within the white nicotine clouds.

BEN
You remember the first time we met?

WILLIAM
Of course. We were pretty young then. You were just a sophomore. I was a year older, and we were both pretty excited about the prospect of being "College Studs." I even recall that we had those dreams of being classmates... even roommates if we were given a chance to stay in a dorm.

BEN
Yeah, those were the days.

WILLIAM
Of course, at that time, I was pretty much "hiding in the closet" then. Still scared at myself and denying the feelings I had for you.

BEN
Got to admit, I never noticed.

WILLIAM
Well, I just knew you weren't ready to find out.

BEN
(standing and laughing) Remember when you first told me about it? I was hanging around your place that day. We talked about the usual stuff. The gang. Our parents. Our problems with friends, people I liked and, well, our parents. (another laugh) You suddenly told me you wanted to ask a hypothetical question...

WILLIAM
And I asked you "How would you react if you found out I was gay?"

BEN
Yep, that was it. And when I told you it wouldn't be a problem or anything, you laughed and claimed you were. Later on of course you denied it and claimed you were just kidding. When the time came for me to head home, you brought me to the gate of the house and told me, "Remember what I asked you earlier. I wasn't kidding."

WILLIAM
Yeah, I remember. You were pretty shocked then.

BEN
The next day, I ended up acting as if nothing had happened.

WILLIAM
But we did discuss it further later that evening right?

BEN
Yeah. We did.

WILLIAM (to audience)
I don't really know why I wanted to tell him that time. Maybe it because I needed someone to tell me it was okay. Maybe it was simply because I felt like I wanted to. I don't really know. But one thing for sure, it made me feel better. (pause) Sometimes though I think it made things worse.

BEN
God we'd be such a riot at times. You with your practical jokes. Your insane ideas. We'd be spending more hours laughing than anything else sometimes. (lost in thoughts, then suddenly recalling something) Hey, remember that time we were at Bryan's party?

WILLIAM
(sarcastic) Oh yes, I loved that day.

BEN
(holding back the urge to laugh) That was the day that Karen and I were asking you to tell us about those ero.. erogen...

WILLIAM
Erogenous zones.

BEN
And we ended up using what we knew on you!

WILLIAM
(unable to talk, a huge smile keeps the words from coming)

BEN
You got to admit, Karen and I did learn pretty fast, well?

WILLIAM
Fine already... fine! So you did...

BEN
Well, they did help me pretty much. Len sends her regards, by the way.

WILLIAM (to audience)
In case you're wondering, Len is his latest girlfriend. Sometimes I get pissed that so many women fail to see what I see in BEN. Some of them claimed that he was insensitive. Others said he lacks a sense of maturity. I can't understand how they could make such claims. I've known him for quite some time, much longer than any of them, that's for sure. He's the sweetest, most sensitive, thoughtful... (stops himself, then sighs heavily) Why can't they see the BEN I see?

WILLIAM
Well, tell her I said "Hi" as well. Everything pretty okay between you both?

BEN
Actually...

BEN shakes his head and walks towards WILLIAM. BEN's hands rest on WILLIAM's shoulders and squeeze a bit tightly. WILLIAM just stares, as if expecting something yet afraid that it might be what he's expecting. LIGHTS OUT.

BLUE LIGHTS ON, giving the room the impression that its late at night.

WILLIAM
Damn it, brown out. Of all nights, man. (remembering BEN) Oh, you were saying?

BEN
We're been pretty okay, I guess.

WILLIAM
But? (walks to table) Oh, I'm looking for a candle, don't stop, I'm listening.

BEN
But, I don't think she's the one.

WILLIAM
Again?

BEN
Hey!

WILLIAM
Come on, BEN. How many times have you said "She's not the one?"

BEN
With her or with the others I've been with?

WILLIAM
My point exactly. (Finds a candle and lights it.) That's the problem with you. You keep holding on to this ideal image in your head of someone you want to be with. But you have to open your eyes to reality.
Dream girls don't exist beyond dreams.

(to audience) That's the problem with him some times. BEN is a dreamer. He believes in a love that exists beyond time. He believes that somewhere in the world, there is a woman who was born and is destined to be the one he'll spend the rest of his be with the rest of his life.

(a heavy sigh) I don't believe that. Nothing against the thought of having just "one fish in sea" meant for you. Just against the thought that the fish has to be female.

BEN
(shaking his head, lighting a new cigarette) Well, don't worry. I'm not splitting up with her.

WILLIAM
Not yet you mean.

BEN
I don't know. (a pause) You know me too well.

WILLIAM (to audience)
Oh yes I do. And trust me, he's as straight as a board.

BEN
Will?

WILLIAM
Huh? What?

BEN
I'm going to miss you.

WILLIAM (snappish) Nah, I'll keep in touch.

BEN
No, really. I'm going to miss the company. The laughs. The talks we have... just like this one.

WILLIAM
(holding back tears that are beginning to form) Hey, stop talking as if I'm going to die. I'm just leaving the country. It won't be so bad. I mean, we can keep in touch. There's email, right?

BEN
Yeah, but it wouldn't be the same...

WILLIAM
BEN, you know I have to head for Los Angeles. That's the only place I can try to go for my dreams. Film is something I want to try and become successful in. And I don't think I'll be able to do that if I'm stuck here, not with the way the industry works in this country.

BEN
Yeah, I guess.

WILLIAM
I have to admit, I'm scared shit.

BEN
Hey, I just told you. You can handle it. Come on, Will. You're the one whose kept me going for all these years. Don't you realise that? I've looked up to you, in case you never noticed. I know you can do it.

WILLIAM
BEN, enough with the flattery...

BEN
No, really! And to be quite honest. I'm not sure if I can take it. If I can face a day knowing you're gone... (voice breaking up) I mean, you've been there for me so much and...

WILLIAM
Hey, hey... BEN, easy on yourself.

BEN
No really... Maybe I never really got to show you how much, but I really appreciate everything that you do for me. All those times you watch over me like an older brother, telling me if I'm doing something wrong. Or those times you'd push me to work on something harder, making sure I don't quit. And those times you'd be willing to just listen to be babble about my problems with my parents and all that. They really mean a lot to me.

WILLIAM
(walking towards BEN, giving him a hug. The hug is not a typical hug, but one much like what lovers share.) BEN, I do those things because I love you. I loved you ever since I met you and I love you until now. And I do those things because I want you to be happy.

BEN
I just.. don't know if I can take not having a friend like you around... you're my best friend, Will, my Best. And sometimes I just hate it that I can't really give you back what you give me. That I can't...

WILLIAM
BEN, you don't have to...

BEN
I just wish I could.

WILLIAM
I know.

LIGHTS ON. Both BEN and WILLIAM are surprised by the sudden return of the electricity. They look at each other and begin to laugh, sharing a moment.

BEN
(wiping away stray tears) Now, how many best friends do you have who don't mind hugging you this way?

WILLIAM
(disengaging from the hug) First of all, you're my only best friend, as hokey as that sounds. Secondly...

BEN
None, right?

WILLIAM
(smiling) Fine, none.
(to audience) And that was a fact. BEN never minded the fact that I wanted to be able to hug him every now and then. Of course, I never did that when in public. It was something which I saw as only for the two of us both to share.

It was partly due to the special bond we had. A bond that merged friendship and (pause) unrequited love.

BEN
So, you promise me you'll write?

WILLIAM
Only if you'll send me a nudie picture of you taking a bath.

BEN
I guess I won't hear from you then.

WILLIAM
Hey!

Laughing, BEN and WILLIAM head for the door. WILLIAM suddenly turns around to address the audience one last time.

WILLIAM (to audience)
Like I said, sometimes its easier to get through things when you know they never happened.

BEN (to audience)
This one hasn't... but will.