Catching Fire

Novita Chandra Dewi

CATCHING FIRE

PLAYERS

HARY, 21, an intelligent-glasses-boy in casual-look

PAUL, 20, a tall, long haired boy with skinny pants

KIM, 20, a well-dressed and good-looking girl

MAGIE, 20, a fat boyish-girl

SCENE 1. In this summer, four Nantes teenagers, HARY, PAUL, KIM and MAGIE drive through Seine for a short holiday. It is their first meeting after a year because HARY rarely back home as he is study abroad. HARY seems very excited in such a way that he picks up PAUL, KIM and MAGIE who lives far apart in town. They finally arrive in MAGIE’s house and push the horn.

MAGIE (shouting and running in rush to the car). Yes, wait for me for a minute.

PAUL (opening the window and asking jokingly to MAGIE). Wow! you look girly today, how come? Do you finally have a boyfriend?

MAGIE (messing up PAUL’s hair). Just shut up.

HARY (looking at MAGIE through the window). You look really good in that way.

KIM (smiling). You do, Mag.

MAGIE (laughing hard). Really? Oh, thanks. I should have done this before. But please, open the door.

SCENE 2. MAGIE come in to the car and they continuously talking about things which make them laughed hardly. One of the topics is about their high school mate, MIKA. He always be a center of communication wherever and whenever because of his absurd behavior.

HARY (starting the topic). Paul, Kim, you guys did a great job last night. I saw it.

PAUL (smirking). Is it about Mika? Kim was crazy.She started it.

MAGIE (asking curiously). What did she do last night? I don’t know.

HARY. She commented on Mika’s post and she ashamed him by talking the fact that he was at home last two weeks while he said on his post he was not at home for the last 5 weeks. Then, Paul commented ‘HAHAHA’ which followed by other Mika’s friends. Paul and Kim are partner in crime.

MAGIE (laughing hard). You are really awesome, Kim. Well done! He really does everything to attract others’ attention. Poor Mika.

KIM (smirking annoyed). Yes, he is. His behavior will never change and I will never stop to comment on his social media account whenever I know the fact (pointing her finger over the air).

SCENE 3. After two hours, they arrive in one of Paris-Plages known as A Sandy Paradise of Seine. That is a beach where we can do snorkeling, swimming, laying or just tanning. No sooner do they enter the beach area, they change their suit and take preparation for snorkeling. However, PAUL says that he can’t swim so he just wantsto play in the banks of the Seine. He just lay on one of the chairs and look at his friends enjoying the beach. As he gets bored, he rents a life jacket and starts to swim without his friends’ noticed. HARY, MAGIE and KIM suddenly realize that PAUL is not in his chair anymore.

HARY (looking for PAUL). Where the heck is he?

KIM (urguing HARY and MAGIE). Let’s come out and search Paul.

MAGIE (pointing at someone). Who is the one in red t-shirt over there? Is Paul wearing a life jacket?

HARY (espying). It seems to be him, how come he swims that far?

KIM (smiling). He must get bored and rents a life jacket.

HARY (pointing at PAUL). Look! He is flirtting a blonde girl. He is now the happiest person alive (laughing and moving to PAUL).

SCENE 4. They play cheerfully ‘till they forget about time. The sun goes down and they take a shower before they have dinner. They have dinner in a fancy restaurant near the Seine River, Lily de Neuilly. They really enjoy the foods. As soon as they finish their dinner, they go back to home. In the middle of their way back home, they talk about many things. They come out talking about something related to feelings, sincerity. PAUL is now in relationship with ZEE. She is HARY’s ex-girlfriend.

PAUL (talking to HARY). I want to officially tell you something (looking deeply at HARY).

HARY. About what?

PAUL (feeling sorry). I’m now in relationship with your ex, Zee. Sorry.

HARY (stepping on rem). How long have you in relationship with her?

KIM (shouting). Oh my God!

PAUL. It’s about 4 months. Sorry.

HARY (shouting). You damn bastard!

PAUL. I’m sorry.

HARY (hits PAUL). Is that all you can say? Sorry?

MAGIE (feeling shocked). Hary! What are you doing!

KIM (closing her mouth with both hands).

PAUL (touching his nose). Hit me as much as you want. I’m all alright.

HARY. So, tell me how come you finally fall in love with my ex, you know we talk about her recently.

PAUL. Let’s jump to another question. I’m not comfortable with that one.

HARY. Why? I am no longer having such a feeling to her after you said that. I just curious.

MAGIE (cutting the serious conversation between PAUL and HARY).Let me explain, he said to me that it is because they excessively go along, just the two of them. Here, I feel sorry for not coming when they invited me to join. It’s because I have things to do.

KIM. Well, he told me that he loves her since he was in junior high school. I’m not sure about it because he had a girlfriend he loves so much in 5 years.

HARY (turning his head to MAGIE and KIM and raising his voice). You two have known about it?

MAGIE and KIM. Yes.

HARY (starting the car’s engine and driving). Oh my God. Um... So you fall in love because you meet her intensively. Then, why you don’t tell me about it earlier. I feel bad for some reasons (slightly staring at PAUL).

PAUL. I think so. I wanted to tell you, absolutely. I was waiting for you to come back. I wanted to talk with you directly, not by phone.

HARY. We met at Kim’s house last two months, but you didn’t tell me. I remembered when Zee phoned you but I’m the one who answered the phone and talked with her. I flirted her. Now, I feel tricked and feel bad for you for some reason.

PAUL (staring back at HARY). That’s okay. I understand that so I’m not jealous. I thought about it when we were in Kim’s house, Kim’s also already knew about it. She was worry and looked at me. I just feel that it was not the high time to tell you. I was very enjoyed and I didn’t want to change the atmosphere. I was scared to dead if we couldn’t be the same as we are.

KIM and MAGIE (just sitting at the back and listening the boys).

HARY. We will be the same forever. I mean it. What I felt just now was I lost you. In one side, I think that you are my best friend. You know I still love her before this. In the other side, I feel bad for you because I kept talking about her. I’m sorry.

PAUL (feeling more guilty toward HARY). It’s alright. I also feel bad for you because you are the one who asked me to accompany her if she needs a friend to talk to. It makes me comfort because I have someone to share my opinion with. I started to like her and gave her some attentions. What I felt is, she was catching my fire.

HARY, KIM, and MAGIE (asking simultaneously). She is catching fire?

PAUL (smiling). Yes, I think.

MAGIE. Sometimes, I think that Zee gives more attentions to her boy friends than the other girls do. I thought that you are misunderstanding her attention because you told me she was shocked when you told her that you love her. Now, I was mistaken

HARY. She is the type of girl who loves someone she used to meeting and chatting intensively.

KIM (cracking the serious situation and turning the music on). What a serious topic it is! Well, I wish you have happy relationship and be more open with us. Don’t be too worry to others feeling. Let’s play the music to enjoy this night.

PAUL (playing a song titled My Friends by Red Hot Chilipeppers). I am blessed to have friends like you guys. Look at that beautiful moon (opening the car’s window and pointing at the moon). You guys just as beautiful as that moon.

HARY (pushing PAUL’s head). What a loathsome!

HARY, PAUL, KIM and MAGIE (laughing hardly).