Darkness. Silence. Voices are heard off-...

Darkness. Silence. Voices are heard off-stage as the lights rise on Zack's apartment. Medi is half sitting up on the bed.

Zack (offstage) And so I hear from across the room, "Damn it, Matt, if you're going to throw up, I'm going to put my pants back on."

Kate (offstage) No!

Zack (offstage) Uh-huh.

Kate (offstage) And they knew you were there?

Zack (offstage) Oh, yeah.

Kate (offstage) Wow!

Keys are heard jangling offstage.

Zack (offstage) Yeah. Well, thanks again. I'll call you in the morning?

Kate (offstage) Uh. Yeah. Hey, um... it's still early, you know.

Zack (offstage) Yeah?

Kate (offstage) It's only eleven-thirty.

Zack (offstage) Yeah. D'you want to come in?

Kate (offstage) Sure.

Enter Zack and Kate. Medi retreats toward the top of the bed. She watches the pair.

Zack You've seen the place, right?

Kate A couple of times. Yeah.

Zack Well, uh... (indicating) kitchen. Bathroom. Window. B--. The window. S'got a nice view.

Kate Really?

Kate goes to window and looks out.

Zack Well, pretty.

Kate Nice, yeah. So, what ever happened to them?

Kate sits on the edge of the bed. Zack throws a look to Medi.

Zack Who?

Kate Your roommate and...

Zack Oh. Well, they ended up together.

Kate Really? So he left the girlfriend?

Zack Eventually. Uh... did I tell you... no, I didn't.

Kate What?

Zack Alright. Listen to this. Towards the end, or, uh, before he broke up with the girlfriend, Nancy...

Kate Yeah.

Zack Well, I'm coming back to my room, right. And I knew that they had been fighting lately and stuff. But, whatever...

Kate Whatever.

Zack And I get to the door, right. And I put my key in the lock, turn it, open the door, and I hear Cara say, "But Matt, you have to break up with her. You told me you felt about me the way you felt about surfing!"

Kate No!

Zack Yes. And I just shut the door and left. I still don't know if they knew I was there.

Kate Wow! I can't believe that.

Zack I know. I still can't figure out what was worse-- that he said it to begin with or that she took it so much to heart.

Kate Her.

Zack Yeah. I guess so.

They laugh.

Kate So, what did you think?

Zack Of?

Kate The movie.

Zack I liked it. I thought that... what's her name... the cop?

Kate Um... yeah, I know... anyway?

Zack She was good. I liked, uh, the killer and her, the way they played off each other...

Kate Yeah. (indicating the edge of the bed next to her) Sit. (Zack sits) I thought it was a little violent, but...

Zack Sure, but it needed it. I mean, he did kill and mutilate people. If they hadn't shown it, I don't know, it would have seemed fake... contriv— no. Just, I think it worked.

Kate I guess. Still... and the sex...

Zack A bit gratuitous, yeah.

Kate I mean, that shower scene. And then with the mirror.

Zack (laughs) Yeah. I... after seeing that movie sitting next to you, I feel like I've seen you naked.

Kate (with a slightly nervous laugh) Yeah. Huh. But, uh, but you haven't.

Zack Yet. Medi has been listening closely, and is as shaken by Zack's advances as Kate is. She begins to crawl down the bed toward Zack and Kate as Zack gets more predatory.

Kate But, uh, it was a good movie overall.

Zack looks into Kate's eyes. They are in profile.

Zack You are beautiful, Kate. Do you know that?

Kate Really?

Zack begins to move in to kiss Kate. Medi arrives at the bottom of the bed between them.

Medi You are. You have wonderful eyes. So pretty.

Kate (addressing her answer to Zack) Thank you. And you...

Zack I love you, Kate.

Kate What?

Medi (to Kate) I think. I mean, I love being with you. You're a great girl.

Zack And you make me happier than anyone else.

Kate (flattered) Zack...

Zack I just love being near you.

Medi (to Zack) Don't.

Zack I've never felt like this about anyone before.

Medi (to Zack) Don't.

Kate No one?

Zack Never.

Medi (to Zack) Don't.

Zack And I don't want to be with anyone else. Not anymore. I just want to be with you. From now on.

Medi (to Zack) Don't.

Kate No?

Medi (to Zack) No!

Zack (to Kate) No.

Zack leans in and kisses Kate.

Medi (to Zack) Don't! Damn it, stop! (Medi pulls Zack away from Kate, then, to Kate) Wait.

Kate (responding to Zack) What?

Zack (Shoving Medi violently to the top of the bed) Nothing.

Medi lays still at the top of the bed as though she were unconscious. Zack leans back in towards Kate and they kiss. After a moment, Zack reaches down and begins to unbutton Kate's shirt. Kate starts slightly as he begins unbuttoning her shirt, but she does not stop him. After the shirt is unbuttoned, he reached behind her back towards her bra clasp. Kate pulls away.

Kate No.

Zack No?

Kate Let's just...

Zack What the f##k is this, huh? C'mon...

Zack leans back in and kisses Kate roughly. He leans her back against the bed. Medi sits up and sees Zack.

Medi Don't! (leaps and grabs Zack) Get off! (Medi pulls Zack off of Kate and holds him as Kate scurries off of the bed and out of the apartment, clutching her shirt together. Then, to Kate) Wait!

Medi lets go of Zack, who slumps down on the bed. He can't believe what he just did.

Zack I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

The Median Line was developed with The CRY HAVOC Company

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