New Fears in an Old Love Affair by Lataisha Elo Fashola

Settings: The scene opens up on a stereotypical visual representation of a small Southwark council flat, located in Campbell well green. Stage curtains part to revel a bedroom. The bedroom walls are cover with black and white with mint green coloured vintage large poster wallpaper of Marilyn Monroe with similar vintage styled bedroom furniture to match. The bed is placed centre stage. Its midday and sunny but the curtains are still drawn shut. Ava sits on the edge of the bed, crossed legged with a pregnancy test in hand. She is dressed in pyjama shorts and a baggy long sleeved T-shirt and Slipper socks. Her hair is pulled back into messy ponytail and only half of her make up is done.

Sound: Buses, cars and general daily life activities can be heard muffled and fading in the background along with the sounds of the TV show Hollyoaks while the steady humming of a heartbeat builds during the scene till it’s the only thing that can be heard at the end.

Lights: The set is dimly light giving the off the illusion of forced darkness during daytime. The TV, bedside lamp and small rays of sunlight through the curtains are the only visual light sources that can be seen. A flash of crimson red coats the scene with every pause Ava takes. Fade to black to end scene.


Ava:

It wasn't my fault but (pause) I guess it isn't all his fault either, I mean I did want it - I do want it. Always have, always... always (pause) I told him not to hold back, I said I wanted him to engrave himself deep into me. I had waited so long for it, so long... (Pause) it's a fairy tale come true once you think about it. We'd been friends since childhood. We lived close enough to play with each other almost every day. We have brief moments of shared lessons and skills learnt. He was the one who said 'I love you' first, and that he'd never let go, and he hasn’t. We were lovers from the beginning of secondary to the end of college. He was my first for almost everything, first love, first real kiss, first break up then make up, first heartbreak (pause) anyways! Things happened and we stop speaking or seeing or whatever (pause). Then out of the blue (pause) he shows up at the party hosted by a good co-worker of mine. I was slightly drunk, sitting in the corner, feeling awkward as always. Thinking to myself, why the hell am I here? That’s probably why he noticed me from the moment he stepped in. He always did have that stupidly annoying way of being right there, when I was at my weakest. Like a knight swooping in to save the damsel in distress (pause) or demon lurking in wait to devour the angel (pause). ----------