Electorate 099
SCENE: Atkins-Grimshaw house, Lindsay, afternoon.
Tim is sitting on a couch on the lounge room, watching telly. Anna comes out of her bedroom, looking drained. Tim looks up at her.
Tim: "What's up with him?"
Anna: "He went to see Lisa."
Tim: "Lucky him."
Anna rolls her eyes.
Anna: "Yeah, I wish I could have the pleasure of mourning the person I was in love with. It must be so much fun."
Tim: "At least he gets some sympathy."
Anna: "Excuse me?"
Anna glares at him.
Anna: "Do you want to say that to his face, or will I?"
Tim: "Why should I?"
Anna: "Because it's fucking insulting."
Tim stands.
Tim: "I loved her, too, you know."
Anna: "I know. We all loved her, Tim. Colin was actually in love with her. It's kind of different.
Tim: "So was I."
Anna: "I can't believe you're pulling this."
Tim: "I'm not pulling anything."
Anna: "What the fuck is wrong with you lately?"
Anna grips her temples and sighs.
Anna: "Sorry. Okay. You were in love with her. I'm sorry. That sucks for you. But I don't see why this needs to be brought up now."
Tim: "She loved me."
Anna: "Timmy, she didn't - Jesus Christ, are we actually having this conversation?"
She stares at him, mouth slightly open in shock.
Anna: "We are actually having this conversation."
Tim: "Looks like it."
Anna: "Okay. Outside. We're not doing this where he can hear it."
She grabs him by the sleeve and pulls him down the hallway, through the kitchen, and into the back yard.
Anna: "Timmy."
Tim: "I did. I did love her."
Anna: "And Colin doesn't know this, right?"
Tim: "Right."
Anna: "Okay."
She sighs and pulls him into a hug.
Anna: "You could have told me, though. I could have... I don't know. Been there."
Tim: "You were there."
Anna: "Yeah, but I thought you loved her like I loved her. I wouldn't have told Colin."
Tim: "You would have."
Anna: "Why would I have?"
Tim: "I told you."
Anna pulls away from him and watches him carefully.
Anna: "She loved you as a friend. Do you understand that? I am honestly, genuinely asking this."
Tim: "No, she didn't."
Anna: "Oh, Tim, don't do this. Please."
Tim: "What the fuck do you think I am? Do you think I'm delusional or something? We were actually, properly - fucking hell, she's the whole reason I moved to Electorate, because we couldn't stop, and it had to. We had to stop."
Anna stares at him, then slumps, holding her head in her hands.
Anna: "You're serious. Jesus, Tim."
Tim: "I'm sorry."
Anna: "Oh, don't even start."
Anna sighs and looks back up at him.
Anna: "How long did this go on for, then?"
Tim: "Two years."
Anna: "Two years. Both of you."
Tim: "Not--not constantly."
Anna: "Well, that changes everything, clearly."
Anna stares at him, horrified.
Anna: "Lisa."
Tim: "Yes."
Anna: "Why are you doing this?"
Tim: "I've fucked everything else up. I may as well fuck this up, too."
Anna: "You are a selfish piece of shit, you know that?"
Tim: "Yes."
Anna: "Fucking hell, Tim. What are you that you would do something - man, I don't even want to know."
Tim: "What do you want me to say?"
Anna: "Don't say anything. I don't want to hear it."
Tim: "It's not like I'm going to tell Colin. I left because I didn't want to hurt him."
Anna: "If you didn't want to hurt him then you wouldn't have done it in the first place."
Tim: "We weren't thinking."
Anna: "You weren't thinking for two years?"
Anna rubs her face, then sighs. When she speaks, her voice is flat.
Anna: "I'm going to have to tell him. Do you realise that?"
Tim: "You don't have to. There's no point."
Anna: "You think I can just sit on this and watch you be all best friends with him when I know what you did?"
Tim: "It'd hurt him."
Anna: "I can't keep this from him. I can't."
Tim: "I don't want to hurt him. Anna, please."
Anna: "I think it's just slightly too late for that, don't you?"
Tim: "Don't you think he's gone through enough already?"
Anna: "He trusted you. I trusted you, and then you went and just pissed all over it. Both of you, my God. And I saw you! Jesus Christ, I thought it was just you being you, but - I am honestly having trouble wrapping my brain around how you could do this to him and still manage to sleep at night."
Tim: "Lisa didn't."
Anna: "Don't you fucking dare, Tim."
Anna looks away from him.
Anna: "I have to tell him."
Tim: "He's my best friend!"
Anna: "Yeah, he is."
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