INT. Dorm Kitchen. Noon
CAST
Clara- A freshman in highschool whose life is baking, doesn’t care much about school. Sister of Klein.
Klein- A senior in highschool who worries about his sister’s future. Brother of Clara.
Scene 1
Klein
is sitting at the kitchen table looking at their end of second
trimester report cards eating a cookie that Clara had just baked from
scratch. Clara is across from Klein, whether she is standing or sitting
is up to the actors.
Klein
Disgusting.
Takes a bite out of the cookie
Clara
What?
Klein
This is disgusting.
Takes another bite
Clara storms over, eats Klein’s cookie.
Klein
Oih, I was eating that!
Clara
But you said it was disgusting!
Klein
I meant your grades... How are we going to improve them by the end of this marking period!? They told me that even as my sister they
would kick you out if there isn’t any improvement by the end of the
third marking period. That’s what, two weeks? Dammit Clara! You’re
impossible.
Clara
Just send me off to baking school! I would do so much better there! I would actually care about school then.
Klein
Baking school? They still have Math, English, and the other subjects you hate so much. It’s not like you’ll be baking all day.
Clara
But, still. I don’t even put one tenth of the effort I put into baking into ---
Klein
Which
is exactly why I am prohibiting you from baking for two weeks. For
these two weeks I am tutoring you, and you will only be studying.
Clara
I can’t do that! You don’t understand! Baking is---
Klein
Useful in making people gluttonous.
Clara
But---
Klein
Clara.
You will be raising your marks this trimester. Or else you will be home
schooled by me. Which means I will have to drop out of school myself.
Clara
Fine!
But I hate you. I hate how you’re making me give up the only thing that
means anything to me, for school! I hate how you can just live
perfectly fine after our parents just left us!
Klein stands abruptly.
Klein
That’s not fair Clara, not fair at all. I just want you to be happy Clara, and get somewhere in life.
Clara
Baking
makes me happy. It takes my mind off of our parents, the traitorous and
abandoning parents that they are just leaving us here and never coming
once to see us
during
these nine years. They just stuck us in a boarding school and stayed
away from us, saying that we would hold them back from doing whatever
they’re doing now.
Klein
Oh, so if you have kids---
Klein you’ll just bake for them all the time? Make them all
speaking fat and the target for all the bullies at school?
Clara together Kids? Children? What in the world Klein? Children? I
don’t
Klein Or maybe you’ll just abandon them, unable to do
anything, and feel so incompetent that you’ll just
Clara even plan on having children! I don’t even plan on
getting married! What are you talking about?!
Klein leave them.
Glares at each other
Clara
School doesn’t matter to me, We forget everything within months and we’ll never use it again.
Cont. Clara
Cuts Klein off
You know it’s true, it’s not like either one of us wants to become a teacher.
Klein
Who know’s Clara?! I might just want to be a teacher, you’ve never listened to me, no shut up Clara, you’ve always been so self-centered so selfish---
Clara
What?!
Self-centered, selfish?! I’ve just been trying to do what you want me
to do, to become a perfect sister for you and this is what you--- No.
Whatever. Whatever.
Clara EXIT, Klein sighs.
SCENE END
Scene 2
INT. Klein’s Dorm. Around midnight.
Clara and Klein are studying at a desk in Klein’s dorm around midnight. Clara yawns and dozes off.
Klein
Clara! Wake up! You need to study!
Shakes her
Clara
Oh, what? Sorry Klein, could I just go to my dorm and sleep now?
Checks watch
It’s already past 11 Klein, I’m going to bed.
Rises from her chair
Klein
What?
You’re going to sleep? No, you need to study. You need to memorize
these formulas, and read the next two chapters for English. Clara! Come
back here!
[Reminder: It’s past 11pm (no yelling!)]
Grabs her and stands in front of her.
Clara. Just concentrate for one more hour.
Clara
One more hour Klein? One more hour?
Klein
Yes Clara, one more hour---
Clara
Klein. Do you know how hard it is for me to concentrate on this? These things that I can‘t bring myself to have any interest in?
Klein
You
don’t have to be interested in it, do you think I like everyone of my
subjects? No, I just do it because I have to, it’s not a choice for me.
Clara
Why
don’t you have a choice? It’s not like our--- guardians are ever going
to check up on us. They don’t care about us, so why should we care about
what they think?
Klein
Because... They’re still our parents after all.
Clara
Well I can’t do that, baking is the only thing I can do well. I’m a stupid klutz---
Klein
You’re not stupid Clara.
Clara
Continues as if uninterrupted
---who
can’t even walk down the hallway without tripping, who doesn’t even
know the year the Declaration of Independence was signed---
Klein
It’s 1776, it was in your reading last night Clara...
Clara
Exactly!
I can’t remember these things! I want to do something that I can
actually achieve. I want to be appreciated and not looked down upon for
all of the things that I can’t do.
Klein
That’s not it Clara. You’re... You’re outgoing. Umm you’re kind, sociable.
Clara
It
doesn’t really matter when I have a brother like you, a perfect
student, average at athletics, fairly handsome, everyone loves you
Klein. Everything I do is insufficient and practically pathetic compared
to you.
Klein
That’s not true--
Clara
Really?
I can’t ever compare to you. So why can’t you let me do the things I
want to do? Because I’ll never be the perfect little sister you want.
I’ll never be just like you. I just don’t get this stuff! So please, just let me go.
Klein
Runs hand through hair
I’m
sorry Clara, I just want you to be happy. But I can’t see happiness in
you baking, and being a pâtissier. I only see a happy future in studying
and going to college and becoming a doct---
Clara
Sighs
Those
aren’t your dreams, Klein! That’s what society wants from you. Do you
really want to major in medicine and law? How boring is that? Why not be
an actor or an artist or a writer! I’m sorry Klein. No matter what you
say, I’m leaving.
Klein
What, Clara, no! How could you just leave? You wouldn’t be able to find a school to take you in!
Clara
Did you really think I am just a little girl that depends on her older brother? Did you
Cont. Clara
really
think I would live off of you my whole life Klein? Of course not! I
know what I want and I aim for those goals. And I don’t know Klein. I
hope that there’ll be a school that’ll accept me before September. But,
I’m not dependant on you anymore.
Klein
But.... Clara, what--- what am I supposed to do.
Clara
Starts to gather her stuff
Go
on living, find what you want to do. I love baking and I’m not going to
lose it for school or for you. I’m the one that has to die when it’s my
time, so let me live my life, my way. Thanks for taking care of me and
everything in place of our parents. I’ll show you that I can achieve my
dreams and still be happy Klein.
Kisses Klein on the cheek.
Clara EXITS, Klein continues to stand there, at a loss to what to do.
SCENE END.
