Read An Almost Perfect Thing for Free Online Page B

Down to my bones. In my blood. My feet. My hands. My hair. Suck in the moment. Freeze it in my mind. Bite my cheeks. Dig my fingernails into my hands. Don't let him see you cry. Don't let him know how bad you wanted this. How bad you want this. To be out. Like a person. Just a person.
    MATHEW grabs her hand.
    MATHEW
    (to CHLOE)
Get away from the window; I don't want anyone to see you.
    GREG pulls her away from MATHEW.
    GREG
    (to CHLOE)
Go through the door; I want everyone to see you.
    To audience.
    CHLOE
    We walk through the room. Beautiful.
    MATHEW
    She looks around.
    GREG
    At everything. The people.
    MATHEW
    The ornaments.
    GREG
    The art on the walls.
    CHLOE
    Perfect.
    MATHEW
    The big picture of a full moon shining on a snow-covered field.
    GREG
    The candles on the table. The flowers.
    MATHEW
    The photos everywhere.
    (to CHLOE)
Do you like it here?
    GREG
    (to CHLOE)
Having fun yet?
    CHLOE
    Yeah. It's… awesome. Sorry. Wonderful. Amazing.
    MATHEW
    I haven't changed anything from when I was a kid. Except that table. I made it myself.
    GREG
    Chloe, I'd like you to meet my colleague.
    MATHEW
    This is my mum. Before she was married.
    GREG
    One of my good buddies.
    MATHEW
    My best friend.
    GREG/MAT
    Used to be anyway.
    She goes towards MATHEW.
    CHLOE
    (to MATHEW)
She's really pretty. Mathew.
    Beat.
    I'd like to see more pictures of her.
    MATHEW
    (to audience)
The way she said my name…
    GREG
    Chloe. They're about to serve dinner. Table number eleven.
    GREG puts his hand on her back.
    CHLOE
    (to audience)
The way he put his hand on my back…
    GREG
    (imitating co-worker)
"Hey, Greggy. What're you drinking? I'm buying."
    (to audience)
The way they're talking to me…
    CHLOE
    It feels—
    MATHEW
    â€”different.
    GREG
    Very different.
    They inhale.
    CHLOE
    We eat dinner.
    MATHEW
    (to CHLOE)
When I was five we went—
    GREG
    (to colleagues)
It's because of the Conservatives. Obviously.
    CHLOE
    I try to keep up. Eyes wide, head tilted, smile not too big, not too small.
    GREG
    She says nothing.
    MATHEW
    Almost nothing. I don't know why.
    CHLOE
    I'm smarter. I can see through what's being said. What's true, what's a lie. What's said to impress, what's said to defend.
    GREG
    After dinner—
    CHLOE
    (to GREG/MATHEW)
Where's the washroom?
    MATHEW
    I stand outside the door.
    GREG
    Wait for her. To make sure nothing happens.
    MATHEW
    Because nothing can happen.
    GREG
    People keep coming up to me.
    (imitating public)
"What is she like? What's it like working with her? We're hooked on your articles! We love your writing!"
    MATHEW
    What if life could be like this—
    GREG
    â€”all the time. People falling all over themselves—
    MATHEW
    Her willing to do anything—
    GREG
    â€”just to talk to me.
    MATHEW
    Be with me. Up here.
    CHLOE
    (to GREG/MATHEW)
Thanks for waiting.
    (to audience)
We go back to the main room. I can't stop staring at him. In this room. Surrounded by—
    GREG
    Colleagues.
    MATHEW
    Memories.
    CHLOE
    And he won't stop—
    MATHEW
    Telling stories.
    GREG
    Jokes.
    CHLOE
    Trying to impress—
    MATHEW
    Her.
    GREG
    Everyone around me.
    CHLOE
    He makes me kind of sad.
    GREG
    (to CHLOE)
Can you believe what he said at dinner?
    CHLOE
    None of it's real.
    MATHEW
    (to CHLOE)
And this one I got from my mum when I was ten.
    CHLOE
    He's alone. Totally alone. I can see it in his shoulders. In the way he—
    GREG and MATHEW wipe sweat off their foreheads in the same way.
    â€”so you won't notice the sweat on his forehead.
    GREG and MATHEW both massage their necks.
    No real friends. No family. No one. Except me.
    MATHEW
    (to CHLOE)
Dance with me.
    MATHEW takes her arm.
    GREG
    (to CHLOE)
Dance with me.
    GREG pulls her away.
    CHLOE
    What? No. I don't know how.
    GREG/MAT
    I'll teach you.
    CHLOE
    No. Mathew—
    MATHEW
    (to audience)
She said my name again. Like that.
    GREG
    It'll be fun.
    He puts his hand on her back.
    CHLOE
    (to audience)
He put his hand on my back again. Like that.
    GREG
    (to