Belief (Part 1)

Jo: (mutters.) Bloody alarm clock!

Jo: Who could that be?

Jo: (bitterly.) Do you ever need me when it’s not urgent?!

Jo’s mother: (OOV) Darling, could you stick the tea tray outside of the door? We’re a bit . . . busy.

Jo: (mutters to herself.) You’re always busy! Can’t you just not argue for two minutes?

Jo: Hey!

Man 1: (sarcastically.) Oh sorry! You going to get your gang or posse after me?

Man 2: (sarcastically.) Oh God. I’m so scared of you and your thugs and yobs. Don’t hurt me!

Old Woman 1: Its drugs. I bet you anything it’s all about the drugs.

Old Woman 2: Since when has it been anything else? Either that or she’s on The Game.

Kid 1: Mummy does that girl have . . . it?

Merlin: (OOV) Hasn’t she turned up yet?

Jo: She never turns up on time. I don’t know why I bother sometimes.

Merlin: In the hope that she might just turn up on time?

Jo: Yeah. It’s pathetic.

Merlin: No it isn’t. It’s good.

Jo: Yeah?

Merlin: Yeah.

Leena: (OOV.) Don’t mind me then!

Jo: You turned up then!

Leena: Yeah. I shouldn’t have bothered. You two were obviously getting up to something behind my back!

Jo: Not really . . .

Leena: (interrupts) I mean I’m only going through the most annoying crisis in the whole world ever!

Jo: What’s going on?

Leena: It’s Karl. He just won’t notice me! I mean, I’ve tried everything. I’ve tried dying my hair, wearing more racy clothes and everything. Does he notice? No!

Jo: Well . . .

Leena: (interrupts.) And do you know what’s worse? Fiona is rubbing it in my face that she’s with Ben. I mean hello? How bitchy can you get?!

Jo: (hesitates.) Yeah I guess.

Leena: She must be taught a lesson. I’ll be right back.

Harriet: Got a minute?

Jo: Not really.

Harriet: Too bad.

Harriet: My homework. I want it done.

Jo: I assume you want me to do it?

Harriet: Duh!

Jo: Why?

Harriet: Because I’ve got a party to go to and you are the kind of no-life who will have the time to do it for me.

Jo: But I can’t! I’ve got loads of assignments to do for the end of the week and –

Harriet: (interrupts.) Make the time, nerd. Give it to me tomorrow but not in front of my friends, yeah? I don’t want to be associated with the likes of you.

Harriet: Oh and don’t make it look too good. It’ll give it away. Just make sure I get the best marks. I need that place at Oxford y’know!

Jo: Excuse me? Could you tell me where I am?

Guy In Suit: You’re lost?

Jo: Yes. I am lost. That’s why I’m asking –

Guy In Suit: (interrupts.) You are trapped in your life, are you not?

Jo: OK (hesitates.) Who are you?

Guy In Suit: I just watch. I watch over life. I’ve been watching you and I know that you are not happy.

Jo: (hesitates.) Well, yeah.

Guy In Suit: Your parents fighting, you’re under-appreciated and you don’t have the courage to admit to your feelings to the man you want.

Jo: You know everything, don’t you?

Guy In Suit: Well . . . you never know. I mean, it depends on what you believe in.

Jo: Are you God?

Guy In Suit: Again, it depends on what you believe in. I could be God. I could just be some messenger or a figment of your imagination.

Jo: So you’re anything I believe you to be?

Guy In Suit: Yeah.

Jo: Why are you here?

Guy In Suit: Again, that’s up to you.

Jo: Up to me? But . . . that makes no sense!

Guy In Suit: Like I said, I am anything you believe me to be. What do you believe yourself to be?

Jo: Joanne Arianwen?

Guy In Suit: OK, there’s a step. Listen to the question: what do you believe yourself to be?

Jo: Stuck in a dead end life. It’s like I have no control of anything.

Guy In Suit: I have a solution. I can guarantee it will work. It’s purely up to you.

Jo: What?

Guy In Suit: Like I said, it’s purely up to you. You have to believe. That is the only way.