“Grow Up” by Paramore from Paramore

SALLY sits on her bed, leaning against a large green pillow. BODIO is on the floor, leaning against the bookcase, his legs pulled in towards his chest. SALLY is an older teenage girl dressed for a lazy day taking it easy, BODIO is a large, furry white creatures who’s close cropped fur is streaked with light pastel lines of blue, pink, and yellow. He resembles an albino seven foot tall Geico gecko covered in lamb’s wool.

BODIO (breaking the silence

Well I think he’s an idiot.

SALLY (smiling slightly and sadly)

Dr. Booker is not an idiot.

BODIO (huffy)

Agree to disagree, milady, agree to disagree.

SALLY

Do we have to do this? Can’t we just enjoy our last day together?

BODIO (turning away from her slightly)

Easy enough for you to say. You’re not the one who’s going to blink out of existence in a day.

SALLY (slightly horrified)

That’s not what happens!

Is it?

BODIO (growing more sarcastic as he speaks)

Maybe?! I have no idea. I don’t know any other imaginary friends who’s friends decided to stop believing in them. I wonder why that is?

SALLY

I can’t bring you to college. It would be a disaster for me. A real Drop Dead Fred situation.

BODIO

What does that mean? Drop Dead Fred?

SALLY

It’s a movie thing…I don’t know. That’s just Dr. Booker called it.

BODIO (a bit theatrical)

Oh, Dr. Booker. Of course.

SALLY

Look, I might not have seen the movie but he’s still right. If I bring my imaginary friend to college, everyone’s going to think I’m a crazy person.

BODIO

Well, that’s judgy.

SALLY (sighing)

I love you, you know that. But I…Bodio…it’s college. What am I supposed to do?

BODIO

Try, maybe?

SALLY (quietly)

I can’t.

BODIO (correcting her)

You won’t.

SALLY (standing up, throwing her arms in the air)

I don’t know. Maybe you’re right. But I have to do this. It’s college. Everything’s….different. I can’t make this work and really experience college. We talked about this and you agreed.

BODIO

No, no, no. I said I could see what you’re saying but I was just trying to be nice. I was hoping if I was agreeable you’d come to your senses. Which you obviously haven’t.

SALLY

Because this is my senses. No one brings imaginary friends to school!

BODIO

Maybe they do and maybe they all hang out and have a great time together, reals and imaginaries. But you’ll never know because you’re too scared to try!

SALLY (voice catching a little)

I might be. But I KNOW you’re too scared to live without me!

BODIO

Of course I am. I don’t know if I can even exist without you!

SALLY

Stop saying that! You don’t know that!

BODIO

Ok, fine. Then what do you think happens? You abandon me here and I…what? Wander the country solving crimes?

SALLY

I bet you could if you wanted to. You’ve always been so smart.

BODIO

Stop that! Don’t fucking condescend to me!

SALLY

See? SEE?! Who has an imaginary friend who says “fucking”?

BODIO

You do! Isn’t that cool?!

SALLY

NO! It’s weird. It makes me a freak.

BODIO (quietly)

You’re not a freak.

SALLY

Oh what do you know?! You’re just a goddamn imaginary friend that I made up because I was scared of my parents fighting!

BODIO (angry)

You shut up! Shut up! I’m imaginary, but you did not make me up!

And don’t you dare make this about your parents! Don’t short sheet us. I wasn’t just some distractions. We were…we are friends. Real. Friends. This happened.

SALLY (quietly, sad)

What am I supposed to do? What do you want me to do, Bodio?

She stares at him until she has to look away to blink back tears. BODIO opens his mouth to argue, then closes it. He lightly slaps the doorframe before walking across the room and sitting next to hear on the bed.

BODIO (exhaling out before speaking)

You’re going to go to college tomorrow. By yourself. You’re going to have a ton of fun, you’re going to meet all kinds of friends. You’ll drink too much at least, kiss the wrong person or two, skip a few classes. But mostly, you’ll do it all on your own so it’s all going to be some kind of great.

SALLY

But…we really don’t know what’ll happen if I –

BODIO

I’ll be fine. You went away to camp without me for five years and forgot all about me for about six months after you turned 13 and discovered—.

SALLY (blushing)

Bodio!

BODIO (chuckling)

Anyway, I was fine then. I’m sure I’ll be fine now.

SALLY

But if you’re wrong…?

BODIO (shrugging)

Well…everybody dies, right? I’m secure in my spirituality. I exist, right? That’s gotta be proof of something.

SALLY (crying a little, hugging BODIO)

I don’t want you to die. I just want to go to college.

BODIO (hugging her back, another chuckle)

I know, I know. Let’s not worry about that right now, ok? Let’s just have a good day.

SALLY

But…tomorrow?

BODIO

Is coming either way. Might as well enjoy today.