2
JANE Hot in here . You ’ d think they ’ d crank the A . C . up on a day like today . ( Beat .) I was just heading to the café . Care for some coffee ? Or a water ?
ELLA
No . Thank-you .
If you change your mind /
/ I won ’ t .
JANE
ELLA
( JANE exits to the café . ELLA puts down any of the groceries she ’ s collected . She looks at her arms and pulls down her sleeves . She hugs herself and then heads to the café . JANE has already gotten herself some water or coffee and is settling down . JANE is not wearing her sweater . ELLA walks to her and observes JANE ’ S scarred arms .)
They ’ re ugly .
ELLA ( cont ’ d )
JANE I know . I used to … hike a lot . I ’ m Jane . I was named after “ Jane Eyre .” My parents had a thing for literary heroines . But I tell people I was named after Jane Austen . Much more hip .
ELLA Ella . Like the girl with the cinders . Only I wasn ’ t named after her . It ’ s an old family name and I hate it .
JANE I think it ’ s required that you hate your name for a few years . ( Beat .) Want to talk about it ?
I really do hike .
I believe you .
ELLA
JANE
ELLA It ’ s the best way – to get away from things . Did you hike ?
JANE I ran ! In the streets . On the treadmill . Up hills . Down hills . Whenever I had a free moment , I was running .
Did it help ?
ELLA