Page 106 of Come Apart
"Still, not many high school students get to play two Shakespearean heroines."
She scans the next aisle, stopping at a row of cookies. "AbridgedHamletcuts out all of Ophelia's best lines."
"Oh yeah?"
She turns her eyes towards me, shaking her head like I'm ridiculous. But she's smiling. "There's this great exchange between her and Hamlet where he asks if he can lay in her lap and she says no. But he corrects himself—he means his head upon her lap."
"Yeah?"
"Without the oral sex jokes she's just Hamlet's crazy girlfriend. Kills herself for no reason." Her attention turns back to the shelf. She picks up a box of sugar cookies and hugs it to her chest. "Of course, Juliet isn't really any better. She also kills herself over her boyfriend."
"So it'sThe Cruciblethen?"
She nods. "Abigail is a badass bitch. She starts all kinds of shit." She laughs and her eyes find mine. "Thanks."
"No, thank you for the free British literature lesson."
"The Crucibleis American."
"Two lessons in one. How could I get so lucky?"
She presses her hand against my chest, pushing gently. "You better watch what you say."
"You're right. I wouldn't want to insult a depressing play."
"Ha ha." She grins.
A bit of tension releases. Then her eyes turn to the box of cookies in her hand and all the joy drops off her face.
"You want to get home?" I ask.
She nods.
She's white as a ghost at the checkout. And she stays quiet the entire walk back to my place. It's not until we're inside that she finally looks at me.
Her eyes are wide. Anxious. "This isn't going to be easy."
I nod.
"I might get upset. I might yell at you or try and run off. But it's not personal."
Her eyes connect with mine. She's still so scared, but I'm going to do whatever I can to help her.
"Do you want to talk about it at all?" I ask.
She shakes her head. "Let's just do it."
"How does it work?"
"I eat the cookie. It sounds so simple, but it's not."
She's already starting to freak out. I can see it on her face.
I reach for her, but she's receding further and further into herself.
"Ally, you need to try and stay here with me, okay?"
She nods. "I'll try."
