SETTING: The small, cramped guest bedroom on the second floor. Upstage center is a window. AT RISE: The stage is completely dark except for the window. Outside, a massive rainstorm is raging, flashing lightning across the stage. Heavy RAIN SOUNDS hammer against the glass. PARIS is pacing back and forth downstage, tightly wrapped in a patchwork quilt. Her hair is damp from running through the downpour. ADAM sits calmly on the edge of a single, narrow bed stage-left. He strikes a match, lighting a single candle on the nightstand. A warm, flickering amber light fills the small space. PARIS (Frantic, waving a hand) I can't believe the tent collapsed. My mom is going to use this blackout as an excuse to keep everyone trapped here until Monday. And Aunt Sylvia already tried to corner me by the coat rack about her neighbor's son who "just loves logistics." (She stops pacing, turning to him) Adam, are you even listening to me? ADAM (Softly, with a calm smile) I’m listening. But Aunt Sylvia doesn’t know I just spent twenty minutes telling your uncle about our fake vacation to France. I think the logistics guy is officially defeated. PARIS (Groans, hiding her face in her hands) We are lying to my entire extended family. We are going to hell. ADAM If we do, at least it’ll be quiet. (He pats the empty spot on the mattress next to him) Come here. Sit down. You’re going to wear a hole in the floorboards. PARIS (Hesitates, then slowly walks over and sits on the edge of the bed, keeping a small distance between them. She stares at the candle.) How are you so calm? They’ve spent forty-eight hours grilling you about your career prospects and your intentions with me, and you just... smile and take it. ADAM Because it's easy. PARIS It’s not easy! It’s a performance. We're acting. ADAM It’s easy for me to tell your family how incredible you are, Paris. That part doesn't take much acting. (The humor fades from his voice. The RAIN SOUNDS outside grow louder, creating a heavy, intimate silence in the room. PARIS turns her head slowly to look at him. ADAM is already watching her, his gaze steady.) PARIS (In a quiet, vulnerable whisper) Adam? ADAM Yeah? PARIS What if... what if I don't want to go back to being just friends when the rain stops? (A loud crack of THUNDER echoes outside. ADAM doesn't blink. The playful, easygoing best friend disappears. He slowly stands up, then kneels in front of her so they are eye-to-eye. He reaches out, his hand gently taking hers from beneath the blanket.) ADAM (Voice dropping low, thick with emotion) Paris. I stopped playing along yesterday. I’ve just been waiting for you to catch up. PARIS (Breathing softly) You aren't pretending? ADAM (He moves closer, his free hand gently reaching up to brush a damp strand of hair behind her ear. His thumb lingers on her cheek.) I haven't been pretending for a very long time. (ADAM leans in, closing the final distance between them. They share a deep, long-awaited, deeply romantic kiss as the candle flickers and the rain pours outside.)

Before the rain stops