An excerpt from a theater piece within a story, The First Kiss In A New Body is an experimental work of fiction about the author writing a play for a local festival of theater by incorporating theater & stage directions within the short story so that you’re existing in both worlds. VMH is acting as the dramaturg for this unique piece of storytelling to (hopefully) be presented in Southern California in 2023.

jo pereira is from the San Fernando Valley. Currently they are taking time away from school to focus on writing for the theater.

The First Kiss in a New Body

(Scene set in Jo’s bedroom. Jo’s bedroom is neutral, unfinished. A soft summertime breeze is whispering through the room. You can hear the sound of kids playing on the street outside in the afternoon in suburbia & the sound of the two of them breathing & the sound of a piano playing softly from down the hall as a mask because she does not want to hear them)

Jo:

“You don’t understand. It’s not just longing or waiting (Sophie means to speak but Jo interrupts her before she can say a word) What? What do I do here? What am I supposed to do here? (the words are almost stumbling over each other but it’s still clear to them) You always said that you would love me for who I am & here I am being the most me I’ve ever been. No one you know is ever going to be that way. You saw me. You saw me before anyone else here ever saw me. You’re the only one who has ever seen me. I have been waiting for someone to actually look at me and here I go, Sophie. What are we going to do now with us? It’s trapped in my chest, Sophie. I want to rip it out & I don’t know what to do with it so you have to tell me right now.”

(Jo gripped Sophie’s hand sometime during their speaking & emphasized the word us. They lean in a little more into Sophie like they’re trying to find the version of them that knows the right words to say but they can’t. They look deeply, waiting & Sophie won’t say what they want to hear & you can see on Sophie’s face that she’s searching but how are you supposed to know what to say?)

Jo leans in even more so that their lips are barely apart (“I want to convince you with a kiss”) Fade the studio lights down & project the image on the screen so that the audience can see just how close they are. As the scene progressed all of the background noise became quieter & quieter to now where all you hear is the two of them softly breathing, nervously. Jo is being a lot more assertive but they’re scared & Sophie is waiting for them.

How soft?

(The kiss is a moment away when Sophie speaks, almost like a threat or a plea)

Sophie:

“You don’t want to go there with me.”

jp

Other excerpts from the Anthology (click on an individual’s name to read more)

Dior Rouge by Leigh González

I Asked For Space To Write To You About Love by A I Michael

The Vans Half Cab Legend of Pasadena Heights by Josée Angel Ramirez