The busy streets of New York City keeps the night going. Taxis and buses pass by the streets while people walk in and out of various stores and buildings.
One Taxi stops in front of an apartment building. The door opens and out walks a tall, skinny woman with a pea-coat and high-heeled boots. It’s Ari, Grace’s best friend. Once the taxi drives off, she takes out her phone and dials up a number. Moments later, she begins to talk.
Ari: Hey, I’m here, are you nearby?
Ari looks up and down the city block.
Ari: *annoyed* Boy if you don’t get here faster, I’m gonna go upstairs by myself and handle this shit out!
Ari hangs up the phone and looks at the building in front of her. She slowly walks towards the entrance of it.
A few moments later, a man with tied-up dreadlocks and a bomber jacket comes into the building. He looks around and spots Ari. Ari gets up from her seat and walks towards the man.
Ari: It took you long enough!
Emerson: Hey, traffic was crazy in Brooklyn!
The two start to bicker until they notice they are now being loud inside the lobby. They stop, look around and lower their voices.
Ari: Let’s just go upstairs so I can kill a bitch.
Ari walks towards the elevators as Emerson follows.
Emerson: So she hasn’t spoke to you in three days?
Ari: She won’t answer my calls, text me back, call me back; nothing. It’s like she doesn’t even exist and I’m not gonna let that shit slide.
Emerson: She hasn’t answered my calls or texts either.
Once they enter the elevator and press the floor number button, the doors close.
Ari: I get she’s all sad with Jamie going back to Korea, but she can’t just tune out the world because of that.
Emerson doesn’t say anything. The doors open and Ari walks ahead down the hall. Emerson follows her. Once they reach the door, Emerson insists he knock first.
Emerson: *knocks* Grace? *knocks harder* Grace? You there?
Ari: Where else would she be?
Emerson puts a finger to his mouth, gesturing for Ari to quiet down. Ari rolls her eyes and reaches for something under the welcome mat. Emerson is dumbfounded.
Emerson: How’d you–
Ari: Oh please, the amount of times this bitch got drunk and couldn’t find her keys; this was basically my idea.
Ari takes the key and opens the front door to Grace’s apartment. Both Ari and Emerson look into the apartment.
Ari: Grace! Get your ass out here!
Ari walks towards the bedroom.
Emerson: Ari!
He follows Ari as she swings the bedroom door open. While Emerson stand at the doorway, Ari walks towards the bed and pulls the blanket off of the bed.
Ari: Grace!
Grace takes her head off of the pillows and looks up.
Grace: Ari? Em? The fuck…?
Ari: Don’t change the subject! What the fuck, Grace?
Grace: *annoyed* How the hell did you guys even get in here?
Ari: I’m your best friend! I know where your spare key is!
Grace: That’s for emergencies only!
Ari: Bitch this is an emergency! I haven’t heard from you for days! Neither as Emerson!
Emerson doesn’t say anything, he just stands at the doorway, nervous.
Grace: Well I’m fine, so both of you can leave.
Grace grabs the blanket to try to cover herself back up, but Ari is not having it. They both fight for the blanket, and Emerson tries to break it up.
Emerson: Okay! Okay! That’s enough, stop!
Grace immediately stops, which causes Ari to fall to the ground with the blanket. Grace races out of bed and runs out of the room.
Emerson: Grace!
He sees her slamming the door to the bathroom. Ari gets up and tries to go after Grace, but Emerson blocks the doorway.
Emerson: She went to the bathroom! Relax, Ari!
Ari stops fighting until Emerson puts down his guard and Ari walks out of the room.
Emerson: Ari!
Ari: Let me handle this.
Ari calmly walks to the bathroom and knocks on it.
Ari: Grace, you can’t just hide in the bathroom all day.
Grace: *yells from inside the bathroom* Just leave! Please!
Ari: You must be dumb if you think I’m leaving without talking about this shit.
Grace: *yells* Just go!
Grace is heard coughing, followed by something falling into water. Ari looks at Emerson.
Emerson: *to Ari* I have to go and meet with Cami and her parents. Please keep me posted about Grace. Let me know how she’s doing.
Ari nods and Emerson leaves the apartment, loudly shutting the door shut. Ari doesn’t say anything or move. She instantly hears the bathroom door unlock. Ari quietly takes a deep breath and then walks into the bathroom.
Ari: Grace–
Grace screams, surprised to see Ari there.
Grace: I thought you left!
Ari: That was Emerson’s whipped ass…
Ari closes the bathroom door and looks towards the toilet bowl. She gags.
Grace: Goddamn, Grace! Did you throw up all of your meals from today?
Grace sighs and weakly flushes the toilet. Ari crosses her arms and looks down at Grace.
Ari: Is this what you’re doing now? Eating but still puking everything out?
Grace: *annoyed* What, are you here to see if I’m actually eating?
Ari: I can clearly see you are with all that shit you just puked up.
Grace: *defeated* Why are you here, Ari?
Ari: *annoyed* Because my best friend hasn’t spoken to me in three days.
Grace: Look, I’m sorry; I haven’t been feeling good and just wanted to be left alone.
Ari: And you couldn’t text me that? It would’ve saved me the cab fare coming here…
Nothing is said between them for a moment. Ari unfolds her arms and attempts to grab Grace by the hands to lift her up off of the bathroom floor.
…
Ari and Grace are sitting on he couch. Ari is drinking coffee while Grace is eating saltine crackers with ginger ale. Ari looks at Grace.
Ari: So how are you really holding up with everything happening?
Grace chews her saltine crackers and takes a sip from her bottle.
Grace: I’m alright. It hurts less when it happens a second time…
Ari: Hey. You know Jamie loves you.
Grace shrugs her shoulders and continues to eat her saltine crackers.
Grace: You know dipping these crackers in ranch dressing is everything?
Ari makes a disgusted face and continues to drink her coffee.
Ari: That doesn’t sound pleasing.
Grace: *shakes her head* Ranch dressing on top of pudding is even better.
Ari chokes on her coffee.
Ari: Bitch, are you high?
Grace rolls her eyes and continues to eat. When the crackers are finished, Grace gets up and gets something else from the pantry. Ari watches her.
Ari: You sure have been eating a lot more these days.
Grace: *sarcastically* Jeez, thanks bitch.
Ari: Listen, it’s better than you starving yourself and shit! I’m glad Jamie got your ass straightened out and got you eating again!
Grace: Yeah, well he keeps pestering me about eating even it being a 13 hour timezone difference and being across the damn world.
Grace closes the pantry and comes back with some dip and potato chips… and ranch dressing.
Ari: Mhm, so he doesn’t know you’re purging and then puking it out when you feel full?
Grace doesn’t say anything, but the silence speaks volumes for Ari.
Ari: You know if you don’t tell him, I will.
Grace: Ari, that’s not your business to tell.
Ari: Bitch please! You know Jamie and I only communicate is for the sole purpose of making sure you’re not falling off the wagon, which… I mean…
Grace: *annoyed* Look, I’m not making myself vomit. Maybe I’m just eating too much and my stomach can’t handle it.
Ari: I mean, who the hell can stand eating ice cream with ranch dressing? That’s some pregnant woman stomach shit.
Grace laughs and continues to eat her snacks. Ari quickly spits her coffee back in her cup and her eyes widen.
Ari: Girl, you’re not pregnant, right?!
Grace: *rolls her eyes* Bitch, you know that’s not a possibility.
Ari: Not the way you and Jamie used to fuck.
Grace’s widens her eyes in shock. She shakes her head in protest.
Grace: Ari, stop. I’m not pregnant. I know I’m not pregnant.
Ari: You took a test?
Grace: Why would I take a test?
Ari: So you don’t know for sure?
Grace: *annoyed* Ari.
Ari: Grace, take a damn test.
Grace: For what?
Ari: *stern* Grace.
Grace sucks her teeth and gets up from the couch. She walks to the bathroom.
Ari: *shocked* Bitch you got a test?!
Ari hops off from the sofa and runs towards the bathroom.
Letters From Liz. 