So THIS, my friends, is The Light Behind Your Eyes, BUT it has a completely different ending, and it's in script format. This was my English project, and I'm just a bit too proud of it. Without further ado:

Enjoy~~

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The Light Behind Your Eyes

By Ava Boudreault

Characters

Frank

Gerard

Bert

Doctor

Nurse I

Receptionist

Setting

Modern day, 2017

Act I, Scene I

(The curtain opens on an art studio. The room is square with two windows on every wall. The floor and walls are littered with paintings, paper, paint splatters, unfinished drawings, etc. Two boys sit in the center of the room where a circle is cleared. A canvas and easel sit in the middle of the circle. One boy with bright red dyed hair sits at the easel on a stool, GERARD. He is very thin, and has long legs. Another boy with fluffy, short black hair sits to his right, FRANK. He is a few inches shorter than the other. The red haired boy holds a palette and a paint brush. He looks at the canvas with a blank look.)

GERARD: (Setting the paintbrush down) Frankie, can you hand me a small, fine brush? (He holds his hand out.)

FRANK: Sure, babe. (He picks up the brush and carefully places in his GERARD's hand, wrapping his fingers around it.)

GERARD: (Smiling) Where's the red? (He hovers the brush over the palette)

FRANK: (He takes GERARD's hand and carefully dips his brush into a red paint) Does that feel like enough?

(GERARD nods and smiles. He starts messily painting the canvas. FRANK watches him with a smile.)

GERARD: (Still looking blankly at the canvas) Could you play some music for me?

FRANK: Won't that distract you?

GERARD: (He stops painting and looks to the left of FRANK) Uh, how would that distract me?

(Gerard's hand is still in the same spot as before and it's now clear that his eyes are a milky color.)

FRANK: You have to focus on painting...won't the music, like, override your senses?

GERARD: (Laughs) I think I'll be okay. Go play something on Pansy, yeah?

FRANK: (Unsurely) Okay...

(GERARD turns back to his painting. FRANK hasn't moved.)

FRANK: Babe, are you sure? I don't want to distract you. You always tell when your painting is off and-

GERARD: (Jokingly) For fuck sakes Frank! (He laughs)

FRANK: (He smiles and throws his arms up) Alright, alright!

(FRANK stands up and maneuvers through all the paintings on the floor and goes over to a small corner of the room. There's a guitar rack with multiple guitars on it and amps scattered in the corner. FRANK picks out a plain white electric guitar that has holographic letters spelling 'PANSY' on the bottom. He fiddles with the tuning knobs and plucks the wires. After a bit he turns the amp on and strums once. GERARD noticeably tenses up.)

FRANK: You okay, Gee?

GERARD: I'm fine.

(FRANK turns a knob on the amp. He starts playing and never looks down at the guitar, keeping his eyes fixed on GERARD. They both tap their feet to the rhythm. GERARD looks confused as his brush hovers and shakes over his palette. FRANK's strumming falters slightly, GERARD perks up.)

GERARD: (Roughly) I can find the blue myself! Just keep playing.

(FRANK keeps his eyes on GERARD. After a few seconds, GERRARD whips his head to looks a few feet right of FRANK.)

GERARD: And stop staring at me!

(FRANK slings his guitar around his back.)

FRANK: (Laughing) I still don't understand how you do that!

GERARD: (Monotonous) Can you feel when people stare at you?

FRANK: Well, yeah, usually.

GERARD: Exactly. I'm just blind. I'm still human.

(The boys chuckle and FRANK goes back to playing. GERARD's hums the same tune. The music and humming fades out. The curtains close.)

Act I, Scene II

(Curtains open. GERARD's canvas is almost covered in an array of color which seems to be almost splattered on the canvas. FRANK is playing a different song on PANSY. GERARD sets a brush and his palette down. He stands up and makes his way around everything that's on the ground. FRANK smiles and stops playing. He turns the amp off and puts the guitar on the rack. GERARD reaches his arms out and feels around for FRANK. FRANK moves into GERARD's arms so GERARD's arms are around his waist.)

GERARD: (Slightly whiny) I'm hungry.

FRANK: Okay, baby boy. Let's go get some lunch.

(FRANK took GERARD's hand and put a hand on his lower back, walking off the stage. The curtain closes.)

Act I, Scene III

(The curtains open. GERARD is in his seat at the table and FRANK walks into the kitchen. On the back left of the stage there's an L-shaped counter with cupboards above it. To the right of the counter is the table GERARD is seated at. There are faint sounds of cars, dogs, wind, etc. in the background.)

FRANK: What would you like? (He starts looking through the cupboards.) A PB&J sound good?

GERARD: Whatever's easiest for you, honey.

(FRANK starts preparing two sandwiches. GERARD twiddles his thumbs and moves his head. The faint outdoor sounds become louder as the rest of the scene goes dark and a light focuses on GERARD. His head twitches slightly in multiple directions. The sounds fade and the scene lights up as FRANK sets a plate in front of GERARD. He kisses his head and walks around the table to sit across from him.)

GERARD: (In a singsong voice) Thank you!

FRANK: (Smiles) Of course.

(FRANK's phone buzzes on the table. FRANK takes a bite of his sandwich and checks his phone. After a few seconds FRANK swallows his food and then gasps.)

GERARD: (Choking on his food) What!? (He coughs more, picking the sandwich up.)

FRANK: (Frantically) They found a donor!

GERARD: WHAT!? (Dropping his sandwich into his lap) Frankie, you're joking.

FRANK: I'm dead serious, Gee. (He reaches his hand across the table and grabs GERARD's hand.) Is this what you want?

GERARD: Of course! (He stands up, knocking the chair back) When can they operate?

FRANK: (Wiping his eyes) A few weeks.

(GERARD feels his way around the table and stops next to FRANK. FRANK stands up, taking GERARD's hands.)

GERARD: Set the date.

(The two kiss, roughly. The lights fade and the curtain closes.)

Act II, Scene I

(The curtains open. FRANK and GERARD are standing in front of a receptionist desk. The lady behind the desk as black pigtails and bangs (RECEPTIONIST). She wears a pink flowered shirt, black slacks, and a smile. As the FRANK slides the papers back, he wraps an arm protectively around GERARD.)

RECEPTIONIST: Well, Gerard. I wish you luck on your operation. (She gives FRANK a seemingly helpless smile)

GERARD: Thank you. I do too.

FRANK: (Smiling back at RECEPTIONIST) Thank you so much.

(FRANK leads GERARD over to the waiting area. They sit side by side, holding hands. The stage goes dark as a light focuses on GERARD again. All sounds are enhanced. Incoherent side conversations are heard, footsteps on the linoleum floor echo, papers rustle loudly. A female voice booms through it all.)

NURSE I: (Very loudly) Gerard Way?

(The scene goes back to normal. The whole stage is lit and the sounds are hardly audible. A lady is standing by the edge of the stage. FRANK turns his head to GERARD.)

FRANK: You ready, Gee?

GERARD: (Standing) I've never been more ready.

(FRANK walks GERARD over to where the nurse is. She smiles.)

NURSE: Right this way.

(They all walk off stage. Curtain closes.)

Act II, Scene II

(The curtain opens. The stage is split with a partition down the middle. On the right of the partition the NURSE, GERARD, and FRANK stand. The left of the partition is a bathroom. There's a curtain in the middle.)

NURSE: Could you help him into this? (She holds out a thin hospital gown.)

FRANK: Yeah, of course. (He takes the gown and pushes open a door on the partition. FRANK pushes GERARD behind the curtain and he stands on the outsides of it. GERARD's clothes are thrown at FRANK and he sets them besides the door.) Could you turn around for me?

GERARD: (Snickering) You trying to look at my ass or something?

FRANK: Well, yes. But, no, I need to tie the strings on the back.

(FRANK's arms move from behind the curtain. He then goes behind the curtain and kissing noises are heard. A small moan escapes and FRANK jumps out from behind the curtain. GERARD follows.)

GERARD: You want me to get all hot and bothered before my operation? (He chuckles)

FRANK: Maybe a little. (He moves towards the door, but GERARD's voice stops him.)

GERARD: Do I get to meet the donor?

FRANK: (Startled, at a loss for words) D-don't know, baby. Maybe.

GERARD: Well, I hope I do! It's really rad of him to do this.

FRANK: (Smiling) Yeah...it is...

(His little smile fades into a frown. He shakes his head and plants a kiss on GERARD's forehead. They both walk out of the bathroom and to the right side of the partition. The NURSE is already there.)

NURSE: You ready, Gerard? We'll take you to see the doctor now.

GERARD: I-I'm nervous...but I'm ready.

FRANK: You'll do great, Gee. (He grabs GERARD's hand)

NURSE: Alrighty let's go.

GERARD: I love you, Frank.

FRANK: I love you too, Gerard.

(The NURSE puts her arm around GERARD and leads him off stage. They start talking. Their voices fade out as their conversation continues.)

NURSE: I hear you like art. I also hear you're very good at it. Hey, maybe after the surgery you'll be like Picasso!

GERARD: (Giggling) Fuck Picasso! (Their laughs die out)

(FRANK smiles sadly and looks down. He looks up as tears run down his face. Then he leans against the bathroom door and slides down it. He puts his face in his hands and sobs. A DOCTOR comes into scene. He looks at FRANK.)

DOCTOR: Frank? (FRANK looks up and wipes his eyes.) We need to get ready to perform the operation. You're sure you want to go through with this?

FRANK: (Standing) Yeah.

DOCTOR: Let me show you where-

FRANK: (Rushed) Do you have a pen?

(The DOCTOR looks at him quizzically but slowly reaches into his pocket and holds out a sharpie. FRANK snatches it and scribbles something on his arm. He hands it back and wipes his eyes again. The DOCTOR glances at his arm and furrows his brow.)

DOCTOR: (Nodding slowly) This way, Mr. Iero.

(The DOCTOR leads him offstage and the curtains close.)

Act III, Scene I

(The curtain opens. GERARD is back at the apartment, in the kitchen. Another boy sits with him at the table, BERT. There's a stack of papers on the table between them. GERARD shakes and erupts in sobs. BERT stands up and stands behind GERARD, putting a hand on his back. GERARD wipes his eyes.)

GERARD: (Shakily) Why didn't anyone tell me?

BERT: Frank said he didn't-

GERARD: (Cutting him off) Frank said this! Frank said that! (He pushes his chair back, making BERT stumbled back) It's always what Frank said and wanted! What about what I wanted, Bert?

(BERT says nothing. GERARD falls back into his seat. He puts his hands on his forehead and stares down at the table. He picks up the stack of papers and traces his fingers over the writing.)

GERARD: (Slowly and quietly) Frank wrote these?

BERT: He did.

GERARD: (Setting the papers down) I still don't understand...why couldn't I know?

BERT: Frank knows you wouldn't have let him go through with it.

GERARD: (With sudden rage) Of course I wouldn't have! I love him! I never once wished he would give his eyes up for me! That's not what I wanted!

BERT: (Hesitantly) Gerard...(He puts his hand on his shoulder. GERARD pushes it off violently.)

GERARD: I wanted to see him! I wanted to see him and feel him! That's all I've ever wanted to do since the day I met him. Took look into his eyes and just...(He trails off) Bert, where's your phone?

BERT: (Warily handing his phone to GERARD) Here... (GERARD looks at himself in the phones reflection. A small smile breaks out on his lips. He sets the phone down and starts crying again. He puts his face in his hands.)

GERARD: I'm just ashamed that I didn't know he was sick...

BERT: Gee, there's no way you could've known.

GERARD: I would've done anything, Bert. I would've sold anything, painted anything. I...I would've done anything I could to make money so he'd get better. I didn't know having sight would mean losing the most important man in the world...

BERT: (Pulling a photo out of his pocket) Frank wanted me to show you this. (He gives it to GERARD who looks at it quizically) It says 'Fuck Picasso.'

GERARD: (Quietly) Fuck Picasso...

BERT: (Nodding) The doctor said he scribbled it on his arm before the operation. Frank made sure the doctor took a picture.

GERARD: It was what I said to the nurse...it must've been the last thing he heard me say... (He sets the photo down on the table as well and stares at the phone, papers, and photo. He picks the papers up again.) He really wrote these...?

BERT: (Smiling slightly) Yeah, he did.

GERARD: His hand writing was so pretty...(He pushes the papers across the table) Read it to me again, Bert...

BERT: (He sits back down at the table and picks up the papers) 'Dear Gerard Arthur Way, my beautiful, strong, artistic boy, before- (As he reads on his voice fades out and is replaced with FRANK's. The lights fade slowly.)

FRANK: -you are read these you probably know what's happened. First off, I'm sorry. Secondly, I did it for good reason. Gee, I was already sick. Extremely sick. It would've taken thousands to make me better, we don't have that money. I didn't tell you, because there was no need in you worrying. I was going to die anyway, baby. I was cleared to give you my eyes. It's what you wanted and it's what I wanted. I don't know how long it'll take you to understand, but this is, was, and will always be the only way. So you could keep the apartment, your life, and get new eyes. I know we don't believe in God, Heaven, Hell, and all that bullshit, but I'll always be with you. You're going to do great things, you're going to be someone. I love you, Gerard. Know, every time you look in the mirror, I'll be looking right back at you.

(The curtain closes.)