Conversations With Friends

- Here's a riddle. - "I am inherently worthless...

"...but highly prized.

"I will empty out your bank account.

"I'm all about love.

"But I have a heart of stone

"and have been known...

"...to prefer to be owned."

What?

It's good.

I have to go back to the library.

- Okay. I don't. - Hmm.

Off you fuck then.

- Okay, bye. - Bye.

- Have fun. - Thanks.

- Hey. - Heya.

Sorry, it won't be a minute.

No, no, don't worry.

- Do you need to... - Yeah. Grand.

- Good day? - Mm-hmm. You?

Yeah, grand. Grand.

I'm actually... I'm gonna head home tomorrow.

My dad's picking me up.

Oh, okay.

Uh, have a good summer.

Yeah, you too.

And best of luck with the rest of your exams.

Thanks.

- Hey, Bobbi. - He's back.

Yay.

- Nailed it. - Good shit.

I think so.

Hey.

How do you feel?

Yay. Summer.

That's fair. Surely.

- Yes. Smart. - Good.

- Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. - Ooh.

More, more, more.

- ...once I start. - Once you...

- Are you like pressuring me right now? - No, I'm just...

- Do you feel that I feel... - ...just showing interest.

- I should head. - Okay.

Text me when you're home.

Always, Frances.

- Good night. - Good night.

FRANCES and BOBBI: Whip, crack, snap.

An announcement to the females in the room.

Although we suspect the interest will be wider.

We are now, thanks to mainstream television.

Elevated to the status of dominatrix.

Haven't you heard?

Buckle up, this is the next wave of...

...female empowerment.

You might remember the last one

where we reclaimed the pole

and learned to dance better on it.

Good for exercise.

- I mean, it is... - ...in theory...

...in terms of actual muscles...

...being exercised.

But is that the point?

Hey. Oh. thank you.

Mm-hmm.

That was really great.

Thanks.

That's... that writer.

I know.

That's kind of you to say.

No, I really loved it.

It was very sweet but ruthless.

- Well, that's Frances. - She's the writer.

I'm Bobbi. I'm like her muse.

Well, I want a muse.

I don't operate exclusively.

How long has she been musing for you?

We started in school.

We were fucking back then, too, but we don't do that anymore.

We dropped the fucking but kept the poetry.

That sounds like the wrong way around.

I know, right?

- Where are you from? - London.

- You sound... - New York.

That's a big change.

Oh, I know. I was like, "Look at this little baby city."

I do love living by the sea.

- Do you swim in it? - Yes.

And you?

You should try it.

My name is Jules.

I'm running late.

I have a little poem for you guys.

Um...

It was lovely meeting you.

We should continue this conversation sometime.

- Yeah? - Put your number in my phone.

...chase clout for me.

Did you ever read her book?

Yeah, I got it, I've just never read it.

- Hmm. - It's good.

You'd hate it.

Night, Frances.

Do you do it every day?

Just about.

- Wow. - Yeah.

The Irish Sea.

Who fucking knew?

I know, I'm like, what happens

if I just was, like, I'm over it?

That was amazing.

Yeah. Told you.

Yeah.

- Kind of ridiculous. - Yeah.

You'd think I'd know how to open my own door by now.

Come on in.

And you can just... throw your shit there. That's fine.

I'm gonna throw on some water

and, uh, and then

I'm probably gonna jump in the shower, if that's alright.

Yeah, of course.

It takes me ages to get warm.

Um, there's another bathroom right through there

with some clean towels on the side if you wanna jump in.

Yeah, thanks. Is that okay?

Yeah, sure. I'm fine.

Okay, well, help yourself to whatever you'd like.

Um, can I do anything?

No. No. Just relax.

Oh, Nick should be back soon.

Hi.

- How's it going? - Hi, I'm Frances.

Yes. One of the poets.

- Hi. - How was the swim?

It was good.

Hi.

Hey.

- What's for dinner? - You'll have to wait and see.

Your house is very cool.

I love it. You two are such grown-ups.

I know.

How long have you lived here?

- Um, six years? - Yeah.

Yeah, I came over when you did, I suppose.

- Yeah. - Bobbi's from New York.

Oh. Right.

Yeah, it was a bit of a culture shock at first.

There are, um, a lot of white people here.

- Yes. - Yeah.

I feel like it's a bit better than it used to be, but...

I mean, it's still

- pretty mono... culture. - What brought you over?

Um, my parents got jobs.

They're academics. They hate each other.

Obviously.

Nick's the only person I know

whose parents are still in love.

- Mm! - And quite demonstrative.

Uh, yeah.

It's quite uncomfortable to be around actually.

I mean, no one should have to deal with that.

Right.

So Frances studies English.

Really?

- Nick studied English... - and French.

Did you like it?

Yeah, um... yeah, I loved it.

Do you write other stuff, Frances?

Like other forms, prose?

- No. - Why not?

Um...

I like the impermanence of this

and, like, the performance thing.

I... feel a bit sick when I think about it lasting forever.

That's so funny

because I always thought of writing

as about some sort of desire for permanence.

I feel like when I'm writing, I'm trying to get clarity,

and then when I do, I want to keep it.

No, I think I'm trying for that but...

And it... it just doesn't feel possible.

Or maybe I don't want to package it for people to own.

Frances is a communist.

- Oh. - Thanks, Bobbi.

Mm-Hmm.