[The lights rise on Claire Spencer's loft apartment. SHE lies in bed until her alarm clock wakes her up.]

[1] READY OR NOT:

CLAIRE:

FIVE MORE MINUTES,
I JUST NEED FIVE MORE MINUTES.
WITH FIVE MORE MINUTES, I CAN CONQUER THE WORLD.
FIVE MORE MINUTES AND THE BEST OF ME WILL UNFURL.

[HER cell phone rings with a reminder.]

CLAIRE:

Shit.

I'VE GOT A MEETING AT NINE
THEN BRUNCH AT TEN-THIRTY WITH MR. WILLERSTEIN.
BUT I'M GONNA BE FINE,
I JUST NEED TO HURRY TO CATCH THE EIGHT-FIFTEEN.
WHOEVER SAID THAT LIFE WAS SIMPLE CLEARLY NEVER MET ME.
I'M A HURRICANE OF INSANITY,
THE LIVING PROOF OF VANITY.
I JUST WISH NONE OF THIS WOULD BE ANYMORE.
STILL, I HAVE TO GIVE THIS DAY EVERYTHING I'VE GOT.
SO, LIFE, COME AND GET ME WHETHER I'M READY OR NOT.

OH, READY OR NOT, IT'S TIME TO FACE THE FIRE.
OH, READY OR NOT,THE WAVES ARE GETTING HIGHER,
BUT I WON'T LET IT GET ME DOWN
CAUSE I KNOW THAT I'LL BE FINE.
I'LL MAKE IT THROUGH SOMEHOW,
THOUGH MY SANITY IS ON THE LINE.
READY OR NOT, I HAVE TO WALK INTO
THE ONLY DAY THAT I'VE GOT. AND I'VE GOT TO MAKE IT THROUGH.
BUT I'LL GET BY ON ONE SMALL WISH
THAT THERE IS SOMETHING MORE THAN THIS
JUST WAITING TO LEAD ME TO BLISS.

[HER cell phone rings again and SHE answers.]

CLAIRE:

JESUS CHRIST, WHAT DO YOU WANT, YOU SON OF A BITCH?!

(beat.)

Oh. Hi, honey. No, no I didn't...No, you're not a son of a bitch, it's just that...Yeah, it's one of those mornings. Look, I'll be over for a coffee in a few minutes. Alright, see you then, Patrick. I love you too.

[The scene begins to change to PATRICK'S apartment.]

CLAIRE:

READY OR NOT, LIFE IS WAITING FOR ME.
READY OR NOT, A BRAND NEW WORLD IS FORMING.
MY LIFE IS OUT THERE WAITING, ONLY WAITING TO EXPLODE.
OR ELSE, LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, IT'S JUST GOING TO IMPLODE.
OH GOD, JUST GIVE ME SOMETHING SO I DON'T GET UP AND GO AWAY.
I WANT TO GET AWAY.

[PATRICK hands her a cup of coffee and they sit down at the table.]

PATRICK:

So, how's your mother holding up?

CLAIRE:

Fine, I guess.

PATRICK:

How long has she been in the hospital, again?

CLAIRE:

After the last treatment failed? About a week. She still refuses to believe that something bad could happen.

PATRICK:

Claire, she has pancreatic cancer. Unless they caught it early enough-

CLAIRE:

But they might have, right? They said they're still not sure what stage it's in.

PATRICK:

Of course.

CLAIRE:

No matter what, though, it's mom. She's never been one to give up without a fight.

PATRICK:

That's for sure.

CLAIRE:

What's that supposed to mean?

PATRICK:

Nothing, sweetie.

[CLAIRE checks her watch.]

CLAIRE:

I'd love to stay and argue, but I really have to go.

PATRICK:

Okay. I'll see you tonight.

CLAIRE:

Yeah.

[HE gives her a quick peck on the lips and the apartment disappears. The scene changes to the streets of New York City.]

CLAIRE:

READY OR NOT, SOMETHING'S HEADING STRAIGHT FOR ME.
READY OR NOT, LIKE A SHOT GUN. WAIT AND SEE.
I KNOW THERE'S SOMETHING WONDERFUL THAT'S HEADED RIGHT MY WAY.
IF NOTHING ELSE THAT THOUGHT CAN ONLY GET ME THROUGH THE DAY.
STILL, SOMETHING HAS TO TURN AROUND AND MAKE ME FEEL OKAY.

THERE HAS TO BE A MOMENT WHEN I FIND JUST WHAT I NEED,
WHERE ALL MY WANTS AND MY FUTURE SUDDENLY JUST INTERCEDE.
OH, IT WILL HAPPEN ANY MOMENT IN THIS AMAZING SORT OF WAY.
YES, ALL I'VE WISHED FOR COULD COME TRUE ON A DAY JUST LIKE TODAY.

[OLIVIA and PATRICK appear.]

OLIVIA:

READY OR NOT, THIS LIVING IN CYCLE'S GONNA END.

PATRICK:

READY OR NOT, SOMEDAY WE'RE GONNA STOP PLAYING PRETEND.

ALL:

READY OR NOT, THE GOOD THINGS ARE GONNA START ROLLING ON IN.
AND I'LL BE READY.
I'LL BE READY.
OH, I'M SO READY FOR MY LIFE TO START,
BUT FOR NOW I'M JUST FACING BEING READY OR NOT.

END SONG.