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Act 1:1:3
"Well, ya, I saw her. She was standing there, right?" Benedick asked half seriously.
"I mean it!" Claudio whined, then quickly inquired, "Did you see her?"
"Ya?" Benedick slurred. He had a slight idea where the conversation was going, but he hoped for a different result.
Claudio looked at Benedick, and then nudged him again. "Well?"
Benedick muttered, "You're kidding. Should I tell you with friendly honesty, as the single guy by choice, or the naked truth?"
"The naked truth, please"
"Well," Benedick pondered. There was some silence in the room, then he sat up a bit and started, shaking his finger as usual, "Well, she's a little too, short, and she's a bit too tanned compared to you, and, well, she hasn't done too much at all. Mostly the only reason that she's actually known to anyone is because of her brother. All I can offer is that I won't be going after her."
Claudio looked at his friend in disbelief, "You think I'm just kidding?" he half laughed. "I'm serious- tell me what you really think."
"Would you buy her equivalent in anything else?"
"Is there an equivalent?" the love struck teen clasped his hands together, daydreaming.
"Ya," Benedick stated simply, "and a car to drive it home." Benedick shifted to look straight at Claudio, asking, "Are you really serious? Or is this just I think that I'm hearing- like that Antonio somehow is running ten miles after that knee surgery and Hero herself is playing truth or dare in the other room?"
Claudio shook his head, saying, "She's the hottest girl I've ever seen!"
Benedick almost fell off the couch laughing. "Her?" he asked in disbelief, "I don't know what you're talking about. Now her cousin," he said, "if she wasn't with that attitude problem, she's quite the looker. But, you aren't thinking of leaving the single line yet and go, you know, steady with her?" Benedick spoke the last line with absolute distrust.
"I know that I said differently before," Claudio hesitantly spoke, "but I think that with Hero, I'd take back my word."
Benedick shut off the TV. Staring at his friend, he gave him a disgusted look. "You, you want to actually ask her out?" he inquired. When his friend nodded, Benedick threw his hands up in his in the air. "This can't be happening! Will I ever spot a single man again? You can go ahead and throw away late night clubbing with strange women and myself, you know!"
Just then, Benedick turned around, noticing that Pedro was in the doorway. "What's this secrecy about?" he asked, "why didn't you get some pizza. There's none left."
"Let me say!" Benedick volunteered.