[Scene: Ange’s bedroom. It is a small, strangely-decorated room with black walls hung with silver decorations. There is a sword on the wall facing the audience. Enter ANGE, a girl in her mid teens, with her backpack, followed by a cautious TODD, a boy, also with a backpack, also in his mid-teens. TODD is much more fashionably dressed than ANGE. Upon seeing the sword, he straightens up and looks with admiration around the room.]

 

TODD: Wow.

ANGE: [laughs nervously] I know, I have weird taste.

TODD: That wasn’t a bad “wow”. That was…just…wow. [Looking towards the sword] That sword is awesome. Where’d you get it?

ANGE: It’s a reconstruction of something my dad found on a dig. Ninth century Viking.

TODD: Cool. What do the markings on the side say?

ANGE: Probably some sort of battle spell.

TODD: That is so awesome.

ANGE: I think we have another one in the attic.

TODD: [teasing] Can I have it?

ANGE: [smiling nervously] I’ll ask. [She sits on the bed, careful not to make eye contact with TODD.] So. How am I earning my salary today?

TODD: Um…English.

ANGE: The Othello essay, right?

TODD: Yeah.

ANGE: What’s your thesis statement?

[Todd digs in his bag and pulls out a crumpled piece of paper. ANGE takes it.]

ANGE: [reading] “The inherent racism of Venetian society influenced Iago’s decision to bring down Othello.” Well? That shouldn’t be so hard to prove.

TODD: Yeah, I know.

ANGE: So what’s your problem?

TODD: I can’t find enough examples.

[ANGE snorts and pulls another book out of TODD’s bag. She opens it.]

ANGE: [reading] “An old black ram is topping your white ewe…your daughter will be covered by a Barbary horse…sooty bosom of such a thing as thou…” We only need two examples, and I just gave you three.

TODD: Yeah, but two of them are from Iago.

ANGE: [laughs] Okay, I gave you one. Roderigo and the Duke say some other stuff. [She tosses the book to him and he misses it.] You can find one.

TODD: [sarcastically] Thanks. [They both laugh.] What are you doing your essay on?

ANGE: Ostracism.

TODD: Ostriches?

ANGE: Os-tra-ci-sm. Othello is so ostracized by his peers that he takes some of his anger about being alone out on Desdemona.

TODD: Oh.

[He begins to leaf through the book. ANGE watches him.]

ANGE: [abruptly] Are you and Christie still dating?

TODD: [unconcerned, not looking up] We weren’t really dating.

ANGE: [awkwardly] Oh.

TODD: Is “By Heaven, I would rather have been his hangman” racist?

ANGE: Is that when Iago and Roderigo are talking at the beginning?

TODD: Yeah.

ANGE: Then yes.

[Another moment of silence as TODD flips through the book again. ANGE glances at TODD, but then concentrates her gaze on her hands.]

TODD: Okay, I’ve got my examples. I’m good.

ANGE: [disappointed] Is that all?

TODD: Yeah. I can do the essay by myself.

ANGE: Okay. [She starts to get up] I’ll…I’ll walk you out, then.

TODD: [He reaches a hand out to stop her.] Hey, wait.

ANGE: [nervously] What?

[TODD smiles and puts a hand on her cheek.]

TODD: I like you.

ANGE: [incredulously] You—

TODD: You’re beautiful. Has anyone ever told you that? You are beautiful, Angela Warren. I don’t care what anyone else thinks about you. You’re beautiful.

[He kisses her. She looks almost shell-shocked as he sits back and watches her.]

ANGE: I…

TODD: Yeah?

ANGE: Wow.

TODD: Was that a good “wow”?

[She laughs, and he kisses her again. Fade out.]

 

[Scene: A locker-lined highway at a school. TODD is sitting stage left with his backpack next to him, reading over his Othello essay. ADAM enters stage right. He stands over TODD, obviously excited.]

ADAM: Dude!

TODD: [not looking up] What?

ADAM: Is it true?

TODD: Is what true?

ADAM: You and Ange.

TODD: [looking up and grinning] It’s true.

ADAM: Awesome!

TODD: Really?

ADAM: Really. [He sits down next to TODD.] Ange is hot.

TODD: So I’m not the only one to notice it.

ADAM: She’s a babe. You’re lucky.

TODD: Why didn’t you go after her?

ADAM: Because I’m dating Liz, idiot. And because “Ange and Adam” sounds like a bad 80’s duo.

[They both laugh. Adam suddenly becomes more serious.]

ADAM: Are you sure about this, man? I mean…she is kind of…weird.

TODD: I don’t really care any more.

ADAM: About what?

TODD: About weird. Who cares if she’s weird? [He looks pointedly at ADAM] Why is she weird?

ADAM: What?

TODD: Come on. Why is she weird?

ADAM: [uncomfortably] She’s…you know.

TODD: No, I don’t.

ADAM: To be honest, neither do I.

TODD: All righty then! I have no reason not to date her.

ADAM: Christie isn’t a reason?

TODD: We broke up.

ADAM: Does she know that?

TODD: Well, yeah, she should. I mean, she was the one who broke it off.

ADAM: She doesn’t act like it.

TODD: [carefully] Christie can change her mind quickly.

ADAM: How?

TODD: She can be a little possessive.

ADAM: If she goes all Fatal Attraction on you, let me know. I’ll be able to hide.

TODD: [sarcastically] Thanks.

[CHRISTIE enters stage right. She glares at TODD and crosses her arms.]

ADAM: [under his breath] Hello, Glenn Close.

CHRISTIE: [with anger barely held in check] I just heard something strange.

TODD: [slowly getting to his feet] Adam, can I borrow your physics textbook?

CHRISTIE: Something strange about you.

TODD: [to ADAM, ignoring CHRISTIE] Did you finish your Othello essay?

[CHRISTIE loses all composure. She storms across the stage to confront TODD. ADAM cowers, obviously afraid.]

CHRISTIE: [angrily] You’re dating Angela Warren.

TODD: [defensively] So what?

CHRISTIE: I cannot believe you’re doing this.

TODD: Jesus, Christie! You were the one who—

CHRISTIE: This isn’t about me! You are dating that pathetic—

TODD: [angrily] She isn’t pathetic!

CHRISTIE: Get real, Todd. Even the nerds won’t have anything to do with her.

TODD: For God’s sake! She’s just shy!

CHRISTIE: She’s insane.

TODD: What? Why? Because she doesn’t spend five hundred bucks a month on clothes like you do? Because she does her homework? Because she reads? Is that insane? Is that weird? I’m sick of this, Christie! I’m sick of always conforming to what everyone thinks! I’m sick of conforming to what you think! I like Ange, all right? And nothing—nothing—you say is going to stop that!

[CHRISTIE glares at him, then snorts and looks away.]

CHRISTIE: Fine. You’ve made your choice. You can crash and burn for all I care.

TODD: [coldly] You don’t care.

CHRISTIE: Exactly.

TODD: You bitch.

[CHRISTIE sneers at TODD and abruptly exits stage left. ADAM gets up and pats TODD’s shoulder.]

ADAM: I think you’ve made an enemy there.

TODD: [quietly] Good.

[ANGE enters from stage right and stands there, looking awkward.]

ANGE: Todd?

TODD: Hey, babe. [He walks over to her and gives her a hug.] You okay?

ANGE: I heard you yelling.

TODD: Don’t worry about it.

ANGE: I don’t want to cause trouble for you.

TODD: I was causing trouble for myself.

ANGE: Okay. [She smiles, still slightly worried but attempting to put it from her mind.] So…Friday night…

TODD: I’ll be there. [He gives her a kiss.]

ADAM: Ew! True love!

TODD: [looping an arm around ANGE] You’re just jealous.

[ADAM makes a face at ANGE and TODD, and then starts to laugh.]

ADAM: You guys are cute together. [A bell rings in the distance.] Gotta go. If I miss another class, Dr. Adams is going to have my legs. [He exits stage left.]

ANGE: [shyly] I have a study hall now.

TODD: So do I.

[They kiss again and exit stage left, talking quietly.]

 

[Scene: The girl’s bathroom, suitably grotty. LIZ is at the mirror, doing her hair. A makeup bag is resting on the sink. CHRISTIE storms in.]

CHRISTIE: That bitch.

LIZ: What’s wrong?

CHRISITE: That rumor was true.

LIZ: Which one?

CHRISTIE: Ange and Todd.

LIZ: [turning from the mirror, obviously bewildered] What?

CHRISTIE: You heard me, Liz. God damn it!

LIZ: Why are you so worked up? I thought you broke up with him.

CHRISTIE: Yeah? So what? We break up and he goes on the rebound with Ange Warren!

LIZ: Ouch.

CHRISTIE: He’s going to regret this.
LIZ: Um…Christie?

CHRISTIE: What?

LIZ: Don’t do anything weird, okay?

CHRISTIE: [Snorts] Todd is doing something weird.

[LIZ giggles. CHRISTIE looks in the mirror and begins fiddling with her hair.]

LIZ: So what are you going to do?

CHRISTIE: I don’t know. [She fishes around in LIZ’s makeup bag and pulls out a tube of lipstick.]

LIZ: Are you going to break them up?

CHRISTIE: [darkly] Or worse.

LIZ: Tell me when you get a plan. I’ll help.

CHRISTIE: [with a surprised and cruel grin] I thought you two were friends.

LIZ: [shrugging] Not really. She’s too weird.

CHRISTIE: I’ll keep you informed.

LIZ: Just don’t…I don’t know, don’t shoot them or something.

CHRISTIE: Why would I do that? I want Todd back. [LIZ starts to giggle again, slightly frightened at the intensity in CHRISTIE’s voice.] You free tonight?

LIZ: I have to babysit.

CHRISTIE: I’ll think of it on my own, then.

[The bell from the previous scene rings again. This time it is louder and more insistent.]

LIZ: You coming?

CHRISTIE: Later.

LIZ: Okay. [She reaches for her makeup bag but is rebuffed.]

CHRISTIE: I’ll give it back to you.

LIZ: All right. See you. [She exits. CHRISTIE applies the blood-red lipstick. With sudden, jerky movements, she writes ANGE on the mirror. She stares at the letters and grimaces.}

CHRISTIE: Not likely. [She draws a line through the word and throws the lipstick back into the bag.] Not likely at all.

[She exits. Fade out.]

 

[Scene: ANGE’s bedroom. ANGE and TODD enter.]

 

ANGE: That movie was really dumb.

TODD: I know.

ANGE: It was horrible.

TODD: I know.

ANGE: I loved it. [She kisses him.] Got a present for you.

TODD: A present?

ANGE: One-week anniversary. [She walks over to the bed and slides a package out from under it.] Open it.

[TODD attempts to pick up the box, but finds it too heavy.]

TODD: What’s in here?

ANGE: Open it.

[TODD kneels and gingerly opens the box. He brings up a sword from the Styrofoam peanuts. The sword is an exact replica of the one hanging on ANGE’s wall.]

TODD: [amazed] You didn’t.

ANGE: Do you like it?

[TODD holds the sword in a battle pose, sort of like an image from Lord of the Rings.]

TODD: My God. This is amazing, Ange! You’re really giving this to me?

ANGE: [Smiling] I really am.

[TODD puts the sword down and embraces ANGE, running a hand through her hair.]

TODD: You’re amazing.

ANGE: [pleased but embarrassed] I’m not, really.

TODD: Yes you are. You’re amazing.

ANGE: It’s just a sword.

TODD: It’s you. You’re like a sword. [He kisses her. The two slowly but surely move towards the bed.] You’re sharp and dangerous and beautiful. You shine. You’re amazing.

[ANGE accepts and returns his kisses, but suddenly pushes him away. She looks at him seriously.]

ANGE: Do you mean that?

TODD: I mean everything I say.

[ANGE is quiet.]

TODD: [worried] What’s wrong?

ANGE: [looking up at him with a glowing, tearful smile] No one has ever called me amazing before.

[She embraces TODD with sudden lust and fury. They get closer to the bed. TODD leans in to kiss her again, but ANGE stops him.]

ANGE: You know the inscription on the sword?

TODD: [puzzled] Yeah.

ANGE: It’s not a battle spell.

TODD: What does it say?

ANGE: “I fight my wars for her.” [TODD gives her an odd look.] What?

TODD: The other day, when you heard me yelling…

[He shakes his head and smiles] I fought a war for you.

[TODD kisses ANGE. They fall onto the bed. ANGE starts to take off her shirt. Fade out.]

 

[Scene: The school hallway. LIZ is pacing. She keeps looking furtively at stage right. Enter CHRISTIE from stage left.]

CHRISTIE: Stop being so nervous. She’s coming.

LIZ: Are you sure we should do this?

CHRISTIE: You bailing on me?

LIZ: [hastily] No, no.

CHRISTIE: Then shut up and do it. [She exits stage right. Enter ANGE from stage left with cell phone and backpack. She is on the cell phone.]

ANGE: [into the cell phone] Yeah, I know. Look, don’t worry about it, I’m on—[She suddenly notices LIZ] I’m…on the phone in a hallway with someone else. [She pauses and “listens” to a reply.] We won’t have that problem. [Another pause. She giggles.] I’ll teach you how to use the—oh, come on! Bad joke! [She listens.] All right. My house. Okay. Love you too, babe. Bye. [She closes the phone.] Hi, Liz.

LIZ: Um, hi. [She seems to steel herself.] So. You and Todd are going out, aren’t you?

ANGE: [with a dreamy smile] Yeah.

LIZ: Ah.

ANGE: [still dreamily] He’s so great. He’s so nice.

LIZ: [treading carefully] Was that just him on the phone?

ANGE: Yeah. Why?

LIZ: [a little too quickly] Nothing.

[ANGE looks at her askance, but doesn’t pursue it. She drops her backpack and begins to rummage in it.]

ANGE: You get a good grade on the Othello essay?

LIZ: Better than I thought I would. [She coughs.] Are you guys serious?

[ANGE grins at her, embarrassed.]

ANGE: Pretty…pretty serious.

LIZ: [Getting her meaning] Oh.

ANGE: I’m teaching him how to use a sword tonight. I know that’s a pretty strange date, but—

LIZ: [cutting her off] Todd…Todd was dating Christie, wasn’t he?

ANGE: [shrugging] I suppose. He told me they weren’t exactly dating.

LIZ: [surprised] He said what?

ANGE: That they weren’t really dating.

LIZ: [putting a hand to her mouth.] Oh God.

ANGE: What?

LIZ: I can’t believe he said that.

ANGE: [bewildered and slightly worried] What?

LIZ: Ange, I really don’t want to tell you this.

ANGE: [More worried, and now slightly impatient] Tell me what, Liz?

LIZ: [slowly] You ever heard of the term “friends with benefits”?

[ANGE stares at her. Suddenly, the penny drops.]

ANGE: No.

LIZ: I’m sorry.

ANGE: No. He wouldn’t do that.

LIZ: [sighing heavily] Ange. Come with me.

ANGE: What? Why?

LIZ: You need to see this.

[She takes ANGE’s arm. ANGE follows her. They exit stage left. As soon as they are offstage, TODD and CHRISTIE enter stage right. CHRISTIE is nearly chasing TODD.]

TODD: [irritated] Go away, Christie.

CHRISTIE: Todd, I—

TODD: You don’t like me and Ange together. Whatever. I’ve accepted it. I’m past it. Go away.

CHRISTIE: Todd, will you just listen to me?

TODD: [Stops and turns around] Why should I? You totally screwed me up, Christie. I already told you this. I know you hate Ange. I don’t care. I am not playing your little games. [He turns to go.]

CHRISTIE: [Grabbing his shoulder and turning him around] I’m sorry, Todd? Okay? I’m sorry! [She starts to cry. Todd stares at her, looking uncomfortable.] I just…I just got jealous. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry! [She sinks to the ground and begins to sob.]

TODD: [Looking uncomfortable] Hey. Hey. [He kneels and brings her to her feet.] It’s okay. You could have just told me that y—

[CHRISTIE suddenly grabs him tightly and kisses him passionately, refusing to let go. At that instant, ANGE and LIZ re-enter from stage right. LIZ shakes her head sadly. ANGE stares for a few seconds and then exits quickly. LIZ follows her.]

TODD: [He hasn’t noticed LIZ OR ANGE. He pushes CHRISTIE away] Christie, I’m sorry, but…

CHRISTIE: Don’t break my heart.

TODD: I have to. I’m sorry. I love Ange. I don’t…I don’t love you.

CHRISTIE: [pleading] You could.

TODD: I can’t. I…[He backs away from her.] I can’t. [He exits stage left.]

[CHRISTIE “cries” for a few seconds after he leaves, and then stops abruptly. She looks to the audience and smirks, then calmly gets to her feet and exits stage right.]

 

[Scene: The girl’s bathroom. ANGE storms in from stage left, followed close behind by LIZ.]

ANGE: That bastard!

LIZ: Ange, Ange, calm down! Maybe—

[ANGE lets out a shriek and then collapses into tears. She slams her fist against the mirror.]

ANGE: I can’t believe he did that to me!

LIZ: [sounding honestly worried] Ange—

ANGE: [with sudden and complete defeat] I thought…just once…maybe I could be a normal girl…normal friends…normal…normal boyfriend…[She wipes her eyes angrily and suppresses a sob.] I can’t deal with this. I can’t.

LIZ: Ange—

ANGE: I’m going home.

LIZ: [surprised] It’s only fourth period.

ANGE: [with a dangerous tone that makes LIZ step back] I don’t care. [She exits stage left. LIZ looks ashamed. She starts to go after ANGE, but stops as CHRISTIE enters.]

CHRISTIE: [with evil glee] Did it work?

LIZ: [uncomfortably] Yeah…yeah, it worked.

CHRISTIE: Beautiful. [She laughs and throws her hair back] Beautiful.

LIZ: [weakly] Yeah.

CHRISTIE: [not noticing her tone] I’ll have Todd back by the end of the week.

LIZ: She was pretty torn up.

CHRISTIE: [smirking] Good.

LIZ: I don’t feel so good.

CHRISTIE: [staring at LIZ, confused] What? [She snorts.] Give me a break, Liz. It doesn’t matter.

LIZ: [sighing] I guess not.

CHRISTIE: [insistently] It doesn’t. [She glares and crosses her arms.] Are you going to tell?

LIZ: No.

CHRISTIE: Are you sure?

LIZ: [somewhat frightened] I’m…I’m sure.

CHRISTIE: Good. Come on, let’s go.

LIZ: Where?

CHRISTIE: My place. I need to plan my outfit for our makeup date.

LIZ: It’s only fourth period.

CHRISTIE: [nastily] Are you being a good girl, Liz?

LIZ: [hastily] No. It’s just…um…I have a test last period.

CHRISTIE: [clearly not believing her] Yeah. Sure. Whatever. See you tomorrow, then. [She exits stage left. LIZ looks guiltily at the audience and then exits stage left.]