Stay with Me
Scene 1
The curtain rises. There is a young teenage couple arguing on the sidewalk, which is dimly lit by the streetlamps. Shouts of, โI hate you!โ and โI never want to see you again!โ are heard despite the heavy rain. Cars pass them by. The boy is holding his hands in the air, exasperated. The girl is rubbing her eyes and emotionally distraught. Suddenly, she runs onto the road. The light flashes.
BEEEPP.
Gabriel: (yelling) Laura!
The boy is seen frantically stumbling across the road towards the girl. The cars zip by, without a care. He gently picks her up and rests her head on his knee. His hands are now covered with blood.
Gabriel: Laura! Oh no, oh no, oh noโฆ
Laura: (weakly) Hey.
Gabriel: (choking out) Hey.
Gabriel: Donโt die on me. You canโt die. You canโt.
The sound of ambulance sirens wail in the distance. Lauraโs eyelids begin to droop.
Gabriel: (widens eyes) Laura!
Laura: (attempts to smile) Yes?
Gabriel: (sobbing) I didnโt mean what I said. I love you, Laura. Stay with me. Please. Stay with me.
The sirens continue to wail. The rain continues to pour.
Laura: I love you too, Gabe.
Her head rolls to the side. Gabriel tries to prop her body back up, but to no avail. He grabs it by the shoulders and shakes it, sobbing. He mutters inaudibly over and over again. The curtain drops.
Scene 2
The curtain rises. It is winter; the evergreen trees are dusted with pure white snow. The boy is walking along the sidewalk, his brow furrowed deep in thought. The car stops for him, and he steps out onto the road. He pauses there, and stares at the car. The driver grows impatient.
BEEP. BEEP.
Driver: Hey kid! Are you going to move, or what?
Gabriel: (mumbling) Lauraโฆ
Driver: Move, kid!
He does not move. The driver flashes his headlights. Gabriel jumps up.
Gabriel: (startled) Yes?
Driver: Get off of the road, sonny.
Gabriel: Sorry, sir.
He looks at the white lily in his hand, smiles, and crosses the road. He then eagerly runs through the snowy field towards an abandoned playground.
Gabriel: Iโm coming for ya, Laura!
The curtain drops.
Scene 3
The curtain rises. The boy runs onstage and nearly hits an evergreen tree. In an attempt to avoid it, he clumsily trips and lands face first into the playground pea gravel.
Gabriel: Ow!
He hears giggling, and looks up. There was Laura, sitting on the swing, her hand over her mouth.
Laura: Oh, dear.
Gabriel: Itโs not funny!
Laura: (innocently) What is?
Gabriel: You know what I mean.
Laura: Hm? Oh, that WAS a nasty fall. You good?
Gabriel: No, because SOMEONE was laughing at me.
Laura: It was funny!
Laura: (after a few seconds) Well, Iโm sorry for laughing. Now, come sit!
She gestures towards the empty swing beside her. Gabriel shoots a very convincing glare before sitting down. They sit in silence, rocking back and forth gently. Squeaking noises can be heard from the swing chains.
Gabriel: You should come to school soon. Itโs awfully lonely without you, you know.
Laura: Donโt you have other friends?
Gabriel: Wellโฆ I got you.
Laura: And?
Gabriel: Thatโs all I need.
Embarrassed, he turns to look at her. Laura grows quiet.
Gabriel: Come onโฆ I was just kidding.
Laura: Were you, now.
Gabriel: But you should really go sometime! The teachers are
forgetting to call your name during attendance!
Laura: I donโt think that they are forgetting, Gabeโฆ
Gabriel: (firmly) I think they are. What kind of teacher acts like their student doesnโt exist? I gotta remind them all the time.
Laura: You idiotโฆ
Gabriel: And your friends! They donโt save you a spot at lunch!
Laura: They donโt have toโฆ
Gabriel: And every time I call them out on it, they look at me weirdly!
He sighs and runs his hand through his hair. Laura looks at him with concern.
Gabriel: (seriously) Honestlyโฆ school sucks. I wish I could just sit here and stay with you for an eternity. We could watch the sun rise and set, and wish on shooting stars, and call out to flying birds, and pick daisies in the spring, and race each other up the slide, and talk about anything: dreams, hopes, and plans. Because I donโt need anybody else but you, Laura. The other people, they just donโt understand me, you know?
Laura nods hesitantly, biting her lip.
Gabriel: Oh, and by the way, this is for you.
He hands her the slightly crushed white lily. Some of its petals were falling off.
Laura: Ummโฆ Thanks?
She makes no effort to receive it, so Gabriel places it on the snow near her feet. They continue to watch the sky above them silently as they swing back and forth. Laura comes to an abrupt stop and faces Gabriel.
Laura: (sharply) I think that you should stop coming here every day.
Gabriel: (startled) Whoa, there. Donโt joke about that, please.
Laura: Iโm not joking. Gabriel, I am not joking. Turn around. Look at me. (He does.) Does it look like Iโm joking?
Gabriel: Noโฆ
Laura: Exactly. I said what I said. No more park visits.
Gabriel: (with a pained look on his face)Butโฆ why? This isnโt a breakup or anythingโฆ right?
The wind blows. Laura avoids his gaze and focuses on warming her hands.
Laura: (softly) Itโs been three months, Gabe. I think itโs time you-
Gabriel: Ah. You must be cold. What were you thinking, wearing a white dress on a winterโs day? Here, let me help.
His arms move to take off his fluffy jacket. He stands up and attempts to drape it over her frail shoulders. The coat falls promptly to the ground.
Laura: Gabe-
Gabriel: No, I got this.
Laura: Come on, Gabriel. You know it wonโt work.
Gabriel: (aggressively) It will.
He bends over, picks up the jacket, and places it on her again. It falls to the ground.
Gabriel: I think there is something wrong with my jacket.
Laura: There is nothing wrong with your jacket. Canโt you see? Iโm-
Gabriel: Right here. In front of me. Yes?
Laura: Touch me.
Gabriel: Huh?
Laura: Hold my hand.
Gabriel: Why? Is it cold?
He reaches out, and holds her hand.
Laura: Now squeeze it. (He does.) What do you feel?
Gabriel: Nothing? That doesnโt make senseโฆ
He frowns, and presses his hand against his face. He then presses it against hers.
Gabriel: Itโs coldโฆ So coldโฆ
Laura: Canโt you see?
Gabriel: Noโฆ it canโt beโฆ Get it offโฆ Get it off!
Laura: Thereโs nothing on you.
Gabriel: (panicking) I see blood on my hands. Laura, thereโs blood! Laura! Where are you? Iโm sorry! Come back! Laura!
Laura: Iโm not real, Gabe. Itโs about time youโve realized that.
Gabriel: (frantically, waving his hands in the air) You are real, Laura. You are in front of me! Always with me! We promised, right?
He waits for an answer.
Gabriel: I canโt see you. Laura, come back! Donโt leave me! I canโt live without you! Please, donโt leave meโฆ I love youโฆ
The boy is on his knees, sobbing, and clutching the jacket. The wind blows, and it begins to snow. The petals fly away. The curtain falls.
End scene
I can’t write a play soo…. Here’s something cliche :))
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