Consumation

((Spotlight on a slightly heavyset girl with a plain face and unkempt hair, standing DC))

Charlene: It always starts off small. An annoyance that makes you want to cry. Nobody sees it though, so you let it go. Another thing happens, and you start to lose control of your life slowly. With each new person, you find a new imperfection in yourself until your desire to be good enough consumes you.

((Lights come on to show everybody else standing in an arc around Charlene, each with a ribbon tied to his or her wrist))

All but Charlene: Consumes you.

((Lights dim and all exit but Charlene and Tom. They stand DR facing eachother when lights brighten))

Tom: Charlene, I just think you should be a little more open to this kind of stuff. It's not a big deal.

Charlene: Yes it is! I'm still scared and I don't mean to but I get really nervous!

Tom: It's just a little touching....

Charlene: Please? I promise I will, but you have to give me a bit of time...

Tom: Whatever

Charlene: Whatever? Tom? don't be mad at me honey. I love you

Tom: ((cold)) I love you too

((Blackout, which comes back up on Charlene, DL alone. Carlie and June stand SC laughing))

Carlie: Cough if you see a slut!

((They both give a long, fake cough followed by a malicious laugh))

April: I don't know what Tom sees in her. She's so horrible to him.

Carlie: I know! He deserves a million times better than that little wench.

April: Yeah.

((April and Carlie exit UC as Charlene crosses DC, adressing the audience))

Charlene: You don't even know half the people you want to please, just that they're happy and you're not. You try to be nice and keep up with every one, everything. It doesn't work.

((As Charlene says this, Father and Mother enter UC. They tap her and she breaks contact with the audience))

Father: You're missing an assignment in Chemistry

Charlene: Yeah I know. It's the lab from that day I left early

Mother: You can't just not turn it in!

Charlene: I was going to turn it in tomorrow!

Mother: Why didn't you turn it in today?

Charlene: It slipped my mind with the test and the-

Father: ((cutting in)) Slipped your mind? You can be so irresponsible sometimes. How do you expect to get into a good college like this?

Charlene: It's one lab! I still have an A!

Father: I don't care. No more missing work. Period. You have to stop slacking so much. I swear Charlene...

((Father exits))

Mother: Honey, what's going on?

Charlene: I'm just under a lot of stress is all.

Mother: You think you're under stress? I'm way behind at work, we're in debt up to our chins, and your grandmother is coming into town

Charlene: What day?

Mother: The twenty-third

Charlene: That means she'll be here for my concert on the twenty-fourth!

Mother: Well honey, we're all going to be a bit tired from getting her at the airport. I'm afraid we can't come to your concert...

Charlene: But Mom! I have a solo! A real long one with lots of fun trills and stuff and-

Mother: Now Charlene, don't be so selfish!

Charlene: But.....mom....I just wanted to-

Mother: I can't handle this right now! ((Charlene sobs softly)) Now don't you start crying!! UGH!!!!

((Mother exits))

Charlene: ((speaking to audience once more)) See? Even when you work so hard to make them happy, it's not good enough. But you keep trying, praying that somebody will be happy with you. At least you have your boyfriend to help you through it...

((Blackout. Lights come back up on Tom and Charlene, holding hands silently. Both look a bit nervous as Charlene blurts out))

Charlene: Why do your friends hate me so much? I mean they have this horrid coughing thing and I just....

Tom: They think you're mean to me

Charlene:....you don't think that....do you?

Tom: Well.......a little.....

Charlene: Then why are you with me?

Tom: I didn't want to do this. I know you're having a bad day, but--

Charlene: I don't care.

Tom: Ok then....bye...

((Tom exits))

Charlene: ((in tears)) You can't let them see you cry. You can't let them know you hurt. You just keep everything inside. You have to, or else they'll all stop caring about you....unless they allready have....((a violent sob escapes her as Friends come up and nudge her))

Friend 1: You okay, hun?

Charlene: Yeah, just a little upset. He dumped me.

Friend 2: No! That's awful! Did he say why?

Charlene: He called me mean...

Friend 3: You? Mean? No way!

Friend 1: Yeah! You're ten times better without him!

Charlene: I know. I just....it really hurts, you know?

Friend 2: Yeah. I know. If you need anything, just call.

Charlene: I will.

((Charlene backs to UL and watches Friends talking))

Friend 3: What a drama queen!

Friend 1: I know!! I mean seriously!

Friend 2: She just wants the attention.

Freind 1: Yeah. I bet he never called her anything.

Freind 3: If I were Tom, I would have dumped her

Friend 1: Yeah! Who can stand being around her?

Friends 2 and 3: ((in unison)) Not me. Jinx!

((Friends exit as Charlene comes to center stage))

Charlene: I'm so sick of this! I'm so sick of all of this! ((Cast enters and stands in an arc around Charlene again)) What did I do to any of them! All I wanted was for them to like me! No! I'm never good enough!

Tom: I love you too.

Carlie: ((coughing)) cough if you see a slut!

June: ((laughing)) He deserves ten times better than her!

Father: You can be so irresponsible.

Mother: Don't be so selfish!

Friend 1: Who can stand being around her?

Friend 2: She just wants attention

Friend 3: What a drama queen!

((all begin repeating above lines as Charlene grabs her head in pain))

Charlene: SHUT UP! All of you!!

All: You know how to make us stop.

Charlene: No! Not that! I won't do that!

All: ((resume chanting))

Charlene: Fine! Fine!

((Charlene reaches down and grabs a small handgun off of the floor. Blackout while the chanting resumes. A gunshot is heard, then silence))