1.
ACT I
Scene 1
Saturday October 20, mid-afternoon. April is
pacing back and forth across the room she is
nervous about something but is trying to hold
back. There is a worst case in scenario playing
over and over in her mind and its taking all of
her will power not to give in to total and
complete panic. She finally gives in and pulls out
her phone to once again send another worried text.
APRIL
Hey babe it’s me, again. Just checking in. It’s just
that you haven’t texted back or gone online all day and
I’m worried. I know I’m probably just over reacting but
when you get a chance let me know your ok.
She waits hopeful for a response but like all the
others she’s sent all day they go unanswered.
Scene 2
Monday October 22, April comes into class and sits
in her seat at a table, as other students are
filing into the room. The teacher, a middle aged
woman, Debbie Children, attempts to start class
She has a thick Southern drawl and will refuse to
raise her voice at the children at all cost.
MRS.CHILDREN
Happy Monday everyone, I hope ya’ll had a lovely
weekend. Now if everyone can get in there seats, so
that I can explain the new project I introducing today,
that would be lovely.
As everyone is still milling around the classroom
chatting with friends. April quietly sits in her
seat she stares blankly at the empty chair in
front of her. It hurts her to see it so empty, she
cant stand it. April tears her eyes away from the
chair and begins to rifle through her bag. She
finally finds whats she’s looking for a places it
on the table in front of the chair. Its a small
stuffed dog, its small and time has not been kind
to it but April seems pleased.
MRS.CHILDREN
I’ll wait
The class suddenly becomes quiet and turns to Mrs.
Children
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 2.
MRS.CHILDREN (cont’d)
Thats more like it. As I was saying *ahem* I’m
introducing the new project today. Now this is an art
class so most of you are at different places on the
current project, this is only for the people close to
finishing the objects painting. The next painting is
going to be a portrait of someone of your choosing. For
those of you who are done Ill need a picture of your
subject by Wednesday and it has to be candid photo.
This is a painting not a school photo. Got it?
A weak "yes" is murmured back. Mrs. Children
begins walking up and down the classroom
inspecting the students work. Finally she gets to
Aprils table.
MRS.CHILDREN (cont’d)
(to the stuffed dog) Oh Melody you look as sweet as
rhubarb pie. I like what you’ve done to your hair.
Mrs. Children begins to pet the toy. April
watching this gains a weak smile on her face.
MRS.CHILDREN (cont’d)
Do you happen to know what happened to Miss Melody?
The smile vanishes from April’s face.
APRIL
(struggling to keep her voice even) I, I don’t-. (she
takes a deep breath) I don’t think its my place to talk
about it.
MRS.CHILDREN
Well, do you know when she’ll be back?
April looks down at her lap unable to even look at
Mrs.Children.
MRS.CHILDREN (cont’d)
Well, (giving up on getting any information
today) don’t forget to submit a photo for your portrait
Wednesday.
Mrs. Children walks away leaving April to her
memories of the day that plays on loop in her
head.
3.
Scene 3
Saturday October 20, Evening. April is staring
desperately at her phone, panicing. Her mother
walks in, a coffee mug in hand. She notices the
worried look on her daughters face.
MOM
Hey, lets go out tonight.
APRIL
What?
MOM
Lets, go out to tonight. We could get something to eat.
What do you feel like getting?
APRIL
I’m not really that hungry
MOM
Really? when’s the last time you ate?
April becomes quiet, a guilty look comes upon her
face.
MOM (cont’d)
(she puts her arms around April and hugs her) Stop
looking so sad. Cheer up.
April opens her mouth to say something when suddenly
her phones notification dings. She flies to where she
phone was charging on the floor, desperately types the
code to unlock it and finds, it was just an email from
yahoo about the news. April deflates and crumples to
the floor. Her mom walks over to April and stands over
her.
MOM (cont’d)
Ok, whats wrong?
APRIL
Melody hasn’t texted me back all day and it’s not like
her. I’m worried.
MOM
Thats it?
APRIL
(sitting up) NO thats not it.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 4.
MOM
What is it then? (kneeling beside April)
APRIL
Its just that. Sometimes when Melody’s alone, she does
things...
MOM
What kinds of things?
APRIL
(jumping up to her feet) uh- Nothing- Never mind. You
said something about dinner, -uh- let me go put my
shoes on and we can go.
MOM
April wait-
April has already left the room
Scene 4
Tuesday October 23, We are back to the classroom
again. Instead of walking to her desk April
instead walks to Mrs. Children.
APRIL
I was told to remind you to drop off Melody’s work to
the guidance counselor.
MRS.CHILDREN
(dripping with sarcasm) Thank ya so much for reminden’
me (hands her a stack of work) Do ya mind running that
down to guidance?
APRIL
Yeah, no problem. -Uh- do you mind if I (goes through
her back pack and pulls out her notes for that class
and then adds them to the pile). Ya know, so that
Melody knows how to do the work.
MRS.CHILDREN
Sure thing. But, before you run that down I need ya to
listen to me. I tried to send her canvas so that she
could work on her painting at home but they told me she
wasn’t "allowed" to have paint, and then I tried to
send her some work online and they told me she couldn’t
do that either. I’m really trying here, but I need to
know, where is Miss Melody?
APRIL
It really isn’t my place to say.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 5.
April tries to walk away but Mrs. Children stands
in her way, not satisfied with that answer
MRS.CHILDREN
I know it’s her senior year and some kids just don’t
feel like trying anymore, I’ve been there. I’m just
saying...
APRIL
If Melody’s parents haven’t told you, then I most
certainly am not.
MRS.CHILDREN
If I find out Melody’s been skipping all this time and
you’ve been covering...
A sharp spike of anger shoots trough April
APRIL
You need to get out of my way.
Mrs.Children moves out of April’s way as she walks
out to deliver Melody’s work.
Scene 5
Saturday October 20, bedtime. April is texting
Melody once again.
APRIL
Hey, if you don’t want to talk, thats fine I’ll give
you some space. Just remember you aren’t alone and that
there’s so many people who love you. Im... I’m gonna go
to sleep, talk to you tomorrow. I love you, so much.
(April waits hopefully for any sign of a response she
doesn’t get one) Night.
Scene 6
Saturday October 27, April sits at a table
surrounded by skittles that she is organizing into
neat little piles by color. As Her mother walks in
dressed in a bathrobe. She looks at the clock it’s
late. She is puzzled as to why her daughter is
sorting candy on a table and crying.
MOM
What- what are you doing?
APRIL
Sorting the skittles
Her mom takes the seat next April.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 6.
MOM
Why?
APRIL
Melody likes eating them by color and I was gonna
separate them the way she likes. For when she gets
back.
MOM
April, sweetheart, where is Melody?
April breaks down. She cant take it any longer
but, she can’t bring her self to say the whole
truth.
APRIL
She’s in the hospital, and she’ll in there for about a
week at least, but they don’t know for sure, yet.
MOM
Is she okay what happened???
April shakes her head, she can’t bring herself to
say.
MOM (cont’d)
Was she in a car accident?
APRIL
(on the verge of tears) No, Not a car accident.
MOM
(she thinks about what April has told her) Did, did
Melody try to hurt herself?
APRIL
(April begins crying) I was so worried about her. I
kept texting her and texting her and she wasn’t
answering. And I kept making up excuses like, oh she
must’ve lost signal or maybe she broke her phone; in
the back of my mind, I kept wondering if maybe- (beat)
But she wouldn’t right??? Cause the last I saw her she
didn’t even say good bye. she said "see ya"... and...
and I miss her so much. (breaks down crying)
MOM
When you said Melody "did things" when she was alone,
what did you mean?
APRIL
A few months ago something changed about her. I don’t
know how to exactly explain it but, something was
different. And Melody told me how she’d suddenly start
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 7.
APRIL (cont’d)
crying at night and that she wasn’t sure why. She’d
suddenly felt so sad. And she told me she stopped
crying not because she felt better but, because she
felt numb. And she came up to me three months ago and
she told me she "did something bad" and I asked her
what and she said she didn’t want me to be
"disappointed" in her. And I asked her what she did,
and she told me. (April takes a breath) she cut
herself. And she kept cutting herself, I swear there
was a point where every time I saw her there was a new
cut on her arm. And I didn’t know what to do.
MOM
April, IAPRIL
Then she started cutting at her wrist. I couldn’t take
it anymore. I told her not to. I told her that it was
dangerous. And she told me that sometimes she felt that
everyone would just be better off without her. (A new
wave of tears comes to April). How can she be so
selfish?
April’s phone chimes
APRIL (cont’d)
Oh, oh my god. They’re letting her out. They’re letting
her out. Melody’s being discharged tomorrow. I have so
much to do. I’m a sobbing mess (Attempting to wipe her
tears away with her sleeve April laughs weakly)
Scene 7
April stands there a bouquet of roses in one hand
skittles in the other waiting for Melody. She
stands there so nervous. More nervous then she’s
ever been in her life. Finally Melody has arrived,
her arms are bandaged in gauze she looks at April
just as nervous as she is.
MELODY
Hi.
April embraces her in a tight hug as if Melody
might disappear forever if she let go.
APRIL
Hi. I’m so glad to see you. I missed you so much.
MELODY
I missed you too.I’m so sorry.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 8.
APRIL
You don’t have to be. It’s okay. (singing ’that would
be enough’) Just stay alive that would be enough.
MELODY
god you’re such a nerd (They hug again)
APRIL
I brought you something (April pulls out a bag of
skittles)
MELODY
My favorite (she takes a handful of the skittles,
touched)
APRIL
(pouring them into Melody’s hand they both eat) I know
(pours more into her hand)
(fin)