At rise: lights up - LILLY (female) approaches MAC (female), who is sitting alone at the lunch table. LILLY is holding her face mask, and MAC’s mask is resting on the table. MAC is stabbing her fork into her salad, as MAC approaches holding a cafeteria tray with a single banana on it. 

LILLY

Hey, is anyone sitting here?

MAC

(Sarcastically) 

Does it look like anyone is sitting here? 

LILLY

I mean no, but… 

MAC

Oh, yeah, sorry. That’s my imaginary friend, Bob. He’s kind of mean, so I wouldn’t get too close to him. 

LILLY

Mac, that’s not what I meant. 

MAC 

Ok, you caught me. I may have made Bob up. 

LILLY 

Really? Damn, and I was starting to get scared. 

(Both girls laugh awkwardly)

MAC

You got lucky because Bob’s a biter. 

LILLY 

I’ve missed you, Mac. 

MAC 

So, why’d you come over here? 

LILLY  

I mean, I saw you were sitting alone. 

MAC 

You’re forgetting about Bob. 

LILLY 

I’m being serious, Mac. 

MAC 

Ok, so what? I always sit alone. 

LILLY 

I guess. 

MAC 

Guess what?

LILLY 

Nevermind. 

MAC 

You guess that I always sit alone? That’s not really impressive considering I just told you that. 

LILLY 

Okay. Can I sit? 

MAC 

(MAC references LILLY’s tray)

Well, only since your tray looks ‘so heavy.’

(LILLY sits down)

LILLY 

Thanks. Your mask is cute. 

MAC 

Yours too. 

LILLY 

I designed it myself. I thought the fairies were a cute touch. I used glitter, which may have been a bad idea, but it looks cute. It’s all sparkly. 

MAC 

(Sarcastically) 

Cool. 

LILLY 

I chose fairies cause like… 

Remember the tooth fairy story? 

MAC 

I haven’t thought about that in forever. We were like five. 

LILLY 

(Laughing) 

You were in Middle School. 

MAC  

Okay, I was a late bloomer or whatever. 

LILLY 

Your mom was freaked out. The look on her face was to die for.

(LILLY realizes she accidentally said ‘die’ and apologizes) 

I’m sorry. 

MAC 

No, that was hilarious. You kept trying to convince me that the tooth fairy wasn’t real, so the night I lost my tooth, you left the bucket of pudding by my door. 

LILLY 

And your mom walked in and fell in it. 

MAC 

And she thought the dog had pooped and started screaming. 

LILLY 

She was like, “Damnit, Buster!”

MAC 

And you started cracking up. 

LILLY 

And you were DYING! 

(LILLY realizes she said ‘die’ again)

Like of laughter, you know? 

MAC 

Yeah, I know, Lil. I’m not stupid. 

LILLY 

Well, yeah, that night was funny. 

MAC 

(A bit annoyed) 

Those were the days. 

LILLY 

So, what’s up Mac? I feel like we haven’t talked in a while.

MAC 

Yeah - I’m doing great. What about you?

LILLY 

Yeah, everything’s… fine. This summer’s been kind of hard with Corona and stuff. 

MAC 

Yup. 

LILLY 

I was gonna travel a lot, but everything got cancelled. I ended up spending a lot of time at home. 

MAC 

Same. 

LILLY 

Did you do anything specific this summer?

MAC 

Family stuff. 

LILLY 

Ok. Well, I guess I did family stuff too. My sister didn’t end up packing for college yet since she didn’t know if she’d be going. My parents also worked from home, so we did a lot of movie nights and stuff. I watched these funny classics like Big, Real Genius, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off - 10/10 recommend. 

I mean it sucks I couldn’t really go out with friends, but I guess the family time was nice. 

Oh, I didn’t mean that in a -

MAC  

Don’t worry. I didn’t think you did. You don’t have to be so sensitive about it. 

LILLY  

Sorry.

(Trying to keep the conversation going) 

So what classes are you taking?

MAC  

Honors English, honors math, AP Spanish, honors history, and honors science.

LILLY  

Damn. I’m taking some honors too, but not as many since I’m busy with art and other stuff. 

MAC 

(Staring directly into her salad) 

Sick. 

(Awkward silence. LILLY stands up as if she were going to leave and then sits back down)

LILLY 

Okay, I don’t want to be awkward, but you’ve been MIA all summer.

MAC 

I was taking a break from social media. 

LILLY 

So, you couldn’t text me back? 

MAC  

I’ve been busy, sorry. 

LILLY 

Making new friends?

MAC 

(MAC looks directly at LILLY and slams her fork on the table) 

Dealing with stuff, actually. 

If anything, you’re the one with all the new friends. 

LILLY 

I’m allowed to make new friends, Mac. 

MAC 

Never said you weren’t. 

LILLY 

Ok. 

MAC 

So how is Free Bri anyway?

LILLY 

Her name’s Brianna. 

MAC 

I didn’t come up with it. 

LILLY

K. 

MAC

You’re forgetting that you and tweedle dee didn’t always use to be friends. 

LILLY

So?

MAC

So… the assembly? 9th grade?

LILLY

What?

MAC

Are you being serious? 

LILLY

Serious about what? 

MAC 

In 9th grade, we had the disciplinary assembly. Our whole grade was called into the auditorium over the crop top thing. 

LILLY

Are you talking about when Ryan cut his uniform in math class and walked around all day in his crop top? 

MAC

Don’t act so innocent, Lil. You dared him, remember? 

LILLY 

(Laughing)

You never told anyone, right?

MAC

Obviously not. 

LILLY

Thanks. 

MAC

Plus, it was pretty funny. 

LILLY

Okay, but it was risky! The teacher was pissed, and our whole grade got called in to talk about -

MAC 

(Mocking the principal. Both girls laugh)

Stricter uniform policies. 

LILLY

I mean they added it to the handbook.

MAC

Which no one reads anyway. 

LILLY

Okay, but imagine someone did. Like, imagine someone read the whole thing and saw, “You absolutely cannot crop your uniforms.”

MAC

You’re not wrong.

LILLY

What can I say? I left a legacy at this school.

MAC

I loved when things were simpler - when life wasn’t so complicated. 

LILLY

Everything seemed so possible freshman year.

 

MAC

Ya. 

LILLY

It could still be like that, you know?

MAC

Do you remember where the nickname came from now?

LILLY

Yeah. 

MAC

You didn’t always like Bri. 

LILLY

We didn’t actually know her. 

MAC

She stood up in front of the entire grade at that assembly and walked on to the stage. Remember the principal was so confused, and was like, “Miss, can I help you?” Bri pulled out a pocket Constitution and pointed at the first amendment and went, “If Ryan wants to crop his uniform, he can! It’s right here: freedom of freaking expression!” I thought she was gonna get expelled after that. Do you remember the principal had to drag her off the stage?

(LILLY sits there, no longer amused or laughing) 

LILLY

I said I remember. 

MAC

Then Ryan yelled “She’s right” and started that chant, “Free Bri, Free Bri!” 

LILLY

She was being brave.

MAC

No, she was trying to get attention. It was funny, don’t get me wrong - but I don’t think she was actually trying to stand up for Ryan. 

LILLY

Maybe she was. 

MAC

Why are you trying to defend her? You used to think it was obnoxious when people did stuff like that for attention. 

LILLY

I just don’t get why you’re hating on Bri. 

MAC

I’m not hating on her. 

LILLY

She’s my friend, Mac. You’re clearly trying to start a fight. 

MAC

Why are you being so dramatic?  

LILLY

Are you gonna call me, “Dramatic Lil” now since you’re so big on nicknames? 

MAC

What? You came up with her nickname. 

LILLY

I actually didn't, but ok. 

MAC

Whatever, you came and sat with me. Just go be with (over enunciating it) ‘Brianna.’ I never asked you to sit here. 

LILLY 

You don’t have to be rude because I have new friends. 

MAC 

I’m just saying, they seem a little… fake. 

LILLY 

And you would know about fake, right? 

MAC 

What does that even mean? 

(Beat)

LILLY  

Mac, why did we stop talking?

MAC  

I don’t know what you mean.

LILLY  

I just mean that after what happened, I kind of feel like we just stopped hanging out. We used to be really close, and I don't know if it’s weird to ask cause I know that in these years and stuff friends are always changing. But it wasn’t like that with us. 

MAC  

That’s not weird to ask. 

LILLY  

So then why?

MAC  

Why what?

LILLY  

Why did you just shut me out of your life? 

MAC  

I didn’t.

LILLY  

You know you did! 

MAC  

That's not how I remember it. 

LILLY  

I don’t mean this in an offensive way, it’s just after what happened with your dad. After he…

MAC  

Died. You can say that he died. It’s fine. 

LILLY  

Ok then, yeah. After he died, you just stopped talking to me. I tried to be there for you, but I didn’t think that would be the end of our friendship. You were my best friend.

MAC  

Well, I didn’t stop talking to you if that makes you feel any better.

LILLY  

You kind of did!

MAC  

That’s not what I remember.

LILLY  

I don’t even know what that’s supposed to mean.

MAC  

Just forget it. You don’t have to sit with me. 

I was fine alone. 

LILLY  

I know I don’t have to. I want to.

MAC  

Okay.

LILLY  

So are we gonna talk or not?

(Beat)

I feel like we need to talk. It’s been too long, and you don’t answer any of my texts. If I did something wrong or if I did something to upset you, can you please just tell me?

MAC  

I’ve been having a hard time, okay? You just didn’t seem to be there when I needed you most.

LILLY  

I don’t know what you mean by that. I understand that it was a hard time -

MAC  

No, you don’t understand! I’m so sick of people thinking they do. Your dad is not dead. Your dad is still alive. Don’t you dare say you know what I’m going through, cause I swear that you don’t. This feeling of emptiness and knowing that there is nothing I can do to fix what happened. At this point, I know that crying means absolutely nothing. It won’t bring my dad back. Nothing will! You literally have no idea about the hell I’m living through right now. 

LILLY  

I didn’t mean it like that. I’m sorry I didn’t go over every day, but with Corona and stuff, your mom was being pretty strict. I tried texting you, and you wouldn’t respond. I mean I don’t really know what else I could’ve done. I tried to be a friend to you, and you did nothing but shut me out.

MAC  

You did try and visit me that week. That was nice. But so did a million other people. When my dad died, I got a thousand texts from people I’d never even spoken to saying, “I’m sorry for your loss. I’m here for you. Let me know if you need to talk.”And that first week, you’re right, a bunch of people did reach out. But what about after that week? They just stopped. And I get it, they weren’t my friends. They didn’t have to stick around. But you- one week is not enough because I need to live with this- I need to live without my dad for the rest of my life. So thank you for staying with me for a week, but it didn’t end for me. It was not over after that. I still have to battle with this every single day. So I’m sorry if I’ve been distant, I guess I’m just a horrible person. I got this surge of attention from people I didn’t really know. For maybe just a second I felt like maybe I wasn’t alone, but after a week, I was old news. People moved on. I wasn’t important anymore. My dad wasn’t important anymore. Except the difference is my dad isn’t here to stand up for himself, and there is no point in me doing it either. They say during hard times you see who your real friends are, but that’s just a lie. Everyone was my friend during that time. It was after that time that I saw who my friends were. Nobody. Not one person. Believe me when I say I was fine sitting alone before you came right now because I’ve been doing this for the last month. It just doesn’t matter to anyone anymore.

LILLY  

I’m sorry. I didn't realize that it was that bad for you. I didn’t know that everything - that everyone would leave. I guess I just didn’t think of it like that, and I’m sorry. I really miss you. 

MAC  

Ok. 

LILLY 

I said I miss you, Mac. 

MAC  

Great, AND I MISS MY DAD! 

LILLY  

THAT’S NOT AN EXCUSE TO SHUT EVERYONE OUT! THAT CAN’T BE THE END OF EVERYTHING! 

MAC  

If I need to take my time with this, I sure as hell will. I don’t need you or anybody else telling me what to do with my life. So, just go back to your other fake friends!

LILLY  

Mac…

MAC  

It’s not about forgiving you. I still need time. 

LILLY  

You can’t keep using your dad as an excuse to stop living your life. 

MAC 

(MAC presses her fork against the table, and it snaps in half)

MY DEAD DAD IS NOT AN EXCUSE! 

LILLY  

Geez! That’s not what I’m trying to say.

(MS. FAWN, a teacher, approaches the outdoor lunch table) 

TEACHER 

Is everything all right over here? 

LILLY 

We’re fine. Thanks, Ms. Fawn. 

TEACHER 

Well, things don’t look fine! 

You’re not six feet apart. 

(TEACHER pushes the girls apart) 

MAC 

That shouldn’t be a problem. She was just leaving. 

TEACHER

I remember you girls from my art class - always talking. If I ever met an inseparable pair, it was you two. 

LILLY

(Awkwardly) 

Thanks. 

TEACHER

Lillian, your hair has gotten so long. 

LILLY

Ya, I never really cut it during quarantine. 

TEACHER

Well, I love it! Are you still drawing? 

LILLY

Every once in a while. 

TEACHER

Good. I’m still upset we switched online in March. I would’ve loved to see your final project. 

LILLY

Me too. 

TEACHER

“Paint a person who inspires you.” It’s my favorite question to ask young talented minds. 

So, who would you have drawn? Let me guess, Picasso? No… Frida Khalo! 

LILLY

(LILLY stares at MAC)

Somebody strong and brave… and resilient. 

TEACHER 

(Addressing MAC) 

And Mackenzie, how have you been?

MAC

Fine. 

TEACHER 

(Jokingly) 

Oh, please… don’t be so enthusiastic. 

MAC

I said, fine.  

TEACHER

Mackenzie?!

 

LILLY

She just goes by MAC now. 

TEACHER

Well then call me Windows… or PC… 

(Awkward silence - no one laughs)

Alright, well, please keep your voices down. This isn’t a party, so no yelling. Thanks, girls. 

(MS. FAWN exits)

MAC 

Well, you heard her. Leave. 

LILLY 

(Shocked) 

You’re not even gonna comment on what just happened. 

MAC

Please go. 

LILLY  

I don’t want to leave. I don’t know what else to do. There’s no way that your life can just be over. It can’t work like that! I think it’s time you get back with your friends and the people who want to hang out with you. When something bad happens, you need your friends around. It’s impossible to be okay without them. You just feel… alone. 

You know, I don’t think it’s healthy for you never to want to move on. 

MAC  

I don’t feel like talking about this. There’s no way to bring him back. 

LILLY  

You need to talk to someone about this.

Look. When I sat with you that week, you never cried. I knew you were sad, but you never cried. And that’s not healthy. You’re right, I can’t say I know what you're going through. No one really knows what anyone is going through. but I want to be there for you. 

MAC  

Please go away, Lilly.

LILLY  

Okay, fine, but I hope you know I did all I could. You threw away years of an amazing friendship, and there’s nothing I can do about it. I really tried, and I really do love you. So many of us do, and you just shut us out of your life. If you never want to talk to me again because I didn’t know how you were feeling, then fine. I didn’t know how hard it was because I had never experienced that before, but do not expect me to keep coming back and beg for your friendship. I’m done. I’ve been miserable too. My life isn’t exactly easy either. I’ve been without my best friend all summer without knowing what I did wrong. All I wanted were answers. I didn’t know that you wanted me there because every time I tried to talk to you, you just shut me out. What was I supposed to think? You shut me out! I kind of felt like I was just standing there.

MAC  

That’s all I needed - someone to just be there.

LILLY  

Well, how was I supposed to know that if you didn’t tell me? 

MAC  

I shouldn’t have had to. My dad had just - you should have just known.

LILLY  

Well, talk to me about it now then. You can’t just keep it all bottled up inside. Sometimes people don’t know what other people are going through. 

MAC

You wouldn’t get it. 

LILLY

So, give me a chance to understand. 

MAC

I shouldn’t be putting this all on you right now. This isn’t your job. 

LILLY

I’m not going anywhere.

MAC

Just go back to your perfect life, Lil. 

LILLY

Perfect? 

MAC

Yes, perfect. 

LILLY

My life’s not perfect. 

MAC

You’re stunning. You have a whole new group of friends now. You’re popular. I mean you and I used to make slime in my garage and have our weekly kitchen sink hangouts.  

LILLY

Hey, I loved the kitchen sink - when you’d fill your entire sink with ice cream and we’d eat out of it with spoons. That was a classic.

MAC

Look, I’m happy for you. You don’t need a kitchen sink when you’re making out with perfect Brad every day. 

LILLY

We broke up. 

(Beat)

MAC 

(Shocked)

What?

LILLY

Yup. 

MAC

You never told me that. 

LILLY

You never asked. 

MAC

What happened? 

LILLY 

Just with quarantine, he couldn’t do the long distance. I guess talking to me on the phone every day wasn’t enough for him. Whatever, I’m over it now. 

MAC

I’m sorry. 

LILLY

I miss my best friend - you’re like my sister. 

(Beat)

MAC  

You want to know why I shut you out? You want to know why I stopped talking to everybody? It’s because I don’t want to get close to anybody ever again. I loved my dad more than anything, and now he’s just gone. And he can never come back. If I don’t get close to anyone then I never have to suffer the pain of losing them. Because trust me, that is not a feeling you want to have. I see how bad my mom is hurting, and I see how bad I'm hurting. I don’t want to get close to anybody ever again. If something happens to them and they leave me, I can’t go through this again. The more I love someone, the more they can hurt me. 

LILLY  

I would never hurt you.

MAC  

You say that now, but you don’t know what will happen.

LILLY  

You’re right. None of us know what’s going to happen. But I love you. You’re my best friend.

MAC  

And if they go without me being able to do anything about it, I don’t know what I’ll do. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS I COULD’VE DONE! 

LILLY

You can’t change the past. 

MAC

I remember that morning so clearly. It plays in a loop over and over again in my head. My dad and I were sitting at the table, and my mom served us breakfast. She gave me these scrambled eggs, and you know that I hate eggs. My dad was trying to show off his new Psycho Bunny t-shirt, and I just ignored him. I IGNORED HIM! 

I was just - in a bad mood. I was like, “I can’t eat these eggs. I’ll throw up.” My dad told me not to be so hard on my mom, and that she woke up early to make me this breakfast. And I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I was so mad. At that moment, the whole egg thing seemed like everything. Sometimes that happens. You get blinded and can’t see the big picture. You can’t see that what your obsessing over is really - nothing. 

I told my mom that she was selfish and only makes what she wants to eat. I don’t even want to know what my dad thought of me. I sounded like a brat. My mom snapped and said that if I wasn’t grateful for the food, I could just go without breakfast. 

My dad obviously defended me. He was like, “Pam, that’s a bit extreme.” I mean, she was kind of overreacting. And my dad turned to me, all sweet and soft, and said, “Mac, a lot of people in this world don’t have any food.” He was making one of those dad comments about how there are so many starving kids in Africa. 

I know I should’ve dropped it. That could have been the start of a great day. But I was just so - mad. Like I had nothing to be mad about, but my head kept going back to those damn scrambled eggs. It all seems stupid now. 

I ran to the sink and aggressively threw my plate in it. And I yelled at my dad and said, “If the kids in Africa are so hungry, feel free to send them my eggs.”

Why did I yell at him? The last day I spent with my dad, and I really had to make it about stupid eggs? It’s hard to see the big picture when you’re living in the moment. I mean, you must think that I’m a horrible person. I should’ve just eaten the dumb eggs. 

I’d eat a whole farm full of eggs right now if it meant spending another day with him. 

That morning should have been different. I should’ve told him that I loved him, and that I loved his silly Psycho Bunny t-shirt. You don’t realize that every moment matters - that everything you say means something. I mean I didn’t realize that until it was too late. 

(MAC begins tearing up. She grabs a napkin to wipe her tears)

LILLY  

(LILLY comforts MAC) 

I’m here for you. There’s nothing you can do to change what happened. You can’t live in the past. Things are different now, but different is okay. And you aren’t alone.

 

MAC  

It’s just been the worst months of my life. 

LILLY  

I know.

MAC  

Why did you come talk to me today? It’s been a month since school started, and you haven’t said anything to me. 

LILLY  

I guess I’ve realized how important true friends are. I don’t need Brad or Free Bri to make me happy. A million friends won’t ever replace you. It’s like I am surrounded by a million people, yet I’m lonely. No one will ever know me like you do or have the history we have. No one can replace what you mean to me, and I missed my best friend. I missed you so much, and I am so sorry. No one should ever be alone, and I failed you. Never again, I promise. I promise you’re not alone anymore. 

(LILLY and MAC hug for a few seconds. Ms. FAWN blows a whistle from off stage and yells “SIX FEET APART”. The school bell rings)

End. Fade to black.