One Unlovely Day

Charlie and Sophia have been good friends for years, but never anything more. Sophie has refused to open herself up to love since her father walked out on her family when she was 14. Now, following her mother's suicide, Sophie is convinced that she is u

 

Present Day. LIGHTS UP to a cramped New York Apartment. There is a door on stage left and stage right has a small kitchen with a square table. A tall man in his late 20’s (CHARLIE) sits at table in chair closest to exit, looking quite at home in a suit with his jacket off and tie loosened, reading a newspaper but talking over his shoulder to woman. Stage left has a living room, with a couch against the back wall and a coffee table in front of it. The pathway from the kitchen table to the exit is clear. A woman in her late 20’s (SOPHIA) is standing behind the coffee table, arranging flowers in a vase on it. She is wearing a pretty dress with her hair done in curls, but appears tired and worn out- the dress is faded and torn at the bottom at closer look, and her hair is slipping out of its clip. She has dark circles under her eyes and appears reserved.

Charlie: So, what have you been up to, Sophie? I called a couple of times the last few weeks; I guess you haven’t been around?

Sophia: I’ve just been busy; I meant to call you back. I was going to tonight, Charlie, really, I was. You’re silly for coming by. You know I’m not much of an entertainer. And these flowers- they’re too much.

Charlie: (putting down the news paper and turning to look at her, bemused by her reluctance) What, lilies aren’t your favorite anymore?

Sophia: (Looking at him for the first time, and stopping movement, mystified) Of course they are. How… how do you know that? (She moves around the coffee table so that she is on level with him, but keeps her distance.)

Charlie: (Smiling, standing and taking a step towards her.  Sophia looks uncomfortable at his closeness, even though he is still a few steps away, but stays where she is.) You told me, the day before your 14^th birthday. You invited me to your birthday party, but I was intimidated by all your friends so I said I wouldn’t know what to get you. You told me you could use some flowers cause you had to throw out the roses Bobby Wallace got you. (Chuckling.) You said his breath always smelled like Pizza flavored Doritos, and besides, lilies were your favorite anyways.

Sophia: (Not smiling, studying him. Pause.)  You never came.

Charlie: (Still smiling a little, remembering.) What?

Sophia: To my birthday party. You never came.

Charlie: (Awkwardly, shrugging it off.) Oh.. yeah. Chickened out, I guess. You had so many friends. I never could fit in with them. (With humor) I wasn’t exactly Mr. Popularity.

Sophia: They weren’t friends. Not really. That was the year I figured it out- they were always there for shopping and gossip, but anything deeper than that scared them off. (Charlie gives her a questioning look.) That was the year my fath-… my da-… he left. After that, I didn’t much feel up to gossiping about who wore what and the new guy in school, and they all kind of got bored of me. It got too hard to cover up all the not-so-happy feelings, and I guess the new me scared them away.

Charlie: (A little hurt.) That’s why you started talking to me more?

Sophia: (Shocked at his conclusion.) No! No, of course not. I started talking to you because… because I realized your friendship meant more to me than all of theirs combined. (Settling onto the edge of the coffee table.) Funny, how losing someone you love makes you appreciate the ones you still have more.

Charlie: (Watching her as she thinks.) You still miss him. Your dad.

Sophia: (Defensive.) What? He left years ago.

Charlie: That doesn’t mean you can’t miss him. (Sophia turns away, busying herself cleaning the table next to the door. Charlie recognizes that the conversation is over. He watches her for a second, and then settles back into his chair, picking up the newspaper again.) What have you been so busy with these past few months, anyways? It’s been too long.

Sophia: (Still bustling about with her back to him.) The usual- mindless hours answering phones at work and being hung up on, and taking care of mom. She hasn’t been so well lately.

Charlie: She’s sick? What’s wrong?

Sophia: No, not physically. She’s just been having a tough time. (She stops cleaning, kneeling in front of table with dust pan in hand, but still doesn’t turn to look at him.) Last week, she called me up in hysterics going on and on about how I was the only reason she stuck around. She said if she didn’t love me so much, she didn’t think she’d feel anything at all. Naturally, I rushed up there to see her, only to find her happily making lemonade for the boy who mowed her lawn. (She shakes her head.) It’s been like that ever since he left. One minute she’s totally fine, the next she’s a wreck. But it’s been getting worse lately.

Charlie: (Speaks while walking towards her slowly, places a hand hesitantly on her shoulder.) She’s lucky to have you. You’re so good to her. She loves you more than anything. You know that, don’t you?

Sophia: Sometimes I think she’s the only one.

Charlie: The only one what?

Sophia: To love me.

Charlie: (Pause.) That’s not true. (Takes a deep breath, preparing himself.) Sophie- (The doorbell rings and they both jump, then pull themselves together. Sophia moves toward the door as Charlie leans on table in frustration and disappointment. Sophia pokes her head out the door, then bends and picks a letter up off the ground. She moves toward the kitchen table, opening it. Charlie is oblivious, still facing the away, as Sophia reads the letter and begins to shake. She seems to be having a silent panic attack, paralyzed with the letter in her hand. Eventually, Charlie becomes aware of the silence and turns. On seeing her, he rushes forward, but hesitates a few steps from her.) What- What is it? Sophie? What’s the matter?

Sophie: (Not really talking to him, still in shock.) Mom… My mom… Mom…

Charlie: (Gently grabbing the top of her arms and turning her to face him.) Sophie, what happened?

Sophia: (Shaking her head.) She’s gone. They found her this afternoon… she hasn’t been going to work. 

Charlie: Sophie… (Sophia backs away from him, beginning to lose control as it sinks in. She turns away so he won’t see the tears, putting the letter on the kitchen table, and shakes him off when he reaches out to her.)

Sophie: (Refusing his attempts to comfort her and refusing to face him as she breaks down in tears.) No. No… I’m fine. I’m fine. I’m… (He grabs her wrist and pulls her to him, hugging her as she gives in and sobs uncontrollably into his neck. He looks over her head, pained at her unhappiness, but says nothing. Eventually she stops sobbing, becoming quiet and still, but not moving from him.)

Charlie: Soph? (He pulls her away from him gently, just enough to see her face.) What are you thinking Soph?

Sophia: (Avoiding his probing gaze.) Nothing. Just.. thank you. For being here. For not being scared off.

Charlie: Of course I’m here for you. There’s something else. (He cups her chin in his hand and gently pulls her face up to look at him, forcing her to meet his gaze.) I know your face, Soph. I’ve known your face for years. (He gently brushes her cheek with his other hand.) What is it?

Sophia: (She gently takes his hands from her face, closing her eyes and pressing them to her lips. She drops them, and takes a step back, suddenly angry.) I wasn’t enough. (He looks at her, uncomprehending.) She said she only stayed because she loved me. She didn’t love me enough.

Charlie: (Moving towards her.) That’s not true. It wasn’t about you, Sophie, it was never about you. Your mom’s been messed up ever since your dad left-

Sophia: Ha! (Hysterically) It wasn’t about me? Of course it was about me! This is what I do to people, I scare them off, I make them leave me! Everyone! First my dad, and then every boyfriend or friend I ever had! The second I let them get close, the second I let myself love them, they leave! (Her voice becomes quiet, no longer angry, but hurt.) And now her. I always thought… I thought she was the one person who loved me, the one person that would never abandon me. (Sudden realization.) I’m unlovable. I always thought it was everyone else, but its not, it’s me. It’s always been me. (Just a whisper) I’m unlovable.

Charlie: That’s crazy. Of course it’s not you, that’s crazy-

Sophia: (Spinning to face him and yelling again.) Is it? Is it, really, Charlie? Look at what I’ve done! My father couldn’t stand it, so he ran off. My mother actually had to kill herself to get far enough away! I don’t even talk to my little brother anymore, he hasn’t bothered to call in years- because he can’t bear it either! I don’t even have friends! What kind of a person doesn’t have friends? I’m almost 30, and I’m completely alone because NO ONE can love me! Everyone I love just ends up hurt!

Charlie: (Yelling now too.) That’s not true- of course people can love you! Do you want to know why you’re alone? Because you push everyone away! Ever since your father left, the second you feel yourself getting too close to anyone, you shut yourself down! You MAKE them leave! (Sophia is frozen in shock, staring at him. He has never yelled at her before. She breaks down again, crying silently. Charlie looks stricken at what he did to her, and tries to comfort her instead.) I know you don’t mean to. It’s not your fault. What your father did- it broke you. It changed you. (He hugs her, stroking her hair, and then continues talking.) You have to know… I’ve never let you, because I was afraid you’d do the same thing to me. I didn’t want you to push me away too, I couldn’t bear it if you did. So I never let you see it. I held back, because I just wanted to be with you. But you have to know… you’re not unlovable.

Sophia: (She pulls back from the embrace and looks up at him questioningly, a little suspicious.) What are you talking about, Charlie?

Charlie: (He takes a second to collect himself, then looks at her with determination.) I- I love you, Soph. I always have. Everybody knows it, everybody but you, that is.

Sophia: (Backing away in denial, towards the center of the living room.) You… you what?

Charlie: (With more confidence.) I love you. More than anything. I love you, Sophia.

Sophia: (Staring at him from a distance away, whispering in shock and denial.) No…no. No. No.

Charlie: You see? You’re not unlovable! You’re-

Sophia: (Suddenly screaming and furious) Get OUT! GET OUT! THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING! THIS WASN’T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN! NOT TO YOU!

Charlie: (Shocked and hurt.) What?

Sophia: (Moving about frantically.) You need to leave… you need to get out now. Where’s your jacket… where’s you damn jacket!?

Charlie: Soph… please. Please don’t do this. Don’t push me away, too.

Sophia: (Finding his jacket and rushing to get his suitcase.) I WON’T hurt you! I can’t! I can’t do to you what I did to everyone else… And I can’t take anymore either! If I lose one more person… I couldn’t take it… I can’t hurt another person I love! I can’t let myself feel- (she breaks off, staring at him) It would hurt too much then, if you left… I couldn’t stand it! And if you stay here any longer? I don’t think I could help but… but (the words “fall in love with you” are implied, and she lets the unspoken words hang there for a moment).  If you stay here, then I’ll just end up hurting you! And I don’t think I could live through that! (Hysterically panicked) So you need to LEAVE! (She thrust his jacket and suitcase at him and begins forcing him across the living room towards the door.) OUT! CHARLIE, GET OUT!

Charlie: (He protests the whole way, but lets her push him, begging.) SOPHIE PLEASE! PLEASE DON’T DO THIS! YOU CAN’T PUSH ME AWAY, SOPH! I LOVE YOU! YOU CAN’T CHANGE THAT! (She has gotten him to the door, but he turns around.) Sophie, don’t do this… I love you… (She shoves him out the door and slams it behind him, and is still for a second. She then begins to cry quietly, collapsing against the door. She collects herself enough to move across the room, taking deep breaths. Once at the kitchen table, she picks up the envelope and reaches inside, finding a letter she had not seen before. In a flash of anger she rips it to shreds and throws it on the ground. She closes her eyes, and then kneels to pick up the pieces and desperately tries to put them back together as fresh tears flood her face. The door opens, and Charlie comes in just a step. Sophie looks up from the ground, appearing unsurprised that he came back.

Sophie: She wrote me a letter. Before she… I don’t even know what it says (She gestures to the torn pieces on the ground). But she wrote me a letter.

Charlie: (Quietly) She loved you.

Sophie: (Whisper) I know.

Charlie: (Moving towards her very slowly.) I’d never leave you Sophie. Not by choice. I could never hurt you like that. I won’t get bored. I won’t get scared off. I won’t give up on you. (He kneels next to her, and she looks up to meet his gaze.) I promise, I’ll always be there. I know how much you’ve gone through, I know how much pain you’ve suffered. But it won’t be like that, not with us. I need you. And I think… I think you need me too. (He pulls her to her feet as he says this.)  Please, trust me, Sophie. I love you. (He kisses her very gently and carefully, then pulls back and leans his forehead against hers. They both keeps their eyes closed and are still for a moment.  When she doesn’t push him away, he kisses her again with more passion. Sophie gives in and wraps her arms around his neck as he holds her waist and lifts her off the ground, pressing her closer to him. After a minute, he lowers her to the ground, still kissing, bending her backwards with one hand on the small of her back as the other moves up to her hair. Charlie breaks off the kiss first, opening his eyes, with her still bent beneath him. After a second, Sophie opens her eyes too and looks straight at him. She smiles just a little, in wonder.

Sophie: I love you, too. (Charlie looks amazed, and smiles back at her blissfully. He takes her face in his hands and kisses her forehead, and they embrace.)

 

BLACKOUT

Author's Note

Please don't focus too much on spelling mistakes, etc. I mainly want to know if it seems natural, or if the emotion is too sudden or too much. Thank you!

Reviews

[BlaqkShadow]

I think this is absolutely FANTASTIC, it reads well and I can see it in my minds eye being played out on stage. I think even as a short piece it's excellent but if you ever chose to expand it to include all the backstory described I think you could be on to a real winner. It has so much emotion and passion in it and the characters are well defined and relateable. I can especially relate to Sophia's situation so it has a personal touch for me, but I also think that people who haven't been in the same situation could understand it because it's so well described. Awesome work friend :D