Scene 1
Amanda, Sarah and their mother sit in the kitchen eating an assortment of snacks.
Sarah has a sly smile on her face, hiding a secret from her mother and sister.
They are trying in vain to get her to tell them the cause of her happiness.
Amanda: So, it isn’t a good grade on a test?
Sarah: You asked that already, and besides, why wouldn’t I tell you that?
That isn’t secret material.
Mom: Well, I’m out of ideas, so you might as well tell us now.
Amanda: I’ll give you the change in my pocket…62 cents. Look, there
is a dime in the mix! You love dimes!
Sarah: (grabs the change from Amanda’s hand and speaks while counting it)
I might be going to prom…
Amanda and Mom (together): What? With who?
Sarah: That guy at school, the one that is obsessed with me. Aaron. I told you
about him, the one that tells me how pretty I am every day…? (trails off
with a smile)
Amanda: That’s awesome! So now we get to go prom dress shopping!
Mom: Honey, that’s great, I’m so happy for you.
Sarah: Yeah, I wasn’t sure about it at first. He kept begging and begging.
It was kinda pathetic, but then I thought…my junior prom…why not?
Scene 2
(later that evening)
Amanda walks into her room and glances into Sarah’s as she walks by. She
catches Sarah throwing the phone onto the bed with a quizzical look on her face.
Amanda: What’s wrong, girl?
Sarah: I just got off the phone with Aaron. He is so strange sometimes…All
we talked about was NASCAR races and his dogs. He lives in Prichard, Manny,
and he calls it P-town.
Amanda: Wow, real classy. Well maybe he was just nervous and had diarrhea of
the mouth. Maybe he isn’t used to talking to girls as smart and interesting
as you. I’m sure they are in short supply out in P-Town.
Sarah: Maybe. (she sits at her desk with a disheartened look on her face)
Amanda: Well, if you don’t like what you are talking about, then change
the subject. Talk about what YOU are interested. Simple.
Sarah: yeah…I guess.
Amanda: Cheer up, tomorrow is prom dress shopping!
Scene 3
(next day, at the mall)
Sarah, Amanda and Mom are perusing through the dress section of a fancy department
store. They are surrounded by racks of formal dresses in several colors and
styles. The ladies are obviously tired from a long day of shopping.
Amanda: You’re tried on like, 20 dresses, sissy. Is it time to call it
a day yet?
Sarah: I’m looking for the perfect dress-you should know all about that,
you’ve gone through this before, a bunch of times.
Mom: What color do you want?
Sarah: I don’t know.
Amanda: What style do you want?
Sarah: (getting angry) I don’t KNOW!
Amanda: How about this strapless one? How about this one with no back or middle,
it looks (pause) awesome.
Sarah: No way!
The women continue pawing through the dresses occasionally pulling one of the
rack and showing it to the others. Amanda grabs a purple strapless dress with
a full skirt covered in sparkly purple flowers.
Amanda: This one is pretty.
Sarah: (fingering the crepe material lightly) Ohh, I like this little guy. I’m
gonna go try it on.
(A few minutes later)
Sarah: It is perfect. This is my dress!
Amanda and Mom: Finally!
Scene4
At home, in the afternoon, Amanda sits by herself, waiting for her mother and
sister to return from school. The door opens and they walk into the kitchen
to join Amanda at the table. Before they have a chance to begin their afternoon
snacking session, the phone rings. Sarah rushes to the living room to answer.
Amanda and Mom make small talk while Sarah is in the other room. She is speaking
in a distressed, muffled tone. A few minutes later, she walks back into the
kitchen redfaced, furious and crying.
Mom: Honey, what’s wrong?
Sarah: (building to a scream) He doesn’t want to go. Just like that, he
dumped me.
Amanda: That little punk…(becomes visibly upset)
Mom: Did he say why? Did he give you a reason?
Sarah: He says we don’t talk enough, that I am too quiet (gets louder,
to a scream) I hate him! I hate him! (her screams dissolve into heavy sobs)
Amanda What is his phone number?
Sarah: What?
Amanda: His phone number. I’m going to call that little hillbilly freak
and let him know that people don’t treat other people like that, especially
my little sister.
Sarah: Don’t do that…
Amanda: I want to do it, Sarah, I can’t stand to see you hurt.
Sarah: (hesitating) 555-9842
Amanda runs to the phone and dials his number, her fingers shaking in anger.
Mom continues to comfort Sarah as they both attempt to listen to the conversation.
Amanda: Is Aaron there? Aaron, this is Sarah’s sister, Amanda…I heard
you guys aren’t going to prom anymore, mind telling me why? (pause) First
of all, do NOT use that kind of language with me, how dare you say something
like that to a stranger? (pause) You didn’t even give her a chance (pause)
She’s too good for you anyway, I don’t know why she ever wasted her
time. (pause) Well as far as I am concerned, you can never call this house again,
understand? (pause) yeah, I thought so. (She hangs up.)
Amanda walks back into the kitchen where Sarah and Mom are smiling proudly.
Sarah hugs her sister warmly and thanks her.
Sarah: you didn’t have to do that, but thank you.
Amanda: It didn’t cross my mind NOT to do it. That’s what sisters
are for.