ACT 2

SCENE 1

(CURTAIN opens)

(LIGHTS UP: A funeral scene is set. A casket is out as well as a picture of MADISON that is on a stand. Benches are set for the GUESTS. SILVER, AMELIA, EMMA, GRAYSON, and MADISON'S PARENTS are sitting in the front row crying.)

PASTOR: We are gathered here today to commemorate the life of the beloved daughter and friend, Madison Williams. Madison faced many struggles during her short life but there were good and bad times such as what we've all experienced as a part of our own lives. Some of the good times were the memories with her friends and family. She was a kind, intelligent, and selfless young woman. I am now going to read a few verses from the Bible. (opens Bible) John 14:1-4 "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going." This is a passage has a multitude of meanings that I think we can apply to a situation like this. Meanings that we all comprehend it in our own ways, so I am not going to tell you how to do that. But, Madison is in a better place, a home with God. Now, Mr. Williams will be saying a eulogy.

MR. WILLIAMS: (stands up and walks to the front) My daughter, Madison, (pausing due to sadness) was taken from us too soon. She was a beautiful and bright young woman who had so much potential in life and I regret now that I didn't get the chance to tell her this. As a parent, you want to protect your children in many ways and I regret that I couldn't protect her from the reality she faced. I loved her dearly. I will always love her dearly. When Madison was young, she was so happy (begins to smile). She loved to play outside with her soccer ball. I remember her screaming when we told her we signed her up for a soccer team in the grade. Being a part of that team taught her so much as well as brought her close to many people. It is the times like those that I will remember and cherish forever (becomes sad again). It makes me sad to think that as she died she wasn't this innocent and happy child anymore. (Crying and looking at the casket) Madison, I'm sorry I couldn't keep you from hurting. I love you and I know that you are in a better place now. (Looking back to the front) Thank you all for being here for us and for Madison. Would anyone like to say a few words?

SILVER: (raising her hand) If I could say something, I would like to.

MR. WILLIAMS: Of course you can, Silver. Thank you.

SILVER: (standing up and going to the front) Madison was my best friend. I met her in the third grade at soccer try-outs. It was her pleasant attitude that first attracted me to her. Madison and I started our relationship as teammates and later, we became best friends. Madison was the person I went to about everything. When I was happy, sad, or mad, I always went to Madison. She's gone now and I don't know what I am going to do without her (begins to break down crying) Madison was such a good person. She was there for me whenever... I thought I was there for her, but I guess I wasn't. The thoughts going through my head are too much. I knew that our time together would be limited and that everyone dies. But, I didn't have enough time! (Screaming out) I didn't have enough time. I won't get to share my life with her...She didn't deserve to die. I just don't understand why... (She begins to uncontrollably cry and fall to the floor)

AMELIA: (stands up to go help SILVER) Let me help you up, Silver.

SILVER: (stuttering) I'm not done...I have more to say.

AMELIA: Silver, I think you need a break. Let's sit down.

SILVER: Okay. (AMELIA helps SILVER up and they sit down)

PASTOR: (walks to the front) Thank you all for joining us to remember all that Madison meant to each and every one of you. (EXTRAS begin to stand up, leave a token by the casket, and exit)

(SILVER, AMELIA, GRAYSON, and EMMA sit there as EVERYONE else leaves)

EMMA: (standing up) We should say something...as a group.

GRAYSON: How can I?

AMELIA: Just talk. (The FOUR stand up and hold hands)

EMMA: Thank you, Madison, for being you. I will never forget all that you have done for me. You helped me open up and let me be myself. I love you and I miss you so much. (Crying) The special moments we've had make me smile and that's what I'll try to hold onto. Instead of crying too much, I'm going to try to be happy for the fact that you lived. I think that's what you'd want us to do.

GRAYSON: (sniffling) Madison. I don't know what to say. I miss you. I woke up this morning and texted you. For just a minute, I forgot that you were gone and I felt like I could breathe. Then the sadness began to flood into my mind as I was choking. You changed me...and I love you and always will.

SILVER: (crying and talking slowly) We used to just sit and talk and it wasn't a big deal. But, now, I feel like it was. I would give anything to just sit with you and talk one more time. But, I know it's not possible (crying). This has hurt me a lot but I'll keep you, forever in my heart, until we can meet again.

AMELIA: I think the hardest part about losing you, Madison, is not saying goodbye...it's figuring out how to move on without you. I have this hole that is left in my heart now that you're gone and I don't think anyone can fill it. All I can think of now is what might have been if you weren't gone (she cries uncontrollably, the GROUP lets go of each other's hands)

EMMA: (looking to the floor and holding HERSELF) Goodbye Madison. (EMMA exits)

GRAYSON: (stepping away from the GROUP and looking to the floor) Goodbye Madison. (GRAYSON exits)

SILVER: (kneeling on the ground crying) Goodbye Madison. (SILVER gets up and exits, HER head staying down)

AMELIA: (looking around and realizing SHE is alone) Goodbye Madison. (AMELIA cries and exits slowly)

(BLACKOUT)

SCENE 2

(LIGHTS UP: A chemistry classroom is set center stage. STUDENTS enter.)

(SILVER enters obviously agitated and upset. She has headphones in her ears)

SILVER: I don't want to be here...this makes me sick. I'm annoyed with...everything. I can't handle this any longer. Why am I here? What am I doing? I don't need this. I hate it. Everything is just so stupid. (she walks to her chair and sits. She stairs at the empty seat next to her for a second and begins to get more upset as EMMA enters) If it weren't for this stupid place, she would still be alive.

EMMA: I don't know what to do. It's been horrible and today is going to be another horrible day because Madison isn't here to make me stronger. She stood up for me. She showed everyone that I am not a toy they can play with. I have to start to do that on my own...I can't continue to let them torture me. (EMMA goes to her seat and sits as THE MEAN GIRLS enters)

VICTORIA: (to EMMA) Hey little Em.

EMMA: Leave me alone.

ADRIANNA: Now, why would we do that? (Laughs)

ELLA: (to EMMA) Calm down. We're all friends here.

EMMA: (to ELLA) What're you talking about?

ELLA: We figured since your only friend died...we'd try to talk to you. We're sorry we've picked on you. We've realized it was wrong and we've changed...we want to help you and be your friends.

EMMA: (surprised) Oh, really. Thank you.

VICTORIA: (laughing) That was sarcasm, stupid. We came here to talk to you and since Madison can't protect you, we can have a little more fun. (She looks at EMMA's clothing) Honey, what in the world are you wearing? You look like...I don't even know, but its terrible. (ELLA and ADRIANNA laugh)

EMMA: Go. Please.

ELLA: Hmmm...I know what we can do to fix it. (SHE grabs some scissors and cuts EMMA's turtleneck shirt)

EMMA: Stop! (shoving ELLA away)

ADRIANNA: We're fixing your outfit. Chill.

EMMA: You're ruining my life. Go away.

ADRIANNA: What're you going to do about it? Huh? You aren't woman enough...are you?

VICTORIA: I think she's had enough, for now. Let's go girls. (VICTORIA walks away pushing EMMA'S books and notebooks off her desk)

ELLA: Catch you later, loser.

EMMA: (upset) Why are things like this? (AMELIA enters and walks over to her seat, next to EMMA)

AMELIA: (sits down) Ugh...

EMMA: (to AMELIA) Hey.

AMELIA: Hey (She says this with a sigh)

EMMA: How're you?

AMELIA: I'm whatever.

EMMA: Well, I'm not. I want to help myself but I just can't. I freeze. I'm too scared to do anything about them. (realizing that AMELIA isn't listening) Amelia, are you listening? Hello?

AMELIA: Yeah... I understand.

EMMA: I suck.

AMELIA: I feel nothing. I'm empty. Life is empty. I'm exhausted and my head has been killing me. I don't eat anymore, probably should, but I can't. Don't want to. Life is hopeless. That's all. And what I feel, its worse than sadness; I can't describe it. (She lays her head down acting depressed)

EMMA: I know how you feel. (GRAYSON enters alone and acts scared as he dodges multiple people as a way to isolate himself)

GRAYSON: (sitting at his seat in the corner, almost hyperventilating) I hate how jittery I've been. Every time, I just freak and move away. I can't talk; I can't get attached. It ends badly. And...judgment and humiliation and rejection get to me...I can't deal with this. Alone. That's what's safe. (MRS. HAMMOND enters)

MRS. HAMMOND: Hello class. Let's get started. I am going to be passing out an assignment on balancing chemical equations. I'll do a few with you on the board and the rest will be class work then homework if you don't finish. We watched a video a few weeks ago, you should all remember. (SHE passes out the papers) Silver, can you take your headphones out. (SILVER doesn't respond) Silver! (SHE raises her voice)

SILVER: (with attitude) What?

MRS. HAMMOND: Please take out your headphones.

SILVER: (agitated) I don't want to.

MRS. HAMMOND: Don't make me tell you again. (SILVER stares at HER) Silver!

SILVER: (raising her voice) What!

MRS. HAMMOND: Don't get an attitude with me. Just please take off your headphones.

SILVER: You're not in charge. I don't have to listen to you.

MRS. HAMMOND: Actually, when you're in my class, I am in charge.

SILVER: (stands up) Only if I allow it. Guys, we don't have to let Mrs. Hammond be a tyrant. None of them. They shouldn't get to destroy us.

MRS. HAMMOND: Silver! (VICTORIA gets her phone to record)

SILVER: She is only charge if we let her. Don't listen to her. Challenge authority. Stand up for yourself.

MRS. HAMMOND: Silver, stop.

SILVER: I don't want to. I'm giving us a voice. A voice to show what we want, what we believe in, what we deserve. We don't need you. We don't need any of you. (SHE starts walking around and making fun of THE TEACHER)

MRS. HAMMOND: If you don't stop, I'll have security escort you out!

SILVER: Bring it!

MRS. HAMMOND: Silver, you're pushing it.

SILVER: You guys hear that. I'm pushing it. She's trying to scare me...to suppress my right, our right, to free speech. She's trying to knock us all down. Not any more. I'm not allowing it...any longer.

MRS. HAMMOND: Why are you acting like this, Silver?

SILVER: Because I want to. I want to let everyone know how I feel. If it weren't for you and this god-awful place, (yelling) Madison wouldn't be dead. (she begins to cry uncontrollably)

MRS. HAMMOND: Silver, I think you need to leave.

SILVER: She thinks. What about I think? What we think? Manipulation. Demolition. Power. That's all they want. (Wiping away the tears and remaining angry) I don't need to leave. I'm not done.

MRS. HAMMOND: (grabs her phone) Hello? (Pause) Yes, security. I have a student that is openly defying me and has become uncontrollable. I think she needs to leave campus right now. (hangs up the phone)

SILVER: (yelling) No, I don't! Stop telling them that. You see. They need power. They need it to brain wash us and destroy lives.

MRS. HAMMOND: Class, don't listen to her. She is not herself right now.

SILVER: You don't know who I am. This! This is me! I am me! You know what. (Yelling) We should all leave this terrible place. Lets go! (No one moves) Let's go! (No one moves) What are you guys doing? Stand up!

MRS. HAMMOND: Silver, leave!

SILVER: (yelling) Fine! (To the CLASS) You're all cowards! (SILVER exits)

MRS. HAMMOND: (grabs her phone) Security, the student has left the classroom (pause) okay, thank you. Okay class. We are going to move on, security will handle Silver. Here is your homework. Work silently until the bell rings.

VICTORIA: (whispering to ELLA and ADIRANNA) Wow that was something. (Laughing)

ELLA: What's going on with Silver?

ADRIANNA: (sarcastically) She's pushing herself off the edge of a cliff. There's nowhere else to go.

ELLA: Did you get that on video?

VICTORIA: Every second. (Laughs) This will go viral once I post it on Twitter. She'll be the laughing stock of the whole school. (SCHOOL BELL rings, ALL STUDENTS and MRS. HAMMOND exit)

(BLACKOUT)

SCENE 3

(LIGHTS UP: A lunch table set on stage in a quad area where the STUDENTS eat lunch. AMELIA, EMMA, and GRAYSON enter and sit at the bench)

EMMA: (to AMELIA) I can't believe what happened in chem this morning.

AMELIA: (only half paying attention) Yeah.

EMMA: She was going ballistic. I've never seen her like that. She definitely wasn't acting like herself.

AMELIA: Are any of us?

EMMA: That's true. I haven't done my homework or studied for the tests this week. I don't really care right now. It doesn't even matter. (Without a care) Oh well.

AMELIA: Yeah, same. I'm just at a point where I'm done. I just feel...I don't know. I just keep thinking why? What's the point? (GRAYSON enters and sits at the end of the table)

EMMA: of what?

AMELIA: Of anything...of school...of life.

EMMA: I get it. Hey Grayson.

GRAYSON: (shaking) Hi.

EMMA: How are you?

GRAYSON: (not looking at EMMA) Fine.

EMMA: Why are you sitting so far away?

GRAYSON: I want to be alone.

EMMA: Why?

GRAYSON: (shaking and stuttering) Why does it matter to you?

EMMA: We're friends Grayson and you used to sit with us. That's why.

GRAYSON: I can't handle this...Bye (HE gets up and walks away to sit on the ground and eat)

EMMA: Okay then. I guess it's just us.

AMELIA: Alone.

EMMA: What?

AMELIA: That's what we are.

EMMA: I think there is a lot of sadness in all of us. I feel it. That word makes sense to me. I have this pit in my stomach and shakiness when I see them. They're tormenting me...I feel small...Loner. Stupid. Ugly. Fat. Loner. Stupid. Ugly. Fat. Why? (SILVER enters)

SILVER: (crying) Hey guys (SHE sits and puts her head down)

EMMA: You're here.

SILVER: Yeah. The security never came. I stayed in the bathroom for the rest of first through fourth period. Everything sucks...and I miss Madison (crying) why did this have to happen? How can I do this?

AMELIA: (talking monotone and slowly) I feel that. Do you think it's painful?

EMMA: What?

AMELIA: Death.

EMMA: I mean, it depends on how you die.

AMELIA: Just thinking. I don't know what to do. (SCHOOL BELL rings) Maybe Madison was right. Would it be that bad to just end things. To move on. To not have to deal with this hell we are all living. To cease to exist.

SILVER: I've thought about it... (SCHOOL BELL rings) I don't have the energy right now. I don't want to go to class...ugh...

EMMA: Bye guys...I'll see you in 6th period. (EMMA exits)

AMELIA: (to SILVER) Have you ever thought about cutting? People do it a lot.

SILVER: I haven't given it much thought. I haven't given anything much thought to be honest.

AMELIA: I get it. We have to... go to class. Come on. (AMELIA and SILVER exit)

GRAYSON: (alone on the floor) I don't know what's wrong. I've always liked being alone but it was just because I wanted to be. Now, I feel like I have to be alone. I can't get near people without my heart beating twenty miles a minute inside me. Without my palms sweating and my teeth chattering. I start breathing fast and my thoughts get all muddled and I have the urge to run away, and then my head starts spinning and I start to gag. I don't know why. And I don't know how to change it. (HE stands up and exits)

(BLACKOUT)

SCENE 4

(LIGHTS UP: A history classroom is set center stage. STUDENTS enter)

SILVER: (as SHE'S walking in, talking quickly to HERSELF) Last class of the day! I'm really feeling this right now. I mean, I never try but it's a really interesting class when you think about it. History can be cool, sometimes, I guess. I don't know. (AMELIA enters)

AMELIA: Hey Sil. Ready learn more about Napoleon Bonaparte and the French Revolution.

SILVER: (talking quickly) Yes! The French Revolution is so interesting. I love it.

AMELIA: I've never seen you so interested in history class before.

SILVER: (quickly) I have a newfound interest. I don't know. It just seems cool.

AMELIA: It is a really cool class. One of my favorites during the day. I've always had an interest in history. Give's me something to focus on...I guess. (GRAYSON enters)

GRAYSON: (to AMELIA and SILVER) Hi guys.

AMELIA: Hey.

GRAYSON: Sorry about lunch. I just haven't been feeling well lately.

AMELIA: It's okay. We've all been going through it too. (EMMA enters crying) Emma, what's wrong?

EMMA: Victoria and the others. I hate them. I'm done. Loner. Stupid. Ugly. Fat. Loner. Stupid. Ugly. Fat.

AMELIA: What?

EMMA: Me. That's all I am.

AMELIA: What? They've been saying that. I'm sorry Emma. (VICTORIA, ELLA, and ADRIANNA enter)

VICTORIA: Little Em, you thought you could