I Still Remember (Play)

Kelly and Alexandria are old friends, though they've grown apart over the years. Finally, Kelly one day decided to meet with Alexandria. Several weeks later, Kelly finds out a shocking discovery about her friend that will change her entire life.

Scene 1

Brockton, Massachusetts, 2009.

We are in a small restaurant located on the north end of Brockton. The restaurant is elegant but not too elegant. The room is brightly lit by small light bulbs attached to lamps that poke out from the ceiling, giving the area a cozy glow. Outside, snow is still on the ground. It is early February.

Two girls sit facing each other at the table, with their food placed in front of them. One of the girls, Kelly, is wearing a beige skirt with a pink flowery blouse. The other girl, Alexandria, has on a black skirt with a blue blouse.

Kelly (Hesitantly) It's been a long time.

Alexandria Yea.

Kelly It's good to see you again.

Alexandria It's good to see you too.

Kelly (Sighs) I thought about maybe sending you an email or something, but decided that calling would be best. I'm sorry we haven't been really keeping in touch. I mean, I miss talking to you. We need to catch up on things. How are you doing with school?

Alexandria (Digs her fork into her mashed potatoes) Alright. Some nights I have to stay in my dorm to do homework, I get so much of it. But pretty soon I'll be a nurse and will be making money like my mom, so I can't complain.

Kelly (Laughs) The thought of finally being able to reach your goals and doing what you want to do must be exciting! I'm studying to be an English teacher someday, and maybe I might be able to write some books on the side.

Alexandria Nice.

Kelly Yea, it's pretty awesome. (She pauses) Hey, I really did miss you. How come you've never kept in touch?

Alexandria I've just been so busy with school and stuff, you know? And we kind of just... split apart after junior high. It wasn't the same. I went to a private school, and you went to a public school.

Kelly I know... You could have called every now and then to see how things were. We could have hung out.

Alexandria I was just busy. And even if I could, what would I say? We wouldn't have much to even talk about.

Kelly We could have figured something out. You were my best friend, Alex.

Alexandria I guess.

Kelly It's like we're strangers now. We used to be so close when we were little. I remember that I would always want to have you beside me. I felt safe when you were there. We would do everything together; we would race to the swings, sit next to each other in class, jump rope in the parking lot at recess. Now, it's like we're strangers. I hardly know you anymore. You're on your way to getting married. You have other friends I don't even know - that you're with most of the time. You barely keep in contact. I miss you, Alexandria. You were my best friend when we were little. Sometimes I think - What if I went to the same private high school as you? Would things be any different? Then I read back in my diary I kept as a little girl, and I see your entries in there... the words that you scrawled out onto the page in cursive telling what you felt at the time and how you hated your father. It brings back loads of memories. Memories we don't share anymore.

Alexandria I'm sorry. I'll try to keep in touch more often.

Kelly Do you even still miss me, Alexandria?

Alexandria (Opens her eyes wide) Yes, of course I do!

Kelly (Smiles while wiping back a tear) I'm glad we could finally talk after all these years! And you - you're getting married! (She hugs Alexandria) What are you going to do now - now that you'll be a wife?

Alexandria (A tear trickles down her cheek) I don't... know. (She laughs and wipes the tear away) I didn't even think I'd make it this far!

Kelly Me too. We're grown now. We don't have to live with our parents. I feel like I'm still in high school though. Funny huh?

Alexandria Not at all! It's not funny at all! I still feel like a teen, not 21.

Kelly It's weird how time flies by when you least expect it to! I still remember the good times. Remember Mr. Marino, our sixth grade teacher?

Alexandria (Laughs) He was so cute! And you kept getting your name on the board for stupid things, like dropping your eraser and going to pick it up! He thought we were talking. (She paused) We used to talk a lot back then didn't we?

Kelly Yea. We did. Remember our "Save the Bees" campaign? The boys kept stomping on the bees when the creatures would land on the cement, and we'd run over there and try to stop them! It was fun. (She giggles)

Alexandria Yea. You had this strange obsession with all kinds of animals - and insects.

Kelly Yea.

(There's a long silence as the girls reminisce on past events.)

Alexandria You were weird back then. And LOUD!

Kelly I was weird? How was I weird Miss Oh-my-god-Jonny-touched-my-hand?

Alexandria Hey, he was the cutest boy in the whole class! Even you can't deny that!

Kelly (Rolls her eyes) Whatever.

Alexandria (Laughs) Better than your crush - what was his name?

Kelly Kevin.

Alexandria Yes, Kevin!

(Another long silence)

Kelly (Sighs) What do we do now?

Alexandria I don't know. (She glances at her watch) But I have to go now. My new hubby Richard is going to pick me up any minute now.

Kelly Well I guess have fun. Call me sometime.

Alexandria Oh I will! You take care, ok Kelly?

Kelly Ok. See you. (She gets up from her chair and watches Alexandria do the same)

Alexandria (Quickly hugs Kelly) See ya!

(Alexandria walks up to Richard, beaming, as he enters the restaurant. He gives her a light peck on the forehead and swoops her up into his arms, carrying her to the car. And just like that, she was gone again. Kelly could see them get in and drive off, leaving her feeling empty inside as she finishes eating her meal and pays for the food...

The stage goes black.)

Scene 2

Kelly, dressed in old jeans and a purple sweater, is sitting on her living room coach watching television when she hears the phone ring. Slowly getting up, she picks up the cordless phone and puts it to her ear.

Kelly Hello?

Alexandria (Replies in a frantic voice) Oh my god Kelly! I had to talk to you!

Kelly What happened?!

Alexandria It's Richard!

Kelly What's wrong with Richard? (She sits back on the coach and turns the television off)

Alexandria (Close to tears) I'm coming over. You still live at the same place right?

Kelly Yes. Alex, what is it?

Alexandria I'll be there in five minutes. (She hangs up)

(Kelly rises to her feet and looks out the window located behind the coach. She stares at the snow slowly raining from the sky and fluttering to the white carpet below. Then, suddenly hearing the doorbell chine, she rushes to the door. Opening it, she greets Alexandria, who is a sodden mess. Putting Alexandria's coat on a wall hook to dry and ushering her over to the living room chair facing the coach Kelly was sitting in earlier, she tries to find out what is troubling Alexandria)

Kelly Now tell me Alex, what's bothering you?

Alexandria (Flustered) Richard... he... I can't. I can't! He - (Kelly sits down beside her and puts an arm around her. Alexandria breaks down into tears, attempting to hide them with her hands but to no avail.)

Kelly Tell me Alex. What is it?

Alexandria (In between gasps) He cheated on me!

Kelly (Eyes grow wide) When?

Alexandria It started in the first month of our relationship and lasted for a year. A year! It was with one of his ex girlfriends... (She dabs at her eyes) Fuck. He told me that he loved me. He told me that he was never seeing her anymore. And that's not the worst part of it. She... that bitch he was seeing... she had HIV! (New tears drips down her cheeks and she starts wailing)

Kelly Oh god... I'm so sorry Alex! Is there anything I can do? (She pats Alexandria on the back)

Alexandria (shoves Kelly's hand away) Don't you get it?! She had HIV! So now, he has HIV. Richard has had HIV since the first month we've started dating, and he never even told me about it... until now. Until he tested positive. Until it was already too late for me!

Kelly What? (Her eyes grow wider) You're not saying...

Alexandria I am! I am saying it! I have HIV too! Not just HIV, but aids! And you want to know where I got it from? I got it from the man I love. I got it from the man I was going to marry. I got it from the man who cheated on me! And now? What am I going to do now when I'm going to die soon?! My life expectancy is only another month!

Kelly (Shocked) God, I had no idea. Fuck. (Anger overwhelms her, and she starts thinking horrible things about Richard)

Alexandria I left him. I have no one left now. I feel so cold and empty inside. (She shivers) What's more? I feel disgusted with myself. I feel diseased and ugly.

Kelly You're not ugly... and you're not disgusting. You're my friend.

(The stage goes black.)

Scene 3

Two months pass. The funeral already came and went. Kelly stands in front of Alexandria's grave carrying a red rose, which she clenched tight as she tried to force herself not to cry. Dark grey clouds milked the sky as the sky grew dim, threatening rain. The air was cold and eerie, giving Kelly a slight shiver. She placed the rose on top of the grave and stepped back.

Kelly I still remember, Alex. I still remember you. (The wind howled) I still remember your laugh, even now. (She wraps her arms around herself) And I still miss you. Do you remember when we were little? I - (A tear drop makes its way down her cheek) I would always get excited when I was waiting for the school bus because I knew you would be there. I knew you would be there for me. I keep picturing your face in my mind... how you looked when I sat next to you. Remember when we would pass notes in class secretly, so the teacher wouldn't notice? I do. I remember. I - (Her hands clench tighter around her body) I used to get so jealous of you. You always wore the best clothes. The popular guys always wanted you. They always drooled over you. (She screams) I can't believe I was so STUPID. (There's a long pause. Kelly whispers quietly) I can't believe I was so stupid. I was blind. I was selfish. I only thought about myself. Never you. And now here I am. There you are. I never got a chance to get to know you again. I never got a chance to tell you that I was sorry. I'm sorry, Alex. (It starts to rain) I'm sorry for all the times I got mad at you. I'm sorry for not keeping in touch with you. I wasn't being a good friend, and I'm sorry. (She collapses on the ground and closes her eyes. Kelly glimpses Alexandria smiling in her mind.) I can see you, Alex. (She smiles) I can see you in heaven. Life will be good to you now. You won't have to worry about me getting mad at you anymore. You have Jesus.

(The stage goes black.)