By Milissa Stucker
CHARACTERS:
LYNSI: 15 years old. She is JANE�S twin sister. LYNSI is a more energetic teenager. She has crushes on several boys. She has posters of teen heartthrobs all over the room. She listens to trendy music and wears trendy clothes. The only thing these sisters have in common is that they are both very creative. She wants to be popular and trendy. LYNSI is wearing a white tank top with a striped necktie, cut-off tan Dockers pants, striped red and black socks, skater�s shoes (such as VANS), and various bracelets with spikes and such on them.
JANE: 15 years old. JANE is quieter than LYNSI. She has a negative outlook on the world and on people. She watches anime and reads manga (Japanese Animation and comics), listens to rock and commonly not trendy music. She never has crushes on boys. She is a tomboy and hangs out with the �skater� crowd in her school. She is uninterested in boys. JANE wears black clothes, a black blouse and a black skirt, with black steel-toed boots.
(NOTE: If unable to cast twins, sisters may be 14 and 15.)
SETTING:
The twins� bedroom.
TIME:
Afternoon, after school has been let out.
PROPS:
Various teen heartthrob posters, a cell phone, a nightstand with a drawer and a lock, a Hello Kitty Journal, an old worn out Mickey Mouse clock, a wall scroll from Neon Genesis Evangelion (preferably of Kawrou Nagisa, or containing him), a lavender candle, a book of matches, a Neon Genesis Evangelion Manga (Japanese Comic Book), a Sony Discman, Bottles of nail polish, teen magazines, two beds, stuffed animals (Elmo and Dalmatians), various articles of clothing, jewelry boxes, a dresser with a mirror, Blossom (Powerpuff Girls) key chain, a mini-stereo, a pink Jansport backpack, school books, a tie, a poster of Avril Lavigne covering a poster of Britney Spears.
All over the ROOM various PICTURES/POSTERS of TEEN HEARTTHROBS cover the walls, such as; COREY FELDMAN, WILL SMITH, HEATH LEDGER, JAMES DEAN, and any other cute teen heartthrob throughout time.
There are TWO BEDS, one bed has a BRIGHT COLORED BEDSPREAD on it, and the other has a BLACK BED SPREAD on it.
The BRIGHT BED has various STUFFED ANIMALS, such as ELMO and DISNEY�S DALMATIONS, laid out on top of it, and the BLACK ONE is bare.
Next to the BRIGHT BED is a NIGHTSTAND with a SMALL STEREO on it. Next to the STEREO is an old MICKEY MOUSE ALARM CLOCK.
ABOVE the BRIGHT BED is a POSTER of AVRIL LAVIGNE covering a POSTER of BRITNEY SPEARS.
The NIGHTSTAND has a SMALL DRAWER with a LOCK on it.
Next to the BLACK BED is a wall scroll of an anime, NEON GENESIS EVANGELION (preferably of KAWROU NAGISA, if not, any will do).
There are other essential items to complete a bedroom, a DRESSER with JEWELRY BOXES, a few T-SHIRTS, and various bottles of NAIL POLISH are on top of it. There is a MIRROR above the DRESSER; there are various LIP IMPRESSIONS on the MIRROR.
There are two small CLOSETS. One is SHUT, the other, near the BLACK BED, is open slightly with CLOTHES sticking out at the ground.
LYNSI enters talking on a bright yellow NOKIA CELL PHONE.
LYNSI. God it feels so good to be home. (A beat.) Oh my god! I know, Bekki! Like� Yes! (A beat.) He is so cute! (A beat.) Uh-huh! (A beat.) Yeah, he does kind of look like Heath Ledger! Especially in 10 Things I Hate About You! (A beat.) And did you see the way he looked at you in the hallway after Algebra? Oh� My� God! I thought I was going to die! (A beat.) Yeah. (A beat.) Yeah. (A beat.) Okay! Talk to you tomorrow! Bye!! (SHE hangs up her CELL PHONE.)
(SHE drops her PINK JANSPORT BACKPACK on the ground in front of the DRESSER, kicks off her SHOES, and fumbles in her pockets for a set of keys. SHE pulls a KEYRING out with a KEYCHAIN of BLOSSOM from THE POWERPUFF GIRLS. SHE walks over to the NIGHTSTAND, unlocks it and pulls out her JOURNAL; there is a picture of HELLO KITTY on the cover.)
LYNSI. It�s about time for another journal entry.
(SHE closes the DRAWER. SHE sets the JOURNAL down on the bed and picks up the ELMO stuffed animal doll. SHE hugs it. SHE clicks on the STEREO.)
RADIO ANNOUNCER. And here comes Avril Lavigne�s latest hit, Sk8r Boi!
(The song plays and LYNSI forgets about her JOURNAL.)
LYNSI. OH MY GOD! THIS IS LIKE, MY FAVORITE SONG EVER! (SHE SINGS along with it as SHE plops down on her BED. SHE grabs one of the DALMATION stuffed toys and SINGS to IT.)
(JANE enters the room, SHE sets her BOOKS down on the BLACK BED. SHE walks over to the posters on the walls and starts tearing them down one by one. LYNSI stands up.)
LYNSI. HEY! What do you think you are doing?
JANE. (Proceeds tearing the POSTERS down.) Boys suck.
LYNSI. No they don�t!
JANE. (SHE is still tearing the POSTERS down.) Yes.
LYNSI. (SHE grabs JANE�S shoulder and spins her around.) No, they don�t! (JANE stops, she walks to the STEREO and changes the station to THE OFFSPRING�S �GOTTA GET AWAY.� SHE begins singing it aloud.) HEY! DON�T TOUCH THAT!
JANE. Too late. (Resumes singing.) �I GOTTA GET AWAY FROM ME!� (LYNSI walks over to the STEREO and clicks it off.) I was listening to that!
LYNSI. Yeah, well I was listening to Avril Lavigne!
JANE. The Offspring is better than Avril.
LYNSI. They are not!
JANE. Anyone that whines about boys being a problem is annoying.
(A beat. LYNSI grabs her JOURNAL and puts it in the NIGHTSTAND. (NOTE: SHE DOESN�T LOCK IT).)
LYNSI. (CELL PHONE rings.) Look, everyone doesn�t not care about boys like you do. (CELL PHONE rings again.)
JANE. Oh, I care about boys. (CELL PHONE rings yet again.) The ones that are my friends, I care about them. (And IT rings again!) I don�t need a boyfriend like some people do. (A beat.) JESUS CHRIST WILL YOU ANSWER THAT?
LYNSI. (Answers CELL PHONE.) OH MY GOD! HI BRITNEY! Oh my god! I know! �Yes! He does look like Heath Ledger!!
JANE. IS THAT DAD�S TIE?
LYNSI. (To phone.) Hang on Brit, the evil twin is speaking. (To JANE.) Yeah? So?
JANE. Dad will get mad if he knows you looked through his closet.
LYNSI. So?
JANE. You know that�s where he hides his guns.
LYNSI. Well, I�ll put it back before he gets home.
JANE. Like he won�t know there is CK ONE smell all over it?
LYNSI. It�s a multi-gender cologne!
JANE. Dad doesn�t even know what CK stands for.
LYNSI. What does it stand for?
JANE. Calvin Kline� You half-wit.
LYNSI. Oh yeah� (A beat.) Well what�s your point?
JANE. He doesn�t wear that cologne.
LYNSI. Well, when he gets home I�ll recommend it to him and spray it all over his wardrobe for him!
(A beat.)
JANE. You are an idiot, did you know that?
LYNSI. (Dismisses the statement. Talks into the phone again.) Sorry about that, Brit. (A beat.) You know what� I was thinking the same thing. Maybe someone should drop a house on her head! (A beat. JANE gives LYNSI an evil glare.) Okay Brit. I�ll see you tomorrow in first period. (A beat.) Like I would forget to wear my cheerleader uniform tomorrow? (In true valley girl fashion.) I am the captain of the squad you know. (A beat.) Okay. See ya. (SHE hangs up.) Okay, I�m going to put the tie away! (SHE walks towards the DOOR.)
JANE. Wait. (LYNSI stops.) Don�t wear dad�s ties anymore.
LYNSI. Why? It�s so cool!
JANE. You just think it�s cool now because Avril Lavigne wears them.
LYNSI. No I don�t.
JANE. And before Avril you were copying Britney Spears.
LYNSI. Now that is a lie!
JANE. Is it? (JANE walks over to the POSTER of AVRIL LAVIGNE and tears it down.) Good-bye Avril. Hello Brit!
LYNSI. (Frustrated.) Geez! At least I wear real clothes!
JANE. These are real.
LYNSI. (Frustrated still.) I�m putting the tie away! (SHE exits. The CELL PHONE rings OFFSTAGE. LYNSI ANSWERS. OFFSTAGE.) Hey Sue! (A beat.) Yeah! He does look like Heath Ledger!
JANE. (Lies down on her BED.) Jeez� She should get that phone surgically attached to her ear. (SHE looks up and sees a CANDLE on the DRESSER. SHE walks to it and smells it.) Mmmm� This lavender candle might help relax me. If only I could find some matches.
(SHE starts looking around the room for some MATCHES. SHE opens LYNSI�S NIGHTSTAND. SHE pulls out a BOOK OF MATCHES.)
JANE. (Examining the BOOK OF MATCHES.) Heaven�s Bar, 555-6348. (A beat. Proceeds in BRITISH ACCENT.) �Ello-ello. What�s this?
(SHE sees LYNSI�S JOURNAL.)
JANE. Lynsi�s journal? (SHE takes it out and sits on HER BED. SHE opens it to a poem LYNSI wrote, and reads aloud.) �Matt, How does one, learn to love? And helplessly, be shot like a dove? Love hurts, as you see� But you know what? You really hurt me. Immaturity, like it or not, in your heart, I was caught. What a fool, I had been, when I learned, to love him. I do love him, and always will, but how could, your heart kill? Sometimes I wish, that you were dead, then I would cry, and have this read.� Matt? �The only Matt I know is�
(The DOOR opens and LYNSI enters.)
LYNSI. What are you doing with my journal! (PHONE rings, SHE answers it quickly.) I�LL CALL YOU BACK LATER. (SHE hangs up.)
JANE. I was looking for matches!
LYNSI. You were looking for matches? Why don�t I believe that?
JANE. You wrote a poem about Matt?
LYNSI. So what?
JANE. You know that all Matt cares about is his Aesthetics Singleton Gamer Deck in green with Element Hazard Yellow 52mm Wheels� Right?
LYNSI. What in the hell is that?
JANE. A skateboard, you dim wit.
LYNSI. (A beat.) Give me my journal!
JANE. Matt doesn�t like you.
LYNSI. (Reaches out to grab her JOURNAL.) GIVE ME MY JOURNAL!
JANE. Matt will never like you.
LYNSI. GIVE IT TO ME! (LYNSI slaps JANE.)
(A beat. JANE lets go of the JOURNAL. SHE grabs the MATHCES and lights the CANDLE. JANE grabs a NEON GENESIS EVANGELION COMIC BOOK from her CLOSET and lies down on her BED.)
LYNSI. (Apologetic.) I didn�t---
JANE. Shh� I�m reading.
LYNSI. (Still apologetic.) Yeah, but I didn�t mean to---(PHONE rings.)
JANE. It�s not very hard to understand the meaning of �Shh� is it? (PHONE rings.)
LYNSI. (Still apologetic.) Well� No� But---(PHONE rings.)
JANE. Shh� �And shut that thing off, we�re home now.
(LYNSI clicks off her CELL PHONE and sets it on her nightstand. SHE puts her JOURNAL back in the NIGHTSTAND. SHE walks to the torn POSTERS and grabs a roll of SCOTCH tape. SHE begins taping the POSTERS back together. LIGHTS FADE ON JANE.)
LYNSI. (Out to audience) I really didn�t mean to slap her� I just� I didn�t want her reading my life. (A beat.) Well yeah� I know she�s my sister, and I know we are supposed to be open with each other. But look at us. She�s so� (A beat.) Different. She�s full of angst. She�s so�
(A beat. LIGHTS BACK UP.)
JANE. I�m getting a banana� Want one?
LYNSI. No� Thanks. (JANE leaves. To audience.) She�s so cold. Why is she? It�s like she sleeps in a meat freezer. (SHE walks to the DRESSER and grabs a bottle of NAIL POLISH.) Well� For now I must find solace in Maybelline Wet Shine in H20 Pink. (SHE sits down on HER BED and pulls off her STRIPPED SOCKS. SHE proceeds to PAINT her TOENAILS. JANE re-enters.)
JANE. I know you aren�t going to paint your toenails while I eat a banana. (LYNSI mimics JANE in a snippy voice. JANE lets out a growl.) I�m not putting up with this� I�m just going to listen to my Superchunk.
LYNSI. Your who?
JANE. An Indie band. They are good.
LYNSI. You aren�t using my stereo.
JANE. I know� (SHE retrieves a DISCMAN from her CLOSET and waves it at LYNSI.) I didn�t buy this Sony Discman so it could collect dust in the closet. (JANE lies down on her tummy on her BED and puts her HEADPHONES on; SHE proceeds to work on HOMEWORK.)
LYSNI. (To audience.) Let�s test something� Jane? (JANE doesn�t respond. LYNSI again, song-like.) Oooooh Jaaaaane? (JANE still doesn�t respond.) Good! She has those things booming loud enough in her ears she can�t hear me now. (SHE closes the bottle of NAILPOLISH and sets it on the NIGHTSTAND.) Time to write in my journal again! (SHE walks back to the NIGHTSTAND and retrieves the JOURNAL.) Hello Hello Kitty! (SHE lays down on her tummy like JANE, with the JOURNAL in front of her. LIGHTS FADE ON LYNSI, JANE removes her HEADPHONES.)
JANE. Why is she such a damned idiot? I mean� Just look at her. Just the look of her screams �Idiot.� She�s just lying there� As if she were an exact clone of a pop idol. (Sarcasm.) Move over Kelly Clarkson, here comes Lynsi McCleene! I remember one time I asked her� (LIGHTS COME BACK UP. Both girls sit on their BEDS facing each other. LYNSI brushes her HAIR and JANE leafs through a ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE. (NOTE: Both can be placed under the BEDS up until this flashback.)) Hey Lynsi� Why do you think you are so special and unique?
LYNSI. My name is spelled different. It�s not L-I-N-D-S-A-Y. It�s L-Y-N-S-I.
JANE. But what does it signify?
LYNSI. That I�m different from everyone else.
(THE GIRLS go back to their original positions and the lights fade on LYNSI again.)
JANE. But she�s not different from everyone else� She�s the exact same thing� A carbon copy. Sometimes I hate her so much it drives me crazy. (A pause.) Maybe I don�t really hate her� (A beat. SHE walks to the mirror and looks at HER REFLECTION.) Maybe who I really hate� Is myself? (A beat.) I�m just going to sit down here. (SHE sits down.) Pick up my Neon Genesis Evangelion Manga and read. (A beat.) What�s what? (A beat.) Oh� This? (SHE holds up the MANGA.) It�s a Japanese comic book. Ever heard of Anime? (A beat.) That�s what it is. (SHE points at the WALLSCROLL.) That picture is of Kaoru Nagisa� Nobody ever knows what I�m talking about when I talk about this stuff.
(LIGHTS COME BACK UP. LYNSI closes her JOURNAL, puts it in the DRAWER and LOCKS IT. SHE picks up an old BROKEN MICKEY MOUSE ALARM CLOCK from off of the NIGHTSTAND. SHE examines it.)
LYNSI. Jane, I still don�t understand why you kept this old ugly Mickey Mouse clock�
JANE. It�s memories.
LYNSI. But it�s broken.
JANE. Just because it�s broken doesn�t mean it�s lost its sentimental value.
LYNSI. The hands are stuck on 4:18.
JANE. Put it down please.
LYNSI. Why?
JANE. Because I asked you to.
LYNSI. But� I�m not going to break it, it�s already broken.
JANE. I don�t care. Just put it down.
(LYNSI puts it down on the NIGHTSTAND.)
JANE. It reminds me of simpler times. When all we cared about was if our Lite-Brite was going to work after we had our Dominoes Pepperoni Pizza. (A beat. LYNSI sits down next to JANE and wraps her arm around JANE�S SHOULDER.) You know� Back before mom killed herself.
(Pause.)
LYNSI. I still miss her.
JANE. Don�t we all.
(Pause.)
JANE. I�ll be right back.
LYNSI. Where are you going?
JANE. I want to go brush my teeth� (JANE exits.)
(LYNSI begins looking though the room at various things. SHE picks up a MAGAZINE and reads an article aloud for a few moments. Perhaps SHE paints her FINGERNAILS. Any other activities that take up time. SHE finally goes to JANE�S BED, and grabs the MANGA that JANE left on her BED.)
LYNSI. I want to read one of these things. What is it she calls it again? (A beat.) A Manga? (Looks to audience for approval.) It just looks like a comic book to me. (SHE looks at the SPINE of the BOOK.) Neon Genesis E-van-jelly-un? (A beat.) Hey� That�s what that guy in that picture is from. (SHE goes to the WALLSCROLL and looks at it.) He�s pretty cute for being drawn and all. (SHE lies on JANE�S BED and begins READING a part in the MANGA, aloud.) This seems pretty interesting. (SHE turns the page and a PIECE OF PAPER FALLS OUT.) What is this? (SHE unfolds it and reads aloud.) �To whom ever finds this first,� this is Jane�s handwriting. ��Which I figure would be Lynsi because she likes to snoop around.� Hey! �Wait� I do snoop a bit. (As LYNSI reads on she becomes more and more worried about JANE, her voice gets shakier and shakier.) �Today is the day I follow my mother�s foot steps. But instead of a rope and hanging, I chose a blade and bleeding.� (SHE looks up toward the audience.) Wait� What does she mean? (Resumes reading.) �I�ve lived a very uneventful fifteen years. The only thing that has been happening is I�ve stood by and watched my sister get hurt over and over again because she was more ambitious than me. I always stood in the shadows wondering if anyone knew of my existence except her.� (Looks up at audience.) She didn�t really have many friends� (Resumes reading.) �And because of her, I lived longer than I expected to. I love Lynsi� But she�s a big girl� She can get along well without me.� (SHE starts crying.) No I can�t!! (A beat. LYNSI starts screaming.) JANE! JANE! NO! (SHE runs out the DOOR. A few moments of silence. LYNSI lets out a BLOOD CURDLING SCREAM.) JANE!!!
(LIGHTS FADE OUT.)
(A pause.)
(We hear LYNSI crying.)
(LIGHTS BACK UP.)
LYNSI. (Crying.) Jane committed suicide at 4:18. What I was reading, her suicide note, kept going on. �An angel once said, �Death may be the only absolute freedom there is.� I wanted to be free.� An angel said this? What angel? Kaoru Nagisa from Neon Genesis Evangelion.
(LIGHTS FADE OUT. The CANDLE, which was still burning, gets blown out by LYNSI.)
LYNSI. Jane, my dearest sister. (A beat.) Be free.
THE END