Sadie Hawkins

by Devante’ Crowell

MARCUS: New kid at school.

CHANCE: Friend of Marcus. The “cool” one.

TREAVEN: Friend of Chance. The “sidekick”.

SARAH: The girl of the group.

MR. LAWRENCE: The teacher.

APRIL: Cheerleader. Senior.

LAURA: Friend of April. Cheerleader. Senior.

Wednesday:

(Announcements end and 3rd period begins. Chance, Marcus, and Sarah sit in the back of the class as the teacher starts his lecture.)

CHANCE: You know we’re screwed right?

(Marcus looks up, confused)

MARCUS: What?

CHANCE: We’re screwed.

MARCUS: Why?

CHANCE: Didn’t you hear the announcements?

MARCUS: Should I have been listening? (Looks back down)

CHANCE: The SHD is this weekend!

(Mr. Lawrence looks to the back of the room at the three)

MR. LAWRENCE: Mr. Daniels would you like to answer one of last nights homework questions?

CHANCE: No, but I think Sarah wants to ‘cause she keeps giving me the answers. (Points to Sarah)

MR. LAWRENCE: Well then Sarah, come on up.

SARAH: Mr. Lawrence, I didn’t even finish!

MR. LAWRENCE: No matter. Come up to the board.

CHANCE: That sucks.

SARAH: Asshole.

(Sarah goes up to the front of the room, leaving Marcus, and Chance.)

MARCUS: So why are we screwed?

CHANCE: The freakin SHD is this weekend!

(Marcus stares blankly at Chance and is silent for a few seconds)

MARCUS: Is this some type of code language that you guys use at this school that I’m supposed to eventually catch on to? ‘Cause I have no idea what the hell you’re talking about right now.

(Sarah comes back and sits down)

SARAH: Sadie Hawkins Dance.

(Pause)

MARCUS: Okay?

CHANCE: You don’t know what the Sadie Hawkins Dance is?

MARCUS: Dude, I went to an all boys boarding school. The only extra curricular activity we were allowed to do was go to the bathroom.

CHANCE: That’s it. We can’t be friends anymore.

(Chance turns his back on Marcus.)

MARCUS: Wait what?

SARAH: Don’t worry about him. He takes every dance super seriously.

MARCUS: Apparently.

SARAH: Last year he cried ‘cause he didn’t have a date to homecoming.

MARCUS: That’s intense.

SARAH: Yeah.

(The bell rings for lunch and they all meet Treaven at one of the tables in the lunchroom.)

CHANCE: We’re screwed Trev.

TREAVEN: Yeah… I know.

CHANCE: This is ridiculous! We of all people shouldn’t be in this situation! I’m on the freaking basketball team for God’s sake!

SARAH: You’re the mascot.

CHANCE: Not the point!

MARCUS: I don’t see what the big deal is. I mean it’s just a school dance.

CHANCE: Just a school dance. You hear that Trev? He says it’s just a school dance.

TREAVEN: So uneducated.

CHANCE: You obviously don’t realize how dire the situation is. This dance is what determines who’s who and who will be on top in the years to come. (Pause) This dance is what separates the winners from the losers.

TREAVEN: (Moves closer to Marcus and is almost face to face with him) Do you want to be a loser?

SARAH: Oh my God guys shut up. It’s not that serious.

CHANCE: Yeah well that’s easy for you to say. You’re a girl.

SARAH: Whatever.

MARCUS: I still don’t even know what the hell we’re talking right now.

CHANCE: The Sadie Hawkins Dance man! The biggest dance of your whole public school career.

MARCUS: Career?

CHANCE: Yes! Career!

SARAH: Here we go. (Rolls eyes)

CHANCE: Trev, we have to educate him. This is a matter of life and death.

MARCUS: It’s just a dance.

CHANCE: It’s not just a dance.

TREAVEN: It’s the dance.

(Bell rings and lunch is over. They all get up and walk toward the lunchroom doors.)

CHANCE: Meet me on the field after school.

MARCUS: I can’t I have to go to meet my counselor.

CHANCE: (Stares at Marcus.) Be there.

(Chance, Sarah and Treaven walk in the opposite direction.)

(After school. Marcus walks onto the bleachers and meets Chance)

CHANCE: Sit down.

MARCUS: What are we doing here?

CHANCE: Just sit down. I need to talk to you.

(Marcus sits)

CHANCE: Look over there. (Motions to the field where people are practicing.) What do you see?

MARCUS: People. (Slightly annoyed)

CHANCE: Look harder!

MARCUS: There are people.

CHANCE: Cheerleaders man! The cheerleaders!

MARCUS: Yeah? What about them?

CHANCE: You see the tall one with the blonde highlights?

MARCUS: Wait, her? (Points)

CHANCE: Don’t point! She’ll see you! (Slaps Marcus’ hand down) That’s April. She’s a senior.

MARCUS: Is there a reason why you’re stalking this girl?

CHANCE: I’m not stalking her!

MARCUS: What’s her last name?

CHANCE:  Jacobs

MARCUS: Exactly.

CHANCE: I’m not stalking her! Look, that’s the girl who’s gonna ask me to the SHD.

MARCUS: Really?

CHANCE: Yeah.

MARCUS: Her?

CHANCE: Yup.

MARCUS: The girl right there?

CHANCE: Right there.

MARCUS: And you’re sure of this?

CHANCE: (Pause) Well…

MARCUS: Well?

CHANCE: She doesn’t really know it yet.

MARCUS: Wait… What?

(Treaven runs up the bleachers toward the two, tripping and falling. He gets back up and sits next to Chance.)

MARCUS: Nice one Trev.

CHANCE: You ready?

TREAVEN: Chance, I don’t know about this. I mean… I don’t think I’m ready for this kind of experience.

MARCUS: Wait, what’s he talking about?

CHANCE: Look Trev, it’ll be easy. All you have to do is go over there and see what she thinks of me.

MARCUS: He’s not going to… (Gasps) No…

CHANCE: Come on. It’ll be easy. Besides, you know her.

TREAVEN: I have one class with her.

CHANCE: Great! Then you guy already have a connection. Now come on. (Pushes Treaven up and leads him down the bleachers.) Now just remember, don’t make eye contact. Marcus and I will be next to the gate so just walk over when you’re done.

(Treaven walks over to the field toward the cheerleaders. Chance and Marcus walk over to the gate looking back at Treaven.)

MARCUS: He’s not gonna make it is he?

(Sarah comes over.)

SARAH: Where’s Treaven?

(Treaven walks over to the gate, petrified.)

CHANCE: (Runs over to Treaven and grabs him by the shoulders.) What happened?

TREAVEN: She… She…

CHANCE: Did you tell her about me? What’d she say? You didn’t tell her I was a sophomore did you? Fuck, I’m screwed. I’m screwed.

TREAVEN: She… She…

SARAH: Chance, what did you make him do?

TREAVEN: April…

SARAH: You made him talk to April! What’s wrong with you? (Grabs Treaven and hugs him.) Come on Treaven. I’ll take you home.

(Sarah and Treaven leave.)

MARCUS: He was terrified.

CHANCE: (Puts a hand on Marcus’ shoulder.) Women, my friend. Women.

(Chance leaves. Marcus looks over to the field and the cheerleaders are looking over at him and laughing. He sprints away from the field.)

Thursday:

(3^rd period. Marcus walks through the hall, passing the girls bathroom. He hears giggling and slows his pace.)

GIRL: He asked you to the dance? Isn’t that backwards?

OTHER GIRL: Well he didn’t ask me. He just mentioned it.

GIRL: Well, what’d you say?

OTHER GIRL: (Pause) I told him I’d go with him.

GIRL: What? You know he’s a sophomore right?

OTHER GIRL: Yeah, but he’s cute.

(Both girls laugh and Marcus runs back to class. He sits down next to Chance and Sarah and is breathing hard.)

CHANCE: (Staring at Marcus for a few seconds.) What the hell’s gotten up your butt?

MARCUS: (Panting.) Girls… Bathroom… Dance.

CHANCE: (Jumps out of his seat) There’s girls dancing in the bathroom?

MR. LAWRENCE: Mr. Daniels? Did you have a question about the equation on the board?

CHANCE: Umm no Mr. Lawrence. I was just going to tell you that Sarah has the answer right here and I’m pretty sure she’d like to show the class, seeing as she keeps helping me out.

(Sarah looks up.)

SARAH: What? No I’m not! I’m not even…

MR. LAWRENCE: Well Sarah, come on up.

(Sarah stands up and glares at Chance.)

CHANCE: Oh that sucks kid.

SARAH: I will kill you and no one will ever find your body.

(Sarah goes to the front of the room)

CHANCE: What are you talking about Marcus.

MARCUS: I heard girls talking about the dance in the bathroom. They said that they told a sophomore that they would go with him.

CHANCE: What? Who?

MARCUS: I’m not sure.

CHANCE: We gotta investigate.

(Bell rings and they go to the lunchroom and meet Treaven at a table.)

CHANCE: I got news Trev.

TREAVEN: Me too.

CHANCE: Mine is important.

TREAVEN: Mine is too. It’s about the…

CHANCE: It’s about the SHD. A sophomore got asked the other day. We need to figure out who.

TREAVEN: I know. That’s what I wanna talk to you about. April asked…

CHANCE: What? It was April that asked him? Fuck my life, fuck my life, fuck my life.

MARCUS: There was another girl talking to her though.

SARAH: Talking to her about what?

MARCUS: Well I over heard some girls talking about the dance and I guess it was April who said she was going with a sophomore.

CHANCE: (Very dramatic) My life is over!

SARAH: Then she was probably talking to Laura.

TREAVEN: Guys.

MARCUS: Who’s Laura?

SARAH: Her best friend. According to Chance she’s the second hottest girl at this school.

TREAVEN: Guys, it’s about April.

CHANCE: Don’t even say her name anymore! I can’t believe this!

MARCUS: Is that her over there? (Points to a table full of cheerleaders.)

SARAH: Yup, that’s her.

TREAVEN: Guys.

MARCUS: She is hot.

SARAH: Oh God. (Rolls eyes.)

CHANCE: Wait! I have a plan! Marcus!

MARCUS: Yeah?

CHANCE: You have to go over there and talk to her.

MARCUS: What? Why?

CHANCE: You heard her say it. Just tell her it’s a rumor or something.

MARCUS: I… I can’t do that. I mean… I don’t even know her. She’s a senior. I…

TREAVEN: Guys, I can tell you…

CHANCE: Not now Treaven! Marcus, you have to do this! This is a life and death situation! (Pushes Marcus up.) Just be yourself kid. There’s nothing to it.

(Marcus walks across the lunch room, looking back at Chance and then going toward the cheerleader’s table.)

MARCUS: Umm hi.

LAURA: Hi.

MARCUS: You’re… You’re Laura.

LAURA: That’s me.

(April comes over with a group of football players)

APRIL: Who’s this Laura?

FOOTBALL PLAYER: Some lower classman who needs to get lost.

LAURA: Calm down, Trent.

MARCUS: I just was wondering… If you knew…

FOOTBALL PLAYER: Look kid, get lost unless you want your ass kicked.

APRIL: Trent, leave him alone.

(Trent grabs Marcus’s collar)

FOOTBALL PLAYER: You wanna see what it’s like to be punched in the face by a guy who can bench press 325 pounds? (Marcus shakes his head) Didn’t think so. Now get lost!

(Trent throws Marcus down. Marcus gets up and runs out of the lunchroom. He stands in the hallway trying to catch his breath.)

(Marcus sits in the bleachers after school. Laura walks over to him from the field.)

LAURA: Hey. Sorry about Trent earlier, he can be an ass sometimes.

MARCUS: Oh umm it’s fine. I probably shouldn’t have sat in his seat.

LAURA: He wasn’t sitting there.

MARCUS: Oh. (Looks away from her.)

LAURA: So about what you were saying earlier. I’d love to go with you.

MARCUS: (Looks up quickly) What?

LAURA: (Smiles) The dance.

MARCUS: Really?

LAURA: Well, actually I can’t go with you.

MARCUS: What? Why not? Is it ‘cause I’m a sophomore? I’m mature for my age. I swear!

LAURA: No it’s not that. I can’t go with you because I want you to go with me. (Marcus is speechless.) So?

MARCUS: Oh! Yes! Yes! I’d like that a lot, I mean I’ll go with you.

(Laura smiles and gives Marcus a piece of paper.)

LAURA: Call me. (She goes back onto the field. Marcus walks over to the gate, smiling a he leaves the school.)

Friday:

(3^rd period. Marcus and Chance sit in the back of the class while Sarah is up at the board again.)

CHANCE: You know I’m screwed right?

MARCUS: What?

CHANCE: I’m screwed.

MARCUS: You’re not screwed Chance.

CHANCE: Really Marcus? Really?

MARCUS: Okay. You kinda are. But we have time.

CHANCE: It’s Friday Marcus. Everyone has a date. This is just like homecoming last year.

(Awkward silence and then Chance sniffles.)

MARCUS: Are you… Are you crying?

CHANCE: No. I’m not. It’s the weather. It messes with my allergies.

MARCUS: Dude, you’re crying.

CHANCE: Shut up!

(Sarah comes back.)

SARAH: He’s crying again isn’t he?

MARCUS: Yup.

SARAH: Wow.

CHANCE: Shut up Sarah!

SARAH: What the hell are you crying for Chance?

CHANCE: What do you think?

MARCUS: This is kinda sad.

SARAH: Chance, you’re going with me to the Sadie Hawkins dance.

(Both Chance and Marcus look at Sarah.)

CHANCE & MARCUS: What?

SARAH: You heard me.

CHANCE: You’re serious?

SARAH: Duh.

CHANCE: You’re not playing with my head right now?

SARAH: No Chance.

CHANCE: ‘Cause honestly if you are, that’s a bit on the cruel side and I can’t deal with that right now. I’m not emotionally stable for this.

MARCUS: Obviously.

(Sarah kisses Chance.)

SARAH: Believe me now?

(Chance turns forward in his seat and fist pumps.)

CHANCE: Top score!

(Sarah slaps him in the back of the head.)

CHANCE: Ow! What the F Sarah?

SARAH: The next time you make Mr. Lawrence call me up to the board, I will kill you. Without hesitation.

(Marcus smiles, Chance rubs his head and Sarah laughs and somewhere in the school Treaven screams at the top of his lungs that he’s going to the SHD with April Jacobs.)

CHANCE: Wait. Who the hell is Treaven going to the dance with?

The End