D-D-Don't make fun of me

Ramera Torres: 17 year old girl with a short black pixie haircut, big doe eyes and a milky complexion. She’s Guatemalan mixed with Salvadoran.She comes from a poor immigrant family. She constantly gets taunted for having a stutter caused by nervousness and English is a second language.


Pablo Encarcion: 17 year old boy with shoulder length thick straight hair, chinky eyes, large nose, and a strong jaw. He is Mexican mixed with Cherokee. He comes from a family suffering financially after the death of his mother, who was the primary wage earner. He was sweet until he had to move away to Oklahoma in third grade. It was a tough time for Pablo who was a 1st grader when she died. His father decided they needed to spend some time with their family. His father was a packager in a factory. Pablo holds lots of animosity toward both these events in his life.













Time: 8:30 PM

Place: Crest Hill Library


At Rise:

High walls a light golden color. The ceilings are covered in Greek murals.Voices bounce off the walls of the eerie, quiet, empty school library. Pablo and Ramera are in the library trying to finish a project, along with the really old librarian. Large old wooden tables cluster in the middle. They sit at the left corner with tons of books about the occult,and paranormal beings stacked on their table. The only sounds are the creaking of Pablo’s chair when he fidgets and the flipping of the books pages.




Ramera:

(stage whisper)

Gosh! Why did I have to be paired up with this dimwit!



Pablo:


Life really stinks!


Ramera:


Yeah, maybe that’s the only thing that we can both

agree on, ever!


Pablo:


You got that right. Now be quiet because it feels like I’m the only one working.


Ramera:

(Loud whisper)



Excuse me, but if I remember correctly I always do my part. Dumb ass.



Pablo:

(hands typing furiously)

The old bag is gonna yell at us again-be quiet!



(loudly flipping pages of a large book)



Okay, I might have found something, it says here that


“supernatural beings, meaning ghosts, demons, blah blah


blah are from another dimension. Not necessarily all


entities are evil, some usually don’t lash out. They are


just wanderers”.



Ramera:

(hesitantly)


Heh, that’s interesting.




(aside to audience)


I hate anything creepy! WHY did my english teacher have to


have so many weird assignments or be a weirdo himself.


And I’m stuck with this peanut head.


yeah I’m talking about you! (rolls eyes)


Ramera:

(turns towards Pablo)



Heh, that’s interesting. So, wh-what I found was that most


ghosts hang around


because they have emotional pain. And for demons-”


Well let’s just say exorcisms aren’t pretty.


Pablo:


Okay, I’m going to annotate this, that way it can be

incorporated in our slideshow.


Ramera:

Ok-Okay sounds G-Good.


Pablo:

(clears throat)

Oh! And it says here that

(does air quotes)

“some alleged hauntings are a actually a residue, a past event that plays itself over and over”.

That will be good to put in as well. So, we just need to answer certain question-


Ramera:

Y-yo-you don’t need to te-tell me what to do! I know what to do.


Pablo:

Okay, Ms. Stutterer, whenever you can actually speak without talking like that, then I’ll stop tell-



Ramera:

(slams her hands on the table. Pablo jumps)

Stop being such a cold hearted jerk! You don’t have any idea why I speak like this, okay? I can speak however I want to speak. It’s not like it was a problem when we were younger huh? So why the hell is it a problem now?


Pablo:

Huh? What problem?


Ramera:

Tell me right here, right now. I want to know why are you being such a jerk to me. I’ve never done anything to you ever! S-s-tart talking or so god help me!


Pablo:

Why should I? it doesn’t even matter anymore does it? We just grew apart as friends. We are only acquaintances now.


Ramera:

You're so irritating! I’m sick of your attitude.

(storms off to book shelves)



Pablo:

(turns head away from Ramera)

Stop talking! That crank wants to finish Sense and Sensibilities in peace. If she shhhhs us once more she will kick us out.



(aside to audience)

Okay so it’s not like I hate her, I actually like her. I mean…. come on when I moved to Oklahoma on my father’s Res everyone looked at me weirdly. I was different. I wasn’t full Cherokee. I tried making friends but it wasn’t happening, kids were so mean. I couldn’t protect myself. I felt so mad all the time. I couldn’t trust no one. I actually admire Ramera- no matter how much people bully her she keeps her head held high and ignores them. I kinda feel guilty -sad even- cause of the way I treat her but…. I have to live up to the other students expectations.I don’t want to be an outsider ...again.




Ramera:

(whispers while looking on shelves)


Stupid! Idiot! He’s so mean?!


(Loudly)

AHA! found it!





Pablo:

(Sneaks up behind Ramera, slowly and carefully walking behind her. Touches her right shoulder)


When you are scared you don’t stutter as much.


Ramera:

AHHH!

(covers mouth)


Don’t sneak up on me like that!

And I rather not talk about my stuttering.


Pablo:

Okay I just noticed is all….. I was looking for a specific book that is mentioned in my text.





Ramera:

(sitting down)

Gee, wonderful! I’m going to read now. You should go far away-far, far away- and look there.


Pablo:

Nope


Ramera:


You’re Luc-luck-lucky that I don’t get violent. Don’t push me though.


Pablo:


D-d-d-ont make fun of me... haha what a joke!


(Sticks out tongue)


Ramera:

(shoves him)


Annoying little bastard!


Pablo:


ouch!

T-t-that h-h-hurt so much! O-o-o- my gosh!!!


Ramera:

(Starts whimpering)


Where's the friend who defended me from bullies in third grade?


Pablo:

Lalalalallal I’m singing! Yeah oh yeah...That was then, this is now. Now I don't give two flying ducks!


Ramera:

You're still as annoying as ever. I guess certain things will always be the same, and I guess you'll be the same jerk like always.


Pablo:

Not all things.



Ramera:

What do you mean?


Pablo:

For starters, yes, I’ll always be annoying.But we no longer talk as friends. Life really gets in the way. Who wants to be friends with a retard anyway?


Ramera:

(jabs at his chest with index finger)

It’s because you don’t want to be my friend you keep pushing me away. I want to know why? When we were younger-


Pablo:

Yeah, when we were younger-- past tense. Don’t you get it? I had to act like an adult trying to help out my family.The difference between me and you is that I had to work hard financially and you? You hardly worked.


Ramera:

Yeah but I don’t know why you would let that come between us. Yeah I didn’t have to get a job or anything financial, but I worked hard in school and continue to work hard. You're focusing on your envy. And believe me I’m sorry that you had to go through such hard times but things always get better no matter how tough it is.When you came back, I was looking forward to H-anging out sometime.


Pablo:

I know I’m jealous. I just can’t help it, I’ve felt like this since I saw you for the first time in our class. I wanted to tell you off for being such an insensitive person but how could I when you never were. I just can’t be friends with someone who can’t understand where I’m coming from.


Ramera:

You think I don’t know what it’s like to be poor? Have you really forgotten that time you came to my house when we were 6? We were eating on the floor. Don’t you remember my mom had to climb up the ladder, figuratively.


Pablo:

(Sucks teeth)

I don't need a friend anyway. I just want to be left alone.


Ramera:

No you’re just a coward! Forget it.

Let's get back to the project.


Pablo:

(heads towards the table)



Ramera:


(Walks to the table as well)


Pablo:

Look I have a great idea for the front cover.


Ramera:

(Silent)


Pablo:

(Clears throat)

Ramera?


Ramera:

Hmm?


Pablo:

Are you listening?


Ramera:

Sure, sure.


Pablo:

Maybe we can draw a cool wolf howling on the front with fangs and on the corner a ghost covered by a sheet and a demon creature. What'd you think?


Ramera:

Sounds good.


Pablo:

No speech problems? Interesting.


Ramera:

Hmm.



Pablo:

Listen we need to finish this quickly. Type faster!


Ramera:

(Talks slowly)

I am typing fast - you just want me to snap at you to see if I stutter ….and I won't. You're not worth it.


Pablo:

(Grits teeth)


[ thunder lights up the dim areas of the library making both of them jump.

Ramera puts on her headphones. But doesn't get a chance to blast music.

Pablo looks around.

The lights flicker on and off, finally shutting off

They grab for each other's hands,then quickly let go]



(thunder claps)

Ramera:

(Screams)


Pablo:

Chicken ! hilarious.


Ramera:

Can you not think of me as a joke? Leave me alone- you were the one who was scared of cars …...


Pablo:

No way! I wasn't. I loved them.


Ramera:

Stop lying. You used to scream when they passed by!




Pablo:

I don't remember that. Anyways we can't work in the dark so we'll have to stay put.


Ramera:

That’s not what I’m complaining about.

( a loud THUD from behind them)

Did you hear that?


Pablo:

(shaky voice)

Yeah maybe we should hold onto each other - that way we won’t get separated in the dark..


Ramera:

Now who's the scaredy cat?


Pablo:

Not me ... and you're not stuttering.


Ramera:

It's more pronounced when I can't get my thoughts together or when I'm nervous.


Pablo:

Can I hold your hand? I'm a little scared.


Ramera:

(Searches for hand)

I-I am happy that y-you are scared cause now I can make fun of you. But I won't do that.


Pablo:

Thanks.


(quietly)

I'm sorry Ramera.


Ramera:

What??? I can't hear you…..


Pablo:

I said I'm sorry. Thank you for sticking by me.


Ramera:

(Shocked face)

U….rm ...w-w-welcome.


[the lights come back ]


Pablo:

Let's go Ramera- I'll walk you home.


Ramera:

We'll finish this tomorrow -even if it means pulling an all nighter.


Pablo:

Sounds like a plan.


Ramera:

If you're ever a douchebag again I won't t-t-olerate it!


Pablo:

Poor baby.


Ramera:

And ddd-ont make fun of me you surly cur!


Pablo:

Okay, okay I won't. let’s go.


(Exit stage left)




(voice from behind stage)

Librarian:


Double, double, toil and trouble, cauldron burn... Macbeth is so interesting way better than that sappy romance. At least those two are getting along. Hhmm lets see…. onion and carrot …..snake skin…..

[continues reading Macbeth while stirring her cauldron]








The end