Girl Code – Bridgehampton High School (2014)
India Hemby and Jennah Hochstedler in Tatyana Dawson’s play “Girl Code.” Photo by Star Black
Girl Code by Tatyana Dawson
Click here to watch “Girl Code” on Youtube
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(A Thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton plays as the character is entering.)
(Yalena’s doorbell rings. Lexie is at the door)
YALENA: (yelling) COME IN! That has to be Lexie. She’s the only person who rings the doorbell when they come over. (The doorbell rings again) COME IN I SAID!
(Yalena looks out her window and sees Lexie still standing at the door. She exits the stage and you hear her stomping down the stairs to open the door, she stomps back up the stairs and gets back on her bed. Lexie enters the stage after Yalena)
LEXIE: Well hello there. (She puts her backpack down on the floor and places her headphones and iPhone on Yalena’s desk.)
YALENA: Hi…
LEXIE: What’s wrong with you? (Gives Yalena a confused look)
YALENA: I was trying to take a nap but I had to walk down a flight of stairs to open up the door for you.
LEXIE: Oh, a little exercise won’t hurt. You just burned about 7 calories.
YALENA: Ha ha, funny.
LEXIE: Cranky cranky. But how was school today? I didn’t see you for like the last 3 periods.
YALENA: Yeah, I was in the nurse after lunch and the stupid lady was tryna make me go back to class so I made my mom come pick me up.
LEXIE: Ohh. Are you feeling ok?
YALENA: Yeah, just the usual situation.
LEXIE: Aha (gives a little laugh) that explains it. Your grumpiness is excused!
YALENA: I’m like dying. I’m going back to sleep. (Falls back on the bed) Do not disturb!
LEXIE: (She walks over grabs her laptop and her headphones and sits on the bed)
YALENA: Wait, I have to tell you something. So today … (Lexie is bopping her head to the music) Lexie. (Yalena takes her pillow and throws it at Lexie)
LEXIE: Ouch! What?
YALENA: I was talking to you and you were ignoring me.
LEXIE: I couldn’t hear you. These little things, called earphones, are in. You just said “Do not disturb” like 3 seconds ago.
YALENA: Yeah whatever. So I was talking to Shawn today and he was like ignoring me. He was brushing me off again.
LEXIE: Oh, that’s weird. That happens to you a lot. Maybe he just completely moved on…
YALENA: (Gives Lexie a dirty look)
LEXIE: I was kidding… duh!
YALENA: Oh! But today in school he told me that he’s in a relationship with someone now.
LEXIE: (Lexie eyes widen) Oh! (She mumbles under her breath) Maybe I wasn’t kidding.
YALENA: Yeah, I just played it off like I didn’t care and walked away…
LEXIE: (interrupts Yalena) Oh, I almost forgot to ask you. Do you know what the math homework is?
YALENA: Rude! Thanks for just interrupting me.
LEXIE: (Gives a little giggle) SORRY
YALENA: (She reaches over to her bag and pulls out her math book) Here! (She throws the book and it falls right in front of Lexie) I wrote it down somewhere in there. Find it.
LEXIE: (She picks up the book and says sarcastically) Thannnnks.
YALENA: And you can use that super smart brain of yours do my AP Calc homework while you’re at it.
LEXIE: Haha, suree.
YALENA: But, seriously!
LEXIE: (interrupts) Why are you stressing over it? He’s not good enough for you anyway.
YALENA: What do you mean? He’s not even a bad kid. (she looks at her nails) He’s just a little weird. He talks about Pretty Little Liars more than I do.
LEXIE: Oh (She squints) That is true.
YALENA: (She hops out of bed and starts walking around) I wonder who his girlfriend is.
LEXIE: (Gives a fake laugh) Looks like you’re feeling a little better from just 5 minutes ago.
YALENA: I’m going to find out who she is!
LEXIE: There’s a giant hole in your pajama pants there.
YALENA: Will you shut up. That hole has been there for weeks now!
LEXIE: It has? (She laughs) I haven’t noticed it
YALENA: What is wrong with you? You took a snap chat of it on Saturday.
LEXIE: Oh yeah! That’s right!
YALENA: I think you need the sleep more than me right now.
LEXIE: I DO. (She mumbles under her breath) You have no idea. (Lexie puts the headphones in each ear and turns her volume all the way up and lays across the other bed)
(Yalena is sitting at her desk on her computer when Lexie’s phone rings. Lexie can’t hear her phone ringing so Yalena picks up the phone and recognizes the number.)
YALENA: (Speaking to herself) Why is Shawn calling her? WTF! (She looks back to see if Lexie caught her picking her phone. Yalena answers the phone a little angrily) Hello… This is not Lexie…It’s Yalena…because she’s uhh she’s in the bathroom…ok I will definitely tell her you called…BYE. (She hangs up the phone and stares at Lexie) Hmm, where’s her text messages? She mustve hidden them. She’s always kept them next to the facebook app.
LEXIE: (She looks up and sees Yalena scrolling through her phone) Uhh, what are you doing?
YALENA: (She throws the phone at her) Here, somebody just called you. I think it was your landlord calling for your mom’s overdue rent.
LEXIE: (She says in a pissed off tone) NO, Yalena. (Scrolling through her phone) It was actually a college I applied to. They left a voicemail, ill check it later.
YALENA: You little liar. It wasn’t a call from a college. I recognized that number the minute your phone rang. It was Shawn. What’s…
LEXIE: (Interrupting) Not right now Yalena. I came over here to get away from all the yelling and screaming. I don’t need to hear any more from you.
YALENA: No, bullshit. So you and Shawn? Really?
LEXIE: I was going to tell…
YALENA: Shut up Lexie! No you weren’t. You really thought I was that stupid that I wouldn’t find out.
LEXIE: I swear I was going to tell you. I was just afraid.
YALENA: Afraid? Afraid of what?
LEXIE: You! This! You getting all angry!
YALENA: Well it’s too late! Whats going on between you guys? (Raises her voice) Don’t tell me you guys are dating!
LEXIE: We are…
YALENA: And how long has this been going on?
LEXIE: For about a week now.
YALENA: So, don’t you think that if you would’ve told me about this earlier, this wouldn’t be going down like this?
LEXIE: (Says under her breath as she walks away) NO! If I would’ve told you a week ago, you still would’ve screamed at me.
YALENA: And I’m not even screaming at you, YET.
LEXIE: Are you more upset at the fact that Shawn and I are dating or at the fact that you didn’t find out from me?
YALENA: I am pissed that I didn’t find out from you.
LEXIE: Well, I am sorry.
YALENA: Yeah ok! (She walks to her window) Is somebody outside beeping? Is that Shawn?
LEXIE: Oh shoot! (Lexie grabs her stuff and runs out the door)
YALENA: Really? You just leave in the middle of our conversation to go with him? You really have another thing coming for you now.
(She pulls out her laptop and begins reading her Facebook post as she types)
YALENA: Some type of best friend you are. Lexi Hughes is a back stabber, don’t trust her. Apparently she didn’t apply her college girl super smart brain to this situation. Now I realize why none of you guys try to become her friend. She’s sneaky… I’m warning you. Also, she’s dating Shawn A, WHO HAPPENS TO BE MY EX-BOYFRIEND…and Shawn, she doesn’t even have your number saved in her phone! Feeling… pissed. (She clicks her keyboard hard and posts the status)
(The lights dim out. It’s next scene. Yalena is sitting at her dresser.)
LEXI: Why would you do that?
YALENA: Where the hell did you come from? And That’s the same question I have for you!
LEXI: Do what? I can’t control my feelings!
YALENA: Hmmm (She gives her an evil stare)
LEXIE: I thought you were my best friend? You’re that upset you’d resort to facebook and say that about me? I would never… And I did have his number saved at one point.
YALENA: I thought you were my best friend! You know I’ve always liked him.
LEXIE: You guys dated freshman year Yalena! Get real!
YALENA: When we dated doesn’t matter!
LEXIE: Like I’m sorry ok, but I can’t change how I feel about him. It’s too late.
YALENA: Hmm, this explains why you don’t have friends. You can’t keep them because you are sneaky! You do sneaky shit because you have a low self-esteem!
LEXIE: Really? My low self-esteem comes from people like YOU!
YALENA: What do I have to do with your insecurities?
LEXIE: Really? You constantly put me down, you always say things knowing they make me upset!
YALENA: You’re so sensitive! Anything I say to you upsets you.
LEXIE: THAT’S NOT TRUE!
YALENA: Look at you now! UPSET!
LEXIE: (Mumbles under her breath) Well maybe if you didn’t cheat on him you guys could’ve still been together.
YALENA: What did you just say?
LEXIE: Nothing, I’m sorry ok. He’s the first guy to actually like me. Remember what you said, I don’t have friends Yalena. I don’t even know why. My mom hates me, I hate going home. My sister doesn’t pay me any attention. That’s why I spend most of my time here.
(Yalena taps her foot angrily staring at Lexie)
LEXIE: You and I never talk about boys to each other. Wait, let me rephrase that, you ramble on and I just listen. It was just… idk, I just wanted to keep quiet about this for a little bit. Also, Yalena let’s be honest. You guys dated like four years ago. You have to get over it.
YALENA: So you wanted to keep quiet from your best friend? I should’ve known about this before he did.
LEXIE: Really?
YALENA: Yes really! And don’t try to pull that “my mom my house” crap. I’ve done more than enough for you!
LEXIE: Well thank you! No more is needed! You make it seem like I’m some fucking charity case.
YALENA: Yeah sure, you’ll be back by tomorrow, complaining about your mom and sister giving you a headache or you crying about your dad.
LEXIE: Don’t put money on that! (She grabs her stuff and runs out the door)
(Yalena sits on her bed and grabs her cell phone and begins scrolling through)
YALENA: Hey, can you talk for a minute?… All right good!… Well, I just got into an argument with Lexie… of course I did, you know stuff flies out of my mouth…I’ve tried calling and texting her but she didn’t answer…yeah… I’m honestly sorry, I thought about what I said and it was completely wrong…yes please, tell her to come over tomorrow after school… I know, your cousin is a great friend to me; I really can’t afford to lose her… ok, thanks. Bye! (she hangs up)
(A little time goes by and Yalena hears a faint knock on her door followed by the doorbell)
YALENA: (She says to herself) Ahh, there she goes again, at least I know she’s not that mad, she rang the doorbell. (She screams) COME IN! AND I DON’T WANT TO BURN 2 CALORIES RIGHT NOW.
LEXIE: (As she’s coming in) It’s not 2 calories, its 7.
YALENA: Oh, haha, a little off.
LEXIE: (She’s standing in the doorway just staring at Yalena)
YALENA: Hey, come sit down (She taps the bed twice)
(Lexie walks over and sits down)
YALENA: I really thought about what I said and I’m sorry.
(Lexie looks down at her nails)
YALENA: I even deleted the Facebook post.
LEXIE: Cool! Three days later… Well I broke up with him anyway.
YALENA: You did?
LEXIE: Yeah, right after I left here earlier.
YALENA: Wow, I’m sorry. You didn’t have to. Look Lexie, I admit I was jealous. But listen, I really did like Shawn and finding out about you to really did hurt me… a little…
LEXIE: I’m sorry too… a little. What I did was wrong in a way. Girl code violation
YALENA: Yeah, bu you know, to be honest, when I was dating him it never felt right.
LEXIE: What do you mean?
YALENA: Well, he never wanted to kiss me or hang out with me outside of school.
LEXIE: Really?
YALENA: Yeah, and that really made me question myself. Now finding out he’s with you and seeing him come pick you up from my house was almost like a huge slap in the face for me.
LEXIE: Somebody was feeling a little insecure about herself. (Lexie does a little cocky smirk)
YALENA: Really? (Looking confused) That’s all you have to say?
LEXIE: Sorry, I Lexi Hughes thought I’d never live to see this day.
YALENA: Well you did.
LEXI: You wanna know something? Things aren’t exactly how they seem.
YALENA: What do you mean? With Shawn?
LEXIE: Yeah, he does the same exact things to me. He doesn’t like to kiss me, which is great cuz I suck at it (She laughs) Things are just awkward with us.
YALENA: WOW! I would’ve never guessed. I wonder what his problem is.
LEXIE: Me too! I really do.
YALENA: I’m going to figure this out!
LEXIE: Here we go again! Last time you said that things didn’t turn out so well.
(Both of the girls begin laughing. Yalena pulls out her laptop and Lexie opens her math book and starts doing homework)
YALENA: (She’s talking out loud while scrolling on facebook) Haha, that’s funny… awe, shes pretty… Jess had her baby this morning (She looks at Lexie then back at her screen) Wait, wtf? Who is that? Lex, come here!
LEXIE: (She hops off the bed and walks over to the computer) IS THAT TWO GUYS?
YALENA: YES!
LEXIE: Omg, are they kissing?
YALENA: YESSS! It was from that party on Friday! Dan posted the picture!
LEXIE: Wait, can you zoom in? Maybe I can get the face a little better.
(Yalena zooms in on the picture and her eyes widen)
LEXIE: WAIT! NO
YALENA: OH MY GOSH! THAT’S SHAWN!
YALENA AND LEXIE: HE’S GAY!!!
(Same Love by Macklemore plays)
