1This is something I wrote that's meant to be staged. It's read by four people, but it represents two people: the suicidal character and the love-struck character. The "subconscious" readers are hidden from view, and do most of the talking. The "conscious" readers are mostly acting out. The underlined portion at the end is meant to be read simultaneously. It's a little strange out of context, but I'm pretty proud of it.
Key:
SS= Subconscious Suicidal
SL= Subconscious Love-Struck
CS= Conscious Suicidal
CL= Conscious Love-Struck
SS & SL: Sometimes you have to wonder.
SL: Sometimes, you have to wonder why—
Why, of all people, you fell in love with them.
Couldn't it have been someone easier?
Couldn't it have been someone who smiled more?
Couldn't it have been someone who wasn't so different?
SS: Sometimes you have to wonder if it's actually, really, truly worth it.
To live; to pretend; to speak as though people are listening.
Some days, the answer is yes—undeniably yes.
When someone smiles at you; when someone listens to what you say.
But it's the other days—most of the days—
When you shout and no one stops, when you wave and people look through you…
It's those days that make you wonder.
You've spent your whole life trying to compensate for being ignored—
Trying to apologize for being alive, and for being a little bit different than everyone else.
SL: No, you realize.
It couldn't have been anyone else.
You don't know anyone else quite like them—
And it's amazing.
It's amazing to see them, and not know what they're thinking—
It's amazing to know that whatever it is, it's more interesting than anyone else's thoughts.
It's amazing to realize that they have a different view on everything.
It's amazing to know that at least someone isn't the same as every other clone.
It's amazing to know that someone is different.
SS: Maybe you're a little quieter,
Maybe you're a little lonelier,
Maybe you're a little stranger,
Maybe you're a little easier to ignore.
Maybe you aren't like everyone else.
So what?
That shouldn't matter.
But it does.
It always does.
And it always will.
SL: And you realize, with sudden and absolute clarity,
That you should have told them this long ago.
So you get up,
And you're finally ready.
SS: So, you think, no one will miss you.
So, you think, what difference does it make?
So, you think, goodbye.
SL: It took you what feels like forever to get to this point,
But you're finally ready to tell them exactly how you feel—
To tell them exactly how much you love them.
SS: And you do it.
SL: So you go.
SS: And you're gone.
SL: And you see them.
SS: And then they come—
Finally ready to tell you what they've been trying to tell you for what feels like forever—
Finally ready to tell you how much they love you.
SL & CL: And you stop.
SS & CS: But they can't.
SL & CL: And you can't.
SS & CS: And you're gone.