ACT 1
SCENE 1
(The curtain is down and a narrator steps out on stage right, while curtain is still down.)
Narrator: In a large house in a small middle class area in the city of Divver, a girl about the age of 16 named Amy will have her fate decided. Now Divver is made up of rows of houses, a town hall and a general store. There is a park where everyone visits. In the day time it was free for little children to play. By night it was a meeting place for all teenagers to socialize.
(The curtain rises out comes Amy stage right the setting takes place in Amy's bedroom-on stage left the setting takes place in Jen's bedroom [the stage is split in half] Jen stays frozen in silence. There is only light on Amy's bedroom.)
Amy: (Scared, timid and pale.) What am I going to do? It's not my fault-(pause) This can't be! I've gotta call someone! (Picks up the Phone and dials a number. The phone rings and Jen picks up. Jen is a long time friend of Amy's.)
Jen: Hello? (The light appears on stage left and turns on as Jen says hello. Jen is a talk slender girl who is 16. She has brown hair and plays on the school basketball team with Amy.)
Amy: (Amy's voice is frantic and shaking.) Thank God you're home! I don't know what to do!
Jen: (Curious and concerned.) What are you talking about? Are you okay?
Amy: (Scared) I don't know what I am going to do. What am I going to do? I, I-(trails off)
Jen: (Very concerned and demanding) What! What?
Amy: I did it! My life is over. (Trailing off again) My life is... over.
Jen: (Demanding) You did what? I can't help you unless you tell me Amy, please. What did you do? Your life's not over. I promise. Your life's not over. Tell me please!
Amy: (Blatantly, blurting out, short and abruptly) I... I have HIV! (Silence...Jen gasps for air)
Amy: (Scared and quiet) I am going to die Jen, I am going to die! How am I going to tell my parents? What am I going to do? What should I do? You're my best friend...I need your help...please Jen...please.
Jen: I don't know what you should do, I don't know. I mean, we have our biggest game this weekend and how are you going to play? I mean what if you get hurt and you bleed? I mean you shouldn't play in the game okay? I can't talk anymore. I don't know what you should do. Amy I will always be here for you I promise. I gotta go, bye. (Curtain closes)
SCENE 2
(Jen and her boyfriend Mark are talking in the hallway of the high school)
Mark: Öso I was thinking we cold go see that movie on Friday night then get some pizza after. No wait, maybe we should get pizza before and go see a late movie. What do you think? (He waits for an answer, but Jen seems to have zoned out and is not paying attention to him.) Jen, something is obviously wrong. (Jen slowly looks up at him). Tell me what this is all about. (Persuasively) Come on. You know you can tell me anything. I love you, remember?
Jen: (reluctantly) Well, there's just this thing going on with Amy.
Mark: (impatiently) Are you two still arguing about whose house you're going to have the party at? It's really not a big deal, why don't you just—
Jen: (interrupting him, speaking very quickly and nervously) —No! It's something much more serious than that. I don't know what she's going to do. (beginning to panic) This is really upsetting. I don't know what to do. I can't believe what Amy is going through! She is so traumatized! She—
Mark: (cutting her off) —OK, stop, calm down. (soothingly) Just tell me what's going on, and we'll try to straighten it out. Everything will be fine.
Jen: (more relaxed, and slowly) All right, Amy has a huge problem and we don't know what to do about it. (reluctantly) ButÖI'm not sure if I should tell you.
Mark: (soothingly) Don't worry, I'm here for you.
Jen: (frantically and nervously, a little bit hard to understand) Amy tested positive for HIV!
Mark: (genuinely shocked) Oh my God! You're right, this is horrible. (getting upset all of a sudden) Wait, can't you die from that? (Amy nods, frowning and her eyes sad. She begins to cry, and starts rubbing her eyes. Mark hugs her tightly, looking upward as she cries. Then the curtain closes.)
SCENE 3
(Mark and his friend Jason are outside the school, sitting on the steps talking, when Jen walks out and greets him.)
Jason: (genuinely, speaking to Jen.) I'm really sorry about your friend Amy. It's such a shame that—
Jen: (furious and disbelieving, speaking to Mark) YOU TOLD HIM!!!??? I can't believe this, what were you thinking, do you want everyone to hate Amy? How could you be so stupid, do you realize what you've done???
Mark: (apprehensively and ) I didn't think it was a big deal, I just told a few of my good friends 'cause I was really upset, but I doubt it will cause any trouble!
Jen: (angry with Mark, and very upset) What do you mean, a few friends? This is really serious, exactly how many people did you tell? This could get totally out of control! I'm pretty sure that Amy didn't want me to tell anyone, but I had to go and tell you like an idiot! (She sees Amy talking to a group of girls, and starts to go towards them. Looking back at Mark) Don't you dare tell anyone else! And make sure everyone you told tells no one else! We have to fix this! (Mark nods.)
Amy: (turns to see Jen approaching her) Hi.
Jen: (sensitively) How are you doing, with all that's going on?
Amy: I'm OK. My parents have been really supportive. This afternoon we're going to the doctor to learn more about what's going to happen to me, now that I'm infected.
Jen: (reluctant, but strong) Amy, am I the only one you told besides your parents?
Amy: Yeah. I don't know how people will take it, you know? I have no idea what they'll think.
Jen: Amy, I know you need a lot of support from me right now, but I did something extremely stupid, and you're gonna be very mad at me.
Amy: (starting to get upset, but not hysterical) Oh God, don't tell me you told—
Jen: Yes, I told Mark, because I was upset and I needed him to comfort me, then he told a few of his friends because he was upset too! (Amy looks upset, confused, and betrayed, but she is not angry.) I'm so sorry, I don't know why I did it, I wasn't thinking about you at all, only about myself! I'm really sorry, I want to be here to support you and now I've caused even more problems for you.
Amy: It's all right, I know you didn't mean to cause any trouble. Just be here for me, OK? I can't be mad at you now, I need you to be my friend and help me get through this.
Jen: I will! Mark is trying to fix it and tell everyone not to spread it around. Hopefully it will work. But whatever happens, I'll be here for you. (They walk off the stage together, smiling at each other.)
ACT II
SCENE I
(A group of students are standing in the hallway talking.) Jimmy: Hey did you guys hear that Amy tested positive for HIV? Andrew: Yeah man, I heard about that. Jen's boyfriend Mark told me.
Samantha: What? She has HIV? I didn't know that! Amanda: Come on Samantha, where have you been! The whole school is talking about it!
Samantha: Eew, but isn't that disease contagious or something? I don't want to go to school if it means risking getting HIV from her!
Jimmy: Yeah, what if you can get it from touching her! That's gross.
Amanda: I don't want to go near her! What if it's like a cold, and you can get the germs if they sneeze on you or something!
Andrew: There's no way I'm going to math today; she's in my class and she sits two seats in front of me!
Samantha: (whispering) Look, here she comes—she's coming right towards us!!!
(the four of them back against the lockers, whispering and staring as she goes by. Amy stares at them in awe and disbelief)
Amy: (approaching the group) It's not contagious, you can't get it from—
(As she comes closer, they scramble away and run into a classroom, still whispering about her. Amy gives up on them and continues to walk down the hall, as more students point, whisper, and back away as she approaches them. The curtain closes as Amy is stranded alone is the hallway.)
Scene II
(In the Guidance office Amy waits to talk to the school counselor about her problem with HIV and if she should move.)
Counselor: (Friendly and cheerful) Hi, Amy come on in. Have a seat next to my desk, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?
Amy: (Quiet and shy) Well, you see I just found out that I have a huge problem and well other kids don't really like me anymore. And...
Counselor: (Concerned) What do you mean a problem Amy? I don't understand, I am sure other kids like you-you're a nice girl.
Amy: (Direct and to the point) You don't understand, this problem won't go away... I have HIV. I my friends don't want me to play sports anymore, people talk about me behind my back, I don't like it here anymore. They won't stop!
Counselor: I am sure we can do something, we can hold a meeting and try to have other students understand that HIV does not hurt them unless they contact your blood. I am sure we can hold a meeting.
Amy: (Upset) You don't understand. Nothing is going to change their minds. Divver is a small City, once one person finds out the whole City knows. I don't know what to do!
Counselor: Have you told your parents about this?
Amy: They know I have HIV. They are willing to back me up on anything. I haven't really told them about the name calling and all, but I can't take it anymore.
Counselor: Okay, okay. We'll call a meeting with the principal, nurse and your parents. Maybe you might want to change schools?. That's all I can suggest right now. You should go home for the rest of the day until everything cools off. Okay?
Amy: Maybe your right. I don't think that I can handle this anymore. I don't know what I am going to do. When I really need people to be here for me, their not. Now, I am worried about living and I have to also worry about moving and going to another school. What if the kids at the new school find out too? What if I have to move again?! Life's not fair!
Counselor: All I can suggest Amy is that you take one day at a time. You will soon find that your true friends will be the one's who still call and write. Don't worry about the other school It's only a suggestion. It might not be the best answer.
Amy: I know... I know. I just feel like a total reject to society. I mean, no one will talk to me. I thought that I was cool, because I made the basketball team. All my dreams were coming true. Then poof! Now everything is a mess. I can't handle anything.
Counselor: Well, let's give your mom a call so that she can take you home. We will schedule a meeting and get right back to you. Amy you need to settle down and not worry about everything. I know that you have been faced with a huge problem. Right now you need to just get rest and think about what you want to do. (Counselor dials Amy's phone number. Her mother answers and agrees to a meeting and comes to pick Amy up from school.)
Scene III
(The curtain opens to a room filled with Amy and her parents, the counselor, the principal and the nurse.)
Counselor: I am sure that you all know that we are here to decide on what should happen with Amy. I know that we are all very concerned about Amy and that we want to do what is best for her. I have previously suggested that Amy move to another school in a surrounding town. This way she is away from the teasing and torture of other students but still near her friends.
Principal: I think that would be the best case. I mean we don't want to cause an up roar in the school. Parents are already calling and complaining about the fact that Amy has HIV and how she could spread it to others.
Amy's father: (Angry and upset) My daughter does not have to leave. She does not have to go just because she has HIV. No one can make her. She has a huge problem to deal with and now she also has to lose her friends? Is that what you want to do... Is that the message you are trying to send. That if the school is faced with a problem that you just get rid of the student as if they were nothing. No, not my daughter.
Amy: (Amy steps in very quickly at almost a yell.) Dad! It's okay. I know what is going on. It's my life. I have to live everyday walking down the hallways getting stares and having people whisper about me behind my back. That's not the life I want. That's not the life you want for me either, is it?
Principal: (Agreeing with Amy) Exactly! You need to think about the other students and what they are going through. You can't go around school anymore, you need to leave. That's the only solution to your problems. There is no way that you can stay in this school.
Nurse: (In disagreement and very stern.) No, no that's not the right answer. She does not need to move because of a virus. You all are looking at this wrong. She needs her friends and her classmates. If she is careful she won't infect anyone. I see no reason for Amy to have to move. She should still be able to play on the school basketball team.
Amy: (happy and excited) You mean I can still play on the team. I can still live a normal life.? Maybe the gossip will end and I can still go to school. I will still have my friends, right?
Nurse: Well, you possibly can. I can't change the minds of other students, but I know that you can't pose any risk to anyone.
Principal: (stern and shocked) There is a chance that the students won't stop the teasing. You have already sent out a panic on the whole town. Parents are not letting their children come to school. Teachers are saying that they are going to quit their jobs. We need you to move. It will benefit the town and the school. Do you understand?
Amy: (Angry and upset) I understand, I understand. I really want to stay, but I know that the teasing won't stop and I can't worry about that right now. I really can't. I need to worry about staying well and alive-not about petty whispers. I need time to decide what I want to do. Can I have some time?
Counselor: I think that it is best to leave the decision up to Amy. It is her life we are talking about. (Curtain closes)
ACT III
SCENE I
(Amy's parents are quietly and solemnly talking in the living room as she comes down the stairs. They stop talking and look at her.)
Amy: I've been thinking about what everyone at the meeting said.
Amy's Mom: Well, we're willing to help you do whatever it takes to make you happy again.
Amy's Dad: Yes, we're behind you one hundred percent. You can take your time deciding what you want to do. There's no hurry at all. We don't want you to feel like—
Amy: (interrupting him) I've already decided. I want to go to a different school like they suggested at the meeting. I could go to a school in one of the surrounding towns.
Amy's Mom: (a bit surprised, but trying not to let Amy see) Are you sure about this? You haven't thought about it very long. We just want to make sure that you know what's best for yourself. You might want to take some more time to think about it so that you can be sure that this is right.
Amy: (stern) No, I this is the only way to correct all the damage that has been done. It won't be so bad, I'll still be able to see Jen and Mark.
Amy's Dad: So you're positive that this is what you want to do?
Amy: Absolutely positive. There's no other way.
Amy's Mom: OK, I'll call the school and tell them. You'll get to have a fresh start at a new school, and everything will be just fine.
Amy: Yeah, it'll be fine .
(Amy and her mother and father hug each other, then the curtain closes. )