Social Darwinist
(Heather, Bridgette)
In life, Bridgette, there are those who are born at the very top. These are the people who have nothing to lose, the people who have everything they ever need. And then there are people who crawl to the very top. These are the people who fight for what they are, for what they want. They do all they can to get ahead of everyone, and when they finally reach the top, they find that everyone else wants them knocked back to the very bottom.
So? What the hell does that have to do with...anything?
Bridgette, would you like to know who I am?
I already know you, Heather. You're a mean spirited shrew!
(Heather laughs) I am, yes. Do you know why I'm so mean spirited?
Because you're nothing more than a spoiled princess who doesn't know the meaning of a day's honest work!
(Heather chuckles) Oh my dear little surfer Barbie, you don't even know who I am. I was born into wealth, yes. I was born the middle child of an affluent, well to do family. Anything I ever wanted, I got. I wanted shoes? Mom would buy them for me. Toys? Daddy's credit card would get me anything I ever wanted. But I never got their attention... I would always be brushed aside...
But you still had everything! You didn't starve, you didn't have to sleep on the ground!
But I always had to settle for material possesions! You think...All I ever wanted when I was a little girl was for mom and dad to notice me...
Well...That's still no excuse for who you are!
Excuse me?
Heather, we all have different circumstances in our lives, sure. And yeah, it'd be great if ALL parents could give their children the love and discipline they need while growing. Sometimes people forget that, to give their kids love and respect, to keep them on the straight and narrow...some people think it's enough to just give their kids what they want and call it great parenting. Some parents think it's OK to just up and abandon their kids because they 'think they can't handle it'. But that stops being an excuse when you decide to treat other people like shit!
My parents didn't care for me...They only pretended to care. Just like everyone in school...I was a fat kid, OK? Growing up, kids would always make fun of me...call me names, make me feel horrible...One time, there was this huge party, and I was the only kid who wasn't invited...(Heather snifles, then dries a tear from her eye) I felt so awful, so alone...
I...didn't know...Heather, I'm sorry that happened...(Bridgette's tears get misty)
Puberty was good to me...I excersized, I jogged, I took ballet...by the time I was 13, I was tall, thin and beautiful. Everyone started treating me differently. Even the teachers started being nicer to me. Boys noticed me, finally. I was getting letters everyday, even from the dorks who always thought they were too good for me...Now I was the hottest girl in school...FINALLY! It was MY turn!
But...but if you knew what it was like to be ostracized...
I let everyone know who was Queen Bee! It was me! I was the one who could destroy anyone with a bad rumor! I was the one who decided who was hot and who was not! I was the one everyone invited to their parties! And with one word...I could make anyone's life Hell...
You...You who knew what it was like to be ostracized...you who knew what it was like to be bullied...you learned NOTHING! You're worse than I thought you were! When I thought you were mean because you were nothing but a spoiled brat, I held nothing but disdain for you. But now that I know that you're mean because people used to be mean to you...now I hate you! You have no right to treat people like you do, like they did to you! You could have been someone who deserved her popularity by being the nicest girl in school...but you decided to become exactly that which tormented you!
Who the hell are you to judge me? You have no right! You don't know what it's like!
You're right...I don't know what it's like to be judged based on looks... But growing up...That wasn't easy for me. It was only me and my mom, and she had to work two shifts just to keep us afloat. I never knew my father, he bailed when I was a kid. I used to wonder when he'd come home...(Bridgette starts crying) Why he left me. Was he mad at me? Did I do something wrong? And the kids...a lot of them would make fun of me...for not having a dad like they did...
(Heather is speechless)
Like you, Puberty was great on me. Yeah, I grew up to be beautiful too. Boys...started noticing me too. But I didn't let anyone near me...for a while. When I surfed...that was when everything made sense. A lot of girls rejected me, because I was not like them at all. Because I was a tomboy who surfed while they gossiped. Because I kept it natural while they smeared themselves in makeup. But...eventually, I confronted the people who treated me badly. They apologized. They begged for my forgiveness. And I forgave them. It was not my fault dad left me and mom. It was his. And you know...I got a lot of friends. I let people into my life, and I'm happy, thanks to them. Yeah, I know mom was always there, she's my best friend...
I...didn't know... I'm sorry about your father...
Why are you pretending like you care?
You really think I'm that awful a human being? (Heather starts crying)
You always made us feel bad, back on the island, remember? Always treated us like dirt, walking around like you owned the place, using us or your amusement, humiliating us!
What did I ever do to you, Bridgette? (Heather is angry)
You humiliated Gwen on international TV, twice! You kissed her boyfriend right in front of her to get ahead of some fricking game! A game you ended up losing anyway! And that's not all, you treated Beth and Lindsay like slaves! You humiliated them, made them feel awful! How many times did you call Lindsay 'Lindsiot', huh? How many times did you belittle Beth? How many times did you treat the people around you like garbage?
Well...
You used Lindsay...
(Heather is defensive) Oh please! Lindsay didn't care about me! And neither did Beth, for that matter! They were only with me because they thought I was taking them to the Final Three!
Beth and Lindsay were trying to befriend you from the get go! Or did you forget, how Beth was the first one of us to greet you when you arrived at camp? Did you forget how Lindsay already thought of you as her friend way back during the first day? The real reason they agreed to your stupid alliance was because they were so happy you chose them for it! They were happy because they thought it meant you cared for them! But you didn't...and you don't. You don't care...
Well...So...I'm...(Heather is tearing up again)
During all season two, you acted like you had done nothing wrong. You never apologized for what you did... Why Heather? What would you have lost by apologizing?
Well...Maybe...I didn't... (Heather dries her tears) Who would have cared anyway? Beth and Lindsay never wanted to talk to me anyway! And everyone else hates me, so...no one cares for me!
Because you never said you were sorry! Not once did you try to talk to Beth and Lindsay about what you did! Not once did you ever try apologizing to Gwen for humiliating her! Not once did you ever show anyone any inkling of humanity...You may have hinted towards Harold that maybe you were unsatisfied...
Harold used me...
That's not...
He used me! He only helped me to get the million bucks!
He didn't need you! He was already on his way to the prize when he took pity on you and helped you out. And this was AFTER you betrayed him! He didn't give you a second chance, he gave you a third inmediately after proving to him you never deserved a second one!
(Heather falls on her knees and cries. She turns her back at Bridgette)
Heather...you're mean, cruel, vindictive, and vengeful... But...just...say you're sorry. You still have a chance.
What's the point?
Heather...I think...there's good in you. Somewhere inside you...I saw it when you comforted Courtney the night she cried her eyes out when she found out about Gwen and Duncan...and I saw it again the day you gave Sierra that head dress and wheelchair...Somewhere inside you...You don't need to be this Queen Bee! This Social Darwinist that covers her heart with the poisons of apathy and hate!
Oh right, like everyone's gonna accept me like that! That's why LeShawna knocked my tooth out!
What she did was not right...the only reason anyone cheered her on is because everyone was still mad at you for how you treated ...you know, I don't want to do that anymore. I don't want you to live having people feel happy when you get hurt. I don't want that!
What do you care? (Heather's eyes are red and puffy from her tears)
I care...Do you think I want to see you alone all your life? Do you think I want to see you all alone, no friends, feeling nothing but hate and contempt for the people around you? I think about that...It just brings tears to my eyes. (Bridgette starts crying) See? I'm crying for you... I don't want you to suffer...
(Heather does not say a word)
You don't need to apologize to everyone, Heather. Just apologize to Beth, Lindsay and Gwen. Just those three. Apologize to those three...and everyone will see...
(Heather gets up, tears in her eyes. There is doubt in her eyes, her face reflecting her inner conflicting emotions. Suddenly she scowls) No.
(Bridgette gasps) Why?
They won't listen. They won't care...(Heather seethes with rage) No one cares!
I care! (Bridgette looks pleadingly at Heather)
No one cares! (Turns her back at Bridgette) No one cares...everyone hates me...I can't...I trust NO ONE! No one cares about me... They only care about what I am...I hate everybody...
(Bridgette reaches for Heather) Heather...
(Heather slaps Bridgette's hand away) Go away! Go away and leave me alone! I will...I will make everybody suffer... I will show those assholes why I am so much better than they are...I will make them...hate me...
(Tears in her eyes, Bridgette turns and walks away from Heather. Her tears fall unto the ground, leaving a small trail behind.)
(Tears in her eyes, Heather falls to the ground. Her heart shattered with pain and regret, she cries her eyes out.)
The End.
