Girls and Boys
By: Liz and Erin
Scene One A: Ambiguous Opening
Girls and Boys
JESSIE JEAN appears in a spot.
Jessie: Some people appear in our lives
Leave a mark, and are gone.
Some people reach out and grab hold
These ones always linger on.
The ones you date or start to love,
With whom you share your hurts or joys,
And you can't forget
Hours spent upset
In your years filled with girls and boys.
We don't always make good choices
They don't care if we're right.
They'll hold our hand or buy Kleenex
Or kiss our head or talk all night.
Sometimes they stop and cause a fuss
But if you listen through all that noise
You can still see love
And you can't get sick of
All your times spent with girls and boys.
Well the time flies past so quickly
And it rebuilds as it destroys.
Boys turn to men.
Girls wish for then
The years they ignored with their boys.
I watched the triviality and fights
I watched boys be fools.
I watched the girls cry over them
'Cuz they didn't follow "the rules".
It's a story everyone enjoys
So you can watch too
While our minds review
All our years as girls and boys.
B/O
JESSIE JEAN dances across stage with a sign that says "Grade 10"
Scene One B: The Kids' School
The first day of 10th grade. KATHERINE enters the foyer of her new high school, clearly disoriented. She pulls out a school map, trying to match her schedule to it. BILLIE JEAN then bounces onstage, listening to a Walkman. She catches sight of her best friend, and next-door neighbor, and squeals, rushing over to her.
Billie Jean: (embracing KATHERINE) Oh my god, I haven't seen you since forever!
Katherine: All the way since yesterday!
Billie Jean: Shush. It's different. We're in high school now. It's like it's been a year.
Just then, JESSIE JEAN explodes onto the stage in a rush of energy. She bounds over and jumps onto KATHERINE, knocking both girls to the ground.
Katherine: What are you doing, Jessie Jean?
Jessie: Just glad to see y'all, girls.
Katherine: Now, Jessie Jean, not only do girls not play fight—
Billie Jean: We're in high school now—
Katherine: Which means we're grown-up—
Billie Jean: and way beyond playing on the floor.
Jessie: Which means you're no fun.
Katherine: (rolls her eyes and gathers her things back up) Hey girls, I got my pictures back from my end of year party!
Billie Jean: Finally!
KATHERINE digs her pictures out and they all look through.
Billie Jean: Look at how adorable Jeter looks!
Katherine: Oh my god, but have you seen him over the summer? He's gotten really cute.
Billie Jean: How so?
Katherine: He grew up. You'll die when you see him.
Jessie: I've seen him. (They stare) I hung out with the boys all summer. See? Advantages to not being "all girl".
THE BOYS loudly enter, completely distracting THE GIRLS from the pictures. JESSIE beams and runs over to the guys, who greet her enthusiastically.
Billie Jean: Hey boys.
Boys: (turn to face the girls) Heeeeey…
Billie Jean: Oh, news! It's my 15th birthday on Saturday and I finally convinced my mom to let me have a co-ed sleepover for the party—do you guys want to come?
Jessie: Does that invitation include me?
Billie Jean: I did say co-ed, didn't I? (THE BOYS laugh, high-five, etc—that was a good burn)
Jessie: Hey, I'm glad I'm not all super-girly. It's so time consuming to be self-involved like that.
All look at KATHERINE, who is busily applying lip gloss.
Katherine: What? (Flustered by all the laughter, she pulls her map out again)
Jeter: (sidles over to her) Hey Katherine. (She is flustered by his cute-ness and can only wave) You need some help?
Katherine: Um, yeah, I can't really figure out where my 1st class is.
Bickle: Here, my older brother gave me a tour of the school; I can find it for you. (Takes her schedule)
Jeter: Well, then I get her binder. (Grabs it, while KATHERINE bats her eyelashes at GARVIN)
Garvin: I'll carry your purse.
Katherine: (very flirty) Why thank you boys, you're all so helpful.
THE BOYS and KATHERINE exit, as JESSIE and BILLIE JEAN stare.
Billie Jean: What does she have that we don't?
Jessie: Lip gloss. (Beat) Well, it's true!
B/O