LITR 3731: Creative Writing
Student Drama Submission 2003

Robin Stone

“Too Friendly”

Concept sentence: One student wants to be closer friends with another than is reciprocated, to the point of harassing, causing dissention among other students.

Characters:

Dr. White, Reani, Jennifer, Laurie, LaQuita, Dawn, Enrique

Scene:

In a classroom at UH-CL, Dr. White is beginning class. DR. WHITE is writing the days agenda on the chalkboard and the class is filtering into their seats. JENNIFER is sitting in a seat with an empty seat next to it.

Reani: (Comes in and takes a seat next to JENNIFER) Hi.

Jennifer: (Ignores REANI)

Reani: (A little louder) I said hi.

Jennifer: (Continues to ignore REANI)

Reani: (Waves hands in front of JENNIFER’S face) Hello-o! I said hi!

Jennifer: (Miffed) I don’t want to talk right now.

Reani: Why not?

Jennifer: (Miffed) I just don’t!

Reani: Is someone bothering you? I’ll take care of them if they are!

Jennifer: (Aggravated) No! Just . . .

Dr. White: (Cuts in) Okay, class, today we’ll be doing our dramas. (Turns to board and starts going over agenda)

Reani: (Whispers to JENNIFER While DR. WHITE’S back is turned) Are you going to our next class?

Jennifer: (Quietly, but miffed) Of course!

Reani: (Quietly, but gladly) Me too! Did you do the work?

Jennifer: (Quietly, still miffed) Yeah, now be quiet.

Reani: (Quietly) You wanna get together later and study?

Jennifer: (A bit too loud and aggravated) NO!

Dr. White:  (Hearing JENNIFER’S response turns to class) Is there a problem?

Jennifer: (Looks down uncomfortably, face turning red)

Reani: (Looks around innocently)

Dr. White: Well . . . okay, (Not getting a response he continues with the agenda where he left off) Let’s look at the drama submissions . . ..

Reani: (Whispering again to JENNIFER) Maybe we could get together after classes and do something?

Jennifer: (Whispering back, firmly) Look, just leave me alone!

Reani: (Unconcerned) Okay, we’ll talk later

(Almost 45 minutes later, it is almost time for break . . .Lights out and then back on)

Reani: Hey, I know! We can go out for a drink and talk over Nanowrimo!

Jennifer: (Angrily and firmly, each word pronounced) How many times do I have to tell you! LEAVE ME ALONE!

Dr. White: (Hearing the exchange, turns to look at Jennifer) Jennifer, is there a problem?

Jennifer: (Looking very upset) No, Dr. White, sorry.

Reani: (Puts hand on JENNIFER’S arm to comfort her)

Jennifer: (Jerks away and glares at REANI) Don’t touch me!

Dr. White: Well . . . I guess we can take a bit of an early break today. We’ll meet up again in about 10 minutes. Jennifer, can I speak with you?

Jennifer: Okay

(The class starts filtering out of the room and JENNIFER walks up to DR. WHITE.)

Dr. White: (To JENNIFER) You seem very upset and have disrupted the class several times. Is there a problem I can help with?

(As LAQUITA and DAWN are walking by, hear the conversation, and stop)

LaQuita: (Looking at JENNIFER) Tell him Jennifer.

Jennifer: (Looking at LAQUITA) Stay out of it LaQuita

Dawn: (Looking at JENNIFER) Come on Jennifer, we’ve all seen it. You need to do something about it before she drives you crazy.

Jennifer: (To DAWN) Please, just leave it be!

Reani: (Comes back in class and approaches JENNIFER. REANI goes to put her arm around JENNIFER in a comforting manner.)

Jennifer: (Jerking away from REANI) Do not touch me! Leave me a lone! When are you going to get it through your head! I am tired of your glaring at me and following me around everywhere. I don’t want to be your friend. Just LEAVE ME ALONE!

Laurie: (Walking back in class) Hey! What’s up?

(Everyone looks over at her . . .)

Jennifer: Oh never mind! (Runs out of room)

Laurie: (Shrugs and goes to seat)

Reani: (Looks bewildered) I wonder what her problem is? (Shrugs and turns to go to her seat as ENRIQUE enters)

Enrique: What’s wrong with Jennifer? (Looks at REANI) I saw her run out upset.

Laurie: What did you do to her now? You’re always aggravating her. Why don’t you just leave her alone!

Dr. White: (Aggravated) What is going on?

Enrique: Reani has been stalking Jennifer.

Reani: I have not!

LaQuita: Yes, she’s been following her everywhere and if she doesn’t get Jennifer’s attention, she sits and glares at her.

Dawn: She’s really spooking Jennifer.

Reani: (Very defensively) I am not! Jennifer is my friend! She likes me to hang around her! She is the only friend I have!

Enrique: No Reani! She is not your friend. She doesn’t even like you. She’s just too polite to say anything. (Putting hand on REANI as if to comfort) You should leave her alone!

Reani: She’s my friend!

Enrique: You just don’t get it! (Makes motion with his hand as if blowing REANI off and leaves the room again) I’m going to find Jennifer!

LaQuita: Come on Dawn, lets go see if Jennifer’s okay.

(DAWN and LAQUITA leave the room)

Dr. White: (To REANI) Reani, maybe you should just keep some distance from Jennifer until things settle down.

Reani: No, Dr. White! You don’t understand! Jennifer is my friend. She needs me. I need her. They’re lying! Ask Jennifer! She’ll tell you! She is just upset about something right now!

(A large group of students return to the class. Right behind them is DAWN, LAQUITA, and ENRIQUE clustered around JENNIFER.)

Dr. White: Jennifer, could I speak with you a moment?

(JENNIFER approaches DR. WHITE and they speak quietly together.)

Dr. White: Jennifer, is Reani bothering you?

Jennifer: She just won’t leave me alone! She follows me everywhere! If I’m with any of my friends, she sits and glowers at me. She even comes to events off campus that I’m at. It gives me the creeps.

Dr. White: Have you told her to leave you alone . . .well, yes, I guess you have. What does she say?

Jennifer: She just says okay and is back in a few minutes. Or she glares at me.

Dr. White. Okay, Jennifer, well . . . I’ll speak to her about it.

(JENNIFER and DAWN return to seats and class resumes uneventfully. An hour and a half later--Lights off then back on.

Dr. White: Okay, class, that’s it. See you next Monday. Reani, I need to speak to you.

(Reani approaches Dr. White.)

Dr. White: Reani, you need to leave Jennifer alone. She . . . doesn’t seem to want your friendship.

Reani: (Upset) No! You’re lying! I know Jennifer! She wants me around! She likes me! You don’t know what you’re talking about!

Dr. White: (Surprised) Reani, I spoke with Jennifer. She said she doesn’t want you to hang around her.

Reani: (Angry and frantic) Liar! You can’t tell me what to do! Mind your own business!

Dr. White: (Shocked) Reani! You need to control yourself. I . . .

Reani: (Cuts DR. WHITE off furiously) I don’t have to listen to you. You don’t understand! (Runs out of room)

(DR. WHITE stands looking at the empty door, shocked and concerned)

Theme sentence: When one student is harassing another, the whole class is affected.