Short and Sweet // Stories

Final Moments

Friendships are sometimes hard to come by and even harder to let go of. I've had a few friendships that I tried holding to but I eventually had to move on from. As a final assignment for my theater class, I wrote and produced a scene based on my real experiences. I love sharing my work with you all so I figured I'd post it here. 

Thank you for your endless support. I appreciate all of your affectionate and encouraging words. I cannot even begin to describe how important you are to me. 

-Maddie

NATALIE: Hey, it's me

WILLOW: Hi.

NATALIE: I've been thinking about you a lot lately. ... I hope that everything is going good. I'm sure you're busy with your classes and clubs and friends. ...

WILLOW: Yeah.

NATALIE: I'm sorry for everything that happened between us in May. ... I was stupid. ... I wasn't a good person. But I've changed.

WILLOW: You hurt me, Natalie.

NATALIE: I know. I want to make it better. I want to fix our friendship. I want to fix us.

WILLOW: Nothing can do that. You broke me.

NATALIE: Willow...

WILLOW: Nat, we've been close – or were close for a while. And I loved our friendship – stayed up until the crack of dawn for it. But you stopped responding, stopped having real conversations. And it hurt because I felt like I wat putting in all of this effort that you were consuming and never returning.

NATALIE: You were the one that stopped talking to me! You were the one that never replied, the one that let things fall apart. All I've ever wanted is to fix things, mend our relationship.

WILLOW: You were the one that betrayed my trust, talked bad about me to Katrina. Katrina. Of all people, it was her. You don't get the right to say anything.

NATALIE: Stop.

WILLOW: What?

NATALIE: I know you aren't Christian, but I know that God put you in my life for a reason. I don't think that He'd want you out of it.

WILLOW: I wonder if our God wanted our paths to cross or stay intertwined. And I think we both know that answer.

NATALIE: So, this is the end. Everything we once had - everything we once were - means nothing to you?

WILLOW: I didn't say that.

NATALIE: Well, it means something to me. All of the restless nights we stayed up until the early morning hours talking. All off the code words and sleepovers. All of the times we laughed over awkward moments. All of the trips we took together and the memories we made. All of the little things we barely recall. They all mean something to me. Why don't they mean anything to you?

WILLOW: They do -

NATALIE: No! They don't. God, you only allowed yourself to remember the times we hurt each other, made each other feel like shit. And maybe you're right - like you always claim to be. Our paths were only meant to cross and that I am "plaguing" every happy memory we have. You said you don't know me, but I stopped knowing you long before. You closed yourself off. You stopped talking to me. You let your insecurities tarnish the thing that made you feel secure. You were the one that made this friendship unhealthy and you were the one that fell for me.

(Heavy beat)

WILLOW: Natalie...

NATALIE: I'm done waiting for you to apologize. I'm tired of crying over this. I'm done. (Quickly shuts laptop, lights down)

WILLOW: (closes her laptop) I'm sorry. (lights down)