Play # 31

Tough

____________________________

By Ashley Vinson

Originally for the “31 Plays in 31 Days” challenge

Contact:
Ashley Vinson
ashleyvin95@gmail.com
 1.

A high school cafeteria table.

DONOVAN sits at the table with a

tray of food. He isn’t eating, but
rather stabbing at it. KYLER sits
down next him with his tray of food.

KYLER
What’s shaking, my man?

DONOVAN
Nothing much. I’m…here you know.

KYLER
Good to hear.

Donovan continues to stab his food

KYLER
My day is going pretty good. Passed my tests I took last week and I’m going to the movies this
weekend to celebrate. Wanna go?

Beat

KYLER
Donovan?

DONOVAN
Yeah?

KYLER
I asked if you wanna go to the movies with me this weekend.

DONOVAN
Oh, sure. Thanks, Kyler.
 2.
KYLER
(hesitant)
If you want to talk about something you know I’m here, right?

DONOVAN
I know.

Kyler eats some of his food.

Donovan puts down his fork and
stares at the food. He starts to tear up
and Kyler sees it.

KYLER
What’s the matter?

DONOVAN
(wipes his face)
Nothing. I’m fine.

KYLER
Clearly you aren’t. You’re crying at the lunch table.

DONOVAN
I said I’m fine. Now drop it!

KYLER
Whatever, dude.

Kyler goes back to eating.

DONOVAN
How could they not pick me for the varsity squad? I’m super athletic and can run circles around
the players already on the team. I was better than everyone I did tryouts with. Crushed them!
Coach doesn’t know what he is missing out on.

KYLER
I believe he does.

DONOVAN
You don’t know what you’re talking about.
 3.
KYLER
Okay.

DONOVAN
I don’t want to talk about this anymore.

Beat

DONOVAN
Actually, tell me why you think Coach isn’t missing out on anything.

KYLER
He’s the coach. I would believe more than anybody else in this school knows how basketball is.
Coach knows who will be a good fit for the team and who isn’t. You not making the team
doesn’t mean you aren’t a good player.

DONOVAN
Fair enough. It sucks.

KYLER
I can tell. You were crying about it. Never seen you do that before.

DONOVAN
Wasn’t supposed to be.

KYLER
If I hear you say it’s because boys don’t cry I’m gonna punch you.

DONOVAN
Anyway.

KYLER
Things will be okay.

DONOVAN
So what? I wanted to be on that team.

KYLER
And you’re not. There isn’t much you can do now.
 4.
DONOVAN
You don’t get it, Kyler. Of course you wouldn’t take this seriously.

KYLER
I don’t take it seriously because you don’t.

DONOVAN
I do! It hurts knowing that the only thing you want to be good at, you’re not good at. Everything
you are good at you aren’t interested in doing. To work hard for a dream you’ve had for forever.
It’s a sucker punch to the chest. For you to sit here and say I don’t take this seriously, hurts.
You’re supposed to be my friend. You don’t know anything about me.

KYLER
Stop being dramatic.

DONOVAN
Stop being insensitive to my feelings. You made me talk when I didn’t feel like it. It’s all your
fault.

KYLER
Listen to yourself! All I’m hearing is “you did this”, “you that”, you, you, you. Take
responsibility. Did you honestly try at that tryout? Were you a jerk to everyone? Was your goal
to show-off or be a team player?

Donovan doesn’t respond

KYLER
Uh-huh. Own up to your mistakes. Your behavior is what made you not get picked for varsity.
Donovan, you did that. Not me, not Coach, you.

DONOVAN
(beat)
Yeah. You’re right.

KYLER
I’m going to head to my next class. You don’t have to come to the movies if you don’t really
want to.

DONOVAN
I said I would, but I’ll let you know.
 5.
KYLER
Cool. Later, man.

Kyler leaves

DONOVAN
Later.

Donovan eats his lunch and reflects

on what Kyler said. He stops eating.

Blackout
End of Play