THE HARDEST THING IS GOODBYE

CHARACTERS:
Lucy​-late twenties, very attractive. She has a sweet and bubbly personality, and is a very
caring, intelligent and invested person. She is usually level-headed and grounded, except for
when she is around Sam. She is currently recovering from an engagement that was broken off
six months ago by Sam, the person she thought was the love of her life. She certainly is a
dreamer, and dreams of finding love again.

Sam​-late twenties, very handsome and charming. Extremely charismatic, extroverted, and
smooth. He definitely is the type to sweep a girl off her feet--the way he did with Lucy. However,
even though he is seemingly the “modern-day prince charming”, he still has deep-set
insecurities about himself including the fear of never finding his true path in life.

SETTING: An upscale restaurant in midtown, NY.

TIME: 8PM, Present Day.

Lights up on LUCY waiting nervously at a table. Across from her is an empty seat. She looks
around, clearly waiting for someone.

LUCY
(To herself) U​ gh, this is so dumb. He’s not taking me back, so get it out of your head Luc. But
on the other hand….why did he call me in the middle of the night last night asking me out to
dinner ​tonight?​ ​(Beat) ​No, no, no this is stupid. He’s with freaking Ashley...at least I think he is.
And God, my hands are so MOIST (​wipes hands on napkin).

Excuse me waiter, can I get more water?

LUCY continuously looks around, ridden with anxiety. Suddenly, she spots someone.

Oh my God, he’s here. ​(SAM enters and looks around trying to spot LUCY. LUCY tries to place
herself in a casual, nonchalant position, but ends up looking incredibly awkward and definitely
NOT casual and nonchalant. LUCY pretends to not see SAM and then as SAM is waving, LUCY
finally “sees” him and waves at him wildly, not containing her excitement, only to knock the
water over as the waiter is putting it down.

LUCY
Oh my God, I’m so sorry! (​Scampers to mop it up, making the situation overall just AWKWARD)

SAM
Oh no! Did it get on your dress?

LUCY
 (Still frantically dabbing at the water) ​Only a little, but it’ll dry, right? ​(Finally gives herself a
chance to look up into SAM’S beautiful eyes, she takes his gorgeousness in)​ Hi, Sam. It’s so, ​so
good to see you.

SAM
It’s great to see you too Luc. (​They embrace, LUCY holds on just a split second longer than
SAM) ​So, um, how have you been?

LUCY
I’ve been good! Ya’know, busy with work and writing. My blog has really taken off, actually.
Yeah, I actually met with a publisher last month and they want me to make it into a book.

SAM
Oh my God Luc, that’s fantastic! I can’t believe it!

LUCY
Yeah, it’s, uh, it’s really wonderful. And it’s really wonderful to see ​you​, Sam. ​(Catches herself)
Oh, I said that already. I just… I miss--uh, I haven’t heard from you much in the past few
months.

SAM
Yeah I’m sorry about that. I kind of have been on a social media hiatus, so I’ve been off the grid
for a little while.

LUCY
Yeah, like five months! I was starting to get worried... (​laughs nervously)

SAM
Yeah… it’s this thing that Ashley wanted me to try. Apparently disconnecting from social media
platforms cleanses your mind, body, and soul from the toxicity that comes with constantly
comparing yourself to others on social media. You know those apps were designed to make
people ​jealous​ of each other? And that’s why they’re so addicting! Because people constantly
want to check up on how other people are doing to see how much better ​they’re ​doing in their
own lives, to help boost their own insecurities. But anyway, it’s been working, and I feel freer
than I ever have before.

LUCY
Oh...freer than when you were with me? ​(nervously chuckles)

SAM
Luc, you know what I mean.

LUCY
 Yeah, no I get it. That’s really...something. So...you’re still seeing Ashley?

SAM
I am.

LUCY
I see. ​(Beat) ​So, uh, what brings you here? I mean, besides the fact that you called me in the
middle of the night last night to ask me here, which I thought was very strange actually and I
couldn’t help but wonder--

SAM
I need to ask you something Lucy.

LUCY
(Surprised by his shift in tone). ​Anything.

SAM
You know I’ve been, uh, seeing Ashley for six months now.

LUCY
Six months? Has it been ​that ​long? It seems like yesterday ​we ​were still engaged but
obvi--​(sees SAM’S uncomfortableness in that comment) ​I’m sorry. What was it that you wanted
to ask me?

SAM
Actually, on that subject, do you...uh...do you still have the ring I gave you?

LUCY
I do.

SAM
You do? Wow, I can’t believe it.

LUCY
I never gave it away. I didn’t have the heart to. I always wondered and hoped that...maybe...one
day I’d wear it again.

SAM
Listen, Luc--

LUCY
Yes? ​(Leans closer and closer, as if they’re about to kiss).
 SAM
Lucy. I need to take it back.

LUCY
Take back your denouncement of our engagement?

SAM
No...take back the ring.

LUCY
(Suddenly her fantasy screeches to a halt.) ​Wait, what?

SAM
I need to take back the engagement ring I gave you.

LUCY
Why?

SAM
Because...because I’m going to ask Ashley to marry me.

LUCY
I’m sorry. I think I must’ve just had an aneurysm. Did you just say that you were going to ask
Ashley to marry you? With the ring you used to ask ME to marry you?

SAM
Um... yes?

LUCY
Are you serious right now?

SAM
Listen, Luc--you know it was my grandmother’s ring. It’s kind of an heirloom in my family, and it
means a lot to me and my family that the woman I marry is wearing it.

LUCY
The woman you marry? I was supposed to be that woman Sam! I was supposed to wear that
ring. That’s why I never sold it or threw it away! Because we were MEANT to be together! God,
we were together for 8 YEARS. And what? You want to marry ASHLEY after 6 months?!

SAM
You don’t know Ashley, okay? She’s great Lucy, she’s smart and--
 LUCY
Save the details, Sam. I can’t believe you ask me to dinner, and here I am, an absolute IDIOT
thinking that you wanted to take me BACK. Thinking that you called me in the MIDDLE OF THE
NIGHT asking to see me because you couldn’t bear not having me in your life any longer. How
stupid can I be? Everyday I was so, ​so ​hopeful that I’d hear from you and finally, I did. And
now? You come and want to take away the ONE THING I was holding onto because it reminded
me of what we had--how in LOVE we were. Good to know that what we had is so easily
replaceable.

SAM
Lucy, don’t say that. You know that’s not true. I will hold onto what we had forever. You taught
me everything I know about love, and that’s why I know I want to marry Ashley. Even after only
6 months.

LUCY
Why are you doing this to me Sam? Why are you breaking my heart again?

SAM
Because knowing that you still have my ring keeps a part of me in the past, and I can’t live like
that Luc. I need to move forward. Why do you think I went off the grid? Because I couldn’t bear
to see pictures of you, living your life without me. You’re so successful, and smart, and beautiful,
and perfect and I was jealous that you could still function without me, because I could barely
function without you.

LUCY
Really? But Sam...you’re the one that called off our engagement.

SAM
Because I was scared.

LUCY
You were scared?

SAM
Yes. I was scared that I could never be the man you deserved. And that I would let you down as
a husband. You deserve so much better than me, Lucy.

LUCY
You could never let me down Sam. Everything you did was more than enough. I was so in love
with you--I am so in love with you. ​(They linger at this comment). ​And the whole social media
thing? It’s all just pretend. In all those stupid posts and pictures is a heartbroken, messed-up
girl, still trying to learn how to live my life without you in it.
 SAM
I wish I--

LUCY places the engagement ring on the table.

LUCY
Take your ring Sam. I don’t think I could keep it, even if I wanted to.

SAM
You had it all this time?

LUCY
I wouldn’t go anywhere without it. It’s stupid but it kinda made me feel like you were going
everywhere with me. It reminded me of a time that I ​belonged​ to someone and was someone’s
whole world ​and I don’t know...it made me feel loved...and protected.

SAM
I’m so sorry Lucy.

LUCY
It’s okay Sam. I don’t need it anymore. ​(Gets up to leave). ​Ashley is a very lucky woman.

SAM
​ ou know I’ll always love you, right?
(Gets up and grabs LUCY’S hand before she leaves) Y

LUCY
​ nd that’s what hurts the most. ​(Lets go of
(With a lingering stare at SAM holding her hand) A
SAM’S hand) G ​ oodbye, Sam.

LUCY exits without looking back.

SAM
Goodbye, Lucy.

SAM looks at the ring, the very symbol of love that could only ever remind him of LUCY. Softely,
he kisses the ring, as if he is kissing LUCY goodbye for the final time. He begins to weep.
BLACK OUT.