EXONERATION

Characters: Adrienne, high-school student, best friend of August, female, 15-17

August, high-school student, best friend of Adrienne, male, 15-17

Setting: A park in mid-December, present time. There is a street lamp and a bench.

Note: A slash (/) indicates interrupted speech.

 Exoneration

ACT I , SCENE 1

(ADRIENNE and AUGUST are standing by a

solo street lamp and bench in a park. It is
winter, and they have just stepped back from
an unexpected embrace.)

ADRIENNE
I’m sorry.

AUGUST
Please don’t be.

ADRIENNE
You don’t know why I’m saying it.

AUGUST
You never say it.

ADRIENNE
But I’m saying it now… and you need to believe that I’m
sincere.

(AUGUST looks defeated as he takes a few

steps to the side.)

ADRIENNE
Please don’t do that storming thing.

AUGUST
What storming thing?

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 Exoneration

(AUGUST jerks his head towards ADRIENNE

in annoyance. ADRIENNE puts on a
defensive tone.)

ADRIENNE
How am I supposed to describe it? You look like you’re
running away from me, even if you walk back. (a beat) It
makes me sad.

AUGUST
I’m sorry.

ADRIENNE
Don’t be.

AUGUST
Okay, so… what are we now?

ADRIENNE
I don’t know August, but this isn’t me hurting you.

(AUGUST is puzzled.)

AUGUST
Please just say what you mean. If it’s me, my family, or
something I do that bothers you. I mean, you want to be
with me / but still want to keep me in your back pocket
because you know I’ll be here when it’s convenient for you.

ADRIENNE
/ Come on, you know that’s not what this is abou-

ADRIENNE
August! That isn’t fair and you know it!

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AUGUST
I don’t know anything that this point, Adrienne!

(AUGUST walks downstage and faces the audience and

ADRIENNE grabs her arms as if to hold herself and steps
behind AUGUST.)

ADRIENNE
Loving you isn’t convenient, it’s really hard. You’re my
best friend, and I can’t ruin us for exactly that reason. I’d
never be able to forgive myself.

(a beat)

AUGUST
I’m always going to be “best friend.” Best friend, the best
damn friend you have. I’m just here to protect you, and
listen to you cry over the douches you decide to let play
you. To… try to build you up again when you’re going
through whatever happens to you, because of how fragile
you are. Yet nothing I do is reciprocated, because, I guess
there's nothing there to feel for me.

(ADRIENNE takes a few steps towards

AUGUST in frustration.)

ADRIENNE
Stop, August, stop flattering yourself, stop, it’s
embarrassing.

(AUGUST laughs.)

AUGUST
Okay well, go ahead and tell me Adrienne, why should I
listen to you make me feel stupid?

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 Exoneration

(ADRIENNE seems almost disgusted at how AUGUST is

acting.)

ADRIENNE
Are you high? Have you been this whole night? Why are
we still doing this after five months? I know what happened
this summer was horrible, and there are never enough ways
for me to say I’m sorry, which is why I don’t say it, but you
can’t keep victimizing yourself.

AUGUST
I’m not a victim, but I’m the only one talking and actually
saying things. You can’t tell me how you feel, or what you
mean. I’m always guessing, and guess what? It’s
exhausting, Adrienne.

ADRIENNE
I don’t know what to tell you August.

AUGUST
Yeah, I’m sure you don’t.

ADRIENNE
And what does that mean?

AUGUST
That I guess I should’ve known better.

(a pause)

Why did we hook up this summer?

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 Exoneration

(ADRIENNE takes a second to ponder if she

even remembers the night AUGUST is
mentioning, then she remembers.)

ADRIENNE
I was sad, and you were there.

AUGUST
Oh, but loving me isn’t convenient?

(AUGUST goes and sits on the bench somewhat

confidently.)

ADRIENNE
It wasn’t love. You made me feel amazing, like, on top of
the world, but it wasn’t love.

AUGUST
Ah, makes sense, cause how can you really love when a
new guy is at your disposal every month?

ADRIENNE
(with sudden shock)
Listen, you have no place in calling me a whore, August.
You were the best person I had ever met. I had everything
when you decided to stick with me. Everything you did
made me feel some way I had never felt before. I’m never
going to be able to explain it, but I’m not a bank for you to
deposit your insecurities. I love you, and as hard as you
always make it, I think I always will. A guy in my bed is
not your concern unless you are that guy. Now, I understand
that I am indecisive, and it confuses you, but you’ve never
once considered how you affected me. —

(AUGUST begins to formulate a remark.)

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 Exoneration

ADRIENNE
No! Just stop!—You always leave, not just me, but you
leave everyone. I couldn’t pick up the phone fast enough, or
I never asked how you were. People at school already hated
me, for rumors, or whatever shit they’d say… so imagine
what people would’ve said if I even visited you, or talked to
you, even if it was months later.— Do you see the guilt you
caused me to feel? Do you see how I wouldn’t want to be
tied to that every day? I wasn’t going to ruin myself
because of you. (a beat) I could not let you be the reason I
was ruined.

AUGUST
Ruin. You think I…ruin you. (as if to confirm what he just
heard)

ADRIENNE
August you know that’s not what I meant.

(AUGUST stands up and takes a few steps

towards ADRIENNE.)

AUGUST
Then what the hell did you mean?

ADRIENNE
You just bring out the worst in me, and you do it so simply.
It’s not even your fault, you deserve so much better, but so
do I.

AUGUST
So I’m… what? The guy who went crazy? So he needs
support because he’s crazy, but he can’t be loved, at leat
like that, because…he’s crazy.

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 Exoneration

ADRIENNE
It’s not that you’re crazy. You could never be crazy. You’re
just always chasing some answer. (a beat) You don’t realize
that maybe there isn’t one.

AUGUST
I’m not chasing an answer but I can’t say I’m not stressed
out about you. I mean, nothing you say is what you mean.

ADRIENNE
Well I’m stressed out about how stressed you are about us,
you make it seem like I need to prove something to you.

AUGUST
I’m sorry, Adrienne. I’ve always thought you were the most
perfect person ever. You don’t ever need to prove anything,
you don’t owe me anything.

(a pause)

Addie, I know that I need to accept what is, we’re not going
to be together. I am okay with not being your boyfriend, but
I’m terrified. You’re fading, even as my best friend, I just
want to understand what I can do to keep you happy.
You’ve been through so much, and I can’t imagine adding
to that.

(a pause)

Remember that Jason Mraz song? The one where he says

“it takes some good to make it hurt”? Well I think that’s
what this is. I don’t want to fight anymore. I love you so
damn much. Addie, and its always going to hurt…but it
shouldn’t hurt you anymore. I saw every version of my life
with you, but that’s not something you can just plan out. I
don’t know what I’m trying to say.

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 Exoneration

(a pause)

My dad’s moving, and I think it came at the best time. I

think I’m going to go with him. Maybe you couldn’t hate
loving me anymore. Maybe we don’t have to think about
loving each other if we can’t see each other. I always told
you I’d do the best for you, and I’ve sucked at it, but maybe
this is what’s best.

(ADRIENNE shows disapproval and shock,

her entire motive seems to change.)

ADRIENNE
But August, you- no you can’t leave.

AUGUST
UGH! GOD ADDIE WHAT’S IT GONNA TAKE? I FU-

(AUGUST moves his hand to his mouth

quickly as if to stuff his tone back into his
mouth, he pauses as his voice begins to
break.)

When do we get to be happy? When do I get to stop being

the one you always fall back on?

ADRIENNE
I don’t, I don’t know-

AUGUST
Well I don’t want this. Adrienne, really I’m done.

(AUGUST starts to walk towards offstage.)

ADRIENNE
Please! August just please we can’t be done talking!

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 Exoneration

AUGUST
We’ve been saying nothing, Adrienne! I’m sorry, I love
you. This is it.

ADRIENNE
(shouts)

August, I’m pregnant!

(ADRIENNE starts to sob as AUGUST walks

back towards her.)

AUGUST
Addie… I.

(AUGUST holds ADRIENNE in shock.)

How do you kno-…how long ago did you find out?

ADRIENNE
About eight weeks ago. I didn’t feel the need to tell you.
I’m so sorry.

AUGUST
What do you-?

(AUGUST pulls away slightly.)

Oh. It’s not mine… is it?

ADRIENNE
No, it’s a guy from my job.

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 Exoneration

AUGUST
How do y-…dammit Addie, why?

(a pause) (AUGUST pulls apart from

ADRIENNE, *their dialogue seems to go
quickly to the point of overlapping.)

Now? You need me now? Now that I finally have a chance

to start over?

ADRIENNE
August I have nothing! You’re the only one who would
ever stay!

AUGUST
Because you know I’d never say no to you, Adrienne! You
use that to your advantage! Every time we touched! Kissed!
Did any of that mean anything to you?

ADRIENNE
Of course it did!

AUGUST
Then why?!

(ADRIENNE stops answering as she seems to

be overly distraught)

here…
(AUGUST helps ADRIENNE to the bench and
sits beside her, ADRIENNE’s breaths scatter
as she calms down her sobs.)

ADRIENNE
I-I-. (a beat) Thank you, August.

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 Exoneration

AUGUST
…I’m here, Adrienne. I tell you that every day. Even days
when it makes me physically sick. (a beat) When I can’t get
out of bed because I’m wondering “what did I do to make
her upset this time?” or “what will I have to fix for her
now?” I don’t have to question whether you’re happy or
not, I know when you are. You only come to me when
you’re upset, when you need a rebound, when you
remember your life isn’t perfect, that’s when I’m
important…but, I don’t make it perfect. I make it worse,
you know this, and you want me to stay with you? To take
care of your child, who’s father is someone I don’t even
know?

(a pause)

What do you do to me? Why do I let you do it?

(a pause)

I think that I’m done trying, Addie. I’m done suffocating in

the tide that forces me to constantly switch between being
in love with you, and actually loving you. I’m not going to
screw up both of our lives for a moment of lust.

ADRIENNE
But Aug-

AUGUST
No just. Please. (a beat) I never knew you, and perhaps I
never will, but I finally understand what we have been, and
I think you do too. I can’t do what you did to me. I won’t.

(AUGUST holds ADRIENNE as she weeps

for a few beats, he kisses her head, then
stands up from the bench, ADRIENNE looks
up at AUGUST in disbelief for a beat, the
lights snap to black.)

End of play.

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