Mirror Image

Mirror Image
A One Act Dramatic Play
By Kirsten Hatch

Meg: The main character, she is also one of the narrators.
Jeff: The secondary character. The other narrator.
Meghan: The younger version of Meg.
Jeffery: The younger version of Jeff.
Baron: Jeffery’s friend.

Scene 1

Setting should be very simple. There will be three areas on stage. MEG will be on U.S.R. and JEFF will be on U.S.L. Chairs will be behind them so the actors may sit there when the main action is going on as they will never go off stage. Two chairs will also be center stage where MEGHAN and JEFFERY will be. BARON is off stage. Scene starts with lights off. As MEG stands light up on her. This should be a single light centered on her, no colour.

MEG: (whenever MEG speaks, unless otherwise stated, she should be addressing the audience)I haven’t looked at myself in the mirror in three years. Some people might scoff when they hear that, think it impossible. It really isn’t. When you walk down the street you don’t look at windows, if you pass one you look down or up, never in the direction of it. If you pass a mirror you avert your eyes. It’s really easier this way, life, I mean, you don’t have to worry about how you look, if your hair looks nice. Mostly though, if you don’t look, they won’t. If they don’t, they don’t see, they don’t judge.
Let me take you back four years ago. Four years before this all happened. Four years when everything was good. Four years when I knew what I looked like. 365 days before it happened.

(fade on MEG, lights up on MEGHAN and JEFFERY. Using the same uncoloured light.)

MEGHAN: Oh Jeffery! I am sure everything will vote for us! After all, (she leans toward him) we are the couple! And everyone know that. How could they not, I mean, we’re on top of the school! (girlish giggle)

JEFFERY: If you say so Meg, I just--
(she cuts him off)

MEG: Haven’t I told you? meg will not do, I simply must be called Meghan. I’ll have it no other way. Seriously, if I’ve told you once I’ve told you a hundred times... Well! Now I sound like your mother. (turning toward JEFFERY) Why must you make me baby you?

JEFFERY: Okay, I’m sorry Meghan. Now, what are you planning on doing to get them to vote for us?

MEGHAN: Oh, I don’t know yet. (dismissive hand gesture) Besides, Prom is ages away! I have plenty of time to figure something out!

(fade on MEGHAN and JEFFERY. Lights up on JEFF who has stood up. His light should be uncoloured as well.)

JEFF: (Not unlike MEG he is addressing the audience) It’s been awhile. I don’t really think anything is different. Or maybe, nothing is really the same. I don’t know, I feel the same. I think people look at me the same. I did what I thought was right, what was necessary. If she couldn’t understand that, then that was her problem. I had nothing to do with how she reacted. I told her plain and simple what I wanted. It’s her fault she didn’t listen.

(lights fade. JEFF sits. END Scene 1)

Scene 2

MEG: (smiles sadly) Mirrors, they say, are the portal to your true self. Kind of like eyes are the window to your soul. Mirrors don’t lie, they are unbiased. People on the other hand, they lie. They cheat. They hurt you. They break you. 314 days before it happened.

(fade on MEG, up on MEGHAN and JEFFERY)


STUFF HAPPENS!!!!! I DON’T KNOW WHAT YET!


MEG: It happened.

(lights up on everything)

MEG: I was with him. He decided to take something from me.

JEFFERY: (try to get upper hand on MEGHAN)

JEFF: It wasn’t anything she didn’t want.

MEG: I resisted.

MEGHAN: No, please. I’m not ready.

MEG: He insisted.

JEFF: She wasn’t listening, didn’t she know how much I wanted this?

JEFFERY: Meghan, honey, please. I need this--

MEGHAN: I told you NO.

MEG: He was more forceful.

(As this scene is going on emotions should rise.)

JEFFERY: (grab her) Come on, do it!

MEGHAN: I told you, I’m not ready. Besides, what would the other people think?

JEFF: What would they think? What would THEY think?

MEG: He got angry.

JEFFERY: You only think about your reputation. You never think about us. You never think
about what I want.
MEG: He grew quiet.

JEFFERY: You never let me be me. I’m sick of it!

MEG: He become louder and louder.

JEFF: She had to understand!

JEFFERY: And I want the benefits. I can’t be your boyfriend for just your social standing. People hate you without me. They don’t want to be friends with you. They only like me.
(MEG and MEGHAN shudder)(JEFFERY and JEFF clench) You were never popular. You never had friends. I never loved you.

MEGHAN: Why then? (chocked with emotion) Why did you date me? Why did you ask me out?

MEG: This stung the most.

JEFF: I wanted to hurt her now, she didn’t get it.

JEFFERY: Because I heard that you were a great screw. Top notch. I never thought that you wouldn’t give into me. You didn’t want to do anything until you made me date you. Made me make you popular, well, you know what Meg-han (emphasis of name) I’m done being your bitch! (very angry now JEFFERY has moved very close to MEGHAN, menacing)

MEG: I was very frightened, I didn’t know what was going to happen.

MEGHAN: Jeffery, you’re scaring me. Can we talk about this? There’s no need to--
(JEFFERY cuts her off)

JEFFERY: I’m sick of being the key to your tortured fantasy. Why did you choose me? I could have done better. I could have tried harder to get more (seemingly talking to himself). I could have had you. (voice raising again, to MEGHAN) I could have had you and then moved on. I wouldn’t have wasted over a year with you.


MORE STUFF!

JEFF: She always used to complain to me about how awful people would treat her. How they would look at her. Didn’t she realize how they pitied her? But then she would smile and forget, like a goldfish, three second memory.

MEG: I don’t block things out anymore. He used to think I was a total ditz. I would just smile when he said something hurtful. Whether it was about me or another person. It hurt. God it hurt.

JEFF: It may have hurt. But couldn’t she see? I had to. How could I not?

MEG: It hurt. It hurts to look. It’s been so long and yet it’s fresh. The wounds are open, festering. Looking throws salt on them. I don’t look because maybe one day it won’t hurt. Maybe one day they won’t judge and talk behind my back. They all know and yet no one cares. They go about their lives smiling and pretending. They know, but smile and forget, three second memory.