The (Almost) True Story of Hope Winter (A Musical) Read online

Scene 6

  HOPE walks across the stage, JAYDIN stops her.

  Jaydin: Hey, my name is-

  Hope: Jaydin. I know you.

  Jaydin: Oh, I uh-

  Hope: It’s a long story.

  Jaydin: This is stupid, like really stupid but can I ask you a stupid question?

  Hope: I don’t believe in stupid questions.

  Jaydin: Are you okay?

  Hope: Except that one.

  Jaydin: Look, I know this must all be so hard on you and all.

  Hope: Yeah, no kidding.

  Jaydin: Answer me, though. Are you okay?

  Hope: Am I okay? No, I’m not okay. Bree Flanders killed herself and it’s my fault.

  Jaydin: Wait, what? How is it your fault?!

  Hope: I’m the one who didn’t do anything to stop it!

  Jaydin: That doesn’t make it your fault.

  Hope:

  If I would’ve smiled at her more

  If I hadn’t looked at the floor when she walked by

  Maybe she’d be alive now

  If I had smiled at her more

  If I hadn’t spilled Ally’s secrets

  If I would’ve stayed in the royals

  Maybe she wouldn’t be dead right now

  Don’t you think that’s a reason

  Just a reason

  For me to be at fault

  Jaydin: No not at all

  Hope:

  Jaydin you’re foolish

  You’re stupid

  You’re dumb

  I can’t believe that you don’t see it

  Jaydin:

  You think that I’m stupid

  You think that I’m dumb

  You think I’m a fool because I believe in you

  I guess I am stupid, I guess so

  Hope it’s not your decision

  Her life is not in your hands and vice versa

  She is not your fault and you are not yours

  Hope you’re being so silly

  Calm down and breathe with me

  Breathe in out

  In out

  In out

  Repeat after me

  I am not the one to blame

  Hope:

  I am not the one to blame

  Jaydin:

  Exactly now calm down

  Hope:

  I am calmed down

  Both:

  Bree’s dead and that’s not your/my decision

  Bree’s dead and that’s not my/your fault

  Hope:

  Thank you for helping me I’m sorry for being so silly

  Bree’s dead, and I am so helpless

  But I know that it’s not my fault

  Thank I’m breathing but I am not fine

  I don’t know what to do and I am afraid

  Both:

  Bree’s dead

  Jaydin:

  And I am so sorry

  Both:

  Bree’s dead

  Jaydin:

  And youre not at fault

  Both:

  Bree’s dead

  Jaydin:

  And you can always call me

  Cause I know that this must be so hard on you

  I’m sorry for all this stuff you have to go through

  And you can always call me

  I gotta go but just call me

  HOPE, in a whirlwind of emotion of her crush just talking to her yells out

  Hope: I like you!

  Jaydin:

  I’ve liked you too

  JAYDIN exits.

  Blackout

  Scene 7

  DEPRESSION and HOPE stand alone on stage. HOPE is laying down on her bed trying to sleep and DEPRESSION stands behind her. HAPPINESS is on stage but watching, helpless.

  Depression: Y’know, Hope. I thought you’d be, I don’t know. A little better, after all this. Turns out you’re weaker than I thought. You should skip your date with Jaydin tomorrow. Do you really want to betray John like that? You know you still love him.

  Hope: Do I still love John?

  Depression: You’re head over heels for him, and you’re heartbroken over him. Why would you string Jaydin along when you’re in love with John?

  You are nothing, you are nothing and you don’t deserve to sleep

  You are useless you are stupid, please don’t bother counting sheep

  Don’t tell me you are done being all alone

  I am the voice that tells you not to forgive

  I am the voice that tells you you shouldn’t live

  You don’t deserve them

  The girl inside you is afraid

  The girl inside you is a little wimp

  So don’t fight me

  Just listen to me

  Let the girl burn, let the girl burn.

  Let the girl rot away and stay with me

  I understand you Hope. I understand you

  Let the girl die, let the girl die

  Let the girl burn into ashes and stay with me

  You’ll never have them

  You spilled Ally’s secrets

  And now you must pay

  You’ll love John for the rest of your days

  You don’t deserve them

  The girl inside you is afraid

  The girl inside you is a little wimp

  So don’t fight me

  Just listen to me

  Let the girl burn, let the girl burn.

  Let the girl rot away and stay with me

  I understand you Hope. I understand you

  Let the girl die, let the girl die

  Let the girl burn into ashes and stay with me

  Stay with me

  Hope, darling stay with me

  Let the girl burn, let the girl burn.

  Let the girl rot away and stay with me

  I understand you Hope. I understand you

  Let the girl die, let the girl die

  Let the girl burn into ashes and stay with me

  Stay with me

  Hope: I am not my depression. I am not my fear. I am not my feelings of inferiority. I am my own person. I am Hope friggin’ Winter. I am alone sometimes, and I am afraid sometimes but I am my own person. I am not my emotion, nor my lack thereof. I am a writer. I am a friend. I am a good friend. And you know what. (HOPE stands up.) I am free.

  For the first time in the show, DEPRESSION leaves the stage, but so does HAPPINESS. Signifying that HOPE is not her emotions.

  Hope: I am free.

  Hope:

  I stand alone

  I stand freely

  I stand unhappy

  But somehow satisfied

  I stand alone

  I stand worried

  I stand scared

  But I know I will be fine

  I'm fine

  I've stood lonely

  Surrounded by people I thought I loved

  I've stood happy

  But fearful in the hands of girls that don't budge

  So now It's me

  Me

  Just me

  Alone

  But I am good

  By myself

  All alone

  Now it's them

  Me against them

  But I am good

  By myself

  All alone

  And maybe I'm born with it

  Maybe I'm fluent in the language I write

  I stand here not dolled up

  Not in anothers eyes

  And

  For forever

  I thought I needed you

  And forever I thought you needed me too

  And forever I will remember you

  For forever

  For forever

  I will stand alone

  And forever I'll stay how I have grown

  And forever I'm colder to the bone

  For forever

  For forever

  I'll be the girl that all the boys want because I'll be fourteen

  And I guess that's not an adul
t.

  In high school, everything changes

  Just like has for forever

  Who am I? Now that the world is crumbling

  For forever

  Where were you? When I was feeling-

  Numb. It's a feeling but I can't feel a thing

  (YOUNG HOPE ENTERS)

  Young Hope:

  One day I'll be the girl who gets on the kickball teams

  Both:

  For forever

  Blackout

  End of Act II

  End of show