Don't Tell Me How To Talk!

Don’t Tell Me How to Talk!

Scene 1 

Talking to best friend Mercedes.

Cianni (Phone Rings) 

Wassup, who this be?

Mercedes 

Girl its Mercedes, what you doing tonight?

Cianni 

Nothing, moms got me up here doing my homework. Why wassup?

Mercedes (putting on mascara, mouth open)

Well theres this frat party, trying to slide? 

Cianni 

Nah man I can’t, moms not going to let me. 

Mercedes 

Dallas gonna be there.

Cianni (sits up in bed)

I’m see what I can do?

Mercedes (cianni puts her on hold) 

Hurry up girl!

Cianni (cianni walks down the steps into the living room where her mom was ) 

Mom can I go over Mercedes? 

Mom

Who is Mercedes & why did you ask so late ? 

Cianni

Mercedes is my friend mom come on, we talked about her before. 

Mom (her mom eyes got wide) 

The girl from the projects?

Cianni

Yes... 

Mom 

Baby I don’t know if I want you to go over there, too many things are happening in the world right now. 

Cianni

Mom please, we’re going to be in the house the whole time. Her mom is just as strict as you are. 

Mom

You better be in the house the whole time, I will be calling you and you better answer. Need any money?

Cianni

Yeah, not a lot though. 

(Cianni walks back to her room and picks up the phone) Cianni

Cedes, you still there?

Mercedes

Yeah, girl what took you so long?

Cianni

Well I did have to convince moms into sleepover your house. 

Mercedes

And?

Cianni

She said yes! I can’t wait to see my baby!

Mercedes

You know I’m a little hurt, you didn’t even want to go if I didn’t mention Dallas. I thought we was better than that. 

Cianni (Laughs)

You so crazy get off my line, I’m going to call you when I get around your way. 

Mercedes

Peace.

Hours later at the frat party Cianni and Dallas are talking outside.

 Dallas

She a nobody yo come on it’s just dancing.

Cianni

The way she was dancing on you looked like sex with clothes on.

Dallas

Babe , seriously? How are you just going to disrespect me like that? That girl is ugly, she’s nothing compared to you...

Dallas 

Okay now I didn’t say you was all that.

(She playfully punched him in his arm) Cianni

Shut up boy!

Dallas

Sike naw but foreal you know I love you right?

Cianni

Yeah I know. 

Dallas

You not going to say it back? Thats cold .

(giggles) Cianni

I love you too Dallas. 

(She kissed him passionately then they went back into the party) 

Scene 2 

Cianni (Picks up phone)

Hi Sarah 

Sarah

Hey Cianni , sorry I called so late but I just wanted to talk 

Cianni

Oh okay , is everything alright?

Sarah

Yes everything fine.

Cianni 

You sure? You seem overly happy right now.

Sarah (laughs)

I am happy , the reason I really called was to see if you wanted to come to a party with me?

Cianni 

Today?

Sarah 

Yes silly!

Cianni (laughs)

I’m going to have to ask my mom, hold on.

Sarah 

Okay, take your time.

(Cianni walks downstairs to where her mom is) Cianni 

Mom Sarah wants me to go to a party with her today ...

Mom

What did I tell you about asking so late to go somewhere? Who is Sarah? Is she white?

Cianni (rolls eye)

You said not to ask so late and yes she’s white and yes she go to my school.

Mom (walks over to the pot on the stove and start stirring the rice)

Oh ... well where is the party?

Cianni 

Around her way in the burbs.

Mom (turn to face her daughter while leaning against the counter)

Are you going ‘cause you sound like you don’t want to?

Cianni 

I mean , yeah I want to get to know them but I feel like if I reveal my true self to them things will change and they will judge me.

Mom 

You can’t always worry about what people have to say about you, that’s not living life honey.

Cianni 

Yeah yeah yeah, easy for you to say.

Mom 

Don’t get smart little girl.

Mom 

Are you going?

Cianni 

I guess.

Mom

I think you should go, it’ll be something different.

Cianni 

You mean talking proper and sipping tea?

Mom 

No I mean not running the streets with that girl Mercedes and try to figure yourself out. You can’t do that stuff your whole life. No no no not in my house. Now go get dress and stop giving me side looks.

(Cianni walks up to her bedroom and retrieve her cell phone) 

Cianni 

Sarah , you still there?

Sarah 

Uh yeah ... what did she say?

Cianni 

She said yeah it was a great idea.

Sarah 

Oh that’s wonderful okay I’m going to pick you up around 7 just tell me where you live.

Cianni 

How about you just meet me around the school. 

Sarah 

Uhh... okay that’s fine. 

Cianni 

Peace.

Sarah 

Huh?

Cianni (laughs)

Oh im sorry I meant bye. 

Hours later at the party

Jonathan (walks out on to the patio)

Hey Cianni. 

Cianni 

Hi Jonathan.

Jonathan 

You looking really scrumptious tonight!

Scene 3

Cianni and Mercedes are sitting on Cianni steps.

Mercedes 

I know you had fun at the party girl, I seen you & dallas walk up the steps. Mhmm what was yall about to do? 

Cianni (rolls her eyes) 

Nothing, leave me alone. 

Mercedes 

Oh no honey child, you’re going to tell me.

Cianni (starts blushing) 

Mercedes 

Don't start holding out on me!

Cianni 

Oh my god nosy, fine we finally did it... like it. 

Mercedes (gasps) 

Why would you do that? You know he kissed shawty at the party? 

Cianni 

Why can’t you just say the girl or her name? Always talking that slang stuff, and no he didn't. He said nothing happened and it was just a dance. 

Mercedes 

I should slap you right now trying to correct me, and a KISS is not just a kiss especially that one and if you're in a relationship & the person you kissed at a FRAT PARTY isn't your girlfriend. 

Cianni

Well did you see it with your own eyes? 

Mercedes 

Dont try to play me like that of course I seen it I’m not blind. Why you think I'm telling you now? 

Cianni (turned to face Mercedes with a confused look) 

So when you seen us walking upstairs why didnt you tell me? 

Mercedes 

I thought y'all was going upstairs to go argue not make up.

Cianni 

Well we did and its all your fault. 

Mercedes 

Now hold up, back up right there that is not my fault that your man didn't tell you wassup. 

Cianni 

As my friend if you see something don't you think you should tell me? Biggest person that gossip around here but you couldn't tell me that. Did that really happen or are you just trying to break us up? Tell me wassup. 

Mercedes 

I dont have to sit here and take this because you're too blind to see that he doesn't want you, he only want one thing . Guess what else? I was the one he was making out with at the party. Peace 

Scene 4

Cianni and Sarah is having a conversation about Dallas.

Sarah 

Why are you crying?

Cianni wipes her eyes

Sarah 

Is it a boy, boyfriend, bestfriend, ex bestfriend, cramps, you ran out of chocolate? What’s wrong sweetie?

Cianni (stops crying and giggles)

Try ex boyfriend and ex bestfriend

Sarah 

She stole your man?

Cianni (eyes widen)

I didn’t know you talk... with slang?

Sarah 

I didn’t mean for it to slip out but yeah I do, its just I thought I would have to change my speaking because of the school we go to, you know people are all fancy here. When you slipped up at the party talking all this slang I knew I can open up to you. 

Cianni (laughs)

I was really drunk huh? 

Sarah (laughs)

Yes you really was.

Cianni 

Good ‘cause all this proper talking is driving me crazy!

Sarah 

Me too girl, but what happened between you and your boyfriend?

Cianni 

Well my ex best friend Mercedes invited me to this frat party and my ex boyfriend was there and we had sex but I just found out that he kissed my friend Mercedes before we did, she has the nerve throw it in my face like it was something to be proud of. 

Sarah (gasps)

Yo she a back stabber! If I was you I would... (Sarah stops talking and goes into her own thoughts)

Hour later Cianni is walking out of her last period of class.

Jonathan (running toward Cianni)

Hey Cianni wait up!

Cianni 

Hey Jon!

Jonathan 

Do you want to go grab something to eat?

Cianni (smiles)

... Sure I would love to.