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My Skin

By: Brijeanae Darrolyn

 

Adaptation of BIG GRRRL SMALL WORLD BY LIZZO

 

   

*Candace comes rushing through the backdoor of the office with

tears in her eyes. She plops down in her seat simultaneously

dropping her longboard.*

 

*The girls around the office look around at each other. Stacy

comes from behind her desk and makes eye contact with

Candace. Signaling her to come outside with her. Stacy grabs

her nickel board from behind her desk and then walks outside.*

 

                  STACY
The rest of you can mind yours and get those boards out of the closet.

    

 

                  STACY
         Umm… Today please!

 

*Candace grabs her arbor board from the floor and makes her

way out the door following behind Stacy*

 

*Stacy sits on the yellow swing centered under the gazebo to

the left of the office door*

 

                  STACY
         So what’s going on Candy? You know I don’t do tears unless you’re bleeding from bailing off that arbor.

 

*Candace drops her head back and releases an ungodly sigh.*

                  CANDACE
         Tina was just being a dick. Nothin new, I’ll be fine.

 

                  STACY
         Just because it isn’t new doesn’t make it okay. What’d she do to you? I hope she didn’t put her hands on you? Candy..?

 

                  CANDACE
         No..no she didn’t touch me! I swear on my grandma! Honest. It’s just the shit she says to me everyday. But today hit different.

 

                  STACY
We’ve gone over this. If they can’t treat you right…

 

*Candace picks her head up and looks over at Stacy. She begins

to spin her board between the palms of her hands.*

 

                  CANDACE
         I should leave’em tonight…

 

                  STACY
         That’s right! You are a brilliant and gorgeous girl Candy. Too smart to be dealing with a trick named Tina.

 

                  STACY
         So what was it about today? You coming to skate with us again? Or not skipping class to kick it?

 

                  CANDACE
She said something about me getting dark since the suns been out! Like…come on I can’t help that.

 

                  CANDACE
         My face and arms are darker though…maybe she’s right. It makes me look ugly.

 

                  STACY
REALLY?! Now Candy, I constantly tell you girls about people that try and make you feel like that.If they shame us for

our skin, they don’t deserve our time and energy.

 

*Candace puts her board down and places her right foot on it.

Moving it back and forth.*

 

                  CANDACE
    Yes I know, but I do love her Stacy. There is no denying that. Well at least I think I do.

 

                  STACY
         If she loves you back she wouldn’t comment on your complexion honey.That’s facts baby.

 

                  CANDACE
         I guess you have a point.

 

                  STACY
         I know I do. And if you love yourself first, you don’t have to depend on the next person’s love.

 

*Stacy gets up from the rock dusting off her butt and hands.

She walks toward Candace with her arm out to pat Candace’s

back. She picks up her board and holds it on her hip.*

 

                  STACY
So anything else you want to chat about,hun? Or can we head over to the waterfront now? The girls are in there waiting on us.

 

*Candy looks at Stacy with kind eyes and smiles. Stacy smiles back and waves her hand towards the building.*

 

                  STACY
Head in there and tell them to be out here with their boards ready to go in one minute!

 

                  CANDACE
         Alright, I can do that.

 

*Candace smiles again, then goes to the office door and yanks it

open. All the girls look over at her surprised. Candace leans

on the door.*

 

                  CANDACE
         Let’s roll yall!

 

                  STACY 
Now I could’ve done that myself! Come on ladies we’ve got some ground to cover before it’s too dark to see the cracks!

 

*Stacy walks near Candace, hands her the board and puts her

hand on her shoulder. She gets her keys out of her pocket to

lock the door as the last girl shuffles out.*

 

*Stopping at the door Lily pauses in front of Stacy.*

 

                  LILY
    Can we bring the speaker Stacy?

 

                  STACY
Sure, if it’s all charged up and you carry it!

 

                  CANDACE
 It should be. I charged it up last Thursday Lily!

 

                  STACY
  Well there’s your answer! Now hurry up we’re a little behind yall!

 

*Lily turns around and jogs back in over to the

cabinet. She tries to open it but it’s locked. She gives it a

good pull and has no luck.*

 

                  LILY
  Stacy, it’s locked. Can I have the key?

 

                  STACY
         I don’t know…can you?

 

*Candace looks back at the other girls and they start to

laugh.*

 

                  LILY
         May I have the key please?

 

                  STACY
         Now that’s the way honey!

 

*Stacy tosses the lanyard across the office to Lily. Lily

catches them, then quickly unlocks and swings the right side of the cabinet open.She grabs the red bluetooth speaker. Then closes and locks the

cabinet again*

 

               STACY

We’re going to be here all day messing around with yall! Can we bounce?

 

*Stacy looks over at Candace and gives her a quick wink with a

head nod. Candace picks her board up and steps in front of

the other girls*

 

                  CANDACE
LET’S ROLL!

 

*All the girls get on their skateboards and make their way to

the end of the corner. Candace lets them get in front of her

and stands next to Stacy. They walk behind the other girls

with their boards. Candace turns to Stacy and hugs her as

tight as she can. Face buried in her chest*

 

                  CANDACE
Thank you Stacy. You are the realest of the real. And I won’t forget a word you said.

 

STACY

Good. You know how I feel about repeating myself! Now go on and catch up to them, I’ll be right behind you.

 

*Candace puts down her board and cruises on to catch up with

the other girls. She looks back at Stacy and signals her to

hurry up with a warm smile on her face. Stacy puts down her

nickel board and quickly skates to the group*