It is always good to practice your craft… I am practising  fiction, using dialogue, in the style of a play 😉

Play for another day – Secrets

The scene – Amy and Beth are twenty-something flat mates and best friends. Every other Friday evening they get together to gossip, share a meal and a bottle of wine.

Tonight they are sitting at the wooden kitchen table. Beth pours them both a glass of red and then tells Amy she knows a secret.

Act one and only

Amy – Come on. Stop holding out. Just tell me.

Beth – I can’t. If I did it would cease to be a secret. Don’t you know anything?

Amy – I know that you are a tease. Why’d you mention the secret if you weren’t going to spill the beans?

Beth – Ooh, baked ones. With a touch of spicy sauce. Yum!

Amy – Now you are just being silly and trying to change the subject. Not a nice thing to do, particularly as you know I’m hungry.

Beth – Well, why don’t you start on the dinner then. I’m starving, and it’s your turn to cook.

Amy – I am not doing anything until you tell me the secret.

Beth – Ah, damn. Now you are holding my stomach to ransom. You’re so mean. OK then… Jess told me she sucked off her Boss.

Amy – What? The new guy, with the sparkling eyes?

Beth – Yes, I suppose.

Amy – What do you mean ‘I suppose’?  He’s her boss now, so it must have been him.

Beth – Well, if she had given her boss a blow-job it would be him. But she hasn’t. Not that I know of, anyway.

Amy – But that’s the secret. You just told me.

Beth – I didn’t say it was the secret. I just said that’s what Jess did. But I was lying, trying to get you cooking.

Amy – You were lying! So it wasn’t ‘the secret’ – it was a stinking lie?

Beth – Yep.

Amy – Well. Bloody damn you. Just tell me the truth. (Amy scowls.)

Beth – The truth… Lisa told me she wants her and Dan to have a kid.

Amy – Oh my goodness. Really? They have just got together. That’s a bit soon to be making life-changing decisions. But they are adults after all.

So, do you want spag-bol or lasagna?

Beth – Lasagna would be nice.  (Beth smiles as Amy gets up and starts to make supper.)

Amy – OK and don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone the secret.

Beth – You can tell who you want. She won’t mind. Apparently Dan is up for it too.

(Amy stops the meal preparations.)

Amy – But you said it’s a secret.

Beth – No, I didn’t. You asked me to tell you the truth. Well, that is true. Lisa called me the other day and mentioned it. I didn’t say it was a secret.

Amy – Bloody hell gal. Do you want any fucking dinner or what? The secret… What is it?

Beth – I can’t tell you. Cause then it won’t be a secret. You’re really stubborn, you know.

Amy – I’m stubborn. That’s the pot calling the kettle black.

Beth – OK, keep your hair on. No secrets are going to be shared tonight. Let’s ring for a takeaway.

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First published just over 2 years ago. Updated for 2021.