Wrong Side of the Street by Sapphire Hughes (best free ebook reader TXT) 📕

Wrong Side of The Street

Characters

Daniel Crawley- A gay Sixth-Form student, boyfriend of Tristan and best friend of Amethyst. Bullied because of his sexuality.
‘Amethyst’ Felicity Anderson- A Goth student and best friend of Daniel. Bullied and suffers because of it.
Tyler Hughes- Leader of a gang. Torments Daniel and Amethyst but suffers the consequences of his actions.
Roxanne Bailey- Tyler’s girlfriend. Bullies Amethyst to look cool in front of Tyler.
Ralph- A ex-police officer and friend of Amethyst’s Mom.
‘Amethyst’s Mom’ Mrs Anderson- Became pregnant after having an affair with a married man, only for him to abandon her with a baby in poverty. Unaware of bullying and thinks her daughter’s withdrawal is due to teenage pregnancy.
Tristan- Daniel’s boyfriend and a friend of Amethyst. Offers others helpful advices.
Flex Ravens- A newcomer to the estate. Lodges with Amethyst and her Mum only to join Tyler’s
gang so he can look cool.
Mrs. Greenwich- A teacher at Daniel’s school.
Vicar- Preacher at St. Matthew’s Church
Intercom- Intercom at Tube Station


Scene 1- The Street
Daniel: It was the autumn of 2006. Our estate was the place everyone in east London tried to avoid, but you couldn’t blame them. There wasn’t a house that didn’t have a broken window, and there wasn’t a patch of yellowing grass not littered with used syringes. Kids born on the estate had no hope for the future, no dreams to keep them going strong and some even had no family to support them. Unsurprisingly then, that most turned to drugs, or gang crime. So how did I end up in that hell-hole? The reason was I was one of the underprivileged few who didn’t have a choice. The name’s Daniel Crawley by the way. In the year in question, I was seventeen. Having grown tired of her loveless marriage, Mom ran off with her sexy yoga teacher, and we never heard from her again. Heartbroken, Dad sought refuge from his grief in the bottle, drinking himself half-blind. Four months later, he crashed his car in a drunken road accident so the court ruled that he attend rehab or rot in jail for a couple of years. With the family home repossessed, I desperately needed a place to stay whilst I studied for my A Levels. The money I scraped in stacking shelves at Super-Save was barely enough to support myself. Then my boyfriend Tristan, who was at Middlesex University two Tube stops away at the time, gave me an offer I was too poor to refuse; a half-decent flat on the estate. The trouble started when I agreed to walk to school with my new neighbour’s daughter.

(Brief music)

Daniel: Hurry up or we’ll be late!

Amethyst: Just a minute, I’m making some final adjustments.

Daniel: I’m pretty sure you look fine, now hurry up.

(Amethyst emerges)

Amethyst: How do I look?

Daniel: Beautiful, now come on.

(Sound of footsteps walking)

Amethyst: I want to thank you, Daniel. You’re the only person who will walk with me to school, especially since we only met when you first moved in last week. Mom thinks it’s safer to travel in pairs what with the rising gang crime around here.

Daniel: Oh, it’s no problem Felicity.

Amethyst: My name is not Felicity. It’s Amethyst.

Daniel: But your Mom calls you Felicity.

Amethyst: That’s because Felicity is my birth name. My true spiritual name is Amethyst, after my Sacred Stone. I read about it in Dark Powers magazine.

Daniel: Well, I prefer the name Felicity, but if you really want, I’ll call you Amethyst.

Amethyst: You’re a hell of a lot nicer than most people; everybody at school hates me.

Daniel: Oh, come on. That sounds like a bit of an exaggeration. You seem pretty nice.

Amethyst: They all think I’m strange. The way they look at me; it’s like I’m an alien.

Daniel: Just because you wear dark make-up, dress in black and believe in vampires doesn’t mean you’re from Mars. If anyone tries to push you around, just tell them to back off.

Tyler: (In the distance) Hey guys, look, it’s the crazy witch.

Amethyst: Oh no, they spotted me.

Daniel: Who? Them hoodies over by the bus stop.

Amethyst: Just copy what I’m doing. Keep your head down and carry on walking. Oh no, too late, their coming towards us.

Tyler: Hey Freak, I thought I told you to go mess up somewhere else.

Amethyst: Tyler, I’m only walking to school.

Tyler: (Copying Amethyst’s voice) ‘I’m only walking to school’.

(The gang laughs.)

Daniel: Dude, back off and leave her alone.

Tyler: Ohhhhh, think you’re so tough then, do ya? (To Amethyst) Hey witch, finally got yourself a boyfriend, though I don’t know how anyone could make-out with you without vomiting.

Daniel: Actually, I’m gay.

Roxy: Oh, so now we’re dealing with a queer. Queers don’t belong here.

Tyler: Roxy’s right. This is our territory, and we make it our job to keep queers like you from screwing the place up.

Daniel: Your territory? This is a free country; you don’t write the rules, besides this place doesn’t need much more screwing up, since it is a dump just the way it is.

Tyler: Think you’re such a wise guy, eh? You’re going to find out who the boss is once I bust your face in.

(Tyler punches Daniel. Amethyst screams. Tyler and Daniel start fighting)

Amethyst: Get off him! Leave him alone!

Roxy: Shut your trap. Tyler’s showing your friend what happens when he messes with us.

Amethyst: No! Stop! Please! Somebody help!

Ralph: HEY!!!

(Gunshot. Moment of silence)

Tyler: Officer Ralph, we’re just giving lady-boy here a welcome gift.

Ralph: Tyler Hughes, you’d better back off him now or you and your gang are going straight down.

Tyler: (Tauntingly) Ralph, you’re not a cop anymore, you retired after some psycho shot you in the leg, remember? Now put that shotgun away before somebody gets hurt.

Ralph: This isn’t a game, Tyler, and I’m warning you; leave him alone, or you’ll be spending the night in a cell.

Tyler: Okay, because you asked ever so nicely, I’m going to let him off this time. (To Daniel) You hear that lady-boy? This is your lucky day. (To his gang) Come on gang, we can grab a few beers and crash at my place.

Ralph: Just remember; I’ll be keeping an eye on you, Tyler Hughes.

Tyler: (Voice fading away) See if I care…

Roxy: (Voice fading away) Yeah, see if we care…

(Tyler, Roxy and the gang exits.)

Ralph: Felicity, I mean Amethyst, are you alright?

Amethyst: Yes, but Daniel…

Daniel: I’m fine, it’s just…my head hurts like hell and feels like it’s bleeding.

Ralph: Come on, I’ll take you back to Felicity’s house. Then I’ll call the school and tell them you’re both having a sick day off.

(Brief music)


Scene 2- Amethyst’s House

Amethyst: Hold still whilst I put this ice on your cut.

Daniel: How long have those guys been picking on you?

Amethyst: (Sighing) Two years.

Daniel: Have you told your Mum about it?

Amethyst: She’s got enough on her plate; she was made redundant a few weeks ago and the landlord’s threatening to kick us out if she doesn’t pay the rent by the end of the month. I don’t think she could cope with this as well.

Daniel: What about your Dad?

Amethyst: I never knew my Dad. When Mum was nineteen, she tried to raise the money for college by cleaning for a wealthy couple up in Knightsbridge. Then one day, the husband, who was some kinda flashy businessman, came home early and, while his wife was out, leaned over the kitchen counter Mum was dusting and kissed her. The affair only lasted a week or two, but Mum felt too powerless to resist his charm and actually believed he cared about her. He made up all these crazy stories about running away together, only as soon as she told him she was pregnant, he threw her out and wanted nothing more to do with her. She’s had to look after me on her own ever since.

Daniel: Oh my God. I’m really sorry.

(Ralph enters)

Ralph: Felicity, I’ve called your Mum and she’ll be home in half an hour.

Amethyst: You told her! But you promised...

Ralph: Calm down, I didn’t mention anything about the bullying. All I said was you and Daniel had a run-in with some young ruffians and one got into a fight with Daniel, so you’re very upset. But you know you’re going to have to tell her someday. It looks like Tyler isn’t going to leave you alone anytime soon.

Amethyst: I know...I’m just not ready.

Ralph: Daniel, are you okay? You can stay here if you like.

Daniel: Thank you for everything, but I’d better go home. I’m cooking dinner for my boyfriend Tristan tonight. (To Amethyst) Hope you’ll be alright Amethyst, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow for the school walk.

Amethyst: Okay; goodbye.

(Daniel exits. Amethyst’s Mum enters. Sound of door opening and slamming.)

Mum: I’m home. Oh Felicity darling, Ralph told me about the incident. Are you hurt?

Amethyst: I’m fine. I think I’m gonna go to my room and listen to music.

Mum: Oh, wait...

(Amethyst runs upstairs. Sound of distant heavy metal music.)

Mum: Ralph, haven’t you noticed Felicity’s been acting so strangely recently? Well, stranger than normal?

Ralph: She’s a teenager. It’s hormonal.

Mum: Hormonal teenagers throw tantrums, make impossible demands, stay up all night with their mates and argue with their parents about the slightest thing. Felicity isn’t like that; she’s withdrawn, isolated, never goes out and shuts herself away in that cramped, untidy room of hers. Sometimes when I walk past the door I think I can even hear her crying.

Ralph: If something is bothering her, she will talk to you about it.

Mum: That’s the thing; I’m worried she never will. Ralph...I think she’s pregnant.

Ralph: Come on Patricia, be reasonable here…

Mum: Think about it, when I was pregnant with her, I hid myself away and refused to tell anyone. And to think, I raised my Felicity hoping she wouldn’t make the same mistake I did. I want a better life for her, Ralph, but she’s throwing it all away.

Ralph: Look, you’re completely over-reacting. If you and Felicity just talked once in a while, instead of going your separate ways all the time, maybe she would pluck up the courage to tell you what’s getting her down.

Mum: If only it was that simple...

(Mum exits. Brief music.)


Scene 3- Daniel’s Flat
(Sound of food frying. Tristan sneaks up on Daniel)

Tristan: Hey baby.

Daniel: Steady on, Tristan, I nearly dropped the pan.

Tristan: Utterly delicious...and the food seems pretty good too.

Daniel: Easy tiger. I’m making your favourite; spicy chicken casserole.

Tristan: Scrummy, my little Nigela Lawson. Now, will you turn around so I can see your pretty face?

(Daniel sighs and turns