SCENE 3

At the Heron residence and North Shore High School.

Enter CADY HERON.

CADY How did it come to be, my very first

Friends, kindlier than any since my birth,

Have made me feel life’s out of my control?

This situation is a bitter pill.

The phone rings and CADY answers it. Enter REGINA GEORGE aside, on the phone.

REGINA I know thy secret. Say, is it thy will

To make a stale of me amongst these mates?

CADY [aside:] Alack! Am I so suddenly discover’d?

Shall I apologize? Begin to cry?

Nay, calm remain until thou knowest all.

[To Regina:] A secret? What is this of which thou speak’st?

REGINA Sweet Gretchen said thou likest Aaron Samuels.

Nor care I, truly—do whate’er thou will’st.

Let me speak honestly of Aaron’s traits:

He careth but for mother, school, and friends.

CADY Yet, is this bad?

REGINA     —If thou lik’st him, ’tis well.

Wouldst thou have me speak to him, for thy sake?

CADY Wouldst thou be so kindhearted, e’en for me?

Thou shalt say naught embarrassing, I hope.

REGINA Nay, trust my wisdom, Cady. ’Tis a game

In which I ever hold the upper hand.

Yet ere thou goest, tell me: art thou mad

That Gretchen told me of thy fondness for him?

CADY No, never.

REGINA       —An thou art, pray tell me so.

’Twas base and baseless both for her to do.

Enter GRETCHEN WIENERS above, on balcony, on the phone.

CADY ’Twas base, indeed, and yet I hold no grudge.

Belike she doth enjoy attention’s spotlight.

REGINA Thou hearest, Gretchen? Thus I said to thee:

Our Cady is not angry at thine act.

GRETCHEN Thou thinkest I enjoy attention’s spotlight?

The rudeness that appear’d in me have I

Learned from my entertainment at thy hands.

CADY [aside:] Regina trapp’d me in a rigid vise.

REGINA Good even, ladies. We’ll meet on the morrow.

[Exeunt Regina and Gretchen. Cady walks to school.

CADY I have endur’d a three-way calling strike,

Yet also found a diamond in the rough:

Regina’s blessing given, I may speak

To Aaron further, that we closer draw.

Enter AARON SAMUELS.

’Twas on October third he ask’d the date—

By calendar, not for a date, I mean.

’Twas two weeks later when we spake again.

AARON The rain doth fall.

CADY [aside:]     —O, observation plain.

[To Aaron:] Indeed it doth, with drops both wet and falling.

[Aside:] This budding romance must progress apace,

Lest our small play extendeth many hours.

Mine instincts shall I follow—my affections

Are then most humble; I have no ambition

To see a goodlier man. [To Aaron:] Say, canst thou help?

These math equations lose me utterly.

[Aside:] I am not lost, yet shall be so for him.

AARON Indeed.

CADY [aside:]   —Quite clear is Madam Norbury.

I’ve no need of his help, but for my heart.

AARON Factorial it is, so multiply

Each one by n.

CADY [aside:]  —’Tis wrong. [To Aaron:] Is’t the summation?

AARON Forsooth, they are the selfsame.

CADY [aside:]   —Wrong again.

The lad’s so wrong, yet so right for my love.

[To Aaron:] My thanks, ’tis clearer now that thou hast help’d.

AARON Tonight, a party for All Hallows’ Eve

Shall happen at the house of my friend Chris.

Wilt thou go thither?

CADY     —Yea, with all delight.

[Aaron hands Cady a piece of paper.

AARON The address thou mayst find upon this sheet.

It is a costume ball, and many who

Attend do make the most of their attire.

CADY I understand and shall with joy attend.

AARON The sheet admitteth but one person only—

I prithee, bring no paramour withal.

CADY Grool. O! The word intended to be “cool,”

Yet mix’d with “great” before it pass’d my lips.

AARON ’Tis grool, indeed. I shall see thee tonight.

[Exit Aaron.

Enter KEVIN GNAPOOR.

KEVIN Hail, Africa. Shalt thou attend the meeting?

The Mathletes shall begin our work today,

And thou art critical to our equation.

CADY Wait thou a moment and I shall return.

[Exit Kevin.

’Twas lying, saying this to Kevin here.

Yet I must homeward to create a costume,

For Aaron said to make the most of it.

What horrid monster shall I be tonight?

Mayhap a werewolf with long fangs and snout,

And claws to make all Baskerville afraid?

Perchance I shall in green conceal my face,

Like frightful monster made by Frankenstein?

Or, peradventure, I shall be a witch,

With warts and spells to work my classmates woe!

A-ha, I know! I’ll be a zombie bride.

Such fun—I cannot wait till eventide!

[Exit Cady.