Characters :

[Whatever] (main character):

[Whatever 2] (sister):
Mother:
Father:
Best friend:
Teacher:
Girl 1:
Girl 2:
Girl 3:

[Whatever] - a 16-year-old girl approaching Secondary 3. Her family life

is a mess. Her father constantly fights with her mother. She feels the
need to protect her younger sister. Because of her unstable family life,
she usually bullies students at school. Although she has great potential,
she never studies and is wasting her life away.
[Whatever 2] - [Whatever]’s younger sister, whom [Whatever] tries to
protect from their father.
Mother - she tries her best to help her daughters emotionally, but is also
under a lot of stress and abuse from the father.
Father - an abusive man who doesn’t work to provide for his family. He
relies on the measly amount of money from his wife’s job and spends his
time at clubs with friends. He doesn’t show any sign of remorse or love
for his family.

ACT 1– “Hell’’

In the girls’ room.

[Whatever]’s bed is messy, and her clothes are scattered on the floor.
[Whatever 2]’s bed is more organised. Nevertheless, the wallpaper is
peeling off, and the edges of the carpet are torn. The room is dark. The
only source of light is the light of the sunset coming from a small window.
[Whatever] and [Whatever 2] are sitting on the floor, huddled over a
colouring book.
The voices of the father and mother could be heard arguing outside.
Father shouts. [Whatever 2] flinches - a terrified look on her face.
[Whatever] (patting her sister and looking at her lovingly): “It’s alright.
There’s no need to be scared. Now, let’s get back to colouring. You’ve
done an amazing job so far.”

[Whatever 2] smiles and colours ferociously.

Door slams open with a loud thud. Father enters - mother hurrying
closely behind him.

Father (shouting furiously): “And what’s this?” He grabs the book from
[Whatever 2]’s hands. “A colouring book? Is that what you waste money
buying?” He turns to his wife, who is still shaking by the door. “And you
dare ask me for more money?”

Mother (stuttering): “Y-yes. The money we have now won’t be enough

to-”

Father: “Nonsense! If you’d only stop buying such useless things, we’d
have enough money to live a life of luxury!”
He tears the colouring book in half, then throws it in [Whatever 2]’s face.
[Whatever 2] looks at the torn book in front of her. Her hands are
shaking, and her breathing is fast and shallow. Tears well up in her eyes.
Her father glares at her from above - a disgusted look on his face.

[Whatever] looks from her sister to her father.

[Whatever] (eyes downcast): “I bought that colouring book with money I
got working part-time.”

The father turns his attention towards her - still the same angry look in
his eyes.
Father: “Oh? Then maybe you should’ve used that money to help this
useless mother of yours.” He walks towards the door. The mother steps
out of the way, hurriedly. “Honestly, if you’ve got so many ways to make
money, then why are you wasting my time?!” He slams the door behind
him.

[Whatever 2] starts crying. Shaking herself, [Whatever] puts her arms

around her sister. The mother hugs the two girls.

Mother (trying to compose herself): “It’s going to be alright. Everything is

gonna be just fine. Have faith.”

Narrator: “My father wasn’t always like this. He used to be so kind and
sweet when I was little. That was until the company he worked for went
bankrupt, and he couldn’t find another job. He kept searching and
searching, but to no avail. And after a while, he gave up. He started
smoking and hanging out with friends late into the night. That’s when his
mood took a turn for the worse, and little by little, he became that. It was
really just sad. I still remembered him before he lost his job, so I knew
how much he really loved his family. But [Whatever 2] was too young to
remember. This was the only father she’d ever known. That was why I
pitied my sister and tried to make it up to her as much as I could. I tried
not to be a burden on our mother as well; she had enough on her plate.”
 ACT 2– “SANCTUARY’’

SCENE 1– School Corridor

The corridor is noisy with students chatting and walking about. Some are
excitedly talking about the latest gossip, while others are looking at the ground
with worry and apprehension. [Whatever] is making her way to class.

Narrator: “School, for me, was a kind of sanctuary - a place safe from the
chaos of my house. But lately, with it always being crowded and noisy, I’d
begun to take my frustrations out on my peers. I’d become the school bully -
and I wasn’t proud of it. Rumours had started circulating about me. People
avoided looking me in the eye. Instead, they whispered behind my back,
thinking I couldn’t hear them. I had no friends in school. My only friend was
[best friend] who lived in [foreign country]. We chatted often and talked about
everything and nothing. She was the only person I could talk to.”

[Whatever] keeps walking down the corridor until she notices three girls from
her class whispering close to the door.

Girl 1 (glancing at [whatever]): “Careful! Miss Drama-queen is coming.”

Girl 2 (chewing a gum): “I don’t get it. Just what is wrong with that girl? She’s
like totally cringe.”
Girl 3 (taking pictures of [Whatever]): “I know, right? Not postable in the least.
Do you see the way she walks? It’s like she owns the place.”
Girl 1 (smirking): “Girl’s got issues - that’s for sure. She glared at me
yesterday for no reason. I mean, what gives?”

[Whatever] stops in front of them, glaring coldly.

[Whatever] (angrily): “Did I now? Then maybe you should get out of my way
before I give you more than just a glare.”
Girl 2 (trying to act tough): “Oh, yeah? What if we don’t?”
[Whatever] (smiling wickedly): “I’m thinking a good punch or two should do
the trick.”

[Whatever] cracks her knuckles. The girls scramble away, muttering under
their breaths.
Girl 3 (gives [Whatever] a glance while walking past her): “Whateves, girl. Get
a life!”

After the girls leave, [Whatever] turns towards the classroom door - a pained
look on her face.

[Whatever] (staring at the floor): “Why do I feel bad right now? They’re the
ones who were talking about me behind my back.”

Narrator: “And that was how I acted day in and day out. Truly despicable. I
really did hate myself back then.”

[Whatever] turns the door knob, and walks inside.

SCENE 2– Classroom

Inside the classroom, the teacher was sitting on his desk, organising some
papers. He notices [Whatever] standing surprised by the door.
Teacher (adjusting his glasses): “Oh, [Whatever]. Come in. Take a seat. I’ve
been waiting for you.”

[Whatever] moves towards her desk and sits down.

[Whatever]: “Usually, you’d be here much later, sir.”
Teacher: “Yes. Well, I needed to get some work done before we started
class.”
[Whatever]: “Oh. I see.”

A long, awkward silence stretched between them.

[Whatever]: “Sir, you said you wanted to talk to me?”
Teacher: “Oh, yes.” He put down the papers and looked at [Whatever]
seriously. [Whatever] gulped. “I heard what just happened out there.”
[Whatever] (avoiding the teacher’s gaze): “They got what they deserved.”
Teacher: “I’ll have you know that under no circumstances is threatening a
student allowed in this school. Neither is physical assault.”
[Whatever] (shouting to defend herself): “I never touched them!”
Teacher (voice calm as ever): “You were about to. And that is unacceptable.”
[Whatever] bites her lower lip and looks down. “Detention. Today. Come see
me after school. Here’s your slip.” He waves a small sheet of paper in the air.
[Whatever] (annoyed but secretly relieved): “Yes, sir.”
[Whatever] walks towards the teacher’s desk and takes her detention slip.
Teacher: “Moving on, would you care to take a look at these papers for me?”
He passes her a few papers.
[Whatever] (staring at them intently): “These are … Oh God!”
Teacher: “Indeed. Horrific, isn’t it? These are your grades this past term,
including the ones from the mid-terms and the most recent mock exam.”
[Whatever] sets the papers down.
Teacher: “Would you mind explaining what I’m looking at here?”
[Whatever] (looking away again): “Sorry, sir.”
Teacher (voice rising): “You’ll need to be more than sorry if you want to get
those grades up. You’ll be sitting your final exams of Secondary 3 this time
next year. With your potential, it’d be a waste if you were to get into a bad
university - or worse, fail it entirely.”
[Whatever] has nothing to say.
Teacher (sitting back and calming down): “You were better than that last year.
I want you to work on yourself more. I know you have it in you.”
[Whatever]: “Yes, sir. I’ll try my best.”
Teacher (relaxing): “Good. I expect nothing less from you.”

[Whatever] makes her way back to her desk, shoulders slumped.

Teacher: “[Whatever]!”
[Whatever] turns and faces her teacher.
Teacher (asking cautiously): “Is everything OK at home?”
[Whatever] (smiling cheerfully): “Yes. Everything is perfectly fine.”

Narrator: “That day, the teacher looked like he had more to say. Thankfully,
he was stopped when the rest of the class walked in. He was always more
perceptive than necessary. He saw right through my tough act. It was
bothersome - and a little bit embarrassing. About my grades, saying they were
awful is an understatement. But, at that point, I couldn’t care less. ‘It was more
trouble than it’s worth,’ that’s what I thought. I’d only realise later how wrong I
was. Before I knew it, the bell rang - signalling the end of the day - and it was
time for my detention.