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Its About Loving Yourself More

Cast of Characters:

AMINA: 24- year- old dark- skinned woman, practical, responsible, gives her all to people she loves

CHRISTAIN: 26- year- old dark- skinned man, creative, aloof, inattentive

Setting: An apartment bedroom with a large window and a queen- sized bed with a blue comforter, clear that someone is packing with clothes on the bed, closet and drawers open, the door to the room is left open as they enter and exit


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A young 24-year-old woman stands at a queen- sized bed with suitcases open and clothes strewn across the bed. She goes back and forth from the closet and dresser, putting things into the suitcases in a hurried manner.

She occasionally swipes at the traitorous tears that keep spilling from her red- rimmed eyes.

Christian: Baby! I’m home and I brought dinner.

The woman, Amina, pauses at the sound of the man’s voice before resuming her packing more quickly than before.

Christian: Hey, Mina. (he looks at the status of her packing) What’s going on? You going on a trip or something?

Amina: No. (she avoids looking at him)

Christian: So whatchu packing for?

Amina: I’m leaving.

Christian: What do you mean? Leaving? Leaving me?

Amina: Yeah. I think it’s for the best.

Christian: So, what? You’re breaking up with me?

Amina: Yes. I am and I am moving out today.

Christian: Why? What happened?

Amina stops packing and finally looks at the man she has been with for the last three years.

Amina: I can’t do this anymore.

Christian: Do what? Be with me?

Amina: Yes, exactly. I can’t be with you anymore, Chris. I can’t keep doing it.

Christian: But why? (he says in a pained voice)

Amina looks down and swipes at the tears again. She continues packing but this time her hands shake.

Christian: Amina. Why are doing this? I love you. I thought you loved me, too.

Amina: Do you though? Do you actually love me or is that just something you keep saying?

Christian: What are saying? Of course, I love you.

Amina: You sure have a funny way of showing. ( she says this with a dry laugh)

Christian: Oh c’mon.

Christian takes the shirt out of the top of her suitcase. Amina grabs it and puts it back. Christian takes it out again and Amina puts it back. The pair go back and forth with the shirt before Christian throws it across the room.

Christian: Amina. You’re over- reacting and being dramatic and a goddamn crybaby. Whatever it is, we can fix it.

Amina: No, we can’t. (she calmly walks across the room and picks her shirt up putting it back in her almost full suitcase)

Christian stands with his hands on his hips, unable to believe what he is hearing.

Amina: Look, Christian. I can’t keep pretending that everything is fine. You never take anything I say seriously. You’re constantly telling me that what I am doing is wrong. I make one little mistake and you have to mention it repeatedly. I – I feel like I have to walk on eggshells every time you’re home. Like I can never really be my true self with you anymore.

Christian: Baby, that’s not true. You’re just upset. Maybe you should sleep on it.

Amina: No. I have been sleeping on it for days. I’m done always wondering about your intentions and if you really mean what you say. There is no reason that I should have to beg you to love me. Asking for compliments or for you to spend time with me or for you to hold my hand or something. You never do anything. I can’t do it anymore, Christian. I deserve more. I deserve better and you can’t give it to me.

Christian: No. No. (he walks closer to her, trying to look her in her eyes) I can do better. I can be better. I’ll do whatever you want. I don’t know if I can live without you. (he grabs her hand)\

Amina: No, you can’t. How many times have I asked you to love me the way I know I need to be loved? How many conversations do we have to have about the same damn thing? It’s repetitive, annoying, and exhausting. You say you’re gonna change but we both know that you won’t. (she pulls her hand from his grasp) You aren’t ready to give me your full self. You aren’t ready for the relationship that I want, that I need, that I deserve. And that’s fine. But I am not going to sit around and wait anymore.

Amina puts the last of her clothes in the suitcase and zips it up. She places the suitcases on the floor by the door, ready for her to leave.

Christian: So that’s it? You’re just done? We aren’t even going to talk about it? We’ve been together for three years and in the span of fifteen minutes, you’re ending it?

Amina: I have been done for a long time. You just haven’t noticed because you don’t care enough.

Christian: I do care about you! (he says this loudly and defensively)

Amina: I am sure you do. But you don’t care enough. (she emphasizes the last word) You don’t care enough. You don’t love me enough. You belittle me and ignore me. You treat me as if it is a privilege for me to be here. You are no longer present in this relationship. So even after three years, three years that I spent thinking you were my future, I have to be strong enough to end it. I have to be selfish and think about myself, because you have taken so many pieces of me that I may never get back. I love you, but I have to love me more. You changed me in ways that I never wanted to be changed, Christian. And I am not going to let you keep doing it.

At that moment the doorbell rings and a quick succession of three knocks on the door follows.

Amina: That’s Laney. I’m gonna be staying with her for a while.

Amina turns to grab her bags and when she turns back, she finds Christian down on one knee, blocking her exit.

Amina: Chris, what the hell are you doing?

Christian: Marry me, Mina. We can be good again. I can be good again. I love you and I can’t lose you. Please. (his voice is full of pain as he begs)

Amina stares dumbfounded at the man on the floor and shakes her head.

Amina: I don’t want to be married to you. It won’t be any different.

Christian: Yes, it will. Just say yes. We can get married however you want. I love you and I am so, so sorry that it has taken me this long to see you. To see that you just want to get married.

Amina stares at Chris. Their eyes are locked as she takes a tentative step towards him and opens her mouth. The moment is interrupted by another, more impatient knock at the front door. Amina shakes her head as if clearing cobwebs and grabs the rest of her stuff.

Amina: This isn’t what I want. This isn’t what you want either. We are done, Christian. No more negotiating, no more begging, just done. I’ll be in touch about the lease and bills, but other than that, this is it.

Amina gives Christian a quick good- bye kiss on his tear- stained cheek and a sad smile.

Amina: Good- bye, Chris.

Christian stands from his kneeled position, in complete shock. He walks over to his dresser and takes something from the top drawer. The front door slams closed, and he sinks down onto the bed he once shared with Amina. His shoulders slump as he turns the ring box over and over in his hand, the heartbreak hitting him in the chest.

End Scene