A Fourth to Break the Triangle
A play by

Cass Lyles

Set in a small city during November.

Characters:
Tyler:         A tall, pale, in shape kid who wears basketball shorts and graphic t shirts. His hair fringes past his eyes. His age is just fresh into adulthood, eighteen years old and high school dropout. He has a depressive attitude. He is unloyal to his fiancée, Lana, as he is sinister to others. He is secretive of his relationship with Madison and is fiercely jealous of anyone who steals her attention away from him.

Madison:      A short pale teenage girl who is sixteen years old who wears all black and
has straight hair and no makeup. She is completely in love with Tyler. She is willing to do anything to get his attention, even if it means making him jealous. She is best friends with Alicia and is friends with Lana as well. Her personality includes fickleness, awkwardly weird, bipolar tone. She has depression to some degree.

Alicia          Also fresh into adulthood of eighteen years old. She is averaged height.
Wears skinny jeans and graphic t shirts. Pale and wears makeup often. She is best friends with Madison. Alicia finds about the secret love between Madison and Tyler and holds in guilt of knowing so. She wants to tell her other friend, Lana, but she doesn’t know if that is the right solution; she hates being in the middle of the situation. She doesn’t hold back her opinion on things, no matter how rude they are. She has an attitude. 

Settings:

1. In the basement of Tyler’s home
2. Split set between Madison’s bedroom and Alicia’s bedroom
3. Walk set outside a rural neighborhood between Madison and Alicia
4. Split set between Madison’s living room and Alicia’s bedroom
5. A playground at night
6. Empty stage with just Madison

Props:
futon
A TV in a TV stand
Two engagement rings
Two Beds
Four cell phones
Lighter
Cigarette
Couch
Park bench
Swing set
Dresser with mirror
Hair brush
Makeup

Introduction

Tyler and Madison have a secret relationship going on, despite Tyler being engaged to Lana. Madison is heavily in love with Tyler, but is he truly in love with Madison? The friendship between Alicia and Madison is rough ever since Alicia is told of the secret relationship of the two lovers but will Alicia end up telling her friend Lana the truth? Or will the guilt of the secret force Madison do the right thing by breaking it off with Tyler? Or will this secret relationship remain within the knowledge of the three?
A Fourth to Break the Triangle
By Cass Lyles

Scene i: It’s a cool November evening. MADISON and TYLER are cuddling on the futon in the basement, exchanging a kiss every few moments while a movie plays in the background. The lovers pay no attention to what is on screen, instead they exchange conversation.

MADISON:     Tyler, I have a question…
TYLER:    Hm?
MADISON (turns to look TYLER in the eyes): It’s about our situation…
TYLER:    Go on?
MADISON:     So...What is exactly going on?
TYLER:     Explain.
MADISON:     I know that you are engaged to Lana, but do you truly love her?
TYLER:     Of course I do. Why do you think I am engaged to her?
MADISON (Gets off the futon and turns back to look at TYLER): Then why do you do—
TYLER:     —Isn’t it obvious? How can one ask a man to spend the rest of his life with one woman? Yes I love my fiancé, but I also love you. Usually my depression would prevent me from dating...but now I found you and Lana.

MADISON: ...Thanks...I guess…(looks down at the floor)
TYLER (Gets off the futon): Come here, babe (hugs MADISON). You know I care about
you (Softly strokes MADISON’s cheek). You are caring.(Whispers in MADISON’s ear) Irresistible, especially (kisses MADISON’s lips) these lips (TYLER kisses from MADISON’s lips down to her neck) and this—

MADISON (Pushes TYLER away and walks towards the stairs): —Please, not right now.

(TYLER walks ahead of MADISON and grabs her wrists gently)

TYLER:     Don’t go, please. I just wanted to show you that I care about you

MADISON:     I know you do. I am just a little off...sorry. (MADISON looks into TYLER’s
eyes and gives him a fake smile) I love you…

TYLER:     I love you too, babe
MADISON (MADISON checks her phone to see she is running late): I have to go, my
mother would kill me if I was late.

TYLER:     But you are always late.

MADISON:     It’s always your fault (MADISON runs up the stairs).

TYLER (chuckles to himself): And now to talk to Lana (pulls out the phone and calls
LANA). Hey Lana, how are you doing baby girl.

Scene ii: A split scene between MADISON and ALICIA. MADISON is in her bedroom laying on her bed with a phone in her hand about to call her best friend, ALICIA, about to tell her about the secret relationship she has kept hidden from her. ALICIA is in her bedroom, brushing her hair and applying makeup.

MADISON:     Hey, it’s me.
ALICIA:     Dude! Are you dying?! Usually phone calls give you anxiety.
MADISON:    I know, I know, but this is really important.
ALICIA:     Is it an emergency?
MADISON:     No...not exactly...just shut up and listen, okay?
ALICIA:     Get on it, chica.
MADISON:     Do you remember Tyler?
ALICIA:     That piece of trash? Yeah, he cheated on so many girls. Whoever is dumb
enough to fall for him has got to be the biggest--

MADISON:     That’s what we need to talk about…
ALICIA (angrily throws her makeup on her dresser):Explain yourself!

MADISON:     Well...I am sort of...kind of…(voice goes softer) in love with him…
ALICIA:     You are...what (growls)!?
MADISON:     I will explain everything later; do you want to go for a walk?
ALICIA:     No promises on you coming back in one piece.
MADISON:     I love you too (smiles).
ALICIA:     Yeah, okay. Bye (ALICIA rapidly hits the end call button).
MADISON:     Ouch (puts phone in her pocket). So much hostility.
(Lights fade off of MADISON onto ALICIA)
ALICIA:   If she is having relations with her, I am going to kill her. Wait….isn’t Tyler
dating Lana? (ALICIA checks her phone and gasps). Tyler is engaged to Lana? That dirty cheater is at it again (sighs). I hope Madison is smarter than this.

Scene iii: It’s a cold November evening. MADISON and ALICIA are walking side by side on the sidewalk of a rural neighborhood. MADISON is going to spill the entire secret of the secret relationship to ALICIA.

MADISON(shivers): It’s cold outside.
ALICIA:    Yeah, I kind of noticed. But the weather isn’t something I wanted to
discuss. Tell me your...relations with Tyler.

MADISON:     I am in love with Tyler...and he is in love with me.

ALICIA:     You said that over the phone. You are joking, right?

MADISON:     Why is it so hard to believe that I can fall in love?

ALICIA:     It’s not that, you moron. I have seen you fall plenty of times for guys that
         are wastes of oxygen. You fall for a new guy so often.

MADISON:     That is not true!

ALICIA:     Prove to me that it is not. Name one guy you do not regret.

MADISON:     Well, (thinks silently for a moment)...shut up. But this time it is different.

ALICIA:    Madison, he has dated and cheated on so many girls. Three in our friend
          group alone. He is insane in the head; remember when he tried to attack
Jay? He threatened his coworkers at his last job. (Lights up a cigarette)
Shall I go on?

MADISON:     No. Can I tell you what I was supposed to tell you?

ALICIA:     Fine (flicks the cigarette at MADISON)

MADISON:     Thank you. So I went to see my friend perform at the high school, next
thing I know...I see him walking around. At the time I still hated him, so I
tried to stay out of sight. He must have seen me or something, and walked over to me. He started telling me about his last breakup—

ALICIA:      —Haha, sucks for that loser. Serves him right.

MADISON:     Anyway, I felt bad for him. I told him if he ever needed to talk things out I
would be there for him, since I was going through my own break up. He
and I started talking every day. I started falling for his cute...perfect body (gazes off in the distance).

ALICIA:    Earth to Madison (waves hands in front of MADISON)

MADISON:     Oh yeah! He was my first (smiles).

ALICIA:     You…you gave him the card?

MADISON:     Is that bad?

ALICIA:     You are by the far my least favorite person right now. Do you know he is
engaged to Lana?

MADISON:    Yeah, I know. That’s why I am his dirty little secret. Until he breaks it off
with Lana, that is all I will ever be.

ALICIA:    He does (grabs MADISON on her shoulders and shakes her) not love you, baka. He is using you like he used the other girls. You are his side b****!

MADISON:     But, (pushes ALICIA) he tells me I am pretty. He calls me by all these
sweet names. He makes me feel important. He makes me feel...wanted.

ALICIA:     But he does not love you. He is just telling you things that you want to hear! Why can’t you understand that?

MADISON:     Please stop…

ALICIA:    What would Lana say if she knew that you, her friend, were with her
fiancé? You hated cheater! What happened to you?

MADISON:    Why won’t you let me be happy?

ALICIA:     Because you are being happy with the wrong person!

MADISON:   Maybe you are just jealous of my relationship! You always hate on any
guy I like and I am getting sick of it!

ALICIA:     I want you happy with the right guy. Look, I am going home. I cannot stand
           to know that you are just a side now. Look at yourself, you are becoming
what you hate...poor Lana (starts walking away from MADISON).

MADISON:     Fine....(Walks off in the opposite direction)

Scene iv: A split scene between MADISON and ALICIA. It has been two weeks since the fight between MADISON and ALICIA. MADISON is in her living room  laying on the couch with a phone to her ear talking to ALICIA.  ALICIA is pacing back and forth in her bedroom.

ALICIA:     Madison, I cannot take this anymore.

MADISON:     Take what?

ALICIA:     Your secret relationship secret. It is tearing me apart being friends with Lana.

MADISON:     Don’t think about it.

ALICIA:     I’ve tried!

MADISON:     So what do you want me to do about it?

ALICIA:     You have to tell her.

MADISON:     You want me to tell Lana that I am dating her fiancé? What are you on?

ALICIA:     Guilt.

MADISON:     You don’t think the guilt eats at me too? Try hiding it for this long. I am not
evil,  I have a heart. But, I am not telling her. I love Tyler and Tyler and I are meant for each other.

ALICIA:    That is disgusting. I would rather be skinned alive, then dipped in lemon juice, have my skin sewn back onto me again. Then repeat the whole thing than to go anywhere near him. If you do not tell her, I will!

MADISON:     It’s none of your business to tell!

ALICIA:     You made it my business! How do you expect me to be okay with what you are doing?

MADISON:     So what will happen if I do not tell her and get Tyler to tell her instead?

ALICIA:    He will just make you look like the bad guy.

MADISON:     No he will tell the truth, I have faith in him.

ALICIA:     You have to tell her, you are her friend. Three days, that is all I am giving you. If you do not tell her in three days I will.

MADISON:     You are supposed to be my best friend!

ALICIA:     And you are supposed to be Lana’s friend.

MADISON:     I will tell her...just give me a moment.

ALICIA:     Good.

(ALICIA ends the phone call and the light shines only on MADISON)

MADISON:    I need to talk to Tyler about this. (MADISON calls TYLER). We need to
talk. Alicia knows about...us and she is threatening to tell Lana (waits a minute).  It doesn’t matter how she found out, she is giving us (waits another minute). I said it doesn’t matter how she found out! She is giving us three days to tell Lana. You have to tell her, you planned on getting married to her (pauses). Yeah, I will meet up with you in the park tomorrow at night. I gotta go, I love you.

(MADISON ends the phone call. She slams her face into the couch cushion, shaking her head)

MADISON:     What have I done…(MADISON starts crying) what have I done… Why did
I do this? Why am I such a bad person? Where did my morals go?

Scene v: It is dark night. MADISON is swinging slightly on the swings waiting for TYLER to explain what is going on and what the future is for the two lovers.

MADISON:    Where is he…?

(TYLER grabs MADISON and hugs her from behind. MADISON lets out a scream. She pushes her way out of TYLER’s arms and turn around to see TYLER)

MADISON:     Tyler, it is just you. You scared me for a minute there.

TYLER:     Good, that is the just the way to start my news.

MADISON:     You told Lana?

TYLER:     Unfortunately.

MADISON:     And?

TYLER:    Here is the thing—

MADISON:     —You and I are going to run away with each other? We could be lovers on
the run. You could be my Romeo. And when I turn eighteen we could get married, together forever.

TYLER:     Actually no...I am leaving you.

MADISON:     You are...what?

TYLER:     Leaving you. I told Lana that you and I dated before her and I got together,
and did...things before that as well. She wasn’t mad, but she says that you
and I are not allowed to talk to one another. You understand, right?

MADISON:     But, you lied to her…

TYLER:     It’s not a lie, just a distorted truth.

MADISON:    But...you made me happy when we were together. I wanted—

TYLER:     —What do you really want?

MADISON:    You!

TYLER:     Why?

MADISON:     Because I love you. I’m just really bad at showing it. I love you, okay? You
make me happy when I’m with you and I get sad when I have to leave.

TYLER:     I got to go and let you go Madison. Otherwise I will hurt you more.
Anyways, go on with life. Have a good day.

(TYLER walks away from MADISON)

MADISON:    But, you said you love me.

(MADISON falls to her knees and the lights fade out slowly)

Scene iv: Lights just shine on MADISON. This is an empty stage just for her monologue.

MADISON:    Tyler was my Romeo. My flame. My love. My rock. My world. My
everything. Too bad I was not his everything. I was tossed away as if I meant nothing. I was just a dirty little secret; his dirty little secret. A hidden relationship from his fiancé and my friend, Alicia for awhile. He changed me into something I hate, the side b****. I fell for his charm, I fell hard for him. What I did, I am not proud of. Regret will cover me like skin until I pass. I should have never involved with Tyler while he was with Lana, even if I did love him. I will never have Lana’s friendship; let alone her trust.  As for my love with Tyler… it is over now (pauses) forever.

(MADISON looks at the floor and the lights fade)