Why waste time being someone else?

Shelly opens up to her boyfriend Nicky about getting a tattoo to represent her mother in her memory from Rough Around the Edges.

Featured Scene – Rough Around the Edges

NICKY: Why waste time being someone else?

SHELLY: That’s what I mean. Life’s too short, ain’t it?

NICKY: Yeah, it is. But we got a lot of time, don’t we?

SHELLY: Do we? I could get hit by a bus tomorrow.

NICKY: Don’t say that, I hate when you talk like that.

SHELLY: Happened to my mom.

NICKY: I know, but…you still shouldn’t say stuff like that.

SHELLY: It does happen, Nick.

NICKY: I’m not saying it don’t happen, alright? Obviously, bad things happen in life to good people…just, you know, don’t tell me that it could happen to you.

SHELLY: It could.

NICKY: Why you so stubborn?

SHELLY: Because it could. You can’t live in delusion. What you gonna do if I did die tomorrow? What? What you gonna do then?

NICKY: Cry.

SHELLY: Well…there you go.

NICKY: I’d never stop crying.

SHELLY: Shut up.

NICKY: I’d cry at least once a day for you.

SHELLY: Don’t say that.

NICKY: Every day for the rest of my life, however long I live.

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Scene Summary

In the one act eplay Rough Around The Edges, Shelly opens up to her boyfriend Nicky about how she wants to get a tattoo in memory of her mother who had passed away. 

• Genre: Teen Drama
• Length: ~5 minute scene
• Characters: 1 woman, 1 man
• Themes: marriage
• Best For: Teen Scenes

FAQ

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Scene Source: Rough Around the Edges

Rough Around the Edges is a teen drama play script by Joseph Arnone, 2026.