Put down the knife? Why? Am I scaring you?

[Pause]

How about you ask me nicely this time, Little Miss Legacy?

[Pause]

[Laugh] That was not nice. You are such a princess. You think because your Daddy made a big donation to get you in, you own the school.

But you’re just another freshman in the Sigma Beta Pi production line. What do they want with a pledge who can’t even follow basic instructions? Your sisters made it very clear that you’re not allowed to talk for 72 hours, but what do you do the second you’re out of their sight? You open your fucking mouth.

I know shutting up is really hard for you, so I’m gonna help. [FX: Throat cut. Choking on blood.]

[Pause]

Bye-bye, bitch.

[Pause]

[High-pitched, frantic] Oh thank God, it’s you. I was so scared the person who did this was coming back. I found Madison, and she was covered in blood and this knife was in her throat and…[Darker] Yeah, I didn’t really think you would buy that. Worth a shot, right?

[FX: Sounds of a scuffle]

Looks like I’ve got you cornered. Unless you want to jump out the window and take a chance with a four-story fall?

[Pause]

Didn’t think so.

Try not to worry about the knife, okay? I won’t hurt you unless you make me. [Sweet, flirty] You’re still my favorite.

[Pause]

Does this have anything to do with the girl who died last year? [Teasing] I thought I was supposed to be the brainy pledge.

Yeah, it has everything to do with her. Her name was Chloe Schultz, and she was my best friend.

She was a year older than me, but she was always such a kid. She would let people walk all over her. When she went to college, I was a little worried about how she’d do without me watching her back, but I figured how bad could it be, you know? A little heartbreak. Maybe a rumor. Bullshit, but whatever. Maybe she needed that to toughen up.

[Dark] I didn’t expect her to choke to death on her own vomit in the middle of a frat party.

I found the asshole who kept giving her shots because [mocking] drunk girls are sooo easy, right? [Cold] I went slow with him. I made sure he could never touch another girl.

But it wasn’t enough. She went to that party with her [mocking] new sisters in Sigma Beta Pi. They were supposed to take care of her. They were supposed to watch her back. Instead, they tossed her on a couch and let her die while they kept partying. So much for fucking sisterhood, right?

[Pause]

I don’t care if they meant it or not. I knew the law wouldn’t hold them responsible, so I did. I figured, hey, if Samantha likes beer so much, she can drown in it. Natalie chose dancing over my best friend’s life, so I cut off her legs. Olivia was too busy hanging off her boyfriend all night, so I buried her with him.

[Pause]

Madison over there? Honestly, I just really hated her guts. She was the worst part of rush week.

[Pause]

I didn’t tell you everything, but I didn’t lie to you. Sure, I played up the whole “lost little nerd” thing with the other girls. It’s not like I could be obvious about how much I hated them. But I’ve never been good at the whole girly-girl schtick. That was always Chloe. I really did appreciate you lending me your dress and helping with my hair. [Flirty] I still don’t know how you got it to look that good.

That time we almost kissed…I’ve been thinking about it a lot.

[Pause]

[Laugh] No, the way I feel about you has nothing to do with what happened to Chloe. She was just a friend. Somebody I had to watch out for. Sending her here was like shoving a baby bird out of the nest and into an alligator pit.

You’re tougher than she ever was. You know when to go along and when to tell the older girls to fuck off. You’re the perfect pledge. You’re beautiful. You’re smart. You’re stylish. [Teasing] You can be a little catty, too, when the others deserve it. [Whispered] I like your claws, Kitten.

Still, you were so kind to me. You treated me like I belonged even when I obviously didn’t.

[Pause]

I’m really not gonna hurt you. I like you.

[Pause]

I’ll put down the knife, okay? So you don’t have to be afraid of me. [FX: Setting down knife]

I really didn’t expect to meet someone like you when I came here. I planned to focus on getting through classes and getting even. But you were impossible to stay away from.

[Warm] I just want to do stupid college shit with you. I want to study for tests in your dorm room and get distracted because you look so gorgeous and your bed is right there. I want to take you out for a movie at that cheap theater in town that has like two screens. I want to check our schedules and find all the places where we have a little time or we pass each other going to class because the thought of not seeing you all day hurts too much. I…

[Kiss]

I guess you like me, too.

[Pause]

I just need to finish up, okay? This place is poison. No one should be here, so I’m gonna burn it down.

[Pause]

I don’t care about the other girls. They’ll get out or they won’t.

[Pause]

Come on, Kitten. You can’t tell me you actually like them? After the way they’ve treated us?

[Pause]

[Smug] I thought so.

[Pause]

These bitches think they’re fireproof. Let’s put that to the test.

[FX: Kisses]

Damn, you’re as excited as I am.

[FX: Kisses]

[FX: Stabbed]

[Pained gasp. Angry] Did you actually just stab me in the back?

[FX: Running]

[Muttered] You really think one stab wound is enough to keep me down? Stupid. It’s not even that deep. You have to mean it.

[Spiteful] I’m not going to let you ruin this, Kitten.