Veronica's Path 1

FADE IN:

INT. DORM ROOM – DAY

VERONICA SAWYER, a college freshman with dark, wispy hair settles on her bed. She notices that the blue ribbon on her left shoe is undone. She stretches over to retie it. Her MOM and DAD stand over her, visibly concerned.

MOM

Veronica, honey, you know that

you can come home any time, right?

VERONICA

(flopping back down onto her back)

Yes, Mom. You made that clear 15

minutes ago.

DAD

Your Mother's just trying to help.

Veronica sits up to face them, Mom clutching at her handbag, Dad flicking through the pages of one of his worn out spy novels – for once, he's actually looking at her.

VERONICA

It feels like all of that stuff

happened a life time ago. It's not

a big deal. I feel fine and I'm just

happy to be here, at my dream

university. Can't you at least be

excited for me?

MOM

(gulps) We are. Stanford seems like

a lovely place. But, as soon as anything

goes wrong, I want you to call me. Ok?

Veronica smiles, she stands up and takes her mother's hand.

VERONICA

Of course. But, I'll be fine.

MOM

I'll listen this time.

VERONICA

Mom. You didn't know.

Mom nods and takes a deep breath. Suddenly she embraces Veronica; it feels like a long goodbye. Dad joins in with the hug. It feels right.

They pull away and prepare to leave Veronica. Dad hands Veronica his spy novel, she accepts it, confused.

DAD

I don't know why I read these damn

things, but I want you to have it.

Veronica smiles and nods, her parents leave.

She watches their car leave from her dorm room window, she smells the book. Her body is overcome with comfort – it smells like home.

INT. DORM ROOM – NIGHT

Veronica lays on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Her bed sheets, white with blue roses, are ruffled. With a sigh, she gets up and walks toward her desk – she takes the spy novel off of her the small overhead shelf. On the shelf are literary classics: The Catcher in the Rye, The Great Gatsby, Romeo and Juliet, Moby Dick— how did that get there? Her finger lingers over the book's spine, but she goes back to the spy novel, flicking through its creased pages.

Veronica lounges on her desk chair, her eyes flick up to the other side of the room. Where's her roommate and why haven't they met yet? The other bed is decorated with stuffed animals, throw cushions and bright yellow polka-dot bedsheets. The dorm room door CRASHES open, disrupting the silence.

VERONICA

Uh, hello?

A tall, blonde girl staggers in. It's HEATHER McNAMARA.

H. McNAMARA

Oh my God, Veronica?!

Heather's voice RATTLES throughout the room and down the hall.

Veronica jumps up to close the door.

VERONICA

Mind keeping it down, Heather. You'll

wake up half of California.

Heather drunkenly wraps her arms around Veronica – a much less comfortable hug compared to Veronica's parents, but a nonetheless sincere one.

H. McNAMARA

I missed you soooo much over the

summer. Where were you? I thought I

was gonna die without you!

Veronica gently removes Heather's arms from around her and sits her down on her polka-dot bed.

VERONICA

Uh, I was in New York. I was taking

some writing workshops and stuff out

there. I thought you knew?

H. McNAMARA

Nah. After everything with… uh, umm.

Never mind.

VERONICA

J.D.? It's fine, you can say it.

H. McNAMARA

Yeah, after that you were kinda

distant and after graduation, you

went totally off the grid.

Veronica takes a deep breath, then sits next Heather.

VERONICA

Well, I just wanted to get away from

all that high school bullshit. It's

over and I'm happy to be here.

H. McNAMARA

(laughing wildly) Wow, Veronica!

You're such a poet! Hahaha! Let me

guess: English major?

VERONICA

Yeah. And I'm guessing you're

majoring in alcoholics?

H. McNAMARA

Pfffft. Nah. Maybe a little. But,

I'm here for Sociology.

VERONICA

(laughs) You know that's not just

the study of having a social life,

right?

H. McNAMARA

Well, that's news to me!

Heather yawns, her mouth stretched wide open. Veronica gets up and walks over to the lamp on Heather's desk.

VERONICA

Clearly, you are very drunk and

very tired. You should get some

sleep before the campus tour

tomorrow.

Heather gets under her covers, eyes closing and drunken smile fading.

H. McNAMARA

Mmmmm. Okey dokey.

(singing) Gooooood niiiiiight,

Veronicacacacaaaaaa!

VERONICA

Good night, Heather.

She turns off the lamp with a CLICK.

INT. DORM ROOM – NIGHT

Heather snores peacefully on the other side of the room, as Veronica is perched under her covers. The light of her torch glows through the sheets, creating a silhouette of Veronica, crouched over, scribbling into her journal.

VERONICA (V/O)

McNamara's my roommate and, honestly,

it's not a complete nightmare. I was

afraid that if anything from my old

life were to creep up on me, I'd come

crashing down like a tonne of bricks.

Surprise, surprise: Life could be worse.

Hello college life, I guess.

INT. DORM ROOM – DAY

It's the next morning and Veronica wakes to an excitable Heather standing over her bed – eyes wide open.

H. McNAMARA

Veronica! Campus tour today!

VERONICA

(rubbing her eyes) Are you still drunk?

H. McNAMARA

A little. But it feels good! Get up!

We've got 20 minutes until the campus

tour!

Veronica shoots up at this news.

VERONICA

(rushing out of bed) 20 minutes?!

Why didn't you wake me?!

Veronica runs into their shared ensuite bathroom.

H. McNAMARA

Eh, you look liked you needed the

rest. Nobody wants worry lines.

INT. BATHROOM – DAY

Veronica strips off her pyjamas and puts on her underwear.

VERONICA

I don't care about worry lines,

Heather! I care about making a good

impression!

INT. DORM ROOM – DAY

Heather makes Veronica's bed, picking up her diary and looking at the cover.

H. McNAMARA

It's just a tour – who's there to

impress?

VERONICA (O.S)

You know what I mean! It's a fresh start,

I just want it to be good!

Heather slips Veronica's diary under her pillow – it's none of her business.

H. McNAMARA

Hmm. Well, maybe we'll meet some mature,

cool, college boys? Men, even!

Veronica walks out of the bathroom, wiping her face with a damp flannel, a robe covering her body.

VERONICA

I'm not planning on focusing on boys,

or men. I just want to concentrate on

me. I don't need a repeat of any of that

high school "woe is me" drama.

H. McNAMARA

(slipping on her shoes) Each to their

own, I guess. But don't stop yourself

from letting good things happen, Ronnie.

In the middle of getting dressed, Veronica's head whips 'round to look at Heather.

VERONICA

Since when do you call me, "Ronnie"?

H. McNAMARA

Since now: It's edgy. Don't you think?

Veronica takes her hair out of a messy bun and shakes it out.

VERONICA

I'm not so into "edgy" anymore, but I'm

sure it'll grow on me.

Heather looks at her watch.

H. McNAMARA

Oh! We've gotta motor if you still want

make a good impression!

Veronica turns around, clearly going for the smart-casual, I'm-in-college-now look. She's sort of pulling it off, in a completely tired and rushed way.

VEROINCA

How do I look?

H. McNAMARA

(shrugs) It'll do.

EXT. MAIN QUAD – DAY

Veronica and Heather run to a huge group of students in the Main Quad. The sun beaming down, the grass glowing, the architecture intimidating. Veronica and Heather do their best to hide in the crowd – they are spotted by JONATHAN.

H. McNAMARA

(whispering) We are so late, Veronica.

So late! This is so embarrassing!

VERONICA

(whispering) Shut up! If we stay quiet,

he won't even notice us!

JONATHAN (O.S)

A little too late. Veronica, is it?

The crowd separates to reveal Jonathan. He's tall with light brown hair swept behind his ears, wearing a Stanford sweatshirt.

Veronica and Heather lift their heads, embarrassed.

VERONICA

Yep, that's me.

H. McNAMARA

And I'm Heather. McNamara. Here to

learn and find my purpose in life.

JONATHAN

(laughs) I'm sure that can wait. Let

me check your names on the register.

(looking at clipboard) McNamara:

check. And… Veronica…

Jonathan looks up from his clipboard and stares at Veronica, in the eyes. Veronica blinks and looks away.

JONATHAN (CONT'D)

Sawyer?

The crowd of students whisper frantically – they've heard her name before.

Veronica's breathing quickens, she pushes her thumbnail into the side of her index finger. Heather grabs her arm, causing Veronica's breathing to return back to normal, her nail no longer piercing her finger.

VERONICA

(nodding) Yeah. Veronica Sawyer.

JONATHAN

Veronica, Heather: Why don't you late

comers join me at the front?

Heather drags Veronica to the front, standing by Jonathan. The crowd's whispering continues, louder in Veronica's ears with each step forward.

JONATHAN (CONT'D)

(shouting) Hey! Why don't you guys

mind your own business?!

The crowd of students is silenced.

H. McNAMARA

Thank you.

JONATHAN

No problem. (to Veronica) Are you

ok?

Veronica takes a deep breath and looks up at him. She's sees his reassuring smile and nods.

VERONICA

I've had worse days. (laughs)

Everyone here knows that.

Jonathan laughs and then looks up, to address the whole crowd.

JONATHAN

Hi, everyone. I'm Jonathan, a Stanford

Sophomore majoring in Geophysics. So if

you need to know which rock you need and

how hard to throw at your professors, I'm

the man you need to see! Now let's get

started with the tour!

The students laugh and follow Jonathan as he leads them down the Main Quad.

FADE OUT: