INT. WOODSBORO HALLWAY – AFTERNOON
Jill is struggling with her locker, cursing again. At the far end of the hall, JENNY RANDALL and her friend MARNIE COOPER watch. Jenny is holding her schoolbooks and bites her lip as she watches Jill.
MARNIE: I'm telling you – you're asking for trouble.
JENNY: Come on – this feud's gone on long enough. Jill and I used to be best friends. I can't believe a stupid guy would be enough to end a lifelong friendship.
MARNIE: Are you forgetting that she's the one who decked you clean across the hallway last semester when she found out about you and Trevor?
JENNY: Well … I can't say I wouldn't have done the same thing if the circumstances were different.
MARNIE: And what about that accident? Steve?
JENNY: An accident is all it was. (Beat) I've gotta talk to her …
MARNIE: Your funeral. I have trig in five minutes. I'll see you later.
Marnie disappears down the hall. Jenny watches Jill – her old friend – and bites her lip. She nods to herself, steeled for what needs to be done. She marches right up to Jill, books held high up to her chest.
JENNY: Can we talk?
Jill slams her locker shut and stares daggers up at Jenny.
JENNY: Look, don't you think this fight has gone on long enough? I apologized. Trevor's an asshole anyway, you really want to throw away our friendship for him?
JILL: You did that, Jenny. You did that when you fucked him – while he and I were still together!
Jill turns. Jenny follows, nearly pleading.
JENNY: And I regret hurting you -.
JILL: No you don't. You never did. Every guy I wanted, you always had to have.
JENNY: Jill -.
JILL: You know it's true. You've always been in competition with me.
JENNY: That is not true.
JILL: It's not? (counting on her fingers) Elementary school talent show – I did jump rope, you did acrobatics with a jump rope. Middle school – I did a solar system, you did a created working model satellite. High school – every boyfriend I had somehow, someway, ended up dumping me – and oh – they ended up dating you next.
JENNY: I -.
JILL: But that's okay. You can have my used-up trash. But then when you seduce the boy I loved – while we were still together – and then get him to break up with me for you – that was the final nail in your coffin …
Jill turns and continues walking. Jenny bites her lip, nearly in tears.
JENNY: How can I fix this?
JILL: (continuing ahead) You can't fix it. I'm done being in your shadow. I'll never be in anyone's shadow ever again!
She continues down the hall, leaving a heartbroken Jenny standing there visibly upset, hurt and guilty over her actions.
SOMEONE BUMPS INTO JENNY FROM BEHIND! She jumps, throwing her books! Nicholette is standing there, sheepishly.
NICHOLETTE: Sorry … Umm … can you tell me where room 421 is?
JENNY: Cinema Club? Oh, you're a new member aren't you? Well, just so happens I'm a longtime member. C'mon – I'll take you there. My name's Jenny by the way, what's yours?
NICHOLETTE: Nicholette.
JENNY: Loomis? Oh wow, you're gonna be a celebrity. All the boys around here are gonna be drooling over you … just stick close to me, you'll be fine.
Nicholette smiles, relaxing a little to have someone to show her the ropes of Woodsboro High.
INT. ROOM 421 – CINEMA CLUB – AFTERNOON
The walls of Cinema Club are filled with horror movie posters and action figures. The class is an assortment of normal students and well, weird ones. Robbie and Charlie stand at front as Jenny leads Nicholette into the classroom. There's a hush as Nicholette enters the room – Jenny was right. All guys' eyes are on her. She meekly sits in the back next to Jenny. The entire club turns to watch her.
Near the front, Jill has her eyes narrowed. She turns from Nicholette and briefly exchanges a glance with Charlie, before she whips out a phone, texting.
Nicholette sits down next to a cute guy. He doesn't seem weird like the rest of Cinema Club. He looks over at her and smiles. She flashes a shy smile and can't help blush. He turns, folding his arms, confident.
ROBBIE: Alright, let's get to business. First things first, we have a new prospective member. Come on, Nicholette – stand up, introduce yourself!
Nicholette looks around. All eyes still on her. She sighs and stands up. Near the middle of the room, CRAIG HARDING, a sophomore, kinda cute but in a douchy sort of way, snorts.
CRAIG: As if she needs any introduction -.
CHARLIE: Dude – don't be rude.
CRAIG: But I mean really – Tatum and Billy's daughter. You're the child of royalty.
NICHOLETTE: Thanks … I think.
A plump girl on the far end of the class – ANNIE WILKINSON - is geeking out.
ANNIE: Oh my God, I am totally Stab's biggest fan!
Others murmur their agreement.
Craig leans forward next to Nicholette.
CRAIG: So what's it like?
NICHOLETTE: (sitting back down) Huh?
CRAIG: To be their daughter? I mean … do you get free premieres to movies, meet directors, that sorta thing?
JENNY: Guys – come on, it's her first day, don't scare her off or she won't come back!
ROBBIE: Jenny's right. Nicholette, you don't have to answer anything that makes you comfortable. (adjusts his camera) But seriously, I have about thirty DVD covers for you to sign. And if your Mom and Dad could make a surprise guest appearance that would be -.
NICHOLETTE: (blurting out) My mother's dying.
There's an odd pause. Robbie tries to laugh it off.
ROBBIE: Good one -.
Kirby, next to Jill, shakes her head.
KIRBY: Dude – seriously? You're Cinema Club VP, haven't you seen any of the Stab movies?
ROBBIE: Well …
KIRBY: Stab 3? Remember? The one where the killer started his own purge and it turned out he was Tatum's dad which makes him Nicholette's grandpa – no offense.
NICHOLETTE: (shrugging) Kinda glad I never got to know him.
KIRBY: Honestly, I agree with Jenny – sorry Jill, won't make it a habit. Give the girl some breathing room.
CHARLIE: I agree. No Stab related conversations.
LYLE – a junior – also cute, but also a major geek, speaks up.
LYLE: Okay but bros, but what about Stab-A-Thon?
CHARLIE: We'll be sending out an email tonight, just chill. (Beat) Now, does anyone have a suggestion for our next horror movie breakdown?
Voices all chatter as the classroom goes nuts. Craig's voice carries over.
CRAIG: Freddy Vs. Jason!
This gets Jill's attention.
CRAIG: Best. Horror. Movie. Ever. Am I alone on this?
A geeky, yet still hot blonde chick – CINDY JENKINS – pipes up.
CINDY: Uh – yeah. Versus movies suck. Have you seen Alien Vs. Predator?
CRAIG: Okay, granted – what about the old Universal films, huh? They're considered part of the industry standard today! Frankenstein Vs. The Wolf Man? House of Dracula? House of Frankenstein?
LYLE: Abbot & Costello Meet Frankenstein?
CRAIG: I'll grant that a lot of versus movies sucked. But Freddy Vs. Jason, man. (he whistles)
CINDY: Two hours of pure slasher, the two only face each other in the last half hour and the teens are cardboard cutouts that no one cares about. Did I about sum it up?
CHARLIE: Gotta agree with Cindy here. Versus movies just aren't scary. They end up stupid. That's why the studios dropped Helloween.
LYLE: Helloween?
CHARLIE: The follow up to Freddy Vs. Jason. It was supposed to be Michael Vs. Pinhead, but the fans voted it down.
CRAIG: 'Cause they were idiots! They were gonna have John Carpenter direct it and Clive Owen was writing it! Two freakin horror legends! It woulda been epic.
KIRBY: Or it could've been entirely stupid.
CRAIG: C'mon guys. You're not giving it a chance! Two slasher legends in an all-out brawl, trying to outdo the other in terms of kills! One killer trying to upstage the other.
(Beat)
Jill looks up, the words from the other killer still ringing in her ears. She stares Craig down, eyes narrowed.
CRAIG: I mean, it could even happen in real life. What if two flesh and blood killers got the same idea, donned the Ghostface gear and tried to outdo each other? How rad would that be? The universe knows the Stab series could do with some innovation after the disasters the last few movies turned out to be.
There's a chill. Jill shudders. Nicholette draws her sweater over herself, completely uncomfortable with her parent's legacy being discussed so cavalierly.
CHARLIE: Ghostface Vs. Ghostface? That would be really dumb. (shoots Jill a concerned look) Now, how about we move on to comedies?
SMASH TO:
Cinema Club is out of session. The class packs their bags. Jill shoots a glare at Charlie and he nods in understanding. The classroom files out, leaving Nicholette for last. Jill stands up, pretending to be reading on her phone and deliberately bumps Nicholette, knocking her folders and binders to the floor.
JILL: Oh my goodness, I'm totally sorry, that was completely my bad.
NICHOLETTE: It's fine, it's fine.
Jill helps scoop up her books, handing her books.
JILL: You and I never really got a chance to talk …
NICHOLETE: Umm … I'm sorry, but have we met?
JILL: No, no right I forget, not officially I mean. (Holds out her hand, Nicholette shakes it) Jill. Jill Roberts. We're related. Well, not technically, I mean.
NICHOLETTE: (understanding) Kate's daughter?
JILL: Right. Distant cousins. Not by blood.
The two walk together through the classroom to the hallway, Jill still talking.
JILL: Sidney was adopted by my mom's sister and as you know, your mom was … well …
NICHOLETTE: You don't have to be afraid to say it. I've come to terms with the fact that Sidney was my aunt.
JILL: Don't let those freaks back there get to you. It was a big deal when I started my freshman year just being non-blood-related to Stab. DJ got it bad too when he started – being Dewey and Gale's son and all.
NICHOLETTE: Right … they're technically related to you too. Did you know them all that well growing up here in Woodsboro?
JILL: (sighing) No. No I didn't. I mean, we would see each other in grocery stores, or I'd see Gale on TV or Dewey doing his rounds. Honestly, Kirby sees Dewey more than I do and that's because she's such a lousy driver. They never really … reached out. And I mean, I get it – we're not blood related but still … it would've been nice to have been acknowledged.
NICHOLETTE: I'm sure they didn't realize.
JILL: No, they didn't. And that's the point. Not being noticed, not being seen … there's nothing more hurtful than that …
Jill is staring down the hall. For the first time, she's opening up and she doesn't even realize why. This isn't even an act … for the first time in a long time, the real Jill is opening up. Maybe it's the kinship of family or the fact that Nicholette is now lending an open ear – albeit as a captive audience member.
JILL: (suddenly smiling, the act is back on) But hey – why don't you come hang out at my place tonight? Kirby and I are gonna be watching Walking Dead.
NICHOLETTE: I dunno … I kinda have a lot of homework, and Dewey …
JILL: We can do each other's makeup and talk about boys? See anyone you like yet?
Nicholette looks up. It's the handsome boy from earlier. He shoots a smile and walks on. Jill smiles as Nicholette blushes.
JILL: Kirby and I will make you irresistible to him, don't you worry!