EXT. SHOT: TIGHT ON NICOLE, sitting on some steps and staring at the Planned Parenthood brochure.
SHAGGY
Nicole?
Nicole hides the brochure in her bag and stands to see SHAGGY, who's opened her door.
SHAGGY
What're you just sittin' there for? And
why are you so pale?
NICOLE
Oh, yeah, I was just in the neighborhood
and...thought I'd stop by.
SHAGGY
Mm. Well, I would've hoped that you'da
knocked, too.
She opens the screen door for her.
SHAGGY
Come on in...I've been expecting you.
INT. SHAGGY'S HOUSE
Shaggy closes the door behind Nicole.
SHAGGY
I was wondering when you'd come by to
visit...I'm sorry your Aunt Tee's not here.
I'm sure she'd be disappointed if she knew
she'd missed ya.
NICOLE
(under her breath)
Mm, such a shame.
SHAGGY
Hmm?
NICOLE
Uh -- nice frames.
Nicole walks over to the photo covered walls.
NICOLE (cont'd)
Very rustic.
SHAGGY
Yeah, that's mostly Tee's doing...she's into the
nostalgic look whereas I...I kinda like it modern,
you know? Like in those magazines that show
houses of the rich n' famous.
Nicole nods approvingly. Shaggy grasps her cup and looks over the pics, starting to point people out to her.
SHAGGY (cont'd)
See that guy there? That's your Great Uncle Rhett
and his wife, Scarlet.
Nicole laughs.
NICOLE
And I suppose the house in the background is
Tara?
SHAGGY
Um...no, but they did name their daughter Tara.
(points to another picture)
That's her right there on the horse.
Nicole's laughter dies down.
SHAGGY (cont'd)
There's alot of history in our family, Nicole.
That's part of the reason why I'm glad you're
here.
NICOLE
Well, as much as I'd love a geneology lesson,
there's only one person I'd like to know about.
SHAGGY
Your father.
NICOLE
And you.
(pauses)
I want to know...why you chose to have me
instead of...just getting rid of the problem.
Shaggy looks at her, then looks away.
SHAGGY
Sit down, Nicole.
Nicole sits, as does Shaggy.
SHAGGY (cont'd)
When I found out I was pregnant with you...I
wasn't much older than you are right now. My
boyfr -- your father...he too was about my age
and alot less...sophisticated, which isn't saying
much. Responsibility to him meant remembering
to check the oil in his truck, turnin' off the TV
before he went to bed...and keepin' his poker
games with his buddies on school nights.
(pauses)
I seriously considered "getting rid of the problem".
(pauses)
But I didn't...I couldn't. You see, even though
I knew that neither your father or I was prepared
to raise a child, I also knew that I couldn't live my
life knowing that there was this little tiny sparkle of
hope
that could one day make someone proud...even
if that person wasn't me.
(pauses)
You proved me wrong, Nicole.
(pauses)
Looking at you...does make me proud. You've
taken that tiny sparkle and made it explode into
the dazzling young woman that I see before me.
NICOLE
Sometimes the cliché's not as bright as it seems.
Shaggy cocks her head.
SHAGGY
Are you having problems?
NICOLE (cont'd)
Yeah, but...I can handle them.
(pauses)
Tell me more about my father.
Shaggy sighs.
SHAGGY
Before I do...I'd like to take a stab at giving you
some of that motherly advice I've been stockpiling,
just in case a moment like this ever came.
(pauses)
I want you to promise me something.
Nicole nods.
SHAGGY (cont'd)
When you find a guy you feel that rare connection
with...and he feels the same -- hold on and don't
let go.
(pauses)
I've made so many mistakes -- your father being a big
one -- that I realized that I was just trying too hard
to
forget the one who got away.
Nicole listens intently to her words.
INT. KENNEDY HIGH - HALLWAY - SAME
HARRISON walks around a corner, Nicole's icepack on his face when he hears some quiet sobbing. He sees SAM at her locker.
HARRISON
Sammy?
Sam quickly composes herself as Harrison approaches.
SAM
OhmiGod...Harrison -- what happened to
you?
HARRISON
Eh...nothin' a little femmy ice mask can't
help.
(pauses)
I got in a little smackdown in the lunchroom.
Some dumb jocks were hassling my sis --
Nicole.
Sam laughs.
HARRISON (cont'd)
What's so funny?
SAM
Nothing...it's just that you might as well
just
say it. She's your sister...as hard
as that is
to believe.
HARRISON
Yeah. Yeah...it's hard to grasp sometimes,
especially after...well.
(pauses)
But you...what's going on? Why the
tears?
SAM
It's...it's nothing. Really.
I'm fine.
They stand in uncomfortable silence for a moment.
HARRISON
I'm sorry, Sammy.
SAM
For what?
HARRISON
Everything...I -- I shouldn't've given you
that ultimatum. It was so totally
unfair --
to the both of us.
SAM
Yeah, well...what can you do? Life's
unfair...
and it seems like everyone's secrets are
just
pouring out and I'm the last one to know
everything. I just feel kind of lost,
you know?
HARRISON
Yeah...I know.
(pauses)
I really am sorry about George.
SAM
Hey, no problem. He's got his own
issues
apart from mine and I guess we needed a
little dose of reality to shake us out of
our
blissful oblivion.
(pauses)
I'm just sorry it took your spilling your
soul
to do so.
HARRISON
I'm not.
SAM
Harrison --
HARRISON
No, wait. I'm not sorry that I sent
you that
email -- no regrets, remember?
SAM
Mm. Do you regret sleeping with Nicole?
Harrison hesitates.
SAM (cont'd)
Thought so.
HARRISON
Wait, Sammy --
SAM
No, you know what? It's fine.
It's o.k. --
afterall, you didn't know she was related
to you, right?
(pauses)
If she weren't, you'd probably still be
with her and...I'd be happy for you.
So
long as you're happy.
HARRISON
But I'm not...happy, knowing that you're
not.
SAM
Don't worry about me, Harrison. It's
not
your place.
HARRISON
But it is, you see, because I still care
about
you...alot. And I'm just as messed
up as you
are about this whole Nicole thing and --
and
I think that we need eachother now
more than
ever.
SAM
So...how should be solve that?
HARRISON
Well...
SAM
Do I smell popcorn and a cheesy black and
white
horror flick?
HARRISON
Not really...you know, the prom's coming
up really
fast and...well...do you think you could
put aside this
whole combobulated mess and maybe...go with
me?
Sam looks away.
HARRISON
Don't tell me I missed out again.
SAM
No, you didn't, it's...moving a bit too
fast.
Harrison looks at her with disbelief.
HARRISON
But Sammy, look at us -- we're both dateless,
we're both lonely, we're both --
SAM
Hurt?
(pauses)
I can't just forget everything and go to
the prom
pretending that everything's fine between
us. I need
time by myself.
(pauses)
And as much as you don't want to admit it,
you need time with Nicole...to sort things
out.
Harrison dips his head in reluctant acknowledgement.
SAM (cont'd)
I'm not doing this to hurt you.
HARRISON
I know.
SAM
Besides...if that smackdown caused that
wound, I'm willing to bet that Nicole
needs her big brother even more than I do.
HARRISON
Hmph. You're probably right.
As always.
SAM
Well you know what they say...time cures
all ills.
(pauses)
And bruises.
Harrison smiles as he presses the ice mask on his face.
INT. KENNEDY HIGH - HALLWAY - SAME
JOSH rubs his jaw and looks into the mirror in his locker as LILY looks on, concerned.
LILY
Are you sure you're o.k.?
JOSH
I'm fine, Lil. Those guys are just
jerks.
He shuts his locker and they start walking.
JOSH (cont'd)
How can people be such asses like
that? You know, sometimes I think
that some guys are just born closer
to the bottom of the food chain.
LILY
Or are just proof that evolution isn't
a theory that can be applied to all
mammals.
She makes him chuckle, but his face drops when they pass Nicole's locker.
JOSH
Aw, come on!
Someone seems to have plastered flyers from the banquet all over it with varying degrees of nastiness scrawled over them in Sharpie -- along with dripping whipped cream. Lily, horrified, stops.
LILY
This is really sick!
Josh peels one of the papers off.
JOSH
You're tellin' me.
(pauses)
I know there's no love lost between you
and Nicole, but you gotta admit, even
she doesn't deserve this.
LILY
No one deserves this kind of treatment,
Josh.
(pauses)
God, Nicole or not -- I wish there was something
we could do to stop this juvenile behavior.
Josh's eyes light up.
JOSH
Hey Lil...what say you and me go out on
a
real date tonight?
LILY
A "real date"? You mean an actual
sit down
dinner at a real restaurant where I don't
have to put up with the loud cracking voice
of a sports announcer and pray to God that
the menu has vegetarian options?
JOSH
Exactly.
Lily looks at him suspiciously.
INT. BROOKE & SAM'S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - LATER
BROOKE, SAM, JANE, and MIKE sit at dinner. Brooke looks exceedingly nervous.
MIKE
So how was detention, Brooke?
Brooke coughs.
MIKE (cont'd)
Care to explain to me why you missed
chemistry?
BROOKE
I...it...it was really important, Dad, I
can explain --
MIKE
Hmm, that's what I don't understand...what
could be more important than your schoolwork?
BROOKE
I've paid my dues in detention and I even made
up the work already --
MIKE
That still doesn't explain why you cut class.
JANE
Uh, Brooke...does this have anything to do
with what we talked about this morning?
BROOKE
Yes. Totally.
JANE
I see.
MIKE
What was it you guys talked about?
JANE
Well...it seems that Nicole's been having some...
problems.
SAM
You can say that again.
MIKE
Ah...I see. Still reeling from the awards thing.
SAM
We all are.
JANE
I'm not condoning what Brooke did, but...from
what I gather, Nicole's having a truly rough time
dealing with everything, am I right?
Brooke nods.
MIKE
What's this have to do with Nicole?
BROOKE
That's where I was -- well, I was at her birth
mother's house. To get some information...and
it was important enough that it couldn't wait.
(pauses)
It's really personal, but...it was only to help her
out. She's really distraught about everything.
SAM
Not to mention the fact that Harrison got
into a fight today about her.
MIKE
Sound pretty serious.
JANE (cont'd)
Yeah, it is. I mean, really...put yourself in her
place, Mike.
(pauses)
What would be happening in your mind if the same horribly
humiliating thing happened to you? Especially in
this day and
age when kids are excruciatingly cruel to eachother.
MIKE
Yes, but that still doesn't account for Brooke
missing class --
JANE
Well, in a way it does.
(pauses)
Nicole probably feels lost...and scared --
SAM
Ugh, Mom -- stop making her sound like some
little puppy, 'cuz she's not. She's more like a
pit bull.
JANE
Sam. I don't think that's fair considering --
SAM
You don't know her like I do. She can take
care of herself, right Brooke?
Brooke dips her head. Sam looks for support, but the only support she seems to find is in a sigh from Mike.
SAM (cont'd)
Forget it.
Sam leaves the table and trods upstairs.
MIKE
Okay, now what was that all about?
BROOKE
I think it's the Nicole-Harrison thing.
JANE
Or the Harrison-Sammy thing.
BROOKE
Either way, it's the same thing.
(pauses)
Dad, look -- I'm sorry that I missed chemistry.
It
won't happen again. But if you were in the same
situation and knew what I knew, you'd do the
same thing to help a friend.
MIKE
I'll take your word for that, Brooke.
He shakes his head.
MIKE (cont'd)
Kids.
JANE
Yup...we love 'em.
The doorbells rings.
JANE (cont'd)
I'll get that --
BROOKE
No, it's all right...I've got it.
Mike looks deep in thought as Jane sighs.
EXT. BROOKE AND SAM'S HOUSE
The door swings open.
BROOKE
Nicole?
NICOLE
Hi B. Sorry I didn't call in advance...I was
driving by and thought I'd stop in, say hi.
(pauses)
You know. Am I interrupting anything?
BROOKE
Uhm, no, come on in!
NICOLE
I was...actually on my way --
Jane appears behind Brooke
JANE
Nicole. Hi...we were just talking about
you.
Nicole cocks her head as she comes in.
JANE (cont'd)
Are you o.k.? You look a little pale.
NICOLE
I'm fine, Mrs. McPherson...I just
needed to talk to Brookie before
I took care of some business.
(pauses)
Spare a moment?
MIKE
"Brookie" is grounded -- at least for the night.
BROOKE
Dad!
JANE
Uh -- I don't see how a few minutes can
hurt, right...Mike?
Mike shakes his head again.
BROOKE
Come on upstairs.
Jane looks at an irritated Mike.
INT. BROOKE'S BEDROOM -- A LITTLE LATER
BROOKE
Excuse me?
NICOLE
You heard what I said.
BROOKE
You can't do that...that's just totally
wrong!
NICOLE
Mm, well, I didn't expect you to be
understanding. I just thought you
ought to know.
BROOKE
But that's --
NICOLE
Lying? Did you expect anything more
from me?
BROOKE
But Harrison has to know!
NICOLE
No, he doesn't. The whole school already
thinks I'm a slut...so they can make their
own conclusions regarding the parentage.
BROOKE
Yeah, but it's gonna be kinda hard to hide
when it comes out with Alfalfa ears like
Harrison's.
NICOLE
Maybe he...or she will get lucky and
inherit my superior glam genes. Either way
papa don't preach, I'm keeping my baby.
BROOKE
You can't correct the mistakes your mother
made by vicariously living out her situation
in your life.
NICOLE
Maybe not, but there's no way that I will
ever end up doing what my mother did
with me.
BROOKE
Okay -- fine, fine, but...not telling Harrison
that he's not your brother? Come on!
NICOLE
He will know soon enough.
BROOKE
When -- in like, 8 months when you look like
Jane? What do you think he'll think then?
(pauses)
God, Nicole -- I don't know how you expect
me to keep this from everyone.
OUTSIDE OF BROOKE'S ROOM, Sam passes just in time to hear...
NICOLE
I expect you to keep it exactly the way
you kept it before, Brookie.
Sam stops to listen.
NICOLE
This is my choice. I can't have people making
them for me.
BROOKE
What about Harrison's choice? This is his
family, too...and you're taking his choice to
make decisions in his life away from him
by lying.
Sam cocks her head in question.
BROOKE (cont'd)
And...and me, you're putting me in the middle
of this and --
NICOLE
Wrong, Brooke. You put yourself in the
middle of it long ago. I didn't ask you for
your help or your advice. I'm just here to
give you scoop, 'kay?
Upon the rustling in the room, Sam slips away. The door opens and Nicole steps out.
BROOKE
I think you're making a big mistake.
NICOLE
Then it's mine to make. You don't have
to live with it.
Sam comes back down the hall as Nicole leaves.
NICOLE
Spam.
Brooke hides her face in her hand as Sam watches Nicole leave.
SAM
So...what was that all about?
BROOKE
I...
SAM
You can't say.
(huffs)
So much for keeping secrets.
BROOKE
Sammy -- what Nicole said was right.
I don't think either of us have the
right to butt into her business anymore.
I'm done. I'm through with it.
She frowns, slipping past Sam and leaving her in the doorway.
END OF ACT 4