ACT ONE

FADE IN:

INT. BROOKE AND SAM'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

HARRISON
(scratching his head)
Ah, Sam...I'm not sure what to
say.

SAM
(flipping through the magazine)
There are some great places in
here, really romantic.

HARRISON
Uh, yeah, Sam—

SAM
Come on, Harrison. It's perfect.
We plan the moment. We pick a
time, a place, and we just do
it...get it out of the way.

HARRISON
Oh, that's real romantic.

Sam gets up, frustrated, and throws herself down on the bed.

SAM
I'm telling you, I'm going psycho
here.

Harrison furls his brow.

HARRISON
Is it that time of the month?

SAM
(indignant)
No!

He stands up and looks down at her.

HARRISON
This is because of Brooke, isn't
it?

SAM
What—what do you mean?

HARRISON
It's because...Brooke and I...

Sam looks away.

SAM
Maybe.

HARRISON
Sam...

SAM
All right. I have a problem with
the fact that Brooke has shared
something with you that I haven't.
(pause)
It's...like I'm still on the
outside looking in.

Harrison sits on the edge of the bed and takes her hand.

HARRISON
I love you, Sam.

He puts her hand against his heart.

HARRISON (CONT'D)
We don't have to make love for you
to be in here. You already are.

He reaches down and tenderly brushes the hair away from her
face.

HARRISON (CONT'D)
Look, school'll be out soon.
We've got the whole summer. When
Brooke is better...we'll do
something incredibly romantic.
Promise.

CUT TO:

INT. JOSH AND LILY'S KITCHEN - MORNING

Lily is sitting at their tiny table, eating, when Josh sits
down across from her. She glares at him for a moment, then
pointedly picks up the newspaper and holds it in front of her
face.

JOSH
(gamely)
Come on, baby, you can't not talk
to me forever, right?

Apparently so; more silence is her only response.

JOSH (CONT'D)
For the hundredth time, I'm sorry
I didn't tell you about the
letter!

He waits, but gets nothing in return.

JOSH (CONT'D)
(disgruntled)
Aw...forget it.

He gets up and stomps off. Only then does Lily lower the
paper and look after him, lip trembling.

CUT TO:

EST. KENNEDY HIGH - DAY

Just an establishing shot.

CUT TO:

INT. CHEMISTRY CLASS

Miss Glass is, as usual, having fun with teaching.

GLASS
All right, listen up! As you
know, tomorrow is the start of
finals—or, as I like to call it,
"Watch 'Em Squirm Week"! This time
has a special place in my heart;
it's my chance to wreak vengeance
for having to put up with you the
rest of the year.

From the doorway, Vice-Principal Krupps clears his throat.

GLASS (CONT'D)
(a bit nervously)
Oh—Mr. Krupps. To what do we owe
the honor of this visit?

Krupps walks into the room.

KRUPPS
Miss Glass—as you're aware, under
the Comprehensive Education Reform
Act of 1999, one class is selected
each year to report standardized
test results to the State.
Therefore, tomorrow, instead of
your own final exam, you will
administer the chemistry section
of the STAR-7 test.

A horrified gasp arises from the kids.

SAM
(raising her hand)
Mr. Krupps? What if we don't pass
the test?

KRUPPS
Well, those students who fail to
pass the exam will have to return
this summer for a remedial
chemistry class...

He turns to Miss Glass, who is cracking up over the kids'
misery.

KRUPPS (CONT'D)
...which Miss Glass will be
teaching.

The grin vanishes from her face instantly. Krupps claps his
hands together.

KRUPPS (CONT'D)
(to Miss Glass)
Well, I'll let you get back to
your class.

He turns back to the kids.

KRUPPS (CONT'D)
I wish everyone the best tomorrow.

Krupps walks out, leaving everyone in the room in shock. Sam
throws a questioning look at Harrison, sitting next to her.

HARRISON
(nodding)
Oh, we're dead.

Sam drops her head to the table.

CUT TO:

INT. GIRLS' BATHROOM - LATER

Lily is sitting on the tuffet, leafing through a thick book,
when Sam walks in.

LILY
(looking up)
Hey.
(holding up the book)
I found a chemistry textbook in
the library.

SAM
Oh, so you're the one who got it.

Sam sits down next to Lily.

LILY
This is hopeless.

SAM
Lily... I have a problem.

LILY
So do I—I don't wanna go to summer
school!

SAM
No, I mean...another problem.

Lily sets the book down.

LILY
What is it?

SAM
It's Harrison.

Lily raises an eyebrow.

LILY
Really? I thought...

SAM
Well— It's me. It—it's me and
Harrison.

LILY
(concerned)
Are you two not getting along?

SAM
No. Yes. I mean— We are.
Getting along. In fact, we're
doing great.

LILY
But...?

SAM
(sighs)
But... Okay, this is probably
really silly, but...we haven't...

Lily makes a "go on" motion.

SAM (CONT'D)
We haven't...gone to the next
level.

LILY
Is Harrison pressuring you?

Sam gets up and starts pacing.

SAM
No! No—I'M the one doing the
pressuring. Harrison's fine with
it.

LILY
Oh...

SAM
Harrison said he wanted the moment
to be right. So I said, fine,
we'll plan a time and place to do
it. But he didn't think that
sounded romantic.

Lily eyes her suspiciously.

LILY
Sam...you didn't buy that trashy
"Passion Pits" magazine, did you?

Sam lets her expression answer. Then she rubs her hands over
her face.

SAM
Okay, I am acting like a total
slut, aren't I?

LILY
Well...

Sam throws her arms up in despair.

SAM
I just want so badly for this
thing with Harrison to work...

LILY
And, you're jealous because he
slept with Brooke.

Sam turns and stares at her.

SAM
Why is this so obvious to
everyone?

LILY
(laughs)
It doesn't exactly take a rocket
scientist to figure that out.

SAM
All right, I'm jealous, I admit
it.
(considers)
Also... I'm tired of waiting.

She gestures at Lily.

SAM (CONT'D)
It's not like YOU have that
problem, being married to Josh.

LILY
(downcast)
Well... Josh and I aren't
exactly the picture of wedded
bliss.

SAM
(shocked)
What?

She sits back down next to Lily.

LILY
(reluctantly)
In fact, if you want to be
technical about it, we haven't...

SAM
(puzzled)
Why?

LILY
Well, first we were living with my
mom, and then we were living with
Miss Glass...
And then...we got into this huge
fight, and...we haven't exactly
been speaking to each other since.

SAM
Lily! Why didn't you say
something?

LILY
I wanted to, but... You've been
so busy with Brooke, and you
already gave us all that money...

SAM
(firmly)
Nonsense. You are gonna tell me,
right now, what the problem is.

LILY
(wiping her eyes)
I...found out he was keeping
things from me.

SAM
(alarmed)
It's not... There isn't someone
else?

LILY
No!

She reaches into her bag, pulls out the letter and hands it to
Sam. As Sam starts to read, her eyes grow wide.

SAM
Wow...

CUT TO:

INT. CAFETERIA - NOON

Sam is eating alone when Josh comes up to her.

JOSH
Where's Harrison?

SAM
Off trying to score a crash course
in chemistry.

JOSH
Good.
(sitting down)
I need your help.

SAM
If this is about Lily, she already
told me.

JOSH
So—you know about the letter.

SAM
Yes, I know... Josh, what were
you thinking?

JOSH
(gesturing)
I just—didn't want her to get
involved with it.

SAM
Josh, you're MARRIED! You're
supposed to be involved with
everything about each other's
lives!

JOSH
I know, I screwed up. But, Sam—I
tried to apologize! I've
apologized like a hundred times.
She won't even look at me.

Sam closes her eyes and thinks for a moment.

SAM
All right—I will TRY to help you
work things out.

JOSH
(relieved)
Thanks.

SAM
BUT you have to promise me that
you won't ever do anything like
this again.

JOSH
I won't. I swear—I've learned my
lesson.

SAM
Okay—meet me in the Supply Room in
fifteen minutes.

JOSH
(a bit confused)
Uh, all right.

Sam gets up and walks away.

CUT TO:

INT. SUPPLY ROOM - LATER

Josh is standing and marking time in this narrow room, whose
main feature is wall-to-wall shelves filled with all manner of
school supplies. The door opens and Sam prods Lily in.

LILY
...Sam, I don't understand what—

She stops short when she sees Josh, but Sam propels her
forward.

SAM
(firmly)
All right. You two are IN LOVE,
and you have been fighting for far
too long. So, you are going to
work this out, right here, right
now.

Lily folds her arms and glares at the wall.

JOSH
(tiredly)
Sam, I don't think this is gonna
work.

SAM
Guys, believe me when I tell you,
this is for your own good.

JOSH
What—?

Sam take two quick steps back, and slams the door shut. Lily
and Josh both rush the door, as they hear the lock turning.
They pound on the door.

JOSH/LILY
Sam!

SAM (O.S.)
(from the other side)
Talk!

LILY
Sam, open the door!

SAM (O.S.)
(from the other side)
(sing-song)
Good-byeeee...

CUT TO:

INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

Sam pockets the key and saunters away, humming to herself.

CUT TO:

EXT. A PARK - DAY

Brooke and Clarence are sitting on opposite ends of a bench.

CLARENCE
Hey—haven't we been here before?

Brooke looks around idly.

BROOKE
I don't know. Maybe.

Clarence stews for a few moments.

CLARENCE
Aren't you curious?

Brooke just shrugs.

CLARENCE (CONT'D)
You know, Brooke, you're getting
to be a real downer lately.

BROOKE
(sourly)
Well, I'm sorry if I haven't been
entertaining you.

Clarence jumps up and starts pacing.

CLARENCE
Man! You are a tough nut to
crack. I thought Harrison was
stubborn, but he was a piece of
cake compared to you!

BROOKE
(bitterly)
Thanks.

CLARENCE
Okay—you're frustrated. I get
that. But...you can't just give
up.

BROOKE
Why not? Why can't I just sit on
this bench until the end of time?

CLARENCE
Well...you just can't.

Brooke folds her arms across her chest and settles back
defiantly. Clarence sighs, and settles on his heels in front
of her.

CLARENCE (CONT'D)
Brooke, I'm trying to help.

BROOKE
I'm tired of this. I look, and I
look, and I haven't found any
answers at all.

CLARENCE
That's because you haven't asked
any questions.

BROOKE
(glaring)
I've done nothing but ask
questions.

CLARENCE
(laughs)
Not to ME. To yourself. That's
the only way you're going to find
the answers you want.

BROOKE
(shaking her head)
What?

CLARENCE
Look—

Brooke suddenly puts her finger to her lips.

BROOKE
Shhh...what's that?

Clarence shuts up and cocks his head, and soon a sound wafts
through the air: a rhythmic tapping noise. Brooke gets up
and heads off over a small knoll, following the sound, with
Clarence close behind.

At the top of the knoll, Brooke stops abruptly, causing
Clarence to almost run into her back.

BROOKE (CONT'D)
(pointing)
Who's THAT?

Clarence follows her gaze, down the shallow slope to a
basketball court—where someone is dribbling a basketball.
Without waiting for an answer, Brooke takes off down the hill.

CUT TO:

EXT. AN OUTDOOR BASKETBALL COURT - CONTINUOUS

Brooke pulls up at the edge of the court, where a tall—very
tall—lanky, teenaged girl is dancing around, easily dribbling
around and between her legs. When she sees Brooke, she picks
up the ball and holds it on her hip, watching her expectantly.
Brooke peers closely at her for a moment.

BROOKE
(tentatively)
Mackenzie?

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT ONE