ACT TWO

FADE IN:

EXT. JOSH AND LILY'S APARTMENT

Sam walks up to the front door and rings the bell. After a
moment the door cracks open and Lily pokes her head out.

LILY
Oh, hey, Sam.

SAM
Lily? Something wrong?

LILY
What—why?

SAM
Well...you haven't invited me in.
Something going on you don't want
me to know about?

Lily sighs and opens the door. Sam steps through to find a
living room that looks like a tornado hit it: furniture
overturned and askew, various things smashed on the floor.

SAM (CONT'D)
Did you get robbed?

LILY
(annoyed)
No, I did it.

SAM
Oh...

Lily buries her face in her hands.

LILY
I know, it's SO unhealthy... I
should be channeling my feelings.

Sam picks up a broken piece of something and examines it.

SAM
Looks like you did a pretty good
job of channeling—right into the
furniture.

LILY
You know what I mean!

SAM
Lily...I know you're upset, but,
really, there's no reason. Josh
is NOT cheating on you, your
marriage is NOT in trouble—at
least, nothing that a couple of
nights alone won't fix.

For the first time a smile cracks Lily's face.

LILY
Yeah, it seems like you think sex
is the answer to everything these
days.

SAM
(grinning)
Shut up! It's bad enough I've got
Brooke all over me; I don't need
it from you, too.

LILY
(laughs)
Okay, okay...

They look over the wreckage of the room in silence.

SAM
I'm serious, though—what you and
Josh need is some face-to-face
time.

LILY
You know—I'm gonna do it.

SAM
What?

Lily walks over to a relatively undisturbed corner of the room
where her computer sits. Lily bends over and starts tapping
keys.

LILY
I'm gonna go up there. I'm gonna
make him explain what's been going
on. And don't try to talk me out
of it, either. I'm supposed to go
up there this weekend anyway—I
might as well go early.

SAM
Oh—no! I mean, I'm not. I
totally agree, that's exactly what
you should do.

Sam walks over to Lily's side.

SAM (CONT'D)
Here—

She takes the mouse and clicks here and there.

SAM (CONT'D)
When I went to San Francisco last
year, I got a really cheap ticket
price off this site.

LILY
So...you really think this is a
good idea?

SAM
(nodding)
I think this is the best idea.
Trust me.

CUT TO:

INT. HOTEL RESTAURANT - NOON

Sugar Daddy and Carmen are eating lunch.

CARMEN
(looking around)
You know, I thought the place
would be emptier than this.

SUGAR
Bet no one's having pepperoni
pizza.

CARMEN
Oh! Wasn't that the awfulest
thing?

SUGAR
I was really blown away by that
professor, though. I mean,
imagine—I've been eating the
wrong stuff at the wrong time for
years, and I never knew it! Man,
with his program, I am gonna be
killer on the wrestling team this
year.

CARMEN
You're going out for wrestling
again?

SUGAR
After what happened last year, I
got to, man. Gotta show 'em who's
the lean, mean, wrestlin' machine.

CARMEN
(raising her glass)
The triumphant return of Sugar
Daddy.

SUGAR
(clinking their glasses together)
Hey, I'll drink to that.

CARMEN
So, you going to anything this
afternoon?

Sugar digs out his schedule and looks it over.

SUGAR
Ummmm, I dunno... You?

Carmen looks at her own copy of the schedule.

CARMEN
Uh...

CARMEN/SUGAR
(simultaneously)
"Exercising Without Exercising"!

SUGAR
(pointing)
Great minds...

CARMEN
(giggly)
Yeah...

CUT TO:

INT. BROOKE'S HOSPITAL ROOM

Brooke is sitting on the side of the bed, talking on the
phone.

BROOKE
(into the phone)
No, Dad, you are NOT coming home a
day early!... I will be fine for
one day, don't worry... Yes, I
know... I love you, too, Dad...
Bye.

She leans over and hangs up the phone. Then, after a few
moments' thought, she grips her tray table and slowly,
laboriously gets to her feet, swaying slightly. Steadying
herself, she starts to take tiny steps around the bed, holding
onto the table. Behind her, unseen, Harrison appears in the
doorway. She stumbles, and he rushes forward to catch her
before she can fall.

BROOKE (CONT'D)
Harrison! You're doing that a lot
lately...catching me, I mean.

HARRISON
I don't think you're supposed to
be trying that by yourself yet.

Harrison helps Brooke up and back into bed.

BROOKE
I know... I just can't wait to
get back to normal.

HARRISON
Yeah, I definitely remember that
feeling.

BROOKE
(looking around)
Where's Sam?

HARRISON
Oh, she went to see Lily. I
kinda...wanted to talk to you.
Alone.

BROOKE
(rolls her eyes)
All right, all right, I promise—I
won't try to worm any x-rated
details out of Sam, okay?

HARRISON
It's not that.

BROOKE
(sobering)
What is it?

Harrison sits down on the edge of the bed.

HARRISON
Brooke, for the past few weeks
you've been...well, you've been
real supportive of me and Sam. In
fact, you've been more than
that...it seems like you've done
everything you can to get us
together.

BROOKE
(shrugs)
And?

Harrison takes a deep breath.

HARRISON
If you don't mind...can I ask WHY?

BROOKE
(smiles)
Would you like it better if I were
pouting and screaming and throwing
things at you?

HARRISON
No!
(considers)
Well, maybe a little.

BROOKE
Harrison, it's okay. Really. I
know how you feel, and I'll be
okay with it.

HARRISON
I dunno... You're just, you're
being awfully...

BROOKE
Mature?

HARRISON
(snaps his fingers)
That's it—you're being way too
mature about this.

Brooke giggles.

HARRISON (CONT'D)
You know, it was kinda cool having
two girls fight over me. Well...
except for the part where you were
both fighting WITH me.

Brooke lays her hand on his.

BROOKE
If there were no Sam...if you
didn't feel the way you do...I'd
be all over you in a heartbeat.

HARRISON
Well, that's something.

BROOKE
Look, you and Sam have something
really special, and I'm not going
to be petty and vindictive and try
to get in the way. Harrison, you
are so lucky to have the person
you love, love you back.

HARRISON
(neutrally)
Yeah.

BROOKE
(concerned)
What...? Oh my God, did I do
something? I didn't mean to do
anything...

HARRISON
No, it's not... She just...said
the weirdest thing this morning.

BROOKE
What?

HARRISON
Uh...nevermind. It's not a big
deal, I guess.

BROOKE
You know what—you really oughta
go and find her. Right now.
Really, you don't have to babysit
me on my last day before I leave.

HARRISON
I don't mind, you know...

Brooke pushes him off the bed.

BROOKE
Out!

HARRISON
Okay... See you later?

BROOKE
(grinning)
I'm sure. Now GO, already. And
stop worrying about me!

With a wave, Harrison backs out of the room. Once he's gone,
the smile fades from Brooke's face, and she leans back,
staring at the ceiling.

BROOKE (CONT'D)
(to herself)
Damn you, Nic. Love is NOT about
popularity. I'll prove you wrong
no matter what it takes.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT TWO