ACT FOUR
FADE IN:
EXT. THE FOOTBALL FIELD - LATER
Josh is watching George and the team run through practice
drills.
JOSH
(calling)
No, Kelly! Two steps! Two steps,
and break!
One of the players comes jogging over to the sideline.
KELLY
I can't do that, Josh. I'm gonna
run right into the coverage.
JOSH
No, no. The corner's thinking
deep, the safety comes upby the
time you hit your spot, they'll
both be five yards off of you.
You just have to do it, and the
lane'll be there when you are.
Coach Krupps comes up from behind.
COACH KRUPPS
Hey, going after my job now, Ford?
JOSH
(turning)
No, Sir, I
George comes jogging up to join them.
GEORGE
I asked Josh to come watch red
twenty-two, see if we can get it
down before tomorrow.
JOSH
The timing's off. Kelly's
breaking too late.
COACH KRUPPS
(laughing)
All right. I have to go do
wrestling tryouts anyway. Carry
on.
Coach Krupps walks away, while Josh and George watch him go.
JOSH
I sure hope Shug gets on that
team. He's really been working
hard.
GEORGE
Yeah.
(pause)
Hey, why don't you go out and run
a couple?
JOSH
Me? No, Iwell, okay.
Josh and George head back to the huddle.
GEORGE
Listen up, guys! Josh is gonna
run red-twenty-two a few times!
Try to pay attention, wouldja?
CUT TO:
EXT. OUTSIDE THE FIELD
Behind the chain-link fence, Lily is watching Josh direct the
play when Carmen comes ambling up to her.
CARMEN
Hi, Lily.
LILY
(not turning)
Hey, Carm.
Carmen joins Lily at the fence.
CARMEN
Hey, I didn't know Josh was
playing football again.
LILY
He isn't.
Carmen's eyebrows go up.
CARMEN
Coulda fooled me.
LILY
(subdued)
Really, he's just doing George a
favor.
But as she watches Josh laughing it up with the team, it's
clear that she's not so sure. After a moment, she tears her
eyes away and turns to face Carmen.
LILY (CONT'D)
Hey, if anyone hassles you about
Sugar Daddy, you'll tell me,
right?
CARMEN
(shaking her head)
What? Why would anyone be
hassling me?
LILY
Oh...I thought you heard.
CARMEN
Heard what?
LILY
Justa couple of jocks were
giving Sugar Daddy a hard time
about, you know, the two of you.
Josh said he and George stepped up
and made them back off.
CARMEN
No, I hadn't heard... Hey, I
gotta go. I'll talk to you later,
okay?
Without waiting for an answer, Carmen turns and runs off.
LILY
(to Carmen's back)
Okay.
CUT TO:
INT. MCQUEEN DINING ROOM - EVENING
Sam, Brooke, Jane and Mike are finishing up dinner.
SAM
...and so I'm just standing there,
and Art Fleischer offers me a job!
It was just unreal!
JANE
Honey, I'm so proud of you.
MIKE
Yeah, Sam, I know you're going to
be one helluva reporter.
There's a moment of expectant silence.
MIKE (CONT'D)
(prodding)
Brooke?
Brooke, who doesn't seem to have been paying attention to the
conversation, looks up suddenly.
BROOKE
Yeah, Sam. I'm...I'm glad you got
what you wanted.
Before Sam can react, the doorbell rings, and she leaps out of
her chair.
SAM
Oh! That's Harrison. We're going
out to celebrate.
She rushes off to answer the door.
MIKE
Brooke? What's the matter?
BROOKE
(picking at her food)
I don't know... It'sI mean,
look at Sam. She's getting on
with her career already, and...
Did you know Mary Cherry and
Carmen want me to help bring back
the Glamazons? It's like I'm
mired in all this high school
stuff.
(pause)
Like I'm...just spinning my
wheels.
Mike leans over and lays his hand on hers.
MIKE
Honey, you are smart, and
beautiful, and you can do anything
you put your mind to. You just
have to believe in yourself.
Brooke looks extremely unconvinced.
CUT TO:
INT. MCQUEEN DEN - LATER
Brooke is sitting at the desk/vanity table when there is a
knock on the open door, and Harrison steps inside.
BROOKE
Harrison! I thought you were
going out!
HARRISON
We are. Samhad to do something.
BROOKE
Harrison, you shouldn't be in
here.
Harrison takes a couple of steps inside.
HARRISON
Sam's upstairs.
BROOKE
Please, just... I can't handle
this.
HARRISON
Brooke
BROOKE
I don't know what's going on.
HARRISON
I...I don't know what to say to
her. I don't know what to say to
you.
BROOKE
The truth?
HARRISON
I love you.
BROOKE
(looking away)
And Sam?
Harrison shrugs helplessly. He takes another step towards
Brooke, when Sam appears in the doorway.
SAM
There you are!
HARRISON
(turning)
Sam! We were just, uh
BROOKE
Talking.
HARRISON
Yeah. Talking.
Sam seems oblivious to the tension between Brooke and
Harrison.
SAM
Ready to go?
HARRISON
Ah, yeah.
As Harrison walks towards Sam, she takes his arm and
practically drags him out of the room.
SAM (O.S.)
(calling to Jane and Mike)
Don't wait up!
Brooke looks at the doorway bleakly, then slowly lays her head
down on the desk.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. CHEMISTRY CLASS - THE NEXT DAY
Miss Glass is being her usual acerbic self.
GLASS
All right, listen up! We're ready
to start Career Day presentations,
after which you'll be free to
explore potential career paths on
your own. Now, contrary to what
some of you may think, I
wholeheartedly support Career Day.
Any excuse not to be cooped up in
this classroom with all of YOU is
very good thing. To those of you
who brought their parents, I say,
thank you for conning them into
this thankless job.
(pause)
I understand Mr. Ford even found
someone to come today.
(to Josh)
So, what have to got for us? The
local car wash? Or perhaps you
decided to follow in your wife's
footsteps and sell herbal soap.
Lily gives Miss Glass a dirty look.
JOSH
Actually, Miss Glass, I
Everyone turns at the sound of a polite rap on the doorframe.
LILY
(grinning)
Dr. Bennett!
As Dr. Bennett steps inside, Josh slides off his stool and
walks over to her.
JOSH
Everyone, this is Dr. Tina
Bennett. She's a research
scientist at the Pacific National
Institute for Oceanographic
Studies up in Monterey, where I
worked this summer.
Miss Glass steps over, trying to maintain the upper hand.
GLASS
So, I guess "Doctor" is an
honorary title?
Dr. Bennett smiles sweetly at her.
BENNETT
Yes, it honors the fact that I
received a doctorate in marine
biology from Columbia University.
JOSH
Dr. Bennett also has a master's in
zoology.
BENNETT
But aquatic studies are my
specialty. Actually, in college,
I was a double majorbiology and
physics.
(shrugs)
I was vacillating between the two.
JOSH
Oh, and she was in the French lit
honors program at Yale.
BENNETT
Three semesters. But I only read
French literature on my own time,
so I don't usually count it.
As the class titters at Miss Glass' discomfiture, she makes
one more attempt.
GLASS
My, you've accomplished quite a
lot. AND you've taken care of
yourselfyou certainly don't look
like you're
BENNETT
Thirty-two.
GLASS
(gaping)
Thirty...two?
BENNETT
Thirty-two.
Effectively dismissing Miss Glass, she turns to the class,
draping her arm over Josh's shoulder.
BENNETT (CONT'D)
Since you're his classmates, you
probably already know that Josh
didn't have much interest in
aquatic biology when he came to
the Institute.
More laughter rises from the class.
BENNETT (CONT'D)
But he found a job he could do,
and he did it well. I'm proud to
say that Josh was one of our best
internsand my bosses wouldn't
mind having him back next year.
As Josh returns to his seat, there is a patter of applause.
LILY
(whispering to Josh)
Why didn't you tell me?
JOSH
She wasn't sure she could make it.
I didn't want to tell you, in case
it didn't work out.
Meanwhile, Dr. Bennett has stepped to the center of the room.
BENNETT
Now, I realize that most of you
probably have never given a
thought to the study of sea life.
And I doubt many of you will be
thinking about it after today
it's a highly specialized
interest. But a few of you might.
And if not this, then something
else might catch your eye today.
It might be something you've
wanted to do all your life, or
something completely unexpected.
(chuckling)
Josh keeps saying he's the dumb
jock in your group. If that's
true, you're all going to have
very bright futures.
Lily puts her arm around Josh, looking like she's going to
burst.
DISSOLVE TO:
MONTAGE
Mike, Jane, and a few other parents talking to the class.
CUT TO:
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - LATER
Tables have been set up along the hallway, like booths at a
bazaar. Brooke is walking down the hall when she comes up
short at the sight before her.
BROOKE
OhNO.
Placed at a strategic corner, Mary Cherry has set up a gaudy,
glittery display devoted to the Glamazons. Mary Cherry has
changed into something that looks more like a parody of a
cheerleading outfit. Brooke starts to turn away, but Mary
Cherry rushes out from behind the table and stops her.
MARY CHERRY
Brooke! You promised!
BROOKE
I said I'd helpbut there are
limits!
Mary Cherry leads Brooke over to the table.
MARY CHERRY
Come on, Brooke! This is perfect!
BROOKE
This is ridiculous! Cheerleading
is not a career choice!
MARY CHERRY
It can be a very rewarding career,
leading to endorsements, Playboy
layouts...
BROOKE
Mary Cherry!
Suddenly Carmen comes rushing up, dressed in a similarly gaudy
outfit and carrying a bolt of fabric.
CARMEN
Mary Cherry! Look at this!
Mary Cherry examines the material.
MARY CHERRY
What's this?
CARMEN
It's the material for the
costumes!
MARY CHERRY
(throwing up her hands)
No! It's supposed to be FUCHSIA,
not LAVENDER! Can't they get
anything right?
CARMEN
Well, they're unloading a whole
crate of it.
MARY CHERRY
No, no, it's all going back!
(to Brooke)
Just watch the table for a few
minutes, okay? Thanks!
Brooke starts to protest, but Mary Cherry and Carmen are
already gone. Shaking her head in disgust, she pulls up a
chair and sits down, pulling a crossword puzzle book out of
her bag. She is completely absorbed in her puzzle when
someone clears their throat. She looks up to see a blonde
girl, dressed in a vaguely Britney Spears-wannabe ensemble,
standing nervously before her.
GIRL
Uh...excuse me? I'm...Mandy...
Mandy Thompson... I'm a
freshman...is this where I go to
be a cheerleader?
(her eyes go wide)
Wow! You're Brooke McQueen,
aren't you? I can't believe it!
BROOKE
You know me?
GIRL
(gushing)
Are you kidding? Everybody knows
you! You're like, the Queen of
Kennedy! Wow, I can't believe I'm
talking to a senior! And not just
any seniorBrooke McQueen!
BROOKE
(shrugs)
It's a special occasion. We won't
acknowledge your existence the
rest of the year.
GIRL
Oh...right... So...?
BROOKE
(breaking in)
Why do you want to be a
cheerleader?
GIRL
Are you kidding? It's, it's
glamorous, and everybody loves
you, and, and...
Suddenly she just seems to run out of steam.
GIRL (CONT'D)
(shrugs fatalistically)
I've always been a cheerleader.
Ever since eighth grade. It's
expected.
BROOKE
(murmuring)
That sounds familiar.
GIRL
So, this is where I go, right?
Brooke nods at the notebook the girl is cradling in her arms.
BROOKE
What's that?
The girl looks down as if she's forgotten the book was there.
GIRL
This? Oh...nothing. It'sjust
kind of a...it's like a journal?
Sometimes...I just...write down
stuff... You know, just, ideas,
and some poems, and stuff...
Brooke uses a bit of her senior-class authority to hold out
her hand expectantly, and the girl hands the notebook over
without question. Brooke flips through it idly.
GIRL (CONT'D)
It's not really very good... I
mean, I know, you probably think
it's really dorky...
Brooke snaps the notebook shut and hands it back, then leans
forward and cranes her neck, spotting Sam at the end of the
hall.
BROOKE
(pointing)
You see that girl? The brunette,
in the brown sweater? She's the
editor of the school paper.
Forget the Glamazons. Go talk to
her.
GIRL
But
BROOKE
The sooner you stop doing what's
expected of you, and start doing
what you want to do, the better
off you'll be.
GIRL
Are you sure?
BROOKE
(chuckling)
Yeah. I'm sure. Go on.
The girl looks nervously in Sam's direction.
GIRL
What if she hates me?
BROOKE
She's my sister. Tell her I sent
you. Show her your journal, and
tell her you don't want to be a
cheerleader when you grow up.
After considering it for another moment, the girl turns and
starts to tentatively walk down the hall; and Brooke relaxes
in her chair, for the first time in a long while a satisfied
smile spreading across her face.
FADE TO BLACK.
END OF ACT FOUR
THE END
