ACT FOUR
FADE IN:
EST. MCQUEEN HOUSE - DUSK
A short establishing shot.
CUT TO:
INT. MCQUEEN KITCHEN
Jane is moping at the kitchen table when the patio door opens
and Sam walks in. Jane leaps up and rushes over to her.
JANE
Sam! Where have you been? I've
been worried sick!
SAM
Oh, I'm sorry... Mr. Fleischer—
Art—called. He wanted to set
everything up for me to start
working. So...I went down there.
JANE
Well, honey, I wish you'd left a
note.
SAM
I'm sorry, I didn't...think I was
going to be this long. I was...I
was going to tell him that I
couldn't do it.
JANE
Oh, Sam...you didn't.
SAM
(sighs)
No...I didn't. We...talked. I
don't know—I said I'd give it a
try. I guess I won't be able to
baby-sit Mac anymore—I'll be busy
after school.
JANE
After school?
SAM
(grimacing)
He said he couldn't hire me if I
dropped out.
Jane hugs Sam.
JANE
I am very, very proud of you.
The door opens, and Mike and Brooke come in.
MIKE
Jane—
JANE
(turning and interrupting)
Mike, Sam went down to the paper
today, to start her new job.
Mike, who was already grinning, hurriedly makes his way over
to Sam.
MIKE
Really! That's great, Sam. Tell
us all about it—are we going to
be reading your articles in the
Chronicle now?
SAM
(blushing)
Not for a long time. I guess
interns mostly do research and
stuff.
He claps an encouraging hand on her shoulder.
MIKE
Still, I bet you're pretty
excited, huh? I mean, here you
are, not even out of high school
yet, and your career's already
taking off.
JANE
Honey, we're all so thrilled for
you.
Sam looks past both of them.
SAM
Brooke?
Brooke, who has been watching this exchange without much
expression at all, blinks and visibly refocuses on Sam.
BROOKE
It's...
JANE
(uncertainly)
Brooke?
BROOKE
...just...great
(swallowing hard)
It is. Great.
Without another word, she turns and walks—at a reasonable
pace—out of the room.
MIKE
Brooke!
Mike starts to go after her, but Sam grabs at his arm, and
pulls him back.
SAM
Wait—let me. Please.
CUT TO:
INT. MCQUEEN DOWNSTAIRS HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER
Sam enters the hallway and seems a bit surprised to find it
empty. She walks up to the door to the den and raises her
hand to knock; but at the last moment pulls it back. Instead,
she opens the door and walks through.
CUT TO:
INT. MCQUEEN DEN - CONTINUOUS
Brooke, who is sitting at her desk, looks up as Sam comes in.
BROOKE
God! Do I have to put a lock on
that door?
Sam just shakes her head, throws up her hands and turns to
leave—but instead she closes the door and whirls back around.
SAM
Brooke—
Brooke slams her hand down on the desk in frustration.
BROOKE
What? What do you want from me?
Sam lets out an incredulous snort.
SAM
What—what do I—? What do YOU
want from ME? I thought we
were—
BROOKE
You thought we were what?
SAM
I thought we were SISTERS!
BROOKE
We WERE!
Suddenly spent, Brooke buries her face in her hands.
BROOKE (CONT'D)
We are...I...
With no small amount of trepidation, Sam approaches Brooke,
and squats down to meet her eye-to-eye.
SAM
Do you want me to beg, Brooke? Is
that it?
BROOKE
(suddenly confused)
What—? Sam—
SAM
Please, please, PLEASE don't do
this. Not now.
Brooke just shakes her head mutely. Sam squeezes her eyes
shut, carefully picking her way through her words.
SAM (CONT'D)
Please don't turn your back and
walk away from me. I can't—
handle—losing someone else that I
care about.
BROOKE
(curiously)
I'm someone you care about?
SAM
Oh, God, Brooke, how can you ask
that? After all we've been
through.
BROOKE
I don't—what do you need me for?
You've got a career, you've got a
boyfriend—
Sam pulls back suddenly.
SAM
Is this about HARRISON?
BROOKE
Sam—
SAM
It is, isn't it?
BROOKE
I...don't want to talk about it.
But Sam is busy reaching her own conclusions.
SAM
Are you—are you JEALOUS of me and
Harrison?
Brooke refuses to answer or even look at Sam.
SAM (CONT'D)
Oh...I cannot believe—I am SUCH a
yutz!
BROOKE
Huh?
SAM
Here I am, I have—Harrison, who
is like the ideal boyfriend...and,
and this thing with the paper,
which is pretty much a dream job
for me...
BROOKE
(annoyed)
Is there a point in all this
somewhere?
SAM
See? There I go again. I just...
flaunt these things. I'm
completely insensitive to anyone
else's feelings.
Sam kneels down next to Brooke's chair.
SAM (CONT'D)
I know how you feel...stuck...
like you're going to be stuck in
high-school mode forever.
BROOKE
You do?
SAM
(chuckling ruefully)
We may not talk anymore, but I do
hear things. Even if I haven't
been paying enough attention to
them.
(pause)
And...I know...I realize...how
hard—even though you were all
supportive—how hard it was to let
go of Harrison.
BROOKE
Sam...
SAM
No, I...took your feelings for
Harrison too lightly. I'm sorry,
Brooke. I'm very, very sorry.
After all you went through because
of Nicole...I never meant to hurt
you more.
Brooke turns away, shaking her head.
SAM (CONT'D)
What?
BROOKE
(murmuring)
YOU never meant to hurt ME...
SAM
Is that funny?
The ironic smile disappears from Brooke's face.
BROOKE
No. Sam, I don't want you to feel
guilty about having a job, or...
Harrison. And I don't want you to
think you have to tiptoe around
me. I'll deal. It's not your
problem.
(pause)
I'm sure Dad and Jane want to do
something to celebrate your new
job.
Sam straightens up and goes to the door.
SAM
(turning back)
Aren't you coming with?
BROOKE
Naw...I've got homework.
SAM
Homework...
(rubbing her eyes)
I am SO screwed...I'm never gonna
catch up.
BROOKE
You only missed, like, a week and
a half. It's not a big deal.
Sam opens the door.
BROOKE (CONT'D)
(suddenly)
George asks about you.
SAM
(turning back)
He does?
BROOKE
Yeah, he hasn't felt right about,
you know, coming over, but...yeah.
SAM
Huh...
With a half-smile playing at her lips, Sam walks out of the
room. Brooke holds her gaze on the closed door for a couple
of moments; then she reaches across the desk for her cell
phone. Shuffling through the pile on the desk, she pulls out
the paper Billy gave her, and dials.
BROOKE
(into the phone)
Hey. It's Brooke—from school?
Can we meet somewhere? Not
here...
VERTICAL SLIDE CUT TO:
INT. THE DINER - LATER
Brooke and Billy are having a combination dinner and study
session.
BROOKE
(scribbling on paper)
Here...like this?
Billy reaches out and turns the paper around so he can read
it.
BILLY
(shaking his head)
You've got it backwards.
He adds a few marks of his own.
BILLY (CONT'D)
See?
Brooke picks up the paper and studies it closely.
BROOKE
Don't the signs switch after
osmosis?
BILLY
(considering)
I think that's algebra.
Brooke shakes her head, reaching across the table to steal a
couple of Billy's french fries.
BROOKE
I wish they would just teach one
science at a time.
BILLY
Well, math isn't a science,
strictly speaking—
Brooke glares at him.
BILLY (CONT'D)
Uh, I get your point.
BROOKE
You know, you sound different,
somehow.
BILLY
Different?
BROOKE
I don't know...sometimes you
sound...well, just, different.
Less...geeky. No offense.
He self-consciously adjusts his glasses.
BILLY
Oh...I, uh, didn't mean to.
BROOKE
No, it's okay.
(grinning)
I like it.
BILLY
Oh, well, then, um...
BROOKE
(laughing)
Nevermind.
Billy watches her sneak another french fry.
BILLY
Um, should I get more?
BROOKE
(shaking her head)
Oh, no...
She holds the french fry up to her face and considers it
before popping it into her mouth.
BROOKE (CONT'D)
You know, last year you wouldn't
have caught me dead doing this.
BILLY
What...eating?
BROOKE
(laughs)
Yeah. I mean, I'd go places to
hang out, be seen...but I would've
been counting the calories in the
water. I was really messed up
back then.
BILLY
You don't seem like the kind of
girl to mess up.
BROOKE
Little Miss Perfect... That was
the problem.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the diner, the door opens and
Mike, Jane, Sam and Harrison walk in.
JANE
Are you sure you don't want to go
someplace fancier?
SAM
This is fine, Mom. It's about as
fancy as I'm ready for.
While they look for a booth, Harrison spots Brooke and Billy.
HARRISON
(to Sam)
Hang on a sec.
Leaving the others, he goes purposefully striding over to the
booth where Brooke and Billy are laughing over something or
other.
BROOKE
(looking up)
Harrison...what are you doing
here?
HARRISON
That's funny—I was about to ask
you the same thing.
BROOKE
I'm having dinner, and doing my
chemistry homework.
HARRISON
(miffed)
Really...I thought maybe you were
branching out into charity work.
BILLY
Ah, maybe I should—
Billy starts to get up, but Brooke puts out a hand to stop
him.
BROOKE
(quickly chilling)
No, it's all right.
(pointedly)
Harrison's not staying.
HARRISON
So are you going to tell me what's
going on?
BROOKE
As if I have to explain myself to
you. And what, you're one of the
cool kids now, you can turn up
your nose at everyone else?
HARRISON
(pointing)
Hey, I was never THAT. EMORY
isn't that.
Brooke gives him a look that would freeze molten lava.
BROOKE
(grating)
Harrison, go away.
HARRISON
Brooke—
BROOKE
NOW.
HARRISON
(snorts)
Fine.
Harrison walks off in a huff.
BILLY
Uh, I'm sorry, I didn't...that's
your...boyfriend?
BROOKE
(looking after Harrison)
Harrison? No. No way.
(with finality)
No.
Meanwhile, Harrison rejoins the others at the booth they've
found.
SAM
What was that all about?
MIKE
And who's that sitting with
Brooke?
SAM
(craning her neck)
Don't know.
HARRISON
Oh, it's some new kid. He sat
next to Brooke in class today.
SAM
Is there a problem?
HARRISON
Oh, he's just...glomming all over
her.
SAM
(pecking him on the cheek)
It's sweet of you to worry.
Harrison looked more pissed than worried, but he holds his
peace around Sam.
CUT TO:
INT. ART FLEISCHER'S OFFICE - LATER
Fleischer is relaxing behind his luxurious oak desk, absorbed
in a sheaf of papers, when Vicki knocks on the open door, and
steps inside. She sets a bunch of slips on the desk.
VICKI
Your messages.
FLEISCHER
(tapping his computer)
You could just upload those, you
know.
VICKI
Uh-huh. If the Governor calls and
that thing eats the message, it's
not the one getting fired.
FLEISCHER
(shrugs)
True.
VICKI
(holding out a paper)
Here's that information you
wanted.
Fleischer immediately sits up and takes the paper from her.
FLEISCHER
Thanks, Vicki. This is it?
VICKI
Everything I could find.
FLEISCHER
Okay. Thanks.
(looks at his watch)
It's late. You might as well take
off.
VICKI
See you tomorrow, then.
After Vicki leaves, Fleischer scans the printed paper quickly.
He reaches into his desk and pulls out an old, weathered
datebook. Flipping through it, he finds the page he wants,
picks up the phone and dials.
FLEISCHER
(into the phone)
Is Detective Seizemore there?
Tell him it's Art Fleischer from
the L.A. Chronicle.
For a few moments, while he is on hold, he reads the paper in
his hand more closely. Then his attention turns back to the
phone.
FLEISCHER (CONT'D)
(into the phone)
Hey, Larry, it's Art... Yeah...
It's not exactly a picnic out
here, either... Look, I need a
favor...
DISSOLVE TO:
EST. KENNEDY HIGH
Another sunny establishing shot.
CUT TO:
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY
Carmen and Mary Cherry are once again walking down the
hallway.
MARY CHERRY
I don't get it! It's been two
days already! When are they gonna
get around to those auditions?
CARMEN
(shrugs)
Maybe they decided to call it off.
MARY CHERRY
(aghast)
No! They can't do that! I'll—
I'll—I'll SUE!
As they pass by the girls' restroom, the door opens, and two
hands reach out to drag Carmen sideways through the doorway.
Mary Cherry, of course, keeps on walking down the hallway,
oblivious.
CUT TO:
INT. GIRLS' RESTROOM - CONTINUOUS
Inside, Carmen spins around to find Lily standing there.
CARMEN
Lily! What the hell are you
doing?
LILY
I've been trying to talk to you
all day!
CARMEN
Well, I'm sorry, I've had more
important things on my mind.
LILY
Okay, Carm, first of all, I don't
care what Mary Cherry's
brainwashed you into thinking,
this Glamazons thing is not even
remotely important! And
second...what's going on with you
and Sugar Daddy?
CARMEN
(flustered)
Going on? N-nothing. Why? Did
you hear something?
LILY
I thought you two had a good time
when you were together.
CARMEN
Well...we did. It just...wasn't
gonna work out. We're just too
different. I mean, he's a jock,
and I'm...I'm just me.
LILY
Carmen, don't you dare put
yourself down like that! And, who
cares how different you are? Look
at me and Josh!
Lily sits Carmen down on the tuffet.
LILY (CONT'D)
Believe me, he really wants to go
out with you.
CARMEN
(doubtful)
You think?
LILY
Carm, why do you think I'm talking
to you?
CARMEN
You mean, he...? But...he hasn't
said anything to me. I mean, I
haven't even seen him in ages.
LILY
Well, you told him you needed
"space".
CARMEN
(confused)
Wait...so, guys actually do what
you tell them?
LILY
(shrugs)
Sometimes.
Suddenly the door opens, and Mary Cherry bursts in.
MARY CHERRY
(to Carmen)
HERE'S where you disappeared to!
Didn't you hear? Come on!
CARMEN
Hear what?
MARY CHERRY
There's gonna be a special
assembly! This is it! They're
gonna announce the auditions!
Mary Cherry is so excited that she's actually bouncing.
MARY CHERRY (CONT'D)
Come ON! We're about to be
famous!
She proceeds to hustle Carmen out of the room.
LILY
(calling)
Carm! Sugar?
CARMEN
(as the door closes)
I know!
Lily just looks heavenward and sits back down on the tuffet.
CUT TO:
INT. GYM - LATER
The entire student body is gathering in the bleachers.
ANGLE: MARY CHERRY AND CARMEN
Mary Cherry is barely able to contain herself.
MARY CHERRY
This is it, I just know it! All
my hard work is gonna pay off!
CARMEN
(dubious)
I dunno...why would they do all
this just to announce that they're
holding auditions?
MARY CHERRY
Search me! But I can feel fame
and fortune heading my way!
ANGLE: BILLY
Billy, wearing a very loud jacket, is sitting by himself near
the floor and off to one side. He looks up as Brooke sits
down next to him.
BROOKE
Okay, look, I just want to
apologize again for Harrison. I
don't know what got into him...
I've never seen him be that rude
before. And I completely
understand if you just don't want
to bother with me anymore.
BILLY
(chuckling)
Brooke, it's okay, really.
Besides—
(gesturing around)
—it's not exactly like I've got
an entourage.
Brooke looks around herself, at the buffer of empty space the
other kids have put around him.
BROOKE
I'm sorry, this school really
isn't...
(reconsidering)
What am I saying? This school is
EXACTLY like that. I'm really
sorry.
BILLY
Stop apologizing, already. You're
not responsible for the whole
school.
BROOKE
There you go again—sounding not
geeky.
BILLY
Well, you DID say you liked it.
BROOKE
(grinning)
Yeah, I did.
Principal Krupps walks up to a microphone set up in the middle
of the gym floor and taps on it, sending a squeal of feedback
through the building.
KRUPPS
Attention, students... As you
know, a few days ago I announced
that the Bubblegum Boys would be
shooting their new video here at
Kennedy High. First, about the
part of the lead singer's
girlfriend: I understand that
those auditions will NOT be held—
although I hasten to add that this
has nothing to do with the
complaint that was made to the
State Department of Education
about an allegedly discriminatory
process.
In the bleaches, Josh glances over at Lily, who shrugs gamely.
KRUPPS (CONT'D)
However, the part WILL be chosen
in an alternate manner. And to
explain a little further just how
that's going to happen, I'd like
to introduce the manager for the
Bubblegum Boys, Mr. Franklin
Reese.
A thirty-ish man in a very expensive suit, who has
nevertheless been leaning casually against the wall, rights
himself and steps over to the microphone.
REESE
Thank you, Principal Krupps. Now,
when we first began this project,
we had a straightforward audition
process in mind. But, some of the
band members—specifically, B.J.
and Terrence—thought that we
should go in another direction.
What we decided to do—with
Principal Krupps' permission—was
to spend a couple of days
observing all of you in your
element...just being yourselves.
Now, we CAN still hold the
auditions if we have to...but from
what I hear, that won't be
necessary.
(looking up)
Will it?
A wave of surprise ripples through the gym when Billy stands
up.
BILLY
No, it won't.
As everyone sits in stunned silence—not least of all Brooke—
"Billy" clambers down off the bleachers. As he steps onto the
gym floor, he pulls at his head, and the bad hair—a wig—
falls to the floor, followed by the thick-rimmed glasses and
the geeky jacket; leaving him completely transformed.
MARY CHERRY
(hushed)
B.J. Tucker!
BILLY
Billy Jack.
He shrugs apologetically at Brooke.
BILLY (CONT'D)
My parents were bad movie freaks.
Billy—B.J.—starts to pace leisurely in front of the
collected student body.
BILLY (CONT'D)
See, the guys...we wanted to find
a real, natural California girl...
someone warm, and caring—the
genuine article. But there isn't
anything more UNnatural than a
bunch of girls lining up outside
an office, going in one by one and
showing themselves off to a
producer.
(shakes his head)
I've been through it—it ain't
fun. So, Mr. Krupps here was kind
enough to let me slip into school
anonymously...just to see what you
all were really like.
MARY CHERRY
(smacking her forehead)
All this time...
REESE
So—I take it you found the girl
you were looking for?
A slow grin spreads across Billy's face.
BILLY
Yeah, I did...
He turns and looks up at Brooke.
BILLY (CONT'D)
...if she'll do it.
For a moment Brooke seems genuinely surprised; then she furls
her brow, thinking.
BROOKE
On one condition.
Eyes alight, she crooks her finger, beckoning him. He
scrambles up to her and bends down; she whispers in his ear
for a moment. Finally he straightens up, shrugging.
BILLY
I don't see why we can't do that.
SWEEP CUT TO:
INT. GYM - LATER
The gym looks much the same as before, with the exception of
five young men in bubblegum-pink shirts lined up on the floor.
DIRECTOR (O.S.)
Music!
A technopop arrangement of "California Dreamin'" begins to
blare through a loudspeaker.
DIRECTOR (O.S.) (CONT'D)
And...ACTION!
On cue, the five Bubblegum Boys begin to perform a complex set
of dance steps, while lip-synching to the song. And flanking
them, waving their pompoms and dancing, are Mary Cherry and
Carmen, having the time of their lives.
FADE TO:
EST. MCQUEEN HOUSE - NIGHT
CUT TO:
EXT. THE FRONT DOOR
The doorbell rings, and after a moment the door swings open.
Jane, standing in the doorway, looks out questioningly.
Fleischer is on the front stoop holding a box, which he sets
down in order to offer his hand.
FLEISCHER
You must be Sam's mother. I'm Art
Fleischer...from the Chronicle?
JANE
Oh!
(shakes his hand profusely)
Please, come in. We've heard so
much about you.
CUT TO:
INT. MCQUEEN LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
As Fleischer picks up the box and follows Jane into the living
room, she looks up the stairs.
JANE
(calling)
SAM! Mr. Fleischer's here!
Mike emerges from the kitchen, and Jane waves him over.
JANE (CONT'D)
Honey, this is Art Fleischer,
Sam's boss.
(to Fleischer)
This is Mike McQueen.
Fleischer sets down his box on the coffee table, shaking
Mike's hand.
FLEISCHER
Please, call me Art. I can barely
keep Sam from saying "Mr.
Fleischer" as it is.
Sam comes flying down the stairs.
SAM
Mr. Fleischer—
FLEISCHER
(to Jane and Mike)
See?
He lowers a playful glower at Sam.
FLEISCHER (CONT'D)
Sam...?
She pulls up short, holding up her hands.
SAM
Sorry—Art.
(regrouping)
Uh...was there something else you
needed me to do?
FLEISCHER
No, no—this isn't...it isn't
business. Can we...?
He gestures to the sofa set, and they sit obligingly.
Fleischer takes a seat across from them, folding his hands in
front of him.
FLEISCHER (CONT'D)
Well, I...guess I should just dive
right in.
He turns to Jane.
FLEISCHER (CONT'D)
When Sam first came to the paper
last week, she told me about...
well, about her uncle, and nine-
eleven. I wanted to do something
to help—and since I'm a natural
busybody—I did a little digging.
I have some friends on the NYPD,
you see.
JANE
Did they...find anything?
FLEISCHER
(sighs)
They confirmed—as far as they
could—that he was on the ninety-
fifth floor of Tower Number One.
They did locate his hotel room.
His personal effects are going to
his sister in...Wisconsin, is it?
Jane nods silently. Fleischer taps the box he brought.
FLEISCHER (CONT'D)
They also found this in his room.
He turns to Sam.
FLEISCHER (CONT'D)
It looks like it's for you.
As though it might rear up and bite her, Sam hesitantly
reaches out and pulls the box to her. She lifts the flaps,
and carefully pulls out a brand-new laptop computer.
JANE
Oh, honey...
(to Fleischer)
Thank you for...for doing this.
Sam sets the laptop down on the coffee table and opens it up,
then starts as it suddenly comes to life on its own. On the
screen, a window forms—a window containing Pete McPherson's
face.
PETE
(on the computer screen)
Hi, Sammy. Okay, I just picked up
this baby in London, but if you're
watching this, it means that,
despite all my threats and
intimidation, something came up at
the office and I wasn't able to
make it out to the Left Coast like
I planned. If that's the case,
then I've sent this on ahead, and
I promise that I'll call as soon
as I can, and definitely before I
go anywhere where I'm completely
out of touch again. And I hope
this little present starts to make
up for the birthdays, and the
Christmases, and the other times I
missed over the past few years.
You've always been my favorite
niece—hell, my favorite family
member, period—and nothing's ever
going to change that.
(pause)
I love you, Sammy. I'll see you
when I can.
The screen goes blank. Sam reaches out and brushes the screen
with her fingertips, crying;
and as her sobs become stronger, Jane—crying herself—gathers
her in her arms and rocks her back and forth gently.
FADE TO BLACK.
END OF ACT FOUR
THE END
