ACT TWO
FADE IN:
INT. SAM'S APARTMENT - LATER
Sam is pacing the floor next to her bed, while talking on the
phone.
SAM
(into the phone)
...but... Yes, I know, but it's...
No, Sir, of course I'm not doing
anything, it's New Year's Eve...!
But...
(defeated)
Yes, Sir... I'll be right there.
Sam puts down the phone and falls back onto the bed, arms over
her face.
There is a knock at the door.
SAM
(unmoving)
Come in!
The door opens, and Jaycee steps inside.
SAM
(peeking out)
I have a sadistic boss from Hell,
and he wants me to work! TODAY!
JAYCEE
I thought you said this Fleischer
guy was okay.
SAM
He's on vacation.
(groans)
I got loaned out to some Assistant
Editor. From HELL!
JAYCEE
That sucks.
SAM
Yeah...
After a moment, Jaycee goes over and stands over Sam.
JAYCEE
Sam?
SAM
Mmm?
JAYCEE
We need to talk.
Sam peeks out from behind her arm again and, on seeing the
expression on Jaycee's face, sits up and arranges herself into
a lotus position on the bed.
SAM
What's going on?
JAYCEE
(hesitantly)
Look, about this morning—
SAM
Oh! I am totally sorry about
barging in like that. I had zero
coffee, my brain was officially
dead...I just thought you might
have a pick-me-up hand. I SO did
not mean to invade your privacy.
JAYCEE
That's not what I meant. I was
talking about Reyanna.
SAM
(growing subdued)
Oh. I guess she...stayed over
last night.
JAYCEE
Look, I'm sorry if you've got a
problem with me being the way I
am, but I'm not gonna make any
apologies for who I want to have
sex with, or what gender they
are—!
Meanwhile, Sam has started waving her arms frantically.
SAM
Whoa, whoa, hang on! What makes
you think I have a problem?
Jaycee, who has worked up a pretty good head of steam,
falters.
JAYCEE
Well...you seemed pretty freaked
out this morning...
SAM
I told you! Rave last night, no
coffee, no brain! I am totally not
judgmental about you being gay! We
went through this whole gay
awareness thing last year at
school. We even started a support
group for gay and lesbian students.
JAYCEE
(sincerely)
Wow... I'm impressed. So, I guess
there's no problem...
SAM
Absolutely no problem.
JAYCEE
(relieved)
Great, then. So we're good.
SAM
We're good.
JAYCEE
Good. Oh, and it's bi.
SAM
Excuse me?
JAYCEE
I'm bi. Rey's gay.
Sam suddenly stifles a giggle.
JAYCEE (CONT'D)
(mildly annoyed)
What?
SAM
"Rey's gay"?
Jaycee catches on to her impromptu rhyme, and starts giggling
herself.
SAM (CONT'D)
(between giggles)
...today on..."Horny Sesame
Street"...
Jaycee collapses on the bed as the two girls dissolve into a
complete giggle-fest.
CUT TO:
EST. THE CHRONICLE BUILDING - LATER
Jaycee's convertible pulls up to the curb outside the
Chronicle, with Jaycee driving and Sam in the passenger seat.
CUT TO:
INT JAYCEE'S CAR - CONTINUOUS
SAM
Thanks for the ride.
JAYCEE
Hey, no problemo, man. Sorry you
gotta work.
SAM
Yeah, there must be a thousand old
articles that need re-filing.
JAYCEE
Well, I'll be thinking about you
when I'm, you know, not working.
SAM
(wryly)
You are SUCH a good friend, Jaycee.
Jaycee gives Sam a playful shove.
JAYCEE
Go on. I've delivered you to the
gates of Hell.
(pause)
Hey, rave tonight?
SAM
Again?
JAYCEE
(shrugs)
I dunno. Maybe we'll party in.
Now go already, before I get a
ticket.
Sam opens the door and starts to climb out, but Jaycee grabs
her arm, and slips a few pills into her pocket.
JAYCEE (CONT'D)
In case of emergency.
SAM
Thanks.
Sam climbs out and closes the door behind her.
CUT TO:
SPLIT SCREEN
The LEFT SIDE of is a close-up of Harrison; the RIGHT SIDE is
black. Harrison picks up his phone and dials. There is the
sound of a phone ringing, and after a moment, the RIGHT SIDE
of the screen wipes to a close-up of Carmen, picking up her
phone.
CARMEN
Hello?
HARRISON
Carmen? It's Harrison.
CARMEN
Oh, hey, Harrison! How's your
holidays?
HARRISON
What's up with Sam?
CARMEN
(caught off-guard)
Uh—huh? Sam?
HARRISON
I know you and Natalie had a fight
with Sam.
CARMEN
How'd you—? I mean, I don't know
what you're talking about.
HARRISON
Oh, I have ways, Carmen. I have
ways. Now are you gonna tell me
what's going on with Sam?
CARMEN
Ummm...I'll call you back.
Carmen pushes the disconnect button on her phone, and the LEFT
SIDE of the screen wipes to black. Carmen dials a number, a
different phone rings, and the LEFT SIDE of the screen wipes
to show Natalie picking up her phone.
NATALIE
Hello?
CARMEN
Natalie, we have a problem. A
serious, Grade-A genuine problem!
NATALIE
My God, what is it?
CARMEN
Harrison somehow found out about
that fight we had with Sam last
week!
NATALIE
(wincing)
I know.
CARMEN
Did he call you, too?
NATALIE
Not...exactly.
CARMEN
Then how—?
(realizing)
Natalie! You didn't!
NATALIE
It was a slip!
CARMEN
Well, we have to nip this in the
bud, right now!
NATALIE
I'll call Lily. She'll know what
to do.
Natalie clicks off the line, and the RIGHT SIDE of the screen
wipes to black. Natalie dials, there is yet another ring, and
then the RIGHT SIDE of the screen wipes to show Lily with her
phone.
LILY
Hello?
NATALIE
Lily, it's Natalie. I did
something really dumb today. I
mean, really, really, stupid.
LILY
Natalie, I'm sure that whatever it
was, it's not THAT bad.
NATALIE
I accidentally let Harrison know
that me and Carmen had a fight with
Sam.
LILY
Natalie! How could you?
NATALIE
It was an ACCIDENT! Anyway, now
Harrison's calling around asking
questions.
LILY
All right, let's not panic. I know
who he'll go to. Don't worry, just
let me handle it.
Lily hangs up, and the LEFT SIDE of the screen wipes to black.
She punches her speed dial, and the LEFT SIDE of the screen
wipes to Brooke picking up her phone.
BROOKE
Hello?
END SPLIT SCREEN; INTERCUT between Lily and Brooke.
LILY
Hey, Brooke, it's Lily. Listen,
have you and Harrison been talking
about Sam?
BROOKE
(rolling her eyes)
When HAVEN'T we been talking about
Sam? It's this constant drone.
It's the McPherson Curse, that's
what it is.
LILY
Brooke! Has Harrison asked about
Sam's...problem?
BROOKE
WHAT? NO! Oh my God, he doesn't
know, does he?
LILY
No...not yet. He found out she had
a fight with Carmen and Natalie.
I'm afraid if he snoops around long
enough, he'll starts asking WHY.
BROOKE
(hyperventilating)
Oh, God, oh, God...
LILY
Brooke, breathe, okay? Maybe he
won't ask. But I have to tell you,
I don't know what I'll say if he
does come right out and asks me.
You know how I feel about lying.
BROOKE
(frantic)
No, Lily, you have to lie to him!
Harrison can never know that Sam's
doing drugs!
And as she says that, we see Harrison standing behind her in
her bedroom doorway, steaming. He slams the door shut behind
him, making her jump and spin around.
HARRISON
Sam's doing WHAT?
BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT TWO
