ACT FOUR
FADE IN:
EST. A MOUNTAIN HIGHWAY - AFTERNOON
A convoy of school buses lumbers up the highway.
CUT TO:
INT. A SCHOOL BUS - MOVING
Josh and Lily are sitting together; directly opposite, Brooke
is sitting by herself. Lily leans over and whispers something
in Josh's ear, then hops across the aisle to sit next to
Brooke.
LILY
Hey, Brooke.
BROOKE
(acknowledging)
Lily.
(sensing something)
What?
Lily takes a deep breath before plunging forward.
LILY
Brooke, do you remember when I said
that I was friends with both you
and Sam, and that I would stay out
of any fights between you, and I
would never take sides?
BROOKE
Yes...
(resigned)
You've changed your mind. You're
choosing Sam's side.
LILY
(wide-eyed)
What? Brooke, no! I promised,
and I'm going to keep that promise.
BROOKE
(frowning)
Then...I'm confused.
LILY
(another deep breath)
Well... You'd think since I was
smart enough to do that once, I'd
be smart enought to do it again...
wouldn't you?
BROOKE
What—?
(realizing)
Oh, no.
LILY
(cajoling)
Come on, Brooke, she's desperate.
BROOKE
(snorts)
Yeah, she desperately wants
Harrison to be her boyfriend.
LILY
I really don't think so. She's
really upset over this.
BROOKE
Is she suicidal? That might cheer
me up.
LILY
(folding her arms)
That's not funny, Brooke.
Brooke's combativeness drops away; she stares out the window
for a while.
BROOKE
I know. You're right. It's just,
I get so MAD thinking about Natalie
going after Harrison—
LILY
Brooke, I swear, I think this is
just one of those spontaneous
things.
Lily chuckles, and Brooke looks at her strangely.
BROOKE
What?
LILY
Don't you find this the slightest
bit funny? Harrison—our Harrison—
Harrison who couldn't get a date
a year ago—suddenly half the girls
in school are fighting over him?
Brooke thinks it over, finally rolling her eyes in silent
concession that it is at least a little bit funny.
BROOKE
I dunno, Lily.
LILY
You don't really want to fight with
Natalie, do you?
BROOKE
(sighing)
I guess not. But...
Several seconds of silence.
LILY
But?
BROOKE
Okay, maybe I believe that Natalie
didn't mean to become attracted to
Harrison. That doesn't mean that
she's NOT attracted to him, or that
she'll give him up.
LILY
Trust me, Brooke. She was so upset
about you being mad at her that she
was practically crying.
BROOKE
(uncomfortably)
I did say some pretty awful things
to her.
LILY
Like comparing her to Nicole?
BROOKE
Oh, I know that was totally
heinous. I was just SO mad, I
couldn't think straight.
She lets out a little laugh.
BROOKE (CONT'D)
Great. She almost lip-locks with
MY boyfriend, and I feel bad for
yelling at her. How do you do
that?
LILY
I just want everyone to stop
fighting.
BROOKE
Okay. I'll talk to her—for the
sake of harmonious whatever. But
I honestly don't know if we can
ever be the same as we were before.
LILY
I think Natalie would be happy just
to talk.
(fretting)
I wish I'd seen her today.
BROOKE
She wasn't in class?
(thinking)
She wasn't in class. I was so busy
ignoring her, I didn't even notice
she wasn't there to be ignored.
(sighs)
I used to be better at this.
LILY
Oh, I hope she didn't decide to
stay home! She was so excited
about coming.
Lily gets up and makes her way foward until she is crouched
beside Ms. Ross, in the first row.
LILY (CONT'D)
Ms. Ross, we didn't see Natalie in
class today. She's still coming
with us, isn't she?
ROSS
(off-handedly)
Oh, don't you worry, child. She's
coming. She had some kind of
appointment, not from home, but
she's coming. I think she's on the
next bus.
(shooing)
Now, sit down before you go through
the windshield.
Lily makes her way back to Brooke's row, sitting in her own
seat.
LILY
(leaning over)
She's coming.
(thumbing back)
She's in the last bus.
But doesn't seem to know whether or not to be happy about that.
CUT TO:
EXT. THE MOUNTAIN HIGHWAY
Steadily making its way through the moderate traffic climbing
the mountain is Krupps' sporty car, two sets of skis strapped
to the roof.
CUT TO:
INT. KRUPPS' CAR - MOVING
Mr. Krupps is driving smoothly, while Sam semi-lounges in the
passenger seat.
KRUPPS
I was glad to find out that you
have your own skis. You were so
reluctant to go, I was afraid you
hated skiing. Or didn't know how.
SAM
(vaguely distracted)
No...I love skiing. Used to ski
all the time.
She trails off. He steals a glance over.
KRUPPS
I'm sorry if this is too personal,
but...you have my sympathies.
SAM
(confused)
I'm sorry?
KRUPPS
Look, as principal, I know about a
lot of things that go on at
Kennedy. Now, I'm not saying I
know EVERY little thing, but I do
know a lot of things.
(pause)
Like, the situation with you and
Mr. John. And Miss McQueen.
SAM
(stunned)
Oh.
KRUPPS
Failed romances, love triangles...
they're really pretty common in
high school. It's never pretty.
(pause)
You seem to be handling it well.
Not that I'm surprised—someone with
your poise.
SAM
(muttering)
You should've seen me when I caught
them coming out of the shower
together. I didn't handle it too
well THEN.
Krupps slaps the steering wheel with his palm.
KRUPPS
Well, who can blame you? That's
very traumatic! You still have
plenty of poise.
SAM
(wan)
Thanks.
They motor on in silence for a bit.
SAM (CONT'D)
Mr. Krupps? Can I ask you
something?
KRUPPS
(reproachfully)
Sam, Sam...haven't I convinced you
yet that you can talk to me about
anything?
That coaxes a bit of a smile from Sam.
SAM
Okay... It's about—all this.
KRUPPS
"All this"?
Sam makes a vague, all-encompassing gesture.
SAM
Everything this week. Becoming
Student Body General Fund
Treasurer...eating in the Teachers'
Dining Room...
(laughs)
Riding to the ski lodge in your
car.
KRUPPS
I want the best and brightest on my
team, Sam. That's you.
(concerned)
Sam, does this make you
uncomfortable?
SAM
Me? No! No. But...I think other
people might be.
KRUPPS
That's funny... You never struck
me as the type to be swayed by peer
pressure.
SAM
(quietly)
I didn't mean other kids.
Krupps snorts, understanding.
KRUPPS
Ah.
(long pause)
What are you getting in history?
SAM
(lost)
Huh?
KRUPPS
History. What are your grades
like?
SAM
(shrugs)
B-ish. Maybe A-minus if I do a
couple of extra credit papers.
KRUPPS
Mm-hmm. Study various forms of
government?
SAM
(baffled)
Sure.
KRUPPS
What kind of government do you
think a school is?
SAM
Uh...
KRUPPS
Is a school a democracy?
SAM
Ummm...no.
KRUPPS
(musing)
Nope... School's not a democracy.
I'm not President, they're not my
constituents. I'm the principal.
They're the faculty. It's a
little...principal-ocracy. So—
does it matter if a few of them are
uncomfortable?
SAM
(griping)
Well, not to YOU. You're the
principal—they can't DO anything
to YOU.
Krupps looks over at her, vexed.
CUT TO:
EXT. MOUNTAIN HIGHWAY - CONTINUOUS
Krupps' car suddenly veers over into the right-hand lane, then
onto a rest stop off-ramp. The car rolls into a parking space
and stops.
CUT TO:
INT. KRUPSS' CAR - CONTINUOUS
Krupps turns the engine off, and twists in his seat to face
Sam.
KRUPPS
Sam, do you NOT want to be on my
team?
SAM
(flustered)
Mr. Krupps—
KRUPPS
Because it occurs to me that it may
have seemed that I was ORDERING you
to do these things. Which wasn't
my intention. So if what you're
trying to say is that YOU'RE
uncomfortable, just say the word,
and it stops, right here and now.
(pause)
Is that what you want?
Sam turns away for a moment, before looking him in the eye.
SAM
No. It's not.
KRUPPS
Good, because I still want the best
and the brightest. And that's
still you.
(intently)
Sam? Serious, now: if you think
ANYONE is dinging you, or singling
you out because of this, you tell
ME. Got it?
Sam relaxes a bit.
SAM
Got it, Mr. Krupps.
KRUPPS
Since we're far from school
grounds, and we really aren't going
to be doing any official business,
why don't you call me Calvin? Just
for the weekend.
SAM
(concerned)
Are you sure that's approp—
Krupps cuts her off with a raised finger.
KRUPPS
Principal-ocracy.
SAM
(smiling)
Right. Calvin.
Krupps grins a broad grin, starts the car, and takes off.
CUT TO:
EXT. SKI VILLAGE PARKING LOT - EARLY EVENING
Many students are milling about as various equipment is off-
loaded from the buses. Brooke and Lily are curbside; Brooke
seems somewhat on edge.
BROOKE
I'm not all that sure that HERE is
a good place to have a heart-to-
heart with Natalie.
LILY
Don't worry, Brooke, I'm sure we
can find a quiet little corner.
(calling)
Natalie!
Surprise #1 comes when Natalie, who is standing in front of
the next bus, turns around. What makes Brooke and Lily gasp
is her hair: while it is still french-braided down her back,
Natalie has seen fit to streak it liberally with blonde
highlights. It doesn't approach Nicole's platinum shade, but
it's a far cry from Natalie's natural deep auburn. She waves,
and jogs over.
NATALIE
Hey, Lily. I tried to get on your
but, but the seating arrangements
were just bizarre.
She doesn't exactly ignore Brooke—there's no overt hostility
in the air—but she does act as though Brooke were invisible.
Or just a stranger who happens to be standing nearby. Despite
this, Brooke ventures forward a fraction of a step.
BROOKE
Natalie.
For a long moment it doesn't look like Natalie's even going to
acknowledge Brooke's existence; then she turns towards her.
Her voice, though, is carefully devoid of any inflection at
all.
NATALIE
Brooke.
Lily, sensing that this is not quite the reconciliation she
had in mind, steps in.
LILY
Hey, Natalie, I thought we could,
um, talk...
Natalie turns back to Lily, and her voice comes back to life.
NATALIE
Sure! I'm going to find out where
I'm sleeping, but look me up later!
Without another word, she trots off. Along with Lily, Brooke
watches her go.
BROOKE
(deceptively casual)
Crying, huh?
Lily can only nod wordlessly.
BROOKE
She seems to have recovered.
Lily nods again, clearly worried about just that.
Before anything else can happen, though, Surprise #2 pulls up
to the curb, in the form of Krupps' car, with Sam clearly
lounging in the passenger seat. They both get out, and—at
some unseen, pre-arranged signal—two bellhops scurry out, open
the trunk and begin to extricate their luggage. Sam starts to
fiddle with the rooftop bindings, but Krupps waves her off.
KRUPPS
Don't worry, they'll get that. Do
you know where you're staying?
Sam shrugs gamely.
KRUPPS (CONT'D)
We'll find out.
He peers around, seeks out another ski village employee, and
beckons him with a snap of the fingers.
KRUPPS (CONT'D)
Excuse me? Can you find out the
location of Miss McPherson's
cabin—
(gesturing at Sam)
—and have her things taken there,
please?
Sam raises her eyebrows at no one in particular and
soundlessly echoes the word "cabin". Meanwhile, this little
mini-drama is being witnessed by a whole gaggle of students,
and judging from then, she's not the only one to have had that
reaction. The employee is perfectly obsequious, though.
EMPLOYEE #1
Of course, Mr. Krupps, right away,
Mr. Krupps.
KRUPPS
Sam, did you get all your stuff?
SAM
I think so.
Leaning in through the open passenger door, Sam scans the
interior of the car. Then she spots Krupps' personal digital
assistant lying on the back seat, thereby setting up Surprise
#3:
SAM
(without thinking)
Calvin, you left your PDA in the
car! Did you want it?
As on Monday, everyone freezes, teacher chaperones as well as
students. They all look at each other in a perfect, Twilight
Zone, she-didn't-really-just-say-that-did-she? moment. And
this time, Sam notices; her lips pressed together as she
senses herself become the focus of the local universe.
Krupps is utterly unaffected, though.
KRUPPS
Naw. It'll just have to commune
with the car until Monday.
Sam seems to take her cue from Krupps, shrugging off the
stares after a moment. Meanwhile, Krupps is huddling with
more flunkies. He waves her over.
KRUPPS (CONT'D)
Sam, these nice people have
uncovered where you're staying.
One of them drops a key into her palm as she approaches.
EMPLOYEE #2
Number nineteen, Ma'am. One of our
finest cabins.
SAM
Oh, but, uh...are you sure this is
okay? I'm not taking this away
from anyone?
KRUPPS
(low)
Always reserve a few extras—you
never know who might show up.
Words to live by.
Sam works up a suitably impressed expression.
EMPLOYEE #2
If you'll come with me, Ma'am?
As Sam is led away:
KRUPPS
(calling)
Are you up for a run before dinner?
SAM
Sure, just let me get changed.
KRUPPS
I'll meet you at the lift in half
an hour!
SAM
Okay, Calvin!
And she is gone, around the corner of a building.
Meanwhile, Mary Cherry has slipped up behind Brooke and Lily,
unnoticed. Not that she stays unnoticed for long:
MARY CHERRY
OH MY GAWD! Sam is Principal
Krupps' MISTRESS!
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT FOUR