ACT THREE

FADE IN:

EXT. KENNEDY HIGH PARKING LOT - CONTINUOUS

Exactly where we left off. Sam turns to Krupps, and despite
herself, she seems ready to burst with excitement.

SAM
No. Mr. Krupps, you can NOT give
me a car!

KRUPPS
Well, technically, I'm not. I did
some research on ethics laws and
such, and it turns out you're
right. So, legally, I'm leasing
the car. You're just...borrowing
it. For the forseeable future.

Sam follows this in a kind of detached way, her eyes open wide.

SAM
Okay, but, still... mr. Krupps,
you can NOT give me a car!

Krupps laughs again, and drapes an arm across her shoulders.

KRUPPS
Sam, I know you have your license.
It bugs me that you have to depend
on other people for rides. With
your jobs and all your
responsibilities, you need reliable
transportation.

He dangles the keys in front of her.

KRUPPS (CONT'D)
(cajoling)
Come on. You know you want to.

Mesmerized, she reaches out and takes the keys, holding them
in front of her face as if she expects them to disappear.
Then, completely without warning, she wraps him up in a silent
bear hug. After a second she breaks away, embarrassed,
looking around self-consciously and smoothing her clothes.

KRUPPS (CONT'D)
(easily)
It's all right, Sam. "Thank you"
would have done fine.

The troubled look in her eye magically disappears as soon as
she refocuses on the car.

SAM
(anxiously)
Can I?

KRUPPS
Well, you're a senior, and you're
entitled to go off-campus for
lunch.

He checks his watch.

KRUPPS (CONT'D)
And there's forty minutes left in
your lunch period, so...

He makes an affirmative gesture.

KRUPPS (CONT'D)
If nothing else, drive it over to
the student lot.

Trance-like, Sam moves around to the driver's side of the car.

SAM
Mr. Krupps, I...I...

She shakes her head in frustration at her inability to express
herself.

KRUPPS
(smiling benignly)
Go.

Sam gets into the car, looking everything over before
starting theengine. Krupps leans down, gives her a little
wave and then a shooing motion. After a moment, she motors
away; Krupps straightens up and watches her go.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. SOCIAL STUDIES CLASS - NOON

Brooke is wandering aimlessly around Mr. Osbourne's classroom,
idly eating an apple. Osbourne is behind his desk as usual,
watching her.

OSBOURNE
Yes, Miss McQueen?

BROOKE
(distant)
Huh?

OSBOURNE
Your...disquiet...is plain.
Something is troubling you?

BROOKE
(grimacing)
You want the list?

OSBOURNE
Perhaps just those items relating
to Miss McPherson.

BROOKE
(laughing bitterly)
Don't you know by now? Sam and I
are so intertwined, everything has
to do with her. All roads lead to
Sam. Take Natalie.

OSBOURNE
Miss James?

BROOKE
"Miss James" is after my boyfriend.
Sam's probably the one who set her
off sniffing around him. She and
Sam are acting like life-long
buddies all of a sudden.

A thoughtful look passes across Osbourne's face briefly.

OSBOURNE
Hmmm... I complement you on the
quality of your competition. But
I'm afraid I'm not qualified to
give romantic advice.

BROOKE
Sorry, I didn't mean—

OSBOURNE
It's quite all right. But
something else is on your mind?

BROOKE
Well, there's...this.

OSBOURNE
"This"?

BROOKE
This. Me. Here. Now.

OSBOURNE
Indeed?

BROOKE
For one thing, it seems like
we're...plotting, or something.

OSBOURNE
We are strategizing, which could be
viewed as "plotting" under certain
circumstances. Certainly Miss
McPherson would think so.

Brooke wanders to the front of the class where her lunch tray
sits, and sets her half-eaten apple down on it.

BROOKE
I keep thinking about Principal
Krupps. And Sam.

OSBOURNE
I've been looking into that, and I
believe I've made progress in
deciphering that arrangement.

BROOKE
(not paying attention)
I'm just...wondering...

Osbourne gathers her meaning.

OSBOURNE
Whether or not you find yourself in
a similar situation?

BROOKE
(shrugs)
Sam eats lunch with Mr. Krupps. I
eat lunch with you. Is there a
difference? Really?

OSBOURNE
Oh, yes. I believe the
distinctions are subtle in
appearance, yet profound in nature.

He gestures for her to pull up a chair and sit, which she
does, listening attentively.

OSBOURNE
(lecturing)
Distinct or "special" relationships
between instructors and indiviual
students are not uncommon—though
more so at the high school level.
Although there are certain standards
of decorum which should be
maintained—the very standards
which the Principal is steadfastly
ignoring, I might add—it's my
belief that it is the motivation
which ultimately determines the
appropriateness of the
relationship. If, for example, the
instructor merely finds the student
physically attractive—

BROOKE
(venturing)
Sexy. Wants to get into her pants.

Osbourne raises a critical eyebrow, but nods.

OSBOURNE
—then the relationship is
obviously inappropriate. If,
however, an instructor discovers a
student who is bright, capable,
resourceful, if he believes she has
the potential to fulfill her
dreams, if he feels bound to help
her on her way however he can...

Brooke senses that Osbourne is no longer speaking
theoretically; she drops her eyes.

BROOKE
What about Mr. Krupps?

OSBOURNE
Ah. The Principal is a rare case.
However, I'm afraid the details
are...rather private.

BROOKE
(holding up her hands)
I don't want to be your Sam.

OSBOURNE
(dryly)
Given the dynamics of that
particular relationship, that
hardly seems likely. If I should
ever give you the password to my
grading program, you may feel free
to worry.

Brooke shares a brief chuckle with him; then she turns serious
again.

BROOKE
And you're sure? About Mr. Krupps
and Sam? They're not...?

OSBOURNE
(confidently)
Yes. Before, I relied upon mere
intuition. However, knowing what
I know now, I believe I can say
with near-certainty that there is
no romantic component of any sort.
(pause)
This is only a personal opinion,
but...it appears to me that much of
what transpires between them is...a
sort of playacting.

Brooke jumps up, excited.

BROOKE
That's exactly what I thought! I
told Lily they were doing that
stuff deliberately. Just messing
with everybody's minds.

Osbourne mulls that over.

OSBOURNE
(nods)
I agree with that assessment, to
some extent.

Despite her earlier jitters, Brooke seems pleased as punch
that she and Osbourne apparently think alike.

The bell rings, signalling the end of the period. Brooke
turns and picks up her tray.

BROOKE
I guess I'd better go.

OSBOURNE
(rising)
You have my thanks for your
assistance, Miss McQueen. If
anything else should occur to you—

BROOKE
I'll come running.

Osbourne goes to the door and hold it open for her, watching
as she carries her tray down the hall.

CUT TO:

EXT. SCHOOL WALKWAY - AFTERNOON

After school. Natalie is walking along one of the covered
walkways when Lily crosses her path, veers sharply, and joins
her.

LILY
Hey, Natalie. Have you seen Josh
recently?

NATALIE
Did you lose him? He's kinda hard
to misplace, with those crutches.

LILY
(smiling)
Oh, he's around somewhere. I just
don't know where.

NATALIE
Have you seen Sam?

LILY
Did you lose her?

NATALIE
We were working at lunch, and Mr.
Krupps came and grabbed her.
(shrugs)
We don't have any classes together
in the afternoon.

LILY
Well, she was in my history class,
so she's around somewhere, too.
Unless she left already.
(pause)
Maybe Josh is telling her the
mountain lion story.

NATALIE
(pointing)
Nope.

Lily follows her finger, and sees Josh slowly making his way
towards them.

LILY
I'll call you later.

Lily jogs off to meet Josh. Natalie continues on her way,
until she spots Harrison, standing with his back turned. She
walks up behind him lightly, and taps him on the shoulder. He
spins around.

NATALIE
(waving)
Hi.

CUT TO:

INT. SOCIAL STUDIES CLASS

Mike and Jane are seated at Mr. Osbourne's desk in what looks
like an ordinary parent-teacher conference.

JANE
We really hate to put upon you, Mr.
Osbourne. But we need to know
what's going on.

Osbourne waves her concern away.

OSBOURNE
Too many parents take too little
interest in their children. Your
concern is laudable.

JANE
I have to admit, we haven't handled
Sam very well.

OSBOURNE
(bluntly)
Yes, I know.

MIKE
How—?
(realizing)
Brooke.

Osbourne gives him an "of course" look.

OSBOURNE
Miss McQueen and I have discussed
Miss McPherson extensively.

Mike and Jane look a bit discomfitted at that.

JANE
So...you know...?

OSBOURNE
Inasmuch as your daughter is
concerned, I believe you may safely
assume that I know everything Miss
McQueen knows.

MIKE
You probably know more than we do,
then. Brooke's been pretty
uncommunicative lately.

JANE
Except to tell us how we're going
to screw up yet again, of course.

OSBOURNE
Lest you believe I have some sort of
magical solution, I must admit that
I, too, have handled Miss
McPherson's...situation badly.

JANE
I don't...understand.

Osbourne sighs, and leans forward in his chair.

OSBOURNE
Miss McQueen revealed Miss
McPherson's problem to me...some
time ago.

MIKE
(suspiciously)
"Some time ago"?

OSBOURNE
Some...weeks ago.

JANE
Weeks—?

MIKE
And you didn't DO anything?

OSBOURNE
I...came to believe that Miss
McPherson could be convinced to
seek help voluntarily. Your
daughter can be quite persuasive.

MIKE
But not with Sam.

OSBOURNE
Unfortunately not. I believe that
all of Miss McPherson's friends
have attempted to reason with her—
to no avail.
(pause)
By the time it was clear that more
drastic action was necessary, the
situation had become...complicated.
As I said, poor judgment on my
part. I apologize for that.

JANE
By complicated, I'm guessing you
mean by Mr. Krupps.

OSBOURNE
By Miss McPherson's relationship
with Principal Krupps, yes.

MIKE
I have to tell you, we're very
concerned.

OSBOURNE
No doubt. If I may be frank?

JANE
Please.

OSBOURNE
Then...I can say with absolute
certainty that the relationship is
in no way sexual. That's the best
news I can deliver on the subject.

JANE
I'm sorry, but...are you sure?
We've heard...some things.

OSBOURNE
I'm quite certain. Miss McQueen
and I are in agreement that
these...public displays are just
that—displays. For show only.

MIKE
I don't understand. Why would
they do that?

OSBOURNE
(shrugs lightly)
Perhaps to provoke some sort of
reaction? Or simply some visceral
thrill? Perhaps they themselves
are uncertain as to their motives.

JANE
But it's all fake?

OSBOURNE
Most assuredly, Mrs. McQueen.
Window dressing aside, the
relationship is essentially a
mentoring one, which theoretically
need not be improper, and can
indeed be beneficial. Though there
are other issues involved...

He realizes that he's drifting into things he doesn't want to
reveal, and pulls himself back to the subject at hand.

OSBOURNE (CONT'D)
In any event, Miss McPherson's
position of influence makes it
correspondingly more difficult to
deal effectively with her problem.

JANE
If you have any suggestions, Mr.
Osbourne... We'd be very grateful.

OSBOURNE
I'm not certain— However, for
what it may be worth, I believe
Miss McPherson may gradually be
growing less...obstinate.

MIKE
What does that mean, exactly?

OSBOURNE
She's admitted her drug use,
privately, to me. I also believe
she's ceased her blanket denials,
at least to a few people.

JANE
But...if she ADMITTED it...can't
you...?

Osbourne cuts her off with a definite shake of the head.

OSBOURNE
She would simply deny it. It would
again be my word against hers.

MIKE
A drug test...?

OSBOURNE
My word, unsubstantiated, would not
be probable cause. The law, and
District guidelines, are quite
clear on this.

Before the conversation can prceed any further, there is a
discreet knock at the door.

OSBOURNE (CONT'D)
Excuse me a moment.

Osbourne gets up, goes to the door and cracks it open. After
a few moments of conversation, he opens the door fully to
allow Brooke to come in.

BROOKE
Dad. Jane.

They are considerably surprised to see her.

MIKE
Brooke, what—?

Jane reaches out and touches his arm to quiet him, as Osbourne
returns to his seat behind the desk, and Brooke takes up a
symbolic position, standing at the side of the desk facing
them.

JANE
We decided to talk to Mr. Osoburne.
Before messing up again. See, we
can be reasonable, just like normal
people.

Brooke can't help but relax a bit.

OSBOURNE
(to Brooke)
There's no need to stand.

Brooke takes a chair, but carries it over to the side of
Osbourne's desk before sitting down. Mike and Jane exhange a
glance, realizing the extent to which Brooke is in her own
mentoring relationship. Mike seems more disturbed by this
than Jane.

MIKE
(forced)
So, Brooke... Mr. Osbourne told
us how much you've been...helping.
With Sam.

BROOKE
(coolly)
I'm trying.

JANE
(intervening)
Maybe we should talk about Sam.

Brooke and her father look at each other uncomfortably.

CUT TO:

INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY

Harrison is walking down the corridor, with Natalie on his
heels.

NATALIE
Oh, come on, Harrison. You won't
even talk to me now?

HARRISON
Natalie...

NATALIE
(catching his arm)
Harrison, PLEASE!

HARRISON
I don't know what you WANT from me!

He shrugs her off, and continues walking.

NATALIE
Stop running away from me!

HARRISON
I'm not running.

NATALIE
(wailing)
HARRISON!

Natalie's voice has risen to a level where the other kids in
the hall are staring; spurred by embarrassment or guilt—or
both—he grabs her arm and pulls her through a nearby door.

CUT TO:

INT. AN EMPTY CLASSROOM - CONTINUOUS

Harrison shuts the door; he and Natalie are alone.

HARRISON
Okay, this has to stop.

NATALIE
No! Harrison—

HARRISON
(snapping)
I can't DEAL with you now!

Natalie stumbles back a step, struck through the heart.

HARRISON (CONT'D)
(backtracking)
This, I mean... The situation. I
don't know how to deal with the
situation.

NATALIE
No, it's me... You...

HARRISON
Natalie, I'm not sure where these
feelings you think you have are
coming from—

NATALIE
(on the edge)
Think? I don't THINK! I HAVE
these feelilngs, and nobody
BELIEVES me—!

HARRISON
(taken aback)
Wait, I never said that—

Practically hysterical, Natalie spins away, pacing
erratically.

NATALIE
I've never been in love. Not ever.
It's supposed to be...but all it
does is hurt, and I just want it to
go away, and I wish I'd never COME
here and I wish I'd never MET
you—!

Suddenly she shoves him backward with the palm of her hand,
yanks the door open and runs out.

HARRISON
Natalie!

After a moment, Harrison recovers, and rushes to the door.

CUT TO:

INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

Harrison runs out into the corridor, looking left and right,
but the hall is deserted. He picks a direction and runs, but
as he rounds a corner, he runs full tilt right into Sam. He
has to grab her to keep them both from falling, leaving them
in an unintentional clinch.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT THREE