-at school, the new girl just walked in-
Ashley- Look, Ellie. She's exactly like you!
Ellie- Gee, Ashley, she just got here and your labeling her already. That's a paige thing to do, not an Ashley thing to do.
Ashley- We should go talk to her.
They go up to the new girl and she stops walking and stares up at them
Ashley- Um, Hi. I'm Ashley, and this is Ellie.
Ellie- Hi..
New girl- Hi...
Ashley- And who are you?
New girl- Melanie.
Ashley- Hi then, Melanie. Um, is your hair permanetly red?
Melanie- nods
Ashley- Did you do it yourself?
Melanie- No, I can't do it myself. I wind up having large spots of it on my head if I do it. my mom did it for me.
Ellie- Your mom did that for you? She let you dye your hair like that?
Melanie- She suggested it.
Ashley- You have a cool mom.
Melanie- Thanks.
Ellie- Nice outfit.
look down at her outfit, she's got on faded blue jeans and a black pleaded skirt over it and two studded belts, and a black t-shirt with two saftey pins pinned to it, and ties at the sleeves going all the way down, and she has a bunch of black jelly bracelets on one wrist and four rubber bands on the other wrist.
Ashley- Why are you wearing long sleeves? It's like a hundred degrees outside.
Melanie- shrugs
Ellie- Saftey pins. On shirt. Interesting.
Melanie- Ok, I'll admit it. I'm creative when it comes to clothing. I can make this kind of style out of anything. Even girly girl clothing I can turn dark.
Ellie- Awesome. I still don't get the long sleeves, but awesome. Hey, want to hang with us?
Melanie- No, I want to be by myself all day and wallow in self-pity over nothing. Of course!
Ellie and Ashley look at each other worridly
-in Simpson's class, Manny and Emma are talking-
Manny- Hey, Em, did you hear about the new girl?
Emma- Yea. Why?
Manny- I heard, she was in the hospital for a month once. And she barely ever speaks now.
Emma- What happened to her?
Manny- Well, she--
Simpson- Manny, Emma? Hello. Nice to see you today. Pay attention.
-Ellie, Ashley, and Melanie are eating lunch outside-
Ashley- So where are you from?
Melanie- I was from here. I went to a private school.
Ellie- Why did you change schools?
Melanie- I had to change them, because...
Ellie- Because...?
Melanie- I saw something happen.
Ellie- What?
Melanie- My father died.
Ellie- Was he sick?
Melanie- No, he was murdered brutally. He got stabbed in the heart repeatedly.
Ellie- Oh, I'm sorry.
Melanie- I watched the whole thing happen. The guy come up to my father, pin him to a wall. starts to cry and mess with a rubber band that's on her wrist Then, he took out a knife, and...and...he kept on stabbing my father in the heart, the blood was all over...and...he went for me, and my mother stopped him...she got stabbed only twice in the side, but she's alive...crying a lot now
Ashley- Oh, I'm so sorry. Did they ever catch the guy?
Melanie- Yes, it was his brother...
Ellie- That must have been so scary.
Melanie- It was...
Ellie- Did...did you ever...get a...therapist?
Melanie- stops crying so much and looks up at Ellie No, but I'm getting one.
Ellie- So what do you do for help? notices her snap a rubber band but doesn't say anything
Melanie- I try to talk about it but I never can, it's too sad to talk about.
Ashley- Oh...sees Ellie's face What's wrong with you?
Ellie- looks up Oh, nothing...okay, Melanie. I'll be straight out. Talk to me or Ashley about anything if you need to. It doesn't matter if it's in the middle of class, just try to whenever you can, or whenever you feel upset.
Melanie messing with one of the saftey pins on her shirt Okay, well, I have to go now, see you later...gets up and walks away
Ashley- What's wrong?
Ellie- I think she might have a slight problem with talking.
Ashley- She talks fine.
Ellie- Not like that, I ment a talking her feelings out problem.
Ashley- Oh, like you did?
Ellie- Don't tell her yet.
Ashley- Okay...
-After school, Emma and Manny are at Emma's house-
Emma- So what happened with the new girl?
Manny- her name's Melanie, and she never talks anymore. Well, she does, but barely. Only to people she likes.
Emma- Why?
Manny- She saw her dad murdered, I heard. She told me.
Emma- Oh my god!
Manny- His brother went after him with a knife, and stabbed him repeatedly in he heart. It sounded horrible. Then, he went after her, but her mother stopped him and she got stabbed herself.
Emma- Did she survive?
Manny- Yes, but barely. Shes in a wheelchair now.
Emma- That sucks.
Manny- The worst part is, she's become so messed up, she'g getting a personal Therapist, and spent a month in the hospital.
Emma- Why?
Manny- She tried to...well...I'll tell you later...I'm too tired. She goes and lays down on the couch and falls asleep
-The next day. Ellie runs up to Melanie, as they are walking to class-
Ellie- How're you doing? You okay?
Melanie- What, now you know my deep, dark secret you're going to be my therapist for me? So my mother in a wheelchair doesn't have to pay?
Ellie- She's in a wheelchair?
Melanie- Stops infront of the girl's bathroom Yes, now if you don't mind, I have to go to the bathroom, so I'll just be going in here. Unless, of course, you think it's too dangerous. walks inside
Ellie- sighs outside and looks worried
-Inside the bathroom, it's empty and Melanie is pacing back and forth-
Melanie- Ooh...Puts her stuff down on the floor and un pins a saftey pin on her shirt and puts it to her arm and is about to cut herself and she does as she crys
you see a scene of her father being pinned to a wall and a knife going towards him, and a little girl sittng there looking frightened
-Back outside of the bathroom, Ellie is still standing there as Ashley walks up-
Ashley- What's wrong?
Ellie- Melanie is in there and she's acting very strange.
Ashley- Should I go and check?
Ellie- I'll go in with you. I think I might be able to help a lot.
They both walk in on Melanie and she drops the saftey pin and hides her arm behind her back
Melanie- Uh...hi...?
Ellie- What are you doing?
Melanie-Nothing, I'm fine. walks into a stall and locks it and then pulls her sleeve down
Ellie- You sure?
Melanie- yes, I am sure! Stop acting like you're a know-it-all therapist! walks out of the stall and picks up her things and walks out of the bathroom
Ashley- I am really worried about her, Ellie.
Ellie- looks at the floor and finds the saftey pin Melanie had used to cut herself with, it has bloodstains on it And I'm not?
She shows Ashley the saftey pin
Ashley- Whoa!
Ellie- We have to help her, Ashley!
Ashley- Should we tell Sauve?
Ellie- Not yet. Wait a little while, because we need to catch her doing it again, and to see her arm before telling.
Ashley- Fine.
-Back to Emma and Manny, who are eating lunch in the Cafeteria-
Emma- I feel so bad for her!
Manny- I know, but...maybe we could...you know...help...
Emma- How?
Manny- We could talk to her! Try to cheer her up!
Emma- Party?
Manny- Are you psycic or something?
Emma- We invite the school.
Manny- Good.
Emma- but, it's not exactly for cheering her up, just for fun, thats what we tell her? And it's also what it really is. Ok? It's a good idea.
Manny- Fine. Let's start telling people.
Emma- Wait! We can't tell them yet! We haven't even planned it yet!
Manny- oh yeah. let's start planning. How about, it's at the Ravine?
Emma- Funny. It can't be there, Jay might turn up! I can't see Jay!
Manny- He broke up with Alex, no worries.
Emma- I hate him!
Manny- Melanie probably won't.
Emma- Hope she doesn't do anything stupid. plays with her sandwich
Manny- Eew! The bread is green.
Emma- Oops..wasn't paying attention...She spits out the bite she had in her mouth
Manny- laughs
(END OF PART ONE)