( THE RADIO STATION. LILY SITS AT HER DESK, LOOKING AT FAMILY PICTURES.
ONE OF THEM IS FROM THE WEDDING, OF THE WHOLE GROUP, AND SEVERAL ARE OF
THE VARIOUS KIDS IN THE PAST. THE ONE THAT CATCHES HER EYE THE MOST IS
ONE OF ELI AND GRACE. IT IS AT THE WEDDING, THE TWO OF THEM DANCING.)
LILY: I never noticed just how, how perfect they looked. Well, I knew they would. Grace, though, Grace is never going to know how to truly love. The two people she had a chance with were both unnattainable. (Looks at the camera, basically in tears.)
STATION ATTENDANT: Hey, Lily, you have a call on line two. Jessie, I think? (The young man exits leaving a puzzled Lily behind. She pick up the phone.) Hello?
JESSIE: Oh my God!
LILY: Jessie, honey, what is it?
JESSIE: That, that Mr. Dimitri just got arrested!
LILY: What!? ( Lily almost falls out of her chair.)
JESSIE: He raped one of his students. They were trying to keep it quiet, but it's all over the news. He's got, like a twenty thousand dollar bail.
LILY: Why in the... Oh, hi Lou. (Her boss walks in. A grave look is on his face.) Jessie, I'll call you back, 'kay?
JESSIE: Sure, I just thought you should now.
LILY: Thanks, sweetie. ( She hangs up the phone. She turns to Lou.) What is it?
LOU: There are some things that are going to be said tomorrow, and I think you should know. (Lily is nervous now. Lou hands her a printout and her eyes grow wide.)
LILY: I'm going to puke.
LILY: When? I never knew. It couldn't be.
LOU: Grace Manning is your daughter right? Wasn't that her and her boyfriend who came in? (Lily is too shocked to notice the boyfriend comment, or maybe the idea doesn't bother her so much. She just numbly nods.)
LILY: My daughter is on the list of admitted rapes. She never said. Oh. My. God.
(Grace is sitting in Eli's room, hiding from the family. Nobody thinks she's in there.)
GRACE: Now the whole city knows what a slut I am. I slept with him. Just once. It just seemed like a way to say goodbye. And now here I am, in my step-brother's bed. It wasn't rape, with Mr. Dimitri. I have to tell them that. He'll say it was, defend me. But I can't let him go like that. The other girls, maybe, but not me.
ELI: ( He walks into the room, quietly, and pulls her up off the bed. He knows, but doesn't say anything. Just silently pulls her under the covers and wraps her in his arms. He pulls her head to his chest and finally speaks.) Grace? They all went out, looking for you, I guess. I kinda figured you'd be here. It wasn't rape, was it? (Grace only sniffles.) I'll stand beside you. You loved him, I get that. No one else understands, but I do. I--- I'm sorry, Grace. Maybe if I'd have been there, I could have helped you. He used you, it wasn't fair. But I can't judge, 'cause that's what I did. Used you as a shoulder, when it was convenient for me. And when I finally realized that I needed you, for real, I backed off and ran. (Grace sat up now, and latched her arms around his neck.)
GRACE: It's my turn then. I need you, Eli. I need to be with you, more than ever. It's not taking advantage, it's two people finally feeling. (When she kissed him, Eli didn't fight it, only pulled her tight against him. He made no refusal as she slowly pulled their clothes off. In fact, he seemed to be in agreeance the whole night.)
LILY: I never noticed just how, how perfect they looked. Well, I knew they would. Grace, though, Grace is never going to know how to truly love. The two people she had a chance with were both unnattainable. (Looks at the camera, basically in tears.)
STATION ATTENDANT: Hey, Lily, you have a call on line two. Jessie, I think? (The young man exits leaving a puzzled Lily behind. She pick up the phone.) Hello?
JESSIE: Oh my God!
LILY: Jessie, honey, what is it?
JESSIE: That, that Mr. Dimitri just got arrested!
LILY: What!? ( Lily almost falls out of her chair.)
JESSIE: He raped one of his students. They were trying to keep it quiet, but it's all over the news. He's got, like a twenty thousand dollar bail.
LILY: Why in the... Oh, hi Lou. (Her boss walks in. A grave look is on his face.) Jessie, I'll call you back, 'kay?
JESSIE: Sure, I just thought you should now.
LILY: Thanks, sweetie. ( She hangs up the phone. She turns to Lou.) What is it?
LOU: There are some things that are going to be said tomorrow, and I think you should know. (Lily is nervous now. Lou hands her a printout and her eyes grow wide.)
LILY: I'm going to puke.
LILY: When? I never knew. It couldn't be.
LOU: Grace Manning is your daughter right? Wasn't that her and her boyfriend who came in? (Lily is too shocked to notice the boyfriend comment, or maybe the idea doesn't bother her so much. She just numbly nods.)
LILY: My daughter is on the list of admitted rapes. She never said. Oh. My. God.
(Grace is sitting in Eli's room, hiding from the family. Nobody thinks she's in there.)
GRACE: Now the whole city knows what a slut I am. I slept with him. Just once. It just seemed like a way to say goodbye. And now here I am, in my step-brother's bed. It wasn't rape, with Mr. Dimitri. I have to tell them that. He'll say it was, defend me. But I can't let him go like that. The other girls, maybe, but not me.
ELI: ( He walks into the room, quietly, and pulls her up off the bed. He knows, but doesn't say anything. Just silently pulls her under the covers and wraps her in his arms. He pulls her head to his chest and finally speaks.) Grace? They all went out, looking for you, I guess. I kinda figured you'd be here. It wasn't rape, was it? (Grace only sniffles.) I'll stand beside you. You loved him, I get that. No one else understands, but I do. I--- I'm sorry, Grace. Maybe if I'd have been there, I could have helped you. He used you, it wasn't fair. But I can't judge, 'cause that's what I did. Used you as a shoulder, when it was convenient for me. And when I finally realized that I needed you, for real, I backed off and ran. (Grace sat up now, and latched her arms around his neck.)
GRACE: It's my turn then. I need you, Eli. I need to be with you, more than ever. It's not taking advantage, it's two people finally feeling. (When she kissed him, Eli didn't fight it, only pulled her tight against him. He made no refusal as she slowly pulled their clothes off. In fact, he seemed to be in agreeance the whole night.)