Chapter 6: From Zorro to Zero.
Pool side of the school. Sadie and Eden were doing their under water aerobics.
Jude: "So, you're gonna tell Portia?"
Jamie: "I guess, yeah."
Portia and Nicole. . .
Portia: She had been doing this all morning. "He was really mysterious, but really obvious at the same time. I mean, kind of dangerous, but very safe. And wild, but tame."
Jude and Jamie. . .
Jude: "I cannot believe you're gonna tell Portia it was you."
Jamie: "Jude, once she realizes she's found her Zorro, okay, she'll be thrilled. Now, watch and learn."
Jude: "Good luck."
Jamie: He walked over to Portia. "Portia. . .baby, what's up?"
Portia: "And you are?"
Jamie: "Allow me to refresh your memory." He kissed her hand. "Zorro."
Portia: She scoffed. "You mean zero!" She turned to Nicole. "Who the heck is he?"
Nicole: "That's Jamie Andrews. He's the guy you cheat off of in Algebra II."
Portia: "The freak who hums show tunes?" Nicole nodded. "Hmm. . ." She pointed to the side. Sadie and Eden when up to the diving board. "Listen. Last night I was sick, and I drank a whole bottle of NyQuill. I just . . . wasn't myself."
Jamie: "But-but I thought we had a connection."
Portia: "We don't have anything. We are from completely different classes of human. So let's just go back to the way we were where I cheat of you in math, okay?"
Jamie: "'Okay?'" he mimicked her. After fighting about positions, Eden and Sadie fell in the water, causing a big splash and getting Jamie soaked. He walked back over to Jude.
Jude: "Are you okay?"
Jamie: "If she thinks she's still cheating off me, she's crazy." He dried his glasses.
Back at home. . .
Yvette: She's going through the mail. "Don't want that. Don't want that." She reaches a big package from 5 Towns'. "Hmm. . ." she opened it. 'Dear Ms. Harrison, We are pleased to inform you that your application for 5 Towns' University had been accepted. "She got in? Oh, this just will not do."
Jude: She walked in the house. "Hey, anything for me?"
Yvette: "Actually, yes. There is a personalized letter here from Ed McMahon saying that you just won a million dollars." She held out any letter. "Don't spend it all in one place." Jude rolled her eyes and walked up stairs.
At her computer screen. . .
Tommy: 'I need to know who you are. I can't take my mind off you. Please tell me your name.'
Jude: She sat at her computer, debating. "Okay." 'My name is-'
Sadie: She opened the door, without knocking. "Jude!"
Jude: She scoffed. "I guess you missed the 'Do Not Disturb' sign?"
Sadie: "Oh, no. I saw it." She laughed. "So you almost done with my paper. It's due Friday."
Jude: "I'm working on it."
Sadie: "Well hurry up. It makes me nervous to have to wait for it."
Jude: "Imagine how nervous you'd have to be if you actually had to write it."
Sadie: "Oh, my god, you're right."
Yvette: She called Jude from the monitor. "Jude? Can you come down here?"
Jude: "I'll be right there."
Yvette: "Now!"
Jude: She closed her mail. "I'll be right back."
Sadie: "Hurry up." Jude walked out and Sadie got bored. She got up and walked over to the computer. "Who the heck is 5TownsBoy?" She opened a random e-mail. Eden came into the room. "'Cinderella, are you not talking to me because you freaked when you found out I'm . . . Tommy Quincy!' Jude is Cinderella?"
Tommy at work.
Tommy: He read his letter from 5 Towns'. "I got in."
Jesse: Tommy's dad. "Tom!" Tommy hid his letter under a key board.
Tommy: "What?" He snapped a bit more harshly then intended.
Jesse: "What's going on?"
Tommy: "Nothing."
Jesse: "Let me guess. You're think, 'Is USC really for me?'"
Tommy: "Well, yeah. I've been thinking about this a lot and--"
Jesse: "Don't worry about this. You're making the right choice, all right? Don't mess with the plan." He walked out.
