(Virgil, waist wrapped in a towel, heads into a shower. His eye catches Richie as he removes his hoodie. He looks away as his face starts heating up, and he begins to feel strange in a way he has never felt before)

(All is quiet in the locker room, until...)

Virgil: AAAH!!

(Virgil bolts out of the showers into the locker room, hyperventilating. In his distress, he bumps into Francis, who feels his "little problem")

Francis: What the hell?!

Virgil: Help me! Please help me!

Derek: Is he hard?

Nick: What the hell?

Kevin: In the showers?! Were you watching us?!

(Desperate, Virgil grabs Francis' arm)

Virgil: Please! Help me!

Francis: Get off of me! (He slaps him away) It's just a boner! Take care of it!

(Derek throws a sock at him. The other boys start throwing towels and socks at him while chanting, 'TAKE CARE OF IT!'. Virgil falls to the floor and backs into a corner, crying and still begging for help. Francis calls Richie over)

Francis: Dude, get in on this!

Richie: Francis, this is-

Francis: DO IT, FOLEY!

(Nick hands Richie a rolled up sock. Virgil looks up at him, still desperate for help. Reluctantly, Richie throws the sock at him and continues the chant. This goes on for another minute until Mr. Lee pushes his way to the front of the pack)

Mr. Lee: What is going on?!

Virgil: Something's wrong with me!

Mr. Lee: Virgil, calm down-

Virgil: YOU HAVE TO HELP ME!

Mr. Lee: SNAP OUT OF IT!

(Mr. Lee slaps Virgil across the face, and the lights rapidly flicker on and off. The boys gasp and back away from Virgil, who is now still)

Mr. Lee: What is going on?

(Richie nervously walks over to him)

Richie: I-I think this is the first time this has happened to him.

Mr. Lee: Oh my God. (He looks to Virgil, still scared with tears running down his face. He helps him up) You're okay, Virgil. It's okay. I'm sorry, I didn't know.

Nick: WHAT?!

Friend: Are you shitting me?

Mr. Lee: Show's over, boys! Clean up your shit, and get to class!

Francis: (To Richie) Can you stand it? He never knew-

Mr. Lee: Stone! Out!

(Francis leaves)

Richie: B-but Francis is right, sir.

Mr. Lee: Richard, what has gotten into you?

Richie: (Mutters) It's just Virgil.

Mr. Lee: Shame on you.

(The boys are standing in the hallway, ranting about what just happened)

Francis: Can you believe him? Going off on us like that! "Shame on you!" It's not our fault that he got a boner and didn't know!

Richie: (Looking uncomfortable and ashamed) I guess.

(In the teacher's lounge, Mr. Lee is having a conversation with Miss Pettibone)

Miss Pettibone: It's hard to believe that a boy today could be so ignorant of the facts of life.

Mr. Lee: That's just it. When I tired to explain that it was normal, he didn't seem to know what I was talking about. You'd think his sister would have at least done some research to inform him when the time came. They're all they have left.

(Back to the guys)

Francis: And his sister! Always ranting and raving about how everyone is going to hell except for her and her (Mockingly) precious baby brother!

Derek: Dude, remember in eighth grade? He got down on his knees and prayed in the middle of the cafeteria!

Francis: How could I forget?

Nick: (Sing-song chant) Prayin' Virgil!

Kevin: (Sing-song) He's the one we ought to kill!

(Back with the teachers)

Mr. Lee: As usual, Francis Stone is the ringleader.

Miss Pettibone: Surprise, surprise.

Mr. Lee: But get this. Richie Foley was doing it.

Miss Pettibone: (Visibly shocked) What? I expect this from the others, but Richie?

Mr. Lee: He was laughing and pointing. They used to be so close.

Miss Pettibone: Give those boys hell.

(The guys)

Francis: And did you guys see the lights? POW!

(Virgil flinches as he walks by, head down)

Richie: (Whispering) Dude, he'll hear you.

Francis: (Ignoring Richie) By the way, party at my place.

(Virgil walks into the teacher's lounge)

Virgil: You wanted to see me?

Mr. Lee: Virgil, why don't you go home today?

Miss Pettibone: We're sorry this happened to you.

Mr. Lee: Feel free to skip gym this week. Take study hall.

(Back with the guys)

Francis: (To Richie) Hey you know what Kevin calls him? Vicious Hawkins. Ha! Do you love it?

Students: Vicious Hawkins... Vicious Hawkins VICIOUS HAWKINS! VICIOUS HAWKINS!

(Virgil walks through the halls, trying to block out the cruel nickname. When it becomes too much for him, he bellows)

Virgil:
THAT'S NOT MY NAME!
Doesn't anybody ever get it right?
Virgil! (He slams his locker shut)
Why do they have to start a fight?
Virgil!

Is it any harder to say than goddamn total spastic, and psycho, and asshole?!
Doesn't anybody think that I can hear?
I hear!
'Specially when I've got 'em screaming in my ear!
I hear!
Everyday they mock me and push me around till I drop!
If I had a wish, God, I wish they'd stop!

(Someone pushes Virgil to the floor. He forces himself to his seat)

Virgil:
When will they...?
I wish they'd...
When will they...?
When will they...?
When will they...?

Sometimes their hatred is out of control! God, how they hurt me!
Sharon says suffering is good for the soul!
But they hurt me!
And if I could, I'd bring them all
Down to their knees!

(In his head, Virgil has a fantasy of all the students that ever tortured him down on their knees)

Virgil: I'd make them sorry forever for teasing
Virgil!
Virgil!
Virgil!...

(His fantasy ends, and Virgil sinks against a locker)

Virgil:
I will not cry
I am okay
I try so hard to play their way
Why do they find it so hard to say
'Virgil'?
Why do they always treat me so bad?
They all know my name!
It's Virgil
I don't know why they all get so mad
It's always the same...

What's going on?
Deep in me?
All of these feelings
Suddenly
If I am changing, will I still be
Virgil?

(He rises up, and there's more hope in his voice)

Virgil:
Or what if I'm somebody new?
Imagine
The things I might do
I might take a chance
I've always wondered how
Maybe I'll dance
And try hard to laugh more than I do now!

And the world will open its eyes!
And for once the whole world will recognize!
Virgil!

Then all those people who screamed night and day:
"Poor prayin' Virgil!"
They'd see the new me, and might even say
"Look, it's Virgil!"

And finally I'd hear that word, souding so sweet
Beautiful voices forever repeating
"Virgil!"
"Virgil!"
"Virgil!"

I am the sound of distant thunder!
The color of flame!
I'm Virgil!
I am a song of endless wonder
That no one will claim!
But someday! Oh, someday!
Someone will know my name!