(Inside the school. At the lockers)
DINA: Just got to find where my new locker is. I'll see you guys in a minute.
RUSS (overly enthusiastic): Ok! See you later!
(DINA walks away)
SASHA (conspiratorial): Did you tell her anything?
RUSS: Sorry. Couldn't find any way of getting it into the conversation.
SASHA: Come on Russ, she's your friend.
RUSS: Well you could've mentioned it.
SASHA: I could hardly do it, we've only just met.
RUSS: She'll find out in a minute anyway.
SASHA: Yeah. But it's going to be a big shock. Toby should've told her. I don't know why he didn't. Didn't he say he spoke to her on the phone the other day?
RUSS: Yeah, but just for like 20 seconds. Dina was in the airport or something. I think she only got back into the country a few days ago.
SASHA (shrugs shoulders): Well, that's it, then. I hope she's not the kind of person to make a scene in class.
DINA (back with them): Who's going to make a scene in class?
SASHA: Oh no one… I mean… I hope Peeta isn't too mad that Emma started dating her ex-boyfriend.
DINA: Oh come on. It's none of her business, surely?
SASHA (smiling ruefully): Probably not.
DINA: So what's this Mr Woods like?
(They head into class)
(The classroom – the usual students are at their desks. DINA heads for her old seat, which is empty. VERITY is sitting in TOBY's usual seat. She smiles at DINA and pulls back her chair to let her pass.)
VERITY: Hi Dina! Welcome back!
DINA: (nonplussed) Err… hi Verity.
VERITY (impressed): You look really cool.
DINA (deadpan): Thanks.
(She sits down next to VERITY, looking at her very oddly. VERITY simpers, laughs, but says nothing more. DINA glances at her watch, then up at the door.)
MR WOODS: Welcome back everyone, welcome to the new school year, one which will undoubtedly play a crucial role in your future. (notices DINA, looks at her with a withering expression). You're Dina Demiris, I presume?
DINA (brightly): Yes sir.
MR WOODS: You missed a year.
DINA: Yes sir, but…
MR WOODS: I hope you were keeping up with your studies while you were off globetrotting.
DINA: Oh yes, sir. For most of the year I attended an international school in Hong Kong. The standard was really high.
MR WOODS (unimpressed): Delighted to hear it. Still, you can expect this year to be very challenging. I hope that you'll be able to focus on the task ahead of you.
DINA: Absolutely sir.
(The door opens. TOBY and ELIZABETH enter the classroom, hand in hand. They look the same as always. ELIZABETH is whispering something in TOBY's ear and he is smiling. DINA's jaw drops about five feet. They head to their seats, TOBY heading for VERITY's old seat next to ELIZABETH. They see DINA.)
ELIZABETH (brightly, although slightly awkward): Dina! Welcome back! Nice look, very stylish!
TOBY (warmly): Hey Dina, great to have you back!
DINA (speechless, just stares at them).
(The class is proceeding.)
MR WOODS: So if you'll all turn to page 96…
(TOBY's mobile phone beeps, signalling a text message. MR WOODS doesn't hear it over the sound of the class shuffling their books. TOBY takes out his phone and reads it under the desk. The display reads:
'What the HELL are you doing?'
ELIZABETH glances at the screen, then looks over her shoulder at DINA. DINA glares at her in reply.
(TOBY hurriedly writes a reply. It reads:
'I'll explain.'
(DINA's mobile phone beeps. She takes it out quickly to read the message. This time MR WOODS hears.)
MR WOODS: Who is conducting their social life in my class? Miss Demiris, was that you?
(DINA puts her phone away with a jolt.)
DINA (flustered): Sorry sir, just trying to catch up… with the class.
MR WOODS: If you have any questions about the class, kindly address them to me.
DINA: Yes sir.
(While Mr Woods' back is turned, DINA scribbles a note into her exercise book, scrunches it up into a ball then throws it into TOBY's lap. At that moment, he is saying something inaudible to ELIZABETH. They simultaneously look over their shoulders at DINA. TOBY opens the note. It reads:
'Explain now.'
(TOBY sighs and looks at ELIZABETH. Much to DINA's horror, he hands ELIZABETH the note. She reads it, a worried expression on her face, then reaches out her other hand and squeezes Toby's. She is about to give it back to Toby, when MR WOODS pounces.)
MR WOODS (snatching the note out of Elizabeth's hand): What's this?
ELIZABETH: It's nothing sir.
MR WOODS (reading): 'Explain now'. Explain what?
ELIZABETH: Uh… Toby just found the note under his desk, sir. It's very mysterious, so we were just wondering what it meant. It's probably been there for ages. You can see what a state it's in.
TOBY: That's right sir. It's a real mystery.
MR WOODS (unconvinced): I wish you'd show as much interest in today's class as you do in some old piece of paper that someone has scribbled on.
TOBY and ELIZABETH: Yes sir.
MR WOODS: And Elizabeth, can you not do that?
ELIZABETH (looking up innocently): Do what sir?
MR WOODS (with distaste): Stop… stroking Toby Johnson's hand.
(Half the class sniggers, the other half groans. DINA snorts in a kind of half-despair.)
ELIZABETH (quickly removing her hand from Toby's and hiding it under the desk): Sorry sir.
(The class ends and the students file out. TOBY and ELIZABETH, followed by VERITY, RUSS, DINA and SASHA. DINA quickly catches up with TOBY and ELIZABETH in the corridor)
DINA (withering): Well this has been some first day back so far.
TOBY: Sorry Dina, I know this must be a shock for you.
DINA: A shock? You all seem to have gone insane since I've been away. (Turning to ELIZABETH)
What is this? Some kind of parallel universe you've imprisoned the whole school in?
RUSS (butting in): No, she tried that before. This is our regular universe.
ELIZABETH (struggling to remain calm): Dina, you've got every right to be surprised… and upset. I know you have every reason to dislike me. I've always been vile to you.
DINA (sarcastic): Well, you've got that right.
ELIZABETH (taking a deep breath): So I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for everything I've ever done to you.
DINA: What?
ELIZABETH: Err… I said I'm sorry.
DINA (unconvinced): Right. Sorry for making my hair fall out? For trying to frame me as a thief? For nearly killing me at least twice? Or are you just sorry for being an all-round psycho?
(ELIZABETH can't help but smirk a little at this parade of her former achievements.)
ELIZABETH (struggling not to smile): Yes, I really was awful.
DINA: Did you all see her smirking? I knew there was something suspicious going on here!
ELIZABETH (now serious): You're right, Dina. I did smile a little bit. But this is not an act. I'm trying to be nice. I just don't always succeed. But I'm going to start making it up to you, Dina.
DINA: How?
(ELIZABETH remembers something, reaches into her bag, takes out a small Tupperware box, opens the lid and offers it to DINA.)
ELIZABETH: I know it's not much but… would you like a cookie?
DINA (very suspicious): What? No way!
(ELIZABETH shrugs and puts the lid back on the box)
ELIZABETH (quietly aggrieved): They're not poisoned or anything.
DINA: Whatever.
RUSS (intervenes): Elizabeth, if the offer still stands, I'll take one.
ELIZABETH (smiling and reopening the box): Of course, Russ! (RUSS takes cookie and ELIZABETH puts the box away.)
DINA: I see how you've managed to buy some people.
ELIZABETH (hurt): I'm not buying anyone.
DINA (unimpressed): And what's more, we've heard exactly the same story from you in the past.
ELIZABETH: Yes, I know you have. I was lying then. I'm telling the truth now.
DINA: So why should we believe you?
ELIZABETH: Because Toby believes me. (She looks sweetly at him) I don't even take credit for the fact that I've changed. I'd be the same as I was before if it wasn't for Toby. I owe him everything.
(DINA rolls her eyes. ELIZABETH gives TOBY a kind of despairing glance.)
DINA (folds her arms and looks pointedly at TOBY): Well, Toby?
TOBY (reasonable): Look, Dina, I know this seems weird, but a lot has happened since you were last at this school. And we're not under some kind of collective hypnosis, if that's what you're thinking. Elizabeth… Elizabeth is my girlfriend now. (ELIZABETH smiles at TOBY and gives his arm a little squeeze.)
TOBY (continuing): I really believe that she's changed and that she's trying really hard not to be… well the way she was before. You've got to try and give her the benefit of the doubt here.
VERITY: If it's any help, I believe Elizabeth.
SASHA (in a whisper to VERITY): I don't think that's going to convince her.
(DINA looks at TOBY, then at RUSS, SASHA and VERITY. They all look at her rather blankly, but not discouragingly. Then she looks at ELIZABETH, who seems to be wiping a tear from her eye.)
DINA (reluctantly): Ok. If that's what everyone thinks, then I guess I'll have to go along with it.
ELIZABETH (sticking out her hand): Shake on it?
DINA (looks suspiciously at the hand and sighs): Ok.
(They shake hands.)