[Scene: The Hen Tie High gym, which has been taken over as the site of the 60th annual Hie Ten Swing Dance competition.]
[Makoto Kino sits in a folding metal chair and watches the dancers warm up, practicing their moves before the event. She wishes she was out there with them. She should be out there with them. She was Hen Tie's undefeated junior dance champion for five years in a row.]
[But that was before she grew two feet over the course of one summer, gained eighty pounds, and had to trade in her dance shoes for football cleats.]
[Still...hope springs eternal so she still dresses up. In the hopes that one of the boys she used to dance with would go through a similar growth spurt, and offer to lead her back into their glory days. She sighs wistfully as she watches the dancers, with her elbows on her rose printed swing dress with mint green petticoats and her chin on her fists.]
Dev: Excuse me. [He points to the chair next to her] is anyone sitting here?
[Makoto pushes the chair toward him, assuming he intends to drag it over to someone else.]
Makoto: No, you can take it.
[Dev pushes the chair back against hers, and then sits next to her. Makoto focuses on the dancers to keep from blushing at the sight of his bright blue eyes and the sound of his British accent.]
Dev: I thought I might find you here-I've heard rumors that you are a really good dancer.
Makoto: I was. At one time.
[Dev follows her gaze to look at the dancers] You should be up there with them, practicing for the competition.
Makoto: I don't have a partner.
Dev: You do now.
[Makoto looks away from the dancers, not bothering to hide her blush now]
Makoto: Are you serious?
Dev: Why would I come all the way over here in this monkey suit and make such an offer unless I am serious?
[Makoto doesn't know what to say to that]
Dev: [stands and offers his hand] Come, let's put our names in.
[Makoto takes his hand and blushes furiously as they walk up to a man seated behind a table with a clipboard.]
Man: [writing] Makoto kino. [to Dev] And you?
Dev: [deadpan] Last name, Bond. First name, James.
[Makoto covers her mouth to hide her giggles.]
Man: Oh, really?
Dev: [deadpan] That's what it says on my driver's license.
Man: Aren't you the new high transfer student from England?
Dev: [Gets out his wallet and hands him a driver's license] I have been told I do have a double.
[Man looks back and forth between Dev and the card and then hands it back]
Man: Fine. You two are number 34...Can I call you Jim?
Dev: I prefer Mr. Bond.
[Dev offers his arm to Makoto as they join the dancers]
Makoto: You have a fake id?
Dev: There is a perfectly logical explanation. I'm a bit of a juvenile delinquent.
Makoto: Then you should have picked a slightly more subtle name than 'James Bond.'
Dev: But then it wouldn't have looked as good on your trophy.
[The slow dance to get warmed up]
Dev: Admit it. Haven't you always wanted to be a Bond Girl?
[Makoto sizes up Dev. He's a couple of inches taller than she is, even in her low heels. But she still probably outweighs him by at at least thirty pounds.]
Makoto: I...think it might be safest if I lead.
Dev: I think I can manage. [lifts her into his arms and executes a series of complex lindy hop moves before setting her down again] I'm a lot stronger than I look.
Makoto: Wow. You're an amazing dancer!
Dev: Thank you. My father insisted we takes dance lesson from a very early age. He insisted it would help supplement our combat training.
Makoto: ...combat training?
Dev: I probably shouldn't mention this, but my father is fairly high up in the British secret service, and he's training us follow in his footsteps.
Makoto: So you really are James Bond.
Dev: [shrugs dismissively] Not if I have any say in this. My first love is music.
Makoto: So I've heard.
[They dance for a while, the moves coming naturally to them both]
Makoto: You said 'us'...so your sister Eleanor dances as well?
Dev: Like an angel.
Makoto: You seem very fond of her.
Dev: I am.
Makoto: [sad face] She doesn't seem to like me very much.
Dev: She doesn't seem to like anyone outside our immediate family, which suits me just fine, because I'm a very jealous person.
[Makoto stops dancing for a moment, and makes a show of being taken aback]
Dev: She's different at home. Our father is very stern, very morose guy, and I tend to get quiet and moody at time, but she brings all the light and joy into the house. Always finding cute little ways to make us laugh and smile with things get too dark. She's a total Daddy's Girl and he's putty in her hands, but there are time I wish the old man would just go away so I can have her all to myself.
Makoto: You...do realize this is your own sister you are talking about.
Dev: My twin sister. We share a soul. [sighs profoundly] Heaven help me if I ever get a girlfriend.
Makoto: Where can I pick up an application?
[Makes a show of being taken aback]
Dev: The job is yours if you want it.
Makoto: Are you serious.
Dev: Are you?
Makoto: YEAH I am.
Dev: Then I guess this means I'm your boyfriend.
[Makoto head is spinning and she feels a bit lightheaded]
Makoto: Oh, my god. This must be a dream.
Dev: Just keep in mind how jealous I am.
Makoto: I...really don't think that is going to be a problem for either one of us.
[Dev surveys the other dancers and isn't impressed with their talent right before the announcement to clear the floor and the competition starts.]
Dev: I think we've got this.
Makoto: I think so, too.
Dev: Then let's go win ourselves a trophy.