THE TRAGER HOUSE
Kitchen - Early Morning
[Still dressed in his pajamas, Kyle walks slowly into the kitchen, long before anyone else is awake. He looks all around the room that he had spent so much of his life in before he left with the Petersons.]
VOICEOVER
Back to normal. A phrase of such simplicity, it nearly defines itself. The months that had passed since I had left had been anything but, and I was ready for that part of my life to be over. I was going to pursue normalcy as if my life depended on it.
[Over an hour later, everyone is awake and dressed now and in the kitchen getting breakfast. Pancakes and bacon are on the kitchen counter. Stephen is serving himself while Kyle sits at the counter across from him figuring on a tablet.]
KYLE [to Stephen]
So you just give the team statistics a value of 2/3x, factor in floor conditions and several other simple formulas.
JOSH [pouring orange juice]
What's he talkin' about?
STEPHEN
Uh, the basketball pool at the office. I have a secret weapon.
NICOLE [comes up next to him holding a cup of coffee]
Stephen, isn't that a little. . .unfair?
STEPHEN
Absolutely. Brad took the whole thing last year. This year, he's goin' down.
[Nicole and Kyle smile at him. She takes her coffee over to the breakfast table where Lori is sitting and stabbing at a pancake stuck on her fork.]
NICOLE [to Lori]
Who's getting death by fork?
LORI
Declan, if he's not dead already. I wouldn't know.
NICOLE [sits down]
You two still havin' problems?
LORI
Well, if by problems you mean him not returning my phone calls all weekend, then yes.
I'm over it.
[Kyle watches Lori and Nicole, frowning when Lori mentions Declan.
Josh sits down at the breakfast table. With a smile, Kyle watches the family talking and bantering back and forth with each other.]
NICOLE
Josh, I need your friend Robbie's number. His mom asked me to volunteer for the Active Parents Committee.
LORI
Oh really?
JOSH
To which you probably said, "No way in hell."
NICOLE
Well, what's wrong with a little volunteering? I have the time.
JOSH
Time to contribute to the social annihilation of your son.
STEPHEN [sits down at the table]
Then it was time well spent.
[Kyle gets up from the stool and walks over to the breakfast table.]
KYLE
May I say something?
JOSH
Depends. Latin, Greek or Arabic?
NICOLE [to Kyle]
[smiling] Go ahead.
KYLE [sits down]
Thank you. For this; for everything.
[Stephen smiles at Kyle]
NICOLE [smiles]
You're welcome.
KYLE [to Josh]
Thank you. (in Latin)
Thank you. (in Greek)
Thank you. (in Arabic)
JOSH [laughs]
That's so cool.
MADACORP
[The female, "XX", is sitting alone at a table in a small observation room. She is wearing a clean white smock and staring straight ahead, her hands in front of her on the table. Hollander and Ballantine watch her through a two-way mirror.]
BALLANTINE
She cleaned up well.
HOLLANDER
It took some work to get her to understand the concept of soap.
BALLANTINE
Does she just sit there all day?
HOLLANDER
Sometimes she sits facing the other way.
[The girl turns her head and looks over her shoulder. In front of her, the Madacorp logo is the only thing visible on the glass even though the two adults are standing on the other side.]
[watching the girl] Can she hear us?
BALLANTINE
The room is completely soundproof. [The girl looks back towards the mirror]
We recovered some of the hard drives from the explosion of the former Zzyzx complex. I was right. The other subject, "XY", the boy she drew in the pictures? He wasn't terminated like we were led to believe.
HOLLANDER
Why would they lie?
BALLANTINE
He has something of theirs in his head. Something they wouldn't want to admit was missing.
HOLLANDER
What is it?
BALLANTINE
Your job is to get it back.
HOLLANDER
[sighs] Where is he now? I'll set up a retrieval unit.
BALLANTINE
I wish it was that simple. The last time someone tried to grab that boy, an entire complex was firebombed. I'd still like my parking space in the morning.
HOLLANDER
[smirks] Fair enough.
BALLANTINE
Everything you need to know is in that file.
[Indicating a folder he has been holding in his hand, he tosses it down on a table in front of her. The girl appears to be watching his movements through the glass.]
HOLLANDER
What should I do about the girl?
BALLANTINE
Actually, she makes me nervous just sitting there. Get her a teddy bear or something.
[The man leaves and the girl's head follows him as if she can hear him walk out of the room on the other side of the mirror. Hollander picks up the folder and glances through it as the girl turns her head to watch her now. Hollander looks back at her nervously. Inside the folder is a page from Kyle's Booked-in-the-Shelter folder, a photograph of the Trager family and one of their Income Tax returns.]
THE RACK
That Afternoon
[Kyle is sitting by himself at the counter looking through a comic book. Amanda walks up behind him and holds out her hand. She is carrying a medal in the palm of her hand.]
KYLE [looks down at her hand and up at Amanda]
What's this?
AMANDA
St. Collette. The patron saint of people who've -
KYLE
- who've lost a parent. You heard.
AMANDA
I'm so sorry.
KYLE
I can't take this. It was my gift for you.
AMANDA
Now it's a gift from me.
[She puts the medal in his palm and gently closes his fingers around it.
Charlie arrives, walks by Amanda and sighs loudly. He and Kyle do not speak, but Kyle watches him.]
CHARLIE
Amanda.
[She nods at Charlie, but turns back to Kyle before she leaves.]
AMANDA
Everything's gonna be okay. I promise. [They smile at one another]
[Amanda goes over to Charlie and they kiss. Putting his arm around her, they walk outside to a patio in the back, and he closes the door behind them.]
LORI [sitting at the counter making tea, she has been watching them, too]
Young love makes me want to hurl.
HILLARY [getting her drink and food]
I wonder if Dull and Duller will make Best Couple again this year?
KYLE [walks over to them]
Hmph. For what?
HILLARY
The hit list. Everyone votes anonymously in different categories.
LORI [starts walking to a table]
Oh, you know, things like Biggest Fashion Don't or Hottest Teacher.
HILLARY
[chuckles] Most in Need of an Enema.
KYLE [following them]
Sounds mean.
LORI
Well, it is, but that doesn't stop everybody from voting.
KYLE
Well, why would anyone care?
HILLARY [sits down at table]
Lesson number one - The List is life.
KYLE [sits down]
I don't think I like that. [He looks over to watch Charlie and Amanda outside]
HILLARY
You're telling me. At least you didn't suffer through last year's humiliation.
LORI
Hillary made The List.
HILLARY
Yeah.
LORI
Biggest sl- -. [Hillary gives her a look] Four letter word, rhymes with chut.
[Kyle mouths this to himself, trying to figure it out.]
HILLARY
I suppose it could be worse. I could have an entire category named after me.
[Behind the counter, Josh watches his new co-worker doing all the work. The boy is wearing an old-fashioned net over his hair.]
JOSH
That hairnet. . .has the Biggest Geekman Award written all over it.
CO-WORKER
L.K. Deichman's got a lock on that. That's why it's named after him.
JOSH
I don't know, dude. You're sort of givin' him a run for his money right now.
[A girl walks into The Rack and leans over the counter towards Josh.]
GIRL
Banana guava. Hold the wheatgrass.
[She hands him some money. He gives her change, but barely acknowledges her existence as he turns around to talk to his co-worker again.]
JOSH
I just got hammered on G-Force. [The girl looks up for a moment.] This new guy keeps poppin' in my game and wipin' me out.
CO-WORKER
You're not supposed to spend your breaks on the internet. It's like against the rules.
JOSH
Be less cool. It'll really help your cause.
[He walks away to make her drink. The other worker and the girl exchange looks over Josh's remark.]
GIRL [annoyed]
Nice guy.
[Kyle is still sitting at the table with Hillary and Lori, but he is watching Charlie and Amanda.]
HILLARY
Why are you eye-stalking those two?
KYLE
I'm gonna tell Amanda the truth. [Lori looks at him wide-eyed.]
HILLARY
[laughs quickly] Yeah. That's a bad idea with a capital very. Lesson number two - the messenger always gets shot.
[Kyle looks worried about that.]
LORI
Not literally, but you shouldn't be the one to tell her. She'll hate you for keeping it a secret in the first place.
HILLARY
It's a no-win situation.
KYLE [to Hillary]
You could tell her. [she looks horrified] You don't even like her and you're the one he cheated with.
HILLARY
What's done is done! There's no need in making a bigger mess of things than I already have.
[Kyle's cell phone rings. Opening it, he sees that the call is from "T".]
KYLE [gets up]
I have to go.
HILLARY
Oh, so soon? [Lori laughs]
[Kyle opens the door to leave and Declan comes in first.]
KYLE
Hey, Lori's here.
[Seeing Declan walk in, Lori looks up expectantly at him.]
DECLAN [looks over at Lori]
I can't talk to her right now.
[Looking miserable, Declan turns around and leaves. Lori watches him in disbelief.]
FOSS'S WAREHOUSE
[When Kyle arrives, Foss is pulling slides out of a box in his hands, holding them up to the light to look at them. A slide projector is set up on the table. Hearing someone come in, he turns around. Seeing Kyle, he picks up a remote control and starts clicking through some of the pictures. Slides of people involved in strange feats flick across the opposite wall - a man lifting a car, another man running across hot coals. . .]
KYLE
What's this?
FOSS
I found these. . .in Baylin's files. [Kyle walks towards the wall with the images. One shows a man sitting cross-legged and levitating off of the ground.]
KYLE
You know, I can't just come meet you whenever you call. People will start askin' questions.
[Foss ignores his comments and continues clicking through the slides in the projector.]
FOSS
All of these feats, all of them, were performed by ordinary people. Kyle, imagine what you could do.
KYLE [looking at images on the wall]
Are these real?
FOSS
Yeah, they are. We need to meet more often and start exploring your physical limits.
KYLE
I start school again tomorrow.
FOSS
Well, then after school. [an image appears of a man walking through fire.]
KYLE [turning around]
After school there are clubs, activities, hanging out. I was hoping to -
FOSS
You shouldn't be wasting your time "hanging out." [walks over to him] Kyle, this is. . .this is what Adam wanted for you. And we need to see that through. All right?
[Kyle doesn't answer. Back to business, Foss picks up the remote control again and continues with the slide show.]
Now the basic principle, obviously, is mind over matter. [A man in the picture is walking across hot coals.]
THE TRAGER HOUSE
Living Room - That Evening
[Nicole is sitting cross-legged on the couch reading a large paperback book when Kyle comes into the room.]
NICOLE [looks up]
Hey there.
KYLE [gestures towards book]
War and Peace.
NICOLE
A little light reading.
KYLE [sits cross-legged, too, across from her on the couch]
When do you think you'll start working again?
NICOLE
I haven't decided yet. [pauses, watching him]
We haven't had a moment alone in a long time. How you feelin'?
KYLE
I think . . .I thought it'd be easier to get back to normal.
NICOLE
What you've been through is anything but normal. It's gonna take some time to adjust. You don't have to rush it.
KYLE
But what if I want to?
NICOLE
Sometimes we run away from things as a way of protecting ourselves from having to deal with them. You want to talk about it?
KYLE [smiles]
How much time do we have?
NICOLE [holds up her book]
You tell me. [hands the book to Kyle]
KYLE [flips through pages from her bookmark to the end; looks up]
I think I'll keep running a little longer while I figure it out.
NICOLE
As long as you know I'm here when you're ready.
KYLE [gives the book back to her]
You still have 29,642 words left. You're not goin' anywhere. [they laugh together]
[Getting up, Kyle smiles at Nicole and leaves the living room.]
MADACORP
[Sitting at the table in front of the two-way mirror, Hollander is going through the Trager folder. She looks up at Ballantine when he comes into the room.]
HOLLANDER
I read the family history. These people seem to consider him one of their own. It's gonna be hard to make him disappear.
BALLANTINE
Actually, we like to get what we need without anyone noticing we were there.
HOLLANDER
[pauses] I'm not sure that I understand how that's possible.
[Ballantine sits on the edge of the table. Behind him in her little room, the girl is leaning on the table and looking up towards the mirror.]
BALLANTINE
You know what a firewall is, I assume?
HOLLANDER [rolls her eyes]
Of course.
BALLANTINE
XY's brain is powerful, like a computer. He's managed to develop a, um. . .mental equivalent of a firewall. It's what prevented Zzyzx from being able to control him and what will prevent us from getting what's inside his head. [nods towards the girl] That's where she comes in.
[The girl is pacing around inside of the small room.]
HOLLANDER
What, like a mental hacker?
BALLANTINE
In a manner of speaking, yes.
HOLLANDER
I was joking.
BALLANTINE
We need what he knows. She's the only one capable of getting it.
HOLLANDER
Okay. . .how? I mean, he's been living a normal life in the suburbs. Look at her.
[He looks over at the girl. She is still wandering around the room, stopping to feel the surface of the table and looking at her hands for a moment.] She hardly seems capable of assimilating.
BALLANTINE
Just leave that to me. [leaves]
THE TRAGER HOUSE
Lori's Room - The Next Morning
[Kyle opens the door to Lori's bedroom and looks inside. She is still in bed, buried beneath the covers and not moving.]
KYLE
Lori?
LORI [from underneath the blanket]
Lori doesn't live here anymore.
KYLE
Where'd she go?
LORI
To hell. It has excellent lighting. [pushes off her blanket]
KYLE [sits on the end of her bed]
You're upset about Declan.
LORI [sits up and faces him]
I don't understand. I knew we were having issues, but nothing that deserves him ignoring me. [sighs] I don't know what I did.
KYLE
You. . .didn't do anything.
LORI
Then what? You've been talking to him, you must know something.
KYLE
I think he's just going through something right now, and he's trying to work it out in his head without bringing the people he cares about into it.
LORI
I'm his girlfriend. He should be able to talk to me instead of avoiding me. Trust that I could help.
[Lays back down again and pulls covers over her head.] He sucks.
KYLE
We're gonna be late for school.
LORI
School sucks. I can't get up. My whole body hurts.
KYLE
Mind over matter.
LORI [lifts cover to look at him]
Huh?
KYLE
Use your mind to convince your body it feels better. If you believe you don't hurt, you won't.
LORI
Will that work?
KYLE
For the next five minutes. [Lori ducks back under the blanket]
[Pulls covers off and grabs her arm.] Come on.
[Starts pulling her out of the bed.] Come on.
[Pulled out of her bed, Lori sighs heavily and plods towards the door. Kyle gives her a friendly shove through the bedroom door.]
BEACHWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
Cafeteria - Lunch Break
CHARLIE [sarcastically]
Kyle! Hey, man. It's good to have you back.
KYLE [starts to smile, then realizes Charlie is not sincere]
Where's Amanda?
CHARLIE
Ah, you don't have to worry about Amanda. She's fine.
KYLE
I don't see it that way.
CHARLIE
Yeah, well, how do you see it?
KYLE
You weren't honest with her when you had the chance.
CHARLIE
Telling her the truth would have hurt her. It was a no-win situation.
KYLE
But right now, it seems like she's the only one losing.
[Kyle gives Charlie a disgusted look, turns and walks off.]
Boy's Washroom
[Josh comes into what he thinks is an empty bathroom. He stops at a sink to briefly wash his hands with water, then starts pulling junk food from the vending machine out of his backpack. There is a girl sitting in the stall behind him with a laptop.]
GIRL [watching him]
Now that's a well-balanced meal.
JOSH [turns around]
What the - ? This is a guy's bathroom.
GIRL
Relax, I have brothers. It's the only place I can get a good wireless signal.
JOSH
Uh, how about a classroom?
GIRL
Yeah, they're not so into using class time to play G-Force.
JOSH
I play G-Force. Have you come across the handle AndyJ yet? [she smiles] He's ruining me.
GIRL
I know. [looks up at him] I heard you talk about it at The Rack. Banana guava, hold the wheatgrass? I order it, like, everyday?
JOSH [shrugs]
Sorry.
GIRL
No big.
[The girl packs up her laptop and comes out to talk to him.]
Speaking of doing weird things in weird places, I'm pretty sure there's a cafeteria about 100 yards from here.
JOSH
I'm hiding out.
GIRL
From. . .
JOSH
The cafeteria is full of landmines during List season. I don't wanna be branded some loser like L.K. Deichman.
GIRL [touches nose, then points at him]
You'd rather be a loser who eats lunch in the bathroom.
JOSH
At least I'm in the right bathroom, Miss. . .whatever-your-name-is.
[The girl starts to walk backwards towards the door.]
GIRL
It's Andy, actually. [salutes] Andy Jensen.
[opens door, then peeks around at Josh] Or. . .AndyJ. . .to you. [points at him, smiles and leaves.]
Hallway
In-Between Classes
LOUDSPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT
Today is your last chance to buy your tickets to the 5th Annual Fire Fest. Tickets are only $10 at the front office.
[Coming down the staircase, Lori spots Declan in the hallway walking with one of his friends.]
LORI
Declan!
DECLAN [spots Lori]
Let's go. [he takes off with his friend]
LORI [coming down stairs to meet Hillary at the bottom]
Unbelievable.
HILLARY
I have the answer.
LORI [walking down hallway together]
To life or to how I'm gonna get my boyfriend to quit his dump and dodge routine?
[notices Hillary's outfit] What are you wearing?
HILLARY [spins around]
You like?
LORI
You look Amish.
HILLARY
It's part of my strategy to avoid the slut vote. I'm also gonna re-virginize.
LORI
Re-what?
HILLARY
Re-virginization. Think about it. If it's ours to give away, then it's ours to take back.
LORI
We worked so hard to get rid of it.
HILLARY
Our problems began the minute sex entered the picture. Next thing you know, I'm the Chut of the Century.
LORI [they stop at Hillary's locker]
And. . .if I had never had sex with Declan, I wouldn't be in this situation. How does one re-virginize?
HILLARY
We just agree to it. I mean, there's this whole ceremonial thingy, but mostly, it's just us deciding that it's true.
LORI
Mind over matter. If we convince ourselves it's true, then it is.
HILLARY
We'll live our lives not motivated by boys or sex or anything to do with boys and sex.
LORI
In which case, what do we do with ourselves?
[They are both speechless for a moment.]
HILLARY
I guess we'll have to ask a virgin.
[Coming down the staircase, Amanda sees Kyle in the hallway and hurries over to him.]
AMANDA
Kyle! There you are. I feel like I haven't seen you all day. [They give each other a big hug.]
KYLE
Hi.
AMANDA
Look, I'm late for class, but we need to hang out. I've got the Bonfire Committee at 3:00. You wanna help?
KYLE
I can't after school.
[Amanda: Oh.]
I'm sorry.
AMANDA
Bummer. Well, maybe this weekend. Bye.
KYLE
Bye.
[On the way to her class, Amanda passes Charlie at his locker and gives him a little caress.]
AMANDA [to Charlie]
Hey.
CHARLIE
Hey.
[As soon as she is out of sight, a girl comes up behind Charlie. Leaning up against a locker provocatively, she flirts with him. Kyle watches them together.]
GIRL
Hi.
CHARLIE
Hey.
GIRL
Will I see you at the bonfire?
CHARLIE
Well, Amanda's in charge of it.
[Kyle starts to head off down the hall, but with his super-hearing, he can still hear their conversation and stops to listen.]
GIRL
Hmm, she'll be busy.
CHARLIE
Yes, she will. And what will you be?
GIRL
That depends on you.
CHARLIE
Well then, I guess anything's possible.
[Kyle looks over his shoulder at Charlie and the girl.]
MADACORP
[Madacorp is a busy place. Outside there is a constant stream of people walking in and out of the building. Inside, Ballantine and Hollander are walking down a hallway. She is holding a CD that he has given her.]
HOLLANDER
What's this?
BALLANTINE
I recommend that you learn it. All of it.
HOLLANDER [looking at cover of CD]
Who's Jessi Hollander?
BALLANTINE [stops outside a closed door]
See for yourself.
[He opens the doorway. In a small room, the female "XX" is sitting in a chair at a table looking through a magazine. She is dressed in normal clothes and wearing makeup. She turns around in the chair when she hears the door open and drops the magazine on the table.]
XX [to Hollander]
Don't bring me to work if you're just gonna make me sit here all day.
BALLANTINE
Hello. [holds out his hand] I'm Emily's boss.
XX [standing up, she shakes his head]
Hi, Jessi. [nods towards Hollander] Her sister.
BALLANTINE
Nice to meet you.
[Hollander stares at the girl in disbelief.
She walks into Ballantine's office behind him and closes the door.]
HOLLANDER
What did you do to her?
BALLANTINE [walks behind his desk, calmly picks up his mail and goes through it]
Think of it like downloading a program into a hard drive. Only she's the computer and her life is the program. Yesterday, she was a non-communicative, cold-blooded killer with no means which to live her life outside of that room. Today. . .she's a young teenage girl who likes strawberry ice cream and Avril Lavigne. [sits down in desk chair]
HOLLANDER [standing in front of his desk]
And what about her memories? Zzyzx, the guy that she killed in the woods?
BALLANTINE
Deleted. Everything she experienced in the first few days of her life has been erased.
HOLLANDER
How?
BALLANTINE [condescendingly]
Miss Hollander - we're a multi-billion dollar technological research and development corporation. We have resources.
HOLLANDER [rubs her forehead for a moment]
She thinks that she's my sister. I'm just supposed to live that lie?
BALLANTINE [very firmly]
That's the assignment.
HOLLANDER [hesitates before answering]
What's the next step?
BALLANTINE
Get her into that family's life. Destabilizing the boy's support structure will make him more vulnerable, receptive to her.
HOLLANDER
And she'll just know what to do?
BALLANTINE
She won't know she knows anything. [Hollander sits down in front of desk] She'll just think that she's the new girl, hoping to make friends.
[He gets up and walks around to the front of the desk.]
I recommend that you take her for a test drive. [Sits on edge of desk and picks up the CD] Don't try to make contact. Just ease her in. Watch for cracks in the façade.
FOSS'S WAREHOUSE
After School
[Standing behind Foss, Kyle bends over to look inside of a furnace. He watches as Foss scoops up red-hot coals into a shovel.]
KYLE
I don't think Adam meant for us to take these studies literally.
[Turning around with the shovel, Foss adds the embers to a hot bed of coals on the floor and spreads them into the fire.]
FOSS
It's basic science. Your body won't feel the burn until it reaches the temperature of the fire.
[Kyle is standing barefoot in front of the bed of coals. One of the images from the slideshow is still on the wall behind him - that of a man running barefoot through burning embers.]
KYLE
So I need to keep my internal temperature constant.
FOSS
Yeah.
KYLE
I understand what I'm supposed to do; I just don't understand why.
FOSS
This isn't about walking on coals. [Kyle frowns as he looks down at the hot coals] This is about you using your mind to change the physiology of your body.
[Kyle makes motions of getting ready, but doesn't actually go through with it.]
You can do it.
[Kyle slowly moves his right foot out over the coals. He carefully puts his foot down, but almost at once, the skin starts to sizzle and Kyle quickly pulls his foot back in pain.]
FOSS
Come on. Focus.
[Trying to concentrate, Kyle carefully places his foot into the hot coals again.]
THE BEACH
[Preparations are underway for Fire Fest. Lori and Hillary walk through the sand towards Amanda who is busy setting up tiki lamps on the beach.]
AMANDA [seeing the two girls]
Hey. You're on the Planning Committee?
HILLARY
Uh, that's sweet.
LORI [they follow Amanda around as she works]
Actually, no. We're here to talk to you.
AMANDA
Oh yeah? About what?
LORI
Well, we were wondering. . . How do I put this?
HILLARY
Let's cut to the chase. We're re-virginizing. We need to know what your people do for fun.
AMANDA
My people?
HILLARY
Yeah, you know, the pure types.
AMANDA [laughs]
You're serious? Re-virginizing?
LORI
We're a little adrift, socially speaking.
[Amanda stops at a table and starts to put on a pair of heavy gloves.]
AMANDA
Okay, well, uh. . .it's not that complicated. For example, the Bonfire Committee. [Lori and Hillary laugh at this.]
HILLARY
Yeah, we're not so much committee folk. [Lori shakes her head]
AMANDA
Well, I guess I can't help you then.
LORI [looks at Hillary]
Maybe now's a good time to start?
HILLARY [raises her fist]
Yeah, we can be bonfirey. [Lori raises her fist, too]
AMANDA
Okay, well, uh. . .tiki oiling or barbeque scrubbing?
[They look horrified at this suggestion. Hillary glances down at the dirty grills on the barbeque.]
HILLARY [takes Lori's purse off of her arm]
You go ahead, I'll hold your purse.
Go ahead. [pushes Lori towards the grill.] Yeah.
[Hillary walks away.]
THE TRAGER HOUSE
The Kitchen
[Stephen comes into the kitchen as Nicole pulls a batch of cupcakes out of the oven. She puts them down on the counter already completely covered in cupcakes she has baked that afternoon.]
STEPHEN
You made 400 cupcakes for the bonfire?
NICOLE
Yeah, well, keeps me busy.
STEPHEN [dips finger into bowl of icing]
I appreciate this new Martha Stewart universe you've been inhabiting, but what's goin' on? [licks his finger]
NICOLE [putting cupcakes on cooling rack]
Do you think it would be. . .awful if I didn't go back to work?
STEPHEN
I didn't know that was an option.
NICOLE
I've been waiting to feel ready, but lately I'm starting to wonder if I ever will.
STEPHEN
But you love your job.
NICOLE [nods]
I did. And then I let myself get too close to a patient, and I nearly fell apart when I lost him.
STEPHEN
Kyle is not an ordinary patient. Now we all fell apart when he left. Hey, if you don't wanna go back to work, that's okay. I mean, things at the company are going well, we'll gonna be just fine. But I hate that you're doubting yourself.
NICOLE
I just don't feel good at it anymore.
STEPHEN
Why would you say that?
NICOLE
Well, with Kyle, I still have the feeling that something's not right, but he won't open up to me. I can't break through.
THE BEACH
[Inside a shack on the beach, Amanda hands cans of kerosene to Hillary and Lori as they attempt to help out.]
HILLARY [looking around]
The sex shack. Many a sandy night spent in here.
LORI
Hils - focus.
AMANDA [walking back outside with a can]
Why do you guys want to re-virginize?
LORI [following her]
Ah, we're trying to make better life choices.
AMANDA
So you think having sex was a mistake?
HILLARY
Why do you ask?
AMANDA
No reason.
HILLARY
Mm hmm.
AMANDA [hands can to another girl waiting by the tiki lamps]
It's just. . .
LORI [staring at Amanda]
What?
AMANDA
Well, tonight's mine and Charlie's two year anniversary and. . . [Lori looks at Hillary] I don't know. I thought it might be time.
HILLARY
No!! I mean. . .I don't think it's a good idea.
AMANDA
Why not? I mean. . .I know he's not perfect, but we've been through so much together, and he's been so patient and. . . I feel like I'm finally ready.
[Lori gives Hillary a "look."]
FOSS'S WAREHOUSE
[Kyle's cell phone rings in the middle of his training. When he stops to answer it, Foss sighs and throws up his arm.]
KYLE
Hello?
LORI [calling from the beach]
Major gossip.
KYLE
I don't like gossip.
LORI
Well, you're not gonna like this either, but I think there's something that you should know about Amanda.
[Kyle is quickly putting on his socks and shoes to leave.]
FOSS [watching him]
Kyle, what are you doing? Where are you going?! We were just. . .we were just starting to make progress.
KYLE [putting on his backpack and leaving]
Sorry, this is important.
FOSS
Wait, wait!! You're letting petty things compromise your destiny!
KYLE [turns around, annoyed]
What do you mean, "my destiny?"
FOSS
Like Baylin said. You can change the world.
KYLE
What if I don't wanna change the world? What if I just wanna be ordinary?
FOSS
The last time we had this conversation, you made a skylight explode! You're not normal, you're never gonna be! I'm not gonna let you ruin what we're tryin' to do here.
KYLE [upset]
What you're tryin' to do. I don't wanna do it anymore.
[Kyle turns around and leaves.]
FOSS [yells after him]
Kyle!!
FIRE FEST
That Evening
[In the sex shack, Hillary and Lori are performing their re-virginization ceremony. Hillary holds up a candle and chants.]
HILLARY
I'm taking back what's near and dear,
Letting go of all I fear.
Holding on with all my might,
Saving myself for prom night.
[to Lori] Drink. [Lori takes a swig out of a small bottle]
Okay, now we're born-again virgins. [Hillary takes the bottle and has a drink herself as Lori blows out the candle.]
LORI
Yes!
B-A-V. BAVs.
HILLARY
It's got a ring to it.
LORI
I like it.
[standing up] Whoa!
[They walk out of the sex shack together]
Are you appreciating the irony that we just held our re-virginization ceremony in the sex shack?
[They giggle and walk off arm in arm.
Tents are set up along the beach and a crowd of teenagers is gathered in front of a stage with a live band. Walking and giggling together, Lori and Hillary stop when they see Charlie talking to another girl; the same girl who was flirting with him at school.]
LORI
Uhh. Look at Prince Charming over there.
HILLARY
I'm so glad I never slept with him. [they laugh and walk off.]
[Jessi arrives with her "sister" Emily. They are walking towards the crowd near the bandstand and the bonfire.]
JESSI
So many new people.
HOLLANDER
You know what to do.
JESSI
Mingle and blend in.
HOLLANDER
Do you want me to go with you?
JESSI [stops]
No, I don't need my big sister glued to my hip.
[She walks off on her own and starts to wander around through the crowd. She doesn't seem nervous, but smiles as she looks around her.
Kyle spots Declan and goes over to talk to him. Declan doesn't seem too interested in seeing him.]
KYLE
Declan, have you seen Amanda?
DECLAN
No.
[Walking by with a friend, Charlie calls out to Declan.]
CHARLIE
McDonough. Let's go. Come on.
KYLE
You're still hanging out with Charlie.
DECLAN
Found myself a little short on friends lately.
KYLE
I'm worried he's not the kind of person he's pretending to be.
DECLAN [sarcastically]
You would know. [leaves to follow Charlie]
[At that moment, Amanda struggles up to Kyle, her arms loaded down with two heavy boxes of food.]
KYLE
Amanda. . .
AMANDA [puts the boxes into his arms]
Kyle, thank God. All my helpers bailed on me.
[Holding a large box of Sour Patch Kids, Nicole comes up behind Kyle and puts a pack on top of the boxes he is carrying.]
NICOLE
SPKs, on me. Hi, Amanda.
AMANDA
Hey, Mrs. Trager. I was wondering if I could talk to you about the cash box?
NICOLE
Sure.
[They walk off together, Kyle quickly tagging behind carrying the heavy boxes.
The flirting girl is leading Charlie towards the sex shack and giggling.]
GIRL
So when can you break free?
CHARLIE [looks over his shoulder for a moment]
You're in a hurry.
GIRL
Yeah, I am. I'm a couple of other things as well.
CHARLIE
I can see that.
GIRL
Yeah.
[Charlie sees Declan hanging in the background]
CHARLIE
Just give me five minutes.
GIRL
You promise?
CHARLIE
Yeah.
GIRL
Okay.
[She goes into the sex shack. Watching her go, Charlie exhales loudly, then walks over to Declan.]
CHARLIE
What's that look?
DECLAN
Back in business, huh?
CHARLIE
Yeah. [chuckles] Yeah, my business, man.
DECLAN
I don't think you're as careful as you think.
CHARLIE
What's that supposed to mean?
DECLAN
It means you better go find your girlfriend, before she isn't.
[Worried, Charles looks around, then takes off to find Amanda.
Declan turns around and Lori is standing right behind him.]
LORI
You suck.
DECLAN
What?
LORI
You heard me. There's absolutely nothing rational or intelligent or remotely kind about the way you've been treating me.
DECLAN
Lori, I -
LORI
Let me finish. I feel hurt and angry, and at the moment, a little drunk, so I'm here to tell you that you suck.
DECLAN
I know I've been crazy. If...if I could figure out how to explain it, I...I would.
LORI
Well, how are we supposed to be together if you can't even talk to me about what you're going through? [Declan doesn't answer her]
Oh my God. You wanna break up.
[Declan looks off to the side, still not answering her.]
This is one place where the silent treatment is not going to fly. If you wanna break up, you're going to have to say it. [she starts to cry]
DECLAN
I wanna break up.
LORI [sighing through tears]
And, I suppose [wipes away a tear], a why would be asking too much?
DECLAN
I just, um. . .[shrugs] I can't.
LORI
Well, that's great. Really nice, really mature. [she starts to walk away] I mean, it doesn't matter anyway. I've already erased you. You and me? Done. Never happened.
[She goes over to Hillary who stares at Declan and they leave. Declan looks very unhappy watching her go.
Amanda and Kyle are finally alone and walking along together and talking.]
AMANDA
It's going well, right? People are having fun?
KYLE
Are you?
AMANDA
I will now the work's done.
KYLE
There's something I was hoping to talk to you about.
AMANDA [stops near the bonfire]
What's up?
KYLE
If you knew a secret about somebody, would you tell them even though it might hurt them?
AMANDA
Um, well, is it something someone told you never to tell?
KYLE
No, but they probably don't wanna hear it from me.
[Behind him, Charlie is fighting his way through the crowd to get to them.]
AMANDA
Kyle, what's this about?
CHARLIE [reaching them and interrupting]
Amanda! They're calling for more sodas over there.
AMANDA
What? I just - oh, it never ends. All work and no play. [leaves]
CHARLIE [to Kyle]
What the hell do you think you're doin'?
KYLE
I'm being a good friend. What are you doing?
[Suddenly Kyle senses something close by him, but he doesn't know what it is. Embers from the bonfire float up in the air as he turns his face towards the sky. On the other side of the bonfire, Jessi senses something, too. She turns around and looks up at the stars. . .
CHARLIE [looks up for a moment, then back at Kyle]
Don't pull that innocent stargazer crap with me. Amanda's the only one who falls for it. And what the hell do you think . . .
[Kyle doesn't hear anything as Charlie's words fade away. Through the flames between them, Jessi and Kyle lock eyes for a moment.]
CHARLIE [raising his voice]
Kyle, look at me! I'm talking to you!
[The connection is broken and Kyle looks over at Charlie. Jessi is not aware of her surroundings anymore and she collides with a boy walking by the fire. He stops and turns to her.]
BOY
Oh, hey. Sorry. [he reaches down and takes her hand] How's it goin'?
[As he touches her, Jessi's mind suddenly flashes back to her first night in the woods near Zzyzx. The hunter is reaching out to caress her arm. "Now you gotta be nice."
She strikes back and grabs the young man by the throat with one hand, choking him. He struggles to try to get her hand away, but she is too strong and he is panicking. Hollander sees what is going on and pushes her way through the crowd to get to them.]
HOLLANDER [pushing through]
Out of the way. Out of the way.
[She reaches them and grabs Jessi's hand] Jessi, stop!! Let go!
[Hearing her voice, Jessi snaps out of her flashback and immediately lets the boy go.]
HOLLANDER [pushes the boy to safety]
It's cool. Go for a walk.
[to Jessi] What happened?
[Hollander hauls Jessi away from the crowd. The girl is confused about what just happened.]
JESSI [looking over her shoulder at the retreating boy]
I don't know. I. . .
[Embers from the fire float through the air towards the shack on the beach. They land on cans of kerosene which were left next to the outside wall.
Kyle is walking quickly down the beach in the direction of the shack and Charlie is coming up fast behind him.
CHARLIE [chasing Kyle]
Hey, what the hell do you think you're doin'?!
KYLE [keeps walking]
I'm going to find Amanda. I'm not going to let you lie to her anymore. It's not right.
[Charlie shoves Kyle hard in the back, forcing him to stop and turn around to face him. During those moments, a rain storm had moved in overhead and it begins to rain on the beach.]
CHARLIE
Oh right, I forgot. You're the guy who refuses to throw a punch. [thunder crashes]
[Charlie shoves Kyle in the chest, but Kyle doesn't even move. For a moment, Charlie can't understand this. Declan catches up to them, grabs Charlie's shoulder and pushes him away from Kyle.]
DECLAN
Tanner, give it a rest.
CHARLIE
Hey, whose side are you on?!
DECLAN
No one's.
CHARLIE
Well, then stay the hell out of it!
[With a pop, the embers ignite the kerosene at the side of the shack, starting a fire. Kyle is immediately aware of it.]
KYLE [looking around for the source]
Fire. . .
[For a moment, Charlie and Declan just exchange looks, as if Kyle is pulling one of his stunts. Suddenly, there are two loud explosions and the windows blow out of the small shack, the building immediately engulfed in flames as the kerosene feeds the fire. They all stare towards the burning shack.]
DECLAN
Somebody. . .
CHARLIE [realizing]
Oh my God.
[pointing] There's girl in there!
DECLAN [to Charlie]
Get help!!
CHARLIE [takes off running]
Somebody call 911!!
Help!
[Declan and Kyle move towards the door of the shack. Declan quickly opens the door, but inside they can see nothing but the fire.]
DECLAN
It's too hot!
VOICEOVER
Mind over matter. Everything I had walked away from was right here in front of me. Everything I didn't wanna be was everything I knew exactly how to do.
[Pulling the hood of his jacket over his head, Kyle leaps over the fire at the doorway and into the shack to find the girl trapped inside.]
DECLAN
Kyle!!
We need help over here!!
Kyle!!
[Finding the unconscious girl, Kyle covers her with a blanket to protect her and carries her out of the building in his arms. He is on fire. His back and legs are in flames. He drops the girl on the beach.]
DECLAN
Get down, Kyle, get down!!
[Declan takes off his jacket and begins to douse the flames surrounding Kyle. Unaffected, Kyle pulls the blanket off of the girl's face to see if she is still alive.]
She's breathing!
[He looks over at Kyle. His jacket is severely burned, but Kyle wasn't even touched by the fire. Kyle looks down at himself.]
How are you not burned?
[As the rain continues to fall, sirens of the fire trucks are blaring, drawing closer and closer and bringing people with them to the fire. Kyle begins to panic and look around, not wanting anyone to see him. Declan understands and pushes him away.]
Go! Get outta here! Run!!
[Running away from the fire, Kyle passes Nicole who has just arrived. He stops and turns to face her. She is totally amazed because she can see that his clothes are burnt, but he is not. Kyle turns to run away again while she stares after him.]
THE TRAGER HOUSE
Kyle's Room - Late that Evening
[Alone in his bedroom, Kyle looks at himself in the mirror. He is shirtless and Adam's ring hangs on a cord around his neck. Picking up a lit candle from the dresser, he passes his hand back and forth over the top, then lowers his palm into the flame. After just a few seconds, he jerks his hand away in pain and gazes at his scorched palm.
Without any warning, the door opens. Kyle turns around, putting down the candle, and Nicole stands in the doorway staring at his smooth skin in awe and confusion. There are no burns anywhere on his body.]
NICOLE
But how. . .
KYLE [turns away from her]
Please don't ask me any more questions.
NICOLE [coming into the room]
Why?
[Kyle reaches for a sweater and puts it on to cover his chest and arms.]
KYLE
Because you'll wanna know why I can do what I can do. I won't be able to explain it to you because. . .I can hardly explain it to myself.
NICOLE
But I can. . .help you figure it out. You don't have to be in this alone.
KYLE [turns to her]
I'm not. I have you and this family. And I don't want anyone to have a reason to take me away.
NICOLE
I wouldn't let that happen.
KYLE
If anyone found out, you might not have a choice in the matter.
NICOLE
We just got you back. If it means never letting you go again. . .no one else needs to know that you're different.
KYLE [emotional]
Nicole, I don't wanna be different. I just wanna be ordinary.
NICOLE
Honey. . .[she comes to him] We could ignore all the things about you that you can't explain. . .and you could try to act like everybody else. But tonight there was a girl trapped inside a burning building and your only instinct was to save her. That's who you are. And there is nothing ordinary about it.
[Reaching out, they hug each other very tightly.]
The Foyer
[Finally coming home after Fire Fest, Lori sneaks in the front door. She has been drinking a lot. She slings her purse on the table in the foyer, but it falls off and the contents spill out all over the floor, making a racket.]
LORI [whispers]
Crap.
[When she bends down to pick up the mess, Nicole walks down the hall towards her from Kyle's room. Josh and Stephen come out of the kitchen holding cupcakes.]
JOSH
So busted.
LORI
Before you say anything - [points at all of them] Yes. . .I have been drinking. And yes, I know it's not a good idea. And no, I cannot promise that I will never do it again. [they look at each other] I do, however, recognize that I'm using it as a crutch to hide from the mistakes of my past [leans on the railing], and I can assure you that I intend on living a much less destructive life for myself. . .in the future. . .as soon as I figure out what my life is supposed to be. I love you. [starts to head upstairs] And I didn't drive. Oh, and I'm a virgin. . .again.
[giggles and hiccups, then trips on the step on her way up] Ow!
JOSH
She's not actually getting away with that, is she? [Nicole and Stephen look at him] Good.
Cupcake anyone? [Nicole shakes her head and smiles]
[Josh starts to head upstairs, then turns around]
Oh - where's Kyle? He seemed a bit out of it today.
NICOLE
Well, he was feelin' a little down. I talked to him.
JOSH
Then he'll be fine. You're good at that. [goes upstairs]
STEPHEN [to Nicole]
He's right, you are good at that.
NICOLE
Then I guess it's time to stop runnin' from it.
STEPHEN
Oh, so how was the rest of your night?
NICOLE [keeping a secret]
Uneventful.
STEPHEN
Ah.
[Holding his cupcake, Stephen heads upstairs to bed and Nicole follows him.]
BEACHWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
Hallway - The Next Day
[Amanda and Charlie are leaning against the lockers. She kisses him and they snuggle and talk to each other. Kyle watches them as he walks by.]
HILLARY [meeting up with him]
I don't think they did it.
KYLE [looks over at Amanda and Charlie]
You don't?
HILLARY [they stop at his locker]
I have great sex radar. I can tell. Besides, Amanda's a textbook case. She'd want the night to be perfect, and last night's pyrotechnic near-tragedy was hardly the ideal set-up.
KYLE
I hope you're right.
[Josh meets them at the locker, counting down on his watch as he approaches.]
JOSH
And voting season's over in 5, 4, 3, 2. . . [stops when Kyle looks at him]
I think we're about to get sage words of wisdom - Kyle style.
HILLARY [to Josh]
You mean like, why are we both so worried about what other people think of us?
JOSH [to Hillary]
Or. . .we can't be liked until we like ourselves.
HILLARY [to Josh]
Ooh, I bet it's that we get to decide who we really are and not anyone else.
JOSH [to Hillary]
Huh. . .interesting.
HILLARY [looks over at Kyle]
You're good.
[Kyle grins at both of them.]
The Cafeteria - Lunch Break
[In the cafeteria, people are passing out copies of The List. Amanda comes up behind Kyle in the food line with her tray.]
AMANDA
Save me.
KYLE [confused]
From what?
AMANDA
The List just came out. I don't want any part of it. Do we really need any more ways to be mean?
KYLE [smiles at her]
That's what I said.
AMANDA
Hey, I didn't see you leave last night. You missed all the craziness.
KYLE
How's the girl from the fire?
AMANDA
She's gonna be completely fine. I guess she got out just in time.
KYLE
That's a relief.
AMANDA
It's a miracle is what it is.
[Cashier: Let me ring you up.]
[Hillary and Amanda are walking into the cafeteria together with their trays. In one hand, Hillary is reading The List as they head towards their table.]
HILLARY
Crap!
LORI
Are you on it again?
HILLARY
Worse. I'm not even on it at all. But you are.
LORI [they both sit down]
What?
[Lori looks at The List. Next to Best Couple, it says Lori Trager and Declan McDonough.]
Well, I guess that just goes to show how wrong it can be, huh?
HILLARY
Totally.
Hey, who got Biggest Slut anyway?
[Lori checks The List again and looks up at Hillary.]
What?
[Lori turns the page around so she can read it.]
Oh, wow.
[Charlie is sitting at another table with his friends looking at The List. They tell him that everything is all right and not to worry about anything, but Charlie looks worried. When Kyle and Amanda walk into the cafeteria together, the other students look in their direction, chattering and pointing as they sit down at the same table with Lori and Hillary. At first, Lori covers The List with her hand.]
AMANDA
What's going on?
LORI [pushes the paper towards her]
I think they saw this.
AMANDA [reads The List]
[laughing] What? That's a really stupid joke.
[She looks at her friends, but none of them are laughing. Hillary won't look her in the eyes. Kyle has a very distressed expression as he watches her then looks over at Charlie. Following his eyes, Amanda looks over her shoulder towards her boyfriend.]
CHARLIE [stands up and addresses everyone]
Very funny, everybody. Very funny. That's good.
AMANDA [stands and turns toward him]
Charlie. . ?
CHARLIE [comes up to her smiling]
Amanda. It's. . .it's a joke.
HILLARY [behind them]
It's not a joke.
[Amanda turns around to her]
I'm sorry, but it's not.
I know. I slept with him.
[Amanda is devastated. The tears start to come but she struggles to control them. She turns around to face Charlie.]
CHARLIE [smiles and laughs]
She's lying.
AMANDA
She is? [looks around at Hillary who is hanging her head, then back at Charlie.]
It doesn't look like it.
CHARLIE [smiling]
Amanda. . .
AMANDA
Stop. Just stop.
[Charlie stops smiling and looks at Kyle. Amanda turns around to Kyle. He is still watching her with pain in his eyes.]
AMANDA [to Kyle]
This is what you wanted to tell me. You didn't think I wanted to hear it from you. You were wrong.
[She starts to walk out of the cafeteria, but stops for a moment to turn around and look at Charlie one last time. The expression on her face describes the depth of his betrayal. And then she leaves. Charlie looks around at Kyle and the others, sneers at them and walks away.
Kyle picks up The List and reads it.]
VOICEOVER
In life, everybody gets labeled. Charlie was a cheater, giving Amanda the label of the betrayed. With the breakup of the Best Couple, Declan and Lori are left with a new label: the Heartbroken.
[Alone in the restroom, Declan stares sadly at himself in the mirror then hangs his head. In his hand, he is holding The List.
FOSS'S WAREHOUSE
[After school, Kyle walks straight to the warehouse district.]
VOICEOVER
People try to tell us who we're meant to be, but it's up to us to decide whether or not the label fits. After everything I'd done to fight it, I finally understood the label I was meant to have. I would never be normal or ordinary. My destiny. . .was to be extraordinary. This is the label I've accepted. . .and now it's my responsibility to earn it.
[Kyle meets Foss at the doorway where he has been waiting for him.]
KYLE [to Foss]
I'm ready.
[Kyle goes insides and Foss shuts the door behind them. In the dust covered glass of the window in the door, X marks the spot.]
THE END
Ecrit par Titenoiset
