THE TRAGER HOUSE
Kyle's Room - All Night
[Kyle sits in the dark staring off into nothing and lost in thought. On the desk in front of him are the pieces of Josh's broken car radio and the pad with the decoded message - "DONT TRUST FOSS."]
BEACHWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
The Next Morning
[Emily is dropping Jessi off for her first day of school. Parked in front the building, she waits while Jessi stares nervously out of the car window towards the building.]
JESSI [worried]
I hate being the new girl.
HOLLANDER
You'll be fine.
JESSI
What if nobody likes me?
HOLLANDER
Why wouldn't they like you?
JESSI
I don't know.
HOLLANDER [not really caring]
Just. . .be yourself.
JESSI [thinks out loud]
Myself?
HOLLANDER
You know, Nicole's kids go here. Kyle's your age.
JESSI [turns toward Emily, irritated]
I don't know Kyle.
HOLLANDER
I bet you two have a lot in common.
JESSI
How would you know?
HOLLANDER
I don't, but you won't make friends if you don't try.
JESSI [looks at Emily; resigns herself to her fate]
Okay.
[She gets out of the car without looking back or saying goodbye.]
HOLLANDER [shrugs]
Have a nice day!
[In front of the school, SAAD has put a badly wrecked car on display to warn students against drunk driving. Lori, Josh and Kyle have to pass by the car to get to the building. Lori and Josh pause when they pass the car, but Kyle's mind is somewhere else.]
LORI [looking at the car]
Well, that's subtle.
JOSH [checking out the wheels]
Nice rims.
LORI
Josh, the car is not on display for you to admire its accessories. Somebody died in it.
JOSH [leaning on the edge of open driver's window]
Somebody who shouldn't have guzzled a bucket of vodka before driving.
[looks inside] Check out that stereo.
LORI
You're diseased. Kyle, knock some sense into him.
KYLE [to Josh]
I'm sorry I haven't fixed your radio.
JOSH
You have been remiss in your Boy Genius duties.
KYLE
I've had a lot on my mind
[to Lori] I think I'm in a gunk.
LORI
A what?
KYLE
A guy funk. [she looks confused] It's your word.
LORI
Oh yeah, no, gunk is over. You have the ennui. [walks away towards school]
KYLE [frowning, he follows her]
Ennui? Isn't that French?
LORI
Ennui is the new gunk. Trust me.
[The school bell rings and Lori and Kyle walk into the building. Josh has stayed behind with the car.
Standing in front of the school by herself, Jessi looks all around her, then finally joins the crowd heading into the school.]
[Opening Theme]
In the Hallway
[At his open locker, Kyle picks out the books he wants to put in his backpack. He looks around at all the students in the crowded hallway.]
VOICEOVER
I was surrounded by people, many of them friends, but none who knew the real me.
[Hillary and Lori wave and smile as they walk past him. He smiles back for a moment.]
Foss had made it clear that he was the only one I should trust, and I had allowed him to set the rules for how I live my life. But now all I felt was doubt. . .and regret.
[Declan and Charlie are coming towards him down the hall. Declan looks at Kyle, but doesn't acknowledge him.]
AMANDA [comes up behind Kyle]
These are for you. [holds out a small bouquet of wildflowers]
KYLE [grabbing his backpack, he turns around and smiles]
Why?
AMANDA
Well, let's see. A piano mysteriously appeared in my living room last night.
KYLE [pulls on backpack and grins broadly]
Really?
AMANDA
And when I asked my mom how it got there, she rolled her eyes in annoyance.
KYLE
She did?
AMANDA
And the only person who can annoy her like that is you. [points at him with the flowers]
KYLE [looks up at ceiling]
True.
AMANDA
Ergo, flowers.
KYLE [takes bouquet and looks at the flowers]
Actually, tap-rooted, perennial herbaceous plant. [Amanda chuckles]
I love them. Thank you.
AMANDA
Are you kidding? Thank you. You've been such a good friend to me through everything.
KYLE
You've been a good friend to me, too.
AMANDA
And I was thinking maybe that I should return the favor.
KYLE
You wanna give me a piano?
AMANDA [smiles]
No. . .but. . .I thought we could go to the Spring Fling Dance together. I mean if you wanted to.
KYLE
Your mom won't like that.
AMANDA
My mom left this morning for a week. The cat's away.
KYLE [frowns]
You don't have a cat.
AMANDA
No, I mean, I can do whatever I want. She's not around to control my life; to tell me who to hang out with.
KYLE [thinks for a moment]
My cat's away, too.
AMANDA
Is that a yes?
KYLE [enthusiastically]
Yes!
AMANDA
Great! That's great. Okay, well, I'll...I'll see ya later.
KYLE
See ya later.
[Smiling, he watches her walk away]
VOICEOVER
A single bright moment in an otherwise dark time. With Foss not around to dictate my days, I could finally pursue the very thing he'd wanted me to give up - a life.
[Closing his locker door, Kyle smiles happily and heads to class.]
MADACORP
[At the coffee bar in the lobby, Stephen pays for his cup of coffee. Emily is waiting in line behind him.]
STEPHEN [takes change and coffee from cashier]
Thank you.
CASHIER
There you go, sir. You're welcome. [Stephen steps aside for the next person in line.]
[to Emily] Yes, mamm?
HOLLANDER [pretends not to notice Stephen]
Hi, uh, can I get a large latte, double-shot?
STEPHEN [looking at Emily]
Start the day off with a jolt, huh?
HOLLANDER [fake surprise]
Oh, hi.
STEPHEN
Hi.
HOLLANDER
Yeah, I just dropped my sister off for her first day at a new school. She's nervous; I'm nervous. I figured I'd drown myself in caffeine.
STEPHEN
What school?
HOLLANDER
Beachwood.
STEPHEN
Oh, my kids go there.
HOLLANDER [paying for coffee]
Yeah?
STEPHEN
What's her name?
HOLLANDER
Jessi Hollander, and I'm Emily, in case you forgot. It's Stephen, right?
[They both move out of the way and she stops to fix her coffee.]
STEPHEN
Stephen Trager.
HOLLANDER
Trager. Any relation to Nicole?
STEPHEN
She's my wife.
HOLLANDER
No. [laughs] Unbelievable. Jessi's been taking some private therapy sessions with her.
STEPHEN
You're kidding.
HOLLANDER
No. She has been so great with her.
[They begin to slowly walk off together]
So. . .how are you enjoying life at Madacorp?
STEPHEN
Ah, well, so far, so good. Although, I don't understand half of what they do here.
HOLLANDER
We're "building the foundations for tomorrow."
STEPHEN [smiles]
Right.
HOLLANDER [they chuckle together]
Yes, we're very important.
STEPHEN [stops and faces her]
I'll tell my kids to keep an eye out for your sister.
HOLLANDER
Ah, that would be great. She's had a bit of a rough time, but she's a really good kid.
STEPHEN
Well, maybe they can be friends.
HOLLANDER
Hope so.
STEPHEN
Well, I gotta go.
HOLLANDER
Okay.
STEPHEN
See you around.
HOLLANDER
Bye.
[Stands in the lobby and watches him walk away.]
BEACHWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
Boys' Washroom
[Josh opens the last stall door knowing he will find Andy playing G-force on her laptop in her usual hideout.]
JOSH [hanging on the door]
You're off the hook.
ANDY [looks up]
I didn't know I was on the hook.
JOSH
Well, I know you have a secret, burning desire to ask me to the dance, but I can't go.
ANDY [playing it very cool]
And why, perchance, has this hideous fate befallen me?
JOSH
I got nabbed for trying to borrow the stereo from the drunk driving car.
ANDY
You tried to steal a dead person's radio?
JOSH
Borrow!
ANDY
So you can't go to the dance?
JOSH
I was ordered the cleanup duty.
ANDY
Sucks.
JOSH
Totally.
ANDY [looking at her game]
Sucks even more so you have to clean up after me and my dates.
JOSH
Your. . .who?
ANDY
Dates.
JOSH
You have multiple dates to the dance?!
ANDY
Uh, yeah. Is that a problem?
JOSH
No, I just thought -
ANDY
- that I had a secret, burning desire to ask you? Yeah, no.
[She kicks the door shut in his face.]
In the Hallway
[Lori watches Hillary having a chocolate attack in front of the vending machine.]
HILLARY [banging on machine with her fists]
How's a girl supposed to combat PMS when the chocolate machine's on the fritz?
LORI [hands her some more change]
Did you buy the dance tickets?
HILLARY
They wouldn't sell them to me.
LORI
Why not?
HILLARY [punching buttons to get anything]
Because you're a girl.
LORI
And?
HILLARY
And that's it. They won't sell same-sex couple tickets.
LORI
But we're not a same-sex couple. We're just two girls who currently hate men.
HILLARY
I tried to explain that. Then they told me to buy two single tickets which were more expensive. Then I got all PMS-y on them. They told me to go away.
LORI
That's stupid.
HILLARY
Whatever. [bangs on machine with fist; candy falls] Yes!
[Bouncing down the stairs, Kyle lands behind Lori.]
KYLE
Hi.
LORI [turns around]
Hi, mood swing. What's got you all peppy?
KYLE [smiles]
I'm going to the dance with Amanda.
HILLARY [eating in a chocolate rapture]
Oh, the hypocrisy.
LORI
You have a date with Amanda?
KYLE
Oh, no, it's not a date.
LORI [exchanges glances with Hillary]
How do you know?
KYLE
She told me she's doing me a favor.
HILLARY [smiles]
A favor?
KYLE
Uh-huh.
LORI
Kyle, what exactly did she say?
KYLE
She said, [quotes verbatim] "You've been such a good friend to me through everything, and I was thinking maybe that I should return the favor. I thought we could go to the Spring Fling Dance together. I mean, if you wanted to." And then she said something about a cat.
HILLARY [reaches up and rubs his cheek]
Ooh, sweet, clueless little muffin. You better put on your dancing shoes because you. . .have a date. [she flounces off]
KYLE [to Lori, wide-eyed]
I do?
LORI
You totally do. [she leaves him standing here, too.]
Classroom
[Looking at her schedule, Jessi walks into one of the classrooms and looks around. Charlie and Declan are already in the room. Charlie is sitting at a desk and stares at her. He looks almost catatonic.]
CHARLIE
Dibs on the new girl.
[Declan is leading against his own desk and turns around. They see each other at the same time. Jessi smiles and walks towards him.]
JESSI
Hi.
DECLAN [stands up]
Hey. You go here?
JESSI [stands in front of him]
Yes.
[They just gaze at each other]
CHARLIE [almost knocks desk over getting up]
I'm, uh. . .I'm Charlie Tanner. I..I...I'll happily be your one-man welcoming committee.
[Jessi looks at him for half a second, then turns all her attention back to Declan.]
JESSI
Maybe later we could hang out. I'd like to do more kissing.
[Charlie stares at them]
[Walking past the classroom door, Lori abruptly stops when she sees Declan and Jessi together in the classroom. Hillary stops with her.]
LORI
Oh, you have got to be kidding me.
HILLARY
Who's that?
LORI [watches the couple talking and smiling]
One of my mom's troubled teens.
HILLARY
She looks like trouble.
LORI
Right, you're only saying that because she's totally smokin' hot and sexy and hitting on my ex-boyfriend.
HILLARY
Pretty much.
LORI
I think I have to hate her.
HILLARY
Au contraire. Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer. Make that girl your "frenemy."
[Jessi looks towards the door and sees Lori. Lori waves at her enthusiastically and Hillary flashes a big smile. The moment Jessi looks away, Lori grimaces and leaves and Hillary glares at Jessi from the doorway.]
THE TRAGER HOUSE
Nicole's Office - After School
[Nicole is busy in her office typing away on her laptop. The front door slams and Kyle makes a bee-line straight to her desk and sits down across from her with a frantic expression.]
NICOLE [looks up; closes laptop]
What's the matter?
KYLE
I have a date with Amanda.
NICOLE [smiles, then tries to look serious]
Well, that's great.
KYLE [slumps]
No, it's terrible.
NICOLE
Why?
KYLE
Because I feel sick.
NICOLE
When did that start?
KYLE
When I found out it was a date.
NICOLE
It's just anxiety.
KYLE
But why am I anxious? I like her. I've liked her since the first time I saw her.
NICOLE
That's precisely why you're scared. If you weren't, then you'd have reason to worry.
[Kyle takes a breath, then exhales loudly.]
Feel better?
KYLE [with a half smile]
Working on it?
NICOLE
Take a minute. [gets up from her desk] I'll get us some water.
Kitchen
[Nicole walks around the corner and finds Jessi sitting at the counter in the kitchen eating a chocolate snack.]
NICOLE
Jessi, hi.
JESSI [looks up]
Hello.
[she looks back at her cake]
NICOLE
I'm sorry. I didn't hear the back doorbell ring. Did we have a session today?
[Jessi appears to ignore her and just continues eating. Lori is standing in front of the refrigerator holding a soda in each hand.]
LORI
Hey, mom. I invited Jessi over.
NICOLE
Oh, that's nice. Lor', do you have a second?
LORI
Sure. [hands Jessi a soda] Make yourself at home.
[She walks out with her mom. Jessi holds up the soda can and smiles at it.]
Foyer
NICOLE [very annoyed]
Since when are you two friends?
LORI
She's not my friend. She's my "frenemy."
NICOLE [rolls her eyes]
Regardless of semantics, Lori, I really don't think this is appropriate.
[In the kitchen, Jessi senses something and starts to look around, finally putting down the food. Waiting in Nicole's office, Kyle is aware of something, too.]
LORI
I need to keep an eye on her. She's all over Declan, and I just don't think they're a good match.
NICOLE
Well, I don't think pretending to be her friend is the mature choice.
[Jessi leaves the kitchen and walks slowly into Kyle's room. She looks around, sees the bathtub, and then becomes fixated on the broken car radio sitting on Kyle's desk. Kyle gets up from his chair and walks out of Nicole's office.]
NICOLE [still arguing]
You're crossing boundaries here.
LORI
Your job is what brought Kyle into this house. Don't you think you should be a little flexible on the matter?
Kyle's Room
[Kyle walks into his bedroom and finds Jessi reclining in the bathtub. They stare at each other for a few moments, and then she begins to smile a little.]
JESSI
Hi.
KYLE [staring at her]
Hi.
JESSI
You're Kyle.
KYLE
You're in my tub.
JESSI [looks down at tub, then back at him]
It's comfortable.
KYLE
You don't think it's strange I sleep in a tub?
JESSI
Is it?
KYLE
Maybe a little.
[becomes friendlier]
You must be Jessi. You're here for Nicole.
JESSI [frowns]
You call your mom Nicole?
KYLE
Oh, she's my guardian. She used to be my therapist, too.
JESSI
Were you troubled? I'm troubled.
KYLE
Why?
JESSI [blank look]
I'm not sure.
[She gets out of the tub, walks over to the door and stands in front of Kyle. She looks at him.]
Have we met before?
KYLE
I don't think so.
[Jessi slowly walks out of the bedroom, looking over her shoulder at Kyle. He watches her, then turns and looks around his room. He sees the car radio that he had left in pieces on his desk. It is now repaired.]
The Kitchen - That Evening
[Nicole hands Josh a plate with a slice of pizza as he sits down on the other side of the island.]
JOSH
Sweet. Pizza.
NICOLE
I thought you liked when I cooked.
JOSH
Yeah, but ever since you got good at it, we never get cool food.
NICOLE
I'll try to remember that. Where is everybody?
[Kyle walks into the kitchen carrying Josh's car radio, now repaired.]
JOSH
Finally.
NICOLE [takes the radio out of Kyle's hands]
Ah, I'll take that. [to Josh] Principal Hooper called. You won't be needin' this for awhile. [puts the radio away]
JOSH [to Kyle]
I blame you. If you'd fixed this a week ago, I wouldn't have been tempted.
KYLE [standing next to Josh]
I didn't fix it. [Nicole hands him a plate of pizza] Jessi did.
NICOLE [looks at him]
Jessi did?
JOSH
Who's Jessi? And is she hot or just smart?
NICOLE
She's one of my patients, so she's off limits on all fronts.
LORI [sits down at island next to Josh]
Here we go again. Mom's setting boundaries.
NICOLE [hands her pizza, too]
Mom's rights.
LORI
Twice in one day people are telling me who I'm allowed to hang out with. The stupid school won't sell us same-sex couple dance tickets.
NICOLE
What? Well, that's ridiculous.
KYLE
What's wrong with same-sex couples?
JOSH [with mouth full of pizza]
Nothing - if they're girls.
LORI [to Josh]
Neanderthal.
KYLE
Why are girls okay and not guys?
NICOLE
Both should be okay.
KYLE
Then why is the school saying no?
LORI
Because apparently they're still living in the 20th Century.
[The front door closes and Stephen is home. He comes into the kitchen, too.]
STEPHEN
Sweet. Pizza.
NICOLE [hands him a slice]
I'm never cooking again.
JOSH
Dad, thank God you're here. Dinner was becoming an episode of Oprah.
STEPHEN
Hey, guys. I have a co-worker whose sister just started at your school. It's your patient, Jessi Hollander.
NICOLE [looks at Stephen]
Emily works at Madacorp?
STEPHEN
Mm-hmm. I told her you guys would keep an eye out for Jessi.
LORI [to her mother]
Hah!
NICOLE
Stephen, you have terrible timing.
HOLLANDER'S APARTMENT
[Jessi and Declan are kissing passionately on the sofa. Suddenly, Jessi stops and pushes Declan away.]
JESSI
Um, is Lori your friend?
DECLAN [incredulous]
You wanna talk about Lori?
JESSI
Well, she's being nice to me, and my sister said that I should make friends.
DECLAN
You are. [smiles and starts to kiss her again]
JESSI [pushes him back]
What about Kyle?
DECLAN
What about him?
JESSI
Is he your friend?
DECLAN
He used to be.
JESSI
I don't really have any friends.
DECLAN [looks away]
Well, they're over-rated.
JESSI
You're lonely. I'm lonely, too.
[He looks at her, then pushes her down against the pillow and they start kissing again. The front door opens and Emily discovers them together on the sofa.]
HOLLANDER
What's going on? [Declan looks ups as she walks in and slams the door] Jessi, what are you doing?
JESSI
Making friends.
DECLAN [stands up and holds out his hand]
Hi, I'm -
HOLLANDER
- leaving.
[Declan looks at Jessi, grabs his coat and heads towards the door. Jessi stretches out her hand to him as he leaves.]
Who the hell was that?
JESSI [standing up, looks confused and hurt]
Declan.
HOLLANDER
You are not seeing him again.
JESSI
But I like him. We have a lot in common, and [starts to smile a little] there's a dance this weekend -
HOLLANDER
No. You are not going with him.
[Jessi squeezes her eyes shut in pain. The lights begin to flicker in the room and she grabs the side of her head and grimaces.]
Jessi, what is it?
JESSI
My head. You said I should meet people.
HOLLANDER
Yeah, not him. That's not who I meant.
JESSI [upset]
Then who did you mean?
[She grimaces again and holds her head in pain.]
HOLLANDER [looks around at flickering light over the table and back at her]
Jessi. Stop being so dramatic and just do what you're told.
[She calmly walks off, but Jessi is not calm or happy.]
THE TRAGER HOUSE
[Outside on the back patio, Kyle is sitting by himself on the bench. Leaning his head back, he is looking up at the night sky. Amanda quietly walks onto the patio.]
AMANDA
Hi.
KYLE
Hi.
AMANDA
I saw you from my window. What are you doing out here? [sits next to him]
KYLE
Can't sleep. What are you doin'?
AMANDA
My mom said I'm supposed to be in bed by 10:00 while she's out of town.
KYLE
It's 11:00.
AMANDA [chuckles]
Exactly. Are you okay?
KYLE [sadly]
Not really.
AMANDA
Kyle, it's okay if you don't wanna go with me to the dance. [he looks at her] I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable by asking you.
KYLE
I do want to go to the dance with you.
AMANDA
Then why are you acting so weird?
KYLE
Nicole says it's cause I like you.
AMANDA [smiles shyly to herself]
You do?
KYLE
Of course. Don't you like me?
AMANDA [smiling]
Well, yeah. Yeah, I do. I like you. So. . .we're going to the dance together. And you're okay with that?
KYLE
It's the best thing that's happened to me in a long time.
[They smile at each other and are more relaxed now. Sitting back, they both look up at the stars.]
BEACHWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
The Next Morning
[Lori and Hillary walk to school together holding their cups of coffee. Andy walks up in between them holding a stack of flyers in her arms.]
ANDY
Hey, potentially sane Trager and perky blonde girl. In the mood for a little civil disobedience?
LORI
Does it involve drinking?
ANDY [hands her a flyer]
Only if rehab's your idea of social activism. Here's your chance to overcome the obvious genetic deficiencies in your family.
HILLARY [looking over at a flyer]
"Beachwood Bias?"
LORI
You're protesting the dance policy?
ANDY
Yes, the dance policy. A bunch of us are ditching first period to plaster school with these.
[They all stop and she turns to face them] We need more bodies.
HILLARY
Yeah, we're not, you know, of the lesbionic variety.
LORI
I don't really think that's the point, Hils. You heard about us getting denied dance tickets?
ANDY
She made a little bit of a scene.
HILLARY
What? I was cranky. Sue me.
ANDY
Anyway, I thought you guys might be into taking a stand, having a voice, that kind of important life stuff. But maybe I pegged you wrong. Whatever. No big. [starts to walk off; Hillary waves good-bye]
LORI
Ooh, wait. Hold on. [Andy turns around] You said you need more bodies?
ANDY
Yeah, why? You know anyone who wants to help change the world?
LORI
As a matter of fact, I do.
First Period
[Kyle and Amanda are posting flyers together. He tacks one up on the bulletin board above the stairs.]
AMANDA
I can't believe I'm skipping class. And you're skipping class.
KYLE
I got a hall pass.
AMANDA
Your teacher gave you a hall pass?
KYLE
Mr. Miller's an advocate for the principles of nonviolent resistance.
LORI [trotting up the stairs towards them]
I need more flyers. Hillary and I are gonna wrap the flagpole. She wanted to chain herself to it naked with the words "I heart gay" written on her body, but this seemed like a better plan.
KYLE
You're really enjoying this.
LORI
I'm embracing my inner activist. That little Andy's a spitfire.
KYLE
She definitely knows how to rile people up.
LORI
I know. Poor Josh. She'll eat him alive. Not literally. [holds up a fist] Long live civil disobedience!
[She turns to runs down the stairs just as the Principal comes around the corner. He is holding one of the flyers and tapping it against his hand. She turns back around again.]
Crap.
Principal Hooper's Office
[The guilty parties, the Trager family plus Amanda, are facing Mr. Hooper behind his desk. Nicole is there with them and faces him down.]
NICOLE
Where does the school get off denying same-sex couples?
HOOPER
It is the administration's prerogative to uphold certain moral standards.
NICOLE
Certain moral standards or your own personal prejudices?
HOOPER
Mrs. Trager, I am principal of this school. If you think you can do a better job, I invite you to try. But given the fact you've managed to raise two vandals and a petty thief [Josh and Lori exchange smiles], I recommend you stay focused on your own children, none of whom will be allowed to attend the dance.
[Upset, Kyle and Amanda look at each other.]
THE RACK
After School
[Lori is sitting at the counter doing some homework. Andy comes inside and walks over to her.]
ANDY
Sorry you got busted. [walks around her and leans against the counter]
LORI
Oh, whatever. It was worth it. I feel bad for Kyle though. He really wants to go to the dance.
ANDY
Which brings me to Phase 2.
LORI
There's a Phase 2?
ANDY
There is now.
LORI
Not that I don't appreciate your commitment to the cause, but why this one specifically?
ANDY
I get it from my moms.
LORI
Moms?
ANDY [sits on a stool next to her]
Yes. Plural. Let's just say I don't have a lot of tolerance for other people's close minded crap.
LORI
I don't understand how you tolerate my brother then.
ANDY
I like to think of Josh as a perpetual work in progress.
LORI
Changing the world one moron at a time, huh?
ANDY [smiles]
Something like that.
LORI
Well, then, count me in for Phase 2. Except I can't get suspended. I don't think Super Mom can bail me out twice in one week.
ANDY
Speaking of Super Mom, mine are both booked, so. . .do you think yours would be willing to chaperone a non-school-sponsored event the same night as the Spring Fling?
LORI
What, like an alterna-dance?
ANDY
Something where everyone's welcome, no matter who their date is. A Swing Spring Fling.
LORI [smiling]
I love it. And so will my mom. She's dying to put Principal Hooper in his place.
ANDY
There's hope for you Tragers after all.
[Lori chuckles and takes a sip of coffee.]
THE TRAGER HOUSE
Josh's Room
[Josh sits at his desk doing homework, but turns around when he hears Kyle walking into his bedroom.]
JOSH
What's up, buddy?
KYLE
Lori's planning another dance.
JOSH
I heard. And according to mom, I'm still on cleanup duty. There's no justice.
KYLE
I need dancing shoes.
JOSH
As opposed to any other kind of shoes?
KYLE
Hillary said I need to put on my dancing shoes for Amanda, except I don't have any.
JOSH
Dude, it's just an ex -
KYLE
- Expression. I knew that.
JOSH
Sure. [turns back to his homework]
KYLE
Except. . .
JOSH [turns around]
Yes?
KYLE
If there's no shoes to help me dance, how do I do it?
JOSH
Do what?
KYLE
Dance.
JOSH [throws pen on the desk; he can't believe it]
You don't know how to dance?
KYLE
I don't know; I've never tried.
JOSH [with happy expression]
Well then, my large-brained friend. Allow me to teach you.
[Josh pushes his bed out of way and turns on his CD player. As the music starts to play, he bobs his head up and down. Kyle bobs his head, too. Josh stands with his feet apart and puts his hands in his pockets. Kyle copies every move he makes.]
JOSH
You're the smart one. Music is made of beats. Get the beats, you'll get the rhythm.
[Kyle watches Josh and keeps bobbing his head up and down. Josh starts to sway back and forth and so does Kyle.]
Uh, right, um . . .you gotta, you know, feel it.
KYLE [rocking back and forth with Josh]
I feel it. 4/4, 4/4, bop bop bop.
JOSH
No, I mean feel the song. Express yourself. Dancing is freedom.
[Josh starts moving his arms as he dances; Kyle tries to move his arms just like Josh.]
Uh, yeah, I. . .guess.
[watching Kyle mimicking him]
Uh, you're not feelin' it, man.
You'll be fine if you're dancing next to someone who knows what they're doin'. Otherwise, I think we found the first thing you suck at.
Check it.
[Josh spins around and starts dancing by himself in the middle of the room. Kyle keeps doing his thumb-dance and watches all of Josh's fancy footwork very closely. Josh comes back to dance across from Kyle.]
KYLE
We're dancing together.
JOSH
I'm dancing. [points with both hands] You're copying.
[Josh turns off the CD player and sits back down at his desk. Kyle sits down in a chair across from him.]
KYLE
So why do you have a problem with other guys dancing together?
JOSH
Totally different, dude.
KYLE
Why?
JOSH
We're not having one of those conversations now.
KYLE
I know why you don't like it. But you're the one who said dancing's all about freedom. So shouldn't everybody be able to enjoy it?
[With his mouth open and nothing coming out, Josh can't answer this.]
THE RACK
[Jessi carries a cup of coffee through the café and smiles when she sees Lori sitting at one of the tables.]
LORI [smiles back and Jessi sits down]
Jessi. You wanna be my first ticket buyer for the alterna-dance? I assume you're goin' with Declan?
JESSI
I'm not going.
LORI
Oh?
JESSI
My sister won't let me go with him.
LORI
Why not?
JESSI
She has a lot of rules.
LORI
She's strict, huh?
JESSI
She's really strict. She's always telling me what to do.
LORI
Where are your parents?
JESSI
My mom's crazy and my dad couldn't handle it. So Emily takes care of me now.
LORI [starting to become sympathetic]
Wow, that's rough.
JESSI
Yeah, we haven't always had the easiest life. And Emily's all I have. She loves me, and that's why I have to listen to her. [pauses and sighs] But I really want to go to the dance.
LORI [throws head back]
I am a horrible person.
JESSI [believes her and frowns]
You are?
LORI
Yes. I'm sorry. I have not been very nice to you.
JESSI
You've been nice.
LORI
Not inside my head. [Jessi looks hurt] Let me make it up to you. Nobody should have to sit at home alone when everyone else is out with their friends. You can come with me and Hillary.
JESSI
I can?
LORI
Sure. Why not? We'll be a threesome.
[She picks up her coffee and takes a sip. Smiling, Jessi picks up her mug, too, and drinks it.]
THE TRAGER HOUSE
The Kitchen - That Evening
[Stephen stands at the island in the kitchen making a salad for dinner when Lori walks in.]
STEPHEN
Dinner's in ten.
LORI
I have to dine and dash. I gotta meet the decorating committee.
STEPHEN
Ah, I think I like Activist Lori. She reminds me of someone I know.
[Nicole walks up behind him with a bottle of wine and two glasses and they smile at each other.]
LORI
By the way, mom, I invited Jessi to come to the dance with me.
NICOLE [annoyed]
Lori -
LORI
I know you don't like it and believe me, I'm surprising myself. But she's like a lost little puppy or something. I just feel sorry for her. Must be genetic. [smiles and walks off]
NICOLE [sighs and pours a glass of wine]
She just used heredity as an excuse not to obey her mother.
STEPHEN
Yeah, well, she's good.
NICOLE [serious]
The situation with Jessi is different than it was with Kyle.
STEPHEN
There's something about her that worries you?
NICOLE
I couldn't discuss it even if there were. That's my point.
STEPHEN
Uh. [nods] Point made. Although I think Lori's instincts are pretty good. Much be genetic.
[With his new dance move, Kyle slides sideways into the kitchen right up to Nicole; Josh walks in behind him.]
NICOLE [laughing]
Oh, nice moves!
JOSH
I taught him everything he knows - literally.
STEPHEN
Excited about your big date?
KYLE [big smile]
Yes.
JOSH
Uh-oh. Here comes dad's fatherly advice about dating.
STEPHEN
Well, let's hope it lands better on Kyle seeing as how yours never happened.
JOSH
A dagger in the heart, dad.
NICOLE [chuckling]
You know, I'm really impressed that your friend Andy helped put the whole night together.
JOSH
She probably only did it so I wouldn't get off garbage duty.
NICOLE
Uh, somehow I doubt that. Plus if you hadn't felt it necessary to steal.
JOSH
Borrow.
NICOLE
Whatever. You could be goin' with her.
JOSH
Why would I wanna go with her? [Stephen and Nicole look at each other] You're all crazy.
[He walks out of the room. The front doorbell rings and Kyle answers it. Amanda walks inside and by her sad and teary expression, she is very upset. Kyle shuts the door and turns around.]
KYLE
What happened?
AMANDA [facing him]
Principal Hooper called my mom and she came home early. [with tears] I'm grounded. I can't go to the dance.
[They are both very upset by the bad news.]
THE RACK
Swing Spring Fling
[The decorating committee is finishing up in the café. Lori climbs down from a ladder after hanging her new Swing Spring Fling sign. She and Hillary look around at all of the people showing up for the dance.]
HILLARY
People actually came.
LORI
Hils, you are such a pessimist about the human condition. We got our message out there. Of course people came.
HILLARY
Yeah, plus we sold our tickets for half the price of the other dance.
LORI
Yeah, that helped. [they giggle]
CHARLIE [sitting at a table with Declan]
What are we doing here again?
DECLAN
Supporting Lori.
CHARLIE
Why?
DECLAN
Because the other night I made out with Jessi while Lori was in the next room singin' a song about our breakup.
CHARLIE
Whoa, that's uh. . .that's a move worthy of me.
DECLAN
Great. Now I really feel good about myself.
CHARLIE [exhales]
Uh, I'm...I'm gonna need somethin' stronger. That's. . .just. . .
[Gets up and walks away. He looks up at the new sign on the wall and then at the two girls.]
When did you two hop on the lesbian granola bus?
LORI [turns and starts to caress Hillary's arms]
Mmm, I don't know. Hils, you wanna give it a try?
HILLARY
Yeah, I've always wanted to be a granola lesbian.
[They clasp their hands together and kiss. Charlie stands there with his mouth open.]
LORI [to Charlie]
If only to never kiss homophobic, cheating jerks like you.
[They smile at him and walk off. He turns around and Declan is laughing at him.
[Josh is working behind the counter tonight on cleanup duty. Kyle is on the other side.]
JOSH
You busted your new moves yet?
KYLE [eating SPKs out of a basket on the counter]
I don't think I like dancing.
JOSH
Because you're not feeling it. Which is understandable, given your dateless status. [Kyle eats an SPK and makes a face.] But you're more than welcome to join me on cleanup duty.
KYLE [chewing]
These Sour Patch Kids are different.
JOSH
They're extreme. . .like my punishment.
[He watches a girl sitting next to a trashcan put her empty plate on the floor in front of the can instead of in it.]
People, the Earth is not your trashcan!
[He goes over and picks up the plate, rolling his eyes as the girl gabs away with a friend. At the counter, Jessi and Kyle reach into the basket at the same time for the candy and shock each other when their fingers touch.]
JESSI
Ow! [stares at her hand]
KYLE
Static electricity.
JESSI
An electrical charge caused by the imbalance of electrons on the surface of a material.
KYLE
You like science.
JESSI
I guess. [eats some candy]
KYLE
How did you know how to fix Josh's radio?
JESSI [no curiosity or interest, except in the candy]
Sometimes I just know things.
KYLE
Me too. [she doesn't respond]
DECLAN [coming up behind Kyle]
[to Jessi] You made it!
JESSI [smiles at him]
I snuck out.
KYLE
Hi, Declan.
DECLAN [looks at him for a moment]
Hey.
[to Jessi] You thirsty?
JESSI
Sure.
[He puts his hand on her shoulder and leads her away.]
MADACORP
[On his way out for the evening, Stephen squeezes between the elevator doors before they shut. Turning around in the cab, he sees Emily standing inside, too.]
STEPHEN
Hey.
HOLLANDER
Hi.
STEPHEN
I see I'm not the only workaholic in The Company.
HOLLANDER [smiles]
Uh, all work, no play.
STEPHEN
Well, it looks like your evil plan is working.
HOLLANDER
What?
STEPHEN
Jessi. She and my daughter Lori really hit it off.
HOLLANDER
Oh yeah, that's great.
STEPHEN
Yeah, I'm goin' to the dance right now to help out Nicole. You can join us and check out the budding friendship for yourself.
HOLLANDER [sure of herself]
Jessi's not there.
STEPHEN
I'm pretty sure she is. Lori said she was going.
THE RACK
[In the alley behind the café, Josh carries a bag of trash out to the dumpster. Turning around, he sees Andy sitting by herself, slumped over with her head in her hand.]
JOSH
Social as ever, I see.
ANDY [sits up and watches him toss the trash]
You missed something.
JOSH
Where?
ANDY [throws her empty cup at his feet and points at it]
There.
JOSH [picking up the cup]
Very funny.
So how's the hot dates?
ANDY
Well, I guess you'll just have to see for yourself, won't you? I hope the view from the garbage cans is good enough.
JOSH
It's not really my scene, you know.
ANDY
What about it isn't your scene?
JOSH
You know.
ANDY
You don't like gay people.
JOSH
That's not what I meant.
ANDY
Oh. I see, you're gay.
JOSH
What? No!
ANDY
It's cool, though. I'm hip with the gays.
JOSH
I'm not gay.
ANDY
Bummer. It might make you cooler.
[She stands up, then looks over her shoulder at him as she goes back inside.
The DJ puts on a record and people are out on the floor dancing. The front door opens and Amanda comes inside. Kyle is watching the dancers, but turns around and sees her standing there. She sees him, too, and they both happily walk up to each other.]
KYLE
You're here!
AMANDA
I am.
KYLE
How? Why?
AMANDA [smiling]
I snuck out. Long live civil disobedience. Come on, let's dance.
[They head to the dance floor together arm-in-arm]
[Josh stands behind the counter with a glum face while he watches Andy out on the dance floor with her two dates. Nicole walks up beside him and watches Andy, too.]
NICOLE
She's good.
JOSH
Yeah.
NICOLE
Shame you can't be out there.
JOSH [nods]
Yeah.
NICOLE
I guess if you agreed to some community service at my discretion, I could lift your punishment for one dance.
JOSH
I don't know. She looks a little busy with her dates.
[Andy is really dancing by herself and her two dates are dancing with each other.]
NICOLE
Uh, somehow I think she'll make the time.
[looks at Josh] Go.
[He smiles, pulls off his apron and tosses it. Reaching the dance floor and Andy, he starts to dance with her. Kyle and Amanda are dancing, too, and look over at the couple and smile. Everyone stands back and starts clapping when Josh shows off his moves in the middle of the floor. Kyle glances at Amanda and then rushes up next to Josh and starts dancing with him, matching his every move. Astonished, Josh looks down as Kyle copies his fancy footwork. They dance around each other for a minute before Kyle goes back to Amanda. Everyone crowds back onto the floor clapping and dancing up and down.
Out of breath, Lori sits down on a sofa next to Jessi who is nodding her head to the music. Lori holds up her hair and starts fanning herself with her hand.]
LORI
I think it's a hundred degrees in here.
JESSI
This is fun. Thank you for inviting me. [Lori nods and fingers her long necklace for a moment]
[noticing it] That's a really pretty necklace.
LORI [holds it up and looks at it]
Thanks. It's a remnant from my Declan days.
JESSI [jealous]
He gave it to you?
LORI
Yeah.
JESSI
Do you wish that you were still with him?
LORI
Honestly? Sometimes. [Jessi's expression changes] We didn't end very well, so there's always going to be a part of me that wishes things were different. [looks at her] But he's moved on, obviously. Anyway, back to work. [heads back to the dance floor]
[Kyle and Amanda are holding each other closely as they slow dance. They gaze into each other's eyes.]
AMANDA
You're a good dancer.
KYLE [his voice is softer and deeper]
This part's easy.
AMANDA
Slow dancing is -
KYLE
No. Dancing with you.
[They keep looking into each other's eyes. At a table nearby, Charlie is talking with another girl, but can't help watching them dance together. Kyle looks over in his direction.]
I don't think Charlie's very happy to see us dancing.
AMANDA [doesn't even glance over]
Who cares what Charlie thinks.
KYLE [almost in a whisper]
Do you mean that? [she smiles at him] You mean that.
[Declan and Jessi are dancing together, too. She pulls away to look at him.]
JESSI
Lori still wants to be with you.
DECLAN
I don't think so.
JESSI
Do you still want to be with her?
DECLAN
I'm with you, aren't I?
[He pulls her close to him, but only so she can't see his face. She puts her head on his shoulder, but her expression is very sad and lonely.
Stephen comes into café with Emily walking directly behind him.]
NICOLE [sees him and then sees Emily behind him]
You made it! Emily. . .
HOLLANDER [not smiling]
Hi.
STEPHEN
We've a little problem.
[Emily sees Jessi with Declan on the dance floor. Rushing over, she grabs Jessi by the arm and squeezes it as hard as she can.]
HOLLANDER
Jessi! What did I tell you?
JESSI [turning around in pain]
Ah!
DECLAN
Hey!
HOLLANDER [to Declan]
Stay out of this!
[Jessi: Uh!]
[yanking Jessi around by the arm] You're not supposed to be here.
[Stephen and Nicole witness this scene with dismay.]
JESSI
You're hurting my arms.
[The lights begin to flicker on the walls.]
NICOLE
Emily, why don't we all -
HOLLANDER [turns around briefly]
I'll handle this. [Hillary and Lori looks upset at her treatment of Jessi]
[to Jessi] Get your things. You're coming home now.
JESSI
I don't want to. [starts to turn away]
HOLLANDER [jerks her back around by the arm]
[yelling] You don't get to make those decisions!!
[The lights are still flickering on and off in the café. Amanda notices it, too.]
AMANDA [to Kyle]
Did you see that?
KYLE [still lost in her eyes]
No.
AMANDA
The lights -
KYLE
What lights?
AMANDA
Oh.
[realizes where he is]
Whoa.
[She looks at his lips for a moment and he slowly starts to lower his head to kiss her.]
HOLLANDER [angrily]
Jessi, we're leaving.
JESSI [pushes her away and yells back]
You can't tell me what to do!!
[All around the room, the bulbs start to explode in the lamps on the walls. Everyone begins to duck their heads and cry out as the lights flicker and blow out around them. Everyone but Kyle and Amanda. But even as they move closer to kiss each other, a light fixture blows up next to them and they both jerk around at the explosion. Throughout the chaos, Jessi grabs her head and holds it tightly between her hands.
Jessi and Emily have left the café and people begin to settle down. Kyle stares at a broken light fixture on the wall until Amanda comes up behind him.]
AMANDA
It doesn't look like the power's gonna come back on. It's for the best anyways. [looks at her watch] It's pumpkin hour. Time for me to get home. Unless I wanna be grounded until I'm 50.
KYLE [walking together]
Well, I hope that doesn't happen.
[faces her] I'd like to go out with you again. Before you're 50.
AMANDA
I'd like that, too. [she kisses him on the cheek]
Good night.
KYLE
Good night.
[He smiles to himself as she leaves the café.
[Josh is straightening up behind the counter. Andy comes over holding a piece of trash in her hand.]
JOSH
Go ahead. Throw the trash at my feet again.
[She puts it in the garbage pail he is holding]
What are you doing?
ANDY
I think it's called cleaning.
JOSH
No, you're being nice. You're never nice.
ANDY
I'm totally nice!
JOSH
You make fun of me, you put me down and you always have to have the last word.
ANDY
I thought that was. . .our thing.
JOSH
We have a thing?
ANDY
Well, not like a "thing" thing. But, you know. A vibe. [holds out her palm to him] A pattern.
JOSH
A thing.
ANDY [scratches her head]
Yeah.
JOSH
Cool. Oh yeah, your dates. They're -
ANDY
Gay, yes.
JOSH
Actually, I was gonna say they're pretty cool guys.
[She starts to say something, but doesn't]
Go ahead. Get in the last word.
ANDY [smiles]
No need.
[She comes around the counter and kisses him on the cheek. As she leaves, Josh just stands there rubbing his cheek with his hand.
Outside on the patio, Declan stands on a ladder taking down one of Lori's signs. She is holding the other end at the bottom of the ladder.]
LORI
Thwarted by an electrical snafu.
DECLAN (steps down from ladder)
[chuckles as he rolls up the sign] Other than the drama, it was a pretty great night.
LORI
You were certainly enjoying it.
DECLAN [holds up index finger]
Sarcasm, party of one. [she giggles]
It's okay. I deserve it.
LORI
What, because on top of everything else, you bailed on me right before my first ever live performance? Yeah. Not your best moment.
DECLAN
I'm really sorry, Lori. I wanted to be there.
LORI
You were there and then. . .suddenly you weren't.
DECLAN
I can't explain what happened. I've been in a bad place for so long. And then Jessi was there and somehow it was an escape from it all.
LORI
She makes you feel better?
DECLAN
She makes me. . .forget.
LORI
Forget me?
DECLAN
I don't wanna forget you. But with everything else. . .being with her feels better than being alone.
[She starts to turn away, so he does, too. But then she stops and turns around again.]
LORI
What exactly happened between you and Kyle? I never understood what went wrong with you two.
DECLAN
Besides you, Kyle was the only real friend I'd ever had. I guess. . .we didn't trust each other as much as we thought.
LORI
Romance interrupted.
DECLAN [chuckles]
You and your words. [hugs her against his shoulder]
[The power comes back up, the light come on again and the music start to play inside.]
LORI
Let there be light.
[They can hear Charlie's voice and they go inside to see what he is doing.]
CHARLIE [holds up glass; he and his friends have been drinking]
Ladies and gentlemen. Boys and boys. Thank you so much for coming out, literally, to this very gay event. [people look at each other] And by gay, I...I don't...I don't mean happy. I mean, oh, so very homosexual.
[Charlie and his friends start to laugh. Kyle is angry and walks over to confront him, but Declan cuts Kyle off and gets there first.]
DECLAN
Knock it off.
CHARLIE [spreads his arms]
Why? I'm just messing around here.
DECLAN
No, you're being an idiot.
CHARLIE
You should remember who your friends are.
DECLAN [turns around and looks at Kyle and Lori]
You're right. I should.
[Declan heads straight out the front door and down the street to his car. As he unlocks the door, Kyle is running to catch up and calls out to him.]
KYLE
Declan!
DECLAN [turns around]
What's up?
KYLE
I want to tell you everything.
DECLAN [frowns]
I don't get it. Why now?
KYLE
There's someone else who knows my secret. I thought he was the only one I could rely on.
DECLAN [nods]
Tom Foss.
KYLE
How do you know that?
DECLAN
I think there's somethin' you should see.
[He opens the car door and grabs the large envelope that had been left for him in his car. He hands the envelope to Kyle.]
Saw the two of you together. Started diggin' around. He left these for me.
[Kyle starts looking through the photographs]
As a warning.
KYLE
A warning?
DECLAN
To back off.
[Kyle sees the picture with the post-it note on the front warning Declan to back off. He pulls it away to see the photo of Lori with the black X marked across her face.]
KYLE [looks up in shock]
Foss did this?
DECLAN
He obviously doesn't want me involved. But I'm in this. I always have been. If you want me to know the truth, I'm ready to hear it.
KYLE [ready to tell him]
Okay.
[Alone in the alley behind The Rack, Lori carries three large trash bags out to the dumpster. Someone watches her from the shadows. As she tosses them in, she hears a noise behind her. She hesitates for a moment and looks over her shoulder. Not seeing anyone, she turns back around and throws the last bag in the dumpster. In the moment it takes her to close the top of the bin, someone rushes up behind her and hits her violently on the back of the head. With a groan, Lori collapses unconscious to the concrete, scraping the side of her face against the hard pavement, and without ever seeing her attacker.]
THE END
Ecrit par Titenoiset
