EXT. ST. THERESA OF AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - DAY The imposing white granite face of a mansion that takes up half a city block. It stands four stories tall and dwarfs everything in its vicinity. Behind it, the San Francisco Bay-- the Golden Gate, Alcatraz, Angel Island--is clearly visible from the windows of the mansion. Teenage girls in identical uniforms--white blouses and dark blue shirts--run toward the side of the building, backpacks streaming behind them. INT. ST. THERESA DE AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - ENGLISH ROOM - DAY JOSIE MERRICK, 16, pretty but often too serious for her age, raises her hand. She's unaware of the half-smile on her face as her eyes follow some movement. MR. BLACKWOOD, 35, as handsome as he is easy-going, paces in front of twenty senior girls. Some of them look at him the same way Josie does, but most look bored. MR. BLACKWOOD Anybody else? Is Josie the only one paying attention this semester? AGATHA HUSTON, 17, plump and playful, elbows Josie. MR. BLACKWOOD (cont'd) Last semester of high school, you don't need to study any more, right? The class giggles. He breaks the chalk in his hand and tosses a piece behind him. The girls giggle louder. HELENA MORNINGSTAR, 17, raises her hand. Helena is coldly beautiful as she stares at him with a superior attitude. HELENA It's not a brilliant or original thought, but I'd love to fuck you on that desk right now. Josie GASPS. And gapes at Helena, who stares back, curious. MR. BLACKWOOD Okay. That's close. He turns to write on the blackboard. Josie stares at him in shock. Then she looks at Agatha, who scribbles down notes like usual. At the other girls, whose expressions haven't changed at all. And at Helena, who's staring right back at her, grinning. Waiting. Josie bursts into horrified GIGGLES. Mr. Blackwood looks at her, surprised by her outburst. MR. BLACKWOOD (cont'd) What's so funny, Josie? Josie struggles to control her laughter. JOSIE What she said. MR. BLACKWOOD And that's funny because? The entire class is staring, clearly wondering what in the hell is wrong with her. JOSIE Because... because... (looks down at the floor) I guess I heard wrong. MR. BLACKWOOD Apologize. To Helena. That wasn't nice. She's stunned by his tone. She bites her thumbnail as she turns to see Helena's cunning, triumphant smile. Under her desk, Josie's hand tightens into a fist and she digs her fingernails into her palm. JOSIE Sorry, Helena. Didn't mean to do that. She looks away. Nothing but silence in the room. MARIANNE CARTER, 17, her black hair in a ballerina's knot, TAPS her feet on the back of Josie's chair and HUMS as she stares out the window, which has a commanding view of the San Francisco Bay. MR. BLACKWOOD Have you read it, Marianne? Marianne looks up at him lazily. MARIANNE No sir. I'm a ballet dancer. We don't have to know how to read. He can't help it--he cracks up at that one as the class bell RINGS. Everyone reaches for their books. MR. BLACKWOOD Hold on. Term papers. If you have a note on it from me, you have to redo it. He tosses the top of the pile at Josie. It lands face down. Marianne reaches behind Josie and flips the paper over. A+. MARIANNE Can I just have some of your grades? JOSIE You're not going to college. Agatha takes her paper. A-. She rolls her eyes. Mr. Blackwood hands Marianne her paper. D -- Rewrite. MARIANNE But Josie wrote this. MR. BLACKWOOD Get her to write it for you again. Josie picks up her books, ready to go. Mr. Blackwood touches her on the shoulder. Josie freezes, her attention solely on his hand. MR. BLACKWOOD I want to talk to you a second. AGATHA See you outside. Josie nods. Mr. Blackwood sits on the edge of his desk and waits until Agatha and Marianne have left. JOSIE I said I was sorry. He rocks back and forth, clearly wondering how to say this. MR. BLACKWOOD Josie, you're bright. Okay, probably the smartest student this school's ever had. And you have a great imagination, but you let it run away with you. Save it for your writing. JOSIE My father likes to point out writers starve. MR. BLACKWOOD I'd better not have been wasting my time with you if you're not going to be a writer. He swats her with his teaching notes and walks away from her. MR. BLACKWOOD (cont'd) By the way, what did you think she said? Josie turns crimson. JOSIE Oh, I just misheard a word. Or two. FOYER Once the upstairs ballroom, the Foyer is now filled with tables where students work. It connects all of the rooms on the top floor and links them to the rear, more cramped half of the mansion. Agatha waits for Josie outside the English room. AGATHA What'd he want to talk about? Wink, wink? Josie blushes as she follows Agatha. JOSIE He said I was a very bad girl and shouldn't laugh at Helena any more. Helena is standing right by the stairs, talking with the PRINCIPAL, a stuffy man in his 50s. Helena and Josie glance at one another as Agatha walks to the back stairs. Josie scurries to catch up. AGATHA Can you help me with calculus after school? Josie nods. LOCKER ROOM The former storage room--larger than some apartments, but tiny on the scale of the rooms in this school--is now the locker room for the high school students. Josie fills her backpack with notebooks and texts. She decides against one large book, shoves it back in her locker. A shadow crosses her locker. Josie looks up. Helena leans against the lockers, her arms across her chest. HELENA You annoy me. JOSIE I said I was sorry. HELENA You can hear everything I say, can't you. Josie slams her locker shut, harder than she meant to. JOSIE You're standing right there. Stunned, Helena watches her go. Suky comes up beside her. SUKY What an unrelenting waste of space she is. HELENA I have a problem. STAIRWELL LAURA, 17, and DANIELLE, 18, are coming up the narrow backstairs as Josie and Agatha head down. LAURA The party's at Beverly's-- She notices Josie and Agatha there and gets embarrassed. She and Danielle run up the stairs more quickly. JOSIE I thought I'd heard there was a party this weekend. AGATHA How come we never get invited? JOSIE This isn't kindergarten, you don't have to invite everyone any more. She thumps her hand on the railing as she heads down the stairs again. EXT. ST. THERESA DE AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - DAY The sidewalk in front is littered with mothers looking for children and teenagers escaping its confines. Josie and Agatha walk away from the school. AGATHA You excited about tomorrow? JOSIE Whoo hoo, Friday. Par-tay. AGATHA No, stupid. They're naming the valedictorian. JOSIE Oh. Forgot. They turn onto a tree-lined street lined with brightly painted Victorians. AGATHA (nods) I just wish Helena didn't bug me so much. JOSIE Agatha, we're not going to see her any more after graduation. Ever again. AGATHA She's going to be at Stanford with you. JOSIE And there are how many students at Stanford? We only have fifty in our class now, so we can't avoid her. Only four more weeks here, and we never have to see any of them again. AGATHA You're way more relaxed. Exactly what did Mr. Blackwood say to you? Josie pushes Agatha away from her. They pass a corner store and Agatha slows down again. AGATHA (cont'd) We have calculus ahead of us. Want some cookies? JOSIE I think we still have some from the last time you came over. AGATHA Don't you want fresh ones? Agatha disappears into the store. INT. ST. THERESA DE AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - FACULTY ROOM - DAY About twenty members of the teaching staff mill around the tiny former maid's room, getting coffee, dropping off teaching notes in their boxes. The Principal raps his hand on the main table as the teachers find seats or places to stand in the small room. PRINCIPAL Sooner we get started, the sooner we all go home. MR. BLACKWOOD So no passing any notes. The Principal stares at him while the others laugh. MRS. DAVIDOV, 40s, shakes her head in confusion. MRS. DAVIDOV It's not hard to tell you who's the top student in this class, and that's Josie Merrick. So what are we doing here? PRINCIPAL The valedictorian should be chosen much like the girls of St. Theresa de Avila are chosen--by their overall person. It's not simply about grades. It's about community service. Being a role model. Leadership ability. Not just a number. The teachers look at one another, starting to get the drift. MR. BLACKWOOD So we're doing it a new way this year. PRINCIPAL We have always done it this way. MR. BLACKWOOD We have? MISS SUAREZ, 40, a plump but energetic teacher, leans forward. MISS SUAREZ What are some of these other factors we should consider? INT. MERRICK HOUSE - JOSIE'S ROOM - DAY Josie reads the equation in her math book and works a problem in her notebook, the RADIO playing softly. Agatha sits by the window, also working a problem, eating a cookie. AGATHA What'd you get for number seventeen? Josie checks her paper. Suddenly a SCREAM rips the air--she drops her pencil. She turns and looks at her closed door. WOMAN (O.S.) Come back here! We're not done talking! She closes her eyes and picks up the pencil again. AGATHA What is that? GIRL (O.S.) Leave me alone! A door SLAMS. Josie jabs on the lead reloader. JOSIE I want to do seventeen over, I think I got it wrong-- MAN (O.S.) Open this door now, dammit! Josie slams the pencil down and wrenches open her door. HALLWAY Her parents stand outside the door next to Josie's. MR. MERRICK, 48, hammers on the door with his hand. MRS. MERRICK, 47, looks at Josie. MRS. MERRICK It's okay, Josie. JOSIE What's Paula doing home? MR. MERRICK Two more seconds. MRS. MERRICK Home for the weekend. Everything's fine. Mrs. Merrick motions for Josie to go back to her room. JOSIE Mom, what's wrong? MRS. MERRICK Not now, honey. (looks in the room, waves) Hi Agatha. (to Josie) It's fine. I'll call you two for dinner. JOSIE'S ROOM Late at night. Josie lies in bed and hears RAISED VOICES. Loud enough to keep her awake, but distorted so she can't make out the words. She gets out of bed and opens her door. HALLWAY She sneaks to the edge of the stairwell and looks down at her parents, who are in the living room. Drinking. MRS. MERRICK Thank God Josie never gives us any trouble. She still likes Disneyland. He drinks to that. BATHROOM Josie, depressed, sits on the edge of the bathtub. She fills the glass by the sink and drains it with one swallow. Then she puts up the toilet seat and sticks her finger down her throat. INT. ST. THERESA DE AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - COMPUTER ROOM - DAY A room filled with Macs on desks. Josie helps another student with her program. MR. WINTERS, 45, walks up and watches. MR. WINTERS That's due in twenty minutes. JOSIE (grins at him) She's almost got it. Mr. Blackwood walks in. He points at Josie. MR. BLACKWOOD Good. You're here. You can show me how to use this grading program of yours. Josie wanders over to the desk he's at. JOSIE It's not that hard. MR. BLACKWOOD It's a computer. It's impossible. MR. WINTERS You gotta learn some time, Ryan. She won't be here next year to explain it to you. She'll be at Stanford, studying computer science. MR. BLACKWOOD English. MR. WINTERS Bzzt. I will not allow Josie to waste her education on something useless. MR. BLACKWOOD So she should study computers? Josie blushes as she giggles. JOSIE Okay. It's not that hard. Click there. The class BELL RINGS. MR. BLACKWOOD Another time. JOSIE I can stay. MR. BLACKWOOD You have homeroom. I'll get Mr. Wizard here to explain it. Josie picks up her backpack reluctantly. JOSIE I can help you later. LIBRARY The library still looks like the library of a mansion: floor- to-ceiling bookshelves line the walls, the cylindrical ceiling has a mural of turn-of-the-century San Francisco painted on it, and Tiffany lamps with ornate bases are sprinkled through the room. Only now modern bookshelves form rows toward the back of the room. Tables and chairs form rows at the front. The senior class assembles at the tables, ignoring the bay window that looks from the Golden Gate Bridge to Angel Island. Several girls try to use chairs as footstools, until the chairs are yanked out from underneath their feet. Josie sits at the back of the room with Agatha, Marianne, and GLORIA, 17 and blonde. Marianne leans toward Josie. MARIANNE I didn't do the history reading. JOSIE You know anything about the Gulf War? (Marianne shakes her head) Okay. Saddam Hussein is the bad guy, George Bush is President. The Iraqis invade Kuwait, we kick them out. MARIANNE Wow. And the reading was so long. (grins) You excited? JOSIE About what? Marianne slaps her arm in mock-annoyance. MARIANNE About what? (leans across Josie to Agatha) Like she doesn't know what today is. GLORIA You know what today is! AGATHA Do you even know how they pick valedictorian? MISS SUAREZ Josie? JOSIE (loudly) Here! (to Agatha) Random draw out of a hat? MARIANNE That was my guess! AGATHA They pick the number one student. I'm ranked number two. JOSIE Gayle's father is the Mayor. Don't forget that. GLORIA I'm three. AGATHA Candace is four, I think. MARIANNE I'm four. GLORIA Do they even have a ranking low enough for your grades? AGATHA I wish I could be as calm as you are. MARIANNE It could be me. GLORIA In an alternate universe, where being a ballerina counts for something. Miss Suarez claps her hands together to get everyone's attention. MISS SUAREZ Everyone! Face forward, come on. I have a few announcements-- Agatha squeezes Josie's hand. Embarrassed, Josie yanks her hand away. MISS SUAREZ (cont'd) Senior Sneak is next Friday, girls. You must have your signed permission slips in by Monday. JOSIE (quietly, to Marianne) You going? MARIANNE Don't know yet. MISS SUAREZ And-- (Josie's hand clenches) Senior Tea is in two weeks. (Josie relaxes) Your gowns must be white or off-white and floor-length. Nothing above the ankle, girls, and not above the knee. (the class giggles) If you're not sure if it's white or off- white, it probably isn't. And-- (Josie takes a deep breath) Get your tickets in for the Prom. (Josie exhales) Twenty dollars a piece, not per couple. You've all taken four years of math, you know how to count. (with a big smile) And now the big announcement. The faculty has chosen your valedictorian. Agatha beams at Josie, who makes an exasperated face. Marianne tugs on her hair, and finally Josie giggles. MISS SUAREZ (cont'd) The best representative of your class who will speak on your behalf at graduation. Josie sits up just a little bit straighter. MISS SUAREZ (cont'd) And we decided on Helena Morningstar. Several seconds of absolute silence pass as what was said dawns on Josie. Her face falls; she squeezes her eyes closed. Helena lets out a SQUEAL of delight as friends hug her. There's a general BUZZ of talk in the room as Josie begins to sink against her chair. MISS SUAREZ (cont'd) Congratulations, Helena! She starts clapping. The class joins in. Including Josie. MARIANNE (quietly) This is a fucking joke. GLORIA Oh my God. JOSIE Shhh. AGATHA I don't believe this. Josie pushes back from the table and takes a deep breath. JOSIE Wow. Agatha puts her arm around Josie's shoulders. Gloria pats her on the back. FOYER The seniors file out of the library. The last ones out are Josie, Agatha, and Marianne. MARIANNE I want whatever drugs the teachers are using. Hey, Josie, are you okay? JOSIE I feel a little weird. MARIANNE You going to be okay? Sit down. Josie falls into a chair and clenches her jaw. JOSIE No, I'm okay. AGATHA How could they do this? Helena isn't even summa cum laude. JOSIE Shhh. MARIANNE What about you? Or her? Or, Christ, even Gloria. AGATHA This is unbelievable. I hate this school. MARIANNE Takes you long enough. This place is bullshit. Miss Suarez walks by, puts her hand on Marianne's shoulder. MISS SUAREZ That's enough of that language, ladies. AGATHA You want me to tell Mrs. Davidov you'll be late to class? Josie, hollow-eyed, shakes her head. JOSIE No. No, let's go. CLASSROOM The class bell RINGS. Josie sluggishly puts her books together as Agatha taps her on the shoulder. AGATHA We're going to get subs. Wanna come? Josie shakes her head. JOSIE I brought lunch today. MARIANNE (shrugs) Come with anyhow. JOSIE I got some French homework. Lunch is the only time I have to do it. AGATHA Oh no. French. JOSIE You can copy mine. Gleeful, Agatha follows Marianne out. LOCKER ROOM The room is dark and quiet. Except for the sound, in the back corner, of Josie crying. She uses a wad of toilet paper to blow her nose and wipe her eyes--only she can't do it fast enough. She's a mess. Girls come into the locker room. Josie looks around: there's nowhere to hide. The girls go to the other side of the lockers and Josie visibly relaxes. HELENA (O.S.) Suky, do my history paper already! Josie looks up: oh no. She gets up and brushes off her skirt. SUKY (O.S.) It's not due 'til Monday. Relax. HELENA (O.S.) I'm very relaxed. Today's been good. Did you see Josie's face this morning? Josie freezes. She moves toward the edge of the row of lockers, staying in the shadows, to peek around the corner. Helena stands by her locker. SUKY, 17, sleek as a cream-fed cat, leans against the far bank of lockers. BEVERLY, 17, a husky ballerina, stands between the two of them, grinning. BEVERLY She looked like she was going to hurl. SUKY How poetic. (Helena chuckles) How did you do it, by the way? Helena shoves her books into her locker. HELENA I had incredible grades. (Suky and Beverly laugh) I had to use my father's graduation present. SUKY What did he give you? HELENA A new voice. You can't hear it. (looks thoughtful) I think Josie can, though. Helena reaches into her locker and pulls out a golden handle that has elaborate filigree work--characters and symbols carved all over it. Josie's eyes widen, but she stays quiet. And doesn't move. HELENA (cont'd) (handing it to Suky) You forgot this. Suky pushes the button on the side and the SWITCHBLADE flips open. She expertly plays the knife around her fingers. SUKY I have an idea for another spell. Is that okay? Helena nods. Suky pulls a handkerchief out of her backpack. SUKY (cont'd) But if you have another idea for a spell, that'd be okay too. HELENA (smiles benevolently) Suky, I've told you, your little spells can't help me. She takes the knife and handkerchief. HELENA (cont'd) Ask for something for yourself this time. I'm doing just fine. As long as you get my history paper done. She slowly and carefully SLICES the knife across her other wrist. A pool of blood wells out; she presses the handkerchief over the wound. Stunned, Josie looks from the reddening cloth in Helena's hand to her calm, composed expression. And back again. BEVERLY Doesn't that hurt? HELENA Stings. She pulls off the handkerchief and hands it to Suky, who gingerly puts it into a plastic baggie. Suky then digs around her backpack and comes up with a pack of wet towelettes, which Helena uses to wipe the remaining blood off. Her wrist is completely healed. There is no sign of a cut. Josie steps backward. And CRASHES into a can of soda left by the wall. Helena, Suky, and Beverly whip around at the noise. Helena looks around the corner of the lockers and becomes enraged when she sees Josie trying to scramble away. HELENA (cont'd) You. Josie's mouth opens--nothing comes out. Helena moves closer. A flock of girls troops in, flooding the room with CHATTER and the noises of lockers being SLAMMED open. Helena glides around the bank of lockers again. Josie picks up her backpack and runs out of the room. EXT. ST. THERESA OF AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - DAY Josie, backpack slung over her shoulder, rushes to join Agatha and Marianne on the marble-inlaid front steps as they talk to Gloria. JOSIE I just saw the weirdest thing. GLORIA I gotta go. I'll call you tomorrow and tell you all about it! JOSIE Hey, it's Friday. Where are you going? GLORIA You guys have fun! Have to go get ready! Gloria dashes off. JOSIE Where's she going? AGATHA Tonight's her big date. Josie watches Gloria--then she turns back to Agatha. JOSIE Her what? MARIANNE She stalked Michael Renaldi until he finally gave in and asked her out. JOSIE She has a date? AGATHA Where have you been, Josie? She's only been talking about it like no one's ever had a date before. MARIANNE She hasn't. AGATHA Yeah. Marianne snaps her fingers in front of Josie's downcast face. MARIANNE That's what most girls do in high school, Josie. We're just weird, because we go to Catholic school. JOSIE Most of our class has a boyfriend. MARIANNE Dorky high school boys. Josie looks back across the street. And sees Gloria give a congratulatory hug to Helena. JOSIE (turning back) Ever see something you didn't believe? MARIANNE Other than my whole life? (fixes her hair in a quick bun) My house tonight. I can come pick you up. I have the car. AGATHA Ooo, swanky. JOSIE Very swanky. Agatha walks away before Josie can stop her. INT. MERRICK HOUSE - NIGHT Josie looks out the window at the street. The sounds of ARGUING float in from the other side of the house. MR. MERRICK (O.S.) Is there nothing we can do for you! MRS. MERRICK (O.S.) Can you imagine Josie doing this? No! Josie shuts her eyes. PAULA (O.S.) Josie's so perfect. Josie never does anything wrong. Well, I'm not Josie! A HONK sounds from the street. Josie opens her eyes: Marianne and Agatha wave from a Volvo. Josie picks up her backpack. JOSIE (quietly) I'm going to Marianne's now. Bye. INT. MARIANNE'S HOUSE - NIGHT Marianne pours herself a big glass of white wine in the luxurious living room. MARIANNE Either of you poultry products want some? Agatha nods. Josie shakes her head. JOSIE What are your parents going to say when they find you drinking all their stuff? MARIANNE "Whoops, we drank all the wine again?" Marianne pours Agatha a glass of wine and then shakes the bottle at Josie. MARIANNE (cont'd) If anyone here could use a drink, it's you. You're tense. You're really upset. JOSIE No. Yes, I am. No, I don't want one. Doesn't solve anything. MARIANNE How would you know? You've never tried it. You haven't, have you? You've never ever had a drink. Josie refuses to look at her. AGATHA What were they thinking? MARIANNE Any other school, they pick who's ranked number one. (to Josie) You should have gone to public school. Josie smiles, but she can't maintain it. She slams her hand on the floor. JOSIE I want to scream at someone and say, Not her! Anyone but her! It's not fair! Agatha puts an arm around Josie's shoulders. Josie shakes her off. JOSIE (cont'd) And he didn't even say anything to me. Marianne smirks, but Agatha flashes her eyes at her: Don't say it. MARIANNE You know, we have to act. Be bold. AGATHA Like how? EXT. ST. THERESA OF AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - NIGHT The three girls get out of the car. Josie looks up at the darkened facade of the building. JOSIE This is crazy. Marianne takes a bag filled with cans of spray paint from the trunk. MARIANNE We have to do something. JOSIE This is not doing something. This is vandalism. Agatha takes a can of spray paint and eyes it dubiously. AGATHA It won't be anything major? MARIANNE It'll be fun. JOSIE We could get kicked out! MARIANNE We have three weeks to go. They're not kicking anybody out. And they won't even think Josie Merrick could do this. A flashlight beam sweeps through one of the top-floor rooms. JOSIE (points) There's someone in there. Agatha and Marianne look up. The window is dark. MARIANNE We're not the first vandals here tonight. AGATHA The school's locked. JOSIE I know how to get in. AGATHA You do? Marianne puts Agatha's can back in the bag. MARIANNE Lead on, MacDuff. See, Josie isn't the only one paying attention in English. Josie steps off the pavement to cross the street. MARIANNE (cont'd) Of course, I'm not paying attention for the same reason she is. Josie turns and glares at her. Agatha bursts into giggles. AGATHA Don't be mean. MARIANNE I think he's a babe. Relax. INT. ST. THERESA OF AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - BASEMENT - NIGHT The basement level is a good story off the ground. Josie moves a loose wire grating to the side, then opens the window. She enters, then runs around to the door on the side to let Marianne and Agatha in. AGATHA It's eerie being here at night. MARIANNE It's eerie being here during the day. Can you imagine living in this place? JOSIE Shhhh. Josie leads through the dark obstacle course of boxes and furniture. Agatha YELPS when she stubs her toe on the leg of a desk; Marianne SHIFTS a box and tries to right it. JOSIE (cont'd) Guys! MARIANNE I'm a dancer, I'm a klutz. Josie holds up her hand for them to stop. She listens to a RUSTLING noise. JOSIE Is that either of you? AGATHA Oh God. What is that? JOSIE (shrugs; starts walking) Probably a rat. Agatha scurries to keep up with her. BACK STAIRS Josie holds them at the bottom of the stairs. JOSIE Where are we going? MARIANNE You choose. Oh, okay. Faculty room. (off their expressions) Because we want to get back at them? JOSIE If anybody's here, anybody finds us, we're going to the computer room. AGATHA We said the faculty room. Josie stares at her. JOSIE It's our excuse. The system's down, and I'm the backup when Mr. Winters can't get it rebooted. That's why I'm here. Okay? Agatha and Marianne nod. MARIANNE Faculty room's a hell of a wrong turn. JOSIE (giggling) Shhh. Let's go. They creep up the stairs. The only sound is the HUM of low- level lights in the stairwell. The faint sound of a door SLAMMING makes them stop. JOSIE (cont'd) Somebody's here. AGATHA This is a bad idea. MARIANNE You don't know where that was. JOSIE I'm applying Murphy's Law and betting on the faculty room. Josie starts going upwards again. TOP FLOOR They arrive at the landing, hyperalert to every noise. The bag of paint cans CLANGS against the iron railing and Marianne grips it to her chest, terrified. No one's coming. Josie breathes a sigh of relief. JOSIE Let's do it. She starts down the narrow hallway to their right, passing the school secretary and the Principal's office. FACULTY ROOM Josie looks around the tiny room, which has schedules posted everywhere, a small refrigerator, and a large table for the teachers. There's a coat draped over one chair. The door on the other side of the room swings open. Agatha and Marianne duck backward into the darkness, leaving Josie frozen in the room. Mr. Blackwood walks in, reading a book. He looks up and sees Josie. Surprised, he stops mid-step and flips on the lights. MR. BLACKWOOD Josie? What are you doing here? JOSIE I...I thought I heard something. MR. BLACKWOOD What are you doing in the school? JOSIE Oh. Well, I...I have to restart the network in the computer room. MR. BLACKWOOD (nodding) Tonight? Josie, take the night off. It's Friday. Do it tomorrow. JOSIE It's okay. I'm here now, so... He puts the book down. Then he looks at her again. MR. BLACKWOOD How did you get in? Into the school? JOSIE Door was open. MR. BLACKWOOD Security around here. JOSIE Well. I'll see you. She starts to back away with a wave. MR. BLACKWOOD Josie. (she stops) Come find me when you're done. I'll give you a ride home. JOSIE Oh. I only live a couple of blocks away. MR. BLACKWOOD Your parents would kill me if I let you walk home alone at night. I'll be here. Josie nods and waves again. She backs up far enough to look into the Principal's office: no one's there. She pads down the hallway: Agatha and Marianne are gone. She pushes open the door into the FOYER Josie looks around, the dark only relieved by street lamps. JOSIE Guys? A figure moves out of the darkness. Josie moves toward it. JOSIE (cont'd) Don't leave me like that. God, I was so embarrassed. HELENA About what? Suky and Beverly stream into chairs behind Helena. The door behind Josie opens and Agatha and Marianne pile out. They stop whispering when they see Helena. HELENA (cont'd) I want to talk to you. Come on. JOSIE I'm not going anywhere with you. HELENA (over her shoulder) Leave us. Suky and Beverly make themselves scarce. HELENA (cont'd) You too. Wait for her downstairs. Forget we're here. After a second's hesitation, Marianne pushes open the door to the back stairs, and both she and Agatha vanish. Josie watches them go with surprise. HELENA (cont'd) Come with me. Don't you want to know what you saw today? Josie has her hand on the door to follow Agatha and Marianne, but after a second she pulls it back. Helena grins and heads toward the library. LIBRARY Helena pulls open one of the panes of the bay window that overlooks the San Francisco Bay. Outside is a wrought-iron balcony, narrow but sturdy. JOSIE I'm not going out there. HELENA If I were going to do anything, Josie, it wouldn't be here and it wouldn't be now. Helena goes out on the balcony. Reluctantly, Josie follows. EXT. ST. THERESA DE AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - BALCONY - DAY The northern half of San Francisco and the Bay stretches out before them. Helena looks out at it, grinning, her long hair blown by the night breezes. HELENA Isn't it beautiful? We sit in there every day and never look out here. We're bored by this now. And it's gorgeous. (to Josie) We never see what's in front of us. JOSIE Wow. A deep thought. Where'd you hear that one? HELENA My father. Josie rubs her arms to warm up. JOSIE Helena, you're valedictorian. Congratulations. Goodbye. HELENA You can be a big help or a big problem. JOSIE With what? Helena reaches up and caresses the side of Josie's face. HELENA The rules are, I have to get you to work with me of your own free will. Josie jerks her head away. JOSIE The rules of what? HELENA You can hear every damn word I say. JOSIE Work with you? On what? HELENA You can have anything you want. Anyone you want. Like that. Work with me. JOSIE Boy, making valedictorian has really put you on a power trip, hasn't it. Josie goes in the window. INT. ST. THERESA OF AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - LIBRARY - NIGHT Josie hops off the window bench and shivers. Helena leans across the window frame. HELENA This is your last chance. Never say no to me, Josie. JOSIE No, no, no. She walks out of the library, leaving Helena standing there, furious. Helena raises her arms and lets out a blood-curdling YELL. FOYER Josie twists around, terrified by the noise. Seconds later, Mr. Blackwood comes running in. MR. BLACKWOOD What happened? Are you okay? Josie stares at the library door. Slowly, she turns to him. JOSIE I walked into the table. Sorry about that. He clearly doesn't believe her. MR. BLACKWOOD I think it's time to get out of here. JOSIE Yeah. Me too. MR. BLACKWOOD Let me get my keys. JOSIE No, it's okay, really. MR. BLACKWOOD I don't want to think about what else you might walk into on the way home. She starts to follow him back to the faculty room. MR. BLACKWOOD (cont'd) Wait here. (with a grin) We'll take the front stairs. He disappears behind the door and Josie looks down at the grand sweep of the twenty-foot wide marble staircase, winding down three floors. Then she looks back at the library door. Helena is there, seething. Then she sweeps backward into the darkness. Josie takes a deep breath. MR. BLACKWOOD (cont'd) Ready to go? EXT. MERRICK HOUSE - NIGHT Josie, hand on the doorknob, waves goodbye to Mr. Blackwood, who drives off. She watches him go. When his car rounds the corner, Josie takes off, running back toward the school. EXT. ST. THERESA OF AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - NIGHT Agatha and Marianne talk by Marianne's car when Josie, panting, jogs up. AGATHA What happened to you? JOSIE Where did you go? You just left me. AGATHA You told us to. MARIANNE You said, go wait down by the car. JOSIE I did not. I didn't know you guys always do what Helena tells you to. AGATHA Helena? MARIANNE What are you talking about? JOSIE You guys didn't see Helena there? MARIANNE Tonight? I saw Mr. Blackwood and that was enough. JOSIE There's something really weird going on. MARIANNE Ooo, do tell. JOSIE Stop it. I'm not kidding. MARIANNE Only if you'll have a drink. Josie nods, absent-minded. JOSIE Yeah, okay. Whatever. Let's just go. INT. MARIANNE'S HOUSE - NIGHT Josie sips at her wine and wrinkles her nose at the taste. MARIANNE So I think it's true. He's getting divorced. JOSIE Who is? MARIANNE Who is. Right. Mr. Blackwood. JOSIE No, he isn't. MARIANNE You don't work late on a Friday night if you're thrilled about going home. (watches Josie's reaction) I heard he's having an affair. JOSIE How would anyone know that? MARIANNE Word gets around. I think it's the Spanish teacher. AGATHA She does like him a lot, doesn't she? Josie slams her wine glass down on the coffee table. JOSIE Could we talk about something else? Like what happened tonight? Agatha takes a handful of tissues and wipes up the spilled wine. Marianne takes Josie's glass and drinks from it. AGATHA Nothing happened, Josie. Honest. JOSIE You didn't see Helena. (they shake their heads) You didn't hear her tell you to leave. (they shake their heads) As far as you know, I was there alone until I found you by the car. MARIANNE (smirking) Well, you weren't alone. (when Josie reacts) Okay, I'm sorry. Joke! Joke! But honest to God I have no idea what you're talking about. Maybe you're upset about what happened today, but you're hallucinating. Agatha looks at Josie. And starts to nod. AGATHA Helena wasn't there tonight. And she didn't say anything weird in class yesterday, I was there. And she can't slice open her wrist, she'd be dead. Josie flops back on the carpeting and stares at the ceiling. JOSIE I'm not. I am not making this up. MARIANNE I can't wait until we graduate and get out of that place. Making us all crazy. EXT. ST. THERESA OF AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - OUTDOORS COURT - DAY Fifteen girls, wearing matching PE uniforms of white shirts and blue shorts, run laps around the large, fenced in court. The early morning fog hangs heavy over the Bay. JOSIE I hate Monday mornings. AGATHA I hate exercising. I wish I could stay thin like you. JOSIE No you don't. The PE TEACHER blows a whistle; the girls start stretching out. Josie and Agatha move to the concrete retaining wall. AGATHA I saw this prom dress this weekend I just loved. But I can't wear it. JOSIE You're going to the Prom? AGATHA You need a date. JOSIE Oh come on. You could find someone. You really want to go? HELENA (O.S.) Of course she does. Surprised, Josie turns; Helena stands right behind her. HELENA (cont'd) But she doesn't exactly have the shape guys want, does she? Agatha looks at the court surface and keeps stretching. JOSIE (clenching her hand) Leave us alone. HELENA You could give her a few tips on how to stay slim, couldn't you? Helena leans over and delicately sniffs Josie's face. HELENA (cont'd) You need to do better with your oral hygiene, though. Josie hesitates--then shoves Helena up against the wall. Helena smiles. HELENA (cont'd) Ow! What's with you! The WHISTLE sounds. Josie lets go and Helena saunters away. PE TEACHER Josie! What's going on? INT. ST. THERESA OF AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - FOYER - DAY Josie, her hair wet, dashes toward her next class. Mr. Winters steps in front of her. She skids to a stop at the last second. MR. WINTERS Come with me. JOSIE I have French. MR. WINTERS You'll be late. COMPUTER ROOM Mr. Winters roughly pulls out a chair in front of a computer. MR. WINTERS We have a problem. Sit. (she sits) I pulled up the grading program today to enter some grades. (swivels the monitor toward her) My grades have been changed. I asked a few other teachers to check their records. Their grades have been changed. (points at the monitor) Marianne's getting an A in math. It takes her a few seconds, but she gets it. Offended, she faces him. JOSIE You think I did this? MR. WINTERS I have to start with you. No, I don't think-- JOSIE Do you think I'm so stupid I would start by giving my friends completely ridiculous grades? MR. WINTERS Don't raise your voice to me. This is extremely serious, Josie. JOSIE I'm guilty because I'm the only person you think of? Thanks. Thanks a lot. MR. WINTERS You're the one everyone will think of. (uncomfortable) I have to change the password. And system privileges. For a while. I'm sorry. Josie nods. SCHOOL BATHROOM Josie wipes her mouth and flushes the toilet. CHEMISTRY LAB Agatha pushes a handout on Josie. AGATHA Madame St. Aubert was very annoyed you weren't in class. Josie shoves the paper into her binder as they sit at a table lined with Bunsen burners and test tubes. AGATHA (cont'd) You ready for this test? Josie shrugs as she shoves her backpack under the table and lines up her pencil and eraser in front of her. LATER She finishes her exam and pages through it. She glances up at the class. And sees Helena clearly copying off Suky's paper. Josie glances at the teacher, MRS. DAVIDOV, who reads a magazine. Then back at Helena, who puts her hand on Suky's exam to keep her from turning the page. Helena looks up and sees Josie looking at her. She smiles. Suky glances at Helena, then copies her by grinning at Josie. They turn exam pages simultaneously. ENGLISH ROOM The class bell RINGS and everyone reaches for their books to leave. Mr. Blackwood holds up Great Expectations. MR. BLACKWOOD Rest of the book by tomorrow, ladies. He drops it on his desk. MARIANNE Anyone want to help me out with what this book is about? JOSIE Have you ever tried reading? Mr. Blackwood signals to Josie. MR. BLACKWOOD Josie, wait a second. Marianne points a finger at Josie. MARIANNE Don't you leave without me. Josie nods as she drops her books on a desk. Mr. Blackwood watches the door swing shut behind Marianne. MR. BLACKWOOD Is everything okay? JOSIE What do you mean? Uncomfortable, he forces a smile. MR. BLACKWOOD We're friends, right? (watches her) Maybe? A little? So we can talk about this? Josie takes a step backward. MR. BLACKWOOD (cont'd) I have caller ID. I know it was you. JOSIE What? MR. BLACKWOOD I don't mind prank calls. Honest. But fourteen times in one day? She puts her hand over her mouth. Then she starts to laugh. JOSIE I haven't called you. Ever. MR. BLACKWOOD They were all from your phone. I want you to stop it. Unless you want to talk to me, then call me. But this other stuff has got to stop. She struggles not to burst into tears as she laughs harder. JOSIE I can't promise that. (looks at him) Because I'm not doing it. MR. BLACKWOOD (annoyed) Josie-- The door opens and Helena glides in, smiling and radiant. HELENA Oops. Sorry! Mr. Blackwood, you said you'd help me with my valediction. JOSIE (gritted teeth) Valedictory. Helena simpers at Josie. Mr. Blackwood waves Helena over. MR. BLACKWOOD Remember what I said, Josie. Josie takes her books and leaves. LIBRARY Josie puts her head in her hands. JOSIE Ever have one of those days that just won't end? MARIANNE Most of them. Except when I'm at ballet. What's going on? JOSIE Either I'm severely schizo, or somebody is trying to destroy me. MARIANNE Wanna know which one I think it is? Josie SLAMS open her notebook. JOSIE Fine, Great Expectations. Christ. Marianne leans toward her. MARIANNE Did you just curse? The LIBRARIAN shushes them. LOCKER ROOM Josie, busy reading a book as she walks, doesn't even see the commotion in the locker room until she's already halfway in. The few other students in there are staring at her. The Principal and Mrs. Davidov stand by her locker. Her open locker. They are glowering at her. PRINCIPAL My office. Now. PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE Josie's mouth drops open. She looks from the Principal to Mrs. Davidov and back again, completely disbelieving. PRINCIPAL This is a very serious offense, Josie. MRS. DAVIDOV I can't believe you would do this. JOSIE I didn't! PRINCIPAL Keep your voice down. Cheating is the worst academic crime there is, Miss Merrick. He drops a paper on his desk: the answer key to a test. PRINCIPAL (cont'd) What was this doing in your locker? JOSIE I don't know. I didn't put it there. MRS. DAVIDOV Josie, this is the test we took today. You scored a hundred. JOSIE Of course I did. You want me to take it again? I will. You want to test me on anything we've learned this year? I probably know it better than you do. (to the Principal) I didn't put that fucking answer sheet in my locker and you know it. PRINCIPAL You do not speak to me that way. (sits back) The only reason you have gotten the benefit of the doubt is that you have been such an exemplary student. A shadow falls across the room. Josie looks back to see her mother, furious, standing in the doorway. MRS. MERRICK What's going on, Josie? The Principal waves her in. PRINCIPAL Several very disturbing reports of recent behavior have reached me today, Josie. You know what I'm talking about. (Josie stares back) Answer me, yes or no. Do you know what I'm talking about? JOSIE Yes, I think so. PRINCIPAL Mrs. Merrick, I'm sorry to have called you out of work. But Josie's behavior has started to be...a problem. JOSIE I haven't done-- PRINCIPAL Be quiet. You are in a great deal of trouble. MRS. MERRICK I don't need this aggravation from you. Josie looks to the ceiling. PRINCIPAL I have made an appointment for Josie to see a counselor. Twice a week. MRS. MERRICK Counselor? PRINCIPAL A psychiatrist. Specializes in troubled teenagers. He has a sliding fee scale. (to Josie) Starting tomorrow. JOSIE I don't need a psychiatrist. PRINCIPAL The alternative is expulsion. You choose. INT. MERRICK CAR - DAY Mrs. Merrick slams her door shut and rounds on Josie. She slaps Josie across the face. MRS. MERRICK What did you do? Josie stares straight ahead. JOSIE I didn't do anything. MRS. MERRICK I had to leave work early to come here because you didn't do anything? Goddammit, Josie, don't do this, not now. JOSIE Don't do what? MRS. MERRICK Don't be a smart-aleck. (starts the car) We don't have the money for a goddamned psychiatrist. Josie sags against the car door. INT. MERRICK HOUSE - DEN - NIGHT Josie takes the phone away from where her parents watch TV. JOSIE Can't go out tonight. Or ever, probably. What's the occasion? INT. MARIANNE'S HOUSE - NIGHT Marianne, breathless, clutches the phone. MARIANNE I made the callbacks! The second round! INTERCUT: JOSIE That's great! (smile dims) So you're not going on the Sneak. MARIANNE No. But it'll be fun. Agatha'll be there. (bubbling) You sure your parents won't let you go to a movie for this? JOSIE Oh, am I sure. INT. ST. THERESA OF AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - LIBRARY - DAY Miss Suarez finishes taking roll. MISS SUAREZ One bit of business. Josie! The class settles down a bit to watch as Josie stands. MISS SUAREZ (cont'd) (handing her a form) You have to get your parents' permission to go on Senior Sneak. JOSIE I already did. MISS SUAREZ You have to get it again. (to the class) That's it girls! INT. ST. THERESA OF AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - FACULTY HALLWAY - DAY Josie waits outside of the Principal's office for him to get off the phone. As teachers walk by, they usually say hello. She smiles or says hi. Mr. Blackwood walks by without saying a word. Josie watches him empty his box and then head into the Faculty Room for coffee. She scuffs her shoes on the floor and then looks back at the Principal, who signals her to come in. She hands him the permission slip and turns to leave. PRINCIPAL Just a moment. He opens a file labelled "JOSEPHINE MERRICK." He checks the signatures on the paper against the ones in her file. EXT. SAFEWAY - DAY Early morning: cold and overcast. The main group of cars in the lot is far from the store--St. Theresa girls, in sweaters and jeans, decorate their cars with streamers and signs. Josie tries to attach a streamer to Gloria's car. Gloria takes it out of her hands to do it herself. Josie hops up and down to keep warm. JOSIE Coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco. GLORIA What? JOSIE Mark Twain. Gloria hands her the roll of streamers and the tape. GLORIA Stop reading so many books. There's more to life. Suky, in designer everything, glides by and puts an arm around Gloria's shoulders. SUKY So how's Michael Renaldi? GLORIA Oh him. I'm with Alex Kazanoff. SUKY Alex! You scored! They walk off together. Danielle grabs Josie's arm. DANIELLE C'mon. Help me do my car. EXT. ST. THERESA OF AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - DAY Decorated cars, filled with seniors, parade by the school. The front windows of the school are filled with students waving at the cars. EXT. THOMPSON SUMMER HOUSE - DAY Cars are parked haphazardly along the dirt road. A driveway cuts into the wall of cypress trees and leads to a large bungalow. Girls carrying duffel bags and sleeping bags walk into the house, laughing. INT. THOMPSON SUMMER HOUSE - DAY Josie follows Danielle's lead and tosses her bags in the corner of the living room. Bags sprout all over the room. JOSIE Where are we all going to sleep? She turns; Danielle is lighting a cigarette. DANIELLE Here. The dining room. Laura said there are two bedrooms. Grab your spot now. JOSIE I didn't know you smoked. DANIELLE You want one? Josie waves the smoke away from her face. JOSIE No. Yuck. DANIELLE Never tried it, have you? Come on. JOSIE No. Means no, remember? Laura, also smoking, walks up. LAURA Just try it once. Guys, everybody, (she waves at the other girls) Josie's going to try smoking. Several other girls drift over to watch. Embarrassed, Josie starts giggling. Danielle hands her a cigarette, which she takes. Then Danielle hands her the lighter, which Josie tries to operate but fumbles badly. DANIELLE Allow me. (lights the cigarette) Inhale. Into your lungs-- Josie yanks the cigarette out of her mouth, coughing madly. Everyone busts up laughing. DANIELLE (cont'd) (pats Josie on the back) Takes a while to get the hang of it. It's okay. Try it again. Josie gives Danielle a look. EXT. THOMPSON SUMMER HOUSE - DAY Josie follows Laura past the swimming pool to the coolers. Laura pulls two sodas out of the ice and hands Josie one. Swaying back and forth, Josie peers past her into the cooler. JOSIE Is that beer? LAURA Yeah. My folks bought it for us. We just have to promise not to go swimming or go driving while we're here. You want one? Josie, a little green, shakes her head. JOSIE Were those regular cigarettes? (Laura nods) Those are legal? LAURA Keep smoking, the buzz wears off. (takes out her pack) Have another one. Josie shakes her head. LATER Josie, smoking, watches as other classmates grill hamburgers and hotdogs. Agatha sits next to her and waves her hand in front of her face. AGATHA Let's change places. JOSIE Why? AGATHA So you'll be downwind. INT. THOMPSON SUMMER HOUSE - DAY Early evening. Most of the girls are worn out from a day of partying and are recouping for the evening. ROBERTA Did anyone invite any guys to come? A chorus of "No!" ROBERTA (cont'd) Just asking. LAURA Where did Keziah and Annie go? DANIELLE They made a soda and cigarette run. Do we have any more beer? LAURA In the garage. Carmen, want another drink? Josie sits in the corner with CARMEN, who has her arm around Josie's shoulders. Josie is trying to get Carmen's arm off without being too obvious about it. CARMEN Bring one for my friend Josie here. (Josie objects) Have you ever had alcohol? JOSIE Yes. Wine. CARMEN Doesn't count. Have you ever been drunk? Have you? You need to get drunk. JOSIE No, I don't. Laura walks up with two glasses. Carmen grabs one. Laura has to push the other one at Josie. LAURA Roman Coke. Try it. Josie takes the glass. CARMEN You know, I don't think we've ever talked. In four years of high school. Josie makes a face after drinking. CARMEN (cont'd) Go slower. JOSIE Does it always taste like this? CARMEN You're funny. She put too much rum in. I think I've been too scared to talk to you. JOSIE Scared? Why? CARMEN 'Cause you always know everything. JOSIE No I don't. I don't know a lot. EXT. THOMPSON SUMMER HOUSE - NIGHT Agatha is on barbecue detail with Suky. SUKY Are you going to the Prom? AGATHA No. SUKY Oh come on! Why not? Agatha shrugs. SUKY (cont'd) You only get one high school prom. Do you have someone you want to ask? AGATHA Not really. SUKY I know some guys. You'd like them. INT. THOMPSON SUMMER HOUSE - NIGHT The class has crowded into the living room/dining room of the bungalow. Yelling and laughter reverb off the walls. Laura tries to hand Josie another drink, but Josie groans and turns away. DANIELLE I think Josie's had quite enough. JOSIE The room's spinning. DANIELLE Don't lie down. That's the worst. Sit up. (lights another cigarette, hands it to Josie) Smoke this. JOSIE I think I'm going to hate myself tomorrow. I think I hate myself now. LAURA (drinking it herself) You'll be fine. Danielle hugs Josie close to her. DANIELLE It's okay, baby. You'll be okay. (pushes Josie away) Having a good time? Despite being sicker than a dog, Josie gives a giddy smile. JOSIE Yeah, I am. I really am. DANIELLE All right! Josie Merrick, party animal! Several girls sitting nearby give loud hoots of support. CARMEN You need to get seriously fucked up. JOSIE I think I already am. GOTH GIRL Can you still walk? THIN GIRL Feel like throwing up? REDHAIRED GIRL Yes. THIN GIRL Not you. CARMEN Somebody get Josie a drink because she's not drinking! And get me a drink too! Cheers. Josie blushes as somebody pushes a drink into her hand--she hands it to Danielle. Laura hugs Josie. LAURA We'll get you out of your shell yet! Cheers. Josie is jostled by laughing classmates, and she bursts in laughter herself. HELENA Isn't. That. Cute. All eyes turn to Helena, who sits across the room from Josie and most of the rest of the class. HELENA (cont'd) It's just like Josie has friends. LAURA Helena-- HELENA Shut up. The laughter is over. Helena is now the center of attention. HELENA (cont'd) You're having so much fun. You're nothing, you know that? Nobody here cares. Nobody's even noticed you. You think they're you're friends? It's fun to see how much they can get you to drink. Josie looks at all her classmates, but no one looks at her. HELENA (cont'd) They don't care. You're a big joke. Little Miss Nobody. SUKY (chanting) Little Miss Nobody. HELENA What does it feel like, to be nothing? Choking back tears, Josie stands up. No one comforts her. ROBERTA Little Miss Nobody. Helena focuses on Danielle. DANIELLE Little Miss Nobody. Danielle is rewarded with a smile. A chant of "Little Miss Nobody" starts in the room. HELENA I mean, even he thinks you're nothing. Notice how he can't stand to be around you anymore? Josie runs. Helena laughs. Josie runs out the back door of the house. HELENA (cont'd) I could use another drink. Who's up? EXT. WOODS - NIGHT Josie wipes her face on the hem of her T-shirt. She sits on a rock by a creek and angrily tosses a stone at the reflection of the moon. MELANIE (O.S.) Hey. Josie looks up sharply -- MELANIE, another classmate, pushes through the underbrush to the edge of the creek. MELANIE (cont'd) You okay? Josie stares at her before bursting into giggles. JOSIE Oh sure. I'm just fine and dandy. MELANIE Everybody feels really bad about what happened. JOSIE And you drew the short straw? (Melanie winces) Go away. MELANIE You can't stay out here all night. JOSIE I don't really want to go back, thanks. MELANIE You get one of the bedrooms. (grins) Well, with a few other people, but you don't have to stay in the living room. Agatha already put your stuff in there. INT. THOMPSON SUMMER HOUSE - NIGHT A couple of girls have passed out. Others are running around inside and outside the house, shrieking like maniacs. ROCK MUSIC blares from a boombox in one corner. MELANIE It might be tough falling asleep. (Josie shrugs) You want another drink? I'm going to have one. Might help me pass out. LATER Josie sleeps badly and she wakes up, nauseous. The room's dark and the house is quiet. She crawls out of her sleeping bag, still dressed, and picks her way through the sleeping forms around her. She stumbles to the kitchen. She empties out a forgotten glass of beer and washes it thoroughly. She drinks one glass of water quickly and gags. Then she begins to drink another before she looks around. The floor of the living room and dining room are empty, save for a girl under one window. Josie looks in both bedrooms: just a couple of girls are asleep. She puts the glass down. EXT. THOMPSON SUMMER HOUSE - NIGHT No one's outside the house. Josie holds her hand over the grill: it's cold. The rural area is quiet. And dark, except for the faint outlines of trees visible by moonlight. No, there's a warm light barely visible the woods. It flickers, like firelight. Josie heads that way. EXT. WOODS - NIGHT As she gets closer to the bonfire, the LAUGHTER and YELLING increases. There are too many shadows flickering among the trees, too many voices. They sound wild. They sound savage. They sound inhuman. Josie slows as she comes closer to the fire. When she steps on a twig and it SNAPS, she stops--but no one's heard. She sneaks toward the gathering with a lot more care. A bonfire blazes in a clearing, and the revellers are dancing, singing, writhing. Shadows fly furiously against the trees, racing to keep up with the group: girls from the class...plus others, strangers, both men and women. Most are in t-shirts and jeans but some wear strange cloaks, black and red. They are laughing and embracing. Firelight hints at scuffling in the bushes. Josie slips closer to the gathering, hiding behind a tree. A cloaked member refills a number of goblets from a huge pitcher. The hood of the cloak slips back; it's Danielle. And there's Carmen. Gloria. And even Agatha, someone's arm around her waist. Josie moves to the edge, staying in shadows. At one edge of the circle is a pile of stones, with a flat slab laid across it. An altar. A POUNDING drum beat gets everyone's attention; they gather in front of the altar. Three cloaked figures glide behind the altar and remove their hoods: Helena and two strangers. CROWD Ave Domina! HELENA On your knees. Everyone immediately kneels before her. CROWD Ave Filia! HELENA And so it begins. The crowd ROARS in response. One of the strangers with Helena scoops up a blanketed bundle from the darkness. The bundle wriggles as he places it on the altar; the other stranger unwraps the cloth, revealing a small, pink-skinned baby. HELENA (cont'd) How it starts. Suky takes out the switchblade and opens it. She offers it to Helena, handle first. Helena raises the blade so all can see it--then slashes it across her arm, spraying blood on the altar, on the baby. Josie, backing up in the darkness, starts to scream--but no sound comes out. She turns, runs--and is grabbed from the side by hands from either side. Two strangers drag her to the edge of the clearing. JOSIE No! No, let me go! BLOND STRANGER Domina. Filia. Helena's eyes narrow and her mouth sets. Her gaze darts around the circle, finally settling on Gloria. She inclines her head, and Gloria hurries forward, kneeling before the altar. Helena SNAPS her fingers and Gloria stands. Helena says something to her. Gloria runs to the pitcher Danielle holds and fills a goblet, the thick dark red liquid splashing liberally over the edges. Then she walks over to Josie, who struggles against her captors. GLORIA Hold her. Someone holds Josie's head back. Another opens her mouth. GLORIA (cont'd) Don't fight. You'll just choke and I'll have to do it again. Gloria pours the red drink into Josie's mouth; a strange hand holds her jaw shut, forcing Josie to swallow. Josie looks at the faces staring at her. And then vomits on Gloria. Disgusted, Gloria squeals and jumps back. She nods at the guards, who hold Josie again as they repeat the process. This time, they hold Josie's mouth shut and pinch her nose closed as she fights. But after a few struggles, Josie stops shaking. And she looks around again. The effects of the drink are immediately apparent: she can't stand up straight, the lights are brighter, everything around her changes. Her arm held firmly behind her, Josie's pushed forward. Satisfied, Helena looks down at the baby and smiles. Then she raises the knife--and stabs her arm down. The crowd ROARS approval. INT. THOMPSON SUMMER HOUSE - DAY Blackness. The yelling fades DANIELLE (O.S.) (yelling) Wake up already! Josie is jostled awake. Her eyes fly open; she's scared, ready to flee. Danielle, Laura, and Carmen stand over her. Outside, there's joyous yelling from the pool and backyard. LAURA Okay, she's not dead. That's good. My parents would kill me if someone died. DANIELLE Imagine what the school would do to you. Josie rolls over. She's nauseous and dizzy. CARMEN First hangover? Josie looks at Carmen in terror. JOSIE Leave me alone. CARMEN This is going to sound really terrible, but you need to drink something. Your body's craving alcohol right now. JOSIE Get away from me. CARMEN She's going to hurl. LAURA Do it in the bathroom! Please! Josie looks at each of them with undisguised hatred. And she scrambles to get to the bathroom. EXT. THOMPSON SUMMER HOUSE - DAY Danielle loads duffel bags into the trunk of her car, the only car left. Two other girls stand by the doors of the car. Josie sits several yards away, refusing to come near. DANIELLE We're all ready to go, Josie. Josie bites her thumbnail and looks away. Danielle walks over to her; Josie backs away. DANIELLE (cont'd) You get the front seat. (hands in pockets) Look, everybody's really sorry about last night. Melanie gave it to everyone bad after you left. Josie glances at her. Then bursts into nervous giggles. DANIELLE (cont'd) We should have stopped Helena. From saying those things. It just seemed kind of funny at the time, you know? Like it was no big thing. No one thought you'd take it so serious. Come on, Josie. JOSIE I don't know any of you. DANIELLE Yeah, well. (smiling) Listen, we're the last car, so if you're coming back to civilization, you gotta come with us. We're going to stop for ice cream. (Josie retches) I'll buy you coffee. She puts her arm around Josie's shoulders. Josie pulls away violently. INT. S.F. BALLET - DAY Corps auditions in progress. The Corps Director watches a flock of ballerinas go through their warmups at the barre. Self-absorbed, Marianne watches herself go through her positions in the mirror. BEVERLY (O.S.) Sorry you didn't go on the Sneak? Marianne takes a beat to realize the question was meant for her. She looks up and gives Vickie a phony smile. MARIANNE No. I'm sorry you didn't. BEVERLY I was surprised to hear you made the callbacks. MARIANNE Well, at least someone in this City recognizes actual talent. BEVERLY Enough for one little audition. MARIANNE If you're trying to psych me out, give it up. I know I'm not that smart, I know I'm not drop-dead gorgeous. I am, however, a really good dancer. Beverly shrugs; it's no concern of hers. She stretches lazily against the mirror. BEVERLY You really want to join the Corps, don't you? MARIANNE You've been coming to classes here as long as I have. You tell me. BEVERLY Don't you want to be a soloist? MARIANNE (nodding) I will be. BEVERLY I can help. MARIANNE You? You're going to help me? I doubt it. The Corps Director claps her hands to get the girls's attention. MARIANNE (cont'd) Aw. We can't discuss my career ambitions any more. Marianne moves toward the center of the room, right in front of the Director. Beverly watches her go. EXT. MERRICK HOUSE - DAY Josie gets out of the car and starts walking away. DANIELLE Josie! Your stuff! Danielle opens the trunk. Josie pulls her bags out, then lopes off toward her house. Danielle gets back in her car. DANIELLE (cont'd) Jesus, get over it already. We're sorry. (the other girls in the car laugh) Anybody for a movie? INT. MERRICK HOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT Josie and her parents have dinner in silence. MRS. MERRICK How was the party? JOSIE I didn't like it. Everybody goes back to their meal. JOSIE (cont'd) Dad? You took Latin in college, right? MR. MERRICK No, I had it in high school. JOSIE Do you know what "Filia" means? MR. MERRICK Well, filius is son. (makes a cross in the air) In nomine Patris, et Fili, et Spiritu Sancti. (grins) So, filia is daughter, probably. Why? INT. ST. THERESA OF AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - LIBRARY - DAY Miss Suarez waves a bundle of tickets in the air. MISS SUAREZ Tickets for graduation, girls! Four each. Don't grab. Helena removes one from her four and hands the rest to Suky. JOSIE That for your father? Gasps of surprise. Suky glares at her. HELENA My mother, actually. SUKY That's really mean, Josie. JOSIE Why? Suky glances at Helena, who nods slightly. SUKY Helena's father died before she was born. JOSIE He did? HELENA More or less. JOSIE What was his name? Helena can't stop herself from grinning. HELENA Joseph. Joseph Morningstar. JOSIE Your mother's name wouldn't be Mary, would it? HELENA Yeah, it is. SUKY That's so funny. Joseph and Mary. HELENA (leans over to Josie) I thought it was a little over the top too. Josie sinks in her chair. MISS SUAREZ Those rumors you've been hearing about your graduation are true... (squeals of surprise) Yes, because of Gayle's father's ties to the national party, the Vice President will be in attendance. We're going to be on the national news, girls! Josie looks at Helena, who makes a victory motion with her fists and mouths, "Yes." Miss Suarez holds the bundle of tickets over her head to keep hands from getting on them. MISS SUAREZ (cont'd) No, you can't have any more. ART ROOM A low, sloped ceiling--the attic of the school. Josie looks out the window at the street, four stories below. Then she SLAPS a sheet of negatives against the glass and studies the reversed pictures. Other students are examining prints made with different exposures. Conversing with the ART TEACHER about composition. Waiting impatiently for their turn in the dark room. FRANCES, a mousy girl, carefully arranges her photo against a matte board. She measures every side to be sure it's uniformly placed. Then she picks up another piece of matte board and an Exacto knife. Helena gossips with Suky at their desk, no pictures or projects in front of them. Josie turns away from the window. HELENA You've got it, haven't you? Josie glances at Helena. Then looks away. HELENA Don't ignore me. Gently, slowly, everyone in the room leaves off what she's doing and looks at Helena. HELENA (cont'd) (snappish) Oh Christ. Go back to what you're doing. The room's activity picks up again. Helena smiles at Josie. HELENA (cont'd) Don't you feel left out? Josie looks around at her oblivious classmates. JOSIE No. HELENA Not worried that anything could happen to you right now and no one would help? JOSIE Somebody might notice. HELENA Might. Let's see. Frances? Frances looks up from her picture frame. HELENA (cont'd) Go carve something on Josie's arm. Frances's hand visibly twitches around the Exacto knife. A vein in her temple pulses. FRANCES What? HELENA Something fun. Maybe... (to Josie) six-six-six? Frances stands. But she's resisting. Hard. JOSIE Leave her alone, Helena. FRANCES I don't want-- HELENA Dammit, do it! Frances's hand shoots out. But instead of slicing Josie--she buries the Exacto knife in the back of Helena's hand. Josie jumps backward. As if annoyed by a fly, Helena plucks the knife out of her hand. No wound. No blood. She scratches the palm of her hand and hands the knife back to Frances. HELENA (cont'd) Guess it was a shock to her system. I've got to ease people into it, huh? Frances wears a questioning look--then returns to her seat. HELENA (cont'd) Soon I'll be strong and there won't be any resistance. You're safe 'til then. ENGLISH ROOM Agatha and Josie are the only two students in the room with Mr. Blackwood. MR. BLACKWOOD That's a very serious accusation. AGATHA She did. MR. BLACKWOOD Josie? Josie stifles a giggle. JOSIE No, I didn't. MR. BLACKWOOD Mind telling me what's funny about what Agatha's said. JOSIE Just that I should feel surprised by it and I don't. Not at all. AGATHA She told me where she bought the paper! It's a place on the Internet. JOSIE Well, that's certainly convenient. MR. BLACKWOOD Sarcasm isn't helping. Thank you, Agatha. I'll look into this. Agatha looks at Josie coldly. Then she leaves. Josie, arms folded, rocks back and forth. Not looking up. MR. BLACKWOOD (cont'd) What's going on? JOSIE If I told you, you wouldn't believe me. MR. BLACKWOOD Try me. That's what I'm here for. (gets no reaction) I've heard about what happened last week. I've heard about the chem test. I got the phone calls. You didn't do any of that? She finally looks at him. JOSIE No. But you don't believe me. Nobody is going to believe me. And that's the point, that's what she wants. MR. BLACKWOOD Who? JOSIE You really won't believe me. (he waits) Helena Morningstar. MR. BLACKWOOD Why? Why would she do that to you? Josie closes her eyes and bursts into giggles. JOSIE I didn't buy my term paper. But I'll write another one. MR. BLACKWOOD I know you didn't buy it. Makes me wonder why Agatha would say you did. He squeezes her arm, then picks up his briefcase and leaves. Josie massages the place on her arm where he touched her. LOCKER ROOM Josie studies the interior of her locker, not seeing a thing. Agatha, nearby, noisily shoves books into her backpack. Marianne blows into the room and almost runs Agatha over. She looks Agatha up and down. MARIANNE Hey, have you lost weight? (Agatha brightens and nods) Don't get all anorexic, all dancers are, but you look fabulous. (turns to Josie) Hey, haven't talked to you all day! Doing anything? For an hour or two? JOSIE I don't want to discuss Dickens any more. MARIANNE Come on. You my friend or not? Josie quietly closes her locker. CHAPEL The chapel is small but has every trapping of a Catholic church. The rows of pews face an altar and a giant cross hung on the wall. Near the altar is a grand piano, where Marianne and Josie sit as Marianne plays a Beethoven sonata. MARIANNE Turn. (Josie turns the page) That's some story. Jesus. Josie glances at the large crucifix on the wall. MARIANNE (cont'd) I believe you, though. JOSIE You do? MARIANNE Guess who wants me to go shopping for prom dresses this afternoon? JOSIE You're going to the Prom? MARIANNE No, but Agatha thinks I should. That way we can double-date. This is clearly news to Josie. Marianne clutches her wrist, to keep her from swaying off the bench. MARIANNE (cont'd) With Suky's brother. Surprise, surprise, huh? I'll believe anything at this point. JOSIE I've wondered if I'm going crazy. MARIANNE You're not. Turn. Sounds like I missed quite a party at the Sneak. What are you going to do? JOSIE Do? I'm going to stay as far away from Helena and her friends as I can. MARIANNE I think that's a good idea. (stops playing to look at her) Think about leaving town. Going away. Getting away from here. JOSIE You're kidding. MARIANNE No, I'm not. If you are totally serious about what happened on the Sneak, you are in trouble. I don't know what Helena's capable of but if she were doing this stuff to me I wouldn't stick around to find out what's coming next. JOSIE She doesn't scare me. MARIANNE She scares me and this isn't even happening to me. Think about it. I have some money if you need to borrow any. JOSIE I'm not running away. Marianne shrugs. MARIANNE Whatever. BACK STAIRS Josie walks up the back stairs, absorbed in her thoughts, before she realizes the way up is blocked by Suky and Beverly. She turns to find Danielle and Gloria standing in her way. She looks up at Suky again. SUKY You know, Helena wants graduation to be perfect. Nothing must go wrong, she says. (takes one step down) I keep telling her one way to make sure nothing goes wrong. Suky flips open the gold switchblade and plays it over her fingers. Then she grabs it in one hand--and swiftly grabs Josie by the hair with the other. She holds the blade to Josie's throat, the tip gently indenting the skin. SUKY (cont'd) Did you know that the throat contains the creativity chakra? They never taught us that in Religion class, huh? The tip goes a little further in. Blood starts to pool around the metal. SUKY (cont'd) Did you know the throat is the most vulnerable area of the human body? The blade draws a thin red cut across her skin. SUKY (cont'd) I don't know how you've done it, but you've made Helena upset. And that makes my life very difficult. She pulls the knife away and flips it closed. SUKY (cont'd) And if it weren't for the fact that it'd ruin graduation, I'd do it right here. Josie puts a hand to her throat, then pulls it away to stare at the blood. SUKY (cont'd) Soon enough. Suky saunters off, Beverly behind her. Danielle and Gloria push Josie against the railing as they ascend the stairs to follow Suky. CHAPEL Josie walks to the piano, holding her throat. Marianne is lost in the music. JOSIE I'll do it. Marianne closes the piano immediately. She is startled to look at Josie though. JOSIE (cont'd) Do you have a band-aid? INT. S.F. MAIN BUS TERMINAL - DAY Josie, bandage on her throat, pushes money toward the window. The TICKET SELLER pushes a ticket back and points. TICKET SELLER Gate 14. Josie turns and enters the throng in the terminal: travelers, tourists, homeless. She's uncomfortable, but she holds her overnight bag to her chest as she navigates around the people, heading toward Gate 14. The bus is already there, but the doors are closed. A line of people wait to board: one reads a newspaper, another does her nails, two others gab. Josie shifts the bag to her side and heads for the queue. She smiles at the woman ahead of her in the line. The bus doors open. The driver starts taking tickets. Josie watches each person get on board as she moves forward. Just as she's handing the driver her ticket, a hand clamps on her shoulder and pulls her back. A burly POLICE OFFICER stares down at her. POLICE OFFICER Josie Merrick, come with me. INT. ST. THERESA OF AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - DAY Josie, back in uniform, sits in the hallway leading to the Faculty Room, across from the Principal's office. The Principal's door opens--her father walks out, flushed and angry. MR. MERRICK Do you know how lucky you are? His voice stops traffic in the Faculty Room and on the back stairs. MR. MERRICK (cont'd) Christ, Josie, this is your last chance, do you understand that? Stanford does not take students who get expelled. JOSIE Daddy-- MR. MERRICK We'll talk when you get home tonight. JOSIE (softly) No, we won't. MR. MERRICK I don't want to have to come back here again. He walks out, pushing through the gawkers. The Principal summons Josie into his office. LIBRARY Josie, on the window seat, reads her history book. Marianne plops down next to her. MARIANNE Let me just start off by asking if it's true your parents come to pick you up every day now. JOSIE Bing! MARIANNE The school gonna let you graduate? JOSIE There's still another two weeks. (Marianne giggles) Sure you want to be seen with me? I hear I'm a bad influence. Josie finally notices Marianne's lightly bottled excitement. JOSIE (cont'd) What's going on? MARIANNE I know this is a bad time but I've got to tell someone. I made the Corps! Josie drops her book with a SQUEAL to hug Marianne. JOSIE Are you going to bother graduating? MARIANNE I wish. They don't need me until summer. JOSIE So you're going to have a high school diploma after all. MARIANNE Despite my best efforts. The Librarian looks over at them. LIBRARIAN Girls, please! Keep it down. MARIANNE You cause problems wherever you go. Josie watches Agatha walk into the library with Helena and Beverly. JOSIE I'm think I'm going now. Josie picks up her stuff and heads for the door. Helena gets in her way. HELENA Josie, is everything okay? The weirdest rumors are going around about you. JOSIE I'm fine. Thanks for asking. In a flash, Helena peels off Josie's throat bandage. Josie grabs her hand and pushes the bandage back on. HELENA How'd you get that? JOSIE Right. You don't know. Leave me alone already, would you? FOYER Late afternoon. The place is deserted. Josie does her homework, alone. The Principal thunders up to Josie. PRINCIPAL Helena has offered to drive you home today. I've said it's all right and I've called your parents. Josie looks past him to Helena, who waits by the front stairs with a smirk. JOSIE I'd like to wait for my dad. PRINCIPAL You're going home with Helena. INT. CAR - DAY Josie is wedged into the backseat, between Helena and Beverly, as Suky drives. CICI, a younger photocopy of Suky, sits in the passenger seat. SUKY Comfortable? JOSIE This isn't the way to my house. HELENA We're going to take a drive. San Francisco is so damn pretty. Isn't it? (she waits) Isn't it? A chorus of agreement. HELENA (cont'd) Go through the Presidio. Suky obediently steers the car toward the green hills of the Presidio, lined with narrow, twisting roads. HELENA (cont'd) Cici, did you enjoy your visit to the high school today? Cici, young enough to grin openly, turns and nods. CICI I can't wait to go to school here. HELENA (to Josie) Isn't that nice? Some people can't wait to go to this school. JOSIE What do you want from me? I'm sorry I haven't been expelled. HELENA It wouldn't remove the problem. JOSIE What problem? That I won't do what you say? Helena's eyes narrow. HELENA Exactly. (chuckles) Of course, that also makes you interesting to me. Valuable. Count yourself lucky. (tugs on Suky's hair) Speed up. The car speeds up. Unable to hold on to anything, Josie slides against Beverly. JOSIE I don't feel lucky. HELENA I need friends I can trust. I can trust you. You'll always be honest. JOSIE What, that you're out of your mind? Beverly grips the door handle, her knuckles white. BEVERLY Could we slow down? I'm getting sick. Helena leans forward to look over at Beverly. HELENA I thought you love high speeds. Beverly's terror melts into a mild, amused calm. She slackens against the seat and enjoys the ride. HELENA (cont'd) I need somebody I can talk to. Who actually listens. (glares at Suky) As opposed to doing things I specifically said they shouldn't. SUKY (glances in rearview mirror) Helena-- Helena grabs Josie by the back of the neck. Josie freezes, terrified. Beverly, next to her, doesn't notice. With her other hand, Helena removes the bandage and lightly traces the line of the scar. HELENA I said, don't touch her. SUKY You said-- HELENA Don't talk back. Suky shuts up. HELENA (cont'd) Faster. The car speeds up. HELENA (cont'd) Never disobey me. Then I can't trust you. I trust Josie more than I can trust you. (takes her hand from Josie's throat) Have your seatbelt on? Josie looks down. HELENA (cont'd) Cici, take your seatbelt off. Cici unlatches her seatbelt. The belt immediately slithers away into its holsters. HELENA (cont'd) Suky, hit the brakes. Suky jams on the brakes and falls face forward into the airbag. Cici CRASHES through the windshield, bounces off the hood, tossed like a leaf onto the street. Josie, slammed against the front seat, sits back. And looks out at Cici's ragdoll form. SUKY Oh my God. Cici! Suky fights to get her seatbelt off and open the door. Beverly, stunned, doesn't move. BEVERLY What happened? JOSIE Open the door! Beverly reluctantly opens her door. Josie pushes her out and runs over to Cici's bloody, twisted body. JOSIE (cont'd) Oh God, she's dead. Suky strokes Cici's hair, picking pieces of glass out of it. SUKY Cici, no. No. Helena gets out of the car and saunters over to take a look. HELENA Damn, that whole thing about being thrown clear is just a myth, isn't it? Josie looks at her with disgust. Then she hears SIRENS approaching rapidly. Helena puts her hand on Suky's shoulder. HELENA (cont'd) Now everything's fine between us. You pull another stunt where you talk to anyone without my permission, and this is just the beginning. Got it? Suky nods. Helena dips a finger in Cici's blood. She sucks on it as she watches Beverly wobble over and then turn away, gagging. HELENA (cont'd) Beverly? (Beverly turns, scared) No making offers on my behalf. To anyone. Ever. Two police cars round the bend and screech to a halt by the girls. Three policemen jump out and run over; one gets on the radio to call for an ambulance. LEAD COP Who was driving? Helena, suddenly distraught and weepy, points at Josie. JOSIE What? LEAD COP What happened? JOSIE I wasn't driving. I was in the backseat. BEVERLY Josie, you were too driving. HELENA We told her to slow down. One of the cops finishes checking Cici's body. He shakes his head. LEAD COP This is serious, young lady. JOSIE It's Suky's car. Suky was driving. SUKY How could you? She was my sister. Everyone is staring at Josie. Helena hides a tiny smile. LEAD COP I need to see your license. JOSIE I don't have one! The Lead Cop loses patience. Josie watches the cops start to take photos of the crime scene. JOSIE (cont'd) Listen--have any of us gone near the car since the accident? Yes or no? Suky and Beverly shake their heads; Helena's eyes narrow. JOSIE (cont'd) No, we haven't. Okay? She walks back over to the car, the Lead Cop in tow. She gets in the driver's seat. Her feet come nowhere near the pedals. JOSIE (cont'd) I wasn't driving this car. It's Suky's. Talk to her. LEAD COP (waves another cop over) We're going to have to take fingerprints. And you all have to come with us. Helena glares at Josie. She grits her teeth. HELENA We're not going with you. The Lead Cop blinks. HELENA (cont'd) It was a terrible accident, and no one's to blame. Write it up as an accident. The Lead Cop takes out his notepad and starts writing. The other cops ignore the girls entirely, discussing the freak accident and what could have caused it. Josie swings around to the backseat of the car to get her backpack. She sees Suky's switchblade. And shoves it into her bag. When she gets out of the car again, she bumps into Helena, who's seething. HELENA (cont'd) That was fast thinking, Josie. Lucky you. JOSIE Why did you do that? Why did you kill her? HELENA You should be more interested in when I'm going to kill you. Not yet, at any rate. JOSIE Why not? HELENA Because then graduation would be all about you and it has to be all about me. Josie looks back at Cici's crumpled body. JOSIE I feel so much better. INT. MERRICK HOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT The dinner table is absolutely silent. JOSIE On the way home today we had a really bad car accident. A girl was nearly killed. (glances at her parents) The car I was in. An accident. MRS. MERRICK Oh? MR. MERRICK But you're okay. Josie puts down her fork. JOSIE You don't seem very surprised or upset. MRS. MERRICK Honey-- MR. MERRICK You're okay. That's what's important. MRS. MERRICK We're worried about you. MR. MERRICK You've got to stop making trouble. JOSIE Helena tell you to say this? Silence. Mr. and Mrs. Merrick glance at one another. Josie looks at her plate, unable to eat a bite more. JOSIE (cont'd) I'll be in my room. INT. ST. THERESA OF AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - LOCKER ROOM - DAY Josie, distracted, stares out the window. Marianne snaps her fingers in front of Josie's face. MARIANNE I said, only finals week left. Yay. Josie makes circles with her finger in the air. JOSIE Whoo hoo. (looks at Marianne) Prom's tonight. MARIANNE Yay, yay. (bats Josie on the arm) Let's go to a movie. JOSIE Like last year? MARIANNE Well, hopefully better than last year's. Josie manages a smile. MARIANNE (cont'd) Come on. Josie, you're safe. JOSIE I don't feel very safe, Marianne. MAIN HALL The grand main floor of the mansion. Thirty-foot arched ceilings soar over the marble pillars that line the walls. A hundred feet of marble floor leads to a giant balcony overlooking the San Francisco Bay. Students decorate the Main Hall for the Prom. The banners and streamers look tacky and shabby against the gilt-edged crowns on the columns and carved wainscoting, but the enthusiasm is unmistakable: the girls whoop as they toss rolls of streamers to one another, yell suggestions, race from one end of the hall to the other to check the operation. Josie crosses the Main Hall, heading for the side door. She stops to watch the preparations, her hand on the door. Several students waltz by with invisible partners and then laugh at their own silliness. One takes off her penny loafers and slides in her stocking feet on the marble. The teacher in charge, Mrs. Davidov, snaps her fingers and the student puts her shoes back on. Across the mania, she smiles at Josie. Josie pushes open the side door and leaves. INT. MARIANNE'S CAR - NIGHT Josie gets in, the movie section crushed under her arm. JOSIE There's not a lot to choose from. MARIANNE Good. Then we don't have to. JOSIE You know what you wanna see? MARIANNE Yeah. The Prom. Marianne reaches into the back of the car and then tosses a black sweatshirt at Josie. MARIANNE (cont'd) I knew you'd be wearing something too conspicuous. JOSIE We can't. MARIANNE Sure we can. What have you got to lose? Josie shakes her head. JOSIE This is a bad idea, Marianne. MARIANNE Don't you want to see it? (Josie says nothing) I knew it. Come on. EXT. ST. THERESA OF AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - NIGHT Light spills out of the ground floor of the mansion, lighting the block. Teenaged couples get out of limousines and walk up the brick drive to the two-story tall wrought iron gates of the front door. MUSIC and LAUGHTER reach Marianne and Josie, who stand in the shadows across the street, watching. MARIANNE Who'd've known Gloria could wear an outfit like that? She's stacked. JOSIE We can't get in the same way. Too lit up. MARIANNE The back of the school'll be dark. EXT. STREET - NIGHT Josie and Marianne look up at the back of the school, which looms over the city darkly, except for the large lighted windows of the Main Hall. Between them and the school are the gardens at the base of the hill, the hill going straight up, and a wooden fence encircling the grounds. MARIANNE We can make this fence. Marianne jumps up and hooks her hands on the top of the fence posts. A car stops at the intersection. Josie grabs the back of Marianne's shirt and pulls her down. JOSIE Let's not do it when anyone's watching. She walks to a nearby gate in the fence, which has an old- fashioned iron handle. Josie pushes the button down and swings the gate in. JOSIE (cont'd) And I'd rather take the door. Marianne brushes herself off and follows her. MARIANNE You're no fun. JOSIE Nope. INT. ST. THERESA OF AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - BASEMENT - NIGHT Josie and Agatha crawl in the way they did before. The walls vibrate with the NOISE of the rock band. MARIANNE I can feel the bass. (snaps her fingers) I know what we forgot. JOSIE What? MARIANNE Spray paint. Josie shrugs. JOSIE Go up to the Art Lab and get paint. Marianne slaps Josie on the back. MARIANNE That's the spirit. BACK STAIRS Josie and Marianne creep out of the the basement to the SOUND of giggling on the stairs just above them. Josie peeks around the corner to see a girl necking with her date. JOSIE (whispering) We're trapped. (peeks again) Oh no. We could be here a while. Marianne pulls her back. MARIANNE I wanna see. A very deep THROAT CLEARING catches the girl and her date by surprise; they jump up to see Mr. Blackwood on the stairs behind them. MR. BLACKWOOD You're not supposed to be down here. GIRL We, uh-- MR. BLACKWOOD Lucy, go back upstairs. No more tours. The pair scurry up the stairs past him. He watches them go. Then he looks around the landing. Marianne and Josie hold their breath. He chuckles as he turns off the light and dashes up the stairs himself. In the dark: MARIANNE Let's go. I want to see the dance. (beat) Do you know the way out of here? JOSIE Follow the wall. They open the door from the basement to the bottom floor slowly. Marianne's head darts out and scans the area. She signals to Josie who follows her over to the next flight of stairs. They look up at the stairwell. MARIANNE We'll go right by the Prom. JOSIE We better do this fast. But quiet. MARIANNE Like anyone can hear us over that racket. They look at one another. JOSIE Go. Marianne races up the first flight of narrow, cramped stairs, Josie right behind her. They make the turn at the next landing, passing right by the door into the Main Hall, which throbs with the drum beat. They are halfway up the flight of stairs to the next floor when the door to the Main Hall opens, filling the stairwell with reverberating music. Josie and Marianne flatten against the wall and pray. MISS SUAREZ (O.S.) No, no one's come in here. The door closes again. Marianne nods rapidly. They keep running upstairs. SECOND FLOOR They creep down the darkened back hallway, past a number of small classrooms. Marianne checks out the front hallway, which is lighted--and leads past the front stairs. MARIANNE Looks clear. Their sneakers squeak lightly against the marble flooring as they pass the arm of the stairs that sweeps up to the top floor. Josie glances up at the Foyer: it's dark and silent. The arm of the stairs leading down to the Main Hall is cordoned off with a velvet rope. And midway down, watching the proceedings in the Main Hall, is Mr. Winters. Josie closes her eyes. Then opens them, her jaw set. Marianne slowly pulls open the door at the far end of the landing and goes in. CLASSROOM She keeps the door open for Josie, who sneaks in and holds it as it shuts. JOSIE We're crazy. MARIANNE Don't you love the way your heart is pumping? This is so great. They are standing in a classroom, where the desks are shivering in time with the music, directly below. They go to the two large, dark-paneled sliding doors on the side of the room. Marianne grabs the handle of one, Josie the other. MARIANNE One, two... JOSIE Three. They yank and pull the doors aside, revealing a giant interior balcony overlooking the Main Hall. Large floodlights have been placed on the balcony, lighting the half of the Hall near the spectacular view of the Bay. They wait, staring at one another. MARIANNE (cont'd) No one saw. JOSIE They're too busy. They creep out on the balcony and crouch near the white marble pillars holding up the green marble balustrade. Despite the luxurious surroundings, it's an ordinary prom. Pairs of dancers boogie to the loud music, the multicolored lights playing off their dresses and the walls. JOSIE So this is a Prom. MARIANNE Yeah. This is a Prom. This as fun as it gets. Ooo baby. Marianne hits Josie on the shoulder and points. Agatha, giddy, hangs on the sleeve of her date. They laugh with another couple. Helena, her swain a respectful few feet behind her, joins them. Agatha laughs and pulls on her date's arm; he kisses her on the cheek, making her blush. JOSIE Wow. Marianne has to lean really close to Josie to be heard. MARIANNE Aren't they the happy group? JOSIE She's lost so much weight. In a week. MARIANNE Yeah. She looks great. Doesn't she? Josie watches Agatha and her date join the swaying couples on the floor. Her gaze continues past the heads of the dancers to the adults standing in the corner--the teachers, who are monitoring. Mr. Blackwood is laughing as he says something to the blonde woman beside him, who cracks up. She slaps him on the arm. Marianne tugs on Josie's sleeve. Josie takes a second to respond. MARIANNE (cont'd) Let's go. She points through the pillars: Helena is looking up at them. Josie and Marianne dash off the balcony, leaving the doors open behind them. SECOND FLOOR The stairs leading down to the Main Hall are empty. Except someone has just started up the landing. Marianne pushes Josie toward the stairs heading up to the third floor. MARIANNE Move. They run up the stairs to the darkened FOYER Marianne and Josie look over the railing into the stairwell. JOSIE We have to get out of here. MARIANNE We're fine. He's going back down. Marianne leans back, stretching out her back. Then, her hand on the bannister, she starts doing ballet exercises. JOSIE The Prom's not that kind of dance. MARIANNE And these aren't the shoes. Marianne flies across the Foyer, twirling and bobbing. She lands with a graceful sweep of her arm. JOSIE You're excited. MARIANNE Excited? Are you kidding? Joining a ballet company is all I've ever wanted. (adjusts her shirt) You've always wanted to go to college, right? JOSIE I've never not been going. Not much of an issue. I'm going. That's it. MARIANNE Yeah, but to Stanford... (Josie shrugs) No big deal? You got in everywhere. JOSIE Yeah. And after Stanford comes graduate school, and then I'll be a lawyer, and I'll probably hate that, so I'll have to find something else I want to do, so it'll be back to graduate school... Marianne giggles. After a second, Josie starts laughing too. MARIANNE A lawyer? I always thought you'd be a writer or something. JOSIE Yeah, but I want to eat. Marianne twirls like a top. MARIANNE I want to be a star. That's all I've ever wanted. JOSIE You will be. MARIANNE Yeah, I will. She takes off on a circuit of the Foyer again. She dances around chairs, bounces on and off the couch, and hops on and off a table. She stops in front of Josie with a flourish. JOSIE (applauding) Helena can make sure you're a star. MARIANNE I know. Josie's hands slow. And stop. Marianne extends her arm toward Josie dramatically, as if asking for a dance. Then she straightens up when she sees Josie's frozen stance. JOSIE You knew when I'd be at the bus station. You know my locker combination, you could put the test in there-- MARIANNE You sound really paranoid. JOSIE But I'm not wrong. Marianne looks away. MARIANNE No, you're not. (scuffles on the floor) Somebody's going to be up soon. JOSIE Well. You get to join the Corps. MARIANNE No, I did that. (smiles) But now I'll be a soloist. (glares at Josie) God! That's all I've ever wanted! It doesn't matter how good you are, somebody looks better, somebody dances better and I'll never get anywhere! JOSIE That's not my fault. MARIANNE Oh no. Not Miss Perfect. Everybody's darling. Never a hair out of place. Gets into every goddamn school she applies to. Nothing's ever her fault. (clenches her fists) Why couldn't you just be like everybody else and do what Helena tells you to? JOSIE Because I'm not like everybody else. Marianne bursts into laughter, then twirls around. MARIANNE I'm just lucky I had something she wanted, so I got something out of it. JOSIE Like Suky? MARIANNE What she's going to do to you is worse. She grabs Josie by the shoulders and shakes her. MARIANNE (cont'd) Let's go down there, right now. Tell Helena you'll do whatever she wants. Christ, she wants you to run things, Josie, 'cause you're so smart. It's what everybody wants. And you can have it. (snaps her fingers) Like that. JOSIE Kind of a high cost. MARIANNE Please. So you have to do what Helena tells you to, big deal. All of us do. JOSIE The difference is I have to choose to do what she tells me to. No matter what. MARIANNE Big deal. In return you get anything you want. It's the American dream. JOSIE Buy now, pay forever? MARIANNE Do you even believe in souls? Really? The SOUND of someone's coming up the stairs. MARIANNE (cont'd) That's my exit cue. Last chance. Josie says nothing. Marianne twists away from her and dashes toward the door to the back stairs. Josie stands alone in the middle of the Foyer. The steps stop coming. LIBRARY Josie's head rests against the window as she looks out at the lights of San Francisco, of the Bay Area. She sits in the window seat, her legs stretched out in front of her. The school is quiet--the Prom is over. The only sound is her humming to herself. Her eyes are clear, but her face is blotchy and she holds a wad of tissues in her hand. A man's hand touches her shoulder. Josie jumps. MR. BLACKWOOD Hey. Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you. He pulls a chair away from one of the study tables and sits next to her. MR. BLACKWOOD (cont'd) It's two a.m. What are you doing here? JOSIE Didn't know where else to go. He pushes flyaway strands of hair off her face. MR. BLACKWOOD If only I'd known earlier. JOSIE Why? MR. BLACKWOOD I was really bored this evening and I'm never bored when I'm with you. JOSIE Even at a Prom? He makes a face. She laughs. MR. BLACKWOOD If you're ever a high school teacher, don't get volunteered for Prom duty. (he studies her face) I wondered if you were going to be there tonight. JOSIE Me? No. MR. BLACKWOOD Why not? You're very pretty. I think you're the prettiest girl in this school. (Josie giggles) What's wrong? It's the truth. He reaches over, turns her chin so she's facing him. MR. BLACKWOOD (cont'd) No one's ever told you that. JOSIE No. And I don't know why you are. She reaches up to take his hand off of her. His fingers intertwine with hers. MR. BLACKWOOD It's time someone did. He moves over to the window seat, facing her, pinning her knees against the glass. JOSIE What are you doing? MR. BLACKWOOD I want to talk to you. It's been driving me crazy, how we don't talk any more. JOSIE Sure we do. MR. BLACKWOOD Not like we used to. He cups her face in his hands, his fingers lightly stroking her cheeks. MR. BLACKWOOD (cont'd) And you're going to graduate and go away to college and leave me here. JOSIE No I'm not-- He pulls her toward him, kisses her tenderly. When he moves away, they gaze at one for a few seconds. His thumb traces the line of her lower lip. He drops his hands around her and pulls her toward him for a passionate, serious kiss. After a few seconds, she puts her arms around his neck. He breaks the kiss, laughing softly. MR. BLACKWOOD I wasn't sure you felt the same way. JOSIE You weren't? MR. BLACKWOOD I can't exactly ask the other teachers, Does her smile make you feel like you're the most important person on Earth? Josie stifles her giggles in the shoulder of his suit. He kisses the top of her head and then trails kisses down the side of her face. MR. BLACKWOOD (cont'd) I spent the whole night wishing you were there. (he laughs) Instead, I had to deal with people like Suky. He moves away. Josie moves toward him. JOSIE What about her? MR. BLACKWOOD (lifts her chin) You sound jealous. (he grins) There was some nonsense about a knife. He pulls her onto his lap. JOSIE What about it? MR. BLACKWOOD (nuzzling her ear) She can't find it. JOSIE I know. I have it. His eyes flare open. MR. BLACKWOOD Really. Josie nods, stretching her neck under the massage of his fingers. MR. BLACKWOOD (cont'd) Where is it? She's lost in the sensation of his touch. Then she opens her mouth to respond--and her eyes open. JOSIE What? His arms slip around her waist, holding her tightly against him. He kisses her neck. MR. BLACKWOOD Where is it? JOSIE Why do you-- She turns and looks at him. JOSIE (cont'd) No! She struggles to get away, but he has an iron grip around her. MR. BLACKWOOD Josie, just tell me. Then we can get back to what we were doing. She kicks him in the shin and he grinds his fingers into her side, painfully. MR. BLACKWOOD (cont'd) Don't do that again. Her elbow lands a direct hit in his stomach. He groans and eases up his hold. She breaks away, launches off him, and runs. He grits his teeth and takes off after her. She races out of the library and into the darkness of the Foyer, her steps echoing off the hardwood floors. She plunges down the marble front staircase, taking steps two and three at at time. MR. BLACKWOOD (cont'd) (behind her) Josie! She skids around the bend on the second floor and takes the next flight of stairs even faster. The side doors of the school are in front of her. She runs to the nearest door and tugs on it. Locked. He is coming up right behind her--she has no time. She takes off again, to the backstairs. Heading down to the basement. It's dark--except for the window she has to get to. She feels her way through the boxes and furniture piled there, trying to stay quiet. MR. BLACKWOOD (cont'd) Come back here! She reaches up to the window. And gets yanked back down as the lights come on. Helena stands there, gripping Josie by the shoulders. HELENA Hi there, sweetheart. You have something that belongs to me. I want it back. JOSIE No. HELENA You and who else? Mr. Blackwood comes up behind Helena. Puts his hand on her shoulder. HELENA (cont'd) Go upstairs. Wait for me. Silently he turns and walks away. HELENA (cont'd) You know, he is fine. I really need a Mary Magdalen and boys our age... I wouldn't mind starting tonight. Josie puts her face in her hands. Helena laughs. HELENA (cont'd) What did you think, Josie? He's really in love with you or something? I told him to be here. He didn't even want to. (leans in close) Where is the knife, Josie? JOSIE I don't have it. HELENA You said you do. JOSIE I don't have it anymore. I threw it away. HELENA Why don't we just take you home, and find out how true that is? INT. MERRICK HOUSE - JOSIE'S ROOM - NIGHT Helena watches as Marianne, Beverly, and Suky tear Josie's room apart. HELENA Where is it? Josie sits on her bed. JOSIE I told you-- HELENA Get up. Josie glares at her, but then gets up. Helena pats the bed. LATER The room is trashed. Josie is alone. Melancholy, she gazes at the destruction. She reaches into the pocket of her jeans. Then, like a whisper: she FLICKS Suky's switchblade open. Light from the bedside lamp reflects off the flawlessly forged blade. There are delicate carvings on the metal; Josie has to turn the knife to see them. She closes the knife, hefts it in her hand. FLICK. The blade flashes light into Josie's eyes. Close. Open. She lays the knife against the translucent pink of her wrist. The blade turns slightly, the sharp edge pressing into her skin. Josie winces, looks away, holds her breath. Light bounces off the steel. She lets her breath out, pulls the knife away, sits up. Very slowly her hands push the knife shut. One hand caresses the switchblade handle as Josie goes to her bureau and rummages through the drawers. She pulls out a silk paisley scarf--and delicately wraps the knife in it. Then she puts the bundle back into the drawer, among other scarves and accessories. INT. ST. THERESA OF AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - DAY Monday morning. Students arrive en masse, laughing as they run in the side doors and up the back stairs. LOCKER ROOM Josie enters the packed room and girls take time from their laughing to look at her. Just a look--then a whisper and sometimes a giggle. A pocket of silence follows her as she walks to her locker. The girls standing near her back away and hide what they're saying behind hands over their mouths. ENGLISH ROOM As the girls enter the room, MR. BLACKWOOD waves them to different seats. MR. BLACKWOOD I want a chair between you. No sitting together. AGATHA Finals are on the honor system. MR. BLACKWOOD Doesn't mean I want you sitting that close. Josie takes a seat in the back, safely away from everyone. MR. BLACKWOOD (cont'd) (motioning her forward) Josie. (when Josie gets up) Take your things please. Josie picks up her bag. Mr. Blackwood starts handing out the exams, face down to the students. MR. BLACKWOOD (cont'd) You have two hours. I will come on the half hours to let you know how much time you have left. You are on the honor system, which includes letting me know if the rest of your fellow students aren't on the same system. After handing out the tests, Mr. Blackwood has one remaining. MR. BLACKWOOD (cont'd) (to Josie) You're taking your exam in the seminar room. JOSIE Why? MR. BLACKWOOD You'll be taking your exam with me present. You'll be taking all of your final exams with a teacher present. Giggles. SEMINAR ROOM Josie waits to see where Mr. Blackwood is going to sit before choosing a seat at the other end of the table. She puts down her books. JOSIE Could another teacher do this? Sit here? MR. BLACKWOOD Why? JOSIE I'll wait. I won't ask for extra time. MR. BLACKWOOD What's wrong? Josie laughs to herself, pulls out one of the heavy chairs, and sits. Hesitant, he holds onto her exam. MR. BLACKWOOD (cont'd) Were you at the Prom on Friday? JOSIE No. I wasn't. MR. BLACKWOOD You don't sound very sure. JOSIE Could I just do the test please? He slides the exam down the table to her. MR. BLACKWOOD I asked about the Prom-- Agitated, Josie makes a show of dropping her pen. MR. BLACKWOOD (cont'd) Because I know I saw you that night. (Josie won't look at him) Only I can't remember where or why or what we talked about. JOSIE Stop it. Leave me alone. MR. BLACKWOOD I don't know why you're angry at me. JOSIE Really. MR. BLACKWOOD Tell me. Josie laughs. And puts her head in her hands. MR. BLACKWOOD (cont'd) All I have is a sense I did something... awful...to you. And I can't stand to be near Helena. JOSIE Wow. I've always heard some guys were like that. I just thought it was cliche. MR. BLACKWOOD I loathe her. And I don't know why. Tell me why. Josie opens the exam. JOSIE I have a test to do. LOCKER ROOM Josie pages through a notebook, reading as fast as she can. Agatha comes up beside her. AGATHA We're going to get lunch. Want to come? Josie closes her locker slowly, quietly. JOSIE No. FOYER Helena grabs Josie as she walks by. HELENA Not so fast. We're having a party. On the roof. The Principal, standing nearby, appears not to have heard. EXT. ST. THERESA OF AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - ROOF - DAY The middle of the roof is flat--surrounded on all sides by Spanish tiled eaves, sloping dangerously toward a four-story overhang. Most of the senior class is up there, near the edge, pointing toward the distance. Several have bottles of champagne and walk near the edge. Josie keeps away from everyone. Laura, Danielle, and Frances sit up against a refrigeration unit, passing a bottle back and forth. Laura offers the bottle up to Josie. LAURA Join us! JOSIE No thanks. I have my self-respect. She looks up to see Agatha getting up on the edge of one of the eaves, the San Francisco Bay behind her. AGATHA Watch this! She begins wobbling the edge, like a bad tightrope walker. Josie looks over the side: it is a long drop to the hill below Agatha. HELENA That's very good, Agatha. Keep it up. JOSIE Get down, Agatha. Agatha keeps following the edge. A huge gust of wind comes up and she teeters. She bends down, as if she's going to get down--until her foot slips and she starts sliding down the eave. She manages to grab onto the edge with one hand. Josie darts over, grabs her other hand. She reaches over to get a handful of the back of Agatha's blouse, but Agatha can't get traction on the tiles. Josie turns to her classmates. JOSIE (cont'd) Help me! No one moves. HELENA It'll be fun. Let's see if she bounces. Giggles. Josie strains to maintain a hold on Agatha. JOSIE If anything happens to any of us before graduation, there'll be questions. Helena snaps her fingers, and a couple of girls rush forward to help haul Agatha onto the roof. HELENA I'm going to remember this. JOSIE Aren't you more afraid Agatha's going to remember this? You can't push people beyond their limits. HELENA I can. Once Agatha is back on the roof, her rescuers leave her, laughing with their classmates, drinking. Agatha, red-faced and hysterical, gasps for air. She looks up at Josie. INT. MERRICK HOUSE - DAY Mrs. Merrick holds an envelope. MRS. MERRICK Your grades came. Perfect four point oh. MR. MERRICK Perfect four point oh through high school. JOSIE Don't be surprised if there's a recount. MR. MERRICK C'mon, Josie. You did great. You'll probably get a big prize at graduation. JOSIE I have no doubt about that. She runs up the stairs, but stops and comes back. JOSIE (cont'd) I know our family isn't big on talk like this, but I really love you guys. In case I don't get to tell you again. INT. ST. THERESA OF AVILA HIGH SCHOOL - LIBRARY - DAY The girls get ready for graduation, putting on floor-length white tea gowns. Josie puts her gown on behind one of the overstuffed reading chairs. She watches carefully to see if anyone's watching her as she pulls her jeans off and pulls the dress up. She adjusts the white ribbon she wears over her throat scar. Marianne, already in her dress, sways over. MARIANNE Need help? JOSIE No! MARIANNE You can't zip it up by yourself. Let me hold it. Josie shrugs her blouse off and puts her arms into the dress. MARIANNE (cont'd) Where did you get this? JOSIE Macy's. Eighty bucks. MARIANNE It's way nicer than mine. Good choice. Josie waits as Marianne zips up the back of her dress. MARIANNE (cont'd) You want me to do something with your hair? I've got pins. JOSIE No. MARIANNE Josie-- JOSIE Just leave me alone. MARIANNE 'Kay. (looks at Josie's stockings) Your hose is all tangled. JOSIE It's fine. Marianne shrugs and walks away. FOYER The girls gather by the front stairs, like a flock of chattering snowflakes. The teachers are nearby, wearing their graduation finest. There's a hum of nervous energy. HELENA (O.S.) Everyone listen up. Helena parts the crowd. Everyone turns to watch her. The hall grows quiet Even Josie, who leans against the wall, apart from the other students, apart from the teachers. The only one near her is Mr. Blackwood, and he's watching Helena too. HELENA This is going to be a graduation unlike anyone else's. Only...he has a strange, questioning expression on his face. HELENA (cont'd) And you get to be a part of it. Do you know how lucky you are? And his foot is tapping against the wall, nervously. No one else is moving at all. He gives Josie a questioning look. She raises her hand and gives him a quick "Quit it" gesture across her throat. HELENA (cont'd) This is the day when I start my... ministry, should I say. His foot stops moving. HELENA (cont'd) And I think we should do it with a bang. Kind of fitting. Who here is still a virgin? Most of the senior class raises their hands. Josie leans over to Mr. Blackwood. JOSIE (whispering) Don't say a thing. HELENA (cont'd) Laura! You? You talk a good game, girl. (puts her arm around Laura) Well, you--and the rest of you--won't be by the end of graduation. JOSIE You can hear her? MR. BLACKWOOD What's going-- JOSIE Shhh. Please. HELENA --I hope none of you end up with your fathers or brothers... unless you really want to. JOSIE (too loud) Oh God. HELENA (to Josie) I'm just playing the odds on that one. I mean, if you only knew-- JOSIE Thanks. I believe you. HELENA Of course, you're not going to be as lucky as these girls. You're going to be the pice de resistance. Everybody, take a good look at Josie. Everyone in the room turns to look at Josie. Silently. HELENA (cont'd) Virgin sacrifice is really overrated as a way to get the attention of a god. (smiles) But it's going to be a lot of fun anyhow. In fact-- The crowd turns back to Helena. Josie glances at Mr. Blackwood, who's ashen as he studies his colleagues, all of whom gaze at Helena rapturously. HELENA (cont'd) --we'll start with Josie. MR. BLACKWOOD Oh my God. JOSIE Just do what she says. HELENA And then we'll move on to... refreshments. How does that sound? The girls clap as Helena cuts a swath through the group. She halts by Mr. Blackwood and puts a possessive hand on him. HELENA (cont'd) Not this one, girls. Anybody else. (looks up at him) You were good. Josie zips her hand across her throat again. HELENA (cont'd) All kneel. The entire gathering immediately kneels on the hardwood floor. Josie kicks the back of Mr. Blackwood's knees; he goes down. Helena grins at Josie over the top of his head. HELENA (cont'd) He was good. JOSIE How nice for you. HELENA You enjoying your last few minutes? JOSIE They're going to ruin their dresses. HELENA All rise. (everyone gets up) Those dresses aren't going to last too much longer. (to the Principal) Let's get this show on the road. The Principal signals to Miss Suarez, who cups her hand around her mouth. MISS SUAREZ Okay, girls, line up, alphabetically. Mr. Blackwood turns to Josie. MR. BLACKWOOD You can't go down there. JOSIE Not much of a choice. MR. BLACKWOOD You need help. What can I do? Josie watches the other students get into a long line. JOSIE When she brings me up, create a diversion. Of course, you'll probably get into trouble. MR. BLACKWOOD Sounds like I'm in trouble as it is. Josie walks down the line of girls until she finds Helena. JOSIE Merrick. Morningstar. Helena sweeps her hand in front of her and Josie takes her place. MAIN HALL The girls stride single-file from the front stairs down a long aisle formed by the folding chairs holding family members and friends. Flashbulbs reflect off the marble floors. There is a small knot of men in suits looking very grim--the Secret Service, guarding the Vice President. There is a line of news cameras by the side doors, taping every moment of the procession. The students sit on the risers assembled at the far end of the hall, in the rotunda. The Principal and teachers take their seats near the dais, which sits near the stairs landing. LATER The Principal reads off index cards. PRINCIPAL And the award for Excellence in Mathematics goes to... (audible sigh) Josie Merrick. Josie stands to polite applause. Underneath her chair are the rest of her awards. HELENA Enjoy it now. JOSIE I am. HELENA Are you all right? (Josie looks at her) You're limping. JOSIE I'm fine. LATER The Principal pushes the cards away and beams at the assembly. PRINCIPAL Congratulations to all of our Honors Society students. We will now hear from the valedictorian of this class, Helena Morningstar. Helena begins the long walk. Every one in the hall--students, their families, faculty--watches her as she glides down the carpet to the dais. She ascends the stairs to the podium like a queen. HELENA Classmates, parents, Mr. Vice President. This is a very special day. The first day of the rest of our lives. (smiles) The first day of the rest of my life. Most of you think you don't know me. But you know you do, don't you. Mild murmuring. A few nods. HELENA (cont'd) I am the most important person you have ever met. Who you will ever meet. You know that, don't you, Mr. Vice President? He nods. Slowly at first, then more certain. HELENA (cont'd) I have to be sure all of you understand who I am. Who you are. What I expect of you. What I will do for you. Josie looks around. Everyone is enraptured by Helena. HELENA (cont'd) I am the Omega. I am the End of all things. You will be my first congregation, carrying out my desires. (she lifts her hand up) All rise. The entire congregation stands. HELENA (cont'd) (lowers her hand) Kneel. Everyone kneels. The cameramen abandon their cameras, which continue recording. Helena looks at the bowed heads and leans back to throw her arms up. She stretches lazily and smiles. HELENA (cont'd) I am your master. (every head nods) You will do exactly what I tell you. Your only will is to serve me. The congregation says, "Amen." HELENA (cont'd) You will go back to your homes and your offices and do exactly what I need. The quiet refrain of "Amen" echoes through the marble hall. HELENA (co