ANNA
Stop. “You had me at ‘hello’.”
They embrace. And they hold on to each other, like they
never want to let go. After a moment:
SETH
I don’t remember saying “hello.” Were you
really listening to me?
INT. GEORGE BUSH HIGH. GYMNASIUM. STAGE - PROM NIGHT
ONE SHOT - EMCEE
The EMCEE, a girl, is at the MICROPHONE on stage.
EMCEE
And this year’s Royal Court is--OW!
WIDE OUT
Bully #3 is twisting her arm behind her back. The other two
bullies are at his side.
BULLY #3
Read faster!
EMCEE
(faster)
These guys.
Two confused ATTENDANTS give them flowers, crown them--the
whole nine yards. Nobody claps.
BULLY #2
(proudly)
I have a tiara!
Bully #3 shoves the emcee off the stage and seizes the mike.
BULLY #3
Clap--aren’t we pretty!?!
Everyone starts clapping nervously.
INT. GEORGE BUSH HIGH. GYMNASIUM. BACKSTAGE - PROM NIGHT
The nerd pulls a ROPE. A BUCKET OF PIG BLOOD AND GUTS falls
on them, like you know from what movie.
INT. GEORGE BUSH HIGH. GYMNASIUM - PROM NIGHT
The onlookers are stunned. No one laughs or says anything.
INT. GEORGE BUSH HIGH. GYMNASIUM. STAGE - PROM NIGHT
The three bullies are a little confused. After a moment, Bully #1 casts his arms up victoriously. The other two are
jubilant as well.
BULLY #1
We’re covered in pig guts! Yeah!!!
The onlookers break out in APPLAUSE and excitement.
INT. GEORGE BUSH HIGH. GYMNASIUM. BACKSTAGE - PROM NIGHT
The Nerd hangs his head down, depressed.
NERD
(to himself)
I wish I was cool.
INT. GEORGE BUSH HIGH. GYMNASIUM. FRONT ENTRANCE - PROM
NIGHT
Hand in hand, Seth and Anna ENTER the building. They’re behind the crowd and thus can’t see what’s going on onstage.
SETH
(nodding)
Wow! I wasn’t expecting applause for us.
ANNA
How nice.
EXT. BEACH - EARLY EVENING. GRADUATION DAY
CLOSE-UP - A BANNER PROCLAIMING “HAPPY GRADUATION”
We PAN DOWN. Two STUDENTS dressed in GRADUATION CAP and
GOWN remove them and pack them in a TRASH BARREL full of
CAPS and GOWNS. They really have to pack’em down.
CUT TO:
Russ is sitting by a small bonfire, tossing TEXTBOOKS into
the flames from a pile next to him. Anna comes up and sits
down by him.
RUSS
Wahoo! Look at those schoolbooks burn!
ANNA
Y’know we don’t actually own those books?
Russ turns to her.
RUSS
Do you want to help me burn them or don’t
you?
She shrugs. She takes up a book and tosses it.
ANNA
Wahoo!
CUT TO:
Seth removes his CAP and GOWN and places them in the
barrel. He presses down firmly on the trash. A DRUNK GUY
staggers up to him, carrying a CUP OF BEER in each hand.
His speech is slurred.
DRUNK GUY
Beer?
SETH
No, I’m trying to quit.
DRUNK GUY
Quit what?
SETH
Drinking.
DRUNK GUY
Why?
SETH
Every sip, you kill, like, a thousand
brain cells.
DRUNK GUY
Don’t be a pussy! A lot of successful
people drink.
INSERT - A PHOTO OF LINDSAY LOHAN
BACK TO SCENE
SETH
No. I’m changing my entire life.
DRUNK GUY
Screw that.
He sees Lance and begins to stagger towards him.
DRUNK GUY (CONT’D)
Hey! Lan-cie! Let’s not lose touch after
graduation--‘kay?
Seth shrugs. He sees Anna and Russ sitting on the log. He
joins them, taking a seat by Anna.
LANCE (O.S.)
We quickly PAN OVER to Lance, the drunk guy and some other
FORMER STUDENTS.
LANCE (CONT’D)
You mean all this time, you all thought
I was gay!?!
Everyone’s silent. Then MONEY begins to pass hands between
everyone.
CUT TO:
Seth hands Russ a $20 BILL.
RUSS
(jubilantly)
Ha, ha! Come to daddy!
CUT TO:
Lance is having a breakdown.
LANCE
No wonder no one wanted to go to the prom
with me! Oh, these past four years could
have been so much better!
Hands on his head, he runs off screaming and crying.
CUT TO:
Seth, Russ and Anna.
ANNA
Well, that was unexpected.
RUSS
I liked that guy better when he was gay.
SETH
Russ, can we have a few minutes to
ourselves?
RUSS
I don’t know. (beat) I’ve gotten really
comfortable.
ANNA
Russ, is that a seagull?
RUSS
Seagull? I thought I got them all.
Standing up, he picks up a bat-size piece of DRIFTWOOD.
RUSS (CONT’D)
I’ll show them!
He goes after it. Anna and Seth softly giggle.
SETH
Anna.
ANNA
Hmm?
SETH
I’ve been wanting to ask you this since
prom: What is it that you saw in me?
ANNA
Your great rack.
He giggles for a moment.
ANNA (CONT’D)
It was the speedskating semi-finals about
a year ago.
FLASHBACK
INT. ICERINK - DAY. A YEAR AGO
Anna and several other SKATERS are lined up at the starting
line, their bodies taunt.
SFX - HORN
They take off. Anna’s ahead. The BLADE of one of her SKATES
breaks and flies off; she falls face-first on the ice...
hard.
ANNA (CONT’D, V.O.)
One of my skates broke.
Everyone else passes her. She just stays down on the ice,
watching the other girls pass the finish line.
CUT TO:
Seth and Anna are in the stands, front center. Concerned,
Seth stands.
SETH
Anna!
He jumps the barrier, landing skateless on the ice. He
shuffles over, leaving Lysandra behind. As Anna is finally
starting to stand up, he collides with her, sending them
both d
own on their back to the ice. They giggle. They roll
to their side so they face each other. LEONA NAESS’ “CHARM
ATTACK” is playing softly in the background, gradually
rising.
ANNA (V.O.)
You then said something I’m sure I’ll
always remember:
SETH
Everyone falls down. (beat) I think my
ass is broke.
ANNA (V.O.)
And that’s when I knew that I loved you.
END FLASHBACK - BACK TO SCENE
They’re passionately kissing each other. Seth tosses the
list into the fire. It burns.
WIDE OUT
Russ is chasing a SEAGULL around with the piece of wood.
RUSS
Kiss your feathery ass goodbye!
DISSOLVE TO BLACK
FADE IN:
EXT. SANTA MONICA BOULEVARD - DAY
Two BICYCLISTS are wobbling--they’re all over the
sidewalk-- going so slow, they can barely stay on their
bikes. Russ and Teri are deliberately blocking their way.
Then they knock them over. Jubilant, they turn to each
other, arms spread.
RUSS
(simultaneously)
Can’t stop the bum Russ!
TERI
(simultaneously)
Can’t stop the bum Russ!
They hug. BLINK-182’S “SMALL THINGS” starts playing.
FADE OUT
THE END