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or the PTA will have a field day.

Understood. Thanks, Jane.

Hold on a sec. Hold on a sec.

Can I help you?

Yeah, Mr. Ward, my name is David

Butler. I'm Lucas' English teacher.

Uh...

Just sit tight, sit tight. Keep

your mouth shut, I'll call you back.

Come on.

Safe to assume you're not

drinking during your free period.

Uh, water's fine, thanks.

Are you still settling in?

Been too busy to unpack.

Oh, uh, Lucas mentioned you

moved here for a job opportunity.

But you work from home?

Like I said, I've got a call. So...

Is he up for another award or something?

Uh.

Has Lucas ever been in trouble before?

Trouble.

Have you met Lucas?

Yeah, I have.

And, uh, I'm sorry to tell you this, but,

your son threatened me.

What did he say, exactly?

Well, he, uh...

okay, well, he was using

a book, uh, as a metaphor.

So you came here to tell me that my son,

what, assaulted you with a poem?

I actually also suspect

that he intentionally

injured another student.

Do you have any actual proof that

my son has done anything wrong?

Well, no. But...

Because Lucas is a good kid.

And I'm not overly fond of loose

accusations bordering on slander.

So I think it's time for

you to go, Mr. Garrett.

Uh, Butler.

I'm Mr. Butler. You just

called me Mr. Garrett.

Whatever your name is. Get

the hell out of my house.

Yeah, hi. Uh, Milton High

School in San Francisco?

Hi. Is there a Mr. Garrett there?

Hello.

Hi, is this Mrs. Butler?

Yes.

Hi, this is Sam. I'm one

of Mr. Butler's students.

I just wanted to say that

I hope he's feeling better.

Sorry, "He's feeling better"?

Yeah. He's not in school today.

He told us he was sick.

Oh, uh, right. Well, um,

thanks for calling, Sam.

I'll let him know.

Okay. Thank you. Goodbye.

How was school today?

It was good.

Can you not take that at the table, please?

Oh, crap. I'll get it.

Thanks.

Hello?

Paul, yes, thanks for calling me back.

I know this is gonna

sound strange but I was...

Yeah. He is.

What are you doing?

Oh, I gotta go out for a few hours.

What? Are you kidding? Where are you going?

Uh, it's complicated, babe.

If I told you, you wouldn't

even believe me. Nobody does.

Okay, who are you talking to

right now? You're talking to me.

Can you please just

tell me what's going on?

Yeah. Oh, my God. I'm sorry. You're right.

I...

I have a student who's

trying to ruin me.

And I'm like, hanging on by a thread.

Okay. Okay.

If you're... if you're having difficulty

- with the stu...

- No. I'm not having

difficulty with the student,

okay? I can handle that.

This is different.

Well, I'm trying to understand

what the hell's happening.

You...

Why is a high school

student trying to ruin you?

Okay, I promise you, it'll make sense.

I just have to get proof, right,

and that's why I have to go.

Okay, let's just sit down

- and talk to...

- No, I can't.

Okay? I'm sorry. I'll

be back as soon as I can.

Lucas.

How was your day?

Fine.

Did I wake you, Father?

No, no. I was, uh, just resting my eyes.

I'm waiting to, uh, hear back

from some potential new clients.

Was somebody here earlier?

You like teaching, David?

I love teaching.

Yeah, me too, me too.

I was kind of a screwed up kid.

You know, I experimented

with drugs in high school.

I could've used a good teacher.

I could've used a mentor.

Hmm?

Kind of like me. I mean,

I rea... I... I really cared

about those kids.

I had Lucas in, uh, History class.

Advanced European.

He writes this paper on Nazi Germany.

About how perfection is an admirable goal.

It's just that Adolf's

methods were a little wrong.

Like really twisted stuff, you know.

Thank you.

So I gave him a B.

I don't think anything of it.

A little while later, this

old high school buddy calls me.

He needs a place to stay.

So I'm thinking, "Sure I can

give him a hand," you know.

Maybe I'll even help him get sober.

Later that week after class,

Lucas brings me that video tape.

- Video tape?

- Yeah.

Shot through the window of my house,

of me and my high school buddy.

You know, old habits.

Oh.

He says maybe I ought

to reconsider his grade,

or he can just show that

to the administration.

What did you do?

What do you think I did?

I gave him the A.

Oh.

Did he stop?

Yeah. By then he stopped.

Guess he's honest that way, right?

But I couldn't stop.

I started missing class, I

mean, I was falling apart.

I had to resign.

And it wasn't until a little

while after that that I found out.

He hunted down my friend, all right?

He paid him to call me.

Paid him to come to my house,

to knock me off the wagon.

I was eight years sober

when I met Lucas Ward.

Lucas is a kid.

I don't understand how I'm

getting bullied by a kid.

No, no. Bullies,

they hurt people to

make themselves feel big.

Lucas hurts people to get what he wants.

Lucas is not a bully.

Lucas is a psychopath.

Hey, buddy. How you doing?

Hey, Lucas.

Report card day already?

Okay. Uh, let's get started.

Mr. Butler.

Becca.

Wh...

Here, let me help you.

Oh, no, I got it.

Are you doing okay,

Mr. Butler?

You seem really stressed, lately.

No, it's...

nothing, I got, uh...

huh, I got a lot up on my plate.

- That's all.

- 'Cause that can be hard...

- Okay.

- ...when there's no one there to really listen.

Mm-hmm.

You know,

you can talk to me.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, I appreciate that.

I really do, but, I'm, er...

It's all good.

Is your mom coming to pick you up? Or...

What's this one?

Uh, okay. Very funny.

Seriously, can I

- call your...

- David.

Uh.

Can we be honest with each other?

- Becca.

- The tension...

If I have done anything or said anything...

You don't have to say a word, David.

- Uh, What are you doing?

- David,

- I know.

- You know what?

Shh.

I want you to open me like a book.

Becca. Becca! You have to go.

- Come on, David.

- "Mr. Butler."

Okay? I'm your teacher.

You're a child.

I'm... go!

Becca, get out of here.

Becca?

Are you sure Mr. Butler

is getting a divorce?

Yes.

Yes, I told you. I overheard

him speaking with his wife

in chess club the other day.

He said he was in love with someone else.

Did you wear the perfume I gave you?

Yes. I've done everything

you told me to do, Lucas.

So why did he just reject me? Why?

Oh, Becca.

Where are you right now?

I'm at school.

And I'm going home. This is

the worst night of my life.

No, no, no. Stay there.

We'll meet at our special spot, okay?

I just...

really thought he felt the same way.

I'm certain he does.

No.

I'm just a dumb little girl to him.

Don't say that.

You have so many mature

feelings and emotions.

You just have to show him.

Better yet,

put it

in a letter.

All the great romances of

literature start in a letter.

- Lucas, it's over.

- No.

It's not over.

You can't give up, Becca.

Yeah, and never give up on love.

Well,

what am I supposed to say?

Well, the goal is to get him to reply.

Open up a dialog.

Keep it short and sweet.

"Dear Mr. Butler,

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