Senior Year Page #5

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going to be a year full of

surprises?

FADE IN:

27.

INT. HARDING HIGH - MATH CLASS - DAY

Two dozen bored to death teenagers look up at Principal Smith

from their desks.

PRINCIPAL SMITH:

Well here’s one - your new

classmate, Ruby Sue Conway. She’s

older than my wife. Make her feel

at home...

He leaves Ruby Sue standing in front of the class by herself.

All eyes on her. She owns the moment.

RUBY SUE:

Sup? I’m Ruby Sue. Here’s the 411.

I like Dave Mathews and Jamiroquai.

I’m good at field hockey, cheer

leading and anything I put my mind

to. I don’t like losers, back

stabbers or bad perms. Thanks.

The math teacher, MR. PATEL, stands up. He’s got a really

tight perm on his head. Clearing his throat...

MR. PATEL

Thank you, Ruby Sue. I’m also a fan

of Jamiroquai. Please have a seat.

He motions toward an empty seat in the front.

INT. HARDING HIGH - HALLWAY - DAY

Ruby Sue sashays through the crowded hallway, leaving

whispers and murmurs in her path.

TEENAGE BOY (O.S.)

She’s older than my mom.

TEENAGE GIRL:

I heard she was frozen.

TEENAGE GIRL 2 (O.S.)

O.M.G. Look at her outfit. Are

those pleats?

TEENAGE BOY 2

Whatever. I’d still hit.

Suddenly, Ruby Sue stops dead in her tracks in front of a

wall of photographs. Everything else fades away. Like a

beacon calling her, she approaches the row of framed

pictures:
every year’s Prom Court.

28.

Tunnel vision on... 1997

Tiffany Baxter and Blaine Barnes, smiling at the camera.

MALE VOICE (O.S.)

That shoulda been us.

Ruby Sue snaps out of it. She’s alone in the hallway with

SETH NOVACELIK, now 37, dressed like a teacher.

RUBY SUE:

I’m sorry? Do I know you?

He takes his glasses off. Gives her a “how about now” pose.

SETH:

Nothing?

RUBY SUE:

Look. I have a pass. OK? I just

don’t have it on me.

SETH:

It’s Seth! From chemistry class...

Drawing a blank, Ruby Sue searches her mind for a match.

SETH (CONT’D)

Your boyfriend threw me in the

crevasse. We laughed about it.

RUBY SUE:

Ohhh. Right. Yeah...

SETH:

I’m a teacher now. Chemistry. Go

figure, huh? Matter-a-fact, you’re

in my eighth period class.

RUBY SUE:

Oooh. I don’t think I’m gonna make

that one, teach.

(whispers)

Girl stuff.

SETH:

Yeah, no that’s cool. I get it.

He leans against the lockers, tilting his head down.

SETH (CONT’D)

Actually starting a new chapter in

my life too. Just got outta rehab.

(MORE)

29.

SETH (CONT’D)

(beat)

Not for drugs.

Clearly reading off the notes he scribbled on his hand...

SETH (CONT’D)

The reason you woke up from that

coma is standing right in front of

you. Because now I’m ready. Ready

to ask you what I’ve been asking

myself for the last 20 years.

He lifts his head. The hallway is empty. She’s gone.

SETH (CONT’D)

Me and You.

(trailing off)

Why not?

He sees her turning the corner in the distance. On the wall

in front of him, he notices - an empty space where the

picture from 1997 was.

INT. CAFETERIA - LUNCH TIME

Ruby Sue enters. Suddenly a hundred talking teenagers become

silent. A fork drops. Everyone hears it. After a beat she

confidently marches toward the...

COOL TABLE:

Ruby Sue reaches for her old seat. BRITTANY (17), the new

queen bee, plops a bag down so she can’t sit in it.

RUBY SUE:

Can you move that hideous bag so I

can sit in my seat? Thanks.

BRITTANY:

Uh... I know this is a senior

table, but I mean... seriously?

The cool kids at the table snicker and laugh.

RUBY SUE:

Seriously what? That’s my seat.

BRITTANY:

Wake up call, lady. This bag

belongs here more than you do.

LANCE:

You just got owned!

30.

LANCE (17), the coolest boy in school spreads high fives

around the table.

RUBY SUE:

Is that like getting dissed? Did I

get dissed? Did you just diss me?

Brittany stands up, gets in Ruby’s face.

BRITTANY:

Let me tell you how this works.

This is where the hottest haps

trend, therefore where the coolest

peeps hang. So go back to whatever

cryogenic chamber you crawled out

of because you’re not on this

level. Two fingers. You’re out!

Brittany flashes a sideways peace sign to cheers from her

table. Ruby Sue awkwardly turns and faces the rest of the

cafeteria. It looks different, suddenly terrifying.

She makes the long, slow walk to the other side. Students at

every table follow Brittany’s trend, moving their bags onto

empty seats so she can’t sit down.

She reaches the end of the line, finds herself staring at...

THE NERD TABLE:

Ruby Sue plops down in a seat, feeling humiliated.

RUBY SUE:

What the hell happened to this

place? It used to be awesome.

TIM (16), a skinny boy with a mouthful of braces, speaks with

a cracked, pubescent voice.

TIM:

Nobody wants to sit with you

because you’re 40.

An ASIAN GIRL (16) with bloodshot eyes, clearly high...

ASIAN GIRL:

This lady’s a narc. I know one when

I see one.

RUBY SUE:

I’m not a narc, you nerd!

31.

ASIAN GIRL:

Yeah, well only nerds sit at this

table so if you’re not a narc...

RUBY SUE:

First off, I’m not 40. OK? And I’m

not a f***ing...

SPLAT! A blob of mashed potatoes lands on her face. Lance,

Brittany and the cool kids high five across the cafeteria.

RUBY SUE (CONT’D)

(realizing)

I’m a nerd.

TIM:

Welcome to reality. I’m Tim.

A big kid, LIONEL (17) extends some napkins so she can wipe

the mashed potatoes off her face.

RUBY SUE:

Thanks.

TIM:

This is Lionel. It takes him a few

years to warm up to you.

Lionel lowers his head, averting eye contact.

ASIAN GIRL:

Way to go. You just made enemies

with Brittany. She’s the biggest

b*tch in school.

TIM:

She throws the best parties though.

ASIAN GIRL:

How would you know?

TIM:

Because I heard! Anyway she’s

really hot so nobody hates her.

ASIAN GIRL:

I hate her.

RUBY SUE:

Why? What’d she do to you?

ASIAN GIRL:

Nothing. She’s just a b*tch.

32.

TIM:

She makes fun of Ruby Suh. A lot.

RUBY SUE:

Wait, who, what?

ASIAN GIRL:

She makes fun of me, OK. Geez!

RUBY SUE:

Yeah, I get that part, but what did

he say your name was? Because it

sounded like...

ASIAN GIRL:

Ruby Suh.

RUBY SUE:

OK. That’s not gonna fly. You need

a new name. She needs a new name.

TIM:

Why? Her last name is Suh. With an

H. You’re Ruby Sue. With an E.

RUBY SUE:

I don’t care how she spells it.

We’re pitching new names for her.

Everybody. Come on. Let’s hear ‘em.

Ruby Sue takes out a pad and pencil.

RUBY SUE (CONT’D)

Now I’m glad I sat here because

this kind of thing needs to get

nipped in the bud right away.

TIM:

Janet!

Ruby Sue writes it down.

ASIAN GIRL:

I’m so confused right now.

She squeezes her head with her hands.

RUBY SUE:

Let me clear it up for you. Your

new name is Janet. Deal with it.

She tears off the page, hands it to the newly named - Janet.

33.

JANET:

I feel like I should argue with

you, but I’m really high right now

so... whatever.

An awkward beat passes.

TIM:

Um... Janet, are you gonna finish

those fries?

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