The Fault in Our Stars Page #5

INT GUS'S CAR - LATER

Hazel is terrified. Turns out, Gus is the world's worst

driver. When he brakes, her body flies forward against the

seatbelt. And when he hits the gas, seconds later, her neck

snaps back in the seat. Gus sees the look on her face.

GUS:

I failed the test a couple times.

HAZEL:

You don't say.

GUS:

Most amputees can drive with no

problem but... yeah. Not me.

HAZEL:

I'm surprised you have a license.

GUS:

Tell me about it!

Another brake forces Hazel against the seat belt.

GUS:

The fourth time I took the test...

it was going about how this is

going... and when it was over, the

instructor looks at me and goes,

"your driving, while unpleasant...

is not technically unsafe."

HAZEL:

Aha. Cancer perk.

GUS:

Total cancer perk.

A few beats of silence.

GUS:

So what happened to you?

Hazel takes a deep breath. She's told this story before but

somehow this seems different.

17.

HAZEL:

I was 13 when they found it.

And as she speaks, we see it unfold. SMASH CUT TO:

INT HOSPITAL BED - FLASHBACK

13-YEAR OLD HAZEL has a biopsy.

HAZEL (V.O.)

Stage IV thyroid cancer.

INT OPERATING ROOM - FLASHBACK

13-YEAR OLD HAZEL on the operating table. It's a nightmare.

HAZEL (V.O.)

I had surgery first.

INT SEVERAL MORE HOSPITAL ROOMS - FLASHBACK

This poor little girl is taking a beating. And it's just

getting started.

- Radiation treatment.

HAZEL (V.O.)

Then Radiation...

- Having her head shaved by Frannie.

HAZEL (V.O.)

Then Chemo...

- With a PICC line in a chemo chair.

HAZEL (V.O.)

All of which worked for a while.

- A RADIOLOGIST looks at an X-ray. He's not pleased.

HAZEL (V.O.)

And then stopped working.

- 14-Year Old Hazel lies in bed, struggling to breathe.

Frannie runs her fingers through her hair. Dad calls 9-1-1.

HAZEL (V.O.)

And then my lungs started filling

up with water.

- In the ICU, her parents standing over her.

HAZEL (V.O.)

That should have been the end.

18.

FRANNIE:

(through the tears)

Are you ready, sweetie?

14-Year Old Hazel nods. Michael can't keep it together any

longer. He completely breaks down.

HAZEL (V.O.)

But it wasn't.

INT ICU - THE NEXT MORNING

The sun shines in the room. 14-year old Hazel eats ice chips,

the color has returned to her cheeks.

HAZEL (V.O.)

The antibiotics kicked in. They

drained the fluid from my lungs.

And in time I got better. Stronger.

INT YET ANOTHER HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY

Slightly older Hazel is getting more intravenous medication.

It's never ending.

HAZEL (V.O.)

I even found myself in an

experimental trial. You know the

ones that are famous in the

Republic of Cancervania for not

working.

- A SECOND RADIOLOGIST examines a second X-ray.

HAZEL (V.O.)

It's called Phalanxifor. Didn't

work in over 70 percent of patients

but, for some reason...

The Radiologist looks surprised.

HAZEL (V.O.)

...it worked in me. They called it

"The Miracle."

And finally, BACK TO:

INT GUS'S CAR - SAME

Gus has one eye on the road, the other on Hazel. He was

impressed with her before. He's totally dazzled now.

HAZEL:

Tumors shrank, my mets have hardly

grown since...

(MORE)

19.

HAZEL (CONT'D)

Of course my lungs still suck but,

theoretically, they could continue

to suck in just this way for, I

dunno, a while maybe.

GUS:

Wow.

HAZEL:

Yeah.

GUS:

So are you back in school or...?

HAZEL:

Can't.

GUS:

Why not?

HAZEL:

Got my GED.

GUS:

A college girl! Well that explains

the aura of sophistication...

He smiles at her. She smiles back. Shoves his upper arm

playfully. They're easing into each other.

Eventually Gus's car pulls into his driveway.

GUS:

We're here.

He's as good at parking as he is at driving. CUT TO:

EXT/INT GUS'S HOUSE - SAME

Hazel follows Gus inside. She quickly notices all sorts of

engraved plaques and framed signs with phrases like "Home is

Where the Heart Is" and "True Love is Born from Hard Times."

Hazel looks at Gus quizzically.

GUS:

My parents call them

"encouragements."

(rolling his eyes)

Don't ask.

Gus's MOM and DAD (40s) are in the kitchen making dinner.

GUS:

Hey guys.

GUS'S MOM

Augustus, hi. New friend?

20.

Gus's parents don't seem surprised to see Gus with some

random girl in their house. Hazel takes note of that.

GUS:

This is Hazel Grace.

HAZEL:

It's just... Hazel.

GUS'S DAD

How's it going, Just Hazel?

GUS:

(ABRUPTLY)

Downstairs if you need us!

Gus drags Hazel to the next room. As she's pulled:

HAZEL:

Nice to meet you!

They walk down the carpeted stairs - Gus having an easier

time with his one leg than Hazel is with her oxygen tank and

weak lungs.

Eventually they arrive at Gus's basement bedroom. There's a

TV with a video game console, a few band posters, and a whole

host of basketball memorabilia (autographed sneakers, school

trophies, framed images etc.) Gus sees her looking at them.

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