Wadjda Page #4

MS. HUSSA

Thank you for your feelings, but

you know you are not supposed to

bring flowers to school.

Noura reddens. Ms. Hussa gives her back the flower then heads

over to the gate, not noticing the note falling to the

ground.

Wajda rushes over, picks the note up, stealthily looks at it,

laughs, sticks it in her vest pocket and hurries inside.

22 INT. CLASSROOM - DAY 22

Wajda enters. One girl cleans the blackboard while others

copy each other's homework.

ONE OF THE GIRLS

(to another girl)

Change the sentence a little, she

will know you copied it!

(noticing Wajda)

Here comes the salesgirl!

ANOTHER GIRL:

Hey Wajda, did you finish the

bracelets?

WAJDA:

Not all. I have only 10.

You have to pay 2 riyals extra.

It's a lot of work!

The girls gather as she hands out bracelets and collects

money.

WAJDA (CONT’D)

Quickly, I have to go!

23 EXT. SCHOOLYARD - DAY 23

Wajda is playing on the hopscotch grid. Noura raises her head

and looks off into the distance.

NOURA:

We need to go inside! Men are

watching us!

16.

All the girls look to where Noura is pointing. Wajda can

barely make out a group of construction workers atop a

building in the distance.

WAJDA:

They're so far away; they can't see

us from there.

NOURA:

If you can see them, they can see

you. Come on, all good girls are

going inside.

She smirks at Wajda as the girls all follow her in. Shamed,

Wajda thinks, then smiles and calls out.

WAJDA:

Hey Noura!

(pulls out the note)

"I love you, Ms. Hussa. You are

like the moon, my dream, my eyes,

and my heart!" Ha Ha!

Noura looks furiously at Wajda who waves the note in the air,

making kissing noises. She puts the note into her vest pocket

and tosses a rock onto the hop-scotch grid. Noura storms

inside.

Wajda looks up to see Fatin and Fatima pass by looking at a

magazine while walking towards the back of the school.

WAJDA (CONT’D)

Hey, you shouldn't be outside, men

can see you!

FATIN:

(sarcastically)

Men are watching? What a scandal!

They'll tell everyone they saw

Wajda al Safan playing

provocatively in the schoolyard.

They can't miss you, especially in

that sexy vest of yours.

She and Fatima smile and head over to Wajda.

FATIN (CONT’D)

So, what's the latest mix?

WAJDA:

(excited, like a salesman)

It's got everything, "Bink, get the

barty start…"

17.

FATIMA:

(laughing)

"Party."

WAJDA:

Whatever, "party." 10 riyals.

FATIN:

(laughing)

You little devil, I don't know

where you get this music from. I'll

get one later for sure. Hey, what

about bracelets? Look at this

gorgeous creature.

(holds up a picture of a

football player)

I want a bracelet of his team- Al

Hilal.

WAJDA:

(inspecting the picture)

No problem, I'll make you a special

one for tomorrow, but 10 riyals.

FATIN:

(patting her head)

Okay, tomorrow then, little

hustler.

WAJDA:

(smiling, pulling her head

away)

Don't mess my hair! And hey, you're

not supposed to bring magazines to

school! Ms. Hussa will kill you.

FATIN:

Look who's talking! Your bag is a

24 hour convenience store.

The three laugh and Wajda continues playing. Fatin and Fatima

sit just past the corner of the building. They pull out nail

polish from their pockets and start painting their toenails

blue, the magazine open next to them.

Wajda stops halfway through a leap on the hopscotch grid, her

left foot still elevated, as she sees Ms. Hussa approach.

The girls quickly rush inside, dropping the nail polish

bottle on the bench. Ms. Hussa turns to find Wajda alone,

staring at her.

18.

MS. HUSSA

What are you doing there?

Go to your class right now or

you'll be punished!

Wajda stares down at the ground and quickly follows Ms. Hussa

into the building. She sees the bottle of blue nail polish,

scoops it up and hurries off.

24 EXT. INSIDE THE FRONT GATE OF THE SCHOOL - LATER 24

Ms. Hussa stands in front of the gate, examining the girls as

they pass. She stops one girl with a "Titanic" backpack.

25 INT. SCHOOL CORRIDOR - DAY 25

Wajda’s about to leave when an older girl, ABER, pulls her

aside and whispers to her.

ABEER:

Can you take this paper out to my

brother?

WAJDA:

(suspiciously)

What is this?

ABEER:

Shh! It’s a… permission slip to

pick me up from school.

Wajda glances over at Ms. Hussa, concerned.

ABEER (CONT’D)

(whispering, but adamant)

I'll give you 10 riyals!

Wajda looks back at Ms. Hussa, then at Abeer.

WAJDA:

20.

Abeer sighs, gives her some money and the note.

ABEER:

He's outside on the corner in a

pickup truck.

Wajda goes out cautiously, trying to act casual.

19.

26 EXT. INSIDE THE FRONT GATE OF THE SCHOOL - DAY 26

Ms. Hussa scolds the backpack girl, who anxiously watches the

bus fill up.

MS. HUSSA

…And change your bag, images are

forbidden!

BACKPACK GIRL:

(running towards the bus)

Okay, okay, Inshallah. I've got to

catch the bus!

Ms. Hussa turns just as Wajda’s about to leave through the

gate.

MS. HUSSA

Wajda!

She tries to hide the paper in her bag and heads over.

Ms. Hussa pauses, looks at Wajda, then over to Abeer. Abeer

pulls her veil quickly over her face and turns away. Ms.

Hussa squints down at Wajda, studying her.

MS. HUSSA (CONT’D)

Come with an abbayah like this

tomorrow or we will reserve your

place in the sun for you. Here.

She hands Wajda a pamphlet with a picture of a black figure

on the front. Wajda takes it and hurries off.

27 EXT. FRONT OF THE SCHOOL - DAY 27

Wajda passes by the school bus, overflowing with girls, and

sees a handsome YOUNG MAN, (20’s), by a pickup truck,

waiting.

WAJDA:

Are you Abeer's brother?

YOUNG MAN:

(smiling)

Yeah sure, I'm her brother. Have

you got the paper?

WAJDA:

(holding it out)

Yeah, she said you'd give me 20

riyals to deliver it.

20.

YOUNG MAN:

(skeptically)

Really? Hmmm.

WAJDA:

(haughtily)

You don't look like her brother!

YOUNG MAN:

(laughing)

Okay, okay here's 20.

Wajda takes the money and sniffs it, making a funny face.

WAJDA:

Even your money reeks of perfume!

I'll have to wash it.

He tries to suppress a smile, dismisses her with a wave, and

gets in his car. He drives around in front of the gate.

GUARD (V.O.)

Abeer Rassi come to the gate. Your

ride is here to pick you up.

28 EXT. STREET IN FRONT OF THE TOY SHOP - DAY 28

Wajda sees the green bicycle glimmering in the afternoon sun

and stops in awe.

As The Owner comes out, Wajda licks her finger and rubs an

"X" on the bicycle, claiming it. Her face beams with

happiness.

WAJDA:

(indicating her “X”)

Don't sell this one. I reserved it!

The Owner uses his sleeve to rub the bicycle clean where she

touched it.

He looks down at her with a glimmer in his eyes.

THE CALL FOR DHUHUR PRAYER interrupts the moment. He covers

his goods with a big black blanket. Wajda watches as the

blanket falls over her bicycle.

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