Wonder Page #3

who cares to know you

will see that.

They won't even talk to me.

It matters

that I look different.

I try to pretend

that it doesn't, but it does.

I know.

Is it always gonna matter?

I don't know.

Honey, listen...

Look at me.

We all have marks on our face.

I have this wrinkle here

from your first surgery.

I have these wrinkles here

from your last surgery.

This is the map that shows us

where we're going.

And this is the map that

shows us where we've been.

And it's never ever ugly.

But what about your gray hair?

(CHUCKLING SOFTLY)

That's compliments

of your dad, I think.

(CHUCKLES)

And as though we summoned him.

(CHUCKLES)

AUGGIE:
How was your day?

My day is really good

right now.

So they went to Florida,

where Gollum

was living in Miami. And...

Oh, you know what it is?

Daddy doesn't have

his glasses on.

You're making this up.

(ALL LAUGHING)

VIA:
August is the sun.

My mom and dad and me

are planets orbiting the sun.

But I love my brother

and I'm used to the way

this universe works.

My mom says

that on my fourth birthday

I wished for a little brother.

And when he was born,

it only took me a few seconds

and I was all over him.

Can you hear me?

If they stare, let them stare.

You can't blend in

when you were born

to stand out.

I've never asked my mom

for help with my homework.

I never needed my dad

to remind me

to study for a test.

I just did most of my studying

in waiting rooms

and hospitals.

Mom and Dad would always say

I was the most understanding

girl in the world.

I don't know about that.

I just knew my family

couldn't take one more thing.

I know my family loves me,

but ever since

my grandma died,

my best friend Miranda

is the only person

who knows me.

Miranda!

Wow. Look at you.

Hey, Via.

I've texted you,

like, 1,000 times.

When'd you get back from camp?

Two weeks ago.

Two weeks?

Sorry, it's been crazy.

You know?

Yeah, no, that's okay.

What'd you do to your hair?

Do you like it?

Yeah. Yeah. It looks wild.

Just trying something

different, you know.

I'll catch you later.

Hey, Ella.

Hey.

(SIGHS)

Thinking about signing up?

For what?

The drama club.

They study theatre in the fall

and do a play in the spring.

Um...

No, not really.

I'm not a theatre nerd.

(CHUCKLES) Well,

that's too bad. I am.

I'm Justin by the way.

Sorry, that was...

That was rude. Um...

I'm Via. Olivia.

First days suck, don't they?

(SIGHS) Yeah. Yeah, they do.

My mom tried to walk me here

from the subway.

I literally had to ditch her

at the traffic light.

My mom still doesn't think

I can use a MetroCard.

You an only child, too?

Yeah. Yeah.

They never listen.

This one time I told my mom

I wanted to take

guitar lessons

and play like Jimi Hendrix.

What happened?

(CHUCKLES)

Well it was nice to meet you,

Via. Olivia.

Yeah. It was nice to meet you,

too, Justin.

Maybe, I'll see you around.

Though not onstage, clearly.

(KNOCK ON DOOR)

Come in.

Good night, honey.

Where's Mom?

She fell asleep.

Oh. Okay.

How's Auggie?

(SIGHS)

There's some bully, you know.

How was your first day?

It was... It was really good.

It was good?

Yeah.

Say hi to Miranda for us.

I will.

Sweet dreams.

Good night.

(DOOR CLOSES)

(SIGHS)

VIA:
My mom put her life

on hold for my brother.

She always wanted to be

a children's book illustrator

and teach art.

She was one thesis shy

of getting her master's

when Auggie was born.

Then she stopped writing it.

She stopped a lot of things

when Auggie was born.

But she is still great

at drawing.

I don't know

if she even realizes that

she makes Auggie the center

of every universe she draws.

Miranda used to joke that

my house was like the Earth.

It revolved around the son.

Not the daughter.

That doesn't change the fact

that my mother

has a great eye.

I just wish that one time,

she would use it

to look at me.

MR. DAVENPORT:

Yeah, good job, good job.

Miranda?

Via? What are you doing here?

Just trying something new.

You?

Uh, same.

MR. DAVENPORT:
All right,

everybody, let's go!

Bring it in! Bring it in,

people, let's go!

Everybody, hands up!

Reach high! And...

(FLAPPING LIPS)

(ALL FLAPPING LIPS)

Guys, can you please...

(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)

Okay. You... You guys, skooch.

Sit. Just be closer.

Ladies and Gentlemen.

Stay. Stay, good.

Hey, hey. What's your name?

Auggie.

Nice boots.

Great. Thanks.

Okay, everybody, here we go.

We're skooching

and say "Cheese."

ALL:
Cheese!

AUGGIE:
School became...

Well, I got used to it.

Except for dodgeball.

What evil man

invented dodgeball?

But my least favorite zone

at school is courtyard.

Because

the whole school's there.

No one does anything mean.

Or says anything. Or laughs.

They all just look,

then look away,

then look back.

They're just being

normal kids.

I kinda wanna tell them, "Hey,

I know I look weird,

but it's okay."

I mean, if Chewbacca started

going to school here one day,

I'd probably stare at him

a bit, too.

(CHEWBACCA GRUNTING)

I'm sorry if my staring

made you feel weird.

(GRUNTING)

In order for any of us to see,

we need light.

So right now light is

bouncing off this card

traveling through the air,

through the glass,

to your eye.

But what if we added water?

ALL:
Whoa!

(CHUCKLES)

Any time light passes

from one material or medium

to another, it bends.

This bending of light

is also known as...

Refraction.

Very good, Auggie.

Jack, you okay?

Yeah, yeah, refraction.

Good. Clear your desks.

Pop quiz.

(ALL GROANING)

(WHISPERS) Hurry.

(KIDS CHATTERING)

Hey, Jack, come sit here.

In a sec.

Where's he goin'?

Hey.

Thanks for your help today.

And don't worry,

I got a couple wrong

so Ms. Petosa wouldn't know.

I'm not worried. The worst

they can do is kick me out.

Not loving school either, huh?

Oh, it's great.

(CHUCKLES) I wanted to go

to Wayne Middle.

The one

with the great sports teams.

Then why'd you come here?

They gave me the scholarship.

Well, if you need help

in science,

you can come to my house

after school.

You know, if you want.

Great. Thanks!

What's wrong?

I just don't like eating

in front of people.

What do you mean?

It's a long story,

but when I eat,

I think I chew like

some prehistoric swamp turtle.

No joke? Me too!

(BOTH LAUGHING)

AUGGIE:
Now there's tuna

on your face.

Yeah! Tuna, man!

No, no, no, let me show you

how it's done.

(CHUCKLES)

(MIMICS CHOMPING)

(BOTH CHUCKLING)

Dude, that's even more gross.

I'm going as Boba Fett

this year.

I like Halloween,

but Christmas

is still the best holiday.

AUGGIE:
No way.

Halloween is the best.

A pillowcase of candy versus

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