(JULIE and HANA are sitting in a booth at a diner-style restaurant. HANA is eating slowly, as if reluctant to do so. She appears absorbed in what JULIE is saying.)

HANA

No, no, I'm not jealous, just… well, jealous, I guess.

(JULIE laughs.)

But not, like, at you. I just wish I could find something like that.

JULIE

Oh, I'm sure 'Mr. right' will wander in eventually.

HANA

Umm… Julie, can I tell you something?

JULIE

Yeah, sure. Hey, remember to eat!

HANA

Oh, yeah. But, umm, 'Mr. Right' is never going to come along for me.

JULIE

Oh, don't think like that-

HANA

No, it's not like that. It's, it's, well, I'm, umm… (Switches over to sit directly next to JULIE, and lowers her voice) Julie, it's less a 'Mr. Right', and more of a 'Ms. Right'. D'you understand what I mean?

JULIE

Yeah. Okay.

HANA

Are we- can we still be- friends?

JULIE

Yeah. Just don't let me catch you checking me out, cause I am taken, girlfriend!

HANA

(Nervous laugh) well, you're not really my type, anyway.

JULIE

And what is your type, exactly?

HANA

Hot. (grins mischievously)

JULIE

(Faux- outrage) And that's not me?

HANA

Well, Kyle obviously seems to think so, from what you were just telling me…

JULIE

Are you avoiding the question?

HANA

Why yes I am! But seriously, are we still friends?

JULIE

Absolutely. Just cause you're in the market for something different than me doesn't mean you're any different than you were before.

HANA

Thanks. You don't know what a relief that is to me.

JULIE

Oh, you're welcome. I am a rather wonderful person like that. Is there anybody at school you've been crushing on?

HANA

No, not really.

JULIE

Hmmm… girlfriend, we have got to get you a girlfriend!

(End scene.)

(MAX and HENRY are at a coffee shop, talking in a corner. MAX looks dishelmed and miserable. HENRY looks concerned.)

MAX

I feel like such a bastard.

HENRY

Yeah. I didn't think that- this! Would happen.

MAX

Fuck. I shouldn't have yelled at her like that. I should have known somebody would hear. Now the whole damn school hates her. I- fuck, I'm such a god-dammed idiot.

HENRY

Yeah. Hate to say it, but you are a dick, looking back on it.

MAX

I- Should I apologize to her?

HENRY

What, d'you think a sorry and a hug is going to make this all better? Did you see what was on her locker?

MAX

Don't remind me. Once is enough.

HENRY

Or what's happened to her Facebook page? Or every time classes change?

MAX

Alright! I get the fucking picture!

HENRY

God, don't get all pissy at me. I'm not the one that humiliated her in front of the entire school.

MAX

Entire school? I would have sworn we were alone. How did I- Christ, what did I do to her? I didn't mean to, I never meant for it to go like this- I- Christ.

(Enter JULIE and KYLE. She is carrying a notebook, with papers and such sticking out erratically. They are working on a project. Sitting down, JULIE says-)

JULIE

Okay, all of it looks good except for this part here. What is 'the patterns of historiological change in reference to the theory of class thought show a direct effect on the ideals of the upper-class revolutionary' supposed to mean? You do know this is a project on Marxism, right?

KYLE

Well… Marx used a lot of big words, so I figured I could imitate him!

JULIE

Historiological?

KYLE

I was imitating Marx in his use of large, incomprehensible words.

JULIE

Uh-huh.

KYLE

Okay, you write something better.

JULIE

Oh, no! you fix your screw ups.

KYLE

Hmm—hmm—hmm. Okay…

(Writes. Distractedly, he starts talking-)

KYLE

Hey, you're friends with that Valentine girl, right?

JULIE

Yeah.

KYLE

Isn't she kind of a whore?

JULIE

No! Those stupid rumors are complete bullshit.

KYLE

Okay, just wondering. I mean, she just seemed kind of bent up about it these past few days.

JULIE

Wouldn't you be?

KYLE

I guess…

JULIE

God, it really sucks, cause she's really shy and everything- did you know she transferred schools cause this same thing happened to her all through middle school?

KYLE

No, I didn't… Could we talk about something else?

JULIE

Okay. You alright?

KYLE

Yeah, yeah, it's just… I feel sorry for her.

JULIE

I know. I wish I could do something… she hasn't talked to any of us in, like, a week.

KYLE

Yeah…

JULIE

Well, what have you written? This isn't any better than before!

(End scene)

(VALENTINE is alone in her room, reading. Her eyes are red, indicating she has just been recently crying. Her laptop is open, on her desk, to Facebook. A series of messages are visible, but the words are not. A knock sounds on her closed door.)

VALENTINE

Come in.

(BEN enters.)

BEN

Dad home yet?

VALENTINE

Is it before 9?

BEN

Fair point. Something happen? Not to be rude-

VALENTINE

Yet that is exactly what you are-

BEN

But you seem- ah- irritable.

VALENTINE

Just a little.

BEN

So what's up?

VALENTINE

You're the little brother. Aren't I supposed to ask you that?

BEN

Sometimes. Or sometimes I get to take care of you.

VALENTINE

I don't think this is something you can really help with.

BEN

Really? I doubt that.

VALENTINE

I don't. Look at the computer.

(BEN walks over and sits down at the desk. As he slowly reads through the messages, a look of growing incomprehension, then outrage plays across his face [if the actor feels it is necessary, he can mouth/read aloud improvised fragments of the messages]. BEN walks over and sits by VALENTINE.)

BEN

What the hell was all that about?

VALENTINE

I don't even know. I don't- I don't know.

BEN

Well, you could always just get a boyfriend and stay with him!

VALENTINE

Yeah. That worked well last time. (At BEN's puzzled look) He broke up with me when all this started.

BEN

Wait- how long has this been going on?

VALENTINE

About two weeks.

BEN

And you haven't told me anything?

VALENTINE

There's nothing you can do- I didn't want to worry you.

BEN

Yeah, just leaving me in the dark about why you've been so fucking depressed was a much better idea.

VALENTINE

Oh, not you too. Look, if you want to just yell at me for something that's not even my fault, go ahead. But just don't sit there and act like you're trying to help while you're at it!

BEN

(Standing up) fine. I guess I'll be going now. Bye, sis.

(Exits, slamming the door on the way out.)

VALENTINE

Wait- fuck. (Turns over and starts sobbing into the pillow as-)

(End scene)

(A school hallway. VALENTINE is walking along a row of lockers, looking cowed and cautious. As a group of guys – possibly wearing jerseys? – pass, one garbs at her chest. She reflexively pulls away, and as they walk past, one taunts-)

BOY

What, is today your day off, whore? (Laughs)

(She turns away, bent over slightly, protectively. Walks into a class. As she passes an obvious couple-)

GIRL

Ooh, better watch out- the tramp might try and steal you.

BOY [2]

Hey, maybe if you loosened u a little…

(GIRL giggles. VALENTINE sits down in the rear corner of the class. The teacher begins lecturing for a few minutes, until over the PA-)

MABEL [VO]

Would Miss Valentine Anthony come to the office?

BOY [3]

They could have just asked for the slut to come from the office…

TEACHER

(Bored, disinterestedly) negative comment will not be tolerated in this class.

(VALENTINE gets up and walks to the office. As she navigates the hallways, he body language indicates she is trying to control herself. She sits in a waiting room until MABEL motions her in to see the PRINCIPAL, her FATHER, and BEN. She sits beside BEN, and hisses in his ear-)

VALENTINE

What's going on.

BEN

You said there wasn't anything I could do. This is me trying to contradict you.

PRINCIPAL

Miss Anthony, I was contacted this morning by your father, who said he had received reports of harassment of yourself at this school he went on to state that this behavior was something that had also occurred to you before you transferred here. Is this true?

BEN

Sure is.

PRINCIPAL

I asked the young lady- why are you even here?

BEN

Because I care about my sister… and I get out of class.

(They glare at each other, before the PRINCIPAL returns to looking at VALENTINE.)

VALENTINE

(in a very small voice) yes, sir.

PRINCIPAL

Well, this school is a bullying-free zone (at this, BEN snorts loudly) and I deal with all complaints of this nature very seriously. I will be calling an assembly at some point this week to discuss and discourage bullying, and I would like to meet with each of the people responsible.

VALENTINE

(mutters something inaudible)

PRINCIPAL

What was that?

VALENTINE

Umm… Pretty much everyone in school has said something…

PRINCIPAL

Well, I'm not really sure I can deal with something on that level…

BEN

Then what's the point of all this? You can say 'well, I did something' in front of the superintendent?

PRINCIPAL

Young man, I suggest you keep better control of your emotions. I'm sorry to have to put it like this, but with Miss Anthony's record-

BEN

What do you mean, record?

PRINCIPAL

Look, if she was a target for peers' mockeries at her last school, and now here, rely, the only common denominator is, well, her.

BEN

Are you saying this is her fault?

PRINCIPAL

I am suggesting she change her own behavior before wasting the school's time!

BEN

This is bullshit. C'mon, we're going.

(He pulls up his FATHER, who has been completely checked out this whole time. They leave. VALENTINE is left alone with the PRINCIPAL.)

PRINCIPAL

Well, I've said all I will on the subject. Would you like to add anything?

VALENTINE

No, sir. Can I go now?

PRINCIPAL

Yes, I suppose.

(She scurries out.)

(HANA is with another girl – MARIA. They are resting on a bench, holding hands. They are clearly a couple.)

MARIA

Love, do you want to do anything today, or are we just sitting here all day?

HANA

Mmm… I like sitting here (Snuggles up against MARIA)

MARIA

Love, there are people around!

HANA

So?

MARIA

It's not decent!

HANA

Oh, fine. You're no fun. Maybe we could go see a movie?

MARIA

I like that idea. It's all nice and dark there…

HANA

Mm…

MARIA

Hey, how's it going with the whole anorexia thing?

HANA

Better, much better.

MARIA

Enough that you could eat… say… me?

HANA

Mm… I think I could manage that…

(Laugh)

(End scene)

(HANA and MARIA are in a bed- suffice it to say that the coverings are necessary. [We can clothe the actresses underneath, but for what the camera can see, they are naked]. They are giggling and smiling, etc. An opening door is heard. They instantly freeze, and 'oh shit' expression on their faces.)

HANA

I thought you mom wouldn't be home until tonight!

MARIA

She wasn't supposed to be!

HANA

Is there a back way out?

MARIA

No!

HANA

Shit!

MARIA

Yeah… quick, put on some clothes!

HANA

Yeah, yeah!

[The camera will film only their faces, so as to avoid any immodesty]

(They are dressing, as-)

MARIA

Hana?

HANA

Yeah?

MARIA

You know, there's really only one reason you'd be over here-

HANA

Yeah…

MARIA

How do you want to explain it?

HANA

However you want, honey. She's your mother.

MARIA

Umm… well this'll be interesting!

MOTHER [Offscreen voice]

Maria, is that you?

MARIA

Yeah! I'll be right down- there's something I need to talk to you about!

MOTHER

Okay…

(The two girls scamper down the stairs, and nearly run into the MOTHER, who is carting in groceries.)

MARIA

Oh! Sorry.

MOTHER

That's fine. Here, can you take this?

MARIA

Sure.

HANA

(Coming around from behind MARIA) Let me help wit this…

MOTHER

Oh, thank you. Ah, who is this?

MARIA

Here, let's set this stuff down, then we can talk.

MOTHER

(Confused) Alright…

(They set the groceries down in the kitchen, and then MARIA leads them all into the living room. MOTHER is seated in a recliner across from the girls, who are rather close, in a love seat.)

MARIA

Mom, I've ah, I want to tell you that me and Hana-

MOTHER

Well, at least I know your name now! Nice to meet you.

(HANA gives a wan smile- she is obviously keyed up to a high degree)

MARIA

Well, Hana's my… um…

HANA

Girlfriend! (Seems shocked at her own forwardness)

MARIA

Yeah. I'd wanted to tell you I was a- lesbian for a while now, but I was just so nervous…

MOTHER

Oh, there was nothing to be worried about! I'm just happy I don't have to tell you not to get pregnant! But really, I'm happy for you. Are y'all… out? ... With your friends?

HANA

Some.

MOTHER

Alright. Well, I certainly won't ask why you're home when I wasn't, and Maria's shirt is on backwards!

(Deep blush from the girls)

Well, I have more errands to run. Y'all be okay here?

MARIA

(Small voice, still embarrassed.) Yeah.

MOTHER

Well, I'll leave you two lovebirds, to, ah… pick up where you left off. (Exits the house.)

(The girls are silent for a moment. They look at each other, and burst out laughing, hysterically.)

MARIA

Well… d'you want to ah… pick up where we left off?

HANA

I think that sounds wonderful.

(End scene)

(VALENTINE is with JULIE in a school bathroom. She is sobbing heavily.)

JULIE

Hey, hey, it's okay, it'll be alright… don't worry.

VALENTINE

No, it's not okay… I can't, I can't deal with this anymore. It's too much.

JULIE

It's just a few idiots- it'll die down eventually…

VALENTINE

No, it won't. It never goes away. It never stops. It's not a few people, it's everyone… this is hopeless.

JULIE

It's not hopeless. You have plenty of friends…

VALENTINE

Not true.

JULIE

It is! There's me, and Hana, and Maria, and you brother…

VALENTINE

Compared to everyone else…

JULIE

Well…

VALENTINE

You damn well it's true.

JULIE

I guess.

(Ring bell)

VALENTINE

Go- you have a class.

JULIE

Are you sure you're going to be okay?

VALENTINE

Yeah, yeah, I'll make it.

JULIE

Okay…

(JULIE exits. VALENTINE watches her go, then lets her head drop back and hit the wall-none too gently.)

VALENTINE

Fuck my life.

(End scene)

(A school hallway. JULIE is waiting outside a door to a classroom. MAX, with some friends, appears and walks towards the door. Galvanized, she walks briskly towards him.)

JULIE

Hey.

MAX

Umm… hi?

JULIE

We need to talk.

MAX

Okay?

(She forcibly leads him away from his friends into the deserted gym.)

Umm… why are we skipping class to talk about something. I know I'm incredibly good looking, but I don't think now is the time… (the joke dies at delivery) Okay, now I'm worried. What's going on?

JULIE

I want to know why you're making my friend's life a hell on earth.

MAX

Valentine? I… I was angry at her, so I said some stuff I shouldn't have, and I guess somebody overheard me… it just got out of control.

JULIE

Why, why oh why would you be mad enough to call her an ugly slut?

MAX

I uh… I had heard that she had fucked another guy at a party I invited her to as my date.

JULIE

Uh-huh. Did you actually see this, or did somebody who was probably drunk out of his mind tell you?

MAX

Umm… the second one?

JULIE

I figured.

MAX

I guess you want to know who it was?

JULIE

Yeah.

MAX

Promise not to bite my head off?

JULIE

Yes.

MAX

It was Kyle

JULIE

Seriously, who was it?

MAX

Kyle

JULIE

Fuck. You're sure?

MAX

Yeah.

JULIE

When was this?

MAX

First Friday of the month

JULIE

Impossible. He was with me the entire night.

MAX

But if he didn't come to the party…

JULIE

Then he can't have banged Valentine…

MAX

So he was lying…

JULIE

So my boyfriend started all this?

MAX

I guess.

JULIE

Shit. I'm going to kill him.

MAX

Yeah… I'll be going now.

JULIE

Oh no. You're not getting off that easy. (Strides over to him and slaps him across the face. Hard.)

MAX

I guess I deserved that?

JULIE

You deserve a lot more than that.

MAX

Yeah. I'm going to go find her and say sorry.

JULIE

You go do that.

(End scene)

(KYLE is up against the wall of a hallway. JULIE [incidentally, could she be shorter than him by a large amount?] is crowding him in, and looks furious.)

JULIE

How dare you lie like that? First, that idiot male ego of yours has managed to both ruin one girl's life, and now it's lost you your girlfriend! I'm disgusted with you.

KYLE

It wouldn't help much if I said I didn't mean to hurt anyone, would it?

JULIE

Not a bit.

KYLE

Yeah.

JULIE

Don't ever speak to me again.

(She walks off, leaving him looking stunned.)

(End scene)

(School has let out. A large number of kids are milling out the doors, VALENTINE among them. MAX is standing by the door, looking for her. She is making her way to the sidewalk- apparently her house is not far. From a gaggle of kids, a boy walks out and blocks her path.)

BOY [3]

Hey, I'll pay you 20 bucks to blow me right now.

VALENTINE

Please move.

BOY

What, it's not like it'd be news to anyone you're a slut.

VALENTINE

Really, please get out of my way.

BOY

C'mon, nothing? Okay, 25.

(She moves to go around him. He grabs at her, and she runs off crying.)

(End Scene)

(Outside VALENTINE's house. BEN is walking home, whistling cheerfully [just go with it, please] and he suspects nothing. As he reaches the door, he sees that it is already open. As he goes in-)

BEN

Valentine?

(No answer)

Dad?

(No answer)

Huh. (Cocks his ears, and hears the faint sound of music) Oh, she really shouldn't play that so loud. Valentine, turn that down!

(No change. He shakes his head, and walks up to her room the door is cracked open)

Weird. Doesn't she normally close it?

(Opens the door)

(VALENTINE's body is hanging limply by the neck, suspended by a belt from a ceiling fan. The music is, up here, deafening.)

(End Script)