(Fade In. A camera pans over New Rawley, Massachusetts. We see Will Krudski, walking down a street.)
WILL'S VOICEOVER: New Rawley. For me, it's home. The kind of place where you know the name of the guy, or girl, who pumps your gas. It's an okay place to grow up, but as far as options it's kinda limited. So I spent a lot of time trying to figure a way out.
(Cut to views of Rawley Academy)
WILL'S VO: Rawley Academy: the billionaire boys' club right down the road. A place where every year, a new bunch of guys, the best and the brightest, enter a world of total opportunity. And get this: high school with no parents. They know little about us and we know nothing about them except For those who attend, the future can be, well, anything.
(Close on Will, sitting on a bench holding a Rawley T-shirt.)
WILL'S VO: And now, maybe for me too.
(Cut to Rawley Academy, where Will moving in. Music is "You Don't Know What It's Like" by Tal Bachman)
WILL: Hey
SCOUT: Hey. How ya doin? Scout Calhoun.
WILL: Will. Krudski. Uh, this is my mom.
SCOUT: Hi Mrs. Krudski. Scout.
MRS. KRUDSKI: Hi Scout. Nice to meet you.
SCOUT: Nice to meet you
MRS. KRUDSKI: Guys, how 'bout a quick picture? Come on honey, come on, get closer. Here we go. One Two
(Mr. Krudski enters)
MR. KRUDSKI: Aww, Christ.
MRS. KRUDSKI: Three! Smile!
WILL: Dad, you can't smoke in here.
MR. KRUDSKI: When you screw this up like I know you will, you better find a job. Come on, we're out of here.
MRS. KRUDSKI: You know how proud I am of you baby. Aw, just try to concentrate on the good stuff.
MR. KRUDSKI: Let's go!
(Will's parents leave the room)
WILL: So, cool room, huh?
SCOUT: It's not exactly The Waldorf.
WILL: The what?
SCOUT: You know what? Why don't you take the bed by the window?
WILL: No, that's OK.
SCOUT: No, it's good. It's got a good view. I'm flip you for it after Christmas break.
WILL: Thanks. Thanks a lot.
SCOUT: where you from?
WILL: Uh, the other side of town. Think scholarship.
SCOUT: Impressive.
WILL: Not really. I'm this year's charity case. You?
SCOUT: Um, Greenwich. A couple hours from here.
(Hamilton enters the room.)
HAMILTON: You guys scored. This room is perfectly Feng Shui.
WILL: Funk what?
HAMILTON: Feng Shui. It's the Chinese art of placement. The doors face east, windows face north. If you're into that kind of stuff. Hamilton. Hamilton Flemming.
SCOUT: Scout Calhoun.
WILL: Will. Krudski. (they all shake hands.)
SCOUT: Where's your room?
HAMILTON: Next to the Dean and his wife aka Mom and Dad. Don't worry, I'm not a narc or anything.
(A noise outside gets their attention, and rush to the door to see girls in their underwear running up and down the hall banging pots and pans. Music is "Magic Carpet Ride" by Steppenwolf)
WILL: That is something else.
SCOUT: This wasn't in the brocure.
HAMILTON: The girls school from across the lake. Freshman hazing panty run.
SCOUT: Gotta love tradition.
HAMILTON: Ours starts later when they pubically humiliate us and call us pussies.
BOYS: GO, GO, GO, GO!
(A door opens across the hall. Jake looks out, shakes her head, and closes the door again.)
HAMILTON: Hey, how'd he scam a single room.
(Cut to shots of Rawley Academy, ending in a classroom as the music starts. A bell rings and students leave. Some sexy seductive background music begins as a woman enters)
FINN: Mrs. Fleming.
KATE: Mr. Finn.
FINN: How's the dean?
KATE: Adequate. How was Cuba? I hate this, it's so silly. Who's idea was this first day meet and greet with the students anyway?
FINN: Your husbands. (a bell rings) We only have about five seconds.
(They begin to "make out")
KATE: Four.
FINN: Three
KATE: Two. (we see his hand grab her butt)
(The door opens and they pull apart. Students enter.)
FINN: One.
KATE: Hi Munchie.
HAMILTON: Hi mom.
(Cut to the boys sitting in the classroom, on desks, in desks, not in any sort of order.)
FINN: Afternoon Gentlemen. For those of you who do not know me, my name is Finn. There is no Mr. necessary. I expect you all to benefit greatly from my tutorlage in history and literature while you're here at Rawley for the next three years. I am the best teacher you will ever have. As you will be the best students while you are in my class. I will expect nothing less. Question: Who's the greatest writer that ever lived? (no response) Who's the greatest writer that ever lived?!
WILL: Faulkner.
FINN: Interesting. No, no, it's thoughtful. But wrong! The correct answer is William Shakespeare. He is my favorite. "Oh true apothacary, thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss, I die." I'll tell you what, that guy was passionate, wasn't he? All those guys, you know, Shakespeare, Mozart, Michaelango, they all lived and then died by the force of their passion alone. Let me tell you a little known secret about passion. It doesn't come from your head and it doesn't come from your heart. It comes from right here (grabs his crotch)! Now I'm quite certain that you're all quite aware that here at Rawley you're among the smartest, the finest, the best, the greatest, blah, blah, blah. Aha! There you have it. Potential greatness sitting right here in this classroom. Impressive test scores, Mr. Krudski- third highest in Rawley history. Still no evidence of passion though. I admire those who shoot their arrows high. Horray for you.
(cut to Jake walking down the hall. She sees the seniors lying in wait, and ducks. They grab Will, Scout, and some other boys. They rush them down the hall. Fade in on the students all being dumped on the Town Square a short time later. Will and Scout rip off their blindfolds, finding themselves in the middle of New Rawley. In their underwear. The seniors pile into a car and drive off, obviously very pleased with themselves.)
SENIORS: Let's go! Awoo! Awwo! Newbie, newbie, show your booties baby! All right! Let's go! Go go go go go! Whoo hooo!
(Townspeople stare at them and laugh.)
SCOUT: This is the public humiliation part.
WILL: You're humiliated? I live here. I know these people.
(A group of boys run off)
WILL: Hey guys, where you going? Rawley's that way!
(They walk across the Town Square, toward the gas station, where Bella and Grace watch them approach, looking very amused by the whole situation. Music is "Mother We Just Can't Get Enough" by the New Radicals)
GRACE: Why do they do this every year? It's so homo.
BELLA: Rawley guys have their brains between their legs?
GRACE: Well, then that one's definitely genius material.
(They boys approach)
BELLA: Orientation?
SCOUT: Just complying with barbaric rites of passage.
BELLA: Willy Krudski?
WILL: What's up, Bella?
BELLA: You're going to Rawley now?
WILL: No, I'm just out here, ya know, doing my Marky Mark imitation.
BELLA: I'm sure your mother would love to see that. Should I, uh run over to the diner et her?
WILL: All right Pump Girl, how about a ride back to school?
BELLA: Why don't you just use your friend's cell phone and call a cab?
SCOUT: I don't have a cell phone.
BELLA: And your Beamer's in the Garage?
SCOUT: What makes you think I have a Beamer?
BELLA: You look dumb and rich.
SCOUT: Actually, I'm smart and poor.
BELLA: Afraid not. That's our act.
SCOUT: It's a tough one to follow. (Bella and Scout just stare at each other, until Will breaks the moment and slaps Scout on the shoulder.)
WILL: Come on Romeo. I know a short cut.
BELLA: I like the Huggies, but didn't your mother ever tell you it was rude to point?
(Cut to a sidestreet in New Rawley)
SCOUT: Oh my God, that girl is so beautiful. I gotta get to know her.
WILL: Yeah, you and every other guy at Edmond High. She keeps to herself.
SCOUT: Oh, so you mean
WILL: I've known her forever. Her dad owns that gas station.
(A girl walks down the street the other way and starts to laugh)
GIRL: Will?
WILL: Come on we gotta get off these streets. I know a short cut through the woods.
GIRL: Loser.
(Cut to the woods, as Will and Scout walk back to school)
WILL: Come on, your turn.
SCOUT: I don't have anything to confess.
WILL: Come on. The most hard-core thing you've ever done.
SCOUT: Ah, let's see. (chuckles) Last summer, I took my dad's '64 Jag for a ride, right? Sideswiped a tree, set it on fire, and told him it was stolen. He collected the insurance money and replaced it. Check.
WILL: Okay. I got one. I was nine. My friend and I were reading porno mags and smoking butts and we burned my parents' garage -- to the ground. We didn't have insurance and we didn't get a new one. My dad broke my nose.
SCOUT: Geez. Hey, I got one. This is a big one. I can't believe I'm telling you this. Uh, hey, don't tell anyone, all right? I had sex with my, my mothers' best friend last summer in Saint Tropez.
WILL: Cool!
SCOUT: No, she got pregnant, had the kid, I'm a father. My parents don't know.
WILL: Wow. Are you serious? (Scout keeps walking. Will stops, about to reveal something really big.) Scout. I cheated on the entrance exam. I bought it online.
SCOUT: (shocked) Will, the baby thing. It was a joke. The garage. I thought you were kidding.
WILL: (lying) I, I was kidding. Why the hell did you do that?
SCOUT: I'm not gonna tell anyone all right? I wouldn't do that.
WILL: Well I hope so. I mean look, I didn't have choice. I had to get out of that house. I had to get away from my dad. Somebody was gonna get hurt and it wasn't gonna be me. God, look I feel so stupid. Ya know, I shouldn't even have told you!
SCOUT: Will, hey, hey, all right, don't even think about it. I am not gonna tell anyone. All right? To the grave. I swear.
(Fade in to Jake's dorm room. Jake sits typing on a computer, Hamilton walks in. Music is "Better Days" by Citizen King)
HAMILTON: Hey
JAKE: Feel free to barge right in.
HAMILTON: Sorry. So, I see you avoided the intellectually challenged seniors
JAKE: Well, after six schools you get a handle on these things.
HAMILTON: Parents move a lot?
JAKE: Nope.
HAMILTON: Oh, so why would you keep switching?
JAKE: Waiting for someone to notice.
HAMILTON: They don't know?
JAKE: Nope. Get inside my dad's email account, send a letter as him, and his attorney wires the money wherever I say. The wonders of the digital age.
HAMILTON: So, that's how you scammed the single room?
JAKE: Scammed the single room? You should see what happens when I hack into your dad's database.
(Cut to exterior of Rawley at night, then into Jake's room again, in the dark, where the two sit at the desk.)
JAKE: The lunch budget is 86 cents per student? I don't think so.
HAMILTON: Wait. I think it's only fair that as the dean's son, I should rectify this.
JAKE: All right.
HAMITON: Lobster for everyone. You smell good. I meant
JAKE: No, it's OK.
HAMILTON: But no, I didn't mean
JAKE: No, really.
(Finn knocks on the open door.)
FINN: OK, boys. Lights Out. Hamilton, you should head home.
HAMILTON: I'll, uh, see you tomorrow.
JAKE: Yeah, I'll see you.
(She closes the door, turns out the light, and strips, revealing her corset and female body. Music is "Man With Two Brains" by the Rentals)
(Cut to Finn carrying a ladder and light bulb down the hall way. He sets it up outside Will and Scout's door, and can hear them talking.)
(Cut to Will and Scout's bedroom, night. Will and Scout are laying in their beds.)
SCOUT: Will, I can't get Bella out of my head. Will. (no response)
SCOUT: Will. Buddy, you're not helping me here. Come on. I need more. Earth to Will.
WILL: Sorry. If I would have known Finn was gonna make such a big deal about my test score, I would have bought a cheaper one. (Reaction on Finn's face, as he overhears this)
SCOUT: Well, you need to figure out how -- I mean if it bothers you this much then you should just --
WILL: What? Go tell Finn I cheated? Get thrown out, then go home? Newsflash: I don't have one. My dad made that real clear. (Intercut with shots of Finn listening)
SCOUT: That's not what I'm saying. Look, I mean if you can't learn to live with it and it's really gonna bother you, let's just figure out a way for you to fix it.
(Will just shakes his head and sighs. Fade out on Finn's expression, absorbing what he just heard.)
(Cut to the gas station, where Bella is working. Scout rides up on his bike, and she comes outside. Music is "Mania" by Babelfish)
BELLA: Hi.
SCOUT: Hi.
BELLA: So, do, you um, live in a 14-room mansion like the Fresh Prince of Bel Air?
SCOUT: No, it's like a 40-room mansion like Billy Madison.
BELLA: Tell me your kidding.
SCOUT: Okay. Can you take a break?
BELLA: I'm working.
SCOUT: I'll wait.
BELLA: Give me a minute.
(Cut to Bella and Scout sitting together under a tree, talking)
BELLA: Leaves on tree.
SCOUT: Um, 6 months. Ice cubes. Water to freezing.
BELLA: That's a good one. I don't know. Like 30 minutes?
SCOUT: Approximately. Hurt feelings not hurt anymore.
BELLA: That is like so relative. And what would you know about hurt feelings anyway Master Scout? You're like this Fresh Prince of South Hampton kind of guy who I'm sure always gets what he wants.
SCOUT: I have no clue what I want.
BELLA: (coy) Well maybe you should start thinking about wanting something.
SCOUT: Oh, I am. I...
BELLA: Uh, you're getting that "I'm gonna do something to you" kinda look.
SCOUT: I am.
BELLA: Yes. You are.
SCOUT: No, I mean like, I am. Like, I'm gonna. Like get ready it's coming because I have been waiting for days and I think if I have to wait another second that --
BELLA: Just shut up. (they kiss)
(Cut to boathouse after crew practice.)
SCOUT: All I'm saying is that if I have my oar in the water, I'm gonna pull through. You don't have to yell at me.
BOY: Cleaning the skulls, Krudski? Kiss up.
SCOUT: See ya at home, Krud.
FINN: Mr. Krudski.
WILL: Hey.
FINN: You ever heard of Hobbes?
WILL: As in "Calvin and" or the philosopher?
FINN: That's good. Do you know what his philosophy was?
WILL: No.
FINN: It was that there's an inherent social contract of which honesty is the foundation.
WILL: Okay.
FINN: I'm on to you.
WILL: Meaning what?
FINN: Meaning you cheated.
WILL: Look, I didn't have a choice!
FINN: You've got nothing but choices.
WILL: God, Please don't do this to me. I've never gotten a break. You've gotta understand. Please.
FINN: Who do you think you're talking to? Not only did you cheat, but you stole a seat from a student who deserves it.
WILL: So what are you gonna do?
FINN: You need to be thinking about what you're gonna do.
(Cut to Bella's garage, night. Bella is working on the old truck, Scout approaches. A radio plays in the background. Music is "Baby I Love Your Way" by Big Mountain)
SCOUT: Love that truck.
BELLA: I have this totally delusional fantasy that my dad's gonna give it to me when I'm 18. You stalking me?
SCOUT: I couldn't decide between obsessive compulsive or cool and disinterested.
BELLA: I always thought cool and disinterested was over-rated.
SCOUT: Okay. Shall we dance?
BELLA: You're kidding right?
SCOUT: I never kid about anything as serious as dancing.
(She takes his hand. They start dancing.)
BELLA: My dad loves this music. He'll just sit there for hours and listen to it. I think it helps him deal. My mom passed away five years ago.
SCOUT: I'm sorry
BELLA: No, it's OK. I mean, um, yeah it was hard. It was really hard for my dad. But he has my sister Grace and she looks a lot like her. Kinda acts like her too.
SCOUT: What is --. Whoa, whoa, whoa. I'm ticklish, girl.
BELLA: Are you?
SCOUT: Yeah, there.
BELLA: Ha ha ha.
SCOUT: Oh, watch out!
(He dips her. Someone comes up behind them, and they stop abruptly. It's Mr. Banks.)
BELLA: Hi Daddy, this is Scout. I told you about him.
SCOUT: How you doin' Mr. Banks? Scout. Calhoun. (they shake hands)
MR BANKS: OK. Bella, get your stuff. Time to go.
BELLA: See you when I see you. (She walks away.)
(Cut to exterior at Rawley Academy, night. Will walks through a courtyard, and Scout comes up to him. Music is "Fly Away" by Lenny Kravitz)
SCOUT: Will, where you going?
WILL: Study Hall.
SCOUT: Well, I've had a newsworthy day. I am in love with Bella Banks!
WILL: Just shut up.
SCOUT: What?
WILL: You told Finn.
SCOUT: Told Finn what?
WILL: You just had to go and fix this for me didn't you? Isn't that what you said? Fix it or live with it?
SCOUT: Will, I did not tell Finn that.
WILL: I don't have anywhere else to go Scout. I mean I can't go home.
SCOUT: I did not say anything to him.
WILL: I have a hard time believing that since you were the only one who knew!
SCOUT: I wouldn't do that to you Will. I wouldn't do it!
WILL: Well, he knows. He told me after practice.
SCOUT: Fine, fine, he told you after practice! I'll go to him.
WILL: No you won't! Just stay out of it.
(Cut to the roof of the dorms, day. Hamilton and Jake come out, carrying electronic equipment)
HAMILTON: The problem is, like there's total miscommunication between guys and girls. When a girl says, "I really, really like you," what she means is, "I'm ready for a commitment, are you?" but when a guy says, "I really, really like you," what he means is, "I wanna have sex with you."
JAKE: Well, it sounds like you have a lot of experience in this area.
HAMILTON: Hacking into this satellite feed is gonna be great. I mean it'll be like 20 times faster than 56K.
(Jake fusses with the wires to the satellite dish, then spins around when she hears a noise, and is startled to see Hamilton casually urinating against the wall)
JAKE: What are you doing?!
HAMILTON: I gotta pee. (Jake sneaks a peek) See, when a girl says, "What are you doing this weekend?" what she means is, "I want you to hang out with me instead of your friends," but when a guy says, "What are you doing this weekend?" what he means is, "I wanna have sex with you." And also when a girl says, "I need to know where this relationship is going," what she means is, ' I'm hopelessly in love and I pray that you are too,' but when a guy says, "I need to know where this relationship is going," what he means is
HAMILTON AND JAKE: I wanna have sex with you!
HAMILTON: Right.
JAKE: Yeah, right.
(Jake kisses Hamilton, then backs away, both of them in shock)
JAKE: Oh God, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Oh God, I'm sorry. (Jake runs off)
(Fade in on the dock, daytime, where Bella and Scout are sitting and talking. Unknown slow music playing in the background.)
BELLA: It's not that he doesn't like you, Scout. He just doesn't like Rawley guys.
SCOUT: Why not?
BELLA: He thinks guys like you use girls like me, for sex.
SCOUT: That's so stupid. I mean I --
BELLA: So you don't wanna have sex with me?
SCOUT: (laughs) Is that a trick question? (Bella laughs, and looks away.) What are you thinking?
BELLA: You so don't wanna know what I'm thinking right now.
SCOUT: Yes, I do.
BELLA: No, you really don't.
SCOUT: I really do. Come on.
BELLA: Okay, I was thinking, is the guy I'm gonna spend the rest of my life with? (she laughs in embarrassment) Oh my God! I can't believe I just said that!
SCOUT: No, I love that. That is awesome. I love that you said that.
BELLA: I am so humiliated. I've known you for all of what 5 minutes and now I sound like someone out of a Jane Austen novel.
SCOUT: Are you kidding? You are so brave, because I would never tell you what I was thinking.
BELLA: Well, you don't have to tell me what you're thinking.
SCOUT: No?
BELLA: I already know.
(She scrambles to her feet, and starts running down the dock. Scout chases after her. Music switches to "Someday We'll Know" by New Radicals)
SCOUT: Oh you better run!
BELLA: You better run!
SCOUT: You think you're fast, huh, huh?
BELLA: We'll see!
(Cut to interior, Rawley Academy. Scout sits in a chair by a window, typing on a laptop. Will comes out a door into the hallway, starts to go the other way, then turns and goes to talk to Scout.)
WILL: Hey.
SCOUT: You speaking to me?
WILL: I, uh, look, I accused you of something and, you know, I'm not sure that was right.
SCOUT: Will, I didn't tell him. I really didn't.
WILL: Let me finish. It's just, it's not just that. I've always wanted to be here. This school, Rawley, be one of you. For you guys, anything is possible.
SCOUT: Has he said anything else to you?
WILL: No.
SCOUT: Maybe he'll just forget about it. If he was gonna do something, he would've already done it.
WILL: No, the ball's in my court. He's made that pretty clear.
SCOUT: What are you gonna do?
WILL: Leave. I don't belong here. I wish I did, but --
SCOUT: Will, nobody belongs anywhere. It's in your head. Look, your grades were good enough to get you a scholarship. Why can't you believe you weren't good enough to get in here without cheating?
WILL: Because I'm not.
SCOUT: I think you are.
(Cut to the garage. Scout approaches with flowers. Unknown music plays in background.)
MR. BANKS: Hope those are for me.
SCOUT: Hi, uh, listen, I know you don't like Rawley guys, but I'm a really good guy, ya know? You know, everybody really likes me, you know. Really.
MR. BANKS: Why don't we go inside and talk for a little bit.
(cut to the interior of the station)
MR BANKS: Just sit anywhere there. Well, Bella thinks that I don't like Rawley boys, It's not true though. I'm sure there's a lot of great guys who go to Rawley. Your father went there.
SCOUT: Yeah he did.
MR BANKS: See, Bella's mom, Donna, and I were born here. It was tough growing up in this town when you're struggling, and these guys seem to have everything you think you want. I knew your dad.
SCOUT: Really.
MR. BANKS: Yeah. Not well, but, I knew him. Donna was in love with him when he was going to Rawley. She never got over it. He came into town for a football game, she got pregnant, and he left. She decided not to tell him. Well, we were married shortly after that. Your father never knew that Donna had a little girl. Bella.
(Scout runs out, upset. As he passes Bella, she grabs him and kisses him, before he yanks away sharply.)
BELLA: Hi.
SCOUT: Hey. I gotta go.
BELLA: You just got here!
SCOUT: No. No!
BELLA: What's wrong? Scout!
(Fade out on Bella, watching in confusion as Scout leaves.)
(Fade in to interior, Rawley Academy classroom. Will approaches Finn.)
FINN: Mr. Krudski. What are you doing here? It's Saturday, there's no class.
WILL: I know what I'm gonna do. Everything depended on this test. I thought to myself, why leave it to chance? What if I failed? My whole life has been about limitations. What I can't have, what I can't do, and I bought into that. Let me take the test again.
FINN: I think your missing the point.
WILL: Please. I wanna know if I could have done it. Then, if you wanna throw me out, just do it.
FINN: You wanna take the test? Fine. But more importantly, Mr. Krudski, I want you to write me an essay. No less than 300 words. Telling me who you think you are. You have 90 minutes.
(Montage of Will sitting and writing, Finn walking and reading the essay, and various scenes from the episode)
WILL'S VOICEOVER: You asked me to write an essay telling you who I think I am. I am the choices I've made and the lies I've told. I am the dream of a better life. I am my mother's salvation and my father's curse. I am a poor kid, a bad kid, a cheat. I am a person who is now facing my mistakes and beginning to understand the freedom that brings. I know I must be more than a product of my past, I must be the promise of my future. You asked me to write an essay telling you who I think I am. I am somebody who is trying to start his life.
(Cut to interior of Jake's dorm room. Hamilton enters.)
HAMILTON: Listen, I wanna say --
JAKE: That wasn't what you thought!
HAMILTON: I don't know where you're coming from but --
JAKE: I can explain!
HAMILTON: No, don't explain. Let's just not even --
JAKE: Talk about it!
HAMILTON: Yeah, let's just --
JAKE: Forget about it!
HAMILTON: Yeah, let's do that.
JAKE: (offering her hand) Friends?
HAMILTON: Yeah, friends. (they shake hands) No question. No question. (They realize the handshake has been going on a little too long, and both pull away) You da man!
(Music begins, "The Man With Two Brains" by the Rentals)
JAKE: Yup! Okay! I'm da man! (Hamilton leaves) Oh my God. I'm da man.
HAMILTON: (to himself) Oh my God, I think I'm a gay.
(Cut to interior, Rawley Academy. Will is sitting and reading, Finn approaches)
FINN: Mr. Krudski. Well, I have good news and bad. The good is, you passed the test.
WILL: Bad is, is you're tossing me out.
FINN: No. The bad is, after reading you essay, I think you're a writer.
(Will absorbs this for a moment, smiling, as Finn leaves. Then Will jumps up, unable to contain his excitement.)
WILL: God! Yeah! Scout!
(Cut to the porch at Rawley where Bella waits. Scout approaches.)
BELLA: Guess good looks run in the family.
SCOUT: That is not funny.
BELLA: Who's laughing?
(A pause)
SCOUT: I can't stop thinking about you.
BELLA: Me, too.
SCOUT: So, now what?
BELLA: Friends?
SCOUT: Just like that?
BELLA: It's kind of out of our hands, Scout.
(A long pause. And then... )
SCOUT: I thought of a good one. Um, bell bottoms to straight leg and back to bell bottoms again.
BELLA: Um, 30 years?
(He doesn't have an answer. They just stare at each other, trying to figure out how to adjust to what they now know. Then Will runs up to them.)
WILL: Scout! I did it! I passed.
SCOUT: I knew you would.
(He hugs Bella, lifting her up)
BELLA: What're you doing Krudski?
WILL: We gotta celebrate. Cow tipping, Old Man Carson's place.
BELLA: Old Man Carson's a crack shot.
WILL: Never stopped us before.
(Bella and Scout stare at each other for another long moment, then the two of them run after Will, and the three of them frolic in the water together.)
WILL: COME ON!
SCOUT: Will someone please explain cowtipping to me?
BELLA: The cows are sleeping, you sneak up on them.
WILL: You tip them, they fall.
BELLA: And then you run!
(The three take off running across the quad as music plays, "Someday We'll Know" by New Radicals)
(Fade Out. The End.)
