03x12 - I've Got Dreams to Remember

[bunniefuu]

FADE IN:

LUCAS: (v.o) Previously on One Tree Hill.

[INT. DAVIS SCOTT APARTMENT – LIVING ROOM – DAY]

(Haley is sitting on the couch, playing her guitar.)

PEYTON: (v.o) If you are gonna help me-

CUT TO:

[INT. ELLIE’S HOUSE – CLOSET – DAY]

(Peyton stands at Ellie’s music and talks to her.)

PEYTON: -with Haley’s record… well you could… maybe move into the house with me?

CUT TO:

[INT. SAWYER RESIDENCE – FRONT DOOR – EVENING]

(Ellie is standing in the doorway.)

ELLIE: It’s a business arrangement.

PEYTON: (humouring her) Of course.

CUT TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – THE GYM – EVENING]

(Mouth and Gigi sit at the announcer’s table.)

MOUTH: With me tonight in my new colour announcer – Gigi Silveri.)

CUT TO:

[INT. DECREPIT GYM – DAY]

(Whitey stands in the middle of the wrecked gym and smirks at his players.)

NATHAN: You really expect us to practice in this dump?

WHITEY: Not only practise.

(Cut to Lucas’ confused face.)

WHITEY: Till further notice-

(Lucas looks down and sees a huge rat run across the other side of the gym.)

WHITEY: -you’re gonna play all your games in here. (smirks as the rat runs along)

(Whitey laughs.)

CUT TO:

[INT. ROE RESIDENCE – LUCAS’ BEDROOM – EVENING]

(Lucas sits on his bed and empties out the last HCM pill he has left.)

LUCAS: If you tell Whitey… I have a heart condition… I’m off the team.

HALEY: Yeah, and if I don’t tell Whitey-

CUT TO:

[THE RIVERCOURT – ROCKS – EVENING]

(Close-up of Lucas wrapping his hand around his medicine tub.)

HALEY: (v.o) -about your heart condition-

(Lucas pitches the tub into the river.)

HALEY: (v.o) You’re off the planet!

BROOKE: (v.o) It was you, wasn’t it?

CUT TO:

[INT. DAVIS SCOTT APARTMENT – LIVING ROOM – DAY]

(Brooke holds up her dress which Rachel’s just finished sewing and smiles.)

BROOKE: (v.o) The dress I designed.

CUT TO:

[EXT. TREE HILL HIGH – NOTICE BOARD – DAY]

(Rachel is sitting on a wall next to the notice board, talking to Brooke.)

BROOKE: The one you made. It got me into Rouge Vogue.

RACHEL: Your clothes are good.

(Brooke frowns at her, shocked.)

RACHEL: But if you’re afraid to go…

BROOKE: Oh no, I’m gonna go… and I’m gonna win.

(She smiles.)

CUT TO:

[INT. SCOTT RESIDENCE – NATHAN’S BEDROOM – EVENING]

(Nathan hovers over Haley. She takes hold of his necklace with his wedding ring on it and pulls him down.)

NATHAN: (v.o) Did you think about it?

(Haley and Nathan kiss.)

NATHAN: (v.o) Having a baby to stay together?

CUT TO:

[INT. DAVIS SCOTT APARTMENT – KITCHEN – EVENING]

(Nathan is sitting at the counter.)

NATHAN: Let me see the pills(!)

HALEY: (sighs and walks to her bag) I can not believe you still don’t believe me(!)

(She rummages around, pulls them out and advances on him.)

HALEY: Here, (slams them into his chest) take em! I don’t need em anymore! (st*lks to the door)

NATHAN: Haley(!)

HALEY: (turns around) Your future as a basketball player is totally secure, your future as my husband, not so much!

(She tearfully slams out of the apartment.)

CUT TO:

[INT. KAREN’S CAFÉ – DINING AREA – DAY]

(Keith and Karen are at the floor, cleaning up the mess she made.)

KEITH: (smiling) You know, I thought about you every day I was gone.

(Karen smiles at him.)

KEITH: And you’re even… prettier than I remembered.

CUT TO:

[EXT. ROE RESIDENCE – FRONT DOOR – EVENING]

(Keith and Karen are standing at the front door, kissing.)

COP1: Keith Scott?

(Keith looks at the cop confusedly.)

COP1: Put your hands behind your head.

(Keith does as he’s told, still confused.)

KEITH: What the hell is this?!

COP1: You’re under arrest for the-

(Karen sees Dan and glares.)

COP1: -attempted m*rder of Dan Scott.

(Dan is standing far away, grinning and nodding at the scene.)

FADE TO BLACK:

END OF PREVIOUSLY ON:

OPENING CREDITS ROLL:

FADE IN:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

(sh*t of the door which has GUIDANCE COUNSELOR stamped across the glass. The door opens and she steps half out.)

COUNSELOR: You’re next. Haley?

(Haley’s is sitting in the waiting room, dozing. She jerks awake and looks at the counselor.)

COUNSELOR: (smiles) You’re next.

HALEY: Oh(!)

(She smiles, grabs her bag and follows the counselor inside. They take their respective seats.)

COUNSELOR: So, have you given any thought to which college you’d like to attend?

HALEY: Yeah, actually, um, I’ve been looking at Stanford(!) (smiles and holds up a Stanford leaflet)

(The counselor laughs raucously. Haley’s smile falls.)

COUNSELOR: (stops abruptly) Oh, you’re serious? (nods) Well, Stanford may not be too realistic for you, Faily.

HALEY: … Haley.

COUNSELOR: What?

HALEY: I think you just called my Faily. I’m-my name’s Haley. (smiles tightly)

COUNSELOR: My mistake. I must have thought that was your name because you failed every class.

(She holds up a paper with a big red FAILED stamped across the front of it.)

HALEY: (leans forward, stunned) I didn’t fail anything!

COUNSELOR: No? What about your marriage?

HALEY: Well, (scoffs and sits back, snatching her Stanford leaflet back) that is none of your business.

COUNSELOR: Then there was the HCM test. (Haley looks at her) You failed that too.

HALEY: No, I didn’t.

COUNSELOR: Oh, that’s right, you failed the friendship test by letting Lucas play basketball with a serious heart condition. Such a shame.

(Haley gapes. There’s a loud sound off-screen. Haley turns her head as the door swings open. Lucas is lying on a hospital bed with Dan standing over him acting as the doctor and Tim beside Dan, dressed as a nurse. Dan grabs the pedals Tim holds out. Haley’s eyes widen as she watches.)

(Dan puts the paddles on Lucas’ chest.)

DAN: (shouting behind him) CLEAR!

(He shocks Lucas whose body wretches before falling back on the bed. His eyes are open and he turns to face Haley – his face devoid of emotion and life. The monitor flat-lines.)

(Tim looks at Lucas over Dan’s shoulder.)

TIM: Oh, he’s eighty-sixed, yo.

DAN: (pulls his mask off) Just say he’s dead, Tim(!)

(Tim pouts as Dan reaches over and shuts Lucas’ eyes. Cut back to Haley as she watches, distressed. Dan looks at Haley and smirks.)

DAN: You’re next(!)

(Tim sneers.)

(The door slams shut and the scene blacks out.)

COUNSELOR: (v.o) Haley?

(Haley’s back in the waiting room; eyes closed as she dreams.)

COUNSELOR: (o.s) Haley?

(Haley jerks awake and the counsellor smiles at her.)

COUNSELOR: You’re next.

HALEY: Oh.

(She grabs her bag and follows the counselor.)

COUNSELOR: (sitting in her seat) So, have you given any thought to which college you’d like to attend?

(Haley smiles at her self-consciously.)

HALEY: (nervously holding up the leaflet) S-s-Stanford?

COUNSELOR: (stops and looks at her) … That’s a great school for you.

(Haley closes her eyes and sighs, relieved.)

COUNSELOR: Are you OK? (pause) Coz you seem a little sketchy.

KEITH: (v.o) Me?

CUT TO:

[INT. NEW BRUNSWICK COUNTY JAIL – INTERROGATION ROOM – DAY]

(Keith is sitting opposite the detective looking relaxed and uncaring.)

KEITH: No, no, actually, I’m fine. I just… (smiles humourlessly) love sleeping in jail cells.

(The sh*t cuts to the two-way mirror where the detective and Keith’s reflection are seen. The camera pans back to them as the detective leans forward.)

DETECTIVE: You understand that we have you on tape… buying a bottle of liquor the day of the fire?

KEITH: I-I-I’ve seen it, it was stimulating(!)

DETECTIVE: Yeah, (nods) we also know that you bought a g*n.

KEITH: (fake stunned) Oh my god! Was Dan sh*t?! (gasps) Or, wait,… no, no, no, no, no, it was a fire, yeah.

(He’s taking the piss out of the detective. He smiles. The detective leans back again.)

CUT TO:

[EXT. NEW BRUNSWICK COUNTY JAIL – ENTRANCE – DAY]

(Lucas is leaning against the wall, waiting. He moves off, sighs, and walks to his mother, spreading his hands.)

KAREN: (hands him coffee) It’s gonna be fine. You need to get to school. I’ll call you if I hear something.

LUCAS: Oh, come on, mom, it’s Keith. This is important!

KAREN: Your future is important. Don’t you have a meeting with your guidance counselor today? (he nods) Talk about colleges?

DAN: (appearing) Oh, you wouldn’t wanna miss that!

(They look at him.)

DAN: I mean look; Keith didn’t go to college and look where he ended up.

(Lucas shakes his head and Karen advances on Dan.)

KAREN: (fuming) What the hell is wrong with you? He’s your brother, for god’s sake!

DAN: (walks forward) Exactly. Someone shoulda told him that before he tried to light me on fire(!)

LUCAS: Keith had nothing to do with that!

DAN: How would you know?! Were you there?

(Lucas looks down and steps away.)

KAREN: Lucas, go to school. (turns her head and glares at Dan) Don’t waste your breath on him.

DAN: You wasted more than that.

(Lucas drops his cup and advances on his father.)

DAN: Whoa, whoa, whoa, now come on, you don’t wanna get hurt before the big game tomorrow. (smiles) There’s gonna be scouts there. Oh, but then they’re there to see Nathan, not you. (tsks) Well, gotta run; don’t wanna be late for the Keith Show. (walks to the entrance) In today’s episode, Keith Scott learns – you play with fire, you’re gonna get b*rned.

(Karen and Lucas watch him walk in – disgustedly.)

DAN: (o.s) Dun, dun, dun(!)

BROOKE: (v.o) Sorry,-

CUT TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

(Brooke is sitting where Haley sat previously.)

BROOKE: -why am I here again? I mean, not that I’m not grateful for the ‘get out of jail free’ card, but… what’s the catch?

(The camera pans and continues to do so when it cuts to the counselor.)

COUNSLEOR: You’re here so I can help you decided which college is best for you.

CUT TO:

[INT. HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

(Peyton has taken Brooke’s place.)

PEYTON: I doubt I’ll even go to college so… (smiles) you’re wasting your breath.

CUT TO:

[INT. NEW BRUNSWICK COUNTY JAIL – INTERROGATION ROOM – DAY]

(The detective is still interrogating Keith.)

DETECTIVE: And you’re wasting my time. (pause) Why do you think your brother would accuse you of trying to k*ll him?

KEITH: Maybe he’s still mad at me for sleeping with his wife? (shrugs)

COUNSELOR: (v.o) And is your wife gonna factor in to-

CUT TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

(Nathan is sitting opposite the counselor.)

COUNSELOR: -the college you pick?

NATHAN: (frowning) That’s not really your business, is it? Anyway, colleges come to me, I don’t go to them.

CUT TO:

[INT. NEW BRUNSWICK COUNTY JAIL – INTERROGATION ROOM – DAY]

DETECTIVE: And why’d you come back to Tree Hill?

KEITH: Coz I live here?

COUNSELOR: (v.o) And do you wanna stay close to home?

CUT TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

(Lucas is now being interviewed by the counselor.)

LUCAS: Probably. I mean, I can’t really afford to go to college out of state.

DETECTIVE: (v.o) Well, you’re not going anywhere-

CUT TO:

[INT. NEW BRUNSWICK COUNTY JAIL – INTERROGATION ROOM – DAY]

DETECTIVE: (o.s) -until we sort this out.

KEITH: (putting his hands up) OK, OK, just stop, (smiles) alright? I wanna talk to my brother. I-I know he’s out there. COME ON, DANNY! COME ON IN! (pause) Danny!

(The door opens and Dan walks in.)

KEITH: (leans back and spreads his arms) Ah!

DAN: You ready to confess?

(The detective looks back at Keith.)

KEITH: Yeah, OK. OK,… I confess.

(Dan looks away and nods.)

KEITH: I, um,… bought a bottle of liquor. I was… I was just so thirsty. (mocks) I’m sorry, Dan, can you forgive me?

(Keith laughs. Dan leans down.)

DAN: You think this is funny?!

(Keith continues to laugh. Dan grabs him by the front of his jumpsuit and slams him against the wall.)

DAN: Son of a bitch!

(The detective stands and tries to pull Dan off Keith.)

DETECTIVE: OK.

KEITH: (struggling to breathe) There’s no need to bring mom into this, Danny.

DETECTIVE: (trying to pull Dan off) OK, that’s enough(!)

(Dan continues to talk.)

DETECTIVE: That’s enough, I said.

(Keith struggles more and the detective finally manages to pull Dan off. They stand back.)

KEITH: (turning away and mocking some more) Help, police(!)

FADE TO BLACK:

COMMERCIAL SET:

FADE IN:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

(Peyton is back in the seat opposite the counselor.)

PEYTON: Well, I guess I just don’t really get the point of college.

COUNSELOR: The point is to find something you love and hopefully make a career of it. What makes you happy?

PEYTON: (thinks) I don’t know. Music, I guess.

FADE TO:

[INT. SAWYER RESIDENCE – PEYTON’S BEDROOM – DAY]

(Peyton is standing in her room and talking on the phone.)

PEYTON: But everyone loves your stuff, you know that, right? (pause) I just think this would be a great opportunity for you.

(She listens, sighs and crosses a name off the board.)

PEYTON: OK, we’ll talk later, then.

(Peyton turns away from the board. Ellie’s lying on her bed.)

ELLIE: Musicians can be so neurotic.

PEYTON: (smiling and capping the pen) No, that was Brooke. She’s got this fashion show thing coming up (sits on the bed) and so she calls me every second she has a new idea which is pretty much every second. (pause) I didn’t think I’d hear from her again now that her and Lucas have stopped this whole ‘non-exclusive’ crap.

ELLIE: ‘Non-exclusive’ meaning?

PEYTON: Basically, friends with benefits.

(Ellie thinks, gets it and laughs.)

ELLIE: Friends with benefits. (shakes her head) Isn’t that just sleeping around?

PEYTON: No, it’s like… it’s like being friends with someone you get to have sex with but… you can still hook up with other people too.

(Ellie raises her eyebrows and looks at Peyton pointedly.)

PEYTON: OK, (grins) so you’re right. It’s the same.

(Ellie smiles to herself. Peyton puts her CD case down and gets off the bed. She walks back to the board.)

ELLIE: And what about you?

(Peyton looks back at her.)

ELLIE: Do you have any beneficial friends?

PEYTON: No. I dated this guy, Nathan, for a while but we were more benefits than we were friends. Um, (quickly) but we’re just friends – no benefits – now. (laughs) And then… there was this other guy but… but he was more than that.

(Her smile is strained as she turns back to the board. Ellie smiles and walks to her.)

ELLIE: Were you in love with him?

(Peyton nods.)

ELLIE: Hmmm. That’s the hard part. Sex – easy. (pause) But if you find someone you’re in love with who’s also your friend, wouldn’t that be the greatest benefit?

PEYTON: I don’t know, it’s a fairytale, I guess.

ELLIE: (shrugs) Well, there’s nothing wrong with fairytales. (touches Peyton’s shoulder) Everyone ends up happily ever after.

(Ellie walks away and Peyton smiles.)

FADE TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

(Haley is back in the office.)

HALEY: When I was little, my parents took us to California so my sister could look at colleges and Stanford was just one of our stops and… I was only eight but I just… fell in love. (smiles) I… I had never seen anything like it growing up in Tree Hill; all those different people in one place and I just thought to myself;… wow, this… this must be what the world is like. This is where I wanna be. (nods) And ever since then, I’ve just… wanted to go there.

(There’s a pause.)

COUNSELOR: Where does your husband wanna go?

(Haley smiles, completely unsure.)

HALEY: (v.o) Hey, uh,-

CUT TO:

[EXT. TREE HILL HIGH – BENCHES – DAY]

(Close-up of the table.)

HALEY: (o.s) -this came to the apartment for you. Guess they think you still live there.

(Cut back to show Nathan working at one of the tables. He turns the envelope and looks at it.)

NATHAN: Thanks.

HALEY: Two thousand, seven-hundred and ninety-eight miles. That’s how far apart our dream schools are.

(She drops her bag onto the bench.)

NATHAN: Yeah.

(She sits.)

HALEY: Nathan, I said some things the other night-

NATHAN: I said some things too. (nods) I’m sorry.

HALEY: … Me too.

NATHAN: (sighs) I guess we can add this to the list of things we shoulda talked about.

HALEY: (smiles) We can talk about it now.

NATHAN: (v.o) I didn’t realise I was supposed-

CUT TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

(Nathan is back in the seat.)

NATHAN: -to figure out my entire future today.

COUNSELOR: (looking up from her file) You should at least be thinking about it.

NATHAN: Trust me, I’ve been thinking about it ever since I could sh**t a basketball.

(Nathan looks at her seriously.)

CUT TO:

[INT. NEW BRUNSWICK COUNTY JAIL – OBSERVATION ROOM – DAY]

(The detective and Dan are standing in another room. Keith can be seen through the two-way mirror.)

DETECTIVE: Look, Mayor Scott, the arrest was a favour, but without anything solid, I can’t hold him. (pause) In fact, the only charges I could bring would be against you for assaulting your brother.

(Keith takes his legs off the table. The door in his room opens and he looks at a cop.)

DAN: (annoyed) Can I fire you?

DETECTIVE: No.

(Keith walks up to the two-way mirror and salutes.)

KEITH: It’s good seeing ya, Danny.

(Dan looks at the mirror.)

KEITH: Oh, um,… could this visit take the place of Christmas this year?

(Keith puts his hands in his pockets and smiles before exiting the room. The cops leave too. Dan is left alone to fume.)

CUT TO:

[EXT. TREE HILL HIGH – GROUNDS – DAY]

(Two girls walk across the grounds.)

HALEY: (o.s) Stanford is, like, my dream school. It’s where I’ve wanted to go since I played… pretend SATs!

(Haley and Lucas walk into the sh*t.)

LUCAS: Man, I forgot how much of a nerd you were.

(Haley scoffs and hits him.)

HALEY: Oh, whatever, Rambo!

LUCAS: No Rambo was cool!

(Haley laughs.)

HALEY: Ohh, I don’t feel like I’m picking… a college as much as I feel like I’m picking a future.

LUCAS: Yeah, but didn’t you kinda pick a future when you married Nathan?

HALEY: Watch it, mister(!)

(Lucas throws his arms up in defeat.)

HALEY: Hey, by the way, you’re, um,… like, feeling alright and everything, right?

LUCAS: Yeah, I’m fine, why?

HALEY: I just had this dream that you… had a heart att*ck and… you’re buying your medicine and you don’t need to borrow any money or anything, right?

LUCAS: (holds her arm) Yes, I’m fine, but thank you.

BROOKE: (appears) S’up, boyfriend? (takes his arm) (to Haley) Faily.

HALEY: And I’m never telling you anything again, ever.

BROOKE: Speaking of, though, what is the deal with these meetings today? I mean, college is like a million years away.

HALEY: (sighs) And three thousand miles. (turns away cattily) Bye(!) (leaves)

BROOKE: (turning to Lucas) OK, I don’t get it.

LUCAS: She just realised that she and Nathan wanna go to college across the country from each other.

BROOKE: They just figured that out? Isn’t that the sort of thing couples talk about?

LUCAS: Yes,… so… what are your plans after high school?

BROOKE: (considers) Well, I always figured I’d… marry a millionaire and he’d whisk me away to his private island (Lucas raises an eyebrow) in the Bahamas. Where are you going anyway?

CUT TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

(Lucas is back in the chair.)

LUCAS: How’s the fashion institute’s basketball team?

CUT TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

BROOKE: Is there a good fashion programme at, like,… (frowns) basketball school?

CUT TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH SCHOOL – CORRIDOR – DAY]

(Mouth is sitting outside the counselor’s office, writing quickly. Rachel approaches him.)

RACHEL: Mouth!

(He looks up and smiles.)

RACHEL: (whispering) You’re totally screwed(!)

(His smile falls.)

RACHEL: Principle Turner wants to see you.

(Mouth considers for a b*at before picking up his stuff and following her.)

MOUTH: I don’t think I did anything wrong. I mean, did he say what he wants?

RACHEL: (frowning) No because he didn’t actually send me. (they stop) I just need your help.

MOUTH: But I had an appointment with the guidance counselor. (makes to turn back)

(Rachel stops him.)

RACHEL: Why would you let some… burn-out in a dead-end job tell you where to go to college? (drags him away) I mean, college obviously didn’t work for her.

MOUTH: (stops and turns to her) Rachel, that burn-out’s my mom.

(Rachel looks away, speechless.)

MOUTH: See, I can joke too. But, seriously, I need to get back.

RACHEL: (sighs) OK, but seriously, just catch the counselor on her lunch hour at the soup kitchen. I need your help.

(She drags him off-screen. The counselor’s door opens.)

COUNSELOR: (stepping out) Marvin McFadden?

(She looks around but he’s gone.)

CUT TO:

[EXT. NEW BRUNSWICK COUNTY JAIL – ENTRANCE – DAY]

(Karen is sitting on a low wall, massaging her head. She looks left and stands.)

KAREN: Keith,…

(She walks to him and hugs him. He laughs and hugs her back.)

KAREN: (letting go) Are you OK?

KEITH: Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Tree Hill Jail isn’t exactly Attica. (pause) Though, you know, you didn’t have to wait for me.

(Karen looks at him for a b*at.)

KAREN: We can’t let Dan get away with this. (turns away to get her bag) We should probably sue him or call the news! (he walks up behind her) Or maybe even hi-

KEITH: Go out?

(She stops ranting and turns to him, perplexed.)

KEITH: The Ravens are playing tomorrow night and… I was thinking that maybe we should go together.

KAREN: (bewildered) You’re asking me out on a date?

(Keith nods.)

KAREN: (amused) Keith, Dan is trying to convict you of m*rder!

KEITH: I didn’t k*ll anyone. Dan is just trying to rattle me. Besides… nothing would make me happier than taking you out. (pause) And, nothing would make Dan angrier than seeing me happy.

KAREN: Well, OK, then. I’d love to. But, for the record, I’ll be doing it for the first reason.

KEITH: (considers) OK.

(He holds his arm out and she takes it.)

KEITH: The second reason will just be a bonus.

(She laughs and they walk off-screen.)

CUT TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

(The counselor is interviewing Brooke again.)

COUNSELOR: So, you’re interested in fashion design?

BROOKE: Yes, but, I’m… interested in a lotta things. (smiles)

COUNSELOR: Such as?

BROOKE: I’m student council president, captain of the cheerleaders, founder of ‘DW not I’ and girlfriend of Ravens star sh**ting guard – Lucas Scott. (smiles brightly)

COUNSELOR: And what’re your plans after high school?

BROOKE: (looking at the counselor as if she’s stupid) After high school I have cheer practice.

(There’s a b*at before the camera jerks left and pans.)

FADE TO:

[EXT. TREE HILL HIGH – CEMENT QUAD – DAY]

(Mouth is standing if front of the cheerleaders as he shows them some new moves. Brooke is not there.)

MOUTH: Five, six, seven, eight - (starts jumping) cross front, cross back, (turns in a jump) turn around.

(They move their arms.)

MOUTH: Arms cross, crank it up.

(Rachel looks back at him and smiles.)

BROOKE: (appearing) Whoa, stop, halt, cut! (stops the music) Why is everybody here early?

(Peyton and Haley frown at her.)

BEVIN: (smiling) Early? You’re like an hour late.

BROOKE: I don’t think so. (Mouth doesn’t meet her eyes) Unlike you, I’ve never thought there was a thirteen o’clock.

(Rachel puts her hair behind her ear.)

HALEY: Brooke, Rachel said you wanted us here an hour early.

(Brooke looks at Peyton and Haley, hurt. She walks forward.)

BROOKE: And, where did you two think I was this whole time?

PEYTON: (cautiously) Late, as usual.

RACHEL: Brooke, the classic’s coming up and we don’t have a routine yet. (pause) And I figured since Mouth helped you out last year, we could maybe come up with one and surprise you. (beams) So… surprise(!)

BROOKE: (cattily) The only way I’d be surprised right now is if you were actually wearing underwear(!)

RACHEL: (bites her lip) Guess no surprises, then.

BROOKE: (scoffs) OK, I am the captain of this squad; it is my job to come up with a routine for the tournament w-

RACHEL: (sickly sweet) But the tournament is the same weekend as Rouge Vogue.

(Both Haley and Peyton look at Rachel.)

RACHEL: You’ll be in New York City.

(There’s a b*at as Brooke absorbs the news.)

BROOKE: (understanding) That’s why you submitted my fashion designs. (nods)

(Rachel smiles and shrugs.)

RACHEL: Surprise.

(Peyton and Haley look back at Brooke, waiting for her reaction. Brooke’s face is filled with sharp betrayal as she turns and walks away. Mouth and the cheerleaders watch her silently.)

FADE TO BLACK:

COMMERCIAL SET:

FADE IN:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

(Lucas is sitting in the chair, thinking.)

LUCAS: I mean, I could probably get some… academic scholarship interest… (shrugs) but I’m really hoping to still play basketball.

CUT TO:

[EXT. THE RIVERCOURT – BLACKTOP – DAY]

(Lucas jumps and throws the ball. It misses and he drops his arm.)

LUCAS: (v.o) I guess I’m not ready to give it up.

KEITH: (o.s) Hmmm. You know, (Lucas turns) in jail, a sh*t like that would make you will make you somebody’s girlfriend.

(The camera pans around fast as Lucas turns. He smiles happily.)

LUCAS: Yeah, we’ll you’d know.

(Cut to Keith who’s standing there, smiling.)

LUCAS: I was worried about you. Are you OK?

KEITH: Yeah, I’m fine. Anyway, you’re a kid, Luke. You should worry about kid stuff.

LUCAS: Oh, you mean like… school, money, mom,… (breathes in and picks something off Keith’s collar) college scholarships, scouts?

KEITH: Wow, its tough being a kid these days.

LUCAS: Hmm.

KEITH: (walking to the ball) Since when do you worry about scouts?

LUCAS: Since I realised if I get a basketball scholarship, my mom won’t have to worry.

KEITH: (turning back with the ball) Well, she likes to worry about you.

LUCAS: I don’t want her to. (pause) You know what, college is expensive.

KEITH: We’ll manage. We always have.

(Lucas laughs and looks away, nodding.)

KEITH: What?

LUCAS: You said ‘we’.

(Keith doesn’t answer. He looks down at the ball in his hand.)

KEITH: I, um,… (walks to him) asked your mom out on a date. (smiles) Hope that’s OK with you.

LUCAS: I think it’s great. What’d she say?

KEITH: Funny. (nods) I guess you had to ask the question. I mean, my track record with your mom is about as bad as the Ravens’.

LUCAS: Argh(!)

KEITH: Hm, so, (tosses the ball at him) do me a favour – win tomorrow night. I was gonna say score but I didn’t think that was appropriate.

LUCAS: Oh.

(He jumps and gets the ball through the hoop this time. Keith nods at him.)

CUT TO:

[INT. DAVIS SCOTT APARTMENT – LIVING ROOM – EVENING]

(Brooke walks across the living room, nose in the air. She opens the door to Mouth.)

BROOKE: (turns and walks away from the door) Oh, hi, come on in. Have you seen my friend Mouth? He looks just like you only he has a skank attached to his hip(!)

MOUTH: I’m sorry, Brooke. (shuts the door) I was trying to help all the cheerleaders; including you.

BROOKE: Well, for the record, when you’re helping Rachel, you are not helping me.

(She fiddles with a new dress she’s making. It’s on a mannequin.)

MOUTH: I don’t think she tried to set you up.

(Brooke gapes at him.)

MOUTH: She said she had no idea it was the same weekend when she submitted your designs.

BROOKE: (annoyed) And you believed her? Mouth, she is lying! OK, if you weren’t so busy trying to see through her shirt, you would see through her BS. (points) She’s using you.

MOUTH: How?

BROOKE: I don’t know. I am not a conniving bitch! But I know that if she’s being nice to you, it is for a reason and not a good one. I mean, if you want a new friend, why don’t you hang out with the raisin girl?

MOUTH: (visibly hurt) Her name is Gigi.

BROOKE: Yes. Gigi – good; Rachel – bad(!)

MOUTH: So I should stick with my own kind. (nodding and glaring)

BROOKE: I’m not saying that. I just know how someone like her sees someone like you.

MOUTH: Someone like me?

(Brooke inclines her head but doesn’t respond.)

MOUTH: (shrugs forcefully) I get it, a hot girl would never hang out with someone like me unless she wanted something. (walks to the front door)

BROOKE: (follows) No, Mouth, wait. Th-

MOUTH: Why, do you have more furniture for me to move? (slams the door behind him)

(Brooke gapes, trying to figure out what just happened.)

COUNSELOR: (v.o) Your parents aren’t around?

CUT TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

(Brooke shrugs.)

BROOKE: No, but that’s not unusual for Tree Hill. (pause) (smiles) We should have milk cartons with missing parents on them.

COUNSELOR: It must be difficult being alone.

BROOKE: I’m not alone.

(The counselor just listens.)

BROOKE: I hate being alone. I have my roommate and… my squad, my friends; my Peyton, my Lucas. (smiles and shrugs)

(A door shuts off-screen.)

LUCAS: (v.o) Hey,-

CUT TO:

[INT. DAVIS SCOTT RESIDENCE – LIVING ROOM – EVENING]

(Lucas walks in carrying a brown bag.)

LUCAS: -didn’t know what to get you so I got a little bit of everything. (sighs)

(Brooke groans and he sets the bag in front of her – on the counter.)

BROOKE: Is there a kick in the head in there, coz that’s what I deserve.

(He laughs and takes food out.)

LUCAS: What’s wrong?

BROOKE: Mouth came over here earlier and I went all ‘Mean Girls’ on him.

(Lucas closes his eyes and thinks.)

LUCAS: Wait a second, you were mean to Mouth?

BROOKE: I-

LUCAS: (looks in the bag) Yeah, you know, there might be a kick in the head here somewhere. (reaches into the bag)

BROOKE: It’s just, he’s gotten all buddy-buddy with that escort wanna-be – Rachel – who I found out only entered me in Rouge Vogue because it’s the same weekend as the classic!

LUCAS: So, do em both.

BROOKE: I can’t. I need you to help me decide. (pulls out chopsticks) I mean, this is my last year to take my squad to the classic and win but Rogue Vogue could be my only chance at showing my designs.

LUCAS: (walks back with sauce) You know what I would do if I was you?

(She grumbles in response. He sets the bottle down and leans down a bit.)

LUCAS: Do em both.

BROOKE: (irritated) You are not helping! (chews)

LUCAS: OK, they’re in different states but… I mean, they’re during different times of the weekend.

BROOKE: And I would still have to be in two places at once. I’m not supergirl, I can’t… (straightens as an idea strikes)

(Lucas waits for it.)

BROOKE: I could fly. (pause) Oh my god, this could totally work. I could win two trophies and keep one on my dresser and shove the other one up Rachel’s-

(Lucas moves forward.)

CUT TO:

[EXT. TREE HILL HIGH – ENTRANCE – DAY]

(Close-up of Dan’s ass as he bangs on the Sunkist drinks machine, trying to get his soda. It drops out and he turns, bending to take it out. He looks up.)

DAN: Hello, Peyton.

(Cut to Haley, glaring at him.)

DAN: Oops, I mean Haley. (laughing) It’s hard to keep all of Nathan’s girlfriends straight. You know, I’ll probably call the next one you.

(Haley smiles misleadingly.)

HALEY: So, what’re you doing here?

DAN: Oh, just some official mayor business. Wouldn’t wanna bore you.

HALEY: Oh, thanks. (walks past him)

DAN: How’s my new song doing, anyway?

(Haley stops and turns back.)

HALEY: (playing along) What’re you talking about?

DAN: The song you’re recording. Nathan’s paying Chris Keller to work with you and since I’m paying Nathan’s allowance for being such a good little boy, it’s kinda mine.

(Haley’s expression slips and Dan understands what he obviously already knew.)

DAN: Oh, (walks forward) you didn’t know where the money was coming from. Don’t you and Nathan talk about anything?

HALEY: (straightening her bag) Yeah, mostly we talk about how happy he is to be away from you.

DAN: You know, that’s not exactly the thank you I was expecting after dropping thousands of dollars on your career.

(Haley scoffs, turns and walks away.)

DAN: (leering) I’ll see you in class.

(Haley looks back briefly but keeps on walking.)

CUT TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – CORRIDOR – DAY]

(Nathan walks through the doors.)

HALEY: Nathan?

(Nathan turns and spots Haley who’s approached him.)

HALEY: (not upset) Did you pay Chris to help me with my music?

(They walk down the corridor together.)

NATHAN: (evading) Good morning to you, too.

HALEY: I just ran into your dad. Is that true?

NATHAN: Yeah.

HALEY: Why didn’t you tell me, Nathan? I want us to be honest with each other about everything.

NATHAN: So, what, every time I wanna do something nice for you, I have to ask first?

HALEY: No, that’s not the point! It was very nice but you, like, totally went behind my back, and it felt like something Dan would do.

(Nathan looks away from her and spots his father talking to some people at the other end of the corridor. Haley turns her head when she sees Nathan’s attention averted. Before she can say anything, Nathan takes off.)

NATHAN: (walking purposely to Dan) Do I have to change the locks at school now?

DAN: (laughs) I’m the mayor, I have the keys to the city. (slaps him lightly with the folder) Besides, is that any way to talk to your new teacher?

(Nathan frowns.)

DAN: Principle Turner asked me to speak to your Political Science class.

(Nathan looks away, annoyed.)

NATHAN: You’re kidding(!)

NATHAN: (v.o) I need to get away from my dad.-

CUT TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

(Nathan is talking to the counselor again.)

NATHAN: -And basketball’s the way out. (pause) The plan’s always been: high school, and then Duke… then the NBA.

COUNSELOR: Who came up with this plan?

NATHAN: (thinks and realises) … My dad.

DAN: (v.o) Whoa,-

CUT TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – CORRIDOR – DAY]

(Nathan’s turned his back and is walking away.)

DAN: -where’re you going? You just gonna skip class?

NATHAN: (without looking back) I’ve heard you speak, dad – waste of time(!)

(He walks past Haley. Haley looks at Dad, angry. Dan just leers at her again. She turns slowly and walks away. Dan, now standing alone in the corridor, smiles to himself. He turns around.)

FADE TO BLACK:

COMMERCIAL SET:

FADE IN:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

(Peyton sits with her arms crossed, waiting.)

COUNSELOR: Have you talked to your parents about college?

PEYTON: … Well, I mean, my birth-mom’s really the only one that’s around right now and… (smiles) she didn’t go.

COUNSELOR: What did she do after high school?

CUT TO:

[INT. SAWYER RESIDENCE – LIVING ROOM – DAY]

(Ellie is sitting on the couch.)

ELLIE: dr*gs(!)

(She scowls and sits back. Peyton is sitting on the couch too, eating.)

PEYTON: Well, you didn’t go to college and you’re doing just fine.

ELLIE: I’m a free-lance writer who lives pay-check to pay-check. I’ve done okay, but I could have done better. (shakes her head) You don’t wanna go to college?

PEYTON: Does that surprise you?!

ELLIE: Actually, it does; I just assumed you’d go.

(Peyton stops eating and sits back.)

PEYTON: Why?

ELLIE: Because you can.

(Ellie sighs and grabs their plates.)

ELLIE: I never understood people who had the chance to go and chose not to.

(Ellie walks to the kitchen.)

PEYTON: Well, I don’t understand people that waste four years in school when they could be out living life! (yelling to be heard)

ELLIE: What’s the hurry? From what I hear, college is fun. I can see you majoring in art or music. Or business(!)

PEYTON: Really? You see all that without tarot card or a Ouija Board? What else do you see?

ELLIE: I see you being late for cheerleading.

(Peyton looks at her watch and then looks up.)

PEYTON: I guess you really are a psychic. (stands) Alright, well, how bout this? (picks up the board with band’s names on it) Do you, by any chance, see a name for this album?

ELLIE: Hopefully something better than This Album.

PEYTON: I don’t know, it’s kinda growing on me.

(She smiles and puts the board down.)

ELLIE: OK, have fun. Don’t benefit any friends… and do good cheering.

PEYTON: (mocking) Go Ravens(!) (waves and walks to her door)

ELLIE: You know, I’m starting to doubt my powers coz I never woulda see you as a cheerleader.

PEYTON: (pauses and smiles fondly) My mom was a cheerleader.

(Ellie nods and Peyton waves again – leaving.)

LUCAS: (v.o) You know, I just want my mom to…-

CUT TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

LUCAS: -stop worrying and enjoy life. (smiles and shrugs) She deserves that much.

CUT TO:

[INT. ROE RESIDENCE – KAREN’S BEDROOM – DAY]

(Lucas enters the room, buttoning his cuffs. He looks down and laughs. Karen is sitting at her vanity mirror, putting make-up on.)

LUCAS: (bends down) So, tonight’s the big night. Are you excited? I mean, Keith is like the most popular kid in school.

(Karen looks at him for a long moment.)

KAREN: Don’t make fun of me.

(Lucas laughs.)

KAREN: I’m too nervous.

(Lucas pats her on the arm and walks further into the room. Karen puts lipstick on and Lucas sits on her bed.)

KAREN: Right, now, (pause) how do I look?

LUCAS: (shrugs) Like my mom.

KAREN: (sighs forcefully) I’m serious!

LUCAS: You look great, ma.

(Karen smiles.)

LUCAS: You looked great the last time you asked me and the time before that.

KAREN: (b*at) And, what about the time before that?

LUCAS: (thinks hard) Oh, so-so.

(Karen smiles and looks down.)

KAREN: (nervously) Shouldn’t dating get easier?

(The doorbell rings.)

KAREN: (frantic) Oh, um,… OK. (gets off the stool)

LUCAS: Do you want me to have a little talk with him? You know, make sure his intentions are… (massages his fists teasingly) honourable.

(Karen stops the spraying of her perfume to look at her son exasperatedly.)

KAREN: I got it from here.

(She sprays the perfume and then puts it back on the dresser.)

KAREN: Alright, um,… (takes her bag) good luck at the game. You will be joining us for dinner afterwards?

LUCAS: I’ll be there.

(Karen smiles.)

KAREN: OK.

(She walks out of the door.)

LUCAS: (calling after her) You know, this is getting pretty serious, huh – bringing him home to meet the fam(!)?

KAREN: (pokes her head in for a b*at) Enough(!)

(Lucas laughs and stands. She opens the front door to Keith. She smiles delightedly.)

KAREN: Keith. You look…

KEITH: You look… too. (smiles nervously)

(Karen bites her lip and Keith laughs. She shuts the door behind her and walks down the front porch with him.)

KAREN: I, uh,… have a confession; I was, uh,… pretty nervous about tonight.

KEITH: Oh, yeah, me too. I actually changed my shirt three times and… I was gonna change again and then I realised I only have three shirts.

(Karen laughs.)

KAREN: Well, I like that one.

(Karen looks at the car, stunned.)

KAREN: This is yours?(!)

KEITH: This is the car I’ve always dreamed about… which… makes it prefect for tonight.

KAREN: What made you finally decide to buy it?

(Keith holds open the door for her.)

KEITH: Lately I’ve been… less about talking and more about doing.

(They smile and Karen gets into the car. There’s a sh*t of the rear of the car as the red Mustang drives away.)

COUNSELOR: (v.o) So, why don’t you like to talk about college?

CUT TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

(Brooke smiles, strained, and shrugs.)

BROOKE: Coz it… freaks me out,… (pause) OK? I, um,… I like high school. I’m good at high school. You know, I know who my friends are and who my enemy is. (shrugs again) Got this place down.

(Brooke looks on, silently nervous.)

CUT TO:

[EXT. TREE HILL HIGH – GROUNDS – EVENING]

(Brooke is dressed in her cheerleader outfit with a heavy bag slung over her shoulder. She walks up with a fake smile in place.)

BROOKE: Rachel.

(Rachel turns from talking to the cheerleaders. The other girls leave.)

BROOKE: Question: what do Rogue Vogue and the classic have in common? Answer: Brooke Davis. Nice try but I’m doing both.

RACHEL: (uncaringly) How’re you gonna do that?

BROOKE: It called ‘you’re an idiot’; one’s on Saturday, one’s on Sunday and there’s a flight smack-dab in the middle. So you’re gonna have to try harder next time you practice bitch-craft.

RACHEL: (seething) Well, won’t you just be the busiest girl in hobusiness?(!)

BROOKE: And you’ll be taking a backseat; but I guess you’re used to that.

(Rachel looks over Brooke’s shoulder, smiles and waves. Mouth walks up behind, waves and smiles back. Brooke looks over her shoulder and spots him. He ignores her and walks past. Rachel smirks and follows him.)

(Brooke watches them wordlessly.)

CUT TO:

[INT. THE GYM – EVENING]

(Nathan jumps and puts the basketball through the hoop of the formerly decrepit gym. All of the team are practising before the game.)

KEITH: Oh, this gym’s nearly as old as you are.

WHITEY: Yeah, but I look better.

(Whitey turns to look at Keith and Karen.)

KAREN: (smiling) Hey Whitey.

(Whitey walks to them.)

KEITH: (grinning) Gonna win one for us tonight?

WHITEY: Well, it depends; are you gonna stick around and watch?

KEITH: (nods) Yeah, I’ll be here. (smiles at Karen)

(Whitey laughs silently.)

WHITEY: I bet you will.

(Lucas puts a ball through the hoop as Nathan stands under it.)

WHITEY: Good to have you home, Keith. All I need now is a win to make this night perfect.

(Whitey scowls and walks forward as he watches Nathan put another ball through the hoop. The sh*t freezes before the ball goes through.)

COUNSELOR: (v.o) Your basketball career could end, just like that.

CUT TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

COUNSELOR: You need to think about your education, too.

NATHAN: (sits up) No, you don’t get it – without basketball… I’m not gonna have an education. I’m not gonna get into college based on my grades. Basketball’s all I’ve got.

CUT TO:

[INT. THE GYM – EVENING]

(The frozen sh*t unfreezes and Nathan puts the ball through the hoop. All of the cheerleaders walk into the gym, laughing and grinning. Brooke enters with Peyton and they slow down to a halt. Brooke looks around at the gym in disgust.)

BROOKE: This place is disgusting. I can actually see the germs in the air.

(Peyton’s expression isn’t much better. Dan charges in and pushes his way between the pair. Brooke winces and glares at his back.)

PEYTON: (watching Dan) Yeah, me too.

(Peyton puts her hand to Brooke’s shoulder and they move out of the sh*t. Dan walks to Nathan.)

DAN: Nathan.

(Nathan looks at him as he takes his jacket off.)

DAN: Good news.

NATHAN: (poker face) What, I’m adopted?

DAN: (pointing off-screen) David Shay is here.

NATHAN: What?(!)

(Nathan turns and sees David Shay talking and shaking hands with the referee.)

DAN: You wanna play for any basketball powerhouse on the East Coast, that’s the scout you wanna impress.

(Nathan nods and tucks his shirt in.)

DAN: It seems all those phone calls I made on your behalf (grins) paid off.

NATHAN: (irritated) This has nothing to do with you. If he’s here, it’s because of me. (appraises him) You can’t own this one.

(He leaves Dan standing there and runs onto the court.)

WHITEY: (clapping and talking to the players) Aright, come on, move, move, move, move.

GIGI SILVERI: (at the announcers table with Mouth) This is Gigi Silveri. Now that the Ravens have stripped outta their street clothes (smiles fondly) and… put on tight shorts that… caress their firm buttocks…

(Mouth looks at her mutely, not happy.)

GIGI SILVERI: We’re ready to get underway. (looks at Mouth) Mouth?

MOUTH: That was… good.

(Gigi turns away, grinning.)

WHITEY: Alright, here’s the deal: you wanna go back to playing in a gym that doesn’t smell like mouldy cheese,… well go out there and win a game for a change!

(The team nod.)

WHITEY: (holds his fist out) Alright, on three.

(The team put their fists in.)

WHITEY: One, two, three:

THE TEAM: WINNERS!

(The team move to the benches and Whitey stops Nathan.)

WHITEY: Nathan,

(Nathan stops and looks at him.)

WHITEY: not tonight. You have a seat.

NATHAN: (confused) What? Why?

WHITEY: (staring hard) I understand you skipped Political Science this morning.

NATHAN: Coach, my dad was there; he knew I was skipping.

WHITEY: I didn’t. You know the policy – you miss school, you miss the game. No exceptions. (looks at a guy on the bench) Dustin, you’re in.

(Lucas looks on unhappily. Nathan pursues Whitey.)

NATHAN: No, no, no, Coach, there’s a big-time scout here. I have to play tonight.

WHITEY: (stops and turns to him) Nathan,… SIT DOWN! (pause) Now.

(The cheerleaders stop their stretches and watch. Close-up of Haley’s bemused face. Dan looks on, thankfully quiet for once. Nathan can’t believe it as he takes the bench. Dan looks between Nathan and Lucas. Lucas glares at Dan. Nathan looks at his brother.)

FADE TO BLACK:

COMMERCIAL SET:

FADE IN:

[INT. TREEHILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

COUNSELOR: What if basketball doesn’t work out?

(Lucas moves around in his seat and laughs to himself.)

LUCAS: Uh, I don’t expect it to. (looks down) But, if it can help me get into a good college, and help my mom out at the same time, I’m gonna throw everything I have into it.

(Cheering sounds off-screen.)

CHEERLEADERS: (v.o) De-fence!

CUT TO:

[INT. THE GYM – EVENING]

(Pan down for the Ravens logo where the cheerleaders are standing off to one side, cheering.)

CHEERLEADERS: De-fence! De-fence!

(The players are getting ready.)

CHEERLEADERS: De-fence! De-fence!

(Tim passes the ball to Lucas. Lucas throws it and gets it through the hoop. The Ravens supporters jump up and cheer. As do the cheerleaders.)

KEITH: (leaning forward) Yeah! Oh yeah!

(Cut to the scoreboard, which shows Ravens with 29 points and Visitor with 37. The Raven’s points go up to 31.)

(The opposing team get another basket.)

(Dan discreetly walks up to Whitey.)

DAN: Piece of advice for you, gramps - (Whitey rolls his eyes) most Coach’s play their leading scorers. Kinda helps them, you know (shakes his head) win(!)

WHITEY: (sarcastically) Wow, Mayor’s talking to me. What an honour(!)

(Whitey ignores him and walks away. Nathan looks at them disappointedly.)

(The game continues through a series of fade-outs. Lucas gets the ball and gets another basket. Karen claps and Keith yells them to ‘come on’ again. Whitey claps too.)

(Cut back to the scoreboard which now shows Ravens with 32 and Visitor with 37. Raven’s score bumps up to 34 and the buzzer sounds as time runs out for the second period.)

(Cut to Mouth and Gigi at the announcer’s table.)

MOUTH: And there’s the end of the first half. The Ravens trail on a close one: 37 to 34. We’ll be back in a few minutes with the start of the second half.

(Mouth takes his headphones off and looks at the cheerleaders. Brooke smiles brightly and waves at him. He turns to Gigi.)

MOUTH: I’ll be right back.

(He gets out of his seat, steps off the stage and walks away from the cheerleaders – studiously ignoring the cheerleaders and Brooke. Brooke drops her hands and looks away sadly. The team are walking to the locker rooms. Lucas comes up next to Whitey and they walk together.)

LUCAS: Can I talk to you, Coach?

WHITEY: Not if it’s about your brother, Ferris Bueller.

LUCAS: (exasperated) Look, the only reason Nathan skipped class was because of Dan and the only way to get him away from Dan is to let the scout see him play.

WHITEY: It’s not your place to defend him.

LUCAS: Yes, it is; (points at him) you made me co-captain, didn’t you? Well, he’s my team-mate and the team needs him.

WHITEY: I appreciate your concern for your team-mate, but rules are rules and you’re gonna have to find a way to win without him.

(Lucas looks down defeatedly and Whitey enters the gym. Lucas looks sideways and glares before following Whitey.)

(A toilet flushes off-screen.)

CUT TO:

[INT. THE GYM – TOILETS – EVENING]

(Mouth walks to the sink and turns the tap on. Brooke walks into the toilet and locks the door.)

BROOKE: (innocently) Funny running into you here.

(Mouth pauses for a moment, completely lost and confused.)

MOUTH: Am I in the right bathroom?

BROOKE: Mouth, I’m really, really, really, sorry.

(Mouth sighs and leans against the sink.)

BROOKE: OK, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just meant… a guy like you is… one of my very best friends.

(Mouth nods, listening.)

BROOKE: And I was just trying to protect you from one of my very un-best friends.

(She waits and Mouth smiles.)

MOUTH: It’s OK, Brooke.

BROOKE: Can I make it up to you? (shrugs) Hang out after the game?

MOUTH: (laughs) I never though I’d be propositioned in a men’s room.

(Brooke laughs.)

MOUTH: And like it, anyway.

BROOKE: (smiling) Is that a yes?

MOUTH: (smile falls) Well,… I kinda have plans.

BROOKE: (b*at) With Rachel.

MOUTH: … I’d invite you,… but-

BROOKE: It’s OK. (shrugs) Be careful, Mouth.

(There’s a knock on the door. Brooke turns to it, winks at Mouth and opens the door. Mouth smiles.)

BROOKE: Oh(!)

(A few guys enter the bathroom. Brooke smiles and exits. Mouth turns back to the sink.)

CUT TO:

[EXT. THE GYM – ENTRANCE – EVENING]

(Dan walks out of the gym and spots the scout.)

DAN: (pointing) David Shay?

(Walks down the steps and takes David Shay’s hand.)

DAN: Mayor Dan Scott. Nathan’s father.

DAVID SHAY: Oh, I was looking forward to seeing your son play.

DAN: Well who wasn’t? (puts his arm around David’s shoulder and makes him walk with him) Uh, listen, David. The truth is, Coach Durham has a personal issue with me. Unfortunately, he’s punishing Nathan for it. It’s sad, really.

DAVID SHAY: Ah, Lucas was playing well.

DAN: That part’s even sadder.

(Keith shoulder moves partially onto the screen.)

KEITH: Are you talking about Lucas?

(David Shay nods.)

KEITH: Coz I’m, uh, (looks at Dan and shakes David Shay’s hand) Keith, Lucas’ uncle.

DAVID SHAY: He’s having quite a night.

KEITH: Yeah, he’s a really good kid and he’s got great grades too.

DAVID SHAY: That’s nice to hear. Well, uh,… I gotta get back inside. It’s nice to meet you two.

(Dan nods.)

KEITH: You too.

(David Shay walks back into the gym. Karen walks up to Keith and he puts his arm around her shoulders. Dan laughs.)

DAN: Ohhh, (smiles) you both could do better.

KAREN: (looks at him pointedly) God knows I’ve done worse.

(She walks past him. Keith looks at her and his smile grows. He smirks at Dan and follows her. Dan waits a b*at.)

DAN: Hey, Keith?

(Karen and Keith stop and turn.)

DAN: (back to them) I wouldn’t leave town if I were you.

KEITH: (laughs) Well, I’m not going anywhere, Danny. (beams at Karen) I wouldn’t dream of it.

(Keith puts his hand at Karen’s waist and leads her back into the gym. Dan turns away, glaring hard.)

CUT TO:

[INT. THE GYM – EVENING]

(Play has resumed on the court. The Ravens are scattered on it. Tim tosses the ball to Lucas who gets the ball through the basket.)

KEITH: YEAH!

(Karen claps. Nathan looks down, unhappy that he’s not part of it.)

HALEY: (v.o) I-I feel like I can’t win.

CUT TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

HALEY: I mean, d-do I-do I go on without him? Do I beg him to come with me? Follow him wherever he goes?

CUT TO:

[INT. THE GYM – EVENING]

(Nathan looks around at the players, sadly.)

HALEY: (v.o) I don’t think you ever realise how much you love something-

CUT TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDNACE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

HALEY: -till you have to give it up.

(She sits there.)

CUT TO:

[INT. THE GYM – EVENING]

(Cut back to the gym where Lucas gets another basket.)

BROOKE: (impressed) What is that boy on?

HALEY: (worried) Or not on.

MOUTH: (o.s) OK, time winding down on the fourth quarter. The Ravens need a basket.

(Lucas bounces the ball into the wing.)

MOUTH: (o.s) Lucas Scott drives into the wing, he puts a sh*t up and SCORES and the Ravens are down by one!

(sh*t of the scoreboard which now reads Ravens 74 and Visitor 75 with nine seconds left on the clock.)

MOUTH: (v.o) Nine seconds left in the game.

(Whitey calls the team in, clapping. The players gather around him.)

WHITEY: Move, move, move, move! Alright, now I want you guys to take a good look around you. Take a good hard look. Because once in a while, you have to ask yourself how you got to this place. O for 2; playing in this place… (scowls) crummy, sweat-box of a gym(!) (pause) Well, I’ll tell you how you got there – you got there by playing selfishly and losing.

(Lucas looks down and nods.)

WHITEY: But, for the next nine seconds, if you change the first thing, you’ll change the second. (holds his fist out) Alright, let’s go.

(The rest of the team follow suit.)

WHITEY: One, two, three.

THE TEAM: RAVENS!

(The whistle sounds. Nathan turns his head and sees his father looking at him. Dan’s frowning at him.)

COUNSELOR: (v.o) Did your father go to Duke?

CUT TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

(Nathan thinks.)

NATHAN: No. (pause) But I’m better than him.

CUT TO:

[INT. THE GYM – EVENING]

(Nathan looks away from his father and turns to his brother.)

NATHAN: Lucas!

(Lucas stops and looks at him. He runs back.)

NATHAN: The dead-spot. (Lucas leans in closer) Fleming has no left. (pause) Alright? He’ll go to his right. So if you force him into the dead-spot, you’ll be able to pick his pocket.

(Lucas smiles and pats his brother on the shoulder before running back onto the court. Nathan looks at Whitey. Whitey looks and him and smiles before turning his head away, his smile growing more proud and fond. Dan’s having trouble figuring out what’s going on.)

(Cut to a close-up of the clock on the scoreboard as it counts down. The opposing team has the advantage. The Ravens wait in a nervous huddle as Lucas blocks the opponent.)

(The sh*t cuts to slow motion as Lucas forces the other member into the dead spot. The opposing player shoulders him but Lucas stays his ground. The other player turns with the ball.)

(Lucas grabs the ball easily and runs the opposite way with it. Nathan holds his arms up in triumph and stands with the crowd.)

(Close-up of the clock as it counts down from 5 to 4.)

(Lucas runs with the ball. Dan watches him.)

(The clock counts down from 3 to 2. Brooke waits in anticipation as Lucas jumps and puts the ball through the hoop as the count down ends and the buzzer sounds. The cheerleaders jump up ecstatically. The crowd jumps up ecstatically and a kid drops popcorn everywhere. Karen and Keith scream delightedly and look at each other.)

(Cut to a sh*t from under the hoop. Lucas drops back to the floor.)

LUCAS: (v.o) I never would have joined the basketball team if it wasn’t for my uncle Keith.

CUT TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

(Lucas looks off to the side, contemplating.)

LUCAS: You know, he wanted me to be a part of something. (pause) To feel like I belonged.

(He looks at the counselor soberly.)

CUT TO:

[INT. THE GYM – EVENING]

(The cheerleaders are still screaming. Whitey is yelling, red-faced with delight. Mouth takes his headset off and hugs Gigi. Lucas is hoisted up onto the shoulders of him team-mates.)

(Dan can only watch, wishing it were Nathan up there. He looks over at Nathan who’s clapping. Nathan spares an uncaring look at Dan before walking to his players. Lucas holds his arm up.)

COUNSELOR: (v.o) It sounds like he really cares about you.

(Cut to Karen and Keith who are hugging and kissing.)

CUT TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

(Lucas looks down and smiles fondly.)

LUCAS: Yeah, he’s like a father to me.

(He looks up and smiles.)

CUT TO:

[INT. THE GYM – EVENING]

(The team walk with Lucas still on their shoulders. The cheerleaders surround the players and the frame freezes.)

FADE TO BLACK:

COMMERCIAL SET:

FADE IN:

[INT. THE GYM – EVENING]

(The players walk out of the changing rooms and onto the deserted court. They have changed into their normal clothes. Lucas walks out as Brooke rushes to him, occasionally jumping. She puts her arms around him and kisses him.)

BROOKE: You keep playing like that and you might have a chance with the captain of the cheerleaders.

LUCAS: (looks beyond her) Really? She say something?

BROOKE: Yeah, she said this: (kisses him again)

(He puts his arm around her shoulders and they walk together.)

BROOKE: Comin’ over tonight?

LUCAS: I don’t know; I… I’m gonna have dinner with Keith and my mom.

BROOKE: So,… how bout after that? I mean, you don’t wanna hang around and be a third wheel if they wanna get freaky.

(Lucas cringes and groans.)

LUCAS: Oh! That’s my mom. Not a visual I wanna have in my head.

BROOKE: Then, so, how bout you come over… and I’ll give you a better one.

LUCAS: Oh yeah?

BROOKE: Yeah.

(They kiss.)

BROOKE: Have fun with your family.

(Lucas laughs as she bounces away again.)

(sh*t of Haley who’s been watching them from a distance. Nathan exits last and sees her. He walks to her.)

NATHAN: You OK?

HALEY: (smiles distractedly) Yeah. (looks back at Lucas) Just worried about Lucas. (laughs to herself)

(Lucas is being patted and congratulated by a fellow player as he’s about to exit.)

HALEY: Sorry you didn’t get to play today. I know you wanted to impress that scout.

NATHAN: (grinning) Why? You don’t think he was impressed with my, uh, bench-sitting skills?

(Haley laughs and Nathan sighs.)

NATHAN: Haley, I’m sorry. (pause) I wish I had an answer for all this school stuff. It’s just,… if I tell you not to go to Stanford, I’m telling you not to follow your dreams, again. If I tell you to go, I’m saying I don’t wanna be with you. (pause) So whaddaya want me to say?

HALEY: … Say you love me?

NATHAN: (smiling) Of course I love you. (puts a hand on her shoulder)

DAVID SHAY: (o.s) Scott?

(Nathan and Haley look sideways as David Shay approaches Lucas.)

DAVID SHAY: (holds out a hand) Dave Shay.

(Lucas shakes his hand.)

DAVID SHAY: You played a great game today.

(Haley’s watching them but Nathan’s watching her. He can’t watch that scene.)

LUCAS: (o.s) Uh, thanks, I, uh,… (sighs) had a lot of help.

(Nathan smiles tightly and studies his shoes. Lucas looks over at Nathan.)

LUCAS: … You know, you should meet my brother, (points) though. Um,… hey, Nathan!

(Nathan looks over and Haley looks at Nathan, grinning. She silently urges him to go. They smile as Nathan complies. Haley watches him proudly.)

NATHAN: Hey, how’re you doing? (shakes David Shay’s hand)

DAVID SHAY: Alright. Good to meet you.

(Lucas and Nathan stand together.)

NATHAN: Pretty great game, huh?

DAVID SHAY: Fantastic.

FADE TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

BROOKE: (looking directly at the camera) The truth is, I don’t really like to think about college. (pause) Coz that means high school’s over.

CUT TO:

[EXT. THE GYM – EVENING]

(Brooke’s hugging herself and she walks out, alone. She watches Lucas, Karen and Keith getting into the car.)

BROOKE: (v.o) After graduation, everyone will probably go play basketball. (pause) Or sing or start record labels,-

CUT TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

BROOKE: -and I’ll have to start all over. (pause) Alone.

CUT TO:

[EXT. THE GYM – EVENING]

(Brooke smiles to herself and walks to her car. The sh*t rises until she is seen through a birds eye view.)

BROOKE: (v.o) I’m sure I’ll be fine.

(There’s a partial fade where Brooke is visible walking alone but also sitting in the guidance counselor’s office.)

BROOKE: But like I said, I don’t like to think about it.

(The sh*t of her walking pauses first. There’s a b*at before the other sh*t freezes too.)

FADE TO:

[INT. KAREN’S CAFÉ – DINING AREA – EVENING]

(Karen and Keith are sitting at the table. Lucas walks over with another plate full of dessert. He hands them out.)

LUCAS: (v.o) At the end of the day, I just… wanna be with my family and friends. I just wanna play basketball and-

FADE TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

LUCAS: -I wanna go to college. (pause) (grins) That’s… not too much to ask, is it?

(The sh*t pauses.)

CUT TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

NATHAN: It’s just hard because… the game’s the only thing that ever mattered to me… until Haley came along.

(The sh*t pauses.)

FADE TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – WHITEY’S OFFICE – EVENING]

(Whitey is seen at his desk through his window. He has his glasses on and is reading. Nathan walks in.)

NATHAN: Coach?

(Whitey looks up.)

NATHAN: I wanted to talk to you about not playing me tonight.

(Whitey scowls, opens a drawer and discreetly put the glass of alcohol inside.)

WHITEY: I’m not having this conversation again. (shuts the drawer)

NATHAN: (nods) It was the right thing to do.

(Whitey takes his glasses off and throws them onto the desk.)

WHITEY: Well, that was a good tip you gave to Lucas. (pause) It may have won us the game.

(Nathan smiles and looks down.)

WHITEY: Tonight, you put the team ahead of yourself. (proud) That’s what a true leader does. (pointedly) And that’s something your father never learned.

(Nathan nods.)

WHITEY: Now don’t worry about that scout. (pause) I’ll see he comes back. You’ll get your sh*t.

NATHAN: (smiles) Thanks Coach, but, uh,… I was hoping maybe… you could call somebody at Stanford.

(Whitey waits a b*at before laughing.)

WHITEY: Alright, I’ll make a call. (nods)

(Nathan smiles gratefully. The sh*t freezes.)

HALEY: (v.o) It’s just hard-

FADE TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

HALEY: -because before I was married, I thought Stanford was my future.

(Close-up of Haley writing down a list for pros and cons for Duke and Stanford. Under Duke, her pro is ‘Nathan’. Under Stanford, her con is ‘No Nathan’.)

HALEY: But all those different faces I remember; all those different people, (pause) none of them are Nathan.

CUT TO:

[INT. DAVIS SCOTT APARTMENT – BROOKE AND HALEY’S BEDROOM – EVENING]

(Haley is sitting up in bed, writing down her list. She looks down seriously as she thinks.)

FADE TO:

[INT. SAWYER RESIDENCE – LIVING ROOM – EVENING]

(Peyton walks into the room, looking around. Ellie is sitting at the dining table.)

ELLIE: Hey!

PEYTON: Hi.

ELLIE: How was the game?

(Peyton leans on the doorframe and shrugs.)

PEYTON: (smiles) Yeah, it was OK.

ELLIE: (smiling with red eyes) Was it exciting watching the Ravens get their first win?

(Peyton looks at her mutely.)

ELLIE: (nods sadly) I was there.

(Ellie is obviously upset.)

PEYTON: Well, why didn’t you come say hi?

ELLIE: Oh, I just wanted to watch you do your thing.

(Peyton looks away, embarrassed.)

ELLIE: You were great!

PEYTON: Yeah, I can go pom to pom with the cheeriest. (smiles)

ELLIE: I’m serious, Peyton. You’re smart, you’re funny, you’re beautiful and what I can see, there’s nothing that you’re not good at.

PEYTON: (scowls) You want something?

ELLIE: Except talking compliments, apparently.

(Peyton laughs and looks down.)

PEYTON: No, I’m sorry, I just… I’m not used to it.

(Peyton walks forward and pulls a chair out.)

ELLIE: As I watched you tonight, I thought to myself: (pause) ‘this girl has so much to offer the world. (pause) If only she could see it’.

(Peyton looks at her worriedly. It’s painfully obvious that Ellie’s been crying.)

PEYTON: (lightly) You sure you’re OK?

ELLIE: Yeah, I’m fine. I, um,… I came up with a possible album title and took a sh*t at the cover art.

(She passes the sketchpad over. Peyton takes it and looks at it. It’s a sketch of a dark background with Peyton dressed as the angel of death, holding pom-poms and with 2 pigtails. She’s sitting on the floor. There’s a tattoo of the breast cancer ribbon on her right arm. Her flaming red heart is at the top left of the sketch and the title reads ‘Friends with Benefit’.)

ELLIE: (smiles sadly) Whaddaya think?

PEYTON: (awed) Friends with Benefit. (nods) (looks up) I love it.

(She laughs as the camera pans down.)

FADE TO:

[INT. TREE HILL HIGH – GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY]

(Peyton looks down and smiles.)

PEYTON: So, I think I wanna study art and music… and maybe business. (pause) Any suggestions?

(The sh*t freezes.)

FADE TO:

[EXT. KAREN’S CAFÉ – FRONT DOOR – EVENING]

(Karen, Lucas and Keith can be seen through the door. Keith looks out of the window briefly. The sh*t slowly zooms out as they eat. Keith excuses himself.)

(Someone walks past the door. Cut to Dan sitting in his car, watching the scene. He looks away and then back again. A shoulder appears on his side of the car, just outside of his window. Keith taps on the window.)

(Dan looks at him a b*at before lowering the window. Keith isn’t smiling.)

KEITH: I hope you got your pants on.

(Dan doesn’t say anything. It’s pouring outside and Keith ignores it as he sighs.)

KEITH: Go home, Danny. (pause) This isn’t you life.

(Dan looks away and starts the car.)

END