Page 1 - Chekhov touch
Page 2 - Rashomon
Page 3 - Gossip
Page 5 - Sibling Help
Written by: Winnie Holzman and Maggie Friedman
Directed by: Matt Shakman
The next day Grace turns the corner to the hallway, a backpack slung over her shoulder. A group of girls turns to look at her. Someone whispers, “Oh, they were?” Grace notices this group of girls, then looks to her left to see another group of kids looking at her as they pass by. One boy says to another, “Yeah man, that’s her…”
Grace looks to the end of the hallway and pauses. Mr. Dimitri sees her too and takes two steps toward her, then stops. Grace steps forward like she wants to talk to him. He deliberately turns away. Grace sees this, then her eyes shift slightly to a woman at the end of the hallway who quietly calls, “Mr. Dimitri?” “Yes,” he answers. “Would you, uh, follow me?” Mr. Dimitri nods, hands in his pocket, and follows the woman out of the hallway.
J. MR. DIMITRI AND GRACE TALK IN THE CLASSROOM
(Later that same day…)
Mr. Dimitri opens the door to his classroom and walks in. Grace is waiting near the closed blinds. She turns to face him. “Hey,” she says. Mr. Dimitri stops the rapidly closing door with the small window on it. He pushes it open.
“I was, um, hoping we could talk about my story. Because, (she tries to laugh) see, now I can’t figure out how to end it.” She walks toward him. Mr. Dimitri puts his leather case on his desk uncomfortably, looking stressed.
“Not.right.now,...Grace.” He looks up at her.
“Oh, okay.” Mr. Dimitri starts putting papers in his case, his teeth biting his lower lip. Grace watches. “So, why weren’t you…I mean, we had that sub but then I saw you in the hall.”
“Yeah, I was unable to attend class today due to being interrogated by Mr. Brooker.”
“You’re kidding.”
He continues, “Oh, and Mrs. Conway, head of the school board.”
“W-We didn’t do anything.”
Mr. Dimitri looks up, opens his mouth, but doesn’t say anything.
“So, are you really in trouble?”
Mr. Dimitri gasps-laughs at this. “I could.lose.my.job, and my license, and possibly never get hired to teach anywhere ever again."” He thumps his hand on his case at the word “teach” and looks at Grace. Grace takes this in. Mr. Dimitri closes his eyes and runs his hand over his face. “Look, I think it’s probably best for both of us if we just…just don’t talk to each other outside of class anymore.” He starts walking away.
“No, I just—“
“Hey, I’m, I’m sorry.” He raises his arm up as if to keep her away. Grace looks stricken. Mr. Dimitri pauses, then turns away from her and out the door.