| 3-14 GAY/STRAIGHT ALLIANCE (page 4) Written by: Winnie Holzman and Maggie Friedman Directed by: Patrick Norris (in progress, will list other scenes soon) GRACE’S PRESENTATION Grace gave a thoroughly prepared presentation to Mrs. Gonzales, while Mr. Dimitri listened by the door. Grace ends by saying, "I just want to close with a sad statistic. Gay teens are over twice as likely to attempt suicide. And if you don't give us the funding for the dance I'm not saying people are going to kill themselves. What I am saying is that if it's within your power to give someone hope, someone who really needs it, and instead you turn your back on them," Grace pauses and looks at Mr. Dimitri. He looks at her and then looks down. Grace continues, "I just think that's really horrible." She then looks pointedly at Mr. Dimitri again. He catches her glance, then looks away. Mrs. Gonzales gushes over Grace, who grabs her backpack and coat and leaves, not looking up. Dimitri thanks Mrs. Gonzales and quickly moves to the hallway, calling after Grace. She ignores him and keeps walking. Mrs. Gonzales tells Mr. Dimitri, "She's quite something, isn't she?" Dimitri nods, "Yes." Then he turns to see Grace at the end of the hallway, still walking away. 2ND CAR SCENE Grace walks through the parking lot. A car pulls up behind her. She stops, knowing before she turns that it's Mr. Dimitri. He looks up at her with a "we need to talk" expression on his face. She just looks at him, a very slight acknowledgment on her face. The car parks in front of Grace's house. Mr. Dimitri says awkwardly, “Thanks for doing such a great job today. You were very persuasive." "I don't even know what I said," Grace answers, not looking at him. "Well, trust me, because of what you said the Gay/Straight Alliance will get the funding to have that dance.” Grace says, “I don’t care about the stupid dance. I don't care about the Gay/Straight Alliance.” Dimitri looks down and says quietly, "I know you don't." An uncomfortable look crosses his face. Grace asks, "What else do you know?" Dimitri looks at her and says "I know you took my book." Grace looks up at him longingly and says nothing. Dimitri tells her "It was stupid of me not to just let you borrow it." He shifts to turn toward her and with a serious expression says, "The thing is, Grace, we're not friends." She says, embarrassed, "I know that." Dimitri continues, "I mean, you CAN'T just drop by my house like that." Grace nods her head, looking away, "I know." "If circumstances were different, I'd like nothing more than to be your friend. I'd WANT you to drop by my house. I'd lend you my book of poems I wrote when I was in my twenties which I'm now embarrassed by. I'd want you to call me August and not Mr. Dimitri and we would sit and talk for hours, but we CAN'T do that. We.can't.be.friends." Grace breaks down, "I know, I know. Just stop saying it. Please." She wipes away a tear. Dimitri nods and looks down. Grace composes herself and quietly asks, not looking at him, "So, that was your girlfriend last night?" Mr. Dimitri looks back at Grace. "And you SHOULDN'T be asking me questions like that!" Grace starts crying and turns her head to the window, covering her face with her glove. Mr. Dimitri softens and answers. "She was my girlfriend, a long time ago, in college. Now we're just...friends." And he smiles at Grace. Grace turns her head to look at him and her tears have stopped. She says nothing but "Oh." But her expression has changed slightly, become more confident. Grace looks at Mr. Dimitri's eyes, then down at his lips, then back at his eyes. There is silence in the car. Mr. Dimitri takes in her look and his eyes change, pausing on Grace's eyes, lips and back into her eyes. Grace keeps the stare. Mr. Dimitri tries to break it, warning "You'd better get out of the car now." Grace doesn't move. "Why?" The lustful stare between the two continues and Mr. Dimitri shifts subtly in his seat. Grace moves her head slightly forward. Then Lily knocks on her window. Grace, startled, rolls down her window. "Hi, Mr. Dimitri!", Lily opens, smiling brightly. Mr. Dimitri turns his head toward the steering wheel and stammers, "I was just...it was cold outside and..." Lily interrupts, "Oh, I know. Thank you so much! Grace, would you give me a hand with the groceries?" Grace answers yes and opens the car door to get out, giving a quick look back to Dimitri. Dimitri rolls up the window, a chagrined, surprised look on his face. Home |
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