THE CRUSH
FADE IN:
EXT. RECESS YARD AT SCHOOL -- WIDE SHOT
Elementary school children playing on the playground equipment, hop scotch, jump rope, swings, and other assorted kid game.
MED. ANGLE ON JUNGLE GYM
Boys playing on mammoth jungle gym. We see JUSTIN, an eight year old boy, talking with two other boys on the top, motioning about. ALLISON, an eight year old girl, approaches the gym, places her hands on her hips, and looks up at them.
ALLISON
(confidently)
Justin! Come down here! I have to
talk to you right now!
Justin looks annoyed, saying something to his friends before jumping onto a pole and sliding down to the bottom of the gym.
ALLISON
Come on, boy-o, I have to talk to
you. It's important!
JUSTIN
(reluctantly)
Allright...alright, just don't make
me take a long time. I've got a war
to do.
ALLISON
(giggling)
I hope you and the boys aren't gonna
attack me and my friends!
Allison pokes Justin in the stomach, playfully. He gives her a dirty look and crosses his arms.
JUSTIN
Don't try it, Allison. We got more
important things to deal with than
you dumb girls. There's going to be
an invasion and we're getting ready.
ALLISON
(feining awe)
Ooooooo, neato!
Allison grabs Justin's hand and starts to lead him underneath the Jungle Gym. He plods along after her, begrudgingly.
CLOSER SHOT -- UNDERNEATH THE JUNGLE GYM
ALLISON
I talked to Sally and Missy and
everybody and I even asked your
friend Timmy and HE said that you
told him about the time I spit
chocolate milk on you with my
straw...
Justin rolls his eyes and stands quietly listening.
ALLISON
... and that you said you didn't mind
because you were wearing a brown
shirt, and that's why you didn't hit
me AND Kimmy told me you kept one
of my math times tables in your desk
and sometimes look at it when no one
is around.
JUSTIN
(confused)
Huh?!
Allison nods slowly to him, a smile on her face.
JUSTIN
(even more confused)
Huh?!
ALLISON
(rubbing her chin)
And so now I have to talk to you
about stuff. You see, we've been
center partners for a LONG time ...
JUSTIN
(nodding)
Yeah ...?
ALLISON
... and even though I used to like
your friends Joseph and Richie, you
and me have ALWAYS been center partners.
JUSTIN
Um, yeah. So?
ALLISON
(a little nervous now)
So I just wanted to ask you a
question and everything.
JUSTIN
(uneasily)
O.K. Um, go ahead.
ALLISON
Do you have a crush on me?
CLOSE-UP SHOT ON JUSTIN, A CONFUSED LOOK ON HIS FACE.
Justin thinks. We hear his thoughts as we watch him.
JUSTIN'S HEAD
I don't get it. What does she mean
by that? I'm just glad she didn't
ask if I liked her or something.
SHOT OF ALLISON -- STANDING WITH DREAMY LOOK IN HER EYES.
CLOSE-UP OF JUSTIN, IN THOUGHT.
JUSTIN'S HEAD
Crush? What does she mean? Like an
Orange Crush? Grape Crush? I like
Grape Crush, but that's a drink.
How can you have a drink on
somebody? Maybe she means it like
when you crush a soda can ... or a
bug.
SHOT OF ALLISON -- WEARING A BUG SUIT WITH LONG ANTENNA
ON JUSTIN
JUSTIN'S HEAD
Hmmm, maybe that's it. That sounds
O.K. I guess I'd better tell her.
TIGHT SHOT ON JUSTIN AND ALLISON
JUSTIN
(smiling)
Yeah. I have a crush on you.
Allison beams. She is momentarily stunned, not sure what to do. She steps forward and gives Justin a quick kiss on the lips, closing her eyes. Justin stands there, paralyzed, watching her, his eyes wide and his lips frozen. She steps away from him.
ALLISON
(grinning)
I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! I
won't bug you about it anymore!
Your secret is safe with me.
I won't tell anybody!
JUSTIN
(looking around)
Um... well... I hope you, um,
I didn't ...
Allison raises a finger to her lips and shhhhhs him. Justin blinks and just looks at her. Allison giggles and skips away.
MED SHOT -- PLAYGROUND, EXT. JUNGLE GYM.
Justin watches Allison skip away from where he's standing beneath the jungle gym. Kids playing in the background. He leans up against one of the supports.
CLOSE-UP OF JUSTIN
Justin smiles and raises a finger to his lips, lightly touching them. He is blushing. Justin turns his head and looks out where Allison skipped away to, an awkward grin on his face.
ZOOM OUT SLOWLY FROM JUSTIN TO A WIDE ANGLE ON THE PLAYGROUND.
FADE OUT.
10/95
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