SCENE B

EXT. SCHOOL COURTYARD – LATER

Halley and her classmates paint trees on their canvases using the tree in front of them as a reference. Halley is really talented. Mrs. Vanderbelle hugs the tree, breathes it in, then releases the tree and mimics it.

HALLEY

Should we call someone?

Sage Monroe is sitting next to her with a camera around her neck.

SAGE

Shhh. I'm trying to concentrate.

HALLEY

On the tree?

SAGE

(listening intensely) On Mrs. Vanderbelle. Her flip-flops are speaking to me.

Sage dips her fingers into her bucket of white paint and flicks it onto her blank canvas. Mrs. Vanderbelle approaches Sage, curious.

MRS. VANDERBELLE

Interesting Sage. What is your angle, exactly?

SAGE

Words. They're invisible, yet touching.

Sage slides her finger down her canvas.

MRS. VANDERBELLE

How profound! B for brilliance!

Mrs. Vanderbelle jots down the grade. Sage dips her whole hand in her paint and smears it across her canvas. She wipes her hands together.

SAGE

Done.

Mrs. Vanderbelle approaches Halley. She gasps.

MRS. VANDERBELLE

A new star is born in Duplex High. O for outstanding!

She jots down the grade.

HALLEY

O?

Sage moves over to Halley's painting holding up her camera. She takes a shot.

SAGE

Cool bee.

HALLEY

Bee?

Halley looks closely at her painting. A bee hovers nearby.

HALLEY

Bee!

MRS. VANDERBELLE

Well if you would prefer a B.

Mrs. Vanderbelle changes the grade.

Halley swats at the bee with her brush and spills paint all over her knapsack.

SAGE

It got away.