ACT ONE

INT. NORTHPOINTE/PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE – DAY

Principal O'Dougherty sits at her desk, hands folded like a gavel. A restrained storm. Mr. Edwards stands beside her. The mediator. The students are being interrogated individually.

PRINCIPAL O'DOUGHERTY

Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in?

VANCE

Wouldn't be the first time.

PRINCIPAL O'DOUGHERTY

This is funny to you? You could have been arrested for breaking into the school and destroying school property.

ABRAM

With all due respect, Mrs. O'Dougherty, I doubt Crayola paint and Elmer's glue is cause for concern.

FLYNN

Technically, we didn't break in. I have a key.

MR. EDWARDS

So this was Flynn's idea?

TORIE

The sharks ambushed us. Shouldn't they be here too?

SAVANNAH

Wait, Flynn has a key?

MR. EDWARDS

Not anymore.

VANCE

Are we recording this? I want to make sure you get my innocent side.

PRINCIPAL O'DOUGHERTY

This is a serious matter. I will not have my students running around the school in the dead of night doing who knows what--

ABRAM

We were--

PRINCIPAL O'DOUGHERTY (CONT'D)

This conversation is over. Not only will you clean up the mess you've made, but starting today, you are suspended for a week and you will not be allowed on school property until your suspension is up.

TORIE

What about the talent show? This is our final performance. Mr. Edwards, you know how much this means to us.

MR. EDWARDS

Don't you think that's a little severe? These are good kids...Essentially. It was just a school rivalry that got way out of a hand.

PRINCIPAL O'DOUGHERTY

Actions have consequences. I hope this will help you remember that in the future.

INT. LOBBY/OUTSIDE MAIN OFFICE – DAY

Torie and Savannah sit in chairs outside of the office. Abram and Flynn lean against the wall opposite them. Torie's crying with her head in her hands. Savannah has an arm around her, comforting her.

TORIE

This is my fault. It was my stupid idea.

Flynn's in a daze.

FLYNN

I've never been suspended in my life. I've never even been in detention. My record is ruined.

ABRAM

No one's going to care about a little Post-it Note in your folder. We just lost our gig. We need to find a way to get back in the talent show.

SAVANNAH

How? You heard her. It's over. There's nothing you can do.

ABRAM

Doesn't hurt to try.

He moves toward the office just as the door opens. Vance walks out with Mr. Edwards who's holding a bucket with rags in it.

VANCE

You guys are off the hook.

The rest of them stand.

SAVANNAH

Why? What did you say?

VANCE

I told her it was my fault. That I started the whole thing. She knows I'm good for it.

Savannah hugs him.

SAVANNAH

Thank you.

VANCE

What for? I get a second vacation.

MR. EDWARD

All right, Vance. Let's go.

Vance releases Savannah.

VANCE

It's been real, peeps. See you next week.

He leaves.

MR. EDWARDS

As a far as you four go, you're on clean up duty.

He hands the bucket of rags to Abram.

MR. EDWARDS

See you at rehearsal.

EXT. OUTSIDE BUILDING – DAY

Savannah and Torie head for the parking lot covered in slime and paint.

SAVANNAH

I can't believe Vance took the fall for us.

TORIE

Me either. But to be fair, he wasn't lying. He's the reason the Sharks were here in the first place.

SAVANNAH

Yeah, but he saved us today. Everyone's always bringing up his past and the bad stuff about him. What abou the good stuff he's done?

TORIE

That's the thing. Aside from today, what else has he done?

Savannah doesn't know how to respond to that. Torie checks her phone.

TORIE (CONT'D)

We only have a few hours to get ready. We have a long day ahead of us.