INT. AN EMPTY THEATRE. THE LIGHTS ARE DIM. THERE IS A SHOW GOING ON SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE THEATRE. THE MUTED SOUNDS OF THE THEATRE INCLUDE THE DISTANT VOICES OF THE ACTORS, AND THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE TWO PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND. OTHERWISE, OPENING CREDIT SONG IS PLAYING.

[As the opening credits roll, JAKE and ALEX (though their faces remain unseen at this point) are sitting at opposite sides of the theatre, silently, occasionally glancing awkwardly at each other. Then, ALEX (still her face hidden) fires a shot at JAKE with her fingers together in the form of a gun. He hesitates, then shoots back, but she has hidden behind a pillar. Gradually, they begin to shoot more enthusiastically, until finally, they are running around the theatre, hiding from each other and/or chasing each other. They occasionally throw themselves silently behind a pillar, reaching around to shoot each other. They always miss each other, reaching from around set pieces and chairs. No other people are seen. As the end of the scene is about to happen in the background, JAKE sneaks up on her from above as ALEX is crouching down hiding in the seats, and he shoots her. She dies dramatically and he catches her in his arms. We see their faces for the first time. Their faces are close, and we’re not sure what’s going to happen. The clapping for the end of the scene can be heard, as though the volume of real life is being turned up slowly.]

JAKE
[Whispering, close to her face.] I’m Jake.

[ALEX smiles.]

INT. A HIGH SCHOOL. MIDDLETON HIGH, IN COLORADO. IT’S THE MIDDLE OF SECOND SEMESTER, AND THE AIR IS STILL BRISK.

[Inside of the school, it is between classes. Students are milling about. We find ALEX LARKIN and ASH MARTIN at ALEX’s locker. ALEX is a small girl with an eclectic style. Her bag and locker have signs/patches, etc. on them that sport “green” and “vegetarian” slogans. She has a beauty about her that’s not instantly noticeable, and seems unassuming. ASH is a more stunning version, flirtatious but not obnoxious. She is outgoing with few very close friends, but to these few she is unwaveringly loyal. The kind of person who knows everyone anyway.]


[ALEX is joking, but ASH is subtly serious that something is weird about the movie night thing. ALEX is obtuse, and doesn’t notice.]

INT. ART CLASSROOM. LOTS OF PAINT ON THE WALLS, AND PAINTINGS. ARCHEYPAL HIGH SCHOOL ART CLASS.

[ART TEACHER is stereotypically in a paint-covered apron at the front of the classroom, talking with a few over-eager students. KYLE SULLIVAN is a reclusive boy in ASH and ALEX’s year. He’s tall and blonde, but looks like he spends most of his time inside. He doesn’t have many friends and hardly speaks. He is sketching, but looks up when ASH and ALEX walk in. He tries to hide his interest in ASH, but no one is paying attention to him anyway. ASH and ALEX sit down, still chatting at the table in front of KYLE, pulling out their work from the cubbies underneath their desk. ASH has been working on a sculpture of a tree. ALEX is doing an oil painting of a duck touching its beak to that of a bird of paradise plant. The bell rings.]


[ALEX looks over her shoulder at KYLE. ART TEACHER is walking away, and ALEX catches KYLE’s eye before she quickly turns away.]

CUT TO:

INT. HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY.

[Art Class is over. Students are milling out of doors, ASH and ALEX walk out together. KYLE is somewhere behind them, keeping ASH in sight, but not making himself known to her. ASH and ALEX, still chatting nonchalantly, both wave to several people in passing. They split ways when ASH goes in a door (followed by KYLE a few seconds later) and ALEX continues down the hall.]

CUT TO:

INT. GERMAN CLASSROOM.

[ASH sits down at her usual desk across the row from a cute senior boy. She smiles at him and he smiles back and they start chatting. KYLE takes the desk two behind and one over from ASH. She doesn’t notice him. The GERMAN TEACHER walks in and starts fussing with papers at the front of the classroom.]

CUT TO:

INT. MATH CLASSROOM.

[JAKE DANIELS is sitting at “the usual table” reading over his homework. He is tall and handsome but he doesn’t know it. He is easygoing but very intelligent, with a dry, clever sense of humor. ALEX walks in and takes her usual seat next to JAKE.]


CUT TO:

EXT. MIDDLETON HIGH.

[School is over, students are congregating outside of the building. ALEX is waiting at a picnic table. She is looking at her phone. JAKE walks over to her.]


CUT TO:

EXT. A CAR PULLS UP TO A DRIVEWAY IN A SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD.

[JAKE and ALEX get out of his car and go into the house.]

CUT TO:

INT. JAKE’S HOUSE.

[JAKE walks in first with ALEX behind him. She looks comfortable in his house.]