Try Again (A Scripted Series)-Part One

Episode 1: The Retake

ACT ONE

INT. NORTHPOINTE HIGH SCHOOL – DAY

The school bell rings.

Traveling through the crowded halls, we enter--

INT. MUSIC ROOM – DAY

Girl group FTW are harmonizing. TORIE LOGAN (rich, fashionable, rocking natural curls) sings lead, while MO, SHAE, and BRANDY back her up. They're in perfect synch...until Brandy overpowers them with beautifully, improvised runs closing the song.

TORIE

That was great. Brandy, the runs are a little excessive. Could we take them down a notch?

MO

I liked it.

SHAE

We can't blend if someone keeps trying to steal the spotlight with their vocal vaulting.

BRANDY

Fine. Whatever. I'll stay in my lane.

JAXSON swoops in and grabs Torie from behind. Kisses her on the cheek. 

JAXSON

I thought I heard angels.

SHAE

You guys can cuddle on your own time. We need to rehearse.

Torie grabs her things.

TORIE

Sorry, ladies. I'm going to have to cut it short. I have a history test to retake.

BRANDY

I could sing lead while you're gone. The talent show is right around the corner. We do not have to sit around.

SHAE

And some of us need help staying on their note.

MO

I've got nothing better to do.

TORIE

Are you guys, sure? It's just one day?

BRANDY

Do you. We've got this.

Torie turns to Jaxson who slyly puts his phone away.

TORIE

Walk me to class?

JAXSON

Of course?

He drapes an arm around her and they enter--

INT. HALLWAY – DAY

Tore takes out her phone.

TORIE

Wait. Let me get this. We look too cute.

Their pose is Instagram flawless as she snaps the pic.

Behind them, we follow a boy walking to the bathroom. A sign on the door reads, "Out of Order." He goes in anyway. JEFF (fading pink hair) guards the other side.

JEFF

Can you read?

We enter--

INT. OUT OF ORDER BATHROOM – DAY

--as Jeff closes the door in the boy's face. He returns to his friends. NIKKI (one side of her head braided, the other punk)paces near the graffitied stalls, and ABRAM OCAMPO (Filipino, long hair, cool) is sitting on the sink against mirrors covered in lyrics. An old school boombox sits beside him playing the radio.

NIKKI

My heart's going to beat out of my chest.

JEFF

Relax. We've got this. We were way better than those other bands. This is our moment.

He glances at Abram for confirmation.

ABRAM

We lose, we riot.

He smiles, lightening the tension in the room. The music fades and the Deejay returns to the air.

DEEJAY (ON RADIO)

Voting is now closed for the Local Legends Battle of the Bands. Results will be announced in the next hour so be sure to stay tuned for that.

Nikki turns off the radio.

JEFF

So more waiting.

Nikki grabs his hand, dragging him toward the exit.

NIKKI

Not here. I need to raid your pantry.

Abram hops off the sink.

ABRAM

You two lovebirds have fun. I've got a previous engagement.

JEFF

That's today?

ABRAM

Just don't start the celebration without me.

He grabs his bag and backs out into –-

INT. HALLWAY – DAY

Abram walks down the hall and shrugs his bag over one shoulder. A Philippine bandanna is tied to the strap. He walks past FLYNN MARTIN(nervous, dressed much older than his age) at his locker studying with a flashcard app.

FLYNN

World War II began on Sept. 1, 1939, and ended Sept. 2, 1945. Why am I even doing this. I know this...

He hears howling laughter down the hall. TRISTEN LOGAN (charming smile, varsity hoody) walking with his basketball teammates. Flynn closes his locker and retreats.

Eric matches Tristen's pace, lowers his voice.

ERIC

You got it, right?

TRISTEN

Yeah. Thanks, man. I owe you on.

ERIC

Don't let us down.

Handshake, bro hug. Tristen bumps into SAVANNAH MONTOYA (no makeup, no one to impress) who was jamming books into her overstuffed bag. Her Pop-Tart falls out of her mouth.

TRISTEN

My bad.

He and Eric stifle laughs as they part ways.

Annoyed, Savannah dumps her Pop-tart, brushes the crumbs off her bag and heads down the same hall as Tristen.