Act 1.0

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INT. CLASSROOM - DAY

Students sit in a class discussing Anne Carson's poetry. The PROFESSOR, a young white man with curly hair and glasses, sits with them in a circle. RAMONA is distracted on her laptop.

PROFESSOR: Ramona? What do you think?

RAMONA: Oh? Um.

She looks around; there's an extended period of silence, in which she grows more and more uncomfortable.

PROFESSOR: Okay, we'll get back to it later.

A pair of girls across Ramona snicker.

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INT. CAFETERIA - DAY

Ramona holds her tray and looks at the crowd. There is no familiar face. She turns around.

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INT. BATHROOM STALL - DAY

Ramona eats her food quietly while sitting on a toilet.

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INT. LIBRARY - DAY

On Ramona's laptop, a note is stuck to the screen.

FICTION PIECE DUE FRIDAY!!!!!!!

She types a sentence on the screen then deletes it. She stares at the blinking line and sighs.

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INT. CLASSROOM - DAY

Ramona receives her graded essay from her professor. Encircled on the upper left hand in red ink is the letter C. She slumps over her desk defeatedly.

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INT. RAMONA'S DORM - DAY

Ramona is on the phone with her mother. She's laying on the bed, on the verge of tears.

RAMONA: I just... thought it'd be better. I feel like I don't fit in. Like no one really likes m-

RAMONA'S MOTHER: Ramona, we worked hard to put you in that school. I had to take a loan to pay for your tuition! Do you know how hard that is for me? I call you to ask how you're doing, and all you do is complain. You should be thankful. Not long ago you were praying to get in that school.

Ramona looks defeated. She's pinching the bridge of her nose and clenching her eyes shut.

RAMONA: I know, mom. I know. But-

RAMONA'S MOTHER: Yeah, you know, you know. So why do you keep complaining? That's life.

RAMONA: Mom-

RAMONA'S MOTHER: You just have to get through it.

RAMONA: Mom-

RAMONA'S MOTHER: Anyway, you're not there to make friends. Just go to your classes then leave. Easy as that.

RAMONA: (tearfully) Mom, you're not listening. I'm- (takes a deep breath) I'm trying to tell you how I feel.

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