Wednesday, July 21, 2004

No Cop, No Stop

INT. - AT THE LOCKERS - LATER
 
Students crowd at their lockers, stuffing their bags with the night's homework, eager to leave school as quickly as possible.
 
Tim does the same, but slowly, watching Sophie through the crowd.
 
Sophie slings her backpack over her shoulder and heads for the exit.  Mitch chases after her.
 
MITCH
Yo, Soph.  Wait up.  We're a couple, remember? 
 
SOPHIE
I remember.
 
MITCH
What do you want?
 
SOPHIE
I need a ride to Erie.
 
MITCH
You don't have to buy that test.  You don't need it.
 
Tim heads for the exit, listening in as he passes by.
 
MITCH
I don't want to even talk about it anymore.  It's a jinx.
 
SOPHIE
(calmly)
I'm not going to get pregnant by saying the word.
 
She said it.  Mitch looks around nervously.
 
SOPHIE
Forget I mentioned it.  It's not your problem, okay?
(sing-song)
Good-bye.
 
She heads for the door.
 
MITCH
Sophie, wait. 
 
She walks quickly out of the building...
 
EXT. -  PARKING LOT
 
...and into the parking lot.  Mitch runs after her.
 
MITCH
Sophie!  Hold on!
 
Sophie looks for an escape.  She sees Tim from biology class getting into his car, a light blue Plymouth Reliant.  Mitch is approaching. 
 
Sophie climbs into Tim's car.
 
INT. - TIM'S CAR
 
Tim looks at her, startled.
 
SOPHIE
Hi, Tim.  Go.
 
TIM
What?
 
SOPHIE
Foot on the pedal.  Go, go, go.
 
EXT. - PARKING LOT
 
The car pulls away just as Mitch reaches the curb.  Sophie gives Mitch the finger.
 
INT. - TIM'S CAR
 
Tim quickly cleans the car for his guest as he drives, stuffing loose papers into the ash tray.
 
TIM
Where are we going?
 
SOPHIE
One town over -- Erie.  Is that a problem? 
 
TIM
No.  I mean, I've got work. 
 
SOPHIE
Can you be late?
 
TIM
(looking in his mirror)
Are we being chased or something?
 
Sophie looks back toward the high school.  Mitch is kicking the curb.
 
SOPHIE
Nope.  Guess he lost interest.
 
She grabs a paper fast food chef's hat from the back seat and puts it on.  It says PANCHO VILLA'S across the side.
 
TIM
What's the trouble?
 
SOPHIE
No trouble.  None that breaking up won't solve.
 
She crumples the hat in her hand.
 
SOPHIE
God, what am I going to do now, go on dates?
 
EXT. - INTERSECTION - DAY
 
The car coasts toward an empty intersection.  The light is red.
 
INT. - CAR
 
Sophie opens Tim's glove compartment and peers inside...
 
TIM
Don't do that--
 
Sophie pulls an unopened box of condoms out of the glove compartment.
 
SOPHIE
Well, look here.
 
TIM
(embarrassed)
My mother put those there.  Just in case.
 
SOPHIE
Uh-huh.  You haven't gotten much use out of them.
 
TIM
Nope.
 
Tim steps on the accelerator and drives through the red light.
 
SOPHIE
Hey, cowboy, that light was red.
 
TIM
No cop, no stop.
 
Sophie smiles, impressed.