SCENE  ONE   INT. GYM -- EVENING   First shot of the sidelines. Cheerleaders are cheering, but no shot of Will yet. Shots of the stands and the players on the bench.   WILL'S VOICE These are the sidelines. They separate the common people from the players, the fans from the gods. The sidelines put you in your place. They make you who you are in high school. They can even keep you from being with the one person who can make your whole life complete. Isn't that amazing? Just a few feet of brightly colored paint can prevent your happiness.   The girl’s basketball team is playing an intense game with a huge crowd packing the high school gym. KATIE, the star of the team is dribbling down the floor. She blows by her defender and makes an outstanding pass behind her back to her teammate and best friend ARIEL. Watching from the sidelines is male cheerleader WILL. He catches a lot of flak for being the only guy on the cheerleading squad but most of the time he ignores it. The game continues with one minute left in the final quarter.   WILL'S VOICE (CONT'D) Yep, that's her, Katie James. Three time all state player, four-time championship MVP. Also my neighbor and the girl I've been in love with since the sixth grade.   Shot of Katie shooting a three pointer. Cut to Will cheering on the sideline, the lone male cheerleader.   WILL'S VOICE (CONT'D) And that's me, Will Anderson. I'm the only guy cheerleader IN THE STATE! Katie's really the only person at Adams who doesn't make fun of me. It doesn't matter to her who I am, and that's why we're such good friends.   Katie gets a steal and scores a lay-up at the other end, sealing the victory for Adams High. The crowd goes nuts as Katie is mobbed by her teammates.                                                  SCENE TWO   After the celebration, the girls file into the locker room. Ariel and Katie are talking about the game   ARIEL You played amazing tonight. That pass was incredible.   KATIE Thanks Ari. You think they could tell it was an accident?   ARIEL We better keep it to ourselves just in case.   They both laugh as the cheerleaders come in and go to other side of the locker room. Katie and the head cheerleader CARLY exchange dirty looks. They've been fighting lately over the star of the boys basketball team, KEVIN.   KATIE I swear I'm gonna punch Carly out one of these days. If she messes anything up with me and Kevin I'll kill her.   ARIEL Why do you care? I thought you and Kevin weren't anything yet.   KATIE We're not. I just don't want her to mess up anything we could have.   ARIEL (laughs) You never can make up you're mind can you?   KATIE Of course not.   They leave the locker room and walk into the main hallway of the school, which has the trophy case covered in girl’s basketball championship trophies. Will sees them and walks over.   WILL Good job tonight.   KATIE Thanks. You did too.   ARIEL Yeah. That thing you were doing the, uh, what's it called?   WILL You mean the cheer?   Katie laughs and motions to Will that Ariel is crazy by whirling her finger around her ear. Will laughs.   KATIE You think you could give me a ride home? Ariel's gotta go to work.   WILL Yeah of course. My car's right outside.   KATIE Okay, great. Call me later, Ariel?   ARIEL If I can escape the rush at the restaurant I will.   KATIE All right. See ya at practice tomorrow.   ARIEL Bye guys. No making out while Will's driving.   Katie hits Ariel as she walks away. Will smiles and it's obvious that he likes Katie. She doesn't notice and starts walking out to Will's car.                                          SCENE  THREE   INT. CAR--NIGHT   As they drive, there is mostly silence for a few minutes until Will starts to sing his favorite song "Tell Her About It" by Billy Joel. Katie hates the song and groans.   WILL I still don't understand how you hate that song. It's a classic!   KATIE We have very different interpretations of what a classic is.   WILL (jokingly) Oh that's right. You consider classics to be songs by chicks who can't play guitars.   Katie hits him.   WILL (CONT'D) Hey, not while I'm driving! You obviously want me to drive off the road.   Katie laughs and silence takes over again. Will sees a billboard advertising what a good college can do for a person's life. He sighs.   WILL (CONT'D) It's kinda scary isn't it?   KATIE What is?   WILL Going off to college. Having to leave home for so long, being all alone.   KATIE I'm actually excited. I can't wait to get out of this town.   WILL It's easy for you to say. You've got every college in the country after you for basketball. What do I have?   KATIE Oh shut up! You can easily get a scholarship for cheerleading. There's tons of colleges that recruit cheerleaders.   WILL Right. Let me know when you find 20 scouts showing up to see me yell at a crowd.   KATIE There aren't 20 scouts showing up to see me play.   WILL How would you know?   KATIE Because I just do.   WILL Well now I'm totally convinced!   Katie hits Will again but he just smiles. He goes into a trance for a few seconds but snaps out of it when a nearby car honks its horn.   After a few more minutes of silence, Will gets up his courage to ask Katie about Kevin.   WILL (CONT'D) So, um, are you and Kevin like, going out now?   Katie is silent for a few seconds.   KATIE It's complicated. I honestly don't know what's going on. It's like, do you ever get that feeling that you like someone so much but you're just not positive about how they feel about you?   Will goes silent for a minute then nods slightly.   KATIE (CONT'D) Well that's what it's like. I don't what I'm supposed to do.   Will's heart sinks. He's not sure what to say to something like that. He sits quiet for a long time then finally says.   WILL I-I guess you should just come right out and tell him. I mean you'll never know what can happen unless you talk about it, right?   Katie doesn't say anything right away but thinks for a minute. She turns to Will.   KATIE Yeah I guess you're right. Thanks, Will.   WILL Anytime.   They pull up to their houses. Will drops Katie off in front of her driveway and she gets out.   KATIE Thanks for the ride. You'll be at the pep rally tomorrow right?   WILL Of course. Otherwise Carly's gonna break her leg on that basket toss.   KATIE In that case, don't show up.   WILL (laughs) See ya tomorrow.   KATIE Bye.   She starts to walk down her driveway and Will stares after her. He can't help feeling like he's just pushed Katie away from him and toward Kevin. He bangs his head on the steering wheel and the horn honks. Katie turns around, startled, then laughs and walks back into the house. Will rolls his eyes and drives away.                                        END SCENE.  FOUR   INT. GYM -- AFTERNOON   The gym is packed for a pep rally for the basketball teams next game against rivals Madison High School. After the cheerleaders are introduced, the basketball team comes out. Katie is announced last   ANNOUNCER And last but certainly not least, at guard, number 20, the senior, Katie James!   The crowd goes crazy. All the cheerleaders also go nuts, Will being the loudest one. All but one cheerleader, Carly, is starting up the K-A-T-I-E cheer. Carly glares at Katie as she smiles and waves to the crowd. She whispers something to another cheerleader and Will overhears.   CARLY It's gonna be great. Kevin and I have it all planned out. He's gonna lead her on just long enough that she falls for him and then dump her at Ben's End of Season party. This is gonna be the best part of senior year.   Will stands in shock, then sees Kevin talking to Katie. He gets bright red with anger. He is just about to go over and say something but is stopped by the call from his coach to form the pyramid. He turns slowly just as Kevin and Katie leave the gym with Kevin's hand on the small of her back.   SCENE FIVE   INT. WILL'S ROOM -- LATER   Will has been sitting by the phone, debating whether or not to call Katie, for about an hour. Every once in a while he picks up his hand to reach for the phone but stops himself. There's a knock on his door.   WILL Who is it?   RYAN It's Ryan. Can I come in?   WILL Yeah. Hold on.   Will goes over to the door and opens it. Ryan comes in. He's a sophomore in college and a former football star at Adams   RYAN Hey, bro. Whatcha doing?   WILL Nothing.   RYAN Well I can see that. Why are you just sitting here?   WILL Playing mind games with myself   RYAN I'm so glad you said mind games.   WILL (laughs) Is that the only thing you think about?   RYAN I wouldn't be Ryan if I didn't. I think I know the only thing you think about, though.   WILL It's not cheerleading if that's what you're thinking.   RYAN Nah. It's kinda obvious that you're into that basketball chick next door.   WILL It's really that obvious?   RYAN Um, yeah! Dude, I always catch you looking at her.   WILL (defensively) I'm not always looking at her.   A car horn honks outside Will's window. He looks out and sees Kevin's red corvette in Katie's driveway. He fights the urge to scream out Kevin and Carly's plan. Ryan's voice snaps him out of his trance.   RYAN Yo I'm going out with Kelly and Sam later. You wanna come?   WILL (looking out window) No thanks Ryan, I'm good.   RYAN Ok then. See ya later. Oh and Will?   WILL Yeah?   RYAN If you stare at the corvette long enough it just might explode.   Will throws a rubber ball at Ryan as he closes the door.   SCENE SIX-- INT. MOVIE THEATER -- AFTERNOON   Shot of Katie and Kevin walking to the theater lobby together. Once they are inside, Katie tries to start a light conversation that will lead into what's going on with them.   KATIE I heard this movie was one of the ten scariest of the year.   KEVIN I doubt it. Some of my friends said it was pathetic.   KATIE Yeah well, you better protect me 'cause scary movies freak me out.   KEVIN Don't worry. I'll take care of you   He puts his arm around her and Katie smiles.   KATIE So, um, I've been meaning to ask you something.   KEVIN Go ahead.   KATIE Where's this going? Are we like, together or something?   Kevin runs his fingers through his hair and puts his head down. Katie looks nervous   KEVIN How long do we have until the End of Season game?   KATIE (confused) I think like 2 weeks. Why?   KEVIN Okay. Here's what I'm thinking. We'll keep it quiet for now until we're both sure what we want. Then we'll talk about it at Ben's End of Season party. You'll know my answer then.   Katie thinks about it for a minute, then smiles   KATIE Okay.   Kevin smiles. He puts his arm back around Katie and they walk into the theater.   SCENE SEVEN-- EXT. WILL'S BACKYARD -- MORNING   Will is in his backyard clearing snow off his back porch. He is thinking about Katie and Kevin and what Carly said. He's still not sure whether or not he should tell Katie what Carly said and he's been debating it for a few days. When he looks up, he sees Katie coming out of her house into her own backyard, which is separated from Will's by a fence.   KATIE Hey Will. Whatcha doing?   WILL (still shoveling) Not much. My dad's making me shovel this stuff. God forbid he'd ever tear himself away from his Sunday paper to do it himself.   KATIE (laughs) Well, you know parents.   Will smiles and there is a pause. He looks up and goes into one of his trances that he often goes into when Katie's around. He snaps out of it when Katie starts to talk again.   KATIE (CONT'D) So, what are you doing for End of Season?   WILL I don't know yet. I think I might just go to the game and skip all the parties.   KATIE Why? The parties are the best part.   WILL Yeah, if you have someone to show up with. And I popped my inflatable girlfriend at the camp reunion party 2 months ago.   KATIE (laughs) Come on, you should go.   WILL Well who are you going with? Kevin?   KATIE (quietly) Yeah, but still I'll hang out with you if you go.   WILL (excited) Really? You will?   KATIE Of course I will! I wouldn't leave my friends all alone.   WILL (lowers his head) Friend huh?   KATIE Of course. What did you think I was gonna say?   WILL Nevermind.   KATIE No tell me.   WILL You wouldn't understand anyway.   KATIE Will, we've been friends since the sixth grade. Why all of a sudden wouldn't I understand?   WILL (defensive) You just wouldn't, okay?! Just drop it please!   KATIE Will, what's your problem?   WILL You're my problem, okay?! It's you!   KATIE What did I ever do to you? If anything I've been the one who's on your side.   WILL That's exactly why you're a problem. Katie I... (trails off)   He looks at her and feels a lump forming in his throat. He wants to tell her how he feels but he can't get the words out.   WILL (CONT'D) Just forget it okay?   KATIE Fine. I'll talk to you later.   She walks back into her house and slams the door. Will stands there, frozen, fighting back the tears.   SCENE EIGHT INT. ARIEL'S HOUSE -- AFTERNOON   It's a few hours after Katie's fight with Will. She and Ariel are talking about their upcoming games. Katie seems distracted.   ARIEL I'm so psyched for these next few games. I can't believe how close we are to the playoffs.   KATIE I know. It's nuts.   ARIEL It's gonna be tough, though. Kennedy and Madison are gonna be out for blood, and Tannertown's looking for another PA state title.   KATIE (not interested) Yeah.   ARIEL And ya know what else? There's gonna be a huge crowd at all of our home games, so that's gonna make it harder for Carly and Kevin to make out under the bleachers like they're planning.   KATIE (shocked) What?!   ARIEL (laughs) Oh, so now all of a sudden you're interested in what I'm saying!       KATIE I'm sorry, Ari. Will and I got into a fight today.   ARIEL Well, it's perfectly normal for married couples to have arguments.   Katie throws a pillow at Ariel and shakes her head. Ariel smiles and continues.