The Writer

INT. ROBBY'S BEDROOM – EVENING

Bookcases crammed full of books line the walls of Robby's room. A huge door sized poster of Cyrano de Bergerac fills the back of his door.

Robby sits in his same childhood chair. Outside his window, a mini-forest fills his view, two birds perform aerial stunts; they have red heads, yellow rings around their necks and bright green breasts. Robby smiles big; eyes fixed on the birds.

Robby looks down on his desk; a list of boys and girls names are written across the top of his small note pad: “Jared and Tracie”, “David and Mayumi”, “Andrea and Jimmy;” all the names written in different handwriting styles.

Robby moves a clean sheet of paper to the center of his desk, picks up a long red and yellow pen with a green stripe and begins to write.

EXT./INT. SCHOOL BUS STOP OUTSIDE OF ROBBY’S HOUSE - MORNING

Robby stands by himself at the Jefferson High School bus stop just down the street from his house.

Eyes locked in on two birds, Robby shudders to attention as school bus pulls up.

He walks up the steps into the bus, kids laugh, make fun of each other. He finds an empty seat near the rear of the bus, his normal seat, locks back in on the birds.

INT. BUS/EXT. JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL – MORNING

The bus pulls up to the Jefferson high school, JOY PALILA, drops her cell phone into the “phone collector’s box” as she gets off the bus.

Joy, also 15, has olive skin, a nose that seems a bit large for her face, a noticeably long neck, long black hair, and a small cleft in her chin.

Robby stares at her from his seat on the bus, how she moves, how her long hair bounces off her shoulders as she walks.

INT. JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY

Robby works the combination on his locker, JARED approaches, tall, a little overweight; pushes his long hair back behind his ears and straightens his glasses.

Robby hands Jared an envelope with Tracie's name on it and a small red heart drawn in the corner. Jared gives Robby a fist bump and bounds away.

EXT. JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL - DAY

Robby Sits by himself at an outside picnic style lunch table and takes a sandwich from his backpack, eats lunch and spies on Joy.

A few tables over Joy eats with a group of teens.

Robby focuses in on Joy’s cleft chin and her long neck, her beautiful oversized nose.

INT. JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY

LATER THE SAME DAY -- Robby removes books from his locker; looks down the hall, Jared, in a green T-shirt and yellow cap, hold hands with a cute redheaded girl. Robby smiles big.

Just then he sees Joy come out of her classroom, she seems to slow down as she walks, glides, in his direction.

Robby loses the grip on his books and they fall to the floor. Teens laugh; Joy disappears around the corner, he bends over picks up his books and takes a bow for all the other students.

MONTAGE:

Robby sits at his bedroom window, looks at lists of names.

Robby at lunch, teens approach, Robby hands them envelopes with names written on them and hearts drawn in the corner.

Robby sees kids from his earlier lunch meetings, they hold hands with someone, all mixes and matches, tall girls with short boys, short girls with tall boys, boys and girls of the same height, boys with boys, girls with girls, Blacks with Whites, Asians with Hispanics and everything in between.

All of them at various times smiling at Robby.

Robby watching Joy get off the bus, glide her way into school.

Robby smiling big.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - AFTERNOON

Robby watches two boys hold hands, both smile at him. Just then another boy approaches his locker. GARY, tall, tanned, blond hair, bright blue eyes, muscular; wears a black football jersey with gold trim.

He hands Robby a note, with “Joy” on it. Robby looks at the note, looks up at Gary.

The two stand there, finally, Robby gives Gary a painful smile, as he slowly reaches in his back pocket and removes his note pad; he gets his red, yellow and green ink pen from his front pocket, his fingers shake, the pen falls to the floor.

He picks it up and slowly writes “Gary and Joy” on his note pad, shows it to Gary. Gary smiles and bounds off.

INT. ROBBY’S BEDROOM - EVENING

Robby sits on his bed; his mom knocks on his door and enters.

She sees the list on his desk, “Alexis and Jasmine”, “Chandi and Aaron”, “Gary and Joy.” She takes a long look at Robby, sits next to him on the bed and gives him a big hug. Robby goes to his desk, picks up his pen and writes:

ROBBY

(On blank sheet of paper) Hello Joy, I am writing to you...

INT. SCHOOL BUS - MORNING

Robby sits on the morning bus, birds are engaged in aerial stunts; Robby does not pay attention to the birds, keeps his head straight ahead.

The bus pulls up to school, Joy gets off; Robby hurries off the bus and walks faster to catch up to Joy, but as soon as she looks his way he stops and turns away, she walks on with her friends.

EXT. JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL - AFTERNOON

Robby’s lunch table sits empty, Gary approaches, wears his football jersey, looks around, turns to walk away.

Just as he turns he sees Robby.

Robby walks up to Gary, takes a long look at him. Sets down his backpack then reaches down and pulls out an envelope.

He hands Gary the envelope with the name “Joy” on it; but... it does not have a heart drawn in the corner. Gary gives him a fist bump and bounds away.

INT./EXT. JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL BUS - MORNING

NEXT MORNING -- Robby sits on the bus, he sees Joy get off the bus, he watches her for a while then Gary walks towards her.

Robby relaxes his body and lets his forehead fall against the back of the seat in front of him. After a few seconds he slowly raises his head and peeks at Gary.

Joy walks right up to Gary and SLAPS him in the face. Gary stands, stunned. Joy walks on.

Robby’s head falls back onto the seat in front of him; Robby smiles a big silent smile.

INT. JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - MORNING

Robby fidgets with books in his locker; he looks for Joy among the throng of kids.

Joy comes out of her classroom, but this time she is not in slow motion, she does not glide, no, this time she strides directly at Robby.

Robby turns and sticks his head in his locker, moves around books he doesn’t need.

Joy walks right up to Robby, stern, taps Robby on the shoulder.

Robby slowly brings his head out of his locker and gives Joy a half smile.

Joy looks directly into his eyes, hands him an envelope with a name on it… “Robby.” It has a red heart drawn in the corner.

INT. ROBBY’S BEDROOM - AFTERNOON

Robby shows Joy around his room. Empty drinking glasses and a plate with chocolate chip cookies sit on his writing desk.

Wanda pokes her head into the bedroom.

WANDA

(Uses sign language to talk to Robby)

Can I get you guys anything else?

ROBBY

(Robby answers with sign language.)

No thanks mom.

JOY

(Joy also uses sign language.)

Ms. Hawkins I need to write a letter to my cousin Roxanne. Do you think you can help me?

Wanda stops, stares at Joy with an awkward smile on her face; nods her head towards Robby.

Joy stares straight at Wanda, ignores Robby.

Finally, Joy smiles, Robby smiles, and love taps Joy.

Joy turns her head to Robby, kisses his cheek. Wanda chuckles.

FADE IN AS CREDITS ROLL:

EXT. - JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL - DAY

FADE OUT:

MONTAGE:

Gary chases Robby, Robby laughs as he runs. Gary chases Robby and Joy.

Joy chases Robby and Gary.

Gary screams at Robby who holds his hand to his ear, shrugs his shoulders, points at his ear and shakes his head.

Robby and Wanda chase Jim.

All the couples kiss, Gary and Jim stand near by and fake cry.