SNAPSHOTS By Fior Fabian

FADE IN: INT. PHOTOGRAPHY CLASSROOM - DAY An atypical classroom. It looks more like an art studio with light tables, stools, and a large sink to the side of a wall connected to a darkroom revolving door. NOLA, seventeen, a blond with a girl-next-door look, leans over a table as she sifts through a pile of black-and-white photographs. Next to her sits RICHIE, also seventeen. He wears his basketball uniform. RICHIE So? NOLA So...you gonna let me look at them properly before I comment? I got up to get here at seven in the morning to help you, so let me help you. She continues to sift through the photos. She ignores Richies frantic TAPS. NOLA (CONTD) Theyre okay. The focus is off on most of these. Try going down an F-stop. Youre not letting in enough light. RICHIE You want me to re-shoot all of these? NOLA Not all. Half of these are snapshots, which are worthless. RICHIE Youre great. Really. Theres a KNOCK. The darkroom door turns. Out of the revolving door comes MRS. WILSON, early fifties, an art teacher with the spirit of a twenty-year-old hippie. MRS. WILSON Listen to her, Richie. Shes the only student to have her photos up since freshman year. (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: NOLA With my best shot over the sink for all to see.

2.

They all look at the photograph to the left of the wall that now has a small, black window in the center. NOLA(CONTD) Thats new. Is that a two-way mirror? MRS. WILSON Mr. Bonet insisted I put one in during the summer so I could monitor the students who stay in the classroom while Im in the darkroom. It really throws off the balance of the art in the room. Mrs. Wilson goes into the closet and returns with a camera. She goes to Nola and puts it in her hands. MRS. WILSON (CONTD) Find some time away from Gregory and take a few shots to add to that one. Try digital this time. NOLA That shouldnt be a problem. The bell RINGS. CUT TO: INT. HALLWAY - DAY Nola shoves the camera in her locker and pulls out a few textbooks. She closes the locker and finds Gregory, 17, the typical tall, dark, and handsome jock in his varsity jacket, behind the door. He pulls a single rose from his back and gives her a peck on the cheek. NOLA If I didnt know any better, Id say you were sucking up to me. GREGORY Just wanted to say I love you and thank you for getting me into Columbia. Ill thank you properly after Sunday. (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

3.

He grabs her by the waist and pulls her into his body. She laughs and pushes him off as a random teacher gives them a dirty look. They walk down the hall. NOLA Im almost afraid to ask how youll thank my dad. All we did was get you the interview, its not a hundred percent chance youll get in, maybe just a ninety percent chance. GREGORY The perks of loving the admissions officers daughter. They stop at in front of a classroom. NOLA Interesting wording. Thank you for walking me to class. She goes to kiss him, but he backs away. GREGORY We cant get any more demerits. NOLA Screw it, whats an hour or two of detention? Gregory shakes his head no. NOLA Okay. Ill see you after school? GREGORY I wish. I need to run out after eighth to drive my mom to rehab. NOLA I thought she ended in July? GREGORY Its just a follow up. NOLA Two months later? He shrugs and kisses her on the forehead and then heads into the staircase.

4.

INT. BASEMENT HALLWAY- DAY Richie walks slowly out of the locker room and heads towards the staircase. Through the doors window he sees a small blond girl just like Nola with her back to him, who wears a bright green beanie, kissing Gregory. Richie rolls his eyes and walks towards the other staircase. INT. BASEMENT STAIRCASE - DAY Gregory heads towards the double doors but stops when a girl calls out to him. STACY Greg, Ill be waiting for you eighth. Remember to bring Nolas key for the darkroom. The girl isnt Nola, but STACY, 15, a freshman with an uncanny resemblance to Nola. Stacy walks up the stairs and Gregory heads through the double doors that lead into basement. He bumps into MR. BONET, the schools principal. MR. BONET Mr. Owens, physical contact is prohibited. I will let you and Ms. Carrigan off with a warning this time, but I will not be so kind again. GREGORY Ms. Carrigan? Right. Im sorry, Mr. Bonet, Nola and I will behave ourselves. MR. BONET Good to hear, Mr. Owens. You shouldnt have to end the first month of school with detention because of a girl. INT. STAIRS - DAY Stacy runs up the stairs and pushes the students who get in her way. She passes a group of girls and brushes against LAUREN, fifteen. Lauren stops.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: LAUREN Thanks for the push, Nola. Nola? Stacy continues to walk onto the next landing. Lauren turns to one of her friends. LAUREN Whys my brother friends with such a bitch? EXT. COURTYARD - DAY

5.

Nola sits at a table by herself. She reads Sherlock Holmes. Lauren comes up to Nola. LAUREN I know you dont like freshmen, but you dont have to push us whenever we go down the stairs. Nola doesnt look at Lauren and continues to read her book. NOLA Youre right, I dont like freshmen because theyre annoying. Case in point, you. I can add liars to my list of reasons why I hate them. I take the elevator to class. LAUREN Today in the morning, you pushed me in the stairs. Richie comes up to the table with a lunch tray in his hands. RICHIE In all the years Ive known you, you never struck me as the bright green type. Hey, sis. What are you doing here? NOLA Yes, in three whole years youve managed to get my personality down to a science, but I havent figured you out. What are you talking about? LAUREN She keeps denying things. She pushed me in the stairs.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: RICHIE The hat you were wearing today. NOLA (to Richie) I wasnt wearing one today.Im still not. (to Lauren) And no, I didnt. Go away Lauren.

6.

She makes a shooing motion with her hand. Lauren looks at Richie, he shrugs and she walks away. RICHIE Two periods ago, you were in the staircase making out with Greg. NOLA No, I was in English with Katz, as I am every day. Is your mother spiking your food? You both are delusional. A beat. She throws down her book. NOLA (CONTD) Wait, was it in the basement staircase? RICHIE Yeah. So it was you. NOLA No, but my math teacher thinks it was me, too. RICHIE Oh no. NOLA I knew it. RICHIE How? NOLA Think about it, what better way to get into Columbia with minimal academic effort than wining and dining the head honchos daughter? And hes been odd lately, hes worried about kissing me in the hallways and I barely see him here, or anywhere for that matter. (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

7.

RICHIE Youre giving him too much credit. Hes not that smart. NOLA Exactly my point. I need concrete proof so I can get my dad to pull him from the interview list. He has to finalize it by tonight. She gets up. RICHIE Your response to your boyfriend possibly cheating on you is to plot against him instead of crying? NOLA Whenever I cry you tell me I look like a robot leaking oil from its eyes. No point in getting mad when you can get even. Or ruin someones life. RICHIE Dont you want to find out who she is? NOLA I already know. I know almost everyone here and I think I would have noticed someone who remotely looks like me. Theres just one group I havent bothered with yet. She walks away. INT. GYM - DAY A freshman gym class runs circles around the gym as some girls still exit the locker room. Nola walks in and sees Gregory sitting on the bleacher closest to the girls locker room. NOLA Ello there. GREGORY Nola. What are you doing here? I thought you were in class.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

8.

NOLA Richie forgot his bracelet here a few periods ago. He had a test and I told him Id come get it. Have you seen it? Nola pretends to look at around the gym, as she tries to notice any other blonds, but there are none. GREGORY Uh...no. NOLA I guess Ill tell him I couldnt find it. I have to rush back. Gregory EXHALES loudly as Nola walks out of the gym. He walks towards the girls locker room. Just then, Nola walks back in and walks right into him. NOLA I just remembered, werent you leaving? GREGORY Yes, yeah, uh. I just came back to-Just then the locker door opens and hits Gregory. ALLISON, 15, Gregorys younger sister, is behind it. ALLISON What the hell are you doing in front of the door? GREGORY Mom called, she wanted to know if you had herALLISON Ring. She told me I could borrow it for today. GREGORY Shes afraid youre gonna lose it. She wants me to bring it to her. ALLISON She still thinks Im twelve. Ill be right back.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: NOLA Want me to wait with you? GREGORY No, you should go to class. Ill call you tonight. He goes to hug her, but she just walks out the door. INT. HALLWAY - DAY Nola crouches on the side of the gyms double doors and peeks through the window and keeps an eye on Gregory.

9.

A hand reaches out and touches her shoulder. Nola, turns around and stands up straight. She stands face-to-face with Mr. Bonet. NOLA Mr. Bonet, I was just on my way to class. Did the late bell ring yet? MR. BONET Nice try, Ms. Carrigan. Ive been following you since last period. NOLA Dont you guys have something better to do than follow me? What are you running here, a prison? MR. BONET Some of your teachers told me you and Mr. Owens were engaging in prohibited contact right around here. NOLA Yeah, about that. Wasnt me. MR. BONET Lying will not help you. Youre not easily mistaken. NOLA Youd think that. Mr. Bonet pulls out a slip of paper from his pocket. MR. BONET You are to report to my office directly after your last class for detention. (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

10.

NOLA I think I have enough of these to make a collage. MR. BONET I expect you in my office at two. Do you understand me? INT. BASEMENT STAIRCASE - DAY On the top of the basement stairs landing, Nola hides behind the wall. She peaks down the stairs. Gregory and Stacy are making out in the staircase again, this time next to the double doors. Gregory breaks the kiss. GREGORY Are you sure no one can see us here? STACY Nola cant find us here and she has class, remember? Youre fine. GREGORY She was outside the gym. Stacy shushes him and continues to kiss him. Nola pulls out her cellphone from her bag to take a picture but before she can, a hand takes it from her. Its Mr. Bonet again. MR. BONET If you insist on acting against our policies, we will be forced to punish you. Youll have detention the entire following week and your parents will have to come get this. Stacy and Gregory hear Mr. Bonet and run through the basement double doors. MR. BONET (CONTD) Ill escort you to class. Nola looks down to the basement and ignores Mr. Bonet, but doesnt see anyone. NOLA Just what every girl wants.

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INT. HALLWAY - DAY Nola goes to her locker and puts in her books. She takes out a sweater and looks at the camera in her locker. She takes it with her. INT. MR. BONETS OFFICE - DAY Nola sits by a large stack of files. She takes one and places it on one of three smaller piles. She repeats it over and over again. Mr.Bonet sits at his desk on his computer when his phones rings. MR. BONET Hello? Oh yes, I did not forget. I will be right down. (to Nola) I will be back in a half hour. I expect this to be done so you can begin the next cabinet. She salutes him as he walks out the door. A cellphone starts to ring from inside the desk. Nola goes over to the desk and tries to open it. Its locked. She carefully looks around Mr. Bonets desk. She finds a letter opener and takes a paper clip. She straightens out the paper clip and goes to pick the lock. She breaks the paper clip just as the phone stops ringing. She takes out the paper clip and starts to look for something else to open the drawer with. She looks up and sees a dart board across the room. She takes one of the darts and uses it to pick the lock open. The cellphone rings again. INT. RICHIES ROOM - SAME TIME Richie sits at his desk and taps his pencil on his hand. INTERCUT - INT. MR. BONETS OFFICE/RICHIES ROOM RICHIE (into phone) Hey, I need a favor.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

12.

NOLA (into phone) Of course you do. What is it this time? RICHIE (into phone) I left my binder in my last class. Could you go to 512 and get it for me? NOLA (into phone) They locked all the rooms already. RICHIE (into phone) Its not like you havent broken into a room before. Please, Im freaking out, all my homeworks in there. NOLA (into phone) Not like I have anything better to do. She picks up the keys in the drawer. RICHIE (into phone) You didnt find Gregory? NOLA (into phone) I did, but then I ran into a bit of a jam. Ill just have to let him go into the interview; my dad wont believe me without proof. Anyway, gotta go break more rules for you. Bye. She takes her bookbag and exits. EXT. FIFTH FLOOR HALLWAY - DAY Nola exits 512 and re-locks the door. She puts Richies binder in her book bag and walks down the hall. She walks past the photography classroom. She stops and walks back towards the classroom. The door is open.

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INT. PHOTOGRAPHY CLASSROOM - DAY The lights are off and Nola slips in without a sound. She looks around and doesnt see anyone. She goes to the revolving door and goes to knock, but decides not to. INT. DARKROOM - DAY Its dim. Nola is barely visible. She walks around, but there is no one in there. As she walks, she steps on something and bends down to pick it up. Its a beanie. Curious as to what color the hat is, she takes it to an enlarger and hits the exposure button for light. Its bright green. The light goes out after a few seconds. She hits the exposure button again. Theres a loud CRASH from the adjoining classroom followed by laughter. Nola moves towards the wall to listen and touches the wall. She notices there is a shade and pulls it. It reveals a window into the other side. She sees a topless Gregory and Stacy at the back of the room. She takes out a camera from her bag and heads to the revolving door. INT. PHOTOGRAPHY CLASSROOM - DAY Nola comes out of the revolving door and takes picture after picture. The flash causes both Gregory and Stacy to jump. NOLA Hey Greg, I think youll be free on Sunday. Columbia isnt really big on exhibitionism. (to Stacy) And Im actually offended people think you look like me. Thats a horrible dye job. Gregory starts to go towards Nola, but she just keeps takes another picture. NOLA (CONTD) Who said snapshots were worthless? Nola exits. The pair stays behind, dumbstruck.

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INT. MR. BONETS OFFICE - DAY Mr. Bonet returns to his office to find the same stack of files on the desk. Nola comes out of the closet with a picture in her hand. All the files are no longer there. MR. BONET The meeting took longer than expect. You may go home. Ill see you Monday afternoon. NOLA Lets say I had a picture of a student engaging in prohibited activities on school grounds. Would you be willing to drop my detention? MR. BONET This isnt a bargaining center, Ms. Carrigan. Nola hands him the picture and picks up her bag to walk out. He stares at the picture with his mouth open. NOLA Make sure I dont get detention with them. She walks out of the office with her cellphone in hand and puts Mrs. Wilsons camera around her neck. FADE OUT.