Added by Grace and Anne
(Liz writing in diary)
VOICEOVER: September 27. I’m Liz Parker and I will never look at the stars in the sky the same way again. I’ll never look at anything the same way again. What did Max Evans mean when he said, “I’ll see you in school?” Was it “I won’t be able to breathe until we meet again” or was it just something someone says to, like, fill space? And what is he thinking right now? Is he also obsessed, tortured, going through one sleepless night to the next, wondering what’s going to happen between us?
(Scene shows Max sound asleep, snoring until he hears a sound. He opens his eyes, grabs his flashlight and slowly gets up. The intruder that Max almost smacks with a flashlight turns out to be Michael.)
MICHAEL: Hold it there! Don’t hit me.
MAX: Argument with Hank?
MICHAEL: Couldn’t sleep.
(Max lays out a sleeping bag for Michael and gets back into bed. When Michael shows no indication of wanting to sleep)
MAX: Hey, I was sleeping.
MICHAEL: Amazing.
MAX: What’s amazing?
MICHAEL: That you can sleep when the key to our entire existence is out there.
MAX: Michael
MICHAEL: Max, listen that picture Valenti showed Liz means there’s someone else out there. Someone who was here in 1959. That means he was here when it crashed. He knows where we come from, he knows who we are, he knows why we’re here. Maybe he knows how to get back.
MAX: Michael, I know how you feel. Believe me, I want to know too. But the sheriff has that picture so we’ll never see it. I mean, that would be impossible, right? Michael?
{ OPENING CREDITS }
(Michael is shown staking out the Sheriff’s Station)
(Crashdown Café, in back. Maria and Liz are getting ready for work.)
MARIA: I mean, what do we even know about these people? Nothing. How do we know that they’re not 3 feet tall, green, and slimy?
LIZ: I guess we don’t.
MARIA: And you know what else doesn’t, like, particularly please me? These powers. How do we know they can’t just like wiggle their noses and poof us into oblivion?
LIZ: I guess we don’t.
MARIA: OK, you’re being like so casual about this, I want to choke you! Liz, we’re dealing with alie– (Liz claps her hand over Maria’s mouth as another employee walks in.)
LIZ: Can you please not say that word in public?
(Crashdown Café, in front)
MARIA: The point is that we don’t know anything about these Czechoslovakians. Are they good Czechoslovakians? Bad Czechoslovakians? We don’t know. Are they just random Czechoslovakians? For all we know, they don’t have their passports.
(Alex pops up from the front booth)
ALEX: Who’s Czechoslovakian?
MARIA: Hey!
LIZ: Hey!
ALEX: Hey! So, who’s Czechoslovakian?
(Simultaneously)
LIZ: The new kid at school. MARIA: The guy at the hardware store.
LIZ: The new kid at school who works at the hardware store.
MARIA: Exactly.
ALEX: Oh. What about him?
LIZ and MARIA: Nothing
ALEX: Fantastic.
(Liz and Maria walk away)
MARIA: Czechoslovakian, 9 o’clock.
(Michael is peering through the window, watching them.)
MARIA: OK, that guy creeps me out.
(At school in Geometry class. LIZ is talking to a bunch of girls. MAX is sitting at his desk across the room.)
LIZ: (voiceover as she glances over at Max) The thing about Czechoslovakians that you sorta have to factor in, is they have these incredibly soulful eyes.
LIZ’S FRIEND: OK, that is totally not Mr. Singer.
(Ms. Topolsky walks in. The bell rings.)
TOPOLSKY: Hi. I’m Kathleen Topolsky. I’ll be substituting for Mr. Singer who’s out sick for a couple of days.
MAX’S FRIEND: I hope he’s seriously ill.
TOPOLSKY: So the infamous Roswell, New Mexico. Before we get started, let me just ask: Does anyone here actually believe in aliens?
(Class laughs. MAX glances over at LIZ)
TOPOLSKY: OK, let’s take roll. Uh… Bartley.
BARTLEY: Here.
TOPOLSKY: Collins.
COLLINS: Here.
TOPOLSKY: Evans.
MAX: Here.
TOPOLSKY: Guerin. Michael Guerin? Is he here today? Does anyone know where Michael is?
(Everyone looks over at MAX)
TOPOLSKY: Evans, right? Max Evans?
MAX: Yeah?
TOPOLSKY: Do you know where Michael Guerin is?
MAX: Uh, Michael’s not really into Geometry.
(Class laughs)
TOPOLSKY: He’s not into it. I guess I can understand that. Pretty uninspiring stuff. Let’s open our books to page 228.
(After class, in the hallway)
LIZ: Hi.
MAX: Hi. How’s it going?
LIZ: Good, um, you know, things are just things are just normal, you know? Completely normal.
MAX: Good.
LIZ: Um, was that weird?
MAX: What?
LIZ: That substitute just asked all of those questions about Michael. What was that about?
MAX: I’m sure she was just taking attendance.
LIZ: Right.
MAX: Liz, don’t worry about it. No one’s suspicious of Michael. It’s me.
LIZ: OK.
(Isabel walks up)
ISABEL: Hi Liz!
LIZ: Hi.
MAX: Hey Iz.
ISABEL: (to Max) We should go.
(Isabel grabs Max’s arm and they leave.)
(Police Station. Sheriff Valenti enters and notices a strange man sitting on a folding chair in the hallway.)
AGENT HART: Good morning!
VALENTI: Good morning. (Walks over to deputy.) Who is that?
DEPUTY: FBI. Agent Hart.
VALENTI: Who’s he here to talk to?
DEPUTY: No one, as far as I can tell.
VALENTI: Well, what’s he doing here?
DEPUTY: Doesn’t appear to be doing anything. He’s just been sitting there since 7 am.
VALENTI: Deputy Hansen, did you ask him what he’s doing here?
DEPUTY: Yes sir, he said that he was here on assignment and that we should go about our business as usual.
VALENTI: Oh, so your response to that was just all right.
(Valenti walks over to agent)
VALENTI: Agent Hart, I’m Sheriff Valenti. Can I see some identification, please?
AGENT HART: Sorry about the intrusion. I’m here on assignment, Sheriff. You should just go about business…
VALENTI: As usual. Yeah, I heard. See, my problem with that is that having a federal agent sitting smack dab in the middle of my station house isn’t exactly business as usual.
AGENT HART: My orders are to not leave this chair until I’m relieved.
VALENTI: Uh-huh. Agent Hart, the FBI has no jurisdiction here. Now I’m going to ask you to please get up and leave. And take your folding chair with you.
(On the high school grounds. Liz and Maria are having lunch.)
LIZ: It’s impossible, right, that she’s not who she says she is?
MARIA: Well, no one is who they say they are. I mean, what do you mean exactly?
LIZ: Forget it.
MARIA: What, that she’s a spy?
LIZ: No, don’t be ridiculous.
MARIA: ‘Cause that kind of stuff happens, you know.
LIZ: Now you’re being crazy. C’mon, go on.
MARIA: Well think about it. She takes attendance. What substitute teacher takes attendance? I mean, God, the whole thing is so Roswellian. I’m telling you Liz, she’s been sent here.
LIZ: Why would she be sent here?
MARIA: To find the Czechoslovakians.
LIZ: Sniff some cedar oil, Maria.
MARIA: Which makes me feel that much more about what I already thought before you told me about this, which is that we should definitely, definitely, definitely tell Alex.
LIZ: No. Look, Maria, we mustn’t tell anyone… ever. Ever.
MARIA: Mustn’t? When have you ever said “mustn’t”? Look, we need someone with a little perspective. OK, there’s all this stuff happening, and it’s dangerous. The other day the Sheriff asked me all these questions. And now we have this Topolsky person poking around. You know, that’s what they do. They send special government task forces. Alien hunters. And suddenly, we’re like, accessories to Czechoslovakians. We need Alex in on this.
(Liz points to Alex who is in another area of the quad talking to some girls and trying to impress them with this double-jointed arm trick he can do.)
MARIA: Admittedly, he’s not James Bond, but he’s all we’ve got right now.
ALEX: (to girls walking away, laughing) What, so now I’m a freak?
(Liz and Maria are at Liz’s locker.)
MARIA: Kyle Valenti, headed this way.
LIZ: Like, in this general direction, or like, towards me?
MARIA: Like, the latter.
LIZ: Oh God.
MARIA: What are you gonna say?
LIZ: I don’t even know if there’s anything to say. I mean, I saw him over the summer, and it was casual. I’m sure now that we’re back in school, he’s just thinking of me as a summer fling.
KYLE: Liz!
LIZ: Kyle!
KYLE: How’s my girl?
MARIA: (to Liz) See ya!
LIZ: Hey.
KYLE: Hey. How’s it going?
LIZ: Good. You know, I’m just pretty loaded down with all this school stuff.
KYLE: Yeah I know. You take all that stuff pretty seriously.
LIZ: Yeah.
KYLE: Right. Ok.
LIZ: All right. (Turns to leave.)
KYLE: Listen Liz, I think it’s important that we are honest with each other. I was talking with Tommy Hilligan, and he agrees with me. A person should be on time, Liz. I know we left things casual, and I understand that, but you did say that you would meet me at the Crash Festival. I just feel that if you care about a person, which I do, then you should be on time. The truth is if you were just some girl and you stiffed me like you did, I would walk in a second, but you’re not–
(Liz notices Topolsky coming out of the Registrar’s carrying a stack of files.)
LIZ: Kyle, I really want to talk to you right now, I do, but it’s just not a good time. I’m sorry, I gotta go. I’m sorry.
(Liz walks briskly through the halls to catch up with Topolsky and bumps into her, sending the files flying to the ground.)
LIZ: Oh my gosh, I’m sorry. I’m sorry about…
TOPOLSKY: Parker, Liz.
LIZ: Yeah.
TOPOLSKY: Photographic memory.
LIZ: Wow, that’s interesting. I’ve never met anyone with a photographic memory before.
TOPOLSKY: Helps in my line of work.
LIZ: Here, let me help you with that.
TOPOLSKY: That’s ok.
(Liz picks up an open file and sees Michael’s picture attached to the file.)
(Liz goes to Michael’s house at the trailer park.)
LIZ: Hi, um, I’m looking for Michael. Guerin. Maybe I made a mistake.
HANK: Micky!
MICHAEL: Let’s go outside. C’mon. (outside) You’re sure it was my records, it was definitely my records?
LIZ: Yeah.
MICHAEL: She asked about me in class?
LIZ: Oh, well she was just taking attendance and so when you weren’t there, she asked the class if anyone knew you.
MICHAEL: So she’s looking for me.
LIZ: I don’t know what’s going on, Michael. I just thought I should tell you.
MICHAEL: Thanks.
LIZ: Sure.
MICHAEL: Listen, if Hank insulted you or anything…
LIZ: Oh no, no.
MICHAEL: You kind of have to ignore him.
LIZ: Sorry… to just show up here.
MICHAEL: It’s where I live. Thanks.
(Evening. Sheriff is on the phone in his office.)
VALENTI: Yeah, I know it’s late. But he sent an agent into my building. I think I’ve got a right to an immediate explanation… No, I won’t call back… No, tomorrow is not acceptable… Yeah, I’m sorry about it too. Listen… No, excuse me… Hello? Hello?
(Valenti hangs up. He opens a locked file drawer and pulls out a file, which has the autopsy photographs of the corpse with a silver imprint on its chest. In the back of the file is a sealed envelope, which Valenti rips away and opens. Inside the envelope is a key. Valenti sticks the key in his thermos, stuffs the thermos into a paper bag, and places the bag inside his desk drawer. Valenti then leaves the police station.)
(Valenti drives past a mini-mart just as Michael walks out. Michael is carrying a big paper brown bag under one arm. He walks into the Sheriff’s station, looks at the signs on the wall and starts to make his way to his designation. He is stopped by one of the deputies.)
DEPUTY HANSEN: Can I help you?
MICHAEL: Good evening, Deputy. I’m selling candies for charity.
DEPUTY HANSEN: Charity?
MICHAEL: Yeah, I’m on the committee to re-open Westlake Orphanage, Deputy…Hansen. You can be a part of helping to find homes for dozens of children in need. Single boxes are six dollars a piece, and I feel obliged to strongly recommend the peanut clusters. They are good.
DEPUTY HANSEN: Well, I’m kind of trying to lay off the sweets right now.
MICHAEL: Understood Deputy. If it’s all right, I’ll just take a look to see who else is around.
DEPUTY HANSEN: There’s nobody up that corridor.
MICHAEL: Um, what if I came back tomorrow night?
DEPUTY HANSEN: Well, it’s usually pretty empty at night.
MICHAEL: Well, thanks for your help, Deputy.
(Michael runs into another Deputy on his way out)
DEPUTY: What are you doing here?
MICHAEL: I’m selling candies for charity.
DEPUTY: Not in here, you’re not.
MICHAEL: Yes sir.
(In the Evans’ living room)
ISABEL: Are you insane?!?
MICHAEL: I didn’t just wander in, all right? I had a cover story.
MAX: And what was your cover story?
MICHAEL: I was selling candies for charity. Peanut cluster?
MAX: And they bought it?
MICHAEL: No, they all seemed to be on a diet.
ISABEL: Not the candy, Einstein, the story.
MICHAEL: Yeah, they bought the story. Why are you wearing that?
ISABEL: Because, Michael, I have a date…with a guy…that I like. In fact, I like my whole life here. In fact, I have a date next Friday that I’m hoping I won’t have to miss because I’m running from the law.
MICHAEL: You two, the point is this. That file has got to be in Valenti’s office. All right? He leaves for the day at 7:30. There’s no one else in the entire wing of the Sheriff’s station. We go in, we find the file, we get the info, we put the file back–
MAX: So how do we break in? Hypothetically.
MICHAEL: The window. It’s got a lock on it. Nothing you can’t handle.
MAX: Alarm system? (Looks at Isabel who is giving him a warning look.) Hypothetically.
MICHAEL: Piece of cake. Even I could deactivate it.
ISABEL: Max, don’t humor him. I can’t believe you’re even considering this.
MAX: I just want to know how feasible the plan is…which it’s not…feasible. It’s not feasible, Michael.
MICHAEL: This is what we’ve been waiting for our entire lives. I mean this is the first time we’ve ever had any clue that might tell us who we are. We don’t have a choice.
(The Evans parents enter off screen.)
MR. EVANS: Hey!
MRS. EVANS: Anybody here?
MICHAEL: And with government agents after us, we had better get our asses in gear, don’t you think?
MAX: Agents?
ISABEL: What are you talking about?
MICHAEL: Talk to Liz.
(Parents enter the living room.)
MR. EVANS: You guys hungry?
MRS. EVANS: Hey guys, we got pizza. (to Isabel) Hey honey, you look’pretty. (to Michael) Oh Michael hi.
MICHAEL: Hey, I was just leaving.
MR. EVANS: We got plenty of pizza.
MICHAEL: My dad’s cooking. Thanks.
MRS. EVANS: Well, I’m starved. C’mon guys. Plates, napkins, let’s eat!
(In Geometry class)
TOPOLSKY: And we know that the sum of A, B, and C equals 360 degrees.
LIZ: (murmuring to herself) What is she talking about?
TOPOLSKY: Ms. Parker?
LIZ: 180.
TOPOLSKY: I’m sorry?
LIZ: It’s a triangle. You know, the sum of the parts would be 180 degrees.
(Class laughs.)
TOPOLSKY: Right. Right, of course. Equals 180 degrees.
(Max and Liz share a look.)
(After class in the hallway)
MAX: But she pulled other students’ records.
LIZ: Well, yeah, but the point is that she pulled Michael’s.
MAX: How many others were there?
LIZ: I don’t know, maybe 10.
MAX: Well, 10’s a lot.
LIZ: OK it might have only been 5. I’m not sure how many there were.
MAX: You can’t just show up at Michael’s and get him riled up like that. You don’t know him. He’s not big into “let’s go over our options.” He acts on things.
LIZ: Look, I’m sorry, I just thought that Michael was in danger and that I’d better tell him.
MAX: In danger of what?
LIZ: I don’t know. I have no idea. Look, I am just saying that if there is a spy among us, don’t you think it behooves us to do something about it?
MAX: Spy?
LIZ: Well yeah.
MAX: Liz…
LIZ: No, Max, that sort of thing exists, doesn’t it? There’s like special branches of the government…alien hunters, you know, that sort of thing.
MAX: So you think Ms. Topolsky is an alien hunter.
LIZ: When you say it like that, it sounds ridiculous.
MAX: Liz, thank you, you know, for looking out for us. But we have to go on with life as it was before this happened. And we have to be careful now. All of us. You, too.
(Max is walking through the hallway and looks through a window. He sees Ms. Topolsky talking to Sheriff Valenti and another man. Max wonders if Liz might be right.)
(In the women’s bathroom. Maria is reading a note from Max to Liz that says “Meet me in the 2nd Floor Eraser Room 6th Period, Max”)
MARIA: The Eraser room, huh? Liz, do you know what the 2nd floor eraser room means?
LIZ: Of course I know what it means… What does it mean?
MARIA: It’s where Greg Coleman gave Marlene Garcia that hickey the size of a softball. It’s where Richie Roher and Amanda Lourdes consummated everything…
LIZ: OK, Maria, you know what? You’re just making this into something it’s not.
MARIA: Liz, I don’t think you should do this. OK? I mean, we don’t know what can happen. I mean, the guy touched you and you saw into his soul. How do we know what happens if he kisses you? How do we know what it is to be kissed by a Czechoslovakian? You don’t.
LIZ: OK, Maria, no one is kissing anyone here. I mean, Max isn’t even the least bit interested in me. You know, he said that things were just like they used to be before. Nothing’s changed. He said that.
MARIA: Oh my God, it’s not just kissing that goes on in the Eraser Room.
LIZ’S FRIEND FROM GEOMETRY: She’s got that right.
MARIA: The Eraser Room does two things: cleans erasers and takes our innocence. Do you know what I mean by “takes our innocence,” Liz? The Eraser Room has taken some of the best of us.
(Valenti is sitting in his office. Agent Stevens walks in.)
AGENT STEVENS: Good afternoon, Sheriff.
VALENTI: Agent Stevens. You don’t write, you don’t call. I’m sorry about kicking junior out of here the other day. He had no jurisdiction. No offense.
AGENT STEVENS: None taken.
VALENTI: So, what’d you guys find on that waitress uniform?
AGENT STEVENS: Well several things actually, sheriff: tomatoes, salt, water, sugar, vinegar.. ketchup, Sheriff, no blood. We’ve wasted enough tax-payer dollars to try to find something that isn’t out there. No space ship landed here in 1947. No aliens are currently residing in Roswell, New Mexico. I’ve been given the authority by the governor to search the premises to remove any information pertaining to UFOs, alien sightings, and other alleged paranormal occurrences in this county. This thing is over, Sheriff. (To his men) Let’s get on with it, guys.
VALENTI: You found blood on the dress. Why else would you care enough to remove my files. Wouldn’t that be a waste of taxpayer dollars?
AGENT HART: (to Agent Stevens about the file cabinet) It’s locked.
AGENT STEVENS: (Reaching for the file cabinet key from Valenti) This won’t take long. Thank you, Sheriff.
VALENTI: (Taking his thermos with the key in it) Make yourself at home. I’m going to lunch.
(Using binoculars, Michael watches Valenti walking out of his office carrying his thermos.)
(Eraser Room)
LIZ: So, um, this is the Eraser Room. I’ve never been here before.
MAX: I just thought we should be somewhere private.
LIZ: Right. (She locks the door.)
MAX: You were right about Topolsky. She isn’t who she appears to be.
LIZ: Oh.
MAX: She’s been using this office. I thought we should find out why she’s here.
LIZ: Yeah.
MAX: She has off 6th and 7th period, so we might be here a while.
(Outside police station, Michael watches as men remove files.)
(Eraser Room)
LIZ: OK, I’m still confused. If you crash-landed in 1947, are you really 16 or are you like 52 in a 16-year-old’s body? Or do you guys just age differently? I mean, is like 1 alien year equal to 3 human years?
MAX: You’ve thought about this a lot, haven’t you?
LIZ: Kind of.
MAX: Well, we know we came out of the pods in 1989. We just don’t know how long we were there. When we came out we looked like 6 year olds.
LIZ: So were you like green?
MAX: Green?
LIZ: Before you took human form, were you 3 feet tall and green and slimy? (laughs, embarrassed). You know, I’m very sorry for asking you that. It’s Maria’s question.
MAX: No, we just always looked like this. Except for the, uh, third eye. (Max looks down at the ground as Liz casually looks over at him. Max then leans over as if to tie his shoelace and Liz leans forward staring at the back of Max’s head. Max peeks over and sees Liz looking at his head.) Kidding!
LIZ: Yeah, I knew you were kidding. (Laughs and playfully shoves him.) You’re such a jerk!
LIZ: So uh, you really have no idea where you’re from, like what planet, or who your people are besides Michael and Isabel?
MAX: No idea.
LIZ: Well, that must be kind of freeing in a way.
MAX: Freeing?
LIZ: Um, well just with me, you know, my parents own the Crashdown, so everyone in town knows who I am. Like, if I so much as get a haircut, everyone seems to notice, and they have to give me their opinion on it. It kind of makes life claustrophobic. It’s like, you know, how am I ever supposed to become whoever it is that I’m gonna become while everyone is looking? You know? Sometimes I wish I could just be invisible.
MAX: Sometimes I wish I didn’t have to be so invisible.
(They hear Topolsky enter her office, and they turn to look through the grate.)
TOPOLSKY: OK, I looked though all of them, and this is where I wanted to start.
UNKNOWN MAN: Michael Guerin. Have you interviewed him yet?
TOPOLSKY: He hasn’t set foot in school since I’ve been here. But if Muhammed doesn’t come to the mountain…
UNKNOWN MAN: Do you want me to go talk to him?
TOPOLSKY: No, I’ll do it. Just check and make sure the address is correct.
UNKNOWN MAN: You got it.
(Max and Liz pull up in front of the Crashdown café. Michael approaches Max.).
MAX: (to Liz) Five minutes.
LIZ: Right
(Liz goes into the café.)
MAX: Michael, something’s up.
MICHAEL: They’re taking things out of the Sheriff’s office.
MAX: What?
MICHAEL: I don’t know. Some guys in suits. So we gotta get in there. It’s now or never, Max.
(In the Crashdown café)
MARIA: (To customer) You know, I’d steer you to this side of the menu. (Sees Liz enter.) Oh excuse me. (To Liz) Where have you been?
LIZ: I need you to cover for me.
MARIA: When?
LIZ: Tonight.
MARIA: Oh, no. It’s a zoo.
CUSTOMER: Excuse me, I’ve been waiting for my hot fudge blast off for like 20 minutes.
MARIA: (Under her breath) Yeah, like you need 80 grams of fat. (to Liz) OK, so one trip to the eraser room and you’re like above working? Go get your uniform on, Madonna. The masses are demanding alien-themed, greasy food and by God, it’s our job to serve it to them.
LIZ: No look, Maria, this is really important. I promise I will tell you everything later. You’re the best, but right now I’ve gotta go.
(Alex stops Liz as she’s leaving.)
ALEX: OK, I want some answers, all right? Because first of all, there are rumors going around that last week you were shot here in the cafe. And then at the crash festival you (motions to Maria) were seemingly run over by a car, but then you weren’t. And everytime I walk up to you two, you go silent or make up some ridiculous story about Czechoslovakia, which is a country that has not existed for 10 years. So I want the truth, and I want it now.
LIZ: Alex, the reason that we keep on changing the subject is…
MARIA: Cramps. We have cramps, Alex.
LIZ: Yeah, and we didn’t even want to talk about it in front of you because we thought it would make you feel really uncomfortable.
MARIA: But if you want really want to know, we can tell you.
LIZ: In really excruciating detail.
ALEX: No! I’m eating. (He walks off.)
LIZ: (to Maria) Thank you.
(in the parking lot)
MAX: Michael, it’s important to me, too.
MICHAEL: All you want to do is protect what you’ve got here in Roswell.
MAX: That’s right, I do.
MICHAEL: Have you ever thought what it’s like here for me, Max?
MAX: Of course I have.
(They turn to see Liz waiting by Jeep)
MAX: Look, the woman who pulled your records, she’s on her way to your place.
MICHAEL: What?
MAX: Just stay away from there tonight. Isabel is waiting for you at our house. Just go there and wait.
MICHAEL: Wait for her to find me?
MAX: Don’t do anything stupid. (Michael stalks off.)
(Kyle Valenti pulls up in front of the Crashdown as Liz and Max are leaving.)
KYLE: Liz!
(Kyle get into his car and follows them. Max and Liz pull up in front of the trailer park with Kyle not far behind.)
LIZ: So, how did you end up where you ended up, and Michael ended up here?
MAX: It’s a long story.
LIZ: Is his foster father always, um, so…
MAX: Tough? Yeah.
(Topolsky pulls up in front of Michael’s trailer. Liz moves closer to Max in order to watch Topolsky. Kyle is visibly upset. Liz drops something.)
LIZ: My ring! (She bends over to pick it up.)
KYLE: Oh my God! Liz! Get up! Liz! (Gets out of car and heads over to the Jeep)
TOPOLSKY: (to Hank when he answers the door) Sorry to bother you. I’m looking for Michael.
KYLE: Liz!
LIZ: Kyle!
KYLE: Hey, Max.
MAX: (whispers) Hey, Kyle.
KYLE: What going on?
LIZ: (whispers) Nothing.
KYLE: Why are you whispering?
LIZ: (whispers) We’re just, uh, waiting for Michael. We’re gonna go, uh…
MAX: Bowl.
KYLE: Why are you whispering?
LIZ: (whispers) We’re going bowling!
KYLE: Liz, what were you doing down there?
LIZ: (whispers) Oh, I dropped my ring.
KYLE: Why are you whispering? TOPOLSKY: (to Hank) Why don’t I give you my number. Could you have Michael call me?
KYLE: Bowling?
(Topolsky finishes talking to Hank and turns around to head for her car.)
MAX: Liz!
(Max ducks down and Kyle follows)
KYLE: What?
LIZ: Max!
KYLE: What are you doing?
(Topolsky hears Kyle and glances over. Kyle and Max are out of sight, but Topolsky sees Liz.)
(Michael goes to the Sheriff’s station and looks up at the window.)
(Max is walking Liz from the car.)
MAX: Maybe when this all blows over, you and I could get lunch or something?
LIZ: Lunch?
MAX: Yeah, if you want.
LIZ: So, like in the Cafe?
MAX: Sure.
LIZ: Okay, great. It’s a date–no! It’s not a date…it’s a lunch.
MAX: Lunch… Right.
LIZ: I better get home.
MAX: Yeah, me too.
(Max notices Isabel waving for him come.)
MAX: Good night, Liz.
LIZ: Good night.
(Max approaches Isabel)
ISABEL: Michael’s AWOL.
(Michael uses his powers to open a locked window grate at the Sheriff’s station, but overdoes it and nearly falls off. He slips into Valenti’s office.)
(Max and Isabel are in the car headed toward Police Station)
ISABEL: You know the guy doesn’t know how to control his powers.
MAX: I know.
(Max and Isabel see the window grate open and know Michael is there. Meanwhile, Michael goes through the Sheriff’s files. Max and Isabel see Valenti pulling into the station.)
ISABEL: You get Michael out of there. I’ll keep Valenti out of his office as long as I can.
MAX: Right.
(Inside the police station)
DEPUTY: Forget something?
VALENTI: Papers.
ISABEL: Sheriff? I’m so glad someone’s here. I have a flat tire, and I am so not mechanical.
DEPUTY: Sheriff. You’re off duty, Sheriff. I’d be happy to help the young lady out.
SHERIFF: It’s ok deputy. I’ve got it.
(Max climbs through the window as Michael finds the key Valenti hid in his thermos.)
MAX: Michael, let’s go, now! Valenti’s back! Let’s go! Michael!
(As Michael picks up the key, he gets hit with a vision so intense that he falls backwards. Valenti, the deputy, and Isabel can hear his fall. Valenti tells Isabel to stay put and he and the deputy head upstairs toward his office.)
MAX: Let’s go, let’s go!
(Michael and Max exit the office and Max reseals the locked window. Both jump into a garbage dumpster before Valenti arrives. Seeing nothing in the office, he checks the window grate and finds it locked.)
MICHAEL: (As they climb out of the garbage dumpster) Told you it was no big deal.
(In front of the Police Station)
VALENTI: (After fixing the flat tire) There you go. You’re all set Miss Evans.
ISABEL: Thanks, thanks a lot
VALENTI: Isabel, right?
ISABEL: Yeah
VALENTI: You’re out past the curfew.
ISABEL: Well, I had a flat tire.
VALENTI: Right. Where’s Max tonight?
ISABEL: Oh. I have no idea. I’m just his sister, not his keeper.
(In the jeep in front of Max’s trailer. Max reaches for the key and gets no vision. Isabel reaches for it and acts as if she has a vision.)
MICHAEL: What did you see?
ISABEL: Ricky Martin in the shower.
(Michael takes the key and walks toward his trailer. Max goes after him.)
MAX: Hey. (Michael turns.) Sorry about before. Maybe I don’t really know what it’s like for you.
MICHAEL: The thing I’ve realized is the fact that my life basically sucks is a good thing. It’s easier. We always have to be able to leave, pack a suitcase, go somewhere else. Maybe 10 years from now, maybe a week from now, maybe tomorrow. So my advice? Don’t get in too deep, Maximillian. It only makes us weaker.
(Next day on the school grounds. LIZ is walking through the hallway. TOPOLSKY appears behind her)
TOPOLSKY: Miss Parker! I have some questions for you about Michael Guerin. Your friend Michael is in serious trouble. I’m not a substitute teacher. I saw you at Michael’s house last night. I’m the new guidance counselor.
LIZ: (murmuring) Guidance counselor.
TOPOLSKY: And Michael is a boy who’s in serious danger of being expelled from this school. If you’re really a friend, you’ll talk to him. You’ll have him come in and meet with me. Soon. Are you with me Miss Parker?
LIZ: I’ll tell him.
TOPOLSKY: Thank you.
(As Topolsky walks away, Liz sees Kyle staring at her.)
VOICEOVER: Ever since I found out about Max and Michael and Isabel, I’ve been thinking a lot about secrets.
That for everyone who has a secret, there’s someone else who needs to know what that secret is. (Scene of Valenti discovering that the key is missing.)
How sometimes secrets keep people from feeling like they belong. (Scene of Michael watching the Evans family play basketball together in their driveway)
And sometimes secrets make you feel like you do belong. (Scene of Liz and Max in the Eraser Room.)
And now even I, Liz Parker, the smallest of small town girls with the simplest of lives– even I have something to hide. (Liz finishes writing in her journal and then smiles.)