LUCAS: Mom!
[LUCAS’ HOUSE. KAREN is working at the table. LUCAS walks into the room, whering a robe and a towel around his neck, shampoo still in his hair]
LUCAS: Mom, did you forget to pay the water bill?
KAREN: No, of course I paid the water bill. [She sees LUCAS and walks over to the sink and tries the water there. It doesn’t work] See? This is what we need the emergency Visa for. Something must’ve broken. I’ll take care of it. Come on, lets get you rinsed.
[LUCAS leans over the sink and KAREN pours a water jug over his head. She laughs]
LUCAS: How is this funny, Mom?
KAREN: How is this not funny?
[THE SCOTT’S HOUSE. DAN and NATHAN walk into the kitchen to find a WOMAN preparing a salad]
WOMAN: Hey. Check it out. It’s called ‘dinner.’
DAN: Who is that lady? Is that my wife?
[NATHAN looks pleasantly surprised]
DAN: I didn’t think you were getting back until Monday.
WOMAN: I wasn’t. Until I sweet talked Ziodex into doubling their ‘Gift to AIDS’
research. It took me all of one meeting.
DAN: Wow, I’m impressed. You sure you don’t want to quit saving the world and come
sell cars with me?
DEB: Mmm, thanks, but I like the Frequent Flyer miles.
[DEB walks over to NATHAN and gives him a hug]
DEB: Hey. How’s my boy?
NATHAN: I have warm-ups, Mom.
DEB: Oh, come on, sit. Dinner’s almost ready and I haven’t seen you from weeks.
NATHAN: I can’t. I got to go. Don’t wait up.
DAN: Nathan. Remember what I told you. He can’t shoot if he doesn’t have the ball.
[THE GYM. The RAVENS are all gathered around WHITEY and the cheerleaders are chanting]
WHITEY: Damnit, this is a team, not a Chinese fire grill. Scott, you’re plain selfish. Get
out there and pretend you know each other.
TIM: Ravens on three. One! Two! Three!
TEAM: Ravens!
WHITEY: Lets go, lets go, lets go!
[THE GYM. PEYTON and BROOKE are supposed to be cheering off to the side]
BROOKE: Hey, can I catch a ride with you to Nathan’s party later.
PEYTON: I didn’t think you were going. I figured you’d be hiding out in Lucas’ back
seat again.
BROOKE: Jealous.
PEYTON: No.
BROOKE: What? I could see it. You’re both so broody. You could brood together.
[THE GYM. The game’s going on. As they play, the announcer’s announcing]
ANNOUNCER: Now the Ravens in bound with the ball. Looks like they’re trying to
isolate Nathan Scott on the baseline. The Masenberg defense tightens on him. Scott battles through, still working hard to get open down there. Now Tim Smith, with the ball, working over on the wing. He’s dribbling, looking for Nathan underneath, but he’s not there. And now- Oh! Oh! A cross court pass putting Lucas Scott over the basket.
[KAREN’S in the audience. She’s grinning. DAN, on the other hand, is not]
ANNOUNCER: So much for the putty grip on that one as the Ravens fall back on the bench.
NATHAN: [Screaming at TIM] What was that?
ANNOUNCER: And I tell you what, Lucas Scott is really starting to gel with this team.
[THE GYM. The game’s over, and most of the people have already filtered out.
NATHAN and TIM are walking across the gym, and NATHAN’S angry]
TIM: He had a better angle. I’m sorry. Nathan, come on, Man. I’m just trying to win.
[THE GYM. KAREN’S standing with LUCAS]
KAREN: So are you excited?
LUCAS: What? That we won?
KAREN: No, because there’s running water in the locker room. We’re gonna be roughing it until tomorrow.
[LUCAS laughs]
LUCAS: It’s okay…
[THE GYM. NATHAN walks up to DAN]
NATHAN: What’s up, Dad?
[DAN looks at him then walks away. DEB walks up to NATHAN]
DEB: Nice game, sweetie.
[NATHAN looks toward the direction in which DAN walked away]
NATHAN: Try telling that to Dad.
[As NATHAN walks over to LUCAS, he hears a woman say to her son “I’m proud of
you. I’ll see you later”]
NATHAN: Two decent games in a row, man. Getting better or just lucky? [Pause]
Team’s got a party tonight. My parents’ beach house.
LUCAS: Why are you tell me that?
NATHAN: Because I said the team, didn’t I? [Pause] Look, it’s kind of the off season. Might as well deal with it.
[THEME SONG PLAYS]
[A STREET AT NIGHT. LUCAS is driving the Body Shop truck and HALEY’S sitting in the passenger street]
HALEY: The guys kidnapped you, trashed your court, threatened you with bodily
harm. Party, yeah. Sure, why not?
LUCAS: Okay, listen, I know it’s all a setup, alright? But I’m not gonna let him screw with me. Whatever he dishes out he’s going to get back double.
HALEY: Do you think maybe- I mean, just maybe- he’s had a change of heart?
LUCAS: Hmm. That requires a heart.
[THE STREET IN FRONT OF NATHAN’S PARENTS’ BEACH HOUSE. PEYTON pulls to a stop. BROOKE’S in the passenger seat]
BROOKE: Every time I ride with you, I swear I’m never going to do it again.
[PEYTON gets out of the car, and BROOKE follows]
BROOKE: Keys?
PEYTON: Tempt fate.
[TIM walks up to PEYTON]
TIM: Peyton. You’ve got to talk to him. Lucas had the better shot. You saw it, right?
BROOKE: Tim? Are you being pathetic?
[TIM rolls his eyes and turns around just as LUCAS’ truck pulls to a stop]
TIM: What’s he doing here?
[NATHAN walks over]
NATHAN: I invited him. I mean, since you guys are such great friends now.
PEYTON: What are you trying to pull?
NATHAN: Nothing.
[LUCAS and HALEY get out of the truck and walk over]
NATHAN: I wasn’t sure you’d come.
LUCAS: That makes two of us.
NATHAN: [To HALEY] Hi. I’m Nathan Scott.
[He holds out his hand and HALEY shakes it]
HALEY: Um, yeah, I know, I’m Haley.
[NATHAN walks inside with LUCAS and HALEY, passing PEYTON on the way. She looks suspicious]
[INSIDE THE BEACH HOUSE. NATHAN, PEYTON, BROOKE, and TIM walk into a room]
BROOKE: Tonight’s gonna be great.
[TIM smiles and the four walk past the camera, right as LUCAS enters. He’s looking around. HALEY whistles]
HALEY: Well. I bet their plumbing works.
[LUCAS laughs]
HALEY: I’m just saying…
LUCAS: Alright, thanks.
HALEY: Yeah.
[BROOKE walks up to TIM, PEYTON, and NATHAN, and another guy and girl who are
standing elsewhere in the room. BROOKE’S holding a newspaper]
BROOKE: Have you guy’s seen this?
GIRL: Uh-uh.
BROOKE: The High School Fearleader. It’s a comic strip. [Pause] Wait, this is insulting, right?
GUY: My dog can draw better than this.
BROOKE: Really, what guy keeps his hat on during sex?
[NATHAN looks at PEYTON]
BROOKE: Who is this socky person anyway?
NATHAN: [Still looking at PEYTON] Yeah, I wonder.
PEYTON: It’s just a stupid comic strip. Who cares, right?
BROOKE: It’s more like sucky. Whoever it is doesn’t know the first thing about it. It’s like so…
LUCAS: Shallow?
[PEYTON looks at LUCAS]
PEYTON: Where’s the keg?
[NATHAN’S ROOM. As DAN passes the door, he noticed DEB is in there. He steps in]
DAN: You okay?
DEB: He used to ask before he put stuff up. Now… I don’t even know what he’s interested in. [Pause] Besides basketball.
DAN: Basketball. Yeah, seems like it changes from day to day.
DEB: Mmm. [Pause] He talks to you, Dan. How’s he been doing?
DAN: Well, he’s holding up considering Whitey’s moved him out of his position, but it’s probably temporary.
DEB: I asked you how he is, not how he’s playing. It must be confusing for him with
Lucas on the team now. [Pause] Were we going to talk about that?
DAN: I think that’s probably temporary too.
DEB: You think or you wish? [Pause] Um I, I saw Karen at the game tonight, but
then… I’ve never really spoken to her.
DAN: I know this is hard on you, Deb.
DEB: No, not really. I think it’s harder for you and Nathan.
[BEACH HOUSE PARTY. LUCAS and HALEY are walking]
HALEY: So, I know you’re like, having the time of your life, but can we please make
like a tree and get out of here?
LUCAS: We just got here.
HALEY: Whatever. You let me know when you’ve proved your point. I’m going to go to one of the eighteen bathrooms in this place.
LUCAS: Gonna be back in five?
HALEY: Yeah.
LUCAS: Alright
[HALEY leaves]
RANDOM GUY: Hey, good game, man.
LUCAS: Hey, thanks.
[LUCAS walks into the dining room, where BROOKE, NATHAN, PEYTON and a few others are playing a game]
BROOKE: Lucas. Come play.
LUCAS: What’s the game?
BROOKE: I never…
GUY: And yet apparently you have.
BROOKE: Shut up, Vegas.
NATHAN: Alright. So the game is, we all take turns saying things that we’ve never
done, and anybody at the table who has…bam!
[NATHAN holds out a cup]
LUCAS: Drinks.
[NATHAN nods]
LUCAS: Yeah.
[LUCAS takes the cup from NATHAN and takes a sip]
NATHAN: Alright, Theresa, you’re up.
THERESA: Okay. Lets see. I’ve never… had sex with anything made out of plastic.
[BROOKE takes a sip and everyone laughs]
BROOKE: Okay, my turn. I’ve never… no I did that, um…
[BROOKE laughs]
NATHAN: Alright. My turn. Oh, lets see. Um… I’ve never… I’ve never had a dad who
wished I was a stain on the bed sheets.
[PEOPLE laugh, somewhat uncomfortably. PEYTON looks at LUCAS. LUCAS glares at NATHAN, then walks over to NATHAN. He places his cup in front of him]
LUCAS: Then you’re welcome to mine.
[NATHAN laughs. BROOKE and PEYTON look after LUCAS, worried]
[A BATHROOM door. PEYTON goes to open it]
VOICE: Hang on a minute.
[PEYTON lets go and a toilet flushes. HALEY comes out]
HALEY: Sorry.
[She starts to walk by PEYTON[
PEYTON: How’s the tutoring going?
[HALEY stops]
PEYTON: You’re tutoring Nathan, right? [Pause] It’s okay. He tells me everything.
HALEY: Yeah. You know, he um… said he needed some help.
PEYTON: Maybe you could teach him to stop being such a jackass.
HALEY: I will… put that on my lesson plan.
PEYTON: Just be careful, okay.
HALEY: Yeah… sure.
[HALEY starts to walk away]
PEYTON: Does Lucas know you’re helping Nathan?
[HALEY doesn’t answer]
PEYTON: You know… you say a lot when you keep your mouth shut.
HALEY: I’m… okay.
PEYTON: I keep mine shut too.
[A ROOM full of trophies. HALEY picks up a picture, and LUCAS knocks down another]
HALEY: What happened?
LUCAS: Oh, same old crap. You know, he thinks that if he keeps hammering me, I’ll
quit the team.
HALEY: Oh. What did he do this time?
LUCAS: He made some feeble comment. Not gonna let it get to me.
HALEY: Yeah, obviously that’s working out for you.
[LUCAS laughs]
HALEY: Luke… have you guys ever actually talked?
LUCAS: Yeah, sure. We trade emails too.
HALEY: I’m just saying you’re so hypersensitive around each other. And… I get it. I
just think that maybe everything he says, you take the wrong way, and vice versa.
LUCAS: Okay, there is no misunderstanding what he said. And why are you defending him?
HALEY: I’m, I’m just, I’m trying to bring some perspective. I mean…It’s a really screwing situation and I’m sure having you around isn’t any easier for him than it is for you and I think maybe if you guys could just talk…
LUCAS: Okay, tell me that I’m not hearing this.
HALEY: Then what are you doing here, Lucas? Obviously, you’re looking for something, right?
LUCAS: I’m not going to let him win.
HALEY: Fine. Don’t let him win. I’m gonna go.
[HALEY starts to leave]
LUCAS: Haley!
HALEY: Nope.
[As HALEY walks out of the room, she runs into NATHAN]
NATHAN: Are you leaving?
HALEY: Nathan…we had a deal. You promised you were gonna be nice.
NATHAN: I- I am nice. I invited him to this stinking party, didn’t I?
HALEY: Well, what for? So you could pick on him in public? What did you say anyway?
NATHAN: Oh, man. Is that what- I made a lame joke. I mean, look, the guys…
sometimes we get kind of raw with each other. I was just trying to include him. He
took it the wrong way.
HALEY: Well, maybe you need to rethink your approach.
NATHAN: Well, you’re his friend. How do I handle this?
HALEY: It’s easy, stop being such a… [Whispered] joke.
[THE PORCH OF THE BEACH HOUSE. LUCAS walks outside and PEYTON’S sitting on a
swinging chair]
PEYTON: He really slammed you.
LUCAS: I don’t care what he thinks.
PEYTON: Neither do I.
LUCAS: Oh yeah? Then why are you drinking?
[PEYTON takes another sip]
[THE DOOR TO THE PORCH. NATHAN walks by and sees LUCAS with PEYTON. He sees
Tim at the video cabinet]
TIM: Nathan! I can’t believe your parents don’t have any decent porn.
NATHAN: Wait. I’ve got something.
[He joins TIM at the video cabinet and hands TIM a movie]
NATHAN: Put that in.
GUY: What is it?
NATHAN: It’s a comedy.
[THE PORCH. LUCAS is kneeling across from PEYTON, talking to her]
LUCAS: So I’m confused. You want to be anonymous…and you let the world watch you on a web cam.
PEYTON: The world isn’t watching me… but I guess you are.
LUCAS: Okay, the point is… you want to express yourself but you don’t want people
to know it’s you.
PEYTON: I guess I’m just a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside a @#%$.
LUCAS: Or maybe just a tortured artist.
PEYTON: Look, I don’t need you defending me and my work. I don’t need you analyzing it or interpreting me either. And in fact, I’m pretty sure I don’t need you at all.
LUCAS: Pretty sure?
[LUCAS freezes as he hears his mother’s name inside]
[TELEVISION. There’s video tape playing, showing KAREN and DAN as Prom King and Queen]
WOMAN: Tree Hill High’s Snowball Court King and Queen, Daniel Scott and Karen Roe.
Karen, what’s the secret to your success?
[LUCAS and PEYTON walk in. LUCAS is upset]
KAREN: Um, the secret to our success. Hmm. I don’t know. Good question. Dan?
DAN: Good sex!
[The audience laughs]
KAREN: Be serious.
WOMAN: Karen, do you think you guys will get married?
KAREN: DO I think Dan and I will get married? Hmm… who knows. I mean…
BROOKE: Oh my god, the hair!
KAREN: But he really is the sweetest guy in the whole world. So I’m thinking, yes.
Come visit us in 10 years and I bet you can meet the kids and get a tour of our big house and see how happy we are.
TIM: Who’s the girl?
WOMAN: Okay ladies and gentleman, there’s your Prom King and Queen, Dan Scott and Karen Roe.
LUCAS: That’s my mom.
NATHAN: At least their dreams came true for one of them, right?
LUCAS: Yeah, except for the happy part, right?
[LUCAS slams NATHAN against a wall as he walks by. NATHAN and his friends laugh,
but BROOKE and PEYTON don’t]
[THE PIER BY THE WATER AT THE BEACH HOUSE. HALEY’S sitting on the railing when
NATHAN comes up]
NATHAN: I thought you left.
HALEY: Yeah, uh, I tried to. If the stupid cab would ever get here.
NATHAN: Well, I’m glad you stayed. [Pause] I want to thank you for holding back?
HALEY: What do you mean?
NATHAN: Jerk is pretty tame. You could’ve called me a lot worse. I probably deserved it.
HALEY: Look, I’ve been thinking a lot about this tutoring thing. [Pause] I’m sorry. I don’t, I just don’t think it’s a good idea.
NATHAN: Because of Lucas?
HALEY: Well, obviously, yeah. I don’t know what I was thinking. There’s no good that can possibly come of this.
NATHAN: Really? I thought I saw you guys fight back there.
HALEY: Meaning what, that I should keep tutoring you to stick it to him? Maybe that’s how they do things in Nathan land, but I’m not going to do that to my best friend.
NATHAN: Maybe you’re doing me a favor then.
HALEY: What does that mean?
NATHAN: Sometimes I think it would be easier if I got kicked off the team. Especially with my dad.
HALEY: I should go find, um, Lucas, and just, just try and smooth things over.
NATHAN: He left a while ago.
[HALEY nods]
HALEY: Great. Well, I guess I’m walking.
[THE STREET BY THE FRONT OF THE BEACH HOUSE. NATHAN and HALEY emerge next to the stairs]
NATHAN: Let me give you a ride.
HALEY: It’s not that far.
NATHAN: Forget it, you’re not going to walk. We’ll take Peyton’s car.
HALEY: I- I’m really fine.
NATHAN: You’re a little high on yourself, aren’t you? Going around telling people you’re all fine. Look, please, at least take the ride. It’s the least I can do.
[HALEY gets in the car and NATHAN shuts the door]
[THE SCOTT’S HOUSE. DAN is in the living room, watching a game. DEB comes in]
DEB: Dan. We should talk.
[DEB grabs the remote and turns the TV off]
DEB: You know, I try to let these things roll off my back. You shut down and walk out
mid-conversation. I swallow it and let it churn around in my stomach until it makes me sick.
DAN: What? Because I don’t want to rehash Karen and her son for the ten-thousandth time? Frankly, I’m talked out.
DEB: It’s about Nathan.
DAN: What about him?
DEB: He’s just so surly and distant lately and I fell powerless to do anything about it. And the way you’re pressuring him since Lucas joined the team seems to make it worse.
DAN: Me? Did you ever stop to think the problem was you?
DEB: Oh.
DAN: Maybe if you cared to spend more time at home
DEB: I’m gone ten days out of the month, tops.
DAN: And when you are here, you work ‘til all hours.
DEB: And you want to know why, Dan? Let me tell you. Because ever since you
started this basketball thing, I feel like you’ve slowly been stealing him from me. You’ve made me feel irrelevant. I go out and I raise money for good causes and I matter out there. But at home you shut me out of his life.
DAN: Shut you out? Work has always come first with you?
DEB: That is not fair. You know how hard I’ve tried to balance both. But, I swear to
God, I never would’ve done it if I knew how he’d turn out.
DAN: He’s a good kid.
DEB: Based on what? His scoring average?
DAN: Deb, I just want what’s best for our son, what makes him happy.
DEB: Well, then, something’s not working, Dan. Because that kid I saw tonight is anything but happy.
[DEB leaves]
[BEACH HOUSE PARTY. BROOKE stumbles down the stairs drunk]
BROOKE: Don’t let me have another beer unless I beg you. The same goes for beers.
[Pause] What are you doing?
PEYTON: Just wondering if we’re all going to end up like Karen.
BROOKE: Who is Karen?
PEYTON: That’s Lucas’ mom
BROOKE: Not without proper birth control we won’t.
PEYTON: That’s not what I meant. She was our age when that tape was made, Brooke. We’re just like her. Don’t you think it was awful how she just let Nathan’s dad treat her like crap?
BROOKE: Yeah. But honey, that doesn’t mean we’re like her. Maybe it mean’s you’re like her.
[IN FRONT OF HALEY’S HOUSE. HALEY and NATHAN are still in PEYTON’S car. HALEY has taken the hat she was wearing earlier off]
HALEY: Yeah, this is my house. Um, we’re staying here while we renovate the mansion
NATHAN: It’s not like I was trying to show off.
HALEY: Isn’t that your default setting. [Pause] Sorry.
NATHAN: Can I be honest with you?
HALEY: Uh, yeah. I don’t know. You tell me.
NATHAN: What I said at the beach… that was a lie. I’m really lucky to have
basketball. It’s pretty much my shell to everything from here on out. If I lose it, it’s
over for me.
HALEY: So, don’t lose it.
NATHAN: Well, that’s just the thing. With my grades, I’m close to being ineligible to do the one thing that I’m actually good at. It’s not just my life, either. It’s my dad’s, too. It’s like he’s still got something to prove to Whitey. And if I screw it up, it’s gonna destroy him. [Pause] And it will destroy me. Look, I know you have no reason to do this, and I know it’s just going to complicate things with Lucas, but [Pause] I really need your help.
HALEY: And I will find you someone else. I promise.
NATHAN: No. I came to you because you’re the best tutor at the school. And you’re not going to tear me down. It’s not exactly easy having everybody know you’re failing. It’s you or nobody else.
HALEY: I… [Pause] Okay. I will, um… I will get you through the semester. [Pause] And then you’ve got to be on your own. I’m serious.
NATHAN: That’s totally fine with me.
HALEY: Okay, um… great, so we’ll start on Monday. [Pause] Lay off Lucas.
[HALEY gets out of the car and NATHAN sighs]
[A STREET. Just as LUCAS is pulling to a stop in the Body Shop truck, he sees PEYTON’S car fly by. He follows is. As NATHAN changes the radio station, he crashes into a parked car and ruins PEYTON’S car. LUCAS jumps out of his truck, thinking PEYTON was driving]
LUCAS: Peyton! You okay?
[NATHAN gets out]
NATHAN: Yeah, she’s fine. Can’t say the same for her car though.
[NATHAN pulls a bag out of the car]
NATHAN: And what the hell were you doing following my girlfriend?
LUCAS: I wasn’t. Look, I thought she was driving and she was drinking.
[NATHAN starts to leave]
LUCAS: Hey, where are you going?
NATHAN: Back to the party, dumbass.
LUCAS: What, are you gonna leave her car like this?
NATHAN: Yeah, and if you stand there you can watch me.
LUCAS: You know this is a crime.
NATHAN: So call the cops.
LUCAS: Nathan, you can’t walk away from this. [Pause] I saw you do it.
NATHAN: No you didn’t see me do it. Because I was with Tim the whole time. Which is exactly what he’s going to say if anybody asks him. He owes me. [Pause] So it looks like its your word against ours now. You can guess how that’s going to go down.
LUCAS: So you’re just going to lie and walk away. What about Peyton? You know, your girlfriend? The car’s registered in her name.
NATHAN: Yeah, and you know what? Come to think of it, like you said, she was really drunk last night. Maybe she did this. But then again, all I see is a wrecked car… and you.
[NATHAN walks away, leaving LUCAS with the car]
[BODY SHOP. KEITH and LUCAS are looking at PEYTON’S car]
KEITH: Hit and run, huh? That’s beautiful. I could lose my license for this.
LUCAS: I didn’t know what else do. He just walked away.
KEITH: You wanna tell me what it is with you and this girl? Huh? That you’re willing to break the law for her? Nobody is worth that.
LUCAS: I couldn’t let Nathan get away with it the way he does everything else. And I sure as well could let him do that to her.
KEITH: Okay. What about the guys car you hit? Huh? He just gets screwed over?
LUCAS: I left him a note. I said I did it. Bring his car here.
KEITH: Oh, well, that’s just great. Lucas, you know I’m already struggling to bring in paying customers.
LUCAS: Look, I’ll do the work myself, alright? After hours. And I’ll pay for the
materials.
KEITH: Oh, you’re damn right you will. Your mom’s going to love this.
LUCAS: No. She’s got enough to deal with. You don’t have to tell her.
KEITH: Oh, I’m not going to. You are. And if you don’t, then I will. Because you’re going to take something away from this. [Pause] Cover the car. I’ll give you a ride
home.
[KEITH walks away and LUCAS goes to cover the car. In the front passenger seat he finds HALEY’S hat]
[KAREN’S CAFÉ. KAREN is on the phone with a plumber]
KAREN: I want to have a pipe replaced. I don’t want to send your kids to college.
[Pause] Fine. I’ll do it myself.
[KAREN hangs up and picks up a “How To” book. The door opens]
KAREN: I’m sorry. We’re just closing.
DEB: I was hoping to get a coffee. To go.
[KAREN pours DEB a cup of coffee]
KAREN: Anything else?
DEB: A biscotti.
KAREN: $3.20.
[DEB starts to walk away]
KAREN: Hey. [DEB turns around] You tell Dan that if he wants to spy on me or threaten me or whatever the hell this is, he can come down and do it himself.
DEB: Dan didn’t send me. I came on my own.
KAREN: So it’s a coincidence.
DEB: No. I wanted you to know… everything that happened between you and Dan, I don’t carry that weight around and I don’t care to. Frankly, it looks to me like you’ve done a wonderful job raising Lucas. I’ve seen the two of you together, and quite honestly, it makes me a bit jealous. Look. Our two families…it’s really awkward. I’m not deluded enough to believe otherwise. I know how it is with you and Dan and our two boys. There’s a lot of history there. But it doesn’t have to be our history.
[NATHAN’S BEACH HOUSE. PEYTON’S watching the prom video when NATHAN gets in. It’s at the part where the woman asks Karen if she and Dan will get married]
PEYTON: You reinvented cruel tonight.
NATHAN: [Defensive] It was a joke!
PEYTON: Funny how you’re the only one laughing.
NATHAN: Like you and your stupid comic strip. [Pause] I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.
PEYTON: I’m sorry is getting a little old with you, Nathan.
NATHAN: I know. I just can’t remember a time when thing’s were this bad.
PEYTON: Where have you been for the past two hours.
NATHAN: I went on a beer run.
PEYTON: To where? Canada? Nathan, I wanted to go home. But I can’t because it seems my car’s missing. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?
NATHAN: Uh… I think Tim took it.
PEYTON: You think?
NATHAN: Well, he wanted to take Brooke home, so I told him he could take it. I didn’t think you’d care.
[PEYTON grabs a plastic cup]
PEYTON: I never told a ridiculous lie to my girlfriend’s face. [She holds the cup out to
NATHAN] Drink up. Because Brooke got a ride home with Theresa after you disappeared. Wanna play again?
NATHAN: Alright, so then it was some other girl. I don’t know. What’s the big deal
anyway? I knew you were going to stay here.
PEYTON: So you gave away my car?
NATHAN: Look, whatever. I’m going to bed. Are you coming?
PEYTON: Yeah. That’s what I’m gonna do. I cannot believe you just asked me that with a straight face.
[PEYTON turns around so she doesn’t have to look at him]
[LUCAS’ HOUSE. KAREN’S taking off her coat as LUCAS sits down, having looked at HALEY‘S hat again]
KAREN: You will not believe the night I had tonight.
LUCAS: Yeah, me too.
KAREN: What’s going on? Well, turns out fixing the water mane is not a big deal. I just have to pick up a pipe at the hardware store in the morning. And then if you help me dig out where the break is I think we can fix this ourselves.
LUCAS: So now I’m digging ditches?
KAREN: You mind telling me what happened before you destroy what’s left of my table?
LUCAS: Did you know you could fit this whole house into the living room of their place at the beach?
KAREN: No. Why would you even go there?
LUCAS: Because I love getting dumped on.
KAREN: Well, you don’t have to put up with that. You could just walk away.
LUCAS: Like you.
KAREN: Excuse me?
LUCAS: You know, you never told me that you had this whole thing mapped out with Dan. That you even ever talked about marriage before you were pregnant with me. All you ever said was that he found out and took off.
KAREN: Wait. Where did you hear this?
LUCAS: Those guys… Nathan, Nathan and his @#%$ of a father. They do whatever they want. And they screw everybody else in the process. And yet you and I… we stand by and we let them? You should’ve made him give us what we were entitled to so that we didn’t have to live like this. You should’ve made him pay.
KAREN: Luke… what happened tonight?
LUCAS: I learned something, that’s all. Everybody has secrets. [Pause] Right Mom?
[THE BEACH HOUSE. It’s early morning, and PEYTON’S awoken by a knock on the door]
PEYTON: [Screaming] Nathan!
[He doesn’t respond and PEYTON sees TIM at the door. She gets up to answer it]
TIM: Hey, what’s up?
PEYTON: Did you bring my car back?
TIM: Your car? Uh, I don’t have your car.
PEYTON: Nathan said you took my car.
[NATHAN walks up behind PEYTON, giving TIM a look]
TIM: Oh, um, your car. We, um, we, uh…
PEYTON: Nice try. [To NATHAN] Where the hell is my car?
[OUTSIDE LUCAS’ HOUSE. He’s digging. KAREN walks outside]
KAREN: You calm enough to talk?
LUCAS: Sorry I went off. I was pissed and you were in the line of fire.
KAREN: It’s usually when the truth comes out.
LUCAS: Yeah, well, the truth is, I’m the reason you never got what you wanted. So that kind of nullifies my right to complain.
[LUCAS sits down on the step and KAREN follows suit]
KAREN: Is that what you think? I got exactly what I want, Lucas. Everybody seems to think that I’m some kind of victim. I chose this. And if I had to do it over, you and I would still be having this conversation.
LUCAS: Yeah, I know, I just… I hate to see them get away with it, Dan and Nathan, you know. They should’ve helped you out. It’s not fair.
KAREN: I’m glad he never offered. Because at the time, I honestly don’t know what I would’ve said. But I can tell you this much, Lucas. If he had given us money, he’d have felt entitled to have a say in how you were being raised and I think that that would’ve been a bigger price to pay. [Pause] You’ve seen how Nathan’s turned out.
LUCAS: Like father, like son.
KAREN: So who do you think we should feel sorry for? Ourselves or them?
[THE SCOTT’S HOUSE. DAN walks in]
DAN: Hey.
DEB: Still not home.
DAN: Oh he will be.
DEB: I take it this isn’t the first time you’ve let him stay out all night?
DAN: Oh, I don’t want to smother him, Deb. He’s a responsible, disciplined kid.
DEB: Is he? Hmm. Your brother just called. Our responsible, disciplined kid got into a hit and run last night. In Peyton’s car.
DAN: Is he okay?
DEB: Oh, he’s not hurt. But do you want to know what he did afterwards? He walked away and tried to dump it on Lucas.
[DAN sighs]
DAN: Well, I’ll talk to him.
DEB: You’ll talk to him. [Pause] Is that all you have to say?
DAN: What do you want me to say?
DEB: I don’t know anymore. But I’ll tell you one thing. Seems to me you and Nathan have gotten a little too comfortable when I’m not around. So I’m cutting back at the foundation. Fewer hours and no more travel. [Pause] Try not to look so disappointed.
DAN: Come on, Deb, you don’t have to do this.
DEB: I don’t have to? Or you don’t want me to?
[NATHAN walks in and they look at him]
NATHAN: What?
[THE BODY SHOP. LUCAS walks in]
KEITH: Hey, you’re still alive. Guess you didn’t tell your mom about your little crime spree yet, huh?
LUCAS: This morning. She’s working on my punishment now.
KEITH: Good. You recognize that car over there?
[LUCAS looks. There’s a red car, scratched all the way down the side]
KEITH: The owner got your note. I talked him out of pressing charges.
LUCAS: Thanks, Keith.
KEITH: Lets just get this done, okay? So we can get back to billing for the work we do.
[NATHAN walks in]
LUCAS: What do you want?
KEITH: I, uh, suspect his parents sent him.
LUCAS: You told them?
KEITH: Yeah. You may be willing to let him get away with it but I’m not. [Pause] Try not to kill each other, girls.
[KEITH leaves and LUCAS walks over to NATHAN]
NATHAN: Peyton wants to know when she’s going to get her car back.
LUCAS: When it’s fixed.
NATHAN: How much is the work going to cost?
LUCAS: I don’t know. A lot. Why?
NATHAN: Give me the invoice when it’s done. My dad will right a check.
LUCAS: No thanks.
NATHAN: I said we’ll pay you.
LUCAS: You want to pay me? You stay away from me.
NATHAN: Suit yourself.
[NATHAN starts to walk away]
LUCAS: Hey, whatever you’re up to…
[NATHAN stops and looks at LUCAS]
LUCAS: Stay the hell away from Haley.
NATHAN: We’re just talking man. You know, kind of like you and Peyton.
[LUCAS glares at NATHAN as he exits]
[PEYTON’S ROOM. She’s working on a drawing when NATHAN walks in]
NATHAN: Car will be ready by Friday.
PEYTON: Whatever. The bag of stuff by the door is yours.
NATHAN: What’s all this?
PEYTON: It’s all the crap you’ve left here. Take it.
[NATHAN picks something up]
NATHAN: This is the necklace I gave you.
PEYTON: You mean the leash? No thanks.
NATHAN: Peyton, come on.
[NATHAN walks over to her]
NATHAN: Look, my mom’s gong to cool down and everything will be back to normal.
[PEYTON gets up]
PEYTON: Okay, trust me, the last thing I want with us is normal. In case you haven’t
noticed, normal sucks with us, Nathan.
NATHAN: Peyton, is this about your car? Because I’m taking car of that.
PEYTON: It’s not about the car. It’s about you. I finally saw you clearly for the first time last night. The way you treated me, the way you treated Tim, the way you treated your brother.
NATHAN: Don’t call him that.
PEYTON: And the way you’re playing that girl.
NATHAN: What? [Pause] Are you talking about Haley? Is that what this is about?
Peyton, she means nothing.
PEYTON: [Angrily] Okay, if that’s the case, then you’re an @#%$. And eveb if she does mean something, you’re still an @#%$ and what’s really sad, Nathan, is that you’re too stupid to get that. So thank you for being such an amazing son of a @#%$ last night. You really made this a no-brainer.
NATHAN: I’ll call you when you’re not so PMS.
PEYTON: Don’t bother. I mean it. We’re done. So get the hell out.
[NATHAN stares at her]
PEYTON: [Angrily, throwing the bag at him] I mean it! Get the hell out!
[NATHAN leaves in shock. Peyton collapses onto her bed]
[NATHAN’S ROOM. He’s looking at the necklace]
[HALEY’S ROOM. She’s laying on her bed]
[PEYTON’S ROOM. She’s sitting up, sketching a red streetlight]
[THE BODY SHOP. LUCAS is sitting in PEYTON‘S car, reading her comic strip in the newspaper]
[KAREN’S CAFÉ. HALEY is scrubbing the counter when LUCAS walks in]
HALEY: Hey, I was beginning to think I would never see you again. You’re avoiding me, right?
LUCAS: A little.
HALEY: Luke, I was just trying to help. You just like, jumped down my throat. We’ve always been able to talk about stuff, you know. I just had this crazy idea that if… you could see things from Nathan’s side… [Sigh] You’re just a real pain in the butt sometimes.
[HALEY squirts LUCAS with a water bottle playfully]
LUCAS: Yeah. At least we can still be honest with each other.
HALEY: Yeah. At least.
LUCAS: So, if anything were going on with you… anything important or weird, or confusing… I mean, you could still be honest with me about that, right?
HALEY: Yeah, of course.
[LUCAS tosses HALEY’S hat onto the counter]
LUCAS: You left that in Peyton’s car.
[LUCAS leaves and HALEY looks after him, upset]
