EXT.—SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL—DAY
KELLY is standing on the sidewalk with LACEY. Kids are streaming out of school. Classes are over for the day.
LACEY
If I were her, I’d have caved by now. You know Carly Jessup and Andrea Cornish?
KELLY
Sure. They’re tight with Anna Genovese.
LACEY
They’re also talking about freezing Tegan out for the rest of the year. You know how popular Clark and Martin were—especially Martin. People are never going to forgive her for what she’s doing.
KELLY
What if she’s telling the truth? What if she didn’t see anything?
LACEY
Do you believe that?
KELLY
I don’t know what to believe.
(to the camera)
She’s my sister. I should be sticking up for her. But you know how they say familiarity breeds contempt? Well, that’s because the more familiar you are with someone, the more you know about her, the clearer it is to you when she’s not exactly a saint. Tegan isn’t a bad person. But she is a little self-absorbed. What am I saying? She’s completely self-absorbed. And she’s capable of being really vindictive. She adored Martin. She talked about him all the time. All she ever wanted was to go out with him—and it turns out he just thought of her as a pal. It turns out he was more interested in me. I can see Tegan getting really mad about that. I hate to say it, but it’s true. And I can see her taking it out on Martin—and me—by keeping her mouth shut about what she saw. It’s a terrible thing to have to say about your sister, but it’s the way I feel.
LACEY
Uh-oh.
LACEY points, and KELLY turns to see ANNA break away from a group of girls and come toward her. KELLY groans.
KELLY
Now what?
ANNA
Your sister went to see my dad this morning.
KELLY looks surprised, even though she is trying not to show it.
KELLY
So?
ANNA
My dad’s offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of Martin’s killer.
KELLY
I heard.
ANNA
Your sister went to see him. She told him that she couldn’t help him.
KELLY
What’s that got to do with me?
ANNA
It’s your birthday in a couple of days, isn’t it?
KELLY
Yeah. So?
ANNA
Martin was going to ask you out. He really liked you.
KELLY
(looking uncomfortable)
He never said anything to me about that.
ANNA
You liked him, didn’t you?
KELLY nods.
ANNA (CONT’D)
A lot?
KELLY
(softly)
Yeah.
ANNA digs in her pocket and brings out a small box.
ANNA
I went shopping with Martin before he died. He wanted to get something for your birthday. And he made me go with him because he wanted to buy you the perfect thing. But he wouldn’t listen to any suggestions I made. He ended up buying this.
ANNA hands the box to KELLY, who opens it with trembling fingers. Nestled on cotton batting in the small box is a delicate chain with a little gold charm—it’s a dolphin. KELLY smiles.
ANNA (CONT’D)
He said it was because you’re a swimmer. Because you’re a good one.
KELLY
It’s perfect.
KELLY stares into the box for a moment, then replaces the lid and holds it out to Anna. anna shakes her head.
ANNA
He bought it for you.
KELLY hesitates. Finally she slips the little box into her pocket.
ANNA (CONT’D)
Your sister is letting Martin’s killer get away with murder.
KELLY
Maybe she’s telling the truth. Maybe she really didn’t see anything.
ANNA
Maybe? It sounds like you don’t believe her any more than I do.
KELLY eyes Anna with suspicion, torn between believing her and feeling that she should support her sister, no matter how unworthy of support she might be.
ANNA (CONT’D)
She knew how Martin felt about you.
KELLY
So?
ANNA
Did she tell you she knew?
KELLY doesn’t answer.
ANNA (CONT’D)
I didn’t think so.
KELLY
Just because she might have been angry at Martin, that doesn’t mean she would let his murderer go free.
ANNA
What if she knew that what happened was her fault—and she knew who did it and was terrified that if she opened her mouth, he would come after her?
KELLY
What do you mean, her fault?
ANNA looks at Lacey. Then she pulls Kelly down the block where no one else can hear what she says.
ANNA
(dropping her voice)
I know Martin was into smoking weed.
KELLY
I know. I also know you knew he got busted for it.
ANNA is stunned.
KELLY (CONT’D)
But you gave Tegan a hard time because the cops went to your house and said that to your parents. You made it sound like it was all a great big lie.
ANNA
Did your mom know Tegan was into weed?
KELLY
(reluctantly)
No.
ANNA
My parents were destroyed when the cops showed up at my house and told them that Martin had been shot. Shot! What kind of people shoot people? What kind of people get shot?
KELLY
(to the camera)
Gangsters shoot people. Most people who get shot are leading what the cops call high-risk lifestyles, which is just a diplomatic way of saying if you hang around with people who have guns, don’t be surprised if one day one of them shoots you.
ANNA
He just liked to smoke up now and again. Is that such a crime? Okay, so maybe technically it is. But all this stuff about dealing—yeah, so maybe Martin bought a little more than he needed for himself. But that’s because people bugged him. They knew he knew who to get it from. But when he got busted—he did what they told him. He did a program. He got out of it. It wasn’t easy, you know. He got a lot of pressure from kids who were used to him having stuff. Like your sister. He really tried to stick to his promise. He said he didn’t want to disappoint you.
KELLY stares at her, slightly stunned.
ANNA (CONT’D)
I told him to stay out of it too, but it mattered more to him what you said. I think he was relieved to have someone like you in his life. He wanted a reason, a good one, for when his friends pressured him. And, anyway, I think he was getting scared.
KELLY
What do you mean?
ANNA
The cops tried to scare him when they busted him. They said the drug scene was getting fierce—they said there were new players, more ruthless ones. But I think he already knew that. He told me once that the new guy he bought from scared him. He said he’d been wondering if it was worth it. But he had all those friends, and he was their connection. That’s the only reason he didn’t quit earlier. He needed you on his side, Kelly. He needed someone who believed in him and who supported him.
KELLY
Do you know who his connection was?
ANNA shakes her head.
KELLY (CONT’D)
Did you tell the cops what you just told me?
ANNA
Yeah.
(hesitates for a moment)
He was through. And then Tegan started in on him.
KELLY
What do you mean?
ANNA
She must have called him a dozen times. He told me. She kept saying, just one more time. One more time. Martin’s a good guy—was a good guy. If you ask me, he was too nice. He tried too hard to make everyone happy.
KELLY
Are you saying he was killed because of Tegan?
ANNA
Think about it. The cops can’t come up with anyone who had a motive for shooting Martin—except his drug connection. But he wouldn’t have had a drug connection anymore if it wasn’t for your sister. And who knows what really happened that night. Who knows if it even happened the way she said it did. She was the only witness. A lot of things could have happened, but nobody will ever know unless she decides to cooperate with the cops.
KELLY is silent. She looks stunned, as if she is having trouble absorbing this new information.
ANNA (CONT’D)
You have to help me, Kelly. You have to turn up the heat on her. You have to tell her that you know she was the one who pushed Martin to buy drugs that night. You have to make it clear to her that nothing is going to change until she does the right thing. You can’t let Martin’s killer get away with it. You can’t.