"Everything worth anything is both terrifying and beautiful." "Like the first time you do something that you know is wrong." "You know it's wrong and yet you do it anyway." "There was a ladybug crawling around my ankle when I saw Victoria let her grandmother's bird escape from its cage." "I watched the bird disappear into the endless sky like a lonely balloon." "It was so sad." "That image left a scar that never completely healed, because until then I thought that bad things could only happen by accident, never on purpose." "It was Victoria who first made me confront that danger existed on the inside of everybody." "Now she's coming to my school." "Mom, that's so much worse." "Every year my mother hopes this five-hour drive to school will be something that it never is." "What I share with my mother is silence." "My heart exists within the stone walls of that building." "That's where I live." "Tanner Hall is majestic but crumbling." "It's just a fact, as true as the uncertainty of the year ahead." " Fernie!" " Oh!" " Hello!" " Fernie!" " Get up here right now!" " I'm coming!" "Fernie!" " Hello!" " I missed you so much!" "Oh my God, you look so good!" "You're so clumsy, Victoria." "It's not my fault." "He didn't leave me enough room to get out." "This can't possibly be the school." "It looks like the pictures in the orientation packet." "There was an orientation packet?" "I never saw it." "Oh, I spared you, Vicky." "It was boring." "It's not supposed to read like a magazine." "No wonder Daddy has a girlfriend." "You're such a moron." "Would you just relax?" "You're getting yourself worked up over nothing." "Olga, hi!" "Ah!" "Roxanne!" "It's so good to see you." "I've been thinking about when we were in school together." "The jerk driver forgot to load my bags into the trunk!" "I have jack shit to wear!" "Hey, you know what?" "They'll find your bag, you know." "In the meantime you could maybe borrow some of Fern's clothes." "Fernanda, look at you." "Fern, you remember Victoria, right?" " You knew each other when you were little." " Yeah, sort of." "You forgot to introduce your friends." "Right, sorry." " This is Lucasta and this is Kate." " Hello." "Let's go check in." "Would you two mind showing me around the school?" "Yeah, no problem." "I wanted to smoke a cigarette." "How do you know Fern?" "So this will allow my friends to be able to take her off campus" " and out to dinner and- thank you." " Precisely." " Please sign here." " Mom, I really don't want to spend my weekends with your friends." "It might be nice to get off campus for a weekend." " What's in the bag?" " Oh, I borrowed it from my roommate." "It stinks." "Uh, what are you doing?" "Borrowing clothes, remember?" "Oh, right." "Uh, let me help you." " No, that's okay." " Okay." "Mr. Middlewood, hurry!" "Mr. Middlewood, we need your help!" "Kate fell in the shower!" "Mr. Middlewood, help!" "We need you!" "Kate fell in the sho- Kate fell in the shower." " She needs you." " Everybody out of my way." "Kate?" "Sorry." "Kate!" "Sorry." "Kate!" "Kate!" "Sorry!" "God!" "Oh my God." "Sorry." " Kate." " Oh God." "Mr. Middlewood." "Oh my God." "Oh my God." "Are you all right?" "Yes, it's just my leg." "Does that hurt?" "Does it hurt when I do this?" "A little bit higher." " Higher?" " Higher." " Does it hurt?" " Oh, it just tingles." "Higher." "Higher." "Higher." "Oh, this is a new feeling to me." "Higher." "Shh!" "Can we have some privacy, please?" "Is that all right?" "Does that feel okay?" " It's stinging through my pelvic bone." " What?" "Am I" "Oh my God." "Mr. Middlewood, it hurts so bad." "Can't you do something for the pain?" "What's going on?" "You, this isn't your floor." "Get back to your dorm." "Everyone get back to their rooms." "Go!" "Hey." "Fern, are you going to eat all that?" "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day." "Maybe, but do you have the metabolism for it?" "I'm gonna go get ready for class." "Save me a seat." "Who's that boy?" "Oh, that's Peter, the headmistress's son." "He's cute." "What's he doing here?" " He goes to school here." " He does?" "Miss Wallace is too cheap to pay tuition to another school, so she makes him go to ours." "To be a boy at an all-girls school." "Yeah, you would think he would know how to have fun in his situation." "Why would you even waste your vision on him?" " Hello." " Because he has so much access." " To what?" " His mother's files, her stationery, the key to the front door." "Hey, can you help?" "Can you hold this straight for me?" " Just so that the under part" " doesn't go into this." "Yeah." " Is this my shirt?" " No." " What are you doing to it?" "Victoria found these from the lost and found." "She said they were too plain, so I'm restyling them for her." "No, these are my shirts." "She borrowed them from me." "Oh shit." "Sorry, Fern." "It's not your fault." "It's hers." " Who?" " I'll take it off." " Victoria." " Oh, she's awesome." "Hey, Fern Fern, can you help me with my homework?" "At least she's not in our dorm." "Right?" "Victoria, you know we have no empty beds upstairs." "Listen, we're negotiating right now." "Let's try to come up with a solution." "I agree!" "Get me out of this room and the problem is solved." "Why should I have to sleep in a pisspot when I am not the bedwetter?" "Bedwetting is not that unusual." "It happens to deep sleepers." "I'm going to be ill." "My recommendation would he that you wake Margaret up and take her to the toilet every three hours." " It sounds like a plan." " You must be kidding!" "Every three hours." "No." "I don't have to go." "Okay, look up." "Oh my God." "You're not putting that blue on me." "Fern, you have a very tough palate." "I'm just trying to make you brighten up a little bit." "Thanks, no." "It's blue." "We'll do- well, first put this on." "You're welcome." "I can't believe I let my mom talk me into hanging out with her loser friends." " That is such a drag." " I think the blue looks nice, actually." "Victoria, what are you doing today?" " Today is the day." " What day?" " The day I get Peter to hand over the key." " To sneak out?" "He's never gonna give you the key." "It's not gonna happen." "Do you always have such little faith in your friends?" "No, I have a lot of faith in my friends." " I just don't want to get in trouble." " I fixed it." "Thank you." "We're just gonna have a bit of fun." "Besides, who sits around boarding school obeying every rule?" "What?" " Jesus." " Kind of you." "Kate, it's your last year." "Don't you finally want to have some real fun?" "Hmm?" " Yeah yeah." "If you get the key..." " We'll sneak out." "Totally." " Yes." " Consider it done." "Oh my God." " She's amazing, right?" " She's so cool." "I can't even believe it." "Fernanda?" "Yeah?" "I'm Gio, Gwen's husband." "Gwen, your mother's friend?" "Really?" "You wanna get in the car?" "Okay." "You like this song?" "I've never heard it before." "Really?" "You like music, don't you?" "Yeah." "It's not my life or anything though." "Okay, that's it." "How about we make a detour into town?" "Isn't Gwen expecting us?" "She's doing her own thing anyway." " And what's that?" " Decorating the baby's room." "I didn't know you guys had a baby." "We will in a month or thereabouts." "That's exciting." "When did you move here?" "A better question is why did we move here?" "Why did you move here?" "Oh, uh, well, you're not supposed to ask 'cause it's a better question," " But..." " But?" "...I wanted you to ask me that 'cause- yeah." " No, I'm just kidding." "No." "George." "George, why don't you put your book down so we can spend some quality time together while the girls are in town?" "What?" "Hmm?" "Oh." "Maggie, not- not now." "I'm" " I'm really not in the mood." "Sometimes you have to push yourself over the threshold to get into the mood, okay?" "Why don't we try some of the tools that we've been learning in therapy?" "Let's get in the cricket stance." "Feel that stretch?" " Um, yeah." " You're so tight right there." " You feel that right there?" " Yeah." " That feel nice?" " Yeah." "There's a smile I like right there." " Maggie, what are- what are you doing?" " Shh." " Mmm." " That's" " That's nice." "Mmm." " Maggie, what are you doing?" "George, I just love the way your hair smells like tobacco." "It's nice." "Mmm." "Yeah." "Oh, there." "Oh, thank you." "Mmm." "Ah." "Counterclockwise, George." " Okay." " Mmm." "Now let's do some positive affirmations, all right?" " Your turn." " Umm," " Yesterday..." " Yesterday." "...The way you looked was so  you were so committed..." " Mm-hmm." "...And very- you were very pretty." "Go on." "That's- that's It, or- yeah." "Uh-huh." "Really good." "That was nice, George." "I think It's working." "Feel that?" "Okay." "Maggie, this is- this isn't working for me." "Okay." "Shh." "It's all right." " It happens to a lot of men your age." " Okay." "Okay?" "Just give me a minute." "I'm gonna go get something, okay?" " No, Maggie, I'm just not" " Shh!" " I just don't think this is the kind" " I'll be right back." " It just isn't working for me." " Be right back." "Just relax." " Come on, let's go inside." "So isn't there anything you like about living up here?" "Not one thing." "Well, I just haven't figured it out yet." "I don't know." "It's nothing like my old neighborhood." "It's not important." "It's crazy to get so attached to a place." "Yeah, I get that." "Don't you have any friends up here, though?" "No, not really." "But it could be turning around for me." " Thanks." " Yeah." "These are precious moments." "Oh, Maggie, we talked about that." "That doesn't work." "We know that." "How many have you been taking?" " Well, if I take" " Shh." " If I take more than one, I get a headache." " Okay, well, let's take two." " No." "No no no, that's more than one." " Here." "Shh." "Okay, just take these." "Here you go." " My head is gonna" " Just take 'em, George." "Okay, here's some shiitaki tea." "Come on, let's go." "There you go." "That's nice." "Okay, there you go." " Here we go." "Is that nice?" " Yeah, let me- let me get my hand up." "There you go." "Oh, okay." "That's better." "It's gonna take at least 30 minutes to kick in." "I'm gonna wait for the pills to rescue us, okay?" "So I want to start with some visualization that Dr. Adler taught us, okay?" "Now I want you to name a country." "Uh, Botswana." " Germany." " Okay, I can work with Germany." "Home of the sausage, huh?" " Maggie." " You are a navy BMW 750." "You like that?" " Okay, George close your eyes." " Yeah." "All right, we've got a full tank of gas." " I am- okay." " Close your eyes." "God, I'm so moist." "You're gliding through the smooth pavement of the Autobahn, hugging every curve." "Okay?" "You surge forward like a powerful bullet," " searching for its target." " Mr. Middlewood," " my pelvis tingles." " You find it?" "A dark tiny black hole." "Right there, George." "Come on, give it to me." "Come on, George." "What is going on down there?" " Maggie, I just" " It's like boiled shrimp." "I need at least 30 minutes for it to kick in." "We don't have 30 minutes, George." "I'm not waiting 30 minutes." "All right, I'm gonna show you something, okay?" " You see this, George?" " Yeah, I do." " You see this?" "This is a hole." " Yeah." "Oh, all right." " I can't" " Let me see who's at the door." " Just give me 30 minutes." " Don't move, all right?" "Just get it up." "30 minutes." "What happened?" "I tripped and fell into the emergency glass case." " Are you all right?" " It really hurts, actually." "Oh." "Well, I guess I should take you to go see the nurse, right?" "Yes, okay." "First I wanted to give you this." "To the front door I think." "Oh." "Well, we wouldn't want this to get into the wrong hands." "Thank you." "No, don't thank me." "George, I'll be back in five." "I was checking for moles." "It's just" " I couldn't view 'em." "I'm so sorry you hurt yourself." "Let's go." "See, Margaret, the urine comes down here, it goes through the bladder and the pee comes out through the urethra and it goes, swoosh, down the toilet." "Oh God." "Okay, let's go out in the hall." "It's not that difficult." "You can understand that, can't you?" "Oh gosh, let's see." " Oh yeah, that's a gash." " Mmm." "Victoria, would you consider sleeping on a rollaway cot on my floor this semester?" "Ow!" "You mean the high school dorm?" "Oh yes yes." "Fight it, fight it, fight it." "Yeah." "I just think our little Margaret there is a little upset." "I think she's painfully embarrassed about her situation." "Mmm, poor Margaret." "Yeah, poor thing." "It's tough." "You know, Victoria, I'll look forward to having a girl like you on my floor." " Huh." " It'll be nice." "Thanks." "I kinda have to pee." " I should get back to school." " Now?" "We have time to visit Gwen, don't we?" "No, you guys didn't sign me out for the weekend," " just through dinner." " Oh shit." "Really?" "She's gonna be so upset." "Get in the car." " Okay?" " Okay." "All right, this should be all right for you." "Here you go." "Hey, Lu, how come you never put any male characters in your comics?" "I don't know." "Girls are more fun to draw, I guess." "Hey, Fern." "I" " I really like this drawing." " You can have it if you want." " Really?" "I will add it to my collection of Lucasta originals." "Hank, why are you always here?" "Oh." "I'm sorry." " I was actually just leaving." " No." "He's just delivering a pizza." "Mind your own business." "Well, I was just returning your jacket." "It's dirty." "You can't return my things dirty." "It was already like that." "No, it wasn't." "What is that anyway, dried blood?" "I have no idea." "Looks like chocolate." "I can clean it." "There we go." "Crisis solved." "You know, I've got to go back to work." " Bye, Hank." " Bye." "Hey, by the by," "I got the key from Peter, so you me and Kate next Saturday night." "That'll be great." "Oh, and I'm just down the hall now." " What room?" " They gave me the student lounge." "No way." "As your bedroom?" "What's the big deal?" "It's like having your own apartment." "Well, why don't you come now and we'll watch a film?" "You are so lucky." "You have a TV." "Actually, you know what?" "I'm just gonna stay here." "I just started a drawing that I'd like to finish." "You know?" "Well, just bring along your sketch book." "Another time." "Thanks, though." "I didn't want to tell anyone about Gio." "I wanted to keep him for myself." "As it turns out, the nights were keeping Victoria's secrets too." "I didn't know what to do." "The loneliness of Victoria's pain was unreachable," "so I did nothing." "Oh!" " Sorry." "I'm really sorry, Kate." " It's okay." "It- it's okay." "Here." "Are these yours?" "Oh." "Yeah, the nurse gave them to me for my ankle injury." "Well, you'd better keep up that limp." "Hey, why don't you just take one?" "I don't think a pill would help, somehow." "I think it will." "I'm working a pretty good buzz right now." "Come on." "A really good book can be an escape and transport the reader" "even out of his own life." "You're late." "Oh." "Kate, could you sit there, please?" "Is this gonna be my seat for the entire semester?" "Yes." "That applies- applies to all of you." "Wherever you are seated today is where you'll be seated for the remainder of the term." " We're so close." " Yes." "We are." "Are you wearing cologne?" "It's witch hazel, actually." "Okay, moving along." "Our reading assignments this term will be decided by you guys." "So what books would you recommend to one another?" " Kate?" " "Lolita."" "Nabokov." "That's a very rich choice." "Thank you." "Ugh, cl- class dismissed." " Hey, Fern?" " Yeah." "I was wondering if you could help me write something." "Yeah, sure." " Thank you." " You're welcome." "This is in first." " You're gonna ease off the clutch." " Right." " Fuck!" "Okay, that was really bad." " No no no, you're doing great." "I love your style." "I want you to put it back into neutral." " Where's that?" "Okay." " Right here." "All right?" "Now- good- start it again." "Ready?" "Are you ready?" "Ease it- no." "Whoa!" "Whoa!" "Sorry." "I think we should switch now." "Here you go." "Mmm!" "I'm sorry." "Sorry." " I'm sorry." " It's all right." "Okay." "All right." " It's just not cool." " What's not cool is the fact that we're not going out tonight and tonight is the fair." "This is the only night we can do this." "Guys, what are you doing?" "You're taking forever." "What's going on?" "Um, apparently we're not going." "What?" "why?" "Because you can't exclude Fern." "She's our best friend." "Huh." "Where is she anyway?" "She's with Peter right now." "Really?" "Why?" "She's helping him write an essay or something." "I thought you said Peter kept to himself." "He did, I thought." "Obviously I don't know anything about Peter." "I mean I never would've imagined that he'd help us sneak out." "Yeah, how did you manage that anyway?" "Let's go get Fern." " Do you think she'd come with us still?" " Yes." "You guys are right." "I feel really bad." " Can we" " Yeah." " Yes, let's go." " Can we still go?" "Okay, cool." "So, um, Victoria wants you to go." " Who cares?" " We care." "It won't be any fun without you, Fern." "I can't anyway." "I told Peter I'd help him write something." " Where is he?" " I don't know." "He should be here any minute." "Well, you guys figure out what you wanna do and I'm going to go use the toilet." " Peter." " Yeah?" "Hi." "Fern asked me to come say she can't make it." " What?" "Why?" " Period." "Blech." "Sorry." " Bye." " I don't want to get expelled." "We're not gonna get expelled, okay?" "God!" "Peter gave Victoria the key." "Yeah, even if we do get caught, Miss Wallace is not gonna expel her son." "Please." "Well, he's not coming, so can we go?" " Hmm?" " Fine." " So?" " We're going." "Come on." "Come on." "Shh!" "Is it really gonna work?" " Hmm?" " Shh shh shh." "Shh." "Shh shh!" "Okay, are you ready?" "Okay." "One two- go!" "Oh my God." "I totally kick ass at this game, so I am buying for everyone." " Whoo!" " Gimme gimme gimme." "I rule!" "Whoo!" " A pig." " One more throw." "Well, I am completely offended." " May I please have the cock?" " The what?" " The cock." " The rooster." "Go ahead and look at it." "Look at it." "Here we go." " Yay!" " Yes!" "You did it!" "You did it!" "Whoo!" "Look!" "I won!" "I won!" " You won?" "!" " Hey!" "No, you didn't!" " Yes, I did." " That was my dart." " No, it wasn't." "What did I win?" " But I popped that balloon." "What are you, nuts?" "I saw the whole thing." "My daughter popped that balloon." "Are you calling me a liar?" "Is he calling me a liar?" "Okay okay." "We're all here to have fun." "Thank you." "I do hope you've come to kill me." "I have a terribly painful- oh!" " painful painful malady." "Yes." "How would you like to die?" "Poisons?" "Dagger through the heart?" "Strangulation?" "Shotgun?" "Okay, I'm bored." "Let's roll." "I want to stay and watch how she dies." "The bone crush- a wise choice, my dear." "I'm gonna get this." "I get this all the time, guys." "I've got the eye of the tiger, eye of the tiger, eye of the tiger." "I won!" " Don't look." " What?" "What?" " The Middlewoods are right behind us." " Oh my God." " Don't look!" " Stop it!" "Okay, we have to run away." "One two three." "Whoo!" " Surprise!" " Whoa." " What are you doing here?" " We escaped." "I wish we hadn't run into these guys." "Yeah, pick it up." "I have a surprise for you." " A surprise?" " It's a cock hat," "Mr. Cock." "Come on, let's go get high on the Ferris wheel." " Yes!" " I guess it's off to the Ferris wheel." "Yeah." "Umm..." "Yeah, actually, I think I'm gonna catch up with you guys later." "Wait." "Where are you going?" "Yeah, I just really don't wanna spend the night babysitting." " Slices, anyone?" " No thanks, Kenny." "Thanks, Ken." " Where's Kate?" " Getting into trouble on the Ferris wheel." "Should probably go look for her." " Oh." "Well, I'll come with you." " Perfect." " Good." "All right." " Okay." " You guys have fun." " Bye." " Bye." "Don't be mad." "Love you." " Okay." "I think I'm gonna go check out the produce." " Do you wanna come?" " Uh, no." " Come on." " No no no, I'm just" " Okay." "I'll see you later" " Okay." " Hi." " Hey, what are you doing here?" "Are you here by yourself?" "No." "I'm with my friends." "We snuck out." "I used to sneak out of my parents' house all the time." " Really?" " Mm-hmm." "What would happen when you got caught?" "The threat of boarding school." "So basically my life is your worst-case scenario." "No, actually, my life right now is my worst-case scenario." "Gio, you wouldn't believe the selection of cheddars they have here." "They even have one that's marbleized with beer." " Is that Fernanda?" " Hi." "You look just like your mother." " Hello." " Hello." "What's your name?" " Light it up." "I'm a dragon!" "What you looking at?" "Aren't you supposed to be keeping a low profile?" "Lu!" " You're my best friend!" " Kate doesn't know how to lay low." "She's gonna get us all expelled." "I love you!" "Look at the stars." "They" " Come up here!" "It's amazing." " They look so close, don't they?" "When I was little I used to get freckles on my face every summer and my brother would tell me that they were a map of the stars." "So I would sit in front of the mirror and search for the Big Dipper endlessly." "Stupid." "Are- are- are they still there?" "Maybe." "There might be traces of a sun-kissed seven-year-old." "Oh." "I'm" " I'm" " I'm sorry." "No, it's fine." "It's fine." "It's okay." "Whoa." "Whoo!" "Harvest Fest!" "Are they gonna let us off?" "So how much for one of these?" "Oh, well, that depends." " On what?" " Well, lots of things, actually." "The wood finish, the hardware, the size, the bedding, the pillow insert, you know." " Oh." "Interesting." " Yeah." "Mm-hmm." "Well, I really love this chrome hardware." " Yes." " Looks almost nautical." "I love this cherry wood." " Is this satin?" " Yeah." "Can you have it in different colors?" " Mm-hmm." " What would look best against my skin, red or navy blue?" "Oh, well, I'd say the red." "It's more festive." "Yeah." "I wonder what it must feel like to lie in one of these." "Gio, the arches." "So I take this great Italian cooking class on Saturday mornings." "When you come over for the weekend, you're gonna have to join me." " We can do it together." " Yeah, it'll be fun." "Hey, isn't this song on one of the albums you got me?" " Yes, it is." " I like this song." "You bought records?" "I thought Fernanda couldn't hang out 'cause she had a paper due." " Are you kidding me?" " No, I lent" " I lent her records" " from the trunk of my car." " Where have you been?" "Where is everyone?" "Oh, did you know it was hunting season?" "Victoria, this is Gwen and Gio." " Hi." " Actually, you probably know her mom." "She's friends with my mom." "They went to school together." "It's Olga, right?" "Wait." "Olga de Monet?" " Sadly yes." " You'll have to come over and spend the weekend at our house as well." "That would be great." "So, Gio, do you collect vinyls?" "I saw you guys clear the shelves at the record store the other day." "Are you ready?" "Let's go, Gio." "Yup." "Yeah yeah yeah." "All set." "See you soon." " Catch you later." " Bye." " Bye." " Bye." "She is so uptight." "I didn't know your weekend with Gio was a secret." " It wasn't." " Well, something just happened." "Thanks." " Fern." " Hey." "Um, now I get it." "This is why I got blown off." "What are you talking about?" "You blew me off." "We should get going." "Wait." "How'd you guys get permission to come here?" "Wh- we're here because of you." " Let's go." " What?" "Where are you going?" "Knock it off." "If Peter didn't give you the key," " then how did you get it?" " Who cares how I got it?" "The point is that I did." "Whatever." "Don't turn this into a big deal." "It is a big deal." "You're a liar." "None of us would've come here tonight." "What's a little white lie amongst friends, hmm?" "We're not friends." "Fine!" "I really don't give a shit." "We'll see you back at school." "Wait." "We have to find Kate and Lucasta." "How are we supposed to get back in the building?" "Are you asking me to help you?" "No, I'm not asking you to help me, but you got us in this mess and you should get us out of it." "Fine, but only if you don't tell Kate or Lucasta that I didn't get the key from Peter." "Fine." "Let's go." "Give." "It's too bad that hay burner exhibit was closed." "I like hay burner animals- horses and rabbits." "We should get a horse, a little pony." "It'd be nice." "You know, rabbits can get pregnant and be pregnant at the same time." "God, they go at it all the time." "They're very similar to the horse." "God, that Clydesdale we saw- enormous penis." "I think we could afford a horse." "We should get a horse." "I wonder what we'd call it." "Gosh, and those goats- my land!" "You know goats are born standing up?" "I think that's why they're so cold-hearted." "I think just horned animals are cold-hearted." "I don't know what it is about goats that just rub me the wrong way." "George, are you listening to me?" "George." " George, are you even listening to me?" " What, Maggie?" "What?" "What?" "You know, sometimes I feel alone with you." "After all these years, you never wanna hear my thoughts or my concerns." "You know, I don't know what it is." "You just never wanna hear anything that I have to say." "Where are we going?" "George, what is- what is going on?" "Okay, cool it." "You've had too much cider, all right?" " Get out." " Maggie." "I wanna prove to you that I listen to your every word with interest and arousal." "Arousal?" "Was it the talk of the farm animals?" " Shh!" "Don't- don't- don't discuss it." " No no no no no." "Oh yeah." "Come on, let's go." "Come on." " I'm going." " All right." "Okay, be careful." "I've got my belt over my sanitary napkin." "There you go." "Oh, that's it, George." "That's it." "Ah!" " I fell." " Shh!" " Oh no." " Oh yes." "I fell right now." "Shh shh shh!" "So when do you want to plan our weekend at Gwen and Gio's?" "Never." " I knew it." " You knew what?" "I knew that there was something going on between you and Gio." " What are you talking about?" " Why else would you care" " if I went to their house?" " Fern, I need you to help me with Kate." "Huh." "Oh, that stinks." "What is that?" "Sorry, I didn't realize you were in here." "Kate had too much to drink." "Oh." "Get in the bath and rinse it off." " With you?" " Yeah, of course." "No, I'll just wait for you to get out." "There's plenty of room." "It's no big deal." "Go on." "How fantastic is it that we have this key?" "I'm gonna start treating this dorm like a hotel." "Too bad there's really nowhere to go." "I'm sure there's a car service we can use." "So what's happening with you and Hank?" "What do you mean?" "Did you guys fool around tonight?" "No." "Have you guys ever made out?" "Holy shit." "You've never been kissed?" "Oh, there's really nothing too it, but there's definitely a right and a wrong way." "Ooh." "Here, let me show you." "I knew it." "But you kissed me." "Can I get pancakes, please?" "I'm surprised you haven't come down with a cold." "What?" "I saw you last night." "I don't know what you're talking about, Mr. Middlewood." "Does an off-campus excursion ring a bell?" "No." "No one else knows and curfews- they're intended for children." "And I don't blame you for needing to break free on the eve of becoming a woman." "Only 24 hours before my 18th birthday." "How shall we celebrate?" "You're going have a disease, Kate, okay?" "Maybe a sexual one, and some kind of rashing." "Do you have thrush, some kind of vaginal dysfunction?" "I see weakness, possibly in your gums or your scalp." "That means baldness or losing your teeth." "Fern, now there's someone here for you." " What?" " Ah!" "You're gonna have a horrible death." " Just mix up the cards a bit." " I have." "Multiple heartbreaks." "No." "No, you're gonna" " Hi." " Hi." " What are you doing here?" " I wanted to see you." "Me too." "Whoo!" "Are we gonna hang out soon?" "Actually I just asked if I could sign you out for the weekend." "I put a note in your mailbox." "I didn't know if I'd get to see you today." "Well, I'm glad that you did." "I should probably get going." "Bye." "Okay." "Hey." "Hey." "Hey hey, wait." "Is that your girlfriend?" "Uh, yeah." "I wanted it to be you, but I just didn't get the sense that you liked me like that." "See, I-I-I knew you would do this." " You don't like me like that." " It's not you, Hank." "It's me." "There's something wrong with me." "Whatever." "I" " Wait." " I" "I can't." "Man, don't you get it?" "You're my best friend." "Look, you've got a room full of best friends in there." "I just" " I don't feel that way about you." "Class is dismissed." "Kate." "Kate, can I see you for a moment, please?" "Yeah." "What did you want to see me about?" "I have a birthday present for you." " You do?" " Mm-hmm." " Nice job on the wrapping." " Oh, thank you." "You can't give me a car for my birthday." "It's for us." "For us?" "Mr. Middlewood, you have a wife, remember?" "I" " I can no longer tolerate our passionless marriage." "I just wanna go away with you somewhere." "Anywhere." "Finally you're of legal age." "Did you think we weren't together because it was illegal?" " Uh..." " No." "Kate." "Hey hey, Kate." "Kate." "I know you want it as much as I do." "We don't have to fight this anymore." "Mr. Middlewood, you're scaring me." "Just forget about me, okay?" "Spread out, girls." "Spread out." "Fantastic." "Not too bad." "Simply wonderful." "Take position, girls." "Take position." "Let's start waltzing." "Beautiful." "Elegant." "Grace." "Long legs." "Straight arms." "Long necks, long necks." "Long arms, dear." "Long arms." "Yes, let's waltz." " Lu, you have to hold me closer." " Uh-huh." "That's better." "Much better." "Although I have to say" "I thought you'd be a bit of a better lead." "Straight arm." "Let's go." "Let's dance!" "Beautiful." "Beautiful." "No, love, chin up." "Chin up." "Straight arm." " You know, I was thinking..." " Mmm?" "...Your pants- a bit of a dead giveaway." "Keep moving." "Waltz waltz." "That's it." "I need to ask you a favor." " Yes, anything." " Can I borrow the key for tonight?" "Um, of course." "Where are we going?" "No, it's not like that." "Oh, I see." "So it's like that, right?" "So cute." "Lo- long arms." "Please stop the music!" "I need your attention now!" "But we are waltzing here." "Kate, Victoria, Lucasta, Fernanda," "Miss Wallace wants to see you immediately!" "Let's go!" "Come, girls, keep dancing." "Keep dancing." "Girls, Miss Wallace will see you now." "Please come in." "Please." "Your actions have demonstrated little respect for the rules of this school and even less regard for your own personal safety." "You were all off campus the night of the Harvest Fest, were you not?" "Why would you do such a thing?" "Well?" "Peter gave us the key." "What did you say?" "Peter gave us the key so that we could sneak out." "Is that true?" "I want an answer now." "Yes, it's true." "No, it's not true." "He didn't do it." "He did." "He gave it to me." "Call Peter and ask him to come here, please." "Fernanda," "I have even less regard for liars than I have for rule breakers." "If you would like to reconsider your answer, now would be the time." "No, I stand by what I said." "Peter, did you give these girls the key to the school?" "Y- yes, I did." "May I have the key, please?" "And there it was." "With that exchange, Gio would remain out of reach." "Victoria was right." "Mrs. Wallace did want to protect Peter." "And so we were allowed to stay on at Tanner Hall, but we were confined to school, even on the weekends." "Time became blurry and without form." "We longed for the outside world" "and I longed for Gio." "It was Mr. Middlewood who left, not us." "We watched him pack up the car that was meant for him and Kate to start their new life." "Kate took it badly." "She never imagined that toying with Mr. Middlewood would have any real consequences." "Kate read all the books that Mr. Middlewood had on his syllabus, including the suggested reading." "And even after our punishment had ended," "Kate never left campus." "And to be honest, I wish I never had either." "Uh, where is everybody?" "Oh, you just missed them They went to bed." " You hungry?" " Just thirsty." "Well, come with me." " Wow." "It's pretty cool." " What do you do down here?" " Anything I want." " Thank you." " Mm-hmm." "You want some?" "Uh, I've never smoked." "So how you been?" "Tired mostly." "I've been cramming for midterms, so..." "Are those guitar amps?" " I didn't know you played." " I don't." "I've just been picking them up over the years." "You can basically plug anything into them and use it as a speaker." "Wow." "That's really cool." "Mmm." "There's one hit left." "We'll share it." "Okay." " Wait." "I'm not sure about this." " That's cool." "That's cool." " You want to watch a movie?" " Sure." " Are you cold?" " No." "Oh, you're shaking." "Yeah, I think I had too much soda." "I just remembered there's a lot of caffeine in soda." "You want a blanket?" "It's okay." "Shh." "Shh shh shh shh shh." " Gio, the tea." " Yeah, right." " Ah!" " I'll get it." "Here, can you take her?" "Fern, I think you should be Bella's godmother." "Godmother?" "Are we religious?" "Our baby naming is something to celebrate family." "We could do it around Thanksgiving and have a cozy family dinner afterwards." "Your mother was like a big sister to me." "I would love it if you were that to Bella." "Right, Gio?" "Yeah, I mean- yeah, absolutely." "I don't think I- I would be any good at being a godmother." "How- how are you, Lu?" "Fine." "What have you been up to?" "I mean, you know, the last- the last few times I made deliveries, I haven't seen you around campus." "Oh, I've been holed up in the library- midterms." "Well, hey, do you want a cream soda?" "Yes." "Definitely." "Right." "There you go." "Um, listen, there's someone I want you to meet." "Oh, right." "Maybe another time." "I should probably get going." "Gretchen, Gretchen, come here a sec." "She- she reminds me of you." "I just thought the two of you should meet." "Uh, Gretchen, this is Lu." "It's good to meet you." " Hank's told me a lot about you." " Nice to meet you too." "I saw the comic that you drew for the menu." "Being the geek that I am, I actually have a pretty big collection of comics." "I didn't know it was on the menu." "I just thought it was gonna be on a coupon or a flier." "All of the above- menus, placemats, napkins." "Your- your check is in the mail." "Hank, can I get a cream soda?" "Sure." "If you ever wanna check out my comic collection, just lemme know." "Thanks, I'd like that." "The purpose of today is to welcome Bella..." " ... into our hearts and into our families." " Shh." "Shh shh shh." "Throughout her life, she will create many of her own friendships, but we are her birthright- family and friends." "It is through our love that she will flourish and bloom." "And it is by relying on our love that she will feel secure, should she ever lose her way." "Now let us pray." "Hey." " Hey." " I'm fine." "Leave me alone." "Okay okay, just" "Sweetie, you know whatever it is that you're going through, you" "I'm fine." "Everything's fine." "I'm fine." "It's okay." "What is it?" "You can tell me." "I'm in love." "I'm fine." "Just forget I said anything." "Everything is fine." " Hey, is everything okay?" " Yeah, everything's fine." "Hey, I just wanted to let you know that they are taking pictures right now." " Okay?" " Okay." "Whatever that was, we are gonna talk about it." "It's a little late for that, Mom." "What does that mean?" "It means that all year you trust me to take care of myself." "That's what I'm doing." "Ooh, you've gotten so big." " Gwen." " Rick." " Hi." " Victoria, have you gotten enough to eat?" "Oh yes." "Yeah." "Yummy." "I have something for you." "It's not much, but I think you'll find it interesting." " How sweet." " Listen, I have to go." "Can I have a picture of you over at the cake?" "Of course." "Victoria, can you- sweetheart, can you put that on the present table for me and I'll get to it a little bit later?" " Thank you." "Sorry." " Mm-hmm." "Darling, can you get me another drink?" "Don't you think you've had enough?" " Don't tell me what to do." " Just get me a drink!" "Why can't you just do what you're told?" " Don't embarrass me, Mom." " Embarrass you?" "I'm the one that should be embarrassed." " About what?" " Oh, everything." "The way you carry yourself." "The way you dress." "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" "You look like a child and it doesn't fit." "Have you had a look at yourself lately?" "Uh, Victoria." "Oh, I'm sorry." "Did I hurt your fragile feelings?" " You're so manipulative." " I didn't say anything." "Victoria, I was looking for you." "Oh look, you've got yourself a friend." "Let me tell you, Fernie, she's not a good person." "She's neither nice or sensitive." "I'm not." "That's just it." "I'm hard." "Oh, so what are you gonna do, pretend to end it again?" "What, stage yourself another suicide and get yourself thrown out of yet another school?" "How do you know I don't really want to die?" "Hmm?" "Because I do." "Enough." "You're giving me a headache." "Actually, I think it's the whiskey that's giving you a headache." "Are you okay?" "Don't you walk away from me, you coward." "You are the coward." "You're leaving?" "Yeah." "Is everything cool with you?" "Yeah, I guess so." "Tsk." "Thanks for- for everything." "No problem." "So can I, uh, pick you up on Wednesday for dinner?" "No, Wednesday is not good for me." "How about Saturday?" "Can I pick you up on Saturday?" "No, I can't do it." "I never wanted to hurt you." "Wait." "Listen." "Look, I wasn't even with Gwen when she got pregnant, all right?" "It was over." "We were broken up." "You make it sound like your life was taken hostage." "I'm just trying to do the right thing." "Can we talk?" "There's nothing to talk about." "Words aren't gonna change anything." "You think I'm a horrible person, don't you?" "I don't think you're a horrible person." "Fern, are you okay?" "Hey, Peter." "Have you been here the whole time?" "Yeah." "Bye." "This would've been the perfect day for a funeral." "Exactly this weather." "Exactly this sky." "When I die, make sure I'm buried on a day like this." "Okay." "You will?" "Yeah." "My grandmother died a few days after her parakeet disappeared." "I didn't know that." " Let's go home." "Knowing each other's darkest moments somehow connected us and redeemed us." "The way two negatives make a positive." "The way your eyes adjust to the dark."