A long table full of teenagers. Kerris slips into a seat to the left of MAGGIE YARIC, fifteen.

MAGGIE: So you’re the newbie? Jackie’s new roommate?

KERRIS: Uh, yeah. And you are?

MAGGIE: Maggie. I’ve been here the second longest, a year and eight months, behind Nathan, of course. You’ve met Nathan?

Nathan sits down on Kerris’s left.

NATHAN: We’ve met.

MAGGIE: Oh, hey, Nathan. Didn’t see you there.

NATHAN: Makes sense, considering I just sat down.

MAGGIE: (blushes) Oh, right.

KERRIS: (looks back and forth between the two of them) And I’m caught in the crossfire.

LOUIS STEINHOLT, fourteen, sitting across from Kerris,

LOUIS: Maggie and Nathan, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-

Nathan glares and Louis shuts up. At that moment, Mrs. Motum walks in.

MOTUM: Be quiet, be quiet. I have an announcement to make. We have a new girl, Kerris Donfelt.

KERRIS: (nervous, squeaky) Hello.

MOTUM: Be quiet.

Kerris looks down at her lap. We see Nathan squeeze Kerris’s hand- and then we see Mrs. Motum smack their hands.

MOTUM: Nathan, do I need to remind you of our many rules?

NATHAN: No, Mrs. Motum, I’m good.

MOTUM: Good.

Mrs. Motum walks around the table to the other side and stands behind Louis.

MOTUM: Louis, what did I hear about Maggie and Nathan?

LOUIS: (nervous) Ummm, nothing?

MOTUM: Really? Because I can remember hearing the kissing rhyme.

LOUIS: It was a joke!

NATHAN: I can promise, Ma'am, that there is nothing between Maggie and I.

MOTUM: Maggie? What's your opinion?

MAGGIE: (scowls) He's right, (under her breath) unfortunately.

Kerris chuckles and so does Nathan. Maggie smacks Kerris's arm.

MAGGIE: Shut up! You were supposed to be the nice one, Kerris.

KERRIS: It was funny! I couldn’t help myself.

MOTUM: Stop the bickering, girls.

They both shut up and look down at their laps. After a minute, Maggie peeks over at Kerris and glares. Kerris winces.

MOTUM CON’T: Well, I guess I do have to feed you. You can go get your food from the kitchen. But! Be silent.

The teens all stand up and start to form a line into the kitchen. Kerris and Nathan are standing in line together.

NATHAN: Sorry about that.

KERRIS: (laughs) You can’t stop Mrs. Motum from being Mrs. Motum.

NATHAN: No, no, I mean about gaining you an enemy.

He motions to Maggie, who is ahead in line and is staring daggers at the pair.

KERRIS: (sighs) It’ll be fine. She’s just another girl who looks at me and sees the wrong thing.

NATHAN: What do you mean?

KERRIS: I mean, she sees the life she wants to live. I’ll tell you the truth- my parents are rich. But they also hate me. There’s two sides to every coin. My life is a nightmare, just like every kid at this terrible place. Unlike you, I’m not okay. I need a recovery… something I’m not going to get here.

NATHAN: Wow. That was slightly profound and really depressing.

KERRIS: Sorry ‘bout that.

NATHAN: You’re good. But I’m sorry about your parents- and your sister.

He pulls her into a side hug and she smiles. Mrs. Motum appears behind them all of a sudden.

MOTUM: Mr. Grey and Miss Donfelt?

They break apart quickly, smiling slightly. It goes black.