EXT-HIGHWAY-DAY The camera is sitting in the middle of the road. The road is deserted. It slowly pans to face the opposite direction. A flash of white and now we are eye-level with a hand hanging outside a window. The hand holds a cigarette and the camera follows it to the face of a young girl CAROLINE. She takes a drag of the cigarette and turns to blow the smoke in the face of the figure asleep next to her. The camera moves to the front of the car to look in through the windshield. The figure coughs and turns over so that we see his face. RYAN turns over and murmurs something in his sleep. Close up on CAROLINE again as she smiles wryly and takes another drag of the cigarette. A hand appears from the back seat and gropes around CAROLINES shoulder. CAROLINE rolls her eyes and passes the cigarette to the anonymous hand, that is GREG’S. Fade to black as the VO starts. CAROLINE (VO): You know three weeks ago, driving across country with my friends seemed like a good idea. INT-AIRPORT-LATE NIGHT The camera faces CAROLINE as she slouches in the seat with two pairs of feet beside her. She sits up and leans her elbows on her knees. She glances at the feet and moves to shove them out of the chair. RYAN and GREG look up expectantly at CAROLINE. She simply grins and stretches out on the now empty seats next to her. Close up on RYAN and GREG as they both shrug. EXT-AIRPORT PARKING LOT-LATE NIGHT RYAN and GREG walk in front of the two girls. The camera shoots in front of them. Over their shoulders we see the two girls and hear their conversation. CAROLINE:(smiling) I am so glad you’re here. (Yelling so the boys can hear her.) It’s nice to have someone intelligent to talk to. (RYAN and GREG make faces.) I saw that! RYAN & GREG: (in whiney voices) I saw that! GREG: Thanks mom! CAROLINE: (turning to JOSIE) I’m really, really glad you’re here. Have I said that? JOSIE: Sorry I couldn’t be here sooner, to save you from the dofus twins. CAROLINE: How was summer school? JOSIE: It sucked. INT-DINER-LATE NIGHT The four friends sit at a table as the waitress brings their food. CAROLINE: No, no...trust me. Do not, I repeat, do not go to any national monument with either of these children. JOSIE: Where did you take them? GREG: OK listen. First of all she didn’t take us anywhere we wanted, second of all Mt. Rushmore was not as bad as the Alamo, and third...(he looks thoughtful) It was all Ryan’s fault. RYAN looks horrified and glances at CAROLINE for sympathy. CAROLINE: Don’t look at me! First of all (she glares at GREG) they’ve slept the entire trip and made me drive, second of all they complain about everything and third of all they are forever banned from the Mt. Rushmore gift shop. JOSIE: (laughing) I don’t even want to know. GREG: You should’ve been there Josie. (He picks up the syrup bottle and pretends to make it talk in a goofy voice) It was fun. RYAN: Now we have to vote on where we go now. I personally want to head to New York City. CAROLINE: But your opinion doesn’t count, cause you’re an idiot. Let’s go to D.C JOSIE: I don’t know Caroline, I mean we are closer to New York... RYAN: Yes! That is two for the Big Apple. Greg? GREG: Ryan my love, my heart would follow yours to the ends of the earth. RYAN: That is disgusting! Let’s go! CAROLINE grabs the knife from the table and pretends to slit her wrists. EXT-DESERTED HIGHWAY-SUNRISE Wide shot-On one side of the screen is the car and far away from it on the other side of the screen is CAROLINE sitting on the side of the road. Close up on GREG’S feet as they walk along when he reaches CAROLINE he sits down next to her and nudges her. The camera looks up on both of them from the ground. CAROLINE: (looking up at GREG) What do you want? GREG: Sorry I was just checking on you. CAROLINE: Well, you don’t need to. I’m fine. GREG: Okay.(pause) Please don’t make me go back in the car. (He looks toward the car.) I think Josie and Ryan are making up for lost time. (He looks back at CAROLINE and smiles.) CAROLINE: (manages a weak smile) Sorry. GREG: Don’t be. CAROLINE: What? GREG: Sorry. CAROLINE: I’m not- GREG: You just said- CAROLINE: Nevermind. (GREG gets up to leave) No don’t, Greg. I am sorry. (she pulls him back down.) GREG: Don’t be sorry. You’ve been great on this trip and I’ve been- CAROLINE: Asleep? GREG: OK, I deserve that. CAROLINE: As long as we’re on the subject... (GREG touches her arm to stop her.) GREG: Stop. I said I’m sorry let’s leave it at that, please? (CAROLINE stares at his hand that is still on her arm.) CAROLINE: Uh, OK. (They sit in silence for a moments.) I don’t know what to say now. You’re being nice. GREG: Then don’t say anything. (GREG puts his arm around her.) CAROLINE: What are you doing? CAROLINE stands up and walks away. The camera shoots in front of her as GREG follows behind. GREG: Stop. Caroline, I’m sorry. CAROLINE whirls around to face him. The camera circles around the two repeatedly as they talk. CAROLINE: Stop being sorry. I’m tired of the ‘I’m sorry’ and the ‘forgive me’ and the ‘stop talking’ speeches. GREG: What are you talking about? CAROLINE: (she grabs his shoulders) I am tired of this trip! (yelling) I am tired of taking care of everyone! (She begins to cry.) GREG: (looking astonished) Caroline...what do you want me to say? CAROLINE: Let’s not say anything. Can we just stand here? GREG: (pulls her close and CAROLINE keeps crying) You don’t have to do anything. It is OK. CAROLINE: I know. Now shut-up. EXT-HIGHWAY-DAY CAROLINE and GREG sit in front of the car looking at each other. CAROLINE: Why did we decide to do this? GREG: What? Sit here? CAROLINE: (she rolls her eyes) No I mean take this road trip. Why are you here? GREG: (smiling) I wanted to spend time with my friends. I mean after this summer I am gone, Caroline. CAROLINE: (looking away) I know...you’re leaving. Josie and Ryan are leaving too. I have to stay home. (pause) Jesus! GREG: Don’t do that to yourself. You got into the best school in our state...and probably the whole country. Just because it happens to be in our home town it doesn’t mean you are being left behind. CAROLINE: (almost whining) But I told everyone that I was going away! They are gonna think less of me because... GREG: (loudly) Because what Caroline? Because you are so much better than them? That you are actually doing something with your life instead of just sitting on your ass all day? CAROLINE: (in tears) Greg...I... GREG: Because you are intelligent and beautiful? Because you are sitting here in tears because of me? Because everytime I see you I want to hold you close and keep the whole world away from you? (standing up) God dammit, Caroline...you are...