Chapter 13

Transcript for Chapter 13A

Opens with security personnel controlling the traffic flow into an area. The area is mostly blocked off by construction-type barricades. One man is holding out his hand to stop a car from pulling into the only gap as he places a folding barricade in front of it. Another man is holding his phone, which is buzzing to indicate that it has received a message. The message is from Justice.

Phone: [Let the taxi in. 0621.]

The security guard looks down a long line of cars trying to move through the area amidst a crowd of paparazzi. He sees a taxi pulling around a corner and getting in line.

In the taxi, Jade and the driver are marveling at the crowd. Jade is leaning to one side so she can see through the front windshield.

Driver: Sheesh, wouldja look at all those paparazzi?

Jade's phone buzzes. She also has a message from Justice.

Phone: [Duck.]

Suddenly, the paparazzi all start encroaching on the taxi.

Driver: Uh-oh, here they come.

Paparazzi #1: Look, there's one.

Paparazzi #2: Come on, babydoll, show us your face.

Jade ducks down in her seat with her knees against the back of the passenger-side chair. She puts her open sketchbook over her head to try and hide from the cameras.

The taxi passes through the barricades and drives onto the studio property. It pulls in front of the studio and gets in line behind a couple other cars. Jade thinks to herself.

Jade: [Okay, this is it.]

Jade looks out the window at the building as the car rolls by. The Harrison Group sign reflects off the window and is projected in reverse across Jade's face.

Jade: [I can win this thing for Amber, but I'm going to have to own it.]

The taxi pulls up in front of the studio. There's one Mercedes in front of and one Mercedes behind the taxi. Curtains have been set up to keep any unofficial onlookers or paparazzi from being able to see which girls get out of the cars. People walk up to the taxi to meet Jade as it comes to a stop.

Jade: [No pride allowed.]

The taxi driver looks askance at Jade and smiles.

Driver: Good luck, Sister.

Jade grips her sketchbook to her chest as she prepares to open the door. Her Sharpie has been clipped into the wire spiral of the sketchbook.

Jade: [No being myself.]

A bald man in a suit opens the car door for Jade and she begins to step out. Several photographers and videographers are filming her and taking pictures. One of the videogrpahers, a man wearing a hoodie and a backwards baseball cap, asks her questions as she makes her way toward the studio doors.

Videographer: Jade, good morning!

Jade: [I can be myself in my twenties.]

Jade smiles and raises a hand in greeting.

Jade: Morning!

We see the photographers from Jade's point of view. They're crowded right in front of her.

Videographer: How did you sleep last night?

Jade grins.

Jade: I didn't.

The photographers laugh a bit.

Jade walks among the phtographers and other people. In the foreground we can see one of the other girls also talking to a cameraman.

Videographer: So, today is a big day. Are you excited?

Jade's grin is already starting to falter. This isn't easy for her. But she remembers what Justice said to her right before she left him.

Flashback

Justice: The sillier and cuter you are, the more power it will have. Don't hold back.

End flashback.

Jade gives the photographers a big, cheesy grin.

Jade: Yeah, I'm starting to think that triple-shot frappaccino I had for breakfast was a bad idea, ha ha.

The photographers laugh again, but this time it's more genuine.

Videographer: Ha ha, thanks, Jade!

A photographer points back toward where the cars have been pulling in.

Photographer: Alright, here comes Lexie.

Jade pushes her way through a revolving door, still smiling. But there's a stern woman on the other side, waiting for her. Jade stops dead, surprised.

Woman: Follow me.

Transcript for Chapter 13B

Opens with the female employee leading Jade into a room marked "Main Dance." Jade looks around, vaguely interested, as she enters.

Jade: [Huh.]

It's a dance practice room with mirrors along at least one wall. It's already starting to fill up with people, including contestants and photographers.

Jade: [It's the same room from the dance practice videos.]

The employee checks a tablet she's got strapped to her left hand and points to a spot on the floor with her right.

Female Employee: Stand here.

Jade eyes HANNAH, AMY and GRACE where they are standing together, smiling and chatting. Hannah and Amy are both wearing a lot of obvious makeup.

Jade: [Whoa, some of these girls got all gussied up. Maybe I should have done something like that.]

Jade smirks to herself.

Jade: [I mean, I can just imagine the stroke it would have given Young Master Harrison.]

Jade's eyes widen as she notices something off-screen. A male employee wearing a headset and glasses is leading Amber into the room.

Male Employee: [You'll be right here.]

Jade: [Hey, it's Amber. This is the first time I've seen her since last night.]

Amber's face and posture are uncertain as she walks to the indicated spot. Jade raises a hand to get Amber's attention.

Jade: Yo, Amb-

She's cut off by KATRINA, who is talking as she enters the room. Katrina is wearing cool, professional-looking dancewear. Her top is a black midriff faux-halter with long nylon sleeves, and she wears sporty nylon cropped pants. Her hair is pulled back in a glossy black ponytail and long bangs frame her face.

Katrina: Good morning, girls!

Surprised, Jade looks at Katrina and lets her hand fall. Nearby, Hannah and Amy also look over, surprised. Katrina strides to the front of the room.

Katrina: I'm Katrina. You might remember me from last night, if you remember anything about last night at all.

The girls, including SARAH, begin to laugh and comment to each other.

Sarah: Ha ha!

Hannah: It's so true.

Grace: Last night was such a blur.

Suddenly, Katrina talks loudly over all of them.

Katrina: Let me give you some advice. I don't have time to wait for you to get quiet before I give instructions, so if you're talking you're gonna miss them. Got it?

The girls fall silent and stare at her.

Videographers film the girls as Katrina addresses them.

Katrina: I'm Mr. Harrison's head choreographer. It's my job to have the bodies on the stage and dancing during tomorrow night's concert. You are the bodies, and I have exactly thirty-six hours to teach you the routines for five dances.

Katrina looks deadly serious.

Katrina: To put this in perspective, Bouquet gets a month to prep for a concert. I hope you're feeling energetic.

The girls have been sobered.

Katrina: Now that I've said the B-word, I'll go ahead and confirm that, yes, you're going to meet Bouquet today.

The girls are excited. Sarah turns happily to look at one of the other girls behind her. But Katrina waves the last bit of information away.

Katrina: But that won't happen until later, so try to take your mind off it for awhile. That said, the girls know who they will be mentoring, and they have your files.

A camera rolls, capturing everything.

Katrina: You should assume your mentor is watching you and give your best performance from the beginning so she'll know what she has to work with.

Katrina reaches out to take a bag from the male employee nearby. The bag is dark colored and has the Bouquet logo printed on the side.

Katrina: Now that the preliminaries are out of the way, let's get down to business.

She opens the bag and holds it out in front of her.

Katrina: Please take out your phones.

Transcript for Chapter 13C

Opens with several of the contestant girls looking at each other, wary and hesitant.

Katrina stands in front of them, holding the bag with one hand. She gestures to the open bag with the other hand. In the background, a videographer is filming her.

Katrina: Phones are completely forbidden from the final round of the auditions, so I'm going to come around and collect them right now. I also want tablets, cameras...anything that can be used as a recording device.

The girls don't move to obey right away, so Katrina shouts at them.

Katrina: Let's go! You don't have time to think about whether or not to do what you're told!

The girls jump. Then, depressed and disappointed, they begin to pull out their phones. Jade sighs and takes her phone out of her back pocket.

Katrina walks down the line of girls, and they put their phones into the bag. She lectures them as she walks.

Katrina: You all know the rules. You've signed the non-disclosures, and you've worked really hard to get here. So if you "forget" to hand something over, the staff is willing to extend you the benefit of the doubt.

She looks at them seriously.

Katrina: But only for about the next thirty seconds. After that, anyone discovered with a recording device will be eliminated without discussion.

Sarah places her phone in the bag.

Katrina: Please be sure you don't accidentally keep anything. And don't worry; everything will be kept safe and returned to you after the concert.

Jade puts her phone in the bag. Then she holds up her sketchbook to show Katrina. Her Sharpie is stuck down in the spiral binding. Her face is partially hidden behind the sketchbook; there's a hint of both hope and worry in her body language.

Katrina: What's that?

Jade holds up the sketchbook.

Jade: A recording device.

Katrina regards the book for a moment.

Katrina: How good are you?

Jade: Pretty good.

Katrina cracks a rare smile.

Katrina: Hmm...unless it's Wifi-enabled, I think you're okay. Don't let it get out until after auditions.

Jade holds the sketchbook to her chest gratefully as Katrina walks away.

Jade: Okay, thanks.

Katrina drops the bag of phones into the hands of a waiting staff member.

Katrina: Next thing.

The girls watch curiously as Katrina walks over to pick up a pair of cardboard boxes. She places them on the floor in front of her; the boxes are empty.

Katrina: You probably know this rule for the other auditions, but it looks like a lot of you still brought big purses or overnight bags.

Several pieces of luggage lie on the floor in the corner, including two small rolling suitcases, a duffel bag, a backpack and a big purse.

Katrina holds up one finger.

Katrina: You're only allowed to take one item with you into the final round, so, right now, decide what that item will be.

Transcript for Chapter 13D

Opens with the girls going through their bags while Katrina barks orders at them. Amber is in the foreground with a duffel-type bag. Behind her, Amy goes through a rolling suitcase and other girls search purses or bags.

Katrina: You don't need to worry about makeup, toiletries, underwear, or anything like that. We'll take care of it. Just pick something that has personal significance for you.

Jade looks at her sketchbook and thinks to herself.

Jade: [One item, huh? I didn't know about that, but...I guess this is it.]

She glances back over her shoulder at Amber.

Jade: [I bet Amber picked Sweetie.]

Amber is holding a cute stuffed rabbit with a an enigmatic wink and a little flower in front of one ear. Other girls admire Amber's rabbit. Amber is smiling a little bit it's hard to read how she's feeling in her expression.

We get a zoom in on Amber's rabbit, Sweetie, and a lot of notes about the rabbit in an informative panel.

Sweetie Bunny

The "Green" Rabbit

Brought back by Dad from California
Handmade from organic, locally-sourced, sustainable hemp
Flower added by Amber
100% cruelty-free
Proceeds support Headstart programs for children of migrant farm workers
Wants to join Bouquet, too
Actually yellow
Still pristine, somehow

Jade smirks, embarrassed.

Jade: [Heh.]

Begin flashback.

Amber (off-screen): Ja-ade! Make sure you pack Dirty La-arry!

Jade (off-screen): No.

Amber holds Sweetie and stands in front of Jade's bed, trying to persuade her.

Amber: But California was his home. He wants to see it again with Sweetie.

Jade sits on her bed and draws on paper clipped to a clipboard. Beside her is the form of what might be a rabbit. Jade doesn't even look up.

Jade: I'm not bringing him.

We get another closeup, this time of Jade's rabbit, Dirty Larry. Larry is the same rabbit as Sweetie, only Jade has "decorated" him in her special, unpretty style. She's used a Sharpie to give him large eyebrows, a giant chevron moustache that covers his smile, a wife beater, cut-off shorts, chest hair and "spiky" wrist-bands. He's also missing an ear.

Dirty Larry

Actually green
Not pristine
Clothes and body hair added with Sharpie
Used for nunchuks (an arrow points to the place where his missing ear used to be attached)
Hates Bouquet and hates you

Amber: You're breaking his heart!

Jade: He's a stuffed animal, he doesn't have a heart.

Amber: You're no fun!

Amber slams Jade's door on her way out. Jade looks back over her shoulder and contemplates Dirty Larry. Larry seems to be staring right into her soul.

End flashback.

Back at the hotel, Mica holds Dirty Larry happily and is about to start chewing on his head.

Mom (off-screen): Mica, don't put that in your mouth!

The scene returns to the studio. Katrina has her hands on her hips and she's dispensing information onto the contestants. The girls' bags and suitcases have all been put into the two large cardboard boxes.

Katrina: Alright. The ten of you are about to get started with an unbelievably grueling two-day audition process. You're going to be dancing, singing, posing for pictures, giving interviews, standing for costume fittings, and a lot more.

The girls watch her solemnly while she talks.

Katrina: Things you won't be doing much of: sleeping, eating, chatting with friends, relaxing. The only sitting you'll be doing will be in a makeup chair. Will you have fun? That's up to you.

A cameraman films Katrina.

Katrina: The final round of this audition is a lot like what the Flowers have to do every day. Mr. Harrison is looking to see who can handle the stress of being an idol and still keep a good attitude. He's looking for two things: do you actually want this?

The girls hold their items. Amy has a large bear. Hannah has a pillow.

Katrina: And, do you want it enough to take it? With that, we're about to get ready for our first dance practice. I only have one thing left to say to you before you begin. I can tell you got up early this morning, because you girls look beautiful.

Amy and Hannah, the ones who got "gussied up," grin at each other.

Katrina finally smiles, but it's a little scary.

Katrina: You should have slept in.