Recess, Cleave Hills Middle School.
Elena and Zoey are alone in a retro looking room filled with sofas and shelves, which is currently being used as the school's book club venue. She's telling Zoey about the weird incident on the night of her birthday.
ZOEY: So you saw that girl again? Doesn't she freak you out?
ELENA: She's beginning to.
ZOEY: What's her name? What does she look like?
ELENA: I dunno her name... Yeah it's weird, you don't need to give me that look. And I can't really describe her. All I can say is that she always looks so pale and fragile... and sad. Even her smiles are sad.
ZOEY: She might be fighting some demons within and she just needs someone to talk to.
ELENA: I wanna talk to her but she doesn't let me. This is the third time she's appearing to me.
ZOEY: Wait, what? Appearing?
ELENA: Yeah.
ZOEY: Appearing?? Like 'Poof!'? (She snaps her fingers)
ELENA: No, no, not like that. I mean she always sneaks up on me. I never notice her presence until she says something. Like she's always lurking around.
ZOEY: Creepy much?
ELENA: Tell me about it.
ZOEY: Are you sure she's human?
ELENA: Gimme a break, girl. (She scoffs, rolling her eyes) You saying she's supernatural or something? She's just a girl like us, flesh and blood.
ZOEY: How do you know she's flesh and blood? Have you touched her?
ELENA: Zoey, stop. She's human like us, not some supernatural being... but you can say she's super-weird. (Laughing but deep down she ponders over what Zoey said)
ZOEY: You know, I just think...
"Hey!" A boy barges in. "Mr Benjamin just graded our tests and distributed them to us. Surprisingly, you scored the highest, Elena".
ELENA: And why's that surprising?
"Because you've never scored higher than me in any test"
ELENA: Yeah, except today.
"Because you probably cheated"
ZOEY: Buzz off, Fabian! You're just a hater.
Fabian is a round faced chubby boy of 5 feet 6 inches, with slightly curly auburn hair and scanty brows. He's their class representative.
FABIAN: Easy, easy... I'm not beefing, okay? Come to the class and get your scripts. (He stares at Elena briefly before leaving)
ZOEY: He irritates me.
ELENA: Ugh!! Tell me about it! Hearing his voice makes me wanna slit my wrist. (She pauses for a moment then turns to Zoey) But do you think I cheated? I was literally given the answers to the test.
ZOEY: When a married woman is kissed while she's asleep by someone who isn't her husband, would you say she cheated? The kiss was obviously unintentional.
ELENA: What's a random dude doing in a married woman's home in the first place?
ZOEY: Uhm... what I was trying to say...
ELENA: You need to work more on our comparisons.
ZOEY: You're right. And yeah, you cheated. You totally did! (They share a laugh). Thanks to your super-weird friend (They laugh again) Catch you in a jiffy, lemme go fetch our scrips.
A couple minutes go by. Elena is currently seated alone on the sofa in a more relaxed position, trying to keep herself busy with her phone by playing candy crush as she waits for Zoey to return.
"Hi friend"
Elena looks up and sees the same girl she just talked about with Zoey, standing by the door.
ELENA: Hi weirdo... I didn't even hear you come in.
"Weirdo?" Giving a pale smile.
ELENA: What am I supposed to call you? You've never told me your name and now is making it the fourth time we are...
"I'm sorry if I'm beginning to freak you out... okay, my name is..." (walking to the sofa and sitting with Elena)
ELENA: Your name is what? (Eyebrows raised)
"...Peggy" She places her palm on Elena's.
ELENA: Finally. (She heaves, feeling a bit at ease)
"Please... you have to help me"
ELENA: Wait a minute... before the night of my birthday, you showed up at the locker, and that was at the High school. And now here you are with me at our middle school. Are you following me?
"Yes..." She responds, staying silent for a few seconds, staring distantly at nothing in particular. "...because I need your help"
ELENA: My help?
"For three years I've been wandering around till I finally found you"
ELENA: It's you who needs to help me.
"How do you mean?"
ELENA: Help me understand you better. Try talking in a more comprehensive manner because I've no idea what you're going on about.
ZOEY: Elena... (she stares at her, confused, after watching her for a few seconds since she walked in) Who the hell are you talking to?
ELENA: Oh, good thing you're here, Zoey. She's the super-weird girl we've been talking about, her name's Peggy. (Pointing to an empty spot on the sofa)
ZOEY: Girlie, there's no one else on this chair.
It dawns on Elena and she realizes that she's actually alone on the sofa.
ELENA: This can't be! No way! She was just here, we were talking, she even held my hands, believe me. (Completely bamboozled)
ZOEY: Girlie, I dunno if you're having optical illusions.
ELENA: Optical what now? I know what I saw.
ZOEY: My mom's a doctor and a psychologist kinda, she once told me that it's when you begin to see things that actually aren't there or it could just be error in vision or mistaken judgements.
ELENA: Where are you going with this?
ZOEY: It can be caused by natural tricks having to do with distance and colors, it can also be caused by stress, tiredness or even mental imbalance...
ELENA: Hold it right there, Zoey. Mental imbalance? Are you trying to say I'm crazy?
ZOEY: Don't get me wrong. (Holding her hands, trying to calm her down) It's just that...
Zoey pauses, like she's struck by the sight of something.
ELENA: Just that what? (Wondering why she stopped talking)
ZOEY: Elena, this is weird but... I think I believe you. (Pointing to the floor, showing her two paper cards, both have the alphabet [E] on them)
Elena picks them up and examines them.
ZOEY: Remember the first time we saw these types of paper cards?
ELENA: The grocery store?
ZOEY: Yes. That was the first time you told me about this girl... Peggy or whatever the hell her name is.
ELENA: Yeah, you're correct.
ZOEY: The second time was at the locker at the high school, these type of cards fell off the deck of your locker as soon as you opened it.
ELENA: Yeah... yeah, that's right. (Nodding slowly)
ZOEY: Remember that was the morning Peggy talked to you at the locker and gave you the answers to our test?
ELENA: Of course I remember.
ZOEY: And now, she shows up here at our book club and what do we see? Two paper cards again.
ELENA: Oh my geez. (She blinks, putting all the scenes incidents together in her head)
ZOEY: It's so glaring. She's got...
ELENA: ...something to do with the paper cards.