26 hours later, Cleave Hills High.
MRS NEWMAN: Prepare for a quiz on Wednesday next week.
ERIC: Finally! Been waiting for this.
The teacher glances at Eric and smiles.
ELVIS: Seriously? Biology sucks. (He mutters)
MRS NEWMAN: I advise you read the book 'Eukaryotes', you'd get it at the school bookstore or library. (She closes her lesson note). I guess we'll...
Bell rings!
MRS NEWMAN: ...call it a day.
ELVIS: I repeat, Biology sucks!
MRS NEWMAN: Your grades too. (The students laugh, leaving the lab at the sound of the bell)
Outside the lab.
GWEN: Going home?
ERIC: Nah, Mr Dering just appointed me as one of the representatives for the inter school freshman math competition this afternoon.
GWEN: Really? He just picked you without asking if you were ready?
ERIC: I'm always ready. I was born ready.
ELVIS: Quit the show off, man. I hate you sometimes.
ERIC: Is it me you hate or Mrs Newman for coming at you with your grades?
ELVIS: Why would she say it out loud? That comeback was below the belt. (He feigns a frown, Gwen laughs)
ERIC: When does your practice start?
GWEN: In about... (Looking at her wristwatch) ...ten minutes. Hey, I'll see you at home this evening.
ERIC: Cool... wait, what? Home? Like... my place?
GWEN: Uhm... yeah. (She rolls her eyes) is there a problem?
ERIC: Why would there be? Haha, it's just the first time you're talking about coming to my place.
GWEN: Keep your room clean.
ERIC: My room's always clean, I'm not Elvis.
ELVIS: Meaning?
ERIC: ...
ELVIS: Oh well, no lies. But you didn't have to do me dirty in front of her, what happened to the bro code? (He chuckles) Is that Marcello over there? I gotta run. If he shows up at practice before me, I'm dead. (He hurries off)
GWEN: Faster, Tiger! (Laughing) I also need to go, Eric. Break a leg. (She kisses him briefly)
ERIC: I'll break our rival team's legs instead... and I'll be expecting you.
The school gym.
BEVERLY: What are you watching? (She goes to sit next to Karen on the gym bench)
KAREN: It's a video of a sorority party I attended last summer.
BEVERLY: Who's the girl with you? She's very pretty. (Grabbing Karen's phone)
KAREN: That's Emma Sinclair, she goes to Yale.
BEVERLY: You two are friends?
KAREN: Err... we met at the party and we kinda bonded.
BEVERLY: What were you doing at a sorority party? How did you get invited?
KAREN: You're too nosy. (She grabs her phone back from Beverly)
BEVERLY: She looks rich.
KAREN: She goes to Yale University, she is rich. (Rolling her eyes)
BEVERLY: You're going to Yale too, ain't you?
KAREN: Yeah. That's what kinda got us talking, common interests.
BEVERLY: Cool. Where's Yale again? Colorado?
KAREN: Connecticut.
BEVERLY: Nice. So that's the university you wanna go to?
KAREN: How many times are you gonna ask me that? You ask a lot of dumb questions. (She locks her screen and puts her phone in her bag)
BEVERLY: I hate you.
KAREN: The feeling's mutual (She blows a kiss and Beverly scoffs) Alright everybody! One-two-three-four! Bags-in-Lo-ckers! (Snapping her fingers) Keep away your stuff, take your positions, let's get started girls!
"Girls and boys, you mean?"
KAREN: Shut up, Tara!
"It's Tariq!"
The school pitch... the football jocks are jogging round the pitch in pairs, sweating, huffing and puffing.
COACH DOMINIC: One more lap!
MARCELLO: Come on, coach. This is the seventh time you're saying 'one more'.
COACH: I must have lost count, my bad. Two more laps!
MARCELLO: Shit. (He mutters, panting, wiping sweat off his face while going for the next lap).
After a while...
COACH DOMINIC: Hey, you. (He shoots his gaze at the strange face he spots at the end of the paired lineup)
"Me?"
COACH DOMINIC: Yes you. Been standing there for a while then later joined the team for the last three laps. I know the faces of all my boys but I've never seen yours. Who are you?
The whole team turns to the direction of the boy. Elvis's face beams with happiness and surprise, seeing the boy.
"I'm err... my name is David"
COACH DOMINIC: Why are you here?
DAVID: To be part of the Tigers, sir.
COACH DOMINIC: Hmm, straightforward.
MARCELLO: Isn't that your pal? (He nudges Elvis who's standing next to him)
ELVIS: Yeah, that's him.
COACH DOMINIC: Captain... ball!
Marcello immediately fetches a ball from the stack and hands it to him.
COACH DOMINIC: New kid, come forward.
DAVID: Yes sir. (He walks towards the coach)
COACH DOMINIC: Stop... a few steps backward... good. You know the drill?
DAVID: I think so...
COACH DOMINIC: Do you know the drill or not?
DAVID: I know the drill, sir!
COACH DOMINIC: So what do you think I'm about to do right now? (He swings the ball at David and it goes flying at his direction with full speed)
DAVID: Test my abilities? (Catching the ball with one hand, unfazed. There's a slight applaud from the team)
COACH DOMINIC: Not bad (He nods slightly). Return the ball.
David throws it at the coach's direction but it doesn't get to far before it touches the grass.
COACH DOMINIC: Seriously? You can't make a clean pass? Is catching the only thing your hands can do? This is a football, not a beach ball, handle it like you're alive! I wanna see some kinetics! (He flings the ball back to David)
DAVID: Yes, sir.
COACH DOMINIC: Now show me what you got.
David throws the ball again, though it covers more distance than his previous throw, the ball still touches grass before getting to the coach.
COACH: I don't have time for this. Leave!
ELVIS: Oh, man! (Disappointed)
DAVID: Please sir, last chance.
The coach glances at his team then back at David. He exhales.
COACH DOMINIC: You've got some folks here rooting for you, prove to them that you deserve to be here.
He makes a proper throw, the ball goes up while covering a vast distance. David makes a run for it with all the strength in him as fast as he can. He eyes the ball as it comes down, making a calculated dive and catching it before it touches grass. The applaud from the team is louder this time.
COACH DOMINIC: Dean, Nate, Keith, Roy... come forward. (He calls on his defensive guards, running back and wide receiver). David, try running with the ball and making it to the end zone without getting tackled by these guys.
DAVID: Whoa... (He gulps, sizing the guys up. They could obviously take him on and he wouldn't survive a hit from any of them).
COACH DOMINIC: What are you waiting for, David? We don't have all day. When I blow my whistle, you run. Ready?
DAVID: Ready.
As soon as the whistle is blown, David throws his limbs, one in front of the other, going as swift as he can, the ball tucked tightly under his arm, destination in sight, as he tries to avoid the human obstacles charging at him. He easily dodges Nate, reads Roy's mind and predicts the kind of jump he's about to make which gives him the opening to slide under his legs, he narrowly escapes a close shave with Keith which messes with his focus and balance, and because of this, he doesn't make it past Dean. He takes a hit from Dean and his back is forced against the grass in a second, losing grip of the ball.
DEAN: I hope I didn't hurt you. (He stands over David, stretching out his hand to help him up).
DAVID: Nah, I'm good. (He groans quietly as he gets on his feet)
COACH DOMINIC: You were so close to the yard line, man, that was the time you needed to pay more attention and not get distracted, that was the most important part of the run, that was victory staring at you in the face and you let it slip away! (He exhales, pacing, hands behind his back, observing a brief silence as he glances at everyone before finally resting his gaze on David).
DAVID: I'm sorry...
COACH DOMINIC: Don't be!... Don't be sorry, be prepared, always! It's losers who feel sorry, winners work on their mistakes to do better! Your only mistake was not maintaining your focus till the end. You were able to dodge three of my players on your first try, I wouldn't call that beginner's luck, that's skill... skill that needs to be worked on. (He pauses and smirks). Meet Marcello, the team captain and fill out the form he'll give you. He'll let you in on all the necessary details. Expect your jersey by the end of the week.
DAVID: Wait, what? (His eyes beam)
ELVIS: I knew you'd make it! (He goes to meet David and hugs him)
COACH DOMINIC: Listen up, David... Don't for once think that you're better than any of these guys, at least not yet. You still require a lot of improvement. You can run and catch, but your throws and passes could use some work, your focus too... very important. But most importantly, your stamina. We don't accept weaklings over here. That hit from Dean was friendly, but you know when it's time for the real game, your opponents aren't gonna be friendly, right?
DAVID: Yeah, I know. (He nods)
COACH DOMINIC: You've got great potential but you're still rough around the edges like an uncut diamond that's been freshly mined. Show me determination and consistency, and I'll transform you into a jewel... consider yourself a part of the TIGERS.
DAVID: Thank you sir! (He grins, the rest of the teammates hover around him, congratulating him and making him feel welcome).
Later, after practice is over.
MARCELLO: Please and please, y'all should be early for practices on Friday, no late coming, except you enjoy running 27 laps.
ROY: I bet this punishment was for our lateness on Monday.
ELVIS: I thought he said he forgave us for that.
Marcello and the rest of the teammates burst out laughing.
ELVIS: What?
DEAN: Best joke I've heard today, Elvis.
ROY: Coach hardly forgives.
MARCELLO: Once again, welcome on board, David. The newest Tiger in our midst. (He throws his arm around David)
DAVID: Thanks, man.
04:31pm, The Mance's place.
ERIC: Damn, the competition was hot. Those folks from Coast-view High are on fire! We managed to beat them by just one point.
ELVIS: Heard a lot about the school. Seems like they live up to the hype.
ERIC: Yeah! Brainy students, great football team...
ELVIS: Speaking of football... (He smiles) David's now on the team.
ERIC: Sure? Hope he's not lying this time.
ELVIS: Come on, man. Cut him some slack, he only lied because he didn't wanna disappoint us, that means something.
ERIC: You're right.
ELVIS: He came to try out, coach signed him in, everything happened so fast. Like boom! He's already a Tiger.
TYLER: I'm happy for him. (He walks into Elvis's room with a pack of fries)
ERIC: You said you'd be here at 4, you're 32 minutes late.
ELVIS: Grab a console, what took you so long? (He inserts the game disk in his laptop
TYLER: Got carried away by Bonnie's talk. She's so excited about tomorrow.
ELVIS: What's happening tomorrow?
TYLER: She's going to Oklahoma with her bandmates, all expense paid trip by the parents of their band manager.
ERIC: Whoa, cool. I think I should talk to her before she leaves. But there's something I need to do first. (He heads to the door, about leaving)
ELVIS: Bake enough cookies.
ERIC: How did you know that's what's on my mind?
TYLER: Why are you baking cookies for my sister?
ERIC: It's a peace offering, sort of. She's been a bit hostile towards me ever since she asked me to join her band and I refused.
TYLER: Why did you refuse?
ELVIS: He's a dork, that's why. (He faces Eric) You could have been leaving Michigan tomorrow for...
ERIC: Yeah yeah, cool trip, all expense... I'm still not interested in joining a band. If you'd excuse me, I've got cookies to bake.
04:54pm... Eric is in the kitchen singing along to the playlist on his tablet as he measures and mixes ingredients.
ERIC: You used to call me on my cellphone... late night when you need my love... (He rinses his hands at the sink and dries them with a napkin)... call me on my cellphone (Going to the oven)... late night when you need... my... love...
"I know when that hotline bling"
Eric turns around the moment he hears the voice. He sees Gwen standing by the kitchen door, completing his lyrics.
ERIC: Hey, how did you find me here? (He pulls out a chair for her to sit, kissing her forehead as she does so).
GWEN: Called you a million times, you didn't pick up, so I called Elvis. He ushered me in and directed me right here, welcomed by some sweet aroma and sweet melody. (She and Eric share a smile)
ERIC: Thanks. Sorry I left my phone in my room to charge. Well, this is my humble home, make yourself comfortable. (He opens the kitchen cabinet, taking out a rectangular stainless tray)
GWEN: Tell me those cookies are for me.
ERIC: Uhm... actually... they're not.
Her smile wears off.