TITLE: Mean Girls: How Regina George met Aaron Samuels?
CHARACTERS:
REGINA GEORGE (17): The Queen Bee. Polished, cruel, but internally fractured.
JUNE GEORGE (40s): Regina's mother. To the world, a "cool mom." To Regina, a psychological predator.
AARON SAMUELS (17): Kind, athletic, Regina's one "real" connection.
CADY HERON (16): The newcomer.
SHANE OMAN (17): The "insurance policy" boyfriend.
GRETCHEN WIENERS (17): The smart hesitant girl who believes she is the richest as her father is the inventor of Toaster Strudel.
KAREN SMITH (17): The girl who is dumb and has ESPN to predict the weather with her chest.
DANCE/BALLAD TEACHER (ranging from early 20s-late 40s): The calm sweet funny red headed/ginger ballad teacher who wants to make sure the ballad dance/performance goes great.
TIM (17): The boy who is part of the school baseball team that belongs in the people of color community who is smart and intelligent that acts like the truth teller.
PROLOGUE: THE PUBLIC MASKEXT. THE GEORGE MANSION - GARDEN - DAY (YEARS AGO)
A neighborhood garden party is in full swing. Sun-drenched, expensive, and perfect.
JUNE GEORGE is the center of a circle of laughing parents. She is holding a glass of sparkling cider, dressed in a bright, welcoming floral dress. She looks like a ray of sunshine.
NEIGHBOR (Laughing) June, I don't know how you do it! You're always so upbeat. You're literally the light of this neighborhood.
JUNE (With a warm, melodic laugh) Oh, stop! I just think life is too short for anything but joy. I want my little Regina to grow up in a world where everyone is a friend and everything is beautiful. That's a mother's only job, right? To protect that magic.
The neighbors "aww" in unison. June beams, the picture of maternal grace.
JUNE (CONT'D) Now, who needs a refill? I'm making my "happy-hour" mocktails!
As June turns toward the house, her smile stays perfectly in place for the crowd. But as she crosses the threshold and the heavy oak door shuts, the light in her eyes vanishes. The warmth evaporates. She doesn't look like a "ray of sunshine" anymore; she looks like an executive entering a boardroom.
She walks past a pile of Regina's toys on the floor. She doesn't pick them up. She kicks a stuffed animal out of her path with a sharp, pointed heel.
ACT I: THE DEATH OF MAGIC
INT. GEORGE MANSION - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT (YEARS AGO)
The room is vast, filled with cold marble and sharp, modern furniture. YOUNG REGINA (8) sits in the center of the floor, a tiny island of color on an expensive white rug. She is mesmerized by a picture book of Disney Princes. She traces Prince Phillip with a finger.
JUNE GEORGE enters from the foyer, holding a low-cal cocktail. She smiles, but her eyes are cold, scanning the room for imperfections. She spots Regina on the floor.
JUNE What's this?
YOUNG REGINA He's gonna save the princess, Mommy. Because he loves her.
June snatches the book. She flips through it with a look of pure disgust, the bright illustrations looking garish against the room's muted palette.
JUNE Regina, look at me. This? This is a lie. Men don't "save" you. They use you. And you use them back.
June rips a page out. The sound echoes off the high ceilings like a gunshot.
JUNE (CONT'D) You're a George. You aren't a victim in a tower. You're the tower. If you're not the most beautiful thing in the room, you're a mistake. And I didn't raise a mistake.
June drops the torn book into a silver designer trash can.
JUNE (CONT'D) Go wash your face. You look puffy. Only losers cry.
ACT II: THE GLITCH IN THE SYSTEM
INT. NORTH SHORE HIGH - CAFETERIA - DAY
Regina sits with the Plastics. She is staring at a slice of pizza like it's a bomb. In her head, she hears June's voice: "A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips, Regina."
She pushes the tray away. Suddenly, AARON SAMUELS (then a junior) sits at the table next to her. He drops a heavy backpack.
AARON You're not actually gonna eat that? It's Friday. Pizza day is the only thing keeping this school from a riot.
Regina looks up, ready to snap, but stops. Aaron is smiling. It's not a "popular guy" smile; it's just... nice.
REGINA My mom says "carbs are the devil's playground."
AARON (Laughs) Your mom sounds like a lot of work. I'm Aaron.
REGINA (Softening) I'm Regina. And she is. A lot of work, I mean.
AARON Well, Regina, if you ever want to play in the "devil's playground," I've got an extra slice. No judgment.
For the first time, Regina smiles without calculating the social cost.
ACT III: THE SABOTAGE
EXT. GEORGE MANSION - DAY (SOPHOMORE YEAR)
REGINA and AARON SAMUELS sit on the grass. They are laughing. It's a genuine, soft moment. Regina looks... happy. Vulnerable.
AARON
You're actually really funny, Regina. You don't have to try so hard.
REGINA
(Softly)
Most people don't see that.
Aaron stands up, brushing grass off his jeans. He offers a hand and pulls Regina up. They stand close for a second—too close for "just friends."
AARON I should get going. My mom's making me drive my sister to soccer.
REGINA (Disappointed, but hiding it) Right. Don't let her kick the back of your seat.
AARON (Grinning) Too late for that. See you in Calc, Regina?
REGINA See you in Calc.
She watches him walk toward his car. He gives a small wave before getting in. Regina waits until the sound of his engine fades before turning toward the house.
INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
JUNE watches them through the window, her knuckles white around a sponge as she stares at them. She looks like a predator watching its prey escape.
INT. KITCHEN - LATER
Regina enters through the back door, humming a tune, a rare, genuine smile still lingering on her lips. She stops. June is standing at the island, under the harsh, clinical hum of the overhead lights. The kitchen is spotless, cold, and quiet.
JUNE
Who was he?
REGINA
(Startled)
Just a friend, Mom. Aaron. He's in my calc class.
JUNE
He was looking at your chest, Regina. I saw it. He doesn't like you. He likes the "Plastic" I built.
REGINA
No, he's different! He's nice—
JUNE
(Standing up, towering over the island)
He's a distraction! You think he's loyal? I bet he has three other girls on his phone right now. You're making yourself look desperate. It's pathetic. It's garbage behavior.
June reaches across the counter and grabs Regina's arm, squeezing.
JUNE (CONT'D)
I'm going to fix this. For your own good. Go to your room and stay there.
ACT IV: THE SABOTAGE
INT. REGINA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
June sits at the vanity, surrounded by Regina's expensive perfumes. She pulls out a piece of Regina's personalized, pink-bordered stationery.
She holds a pen with a practiced grip. She has spent years "correcting" Regina's life; correcting her handwriting was just another Tuesday.
JUNE (Muttering to herself) "Nice" doesn't build empires, Regina. But a clean break does. She begins to write. The pen strokes are sharp and aggressive.
THE LETTER: "Aaron, I'm bored. Honestly, this whole 'nice guy' thing was an experiment, but you're just a loser. I only dated you to see if I could, and because I needed someone to pass the time until a real man—like Shane Oman—noticed me. Don't ever talk to me again. You're embarrassing me.- R."
June blows on the ink to dry it. She doesn't even know who Shane Oman is—she just saw his name on a Varsity football roster and knew it would be the perfect knife to twist in Aaron's heart.
She folds the paper with surgical precision.
JUNE There. Now you're all mine again.
ACT V: THE COVERT STRIKE
EXT. AARON SAMUELS' HOUSE - NIGHT
The suburban street is bathed in the eerie orange glow of streetlights. A Red BMW SUV—polished so bright it looks like wet blood—idles silently at the curb. The engine hums with expensive precision.
The door opens. JUNE GEORGE steps out. She looks radiant in a designer trench coat, her hair perfect even in the night air. To a neighbor, she looks like a movie star coming home late. To the audience, she looks like a ghost haunting her daughter's future.
She stares at Aaron's house. A flicker of a shadow—Aaron—moves behind a bedroom window. June's lip curls in a slight, possessive sneer.
JUNE (In a cold whisper) He's small, Regina. You were meant for skyscrapers.
She walks toward the mailbox at the end of the driveway. She pulls a pink envelope from her pocket. She looks at the forged handwriting one last time. By naming Shane Oman—a boy she's only seen in the "Most Popular" section of the yearbook—she knows she is creating a wedge that Aaron can never forgive.
JUNE (CONT'D) You'll thank me for this later, baby girl. You're a Queen, not a housewife.
With a flick of her wrist, she slides the letter into the slot. The metal flap shuts with a hollow clink.
June turns on her heel and glides back to the Red BMW. She settles into the leather seat, puts the car in gear, and pulls away without a single glance in the rearview mirror. She has won a game that Aaron and Regina didn't even know they were playing.
ACT VI: THE MASK OF THE QUEEN
INT. NORTH SHORE HIGH - HALLWAY - DAYS LATER
Regina watches Aaron walk past her. He looks devastated, then angry. He ignores her. Regina's face is a mask of stone, but her hands are shaking.
REGINA (V.O.) Mom was right. Love is a weakness. If I can't be loved, I'll be feared.
Regina turns to GRETCHEN and KAREN.
REGINA New rule. We don't talk to Aaron Samuels. He's disgusting.
ACT VII: THE BREAKING POINT
EXT. NORTH SHORE HIGH - PARKING LOT - DAY
REGINA runs up to Aaron's car as he's getting out. For a brief moment, she looks like a normal teenager—excited, breathless, and happy.
REGINA Aaron! I got the tickets for the concert! I had to call my dad three times at his new place, and I practically had to beg, but he finally sent the money!
Aaron slams his car door with a violent thud. He doesn't look at the tickets. He pulls a crumpled pink envelope from his pocket and thrusts it into her chest.
AARON Is this some kind of joke, Regina? Or am I just an "experiment" until Shane Oman notices you?
Regina takes the letter, her smile faltering. As she reads the words—loser, bored, Shane Oman—her blood turns to ice. She recognizes the loops of the letters, the perfect slant. It looks exactly like her hand, but the "voice" in the writing... it's the voice that screams at her behind closed doors at home. It's June.
REGINA (Whispering) Aaron, I didn't write this. I swear, I—
AARON Stop lying! It's your stationery. It's your handwriting. You told me I was "different," but you're just a mean girl playing a part. You're exactly what everyone warned me about. You're hollow, Regina.
REGINA (Voice trembling, eyes darting) Aaron, please... you don't understand. My mom—she does things, she—
AARON (Disgusted) Don't blame your mom. She's the only one who actually cares about you! She's the "cool" one, remember? You're the one who's cruel. Stay away from me. Go find Shane. You two deserve each other.
Aaron storms away, disappearing into the crowd of students.
Regina stands frozen in the center of the asphalt. The "Disney" version of her—the girl who believed her father would save her or a prince would find her—dies in that moment. With her father gone and her boyfriend convinced she's a monster, she has nowhere to turn.
She looks up toward the exit of the parking lot. There, idling near the gates, is the Red BMW SUV. The tinted windows make it impossible to see inside, but Regina knows. She knows June is watching, making sure the "trash" has been cleared out of Regina's life.
Regina doesn't cry. If she cries, June wins.
Instead, her face shifts. The vulnerability vanishes, replaced by a cold, porcelain mask of indifference. She folds the letter slowly and tucks it into her bag.
REGINA (A cold, dead whisper) Fine. If that's what you want... that's what you get.
She turns and walks toward the school building, her gait now a confident, predatory strut. The transformation is complete.
REGINA knows June is watching, making sure the "trash" has been cleared out of Regina's life.
Regina reaches for the door of her own car, her hands shaking. As she pulls out of her spot, the Red BMW flickers its lights once—a cold salute—and peels out of the parking lot, speeding away toward the mansion.
Regina follows at a distance, her vision blurred by tears.
ACT VIII: THE POISONED CHALICE
INT. GEORGE MANSION - LIVING ROOM - AFTERNOON
The room is vast and echoing. REGINA bursts through the front door. Her mascara is running in jagged black lines. She's sobbing—the raw, ugly kind of crying. She collapses onto the white designer sofa, looking like a stain on the perfect fabric.
JUNE
(From the top of the stairs)
Regina? Is that you, baby girl?
JUNE descends the stairs. She isn't dressed in "Mom" clothes; She's in a tight athletic set, looking like a predator in yoga pants. She sees Regina and her eyes flash—not with motherly pain, but with a strange, satisfied hunger. She sits on the edge of the sofa, invading Regina's space.
JUNE (CONT'D)
(Softly, stroking Regina's hair)
Oh, honey. What's wrong? What happened to my little Queen?
REGINA
(Choking out the words)
Aaron... he broke up with me. In the parking lot. He had this letter—this horrible letter—and he thought I wrote it. He called me hollow. He called me a monster.
June's hand pauses. A tiny, victorious smirk vanishes before Regina can look up.
JUNE
(Sighing dramatically)
A letter? How peculiar. But Regina, honey, look at me. This is why we need our one-on-one time. I'm the only one who can help you understand why your life is... messy right now.
REGINA
(Looking up, desperate)
But I didn't write it, Mom! I swear! I don't know how it got there!
JUNE
(Voice turning cold, clinical)
Regina. Let's be "honest" in our session, okay? In this house, we tell the truth. Maybe you don't remember writing it because deep down, you knew you weren't happy. But look at the facts: Aaron was always a bit... small for you. And honestly? He's probably better off without the drama you bring.
Regina flinches as if she's been slapped.
REGINA
What? You think he's better off without me?
JUNE
(Shrugging elegantly)
Well, he's a boy, honey. Boys want easy. They want simple. And you're... a lot. I've heard rumors, you know. People say he's already looking at other girls. Simpler girls. Girls he likes better because they don't have your "edge."
REGINA
(Voice small)
Who? Who does he like better?
JUNE
(Leaning in, whispering)
Does it matter? The point is, he doesn't deserve you, and he clearly doesn't want you. He saw that letter and believed it instantly. If he really loved you, would he believe you were capable of that? No. He wanted an excuse to leave.
June stands up, smoothing her hair in the massive gold-leaf mirror over the mantel.
JUNE (CONT'D)
You're lucky you have me to tell you the truth. Everyone else just wants to use you for your status. Now, wash your face. You look unrefined. We're going to spend the whole evening together—just us. No friends. They're just a distraction from your healing.
June walks out toward the kitchen. Regina stays on the sofa, dwarfed by the massive, cold room. The tears have stopped, replaced by a hollow, flickering anger. She believes she is a "monster" because the only person she trusts just confirmed it."?
ACT IX: THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM
INT. NORTH SHORE HIGH - DANCE STUDIO - DAY
Light pours into the studio, reflecting off the polished wood floors. REGINA, KAREN, and GRETCHEN stand together in matching black leotards. Regina stands in the center, her hair in a neat braid.
GRETCHEN (Adjusting her ponytail) I actually think ballet is so much better for your core than pilates. It's like, more graceful.
KAREN (Wide-eyed, staring into the mirror) I can see my own reflection in my reflection. It's like there are infinite Karens.
GRETCHEN (Turning to Regina) Are you okay, Regina? You've been so... quiet since the thing with Aaron.
REGINA (A sharp, practiced smile) I'm wonderful, Gretchen. I'm just focusing on my form.
GRETCHEN Wait, so we're still getting smoothies after this, right?
REGINA (Checking her alignment, voice tightening) I can't. My mom is picking me up in ten minutes. She says she needs "one-on-one time" to help me process the breakup. She thinks you guys are... a distraction right now. But don't worry, she's just being protective.
GRETCHEN Oh. Well, maybe she can just wait a few—
REGINA (Cutting her off) No. She hates it when I'm sweaty. If she sees me like this, she'll say I look "unrefined." We have to do the routine now.
Regina leads them into warm-up stretches. For a brief moment, they look like a genuine trio of friends rather than a hierarchy. Karen lets out a muffled giggle as she tries to balance on one leg.
REGINA (CONT'D) From the top. Five, six, seven, eight....
ACT X: THE UNTOUCHABLE TRIO
INT. NORTH SHORE HIGH - DANCE STUDIO - DAY
The room is buzzing with the sound of twenty students stretching. The DANCE TEACHER (an energetic woman in neon leggings) claps her hands, the sound echoing off the mirrors.
DANCE TEACHER Alright, ladies! And Shane Oman, stop leaning on the barre! Everyone center floor. I want to see the trio pieces. Regina, Karen, Gretchen—you're up!
The three girls move to the center. Regina takes the lead, her expression shifting from the tight anxiety of "mom's arrival" to a look of pure focus.
REGINA (A whisper to the girls) Just like we practiced. Don't mess up the turn.
The music starts—a high-energy, upbeat pop track. They begin a routine that is a mix of classical ballet and modern jazz.
It is hilarious because Karen is a half-beat behind, her eyes wide with a look of intense concentration that makes her look like she's trying to solve a complex math equation while spinning. At one point, she almost pirouettes into a nearby wall, but Regina catches her waist and swings her back into formation without missing a step.
Despite the clumsiness, it is heartfelt and sincere. You can see they've spent hours in Regina's basement working on this. They aren't trying to be "cool" for the school; they are trying to be good for each other.
GRETCHEN (Muttering while leaping) I'm doing it! I'm actually doing it!
As they reach the climax of the routine, they perform a synchronized series of leaps. Regina's form is flawless—suspended in the air like a porcelain doll—while Karen and Gretchen land with heavy, happy thuds.
They finish in a dramatic pose: Regina in a perfect split, Gretchen and Karen framing her with jazz hands and huge, genuine smiles.
The studio erupts in applause. Even the Dance Teacher is beaming.
DANCE TEACHER Beautiful! A bit messy in the footwork, Karen, but the energy? Five stars! Take five, everyone!
The girls stay on the floor for a moment, breathless and sweaty. They look at each other and break into a fit of real, unpolished giggles. For these thirty seconds, Regina isn't a victim, a queen, or a villain. She's just a girl who had fun with her friends.
REGINA (Laughing) Karen, you almost died on that triple turn.
KAREN I saw my life flash before my eyes. It was mostly just glitter and pink frosting.
They stand up, pulling each other up in a messy, sweaty group hug.
ACT XI: THE FRACTURED PIROUETTE
INT. DANCE STUDIO - DAY
Light pours into the studio, reflecting off the polished wood floors. REGINA, KAREN, and GRETCHEN stand at the center in matching black leotards. They finish a sequence of leaps and pirouettes. It's chaotic and slightly uncoordinated—Karen nearly trips over her own feet with a wide, goofy grin—but they are genuinely laughing. For a moment, the heavy shadow of June George doesn't reach this room.
KAREN Our pirouettes were perfect!
REGINA (Actually breathless, smiling) And that final jump... amazing!
GRETCHEN The audience loved it! Well, the mirror audience, anyway.
They collapse into a group hug, glowing with the rare high of sincere friendship. Regina looks lighter, her face stripped of its usual calculated hardness.
GRETCHEN (CONT'D) (Bubbling over) Oh my god, I'm so happy! I can't wait to tell Cady about the wonderful dance we did together the next time we see her with her boyfriend, Aaron Samuels!
Regina stops mid-laugh. Her head tilts, eyes narrowing just a fraction, but she keeps a wide, bright smile on her face. It's a terrifyingly "nice" look.
REGINA (In a playful, sing-song voice) Wait, did I hear that right? "Her boyfriend"? Gretchen, you're so funny. Since when is Aaron her boyfriend?
GRETCHEN (Paling instantly, stammering) I didn't! I mean, I might have misspoken? I have been drinking a lot of Orange Julius lately, the sugar makes my brain go woosh—I just meant she wishes he was her boyfriend! My brain is just mush from all that spinning!
REGINA (Giggling, stepping closer and poking Gretchen's arm) Stop it! You're such a bad liar, it's literally adorable. Tell me the truth. Is Cady dating Aaron? Is she? Tell me, tell me, tell me!
GRETCHEN (Backing away, nervously laughing) No! Regina, I swear! I just... I'm just confused!
REGINA (Still "playful," but her grip on Gretchen's shoulder tightens) Gretchen, honey... you know I hate being the last to know things. Secrets make people... mess up. And I don't want you to mess up our friendship. Now, tell me the truth before I have to get actually curious.
GRETCHEN (Cracking, the words tumbling out) They've been talking! At the back of the cafeteria! She asks him for help with her math even though she's a genius, and she thinks he's "soulmate material"! I'm sorry! I didn't want to ruin the dance!
Regina's playful energy vanishes instantly, sucked out of the room like oxygen. She lets go of Gretchen and looks at her reflection. She thinks of the hallway—Aaron calling her "pathetic." She realizes that June was right: vulnerability leads to being replaced.
KAREN (Oblivious) Does this mean we aren't getting smoothies?
REGINA (Voice cold and flat) No, Karen. We're still getting smoothies. But I need to call my mom. I need to tell her she was right about everything. That people only value you for what they can get from you.
Regina picks up her bag, her eyes hard.
REGINA (CONT'D) Gretchen, you're coming to my house tonight. We're going to pick out my Halloween costume. I think I'll go as something... darkly peculiar.
ACT XII: THE TRUTH IN THE TRENCHES
INT. NORTH SHORE HIGH - HALLWAY - DAY
REGINA stands by Aaron's locker. She's in flats, her hair isn't perfectly sprayed. She looks like a girl, not a Queen.
AARON walks up, his jaw tight. He avoids her eyes, focusing on the combination of his lock.
REGINA Aaron, please. Just sixty seconds.
AARON I don't have sixty seconds for someone who thinks I'm an "experiment" and a "loser" in a letter, Regina.
REGINA (Hissing, desperate) I didn't write that! I told you! My mother—she's not who everyone thinks she is. She's obsessed with me. She wants to control who I talk to, how I look... she forged it, Aaron. She has a whole drawer of stationery just like mine in her desk.
AARON (Scoffs, finally looking at her with disbelief) Your mom? Regina, your mom is the "Cool Mom." She's the one who let us hang out when your dad moved out. She's the one who checks in to make sure I'm doing okay. She's the nicest person I've met in this town.
REGINA (Her voice cracking) Because she's good at it! That's the point! She makes everyone think she's an angel so that when I tell the truth, I'm the one who looks crazy. Please. Look at the handwriting again. The "R" is too perfect.
AARON (Shaking his head, frustrated) You're doing it right now. You're manipulating me. You're trying to make me feel sorry for you by blaming the one person who actually stays in that house and supports you. It's pathetic, Regina. You can't even take responsibility for being mean. You have to make yourself the victim.
He slams his locker. The sound echoes in the hallway.
AARON (CONT'D) Even Cady, the new girl who doesn't know anything about this school, can see you're just a drama magnet. Stay away from me.
Aaron walks away, merging into the sea of students.
Regina stands paralyzed. The one person she trusted just chose her abuser's "public mask" over Regina's "private truth." She realizes then: The truth is a useless currency.
She looks at her reflection in the trophy case nearby. She see the "pathetic" girl. She wipes a single tear before it can even fall. Her face goes cold. The "human" Regina goes back into a box, and the lock clicks shut.
REGINA (To herself, a cold whisper) Fine. If you want the mean girl... I'll give you a masterpiece.
ACT XIII: THE HALLOWEEN RECLAMATION
INT. HALLOWEEN PARTY - NIGHT
Regina watches CADY talking to Aaron. She sees the same look Aaron used to give her. It burns. It feels like the Disney book being ripped again.
She approaches Aaron. Her voice is seductive, manipulative—the way June taught her.
REGINA Aaron... I'm so sorry about that letter. I was so scared of how much I liked you.
AARON (Confused) The letter said—
REGINA (Leaning in) The letter was a mistake. I was a mistake. Can you forgive me?
She kisses him. It's not love; it's a conquest. She looks over his shoulder at Cady, her eyes cold and triumphant. She has reclaimed her status.
ACT XIV: THE CIRCLE OF PAIN
INT. GEORGE MANSION - JUNE'S DRESSING ROOM - DAY
JUNE is sitting at her vanity, draped in a silk robe. She is staring at her own reflection, pulling the skin at her temples back slightly. She looks haunted by her own reflection. REGINA stands in the doorway, clutching her school bag.
JUNE (Sighing, not looking at Regina) I saw the most divine gold hoops on a girl at the club last night. They were so bold... so young. They made her face look like a sunset. They made her impossible to ignore.
REGINA They sound pretty, Mom.
JUNE (Turning, her eyes sharp and narrow) They were perfect. And I realized... I don't have a pair like that. It's so hard being a "cool mom" when my own daughter doesn't even notice how I'm feeling... invisible.
Regina flinches at the word "invisible."
JUNE (CONT'D) It's almost like you don't want me to look my best. Like you're happy to let me fade into the background while you take all the credit for the look I gave you.
REGINA (Panicked, stepping into the room) That's not true! I want you to look amazing. I'll get them for you. I'll find the exact ones.
JUNE (A cold, thin smile) Will you, baby girl? Or is that just another one of your "experiments" in being a good daughter? Prove it. I want them by tonight. My visibility depends on you.
INT. NORTH SHORE HIGH - HALLWAY - LATER
REGINA is walking with GRETCHEN. GRETCHEN is glowing, wearing large, expensive gold hoop earrings.
GRETCHEN (Touching her ear) Don't you just love these, Regina? My parents got them for me for Hanukkah! I feel like they totally brighten up my whole face.
Regina stops walking. She doesn't see a friend; she sees the "currency" she needs to pay her debt to June.
REGINA (Voice shaking slightly) Gretchen... I'll be honest with you. Those hoops... they make your face look... busy. It's actually kind of distracting. In a bad way.
GRETCHEN (Her smile falters) Oh. Really? But... my parents—
REGINA (Stepping closer, invading Gretchen's space) They probably didn't know better. But as your friend, I have to tell you. They look... tacky on you. I should probably just take them off your hands. I can find a way to make them look sophisticated, so you don't have to be embarrassed.
GRETCHEN (Seeing the desperate, predatory look in Regina's eyes) You know what? You're right. I was actually just thinking they were giving me a headache. I don't even like them! I was going to put them in my locker anyway. Here... take them.
Gretchen unhooks them, her hands trembling. She hands them over. Regina doesn't say thank you; she just grips them like a lifeline.
INT. GEORGE MANSION - JUNE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Regina enters, holding the jewelry box. She's breathless.
REGINA Mom? I found them. The gold hoops.
June takes the box, holding one up. Her face remains a mask of disappointment.
JUNE (Flatly) These are 14-karat, Regina. The ones I saw were 18-karat. These look... thin. Cheap. Like something a "sidekick" would wear.
REGINA But Mom, they're the same style! They were a Hanukkah gift—
JUNE (Throwing the box onto the bed) A gift for someone else? You gave me cast-offs? You think I'm a second-rate mother who deserves second-rate jewelry?
June stands up, walking toward the door.
JUNE (CONT'D) Go to your room. You clearly don't understand what it means to actually care about my image. You've let me down. Again.
Regina stands alone, the earrings lying on the duvet like trash. She begins to cry—the quiet, broken realization that she betrayed Gretchen for a mother who will never be full.
ACT XV: THE PROJECTION OF PAIN
INT. NORTH SHORE HIGH - CAFETERIA - DAY
REGINA sits at the center table, but she's not eating. Her eyes are slightly red. GRETCHEN sits next to her, looking at Regina with a mix of fear and concern, her ears now empty and bare.
GRETCHEN (Whispering) Regina? You're... you're really quiet. Did your mom like the gift?
REGINA (Voice cold, dead) She said they were cheap, Gretchen. She said I gave her "cast-offs."
Gretchen winces. Before she can respond, SHANE OMAN leans over the back of Regina's chair. He's not a villain here—he's just a guy who sees a pretty girl in pain.
SHANE Hey. You look like you're about to short-circuit, Regina. You okay?
REGINA (Not looking at him) I'm fine, Shane. Go away.
SHANE (Sensing the opening) You don't look fine. You look like you need to be somewhere that isn't... here. Somewhere quiet. I was headed up to the projection room to check the levels for the assembly. Want to come? No one will bother you there.
Regina looks at the entrance of the cafeteria. She's looking for Aaron, but he's nowhere to be seen. She looks at Gretchen, who represents the guilt of the stolen earrings. Then she looks at Shane, who is offering her a "void" to hide in.
REGINA (Standing up abruptly) Fine. Whatever.
INT. AUDITORIUM - PROJECTION ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
The room is small, cramped, and smells of old dust and warm electronics. The light from the small window hits the dust motes in the air. Regina leans against the wall, her arms crossed.
SHANE So, what's really going on? Is it Aaron?
REGINA (A bitter laugh) It's everything, Shane. It's like... no matter how perfect I try to be, it's never enough. I try to be the daughter she wants, the girlfriend Aaron wants... and I just end up feeling like a ghost.
SHANE (Moving closer) Well, you don't look like a ghost to me. You look like the only person in this school who's actually interesting.
He reaches out and brushes a stray hair from her face. Regina doesn't pull away. She is so desperate for a kind touch—even a superficial one—that she lets him.
REGINA (Whispering) You think I'm interesting? Or do you just want to be seen with me?
SHANE Does it matter right now?
Shane leans in. For Regina, this isn't about Shane. It's about blocking out the memory of June's disappointed face and the forged letter. She closes her eyes and lets him kiss her.
It's a hollow, sad kiss.
EXT. PROJECTION ROOM WINDOW - CONTINUOUS
Down below, through the glass, we see the hallway. TIM (THE BASEBALL PLAYER) is walking by with a bag of equipment. He looks up, sees the two silhouettes in the window, and stops. He smirks, pulls out his phone, and starts typing.
The "infidelity" is caught. The trap is set.
ACT XVI: THE FINAL COLLAPSE
EXT. NORTH SHORE HIGH - BASEBALL FIELD - DAY
The sun is bright, almost blinding. The sound of a bat hitting a ball echoes in the distance. REGINA stands near the bleachers, clutching her middle school journals. She looks out of place, her high-fashion outfit contrasting with the dusty dugout.
AARON walks toward the parking lot, cleats slung over his shoulder. Regina intercepts him.
REGINA
Aaron! Wait. I've been waiting here for twenty minutes. I brought these—my old journals. Look at the handwriting. It's not the same as that letter. I'm trying to prove to you that I didn't write those things.
AARON
(Not stopping, looking exhausted)
Regina, it doesn't matter. The letter said I was an "experiment." It said you were just "passing the time" with me. It sounded exactly like the way you talk about everyone else.
REGINA
(Voice cracking)
Because my mother wrote it! She's trying to isolate me! She wants me to be as hollow as she is! Please, Aaron, you're the only person who actually knows the real me.
TIM (THE BASEBALL PLAYER)
(Trotting over from the field)
Yo, Aaron! Tough break, man. But hey, at least you don't have to share her with Shane Oman anymore.
Regina freezes. Aaron stops and looks at Tim.
TIM(CONT'D)
Everyone knows they've been dating in secret. I saw them together in the projection room above the auditorium yesterday. It was pretty obvious they're a thing.
REGINA
(Horrified, to Tim)
The projection room? I haven't even been in the auditorium since the Winter Talent Show! You're lying!
TIM
(Smirking, to Aaron)
Hey, don't get mad at me. I'm just telling you what everyone's seeing.
Tim jogs off. Aaron turns back to Regina, his expression shifting to pure disgust.
AARON
First the letter says you're "bored" and that I'm just a "loser" to pass the time, and now I find out you're seeing Shane Oman in the projection room?
REGINA
(Desperate, reaching for his arm)
Aaron, I swear on my life, he's making it up! Someone is telling him to say these things!
AARON
(Pulling away)
Right. The letter was a forgery, and Tim is a liar. Everyone in this school is a villain except for you. You know, I actually wanted to believe you earlier, but you're just a phoney. You're a mean girl who finally got caught.
REGINA
Aaron, please!
AARON
(Final)
Stay away from me. I'm going to go find someone—anyone—who actually has a soul.
Aaron walks away, leaving Regina standing alone on the field. The bright sun feels like a spotlight on her failure. She looks at her journals—her proof of being "human"—and realizes they are useless.
She tucks them away and pulls out the forged letter from her bag. Her face settles into a cold, hard, porcelain mask.
REGINA
(A cold, dead whisper)
Fine. If that's what you want... that's what you get.