a separate peace

A Separate Peace (Romantic Rewrite)

SCENE 1!Students exiting class, talking and laughing.!!TEACHER: Miss Forrester, would you please come here for a second?!!JEAN: Oh, um, yeah, sure thing! Is something wrong?!!TEACHER: Quite the opposite actually… [pulls out test] you got the highest score in the class. !! Keep up the good work, and you could be on your way to becoming valedictorian.!!!SCENE 2!Jean is walking with her face buried in a textbook. Finny is walking in the opposite direction goofing around with his friends (including Jane, who is being noticeably flirtatious). Finny runs into Jean, who drops her all her stuff. Both reach down to gather it.!!FINNY: Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry, let me help you.!!JEAN: No, no, it’s fine, I wasn’t paying attention where I was going and… [rambles on]!!FINNY: You’re Jean, right? You’re the really smart one in all my classes.!!JEAN: I wouldn’t say I’m “the really smart one”…!!FINNY: Well, I would. I’m Finny. [holds out hand]!!JEAN: [awkwardly shakes Finny’s hand] I’m, uh, well I guess you already know who I am.!!FINNY: [laughs and help Jean up] Why don’t you walk with me, “uh-well-I-guess-you-already-!! know-who-I-am”.!!!SCENE 3!Finny and Jean are standing in a tree. Jean is holding onto the trunk, visibly nervous. Finny is messing around, pretending to be a tight rope walker and such.!!JEAN: Are you sure this is a good idea? We could get really hurt…!!FINNY: You’ll be fine, you’re with me remember? There’s no way you’re getting hurt on my !! watch.!!JEAN: [takes a deep breath] Okay, okay, I trust you. [slowly starts walking out further on the !! branch]!!FINNY: Here, grab my hand [JEAN hesitantly takes FINNY’s hand] There you go, you got it…!! !JEAN: [Takes a wrong step and starts to fall, FINNY grabs her around the waist and pulls !! her toward him]!!

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FINNY: [Staring into JEAN’s eyes] It’s okay, I’ve got you.!!JEAN: That was… startling.!!FINNY: [with a smug smile] Told you I wouldn’t let you get hurt.!!!SCENE 4!Finny and Jean are sitting together under the tree. Jean is studying for her trig test, and Finny is playing with a strand of her hair.!!FINNY: Why are you even studying? You’re a genius, you’ll do well no matter what.!!JEAN: [laughs] It doesn’t work like that… [looks down at her phone and gasps] It’s already !! 9:03!? We’re gonna be late for class! [closes her book and book and gets up]!!FINNY: [springs up] We could just… not go.!!JEAN: Ha, ha, very funny.!!FINNY: I’m serious.!!JEAN: But that’s… that’s against the rules we could get in huge trouble or even—!!FINNY: [jokingly] Oh come on, you’re such a goody-two-shoes! [steps in closer to JEAN and !! grabs her hands] Be a rebel for once.!!JEAN: [smiles shyly] Okay.!!!SCENE 5!Jean and Finny are sitting under the tree, talking and laughing. A group of girls is talking on the steps. Leper is sitting a short distance away, taking random pictures.!!LEPER: [points camera towards FINNY and JEAN, then slowly lowers it] They’ve been ! !! spending a lot of time together, haven’t they?!!JANE: [stops talking and turns toward LEPER] Did you say something, Leper?!!LEPER: [more to herself than to anyone else] I mean, it’s really unusual when you think about it. ! Jean’s usually pretty introverted, but around Finny she’s so open. And Finny, well, I !! always thought he had to be surrounded by a crowd of people…!!JANE: God, Leper, no one can hear you when you mumble like that.!!LEPER: Hm? [looks up] Oh, I wasn’t talking to you. [goes back to watching FINNY and JEAN]!!JANE: [to her friends] I swear there’s something wrong her… [notices FINNY and JEAN and !! scowls]!

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!FRIEND: Is something wrong, Jane?!!JANE: What? No, no, nothing’s wrong, I was just, uh, lost in thought… [friends return to chatting. JANE continues to stare at FINNY and JEAN]!!!SCENE 6!Jean is walking to class, looking around and humming to herself. Jane is leaning against a nearby lamp post.!!JANE: [as JEAN walks past] Jean!!!JEAN: [noticing JANE for the first time] Oh, hi!!!JANE: Can I talk to you for a bit?!!JEAN: [brightly] Of course! What’s up?!!JANE: Well, I couldn’t help but notice how much time you’ve been spending around Phineas !! recently—!!JEAN: You mean Finny? I mean, I guess so…!!JANE: I must say, being the caring friend I am, I’m a little concerned!!!JEAN: I didn’t know we were friends…!!JANE: [clearly ignoring JEAN] I mean, don’t you find it the slightest bit suspicious? Someone !! like Finny spending so much time with someone like you?!!JEAN: I don’t understand…!!JANE: [getting annoyed] Wake up! Why would the most popular kid in school hang out with a !! someone like you?!!JEAN: [confused] I don’t know, maybe because we’re friends?!!JANE: [laughs] You can’t see it, can you? Phineas isn’t your “friend”. He’s only pretending.!!JEAN: What are you talking about?!!JANE: God, you’re such an idiot! The only reason he’s been paying so much attention to you is !! to distract you!!!JEAN: Distract me from what?!!JANE: From all those freaking books! Think about it! You’re the only person in the school that !! has a chance of being better than him!!

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!JEAN: Better than him? How?!!JANE: Do I need to spell it out for you? [sees JEAN’s confused expression and give san !!! exasperated sigh] Val-e-dic-torian!!!JEAN: What does that have to do with anything?!!JANE: Are you for real right now? It has to do with everything! I know Phineas, and there’s no !! way in hell he’d actually want to be around you. All you care about is school and books!! and math, why would anyone want to your friend?!!Jean stares at Jane for a moment, then runs away, almost in tears!!!!SCENE 7!Jean is sitting behind the main building, studying and visibly upset. Finny rounds the corner and spots Jean.!!FINNY: There you are, I’ve been looking all over for you!!!JEAN: I’m studying.!!FINNY: No wonder I couldn’t find you, then, you’ve had your nose buried in that book! [sits down ! next to JEAN and shuts the book] Come on, let’s go have some fun.!!JEAN: No, Finny, I have to study. [reopens the book]!!FINNY: No you don’t [shuts book again and reaches for JEAN’s hand] You’ll do fine, you always ! do—!!JEAN: [snaps and snatches hand away] Yes I do! I failed my last test because of you!!!FINNY: [taken aback] I… I didn’t know… I just assumed…!!JEAN: Assumed what?!!FINNY: That school just came naturally to you, like… like how I am with sports.!!JEAN: Well, it doesn’t. Not everyone is as perfect as you.!!FINNY: I’m not perfect…!!JEAN: Just leave me alone, okay?!!FINNY: [quietly] I’m… I’m sorry [begins to get up and leave]!!

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JEAN: [calming down] No, wait, come back… I should be the one apologizing. I’ve just had a !! really bad day and I… maybe we should go do something else.!!FINNY: No, let’s study. [grabs book and opens it to a random page] I’ll quiz you!!!JEAN: [closes book and stares into FINNY’s eyes] No, I’m done studying. Let’s go. [grabs !! Finny’s hand and drags him up]!!!SCENE 8!Jean and Finny are sitting in the tree. Finny has his arm casually around Jean, who is leaning against him.!!FINNY: [looks down at JEAN] So are you going to talk about it or what?!!JEAN: [sits up] Talk about what?!!FINNY: Your bad day… talking about it always helps. Well, at least, it always helps me.!!JEAN: [looks down] I guess… I guess I just realized that people aren't always… what they !! seem.!!FINNY: [tilting JEAN’s chin up to look her in the eyes] Well, I hate to break it to you, but, when it ! comes to me, what you see is what you get.!!Finny leans in to kiss Jean. Just as Jean is about to kiss him back, she hears Jane’s words in her head. Before she fully realizes what she’s doing, she pushes Finny out of the tree. Meanwhile, Leper has been watching this entire time.!!!SCENE 9!Jean is standing outside the door to Finny’s house. She pauses for a moment, and then knocks. Finny’s brother, Kurt, opens the door.!!JEAN: [awkwardly] Hi… I’m, uh, Jean. Is Finny home?!!KURT: [laughs] As if he could leave. [turns toward the living room and shouts] Hey dingus, !! there’s some girl here who wants to see you!!!FINNY: [from living room] Well, what are you waiting for? Send her in!!!KURT: [turns back towards JEAN and motions towards the living room] He’s in there. [shuts door behind JEAN]!!JEAN: [Walks into the living room, where FINNY is playing video games] Hi Finny.!!FINNY: [snaps head up and pauses video game] Jean! I knew you’d come. [pats the couch !! next to him] Come sit! [to KURT] Kurt! Why don’t you get Jean and I something to !! drink?!

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!KURT: Just because you’re a cripple now doesn’t mean I become your butler. Jean has ! !! functioning legs, she can get a drink herself. [walks out of the room]!!JEAN: [watches KURT leave, then sits down next to FINNY] You never told me that you have a !! brother.!!FINNY: [laughs] Yeah, there’s a reason for that. But enough about Kurt. I want to focus on you.!!JEAN: Me? I’m not the one who’s paralyzed!!!FINNY: Oh, don’t be so overdramatic. It’s only in my right leg. The doctor says I should be able !! to walk again within a few months.!!JEAN: [quieter] What about sports?!!FINNY: [somber] Sports are done for me. [in a lighter tone] But, hey, I’ve got video games! With ! these graphics, it’s like being in the game for real.!!JEAN: What… what even happened? How did you fall?!!FINNY: Honestly, I don’t even know, it all happened so fast. I must have lost my balance or !! something…!!JEAN: Or something…!!FINNY: But I don’t want to talk about that. As far as I’m concerned, there’s only one thing that !! happened up there worth caring about.!!JEAN: What’s that?!!FINNY: This. [pulls JEAN toward him in an attempt to kiss her]!!JEAN: [breaks away] I need to tell you something.!!FINNY: [coughs and straightens himself up, embarrassed] And what would that be?!!JEAN: [quietly] It was me.!!FINNY: What?!!JEAN: [louder] It was me.!!FINNY: I heard you the first time, I just don’t know why you’d say something so ridiculous.!!JEAN: It’s not ridiculous, it’s true!!!FINNY: No, it’s not. I lost my balance. I remember now.!!

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JEAN: Yes it is! I did it! I pushed you out of the tree!!!FINNY: Stop! Stop lying! I know your just trying to help, but you’re not! Just… just go!!!JEAN: [gets up and heads to the door, realizing what she’s doing] You’re right, I didn’t push you. ! I must have been imagining things.!!FINNY: Well, I’m glad you’ve come to your senses.!!Jean leaves.!!!SCENE 10!Quackenbush is standing by the dugout, holding a clipboard. Jean jogs over to him.!!QUACKENBUSH: [without looking up] You’re late.!!JEAN: I’m sorry, I was—!!QUACKENBUSH: I don’t care what you were doing. As the assistant to the Devon Baseball !! team manager, myself, it’s your responsibility to be on time. If you can’t comply, you !! don’t belong here.!!JEAN: [annoyed] It won’t happen again.!!QUACKENBUSH: It better not. What grade are you in anyway?!!JEAN: Yours.!!QUACKENBUSH: What kind of girl becomes assistant manager as a senior?!!JEAN: Does it matter?!!QUACKENBUSH: Yes, it matters! I don’t want you using this position as a means of hooking up ! with the players on my team!!!JEAN: Excuse me? Are you actually that ignorant?!!QUACKENBUSH: You better watch how you speak to me. Who the hell do you think you are?!!JEAN: Watch how I… [laughs incredulously, then gets deathly serious] You know nothing about !! me.!!QUACKENBUSH: Wanna bet? I know all about your “friendship” with Finny over the summer, !! and I haven’t forgotten about Brinker Hadley, either. A girl like you doesn’t just become ! “friends” with the most popular boys in school because of her “personality”. I’ve got you !! all figured out, you sleazy, good-for-nothing—!!

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JEAN: [slaps QUACKENBUSH hard across the face] You should think twice next time you !! decide to make an assumption about something you know nothing about. Oh, but !! I guess that’d be everything, wouldn’t it? [storms off]!.!QUACKENBUSH: [shouting after JEAN] Go to hell!!!JEAN: I plan to!!!!SCENE 11!Jean walks into the school, still fuming, and struggles with her locker. Brinker walks in shortly after and leans up against the locker next to hers.!!BRINKER: Well, hello there.!!JEAN: [jumps and looks up] Brinker!!!BRINKER: [smiles] Long time, no see. I heard you had quite the interesting summer.!!JEAN: I don’t know what you’re talking about.!!BRINKER: Oh, come on, you don’t need to pretend around me. I heard about you and Finny.!!JEAN: [slightly concerned] What did you hear?!!BRINKER: That you two were practically inseparable all summer! That is, until the… accident. !! I’m really sorry about that.!!JEAN: I’m not the one who fell.!!BRINKER: [smirks] Depends on your definition of falling. [looks at watch] Well, I better to get to !! class, but I’ll see you around. We’re nowhere near done with catching up. [smiles once !! more and then leaves]!!RANDOM GIRL: [leaning over to JEAN while watching BRINKER leave] Now that is a butt.!!JEAN: [in agreement] Right?!!!SCENE 12!Brinker is waiting outside of Jean’s class. Jean walks out reading a book. Brinker taps the shoulder opposite to the side he’s on. Jean looks in that direction, and then to Brinker.!!JEAN: [sarcastically] Ha, ha.!!BRINKER: [Grins] Gotcha.!!JEAN: I don’t know how I still fall for that.!!

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BRINKER: You and me both. [JEAN elbows BRINKER, who laughs] Hey, do you have anything !! next period?!!JEAN: Do you even need to ask? You had my schedule memorized before I did!!!BRINKER: Hey, it’s not my fault I’ve got such a fantastic memory?!!JEAN: What’s the quadratic formula, again?!!BRINKER: [pauses for a moment] I only memorize the stuff that’s actually important.!!JEAN: [laughs] You’re math teacher would be so disappointed in you.!!BRINKER: Eh, who cares, I’ve only got a few more months left in this place.!!JEAN: A few more months? Brink, the school year just started.!!BRINKER: Well, I plan on getting out of here sooner than that.!!JEAN: What do you mean?!!BRINKER: I’m going to graduate early. I’ve already met all the prerequisites, what’s the point of !! hanging around here any longer than I need to?!!JEAN: Huh, I’ve never really thought about that before… but what would you do with all your !! time?!BRINKER: Who knows? That’s the best part of the whole thing! We don’t have to follow anyone ! else's rule… it’s that glorious line between adolescence and adulthood. All the freedom !! without all the worries.!!JEAN: It would be nice to have all that time to do whatever you want.!!BRINKER: Exactly! We could do it together! I mean, you’ve probably been eligible since, like, !! sophomore year! Just think of all the fun we could have!!!JEAN: [holds open the door for BRINKER, who stops suddenly. JEAN doesn’t notice] You know ! what? Let’s do it! There’s nothing left here for me, especially not without— [walks out of !! the door and sees FINNY] Finny?!!SCENE 13!Immediately after Scene 12!!JEAN: [runs to FINNY and gives him a hug] Finny!!!FINNY: [hugs JEAN back and laughs] Be careful there, I’m still recovering from a spinal injury, !! remember?!!

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JEAN: [pulling back slightly to talk] What— what are you doing back? I thought you said you !! said it’d be months!!!FINNY: It was supposed to be, but I guess I heal faster than my doctor predicted. He told me !! that if I’m careful and don’t do anything that could reinjure my back, I should be okay.!!JEAN: [hugs FINNY again] I missed you so much.!!FINNY: [into JEAN’s hair] I missed you, too.!!BRINKER: [placing a hand on FINNY’s shoulder, causing JEAN and FINNY to separate] It’s !! really good to see you, man.!!FINNY: It’s good to see you, too, Brinker! Thanks for keeping Jean company for me these past !! couple weeks.!!BRINKER: Believe me, it was my genuine pleasure. [to JEAN] I’ll let you know when I find out !! more about early graduation. [begins to walk away]!!FINNY: [to JEAN] Wait, what? You’re graduating early? And leaving me here all alone?!!BRINKER: You wouldn’t be alone, Finny, you’re friends with everyone!!!FINNY: [ignoring BRINKER] Please tell me this isn’t true! I need you here!!!JEAN: No, no, of course not! If you’re here, I’m here.!!BRINKER: [frustrated] But… but you just said…!!JEAN: I don’t know what you’re talking about, I’m graduating with everyone else.!!FINNY: That’s a relief, you had me worried there! [to BRINKER] You’re a pretty convincing !! prankster, my friend.!!BRINKER: [angry] Whatever. [grabs JEAN’s wrist and whispers to her] You may fool Finny, but !! you can’t fool me. I know the truth. About everything. [lets go of JEAN’s wrist and !stomps ! off. JEAN stands frozen in place, watching him leave]!!SCENE 14:!Finny and Jean are wandering around the school. When they round the corner, they are met by a crowd of people, which Brinker has gathered.!!FINNY: What the hell is this?!!BRINKER: It’s your trial.!!FINNY: My what?!!

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BRINKER: Well, it’s more like an… investigation. We’re going to figure out what really happened ! at the tree.!!FINNY: What is there to figure out? I lost my balance, that’s it.!!BRINKER: You expect me to believe that the school’s top athlete just “lost his balance”?!!JEAN: Brinker…why… why are you doing this?!!BRINKER: Because it’s about time that everyone knew the truth.!!FINNY: What is there even to know the truth about? I fell! End of story!!!BRINKER: But you didn’t just fall, did you? You were pushed.!!FINNY: And who the hell would have pushed me? It was only me and—!!BRINKER: Jean.!![the crowd all turns to look at JEAN]!!FINNY: If you’re trying to suggest that it was Jean, then—!!BRINKER: Enough! I’m not suggesting anything. I know.!!FINNY: How the hell would you know? You weren’t even there!!!BRINKER: Bring out the witness!!![Leper timidly walks into the room]!!BRINKER: I may not have been there, but Leper was.!!JEAN: Her name is Ellie Lepellier, and she wasn’t there.!!BRINKER: [laughs] You only think she wasn’t. Leper here has a habit of going unnoticed, but !! nothing escapes hers. [turning to LEPER] Why don’t you tell us all what you saw?!!LEPER: [clears throat] Well, uh, I was outside taking pictures… you know, because everything !! is just so beautiful during that time of year… all the flowers and green and—!!BRINKER: Get on with the story.!!LEPER: Right, sorry… as I was saying, I was outside taking pictures, when I noticed Finny and !! Jean in the tree. Usually I wouldn’t have payed too much attention, with all of nature’s !! beauty around to distract me, but they were…!!BRINKER: They were what?!!

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LEPER: They were, uh, sitting… very close. Then… then Finny, er, moved closer to Jean…!!BRINKER: Moved closer how?!!LEPER: Well, it looked like he was try to kiss Jean.!![The crowd whispers to one another, and Jean hides her face]!!BRINKER: And then what?!!LEPER: Then he fell.!!FINNY: See! I must have lost my balance when I tried to kiss—!!LEPER: But there’s more… before he fell, Jean moved in a funny way, too.!!FINNY: Well, of course! That’s how a kiss works!!!LEPER: No, not like that… like… like she was trying to push him away.!![the crowd gasps]!!BRINKER: There you have it! “Like she was trying to push him away.”!!JEAN: Finny… I’m… I’m so sorry!!FINNY: [holds head in hands] Shut up… just shut up! I’ve heard enough, okay? This… this is !! stupid… You’re all stupid! I’m done here! [gets up and begins to leave]!!BRINKER: You can’t leave yet! We haven’t even seen the pictures!!!FINNY: I don’t want to see the goddamn pictures! So f*** you! F*** this whole damn thing! [runs !clumsily out of the room]!!JEAN: [to BRINKER] What the hell have you done? [runs after FINNY]!!Jean catches up to Finny right next to the steps. Finny, not looking where he’s going, begins to fall down the steps. Jean grabs his wrist just in time.!!JEAN: [frantically] Finny, please. I… I didn’t know what I was doing. I was confused and hurt !! and, oh god. I don’t know what got into me.!!FINNY: [screaming] I just don’t understand, I thought you cared… I thought… I thought you felt !! the same way I did! [JEAN kisses FINNY]!!JEAN: I love you… I know… I know that with everything that’s happened you might not believe !! me, but please, Finny—!!FINNY: [Kisses JEAN again] I believe you.

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a separate peace

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