DITCHING

Written by
Gianna Jackson
Draft 9/10/12
Rev. 3 11/13/12

Contactgiannajackson@gmail.com
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FADE IN:
INT. HOUSE - DINING ROOM - DAY
DANNY ASHFORD, 15, sits at a table with earbuds in his ears.
Music seeps out of the earbuds.
TED ASHFORD, 34, puts down his coffee mug and looks at his
cellphone. Ted smiles and squints at Danny.
Danny looks at his cellphone and frowns. He pulls out an
earbud and the music level drops.
TED
With the way you listen to that
thing I'm surprised you haven't
gone deaf yet.
Huh?

DANNY

Ted sighs.
TED
Where's Brandon? He's not usually
this late.
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
INT. HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY
Ted approaches a patio door and slides it open. BRANDON
CLAYWORTH, 15, adjusts his glasses.
BRANDON
(British accent)
Hello!
Brandon smiles gives Ted a slight wave.
BRANDON (CONTD)
Morning Mister Ashford. It's me,
Brandon Clayworth. Danny and I go
to school together. Remember? I'm
the foreign exchange student.
Ted pinches the bridge of his nose.
TED
Yeah, Brandon I remember. Come in.
Danny brushes past Ted.

2.
DANNY
Sorry, dad. Gotta get going. See
ya later.
EXT. HOUSE - YARD - DAY
Danny walks in front of Brandon.
BRANDON
Wow. I have never seen you this
excited to get to school before.
Danny glances back at the house.
I'm not.

DANNY

He stops a few feet away from the patio door.

BRANDON
What, excited?
DANNY
No, I'm not going to school today
and neither are you.
INT. HOUSE - DAY
Ted walks through the living room with his cellphone up to
his ear. He reaches for a set of keys on a hook by the door.
TED
I'm leaving now. Should be there in
about ten.
Ted slips his cellphone into his pocket and walks out.
EXT. HOUSE - YARD - DAY
Brandon adjusts his glasses and stares at Danny.
BRANDON
Sorry, what?
DANNY
We're ditching. Don't tell me you
British don't have ditching in the
UK.

3.
BRANDON
Number one, it's 'do not.'
Repetitive 'don'ts' in a sentence
is just redundant. Number two, of
course we have 'ditching' in
Britain, but with your grammar Id
say you could do with a bit more
school.
DANNY
Not with an incomplete Biology
project.
BRANDON
Please tell me you are talking
about another Biology project of
which was assigned to you
individually and has nothing to do
with our project.
Danny shrugs and walks towards the house. Brandon groans.
Americans.

BRANDON (CONTD)

He follows Danny into the house.

INT. HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY
Danny closes the back door and walks towards the staircase.
BRANDON
We are going to be in so much
trouble. Not only for ditching, but
now thanks to you we will have
points deducted for not having our
assignment in on time.
Danny turns.
BRANDON (CONTD)
You know how I feel about our
Biology teacher. That woman...she
bloody terrifies me. I cannot do
this, Danny.
DANNY
Relax. We're just ditching the
first three periods. I've got the
project upstairs. We just need to
finish it.
Danny walks up the staircase. Brandon follows.

4.
Ted enters with MISS BRAMWELL, 33, and shuts the front door.
He smiles at her.
INT. HOUSE - HALLWAY - DAY
Danny and Brandon freeze at the top of the stairs.
BRANDON
It must be your dad. But if were
lucky it could just be burglars.
Danny ignores him and ducks down beside the banister.
INT. HOUSE - DAY
Ted and Miss Bramwell kiss against a wall.
TED
So much for waiting for me to pick
you up.
MISS BRAMWELL
I was already in my car just
outside of work when you called.
TED
Mmm. Lucky I live so close by.
Ted kisses Miss Bramwell and locks his arms around her waist.
The two fumble their way up the staircase.
INT. HOUSE - HALLWAY - DAY
Brandon frowns.
BRANDON
Isn't that Miss Bramwell? Our
Biology teacher?
Danny grabs Brandon's elbow and pulls him towards a bedroom
door. Ted and Miss Bramwell reach the top of the stairs.
INT. HOUSE - BEDROOM - DAY
Danny opens a closet door. The two slip inside and close the
door behind them. Ted and Miss Bramwell enter the bedroom.

5.
INT. HOUSE - BEDROOM - CLOSET - DAY
Brandon turns on the closet light.
BRANDON
Right, so what were you saying
about nothing would go wrong with
us ditching?
Shhh.

DANNY

INT. HOUSE - BEDROOM - DAY

Miss Bramwell pulls away from Ted.
MISS BRAMWELL
Did you hear something?
Ted looks around and smirks.
TED
Like what? It's just us here. Danny
has already left for school.
Ted pulls Miss Bramwell closer and walks her toward the bed.
The two miss step and knock into the closet door.
INTERCUT - CLOSET/BEDROOM
Brandon and Danny jump back in the closet. Miss Bramwell
giggles. Brandon and Danny look at each other.
Ted spins Miss Bramwell around. Miss Bramwell pulls back and
smiles at Ted.
MISS BRAMWELL
God, I haven't ditched since
college. I forgot how much fun it
could be.
Brandon's jaw drops.
BRANDON
Oh...my...god.
Ted and Miss Bramwell collapse on top of the bed.
TED
I'll show you fun.
Ted rolls Miss Bramwell onto her back.

6.
TED (CONTD)
Oh, Theresa.
DANNY
Oh my god. What in the world is she
doing here?
BRANDON
Looks like she's snogging your dad.
Danny squints and punches Brandon's arm.
Hey!

BRANDON (CONTD)

DANNY
Could see that. I mean what is she
doing here in my house with my dad?
BRANDON
Well, your dad is a very attractive
older-man.
Danny punches Brandon.
Ow!

BRANDON (CONTD)

Brandon rubs his arm. Danny puts his ear to the door.
BRANDON (CONTD)
How long do you think they've been
together?
Danny shrugs.
BRANDON (CONTD)
Do you think they'll take awhile?
Really got to go to the bathroom.
DANNY
Shhh. I cant hear much anymore.
RING. RING. RING. Danny rolls his eyes. Brandon slips his
book bag off of his shoulder and shuts off his cellphone. He
looks at Danny.
BRANDON
Do you think they heard that?
Ted opens the closet door.
DANNY
Yeah, I think they heard it.

7.
Miss Bramwell appears behind Ted. Brandon awkwardly laughs.
BRANDON
Well, this is embarrassing.
TED
You're suppose to be in school.
Danny points to Miss Bramwell.
So is she.

DANNY

Miss Bramwell folders her arms.

TED
She is an adult. And I am the
parent and you are the teens who
are suppose to be in school.
Danny looks down at his feet.
TED (CONTD)
Danny, Brandon, get outta the
closet.
BRANDON
(under his breath)
Well there is an innuendo for you.
Danny and Brandon step out of the closet.
DANNY
We were only ditching the first
half of school because we didn't
finish our Biology project-Brandon looks at Miss Bramwell.
BRANDON
Actually, my half of the project is
done. Just putting that out there.
DANNY
(to Ted)
We were going to go to school after
it was finished.
Ted opens his mouth to speak, but Brandon interrupts.
BRANDON
You know, I feel that in situations
like these it's fair to agree on an
extension, don't you, Theresa?

8.
Miss Bramwell gasps.
Brandon!

TED

Miss Bramwell clears her throat and smiles.

MISS BRAMWELL
No, Ted. I-I agree. The boys can
have an extension on their project.
Danny smiles and shoulder bumps Brandon.
MISS BRAMWELL (CONTD)
In fact, they can even work on it
with me. After school in detention.
Danny and Brandons faces drop. Ted smirks.
TED
And on that note boys I'd say it's
time to get to school.
Ted motions towards the door.
INT. HOUSE - STAIRCASE - DAY
Brandon shoves Danny at the top of the staircase.
BRANDON
I should have left you. That's what
I should have done. I should have
just left.
Danny turns.
DANNY
You shouldve kept your mouth shut.
BRANDON
This was your brilliant idea.
INT. HOUSE - BEDROOM - DAY
Ted and Miss Bramwell kiss and roll over on the bed.
FADE OUT: