Unexpected

THE CHARACTERS
JESSICA - Insecure. Love Obsessed. Very attractive. Is very
popular at school. She’s a junior in highschool. Has a crush on
JAMES.

ADAM/MADAM MONROE - Sassy. Gorgeous. Fierce. Openly gay and a

drag queen. BFFs with JESSICA.

JAMES - Cool. Handsome. Perfect. Funny. Is the most popular guy

at school. Head of the committee. Has a secret that is revealed
later in the show.

SUSAN - JESSICA’s mother. Random. Not relevant. Obsessed with

Jessica. Mother that no one wants.

FILM SYNOPSIS
In Paradise High, Jessica, the most popular junior, finally found the
one. Struggling through obstacles such as her insecurities and her
mother, with the help of her BGF (Best Gay Friend), will she finally
be able to confess her feelings?

Page 1
I​NT. PARADISE HIGH SCHOOL MAIN HALLWAY-MORNING

(Jessica gets text from best friend, Madam Monroe, saying to get to
school right now for something important. She runs to school and
bursts through the doors, looking quickly for Madam Monroe. )

MADAM MONROE
Hey. Took you long enough.

JESSICA
All your text says is, “Come quick. Urgent. Stop crying in your
bathroom.” And B-T-dubs I wasn’t crying in my bathroom, I was getting
ready for school… while crying in my bathroom but that’s not
important. What do you want?

MADAM MONROE
I just thought you might be interested in something, geez! So you
gonna join the planning committee?

JESSICA
Aw heck nah! I’m not ​that​ white. Who is the no-life loser that’s
planning this thing anyway?

MADAM MONROE
Oh, it doesn’t matter. You wouldn’t care anyways, apparently. It’s
only ​James,​ that one guy you have liked since for​ever.
​

JESSICA
Did you say JAMES!?!
(Starts running down the hall. Turns around)
Where is that poster again?

MADAM MONROE
It’s right here, hon​.

SUSAN
Mother pops out from behind _ with a big smile.

You’re on the planning committee for pROM?!? I’m so happy for you! I
was on the planning committee too! You’re following in ya’ mom’s
footsteps! I really think you need this, y’know, with all of your
crying and-

Page 2
 JESSICA
Okay, Mom, I get it. And can you ​not ​stalk me all the way to school
next tim-

SUSAN
Oh. Em. Goodness. Is this ya’ boyfriend?!

MADAM MONROE
Uh, she’s not quite m​ y ​type.

JESSICA
Mom, he is gay. He likes guys.

SUSAN
Oh really? Ya’ know, I had so many boyfriends who came out to me
after we started dating! Actually, that was every single one of the
guys who dated me… but it’s not like they lied just to get out of the
relationship they all so lovingly put, “were forced into.”
MADAM MONROE
You are absolutely right. By any chance, did you happen to treat them
the same way you treat your daughter?

SUSAN
Well, yes! I treat everyone I love like this!

MADAM MONROE
I see...
Bell rings offstage
Well, that’s my cue to exit.

JESSICA
Well, I hafta go to class now. Mom, you have to go.
(pushing mom away, then starts to scurry off stage)

SUSAN
Sweetie you forgot ya lunch. And ya second lunch.
I’ll bring ya’ third one later! And where is your sweater?! You could
get pneumonia and die! Is that what you want?! To break your dear old
mom’s heart and leave her with nothing but your dead-beat two-timer
father?!

JESSICA
(rolls eyes and hurries offstage)

Page 3
DURING LUNCH

SUSAN
Sweetie, get a jacket gosh darn it. Here is ya’ third lunch.

JESSICA
(opens lunch, flips over brown bag a bunch of notes fall out and
lastly a PBJ sandwich) Mom, I can’t eat sticky notes.

SUSAN
You can try just for me. EAt the food I give you. Don’t waste ya’
food! There are kids in AFRICA! Africa! STARVINGGG!

JESSICA
MOm people don’t normally eat sticky notes! And if you’re sooo
concerned about the world around you, than stop wasting 500 sticky
notes every day just to tell me in writing form that you love me!

SUSAN
It is actually 536 sticky notes, F-Y-I.

JESSICA
MOM think about the trees! THE TREEES!

SUSAN
Think about the economy! I basically keep the sticky note companies
afloat!!

JESSICA
That’s not something to be proud of, Mom. We’ll run out of oxygen
soon if you continue to write me thousands of notes a day. And can
you go? I have my three lunches and sweater, so you can leave now.
Or, at the very least, watch me from a distance like you normally do.

SUSAN
Whatever do you mean, sweetie-pie-goo-goo?

JESSICA
Ugh, whatever, just go away.
(turns to Madam Monroe)
So what we doin’ after school?

Page 4
 MADAM MONROE
You do realize the prom committee meets after school, hon.

JESSICA
Oh yeah. Huh. How about ​after​ that?

MADAM MONROE
You obviously want a certain answer. Please, do enlighten me about
what’s going on in that messed up hormonal head of yours.

JESSICA
I mean, we do need prom dresses.
(huge smile)

SUSAN
DID YOU SAY PROM?! Oh, honey, this has got to be one of the most
momentous days of my life! I got so many pictures of when I went to
prom and if you want to use them as inspiration, I’ll get you my prom
dress! Oh my goodness, that would be adorable! But I will also help
you if you want to do your own thing! What’s the theme anyway?
Hollywood? Oh, I got so many ideas! You could-

JESSICA
Mom! I thought I told you to parent from afar!

SUSAN
You know you can’t keep me from you for long, boo-boo-honey-bear!

MADAM MONROE
Actually, we could use some help from you, Ms…?

SUSAN
Just call me Susan.

JESSICA
Are you crazy, Adam?!

MADAM MONROE
There are so many things wrong with that sentence. To start, yes, I
am cray-cray. Second, it’s ​MADAM MONROE, ​and I will not answer to
anything but Madam Monroe. Lastly, if we bring your mother along,
she’s gonna pay for everything. You think I’m gonna buy my own makeup

Page 5
and dress? Do you know how expensive that stuff is? Plus, it’s going
to be crazy while we’re shopping, and your mom seems like the type
who would rip someone apart if they tried to take the dress of her
beloved, “​boo-boo-honey-bear​.”

JESSICA
Touch​é​.

SUSAN
O-M-G yay-yay! I can’t wait we’ll go get dresses and-

JESSICA
You do know this is about us right? Sorry to break it to you, but
you’re not six-teen anymore.

MADAM MONROE
Let her have her moment.

SUSAN
I’m not trying to take this away from you honey! I just want to let
you know that I’m here to help!

JESSICA
Well, you can do that by leaving me alone at the planning committee
for prom and by taking us to the mall to get our stuff done but
nothing else. Got that, Mom?

SUSAN
It’s only because I love you sweetie. Let me love yo-

JESSICA
No, Mom, I need to do this by myself with Madam Monroe.

MADAM MONROE
Wait, but you can’t do things by yourself with another perso-

JESSICA
Shut up, Adam!

SUSAN
Ladies, ladies, you’re both beautiful! And… if you want me to leave
you alone for the committee, I wi- hon, what are you staring at?

Page 6
 JAMES
[walks by whilst flipping his hair in seemingly slow motion]

JESSICA
(stares at James)

SUSAN
​ hat one​ your boyfriend?
Is t

MADAM MONROE
Not yet, anyway.

JESSICA
Oh shut up. I’m leaving, the bell is gonna ring.
(Trips)

JAMES
You okay?

JESSICA
O-oh! Uhhh, hi, Jake! I-I mean James! Shy dove’s coo - I mean, thank
you!
(runs off)

MADAM MONROE
[sigh] Today’s going to be a long day.

ACT 2
MADAM MONROE
I saw you run into James…. You look upset.

JESSICA
Guess who has no chance with James whatsoever.

MADAM MONROE
Uh. Is it yo-

JESSICA
No dUH WHO ELSE WOULD IT BE?!

Page 7
 MADAM MONROE
Me obvi. And right now is not the time to be crying over your
non-existent future with him. You still have a chance to ask him to
the dance.

JESSICA
Ask him to the dance?! When was that ever a topic?! Are you crazy?!

MADAM MONROE
I answered that question a while ago, keep up.

JESSICA
Why do I have to ask him? Can’t he ask me? I’ve rejected, like, 15
kids. Today. Why can’t he ask me already?

SUSAN
Oh, at most, you rejected around seven boys and two girls!

JESSICA
Mom! What did I tell you?

SUSAN
Sorry, sorry.

MADAM MONROE
Oh, look, James is here.

JESSICA
Eep!Madam Monroe, hide me now!

MADAM MONROE
Hon, hiding from your problems doesn’t make them disappear. The if I
can’t see it it doesn’t see me mindset doesn’t work in this
situation.

JESSICA
But why can’t it - H-hi Adam - Jams - James! Sorry...

JAMES
Heyyy Madam Monroe. ‘Sup Jessica

JESSICA

Page 8
 He knows my NAME!!!

JAMES
I do.

JESSICA
You-you weren’t supposed to hear that.

JAMES
I did. I mean, you are best friends with the cheer captain and pretty
popular yourself.

JESSICA
Thank me - I mean, thank you!

JAMES
You are quite welcome. [wink targeted at Adam but seems like it’s for
Jessica]

JESSICA
[swoons and falls over]

SUSAN
Oh, no honey! Please don’t die, please don’t die, please don’t die.

MADAM MONROE
I don’t think she’s dead, ma’am.

SUSAN
(on knees)
By the power vested in our lord and savior the Flying Spaghetti
Monster bring back my child. She has committed no sins throughout her
time. Please show mercy upon this child and bring her back (flops
over)

JESSICA
FOR THE LAST TIME, WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT BEING AT THE PLANNING
COMMITTEE MEETING?!

SUSAN
YOU’RE ALIVE! I’M SO HAPPY I WAS WORRIED!!

Page 9
 JESSICA
Mom I passed out due to eating 15 sticky notes.

MADAM MONROE
And seeing James~.

SUSAN
That’s your fault, not mine.

JESSICA
Just go, Mom.

JAMES
So now that you’re fine, you two are gonna be on the decoration
committee, with me. (winks at Adam again)

MADAM MONROE
Is there something wrong with your eye?

JAMES
What? No, I ju-

MADAM MONROE
You need to get that checked out. Anyway, what’s the theme of prom
this year anyway?

JAMES
Hollywood.

MADAM MONROE
So clich​é​... I love it!

SUSAN
So we need a red carpet-

JAMES, MADAM MONROE, JESSICA

It’s fine, we got it.

JAMES
We start in 10.

JESSICA
Can you please pretty please ask James to the dance for me?

Page 10
 MADAM MONROE
Rice.

JESSICA
...what?

MADAM MONROE
Sorry, just had a sudden craving for grain. What do you want?

JESSICA
I asked if you could ask James to the dance for me.

MADAM MONROE
I mean, what else you want me to do, tie your shoes? Just grow up
girl!

JESSICA
Geez, sorry!

MADAME MONROE
Sorry girl, I’m just really hungry. I’ll do it, but only if you get
me some rice.

JESSICA
Deal!

MADAME MONROE
(Walks over to James)
Hey James?

JAMES
Yeah?

MADAME MONROE
You know how prom is coming up?

JAMES
Uh-huh.

Page 11
 MADAME MONROE
I was wondering…

JAMES
YES I WILL!!!

MADAME MONROE
Really? Wow! Jessica is going to be so happy you said yes! I didn’t
even have to ask.

JAMES
Oh! Uh, Jessica, yeah.

MADAME MONROE
Thanks, Prince Charming!
(walks over to Jessica)

JESSICA
What did he say?

MADAME MONROE
Ah-ah-ah!(finger wags)
We had a deal!

JESSICA
Oh, yeah! Here’s your rice. (gives him a plate of white rice)

MADAME MONROE
Where did you get it?

JESSICA
My mom had leftovers.

SUSAN
And I have more sweetie, in case you need some! Less than three, or
<3!

JESSICA
MOM! (sigh) Anyways, what did James say?

Page 12
 MADAME MONROE
Oh yeah! Girl, I didn’t even get to finish my question. He just
immediately said yes! He must really like you.

JESSICA
O-M-G he does love me!!

SUSAN
Wait, who? No one could possibly love you more than I do! Who is it,
I’ll kill them!

MADAM MONROE
Don’t worry, Susan, your daughter is in good hands. And it’s just
prom. It’s not like they’re getting married.

JESSICA
Hopefully someday.

SUSAN
MARRIAGE?! NUH-UH, NOPE, NOPE, BAGS OF NOPE! Hon, let’s get out of
here to go get ready for prom! We’ll get your nails done and-

JESSICA
Mom, we’ll do that later. Please, just let us finish this meeting
without any more sticky notes.

SUSAN
...fine. Only for you, Jessica.

MADAM MONROE
Woah, she just called you by your actual name.

JESSICA
I’m sure it doesn’t mean anything.

JAMES
Well, now that that’s over, we should get started.

ACT 3s
(Jessica and Adam walk into the school for prom.)

Page 13
 JESSICA
Prom looks really good, thanks to us! Hey, where is James?

MADAM MONROE
How would I know​?

(JAMES walks up)

JAMES
Oh, hey guys. (attention focuses) You look beautiful.

JESSICA
Thank you.

SUSAN
Susan sees Madam Monroe sneaking votes into the box.She gets angry.

Give me the box!

MADAM MONROE
Why do you even want it?

JESSICA
STOP IT MOM!

SUSAN
Fine.

JAMES
Shall we dance?

JESSICA
(puts hand out)

JAMES
(Grabs Madam Monroe’s hand)

MADAM MONROE
Whaaaaaat are you doing?

JAMES
(leads Madam Monroe offstage)

Page 14
 JESSICA
But-but I’m his date…

SUSAN
Well, how about we see about prom king and queen? Oh my goodness, the
winner is Jessica!

JESSICA
Mom, this says Madam Monroe.

SUSAN
Shush honey. Ignorance is bliss.

JESSICA
And the real winners are-are...Madam Monroe a-and James.
C-congratulations, you guys. (looks offstage) Ooh, he’s cute! (runs
offstage)

Page 15