INT.

TEACHERS ' LOUNG E -- LATER

Jakob, alone in the room, sits on a sofa, his head in his hands. He looks up
when he hears a knock on the door. Mary D'Annunzio peek s in.

MARY
You have a minute?

Jakob sits up straighter and smiles.

JAKOB
Sure . Come in.

MARY
I thought no students were allowed in the
teachers ' lounge.

JAKOB
I won' t tell on you.

Mary walks into the room, looking around suspiciously. Jakob points at a
chair .

JAKOB (CONT'D)
Take a seat.

Mary sits.

JAKOB (CONT'D)
So what's up?

MARY
Who was that guy who came to class?
JAKOB
Monty? An old friend of mine. He went here, too.

MARY
He doesn't look like you.

JAKOB
Actually, I have many friends who don't look like me.

MARY
No, I mean, he doesn't look like someone you'd be friends with.

JAKOB
We grew up together.
(beat)
So what can I do for you?

MARY
I want to know why I got a B+ on my story.

JAKOB
Okay, first of all --

MARY
Nobody else in this class can write. You know it, too. Don't start --

JAKOB
Don't worry about everyone else.

MARY
Vince Miskella writes a story about his grandmother dying and you give him
an A? What is that, a charity A? Everyone's always writing about their
grandmother dying. You know why? Not because it's so traumatic. Because
it's a guaranteed A. And you're all sentimental, like, "Oh, Vince, that was
very powerful, very moving." No it wasn't. You didn't care, I didn't care,
nobody cared. That's what grandmothers do, they die.

Mary has worked herself into a lather and Jakob watches her admiringly.
JAKOB
What did your mother say when you got that?

Mary stares at him, not comprehending.

MARY
What? When I got what?

JAKOB
(pointing at her wrist)
The tattoo.

MARY
She said, "Where'd you get the money for that. "

JAKOB
Oh . And?

MARY
And what did I say or where did I get the money?

JAKOB
Well , what did you say, I guess .

MARY
I said he did it for free.

JAKOB
Oh . Did he?

MARY
No . Why do you care so much?

JAKOB
Just curious.
MARY
So you're not going to change the grade?

JAKOB
No , I'm not changing the grade. I'd be happy to discuss --

Mary yanks her bookbag off the floor and straps it on her shoulder.

MARY
Great. That was a big waste of time.

JAKOB
Look, instead of worrying about the grade so much, let's talk about the
actual---

MARY
(muttering)
Forget it.

She stomps out of the lounge, her black combat boots clomping
on the corridor's linoleum floor.

Jakob shakes his head and looks up at the clock. 9:15. He reaches for the
phone sitting on the coffee table.