SCENE 1 (Morgendorffer house, that same time)
(Shot of the outside. Cut to shot of Helen sitting at the edge of the bed in her and Jake's room, sorting through papers in her opened briefcase. Just then Jake rushes in, carrying a load of wacky knick-knacks and wearing a sweatshirt. He thrusts a couple of objects toward Helen.)
JAKE: Hey honey, what d' you think??
HELEN: (looking up from her stuff) Jake, what are those??
JAKE: Pencil cozies! (Bt) Aren't they cute little guys?? You attach 'em to the eraser, and suddenly your pencil becomes really neat!
HELEN: (amused) And just what's the point of having them?
JAKE: It's all part of making the learning experience fun for Quinn! She likes cute stuff. (Bt) And take a look at this! (spreads his arms out to reveal the message on his sweatshirt.)
HELEN: (reading) "What are you looking at... geek?"
JAKE: Cool, huh??
HELEN: I guess. (Bt) But Jake, do you really think this will help Quinn get serious about studying??
JAKE: I don't know, Helen, but what can it hurt?? Nothing else has worked so far.
HELEN: Hmm, you have a point. (Bt. shakes her head.) Well I must say, Jake: if I'd known you were going to be this excited about helping one of our girls, I'd've sent you to a parent-teacher conference months ago.
JAKE: It was that Mr. Phelps, Quinn's math teacher. He really got me thinking.
HELEN: (cocking a brow) Yes, that man can be awfully persuasive. (grumble. to herself) And irritating as hell...
JAKE: (not hearing her) It was what he said about Quinn being a natural math brain. Did you know she was gifted in math??
(Helen sighs.)
HELEN: Well, I knew she was smart -- more than she and certain other people in this house would care to admit.
JAKE: Well I didn't know. I never even gave it a thought. (Bt. gets a bleak expression on his face.) Poor little Quinn. Imagine her sitting on her math talent, scared to use it 'cause she thinks her daddy doesn't believe in her. Alone, depressed... (eyes start to bulge with rage.) resenting the hell out of me, wishing I would just drop dead, wanting to pick me up and HURL me where the sun don't --!
HELEN: Jake. Get a grip.
JAKE: (immediately pacified) Sorry.
(Beat)
HELEN: Look, if anything, we're both to blame for Quinn's performance at school. And Quinn is, too. We'll all just have to try extra hard from now on.
JAKE: Damn right I will. I'm not gonna be an unresponsive father to my little girl. I'm going downstairs right now.
HELEN: (chuckling a little) Okay, Jake.
JAKE: Have fun working, honey! (he leaves.)
(Pause. Helen watches him go, then looks at her briefcase and wilts a little.)
HELEN: Right.
(cut to: )
SCENE 2 (kitchen)
(Shot of Daria and Quinn sitting at the kitchen table. Quinn's gazing at her math book. Daria has scattered a bunch of peanuts on her side of the table, and is now opening them one at a time. After several seconds of cracking sounds, Quinn finally looks at Daria, irritated.)
QUINN: Quit trying to distract me!
(Beat)
DARIA: Brace yourself, Quinn: I actually think it's cool you're studying.
QUINN: Ha -- right! It's just 'cause I look like a dumb geek. Well don't think I care about this stuff!
(Pause. Quinn refocuses on her book, while Daria returns to cracking peanut shells. After several more seconds, Quinn looks up again, enraged.)
QUINN: Dammit, Daria, would you cut it out?! I can't concentrate!
DARIA: Well if you don't care, then this shouldn't bother you.
QUINN: Mo-om!! Daria's bugging me!
(Just then, we see Jake arrive.)
JAKE: Hey, girls.
DARIA: (to Quinn) Now I'm really convinced.
QUINN: MO-OOOM!!!
JAKE: Um, Quinn, sweetie... (pats himself.)
QUINN: (as if seeing him for the first time) Oh. Right. (Bt) Dad, make Daria stop teasing me.
JAKE: (to Daria) Hey, kiddo -- why don't you go watch some TV? (points toward the living room.)
DARIA: (deadpan) What a novel idea. I might just do that. (scoops up the peanuts, leaves.)
JAKE: That's the spirit, kiddo. (Bt) Wow -- I really am getting the hang of this parenting stuff!
(No response from Quinn. She's too busy looking at her math book with an irritated expression. Jake sits down next to her, lays all of his junk on the table.)
JAKE: Hey look, sweetie! (holds out the pencil cozies.)
(Quinn looks up, sees the cozies, gets a horrified expression on her face.)
QUINN: Eww!! What are those?!
JAKE: (wilting a little) Oh, um, you don't like them?
QUINN: No way! They're creepy!
JAKE: Oh. (hides the cozies in one of his pockets.)
(Cut to shot of Daria sitting down on the center couch and reaching for the TV remote. Having overheard this exchange, she cocks a droll eyelid. Resume shot of Quinn and Jake. Quinn's looking at the rest of Jake's stuff.)
QUINN: And what is with the rest of this stuff?? (rolls her eyes, chuckles with amusement and some condescension.) God, Dad: I'm, like, not in second grade anymore.
(Jake clears the rest of his stuff off the table with one sweep of his arm.)
JAKE: (contrite) Oh, um, yeah. I was just... (slumps forward.)
QUINN: Well look, I've got the hang of this section. So why don't you, um... go eat something or take a nap or whatever?
(Jake shrugs with muted enthusiasm.)
JAKE: Hell, why not? (gets up and leaves the table, dragging his stuff with him, a few falling on the floor in the process.)
(Quinn returns to frowning at her math book. Cut to shot of Jake in the kitchen. He dumps his junk on the counter and picks up an apple out of the fruit basket. Looks at it as though it holds the key to the universe.)
JAKE: (mumbling to it) Well she seems to be doing okay... so there's not much for me to do... (polishes the apple off on his shirt, looks about ready to take a bite, when a thought suddenly occurs to him.) Wait. This is a trap, isn't it?? One of those ones that the good parents know how to get out of, right?? Mmmm, maybe I oughta talk to Helen. (glances toward the stairs uneasily, then shakes his head.) No, no, no -- I can handle this myself.
QUINN: (off screen) Daddy!
(Cut to shot of Quinn at the table, wearing a peevish, bewildered expression.)
QUINN: Who're you talking to??
(Cut to shot of Jake. He chuckles sheepishly, glances at the apple.)
JAKE: Oh... no one, sweetheart. (Pause. in a softer voice.) Think, Jake, m' man: how're you gonna help her out if she says she doesn't need it?? (frowns, rubs the apple meditatively. then gets a revelation.) Aha! I got it! (to the apple) Oh you beautiful thing. (takes a big bite.)
(Meanwhile, cut to shot of Daria sitting on the couch, watching TV.)
SSW ANNOUNCER: Would you want Jennifer Love-Hewitt starring in your movie?? These people did! Hear their horrific true-life tale on the neeeext "Sick Sad World"!
(Daria cringes. We then hear the sound of pounding down the stairs and see Helen sweep past Daria in the direction of the kitchen.)
HELEN: Quinn, sweetie!
(Cut to shot of the kitchen. Quinn looks at her inquisitively as she approaches.)
HELEN: (out of breath) I heard you... calling. Is there a problem?
QUINN: (nonchalant) No problem. Everything's fine, now.
HELEN: Oh.
(Jake comes up to them, hypercharged.)
JAKE: (to Helen) Yeah, honey! I've decided I'm gonna check Quinn's work when she's through. That's something a responsible parent would do, right??
(Beat)
HELEN: Um, right.
JAKE: You never know -- Quinn might just think she's doing the problems right, but is really making mistakes all along! (looks at Quinn, gives her an exaggerated, jokey wink.)
(Quinn rolls her eyes.)
QUINN: (hushed) Whatever. (returns to her work.)
(Pause. Helen looks at them both, gets an awkward expression.)
HELEN: Well, um, you two seem to be doing fine. So... I'll, um, leave you alone. (stands there a few seconds longer, then leaves.)
(Cut to shot of Daria on the couch, still watching TV. Helen walks over sort of hesitantly, then sits down beside her.)
HELEN: (cheery) Hi, sweetie. Whatcha watching?
DARIA: (deadpan) Does the psychedelic eyeball not speak for itself?
(Beat)
HELEN: Hmm-hmm. Right. (Pause. looks at the screen, face brightens.) Jennifer Love-Hewitt! Ooh, I like her. She's such a sweet --
(Daria picks up the remote and turns off the TV.)
HELEN: (face falling a tad) Oh.
(Meanwhile, cut to shot of Jake and Quinn at the kitchen table. Quinn's scribbling away at a problem, frowning with concentration, while Jake munches away on his apple. Quinn glances at him.)
QUINN: Dad, would you, like, not crunch so loud?? Eating sounds are so gross!
JAKE: Forry. (swallows.)
(Resume shot of Helen and Daria.)
DARIA: I was about to go upstairs, anyway.
HELEN: Well what's your hurry? (musters a friendly, crooning tone.) Since we're both sitting here, why don't we have a little briefing on each other's day?
(Beat)
DARIA: Hmm, sitting upstairs certainly can't compare to that thrill. (Bt) Okay, shoot.
(Beat)
HELEN: Um... all right. (Bt) How's school?
DARIA: Fine.
HELEN: And Jane?
(Daria sighs.)
DARIA: Between her going out with Tom and painting murals for school, I haven't seen too much of Jane lately.
HELEN: Oh.
(Pause)
DARIA: And your day?
HELEN: Oh -- great! Busy, busy... busy. You know me.
DARIA: Yep.
(Pause. Helen and Daria glance at each other, Helen awkwardly, Daria impassively.)
DARIA: (thought voice-over) Five... four... three... two...
HELEN: Oh! Was that my cell phone I heard ringing upstairs?? I'd better go answer it.
(She jumps off the couch, quickly leaves. Daria waits until she's disappeared upstairs before turning the TV back on.)
(Meanwhile, cut to shot of Quinn and Jake. Jake pounds the table enthusiastically, startling Quinn.)
JAKE: Ready to get your work checked now??
QUINN: (rolling her eyes, groaning) Fine. Knock yourself out. (thrusts her paper towards Jake.)
(She looks impatiently at her watch as Jake checks her calculations, then looks at the corresponding answers in the back of her math book. His face brightens.)
JAKE: Gosh, sweetie, you got these all right!
QUINN: (blasé) Cool.
JAKE: My little Einstein! (punches her lightly on the cheek.)
QUINN: (cringing slightly) Ugh. Daddy, Einstein had, like, really bad hair.
(Beat)
JAKE: Oh. Yeah, right. (Bt. chuckles a little.) Well I don't get it, honey: how can you be so good at this stuff and hate it so much??
(Pause)
QUINN: (hesitant) I don't hate math. (Pause) It just... frustrates me.
JAKE: It does?? That's a shame. Boy, do I know how that is. (eyes start bulging.) You like something until it's drilled into you by a heartless old bastard for whom "can't" isn't a word, until everything you hold dear --!
QUINN: Daddy!
JAKE: (calming down) Oh...hmm. (waves a hand to say "Continue.")
(Beat)
QUINN: It's just... (groans with resignation) all these problems require the right combinations, and it's all on you to figure out what they are.
JAKE: Uh-huh. (looks surprisingly like he understands.)
QUINN: I mean sure, I'm up for the challenge -- mixing and matching is, like, my calling in life. But seeing each new problem with bad combinations that I have to fix just... upsets me. I mean those math people should really know better!
JAKE: Wow, I'd never thought of it like that. (glances at the math book, finds a really complicated equation with a lot of x's and y's all over the place.) Like with this one?
(Quinn looks at it. Her face takes on an expression of disgust.)
QUINN: Ugh -- yes! Those two just don't belong together!! (Bt) I gotta --
(She seizes a pencil and a new piece of paper, then proceeds to work feverishly on the problem. Meanwhile Jake looks on, a bit stunned by her intensity. After several seconds, Quinn drops her pencil and, with a relieved sigh, pushes the paper toward Jake. He looks at it, then at the answer.)
JAKE: Quinn -- you got it right!
(Quinn groans and tosses her hands in the air.)
QUINN: Well I should hope so!
(fade-out. fade-in to: )
SCENE 3 (Lawndale High, several days later)
(Shot of the outside. Cut to shot of Quinn, Tiffany, and Stacy seated on the grass, going over details of the Fashion Expo.)
STACY: ... And I got cute little yellow flowers for each of the displays. And cute-sounding music to play over the speaker system. So when are you gonna see the Defense of Cute Animals Society, Quinn?
(Quinn bows her head slightly.)
QUINN: I'm not sure. I, um, haven't talked to 'em yet.
(Stacy and Tiffany glance at each other, concerned.)
STACY: But didn't you --?
QUINN: (exasperated) I thought I could take care of the preparations easy, but night after night my dad -- um, I mean, the man I call dad -- watches me like some kind of freaking hawk 'til I've finished my dumb math problems.
TIFFANY: Ewww...
STACY: That's not fair, Quinn -- he should know what's more important.
QUINN: No kidding! I can't do anything 'cause he makes me spend, like, hours working on this stuff. I can't even date! (Bt) Well, easily, I mean.
TIFFANY & STACY: Awww...
QUINN: (shaking her head, a note of wonder in her voice) Geez, y' know I never would've thought my dad had it in him...
(Tiffany and Stacy shake their heads with sympathy. Just then, we see a girl walk up to Quinn, wearing a beseeching expression.)
GIRL: Quinn? Which color eyeliner do you think is best: navy or chocolate brown?
(Quinn pauses momentarily to think.)
QUINN: (counseling tone) Well, I personally would go with navy 'cause it gives you, like, that "I'm hot but don't touch me" look, whereas chocolate brown kinda says "Come and get me." Unless of course you want that kind of look in which case go for it, I mean that's just me talking. You don't have to go with what I say, even though I'm usually right about these kinds of things.
GIRL: (shaking her head rapidly) Oh no, no -- you're Fashion Club president. You always know what's right. Thank you. Thank you so much!
(She runs off, overcome with emotion, as if she's just spoken with the Godfather. Quinn turns to Tiffany and Stacy.)
QUINN: (ego gratified) Now where were we?
TIFFANY: Fashion Expo.
QUINN: Right.
STACY: Y' know, if you're too busy, Quinn, Brooke said she'd help out -- if you'd make her a member.
QUINN: (frowning) Hmmm... I dunno. It's already sorta crowded with three.
TIFFANY: Or Sandi could --
QUINN: Sandi?? What about her?? (suddenly irritated) Why should she help out??
(Pause. Stacy and Tiffany glance at each other, a little startled by Quinn's reaction.)
TIFFANY: (reverting to yes-man role) Oh she shouldn't. You're, like, way capable, Quinn.
QUINN: 'Course I am.
(Beat. Stacy looks at Tiffany, a little confused by her turnaround, then at Quinn.)
STACY: (slowly) Well we just thought... since Sandi knows fashion, too...
QUINN: (demanding tone) So you, like, think she could do a better job than me??
STACY: (slightly nervous) Oh well no... but she could... since you're busy...
QUINN: (curt) Look, we don't need anything from Sandi. Sandi quit the club, so why should we involve her in any of our plans?? I can entertain the Cute Animals Society on my own and I will.
STACY: Okay.
(Just then, we see Brittany bound up to them, holding a bottle of pore cleanser and twirling a lock of hair.)
BRITTANY: (spacy cheerful) Quinn, I got Jean-Pierre's pore cleansing stuff just like you suggested!
QUINN: (still irritated) Not Jean-Pierre. Chateau Pierre-François.
BRITTANY: Oh. (gets a horrified look on her face, realizing her mistake.) Eap!
(She runs off. Stacy and Tiffany glance at Quinn, both still a little disturbed by her mood. Quinn groans softly.)
QUINN: So Tiffany, how's your share of the work coming?
(Beat)
TIFFANY: (slowly) Good.
QUINN: 'Cause I kind of gave you a lot of responsibilities that were sort of important.
TIFFANY: Uh-huh.
QUINN: (getting a bit uneasy due to her tone) I figured you could handle 'em... since you're vice-president.
TIFFANY: Uh-huh.
QUINN: (more uneasy) So, um, have you... ordered the food and reserved the gym? Like I asked you to?
TIFFANY: Uh-uh. (shakes her head.)
QUINN: (rolling her eyes) Why not??
(Beat)
TIFFANY: (slightly defensive) It's been icky.
(Quinn frowns with confusion -- "What the hell do you mean by icky?!")
QUINN: (an edge in her voice) But you can handle it, right?? Tell me right now, 'cause otherwise I'll do it myself.
(Beat)
TIFFANY: (frowning) What are you saying, Quinn??
QUINN: Look, all I'm saying --
STACY: (subdued) You don't trust Tiffany, Quinn?
TIFFANY: (eyes narrowing) Yeah.
(Quinn glances from Tiffany's irritated face to Stacy's disappointed one, and realizes she needs to tone things down or else risk alienating them the way Sandi did.)
QUINN: (quickly) No, no, no, of course I trust Tiffany. (chuckles uneasily) I mean, I'm not some power-hungry control freak like certain other presidents were. Tiffany, I have complete faith in your judgment.
TIFFANY: (appeased) Good.
(Quinn heaves a sigh. Stacy, who's let her eyes trail sideways toward the school building for a few seconds, now makes note of something. Looks at Quinn.)
STACY: Um, Quinn? Mr. Phelps was just looking at you.
(Quinn jerks her head around, looks toward the building. The hallway is now empty. Quinn gets a rattled expression on her face. fade-out.)
(fade-in to: )
SCENE 4 (Morgendorffer house, a few days later, evening)
(Shot of the outside. Cut to shot of Quinn and Jake at the table. Quinn's scribbling away at math, frowning with concentration and resentment. Meanwhile Jake's sitting there, looking in serious danger of nodding off.)
(Cut to shot of Helen and Daria sitting in the living room. Daria's on the left hand couch, reading a book, while Helen sits on the center couch. She's supposed to be working, but instead keeps eyeing Quinn at the table, then Daria, looking as though she wants to say something, then thinking better of it. Finally: )
HELEN: (anxious tone) Daria? Do you think I'm sending a bad message to Quinn by just sitting here??
DARIA: That standing is highly overrated?
HELEN: (rolling her eyes) You know -- that my not helping her with her math homework means I must not be good at it, that math's too hard for me, and that therefore math is too hard for all women and they shouldn't do it.
(Beat)
DARIA: (lowering her book slightly) Considering that this whole set-up is designed to bring out Quinn's innate math talent, I don't think you have anything to worry about.
HELEN: Oh.
(Pause. She looks down briefly at her work, while Daria returns to reading. Then:)
HELEN: Because I am good at math, you know. Very good. I once won the medal for best --
DARIA: I believe you.
(Helen lapses into silence, tries to refocus on her work.)
(Meanwhile cut to shot of Quinn and Jake at the table. Quinn casts a stealthy glance at Jake, who has fallen asleep in an upright position. Slowly, quietly, she lays down her pencil and pushes back her chair. She stands up, creeps over to the phone, and grabs it. Then she tries to creep past Helen and Daria on her way to the stairs -- but Helen, in her distracted state, can't fail to catch her.)
HELEN: And just where do you think you're going with that, young lady??
(Quinn freezes, looks at the phone uneasily.)
QUINN: I'm, um... just gonna call one of my friends an' ask them for help on a math problem.
(Daria lowers her book a tad.)
DARIA: And knock off a couple of extra hours talking about the hottest hunks in boy bands.
QUINN: (glaring) Listen, Daria --
(Cut to shot of the table. Jake stirs.)
JAKE: Huh -- what?? (jerks his head around.) Quinn??
(Cut to shot of Quinn, Helen, and Daria.)
HELEN: (confident no-nonsense tone) Quinn, you're not going anywhere until you've finished your homework.
QUINN: But Mo-om... please! (gets a desperate, beseeching look on her face.) I really need to do this!
(Turns her beseeching look on her mom, and is met with a cold, unyielding expression. At last, Quinn angrily flings her hands in the air and trudges back to the table.)
HELEN: And as for you, Jake -- you need to be more on top of these things!
(Daria watches her as she says this. Cocks an eyelid.)
(Cut to shot of Jake at the table. He slumps forward, nods. Meanwhile Quinn flops back down in her seat, her expression glowering.)
QUINN: (angry. melodramatic) This is all so unfair! My life sucks!
JAKE: What's wrong, honey? Anything ol' Dad can help you with?
(He tries to put an arm around Quinn. She pulls away.)
QUINN: Help me with -- you, my imprisoner?? You're, like, turning me into some kind of slave, forcing me to, like, work on math 'til I die!
(Cut to close-up of Daria.)
DARIA: (having overheard) All you need now is a dozen gashes in your back and your indignity's complete.
(Resume shot of Quinn and Jake.)
QUINN: And my life could've been so much more... (hangs her head.)
(Jake watches her, his face growing soft and concerned as he sees the distress she's feeling.)
JAKE: Aw gee, Quinn, I was just tryin' to... aw hell...
QUINN: (head still hung) More... more...
(Cut to shot of Helen and Daria.)
HELEN: (irritated) Jake, don't listen to her -- can't you see she's just trying to manipulate you??
(Cut shot of Quinn and Jake.)
QUINN: (raising her head. meek) I am not. I'm just really upset right now.
JAKE: Aw, Helen, what's wrong with just one little phone call??
(Cut to shot of Helen and Daria.)
HELEN: Do I even have to tell you?!
DARIA: Quinn with the phone. Like a heroin addict with a fresh needle.
HELEN: (shocked) Daria!
(Cut to shot of Quinn and Jake. Quinn looks at her dad imploringly.)
QUINN: (little-girly) Please, Daddy??
(Pause. Jake looks in serious danger of crumbling. He fidgets uncomfortably for several seconds, then glances back at Helen for assistance, but sees that she's still preoccupied with Daria. Then he takes a big breath.)
JAKE: (gentle. hesitant) Honey, uh what d' you say you do just a few more problems, an' then you can make your call. Okay?
(Quinn gets a genuinely upset look on her face.)
QUINN: (quavering slightly) But I can't. (lays her face in her arms on the table.)
(Cut to shot of Helen and Daria. Helen's just caught Quinn's outburst and looks like she's about to say something, when Daria makes a distinct throat-clearing sound. Helen looks at her with a "What?!" expression, which Daria returns with an impassive, yet meaningful stare. Helen gets an irritated look on her face, says nothing.)
(Resume shot of Quinn and Jake. Jake again attempts to lay an arm around Quinn, this time succeeding.)
JAKE: C'mon sweetie... this math stuff is easy for you.
(Quinn lifts her head. We see tears in her eyes that seem on the verge of spilling over.)
QUINN: Not this one. (points to it. defeated tone) I've spent forever on it an' nothing I've tried works. I can't solve it.
(Beat)
JAKE: Aw, you poor little... I hate to see you like this. (Bt) Here -- lemme have a look at it... (pulls the math book toward him.)
(Quinn lets out a soft, irritated guffaw.)
QUINN: You?? Just what d' you think you... could...do? (lapses into silence as she sees her dad get a rare look of concentration.)
(Jake takes a pencil and a piece of scratch paper. He looks at the problem, then at the scratch paper, and starts scribbling away.)
JAKE: Hmm... it's been a while... since I've seen this stuff... not since... business school. Lemme see if I... remember. (long Pause) Aha! Got it!
QUINN: You did?? (looks over at Jake's work.)
JAKE: Yeah. (Bt) You see, sweetie, all you had to do was square each side, then divide by two... turn this fraction upside down... cross this out...
(Beat)
QUINN: (face lighting up) Oh! I get it now! (Pause. takes time to make the necessary corrections on her own paper, then looks at Jake with vague admiration.) Wow, Dad -- that was really cool the way you came up with that stuff.
JAKE: It wasn't so hard. Back in my day, this was my best subject in school. I even won a gold medal in the statewide math tournament. And the upperclassmen always used to make me do their math homework for them. (eyes bulge) Lousy BASTARDS --!
QUINN: Um, Dad...
JAKE: (calming down) Hmm. (Bt. cheerful) So I guess you could say your talent for math is really just a chip off the old block. (nudges Quinn slightly in a playful manner as he says this.)
(Cut to shot of Helen and Daria. Again, Helen opens her mouth to speak, this time looking more insistent. Daria makes another throat-clearing sound. Helen looks at her; Daria shakes her head ever-so-slightly, without even looking up from her book. Helen gets irritated all over again.)
(Resume shot of Jake and Quinn.)
QUINN: Yeah, Dad, that's really neat. (Bt. voice takes on a crafty edge.) Gee, since you're so good at math an' all, maybe you could do some other problems for me... an' I'll just observe an' learn. (points to some rather complicated problems in the math book.)
JAKE: (picking up a pencil) Sure, sweetheart -- anything you need. That's my whole reason for being here, y' know: to help you learn this stuff.
(Pause. Something in Jake's innocent tone gets to Quinn, causing her face to soften with gratitude and some remorse.)
QUINN: Um, actually, Dad, why don't you just, like, give me a couple tips to get started, instead? An' I'll do the rest?
JAKE: (cheerful) Oke-doke.
(He looks at one problem, starts jotting down the first few steps. Quinn watches him.)
QUINN: Dad?
JAKE: Yuh-huh?
(Beat)
QUINN: Thanks.
(Cut to shot of Helen and Daria. Helen's watching them, a pacified look on her face. She turns to Daria. Without looking up from her book, Daria nods a "Good job.")
(fade-out. fade-in to: )
SCENE 5 (Lawndale High, test day)
(Shot of the outside. Cut to shot of Quinn, Tiffany, and Stacy standing next to their lockers. Stacy's hyperventilating, while Quinn and Tiffany discuss the Fashion Expo.)
STACY: Oh my God... Oh my GOD!
TIFFANY: (to Quinn) Did you hear what Cumberland's fashion club is bringing to the Expo? Chin models.
QUINN: (shuddering) Eww. The Cute Animals Society is, like, way better than that.
TIFFANY: Yeah.
STACY: Math... I didn't study... oh God, I'll fail!
QUINN: (sounding bored) No you won't, Stacy.
STACY: (desperate) You studied, didn't you, Quinn?? You know what's gonna be on the test, don't you??!
TIFFANY: Test?
(Quinn sighs.)
QUINN: After spending days an' days trapped in the house learning it, I ought to.
STACY: Can I copy off of you?? Oh please?!
QUINN: (trying to reason with her) Look, Stacy --
(Suddenly, from off screen: )
MAN: Ah! There you are, Ms. Morgendorffer!
(Quinn turns around, stunned, to watch a tall, robust man in expensive synthetic clothing come her way. He's followed by several busty models.)
QUINN: Mr. Reynaldo -- hi. Um, how did you find me?
REYNALDO: (gushy) We were just lucky. Here we were, wandering through the hallway, goin' "Well if Quinn won't come to us, we'll go to her!" When la-da-dah, presto! We found you standing here!
QUINN: Great. Um... I'm sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, but --
REYNALDO: Uh-uh, no "buts" are necessary! Now that we're together, we can finally get down to discussing plans for your little expo.
(Pause. Stacy gets an excited look on her face, and Tiffany gets about as close to excited as she possibly could.)
QUINN: (uneasy) That'd be great... but, um, right now we really have t--
REYNALDO: (gushy disappointed) Oh come now, Ms. Morgendorffer: the Defense of Cute Animals Society has come all this way and we have so little time to spend. If we don't meet now, we might never get another chance.
QUINN: (uneasy) Really??
REYNALDO: Yes, really! (to Stacy and Tiffany) And you girls would like to see our stretch limo, wouldn't you?
TIFFANY & STACY: Yeah!
MODEL: (giggling) It's got a big-screen T.V.
MODEL 2: With Animal Planet. (giggles.)
STACY: Ooh, the new "Lassie"!!!
(She and Tiffany look expectantly at Quinn.)
QUINN: But... (gestures weakly in the direction of Mr. Phelps's classroom.)
(Reynaldo puts on a faux remorseful look. Shakes his head.)
REYNALDO: I understand, Ms. Morgendorffer. I guess fashion just isn't your number one priority. (Bt) Come along, ladies.
(He nods at the models, and they all start to walk away. Tiffany and Stacy follow hesitantly, then look at Quinn for her response. Quinn looks back at them with an apologetic expression. Then she flings her hands in the air.)
QUINN: (mustering cheerfulness) What are you talking about, Mr. Reynaldo?? Fashion is my only priority. (Bt) C'mon, let's get down to business, shall we?
(She walks up to the group, and they all leave.)
[Shot of Quinn on the grass, giving eyeliner advice to one of her many followers.]
You are now entering commercial HEAVEN. Laaaaaaaaaaaaa... We're so very happy to have you with us. Just sit back and let yourself be soothed by some of the grooviest commercials put on television.
My nod to great television promotionals...
You are now leaving commercial HEAVEN. Y'all come back soon now, ya hear?