Opening Scene:

Willow, Jo, Delaney, and Maggie are getting ready for the homecoming dance. Jo and Delaney are sitting on the bed as Jo packs a bong bowl. Willow is sitting in front of the mirror doing her eyeliner. Maggie is in front of the mirror in the bathroom doing her hair.

“Telephone” (Lady Gaga and Beyonce) starts to play.

Jo hears the familiar piano notes and immediately recognizes the song.

Jo: Oh turn this shit up!

Delaney turns up the volume on the large speaker in the corner. All 4 girls start to dance in place. Jo stands up on the bed.

Jo (singing): Hello, hello, baby, you called. I can’t hear a thing.

Jo continues to sing as Willow and Delaney both get up and start dancing and singing. Maggiecomes out from the bathroom and begins to rap the Beyoncé verse. All the girls begin to dance around the room, scream singing the pop classic.

The song ends, Delaney turns the speaker volume back down. Her and Jo return to their sitting position on the bed, Willow returns to her makeup and Maggie goes to finish her hair.

Jo: So who does everyone have their eye on tonight?

Maggie: Um, Steven, duh.

Jo: Okay, Mags, I am excluding you from this conversation.

Maggie: Why?

Jo: Because you and Steven have been dating since the first week of freshman year, so it’s not exactly interesting that he is your crush.

Maggie, feelings bruised, retreats back into the bathroom.

Delaney: Well, I know who Jo has her eye on.

Jo: And who might that be?

Delaney: Um. Justin. Obviously.

Jo(shocked): I do not! He’s Willow’s age.

Delaney: Which I may remind you is only a year younger than you.

Jo: Still, he’s not even my type.

Delaney: Do you even have a type?Jo: Okay, no not really. But still, I don’t think of him that way. Plus, we all know Willow has had a crush on him since like 5th grade.

Delaney: Well, regardless, I saw him staring at you the other day at the football game. You know, when he was supposed to be PLAYING.

Willow(narration): In Jo’s defense, she was half-right. I had liked Justin since 5th grade.

However, it was not a crush, I had been deeply in love with Justin since 5th grade. Hiding it deep down inside because he never gave me more than a sideways glance in my direction.

Scene 2:

“Can’t Get Used To Loving You” (Andy Williams) Plays

5th grade Willow stands in the office with her mom, Linda, and her sister, Jo. Justin walks into the office in slow motion, catching the eye of Willow, he smiles, she immediately blushes and melts at the attention.

Willow(narration): Justin was the first person I met in Alaska. He saw me when no one else did.

Scene 3:

“(They Long To Be) Close To You” (Diana Ross) Plays

Montage of Willow seeing Justin over the years.

A: Justin and Willow sit next to each other in 5th grade class, she stares at him as he talks with his other friends at the table.

B: Willow is playing in a 7th grade volleyball game and Justin is in the stands. He smiles at her when he sees her looking at him from the court.

C: Willow and Justin see each other in high school at lunch, her sitting at the same table as him as he tells a story to all of their friends.

Willow(narration): Over the years it became easier to mask my affections, I thought I would eventually move on. But I didn’t, every time I saw him my love was reignited stronger and brighter. Us eventually going to the same high school didn’t much help. Me seeing him every day as always more than a friend, and him barely noticing me beyond my connection to Jo.

Scene 4:

“The Word Hurricane” (Air) Plays

Willow(narration): Jo had always been an object of affection. Never seeing herself the way other people saw her. Awkward 9th grade Willow stands at her locker grabbing her books and looking inside. Jo turns the corner and begins to walk down the hall in slow motion. Willow closes her locker and see’s her sister. As Jo walks down the hallway, the people part like the Red Sea to let her through. All the men smiling at her as she passed, her smiling back, unaware that they are smiling at her body, rather than her face.

Scene 5:

“Wild Thoughts” (Rihanna) Plays

Willow, Jo, Delaney, and Maggie are all in the car, driving to the school dance. Jo is driving,

Delaney is sitting in the passenger seat, vaping and picking the music. Willow is in the back seat reapplying her lipstick and checking her hair. Maggie sits quietly looking out the window.

Jo pulls into the school parking lot and parks the car. Jo turns off the car and turns around to address the rest of the car.

Jo: Alright, ladies, let's go.

Jo smiles and quickly gets out of the car, expecting the girls to follow.
 

Scene 6:

“DNA.” (Kendrick Lamar) Plays quietly in the background

Justin, Wesley, Steven, and other guy friends sit around in Wesley’s basement. Justin stands at the mirror, trying to tie his bowtie. Wesley sits on the couch, sipping a flask and vaping. Wesley hands the flask to Steven, Steven takes it and sips discretely, being careful to not spill it on his suit.

Justin: Hey Wes, when are you gonna fuck Willow?

Wesley: Justin, shut up, you know I don’t think of her like that.

Justin walks over to the couch and sits next to Wesley, he places his arm around him.

Justin: See, I don’t believe that. I don’t know if you realize how much attention you pay her. I see you checking her out all the time

Wesley: Man, shut up. That’s like my... sister, we’ve known each other forever. I don’t think of her that way.

Justin: Okay, well in that case, do you mind if I hit that? Cause I know y’all noticed how fine she got over the summer.

The other guys in the room laugh at Justin’s comment, Steven and Wesley stay quiet. Willow is their friend and they feel uncomfortable agreeing.

Justin: I mean, I’m just saying. She used to be flat as a board! And now? She’s got all of usturning our heads. I don’t know what she’s been eating but whatever it is... it’s working.

The other guys continue to laugh. Wesley and Steven are visibly uncomfortable, Wesley takes another sip from his flask.

Justin: Look, I’m sorry man. I just think that if I had a “friendship” with her.. it wouldn’t be too friendly.

Justin winks and nudges Wesley in the ribs. Wesley and Steven exchange a worried look.

Scene 7:

“Praise The Lord (Da Shine)” (ASAP Rocky) Plays

Steven sits behind the wheel with Justin, Wesley, and other friends in the car. Justin sips out of a bottle and passes it to the other guys in the car. Justin hands it to Steven. Steven looks apprehensively, hesitates, then grabs the bottle and takes a swig. Wesley and Steve make eye contact in the rearview mirror. Justin begins to howl like a wolf, the other guys in the car join him, ending in all the guys shouting and getting hyped.

Scene 8:

“Waves” (Kanye West) Plays

Justin, Wesley, and Steven walk into the school dance, Justin is in the front and then the other guys walk behind him in an entourage. Justin nods to one of the female teachers on the side, she immediately blushes and acts flustered. Wesley looks around suspiciously because he has a full flask in his jacket pocket, he pats the pocket in a nervous gesture.

Scene 9:

“Get On Your Knees (feat. Ariana Grande)” (Nicki Minaj) Plays

Jo, Willow, Delaney, and Maggie walk into the school, Jo in the front, the other girls behind her in an entourage. The girls walk into the school dance in slow motion. Their dresses and makeup catch the light making them shine in the crowd. Jo catches the most attention, catching the eye of all the men in the room. Delaney and Maggie smile at people as they walk by. Willow is more reserved in the back, feeling uncomfortable with all of the attention the group is getting.

Jo and the girls stop as they walk into the loud and dimly lit ball room.

Jo: Alright girls, prepare to soften the beach.

Willow gives Maggie a worried look, Maggie shrugs and chuckles.

Scene 10:

“Can’t Get You Out Of My Head”

Justin, and the boys are sat at one of the tables. Wesley and Steven in chairs, Justin sits on the top of one chair, telling a story to all of them. Wesley sits there, uninterested in Justin’s rambling. Wesley looks up and see’s Willow dancing with the girls on the outside of the dance floor. He has never seen her so beautiful and carefree before. Willow looks in his direction as she dances, he smiles and gives her a small wave, she gives him big grin and continues to dance.

Wesley: Uh, guys I’ll be right back.

Wesley gets up and heads for the dance floor. He walks right up to Willow as she dances with Maggie. He holds out his hand for a dance.

Wesley: Wanna dance?

Willow smiles and blushes at his forwardness.

Willow: Sure.

Wesley and Willow head to the dance floor, both of them dancing to the rhythm. The camera zooms out. Willow laughs indistinctly at something Wesley said.

Scene 11:

“wRoNg (feat. Kehlani)” (ZAYN) Plays loud through the speakers

Maggie and Willow sit talking at a table across the gym from Justin. Steven comes up behind Maggie and asks her for a dance. Maggie waves goodbye to Willow as she is lead to the dance floor. Willow smiles and then sits quietly at the table. As she looks around the gym she see’s Justin staring at her. She turns her head to see if Jo was behind her. Justin continues to stare until she realizes he is staring at her. Willow nervously smiles back, unclear of the situation she is in.

Justin: I think I might ask Willow for a dance.

Zeke: Why? She’s like the most innocent girl in our school.

Justin: Oh, just for fun.

Justin walks over to Willow and gets on one knee next to her chair.

Justin: Hi.

Willow: Uh hi?

Justin: I was wondering if you would like to dance.

Willow: Me? You’re asking me?

Justin: Yes, who else would I be asking?

Justin leans close to her ear so that only she can hear. She can feel his breath on her neck.

Justin: I haven’t been able to keep my eyes off of you all night.

Willow nervously laughs and blushes intensely at his flattery.

Justin: So how’s about that dance?

Willow: Uh, okay.

Justin and Willow head to the dance floor, he begins to lead her to the middle of the dance pit.

Scene 12:

The dance is winding down. Willow, Maggie, and Delaney all stand around on their phones, jackets in hand.

Willow: Where the hell is Jo? I want to go home. I am not meant to wear a dress for this long.

Delaney: I’m sure she’s around her somewhere. She’s probably just in the bathroom.

Steven walks up to the group. He touches Maggie on the arm.

Steven: Mags? Ready to go?

Maggie nods.

Maggie: We’re gonna go. You guys okay getting home?

Maggie leans to Willow and Delaney, giving them hugs and kisses on the cheek.

Delaney: Yeah, we’ll be fine. Love you guys.

Steven smiles at Willow and Delaney as they turn around to go home.

Willow: She’s not answering, as per usual. I’m going to look for her. I’ll be back in a minute.

Delaney: Okay, I’ll hold your coat.

Willow: Thanks Laney, back in a jiff.

Willow kisses Delaney on the cheek as she walks off to find Jo.

Scene 13:

“Runaway (feat. Pusha T)” (Kanye West) Plays

Willow is walking around the emptying halls searching for Jo.

Willow: Cmon Jo, where are you this time?

Willow peaks her head into several classrooms as she heads toward the bathroom at the end of the hall. Willow hears odd noises coming from the bathroom. Willow opens the door.

Willow sees Justin and Jo making out on the sink. Willow is horrified and embarrassed. Willow quickly averts her eyes. Willow closes the bathroom door and scoffs.

 WILLOW KRISTELLER is a junior pursuing a degree in Journalism with minors in Women's and Gender Studies and French. Willow is an avid reader, thrifter, and aspiring writer and hopes to one day write for Vogue Magazine or Rolling Stone.