SCENE XV - MAKE-OVER AT CHER'S HOUSE
 

"Supermodel" Jill Sobule
(Various scenes of Cher and Dionne making overTai, then Cher and Tai
working out in the lounge room)
CHER
     Squeeze in.
TAI
     Cher, I don't wanna do this any more, and my buns, they don't feel
     nothin' like steel.
CHER
     OK, it will get easier, I promise. Just as long as we do it every
     day. Not just sporadically.
TAI
     How do you know if we're doing it sporadically?
CHER
     That's another thing, Tai. We've got to work on your accent and
     vocabulary. See, sporadic means once in a while. Try and use it in a
     sentence today.
TAI
     Alright.
CHER
     OK, from now on we're alternating Cindy Crawford's "Aerobicise" and
     "Buns of Steel", and reading one non-school book a week. My first
     book is "Fit or Fat".
TAI
     Mine is "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus".
CHER
     Good. Now that takes care of our minds and bodies, but we should do
     something good for mankind or the planet for a couple of hours.
(Josh walks in)
JOSH
     Hey, brainiac.
CHER
     Uh, the dreaded ex. Tai, this is Josh.
JOSH
     Nice to meet ya.
CHER
     Hey! You know about this stuff. I want to do something good for
     humanity.
JOSH
     How about sterilization?
(Tai cracks up. Cher and Josh enter the kitchen)
CHER
     So, what do ya think?
JOSH
     I'm amazed.
CHER
     That I'm devoting myself so generously to someone else?
JOSH
     No, that you've found someone even more clueless than you are to
     worship you.
CHER
     I am rescuing her from teenage hell. Do you know the wounds from
     adolescence can take years to heal?
JOSH
     Yeah, and you've never had a mother so you're acting out on that
     poor girl as if she was your Barbie doll.
CHER
     Freshman psych rears it's ugly head
JOSH
     Hey, I am not taking psych.
CHER
     Whatever. I am going to take that lost soul in there and make her
     well-dressed and popular. Her life will be better because of me. How
     many girls can say that about you?
(Josh and Cher walk back to the lounge where Tai is watching T.V. and
singing along with the "Mentos" ad.)
JOSH
     Be seein' ya.
TAI
     Yeah, I hope not sporadically.
 

SCENE XVI - SCHOOL
 

CHER
     Oh, my God. Do you see how boys are responding? My heart is totally
     bursting.
DIONNE
I know. I'm kvelling!
     (Travis approaches)
TRAVIS
     Cher, you have Timor, right?
CHER
     Giest.
TRAVIS
     Hey, Tai! Did you get a flyer?
TAI
     Uh-uh.
TRAVIS
     Here.
TAI
     Thanks. Wow, a party!
CHER
     It's in the Valley. The cops usually break 'em up in less than an
     hour, and it takes that long to get there.
DIONNE
     And besides, it's just local loadies.
TAI
     Do you guys think that Travis is gonna be there?
DIONNE
     Tai, I thought we moved on from there.
CHER
     Don't sell yourself short now. You've got something going for you
     that no one in this school has.
TAI
     Oh, I'm not a virgin.
CHER
     I mean mystery. As far as everyone is concerned you were the most
     popular girl in your school, and the fact that you hang with Dee and
     I, well...
DIONNE
     Speaks very highly of you.
CHER
     If you strike while the iron is hot, you can have any guy that you
     want.
TAI
     Like who?
CHER
     Let's see. Who's available? There's Bronson... I got it! Elton! He
     just broke up with Collette.
DIONNE
     Oh, yes!
TAI
     Who's Elton?
DIONNE
     Oh, my God. He's way popular. He's like the social director of the
     crew.
CHER
     Yeah, and his Dad can get you into any concert, and I noticed him
     scoping you out.
TAI
     He was looking at me?
CHER
     He said you gave him a toothache.
TAI
     How'd I do that?
CHER
     It's an expression. It means he thought you were sweet.
TAI
     Yeah?
CHER
     Yeah.
TAI
     Wow.
DIONNE
     Is that true?
CHER
     No.
DIONNE
     Oh, you are so bad.
(Scene moves to fountain where Cher is taking pictures of the crew)
"Alright" Supergrass
CHER
     Ok, you guys, all get together. Oh, that is great. Smile! Tai, Tai,
     get a little closer. Closer Tai. Good, great! Hey, Elton, uh, why
     don't you put your arm around Tai?
ELTON
     (Unwillingly) Alright!
CHER
     Yeah, that's great.

     OK. Tai, c'mere, c'mere, Tai.
(Scene moves to just Cher and Tai by bushes)
     Hold that.
TAI
     OK.
CHER
     OK.
(Elton approaches.)
ELTON
     Cool picture.
CHER
     Doesn't she look classic?
ELTON
     Yeah, this is beautiful.
CHER
     She looks like one of those Bottichellis chicks.
ELTON
     Hey, why don't you make me a copy of this, OK?
CHER
     Sure.
 

SCENE XVII - CHER'S HOUSE, DINING ROOM
 

CHER
     Hi Daddy. This is my friend, Tai.
MEL
     Get out of my chair!
(Tai moves to opposite Cher. Lucy brings in dinner.)
CHER
     Thank you, Lucy. It looks great.
MEL
     What is this crap?
CHER
     Daddy, it's from the "Cut your Colesterol" cook book. Doctor Lovitz
     says you've got to get down to two hundred.
(Cher's pager beeps.)
MEL
     No calls tonight.
CHER
     But it's Dionne, it might...
MEL
     Sorry!
CHER
     It might be important.
MEL
     We're going to have a nice family dinner. So, uh, what'd you do at
     school today?
CHER
     Well... I broke in my purple clogs.
(Mel's phone rings.)
MEL
     Yeah, hello? Alright, Jake. Yeah, yeah, no, no, what?
CHER
     Dee? Whatup?
DIONNE
     So, check it. Murray's geometry class is right by Elton's locker,
     and taped up inside was the picture you took of Tai.
CHER
     Oh, my God.
TAI
     What?
CHER
     Elton's got a picture of you hanging up in his locker.
TAI
     Oh, no shit!
DIONNE
     Hello! So, anyway, the whole crew is going to this party in the
     Valley.
CHER
     Bye.
(Cher hangs up the phone.)
     Looks like we're going to have to make a cameo at the Val party.
MEL (in background)
     I told you I want it in the morning. No!
 

SCENE XVIII - MURRAY'S CAR
 

DIONNE
     Murray!
MURRAY
     Just look at the top of the map. Sun Valley is north.
DIONNE
     OK, no. All I see is Bel Air, OK.
MURRAY
     Then you're on the wrong map.
DIONNE
     I am not on the wrong map.
MURRAY
     Look at the number on the top. What is the number on the top?
DIONNE
     There are no numbers on the top. There's letters.
(Murray makes a frustrated noise.)
DIONNE
     Murray, shut up!
CHER
     Please don't friz out!
 

SCENE XIX - THE VAL PARTY
 

(The gang pull up outside the party.)
     Listen Tai, when we get there make sure Elton sees you, but don't
     say hi first. Look like you're having fun and you're really popular.
     Talk to someone in his eyeline, preferably a guy. Make him come to
     you, and find an excuse to leave while he's still into the
     conversation. The key is, always have him wanting more. You got it?
TAI
     I got it.
CHER
     OK.
TRAVIS
     Heads up!
(Does a rail slide with his skateboard on the stair-rail.)
TAI
     Oh, did you just see that?!
CHER
     Oh, God. Skateboards, that is like, so five years ago.
TRAVIS
     Oh, you guys came! That's great! You want a beer? I'll get you one.
CHER (to Tai)
     No.
(The girls enter the party house.)
"Unknown song and artist"
TAI
     This is ragin'.
CHER
     Let's do a lap before we commit to a location.
(Dionne drags a dancing girl away from Murray.)
DIONNE
     Who was that?!
TAI
     Cher, ain't that the same dress that you was wearin' yesterday?
CHER
     Say, Ambular?
AMBER
     Hi.
CHER
     Was that you going through my laundry?
AMBER
     As if. Like I would really wear something from Judy's.
CHER
     Do you prefer fashion victim or ensembly challenged?
(Amber walks off.)
AMBER
     Uh!
CHER
     What a clone.
TAI
     Cher, you looked much better in that dress than she did.
(Travis bursts onto the scene spilling drink on Cher's shoes.)
CHER
     Uh! Ruin my satin shoes, why don't you?!
TRAVIS
     I'm sorry.
(They move to the kitchen.)
CHER
     Excuse me, my shoes! Uh! This is so not fixable.
TRAVIS
     It's a small price to pay to the party gods. Look, I'll make amends.
     How about some chronic shit?
CHER
     Oh, it's the least you could do.
TAI
     Spark it.
CHER
     Hey, Elton's over there. Act like Travis is saying something funny.
(Tai hands joint to Cher and blows smoke in her face.)
TAI
     Sorry.
(Tai starts cracking up.)
TRAVIS
     What's so funny?
TAI
     Nothing.
(Elton approaches and reaches behind Cher for the joint)
CHER
     Oh, here.
(Summer enters holding a card)
SUMMER
     Hey, everyone! Let's play suck and blow.
(The card passes through the group until Elton drops it (on purpose) and
plants one right on Cher's mouth)
CHER
     God, Elton. Can you suck?
(Dionne screams in the background)
     It's Dee. C'mon!
(Scene changes to the bathroom, where Murray is getting his head shaved)
DIONNE
     What have you done! Oh, my God! Uh! Why did you do this to your
     head?!
MURRAY
     Because I'm keeping it real. Because I'm keeping it real.
DIONNE
     What?!
MURRAY
     'Cause I'm keeping it... 'cause I'm keeping it real.
DIONNE (to Cher)
     Look! Look what he's done to his head! Can you believe this?
MURRAY
     Look at Lawrence's head. Alright?
LAWRENCE
     It's the bomb!
MURRAY
     You know what I'm sayin'? You look good.
LAWRENCE
     As will you.
DIONNE
     What'd you care what he thinks, Murray? I'm the one that has to look
     at you. That was a big mistake. What am I going to do with you now?
     And right before the year book pictures? What am I going to tell my
     grandchildren?
MURRAY
     Alright.
DIONNE
     You know what? Ok, that's it.
MURRAY (mimicking)
     That's it.
DIONNE
     You wanna play games?
MURRAY (mimicking agin)
     You wanna play games?
DIONNE
     I'm calling your mother.
MURRAY
     I'm... I'm ca... Oh, wait! Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no. No, wait.
     Don't call my Ma.
LAWRENCE
     Yo, man. Chill, chill!
MURRAY
     Chill?!
(Cher and Tai start walking away)
CHER
     Same thing happened at the spring dance. She spent the entire
     after-party in the bathroom.
TAI
     See, that almost destroyed by buzz.
CHER
     I'm still baked.
TAI
     Yeah.
(Back to the dance floor.)
"Rollin' With My Homies" Coolio
CHER
     What do ya say, we go bump into people?
TAI
     Yeah, I'm cool with that.
TRAVIS (from on the fireplace)
     Hey, Tai! Wait up! Whooh!
(Travis jumps onto the crowd. No one keeps him up and he hits the deck.)
TAI
     Are you OK?
TRAVIS (to dancers)
     Where's your sense of pit hospitality?
TAI
     That was so cool, the way you did that. I wish I could do it.
TRAVIS
     Oh, no, don't.
TAI
     Why not?
TRAVIS
     Well, 'cause if girls did it, what would guys do to impress them?
TAI
     I don't know, like stuff. You know?
TRAVIS
     What kind of stuff?
(Cher spots Travis tuning Tai and butts in to stop it)
CHER
     Tai, I need you.
TAI
     OK.
CHER
     Elton's over there.
(The girls start dancing. As Tai is trying to impress Elton she is hit in
the head by a flying Clog)
CHER
     Tai! Tai, Elton, help me!
(Elton carries Tai into the kitchen and places her on the counter)
CHER
     Thank you.
TRAVIS
     Here, you should use ice.
CHER
     No, Travis! We've got it under control.
TRAVIS
     Tai, are you OK?
CHER
     Travis, Tai would have wanted you to enjoy the party.
CHER
     If it's a concussion, you have to keep her concious, OK? Ask her
     questions.
ELTON
     What's seven times seven?
CHER
     Stuff she knows!
(Tai sits up and hits her head on the light.)
ELTON
     Some bump you've got there.
TAI
     Yeah.
ELTON
     Yeah? You ready to go back out there?
TAI
     Yeah, I am.
ELTON
     Alright. Are you sure? Can you do this? (Singing) Rollin' with the
     homies.
TAI
     (Singing) Rollin' with the homies.
 ELTON
     Yeah, let's do it. You're ready.
(Elton and Tai go back to the dance floor.)
CHER V.O.
     I had to give myself snaps for all the good deeds I was doing. It
     was so great. Love was everywhere. Even though I was alone, I was
     really happy for Tai. It's like that book I read in ninth grade that
     said, "'tis a far, far better thing doing stuff for other people."
(Scene changed to outside by the pool. Cher's phone rings.)
CHER
     Hello?
MEL
     Do you know what time it is?
CHER
     A watch really doesn't go with this outfit, Daddy.
MEL
     Where are you?
CHER
     Uuhh, just having a snack with my girlfriends.
MEL
     Where, in Kuwait?!
CHER
     Is that in the Valley?
MEL
     Cher, I expect you to walk in this door in twenty minutes.
CHER
     Well, um, it might take longer than that, Dad.
MEL
     Everywhere in L.A. takes twenty minutes.
(Cher hangs up the phone.)
(Scene changes to outside front of party house.)
CHER
     Sorry to make you leave, Dionne is bucking for best dramatic actress
     at a Val party.
(Tai laughs.)
CHER
     Hey, Summer!
SUMMER
     Hi! Pretty random fiesta. Need a ride home?
CHER
     That'd be great! Thanks!
ELTON
     No, I got it.
SUMMER
     Well, I'm right below Wilshire and Lindon.
TAI
     Oh, that's right near me! I'm, um, above Olympic.
ELTON
     Great! Then, Tai you'll go with Summer, and Cher you'll come with
     me.
CHER
     Actually, you could take Wilshire to Cannon and that turns into
     Bennedict.
ELTON
     Well, then she'd have to go back south and I'm already going north.
CHER
     But, you could take Tai on your way up to Sunset. Yeah.
ELTON
     That doesn't make any sense! I'd have to get off the freeway, I hate
     that. Tai, go with Summer, Cher, you'll come with me. Watch your
     feet.
(Each get into respective cars and wave each other goodbye.)