Boy Wonder

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In Chapter 17 of FRANKENSTEIN IN LOVE, Frankie Stein discovers his 'date,' dead cheerleader Shayla Petrie has escaped. Meanwhile, the cops tell the principal at his school that he's now a suspect in her disappearance, and when Frankie's childhood love Vita Heck finds out, she calls him to let him know, with disastrous results ...


INT. BENNY’S RESTAURANT - DAY
Frankie RACES over their booth.
Sees Shayla’s not there.

FRANKIE
Shit.

He DASHES toward the back.

INT. LADIES’ ROOM - DAY
The door FLIES OPEN.
Frankie charges in.

Sees it’s empty.
Then sees her wig on the floor.

FRANKIE
Shayla --

INT. HIGH SCHOOL - PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE - DAY
Functional furniture. Persian rug. Fake plants.
Picture of George Bush on the wall.

Would be almost nice if it
wasn’t for the painted brick walls
done in a pukey sherbet color.

Seated at his desk is PRINCIPAL BACON (50’s),
a large bear of a man.

Florid-faced, balding, and stuffed into
a threadbare suit that was
once the rage in the eighties.

Beck and Chet sit in chairs facing him.

BECK
Thanks for seeing us.

CHET
First time I asked to
go the principal’s office --

PRINCIPAL BACON
Don’t worry, I’m not going to
give you detention --
(SLAPS desk)
But enough tomfoolery.
You didn’t come here
to trade quips and banter.
I assume you have a suspect?

BECK
Yes, we do. One of your students --

CHET
Frankie Stein, a sophomore.

PRINCIPAL BACON
Frankie Stein?
But he’s one of our best students.
He got into MIT, early admission --

BECK
We believe that
Shayla Petrie’s disappearance
has something to do with
some research he was doing.

CHET
We’d like you to ask him
to come to your office.
We’ll take it from there.

PRINCIPAL BACON
Are you going to arrest him?

CHET
We just want to
ask him a few questions.

BECK
Given the hysteria
over Shayla’s disappearance,
we need to handle this quietly.
We don’t want the students
to know what’s going on.

PRINCIPAL BACON
Do you fear for his safety?

CHET
'Missing cheerleader?'

PRINCIPAL BACON
(nods)
Indeed.
(picks up his phone)
Ruth, could you please find out
what class Frankie Stein is in,
and get word to the teacher
that I would like to see him?
(listens)
No. Don’t use the PA.
Use some discretion, please.
(listens)
Thank you.
(hangs up, to them)
He should be here soon.

Beck and Chet nod.
Fidget awkwardly.
Look around the room.

BECK
Uh -- so how about that George Bush?

INT. HIGH SCHOOL - FRONT OFFICE - DAY
The typical school office with ancient furniture.
And what’s that? A mimeograph machine?

Seated behind her desk is RUTH (60’s),
Miss Grundy incarnate.

She studies a schedule.
Gets up from her desk.
Walks toward the door.

EXT. CLASSROOM DOORWAY - DAY
Ruth whispers to the TEACHER (20’s),
a hot young thing.

Her eyes grow wide.
Shakes her head ‘no.’

RUTH
Returns to her desk. Sits.
Turns on the PA system.
Leans into the microphone.

INT. SCHOOL CORRIDOR - DAY
Empty. Ruth’s voice
comes over the loudspeakers.

RUTH (O.C.)
(electronic)
Will Frankie Stein please report
to the Principal’s office?
Frankie Stein, please report
to the Principal’s office.

CHET AND BECK
Sit in their chairs.
WHIP their heads toward the speaker.

BECK
What the fuck?

CHET
Great. Just great --

PRINCIPAL BACON
Fucking old CROW.
(clears his throat)
Excuse me --

INT. SCHOOL CLASSROOM - DAY
A room full of STUDENTS
sitting behind their desks.
They murmur to each other.

CAMERA finds Vita. Freaking out.

VITA
(raises her hand)
May I be excused, please?

INT. SCHOOL CORRIDOR - DAY
Vita hurries down the hall.
Pulls out her cell phone.

Passes the Principal’s office.
Stops. Looks in the window.

VITA
(whispers)
Cops --
She continues walking.
PUNCHES a number. Listens.

INTERCUT WITH:

EXT. BENNY’S RESTAURANT - BACK ALLEY - DAY
Frankie walks through the alley,
searching for Shayla.

FRANKIE
SHAYLA. Where are you? Come BACK.
I’m SORRY you don’t feel well,
I should have listened to you --
(looks, listens)
SHAYLA -- SHAYLA --

His phone RINGS.
He pulls it out. Listens.

FRANKIE
Hello?

VITA
Frankie, it’s Vita.
We got trouble.
The cops are in
the principal’s office.
They want to see you.

FRANKIE
I can’t talk now --

VITA
What are we gonna do?

FRANKIE
WE? What do you mean WE?

VITA
But I thought we were --

FRANKIE
I said I CAN’T TALK NOW.
I don’t have TIME for this.
Shayla’s MISSING,
and I’ve got FIND her.
GOODBYE.

He hangs up. Sighs.
Continues down the alley.

Vita stares at the phone.
Incensed. Heartbroken.
Starts MARCHING down the hall.

VITA
You just dumped the WRONG chick,
boy wonder --