WILL'S VOICEOVER: New Rawley. For me, it's home. It's an okay place to grow up, but as far as options it's kinda limited.

(Cut to views of Rawley Academy)

WILL'S VO: Rawley Academy: the billionaire boys' club across town. Where summer session begins this week, on about 100 acres of rolling hills. And get this: it's high school -- without parents. For those who attend, the future can be, well, anything.

(Close on Will, sitting under a tree and writing.)

WILL'S VO: And now, maybe for me too.

(Cut to Scout Calhoun riding his bike. He goes to the local gas station and gets 2 cokes, then comes out to where Bella Banks is washing an old truck.)

SCOUT: Hi.

BELLA: What, you need directions? Oh, the way to Rawley, right? Let's see. It's right up the road. Just follow your nose. It smells just like money.

SCOUT: Okay. Actually, I um, I just wanted to pay for these.

(They smile at each other. Instant attraction.)

BELLA: They're on the house.

(She leans down to the bucket of water, and Scout leaves one coke on the hood of the truck. She picks it up and takes a drink, as Scout rides by on his bike, lifting his bottle in a toast to her.)

(Cut to Rawley Academy, where Will is being dropped off by his parents. Will hesitates, looking at his mother.)

MR KRUDSKI: What do you want, an escort? (Will gets out of the car.)

MRS KRUDSKI: Do you know how proud I am of you Baby? Just think about the good stuff.

MR KRUDSKI: All right. We're outta here. You better hope this works out for you.

(The truck pulls away, revealing Scout kneeling by his bicycle)

SCOUT: Hey. How ya doin? Scout Calhoun.

WILL: Will. Krudski.

SCOUT: Hey, we're roommates.

WILL: Really?

SCOUT: Yeah. Come on. Yeah. (they walk into the dorm) You have trouble finding the place?

WILL: No. You?

SCOUT: Nah.

WILL: Where's your stuff?

SCOUT: Oh, it's already inside.

(Cut to Hamilton Flemming, taking pictures from his window. He focuses on a group of attractive girls.)

HAMILTON: Hello Rawley Academy for Girls… (A sound catches his attention, and he turns the camera on a motorcycle driving off the road and into the woods. The rider pulls off a helmet, revealing Jake Pratt.) Nice bike.

(Cut to Will and Scout's dorm room.)

WILL: Cool room.

SCOUT: It's not exactly The Waldorf but, uh…

WILL: The what?

SCOUT: You know what? Why don't you take the bed by the window? (Will hesitates.) I'm gonna flip you for it after Christmas break.

WILL: Cool. Thanks.

SCOUT: So, uh, where you from?

WILL: Uh, the other side of town. Think scholarship.

SCOUT: Impressive.

WILL: Not really. I'm this year's charity case. You?

SCOUT: Um, Greenwich. It's a couple hours from here.

(Hamilton enters the room.)

HAMILTON: You guys scored. This room is perfectly Feng Shui.

WILL: Funk what?

HAMILTON: Feng Shui. It's the Chinese art of placement. The doors face east, windows face north. I mean if you're into that kind of stuff. Hamilton. Flemming.

SCOUT: Scout Calhoun.

WILL: Uh, Will. Krudski. (they all shake hands.)

SCOUT: Where's your room?

HAMILTON: Next to the Dean and his wife aka Mom and Dad. Don't worry, I'm not a narc or anything.

(A noise outside gets their attention, and the three of them look out window and see guys in various states of undress running out of the dorm down to the lake.)

WILL: Now this wasn't in the brochure.

HAMILTON: This is good ol' Rawley right of passage. (Indicating all the boys running out of the building) Boys' school. (a group of girls in a similar state of undress come running from the other side of the lawn) The Girls' school: Wet t-shirts.

SCOUT: Gotta love tradition.

HAMILTON: I suppose we go join 'em. Come on. Let's go!

SCOUT: Come on. Coming?

WILL: Are you serious?

SCOUT: Yeah!

(They join the group of students running across the lawn, shedding their shirts and pants as they go, and jumping in the water.)

SCOUT: Oh man. I think I'm gonna love this place.

(Seniors rush up to Will and Scout, picking them up and carrying them off.)

Scout: No. No. Oh, come on!

(Fade out on Will, Scout, and other new students being carried off.)

(Fade in on the students all being dumped on the Town Square a short time later. Will and Scout rip off their blindfolds, finding themselves in the middle of New Rawley. In their underwear. The seniors pile into a car and drive off, obviously very pleased with themselves.)

SENIORS: Let's go! Awoo! Awwo! Newbie, newbie, show your booties baby! All right! Let's go! Go go go go go! Whoo hooo!

(Townspeople stare at them and laugh.)

WILL: Damn seniors.

SCOUT: This is the public humiliation part.

WILL: You're humiliated? I live here. I mean, I know these people.

(They walk across the Town Square, toward the gas station, where Bella watches them approach, looking very amused by the whole situation.)

BELLA: Willy Krudski?

WILL: What's up, Bella?

BELLA: You're going to Rawley now?

WILL: No, I'm just out here, ya know, doing my Marky Mark imitation.

BELLA: I'm sure your mother would love to see that one. Should I, uh run over to the Beauty Parlor and get her?

WILL: All right Pump Girl, how about a ride back to school?

BELLA: Why don't you just use your friend's cell phone and call a cab?

SCOUT: I don't have a cell phone.

BELLA: And your Beamer's in the Garage?

SCOUT: What makes you think I have a Beamer?

BELLA: You look dumb and rich.

SCOUT: Actually, I'm smart and poor.

BELLA: Afraid not. That's our act.

SCOUT: It's a tough one to follow. (Bella and Scout just stare at each other, until Will breaks the moment and slaps Will on the shoulder.)

WILL: Come on Romeo. I know a short cut.

(Cut to the woods, as Will and Scout walk back to school)

SCOUT: That girl. I've gotta get to know her. Have you guys ever…

WILL: Please, I've like known her forever. Besides, I was too busy lusting after the school nurse.

SCOUT: Hot huh?

WILL: Not really. She weighed about 300 pounds.

SCOUT: Scared of that.

WILL: Yeah. Something about that uniform. Your turn: the most hardcore thing you've ever done?

SCOUT: Ah, let's see. (chuckles) Last summer, I took my dad's '64 Jag for a ride, right? Sideswiped a tree, set it on fire, and told him it was stolen. He collected the insurance money and replaced it. Check.

WILL: Okay. I got one. I was nine. My friend and I were reading porno mags and smoking butts and we burned my parents' garage -- to the ground. We didn't have insurance and we didn't get a new one. My dad broke my nose.

SCOUT: Geez. Hey, I got one. This is a big one. I can't believe I'm telling you this. Uh, hey, don't tell anyone, all right? I had sex with my, my mothers' best friend last summer in Saint Tropez.

WILL: Cool!

SCOUT: No, she got pregnant, had the kid, I'm a father. My parents don't know.

WILL: Wow. Are you serious? (Scout keeps walking. Will stops, about to reveal something really big.) Scout. I cheated on the entrance exam. I bought it online.

SCOUT: (shocked) Will, the baby thing. It was a joke. The garage. I thought you were kidding.

WILL: (lying) I, I was kidding. Why the hell did you do that?

SCOUT: I'm not gonna tell anyone all right? I wouldn't do that.

WILL: Well I hope so. I mean look, I didn't have choice. I had to get out of that house. I had to get away from my dad. Somebody was gonna get hurt and it wasn't gonna be me. God, look I feel so stupid. Ya know, I shouldn't even have told you!

SCOUT: Will, hey, hey, all right, don't even think about it. I am not gonna tell anyone. All right? To the grave. I swear.

(Cut to the lake. The guys of Rawley Academy are gathered on the docks waiting for their teacher. Hamilton approaches Jake.)

HAMILTON: That's a cool bike. Ya know, students aren't allowed to have motorcycles.

JAKE: Yeah, students aren't allowed to do a lot of things. Hasn't stopped me yet.

HAMILTON: You keep riding around on that hog, and I guarantee you someone here will, unless you've got an ally. Someone with connections high up, someone who might like to take a ride on that bike sometime. I'm like a Swiss vault. I can keep a secret.

JAKE: Can you?

(Finn walks up to the group)

FINN: Afternoon Gentlemen. My name is Finn. No Mr. is necessary. (He walks in to the water. The students react in surprise.) What? It's time to throw convention out the window. Get ready for the greatest summer of your lives. (a beat) Well, is anyone gonna get in the boat?

SCOUT: Let's do it.

(Time lapse. Cut to them rowing across the lake.)

FINN: Question: Who's the greatest writer that ever lived? (no response) Who's the greatest writer that ever lived?!

WILL: Faulkner!

FINN: Interesting. Thoughtful. But wrong! The correct answer is William Shakespeare. He is my favorite. Remember, I am not just here to teach you how to be a kick-ass crew team, but to edify you about the superstars of literature, like Faulkner, like Shakespeare, and Hemingway, and Steinbeck. Those guys had passion. Let me tell you a little secret about passion. It doesn't come from here (he points to his head), and it doesn't come from here (points to his heart). It comes from right here (grabs his crotch)! I expect you to know these things Mr. Krudski, if you're going to live up to those impressive test scores: third highest in Rawley history. I admire those who aim their arrows high.

JAKE: (acting as coxswain) Hey, Two Man, you're going into the water too early!

(The boys are distracted by a group of girls in their swimsuits, calling to them from the shore.)

RAWLEY GIRLS: Hi guys!

FINN: Your heads should be in the boat boys. Keep that up, you'll be catching a crab.

(Time lapse. Everyone sits in the boat, drifting.)

FINN: Listen very closely Gentlemen. Tell me what you hear.

HAMILTON: Birds.

SCOUT: Waves?

FINN: What else?

JAKE: Wind?

FINN: Beneath that.

HAMILTON: Pond scum.

FINN: Older than that.

WILL: History.

FINN: Keep going Mr. Krudski. What do you mean by history?

WILL: I mean this whole lake has a history, for the town and even for the school.

FINN: It certainly does.

WILL: When I was a little kid, right up there on that bank, the town had a 4th of July picnic. Whole bunch of locals got food poisoning from a blueberry pie-eating contest. Got sick all over the whole dock. Everyone said the whole lake had turned purple.

FINN: Charming.

WILL: What I'm saying is, I've been coming here forever. My mom taught me to swim here.

SCOUT: Yeah, my dad crewed here.

FINN: Probably in that very boat. You know how many guys have sat right where you're sitting? Don't think for a minute anyone one of them wouldn't trade their seat on the New York Stock Exchange to be 15 again, have all their dreams intact and the possibilities of the universe at their fingertips. The sound you should be hearing is opportunity. So make the most of it. Exceed expectations. Alright everyone, out of the boat. (No one moves) Come on. Out. Out! This is the swimming portion of our summer curriculum. For those of you who do not know how to swim, I suggest you pay particular attention.

JAKE: Man, what a wanker.

WILL: Here goes nothing. (he dives in)

HAMILTON: Thanks a lot Finn. (he dives in)

WILL: Come on, it's nice.

(Shots of all of them jumping out of the boat, swimming together.)

(Cut to Will and Scout's bedroom, night. Will and Scout are laying in their beds.)

SCOUT: Will, I can't get Bella out of my head. Will. (no response)

(Finn walks into the hallway, and notices a light in the hallway sputtering. He walks to outside Scout and Will's room, studying the light.)

SCOUT: Will. Buddy, you're not helping me here. Come on. I need more. Earth to Will.

WILL: Sorry. If I would have known Finn was gonna make such a big deal about my test score, I would have bought a cheaper one. (Reaction on Finn's face, as he overhears this)

SCOUT: Well, you need to figure out how -- I mean if it bothers you this much then you should just --

WILL: What? Go tell Finn I cheated? Get thrown out, then go home? Newsflash: I don't have one. My dad made that real clear. (Intercut with shots of Finn listening)

SCOUT: That's not what I'm saying. Look, I mean if you can't learn to live with it and it's really gonna bother you, let's just figure out a way for you to fix it.

(Will just shakes his head and sighs. Fade out on Finn's expression, absorbing what he just heard.)

(Fade in to Jake's dorm room. Jake sits typing on a computer, Hamilton walks in)

HAMILTON: Hey.

JAKE: Feel free to barge right in.

HAMILTON: Sorry. So, you find a place to stash your bike?

JAKE: Well, after six schools you get a handle on these things.

HAMILTON: Wow. Parents move a lot?

JAKE: Nope.

HAMILTON: Oh, so why would you keep switching?

JAKE: Waiting for someone to notice.

HAMILTON: They don't know?

JAKE: Nope. Get inside my mom's email account, send a letter as her, and her attorney wires the money wherever I say. The wonders of the digital age.

HAMILTON: So, that's how you scammed the single room?

JAKE: Scammed the single room? You should see what happens when I hack into your dad's database.

(Cut to a group of students receiving their school I.D.'s)

WILL: (studying the school crest and motto) Wow. Veritas Est Virtus.

GUY: Hmm. Truth and Virtue.

WILL: Actually, it's uh, Truth is Virtue.

GUY: Whatever.

(Cut to Hamilton and Jake walking down the stairs, talking.)

HAMILTON: Wait a minute. You actually hacked into NASA? That is so WarGames.

JAKE: Yeah, but you can only stay on for 30 seconds.

HAMILTON: (pulling off Jake's hat) Cool cap. Smells good. I didn't mean --

JAKE: It's okay.

HAMILTON: No, I meant --

JAKE: Whatever.

HAMILTON: NO, I just --

JAKE: It's cool.

(Cut to the gas station, where Bella is working. Scout rides up on his bike, and she comes outside.)

BELLA: Hi.

SCOUT: Hi.

BELLA: So, do, you um, live in a 14-room mansion like the Fresh Prince of Bel Air?

SCOUT: No, it's like a 40-room mansion like Billy Madison.

BELLA: Tell me your kidding.

SCOUT: Okay. Can you take a break?

BELLA: I'm working.

SCOUT: I'll wait.

BELLA: Give me a minute.

(Cut to Bella and Scout riding down a dirt road, Bella sitting on the handlebars of Scout's bike)

SCOUT: I never wanted to go to Rawley because I always thought my dad would force me to, but then he said, 'Ya know, Scout, you can choose your own path,' and of course this is where I wanna be.

BELLA: Oh, you're such a rebel without a cause.

SCOUT: Why should I be the first Calhoun to break tradition? Just so my dad wouldn't feel guilty about pigeon holing me just like his father did to him?

BELLA: Calhoun? As in Calhoun Hall?

SCOUT: Maybe.

BELLA: Tough Pigeon Hole.

SCOUT: So, um, moving on, what about you? You work for your mom and dad at the gas station?

BELLA: Actually, my mom left about 10 years ago.

SCOUT: I'm sorry.

BELLA: No, no, no. It's okay. Um, I mean it was hard. It was especially hard for my dad but, um, he has me and he has my sister Grace, and Gracie looks so much like my mom. She kinda acts like her too.

SCOUT: And you're more like your dad?

BELLA: Um, he's , he's actually not my real dad. Well actually, well um, I mean he's my real dad to me. See, my mom had this big affair and, uh, I'm not really supposed to know about it. You know, big family secret. I never really broached the subject 'cause I don't wanna freak him out, but as far as I'm concerned he's my dad. Pardon my over-revealing nature. It's all so very 20th century.

SCOUT: Oh, Is it really?

BELLA: Yeah.

SCOUT: Yeah?

BELLA: Huge soap opera.

(Cut to Bella and Scout sitting together under a tree, talking)

BELLA: Leaves off a tree.

SCOUT: Um, 6 months. Ice cubes. Water to freezing.

BELLA: That's a good one. I don't know. Like 30 minutes?

SCOUT: Approximately. Hurt feelings not hurt anymore.

BELLA: That is like so relative. And what would you know about hurt feelings anyway Master Scout? You're like this Fresh Prince of South Hampton kind of guy who I'm sure always gets what he wants.

SCOUT: I have no clue what I want.

BELLA: (coy) Well maybe you should start thinking about wanting something.

SCOUT: Oh, I am. I...

BELLA: Uh, you're getting that "I'm gonna do something to you" kinda look.

SCOUT: I am.

BELLA: Yes. You are.

SCOUT: No, I mean like, I am. Like, I'm gonna. Like get ready it's coming because I have been waiting for days and I think if I have to wait another second that --

BELLA: Just shut up. (they kiss)

(Cut to the school hall. Will stops, staring at the school crest painted on the wall: Veritas Est Virtus. Finn sees him and walks over.)

FINN: Mr. Krudski.

WILL: Hey.

FINN: Hey. Ever heard of Hobbes?

WILL: As in "Calvin and" or the philosopher?

FINN: Very good. Do you know what his philosophy was?

WILL: No.

FINN: It was that there's an inherent social contract of which honesty is the foundation.

WILL: Okay.

FINN: I'm on to you.

WILL: Meaning what?

FINN: Meaning you cheated.

WILL: Look, I didn't have a choice!

FINN: You've got nothing but choices.

WILL: God, Please don't do this to me. I've never gotten a break. You've gotta understand. Please.

FINN: Who do you think you're talking to? Not only did you cheat, but you stole a seat from a student who deserves it.

WILL: So what are you gonna do?

FINN: You need to be thinking about what you're gonna do.

(Cut to Bella's garage, night. Bella is working on the old truck, Scout approaches. A radio plays in the background.)

SCOUT: Love that truck.

BELLA: I have this totally delusional fantasy that my dad's gonna give it to me when I'm 18. You stalking me?

SCOUT: I couldn't decide between obsessive compulsive or cool and disinterested.

BELLA: I always thought cool and disinterested was over-rated.

SCOUT: Okay. Shall we dance?

BELLA: You're kidding right?

SCOUT: I never kid about anything as serious as dancing.

(She takes his hand. They start dancing.)

SCOUT: What is --. Whoa, whoa, whoa. I'm ticklish, girl.

BELLA: Are you?

SCOUT: Yeah, there.

BELLA: Ha ha ha.

SCOUT: Oh, watch out!

(He dips her. Someone comes up behind them, and they stop abruptly. It's Mr. Banks.)

BELLA: Hi Daddy, this is Scout. I told you about him.

SCOUT: How you doin' Mr. Banks? Scout. Calhoun. (they shake hands)

MR BANKS: Nice to meet you, Scout Calhoun. Bella, time to lock up.

BELLA: See you when I see you. (She walks away.)

MR BANKS: I don't think it's a good idea for you to come around here anymore.

(Cut to Jake's dorm room. Jake is seen undressing for bed, and is revealed to be a girl. Fade out on Jake lying on her bed in a bra and panties, smiling.)

(Fade in on the dock, daytime, where Bella and Scout are sitting and talking)

BELLA: It's not that he doesn't like you, Scout. He just doesn't like Rawley guys.

SCOUT: Why not?

BELLA: He thinks guys like you use girls like me, for sex.

SCOUT: That's so stupid. I mean I --

BELLA: So you don't wanna have sex with me?

SCOUT: (laughs) Is that a trick question? (Bella laughs, and looks away.) What are you thinking?

BELLA: You so don't wanna know what I'm thinking right now.

SCOUT: Yes, I do.

BELLA: No, you really don't.

SCOUT: I really do. Come on.

BELLA: Okay, I was thinking, is the guy I'm gonna spend the rest of my life with? (she laughs in embarrassment) Oh my God! I can't believe I just said that!

SCOUT: No, I love that. That is awesome. I love that you said that.

BELLA: I am so humiliated. I've known you for all of what 5 minutes and now I sound like someone out of a Jane Austen novel.

SCOUT: Are you kidding? You are so brave, because I would never tell you what I was thinking.

BELLA: Well, you don't have to tell me what you're thinking.

SCOUT: No?

BELLA: I already know.

(She scrambles to her feet, and starts running down the dock. Scout chases after her)

SCOUT: Oh you better run!

BELLA: You better run!

SCOUT: You think you're fast, huh, huh?

BELLA: We'll see!

(Cut to exterior at Rawley Academy, night. Will walks through a courtyard, and Scout comes up to him)

SCOUT: Will, where you going?

WILL: Study Hall.

SCOUT: Well, I've had a newsworthy day. I am in love with Bella Banks!

WILL: Just shut up.

SCOUT: What?

WILL: You told Finn.

SCOUT: Told Finn what?

WILL: You just had to go and fix this for me didn't you? Isn't that what you said? Fix it or live with it?

SCOUT: Will, I did not tell Finn that.

WILL: I don't have anywhere else to go Scout. I mean I can't go home.

SCOUT: I did not say anything to him.

WILL: I have a hard time believing that since you were the only one who knew!

SCOUT: I wouldn't do that to you Will. I wouldn't do it!

WILL: Well, he knows. He told me after practice.

SCOUT: Fine, fine, he told you after practice! I'll go to him.

WILL: No you won't! Just stay out of it.

(Cut to the roof of the dorms, day. Hamilton and Jake come out, carrying electronic equipment)

HAMILTON: The problem is, like there's total miscommunication between guys and girls. When a girl says, "I really, really like you," what she means is, "I'm ready for a commitment, are you?" but when a guy says, "I really, really like you," what he means is, "I wanna have sex with you."

JAKE: Well, it sounds like you have a lot of experience in this area.

HAMILTON: Hacking into this satellite feed is gonna be great. I mean it'll be like 20 times faster than 56K.

(Jake fusses with the wires to the satellite dish, then spins around when she hears a noise, and is startled to see Hamilton casually urinating against the wall)

JAKE: What are you doing?!

HAMILTON: I gotta pee. (Jake sneaks a peek) See, when a girl says, "What are you doing this weekend?" what she means is, "I want you to hang out with me instead of your friends," but when a guy says, "What are you doing this weekend?" what he means is, "I wanna have sex with you." And also when a girl says, "I need to know where this relationship is going," what she means is, ' I'm hopelessly in love and I pray that you are too,' but when a guy says, "I need to know where this relationship is going," what he means is…

HAMILTON AND JAKE: I wanna have sex with you!

HAMILTON: Right.

JAKE: Yeah, right.

(Jake kisses Hamilton, then backs away, both of them in shock)

JAKE: Oh God, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Oh God, I'm sorry. (Jake runs off)

(Cut to shots of crew practice.)

(Cut to interior, Rawley Academy. Scout sits in a chair by a window, typing on a laptop. Will comes out a door into the hallway, starts to go the other way, then turns and goes to talk to Scout.)

WILL: Hey.

SCOUT: You speaking to me?

WILL: I, uh, look, I accused you of something and, you know, I'm not sure that was right.

SCOUT: Will, I didn't tell him. I really didn't.

WILL: Let me finish. It's just, it's not just that. I've always wanted to be here. This school, Rawley, be one of you. For you guys, anything is possible.

SCOUT: Has he said anything else to you?

WILL: No.

SCOUT: Maybe he'll just forget about it. If he was gonna do something, he would've already done it.

WILL: No, the ball's in my court. He's made that pretty clear.

SCOUT: What are you gonna do?

WILL: Leave. I don't belong here. I wish I did, but --

SCOUT: Will, nobody belongs anywhere. It's in your head. Look, your grades were good enough to get you a scholarship. Why can't you believe you weren't good enough to get in here without cheating?

WILL: Because I'm not.

SCOUT: I think you are.

(Cut to the garage. Scout waits nervously in the office, and Mr. Banks walks in.)

SCOUT: Hi, uh, listen, I know you don't like Rawley guys, but I'm a really good guy, ya know? And there's no doubt in my mind, Mr. Banks, that if you would just get to know me that you would like me too, and we, we wanna be together, and it is so --

MR BANKS: Scout, sit down. I wanna talk to you. Bella thinks that I don't like Rawley guys, but that's not true. A lot of great guys go to Rawley. Your father went there.

SCOUT: Yeah he did.

MR BANKS: See, Bella's mom, Donna, and I were born here. And it's hard growing up in this town, struggling. Those guys seem to have everything you think you want. Sometimes the two sides do get together. But, the results can be upsetting.

SCOUT: You mean me and Bella?

MR BANKS: No, Scout. I mean Bella's mom and your dad. (Scout finally understands what Mr. Banks is telling him.) You can't be with Bella.

(Scout runs out, upset. As he passes Bella, she grabs him and kisses him, before he yanks away sharply.)

BELLA: Hi.

SCOUT: Hey. I gotta go.

BELLA: You just got here!

SCOUT: No. No!

BELLA: What's wrong? Scout!

(Fade out on Bella, watching in confusion as Scout leaves.)

(Fade in to interior, Rawley Academy classroom. Will approaches Finn.)

FINN: Mr. Krudski. Classes are over
.
WILL: I know what I'm gonna do. Everything depended on this test. I thought to myself, why leave it to chance? What if I failed? My whole life has been about limitations. What I can't have, what I can't do, and I bought into that. Let me take the test again.

FINN: I think you miss the point.

WILL: Please. I wanna know if I could have done it. Then, if you wanna throw me out, just do it.

FINN: You wanna take the test again? Fine. But more importantly, I want an essay. No less than 300 words. Telling me what you have to say. Who are you, Mr. Krudski? You have 90 minutes.

(Montage of Will sitting and writing, Finn walking and reading the essay, and various scenes from the episode)

WILL'S VOICEOVER: You asked me to write an essay telling you what I have to say, and what I realized is that I've been ordered to listen from the moment I was born, but now I know it's my time to speak. What I figured out is that I've always seen myself as others have seen me. This poor kid, this smart kid, this dreamer who doesn't have a chance. I've known the comfort of my mother's arms and the violence of my father's disappointment. But everyone encounters obstacles. The trick is to discover the opportunities within them. I've learned that every day we create who we are by what we do and what we think and how we behave, so now that it's my time to speak, I just hope I have something to say. And I'm gonna set my expectations high, and one day I'll exceed them.

(Cut to interior of Jake's dorm room. Hamilton enters.)

HAMILTON: Listen, I wanna say --

JAKE: That wasn't what you thought!

HAMILTON: I don't know where you're coming from but --

JAKE: I can explain!

HAMILTON: No, don't explain. Let's just not even --

JAKE: Talk about it!

HAMILTON: Yeah, let's just --

JAKE: Forget about it!

HAMILTON: Yeah, let's do that.

JAKE: (offering her hand) Friends?

HAMILTON: Yeah, friends. (they shake hands) No question. No question. (They realize the handshake has been going on a little too long, and both pull away) You da man!

JAKE: Yup! Okay! I'm da man! (Hamilton leaves) Oh my God. I'm da man.

HAMILTON: (to himself) Oh my God, I think I'm a gay.

(Cut to interior, Rawley Academy. Will is sitting and reading, Finn approaches)

FINN: Mr. Krudski. I have good news and bad. Good news is, you passed the test.

WILL: Bad is, is you're tossing me out.

FINN: No. The bad is, after reading you essay, I think you're a writer.

(Will absorbs this for a moment, smiling, as Finn leaves. Then Will jumps up, unable to contain his excitement.)

WILL: God! Yeah! Scout!

(Cut to the river, Scout stands and stares out at the water, miserable. Bella approaches, hesitates, and then walks up to him. Neither of them know what to say.)

SCOUT: Hey.

BELLA: Hi. (an awkward pause) I, um, I guess good looks run in the family.

SCOUT: That is not funny.

BELLA: Who's laughing?

(A pause)

SCOUT: I can't stop thinking about you.

BELLA: Me, too.

SCOUT: So, now what?

BELLA: I don't know. I don't know, friends?

SCOUT: Just like that?

BELLA: Well, I don't know what else to do, Scout. It's so out of our hands. I just --. I don't know. I don't.

(A long pause. And then... )

SCOUT: I thought of a good one the other day. It was um, bell bottoms to straight leg and back to bells again.

BELLA: Oh, um, 30 years?

SCOUT: Maybe.

BELLA: Civilization?

SCOUT: Uh, 500 years.

BELLA: Overcoming the loss of a true love?

(He doesn't have an answer. They just stare at each other, trying to figure out how to adjust to what they now know. Then Will runs up to them.)

WILL: Scout! I did it!

BELLA: Did what?

WILL: I passed the test!

SCOUT: Of course you did. I knew you'd pass the test.

BELLA: You know, you'd better. You know, you're representing New Rawley up here now.

WILL: God, I can't believe it! I used to sit across at that dock over there and I used to look over here at the perfect lawns, the perfect building, the perfect people, the perfect life! I swear, I just wanted to be a part of something that wasn't meant for me!

(Will walks into the river)

BELLA: What are you doing, Krudski?

WILL: Throwing convention out the window and I'm exceeding expectations!

(Bella and Scout stare at each other for another long moment, then the two of them run after Will, and the three of them frolic in the water together.)

(Cut to a shot of Will, Bella and Scout, sitting together at the end of the dock)

WILL'S VOICEOVER: And so, our adventure begins. We find our heroes, and we uncover our fears, and sometimes, we triumph.

(Fade Out. The End.)