It’s No Big Deal
By Asha Williams
Tiffany:
(holds a blue miniskirt up to herself) Does this make me look fat?
Stacy:
No way!
Quinn:
Not at all.
Sandi:
You should get it.
Tiffany:
(looks critically at the skirt and puts it back on the rack)
Stacy:
(holding up two purple and pink tank-tops) Ooooh, pink or purple? So many
choices…
Quinn:
Get the pink one; you can’t get away with purple these days.
Tiffany:
Why?
Quinn:
You don’t want to know.
Sandi:
(looks through racks of clothing and pulls out a pair of black Capri pants. She
holds them up to herself in front of the mirror.)
Stacy:
Wow, those pants look great Sandi. You should try them on!
Quinn:
Don’t they look a little small?
Sandi:
Are you saying I wouldn’t fit into these pants, Quinn? Do I look fat or
something?
Quinn:
No way! Try them on.
Sandi:
I think I will. (goes into changing room)
(Cut
to inside of a light purple changing room. Shot of only Sandi’s ankles as she
slips off her shoes and pants and puts the Capri pants on. Cut to a shot of her
from the belly button up. She is trying to get the Capri pants on, but they
don’t fit her. She grunts in frustration)
(Cut
to outside the changing room. An angry Sandi comes out in her normal clothes
and throws the Capri pants on the rack. Quinn grabs them when Sandi isn’t
looking and takes them into changing room.)
(A
couple minutes later, Quinn emerges from the changing room in the Capri pants, which
fit her perfectly)
Quinn:
They fit great! Why did you throw them away, Sandi?
Sandi:
(Doesn’t speak, but storms out of the store)
Quinn:
(turns to Tiffany and Stacy) What did I say?
Scene
Two
(That
night, at Sandi’s house. She is in the shower.)
(We
see the bathroom, outside the shower stall. The water suddenly stops and Sandi
comes out of the shower. We can only see her from the neck up. She grabs a long
orange robe and wraps it around herself.)
(Full
shot of the now covered Sandi. She is about to leave the bathroom, but she
hesitates and steps onto the scale. )
(Cut
to Sandi’s POV of the scale, which is digital. Before the numbers pop up, we
cut back to Sandi’s face. She suddenly gets a look of astonishment, which turns
to anger. )
(Cut
to living room, where Linda is doing paperwork, Tom [Sandi’s dad, not the other
Tom] is reading and Sam and Chris are sitting right in front of the TV,
watching something)
Sandi
OS: I’M FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!!!!!!!!!!
(Everyone
winces, but otherwise do nothing)
Scene
Three
(The
Next Day at school)
(The
Fashion Club is walking down the hall. Everyone is wearing their usual clothes,
except Sandi who is wearing long blue-jean overalls with a sweatshirt over them)
Sandi:
…I’m telling you, overalls are so going to take over once Capri pants go
out. And as the president of the Fashion Club, I thought I should stay one step
ahead.
Quinn:
well, why haven’t I heard about this already then? I read the same magazines
you do.
Sandi:
Oh, Quinn. You just have to have a sense for these things.
(Quinn
looks away, annoyed. Sandi breathes a sigh of relief.)
Scene
Four
(Cut
to after school, that day. Sandi gets home.)
Sandi:
(calls) Hello? Is anyone home?
(no
one answers. Sandi goes into the kitchen. On the table is a note)
Sandi:
(reading aloud) Dear Sandi, Your father’s at work, I have a meeting and Sam and
Chris are at a friend’s house. Don’t let the cat at your make-up table, help
yourself to some cookies I bought at the store yesterday. Mom. (sighs) Great,
cookies.
(Sandi
goes over to the cupboard and takes out the cookies)
Sandi:
I really shouldn’t have one; I am trying to lose weight. Oh well, I’ll
just have one. (takes one. She eats it quickly) Maybe just another (eats
another) Oh, I’ll start dieting tomorrow. (digs into the bag)
Scene
Five
(The
next morning, at breakfast. Tom is cooking pancakes from a batter when Sandi
enters in her bathrobe)
Tom:
Have a seat, have some pancakes! (hands her a plate with a stack of pancakes on
it) I bought your favourite brand!
Sandi:
(takes pancakes uneasily) Um, thanks daddy. (looks at the tempting pancakes,
[which look very tasty, I might add] ) (Thought VO) Oh well, I’ll start dieting
at lunch. (digs into pancakes)
Scene
Six
(Cut
to the cafeteria, later that day. The Fashion Club is in the lunch line. Sandi
is the last one. Each one takes a salad and wrinkles their nose at the pizza,
except Sandi. She takes a salad at stares a long time at the pizza.)
Sandi:
(Thought VO) Should I take some? It smells so good… (out loud) Just a small
piece, please.
(the
lunch lady plops a huge piece of pizza on her plate.)
Sandi:
(annoyed) Uh, thanks.
(The
Fashion Club takes their usual table. Quinn, Tiffany and Stacy start eating but
Sandi hesitates.)
(Close-up
of Sandi looking back and forth between the salad and the pizza. She looks at
her fellow Fashion Club members, who seem to be enjoying their salads then at a
table of regular kids who are eating pizza and laughing. She once again looks
back and forth between her salad and pizza. The Jeopardy music starts playing.
We go closer and closer up to her and she looks back and forth. Finally, when
we can only see her eyes, we go back to full view and the music stops. Sandi
slams her fists on the table and runs out of the room)
(The
Fashion Club looks astonished)
Quinn:
What did I do this time?
(Cut
to the bathroom. Sandi is standing in front of the mirror, panting from running
all the way there)
Sandi:
That’s it (pant) I’m never (pant) eating again. (pant)
(Montage
starts (I like montages). “All I Want” by Offspring begins to play (lyrics
below montage) Montage of the following scenes:
-Sandi
only taking salad at the lunch line
-Sandi
passing up cereal at breakfast for an apple
-Sandi
at the beach. She buys an ice cream cone and is about to eat it, when Quinn
walks by followed by about every boy on the beach. Sandi throws out the ice
cream cone
-Sandi
drinking something out of a small bottle, waiting for a moment, then heading
for the bathroom
-Sandi
weighing herself, sighing unhappily
-Sandi
at the dinner table, picking at something on her plate. When her parents turn
away, she slides half the contents of her place onto a napkin on her lap
-Sandi
exercising in her bedroom
-Sandi
at the dinner table. Same thing happens as last time, only now she slides all
the contents of her plate onto her lap.
-Sandi
looking at her now very skinny self in the mirror and sighing
-Sandi
taking nothing from the lunch line except for juice
-Sandi
passing up both an apple and cereal and having nothing for breakfast
-Sandi
weighing herself again. We see the numbers. She now weighs 90 lbs.
(end
montage and music)
(Here
are the lyrics to All I Want, in case you care. If you don’t care, just skip to
the next scene:
Day
after day your, home life's a wreck
The
powers that be, just breathe down your neck
You
get no respect, you get no relief
You've
gotta speak up, and yell out your peace!
(chorus)
So
back off your rules
And
back off your jive
Cause
I'm sick of not living to stay alive
Leave
me alone
I'm
not asking a lot
I
don't want to be controlled
That's
all I want
All
I want
All
I want
Yeah
yeah yeah yeah YEAH!
How
many times, is it gonna take
Till
someone around you hears what you say?
You
try being cool, you feel like a lie
You've
played by their rules, not it's their turn to try!
(chorus)
I
said it before
I'll
say it again
If
you could just listen then it might make sense
(chorus)
(Okay,
back to the story)
Act
Two, Scene One
(Cut
to gym class, two months later. The Fashion Club members are in their gym
uniforms. Sandi looks kind of haggard, extremely skinny and pale. Her clothes
look huge on her and she is shivering)
(a
soccer ball rolls up to Sandi. Tiredly, she gives it a pitiful little kick,
sending it about a foot away)
Stacy:
(concerned) Sandi, are you all right?
Tiffany:
(also concerned [for once]) Yeah, you, like, don’t look well.
Quinn:
Is everything all right?
Sandi:
(defensive) I’m fine.
Stacy:
Are you sure?
Sandi:
Yes! Just because I don’t want to, like, kick the dumb ball, does that mean I’m
sick or something?
Quinn:
No, I guess not.
(the
gym teacher comes over)
Ms.
Morris: What’s going on over here? Sandi, why didn’t you kick the ball? Are you
just here to stand around?
Sandi:
No, Ms. Morris.
Ms.
Morris: (looks skeptically at Sandi) are you all right? You look sick.
Sandi:
(angry) Why does everyone keep asking me that? I'm fine!
Ms.
Morris: Are you sure? Maybe I should let sit out.
Sandi:
I fi- (thinks for a minute) OK, I’ll go get changed (leaves to get changed)
Stacy:
You think she’ll be all right?
Quinn:
(stares after Sandi) I hope so.
(Thirty
minutes later, Quinn, Stacy and Tiffany walk to the changing room)
Stacy:
Where do you think Sandi is? She usually would have come to watch, at least.
Quinn:
Oh, she’s probably in the bathroom.
Tiffany:
Yeah, she's always looking for a bathroom.
(They
enter the changing room)
Quinn:
Sandi? You in here?
(They
walk to the next row of lockers. Stacy sees something off screen and gasps.
Quinn and Tiffany see it and gasp to.)
(Cut
to what they were looking at. We see Sandi, still in her gym clothes, sprawled
out on the wall)
Stacy:
(screams)
Tiffany:
Oh..my..God..
Quinn:
(rushes to Sandi) Sandi? Can you hear me? Sandi?
Stacy:
She’s dead! She’s dead! (starts to cry)
Quinn:
No, she’s not, she’s still breathing!
Tiffany:
It looks like she banged her head, or something.
Quinn:
There’s no bruise. Stacy, get Ms. Morris. Tell her to call an ambulance!
Stacy:
(continues to cry)
Quinn:
Move it!!!
(Stacy
runs to get the teacher)
Quinn:
I wonder what happened to her.
(Tiffany
shrugs)
Quinn:
I hope she’s all right, she hasn’t been looking too well lately.
(Suddenly,
Ms. Morris rushed back in with Stacy, who is still sobbing)
Ms.
Morris: Oh my God!
Tiffany:
That’s what I said.
Ms.
Morris: (ignores the comment) Tiffany, go call an ambulance. Tell them it looks
like she fainted.
(Tiffany
leaves)
Quinn:
Fainted?
Ms.
Morris; Yeah, that’s what it looks like. If she had banged her head, she’d be
bleeding or at least have a bruise. She doesn’t look too healthy, looks like
she hasn’t had any food in a couple days. Almost like she’s…
Stacy:
(stops crying) Anorexic?
Ms.
Morris: (doesn’t answer) Quinn, Stacy, do either of you know Sandi’s locker
combination. (they both nod) Ok, one of you go get whatever you think she’ll
want.
(Quinn
gets up to go, but Stacy stops her)
Stacy:
You stay here, Sandi needs you. I’ll go. (small smile)
(Quinn
smiles back and Stacy leaves. Tiffany comes back)
Tiffany:
I called. They said they’d be here in like two minutes.
Ms.
Morris: OK, let’s get her ready. Quinn, grab her clothes out of her locker so
that she can change if she wants and/or needs to. Let’s move!
(Fade
Out)
Scene
Two
(Cut
to black screen. We see eyes opening from the person’s POV. All we can is white cracked ceiling. )
Voice:
Where am I?
(Cut
to a normal view of the room. Sandi is in a hospital bed, wearing a hospital
gown.)
Sandi:
What am I doing here?
Voice
OS: Oh, you’re awake I see.
(A
nurse comes onscreen. She’s short and a little chubby, but not overweight. She
has blonde tied in a bun, big blue eyes and freckles. She looks to be in her
middle or late twenties)
Sandi:
Who are you?
Nurse:
I’m Alana. How are you feeling?
Sandi: (weary) I’m fine. Where am I? What am I
doing here?
Alana:
Ah, I didn’t think you’d remember. You fainted in the changing room at your
school yesterday.
Sandi:
(disbelief) I did? (flashback)
(Flashback
from Sandi’s POV. She walks into the changing room and over to her locker. As
she goes to open it, the room starts spinning. Sandi lets out a groan and
everything goes black. End of flashback)
Sandi:
Ugh, I can’t believe I fainted in the changing room. I always thought girls
only fainted into guys’ arms, especially Fashionable girls.
Alana:
(laughs) Only if they’re lucky. (serious) Tell me, Sandi, have you been on a
diet?
Sandi:
(a bi panicked) Well, I have been cutting back on fatty foods lately. Why?
Alana:
well, I looked at your records and at your last check-up you weighed about 30
pounds more than you do now, and that was only three months ago.
Sandi:
(a little more panicked) Well, is there anything wrong with trying to lose
weight?
Alana:
No, of course not. But maybe you’re going a little too fast. Don’t you think
you’re thin enough already.
Sandi:
No way, you can never be thin enough.
Alana:
But there’s nothing wrong with being a little overweight, is there?
Sandi:
(wearily) No…
Alana:
Then, would you have any trouble eating this? (leaves for a minute, an comes
back in with a tray. On it, is a plate. And on that is a huge piece of pizza)
You do like pizza, don’t you?
Sandi:
(mouth water, staring at the pizza) Uh huh.
Alana:
Want some?
Sandi:
(collects herself) Uh, no thanks. I’m trying to cut down.
Alana:
(sighs and puts pizza away) I think you’ve cut down enough. I didn’t want to
tell you this but I think you may be-
(is
interrupted by Quinn, Stacy and Tiffany coming in)
Quinn:
Hi Sandi!
Stacy:
How are you feeling?
Tiffany:
This room is sooo tacky.
Sandi:
Hi Stacy, Tiffany. Quinn.
Alana:
I’ll leave you four alone. See you later, Sandi. (leaves)
Tiffany:
Who’s that?
Sandi: (sighs) Oh, just some nurse.
Scene
Three
(Later
that night, Sandi’s parents are talking to the doctor alone in his office)
Doctor:
I’m afraid that Sandi will need to gain some weight or she’ll be hospitalized
permanently.
Lynda:
You can’t be serious, she’s just on a little diet.
Doctor:
I’m very serious. It seems that Sandi has anorexia nervosa.
(black
stares)
Doctor:
she’s starving herself so look attractive. If this continues any longer, who
knows what it may do to Sandi’s health.
Tom:
(starts crying) It’s all my faaaaaault!! I’ve been a terrible
faaaaaaaatheeeeeeeeeer!
Lynda:
Pull yourself together. The doctor has obviously made some terrible mistake.
Doctor:
No, I assure you I haven’t. If Sandi doesn’t gain some weight soon, she could
die!
(Close-up
of Lynda and Tom’s shocked faces)
Scene
Four
(At
The Griffin home. The dinner table. Sandi is sitting at the table and Lynda is
standing menacingly above her with a plate of spaghetti)
Sandi:
(nervous) So, Mom, what did the doctor say? It couldn’t have been that bad if
I’m not still in the hospital.
Lynda:
(doesn’t answer, places food in front of Sandi) Eat.
Sandi:
(shaky) I can’t.
Lynda:
Damnit, Sandi! This isn’t one of your games. You have no idea how serious this
is. Now, eat!
Sandi:
(takes a small bite) I’m full.
Lynda:
EAT!
Sandi:
(practically in tears) I CAN”T! (runs out of the room.)
(Lynda
sits down at the table and looks worriedly after Sandi)
Lynda;
(quietly) please.
Scene
Five
(A
week later, at school. Quinn, Stacy and Tiffany are standing by Quinn’s locker)
Tiffany:
…so she was like “there is no way he’ll go out with you” but then he like asked
me out the same day. I said no, but I taped the whole thing and made her
listen-
Quinn:
(interrupts) Have you guys seen Sandi?
Stacy:
Didn’t you hear? She’s in the hospital again.
Quinn/Tiffany:
WHAT?!
Stacy:
She’s still too thin. Too weak.
Tiffany:
No way.
Quinn:
Why can’t they let her out?
Stacy:
They say, if they let her out, she’ll keep starving herself. And if that, she
might..she might (starts crying) Why did this have to happen to Sandi?
Quinn:
It didn’t happen to her, she did it to herself. She cared too much about how
she looked.
Stacy:
(still crying and yelling) Oh, what do you know Quinn?! You’re twice as vain as
she is and it didn’t happen to you! It happened to Sandi! And now she might
die! This doesn’t have to do with
looks. It has to be something else. (storms off)
Quinn:
(stunned) Whoa.
Tiffany:
Yeah.
Scene
Six
(The
Morgendorffer house. Quinn’s room. Quinn is talking on the phone)
Quinn:
(to the phone) It’s ok, Stacy..really!..No, it was my fault. I should have been
nicer about the whole thing…I’m sorry too….Bye. (hangs up) (sighs)
Scene
Seven
(At
the hospital. Sandi’s room. The curtains are pulled around her bed and she is
sleeping)
Voice
OS: Supper time!
Sandi:
(jerks awake) Wha?
(Alana
appears onscreen)
Alana:
Time for supper.
(Alana
slides a tray over to Sandi, who eyes it suspiciously. It’s basically potato
salad that’s a funny colour, tomato soup [with a skin], a brownie and some flat
ginger ale)
Sandi:
What is this?
Voice
OS: The best meal you’ll be getting for a while.
Alana:
Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. You have a roommate! (pulls curtain back)
(In
a bed on the other side of the room, lies a redheaded girl who looks about 13.
She’s so skinny, you can see all her bones and a weird furrish covering is all
over her freckly arms)
Girl:
My name’s Yolonda.
Sandi:
I’m Sandi.
Alana:
Well, I’ll leave you two alone to get better acquainted. Try to eat as much of
your lunch as you can, Sandi. (leaves)
Yolonda;
Like I said, that’s the best meal you’ll be getting for a while.
Sandi:
What do you mean?
Yolonda:
The first meal is always the best. After that, they don’t give a damn whether
you eat food or worms.
Sandi:
(makes a face) So, why are you here?
Yolonda:
I have anorexia.
Sandi:
That’s what they say I have. But I don’t believe them. It was just a diet, no
big deal.
Yolonda: Heh, that’s how it started out with me. No look at me. (holds up arm. Sandi grimaces) And I still can’t eat.
Sandi:
What do you mean you can’t eat?
Yolonda:
Exactly what it sounds like it meant. I can’t eat. I just can’t.
(close-up
of Sandi’s face. She has a slightly worried expression)
Scene
Eight
(later,
in Sandi’s dark-ish hospital room. Yolonda is asleep and Sandi is sitting
there, bored. Her food is still on the tray, untouched. Alana enters)
Alana:
Why didn’t you eat anything?
Sandi:
Not hungry. I was going to have the pop, but it’s not diet.
Alana:
(sighs) Just try to eat something. The tomato soup, perhaps? Nothing unhealthy
about that.
Sandi:
(eyes the tomato soup) (Thought VO) Should I eat it? I have no reason not too,
tomatoes are healthy. …. (outloud) It has a skin.
Alana:
All you have to do is lift that off (takes spoon and lifts the skin off of I)
See?
Sandi:
(nervous chuckles) Oh, ok (takes the spoon and very slowly takes a spoonful of
tomato soup. She eyes it and lifts it slowly to her mouth. She sips it, and
puts the spoon back quickly) I’m full.
Alana:
(sighs) I really think you should eat some more.
Sandi:
I don’t want to!
Alana:
Ok, ok. (puts the tray aside) Tell me, Sandi. Why did you go on a diet.
Sandi:
(looks skeptical, then confused) I, I don’t remember.
Alana:
Try to remember, then maybe we can help you.
Sandi:
(thinks) I can’t.
Alana: Ok. I have to go now. See you tomorrow
Sandi.
Sandi:
Bye.
(Alana
leaves)
Sandi:
I don’t need help. (lies down and falls asleep)
Act
Three, Scene One
(The
next morning. Sandi is in her room, with the curtain pulled around her bed.
Alana is sitting in a chair at the edge of the bed. She places a tray of bacon,
eggs and orange juice [not all mixed together] on Sandi’s lap)
Alana:
Ready to eat.
Sandi:
(looks at food) I’m not hungry.
Alana:
Sandi, you haven’t eaten anything in the past two days except some diet soda
and a sip of tomato soup. You have to eat something.
Sandi.
(stubborn) I’m not hungry.
Alana:
(a little more forceful) Sandi I really think you should eat something.
Sandi:
NO! (with on arms, sends breakfast crashing to the floor. She sits back with a
smug “challenge me now” kind of look)
Alana:
Ok. (gets down to clean up the breakfast) How about this; do you have any
favourite foods? If you will eat it, I’ll buy you something from a restaurant.
Sandi:
(seems to think this over) Know any good pizza places?
Scene
Two
(About
an hour later, Alana sneaks in with a pizza box)
Alana:
You better eat this, you have no idea how much double cheese, cheesy-garlic
crust and bacon pizzas cost. (sets the box down in front of Sandi)
(Sandi
opens it and looks at it for a long time. Then, slowly she picks up a piece of
pizza and brings it to her mouth. She hesitates for a moment, then takes big
bite of it. Then another she quickly devours the slice and reaches for another.
And another. In a matter of minutes, three pieces of pizza are gone)
Sandi:
I’m full now. (gets a sad look on her face, as if she’s about to cry) My
stomach hurts.
Alana:
Of course it’s going to hurt at first, it’s not used to getting that much food
at once. You have to brace yourself. But you’ve just broken the ice. You can
eat now. It takes most people weeks, even months to get this far.
Sandi:
(almost in tears) But now I’m going to get fat.
Alana:
(puts her hands on Sandi’s shoulders) Sandi, you are a beautiful girl and you
are not even close to fat. Besides, how much can three pieces of pizza make you
gain? (gets up and takes pizza box) I’ll refrigerate this, in case you want
some later. (starts to leave)
Sandi:
(wipes away tears) Alana?
Alana:
(turns around) Yeah?
Sandi:
Thanks for the pizza. (smiles a bit)
Alana:
(smiles) You are very welcome. (leaves)
Sandi:
(sighs) Yolonda? You awake?
Yolonda
OS: Yeah.
Sandi:
Why can’t you eat.
Yolonda:
(pause) I don’t know. I just don’t know. I try to, but it hurts my stomach and
I feel like I’m going to puke. I wish I could eat, I miss ice cream and cake
and my mom’s chicken.
Sandi:
I hope you will be able to eat someday soon.
Yolonda:
Me too.
Sandi:
I’m going to have a nap now.
Yolonda:
`night.
Sandi:
`night. (lies down)
(Sandi’s
dream: )
(Sandi
is walking to school. We can only see her from the shoulder up and she appears
to look normal. Suddenly, we hear laughing. We see some little kids laughing
and pointing at Sandi. Sandi looks slightly worried but goes on.)
(
Cut to outside the school. We can still only see her from the shoulders up. She
enters the school. Inside, everyone is talking and milling about. Sandi enters
and the talking stops. Everyone stares and Sandi, then starts laughing and
point. )
(We
now see All of Sandi. She is currently blowing up like a balloon and getting
bigger by the moment. She looks down at herself and gasps.
(
Sandi runs through the crowds into the bathroom and hides. In the bathroom, the
Fashion Club is putting on make-up. They notice to the now very large Sandi and
walk over to her. They smiles evilly and start cornering her. They start
chanting at her.)
Quinn/Tiffany/Stacy:
fat. Fat. FAT. FAT!
(end
of dream)
(Sandi
bolts awake)
Sandi:
FAT! (looks around at the now dark room. She is sweating and breathing heavily.
She gets a determined look on her face) I can’t let that happen. (she gets up
and by her bed, she starts exercising vigorously) I won’t get fat.
Scene
Three
(The
next day. Sandi is nibbling on some cold pizza. Alana is sitting at the end of
her bed)
Alana:
Not as hungry today?
Sandi:
(shakes her head)
Alana:
Oh, I just thought of something I meant to tell you. Now that you’re eating,
you can’t-
(is
interrupted by Quinn, Stacy and Tiffany coming into the room)
Stacy:
Can we come in?
Sandi:
(hides pizza box) Sure, I guess.
Alana:
I guess I’ll leave, again. Bye. (leaves)
Tiffany:
Ew, they really should change the colour of the hospital gowns.
Quinn:
Here, Sandi! We brought you something! (holds up Sandi’s make-up bag)
Sandi:
Gee, Quinn, are you implying that I need make-up or something?
Quinn:
No way, Sandi. I just thought you might want it.
Sandi:
Just because I went on a diet, doesn’t mean I’m vain enough to want to wear
make-up in the hospital or whatever.
Stacy:
She’s just trying to be nice, Sandi.
Tiffany:
Besides, your brothers or whatever were playing with it. They almost ruined the
foundation.
Sandi:
So, Quinn, you brought me almost ruined make-up to wear in the hospital?
Quinn:
Why are you being so mean?
Sandi:
I’m sick! I’m in the hospital. Why should I be nice?
Quinn:
Maybe cuz we’re your friends and we’re trying to be nice.
Sandi:
Ha! Some friend you’ve been.
Quinn:
What do you mean?
Sandi:
Don’t play dumb. You’ve had it out for me ever since you moved here. I was the
most popular, most beautiful girl in the school. Then you came and ruined
everything! You ruined my life!
Quinn:
(get’s a stunned looks on her face and leaves the room)
Stacy:
(turns to Sandi) Why did you do that?
Sandi:
(resentful) She thinks she’s so much better than me.
Tiffany:
That is sooo wrong.
Stacy:
She was just being a friend, Sandi. You should try it sometime. (leaves)
Sandi:
Wow, they sure are crabby this morning.
Tiffany:
(looks as if she’s pondering something, then she leaves)
Sandi:
(looks around) What did I do?
Scene
Four
(Late
that night, Sandi has just finished off the rest of the pizza. Alana is sitting
at the edge of the bed. The curtains are open and Yolonda is sleeping on the
other side of the room)
Alana:
I’m glad you’ve gotten your appetite back, Sandi. (cleans up mess) Listen, I’ve
been meaning to tell you something.
Sandi:
What?
Alana:
Well, now that you’re starting to eat normally again, you’re putting a lot of
strain on your heart. It’s not used to all this food going into the body. So
it’s important that you don’t put any more strain on your heart. Do you
understand?
Sandi:
(looks a little worried) Uh huh.
Alana:
(smiles) don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll be fine. Bye. (leaves)
Sandi:
(sadly) Bye. (sighs) What did I ever do to deserve this?
(lies
down and tries to get to sleep. Twists and turns for a couple minutes, then
sits up. She lifts back her hospital gown so we can see her belly. It’s
extremely skinny looking. Now we see it from Sandi’s POV, where it looks
extremely large. Sandi gasps)
Sandi:
(quietly) I knew I shouldn’t have had that pizza! (gets up to exercise, but
hesitates. Then she shakes her head) I’ll only exercise a little, there’s no
harm. I’m not that skinny, anyway. (starts to do jumping jacks. She seems fine
for a couple minutes, then flinches in pain. Then she closes her eyes and and
hunches up. And, just like that, she crumples over in a little pile, making a
small thump that wakes Yolonda up)
Yolonda:
(rubs eyes) What the.. (sees Sandi) Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
(Cut
to the nurses lounge. The PA system comes on)
PA:
Cardiac arrest, youth ward, room 211. All nurses and doctors there, ASAP.
(All
the nurses rush out the room, except Alana: She stands there, stunned.)
Alana:
(hushed voice) Sandi. (rushes out of the room)
(Cut
back to Sandi’s room. Yolonda is crying and looking at Sandi as the nurses and
doctors put her on one of those roller bed things. They rush her into a room.
There we stop outside the door.)
(The
screen is blank for a couple minutes, then it flashes the sign:
(Alana comes out of the room that Sandi went into. She goes to the waiting room. There waits a red-eyed Tom (Sandi’s dad), Lynda comforting him but looking like she’s about to cry, and Sam and Chris asleep in hospital chairs)
Alana: I’m sorry, there was nothing we could do.
(Tom starts crying all over again, but Lynda stands up)
Lynda; No, there must be some mistake. Something you haven’t thought of!
Alana: I’m sorry, we did everything we could but nothing worked. She’s gone.
(Lynda sits down by Tom and starts crying herself. As Alana turns away, we see a tear in her eye. She wipes it with the back of her hand as she walks away)
(Montage [I just love em!]. “Forgiven” by Alanis Morisette plays [lyrics under montage] as the following scenes play:
-Alana in the nurse’s lounge, trying not to cry.
-A nurse talking to Yolonda, who starts crying as the Nurse walks away
-Stacy in her room. The phone rings, she answers it, talks for a moment, hangs up and starts crying.
-Tiffany, in her room. She gets a phone call and answers it. She listens for a moment, gets a stunned look on her face and drops the phone.
-Quinn getting a call. She answers it, listens and hangs up. She curls up in a ball and starts to cry.
-Sandi’s body in the room. We see her pale body as they cover it with a sheet. Close-up of her face right before they cover it and wheel it away.
(end of montage)
And here are the lyrics, like I promised. Again, if you don’t care about the damn lyrics, skip ahead.
You know how us Catholic girls can be
We make up for so much time a little too late
I never forgot it, confusing as it was
No fun with no guilt feelings
The sinners, the saviours, the loverless priests
I'll see you next Sunday
Chorus
We all had our reasons to be there
We all had a thing or two to learn
We all needed something to cling to
So we did
I sang Alleluia in the choir
I confessed my darkest deeds to envious men
My brothers never went blind for what they did
But I may as well have
In the name of the Father, the Skeptic and the Son
I had one more stupid question
Chorus
What I learned I rejected but I believe again
I will suffer the consequence of this inquisition
If I jump in this fountain, will I be forgiven.
Chorus
We all had delusions in our head
We all had our minds made up for us
We had to believe in something
So we did
Act Four, Scene One
(Quinn’s room. Quinn is sitting on the floor with her face bruied in a pillow, which she doesn’t looks up from. Someone knocks on the door. Quinn doesn’t say anything, so they enter. Daria comes in (I knew I could get her in here somehow).
Daria: Mom says supper’s re- Wow, I’ve never seen you so upset since you found out you didn’t have enough breath to sing along with “I Want You”.
Quinn: Shut up.
Daria: What?
Quinn: (looks up) Just shut up. She’s gone.
Daria: (puzzled) Who’s gone?
Quinn: Sandi’s gone?
Daria: She moved away? And you’re sad. (pause) OK then.
Quinn: She didn’t move, she’s gone. She’s dead. (starts crying again) I can’t believe it, saying it makes it sound real. She’s gone. I’ll never see her again.
Daria: Wow, you’re really upset about this, aren’t you?
Quinn: Well, duh.
Daria: No offense, but you and Sandi didn’t seem like the best of friends at times.
Quinn: But you don’t know what I did to her! The last time we saw each other, we fought. The last words I said to her were angry. The last thoughts…I can’t even say aloud what my last thoughts of her were before she died.
Daria: Oh, come off it Quinn. Sandi was a big snot to you from the start and you did nothing but try to be her friend the entire time.
Quinn: (looks up from her pilllow. Her eyes are red) Leave.
Daria: I-
Quinn: Go away.
Daria: But I-
Quinn: GO AWAY!
Daria: (starts to leave) I’m sorry. (leaves)
Quinn: no you’re not (starts to cry again)
Scene Two
(next day, at school. The Fashion Club, which have already heard about Sandi, are dressed in black, but still fashionable, clothes. Everyone else is milling about normally)
(suddenly, the bell rings and everyone goes to their classrooms)
(Cut to: English class, with Mr. O’Neill. The Fashion Club is sitting in the second to back row. The three J’s are behind them))
Mr. O’Neill: I know we’re right in the middle of our exciting unit, taking a detailed look at the life of Shakespeare (boos from class) but, um, I have an announcement to make concerning one of your classmates.
(shot of students. Everyone is horsing around and laughing, except for the Fashion Club. They are sitting silently)
Mr. O’Neill: Sandi Griffin is..she’s (sniff) uh, dead.
(class suddenly silences)
Student: what?
Mr. O’Neill: Because of privacy, I am forbidden to say how she..how she (starts to bawl) I’m sorry, I just get so sad….. (gets control of himself) .. but remember, we must all try to support the people closest to her, her friends.
(everyone turns to looks Quinn, Stacy and Tiffany)
(Suddenly, everyone rushes over to the three girls. They start patting them on the shoulders, saying:”I’m so sorry” and stuff like that. Tiffany seems to be enjoying this attention, Quinn’s smiling but you can tell it’s a fake smile, but Stacy curls herself up and puts her hands over her ears)
Stacy: (softly, but growing louder each time) stop. Stop. STOP. STOP! (yelling) STOP!!!!!!! I can’t take this anymore! (breaks out of the crowd and runs away)
Quinn: Stacy! Wait! (runs after Stacy)
Three J’s: Quinn! Wait! (they run after Quinn)
(everyone looks at Tiffany)
Tiffany: What? I can’t run in this dress.
(Cut to outside girls’ room. Quinn runs to the door and presses her ear against. I faint sobbing is heard. As she’s about to go in, Joey, Jeffy and Jamie catch up with her)
Joey: We found you!
Jeffy: Are you okay?
Jamie: Wanna borrow my hankercheif?
Quinn: Just go away you guys. I have to talk to Stacy.
(The Three J’s protest)
Quinn: (sighs) If you go away, I’ll let you three escort me to the funeral.
Three Js: Alright! (leave)
Quinn: (shudders, then enters the bathroom)
(Inside the bathroom. Stacy is curled up in a ball in the corner, sobbing)
Quinn: Stacy?
Stacy: (doesn’t answer)
Quinn: (approaches) Are you okay?
Stacy: (looks up. Mascara is running down her face) Do I look okay to you?
Quinn: Okay, dumb question. (sits down next to Stacy) Everyone was just trying to be nice, you know.
Stacy: None of them knew Sandi. Two days they would have jumped for joy if she moved away.
Quinn: Maybe so..
Stacy: They just don’t like the idea that someone their age can die. They don’t feel sorry for Sandi. They don’t care that’ll she’ll never go to school again, go shopping again, take care of her cat when it’s puking. They don’t care.
Quinn: You really miss her, don’t you?
Stacy: (sob) You don’t know what she was like before. She used to be one of the nicest kids back in Middle School. But she changed. High school changed her. And now she will never change back. She’ll never have a chance to prove she’s really a good person. (starts to cry harder) I should have made her prove it.
Quinn: It was up to her prove it. There’s nothing you can do now.
Stacy: (stops crying) Maybe there is….
Scene Two
(A couple days later. Sandi’s funeral. We see a small church covered with flowers and people dressed in black. At the front of the room is a marble coffin. In the front row, sits Sandi’s family; Lynda, Tom, Sam, Chris and some various relatives all looking red-eyed. In the row behind them is the Fashion Club, all wearing identical black dresses and each of them are crying, mascara running down their faces. Cut to view the front of the room, where the priest has just finished his speech thing.)
Priest: Now, does anyone want to say a few words?
(everyone looks around. Everyone in the Fashion Club looks at Quinn. Stacy hides some cue cards behind her back and nods Quinn on. Bravely, Quinn gets up and walks to the front of the room)
Quinn: I..Um, Sandi was…she was a.. Oh, I can’t do this! (bursts into tears and runs out of the church)
(everyone looks around. Slowly, Stacy takes the cue cards out from behind her back and looks at the. Then, she takes a deep breath and walks to the microphone)
Stacy: (looks at cue cards, then at the room) Sandi was one of my best friends. And I was one of her friends. Her only real friend, really. None of you knew her. No one at school knew her, her family didn’t know her, and her so-called friends didn’t know her. I knew her. To her classmates, she was a competitive, mean popular girl. To her family, she was an angel. To her friends, she was both. But Sandi was neither. Sandi was human. She showed jealousy, bravery, ignorance, and at times, intelligence. And for each of those things, I will admire her forever. Because she dared to be human. Something hardly anyone does. And she died from it. (starts to cry a little) And though I admired her, I will never forgive her for what she did to herself. (starts crying harder) I’m sorry, I..I.. (runs out of the room)
(Everyone looks around stunned, then everyone looks at Tiffany)
Tiffany: What? I can’t run in these heels!
Scene Three
(View from the inside of Sandi’s coffin [like on ”That Seventies Show”] Tom comes over to the coffin)
Tom: Oh, my poor girl. You’re beautiful, even in death. Oh, Sandi.. (starts to cry)
(Lynda comes onscreen)
Lynda: my turn (moves him out of the way) Sandi, I know I wasn’t as nice as I could be to you. I pushed you to be the best you can be, I made you fulfill your potential and- wait, there’s nothing bad about that. Anyway, I’ll miss you forever and always. (leaves)
(Tiffany comes onscreen)
Tiffany: Ooooh, Sandi. It’s soo sad. Why did they have to use that colour eye shadow with that colour dress. Can’t the dead have dignity? (walks off screen)
(Stacy comes onscreen)
Stacy: I hope you heard my eulogy. I meant every word of it. I admire you Sandi, and I always will. (leaves)
(Quinn comes onscreen)
Quinn: I- ew, there’s a dead body in here! (looks away) Anyway, Sandi, I’m sorry you died and I’m sorry I took your place as the most popular girl in school. I hope you can forgive me. (leaves)
(Daria comes onscreen)
Daria: Look, I know I don’t really know you. But you paid me ten dollars once for advice when your cat was puking. Anyway, I know it sounds like Quinn doesn’t care too much. But you wouldn’t believe how much she cried. (leaves)
(Yolonda comes onscreen, looking more red-eyed than anyone else)
Yolonda: I can’t believe this happened. You weren’t half as bad as me. But in a way, this shows me something. I’m going to try my hardest to get better soon so this doesn’t happen to me. But I just wanted to thank you for talking to me in the hospital and keeping me company. I’ll miss you. (leaves)
(Alana comes onscreen)
Alana: I’m sorry I didn’t do more to save you, Sandi. I should have known something was wrong with such a quick recovery, but I was so happy with the progress I didn’t notice. Forgive me, Sandi, I hope you can forgive me. (leaves)
(Black screen)
The
End
(“Unpretty” by TLC plays [come on, you can’t tell me you didn’t see that one coming] as the credits and alter egos roll)
I wish could tie you up in my shoes
Make you feel unpretty too
I was told I was beautiful
But what does that mean to you
Look into the mirror who's inside there
The one with the long hair
Same old me again today (yeah)
My outsides look cool
My insides are blue
Everytime I think I'm through
It's because of you
I've tried different ways
But it's all the same
At the end of the day
I have myself to blame
I'm just trippin'
Chorus:
You can buy your hair if it won't grow
You can fix your nose if he says so
You can buy all the make up
That man can make
But if you can't look inside you
Find out who am I too
Be in the position to make me feel
So damn unpretty
I'll make you feel unpretty too
Never insecure until I met you
Now I'm bein' stupid
I used to be so cute to me
Just a little bit skinny
Why do I look to all these things
To keep you happy
Maybe get rid of you
And then I'll get back to me (hey)
My outsides look cool
My insides are blue
Everytime I think I'm through
It's because of you
I've tried different ways
But it's all the same
At the end of the day
I have myself to blame
I'm just trippin'
Chorus
Chorus
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh (oh)
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh (oh)
Chorus
Chorus
End Notes:
I just wanted to say that all I know about anorexia came from two really good books about anorexic situations called “Even If It Kills Me” and “Walking a Thin Line”. I urge you, if you haven’t already read these books, read them. Though if you do read them, remember that any similarties are purely coincidence.
I know this isn’t the most original idea, and lost of fanfics have been written about a Fashion Club members getting anorexia or bulimia (curiously, not the “Do I Look Fat?” girl) but I wanted one to show the real consequences and what really can happen.
And, last of all, Yolonda recovered fine and is now at the weight of 98 lbs and is getting more healthy and happy by the minute (she really is a fake character, but I felt like including that)
And last but not least, I would like to thank whoever it was at the OD message board that brought up the whole “Death of The Fashion Club” series type thing (I would name you by name but because all the messages went bye-bye, I can’t). If it wasn’t for all the people who commented on that entire thing, I would have never thought up this idea.