AFTER SEVENTEEN

*Episode 1 of _After Seventeen*_. *.All characters are 18+ *INT. VIRTUE’S FIRST TIME AT CLEVELAND – HIGH SCHOOL* Boxes. Half the packing is down. Virtue, sits on the floor, phone in hand. The clock on his laptop He refreshes his bank account A text pops up. MOM: Get ready am the one taking you I love you. Be smart.” The clock hits 12:00 AM. He doesn’t smile. Just breathes. They tell you school means you not free. They don’t tell you school means alone. He stands. Grabs a duffel. Leaves the lights virtue locks the front door for the last time. Uber idles at the curb. UBER DRIVER Campus dorms? virtue Yeah. Pearson Hall. He gets in. The house shrinks in the window. PEARSON HALL – DORM ROOM – LATER Bare walls. Bunked beds. His new roommate, JAY is doing push-ups in boxers. Music blasting. JAY You the new guy? virtue? That a rapper name? virtue It’s mine. JAY Welcome to adulthood, bro. Rule one: we don’t talk about high school. Rule two: you’re 18. Time to actually get some virtue drops his bag. No answer. * ORIENTATION HALL – NEXT DAY* Hundreds of 18-year-olds pretending not to be scared. virtue sits alone. A girl cuts through the crowd like she paid rent there. kimsarix 19, orientation leader. Clipboard, sharp eyes, zero tolerance for BS. kim Sarix (into mic) If you’re here because your parents made you, leave. If you’re here because you think college is 4 years of s*x and beer, also leave. If you’re here because you want to figure out who you are when nobody’s watching? Welcome. I’m kimsarix Virtue actually looks up. *. CAMPUS QUAD – LATER virtue finds kimsarix packing up signs. Virtue You always that mean or just on birthdays? kimsarix (doesn’t look up) It’s not my birthday. And I’m not mean. I’m honest. Guys hear what they want. Virtue I’m virtue kimsarix (finally looks) I know. You’re the only one who didn’t clap when I mentioned s*x. Virtue …I was listening. Kimsarix Dangerous habit. Walk with me? They walk. Kimsarix So what’s your plan now that you’re legal? Virtue Figure it out, I guess. Kimsarix Wrong answer. ‘I guess’ gets you pregnant, arrested, or broke. Usually all three. Virtue laughs, surprised. She smiles for half a second. *DORM ROOM – NIGHT* Jay’s got people over. Red cups, vape smoke. JAY Yo, virtue! There’s a girl in the econ dorm sending pics to anyone who Venmos 20 bucks. You in? Virtue I’m good. JAY Bro. You’re 18. This is what it’s for. Virtue looks at his phone. No texts. Opens Venmo. $218.43. Closes it ,He grabs his key and leaves. . *CAMPUS – NIGHT* He finds Kimsarix sitting alone on the library steps, reading. Virtue You don’t party? Kimsarix I don’t perform. There’s a difference. Beat. Virtue Can I sit? Kimsarix Only if you don’t ask me to go to your room. Virtue Wasn’t gonna. Kimsarix Good. Because I’d say no. He sits. Not too close. Kimsarix Why Cleveland? Virtue Because it was far enough that my mom couldn’t drive over, but close enough that I could if I needed to. Kimsarix You think you’ll need to? Virtue After seventeen... I don’t know anything. She studies him. For the first time, she doesn’t have a comeback. * DORM ROOM – 2 AM* Virtue comes back. Party’s dead. Jay’s passed out. Virtue lies in bed, staring at the ceiling. Phone lights up. UNKNOWN NUMBER: “u up? send pic” He deletes it. Opens his notes app instead.things I thought 18 would feel like: 1. Free 2. Easy 3. s*x Things it actually feels like: 1. Heavy 2. Quiet 3. Like I’m waiting for someone to tell me the rules” He pauses. Adds one more line: . Like kimsarix might know them.” He locks the phone. Closes his eyes. *FADE TO BLACK.* *END OF EPISODE 1* *Tags:* 18+, new adult, romance, consent, college, coming-of-age Want me to write Episode 2: “The Dare” where Jay pushes Kimsarix to hook up and he has to choose?