lesson in loving you

​LESSONS IN LOVING YOU ​EPISODE 1: "The Transfer Student" ​GENRE: Teen Drama / Romance / Comedy SETTING: St. Jude’s Model College, Lagos, Nigeria ​CHARACTERS: ​TADE (17): Brilliant, quiet, and slightly sarcastic. SSS 3 student. Not popular, but respected for his brains. ​ZAINAB (16): Sharp-tongued, confident, stunning, and new to the school. Hides her vulnerability behind a cool exterior. ​SEGUN (17): Tade’s loud, funny, football-obsessed best friend. Always looking for drama. ​CHIOMA (17): Class Social Prefect energy. Very vocal, loves gisting, knows everyone’s business. ​MR. OKON (40s): The strict Economics teacher and SSS 3 class teacher. ​SCENE 1: EXT. ST. JUDE'S COMPOUND - MORNING ​Morning assembly has just ended. Students in green blazer jackets and white shirts stream toward the main block, chatting loudly, laughing, and dodging puddle patches from early morning rain. ​SEGUN is walking briskly, trying to keep up with TADE, who has a heavy backpack slung over one shoulder and an open textbook in hand. ​SEGUN (Panting) Bro, drop that book na! Assembly just finished and you're already studying? Is Economics giving you a degree today? ​TADE (Without looking up) Okon said surprise test this week. If I fail, my dad will ground me until WAEC is over. You know how he is. ​SEGUN (Laughs) Mr. Okon is all bark and no bite. Beside, who cares about tests when the whole school is talking about the new girl? ​Tade finally stops, shutting his book with a snap. He looks at Segun, unimpressed. ​TADE What new girl? We are in Term 1 of SSS 3. Who transfers in final year? ​SEGUN I heard her father got posted to Lagos from Abuja. Bro, I saw her at the principal’s office. Fine girl, no cap. Green blazer even looks like designer on her. ​TADE (Shaking his head, smiling) Segun, focus on your life. WAEC is in eight months. Fine girl won't solve simultaneous equations for you. ​SCENE 2: INT. SSS 3 GOLD CLASSROOM - CONTINUOUS ​The class is noisy. Desks are arranged in pairs. CHIOMA is sitting on top of a front-row desk, fanning herself with a notebook. ​Segun and Tade walk in and head toward their usual desks at the back row. ​CHIOMA (Calling out to them) Segun! Tade! Y'all better sit down before Okon enters. He's in a bad mood today, he almost gave JSS 2 detention for singing on the corridor. ​SEGUN Chioma, forget Okon! Is it true about the new girl? ​CHIOMA (Leaning in, whispering) Yes! Her name is Zainab. They said she got expelled from her former school in Abuja for fighting. ​TADE (Scoffs) Expelled for fighting? Chioma, who told you this lie? ​Before Chioma can reply, heavy footsteps echo down the corridor. The whole class scrambles to their seats. ​MR. OKON enters, holding a stack of books and a long wooden ruler. Behind him walks ZAINAB. She wears her uniform neatly, but her posture is defensive, arms crossed, staring straight ahead. ​The room goes dead silent. ​MR. OKON (Slapping his ruler on the front desk) Good morning, class! ​CLASS (In unison, chanting) Good morning, sir! ​MR. OKON Settle down. We have a new student joining us for our final year. Zainab Aliyu. Treat her well, or deal with me. Zainab, find a seat. ​Zainab scans the room. The only empty seat is the one right next to Tade at the back. ​She walks slowly down the aisle. Tade tries not to look, pretending to write something in his notebook. Zainab pulls out the wooden chair next to him, scraping it loudly against the floor. ​She sits down, drops her bag, and takes out a single pen. ​ZAINAB (Low voice, without looking at Tade) You're sitting on my side of the desk. ​Tade looks down. His elbow is resting two inches over the faint pencil line dividing the desk. ​TADE (Slightly taken aback) Oh. Sorry. ​He moves his arm back. Segun turns around from the desk in front of them, winking at Tade. Tade glares back at him.