ROSWELL: WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN - "Don't Tell Mama" - TEASER - 06/20/02

TEASER


  1 INT. MAX EVANS'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Max is lying on his bed listening to Dido's "Honestly OK" on his CD player.

play "Honestly OK" by Dido (streaming audio):
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I just want to feel
safe in my own skin
I just want to be
happy again
I just want to feel
deep in my own world
But I'm so lonely
I don't even want to be with myself
anymore

On a different day
If I was safe in my own skin
Then I wouldn't feel
lost and so frightened
But this is today
And I'm lost in my own skin
And I'm so lonely
I don't even want to be with myself
anymore

Cut to:

  2 INT. EVANS HOME - HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

Diane is walking by Max's bedroom door, which is ajar, and hears the song; she knows it well, having heard it many times over the past week. Wondering if she should be concerned, she stops and peeks her head in. She sees Max stretched out on his bed, forlornly looking up at the ceiling. It pains her to see her son hurting like this. She thinks for a moment, then steps into the room.

DIANE
Hi, honey, do you have a minute?

Max looks up and sees his mother at his door. He sits up on the bed. His demeanor does not change.

MAX
Sure. What's up?

DIANE
Well, obviously not your spirits.

Diane leaves the doorway and heads for the chair near the foot of his bed. She sits and looks with concern at her son.

DIANE (cont'd)
I'd like to help if I can.

Max looks at his mother with a little bit of hope.

MAX
Would you be willing to talk to the Parkers and convince them to let Liz and me see each other again?

Diane gives him a "you know that's not going to happen" look.

DIANE
(in a caring tone)
As you know, they're not the only ones who aren't sure that's a good idea.
(beat)
Ever since you've been dating Liz Parker, you've changed. Your priorities have changed. In the past, you've always been so studious and careful and conscientious ... and lately ... Well, I think you can see why we are so concerned, and why we think it might be best for you two to stay away from each other.

MAX
You think Liz is a bad influence, but you're wrong. Liz is the best person ... the best thing that has ever happened to me.

Max notices his mother's surprised, slightly hurt look.

MAX (cont'd)
(quickly adding)
Besides you and Dad.
(beat)
I'm sorry if I haven't been a model son lately, but it's not Liz's fault. I'm to blame, not her.

DIANE
We're not asking you to be a model son. And, although I am glad you are willing to take responsibility for your actions, what I'd really like to know is, what's causing this change in your behavior? Is something troubling you? Do you need to talk about it?

Max avoids looking her in the eye. He shakes his head.

MAX
No. Nothing's wrong.

DIANE
(not convinced)
Is it something you can't talk to me about? Would you feel more comfortable talking to your father?

MAX
No, Mom, really ... nothing's wrong.

Max looks her in the eye and manages a smile.

MAX (cont'd)
There's no need for you to worry. Everything's fine. I'll try ... I'll try to be more conscientious and the other stuff you mentioned.

DIANE
Are you sure? You know you can talk to me or your dad about anything. No matter what it is. We won't judge you. We just want to help you.

MAX
I know, and I will ... talk to you ... if I need to talk.

Max looks down.

MAX (cont'd)
I just don't have anything to talk about right now.

Max glances up with a slight smile.

MAX (cont'd)
Unless of course you want to discuss reducing my sentence.

DIANE
(smiling back)
I think you need to serve a few more days before we can discuss a pardon.

MAX
(in a joking tone but obviously serious)
Would it be worth my time to prepare an appeal of the no-dating edict? I mean, If you think the committee would listen ...

DIANE
(still smiling)
I think they're reasonable people.

Diane notices the time on the clock by his bedside--11:05 PM.

DIANE (cont'd)
(warmly)
It's getting late, and it's a school night, so don't stay up too much longer. OK?

MAX
Sure.

DIANE
OK, goodnight then.

Diane leaves his room. Max smiles. He reaches over to his CD player and changes the track to Jeremy Toback's "You Make Me Feel" - the song Liz told him she also loved.

Cut to:

  3 EXT. LIZ PARKER'S BALCONY - SAME

Liz is in her lounge chair, writing in her journal.

LIZ (VO)
It's Tuesday, February 29th; Leap Year Day. How appropriate, considering the leap my parents have taken where Max is concerned. I had no idea how stubborn, obstinate, unyielding and pigheaded they could be. How can they say I'm not allowed to see Max anymore? Ever. How can they even do that? Mom says she understands how I feel about Max, but how could she, if she's siding with Dad in this.

Tears start welling in her eyes.

LIZ (VO) (cont'd)
And to think, just a week ago I thought I could ride out this grounding. But that was when I thought I would be with Max again ... to be held in his arms ... to share long, deep, soul searching kisses ... Now ... now I feel like a prisoner in my own home: no freedom to see who I want, when I want, constantly being watched, no longer trusted ...

She stops writing momentarily as she sighs, then continues.

LIZ (VO) (cont'd)
The concerned looks on my parents' faces tells me they are wondering what happened to the daughter who always did what she was told, never broke the rules, never gave them anything to worry about. But I can't believe they think Max--kind-hearted, compassionate, loving Max--is a bad influence. They don't even know him. It just kills me that I can't explain to them why I've changed, and who and what Max really is. It's so ironic--if not for Max, I wouldn't even be here for them to punish, for them to tell me I can never be with him again. There has to be a way to make them see reason, without revealing the whole truth. There has to be. God, how I wish I could talk to Grandma Claudia about this. Even if I couldn't tell her the whole truth, she would still understand, she would know how to make this right.

Liz stops writing in her journal and looks up at the stars.

LIZ
(softly, to herself)
What would you tell me to do, Grandma?

Liz visualizes her grandmother, sitting at the foot of her lounge chair.

GRANDMA CLAUDIA
(smiling warmly)
Honey Bear, if Max is as good a person as you feel he is, then he should have no trouble showing that to your parents.

The vision of Grandma Claudia fades away.

LIZ
Right.

Liz smiles and wipes the tears from her eyes. She has hope once again. She gets up with a look of determination, goes back to her bedroom, replaces her journal behind the loose brick in her bedroom wall and sits at her desk. She gets a pad of paper and a pencil and starts making a list of all of Max's good qualities: the ones she can be public about.

  4 INT. ISABEL EVANS'S BEDROOM - SAME

Isabel is at her desk. She closes the textbook she was reading, having just finished her homework.

ISABEL
(to herself)
Done!

She pulls out the school newspaper from her backpack and starts skimming it. She comes across an article about the star athlete of the month--Kyle Valenti. There's a picture and she touches it absently, brushing the picture of Kyle with the tip of her finger.

ISABEL
(thoughtfully, to herself)
Kyle Valenti. Just what are you up to anyway? Why are you suddenly being so friendly?

Isabel starts to smile as a thought comes to her.

ISABEL
(to herself)
OK, Kyle Valenti, man of many facets, let's see how many facets you really have.

Isabel keeps her finger on Kyle's picture, closes her eyes and prepares to dreamwalk him.

Cut to:

  5 EXT. HOUSTON ASTROS' BALLPARK - DAY

Isabel finds herself in the press box, looking down at the ballfield. Kyle is in left field. The pitcher winds up and throws the ball. The batter hits a fly ball that heads straight for left field. It looks like a home run for sure, but Kyle makes a spectacular play and saves the day. It's the third out of the ninth inning and the Astros win! The crowd goes crazy and Kyle's teammates carry him off the field on their shoulders.

Back to scene:

Isabel breaks from the dreamwalk with a bored expression on her face.

ISABEL
(rolling her eyes)
It figures.


END OF TEASER


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