A WALK TO REMEMBER

                      Screenplay by

                      Karen Janszen


                   Based on the novel by

                      Nicholas Sparks







                                              July 27, 2000


BLACK

A young man's V.O.:

                         ADULT LANDON (V.O.)
               I was born in Beaufort, North
               Carolina. A place where the air
               always smells of pine and salt and
               sea.

The voice is gentle. Slightly Southern in inflection. A
young doctor's soothing manner.

FADE IN:

EXT. COASTAL NORTH CAROLINA (DECEMBER) (PRESENT)

A vast view of the coastline in winter -- beaches, rivers,
sea marshes, inlets -- ebbing and flowing.

                         ADULT LANDON (V.O.)
               For many, days and nights are
               spent fishing Pamlico Sound or
               crabbing the Neuse River.

The CAMERA FINDS a small coastal town, edged by a harbor
on which fishermen toil.

EXT. BEAUFORT, NORTH CAROLINA - MORNING (DECEMBER)

The CAMERA, MOVING inland, CROSSES OVER modest houses
decked with plastic rooftop Santas...

                         ADULT LANDON (V.O.)
               While the ocean may be the focus
               of daily labor, churches have
               always tried to be the focus of
               life.

And MOVES UPHILL TO...

EXT. MAIN STREET

Where fake snow is sprayed on store windows. The CAMERA
CONTINUES TO the far side of Main Street -- with its
stately homes with big lawns, flower beds, and tasteful
Christmas garlands.

                         ADULT LANDON (V.O.)
               When I lived here, there were
               eighteen churches within town
               limits alone.

EXT. FOUR-WAY STOP

From each corner, four churches face each other. The
Fellowship Hall Christian Church, the Church of the
Forgiven People, the Church of Sunday Atonement, and All
Saints Church.

                         ADULT LANDON (V.O.)

               They sponsored pancake breakfasts,
               rummage sales, car washes, and
               softball games.

EXT. LANDON'S TRUCK - TRAVELING

The CAMERA FINDS and FOLLOWS a newish sport utility
vehicle with MD plates as it passes a rummage sale and a
softball game.

                         ADULT LANDON (V.O.)
               You'd think that all the people
               here were friendly, welcoming,
               open-hearted...

Dr. LANDON CARTER, 33, drives the truck.

INT. CAR - TRAVELING

Landon looks urban, prosperous, well-groomed -- but
retains his boyish whimsy and sense of irony. A cell
phone and overnight bag on the seat next to him.

                         ADULT LANDON (V.O.)
               ... and that money or family
               background or education or luck
               didn't matter.

Landon reaches out to adjust his side mirror, revealing a
simple gold wedding band on his left hand.

EXT. STREET - TRAVELING

Landon's truck turns the corner and slows in front of the
huge Southern Baptist church.

                         ADULT LANDON (V.O.)
               But they did matter. They
               mattered to everyone. Except
               Jamie Sullivan...

Landon's truck turns into a driveway just past the church
and heads for a cluster of buildings. Behind the
buildings, a cemetery.

EXT. CLUSTER OF BUILDINGS - CONTINUOUS ACTION

The truck pulls up in front of the old parsonage -- it's a
different color than he remembers.

                         ADULT LANDON (V.O.)
               ... Astronomer. Actress.
               Believer in God...

Landon hesitates a moment, then climbs out of his truck.

EXT. OLD PARSONAGE - CONTINUOUS ACTION

Landon heads up the walk and onto the front porch.
Presses the DOORBELL. It RINGS inside. Landon is edgy,
unsettled.

                         ADULT LANDON (V.O.)
               ... Believer in me.

A nurse opens the door.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. BEAUFORT HIGH GYM - NIGHT (NOVEMBER, 1985)

ROCK MUSIC drifts out open doors -- barely recognizable as
Born in the U.S.A. Students hang. Brains, preps,
richies, heavy metals, jocks, punk rockers, goths, geeks.
Mixing without mixing. Most are red-eyed, woozy, wasted.
A couple of boys break dance to a BOOM BOX.

Missing are the criminals...

A shiny T-top CAMARO ROARS up. Stops, TIRES SQUEALING.
VAN HALEN BLASTING. LANDON, 18, at the wheel. He is
impulsive, sexy-troubled, with the nothing-to-lose courage
to act on destructive whims. He is envied, copied,
feared.

INT. CAMARO

EMPTIES roll and CLINK on the floor. A tiny plastic
skeleton dances as it hangs from the rearview mirror.
Landon stamps a joint into the ashtray.

                         LANDON
                    (impatient, edgy)
               Where is he? He's supposed to be
               here.

                         ERIC
                    (from back seat)
               I need to whizz.

ERIC's skinny, high-energy. A leg always jiggling.

                         LANDON

               Eric. You're such a hummingbird.

                         BELINDA
               I wanna dance.

BELINDA is Landon's girlfriend. Richie princess, a bad-
girl pretender. Big shoulder pads. Jellie bracelet.
Swatch watch.

                         LANDON
               So go dance.

                         BELINDA
               With you.

                         LANDON
               I. Don't. Dance.

                         ERIC
                    (pointing, like
                    Tattoo)
               Dee plane. Dee plane.

They laugh. Clay's by the dumpster.

EXT. DUMPSTER

CLAY, obese, wearing a too-small student monitor vest, is
dumping garbage from a trash can. A loud HONK. Clay
turns to see the Camaro, then turns back to the school,
coast clear. He quickly heaves in the empty trash can as
the Camaro pulls up.

Eric pushes a door open. Empties fall from the back seat.
Clay climbs in.

                         CLAY
               Go go go go.

PRINCIPAL ED KELLY, middle-aged, pockmarked skin, Casio
calculator watch, exits the gym.

INT. CAMARO

Landon's looking at Kelly in the rearview mirror.

                         LANDON
                    (mocking)
               Kelly. He looks like his face
               caught fire and he tried to put it
               out with a fork.

Landon inches the car forward, teasing Clay, teasing
Kelly.

                         ERIC
               He couldn't find his own butt with
               both hands at high noon in a hall
               of mirrors.

Sniggering laughter.

                         CLAY
               Go!

Landon presses the gas. The CAR ROARS away.

                         CLAY
               Kelly's so old he --

                         LANDON
               We're done with that already,
               bonehead.

Clay smiles, good-natured. He often misses social cues.

EXT. CAMARO - TRAVELING

Landon drops Clay's student monitor vest out onto the
road. Another car runs it over.

EXT. ROAD

Mr. Kelly walks over, picks up the vest. Shakes it.
Frustrated. Eyes the empty beer bottles by the dumpster.

EXT. OUTSIDE CEMETERY GATE - LITTLE LATER

Camaro is parked on the dirt access road, headlights
shining through the locked rear gate. JOHN COUGAR
MELLENCAMP's "Small Town" playing.

INT. CAMARO

Landon, Clay, and Belinda sit drinking, smoking weed.
Under the MUSIC, a CB RADIO scanner CHATS quietly.

                         ERIC (O.S.)
               So which is it?

EXT. CAMARO

Eric finishes taking a leak.

                         ERIC
                    (calling over,
                    repeating)
               Landon. To save your life, you
               have to either go deaf or go numb
               in your dick and balls.

Eric climbs back in the car.

INT. CAMARO

Landon, Belinda, Clay, Eric.

                         LANDON
               I'm thinking.

                         ERIC
               No thinking. The doctor only
               gives you three seconds to
               decide --

                         LANDON

               Could I lose one ear and one nut?

                         ERIC
               No questions, no negotiating --

                         BELINDA
                    (to Eric, annoyed)
               Where do you get these stupid
               questions -- ?

                         LANDON
               Hypotheticals --

                         ERIC
                    (to Belinda)
               I'm just wondering --

                         BELINDA
               Don't wonder.

Landon's looking out at the night.

                         LANDON
               Jamie Sullivan.

Everyone looks up. Derisive laughter.

THEIR POV

A pale, contemplative GIRL, 17, is jumping down off the
gate, caught in the headlights. Wearing clothes she
probably made herself; long hair hiding her face. She
lives in her mind, not her body.

BACK TO SCENE

                         BELINDA
               Brain.

                         ERIC
               Bible freak.

                         LANDON
               Cherry.

EXT. CAMARO

JAMIE (GIRL), hearing the laughter, gathers herself and
approaches Landon's window, her SNEAKERS CRUNCHING in the
GRAVEL. She crosses her pilly brown sweater across her
chest.

                         JAMIE
                    (to Landon,
                    tentative)
               Hey. Hi. Your lights. Any
               chance you could... turn them
               off --

                         BELINDA
                    (leaning over
                    Landon)
               God give you this road?

                         JAMIE
               No --

                         BELINDA
               Then we'll be keeping the lights
               on.

                         LANDON
                    (to Jamie, seeming
                    nice)
               If you want the lights off, I'll
               turn them off.

And he does. Darkness.

                         JAMIE
               Thank you. Thank you so very
               much.

She backs away from the car, grateful. From the car:

                         BELINDA (O.S.)

               I can't see a friggin' thing.

INT. CAMARO

Landon switches on the dome lights for Belinda.

                         BELINDA
                    (imitating Jamie)
               'Thank you. Thank you so very
               much.'

But Landon's looking at Jamie. Almost counting the
seconds...

HIS POV

Jamie scaling the fence, practiced at it.

BACK TO SCENE

Landon quickly flicks the high beams. Belinda, Eric, and
Clay snicker and snort as they see --

EXT. CEMETERY GATE

Jamie, startled, paused at the top. But instead of
looking bullied, her face shows determination, humor even.
A moment later, she jumps down on the far side.
Disappears.

INT. CAMARO

Belinda, Eric, Clay are still laughing. Landon's smiling.

                         ERIC
               Ten years. Where're you gonna be?
                    (to Belinda, mocking)
               Hypothetically?

                         BELINDA

               Paris.

                         CLAY
               Dead.

Laughter.

                         LANDON
               Right here. With you.

He clinks Eric's raised beer. More laughter. But
Landon's face clouds slightly -- maybe this isn't where
he'd really like to be.

                         CLAY
               'Twilight Zone.' 'One Step
               Beyond.' 'Tales from the Dark
               Side.'

                         ERIC
               'Twilight Zone,' dipshit.

                         LANDON
               Don't call him a dipshit.

                         ERIC
               You do --

                         LANDON
               And you don't.
                    (beat, re: Jamie)
               What's she doing in there?

                         BELINDA
               Nothing I'd be doing.

Laughter. Landon kisses her. With tongue.

A blinding white light dances through the car and settles
on Landon and Belinda's faces.

                         LANDON

               Shit!

He scrambles out of the car.

EXT. CAMARO

Landon looks up at the fence.

LANDON'S POV

Jamie sitting atop, holding a large mirror, reflecting the
headlights back into the car.

BACK TO SCENE

They stare at each other. His annoyance turns to mild
respect.

The CB RADIO comes to life inside the car. A GARBLED
TRANSMISSION.

                         BELINDA (O.S.)
               Landon!

INT. CAMARO

Landon leaps in. Pops out the Van Halen.

                         LANDON
               The address?!

                         ERIC
               York Ave.

Landon pops in a WHAM! tape. AMPS it UP. "Freedom."

                         LANDON

               What number?

Nobody answers.

                         LANDON
               Dildoes.

Landon turns the car around.

EXT. ACCESS ROAD

The Camaro fishtails away. TIRES CRUNCHING, red
taillights bouncing on the rough road. The car turns left
onto the paved road and speeds out of sight.

INT. CAMARO

Landon drives recklessly. Rushing. He makes a SCREECHING
turn.

LANDON'S POV - STREET AHEAD

Two fire trucks rumbling by houses, SIRENS WAILING.

EXT. CAMARO

Turns right, following the fire trucks.

INT. CAMARO

Landon smiles at Belinda. She smiles back. Fun. Landon
takes a slug of beer. Turns his eyes back to the road.

LANDON'S POV - FIRE TRUCKS

make another turn. Then a flash of light, movement. A
figure on the road.

EXT. ROAD

An old man walking his little dog. Crossing the street.

INT. CAMARO - LANDON

turns the wheel hard. Jams his foot on the brake.

EXT. ROAD

The Camaro swerves. TIRES SQUEALING. A LOUD, HEART-
SEARING THUMP.

The old man -- sideswiped, drops to the asphalt.

The CAMARO SLAMS into a light pole. CRUNCHING METAL.
TINKLING GLASS.

INT. CAMARO

Quiet. Landon, Eric and Clay are banged up.

                         CLAY
               Christ, man.

                         LANDON

               You okay?

                         ERIC
               Yeah.

Belinda's head leans on the dash. Her shoulders shake.
Landon, bleeding on the forehead, reaches over. Scared.

                         LANDON
               Belinda?

She lifts her head. Looks at him. She's laughing. He
kicks his door out.

EXT. STREET

The Camaro crumpled into the light pole. Headlights
askew. Clay and Eric and Belinda getting out, dazed.

Landon runs to the old man. Kneels. Shakes him. No
response. The man's TERRIER BARKS at Landon.

LANDON'S FACE

Frightened, anguished. The real Landon showing for an
instant.

Police SIRENS WAIL in the b.g., growing LOUDER.

EXT. OLD CHEVETTE - HALF HOUR LATER

A battered Chevette steers through a working-class
neighborhood.

INT. CHEVETTE

Landon's mother, CYNTHIA, 35, drives. She's weary with
sun-worn skin, but still attractive. She wears a skimpy
black-and-white cocktail waitress uniform under her coat.

                         CYNTHIA
               What if they expel you?

                         LANDON
               Kelly wouldn't do that.

                         CYNTHIA
               Why not?

                         LANDON
               Cuz nothing happened at school.

He smiles his biggest most reassuring smile.

                         CYNTHIA
               Don't smile at me. It's not going
               to get you out of this.

                         LANDON

               Why not? It always has before.

EXT. BEAUFORT HIGH - MONDAY (7:59 AM)

By daylight, a modern brick and glass structure.

INT. PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE - 8:05 AM

Mr. Kelly gestures for Landon to sit. Landon doesn't.
His forehead still shows a bruise.

                         MR. KELLY
               I had hopes for you.

                         LANDON

               Like I'd grow up to be president,
               another Reagan.

                         MR. KELLY
                    (not laughing)
               Like you'd make it to June. Even
               cutting half your classes, you
               have a B- average.

                         LANDON
               I'm no dummy.

                         MR. KELLY
               That's right. You just act like
               one.

On his desk, he places the empty bottles that rolled out
of the Camaro.

                         LANDON
               Those aren't mine.

                         MR.KELLY
               They came from your car.

                         LANDON
               I wasn't the one drinking.

Kelly holds up the police test finding.

                         MR. KELLY
               Your blood alcohol level. Maybe
               you were legally in the clear, but
               I make the rules here.

Landon scowls, knows he's defeated.

                         LANDON
               You expelling me?

                         MR. KELLY

               I am.

                         LANDON
               Now I can do what I want.

                         MR. KELLY
               That's right.
                    (sarcastic)
               The world is your oyster.

EXT. SCHOOL ENTRANCE - MINUTES LATER

Landon busts out, arms high, fists tight, like a righteous
political prisoner. Freedom. He struts through the
courtyard. Not a care in the world.

EXT. CARTER DRIVEWAY - HOUR LATER

Landon watches a tow truck lower the crumpled Camaro. A
neighbor kid, JOSH, 12, watches from across the street, on
his way to school.

EXT. CAMARO - MINUTES LATER

Landon pokes and prods his car -- the engine, underneath,
the body, the paint. A discouraging mess.

INT. CARTER HOUSE - HALLWAY - MINUTES LATER

Landon knocks on Cynthia's bedroom door.

                         LANDON
               Mom. I need a ride.

INT. CYNTHIA'S BEDROOM

Dark. She wears a black eye-shield. Her waitress uniform
hangs over a chair.

                         CYNTHIA
                    (sleepy, annoyed)
               I'm not getting up to drive you
               somewhere.
                    (beat)
               What're you doing home?

EXT. GARAGE - MOMENTS LATER

Landon lifts the garage DOOR.

LANDON'S POV - INSIDE GARAGE

A murky place. Filled with old tools and junk and a grim
old bike.

EXT. MINI-MALL - AUTO PARTS SHOP - LITTLE LATER

Landon comes out the glass door, his arms loaded, sees his
bike. No way to carry. He looks around. The bus stop.
A bus approaching.

EXT. UNDER CAMARO - LATER

BANGING, RATCHETING, CLINKING. Landon's working hard. A
BOOM BOX playing SIMPLE MINDS' "Alive and Kicking."

LANDON'S POV - HIS MOTHER'S LEGS

and worn terry slippers appear.

                         CYNTHIA (O.S.)
               I want to talk to you.

He pauses, annoyed, then rolls himself out.

EXT. CARTER DRIVEWAY

The mangled front bumper's on the ground. Cynthia stands
there in her bathrobe. Upset. Landon's almost too much.

                         CYNTHIA

               You're not hanging round here all
               day.

                         LANDON
               I'm not hanging. I'm fixing my
               car --

                         CYNTHIA
               You don't need a car you can't
               drive for a month. Go see Marvin.

                         LANDON
               'Bout what?

                         CYNTHIA
               About a job.

Landon ignores her. Slides back under his car.

EXT. UNDER CAMARO

                         CYNTHIA (O.S.)
               He's going to try you as assistant
               manager.
                    (beat)
               You could be manager someday.

Landon can't believe this.

EXT. DRIVEWAY

Landon slides back out.

                         LANDON
               I'm not working there.

Cynthia sets her jaw. He knows that look.

INT. RESTAURANT - KITCHEN - LUNCH HOUR

Landon is sweating, scouring pots. A crooked cap on his
head, an assistant manager name tag on his shirt. He's
making some headway; only two more to wash.

MARVIN, the owner, walks over. Beer belly, greasy hair.
Dumps another pile of dirty pots and pans in Landon's
sink. Landon glimpses his future.

INT. PRINCIPAL KELLY'S OUTER OFFICE - EARLY AFTERNOON

Landon paces, jumpy. Kelly's secretary, MISS TARBOX,
quietly locks her purse in her bottom drawer.

                         LANDON
               Who's he in with?

                         MISS TARBOX
               He'll be with you when he's
               available.

The door to Kelly's office opens. Jamie Sullivan exits
with her father, the tall stern REVEREND HEGBERT SULLIVAN.
Jamie eyes Landon as she passes by.

                         LANDON
                    (joking)
               You expelled, too?

Nobody laughs or even smiles.

INT. PRINCIPAL KELLY'S OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER

Mr. Kelly makes a note in Jamie's file.

                         MR. KELLY
               Finding the real world to your
               liking, Mr. Carter?

                         LANDON
               I want to come back.

                         MR. KELLY

                    (looking up,
                    surprised)
               Back? Were you ever really here?

They both know Kelly has the upper hand. Kelly leans back
in his chair, relishing it.

                         LANDON
                    (mumbling)
               I want to graduate.

Kelly studies Landon, the boy who can't get out of his own
way.

                         MR. KELLY
                    (thinking aloud)
               You could grace our hallowed halls
               again, if, while you're here, you
               make a sincere effort to be part
               of our little school community --

                         LANDON
                    (relieved)
               I'd do that --

                         MR. KELLY
               How would you do that, Mr. Carter?

Landon shrugs, clueless.

                         MR. KELLY
                    (smiling)
               Shall I give you a few ideas?

                         LANDON
                    (smiling, too)
               Please.

                         MR. KELLY
               Besides attending all your regular
               classes, I'd like you to help our
               janitorial staff after school --

                         LANDON
               For pay?

                         MR. KELLY
               For the inner satisfaction it will
               bring.
                    (beat)
               Saturday mornings, I'd like you to
               tutor disadvantaged students at
               our sister school --

                         LANDON
                    (joking)
               I'm as underprivileged as they
               are --

                         MR. KELLY

               The fact that you attend this
               school makes you privileged.

His tone quiets Landon.

                         MR. KELLY
               Finally, I'd like you to join the
               drama club. Rehearsals are
               Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

                         LANDON
                    (grumbling)
               I'd work backstage or something?

                         MR. KELLY
               Or something. They're doing a
               play for the holidays.

                         LANDON
               When do I get time for me?

                         MR. KELLY
               You don't. That's the point.

Landon's not happy, but he'll work with this. As he heads
for the door:

                         MR. KELLY
                    (softer, trying to
                    reach him)
               Landon, none of us faculty see you
               the way you see yourself.
                    (beat)
               Some of us remember how your
               father --

                         LANDON
               Then you remember more than I do.

CLOSE ON BROOM

pushing gum wrappers under a radiator.

INT. SCIENCE CLASSROOM - AFTER SCHOOL

Landon sweeps at the floor during the Star Club open
house. A dozen nerds, including Jamie Sullivan (wearing
her brown sweater), stand at astronomy exhibits. Students
wander in, listen, look.

                         JAMIE
                    (answering question)
               -- Saturn's 15 degrees to the
               right of red Antares and much
               brighter.

To her small audience, she holds up a contraption made
from a wire coat hanger.

                         JAMIE
               This is a very simple device made
               from a coat hanger, plastic wrap
               and typewriter correction fluid.
               Does anyone know what it is?

No one does.

                         LANDON
                    (barely audible)
               A star frame.

But Jamie hears. She regards him a moment, then keeps
going.

                         JAMIE
               This is a star frame.

Clay and Eric enter, checking on Landon, glancing at
Jamie.

                         JAMIE
               A star frame will help you locate
               stars and planets with your naked
               eye --

                         CLAY
                    (scoffing, setting
                    her up)
               -- Did God create the sun?

                         JAMIE
                    (taking him seriously)
               Yes, God created the universe and
               all its physical laws. Even
               Einstein said it's a miracle that
               our world is comprehensible --

                         ERIC
               -- If God can do all that, why
               can't he get you a new sweater?

Landon laughs loudly. Members of the club look at him.

                         LANDON
               That was a joke. Laugh.

Jamie smiles. She can laugh at herself. And she finds
Landon funny.

INT. CARTER KITCHEN - EVENING

Landon washes up while his mother sets the table. The
MICROWAVE HUMS in the b.g.

                         CYNTHIA
               Your father dropped off an extra
               check.

                         LANDON
               I don't want his money.

                         CYNTHIA
               It could help with a new car --

                         LANDON
               -- I like the car I have.

He picks up the envelope with wet hands. Without looking
inside, rips it in half. Cynthia smiles, quietly happy.

INT. SCHOOL BUS - TRAVELING - SATURDAY MORNING

Enthusiastic preppies, richies, other do-gooders, singing
Karma Chameleon. Jamie sits in an aisle seat, reading,
not singing. She turns around to look at Landon. He
rides in the back row, staring out the window, wearing a
Sony Walkman, glum.

HIS POV

To Z.Z. TOP'S "Sleeping Bag." Out the window -- Jefferson
High School coming into view. Bars on every window,
chain-link fence around the parameter, no grass.

INT. JEFFERSON HIGH - LIBRARY - LITTLE LATER

A big room with tables and chairs but few books. Pairs of
heads are bent over textbooks and notebooks. Landon sits
with LUIS, a freshman boy of mixed ethnicity. A geometry
text between them.

                         LANDON
                    (reading)
               -- 'So what is the measure of
               angle x if A and B are similar
               triangles?'

Luis is lost, intimidated.

                         LANDON
               Know what 'similar' means?

Luis shrugs. Luis looks down at the book as if for the
answer, then at Landon, hopeless. He gets up and walks
off. Landon looks up in disbelief and catches Jamie
studying him. She's at a nearby table with her student,
ISABEL.

INT. SCHOOL BUS - NOON

The DOOR SWISHES SHUT behind Landon as he hops aboard.
He's late and heads for the rear bench seat.

LANDON'S POV

Jamie sitting there. And no vacant seats save next to
her.

BACK TO SCENE

The bus begins to roll. Landon lurches forward.

TRAVELING - LATER

The bus is moving through Beaufort. Landon sits next to
Jamie. Putting a new tape into his Sony Walkman. His
body turned away. She's reading her book.

                         JAMIE
               You going to visit Harold?

Landon scowls. What-who is she talking about?

                         JAMIE
               They let him out of the hospital
               yesterday. He's in a rest home on
               Oak Street.

That old man.

                         JAMIE
               He goes to my father's church. He
               could've died --

                         LANDON
               -- This your idea of small talk?

                         JAMIE
               I don't make small talk --

                         LANDON
               -- Obviously.

                         JAMIE

               I just wanted to tell you not to
               give up. Sometimes you've got to
               back into the teaching from
               somewhere else.

If he heard her, he makes no sign. She goes back to her
book. A long beat, then:

                         JAMIE
               What makes you volunteer?
                    (pause)
               Want to know why I tutor reading?

Not really.

                         JAMIE
               Because, growing up, books were my
               world.

                         LANDON
                    (mean)
               Were?

                         JAMIE
               You don't know me.

                         LANDON
               Your book and your brown sweater
               and your hair. What's more to
               know -- ?

                         JAMIE
               -- I wear the sweater because I'm
               cold. I read because no one talks
               to me. My hair is my hair. What
               is it exactly that's bothering
               you?

                         LANDON

               You don't care what people say?

                         JAMIE
               You mean care what you say? I'm
               worrying about other things.

                         LANDON
               Like what? The moons of Jupiter?

                         JAMIE
               Can't you have a normal
               conversation?

                         LANDON
               I don't want to have any
               conversation.

                         JAMIE
               Good, cuz talking to you is like
               trying to explain red to a blind
               person.

She reads again. The bus pulls to a stop in front of
Beaufort High. Belinda, wearing a neck brace, is waiting,
leaning on her Cabriolet. Jamie watches Landon exit the
bus.

JAMIE'S POV - OUT THE WINDOW

Landon greeting Belinda, kissing her.

INT. SCHOOL AUDITORIUM - TUESDAY EVENING

Landon opens a side door, peers in at the Drama Club.

LANDON'S POV

A big space with a stage. MS. GARBER stands before six
geeky boys, and a dozen fat girls and Jamie.

BACK TO SCENE

Landon reacts -- this girl actually chooses to be in these
places? Ms. Garber looks up from her papers.

                         MS. GARBER
               We're waiting, Mr. Carter.

He slides in a row behind the others. Leans forward and
pokes a boy, EDDIE JONES. Eddie's pimply and talks with
his eyes squinched up.

                         LANDON
               What's the play?

Eddie hands him a photocopied script, The Rainmaker.

                         EDDIE
               The-the-there's this drought an'
               -- and a smooth t-t-alking guy
               comes and says he can m-make
               rain --

                         LANDON

               -- And the ugly farmer's daughter
               falls for him. I saw the movie.

                         EDDIE
               Yeah. It's really g-g-good --

                         LANDON
               -- It blows.

ON STAGE - MINUTES LATER

Jamie and Landon sit in folding chairs, reading from
scripts. Landon's wooden, showing how lame this is.

                         LANDON
                    (as Starbuck)
               'I hope your dreams come true.'

                         JAMIE
                    (as Lizzie, sad)
               'They won't.'

                         LANDON
                    (as Starbuck)
               'Believe in yourself and they
               will. Let me ask you, Lizzie.
               Look in the mirror? Are you
               pretty --?'

                         MS. GARBER

               -- Landon, are you trying to be
               bad at this?

                         LANDON
               No, it just comes naturally.

Jamie smiles. Garber taps her script -- continue.

                         LANDON
                    (as Starbuck)
               'It's got to be inside you. Then
               one day the mirror will be the
               eyes of the man who loves you.
               You'll look in that mirror and
               you'll be more than pretty.
               You'll be beautiful.'

Ms. Garber eyes Landon, motions for him to keep going.

                         LANDON
                    (as Starbuck)
               'Look at me. Tell me what you
               see!'

As Lizzie, Jamie looks into his eyes.

                         JAMIE
                    (as Lizzie)
               'Is it really me?'

                         LANDON
                    (as Starbuck, hamming)
               'Yes. You're-you're b-b-
               beautiful.'

Hoots and laughter. Jamie looks away, humiliated.

                         MS. GARBER
               Quiet!
                    (announcing)
               Landon will play the role of Bill
               Starbuck.

Groans among the boys. Jamie is horrified. So is Landon.

                         LANDON
                    (to Garber)
               No way. No thanks. I can't do
               it --

                         MR. KELLY (O.S.)
                    (offstage)
               -- You can and you will, Mr.
               Carter.

Kelly's been standing in the wings.

                         MR. KELLY
                    (warning)
               With all the sincerity and dignity
               you can muster.

Everyone stares at Landon. He's trapped.

EXT. AUDITORIUM - LATER THAT EVENING

Raining. Landon exits behind all the others. Stands
under an overhang, lights a cigarette, angry, waiting for
a ride. Jamie approaches, something on her mind.

                         LANDON
                    (rude)
               You're like this fly, buzzing
               buzzing everywhere --

                         JAMIE
               -- This play means a lot to me.

                         LANDON
                    (snorting)
               This play -- ?

                         JAMIE
               -- I know you don't suck at
               acting.

Landon laughs. Refusing to take her seriously. Behind
him, the lights go out as the school closes for the night.

                         JAMIE
               But you have to make it a big joke
               because only dorks and dweebies
               like doing theater --

                         LANDON

               -- What are you going on about?

Pause.

                         JAMIE
               I can judge too.

He exhales, eyeing her, daring her.

                         JAMIE

               You don't care about classes or
               graduating. But you like school
               because you're popular and you
               know you'll never be on top again.

                         LANDON
               That's deep --

                         JAMIE
               -- Your act only works with an
               audience.

                         LANDON
               My act?!

She walks off toward her father's old Pontiac. The last
car in the parking lot.

Fire trucks rush by on the street below. Landon's ears
twitch. He looks about. No one, no ride. He sees the
Pontiac backing out of a parking spot.

EXT. PARKING LOT - MOMENTS LATER

Landon bangs on the side of her car as she drives past.

                         LANDON
               A ride?! Please!

INT. PONTIAC

Jamie turns to look at him.

JAMIE'S POV

Landon, wet, desperate, his eyes pleading.

                         LANDON
                    (insincere)
               We can talk about your helping me
               with my lines.

INT. OLD PONTIAC - TRAVELING - MOMENTS LATER

Jamie's at the wheel.

                         JAMIE
               I know you don't want help.

                         LANDON
               Then we both know.
                    (beat)
               I'll point. You drive. Faster.

He points the way, to the taillights of the fire trucks.
The wet road glistens.

                         JAMIE

               We're following fire trucks?

                         LANDON
               Yeah.

                         JAMIE
               Why?

                         LANDON
                    (duh)
               Because that's where the fire is?

He fishes in his pocket for a tape. Pulls one out. He's
searching the dash -- no cassette player.

                         LANDON
               Fire is like a living thing.
               Wild. Unpredictable.

                         JAMIE
               Like me.

                         LANDON
               No. Not like you.

She jerks the car across the center lane. Driving on the
wrong side of the road. He grips the dash.

                         LANDON
               What the -- ?!

                         JAMIE
               So you agree you need help?

LANDON'S POV - OUT WINDSHIELD

Headlights looming, a car coming. Closer and closer.

BACK TO SCENE

                         LANDON
               Yes!

She swings the Pontiac back to the right lane. Smiling.
A car zips by in the other direction, HORN BLARING.

                         JAMIE
               Really?

Landon drops his attitude, his act. He toys with the
glove compartment knob.

                         LANDON

               Yeah. Kelly'll make me leave
               school if I screw up the play.

                         JAMIE
                    (to herself)
               28 and 42.

Pause. He acts like he doesn't hear, but he's interested.

                         LANDON
               What's with the friggin numbers?

                         JAMIE
               28 is do something illegal. 42 is
               befriend an enemy.

                         LANDON
               I'm an enemy?

                         JAMIE
               Kinda. Yeah.

EXT. ACROSS STREET FROM FIRE - LITTLE LATER

Landon and Jamie walk around the fire, watching the fire
and the firemen. Landon is just tolerating her.

                         JAMIE
               The reason I got the part... I'm a
               little like Lizzie. Except I
               don't worry about some man
               rescuing me.

                         LANDON
               Good thing.

If she's offended, she keeps it to herself.

                         LANDON
               You got some kind of list?

                         JAMIE
               Are you asking to mock me or do
               you really want to know?

                         LANDON
               Maybe a little of both.

They both smile.

                         JAMIE
               I'll take a chance.

                         LANDON
               Go for it.

                         JAMIE
               It's like a to-do list, but for my
               life.

He smirks.

                         JAMIE
               If you can't imagine the future,
               you won't have one.

He lights a cigarette. She reaches for it.

                         LANDON

                    (joking)
               Having a cigarette. 100.

She grins and takes a drag. They share the cigarette.

                         LANDON
               So what else is on this list?

                         JAMIE
               It's private.

                         LANDON
                    (cajoling)
               You want to tell me...

She eyes him, not certain she's willing to risk sharing
her dreams with him.

                         LANDON
                    (guessing, rudely)
               Get very wasted. Lose your
               virginity --

                         JAMIE
                    (correcting)
               Spend a year in the Peace Corps.
               Make a medical discovery --

                         LANDON
                    (contemptuous)
               Ambitious.

                         JAMIE

               Being negative's a lot more work
               than being positive.

                         LANDON
               Like you'd know.

                         JAMIE
               I do know.
                    (pause)
               Be two places at once... learn to
               hit a baseball or turn a
               cartwheel... eat breakfast with
               chopsticks...

He likes the frivolity of these.

                         LANDON
               What's... Number one?

She looks away, embarrassed.

                         JAMIE
                    (changing subject)
               If you want help with your lines,
               I have two conditions.
                    (smiling)
               You have to promise not to fall in
               love with me.

He's certain she's joking.

                         LANDON
               No problem --

                         JAMIE
               And you have to meet my father.

He looks at her like she's crazy to worry about this.

                         LANDON
               Fathers love me.

CLOSE ON PARSONAGE FRONT DOOR

swinging open. Reverend Sullivan looming tall. Ichabod
Crane in a collar.

EXT. PARSONAGE PORCH - WIDER - NEXT EVENING

Landon gives a cheery little wave. He's very sweaty. His
bike teeters on its kickstand in the b.g.

                         LANDON
               Hey. Landon Carter.

Landon offers his hand. The Reverend shakes reluctantly,
eyeing him closely: Landon's Army boots, torn jeans,
dirty t-shirt, aloof manner.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
                    (surprised)
               You're in the play?

                         LANDON
               Lead man.

Jamie slides out the door. She looks good in jeans and a
white t-shirt. Almost normal. In the b.g., Landon's BIKE
CRASHES over. He bounds down the porch steps.

                         LANDON
                    (explaining bike)
               They took my license for 30 days.
               But nobody's pressing charges.

The Reverend looks at Jamie, concerned. Landon tries the
kickstand, then leans the bike against a carefully trimmed
bush. Not the best place.

                         JAMIE
               I'll get something for us to
               drink --

                         LANDON
               Don't bother!

But she's already gone. The Reverend gestures toward the
open front door.

INT. SULLIVAN LIVING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Dark and prim with stiff furniture left to fade. Landon
pokes around, then stares at a photo of little girl Jamie
with her parents. He looks up, aware that the Reverend is
studying him closely.

                         LANDON
               You know our planet would not
               suffer for one nanosecond if
               humans died off. But if ants
               disappeared, that would be
               catastrophic.

The Reverend waits, letting Landon suffer the silence.

                         LANDON
                    (confidence flagging)
               Apropos of nothing... so. So so
               so so --

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               Let's get something straight. You
               don't know me. I don't know you.
               But I know what you're about.
                    (beat)
               Keep your distance from this
               house -- and from Jamie.

His eyes lock with Landon's. His message clear. A NOISE
and Jamie is there, carrying glasses of lemonade, all
cheerful.

                         JAMIE
               I miss anything?

INT. PARSONAGE - KITCHEN - MINUTES LATER

Jamie washes the lemonade glasses, happy. Her father
comes in.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               The Carter boy. Tell me about
               him.

                         JAMIE
               He wants help with his lines --

                         REV. SULLIVAN

               He was driving the car that hit
               Harold Keene --

                         JAMIE
               By accident --

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               Jamie, he's careless. Reckless.
                    (beat)
               Is this really the best time to be
               making a new friend...?

                         JAMIE
               I'm supposed to always be alone?

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               I don't want you to see him
               outside school activities.

                         JAMIE
               Fine. But I need to start
               deciding how to spend my time and
               my life.

Pause.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
                    (gentler)
               I'm sorry your mother isn't here
               to help you become a woman.

                         JAMIE
               Dad, I've become a woman without
               her. Just not a pretty one.

INT. JAMIE'S BEDROOM - ONE AM

Jamie hops out of bed, pulls on jeans and a sweatshirt.

INT. HALLWAY

Jamie peers into her father's room. He's sleeping. She
tiptoes to the staircase and down. Sneaking out.

EXT. REAR ACCESS ROAD TO CEMETERY - TEN MINUTES LATER

Landon is waiting when Jamie appears. He has scripts in
his back pocket. They smile at each other, laugh.

                         JAMIE
                    (re: her father)
               I know. Don't say anything.

                         LANDON
               He's a softy. Got him wrapped
               around my finger.

                         JAMIE
               You think so.

                         LANDON
               Know so.

She grins, skeptical.

                         JAMIE
               This way.

ANOTHER ANGLE

Jamie leads Landon toward the cemetery rear gate.

                         JAMIE
               People think I'm strange, don't
               they?

                         LANDON

                    (smiling)
               Yes.

                         JAMIE
               Because I try to be nice to
               people?

                         LANDON
               Yeah. Maybe. I dunno.

                         JAMIE
               Do you think I'm strange?

Pause. Landon's caught off-guard by her frankness.

                         LANDON
               Yeah. But that can be good.

EXT. CEMETERY - REAR GATE - NIGHT

Jamie quickly scales the fence. Landon's right after her.

                         LANDON
               Why are we here?

INT. CEMETERY

Jamie drops down. Takes a flashlight from her bag.

                         JAMIE
               Cuz it's dark and quiet and you
               can see into another world.

                         LANDON
                    (on top of gate)
               The world of the dead?

                         JAMIE
                    (being mysterious)
               Could be...

He drops down, not sure what she means. She's already
walking away. He follows.

                         JAMIE
               My mother's buried near here.

                         LANDON

               My father's alive but it's like
               he's dead.

She looks at Landon, feeling his sorrow, then unlocks a
storage shed. Opens the door. Enters. Returns a moment
later carrying several pieces of an odd-looking home-made
cylindrical device.

                         LANDON
               What is that?

                         JAMIE
                    (proud)
               That is my telescope.

SAME SCENE - MINUTES LATER

The ten-inch Dobsonian telescope is pointed at the sky.
The eye-piece is at the end of the long scope; the scope
rests on a plywood base. Landon looks through the eye-
piece.

POV (THROUGH TELESCOPE) - CLOSE ON GOLDEN PLANET

a beautiful view of a golden planet with a broad, flat
ring system.

WIDEN.

                         LANDON
                    (impressed)
               Saturn. Beautiful.

                         JAMIE
               Before Voyager we expected maybe a
               dozen rings --

                         LANDON
               But there are thousands of them,
               made of floating ice --

                         JAMIE
               Maybe debris from a moon that
               broke apart.

                         LANDON
               Or building blocks for a world
               that never formed.

She looks at him. He smiles, embarrassed.

                         LANDON
               I'm not smart. Just a sponge.

She smiles, disagreeing, then looks through the telescope
and changes its view.

                         JAMIE

               Sometimes I come here and just
               scan the heavens.

                         LANDON
                    (joking)
               Looking for intelligent life?

                         JAMIE
               Looking for something -- someone.

Pause. He doesn't know what to say.

                         LANDON
               Do you believe you'll see your
               mother again?

                         JAMIE
               I hope so.
                    (beat)
               I think maybe she sees me now.

Their eyes meet. She looks away. Changes the subject.

                         JAMIE
                    (re: telescope)
               I'm building a larger one to see
               the nucleus of Haley's Comet --

                         LANDON
               The dirty snowball at its core.

                         JAMIE
               Yeah.
                    (beat)
               I'm probably not going to be
               around next time it comes.

                         LANDON
               In 76 years, me neither.

She likes that he knows a little about astronomy. They
each lean back on a tombstone and stare at the stars.

                         LANDON
               You're really into God, right?

                         JAMIE
               In ten words or less?

                         LANDON
               Yeah.

                         JAMIE
               My relationship with God is my
               own.

                         LANDON
               But you think about Him -- It --
               Her.

                         JAMIE
               Don't you?

                         LANDON

               Not really.

Pause.

                         JAMIE
               When you do, how do you?

Landon could joke or he could reveal something.

                         LANDON
               Like in a church painting. I see
               this giant hovering over the
               ground. He's wearing a robe, and
               has long flowing hair, and he's
               pointing his finger at something.

                         JAMIE
               Do you ever wonder why things
               happen the way they do?

                         LANDON
               No.

                         JAMIE
               I know there's a plan for
               everyone, but sometimes I don't
               understand what the message is --
               or what the point is.

                         LANDON
               There is no point. You live. You
               die. The end.

                         JAMIE

               Maybe we're not supposed to
               understand, but we're supposed to
               have faith that someone else sees
               the big picture.

                         LANDON
               You have to believe to have faith.

                         JAMIE
               You don't believe in anything?

                         LANDON
               The Bible. Why should I read a
               bunch of dumb stories about some
               ancient guy who supposedly worked
               miracles.

                         JAMIE
               Interpreted by another guy like my
               father.

                         LANDON
               Your father doesn't like me.

Pause.

                         JAMIE
               He doesn't trust you.

                         LANDON
               Sometimes I don't even trust me.

He sits up and pulls Rainmaker scripts from his back
pocket. He holds one out to her. A moment passes. She
takes it.

                         JAMIE
               I'm not afraid of you.

                         LANDON

               Likewise.

INT. PARSONAGE - HALLWAY - LATER THAT NIGHT

Jamie sneaks from the stairs to her room. Shuts the door.
A light glows under the door, then goes out.

INT. REVEREND SULLIVAN'S BEDROOM

He opens his eyes, listens, then turns over and goes back
to sleep. Not suspecting. Not yet.

INT. LANDON'S BEDROOM - SAME TIME

Dreary. Landon lies in bed, flipping the TV CHANNELS,
past "Square Pegs," "Miami Vice," MTV, to a British nature
documentary. After a moment, he searches for a pen and
paper. Titles it "Life List." Pause. He doesn't know
what to write.

EXT. BEAUFORT HIGH PARKING LOT - MORNING (BEFORE SCHOOL)

Landon, Clay, Eric, Belinda. Eric's pickup is parked by
Belinda's Cabriolet. RADIOS ON, BLASTING the same
station, same song: JOHN FOGERTY's "Rock and Roll Girls."

                         ERIC
               Women are definitely evolving into
               men.

                         CLAY
               The moustaches on some girls.
               Unbelievable.

                         BELINDA
               Why is Jamie Sullivan staring at
               us?

They look. Jamie's watching them. They laugh.

                         ERIC
               She wants to jump Landon's bones.

                         BELINDA
               That is so pitiful.

                         LANDON
               She's very confused.

                         CLAY
               Deluded.

                         ERIC
               Deranged.

                         LANDON
               Demented.

                         BELINDA
               She's coming over here...

                         LANDON
               Heart be still.

They laugh more and she's there.

                         JAMIE
                    (to Landon)
               Hi.

He doesn't respond. She shifts from foot to foot.
Confused.

                         JAMIE
               The play's going to be really
               good.

                         LANDON
                    (mocking her)
               I'm really glad you think so.

His friends snicker and guffaw. She looks at them, then
back to Landon.

                         JAMIE
               I guess you don't want to practice
               lines tonight.

                         LANDON

               You guessed right.

She gives him a funny look and walks away. A better
person than he and he knows it.

                         BELINDA
               That's one girl who can't take a
               hint.

                         LANDON
               Because she doesn't know what a
               hint is.

They laugh. Landon the loudest. It feels good, but he
also feels a little... bad.

INT. GARAGE - NIGHT

Cleaned up. Swept out. The Camaro is still a dented
mess. But Landon drops its hood down, wipes his hands,
and climbs behind the wheel. The ENGINE STARTS.

INT. JAMIE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

No posters of pop stars. Books by Houston Smith, Thomas
Merton, Alan Watts, Carlos Castaneda. Jamie studies,
listening to JONI MITCHELL's "I Wish I Had a River." The
DOORBELL RINGS.

INT. FRONT HALL - MOMENTS LATER

Jamie opens the front door. Landon. A stern voice from
the living room. Reverend Sullivan's.

                         REV. SULLIVAN (O.S.)
               Better not be the Carter boy.

Jamie shuts the door.

EXT. SULLIVAN FRONT PORCH

Landon can't believe this. He presses the BELL again.

                         LANDON

                    (talking to door)
               Jamie?
                    (beat)
               Open up.
                    (beat)
               Open the door. Please.
                    (long beat)
               Reverend Sullivan, I have to talk
               to your daught--

                         JAMIE
               What is your problem?

She's standing in the front yard.

                         LANDON
               You're not in a very good mood.

                         JAMIE
               You don't miss a thing.

WIDER

He steps down off the porch.

                         LANDON
               The play's in a couple of weeks.

                         JAMIE
               Yes. And?

                         LANDON

               I was hoping we could run lines
               together.

                         JAMIE
               Oh. Just not at school...

                         LANDON
               Yeah --

                         JAMIE
               Or anywhere where people might see
               us.

                         LANDON
               Belinda's a very jealous person.

                         JAMIE
               That would be the reason.

Pause. He thinks she might be going for this.

                         JAMIE
               So it's like you want to be secret
               friends.

                         LANDON
               That's it! Exactly! You're
               reading my mind --

                         JAMIE
               Then maybe you can read mine.

She walks up the porch steps, goes in the front door, and
opens it. Before she goes in:

                         JAMIE

               I thought I saw something in you,
               something good. But I was wrong.

INT. SULLIVAN FRONT HALL - MOMENTS LATER

Jamie leans against the closed door, trembling, almost
crying. In the living room, her father looks up from his
reading, sees Jamie, then parts the curtains, looks out,
glowers.

REVEREND SULLIVAN'S POV - OUT WINDOW

Landon standing in the front yard, confused that Jamie
would reject his generous offer of friendship.

EXT. FRONT YARD

Landon walks to his car, then yells back at the parsonage.

                         LANDON

               Why do you have to be so weird?!

The front door opens, startling Landon. It's the
Reverend. Red-faced with fury. Landon glares back, but
then climbs in his car and drives off. Ashamed.

INT. PARSONAGE - LIVING ROOM - MINUTES LATER

Jamie sits on the sofa. Her father doesn't look up from
his reading.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               The first time I met him I knew.
               I'm proud of how you're handling
               yourself.

Tears well and Jamie's face cracks with guilt and
heartbreak. She leaves before her father can see her
distress.

INT. LANDON'S BEDROOM - LATE NIGHT

Landon lies in bed watching another British nature
DOCUMENTARY, this one on astronomy. He reaches for his
school yearbook. Flips the pages until he finds Jamie's
photo.

CLOSE ON JAMIE'S PHOTO

She's smiling and looks almost cute. Listed under her
photo are clubs: Red Cross, Stars and Planets, Drama.
Ambition: To Witness a Miracle.

INT. JEFFERSON HIGH - LIBRARY - SATURDAY MORNING

Landon and Luis sit over the geometry text. Landon has
just asked a question and Luis is shrugging sadly.
Landon's eyes wander out the window.

LANDON'S POV - BASKETBALL HOOP

BACK TO SCENE

                         LANDON
               Let's get outta here.

EXT. JEFFERSON HIGH - BASKETBALL BLACKTOP - MINUTES LATER

Landon and Luis face each other across the half-court.
Landon's got a ball and is further from the basket.

                         LANDON
               You, me, and the basket. We're
               the three corners of a triangle.
               Take one step in.

Landon and Luis both step forward.

                         LANDON
               Am I at the same angle to you and
               the basket as before?

                         LUIS
               Yeah.

                         LANDON
               Are you?

                         LUIS

               Yeah.

                         LANDON
               So what did we just make?

                         LUIS
               A similar triangle?

                         LANDON
               What else? What kind of triangle
               has three sides of different
               lengths.

                         LUIS
               Scalene?

                         LANDON
               Okay. Make me an isosceles.

Luis steps outward, directly opposite Landon.

                         LANDON
               Yes! Two sides the same.

Landon tosses him the ball. They play. Jamie glances
over from a picnic table where she works with her student,
Isabel. Landon looks at her, she looks away, he looks
back. Thoughtful. Watching her. But not staring.

INT. BOOK STORE - EVENING

Landon studies the books in the spiritual/religion shelf.

He picks out a book, then sits in a corner.

But before he opens the text, he looks around him,
suddenly taking in all the books, all the learning, all
the knowledge that could be his.

EXT. SCHOOL AUDITORIUM - WEEK LATER

On the marquee: The Rainmaker. Under this, "All
Invited." Under this, a full parking lot.

INT. AUDITORIUM

A full house. Parents, teachers, students, churchgoers,
booster club and rotary members.

ON STAGE

The set is a wealthy Midwestern ranch house of the 1950s.
Eddie and two other BOYS play other characters. The
play's underway...

STAGE LEFT

Landon watches, dressed as Bill Starbuck in a nicely
fitted suit. Waiting for his entrance.

LANDON'S POV - STAGE

                         BOY #1
                    (as H.C., the father)
               'Then why don't you talk to her?'

                         EDDIE
                    (as Jim)
               'Because if we do, she'll think
               we're trying to get rid of her.'

                         BOY #1
                    (as H.C., the father)
               'She'll sure think the same if I
               do it. You're her father and
               comes a time when a father's gotta
               mention.'

BACK TO SCENE

From stage right, Jamie makes her entrance as Lizzie. A
collective gasp from the audience.

LANDON'S POV

Jamie, wearing makeup, a dress that clings, her hair
pulled back.

BACK TO SCENE

Landon can't take his eyes off her.

                         JAMIE
                    (as Lizzie)
               'Morning, Pop. Boys. I dreamed
               we had a rain, rain coming down in
               sheets! Lightning flashed,
               thunder rolled up and down the
               canyon like a kid with a big
               drum!'

AUDIENCE

Reverend Sullivan -- enraptured. Principal Kelly --
hopeful. Cynthia Carter -- uncertain. Clay, Eric, and
Belinda -- rocking in their seats, snickering.

                         JAMIE
                    (as Lizzie)
               'I know why you sent me to
               Sweetriver. Six boys in that
               family. The first three days, I
               stayed in my room.'

                         BOY #2
                    (as Noah, the
                    brother)
               'What'd you do that for?'

BACK OF AUDITORIUM

A well-dressed man, DR. JONATHAN CARTER, Landon's father,
slips in and takes a seat a couple of rows behind Cynthia.

                         JAMIE (O.S.)
                    (as Lizzie)
               'I knew what I was there for and
               they knew it, too!'

BACK OF AUDITORIUM - LATER

Dr. Carter hangs on every word. Others sit on the edge of
their seats. Even Clay, Eric, and Belinda. Belinda leans
forward to take a photo.

BELINDA'S POV THROUGH CAMERA LENS

As she ZOOMS -- Landon and Jamie on stage, growing larger.

ON STAGE

Landon, Jamie, and the three boys.

ON STAGE - LANDON

is Starbuck.

                         LANDON
                    (as Starbuck,
                    genuine)
               '... You'll look in that mirror
               and you'll be more than pretty.
               You'll be beautiful. Look at me.
               Tell me what you see!'

Jamie looks. She sees something in his eyes she hasn't
seen in them before. Love.

                         JAMIE
                    (as Lizzie, choked
                    up)
               'Is it really me?'

LANDON'S POV

Jamie, her face lovely. Her eyes shining, radiating,
looking directly at him.

BACK TO SCENE

Landon is dumbstruck.

                         LANDON
                    (as Starbuck,
                    heartfelt)
               'Yes.
                    (beat)
               You're beautiful.'

Landon changes the line and nails it. Surprising himself.
Surprising her. They both know it's sincere. A moment
passes. Her stomach churns with anticipation.

He leans in. She closes her eyes. They kiss. Gently,
genuinely. When Jamie opens her eyes, they are filled
with tears.

The curtain crashes down. End of act two.

CLAPPING from the other side of the curtain. Landon tries
to meet Jamie's gaze. But she's looking at the floor.

AUDIENCE

Principal Kelly, pleased. Cynthia Carter, proud. Clay
and Eric, surprised. Reverend Sullivan, frowning,
concerned. Belinda's face is cold, hard.

EXT. SCHOOL PARKING LOT - HOUR LATER

Landon runs out, looking for his friends. Mr. Kelly
shakes his hand, then deals with parents.

LANDON'S POV

Belinda getting into her car.

WIDER

                         LANDON
               Belinda!

Belinda stops.

                         BELINDA
               What?!

She waits. Landon struggles with what to say.

                         BELINDA
               That's what I thought!

Landon watches her START her CAR, back from a parking
space --

                         DR. CARTER
               Landon.

Landon turns. His father is standing on the curb.

                         DR. CARTER
               Fine performance.

                         LANDON

               Who invited you?

                         DR. CARTER
               Ed Kelly. I thought we might get
               a bite --

                         LANDON
               Not hungry.

Landon moves toward his Camaro.

                         DR. CARTER
               Landon! Please. Don't walk away
               from me.

                         LANDON
               Like you walked away from us?

Landon opens his car door and gets in. Not forgiving.

INT. BEAUFORT HIGH - CORRIDOR - NEXT MORNING

Landon waits by Jamie's locker. The BELL RINGS. No
Jamie.

INT. CAFETERIA - NOON

Landon walks along the lunch line, looking. No Jamie.

INT. LIBRARY - LATER

Many many books. Landon cruises the stacks. No Jamie.
Belinda, sitting at a table with a girlfriend, sees Landon
and turns away. He doesn't pursue it.

EXT. CARTER DRIVEWAY - DUSK

Eric and Clay watch Landon hammer out dents in the Camaro.
They're smoking, sharing some beers. Josh, the neighbor
kid, stands across the street, wanting to be invited over.

                         ERIC
                    (contemptuous)
               She's like some Puritan.

                         LANDON
               She's not. She's got her own
               ideas.

                         CLAY
               Mutant ideas.

                         LANDON
               Maybe to you.

Eric and Clay exchange a look -- is Landon defending her?

                         ERIC
               Belinda's telling everyone that
               kiss was real.

                         LANDON
               It was.

Eric and Clay smirk in disbelief.

                         ERIC
               And that you're scamming on Jamie
               Sullivan.

                         LANDON
                    (not denying it)
               Scamming's a strong word.

INT. BEAUFORT HIGH - CORRIDOR - NEXT MORNING

Landon's waiting when Jamie approaches her locker. Her
hair pulled back. She looks good in a simple, fresh way.

                         LANDON
               You weren't in school yesterday.

                         JAMIE

               I went to the doctor with my
               father.

                         LANDON
               He okay?

                         JAMIE
               Healthy as can be.

Pause. She doesn't help him. She opens her locker, gets
what she needs.

                         LANDON
               You were great the other night.

                         JAMIE
               Thank you. So were you.

Pause. He tries to touch her hair. She ducks.

                         LANDON
               I haven't been nice to you.

                         JAMIE
               You're hardly nice to anyone.

                         LANDON

                    (sincere)
               I'm sorry.

                         JAMIE
                    (walking away)
               I wish I could believe you.

INT. CAFETERIA - LATER

Jamie sits alone, reading, wearing her old brown sweater.
Landon walks by Clay and Eric at a table.

                         ERIC
               Landon!

                         LANDON
               Later.

Puts his tray down on Jamie's table and sits. Making a
public statement.

                         JAMIE
               People can see.

                         LANDON
               And that would ruin your
               reputation how?

She goes back to her book. Ignoring him.

                         LANDON
                    (re: her book)
               What's that?

She doesn't look up. Shows him the spine: The Scarlet
Letter.

                         JAMIE
               I'm reading all the novels on Mr.
               Rothberg's best American authors
               list.

                         LANDON

               How many books are there?

                         JAMIE
                    (annoyed)
               A hundred. Then there's his
               classics list. And his European
               list.

Landon realizes this is why she's always reading.

                         LANDON
               That on your 'Life List.' To read
               all those books?

She doesn't deny it. He just dives in.

                         LANDON
               Jamie. Maybe I want to try being
               positive.

She looks up. Examines his face for the truth.

                         LANDON
               Maybe I miss doing that dumb play
               with you.

Students seated near them have overheard. Whisper.

                         LANDON
               Maybe you inspire me.

                         JAMIE
               That sounds like horseshit.

                         LANDON

               Which part?

                         JAMIE
               All of it.

                         LANDON
               It's not.

                         JAMIE
               Prove it.

She picks up her books and tray. Everyone is watching.

                         LANDON
               I just did!

EXT. PARKING LOT - AFTER SCHOOL

Landon follows Jamie out of the building. Catches up.

                         LANDON
               Jamie --

                         JAMIE

               You lack honor. You lack
               compassion. You lack honesty.
               You lack humanity.

She heads to the old Pontiac. Landon jogs after her.

                         LANDON
               Okay. Maybe some of that is
               true --

                         JAMIE
               You don't know the first thing
               about being someone's friend --

                         LANDON
               I don't want to be just your
               friend --

                         JAMIE
               You don't know what you want --

                         LANDON
               You don't either. Take a look at
               yourself. Maybe you're scared
               that someone might actually like
               you --

                         JAMIE
               And why would that scare me?

                         LANDON
               Because then you couldn't hide
               behind your books and your
               telescope and your sweater and
               your God.

She gets into her car. Slams the door. STARTS the
ENGINE. She recognizes the truth.

                         LANDON
               But the real reason you're scared?
               You like me!

She drives off. Clay and Eric, watching, guffaw at
Landon's spectacle.

                         LANDON

               If you were really my friends,
               you'd be helping me, not running
               me down.

                         ERIC
               The only one running you down is
               you.

EXT. BRIDGE OVER INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY - NIGHT

Landon sits alone. Legs dangling over. Lighting and
dropping matches into the black beyond his feet. His body
caught in the occasional sweep of car headlights.

Nearby, an abandoned car. A rusty old Yugo.

INT. CARTER KITCHEN - NIGHT

Landon comes in from outside. Is surprised to find
Cynthia sipping tea, wearing her uniform.

                         CYNTHIA
               Out with Belinda?

                         LANDON
               That's over. Way over.

                         CYNTHIA
               I can't know things if you don't
               tell me.

Pause.

                         LANDON

               Dad came to the play.

                         CYNTHIA
                    (surprised)
               You saw him?

                         LANDON
               We talked. He wanted to get a
               bite -- after. I said no.

                         CYNTHIA
                    (disbelief)
               After he moved out, I invited him
               to every practice, every game,
               every parent-teacher conference
               you ever had. He didn't show, not
               once.

                         LANDON
               He wants to show now.

                         CYNTHIA
               You going to let him? You going
               to reward him by being the son he
               was never man enough to be a
               father to?

Landon doesn't answer.

                         CYNTHIA
                    (angry)
               You do that.

INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE SCIENCE LAB - NEXT AFTERNOON

The door is open to a lab where Jamie and the Star Club is
meeting. Landon mops, working hard, while listening in.
Inside, Jamie ignores him.

Mr. Kelly watches from near the trophy case. Almost
approving.

                         MR. KELLY
               Mr. Carter. Don't wear a hole in
               that one spot there.

Landon grins and moves on. Behind Landon's back, Mr.
Kelly peeks into the science lab. Sees Jamie. Looks back
at Landon. Wonders.

EXT. JEFFERSON HIGH - SATURDAY (DECEMBER)

Landon parks his Camaro. It's shiny and buffed and
perfect again.

INT. JEFFERSON HIGH - LIBRARY - MINUTES LATER

A Christmas party for the tutors and tutored. A ROCK 'N'
ROLL CHRISTMAS CD plays. A raffle ticket box by the door.
A sign reads: "Win Movie Tickets."

Landon enters, buys a ticket, then takes off his leather
jacket. Underneath, a nice shirt and tie.

LANDON'S POV

Across the room -- Jamie, looking pretty in a dress,
laughing with her student, Isabel. Mr. Kelly talking with
MR. REGINALD ADAMS, principal of Jefferson High.

Luis runs over, diverts Landon's attention.

FRONT OF ROOM

Mr. Adams goes to a microphone. Taps it.

                         MR. ADAMS
               Everyone? Quiet please. As you
               all know, we're here to celebrate
               the holidays and to raise money to
               buy books for our library. The
               book drive is being led by
               Beaufort High's Jamie Sullivan.

Applause. This is new. Landon looks at Jamie, who's
smiling. She steps to the microphone.

                         JAMIE
               Thank you for buying tickets.
               We've raised two hundred and
               eighty-five dollars.

More applause. She steps down.

LANDON AND LUIS

Off to one side.

                         LANDON

                    (to Luis)
               About enough to buy maybe five
               volumes in a set of encyclopedias.

Luis smiles. Jamie overhears.

                         JAMIE
               It's a start.

                         LANDON
               Yeah, with a finish in about a
               decade.

She smiles. He looks at her.

                         LANDON
               So you're talking to me?

                         JAMIE
               When I have something to say.

He smiles.

                         LANDON
               What's number one on your list?

She shakes her head.

                         LANDON
               My number one would be getting out
               of Beaufort.

                         JAMIE

               Getting out won't be your problem.
               It'll be figuring out what you
               want when you get somewhere.

She walks away.

                         LANDON
               What does that mean?!

                         JAMIE
                    (turning back)
               It means you can do anything.

Landon smiles, not sure why she believes in him.

EXT. CARTER HOUSE - CHRISTMAS EVENING

Hanging on the front door: a simple evergreen wreath with
a plaid bow.

INT. CARTER HOUSE - LIVING ROOM

Dark save for a gilded fake tree lit with tiny blinking
lights and the glow of Cynthia's cigarette in the dark.

                         CYNTHIA

               Landon! Come enjoy the tree!
               Landon?!

Landon comes down the stairs. Sits on the sofa. Wearing
another good shirt. She tries to reach out.

                         CYNTHIA
               You look nice. I should have
               dressed.

                         LANDON
               You're fine like that, Mom.

                         CYNTHIA
               There's hot cider in the kitchen.

                         LANDON
                    (not moving)
               Thanks.

                         CYNTHIA
               I haven't seen Clay or Eric
               lately.

                         LANDON
               Me neither.

                         CYNTHIA

               No great loss --

                         LANDON
               I need to go out.

Pause.

                         CYNTHIA
                    (hurt)
               To see your father?

                         LANDON
               No. I won't be long.

He senses her hurt, but leaves anyway.

INT. PARSONAGE - LIVING ROOM - EVENING

A Christmas tree with large colored lights stand in a
corner. Jamie and her father playing cards. The DOORBELL
RINGS. Then urgent BANGING.

                         JAMIE/REV. SULLIVAN
                    (recognizing)
               Landon Carter.

EXT. PARSONAGE - FRONT PORCH - MOMENTS LATER

Landon slides his backpack off his shoulder. Pulls out a
shopping bag. Holds it out to Jamie.

                         LANDON
                    (awkward)
               It's a present. Take it.

She does. She opens the bag, pulls out a beautiful pink
sweater. She's overwhelmed.

Without a word, just a happy smile, Landon hops down the
steps toward his car. Reverend Sullivan appears in the
doorway.

                         LANDON
                    (calling back)
               Merry Christmas! And to all a
               good night!

INT. PARSONAGE - JAMIE'S ROOM - MINUTES LATER

Jamie hums to herself as she brushes her hair. She's
wearing the new sweater. Her father KNOCKS. Enters.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               What's Landon Carter up to?

                         JAMIE
                    (innocent)
               Up to?

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               I thought we had rid ourselves of
               his disagreeable companionship.

                         JAMIE

               Dad, why don't you get to the
               point where you get to the point.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               Why is he giving you a gift?

Jamie doesn't answer.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               Did you give him a gift?

                         JAMIE
               No.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               I saw the way he looked at you.
               The way he kissed you.

                         JAMIE
               It was a play.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
                    (unconvinced)
               Boys like him have --
               expectations.

                         JAMIE
               I have expectations, too.

Pause. He's feeling her grow up, grow away.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               I'm not changing the rules.

                         JAMIE

               I haven't asked you to.

They eye each other. He's losing her.

INT. RETIREMENT HOME - HALLWAY - LATER THAT EVENING

A nurse points Landon toward a patient room. He carries a
battered liquor-store box.

INT. PATIENT ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

A TV flickers. Landon comes in. Opens the box. Pulls
out the evergreen wreath with the plaid bow.

                    LANDON
               For me. Christmas is all about
               the smells.

Landon leans the wreath in the window. HAROLD KEENE --
the old man from the accident, watches from his bed,
baffled.

                         LANDON

               Pine's my favorite. That and
               cider with cloves.

Landon pulls a Thermos from his coat pocket. Unscrews the
cap. Finds a drinking cup. Pours in cider. Offers
Harold the cup.

                         HAROLD
               Who are you?

                         LANDON
               Landon Carter. I was driving the
               car that --

                         HAROLD
               You.

                         LANDON
               Me.

Harold takes the cup, looks Landon over. Landon appears
genuinely contrite.

                         LANDON
               I'm very sorry --

                         HAROLD
               What kind of a man are you, son?

Pause.

                         LANDON
                    (honest)
               I don't know that I am -- a man.
               Yet. I'm working on it.

Pause.

                         HAROLD
               I've worked on it my whole life.

Harold reaches under his pillow. Pulls out a small bottle
of liquor. Tops off his cider.

                         HAROLD
               Get yourself a glass.

                         LANDON
               No. Thanks. Gotta keep my wits
               for the drive home.

Harold nods, liking Landon.

                         HAROLD

               You'll sit a while.

                         LANDON
               I will.

EXT. RURAL ROADS - LATER THAT NIGHT

Landon speeds, the windows open, WIND WHIPPING, DIRE
STRAITS BLASTING. The Camaro turns and brakes and turns
again, kicking up gravel, raising hell. The car slides to
a stop.

INT. CAMARO

Landon turns OFF the RADIO. Sits still. Wipes the
rearview mirror clean, spotless. Unties the dangling
plastic skeleton and pockets it.

EXT. USED CAR LOT - NEXT MORNING

Colorful banners and flags flap in the brisk WIND. Landon
talks with a used car SALESMAN.

                         SALESMAN

               Eight hundred.

                         LANDON
               It's got a new V-6 and
               transmission. Alloy wheels.
                    (beat)
               Twelve hundred.

                         SALESMAN
               Nine-fifty.

                         LANDON
               New paint. Extra chrome. Not a
               scratch anywhere.

                         SALESMAN
               The interior is --

                         LANDON
               Reconditioned. Completely. Be a
               collector's someday. Twelve
               hundred.

They look at the Camaro. Shining in the sun.

                         SALESMAN
               You can't expect me to pay you for
               your -- attachment to that car.

Landon gazes at another dealership across the street, then
adopts the surly, vaguely-threatening attitude of old.

                         LANDON

               I don't. I expect you to pay me
               for yours.

The Salesman looks from Landon to the car. He pulls a wad
of cash from his pocket. Wearily counts out twelve bills.
Landon takes the money, touches the Camaro's hood, then
walks away.

EXT. BEAUFORT HIGH - FRONT LAWN - NEXT MORNING

The marquee reads, "HAPPY HOLIDAYS!"

EXT. SCHOOL PARKING LOT - SAME TIME

One car. An old station wagon. At the parking space, a
sign: "School Principal Only."

INT. PRINCIPAL KELLY'S OFFICE

Kelly looks up from paperwork.

                         MR. KELLY
               Landon?

Landon drops a folded wad of hundreds on the desk.

                         LANDON
               For Jefferson High. For books.

                         MR. KELLY
                    (suspicious)
               Where did you get -- ?

                         LANDON
                    (angry)
               It's mine to give. I didn't steal
               it.

                         MR. KELLY
               I didn't say you did.

But his tone implied it and Landon's already gone. Kelly
is immediately sorry. He goes to his window and sees
Landon pedal away on the old bike.

EXT. CARTER DRIVEWAY - NEXT DAY

Landon watches a tow truck lower the abandoned Yugo. When
the car is down, he sees Jamie standing on the sidewalk.

EXT. FOOT OF DRIVEWAY - MOMENTS LATER

Landon faces Jamie.

                         LANDON
               Hey.

                         JAMIE
               I heard what you did. Thank you.

He nods, but quickly changes the subject.

                         LANDON
                    (re: the Yugo)
               She great or what?

                         JAMIE
               Why are you doing all this? To
               impress me?

                         LANDON
               No.
                    (beat)
               But are you -- impressed?

She smiles.

                         JAMIE
               Like fire.

                         LANDON
               What?

                         JAMIE
               You.

She heads for her father's old Pontiac.

                         LANDON

               New Year's Eve. Would you go out
               with me?!

She stops. Turns around. Surprised.

                         JAMIE
               Yes. But not as a date date.

                         LANDON
               Why not?

                         JAMIE
               I'm not allowed to date.

She smiles and gets in the car.

EXT. SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH - NEXT AFTERNOON

Landon follows signs for the church office.

INT. HALLWAY BY REVEREND SULLIVAN'S OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER

Landon looks into the Reverend's office.

LANDON'S POV

Reverend Sullivan is sitting behind his desk, examining
legal-looking documents and records. He takes his glasses
off, rubs his eyes.

BACK TO SCENE

Landon knocks. The Reverend looks up, furrows his brow.

                         LANDON
               Reverend Sullivan. Can I ask you
               something?

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               Does it have to do with Jamie?

                         LANDON
               Yes, sir.

The Reverend makes a small motion and Landon enters.

INT. REVEREND'S OFFICE

Landon doesn't sit.

                         LANDON
               I'd like to take Jamie to dinner
               on New Year's Eve.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               That won't be possible.

He looks back to his papers. End of conversation.

                         LANDON
               I'm sorry I haven't always treated
               Jamie the way -- I should have.
               She deserves better.

Reverend Sullivan glances up. As if surprised Landon is
still there.

                         LANDON
               I care for her.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               I don't want to see her hurt.

                         LANDON

               I wouldn't do that --

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               This week.

                         LANDON
               Ever again.

The Reverend looks out the window. A gray day, cold,
bitter, stark. He considers his options.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               Have her home by one. And drive
               carefully.

EXT./INT. YUGO (CARTER DRIVEWAY) - FEW DAYS LATER

Landon's under the Yugo's hood. Josh, the kid from next
door, is in the driver's seat.

                         LANDON
               Start the engine.

Josh turns the key. Nothing happens. Under the hood,
Landon changes something.

                         LANDON
               Again.

Josh tries the engine again. Still no go. Landon changes
something else.

                         LANDON
               One more time.

Josh tries one more time. The ENGINE ROARS, then DIES,
then amazingly STARTS again. It's running. Landon high-
fives Josh, then sees an old station wagon turn in.

EXT./INT. STATION WAGON - MOMENTS LATER

Kelly hands a paper to Landon.

                         MR. KELLY
               Your grades for fall semester.
               They're -- good.

                         LANDON
                    (incredulous)
               You came here to give me my report
               card?

                         MR. KELLY
               I've seen students with records
               like yours go to J.C. for a couple
               of years, then transfer to a good
               college.

Landon understands what Kelly is implying.

                         MR. KELLY
               I'd gladly write you a letter of
               recommendation.

                         LANDON
               Thank you.

                         MR. KELLY
               You're welcome.

They shake hands.

INT. LANDON'S BATHROOM - NEW YEAR'S EVE

Landon, dressed with care, faces the mirror and wet combs
his hair.

INT. FLAUVIN'S - HOUR LATER

A seafood joint on the waterfront. Quaint, not fancy.
Twinkle lights illuminate Jamie's face. Landon finds her
lovely. Jamie picks.

                         JAMIE
               I can't believe you asked my
               father's permission.

                         LANDON
               I wanted this to be a date.

She watches Landon, happy, then perplexed.

JAMIE'S POV

Landon wolfing down his food.

BACK TO SCENE

                         JAMIE
               Is there a rush?

                         LANDON
               I have to get you home by one.

                         JAMIE
               It's only 7:30.

                         LANDON
               We're going somewhere. After.
               And no. I didn't ask your father.

INT. YUGO - TRAVELING - NIGHT

Landon drives. The CARS' "Tonight She Comes" PLAYS. He
belches loudly, dramatically.

                         JAMIE

               Excuse you.

                         LANDON
               Your turn.

                         JAMIE
                    (laughing)
               No.

                         LANDON
               I know you want to.

She grins. And tries. A small burp.

                         LANDON
               Bring the air all the way up from
               your stomach.

He belches again. Just as loud. She tries again,
laughing.

EXT. YUGO

Landon steers the car into a parking lot for a miniature
golf course with a castle-shaped video arcade and Little
League diamond. A family entertainment center.

INT. YUGO

Jamie sees where they are.

                         LANDON
               Before we do this.

                         JAMIE
               We're doing something -- ?

                         LANDON
               Before we do this, I just want to
               say that a good life's gotta be
               about more than achieving stuff --
               like on your list.

She waits for more.

                         LANDON
               It's about working with what you
               already have -- right now -- at
               your fingertips -- you know,
               spontaneously.

                         JAMIE
               What are you talking about?

                         LANDON

               That little bit of larceny in your
               heart.

                         JAMIE
               Excuse me?

                         LANDON
               Fun.

INT. BATTING CAGE - NIGHT

Jamie's in the cage with a helmet on. A machine tosses
balls. Landon coaches from outside.

                         LANDON
               Swing! Keep your bat parallel to
               the ground. Follow through.
               Follow through!

Jamie is laughing too hard to hit anything. The balls
keep coming. She ducks out of the way and grasps the
fence and leans in. Landon leans in on his side. They'd
be embracing if the fence weren't there.

In the b.g., kids from their school. Giggling,
whispering.

Landon looks over at them.

                         LANDON
                    (to Jamie)
               Let's go.

EXT. HIGHWAY - TRAVELING - NIGHT

The YUGO ROARS down the asphalt. A sign for the
approaching state line whips by.

INT. YUGO - TRAVELING - NIGHT

Jamie and Landon. With STEVIE NICKS' "Talk to Me" ON the

RADIO.

                         LANDON
               The cells in our bodies are always
               changing. In six or seven years
               all your cells have changed. You
               could be like a completely new
               person from the inside out.

                         JAMIE
               That what's happening to you, only
               faster?

He grins. Pulls the car over.

                         LANDON
               Get out. Come on.

He leaps out, leaving the headlights on.

EXT. COUNTRY ROAD - NIGHT

Landon takes Jamie's hand and pulls her toward some
invisible place.

                         JAMIE
               Where -- what -- are we -- ?

He keeps tugging her. She follows him. Laughing.

                         LANDON
               Stand right here.

                         JAMIE
               Where?

He leans down and lifts one of her feet a foot from the
other. He notices a large bruise on her leg. She brushes
her dress down.

                         JAMIE
               You're acting like a crazy person.

                         LANDON
               You're straddling the state line.
               You're in two places at once.

She's thrilled at his solution to her wish. He walks to
the shoulder of the road.

                         LANDON
               Repeat after me.

Huh? He does a cartwheel. She laughs.

                         JAMIE

               I can't.

                         LANDON
               I'm gonna teach you.

EXT. BEACH (NEUSE RIVER) - LATE NIGHT

A starry night with a bright moon. Glimmering silver
water. Jamie and Landon walk onto a dock. DISTANT
FIREWORKS BOOM.

                         JAMIE
               It's places like this that make me
               certain there's a God.

                         LANDON
                    (surprised)
               You're sometimes not sure?

                         JAMIE
               I'm sure. Pretty sure.

They reach the end of the dock. She turns to face the
WIND. It blows her hair. She turns his face the same
way.

                         JAMIE
               It's like the wind. I can't see
               it but I feel it.

He closes his eyes. Feeling the wind. Opens them again,
rejecting the idea.

                         LANDON
               We can measure wind.

                         JAMIE
               Uncertainty makes you
               uncomfortable.

                         LANDON
               What do you actually know with
               religion?

                         JAMIE
               Wonder. Beauty. Joy.
                    (beat, quieter)
               Love.

She's embarrassed. She tries to avoid implying anything.

                         JAMIE

               My mother told me God is love, so
               when you're feeling love, you're
               feeling God.
                    (beat)
               I think talking about these things
               -- threatens their very beauty and
               mystery.

Her tone is matter-of-fact, but Landon's got a serious and
tender look on his face. He touches her hair.

                         JAMIE
                    (almost a whisper)
               I don't understand...

                         LANDON
               Maybe you're not supposed to.

He moves closer.

                         LANDON
               I might kiss you.

She looks down. Shy.

                         JAMIE
               I might do it wrong.

                         LANDON
                    (tenderly)
               Not possible.

He touches her neck, her cheek, her mouth. Then leans in
and kisses her. A tender, soft kiss. He pulls away.
They look at each other a moment.

                         LANDON
               I love you, Jamie.

There, he put it out there, risked looking and feeling
foolish. Not the old Landon. Jamie looks away. Mixed
emotions. Happy and sad.

                         LANDON

                    (gently)
               Now's when you say something.

                         JAMIE
                    (overwhelmed)
               I can't.
                    (beat)
               I can't -- explain.

She turns back to him, her eyes shining. She touches his
face and they kiss again, deeply.

But after a few moments, she drops her chin onto his
shoulder. Smiling, glowing even, but slightly aloof,
staring at the water. He pulls away slightly to study her
face. He touches her cheek and brings her back from
wherever she's been.

                         JAMIE
               You make me feel...

                         LANDON
                    (hopeful)
               Loved?

                         JAMIE
                    (smiling)
               That. And less strange.

Tears run down her cheeks. Landon wipes them away with
his thumbs, attributing them to happiness.

EXT. PARSONAGE - FRONT PORCH - LATER

Landon follows Jamie up the steps. The lights in the
living room are on. THROUGH the windows, they can see her
father taking down the Christmas tree.

                         JAMIE
               Be very quiet.

He pulls her to him. Kisses her. The front door opens.

                         REV. SULLIVAN

                    (embarrassed)
               Hello, Landon.

Landon and Jamie separate, but Landon keeps an arm over
her shoulder.

                         LANDON
               Hey, Reverend.

Reverend Sullivan studies the two young people.

                         LANDON
                    (whispers to Jamie)
               Happy New Year.

And he goes. Jamie walks by her father and into the
house. Not saying anything. He watches her. What has he
allowed?

EXT. BEAUFORT HIGH - COURTYARD - DAY

Landon and Jamie head into school. Landon nods to
Belinda, others. They glare back.

                         LANDON
                    (to Belinda and
                    others)
               What's your damage?

INT. CORRIDOR - MOMENTS LATER

Landon and Jamie arrive at his locker. It's been kicked
in.

                         LANDON
               Assholes. This happen to you?

                         JAMIE
               Twice a year.

Bang, bang, bang. Landon kicks in every locker in his
row. A dozen in all. Jamie watches, a little frightened
by his anger. But then he turns to her and grins.

                         LANDON

               Now they all match.

INT. CAFETERIA - NOON

Landon eats alone, ignored by Eric and Clay. Jamie
approaches with her tray, red-faced, tearful.

She hesitates about sitting -- feeling bad that Landon's
being diminished, ostracized. She thinks he doesn't see
her. But as she turns to leave, he pulls a chair out for
her and smiles. She sits. Landon sees her face.

                         LANDON
               What's wr--?

                         JAMIE
                    (choked up)
               The Challenger exploded.
               Principal Kelly's about to make an
               announcement.

The PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM CRACKLES. Landon takes Jamie's
hand as the room hushes.

                         LANDON
               Come on.

                         JAMIE
               Where?

                         LANDON
               Away from here.

EXT. FIRE TOWER (CONSERVATION LAND) - STAIRS - HOUR LATER

Landon leads Jamie up, round and round, to the top of the
tall steel tower.

EXT. TOP OF TOWER - VIEWING AREA

They exit the staircase to a small 360 degree overlook.
Jamie's amazed at the view.

                         JAMIE
               How do you know this place?

                         LANDON
               Before the divorce. My father
               used to take me here. Fire
               spotting was his summer job.

They look off to the curve of the horizon, where sea meets
sky.

                         LANDON
               From here he proved to me the
               earth isn't flat.
                    (beat)
               On rainy days, we'd be above the
               clouds.

                         JAMIE
               What would you do up here?

                         LANDON
               Look. Talk. Not talk.

He pulls a deck of cards from his jacket pocket. They sit
and he starts to shuffle. Not too well. Jamie takes the
deck. Shuffles like a card shark.

EXT. CEMETERY - REAR GATE - NIGHT (FEW DAYS LATER)

Jamie is already waiting when Landon's Yugo pulls up. He
gets out, walks to her, they kiss.

                         LANDON
               What'd you tell your father?

                         JAMIE
               The truth. I just left you out of
               it.

She climbs up and over the wall. He follows.

EXT. INSIDE CEMETERY - MINUTES LATER

Jamie fits the pieces of her telescope together.

                         LANDON
               When did you build this?

                         JAMIE
               I was twelve.

Landon shakes his head, amazed.

                         JAMIE
               It's not that complicated.

Landon doubts this.

                         JAMIE
               It's an alt-azimuth design with
               one parabolic mirror and one
               secondary flat one.

                         LANDON
               Where's the one you're building?

                         JAMIE
               In my back yard.
                    (pause, embarrassed)
               I lied before. It's hardly
               started. But when it's done, it
               will have twice the power of this
               one --

                         LANDON

               Wait, back up. You lied?

                         JAMIE
               Kinda. Yeah.

He grins, loving her even more.

                         JAMIE
               So what do you want to see?

                         LANDON
               Mars.

                         JAMIE
               Mars doesn't rise until 2:30

               A.M. --

He opens his backpack. Pulls out the contents.

                         LANDON
               A Thermos of hot coffee. A
               blanket. Socks.

                         JAMIE
               You planned this --

                         LANDON
               Hoped for it.

Pause.

                         JAMIE
               Are you trying to seduce me?

                         LANDON
               No. Why? Are you seducible?

                         JAMIE

                    (firm, but smiling)
               No.

                         LANDON
               That's what I thought.

He reaches back into his backpack. Pulls out a second
blanket.

                         LANDON
               Ergo, a second blanket. One for
               me, one for you.

He hands her one. She takes it, smiling, reassured.

                         JAMIE
               Ergo?

                         LANDON
                    (slightly embarrassed)
               What about your father?

                         JAMIE
               I'm always home by midnight and
               he's always asleep.

INT. PARSONAGE - REVEREND SULLIVAN'S BEDROOM - MIDNIGHT

Reverend Sullivan sits up in bed. His feet find slippers
on the floor.

INT. JAMIE'S BEDROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Reverend Sullivan, wearing a robe, enters quietly.
Checking on his daughter. Her bed is empty.

EXT. STREET TO ACCESS ROAD - LATER

The old Pontiac slows.

INT. OLD PONTIAC

Reverend Sullivan looks down the access road to the rear
cemetery gate.

REVEREND'S POV

The Yugo parked by the gate.

BACK TO SCENE

The Reverend struggles with what to do. After a moment,
he decides not to interfere; he'll pick his moment. He
keeps driving.

INT. CEMETERY

Jamie and Landon are looking at the heavens through the
telescope.

                         LANDON
               Where's Pluto?

                         JAMIE

               In Virgo, but it's about 1000
               times too faint to see.

                         LANDON
               What's the best thing I can see
               tonight?

                         JAMIE
               Me.

He draws her close, they kiss. She shyly pulls away.
Their hands still touching until she looks again into the
telescope eyepiece.

                         JAMIE
               The second best thing is Jupiter.

She swivels the telescope into position for Jupiter and
steps aside so he can look. But he picks up the
flashlight, pulls a diagram from his pocket.

                         LANDON
               Can you locate XXI5639I?

                         JAMIE
               Sure.

She takes the diagram, studies it, and adjusts the scope.

                         JAMIE
               Here. Why am I looking at this
               star?

                         LANDON
               Because I had it named for you. I
               know it's not an official
               designation --

She couldn't be happier. She reaches for his hand.

                         JAMIE
               It's wonderful. I love you.

It's the first time he's heard it. He pulls her into his
arms. They kiss. Passionately. She starts to object.

                         LANDON
                    (respecting her
                    boundaries)
               Okay. I'm stopping.

And he does. They snuggle. Silence, then:

                         LANDON
               What's number one?

Long pause.

                         JAMIE

                    (very shy)
               In April when the dogwoods and
               wisteria are blooming... Get
               married.

He doesn't make fun. He strokes her hair. Kisses her
forehead.

INT. KITCHEN - 5 AM

Landon enters from outside. Cynthia, still in her
waitress uniform, is sitting at the table, drinking
coffee.

                         CYNTHIA
               A late night or an early morning?

                         LANDON
                    (honest)
               Late night.
                    (smart-aleck)
               You?

                         CYNTHIA
               Were you with Jamie?

                         LANDON
               Yeah.

                         CYNTHIA
               You sleeping with her?

Landon doesn't dignify this question with an answer.

                         CYNTHIA

               I was cleaning yesterday. I found
               this.

She pulls Landon's Life List from her pocket. Landon is
horrified. She reads it.

                         CYNTHIA
               Scuba dive. Touch a moon rock.
               Learn to read Egyptian
               hieroglyphs. Go to college?
                    (pause)
               She talking to you 'bout this
               stuff?

Landon doesn't answer. She puts the list on the table.
Smoothes it. Gently discouraging.

                         CYNTHIA
               Honey, some of this is...
               farfetched. You take after me.
               People skills and common sense.
               Good dependable qualities.

                         LANDON
               I could take after Dad, too.

                         CYNTHIA
               You do. You're handsome and
               charming.

                         LANDON
               I meant he's a doctor.

                         CYNTHIA
               That's eight years of school and
               training -- after college. And
               all that doesn't necessarily make
               you a better human being.

                         LANDON
               I could do it if I tried. Even
               Kelly thinks so.

                         CYNTHIA
               That'd be something.

She doesn't want to discourage him, but she wants him to
be practical and realistic.

                         CYNTHIA
               But if it doesn't happen, grab for
               something within reach. Life's
               tough enough without causing
               yourself disappointment --

                         LANDON
                    (angry now)
               Whatever my life is, I'm going to
               be friggin' sure I'm never
               disappointed --

                         CYNTHIA

                    (honest)
               Disappointment isn't something
               anyone plans for.
                    (quieter)
               It catches you by surprise.

Long pause. They are both sorry to have raised their
voices.

                         CYNTHIA
               Have I told you how proud I am of
               you -- ?

                         LANDON
               Mom, great. But what I want is
               for me to be proud of me.

INT. PARSONAGE - SULLIVAN DINING ROOM - EVENING

Landon eats dinner with Jamie and Reverend Sullivan.
Silence, then:

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               Landon. You're not the quiet
               type.

                         LANDON
               No.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               So talk to us about something.

                         LANDON
               Like what, sir?

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               You decide.

Landon searches his mind for just the right subject.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               How about your family?

                         LANDON
               Okay. Sure.
                    (beat)
               My grandfather. When he was
               seven, he shook the hand of an old
               guy, a war vet or something, who
               had once shaken President
               Lincoln's hand.
                    (pause)
               Made a big impression on him.

Reverend Sullivan looks at his daughter. She's nodding,
interested.

                         LANDON

               My cousin Mike. He's from a big
               family. He's the fifth kid. He
               heard that every fifth child in
               the world is Chinese. So he
               thought he was.

Jamie smiles.

                         LANDON
               We didn't tell him any different
               for years --

                         REV. SULLIVAN
                    (getting to the
                    point)
               Your parents are divorced?

                         LANDON
               Since I was five. My mom's a
               cocktail waitress.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               How do you -- the two of you --
               get by?

                         LANDON
               Materially or spiritually?

                         REV. SULLIVAN
                    (surprised)
               Either. Both.

                         LANDON

                    (honest)
               I don't know. We used to try to
               believe in each other.

His eyes meet the Reverend's. The Reverend's got to
respect him some.

INT. SULLIVAN KITCHEN - NIGHT

Reverend Sullivan looks out the window into the back yard.

HIS POV

Jamie showing Landon the junk pile that will become her
newer, larger telescope. They are laughing, jostling each
other, comfortable, happy.

INT. PARSONAGE - SULLIVAN KITCHEN - LATER THAT NIGHT

Reverend Sullivan and Jamie put the dishes away.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               You and the Carter boy. Want to
               catch me up on recent
               developments?

                         JAMIE

               You're asking if we're involved?

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               I'm asking how much.

                         JAMIE
               Dad --

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               It's time to tell him.
                    (pause)
               It would be the right thing.

She turns to him, upset. Her anger spilling out.

                         JAMIE
               Maybe. But that's not the real
               reason. You think if I tell,
               he'll disappear and that's what
               you want! Me all to yourself!

                         REV. SULLIVAN
                    (calm, stung)
               No. I want what's best for you.

                         JAMIE
               This -- him -- Landon -- is what's
               best for me!

                         REV. SULLIVAN

               You're sure? You're sure you can
               trust him?

He's playing to her old insecurities. She's not one
hundred percent sure.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
                    (gentler)
               Isn't it better to know?

Their eyes meet. She knows he's right.

EXT. MOVIE THEATER - EVENING (EARLY FEBRUARY)

Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Three Amigos! on the marquee.

Landon and Jamie exit as Belinda and a new boyfriend buy
tickets. Clay and Eric and a crowd behind them.

                         LANDON
               Hey, Belinda.

She takes her boyfriend's arm, turns away, snubbing him.

                         LANDON
               Clay, Eric.

Eric says something inaudible and the whole crowd sniggers
and laughs. He's become Landon. Landon reddens, now
realizing for certain that he's become a Jamie Sullivan.

EXT. SIDEWALK (DOWNTOWN BEAUFORT) - MOMENTS LATER

Landon and Jamie walk. The theater in the b.g.

                         JAMIE
                    (re: his status)
               From citizen high to citizen low.

                         LANDON
               I don't care.

                         JAMIE
               Care, but just don't let it get to
               you. It gives them power.

                         LANDON
               That what you do?

                         JAMIE
               Yes. I try to keep my power.

He's impressed with how she manages.

                         LANDON
               One of your secrets.

                         JAMIE
                    (serious)
               Yes, one of many.

He doesn't notice her tone.

INT. YUGO - TRAVELING - NIGHT

WHITNEY HOUSTON's "How Will I Know?" ON the RADIO. Jamie
flips the RADIO OFF. She's got something on her mind.
Landon notices only that she seems a bit remote.

                         LANDON
               You're worried about your college
               applications.

                         JAMIE
               I'm not applying to college.

                         LANDON

                    (stunned)
               But you said --

                         JAMIE
               No, you assumed.

He looks at her, questioning. She's looking out her
window.

                         LANDON
               You're going to take a year off?
               Join the Peace Corps -- ?

                         JAMIE
               No.

                         LANDON
               What are you going to -- ?

                         JAMIE
               Pull over.

                         LANDON
               Where? Why?

                         JAMIE

               Pull over. Now. Please.

Tears are running down her face. He pulls the car over.

EXT. WOODS BY SIDE OF ROAD - MOMENTS LATER

Jamie gets out of the car. Landon quickly follows.

                         LANDON
               Jamie --

                         JAMIE
               I'm sick.

                         LANDON
               Then I'll take you home. You'll
               feel better tomorrow.

He tries to take her arm. She shakes off his hand, steps
back. Wanting to be heard and understood.

                         JAMIE
               Landon. I'm sick -- with
               leukemia.

Landon tries to say something. Nothing comes out. His
soul numb.

                         JAMIE
               I found out last winter. I'm not
               responding to treatment anymore.

His face crumples with pain and anguish.

                         LANDON
               Why didn't you tell me?

                         JAMIE
               The doctors said to do everything
               the same as long as possible.
                    (pause)
               I didn't want anyone being --
               weird around me.

                         LANDON

               Including me?!

                         JAMIE
               Especially you.
                    (long beat)
               God gives me an illness, then you.
               A cruel joke.

She gets in the car. Slams her door shut. He stands
there, not knowing what to do.

EXT. YUGO - TRAVELING - LATER

Landon pulls up in front of Jamie's house. A long quiet
ride.

                         LANDON
               I'm not letting you die.

Jamie just looks at him. Feeling sorry for him -- what he
wants doesn't matter.

INT. SULLIVAN KITCHEN - LATE NIGHT

The Reverend and Landon drink coffee.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               It's her decision and she's
               decided not to tell people -- at
               least for now.

                         LANDON
               How -- how long does she have?

                         REV. SULLIVAN

               Two, three months. Maybe less.
               Maybe more.

                         LANDON
               So you've given up.

Reverend Sullivan hears the challenge in his voice.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               Her doctors have. Jamie and I.
               We're still praying for a miracle.

                         LANDON
                    (disdainful)
               Praying.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               Landon. We've lived with this for
               over a year now and --

                         LANDON
               If there is a God, how could he
               let this happen??!!

It's a long answer and by the time the Reverend opens his
mouth to explain, Landon's out the door.

EXT. HIGHWAY - NIGHT

Moonless dark. Few cars. The YUGO RIPS down the road.
Landon opens a map over the steering wheel. Turns on the
dome light. Looks at the return address on an old letter.

EXT. CITY STREETS (RALEIGH) - 3 A.M.

Landon's Yugo winds through city streets.

EXT. RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD (RALEIGH) - MINUTES LATER

Mansions. Big lawns. The Yugo slows as Landon leans
forward to read a street sign. His face is tear-streaked.
He flicks his headlights to bright, then low again.

The car turns left.

EXT. DR. CARTER'S HOME - MINUTE LATER

Large new colonial. Landon slams his car door and stands
in the street. Staring at his father's house. He heads
up a flagstone path for the front door.

EXT. FRONT DOOR - MOMENTS LATER

Landon RINGS the resounding DING-DONG BELL, then bangs on
the heavy wood door. Grief-stricken.

                         LANDON
               Dr. Carter!... Carter!... Dad!
               Please!! I have to talk to you!!

INT. DR. CARTER'S HOME

Elegant, thick carpets. Dr. Carter, putting on his robe,
parts the silk drapes in the upstairs hall.

DR. CARTER'S POV

His son standing on the front lawn. Distraught, tearful.

                         LANDON
               Open the door! Please!!

EXT. DR. CARTER'S HOME

Landon backs away from the house. Angrily kicks over a
decorative planter. Is halfway to his car when Dr. Carter
opens the door and comes out.

                         DR. CARTER
               Landon!

Landon doesn't hear.

                         DR. CARTER
               Landon!!

Landon turns around. Sees his father. Breaks down,
sobbing. His father goes to him. Hugs him, a big bear
hug.

                         LANDON
               You have to save her!

                         DR. CARTER
               Landon, who? Is your mother all
               right?

Lights pop upstairs.

                         LANDON
               It's Jamie -- my girlfriend -- she
               has cancer -- you have to come
               look at her -- right now!

                         DR. CARTER

                    (calm, trying to
                    diffuse)
               It's the middle of the night --

                         LANDON
               I don't give a shit what time it
               is!

Landon pulls away. Angrier.

                         DR. CARTER
               Landon, I'm a cardiologist, not an
               oncologist --

                         LANDON
               You're a doctor, aren't you?!!

He waves his father off, dismissing him.

                         DR. CARTER
               Landon! I'll look into it!!

But Landon hasn't heard. He's in his car. Dr. Carter
watches his son's car move away, regretful.

INT. CARTER KITCHEN - DAWN

Landon quietly shuts the back door. Exhausted. Starts
making coffee. Cynthia appears.

                         CYNTHIA
               Your father called.

No response.

                         CYNTHIA

               Jamie's a patient at his hospital.
               He's having a colleague look at
               her chart this morning.

Long pause.

                         CYNTHIA
               I'm sorry. I didn't know.

                         LANDON
               I didn't know either.

EXT. PARSONAGE - EARLY MORNING

The Yugo parked in the driveway. The morning paper lying
on the grass. Landon paces in front of the front porch.
Incapable of ringing the bell, lacking the courage,
lacking the right words.

Upstairs, the curtains move.

INT. JAMIE'S BEDROOM

Jamie looks out the window.

JAMIE'S POV

Landon pacing, talking to himself.

BACK TO SCENE

She starts to raise the window, to say something, to help
him, but then lets the curtain drop. She needs for him to
decide, for him to be ready to face this with her.

The sound of a CAR. She looks out the window again.

JAMIE'S POV

The Yugo driving away.

INT. LANDON'S BEDROOM - LATER THAT DAY

Landon lies on his bed in the dark. The PHONE RINGS.
Landon stares at his extension. The RINGING STOPS. A
voice from downstairs.

                         CYNTHIA (O.S.)

               It's your father.

Landon picks up his phone.

INT. UPSTAIRS HALL - TWO MINUTES LATER

The door to Landon's room is ajar. Cynthia waits outside.
Listening. Hearing nothing. She pushes the door open.

CYNTHIA'S POV

Landon sitting on his bed. Deflated.

                         LANDON
               He can't do anything.

BACK TO SCENE

Cynthia is pained to see his suffering.

                         CYNTHIA

               If it's incurable --

                         LANDON
               I told him to leave me alone.

                         CYNTHIA
               Landon --

                         LANDON
                    (re: Jamie)
               It was the only thing I've ever
               asked him!

INT. LANDON'S BEDROOM - EVENING (NEXT DAY)

Landon's still in bed. Facing the wall. Cynthia KNOCKS.
Enters with a plate of food.

                         CYNTHIA
               I brought some dinner.

No response. She leaves the tray and goes.

INT. PARSONAGE - SULLIVAN KITCHEN - SAME TIME

Jamie and her father eat dinner. Jamie is red-eyed,
heartbroken.

                         JAMIE
                    (not sure at all)
               He'll call.

                         REV. SULLIVAN

               I wanted to think he'd changed.

                         JAMIE
                    (angry)
               No you didn't.
                    (beat)
               But he did change. Just not
               enough.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               Jamie, you're not mad at me.
               You're mad at Landon --

                         JAMIE
                    (furious)
               I am mad at you! And at Landon!
               And the universe! And God!
                    (quieter)
               I don't even know where to put all
               my anger.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               That's normal. God accepts your
               anger. He won't punish you.

                         JAMIE
               By making me ill, he is punishing
               me!
                    (quieter)
               I just don't know what for.

She flees the room.

ANOTHER ANGLE - CONTINUOUS ACTION

Goes up the stairs. Keeps going. Up another flight to
the attic.

INT. PARSONAGE ATTIC - MINUTE LATER

Jamie opens a closet door. Pulls out a dress, a scarf,
jewelry, a worn book -- her mother's belongings. She
opens the book and starts to weep. Missing her mother.

FOOT OF ATTIC STAIRS

Reverend Sullivan stands, looking up at the attic stairs.
Frustrated, angry, worried.

INT. LANDON'S BEDROOM - NEXT DAY

Landon is still in bed. Cynthia enters. Pulls back the
curtains. Yanks up the shades.

                         CYNTHIA
               I don't care if you don't leave
               the house. But you have to get
               out of bed.

INT. CARTER KITCHEN - FEW MINUTES LATER

Landon sits at the kitchen table. Cynthia pours him a cup
of coffee.

                         CYNTHIA
               You and I may not be communicating
               very well right now. But let me
               be clear. Don't make this about
               you. It's about her.

Pause. Her words sink in.

                         LANDON
               I have no idea what to say. How
               to act. What if I do the wrong
               thing?

                         CYNTHIA
                    (gently)
               Be yourself and I don't think
               there is a wrong thing.
                    (beat)
               Let Jamie take the lead. She'll
               let you know what she needs.

EXT. PARSONAGE - FRONT PORCH - LITTLE LATER

Before Landon can ring the bell, the front door opens.
The Reverend. Landon runs past him into the house.

                         LANDON
               Where's Jamie?!

                         REV. SULLIVAN

               At school. Where you should be.

Oh.

INT. BEAUFORT HIGH - CORRIDOR - HALF HOUR LATER

Deserted, classes are meeting. Landon runs, sliding to a
stop at one classroom door. Looks in, keeps going, stops
at another. Searching.

This is JAMIE'S POV from the top of the hallway.

JAMIE

She stands, holding her books, watching him, unsure.

LANDON

finally feels her gaze, turns to look.

JAMIE

turns away, still angry and disappointed.

LANDON

runs to her.

                         LANDON
               Jamie!

He catches up to her.

JAMIE AND LANDON

face each other. Neither sure what to say.

                         LANDON
               I'm so sorry. I'm a coward --

                         JAMIE
               I should have told you sooner --

                         LANDON
                    (guilt-ridden)
               I made you do too many things,
               kept you up all night --

                         JAMIE
               No. The drugs just stopped
               working. If anything, doing
               things I love kept me healthy
               longer.

Pause.

                         LANDON
               Are you frightened?

                         JAMIE
               All the time.
                    (beat)
               I feel like I have no one.

She means not even God and he gets this.

                         LANDON
               You have me.

He hugs her close, rocking her, comforting her and
himself.

                         JAMIE
               Help me live until I die?

                         LANDON
               I will.

INT. SCHOOL AUDITORIUM - EVENING (MID-FEBRUARY)

A small group of students sit on stage reading from Our
Town, rehearsing. Jamie and Landon sit together in the
third row, holding hands. Landon glances at her, realizes
she's asleep. Pulls her sweater over her.

INT. JEFFERSON HIGH - LIBRARY - SATURDAY MORNING

Landon sits with Luis; Jamie at the next table with
Isabel. She looks pale. He catches her eye. They both
smile, a little sadly, then turn back to their students.

INT. YUGO - TRAVELING

Landon drives them home from Jefferson High. No music.

                         LANDON
               They're going to build a tunnel
               under the English Channel.
               They're calling it The Chunnel.

No response.

                         LANDON

               You hungry?

                         JAMIE
               Nope.

                         LANDON
               Anything you want.

                         JAMIE
               Nothing.

He reaches into a cooler on the floor of the back seat.

                         LANDON
               Slim Jim? Apple? Yogurt? You
               like yogurt.

                         JAMIE
               I used to like yogurt.

He places a red heart-shaped box in her lap.

                         LANDON
                    (apologetic)
               Not very original. Happy
               Valentine's Day.

He grins. She looks crestfallen, feels terrible.

                         JAMIE
               I didn't even think about it.

He takes a chocolate. Pops it in his mouth. Grins.

                         LANDON
               There. You gave me a chocolate.

LANDON'S POV (THROUGH JAMIE'S TELESCOPE) - VAST STAR

FIELD

PULL BACK to reveal...

EXT. CEMETERY - NIGHT

Jamie and Landon are looking at stars. A long quiet
moment.

                         LANDON
               What are you thinking?

                         JAMIE
                    (honest)
               That I want you to take me home.

                         LANDON
               Now? We just --

                         JAMIE
               I don't want to come here anymore.

She begins taking the telescope apart. Depressed.

EXT. CEMETERY GATE - HALF HOUR LATER

Jamie looks at the high fence, weary, then reaches into a
pocket for a key. Unlocks the gate. Swings the gate
open. Landon's astonished.

                         LANDON
               You have a key?

                         JAMIE

               Yeah. I've just never needed it.
                    (pause)
               Will you talk to my father?

                         LANDON
               I've talked to your father.

                         JAMIE
               That's what I mean.

Their eyes meet. Her look is serious.

EXT. PARSONAGE - BACK YARD - NEXT DAY

Reverend Sullivan is up a ladder. Cleaning a gutter.
Landon stands below, a few feet away, gathering his nerve.
He walks over.

ON LADDER

The Reverend is busy ignoring Landon standing below. A
long beat, then:

                         LANDON
                    (calling up)
               Sir. Being ignored is beginning
               to feel preferable to being
               noticed.

The Reverend looks down.

                         LANDON
               I'll be honest. I don't know if I
               can pray, but I can do just about
               anything else.

Neither Landon nor the Reverend see Jamie come out of the
house and walk over.

ON GROUND

Landon shields his eyes with a hand to see the Reverend
better.

                         LANDON
               Whatever you need. Whatever Jamie
               needs. I'm here.
                    (beat)
               I could start by driving her to
               school --

                         JAMIE
               I'm not going back to school.

Landon and her father both turn to her. Pale, wane. They
understand what she is saying.

                         JAMIE
               You can tell anyone you want. I
               don't care.

She goes into the house. Landon and Reverend Sullivan
look at each other, then away, uncomfortable. That didn't
sound like her.

INT. BEAUFORT HIGH - HALLWAY - MONDAY MORNING

Landon, looking haggard, moves slowly as he cleans out
Jamie's locker.

Students stare as he carefully places her things,
including the pink sweater, in a shopping bag. They part
and hush as he passes by. News travels fast. Clay and
Eric step forward.

                         CLAY
               Hey. Landon.

                         ERIC
               We heard 'bout Jamie Sullivan.
               She --

                         LANDON
                    (fierce)
               Say nothing. Nothing 'bout her.

                         ERIC
                    (misunderstood,
                    genuine)
               No. Hey. We're sorry, man!

Landon turns back. Surprised. Inspects Belinda. Eric.
Clay. Others. No one speaks.

                         LANDON
               Too late and not enough.

He pushes past Belinda's new boyfriend, heading for the
office.

INT. PRINCIPAL KELLY'S OFFICE - DAY

Mr. Kelly and Landon.

                         LANDON
               I know it means not graduating,
               but I need to be excused from all
               school acti--

                         MR. KELLY

               You're excused.

Landon heads for the door.

                         MR. KELLY
               How is she?

Landon can't answer. Too emotional.

                         MR. KELLY
               You will graduate.

Landon looks up, astounded.

                         MR. KELLY
               If I have to tutor you myself.

Landon nods, accepting, appreciative.

INT. JAMIE'S BEDROOM - LATER

Landon puts away the contents of the shopping bag.
Jamie's in bed, wearing the sweater.

                         JAMIE
               Yesterday I felt sick, horrible.
               Today I feel like riding my bike.
               Or dancing.

He turns on the CLOCK RADIO next to her bed. Finds a
WALTZ. Offers his hand. Pulls her out of bed. She's in
pajamas.

                         JAMIE
               You know how to waltz??

                         LANDON
                    (bashful)
               I was going to fake it.

                         JAMIE

               I always fake it.

So they waltz, faking, stumbling and laughing, holding
each other.

INT. PARSONAGE - STAIRCASE - SAME TIME

Reverend Sullivan hears the MUSIC and LAUGHTER. He
frowns, afraid for Jamie's health.

INT. JAMIE'S BEDROOM

Jamie grips Landon's arms, seems to slip, suddenly too
exhausted to carry her weight. Landon picks her up,
gently carries her back to bed. Settles her in.

                         LANDON
               How you doing?

                         JAMIE
                    (murmurs)
               Tired.

Landon sits on her bed. Strokes her hair. They look at
each other. Landon reaches for her hand. When he looks
at her face again, she's asleep.

EXT. LANDON'S HOUSE - BACK YARD - ANOTHER DAY

Landon's sitting on his childhood tree swing, twisting
side to side. Pensive. His mother comes out of the
house.

                         LANDON
               Time seems to be slowing down and
               speeding up at the same time.

She reaches to put a hand on his shoulder. He lets her.

EXT. CEMETERY - EARLY MARCH

The rear gate is open. A caretaker waits while Landon
carries pieces of the older telescope to his car. A tall
pile of parts is already at his car.

Eric and Clay drive up in Eric's pickup. Gravel flying.

MUSIC BLASTING.

INT. PICKUP

Eric and Clay spy Landon.

EXT. CEMETERY

Landon freezes, not sure what to expect.

EXT. PICKUP

The truck makes a circle around Landon, then stops. The
MUSIC QUIETS. Eric and Clay jump down. A long tense
moment, then:

                         ERIC
               Hey.

                         LANDON

               Hey.

Without a word, Clay walks to the Yugo, lifts the heaviest
telescope part, and carries it to the bed of the pickup.
Eric follows suit.

EXT. PARSONAGE - BACK YARD - LATER

Landon studies the pieces of the smaller telescope and how
they fit together. They are like a map for how to build
the bigger one.

EXT. PARSONAGE DRIVEWAY - NEXT DAY

Landon unloads an impossibly large round cardboard
concrete form-tube from his car. Carries it around the
house toward the back yard.

INT. JAMIE'S BEDROOM - SAME TIME

Jamie wakes from a nap. She looks thinner, grayer. She
hears HAMMERING. She hauls herself up and to a window.

JAMIE'S POV

Landon working on the new telescope. He looks up at her
window. Sees her there. Smiles.

BACK TO SCENE

Reverend Sullivan comes in to check on Jamie. She's
standing at the window.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               What's that boy doing?

She turns to look at him and collapses into his arms.

INT. HOSPITAL - PATIENT ROOM - NIGHT

Jamie lies in bed, eyes closed. Hooked to monitors,
pumps, an IV drip. Landon holding her hand. Reverend
Sullivan talks quietly with a doctor. Hearing bad news.

EXT. HOSPITAL - DAWN

The sky is pink. A squirrel runs along a telephone wire.
The Yugo is the only car in the visitor lot.

INT. PATIENT ROOM

Landon, in yesterday's clothes, dozes lightly. Jamie
moves and he starts, fully awake. She opens her eyes.

                         LANDON
               You okay?

She nods. Sleepy. Closes her eyes again. He rests his
head on her shoulder and weeps. Her eyes open, then close
again. There's nothing to say.

INT. CORRIDOR OUTSIDE JAMIE'S ROOM - SAME TIME

Reverend Sullivan looks through the window in the door at
the scene within. He hesitates, then pushes the door
open.

INT. PATIENT ROOM

Reverend Sullivan enters.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               Landon. You go on home.

                         LANDON
               I'm not tired.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               I need to be with her.

There's only one chair. Landon nods and goes.

The Reverend sits, closes his eyes a moment. When he
opens them, she's looking at him.

                         JAMIE
               Dad.

He kisses her forehead, then sits back.

                         JAMIE
               So serious.

                         REV. SULLIVAN

               Jamie, God is not punishing you.
               No God I know wants anyone to be
               sick or feel pain or suffer.

Pause.

                         JAMIE
               When Mom died you told me God
               wanted her more, loved her more --

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               I was wrong. Nobody could have
               wanted or loved your mother more
               than we did. Not even God.

He lets this sink in.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               God loaned you to me, entrusted
               you to my care. I'm failing you.

She looks away, agreeing without saying so.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               Jamie. I make you the same
               promise that God does.
                    (beat)
               I will always be with you.

She sits up and embraces him. He wraps his arms around
her. Tight. She closes her eyes, tears welling, never
wanting to let him go. Her father.

EXT. BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL - HOUR LATER

On the marquee on the front lawn: "WELCOME HALEY'S
COMET." The Yugo parks in the b.g.

INT. PRINCIPAL KELLY'S OFFICE - MINUTES LATER

Landon picks up a pile of books and assignments.
Looks through them, then eyes Miss Tarbox.

                         LANDON

               Where's Jamie's book?!

                         MISS TARBOX
               That's everything Mr. Kelly gave
               me.

                         LANDON
                    (insistent)
               The next book on that list! The
               Old Man and... and...

                         MISS TARBOX
               The Sea.

                         LANDON
               Yeah. I need it today!

Mr. Kelly steps out of his inner office. Sees Landon's
anguished face, his exhaustion.

                         MR. KELLY
               I'll drive a copy over to her.

Landon nods his appreciation.

INT. HOSPITAL - PATIENT ROOM - DAY

Jamie looks smaller. Her eyes have blue circles beneath.
The Hemingway novel on the bedstand. Belinda pushes the
door open. Peeks in. Not sure she is welcome.

Landon is sitting in a chair. He sees her, motions for
her to come in. Quietly.

                         BELINDA
               She asleep?

                         LANDON
               I'll tell her you were here.

Pause. Awkwardness.

                         BELINDA
               Give her this, okay?

She hands Landon a small photo album.

                         BELINDA
               Pictures from the play. Jamie
               looks pretty --

                         LANDON
               I'm sorry about how we --

                         BELINDA
                    (conciliatory)
               No. You're with who you should
               be. It's like she chose you.

                         LANDON
                    (agreeing)
               And I have no idea why.

                         BELINDA
               I do.

She hugs him quickly, then leaves. Landon goes to the
window, looks out.

SAME SCENE - HOURS LATER

The sky is grayer, darker. Landon is still at the window.
Jamie wakes.

                         JAMIE

               Hi.

He goes to her side.

                         LANDON
               Hey.

He kisses her.

                         JAMIE
               I have something for you.

She reaches under her pillow for the worn book from the
attic. She offers it to Landon.

                         JAMIE
                    (smiling)
               Don't worry. It's not a Bible.

He takes it.

                         JAMIE
               My mother made it for me before I
               was born.
                    (beat)
               It's got quotes from famous
               people. Her favorite lines from
               books. Her thoughts.

Landon looks at a page.

                         LANDON
                    (reading)
               'What is a friend? A single soul
               dwelling in two bodies.'
               Aristotle.

                         JAMIE
               Lower. Same page.

                         LANDON
                    (reading)
               'Find out who you are and do it on
               purpose.' Dolly Parton.

A bookmark falls out. He studies that page a moment.

CLOSE ON PASSAGE

from Corinthians.

BACK TO SCENE

Landon reads it.

                         LANDON
               'Love is always patient and kind.
               It is never boastful or
               conceited -- '

                         JAMIE
               That was read at my parents'
               wedding.

He takes her hand. Holds it.

                         LANDON
               How're you doing?

                         JAMIE
                    (looking away)
               Better. I was really angry.

                         LANDON

               I know.

                         JAMIE
               It's gone now.

                         LANDON
                    (gently)
               Because you have hope that you'll
               get better?

                         JAMIE
               No.
                    (pause, shrugging,
                    accepting)
               Maybe I believe God has a bigger
               dream for me than I had for
               myself.
                    (beat)
               Maybe I believe the journey, the
               big adventure, never ends...

He kneels on the floor. Puts his head on her pillow next
to hers.

                         JAMIE
               Maybe I believe God sent you to me
               because I am ill. To help me
               through.

He touches her face tenderly.

                         JAMIE
                    (almost whispering)
               I want to go home.

Pause. He gets her meaning.

                         LANDON
                    (trying not to
                    break)
               I'll talk to your father.

                         JAMIE
                    (looking away)
               It's not that simple.
                    (pause)
               It costs money to do this at home.

INT. CARTER LIVING ROOM - EVENING

Cynthia pacing, talking on the phone, worried. The front
door is wide open.

                         CYNTHIA
                    (into phone)
               ... He doesn't talk to me, maybe
               not to anyone, except Jamie...

She stands in the doorway and looks out.

CYNTHIA'S POV

Landon in his car in the driveway.

INT. LANDON'S CAR

Landon just sits. Exhausted, despondent.

INT. CARTER LIVING ROOM

Cynthia pacing.

                         CYNTHIA

                    (into phone)
               ... I've never asked you for
               extra. But we need it now... as
               soon as possible...

INT. HOSPITAL - PATIENT ROOM - ANOTHER AFTERNOON

Jamie's breathing is shallower. Landon's reading her The
Sheltering Sky. He pauses, looks up. Isabel, Jamie's
student, is standing in the doorway. Jamie sees her too.
She smiles weakly.

                         JAMIE
               Isabel?

                         ISABEL
                    (shy)
               Hi.

Isabel comes in. Landon offers her the book. She takes
it and keeps going from where Landon left off. Stumbling
but reading. Jamie grins.

                         JAMIE
               Who's been working with you?

Isabel looks shyly at Landon. Jamie shakes her head,
amazed. Landon nods to Isabel and she begins reading
again.

EXT. CARTER BACK STEPS - THAT NIGHT

Landon quietly opens the back door to the kitchen.

HIS POV

Cynthia sits at the table with Dr. Carter, his father.

                         CYNTHIA
               Sit with us a minute.

INT. CARTER KITCHEN

Landon enters, but doesn't sit.

                         LANDON
                    (to his father)
               What are you doing here?

                         CYNTHIA
               He wants to talk to you.

                         LANDON
                    (to his mother)
               Now it's okay?

                         CYNTHIA
               Landon. You have two parents.
               We're both here for you even --

                         DR. CARTER

               -- even if we're not here for each
               other anymore.

Landon is listening.

                         DR. CARTER
               I want to do this. Please let me.

He holds out a check. For a lot of money. Landon takes
it. Grateful.

                         LANDON
                    (quietly, to both
                    parents)
               Thank you.

INT. PARSONAGE - JAMIE'S BEDROOM - DAY

A smaller Jamie lies in a hospital bed, seemingly asleep.
Hooked to an IV. Bottles of pills. Landon dozes in a
comfortable chair. A nurse sits in a corner, reading.

Eric and Clay stand in the doorway, not sure what to do.
Jamie opens her eyes, smiles.

                         JAMIE
               Don't wake Landon.

They tiptoe in. Stand on either side of her bed.

                         JAMIE
               Do I look scary?

                         ERIC
               Not too bad.

                         CLAY

               You all right?

A dumb question but she handles it well.

                         JAMIE
                    (smiling)
               Things could be better.

Awkward pause.

                         CLAY
               We thought you'd be asleep --

                         JAMIE
                    (trying to help)
               I don't know what to say either.

Clay hands her an envelope.

                         JAMIE
               What is it?

She pulls out a stack of worn bills.

                         CLAY
               For the book drive. Landon told
               us about it --

                         ERIC
               We told everyone at school.

Jamie takes their hands, holds them. Thanking them
silently. Her eyes shining with tears.

INT. LANDON'S BEDROOM - LATE NIGHT

Landon sits at his desk, sketching the larger telescope,
making a few computations.

A library book on Haley's Comet is open. A stack of
similar books by his elbow.

Cynthia enters wearing her waitressing outfit.

                         CYNTHIA
               What can I do?

He shrugs. Tears fill his eyes.

                         LANDON
               Everything's being done but it's
               not enough. I have to find
               something -- more.

                         CYNTHIA
                    (gently)
               Landon, honey. There's nothing
               more.

                         LANDON

               I don't mean about Jamie being
               sick. I mean about Jamie and me.

                         CYNTHIA
               Be with her when she wants. Make
               sure she never feels alone.

Landon thinks his mother is also talking about herself.

                         LANDON
               Mom, I'm not going anywhere. Not
               yet anyway.

Pause.

                         CYNTHIA
               When you are ready, I want you to
               feel free to go.

They embrace.

INT. LANDON'S BEDROOM - LATER

Landon opens Jamie's mother's book. A photo of Jamie
falls out -- one taken by Belinda.

CLOSE ON PHOTO

Jamie, beautiful, smiling at the audience.

LANDON

considers the photo, finds a page to tuck it into.

CLOSE ON HANDWRITTEN JOTTING

For Landon above some underlined text, a Psalm from the
Bible.

                         LANDON
                    (reading aloud)
               'I cry to you my Lord, my rock!
               Do not be deaf to me, for if you
               are silent, I shall go down to the
               pit like the rest. Hear my voice
               raised in petition as I cry to you
               for help, as I raise my hands, my
               Lord, toward your holy of holies.'

Landon knows Jamie underlined this for him.

INT. LIVING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Landon tears down the steps. Past his mother to the front
door. He's out the door before she even turns around.

INT. PARSONAGE - REVEREND SULLIVAN'S BEDROOM - MIDNIGHT

Reverend Sullivan sits up in bed. His feet find slippers
on the floor. He looks haggard, his hair thinner, his
face defeated.

INT. JAMIE'S BEDROOM - MOMENTS LATER

The Reverend, wearing his robe, checks on his sleeping
daughter. The night nurse nods as he tucks in blankets.

A SOUND. Then another. Reverend Sullivan goes to the
window. Parts the drapes. Looks out.

HIS POV

A dozen flashlights in a big circle. Landon in the
middle, working feverishly on the new telescope.

EXT. BACK YARD - MOMENTS LATER

The back porch light comes on. Reverend Sullivan steps
out onto the back porch. Landon looks up.

                         LANDON
                    (flushes, almost
                    manic)
               I have to finish it tonight.

Without a word, the Reverend turns around and goes back
inside. Leaving the porch light on. Landon goes back to
work.

EXT. BACK YARD - MINUTES LATER

Reverend Sullivan comes out. Dressed. He carries two
mugs of coffee and a brightly burning kerosene camp
lantern. Peace offerings.

He walks over, sets down the lantern, hands Landon a mug.
Ready to work.

                         LANDON
               I've almost finished the rocker.
               Did she order mirrors?

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               In there.

As they walk to the garage.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               You have materials for the side
               bearings?

                         LANDON
               I'm using an old phonographic
               turntable.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               For the focuser?

                         LANDON

               A chrome-plated brass pipe from a
               drain line.

The Reverend nods, impressed. He yanks the garage door
up. Goes in.

                         LANDON
               You know about this stuff?

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               I helped Jamie with the first one.

                         LANDON
                    (surprised)
               I thought she built it herself.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               She did. But hardly anyone does
               anything truly alone.

The Reverend carries out a large cardboard postal package.
Landon takes it as the Reverend lowers the garage door.

                         LANDON
                    (serious)
               I need to do this alone.

Reverend Sullivan searches Landon's face for a long
moment, understanding, then turns and heads for the back
door.

INT. CHURCH - REVEREND'S OFFICE - NEXT MORNING

Landon stands in the doorway. The Reverend is wiping his
glasses, his face, maybe of tears. He sees Landon.

                         REV. SULLIVAN

               You finish?

                         LANDON
               A few minutes ago. I have to ask
               you something.

Long pause.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               When I was seventeen, I was sent
               up for a year for stealing a car.
                    (beat)
               Sometimes I still feel that boy
               inside me and I don't like him.
                    (beat)
               But I like you.

The Reverend stands, offers Landon his hand. Landon takes
it. The two men shake. Allies now.

INT. JAMIE'S ROOM - THAT EVENING

Jamie opens her eyes. But can barely keep them open.
Groggy from pain medication. Landon's standing there.
Showered, clean clothes.

                         LANDON
               We're going out.

He starts helping the nurse disconnect her IV.

                         JAMIE
               Can I -- go out?

                         LANDON
               You'll be fine for a few minutes.

Jamie looks at the nurse. Uncertain. The nurse nods.

EXT. PARSONAGE ROOF - NIGHT

Landon carries Jamie out a large attic window. The
finished large telescope is set up. Pointing at the sky.
She's in her nightgown, wrapped in a blanket.

                         JAMIE
                    (grateful, touching
                    it)
               It's beautiful... Thank you.

But she looks at the lights of the house and streets
around them.

                         JAMIE
               I don't know what we'll be able to
               see... Help me stand.

He checks his watch.

                         LANDON
               Wait a sec.

As she turns to him, questioning, the neighborhood
suddenly darkens as the street lamps and lights in every
nearby house are switched off.

EXT. DOWN STREET

Neighbors step outside. Hold up binoculars.

EXT. BEAUFORT HIGH - PARKING LOT

Members of the Star Club and other students look through
traditional telescopes.

EXT. PARSONAGE ROOF

Jamie hugs Landon in gratitude.

                         LANDON
               We have five minutes.

Jamie, tears streaming, braces herself against Landon and
she peers into the telescope eyepiece. She pulls back,
wipes her eyes, then looks again. She swings the
telescope into the correct position.

HER POV THROUGH TELESCOPE

Haley's Comet, its icy nucleus issuing the jets and
streamers of gas, dust, and debris that form the comet's
hazy head and long tail.

                         JAMIE (O.S.)

               The comet of the century...

BACK TO SCENE

She steps back so he can see. He looks quickly, then
moves aside so she can keep looking. She's completely
engrossed. A long, quiet moment, then:

                         LANDON
               You love me?

She leans away from the eyepiece and looks at him -- yes.

                         LANDON
               Will you do something for me?

                         JAMIE
               Landon. I can't even do for
               myself.

                         LANDON
               But if you could, you would?

                         JAMIE
               Yes.

His throat tightens with nervousness, with hope, fear,
sadness, and love.

                         LANDON
               Will you marry me?

HER FACE

Illness, happiness, disbelief.

EXT. SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH - EARLY APRIL

A sea of pink, purple, and white blossoms. Dogwoods,
wisteria, azaleas, and roses blooming.

INT. SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH

Bursting with everyone who knows Jamie and Landon -- every
kid in their high school, including Eric, Clay, Belinda;
teachers, including Ms. Garber; Mr. Kelly; Luis and Isabel
and others from Jefferson High; her father's congregation;
Cynthia Carter; Dr. Carter's new wife and their two kids;
neighbors; hospital staff and home nurses.

Landon stands with his father by the altar.

The "WEDDING MARCH" begins...

The double doors at the back of the church open. Everyone
turns to look at the bride. Gasps of joy and sadness.

LANDON'S POV - JAMIE

Flanked by a nurse and Reverend Sullivan. She's wearing
her Lizzie dress from the play. It hangs loosely, but
still becomes her. She's a beautiful bride.

BACK TO SCENE

Landon swells with pride.

Jamie smiles. Then, leaning on her father, she slowly
makes her way down the aisle.

In the pews -- few dry eyes follow her.

Jamie -- halfway -- stops to rest and catch her breath. A
moment later, she and her father continue.

A long, difficult walk. A walk to remember.

AT ALTAR

The nurse rolls a wheelchair up as Jamie and her father
near.

Applause breaks out as Jamie reaches Landon's side.

Jamie sits. Exhausted.

Landon kneels to be the same height as Jamie in her chair.

Pause. Dr. Carter kneels. Showing solidarity with his
son.

Reverend Sullivan, standing, leans down to kiss Jamie's
cheek. Trying to keep his emotions in check.

LANDON AND JAMIE'S POV

Reverend Sullivan towering over them.

BACK TO SCENE

Reverend Sullivan kneels, too.

Jamie takes Landon's hand in her right hand, her father's
hand in her left. Linking the three together.

The congregation silences.

Reverend Sullivan looks up from his Bible. Struggling.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               As a father, I'm supposed to give
               away my daughter. But I can no
               more give Jamie away than I can
               give away my heart. But I can let
               another share in the joy she has
               given me. May God's blessings be
               with you both.

He reaches out, offering a hand to Landon. Completing the
circle.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               Landon, repeat after me. Do you
               take...

As words are spoken and vows and rings exchanged, the
CAMERA MOVES ACROSS the faces of those at the altar --
Jamie, Landon, Dr. Carter.

TO the first row of the congregation -- Cynthia Carter,
Josh, Eric, Clay.

Then BACK row by row as the Reverend begins reading a
passage from the book Jamie's mother made for her. His
voice soft and melodious, like a poet reading his own
work.

                         REV. SULLIVAN (O.S.)
               'Love is always patient and kind.
               It is never jealous. Love is
               never boastful or conceited. It
               is never rude or selfish. It does
               not take offense and is not
               resentful. Love takes no pleasure
               in other people's sins, but
               delights in the truth. It is
               always ready to excuse, to trust,
               to hope, and to endure whatever
               comes...'

And the CAMERA MOVES OUT the double doors to find...

PARSONAGE

in a different season. Winter.

UP the front steps and INTO...

LIVING ROOM (PRESENT DAY)

As it is now, in present day.

The nurse disappears, leaving Landon Carter, 33, waiting.
Looking at a framed photo of Jamie as Lizzie in The
Rainmaker...

The nurse returns, helping an old man as he shuffles in.
Reverend Sullivan. He's stooped, thin, balding. His skin
parchment thin.

The two men embrace. Stiff, uncomfortable, uncertain.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               You've been well?

                         LANDON
               Yes. You?

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               Getting by.

Pause. Why is he here? The Reverend waits.

                         LANDON
                    (fumbling)
               I'm -- I'm returning something.

He twists the ring on his finger. Removes it.

                         LANDON
               This belongs to you.

He gives his wedding ring to the Reverend. Pause. Landon
searches for something meaningful to say.

                         LANDON

               She taught me -- everything. She
               saved my life.

The Reverend turns away, overcome with sadness. Realizing
now why Landon has come.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               You're marrying again.

                         LANDON
               Yes.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               Jamie wanted that. She told me.

Landon is grateful to know this. He makes a move to go.
Then turns back.

                         LANDON
               I'm sorry she never got her
               miracle.

                         REV. SULLIVAN
               She did. It was you.

Landon, deeply touched, embraces the old man again.
Warmly, fully. Two men still grieving, saying good-bye.

                         ADULT LANDON (V.O.)
               Jamie once said when you're
               feeling love, you're also feeling
               God.

EXT. NEUSE RIVER - THAT AFTERNOON

Landon walks alone. His hair and clothing tousled by a
steady gentle wind.

                         ADULT LANDON (V.O.)
               She made me a believer. In love.
               In life. In the journey that
               never ends...

Landon stops. Faces the wind. Lets the air swirl over
him.

                         ADULT LANDON (V.O.)
               ... And in the mystery of all
               things you can't see but feel
               everywhere around you...

He closes his eyes. She's there...

FADE OUT.

                         THE END