Post Secret: When I assign my students to groups I try to match make them.

Lights come up TEACHER and his history class.

TEACHER
[putting a stack of paper on each front desk to be handed back to the rest of the students]
Ok boys and girls, the time has come around for the quarterly project, I have handed out a guideline and and if you check the other side there is a rubric. .

students groan in automatic response

TEACHER
Hold on now its not going to be that bad. All you have to do is pick something, anything at all, and write a history report on it. [picks a pen off a students desk] Like this pen here. As you all probably know, the first pen was the quill, unless you count cave men drawing with rocks. [class laughs a little] The portable pen with its own ink supply was not perfected until fairly late in the 19th century. Thomas Jefferson did however, sampled an early version of the pen, the reservoir pen. He did not find it agreeable and went back to the quill to draft the U.S. declaration of independence. [pause ] So, what you guys need to do is have a ten minute presen-

class begins to groan

TEACHER
[over the class]
-tation! And a five page report, double spaced.

even louder groans

TEACHER
But, you get to work in partners.

students immediately start excitedly talking, and looking around trying partner up with their friends.

TEACHER
[adding]
Of my choice.

even louder groans, some students even go as far as to drop their heads onto their desks TEACHER laughs a little.

STUDENT 1
[grumbling quietly]
I'm going to freaking kill myself when a get home.

TEACHER begins to pair off students, boy girl.


HALLEY
Oh excuse me! Mr. Romaans?

TEACHER
Yes Halley?

HALLEY
Can me and Jessica be partners? Please.

TEACHER
Sorry Halley, but you can't, you-

HALLEY
Why not!?

TEACHER
Well because you are going to be partnered with Jason and Jessica is going to be partnered with Jeffery. [motioning to a quiet slightly large kid in the back, with glasses, reading a book]

HALLY
Oh Mr. Romaans, you can't do that to Jessica! I will clean your board every morning for a week, you just can't do that to her!

JEFFERY is turning several shades of red in the back of the room, trying to pretend he can't hear, JESSICA feels embarrassed for JEFFERY and slightly ashamed of her friend. Class laughs at HALLEY egging her on in a way. Everytime HALLEY speaks JEFFERY gets redder and redder, sinks in his chair lower and fights tears. JESSICA starts to get red her self and just looks at the floor

TEACHER
That's enough Halley.

HALLEY
No its not enough sir. This is a terrible injustification-

class laughs, save JEFFERY and JESSICA

TEACHER
[warning]
Halley...

class is still laughing

HALLEY
[talking over TEACHER
-you are doing to my friend. Why its, unthinkable, its-

TEACHER
[warning, louder, angrier, sterner]
Halley.

Class is still laughing

HALLEY
[talking over TEACHER, competing to be heard,]
unimaginable! Hes-

TEACHER
[loudly, barking]
Halley!

class is still laughing

HALLEY
[talking even louder, over TEACHER.]
so weird! He is such a lapidist! I can't-

TEACHER
[very loudly]
Halley! I said that's ENOUGH!

HALLEY finally shuts up, the rest of the class falls silent. There is a long pause, while TEACHER recollects himself

TEACHER
[calmly]
Halley, whats a lapidist?

HALLEY
[laughing]
A fat ass? I don't know.

TEACHER
Halley, I don't know about you, but I don't think Jeffery is the kind of person who like to cuts and polishes precious stones in his spare time. This is just a guess from having him in class I could be completely wrong.

there is a pause. HALLEY is embarrassed, class is still quiet

TEACHER
Jason you will have to partner up with Mark and Vanessa, Halley is going to be working alone. The same work will be expected of you Halley, and your topic will be... the history of the rock.

HALLEY
Hey, I thought you said we could pick our topics?!

TEACHER
Oh they can [motioning to the rest of the class]You can't. I expect you to use the word lapidist correctly at least 20 to 30 times through out your paper, so your vocabulary may grow.

Bell rings

TEACHER
[over bell]
The project is due next Thursday! There will be no class time to work on it, so you better schedule time with your[looking at JESSICA, making eye contact] assigned partner!


Lights fade on class leaving the room

lights come up on JEFFERY at his locker fumbling at the lock, trying to balance books while he does so. JESSICA enters, JEFFERY doesn't see her when she starts to approach him, He drops his books, cursing a little under his breath, he kneels down to pick them up, but JESSICA is already doing it. She stands up, and tries to awkwardly make conversation.

JESSICA
Umm... I was thinking we could meet in the library after school tomorrow... to work on our project. I was thinking maybe we could, do the history of the paper clip? Because I saw this thing on nick at night once where a guy bought the design for it, or something... I dont know though, we could do something else. [pause, realizes she still has his books. Oh um, here.[hands him his books]

JEFFERY begins to put his books into his locker

JESSICA
Look I'm really sorry about what Halley said....

JEFFERY
[taking out his bag, and slinging into on to his shoulder.] Look you don't have to be my partner, I know you don't want to, I can't say I blame you. I'm sure if you went and begged Mr. Romaans he would let you off the hook.

JEFFERY shuts his locker and begins to walk away

JESSICA
[touching his arm]
No wait. I'm sorry what about what she said, but her opinions don't speak for me too. [pause] Mr. Romaans partnered us, so lets just be partners.

JEFFERY
Oh I get it, you just want to be my partner so you can run back and tell your friend about how weird I am? Well, thanks for the offer, but I'll pass.

JEFFERY begins to walk away again

JESSICA
[angry]
What, you just assume I would do something like that? You don't know me, I've never even met you before this year.

JEFFERY begins to laugh

JESSICA
Why is that funny?

JEFFERY
I sat behind you in algebra class last year, and the year before that we were in the same English class. You are just like you friend, you are so caught up in yourself you don't even notice anything around you. Its amazing you two don't walk into traffic.

JESSICA
[hurt, eyes down]
Look, I don't care if you hate me or not. I will be in the library tomorrow working on the project, if you aren't there I'm going to assume Mr. Romaans gave you a different partner.

JESSICA exits. Lights fade

Lights come up on the JESSICA in the library, several books are out in front of her, she is taking notes. She is alone for a few moments, JEFFERY enters, and sets his bag on the floor, and sits in the chair across from JESSICA. JESSICA notices his entrance, but does not pick up her head. There is silence for a few moments

JEFFERY
I'm sorry.

JESSICA lifts up her head, giving him her attention

JEFFERY
It wasn't nice for me to assume things about you, that's the kind of I hate about people. I'm sorry.

JESSICA
Its okay. Im sorry I didn't notice you before this year.

JEFFERY
Its okay, I'm unnoticeable.

JESSICA
No, you really aren't.

JEFFERY blushes

JESSICA
So, um, in this book, its says that the paper clip was invented by....

Lights fade on JESSICA talking

Lights come up in the Library, JESSICA and JEFFERY sitting closer than before, the scene is silent, once in awhile JESSICA will look at JEFFERY, and look back to her work, and once in awhile JEFFERY will look at JESSICA and go back to his work. If they look at the same time, they both look away embarrassed, lights fade.

Lights come up on JESSICA and JEFFERY in the library, the scene is much like the one before, only they are closer. Lights fade

Lights come up on JESSICA and JEFFERY in the library, they are sitting right next to each other. JESSICA looks sad and puts her head on the desk. JEFFERY looks at her and feels bad, and wants to make her laugh. He puts two pencils in his mouth like walrus tusks and crosses his eyes. He nudges JESSICA who laughs, JEFFERY starts to make walrus noises, making JESSICA laugh even louder. The librarian come over to shh them, and JEFFERY immediately takes the pencils out of his mouth, their laughter quiets, but is still their. Lights fade.

Lights come up on JEFFERY in the library, at the desk, and JESSICA at the printer waiting for the report to print. Once it is finished, she brings it over and sits next to JEFFERY. They are both a little sad

JESSICA
So I think this is the final draft, I haven't found any spelling or grammatical errors....

JEFFERY
It's a really good paper, I think we will get a good grade...

JESSICA
yeah...

there is a pause

JESSICA JEFFERY
Maybe we- This was-

JEFFERY
You go

JESSICA
No you go ahead.

JEFFERY
I was just going to say that this was fun.

JESSICA
Oh, yeah it was.

pause

JEFFERY
So what were you going to say?

JESSICA
hmm?

JEFFERY
You were going to say something.

JESSICA
Oh it was nothing.

pause

JEFFERY
Well I should probably be getting home.

JESSICA
yeah me too.

JESSICA begins puts her back pack on her shoulder and starts to sadly walk out.

JEFFERY
Jess?

JESSICA
[coming back a little, hopeful]
Yeah Jeffery?

JEFFERY
[fumbling]
Um, thanks for being my partner.

JESSICA
[disappointed]
Oh. Yeah, no problem.

JESSICA turns away, and begins to walk out even sadder, JEFFERY smacks himself in the head as soon as she turns her back. She is near the door, when JEFFERY swallows his fear.

JEFFERY
[hurrying to catch up]
Wait.

JESSICA turns around

JEFFERY
I. [takes a breath] I like you.

JESSICA
[smiling]
You do?

JEFFERY
Yeah I do, a lot actually.

JESSICA
I like you a lot too.

JEFFERY'S face breaks into a smile, JESSICA pecks him on the cheek, light fade.

Lights come up on history class, JESSICA and JEFFERY enter holding hands, TEACHER smiles when he sees this. JESSICA walks past HALLEY and sits next to JEFFERY in the back. HALLEY'S mouth drops open

HALLEY
Jessica, tell me you are kidding.

JESSICA
Kidding about what, there's nothing to kid about.

HALLEY
You are not seriously dating him are you?

JESSICA
[looking at JEFFERY, then at HALLEY]
Why yes, I seriously am.

HALLEY
But hes such a -

JEFFERY
-such a what? Lapidist?

JESSICA laughs and kisses JEFFERY on the cheek, HALLEY'S mouth drops even farther as she turns around shocked, and angry. Lights fade.