5 CHAPTER FIVE: THE INVITATION

AT THE BIG BILLY'S DINER, BEFORE IT WILL OPEN, MRS. MARYBETH LEIGH VISITS TO HER OLD FRIEND BILLY BRAN. BUT SHE DOESNT SEE HIM AROUND, ELISE ASKS HER INSTEAD.

ELISE: GOOD MORNING, MAAM. MAY I HELP YOU WITH SOMETHING?

MRS. LEIGH: YOU MUST BE NEW HERE. YOU DONT EVEN RECOGNIZE ME, THAT'S INTERESTENG. MAY I KNOW YOUR NAME?

ELISE: I AM ELISE. I AM SORRY IF I OFFENDED YOU, MAAM.

MRS. LEIGH: JUST CALL ME, MRS. LEIGH, ELISE. NO, IM NOT OFFENDED. BUT THE MOST INTERESTING PART FOR ME IS THAT BILLY HIRED NEW WORKER HERE. HE IS SO PICKY AS I KNEW HIM, THAT'S WHY I CALLED HIM PICKY BILLY. WHERE IS HE?

BILLY: MARYBETH, IT IS BEEN A WHILE. IS THERE ANYTHING WRONG?

MRS. LEIGH: I WAS INTRODUCING MYSELF TO ELISE. SHE'S PRETTY TO WORK IN HERE.

BILLY: HEY, DONT BE RUDE. ELISE, PLEASE ASSISTS GREGOR INSIDE THE KITCHEN. THERE ARE A LOT TO PREPARE FOR TONIGHT.

ELISE: YES, BILLY. HAVE A GOOD DAY, MRS. LEIGH.

MRS. LEIGH: SAME TO YOU AS WELL, ELISE.

BILLY: WELL,LET US HAVE A CHAT. WHY ARE YOU HERE?

MRS. LEIGH: I AM NOT STAYING HERE FOR TOO LONG. I AM HERE TO GIVE YOU THIS, OUR INVITATION. PLEASE, BE THERE AND YOU CAN BRING YOUR STAFFS HERE.

BILLY: WHAT IS THIS FOR?MRS.

LEIGH: YOU WILL SEE, I HAVE TO GO.

ELISE IS HELPING GREGOR IN PREPARING THE INGREDIENTS BY CHOPPING THE VEGETABLES. HE NOTICES HER SILENCE.

GREGOR: ARE YOU OKAY?

ELISE: YEAH, I MEAN PEOPLE WONT STOP CALLING ME THE NEW GIRL IN TOWN. AM I THE ONLY ONE NEW HERE?

GREGOR: MAYBE,BESIDES, RAVENSWOOD IS A SMALL TOWN. EVERYONE KNOWS EVERYONE EXCEPT FOR ONE THING.

ELISE: WHAT IS IT? OUCH!

GREGOR: WATCH IT, ARE YOU OKAY?

ELISE: IT'S NOTHING.

GREGOR: YOU CUT YOUR FINGER . IT ISNT NOTHING, ELISE. I WILL GET SOME FIRST AID, JUST STAY HERE.

ELISE: THANKS

GREGOR: GIVE ME YOUR HAND WHERE YOU CUT YOUR FINGER. BE CAREFUL NEXT TIME.

ELISE: COME ON, GREG. IT IS A SMALL CUT, NO WORRIES. BUT WHAT IS THAT ONE THING YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT?

GREGOR: A SECRET.

ELISE: A SECRET, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? SECRET MEANS YOU DONT NEED TO TELL ME OR?

GREGOR: OR EVERYONE IN THIS TOWN KNOWS EACH OTHER EXCEPT FOR THEIR SECRETS.SO, EVERYONE HAS A SECRET. SOME TOLD, SOME YET UNTOLD.

ELISE: DO YOU HAVE A SECRET, GREG?

GREGOR: YOUR WOUND IS OKAY. WE ALL HAVE SECRETS, ELISE. BUT HAVING SECRETS DOESNT JUSTIFY YOU AS A BAD PERSON OR A CRIMINAL. IT IS ALSO FOR SAFE KEEPING, TO AVOID CHAOS. WHAT ABOUT YOU?

ELISE: ME? DO I HAVE A SECRET?

GREGOR:(SMILES) NO, WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF YOUR SECRET?

BOTH OF THEM ARE SO QUIET UNTIL BILLY ENTERS THE KITCHEN AND TELLS THEM ABOUT THE INVITATION.

BILLY: HEY, GUYS. WE ARE INVITED FOR A PARTY NEXT WEEK. ARE YOU COMING?

GREGOR: PROBABLY, I AM. MR. LEAFMAN ASSIGNED ME TO BE A PHOTOGRAPHER FOR THE NEXT ISSUE OF THE FEATURES.BILLY: WELL, GOOD. WHAT ABOUT YOU, ELISE?

GREGOR: YEAH, JOIN US. IT WILL BE FUN.ELISE: WELL, ALL THE PEOPLE WILL BE SHOCKED TO SEE ME THERE. BILLY: FOR WHAT REASON?

ELISE: MANY TO MENTION REASONS. BESIDES BILLY, YOU'RE THE ONE WHO INVITED NOT ME.

BILLY: BUT MARYBETH TOLD ME TO BRING MY FOLKS HERE. COME ON, ELISE.

GREGOR: ELISE, GRAB THIS CHANCE TO RECOGNIZE EVERYBODY IN THIS TOWN. DONT WORRY,I WILL BE THERE WITH YOU.

BILLY: SO, THAT WILL BE A YES. ELISE, BACK TO THE TABLES AND CHAIRS. YOU ALREADY CUT YOUR FINGER INSIDE THIS KITCHEN.

GREGOR LAUGHS AT HER AND SO IS ELISE. AT THE MOMENT, RANDON IS JOINING LARRY AND ASHLEY FOR BUYING NEW SUIT AND DRESS FOR VERONICA'S WELCOME PARTY NEXT WEEK.

ASHLEY: RANDON, ARENT YOU BUYING A SUIT?

RANDON: I ALREADY HAVE A SUIT AT HOME.

LARRY: SHE MEANS THAT, ARENT YOU BUYING A NEW SUIT?

RANDON: (LAUGHS) NO BIG DEAL GUYS. IT IS JUST A PARTY.

ASHLEY: IT IS NOT JUST A PARTY, RANDON. IT IS VERONICA'S WELCOME PARTY.

RANDON: I WILL BE THERE FOR MY PARENTS, THAT'S ALL.

ASHLEY: BUT IT MEANT A LOT FOR VERONICA, RAN.

LARRY: HUSH ALREADY, ASHLEY. YOU GIVE RANDON A REASON NOT TO COME.

ASHLEY: OKAY, BUT I THINK YOU SHOULD BUY A NEW SUIT. LET ME HELP YOU CHOOSE, RANDON. I WILL GET SOME.

ASHLEY PICKS SUITS FOR RANDON AND LEAVES THE MEN ALONE BY THEMSELVES.

LARRY: SO, WHO ARE YOU BRINGING WITH?

RANDON: MY FAMILY OBVIOUSLY.

LARRY: I MEAN, A DATE. WHO ARE YOU BRINGING WITH FOR A DATE?

RANDON: IS IT ALLOWED TO BRING OTHER GUEST?

LARRY: I THINK THE WHOLE TOWN IS INVITED, SO IT IS A YES.

RANDON: REALLY?

ASHLEY: WHAT ABOUT THIS SUIT, RANDON? ISNT IT NICE?

LARRY: IT IS NICE, ASH. BUT I TOLD YOU NOT TO PRESSURE HIM.

RANDON: I THINK I WILL BUY THAT SUIT FOR THE PARTY.

ASHLEY: SEE, HE WILL COME. VERONICA WILL BE HAPPY TO SEE HIM THERE.

AFTER HAVING A CLASS WITH PROFESSOR GALLEN, RANDON ASKS ELISE FOR THE UPCOMING PARTY.

RANDON: ELISE, CAN I HAVE A WORD FOR YOU?

ELISE: WHAT IS IT, RANDON?

RANDON: CAN YOU COME FOR A PARTY WITH ME NEXT WEEK?

ELISE: AT LEIGH'S PARTY?

RANDON: YEAH, YOU KNEW IT ALREADY

ELISE: YEAH AND PROBABLY I WILL BE JOINING WITH SOMEONE TO THAT PARTY ALREADY.

RANDON: OH, REALLY.

ELISE: I AM SORRY. I HAVE TO GO. I AM VERY LATE FOR WORK.

RANDON: NO, IT'S NOTHING.

ELISE: SEE YOU AT THE PARTY, RANDON.

AT DEAN'S HOUSE IN THEIR READING AREA, RANDON AND PENELOPE ARE PLAYING UNO CARD GAME. RANDON ASKS PENELOPE ABOUT PATT.

RANDON: DO YOU HAVE ANY NEWS ABOUT PATT, PEN?

PENELOPE: DONT START TEASING ME, RAN.

RANDON: NO, I AM NOT TEASING YOU. I AM SERIOUS.

PENELOPE: WELL, HE IS HANGING OUT WITH HIMSELF MOST OF THE TIME.

RANDON: JUST HIMSELF?

PENELOPE: MOSTLY, WHY?

RANDON: JUST CURIOUS, IS HE GOING TO VERONICA'S PARTY?

PENELOPE: I DONT EVEN KNOW. EVERY TIME WE BUMPED EACH OTHER, HE DIDNT EVEN SAY A WORD TO ME. WHY ARE YOU KEEP ASKING ME ABOUT PATT?

RANDON: NOTHING, REALLY.

PENELOPE: NOTHING MEANS THERE IS SOMETHING, RANDON. YOU CANT LIE TO ME. SPIT IT OUT.

RANDON: LAST TIME, I SAW HIM WITH ELISE.

PENELOPE: THE NEW GIRL? YOUR CLASSMATE?

RANDON: YES, I SAW HIM WITH HER AT THE CANTEEN DURING LUNCH. THOUGH, THERE WAS NO COMMUNICATION INVOLVED BUT MAYBE ELISE INVITED BY PATT FOR THE PARTY THAT TIME. WHAT DO YOU THINK?

PENELOPE: I THINK YOU ARE PARANOID AND JEALOUS.

RANDON: JEALOUS? NO, I AM NOT. TO PAT? NEVER.

PENELOPE: SO, THIS IS YOUR WITHDRAWAL BECAUSE YOU ARE PARANOID AND JEALOUS. YOU THINK STORIES THAT ARE VERY IMPOSSIBLE. BROTHER, BECAUSE SHE DUMPED YOU TO YOUR INVITATION, IT DOES NOT MEAN SHE IS DATING PATT OR SOMETHING. BUT TO THIS POINT OF OUR CARD GAME, YOU LOSE.

RANDON: NOT AGAIN.

PENELOPE: HAVE A GOOD NIGHT, BROTHER. LOSER WILL BE THE ONE TO DO THE DISHES.

RANDON: GOOD NIGHT, PEN.

RANDON THINKS THAT PENELOPE WAS RIGHT. BUT PENELOPE CANT EVEN SLEEP ABOUT PATT AND ELISE. THE NIGHT BEFORE ATTENDING THE PARTY, BILLY AND GREGOR ARE WAITING FOR ELISE'S ARRIVAL. AS THE BELL RINGS FROM THE DOOR, SOMEONE ENTERS, IT IS ELISE WITH HER BEAUTIFUL FLORAL DRESS, WITH LIGHT MAKE UP, CURLED HAIR AND RED HEELS. THE BOYS FIND HER AMUSING AND BEAUTIFUL. ELISE IS NERVOUS BY THEIR REACTIONS.

ELISE: WHAT IS IT? THIS IS ALL I HAVE.

GREGOR: AMAZINGLY SURPRISING

BILLY: WELL, YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL ELISE. DONT WORRY ABOUT THE PEOPLE, YOU HAVE US. RIGHT, GREG?

GREGOR: OF COURSE.

BILLY: I WILL GET THE CAR AND WAIT OUTSIDE.

ELISE: OKAY, AM I TRULY OKAY TO COME TONIGHT?

GREGOR: (LAUGHS) IS THIS YOUR FIRST FORMAL PARTY?

ELISE: YEAH, I CANT HELP THINKING SO MUCH ABOUT THIS PARTY.

GREGOR: DONT BE, LET ME THINK YOU DIFFERENTLY TONIGHT. YOU CAN JOIN ME TAKING SOME PICTURES TO THE GUESTS AND IF YOU LIKE I WILL GIVE YOU FREE LESSONS ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY. DEAL?

ELISE: THAT MUST BE AN EDUCATIONAL WAY OF AVOIDING THINGS TONIGHT, THEN, DEAL.

GREGOR: OKAY, SHALL WE GO OUTSIDE? BILLY IS WAITING FOR US.

ELISE: (DEEP SIGHS) LET US DO THIS.

IN BILLY'S TRUCK, ELISE FINDS GREGOR'S CAMERA VERY ATTRACTIVE AND CLASSY.

ELISE: YOUR CAMERA IS BEAUTIFUL AND VERY CLASSY.

GREGOR: YEAH, I NAME THIS AS JIM.

ELISE: WHY JIM?

GREGOR: IT IS MY YOUNGER BROTHER'S NAME, ELISE.

ELISE: YOU HAVE A YOUNGER BROTHER. WHERE IS HE NOW?

GREGOR: SOMEWHERE, A FAR FOR A REASON.

ELISE: WOW, HE MUST BE ADVENTUROUS.

GREGOR: (SMILES) YEAH, HE LIKES BEING ADVENTUROUS AND GOING TO NEW PLACES.

BILLY: SO HERE WE ARE AT LEIGH'S HOUSE. YOU TWO GO FIRST, I WILL PARK THE TRUCK.

GREGOR: LET'S GO

ELISE: OKAY.

THERE ARE A LOT OF GUESTS ARRIVING LIKE POLITICIANS TO BUSINESSMEN TO NORMAL PEOPLE. GREGOR STARTS TAKING PICTURES TO THE GUESTS.

GREGOR: ARE YOU OKAY, ELISE?

ELISE: TOO CROWDED, I SHOULD FIND A PLACE FOR ME HERE.

GREGOR: COME, I WILL SHOW YOU SOMETHING.

ELISE: WHAT ABOUT YOUR PICTURES?

GREGOR: LATER.

GREGOR HOLDS ELISE'S HAND AND BRINGS HER TO THE SILENCE PLACE LIKE IN THE GARDEN FOUNTAIN. ELISE FEELS A RELIEF.

ELISE: HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS PLACE?

GREGOR: I USED TO BE HERE ONCE. THIS MUST BE MY FAVORITE PLACE WITH JIM.

ELISE: I KNOW THAT I DONT KNOW YOU WELL, GREG. BUT, IS HE DEAD?

GREGOR: YOU GUESSED IT RIGHT.

ELISE: I AM SORRY. I DONT EVEN KNOW AND CANT BELIEVE THAT HE IS TOO ADVENTUROUS. HE MAKES TIME TO VISIT HEAVEN.

GREGOR: (LAUGHS) I KNOW BUT I HAVE TO MOVE ON AND TO FIND REASONS TO LIVE. WE HAVE REASONS FOR EVERYTHING, ELISE.

ELISE: I AGREE ON THAT. IT LOOKS LIKE THE DANCE BALL IS FINALLY ALIVE.

GREGOR: DO YOU WANT TO DANCE?

ELISE: NO, IT IS NOT ABOUT THAT. I DONT KNOW HOW TO DANCE.

GREGOR: DONT WORRY SO DO I. IF YOU DONT WANT TO DANCE THEN LET US WITNESS THEM DANCING. COME.

ELISE: BETTER IDEA.

THEY GO TO THE DANCE BALL AND STAY ON THEIR TABLE WATCHING THE OTHER GUESTS DANCING.