CHAPTER THREE: THE NEW STUDENT IN CLASS

RANDON AND PENELOPE WALK TOGETHER TO RAVENSWOOD MEDICAL SCHOOL. THEY SEE LARRY AND ASHLEY THAT ARE WAITING FOR THEM. PENELOPE CHANGES HER DIRECTION TO HER LOCKER AWAY FROM RANDON'S FRIENDS. LARRY OBSERVES HER ACTIONS.

LARRY: RANDON, DOES YOUR SISTER HATES US?

RANDON: NO, WHY?

LARRY: NOTHING.

RANDON: ARE YOU EYEING MY SISTER?

LARRY: NO, COME ON. WE'RE CHILDHOOD FRIENDS ONCE.

ASHLEY: SPEAKING OF WHICH, VERONICA IS PLANNING TO HAVE HER VACATION HERE AFTER HER CLASSES THERE IN LONDON.

LARRY: IS THAT TRUE?

ASHLEY: TENTATIVELY.

LARRY: WHY IS IT TENTATIVELY?

ASHLEY: VERONICA IS ALSO HOPING TO SEE RANDON. ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT, RANDON?

LARRY LOOKS AT RANDON'S REACTION AND RANDON STARES AT ASHLEY'S FACE IF SHE IS BEING SERIOUS OR NOT, SHE IS SERIOUS. PROBABLY, ASHLEY IS WAITING FOR RANDON'S ANSWER BUT HE GIVES THEM A SILENT ANSWER WITH A FAKE SMILE ON HIS FACE. MEANWHILE, PENELOPE GETS HER BOOKS FROM HER LOCKER UNTIL SHE SEES PATT WALKING ALONG THE HALLWAY. SHE WANTS HIM TO NOTICE HER BUT SHE FAILS TO HAVE HIS ATTENTION. PATT IS VERY QUIET AND A BIT MYSTERIOUS. PATT ACCIDENTALLY DROPS HIS RESEARCH PAPERS AND PENELOPE WITNESSES HIS PAPERS THAT ARE FALLING ON GROUND. WITHOUT HESITATIONS, SHE PICKS THEM ONE BY ONE AND THEN GIVES IT TO PATT. HE LOOKS AT HER VERY SHYLY. PENELOPE: HERE, PATT.

PATT: THANKS, PEN. YOU DONT REALLY HAVE TO HELP ME.

PENELOPE: I THINK I NEED TO DO IT. THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR, RIGHT?

PATT: ANYHOW, THANK YOU AGAIN. I HAVE TO GO.

PENELOPE: PATT?

PATT: (DEEP SIGHS) YEAH?

PENELOPE: ARE WE STILL FRIENDS, RIGHT? LIKE YOU AND ME?

PATT: (SMILES) OF COURSE, WE ARE, PEN.

PATTS WALKS FASTLY WITHOUT TURNING TO PENELOPE. BUT SHE IS SMILING WITH OVERWHELMING JOY BECAUSE PATT NOTICED HER FINALLY. AT THE MEAN TIME, IN THIRD YEAR COLLEGE DEPARTMENT, LARRY, ASHLEY AND RANDON ARE WAITING FOR PROFESSOR GALLEN. PROFESSOR GALLEN IS TEACHING MEDICINE FOR TWENTY YEARS. HIS FIANCE DIED FROM A CAR CRASHED. SINCE THEN, HE NEVER DATED ANYBODY BUT DID A VERY GOOD JOB IN HIS PROFESSION. HE LOVES TEACHING MEDICINE RATHER THAN WORKING IN THE HOSPITALS BECAUSE IT REMINDS HIM WITH HER LOVING FIANCE. FINALLY, HE ENTERS IN THE CLASSROOM MINUTES LATE.

PROF. GALLEN: GOOD MORNING STUDENTS!

ALL: GOOD MORNING PROFESSOR!

PROF. GALLEN: PLEASE ACCEPT MY APOLOGY FOR BEING LATE.

LARRY: ARE YOU FORGETTING YOUR PILLS, PROFESSOR?

PROF. GALLEN: (LAUGHS) I HOPE THAT'S THE ONLY PROBLEM, LARRY. BUT I AM GIVING YOU A WEEKLY TASK, CAN ANYBODY GUESS WHAT THAT IS?

ALL: RESEARCH!

PROF. GALLEN: VERY WELL SAID, STUDENTS. YOUR RESEARCH MUST BE ABOUT THE GENETIC ENGINEERING. I HOPE YOU WORK WITH THAT SERIOUSLY WITHOUT EVEN TAKING PILLS, LARRY.

ALL: (LAUGHS)

ASHLEY: IT'S YOUR TIME TO SHINE.

LARRY: SHUT UP.

PROF. GALLEN: THE TRUE REASON WHY I AM LATE IS BECAUSE WE HAVE A NEW TRANSFEREE, A NEW STUDENT. SHE WILL BE JOINING US THROUGH HER JOURNEY IN TAKING UP HER MEDICINE DEGREE. I HOPE ALL OF YOU WILL BE GOOD TO HER. MS. GRAVEL, PLEASE COME HERE INSIDE.

ALL OF THE STUDENTS ARE EXCITED TO SEE THE NEW STUDENT IN THE CLASS EXCEPT FOR RANDON, LARRY AND ASHLEY. THEY ARE BOTH SHOCKED TO SEE HER.

PROF. GALLEN: PLEASE, LET US WELCOME OUR NEW STUDENT, MISS ELISE GRAVEL.

ELISE: NICE MEETING YOU ALL, I AM ELISE.

ELISE SMILES TO EVERYONE AND SHE STARES TO RANDON. LARRY WHISPERS TO RANDON.

LARRY: WHAT A COINCIDENTAL SITUATION, RAN?

RANDON: I KNOW. NOW, I KNOW WHY SHE SAID THOSE THINGS.

LARRY: ABOUT WHAT?

RANDON: NOTHING.

LARRY: LET THE FUN BEGINS.

RANDON THINKS OF WHAT ELISE HAD SAID TO HIM THE OTHER NIGHT ABOUT COME AND FIND OUT. THE CLASS CONTINUES WITH PROFESSOR GALLEN'S NEW TOPIC. RANDON IS STILL LOOKING TO ELISE THE WHOLE HOUR BUT SHE NEVER LOOKS AT HIM BACK. A LITTLE MYSTERY IS FEEDING RANDON'S SOUL THAT MOMENT. AFTER CLASS, RANDON SEES ELISE AT THE BENCH SITTING AND WRITING HER HOMEWORK. HE PASSES BY TO HER FRONT.

RANDON: HI

ELISE: HELLO

RANDON: NOW, I KNOW WHAT YOU MEANT THE OTHER NIGHT WHEN YOU SAID THINGS TO ME LIKE COME AND FIND OUT. I FINALLY FIND YOU HERE , STUDYING IN MED. SCHOOL.

ELISE: SAVING IS MY THING, RANDON.

RANDON: THAT'S WHAT DOCTORS MEANT FOR, RIGHT?

ELISE: (NODS) CLICHE

RANDON: LOOK, I KNOW YOU FIND ME VERY SUSPICIOUS. THAT'S WHY YOU ARE UNCOMFORTABLE IN SEEING AND IN TALKING IN FRONT OF ME.

ELISE: OKAY, RANDON. I AM HERE TO STUDY NOT TO TALK OR TO SEE YOU. I AM NOT SUSPICIOUS NOR CURIOUS ABOUT YOU NOR EVEN HAVING ANY INTERESTS OF YOU. YOU ARE THE ONE WHO DOES THOSE THINGS. YOU ARE SUSPICIOUS, CURIOUS AND INTERESTED WITH ME.

RANDON IS MUTE FOR HEARING THOSE WORDS FROM HER. HE FINDS HER VERY INTIMIDATING. LARRY SEES THEM TALKING.

LARRY: RAN, ARE YOU COMING WITH US?

ELISE: YOUR FRIEND IS CALLING YOU ALREADY. PLEASE, EXCUSE ME.

ELISE WAS RIGHT THAT SHE SEEN HIM VERY SUSPICIOUS, CURIOUS AND INTERESTED TO HER. BUT RANDON FEELS HER MORE SUSPICIOUSLY.

LARRY: ARE YOU OKAY?

RANDON: YEAH.

LARRY: THEN, HELP ME WITH MY RESEARCH. ASHLEY IS WAITING FOR US AT THE LIBRARY.

RANDON: LET'S GO.

ELISE IS GOING TO BIG BILLY'S DINER FOR WORK. WHILE SHE IS LOADING SOME SUPPLIES INTO THE STORAGE ROOM. SHE HEARS SOMEONE CARRYING HEAVY BOXES OF ALCOHOL INSIDE THE KITCHEN. HE FRIGHTENS HER WITH SURPRISE.

GREGOR: OH, I AM SORRY TO SCARE YOU.

ELISE: A BIT BUT NO NEED FOR YOUR APOLOGY. IT'S FINE.

GREGOR: YOU MUST BE THE NEW WAITRESS. I AM GREGOR. I'VE BEEN WORKING HERE FOR FOUR YEARS.

ELISE: I AM ELISE. I'VE NEVER SEEN YOU HERE BEFORE.

GREGOR: I TOOK MY LEAVE, PERSONAL REASON.

ELISE: LIKE EDWARD CULLEN WAS AVOIDING BELLA SWAN BECAUSE OF HIS THIRST FOR HER BLOOD.

GREGOR: (LAUGHS) YOU LIKE READING. ARE YOU STUDYING?

ELISE: YEAH, I AM STUDYING MEDICINE.

GREGOR: NO SURPRISE, MOST OF THE KIDS HERE ARE FORCING BY THEIR PARENTS TO STUDY MEDICINE. ESPECIALLY, WHEN THE GOVERNOR'S WIFE, MRS. LINA DEAN, OFFERS FREE SCHOLARSHIP FOR MEDICINE.

ELISE: WHAT ABOUT YOU?

GREGOR: I AM STUDYING THROUGH ONLINE, PHOTOGRAPHY. ELISE: HOBBY OR PASSION?

GREGOR: AT FIRST, HOBBY. BUT NOW, ITS MY PASSION. I ALSO HAVE A PART TIME JOB AT RAVENSWOOD NEWS AND PUBLISHING FOR GIVING THEM FEATURES AND PICTURES.

ELISE: WHY PHOTOGRAPHY?

GREGOR: I FIND PHOTOGRAPHY AS A TRUE BASIS IN REALITY.

ELISE: WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?

GREGOR: PICTURES CANT LIE.

BILLY CALLS ELISE'S ATTENTION FOR ASSISTANCE.

ELISE: GOTTA GO, NICE MEETING YOU, GREGOR.

GREGOR: SAME TO YOU AS WELL, ELISE.

AT THE LIBRARY, RANDON IS STILL QUIET AND STILL THINKING ABOUT WHAT ELISE HAD SAID TO HIM. SOMETHING ABOUT HER MADE HIM REALIZES THINGS MORE DEEPLY.

LARRY: ASH, STAY FOCUS, PLEASE. WHO ARE YOU TEXTING?

ASHLEY: IT IS V., WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE NEW GIRL IN THIS TOWN.

LARRY: ELISE?

ASHLEY: APPARENTLY.

RANDON: FOR WHAT REASON?

ASHLEY: NO REASON, WHY RANDON? DO I NEED TO TELL VERONICA SOME REASONS?

RANDON: OKAY, I'M GONNA FIND SOME BOOKS OF YOUR RESEARCH, LARRY. MAKE MYSELF MORE USEFUL.

LARRY: THANKS, RAN. LARRY WARNS ASHLEY BY HIS STARES.

ASHLEY: WHAT?

LARRY: DONT START ANNOYING HIM ABOUT VERONICA OR ELISE, ASH.

ASHLEY: BUT WHY?

LARRY: HE SEEMS VERY DISAPPOINTED LATELY.

ASHLEY: WHAT FOR?

LARRY: BEFORE WE CAME HERE, I SAW HIM TALKING TO ELISE. AFTER THAT, HE IS SILENCE BUT HE IS THINKING DEEPLY.

ASHLEY: DO YOU THINK HIS FALLING IN LOVE TO THAT GIRL?

LARRY: ALREADY? I THINK NOT.

ASHLEY: I HOPE NOT. VERONICA WILL NOT GONNA LIKE THAT.

WHILE RANDON IS SEARCHING FOR BOOKS, HE SEES HIS SISTER STARING TO SOMEON, TO PATT FROM A DISTANT. PENELOPE SEES HER BROTHER TOO AND ACTS LIKE SHE IS BUSY READING A BOOK.

PENELOPE: IT IS A MIRACLE THAT YOU ARE HERE.

RANDON: IT IS MORE MIRACULOUS IF YOU TALK TO HIM.

PENELOPE: I THINK HE HATES ME. OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE OF OUR FAMILY.

RANDON: BUT IT IS NOT THE REASON TO STOP YOU FOR TALKING TO HIM.

PENELOPE: I HOPE I CAN BELIEVE ON THAT.

RANDON: WHY NOT?

PENELOPE: EVEN IN YOURSELF CANT TAKE THAT, YOU CANT EVEN TALK TO DAD NICELY.

RANDON: IT'S A DIFFERENT STORY, PEN.

PENELOPE: TELL ME THE STORY, RAN.

RANDON: NOT NOW, IT'S COMPLICATED.

PENELOPE: I CAN HANDLE COMPLICATIONS, BROTHER.

RANDON: WHAT KIND OF COMPLICATION, PEN? LIKE LOOKING AT HIM SECRETLY?

PENELOPE: (LAUGHS) ASSHOLE. I GOTTA GO. SEE YOU AT DINNER.

RANDON: (LAUGHS) OKAY, PEN. SEE YOU LATER.

AFTER BATTLING WITH LARRY'S RESEARCH, ASHLEY INVITED THEM FOR DINNER AT THE BIG BILLY'S DINER. BUT RANDON REFUSES HER OFFER.

LARRY: WHY NOT?

RANDON: I AM GOING TO RAVENSWOOD HOSPITAL. I'LL BE VISITING MOM AFTER HER ROUNDS.

ASHLEY: OKAY, BUT IF YOU NEED US. WE ARE AT THE BIG BILLY'S.

RANDON: GOT IT, SEE YOU TOMORROW.

LARRY: THANKS FOR TODAY, RAN. GOOD NIGHT.

AT THE BIG BILLY'S DINER, LARRY AND ASHLEY ARE STARING TO ELISE'S ACTIONS ALL THE TIME.

ASHLEY: I AM CURIOUS ABOUT ELISE, LARRY.

LARRY: I NOTICED THAT SHE'S LOOKING AT OUR TABLE.

ASHLEY: IS IT BECAUSE OF RANDON?

LARRY: LET'S FIND OUT. ORDER, PLEASE.

ELISE: GOOD EVENING, MAY I HAVE YOUR ORDERS?

LARRY: AS USUAL BUT EXCEPT FOR AMERICANO. RANDON ISNT HERE.

ELISE: I SEE. ANYTHING ELSE?

LARRY: ARE YOU WONDERING WHY RANDON ISNT HERE TONIGHT?

ELISE: I DONT EVEN KNOW BUT OBVIOUSLY, ITS NONE OF MY BUSINESS.

LARRY: AS YOU SAID, THAT'S ALL.

ELISE: OKAY, PLEASE WAIT FOR YOUR ORDERS.

ELISE DELIVERS THE ORDER SLIPS TO GREGOR. SHE SIGHS DEEPLY EVEN GREGOR HEARS IT.

GREGOR: ARE THEY BOTHERING YOU?

ELISE: YOU ARE WATCHING US, ARENT YOU?

GREGOR: I AM OBSERVING. THEY SEEM LIKE THEY ARE TEASING YOU WITH RANDON. DID YOU TWO HAVE A THING?

ELISE: NO, THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. WE ARE CLASSMATES, THAT'S ALL.

GREGOR: AS YOU SAID IT TO YOURSELF.

ELISE IS ALSO WONDERING WHY RANDON WAS NOT AROUND WITH THEM AT THE DINER. SHE FEELS GUILTY FROM WHAT SHE HAD SAID TO HIM EARLIER AT SCHOOL. AT RAVENSWOOD HOSPITAL, RANDON IS WAITING FOR HIS MOTHER IN HER OFFICE. A MINUTE LATER, DR. DEAN ARRIVES AND SEES HER SON HAPPILY. THEY GIVE A WARMTH HUG TO ONE ANOTHER.

DR. DEAN: NURSE USHTER TOLD ME THAT YOU ARE HERE AND SHE'S NOT TEASING ME AT ALL. WHY ARE YOU HERE AND NOT AT HOME?

RANDON: I DONT FEEL HOME THERE. I FEEL HOME WITH YOU, MOM.

DR. DEAN: I AM SO LUCKY TO HAVE YOU AS MY SON, RANDON.

RANDON: I BOUGHT YOU A CUP OF COFFEE.

DR. DEAN: THANK YOU, DARLING. ARE YOU DOING WELL AT YOUR MED. SCHOOL?

RANDON: YEAH

DR. DEAN: WHAT ABOUT YOUR FRIENDS?

RANDON: THEY ARE ALSO FINE.

DR. DEAN: BUT YOU LOOK BOTHERED, WHY IS IT?

RANDON: I MET SOMEONE. WE ARE CLASSMATES. SHE SAID THINGS THAT NOT HURT ME OBVIOUSLY. BUT SHE HELPS ME THROUGH HER WORDS IN AWAKENING MY HOPE THAT THERE IS STILL A PINCH OF HOPE. I WANT TO BE FRIEND WITH HER. SHE'S NEW AND SHE DOESNT KNOW ME WELL. SO AT LEAST, A STRANGER CAN MAKE ME FEEL THAT I HAVE THE CHANCE TO BE MYSELF BUT NOT BEING MYSELF FOR OTHERS.

DR. DEAN: SHE?

RANDON: NOT THAT KIND OF A THING, MOM.

DR. DEAN: OKAY, GO ON. TELL ME MORE.

RANDON: BUT LIKE ANY OTHER PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN, SHE SEES ME A GOVERNOR'S SON.

DR. DEAN: HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?

RANDON: BECAUSE MOST OF THE PEOPLE LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT. I WANT TO TELL HER THAT I AM DIFFERENT. I WANT TO TELL THEM THAT I AM AFAR FROM MY FATHER. HE IS NOT THAT KIND OF MAN THEY THINK OF HIM. HE IS DIFFERENT. HOW I WISH I COULD TELL THEM, HIS SECRET, THE TRUTH.

DR. DEAN: BECAUSE IT IS ALL ABOUT HIS SECRET.

RANDON: I WANT TO TELL THEM, EVEN PEN. BUT I CANT BECAUSE I DONT WANT PEN TO SEE THE WAY I SEE FATHER. I DONT WANT HER TO BUILD HATE THE WAY I HATE HIM. I DONT WANT TO RUIN OUR FAMILY.

DR. DEAN: I KNOW IT'S HARD FOR YOU SO SON. YOU SACRIFICED A LOT. BUT PLEASE, I KNOW ITS SELFISH AND PLEASE UNDERSTAND ME, YOU NEED TO BE STRONGER EVEN THESE THINGS ARE DYING YOU INSIDE. DO IT FOR OUR FAMILY, FOR PEN AND FOR ME. PLEASE.

DR DEAN TOUCHES HER SON'S HANDS FOR COMFORT.

DR. DEAN: BUT AT LEAST TO THAT NEW FRIEND OF YOURS, YOU SEE HER AS SIGN OF BELIEVING YOURSELF THAT YOU CAN DO BETTER. PROVE TO HER THAT YOU ARE MORE BETTER THAN HIM.

RANDON: BUT I DONT KNOW HOW TO TRUST ANYMORE. I DONT WANT TO TRUST AGAIN,MOM.

DR. DEAN: I KNOW. I KNOW. BUT MAYBE IT IS TIME, SON. SHE WILL BE GOOD TO YOU. I CAN SEE THAT.

RANDON: I KNOW. I HOPE SO.

DR. DEAN: YOU ARE LONGING FOR REAL FRIENDS. A REAL FRIEND THAT CAN TELL YOU OF YOU ARE NOT OF WHAT YOU ARE. WE SHOULD TOUGH FOR THIS, JUST MORE, OKAY?

RANDON: YES MOM, I WILL.

DR. DEAN: NOW, GO. MAKE NEW FRIENDSHIP WITH THAT GIRL OR MORE THAN THAT.

RANDON: DO YOU THINK SHE CAN BE TRUSTED?

DR. DEAN: YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IF YOU MAKE A STEP NOW. SOON, YOU'LL FIND OUT.

RANDON: BUT I DONT EVEN HAVE A GOOD CONVERSATION WITH HER. SHE'S MEAN TO ME RECENTLY.

DR. DEAN: YOU KNOW WOMEN ACTED MEAN TO MEN BECAUSE THEY WANT TO FIND OUT IF HOW LONG WILL A MAN CAN STAND THAT. WIN HER TRUST FIRST, THEN SHOW TO HER THAT YOU ARE A GOOD PERSON, RANDON.

RANDON: THANKS FOR THE TIPS, MOM.

HEAD NURSE MS. USHTER KNOCKS THE DOOR AND SHE ENTERS DR. DEAN'S OFFICE.

MS. USHTER: EXCUSE ME, DR. DEAN. THE FAMILY OF THE PATIENT IS HERE.

DR. DEAN: OKAY, NURSE USHTER. TELL THEM THAT I WILL BE THERE IN A MINUTE.

MS. USTHER: NOTED, DR. DEAN. GOOD EVENING, RANDON

RANDON: GOOD EVENING, MS. USHTER.

DR. DEAN: NOW, GET LOST. I NEED TO DO ROUNDS NOW.

RANDON: I'LL GO TO BIG BILLY'S DINER TO SEE HER THERE. SHE IS WORKING WORKING THERE.

DR. DEAN: ARE YOU STALKING TO HER? REMEMBER, WOMEN HATE STALKERS.

RANDON: I AM NOT STALKING. WE MET THERE DURING LUNCH. SHE WAS SERVING US THAT DAY.

DR. DEAN: OKAY, YOU ARE NOT GUILTY. DONT BE AT HOME, LATE.

RANDON: I WILL MOM. SEE YOU AROUND.

RANDON LEFT HER MOM TO HER OFFICE. HE DECIDES TO VISIT ELISE AT THE BIG BILLY'S DINER. BUT AS HE GOES THERE, THE DINER'S CREW ARE CLEANING THE AREA ALREADY. THEN, HE GLANCES OUTSIDE TO THE DINER'S GLASS WINDOW, WHERE HE SEES ELISE. ELISE IS ARRANGING THE CHAIRS UNTIL SHE NOTICES HIM OUTSIDE. HE GIVES HER A SMILE BUT ELISE TURNS AROUND AND GOES TO THE KITCHEN. HE WANTS TO FOLLOW HER BUT GREGOR STOPS HIM IN FRONT OF THE DOOR.

GREGOR: RANDON? WHY ARE YOU HERE SO LATE?

RANDON: I WANT TO HAVE SOME DINNER OR FOR A LATE NIGHT DRINK.

GREGOR: BUT WE ARE CLOSING ALREADY, MAYBE TOMORROW WILL DO. ANYTHING ELSE?

RANDON: NOTHING. GOOD NIGHT.

GREGOR: SAME TO YOU AS WELL.

RANDON DRIVES HOME AND GREGOR AND BILLY ARE SMILING TO ELISE.

GREGOR: YOU TWO DONT HAVE A THING, REALLY?

ELISE: WE DONT HAVE.

BILLY: IT SEEMS LIKE HE LIKES YOU, ELISE.

ELISE: I SHOULD GO NOW. GOOD NIGHT.

BILLY: IS SHE MAD, GREGOR?

GREGOR: NO, SHE'S GUILTY FOR SOMETHING.

ELISE: I AM NOT GUILTY, GREG. STOP TEASING ME. GOOD NIGHT, BILLY.

BILLY: GOOD NIGHT.

THE MEN LEFT AND CLOSED THE DINER FOR THE NIGHT.