Lulu in LA LA Land (3 page)

INT. CROSSWINDS SCHOOL, SCIENCE CLASS—TUESDAY

CUT!! Hey, it's me, Lulu, and I've gotta break in here to tell you about school. We all have to go. I don't care who you are, where your school is, or if it's all girls or all boys. The experience can be massively scary. Here's what I learned about school when I was in first grade: no matter what's different about you, kids are going to pick on that very thing. If you're brainy, a little pudgy, or bad at sports (and it just so happens I'm all those things) you're gonna get teased. I decided that all the parts of me that are different are great. So, why hide them? But nothing makes being different feel safe like having one supreme best friend like Sophia. Back to: ACTION!!

MR. LING, the science teacher, smiles, making his baby face look even younger. He's tall and thin as a bamboo stalk with gobs of uncombed black hair that defy gravity at all angles around his head.

MR. LING

(to students)

This is my favorite class of the week: Kids Teach Today, K.T.T. So, who's going to start? Three to five minutes on any science subject.

LULU

I'll start!

JADE

(under her breath)

Yeah. And never stop.

Kids around JADE, a leader of the popular girls, snicker.

MR. LING

Thank you, Lulu, but I remember you started last Thursday. C'mon, class. Your presentation can enhance your grade.

SAM

I'll go!

Sam bolts up from his seat in the back of the classroom and heads up front.

SAM

I wanna tell you guys about geckos and how they regenerate. That means grow back.

Sam flashes a giant smile. He's clearly into his subject.

SAM

Geckos can drop their tail. It's really cool. Their tail's long and pointy on the end, and predators can easily grab a gecko by it. But that doesn't mean he's done for! Gecko Dude can make his tail fall right off and give the bad guy the total slip!

KIDS THROUGHOUT THE CLASS

Cool! WOW!!

LULU

And it grows back! Right? That's the regeneration part.

POP GIRLS, the coolest, most stylish trendsetters of fifth grade, glance at each other. Sophia catches them and gives them a good long stare.

SAM

Yeah. And when it comes off, it doesn't bleed or anything. The muscles inside the tail just, like, squeeze it off!

Sam plays a slide show of tailless geckos on the class SMART Board.

Next FRANCES FRANK takes the podium and talks about earthquakes. He's actually shaking, though. Nerves, not an earthquake.

FRANCES

(reading from note cards)

It's totally true. There are almost one million earthquakes a year. Most are little tremors, so we don't even feel them.

JADE

(calling across room)

Earthquakes are such a bummer! So NOT the best part of L.A.

Jade throws Frances off. Frances freezes.

LULU

(looking at Frances)

Don't most earthquakes happen underwater?

Frances scrapes up a bit of confidence, shuffles through his note cards, and continues.

FRANCES

Yeah. That's right. Ninety percent, actually. And that's because of the Ring of Fire.

JANA

Isn't that some R-rated movie?!

The class twitters. Pop Girls decide they need more attention than Kids Teach Tuesday can offer them.

LULU

(jumping in to help Frances)

It's really a chain of volcanoes that's like a gigantic upside down U in the Pacific Ocean.

FRANCES

Yeah! That's right. Seventy-five percent of all active and non-active volcanoes are in the Ring of Fire.

JANA

(to her pals)

Do you totally feel like you're watching some boring show you can't get off your screen?

Frances wraps up quickly. Since no one else is prepared to go, Lulu jumps in.

LULU

You'd think that lemon trees are from California, but they're not.

JANA

Sour topic! Shocking.

LULU

(plowing ahead)

Lemon trees aren't native to our state because a NATIVE plant is one that evolved here over a massive long time, like even before European settlers came. Actually, Christopher Columbus brought the first lemon seeds to the New World.

Lulu talks super fast, scarcely pausing for breath.

LULU

Ya see, California Indians weren't eating or cooking lemons. Lemon trees need to be soaked with water once a week and never dry out. So, even though California has the right weather for lemon trees, 'cause it's NEVER too cold, there's not enough rain.

SOPHIA

(calls out)

EUREKA!!

No one understands. The class looks at Sophia blankly, like she's some freak. Lulu, however, looks at Sophia and immediately understands. She'd better hurry up. She's losing her classmates' attention.

LULU

Right! Eureka! That's not only what the California miners yelled when they struck gold, but it's the name of the lemon that grows all over our state just about all year. It's a pretty hearty tree that grows up to fifteen feet.

SOPHIA

(cutting in)

And, now, Lulu has some lemon treats!

Lulu realizes what Sophia means. The Pop Girls make pucker faces, and kids around them giggle.

Lulu dashes behind the classroom door, where three big coolers sit. Each has LULU HARRISON printed across the top. Lulu drags each one to the front of the class.

LULU

Lemons are used in every kind of food, from fish to dessert. SO…

(pauses, panting from pulling the coolers)

Sophia and I made fresh lemonade and my own frosted lemon bars. All from Eureka lemons!

Kids tumble from their seats and crowd around Lulu. The Pop Girls, however, stay at their desks.

JANA

CAL-or-ies!!

Lulu doesn't hear because of all the jostling to get lemon treats. Sophia helps Lulu pour the lemonade.

LULU

(to Sophia)

Soph, without you I'd never have gotten to the sweet from sour!

FADE OUT on Lulu and Sophia smiling at each other.

INT. BRIGHT BLUE PRIUS—EVENING

Elana and Lulu have just picked up Alexis from Robbie's house. She went home from school with him so they could do online research on L.A.'s best spa treatments. Alexis reports on her spa brainstorming session while searching the web on her iPhone for more ideas.

Driving by Mr. Chow, a fancy restaurant in Beverly Hills, they see Petal parked outside. That means Linc and Fiona must be inside having dinner.

Lulu wears her standard uniform—a surf T-shirt, a bright orange skirt, an orange crocheted scarf around her neck, and her personalized checkerboard Vans. Lulu colors the shoes' white squares orange using a magic marker. Orange is her absolute favorite color.

LULU

Please, Elana! Let's pull in for a sec, a flash, a nano-moment! Lex, tell them about the spa party. If you think it's gonna be great, let's tell them right now. I wanna make sure they know and don't go anywhere else that day.

ALEXIS

Why don't I wait till I have details planned? Hellllo?! I need to make lots of arrangements here. I don't even have invitations, a date, or a time. It's zippo the hippo at the moment…well, except for my one Grand Plan.

LULU

A Grand Plan is a good place to start. C'mon, Lex! If it's such a brilliant, fab-o idea, let's tell Mom and Dad.

ALEXIS

And, besides, you can't walk into Mr. Chow's looking like that.

Alexis waves her thin, pointy chin in Lulu's direction.

LULU

What's wrong with the way I look? I think my outfit looks cool. California surf style, right?

ALEXIS

Wrong.

LULU

Lex, this is about having inside information. You know Mom loves getting a scoop. She's so into knowing everything before anyone else.

ALEXIS

Most people do! I do. Don't you? OK, fine. And BTW, NOT chic on the outfit front. You look more like a bad Dr. Seuss character.

ELANA

No more fighting. You girls wanna stop here or no?

LULU

Yes, por favor. And can I bring in the lemon bars left over from school today?

ELANA and ALEXIS

NO!

Elana pulls up to Mr. Chow's valet.

ELANA

(out the window to Petal)

Hola, Miss Petal! You wanna call Mr. or Mrs. Harrison and tell them that these two are on their way in to see them?

As soon as the valet opens her door, Lulu bounds of out the car like a frisky puppy.

CLOSE UP ON ALEXIS. Knowing that she will be entering one of the most deeply cool old restaurants in the whole city, she lingers in the car to apply lipstick, brush her hair, and pop in a breath mint. Her outfit is perfectly put together—J Brand skinny-leg black jeans hugging her ankles just above her sky-high-heeled black Marc Jacobs booties. On top she wears an off-white short-sleeved peplum shirt under a merlot covered blazer. Before leaving the car she makes sure her black PS1 cross-body bag angles perfectly across her narrow torso.

INT. MR. CHOW—CONTINUED

Mr. Chow is a sophisticated restaurant that attracts L.A.'s famous and fashionable. It's got THE über-stylish low-key vibe.

Lulu bounces past the hostess. She plunges into the restaurant, hunting for her parents. Alexis follows at a distance, glancing sideways at the diners, not wanting to be too close to her over-excited, wild-haired little sister.

Lulu spots her parents sitting with STAB, who has a wiry but solid body and thick, sandy blond hair. He wears narrow black pants and a black sweater. This guy's got inner cool that makes him ageless.

Lulu hurries to her parents' table.

LULU

Mom! Dad! I've got fantastico news! Have you started eating? Can I tell you? Remember we were talking about my birthday? Well, now Alexis is planning this massively hot party.

ALEXIS

(totally embarrassed by her sister's blathering)

Hip. Hip party, Lulu.

Elana reaches the table, watching everything like a mother hen.

ELANA

Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Harrison. It's OK? The girls wanted to come by to say hi.

As usual, Lulu's father seems laid-back and playful.

LINC

Well, Elana, it's always great to see you, but I don't know about these two.

FIONA

Elana, Alexis, Lulu, I'd like to introduce you to our friend Stab. He's in town for a couple of days recording a track for my new movie.

Elana immediately sticks out her hand.

ELANA

Con mucho gusto!

STAB

(responds in British-accented Spanish)

Con mucho gusto!

Alexis tries mightily to play it cool. She's meeting one of the world's biggest rock stars! She's totally unprepared. During her moment's hesitation, Lulu jumps in.

LULU

Hi, Mr. Stab! Nice to meet you. I was just coming to see my parents about my birthday coming up in less than thirty days. I'm mucho excited to tell them about it, because for my birthday last year, they were in Africa.

(to her parents)

Remember, you guys couldn't come?

LINC

(to Stab)

Lulu is my amazing child who can speak forever without a break.

FIONA

(to the girls and Elana)

Actually, last year Stab came by my
Silver Water
set outside Johannesburg.

(now to Stab)

That was an unforgettable week. I still can't believe that I just shut down filming and we all took off. The studio went insane on me.

(back to girls and Elana)

Stab has raised millions of dollars for African children living in poverty. Linc and I traveled with him to a village in Tanzania. It was amazing to see what Stab brought to this village: schoolbooks, running water, and a nurse to immunize children.

Alexis is beyond starstruck. She cannot speak or move in Stab's presence. Lulu, on the hand, cannot keep still.

LULU

Stab, how many children live there? And what kinds of food do they eat? Like, can they grow crops? How do they get water? It must be hard to grow crops there! I'd like to go there and help grow food because—

LINC

(smiling, he interrupts Lulu)

See what I mean? Lulu's mouth doesn't need to take in air while motoring along.

STAB

(eyes zeroing in on Lulu)

Lulu, your Mom and Dad are going to let me take you with me next time I go. Pinky swear you'll come?

Stab and his accent are magically charming. Lulu stretches out her finger. Stab crooks his around hers.

ELANA

We're leaving now. The car is with the valet, and I told him we'd only be uno minuto. Good night. Buenos noches!

Knowing instinctively that the girls' moment with their parents and the famous friend is over, Elana shepherds Lulu and Alexis from the table and out of the restaurant.

EXT. MR. CHOW'S VALET—CONTINUOUS

Lulu and Alexis scramble into the car.