Lulu in Honolulu by Elisabeth Wolf

Kapono tosses a shredded napkin in his sister’s face.
    KAPONO
    KAAAAPOW!!
    Lulu guzzles pineapple Waialua soda.
    LULU
    Alexis hasn’t told me yet when everyone should come, and I haven’t seen my parents at home in days, so I can’t ask them.
    AUNTIE MOANA
    Lulu, just let us all know when we should come and when we should leave. We know this is an important party for your mother and father’s work.
    KENNA
    Kapono and I have been practicing our song every night. Our mom says our voices are blending perfectly.
    KAPONO
    But since we’re singing at your house, we can’t sing at a YMCA talent show.
    Lulu puts down her soda.
    LULU
    Why not?
    KENNA and KAPONO
    It’s the same night.
    Lulu frowns.
    AUNTIE MOANA
    That’s OK. There will be other competitions. Uncle Akamu and Caridyn turned down performing at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel luau that night.
    UNCLE AKAMU
    There’ll always be another luau !
    MALEKO
    Yeah! And the Jack Johnson concert.
    LIAM
    (to Maleko)
    You’re not using your Jack Johnson tickets?
    MALEKO
    Why? You want them?
    LIAM
    (chewing fries)
    No. I’m going to Lulu’s with everyone.
    (swallows and lowers his voice)
    I actually canceled a date with Khloe.
    Maleko stops drumming and looks at his friend.
    LIAM
    And, man, can she yell loud!
    Liam picks up a fry and tosses it at Maleko. It misses and lands on Noelani’s plate. Lulu plucks it off and eats it.
    LULU
    Noe, you haven’t touched your food.
    NOELANI
    (in a whisper)
    I’m way too petrified to dance hula at your parents’ big party.
    LULU
    Sure you can. You’re the best hula-er in America.
    NOELANI
    Maybe I can hula, but I’m not brave. I have no koa , remember? When you guys started talking about a stage and all, I thought I would faint.
    French fries fly past Lulu and Noelani. Liam and Maleko started a fry food fight. Most land on the ground near Watson, who had been sunning himself but quickly morphs into a furry vacuum.
    KAPONO
    (panting like he’s a dog)
    Look at that fat little pug!
    Watson’s T-shirt that says “THE BOSS” seems to stretch tighter by the fry.
    Auntie Moana walks over.
    AUNTIE MOANA
    Finish up and let’s go down to the beach before the wind whips up and the clouds come in. It’s gonna be overcast soon.
    Lulu and Noelani dump their trash and head toward the ocean. Watson, too full to waddle himself, rides on Lulu’s boogie board while she tugs him along.
    EXT. BELLOWS BEACH, NEAR THE SHORELINE—FIVE MINUTES LATER
    Lulu sits under her orange beach umbrella. She pulls her ALOHA cap brim down so low on her face she can barely see. She’s yanked the sleeves of her SPF 50 shirt over her wrists. If a ray of sun hits her skin, it would be a miracle. Noelani lies on a thin, faded blue-and-white-striped beach towel. Her eyes are closed. Her warm, brown skin welcomes the sunshine.
    NOELANI
    I practice every night. I actually hula with my eyes closed and think of the story I’m telling with my hands. But every time I open my eyes, everything about me freezes.
    LULU
    (worried)
    Are you saying that you’re not going to come?
    NOELANI
    (opens her eyes and looks at Lulu)
    Lu, my mom’s supposed to Skype me from her ship Saturday night. It’s been set up through her central command.
    Lulu looks at Noelani, confused.
    NOELANI
    Central command is like the highest level of her bosses who approve that stuff.
    LULU
    What stuff?
    NOELANI
    Like talking to your daughter and when you get to come home and see her.
    Lulu puts her sandy, sweaty hand on her friend’s shoulder.
    LULU
    Geez peas! When you talk to your mom Saturday, tell her to come home soon, so I can meet her before summer ends ’cause I need to tell her how sweet and fantabulous her daughter is!

    CUT!! More than anything, I’d want my best of all Hawaiian friends to be at my parents’ party with me. She’s an amazing dancer and watching her would, for sure, have