Lulu in LA LA Land by Elisabeth Wolf Page B

sweetie.
    JADE
    You working here now? Trying to save this store or something?
    LULU
    No, just helping wrap party favors for, ya know, my birthday Spa-tacular.
    DANA
    (sugary sweet)
    Oh, that reminds me. I came to get my tank tops monogrammed for summer. But, darn, I forgot to bring them.
    Dana heads for the door.
    DANA
    Soooo super to see the Harrison girls. Fingers crossed for your dad! Tell him good luck!
    Dana quickly walks out. Jade turns to follow.
    Lulu comes out from behind the counter.
    LULU
    (calling after Jade)
    Your mom can tell him herself when she drops you off at my party on Sunday.
    JADE
    (spins around to face Lulu)
    You, Miss Brainy, can’t seem to get the simplest clue. I’m not gonna be there! If only you read more Teen People and less science books, you’d know your dad’s not gonna be there either. It’s the ACADEMY AWARDS! Hellllo?!
    Jade scurries out, clearly not wanting to confront Alexis, who’d crept toward her like a cat stalking its prey.
    LULU
    So, Lex, NOW do you think I’m making myself feel like an alien?
    ALEXIS
    She’s a tacky loser.
    Instantly, Alexis’s iPhone goes crazy. Texts, emails, and phone calls zing into her phone at the same time. Alexis glances at the screen and starts working her touchpad like a pro.
    ALEXIS
    (without looking up)
    Elana, I need to get straight home, PLEASE!
    LULU
    What’s happening? Who’s calling? I wanna know what’s going on!
    ALEXIS
    (distressed, continues typing)
    Seems like Tara Falls, up-and-coming starlet of Sweetest 16 , a new reality show that I know you’ve never watched, is throwing a pre-Academy Awards party. Same time and day as your Spa-tacular.
    Elana grabs the box of personalized slippers then, on second thought, leaves the box on the counter. She thanks Elisa, telling her she’ll be back on Saturday. Then, Elana, Lulu, and Alexis hustle to the car.
    FADE OUT.

ACT III: L.A. FAMILY STYLE
SCENE 1: BIRTHDAY GONE BUST
    EXT. HARRISON HOME—AN HOUR AFTER ARRIVING HOME FROM MONOGRAMMIT
    Lulu sits on large stone steps just outside the front door of the neatly painted white brick house. Its dark green shutters look almost black in the last rays of afternoon sunlight. Lulu watches bees, birds, and butterflies flutter about enormous marble urns sprouting English lavender and Mexican sage.
    Alexis exits the house and sits down next to Lulu. Neither sister talks. Lulu is lost in a trance, watching the natural world around her. Alexis is lost in a trance, sorting out the social world in her head.
    After a while…
    LULU
    Watch those Monarch butterflies on the milkweed. I love hanging out with them ’cause they’d never be bothered by the drama going on in the house. I didn’t want to be bothered, either.
    ALEXIS
    It was pretty noisy in there. Mega glad Linc and Fiona weren’t home. An hour of everything ring-toning would have made them furious.
    LULU
    They’d be right.
    ALEXIS
    Plus, I would’ve been totally embarrassed. OMG, I would’ve died if they’d been home for this extremely nasty Hollywooding.
    LULU
    (turns to face Alexis)
    What are you even talking about?
    ALEXIS
    Hollywooded. That’s what you were. Big time!
    LULU
    (eyes wide with curiosity)
    What?
    ALEXIS
    â€œHollywooded” is when people cancel on you because a better invitation comes along.
    LULU
    But I thought you got everything for Spa-tacular that Pop Girls like? What invitation could be better?
    ALEXIS
    It’s an invitation for a cooler party with better people.
    LULU
    It’s the same people! All the girls canceled on me to go to Tara Falls’s party.
    ALEXIS
    Actually, someone named Jenna hasn’t called yet.
    LULU
    Probably thinks I’m not even worth the effort to call. All the Pop Girls and their followers climb into a boat and row off to another location. Same people, just a different place.
    ALEXIS
    (drawing a breath before delivering the final punch)
    No, Lu. Tara