Lulu in LA LA Land (17 page)

JENNA

(barely able to talk)

Was that who I think it was?

Sophia now drapes her arms around Lulu and Jenna.

SOPHIA

(smiling)

Sure was. That's Stab! You mean the Pop Girls didn't know he and Lulu are close?

All three girls giggle.

JENNA

Lu, maybe this is a good time for me to show you what I made you for your birthday?

Jenna pulls out her iPhone and flicks it to life. She soon pulls up Instagram. Lulu and Sophia huddle around Jenna to see.

JENNA

Ta-da! Your own Instagram account.

SOPHIA

That's so cool!

LULU

(to Sophia)

Really? You think so?

SOPHIA

YES! My mom uses it to post pictures all the time. She said I could get one for my birthday next month.

JENNA

Lulu, will you accept me as your first follower?

LULU

Of course!

Jenna hands Lulu her phone so Lulu can “accept” Jenna.

LULU

May I borrow your phone for a while? Ya know, to take pictures of my party?

JENNA

Love it! And, hey, I know where ya live, so I'll get it if ya forget to give it back!

The girls laugh. Lulu takes pictures of Jenna and Sophia posing like they're doing dance moves.

Linc stands up from the stylist's chair to make an announcement.

LINC

(hollering)

Anyone up for football?

Linc tosses Lulu's new football athletically from hand to hand. It's clear he's a jock.

FIONA

(shouting from across the tent)

Linc! You just got your hair done!

LINC

OK, because I love you, I promise, no tackling!

Everyone laughs. Linc adores having an audience. Fiona loves seeing Linc relaxed and playful. It reminds her of his boyish younger self.

Stab returns from the Taco Truck with a heaping plate of tamales and chips. Lulu snaps a picture.

LINC

Stab, you in? You be the other team captain.

STAB

Oh, yeah. I love soccer, but I've always wanted a go at American football.

Mr. Garza, wearing his Taco Truck apron, puts his arm around Stab.

MR. GARZA

I agree with this guy. In my country we play soccer, but I've wondered what your football's about.

Lulu pushes the button and captures another fun picture.

LINC

My team's called Lulu-istas!

Party guests skip, run, or walk over to the great side lawn. Even the musicians march over, playing a medley of football fight songs. Stab, Mr. Garza, Johnny Walker, and Elana get into a huddle. Elana's beehive bobs up and down as she explains the plays. Sophia and Jenna carefully approach. Stab pulls them in to play. Lulu, Linc, Miguel, and Officer Gale warm up with the ball. Chip and Robbie join them.

Alexis pulls out her iPhone and snaps pictures of Linc and Stab looking fabulously fit. She points the camera on the sidelines and snaps shots of Fiona looking gorgeously glam, cheering Linc on. Breathtakingly beautiful Slovinia stands next to her, laughing and clapping every time Stab catches the ball.

Lulu, flushed and exhausted, runs off the field toward Alexis.

ALEXIS

(under her breath)

OK, Happy Academy Awards Day, Pop Girls!

Lulu's eyes focus on Alexis's phone screen.

ALEXIS

(tapping and scrolling away)

I want those wannabes to see what they missed. Tara Falls's pre-Oscar party fell flat. A big whoop that went nowhere. No stars showed.

LULU

How'd you know?

ALEXIS

It's already online, my behind-the-times sister!

LULU

Hey, wait a minute! Did you just send the photos you took to TMZ?

ALEXIS

Lu, I'm impressed you know THE hot online celebrity gossip site.

LULU

Hey, I didn't spend weeks marooned on Pop Girl Island and not learn something!

ALEXIS

Well, what Pop Girls are learning right now is that if they'd come to your party with Jenna, they'd have gotten their nails done with Fiona, eaten chips and salsa with Stab, and played football with Linc.

LULU

Lex, can you follow me on Instagram?

ALEXIS

(looks right at Lulu)

What?!

Lulu pulls out Jenna's phone and shows Alexis her pictures: Stab chowing down tamales and Mr. Garza and Stab grinning, arms around each other.

LULU

I've posted them but, I, ummmm, only have one follower. Jenna. And, right now she's trying to steal a football from Officer Gale—

ALEXIS

On it!

Alexis's fingers tap and bob faster than a rock star plucking guitar strings.

FIONA

(joining her daughters)

So fun!

(stops and checks her phone)

I'm getting all these pings from my publicist saying the photos on TMZ are the talk of Hollywood. No one has a family like ours, outside playing football on Academy Awards Day. Great photos, Lex!

Alexis beams at her mother's praise.

ALEXIS

Mom, please request Lulu on Instagram and give her a shout-out. Oh, and then like and repost her photos. 'K?

FIONA

Sure. And should I repost them on Linc's Instagram also?

LULU and ALEXIS

YES!

Within a minute, Fiona zaps out Lulu's photos to all her and Linc's followers, who number in the thousands.

FIONA

Done.

Fiona puts her phone away.

FIONA

OK, it's mere hours before the Academy Awards, and I feel totally calm and relaxed. Incredible.

Fiona rests her head on Alexis's shoulder and grabs hold of Lulu's hand.

LULU

Mom, would you say that sometimes life's so lulu it's even BETTER than the movies?

Fiona's gorgeous face breaks into a wide smile.

FIONA

Well, I think my answer right now is that life can be better than a movie if you let it.

ALEXIS

Don't worry, Fiona. We won't tell anyone you said that.

Fiona tosses an arm around each of her daughters' waists.

Camera pulls back. Wide shot of football game, Lulu, Alexis, and Fiona, all washed in the afternoon sunshine.

CUT!! I gotta say my mother and father hanging out at the party with me and my sister means the world, all the planets, the sun, all the stars, and the moon to me. Who needs L.A.'s famous Griffith Observatory? Return to ACTION!!

INT. LINC AND FIONA'S HUGE BEDROOM SUITE—SUNDAY 3:00 P.M.

Fiona and Linc dress for the Oscars. Alexis and Lulu zip, button, and hook their mother into a flowing, ivory-colored gown that looks spectacular with her up-do.

Alexis and Lulu look through their mom's jewelry. Lulu holds up a blue tourmaline stone necklace.

LULU

How about this?

FIONA

Well, the Oscars is a rather diamond-y night.

(turning to Alexis)

Lex, what necklace?

ALEXIS

(excited to be asked a style question by her glam perfect mother)

Well, the envelope, please: DIAMONDS!

(everyone giggles)

Those blue stones are too casual. You have your own hyper-sparkling Cartier jewels Dad bought you. Wear these…

Fishing through Fiona's jewel case, Alexis pulls out a glittering diamond necklace.

FIONA

Lulu, I gotta go with Lex on this one. But, would you like this necklace as a birthday present? Here…

(hands blue stone necklace to Lulu)

Looks magnificent with your green eyes.

LULU

Mom, uhh, I love these. But, like, what do I wear it with?

ALEXIS

Well, not orange.

Lulu scrunches her face to pretend she's angry at her sister. She then cradles the necklace and thinks a moment.

LULU

(slowly)

Ummmmm, well, for my birthday present, I was gonna ask you and Dad if I could make donations to Heal the Bay, Save the Redwoods League, Audubon Society, and—

FIONA

Give me a list, Lulu, and we'll go over it together. We can support those causes as a family.

LULU

Well, I was also gonna ask about some money I need for an investment.

FIONA

Do you want to buy a whole forest?

ALEXIS

Or ocean?

LULU

No, a taco truck! You see, Señor Garza needs money to keep his truck. Things haven't been so great lately.

Linc overhears the conversation, having walked into Fiona's dressing area. His bowtie hangs undone around his neck.

LINC

Done!

FIONA

No, you're not done. Your tie!

LINC

I mean, Garza's truck. Lulu already saved it.

All stare at him. He acts like he doesn't notice but then lets his face erupt into a huge smile.

LINC

Seems three women in this room have been posting pictures of Stab eating food from the Taco Truck.

LULU

You mean my pictures?! The ones I took?

LINC

Yup. Those pictures have been flying all over the world! In the last hour, Mr. Garza has had so many requests for everything from food to interviews, he and Miguel are the newest L.A. food celebrities!

Lulu dashes to her dad, but he holds up his hand.

LINC

Lulu, don't come any closer. Your mother's gonna kill me if I get messed up or smell like cilantro, garlic, and onion.

Linc and Lulu laugh. Fiona comes over and ties her husband's bow tie.

LINC

(affectionately to his wife)

Nice necklace.

ALEXIS

(to Fiona)

Wearing a necklace Linc bought you does make you extra cool. You might be the only lady at the Awards tonight who actually owns her jewelry.

LULU

What do you mean? Is everyone else there a jewel thief?

FIONA

Lex, you might be right.

(to Lulu)

Any star who might be photographed on the red carpet is given clothes, shoes, and jewels to wear to the Oscars. All the top designers want a famous person to wear their creations in front of the cameras.

LULU

Wow, for free? Why didn't you do that?

FIONA

I did. But you guys canceled my appointment with my stylist. She got so mad she gave my wardrobe for tonight to someone else!

LULU

How funny is that? Some star is gonna be wearing the dress and jewelry you were supposed to wear!

FIONA

(shooting a look at Lulu)

I didn't think it was too funny this morning.

HARRISONS' GRAND FRONT MOTOR COURT—3:30 P.M.

Petal sits behind the wheel of the Escalade. Reaching through the window, Lulu hands Petal the car keys, hugs her around the shoulders, then bounces off to sit with Sophia on the front steps of the house. The girls plan a super-fab Academy Awards night sleepover (Sophia gets to sleep over, even though it's a school night).

Alexis leans against the car. Her iPhone is already set to camera.

Watson slowly waddles over from the party tent.

LULU

Here comes the last party guest. Watson closed down the Spa-tacular.

ALEXIS

He smells like a mixture of frosting and salsa.

LULU

I hope he doesn't puke.

Watson trudges past them and lies down a few feet away.

The girls spin around as soon as they hear the front door open.

Linc and Fiona exit the house. Linc escorts Fiona to the car while Alexis takes pictures.

Lulu and Sophia call out “Go
Silver
Water
,” and “Go Linc Harrison!” Suddenly, a muffled cell phone chirps like a trapped bird. Fiona hesitates, then opens a beaded evening purse.

FIONA

(to Linc)

Sorry. I just have to. You never know.

(flips open a tiny phone)

Fiona speaking.

Linc imitates Fiona—standing still, head cocked, face serious, listening. When Fiona sees him, she smiles and playfully waves him away.

FIONA

(hanging up)

Well, that was good news.

LULU

What was?

FIONA

Lex, you're coming with us! That was the director of tonight's show who called me personally to say he got me an extra ticket. Just do a quickie glam-o change. Petal can drop us and come back for you.

In L.A.'s hazy, pinkish, late afternoon light, Alexis first looks at her mother with gleeful surprise then turns and looks over at Lulu and Sophia scrunched together on the front steps. Lulu understands instantly.

LULU

Lex, you should go. How mucho cool to see the Academy Awards live! People all over the world will be watching. And you'd be there when Mom and Dad win!

Alexis looks at her parents, who twitch, eager to get going. Alexis places one arm around Fiona and her other arm around Linc.

ALEXIS

(looking at her mother)

No, thank you, Fiona. Très incredible of you to score me a ticket, but I'm gonna hang with Lulu, Sophia, and Elana. And Robbie's gonna come back and watch here too.

(to Lulu and Sophia)