ST. CHIP’S PREP
Episode 8 – “PARENTS WEEKEND”
Written by Tavis Ferguson
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TEASER
FADE IN:
EXT. ST. CHIP’S PREP – CAMPUS – DAY
Beautiful. Polished.
Banners up:
WELCOME FAMILIES
Cars pulling in.
Parents stepping out—different energies, different expectations.
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INT. DORM HALLWAY – SAME
The boys stand in varying states of readiness:
Julian — immaculate
Avery — composed
Milo — rehearsing
Theo — pretending not to care
Rowan — alert
River — already performing
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Talon stands with them.
Reading the room.
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TALON
Okay.
Remember—
They look at him.
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TALON (CONT’D)
You don’t have to be different today.
Beat.
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THEO
That feels like a trap.
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TALON
It’s not.
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Avery nods.
Julian wants to believe it.
Milo tries to process it.
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SMASH TO TITLE:
ST. CHIP’S PREP
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ACT ONE
INT. DINING HALL – LATER
Transformed.
Tablecloths. Forced elegance.
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JULIAN’S TABLE
MR. HART — controlled, precise.
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MR. HART
Posture.
Julian adjusts instantly.
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MR. HART (CONT’D)
You represent the family.
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Julian nods.
Small.
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Across the room—
Avery watches.
Clocking everything.
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THEO’S TABLE
His MOM — warm, overwhelmed, trying.
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THEO’S MOM
You’ve always been… a lot.
She smiles.
Means well.
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Theo smiles back.
But it lands wrong.
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MILO’S TABLE
His DAD — well-meaning, corrective.
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MILO’S DAD
You’re speaking too fast.
Pause.
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MILO
I can adjust.
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Chip appears.
Sits between them.
Uninvited.
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Silence.
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THE TWINS’ TABLE
Their GUARDIAN — late, slightly disheveled, performative charm.
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GUARDIAN
There they are! My boys.
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River leans into it.
Rowan doesn’t.
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TALON — MOVING THROUGH THE ROOM
Observing.
Intervening subtly.
Holding multiple systems at once.
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ACT TWO
INT. HALLWAY – AFTERNOON
Theo pacing.
Talon approaches.
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THEO
She said I’m “a lot.”
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TALON
You are.
Theo glares.
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TALON (CONT’D)
And?
Beat.
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THEO
I don’t want to be less.
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TALON
Then don’t be.
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Theo exhales.
Relieved.
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INT. CLASSROOM – SAME
Julian sits across from his father.
Talon present.
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MR. HART
You need to lead.
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JULIAN
I am.
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MR. HART
No. You’re adapting.
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That lands.
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Talon watches.
Avery in the doorway.
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AVERY (calm, direct)
AVERY
He’s doing both.
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Silence.
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MR. HART
Excuse me?
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AVERY
He’s leading here.
Beat.
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Julian freezes.
No one has ever said that for him.
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Talon says nothing.
Lets it stand.
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ACT THREE
INT. DINING HALL – LATE AFTERNOON
Milo trying to explain something.
His dad interrupts.
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MILO’S DAD
Slow down.
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Milo shuts down.
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Chip steps closer.
Presses into Milo’s leg.
Grounding.
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Milo looks down.
Breathes.
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MILO
I am okay.
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He says it to himself.
And it works.
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INT. HALLWAY – SAME
The twins’ guardian getting louder.
Performative affection turning sharp.
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GUARDIAN
You boys should be grateful—
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Talon steps in.
Calm.
Firm.
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TALON
Not here.
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Beat.
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GUARDIAN
Excuse me?
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TALON
Not to them.
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Silence.
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Rowan looks at Talon.
Something shifts.
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River stops performing.
For once.
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ACT FOUR
EXT. CAMPUS – SUNSET
Parents leaving.
Cars pulling away.
Energy settling.
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The boys stand together.
Quiet.
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THEO
That was… a lot.
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RIVER
Understatement.
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JULIAN
I didn’t hate it.
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Avery glances at him.
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AVERY
You didn’t shrink.
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Julian processes that.
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MILO
I maintained baseline.
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ROWAN
You did.
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They walk.
Together.
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INT. TALON’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
All six boys.
Still in semi-formal clothes.
Eating cereal.
No structure.
No expectations.
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Theo in a tie and sweatpants.
River on the floor.
Rowan leaning back.
Julian relaxed.
Avery quiet.
Milo recalibrated.
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Talon watches.
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TALON
You made it.
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Theo raises a spoon.
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THEO
We survived.
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Julian looks at Talon.
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JULIAN
This is better.
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Talon nods.
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TALON
Yeah.
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TAG
INT. APARTMENT – LATER
Lights low.
The boys lingering.
Not ready to leave.
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Talon in the doorway.
But inside this time.
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Chip curled up in the middle.
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CHIP (V.O.)
External units visited.
Beat.
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CHIP (V.O.) (CONT’D)
Pack remained intact.
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Chip settles.
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CHIP (V.O.) (CONT’D)
Primary structure preferred.
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FADE OUT.