A male teacher (MR. WORN) puts his papers and books on his desk. The board is littered with students’ names under the ‘Warning’ section of the board. MR. WORN looks at these names and notes them down on in his book. He moves to his desk and sits down. He looks through a folder and gets to the name ‘Jake Rupt’. The wallet is full of detention slips. He studies some of them, they vary in date and reason, all have an ‘unattended’ reminder written on them. He hastily drinks his coffee and takes out an aspirin bottle searching for some, but it is empty. His class comes in. He shuts his folder and brings up a register on his computer. He also brings up class photographs, focusing on JAKE’S photo. They enter displaying recognisable gestures of being unexcited, unenthused and annoyed at the disturbance of having to attend a lesson. Mr. Worn begins to take the register. He struggles with the disruptions and interruptions of the class. He bellows for silence and with some surprise he gets it. He finishes the register and proceeds to start the lesson. “Today we’re going to continue looking at Romeo and Juliet. Now as I said yesterday if you did the homework of reading on this lesson will be nice and easy.” His upbeat and expectant tone is met with ennui by his class.
There is a group of students at the side of the class; they are talking and joking. The leader of the pack, JAKE, is wearing his tie halfway down his body, and his shirt half tucked in, half tucked out. This boy however is not the attention of the teacher. He has focused on the boy next to him, TOMMY, the one that doesn’t really fit. He is the runt of the litter, small and thin.
The teacher is struggling to continue his lesson, “Romeo and Juliet have difficulty having an open, accepted relationship. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?” There is no response from anyone; the class are involved in various conversations. “Come on boys.” His face is red and his fists are clenched as the boys ignore his request. “Jake! For the final time shut up! You are in enough trouble as it is.” Jake has very little reaction and continues to be defiant. He targets a group of girls. “Be quiet” one responds, “Oh sir, it’s not just us.” The class begins to settle with murmurs of conversations slowing. The last boy to stop talking after the teacher shouts is the misfit. Tommy is made to stand up in front of the class. The teacher makes an example of him. He says, “Tommy you would know about relationships right? Do you think it is because Juliet’s too young” Tommy nods and tries to answer back but he is cut off by Mr. Worn, “However they love each other and they aren’t really doing anything wrong. Are they Tommy? Juliet is off limits for Romeo, you know how that feels, don’t you?” The class is silent and intent of waiting for Tommy’s reply. A girl breaks the silence by shouting out “Perv!” He says back “No, what?” She replies “You’re shagging a year seven”. Tommy shouts “Bullshit!” Mr. Worn shouts at them. “How dare you! I was simply making an example Tommy, but if you have something to share, go ahead.” Tommy gives no reaction as his original gusto has been battered down. RUBY lays into him documenting Tommy’s escapades, “You sit there on the stairs of the west block and you pounce on the poor innocent little girls don’t you Tommy? See Jake that’s why he always disappears at lunch.” Jake’s loyalty shines through as he says “Shut up you slapper!” His insult ignites a large row. Mr. Worn is left motionless, without expression. He is lost.
The class descends in an unorganized mess as Tommy runs out. Ruby opens the door after Tommy and shouts “Go on perv run away to your girls!”
Tommy keeps running away. Mr. Worn shuts the door quickly saying, “Please sit down Ruby that is inappropriate.”
