Mrs. Sullivan: "Class is in session. Please take your seats children. Welcome to the 5th grade. I am your teacher for the year. Mrs. Sullivan. I'll write it on the chalkboard so that you all know how to write it. Brandon. Brandon. Brandon! Are you day dreaming?"
Brandon: "Huh? What!? Sorry, Mrs. Sullivan. I thought I saw a cat in the playground."
Mrs. Sullivan: "Okay, Brandon. I was told about you. You like to daydream. Just don't let it get in the way of your grades."
Brandon: "I promise I will do my best to pay attention to my studies."
Mrs. Sullivan: "That's a good boy. For today all you are required to do is to make a new friend. Someone to go to recess with. Someone to eat lunch with. Someone to get to know really well."
Brandon: "Even I can't mess this assignment up."
Mrs. Sullivan: "Now girls to one side and boys to the other side. Now, both sides pair up."
Brandon: "I feel wierd. This is a new school and I don't know anyone. I'll just stand here and be paired up with whoever is left."
{Brandon stands there like a statue. Everyone has paired up with someone. The only other boy left is Armando Sylvester Juarez. So, Mrs. Sullivan buddies them up. The boys start to get to know each other by studying together.}
Armando: "This is a new school for me. I have no friends here. I used to live in Florida."
Brandon: "Wow. I'm new to this school too. I am uh... uh.. oh well. I can tell you since we are going to be buddies for the year."
Armando: "What is it my friend?"
Brandon: "My parents died in a car accident when I was two years old. I've lived in foster homes. Right now I live at an adoption home."
Armando: "Amazing. I thought I had it bad. I think it is fate that you and I would someday meet."
Brandon: "Cool deal. Look at the time. Time for recess!"
{Brandon and his new friend play soccer. The boys tire out after 10 minutes of the intense game. They lay on the green grass and stare at the white puffy clouds. The boys talk more.}
Armando: "Brandon. Look at that cloud. It looks likes Garfield!"
Brandon: "I see it. I see it. That's cool. I see other things when I stare at the clouds."
Armando: "What do you see, Brandon?"
Brandon: "I see me and my family. We're happy. I'm happy. They love me. They give me lots of hugs and kisses. I dream about what life would be like if my mom and dad were alive now."
Armando: "Don't be sad, Brandon. I'll be your family from now on."
Brandon: "I couldn't ask for anything more."
Armando: "I promise to always be your friend. If you want to be my friend?"
Brandon: "I have to tell you something first. If I'm addopted. I will have to leave here. It's happend to me before. I make friends, then, I'm off to the next foster home."
Armando: "There are telephones and the mail. We can keep in touch if that was to happen someday. Any family would be happy to adopt you someday."
Brandon: "Thank you. I promise to keep in touch. Recess is almost over. Let's head back to class."
{The boys return to class. They spend the rest of the day together. It's a match made in heaven. They might have different backgrounds, but, they both have something in common. Big dreams. The boys walk and talk on the way to their buses that will take them home.}
Armando: "It's been real cool getting to know you, Brandon."
Brandon: "Same here Armando."
Armando: "I can't wait to tell my mama all about you."
Brandon: "Maybe one of these days I can come over to visit. There's my bus!"
Armando: "That would be cool. My mama is always encouraging me to make new friends. See you tomorrow!"
{The two boys become lasting friends. They are in 8th grade now. Nothing can seperate these two boys.}
Brandon: "Hey, Mando! What's going on man?"
Armando: "Not much, B. What have you been up to since last I saw you. Yesterday!".
Brandon: "I finally got the nerve up today to talk to this girl in first period. She's so beautiful."
Armando: "You go boy! So what did she say? Does she want to go out with you?"
Brandon: "We have a date this Friday."
Armando: "So what's her name?"
Brandon: "Her name is Maxine Bradshaw. I've had my eye on her since last year."
{Brandon and Maxine start to date. It's getting serious. Armando is feeling like a third wheel around them. The boys are now in the 10th grade.}
Armando: "Hey, Brandon. Over here! What's up man? Long time no see. How was your summer."
Brandon: "It was a crazy summer. Maxine and I are in love with eachother. I no longer long for the days of having a family."
Armando: "I'm glad she makes you happy. I just bury my nose in the books. I do someday want to become an astromoner afterall."
Brandon: "Are you still chasing those dreams? I just have dreams of having a family of my own."
Armando: "Well, you know. Some of us do change when we get older. Promises we made as kids are just childish jibberish, right."
Brandon: "Something like that. Have you seen Maxine around?"
Armando: "I seen her hanging around her friends and their lockers."
Brandon: "Oh. Gotta give her some time to herself. You know. Time for her friends."
Armando "Yeah. Time for her friends."
Brandon: "We should have lunch together. You and us."
Armando: "I.. I... I.... I have to study for a test this Friday."
Brandon: "A test already? Man, you have a relentless teacher."
Armando: "I do. I have some ruthless teachers. They have to be I guess."
Brandon: "Well you have fun with your brutal teachers. I have to go find Maxine. I'll see you around."
Armando: "Laterz man. Oh yeah. Tell Maxine I said hi."
Brandon: "I'm in love. I'm in love. I'm in love."
{Brandon finds Maxine. He gives her a hug and plants several kisses on her beautiful face. The two talk.}
Maxine: "I love you, Brandon."
Brandon: "I love you too. You mean the world to me."
Maxine: "You do?"
Brandon: "I do. Nothing compares to the love I have for you."
Maxine: "I couldn't see myself without you."
Brandon: "You mean the world to me."
Maxine: "And you mean the world to me. You have bee nothing but a gentleman to me."
Brandon: "You are such a lady. You know me better than anyone I know."
Maxine "What about your best friend, Armando?"
Brandon: "He knows me well. He doesn't know me intimately the way you do."
Maxine: "But we haven't gone down that road. I'm still a virgin. And as far as I know so are you. Aren't you?"
Brandon: "I'm saving myself for our wedding night. I do plan on marrying one day."
Maxine: "Marriage. Wow. I haven't thought about life that far ahead. I don't know what to say."
Brandon: "Just tell m that we share the same dream."
Maxine: "But, I don't. I want to become a nurse."
Brandon: "This news is breaking my heart. Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"
Maxine: "I think we should spend some time apart. After all, you are the only one I've ever dated I need to go to class."
Brandon: "No! I don't want to lose you. Maxine. I love you too much. If you need your space. I have no choice but to give you what you want. I'll see you around. Bye."
{Two years of feeling love for one woman has come to this. Brandon slouches as he walks towards his bus. His friend, Armando can see nothing is right with his friend. He goes over to Brandon to see what's eating him.}
Armando: "Hey you! Brandon! Over here!"
Brandon: "Oh. Hey. Hi Armando."
Armando: "What's the matter? You seem out of it. Where's your woman?"
Brandon: "She said she needed her space. Marriage is not something she can see herself doing."
Armando: "It's going to be okay. You got you heart broken. It's going to hurt for awhile. I've heard that your first love is the one that knows how to hurt you the most."
Brandon: "I feel like crying. All day I've felt like crying. Part of me feels that I'm about to wake up from this terrible dream."
Armando: "Let it out. Brandon. The worse you can do is hold it in. Wait right here. I'll go with you. Just let me go call my mama and tell her I'll be late for dinner."
{Armando turns and runs blindly into the busy street to get to the phone. Armando does not notice the semi coming towards him. He is struck down. Brandon goes into shock.}
Brandon: "No! Don't die!"
Armando: "It's going to take more... than a semi truck to... get rid of me."
Brandon: "Someone! Hurry! Call 9-1-1!"
Armando "I'm sorry, Brandon. .. Tell my mama... I love her..."
Brandon: "You can tell her yourself. You're gonna' make it.
Armando: "I can't feel my legs... I feel cold... so cold.. Brandon... Never.. forget.. your... dreams."
Brandon: "No! Don't you leave me too. You promised me. You promised to always keep in touch."
Armando: "Brandon.. Your.. eyes. Electric like.. The.. clouds.. are.. grey. It's raining.. I love .. the.. rain.. I'll.. always.. be by... your... side"
{Armando takes his last breath as Brandon holds him and cries. Brandon lays Armando down and let's out a horrid yell and an electrical display no one has ever seen before.}
Brandon: "Nooooooooooooo!"
{Brandon returns to his room at the adoption home. Brandon does not notice a dark shadow in the corner of his room. The shadow attacks Brandon while he sleeps. Brandon wakes up in Fresno, with no idea how he got there.}