Laurence O’Keefe & Kevin Murphy
The Me Inside of Me
[J.D., spoken]
Think. Long and hard. Conjure her up in your mind. What would Heather say?
What is her final statement to a cold, uncaring planet?

[VERONICA]
"Dear world...
Believe it or not, I knew about fear;
I knew the way loneliness stung
I hid behind smiles and crazy hot clothes;
I learned to kiss boys with my tongue."

[J.D., spoken]
That's good

[VERONICA]
"But oh, the world, it held me down;
It weighed like a concrete prom queen crown."

[HEATHER CHANDLER]
No one thinks a pretty girl has feelings
No one gets her insecurity
I am more than shoulder pads and makeup
No one sees the me inside of me...

Jesus, you’re making me sound like Air Supply!
[J.D.]
Keep going. This has to be good enough to fool the cops

[MCCORD]
Whoa! Is it murder?

[MILNER]
No, look. Here's a suicide note

[VERONICA, HEATHER, COPS]
"They couldn't see past my rockstar mystique
They wouldn’t dare look in my eyes
But just underneath was a terrified girl
Who clings to her pillow and cries!
My looks were just like prison bars;

[VERONICA, COPS]
They've left me a myriad of scars."

[HEATHER CHANDLER]
"Myriad", nice

[VERONICA, HEATHER, COPS]
"No one thinks a pretty girl has substance. That's the curse of popularity."

[PRINCIPAL GOWAN]
"I am more than just a source of handjobs."
[VERONICA, HEATHER, GOWAN, COPS]
"No one sees the me inside of me."

[COACH RIPPER]
I'm telling ya, Principal Gowan. Heather Chandler is not your everyday suicide
You should cancel classes

[PRINCIPAL GOWAN]
No way, Coach. I send the kids home before lunch and the switchboard will light up like a Christmas tree

[MS. FLEMING]
Our children are dying! What this school needs is a good old-fashioned rap session
I suggest we get everyone into the cafeteria and just talk and feel, together

[PRINCIPAL GOWAN]
Thank you, Ms. Fleming. Call me when the shuttle lands

[MS. FLEMING]
Oh go ahead, laugh at the hippie
But I'm telling you, we all misjudged Heather Chandler, myself included. Have you read this suicide note? Really read it?

[MS. FLEMING & HEATHER CHANDLER]
"Box up my clothing for Goodwill
And give the poor my Nordic Track
Donate my car to crippled kids
Or to those ghetto moms on crack
Give them my hats and my CDs
My pumps, my flats, my three TVs!"
[HEATHER CHANDLER, FACULTY]
"No one thinks a pretty girl has feelings;
But I weep for all I failed to be
Maybe I can help the world by leaving;
Maybe that's the me inside of me."

[PRINCIPAL GOWAN]
Aw, hell. Long weekend for everybody!

[MS. FLEMING]
Not so fast, kids. They're refueling the buses, which gives us a solid half-hour of healing. I want you all to study the suicide note, so you can really feel Heather's anguish

[HEATHER MCNAMARA]
Her world seemed like a perfect place

[MS. FLEMING]
Go on!

[HIPSTER DORK]
But friends and toys had no effect

[MS. FLEMING]
Feel!

[YOUNG REPUBLICANETTE]
That’s why she punched me in the face

[MS. FLEMING]
Heal!

[KIDS]
‘Cause she was desperate to connect!

(VERONICA laughs)

[MS. FLEMING]
Veronica? Is something on your mind?

[VERONICA]
I’m sorry, it's just that this classroom discussion has stirred up emotions I haven’t felt since Hands Across America!

[MS. FLEMING]
My God
Look what we've done
We're breaking through!
Heather would be so proud of you!

[KIDS]
And you!
And you!
And you!
And you!

[ALL]
No one thinks a pretty girl can touch you...

[KURT & RAM]
Heather touching me…

[ALL]
But she's made us better than we were
Heather’s dead, but she will live inside me, and I'll be the me inside of her...

[HEATHER CHANDLER]
Holy crap, this is awesome!

[ALL]
Heather cried, our sins fell on her shoulders!

[HEATHER CHANDLER]
Jesus Christ!

[ALL]
Heather died, so we could all be free!

[HEATHER CHANDLER]
I'm bigger than John Lennon!

[KIDS]
Heather's gone, but she will live forever!

[MARTHA]
She's the dove that sings outside my window!

[BELEAGUERED GEEK]
She's the twin from whom I'm separated!

[STONER GIRL]
She's the horse I never got for Christmas!

[KIDS]
Heather sees the me inside of me!

[ALL]
Heather is the me inside of me!
Inside of... me!