ranked: the musical lines (sydney summers)

RYAN: Why would you believe in me? I don't believe in me.

Because - I know that you're still that caring, funny kid that everyone can't help but love.

RYAN: It's just... how do you tell someone you're not who they think you are?

Can I sit down?

JORDAN: Hey.

Can we talk?

FRANCIS: John just didn't realize not everyone deserves a jacket.

Right Ryan?

JACQUIE: Alexis seems to work pretty hard... that's good for Ryan.

She's fine.

JORDAN: Life happened, Sydney. Life outside all of this.

What are you talking about?

JORDAN: We were best friends. Until your rank got in the way.

What are you talking about? We were one and two together. You cared just as much as I did.

JORDAN: Do I have a choice?

What happened to you, Jordan? Where have you been? It felt like we were best friends and then you just... disappeared.

JOHN: Sure.

Whatever happened to her? Does she still go here?

FRANCIS: Is that where you should be right now... John?

With the rest of the - trash?

MATT: Erhm... Hi Sydney. I just wanted to let you know we've had a great turnout for Rank Redemption.

How fun! Lily? Have you registered yet? And what about your little friend?

JORDAN: I told you, he --

Look - I get it. The two of you can't keep up, so you're dragging the rest of us down. What's your next move? After making all of us slum it with the rest of you for a few days?

JOHN: Yeah. Thanks. Cool friends, Lily. See you around.

Look, Lily - don't feel bad for anyone. Don't try to save them. Just let them be what they are...

RYAN: Our first Rank Redeemer is Maya - give everyone a wave, Maya!

(reading from notes) "Maya is sixteen years old and this is her first Rank Redemption as an At-Risk student! After her parents got divorced last year, Maya had to split time between both houses. The driving back and forth and stress of it all is definitely one of the reasons she's earned a place on stage with us today. Maya hopes to keep herself Above the Average, and eventually win back the love and admiration of her parents she lost the day her father moved out." Let's give it up for Maya!

RYAN: I remember that. You wouldn't stop crying and mom had to come pick you up.

*long monologue*

JACQUIE: Below Average.

... Aren't you tired of being average, John?

JOHN: I told you, I didn't -

... and maybe if you could stop all of it just long enough, she could see you as something other than the embarrassment you are.

RYAN: Yeah. We were like nine or something.

And I went up to them afterwards and I said, "I want to be a chef when I grow up!" and they said, "No you don't - that's a Below the Average job. You're going to be Above the Average."

RYAN: Competitors - This is your five minute warning. There are only five minutes left of Round 1.

And now my brother Ryan will introduce you to our next competitor - Lily!

JORDAN: I know. I didn't know how to tell you. Or anyone.

And that's why you... stopped trying? I wish I would have known.

MASON: I set it down, and then...

And then it was gone. Taken. By someone who couldn't earn it on their own.

SYDNEY: (singing) Somebody stole this from me!

And when I figure out who they are, they're gonna regret it!

JACQUIE: Best case scenario, they're both Above the Average.

And you finally make mommy proud. Pretend all you want... but you and I both know the only thing you're worth is the number next to your name.

LILY: But -

At the end of the day, Lily, for us to be Above the Average, we need Below the Average people in this world. John, his sister, their friends - they're the reason you're able to wear that (gestures to her uniform). So don't try too hard to save them.

FRANCIS: Sydney.

How are you guys doing?

JORDAN: My dad called me right before we took our midterm.

Didn't you fail that midterm?

(beginning of Act 2, Scene 4)

Doing ok?

JOHN: You don't know what the hell you're talking about.

Don't I? Clearly you don't want to keep disappointing them.

LILY: Hi guys. Hi Sydney. I'm so sorry about all of this. Lex said that it's been -

Don't get comfortable. This will all be over soon. Then we'll all have to stop pretending.

LILY: John, stop it!

Don't get in the middle of this, Lily.

JOHN: Come on Lily - you don't need Rank Redemption to prove anything to anyone. Let's go.

Don't need Rank Redemption?

MAYA: Thanks Sydney!

Don't talk to me in public! (to her Squad) She's going to try to compete in Rank Redemption... poor thing is actually optimistic about it.

RYAN: Uhhh...

Go ahead, Ryan.

CARLY: What have you been doing?

Helping Maya over there.

ALL: (singing) And the world keeps spinning around.

Hey.

FRANCIS: See you around.

Hey.

JOHN: Great.

Hi, John. Just stopping by to see the damage?

SYDNEY: (singing) . . . We all have to pay. And you -

I believe in you.

JORDAN: Would knowing really have made a difference?

I could have been there for you? I could have -

JORDAN: My mom was really sick. For awhile. He was calling to let me know that... it wasn't going to get any better. That was in March. Then in April...

I didn't know.

CARLY: Of being Average.

I don't know what you think you know, or what you said...

RYAN: Who knows? Who did this?

I don't know... Ryan! Stop! Where are you going?

JORDAN: What do you want, Sydney?

I just want to know what happened to my friend. Did you get tired of always coming in second?

FRANCIS: You know... Lily... Alexis' sister? Alexis... your brother's girlfriend?... your brother... Ry--

I know who my brother is. I know who Lily is. Thank you.

CARLY: Yeah - I heard that too, and like --

I said I don't want to talk about it!

JACQUIE: But they seem good together... I mean, I don't want to hang out with her or anything...

I think he's an idiot for distracting himself. But as far as girlfriends go... she's fine.

JORDAN: . . . All you saw was the red arrow next to my name. Would knowing really have changed anything?

I was - I -

RYAN: Sure.

I was thinking about when we were little - when the Above the Average Career Fair came to our school, and we had that assembly where they talked about all of the cool jobs you could get if you finished Above the Average.

CARLY: Thanks!

I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys... when I found out about Ryan. It's just - he's my brother, and -

SYDNEY: (singing) I know my timing isn't great. But since we've made it through the wait, I'll try to understand.

I'm sorry about your mom.

CARLY: How are you?

I'm... fine. (beat) Cute romper.

CARLY: Yeah, wasn't that like... years ago?

It's fine. It's nothing. I don't want to talk about it.

JORDAN: Ranks and grades. They don't stop for anyone. It's the most important thing in the world to you. But for me... none of it really seemed to matter anymore.

It's not fair.

JORDAN: What's she talking about, John?

John didn't tell you? He's all registered to compete in Friday's Rank Redemption competition.

JOHN: Jordan!

John! Did YOU do this? All week you've been --

CARLY: Wow. Jordan Carter. She is real!

Jordan.

SYD/CAR/JAQ/FRAN (singing): . . . We learn to fight. We keep our guard. So by the end of today.

Let's go. Midterms don't wait.

RYAN: What? That - that's not - I've worked... how long have you known?

Mom and dad couldn't bear the thought of you having to...

KELLY: That we don't have ranks anymore because you cheated?

No one would be rankless if it weren't for John Carter - he's the reason you all have zeroes next to your name right now.

RYAN: Syd - come on- don't be like this. It's going to be over soon, you'll be back on top in no time. It's going to be ok. Don't worry.

No. Ryan. It's not going to be ok. None of this is going to be ok.

RYAN: Are you still upset? It's going to be fine - you just -

Not me - Ryan. I will be fine. I'm not worried about me.

JOHN: Nothing. I just... uhhh...

Oh - hi there, Lily! Who is your friend?

RYAN: I... uhhh...

Oh, come on! Everyone loves a good sibling MC combo at rallies! It's timeless! We'll wear matching togas and everything.

FRANCIS: He definitely looks Below the Average.

Ok, ok. What was your name again?

LILY: (singing) You'll be fine.

Our first Rank Redemption of the school year is off and rolling, and already our competitors have made some pretty embarrassing mistakes.

CARLY: I thought since we don't have ranks right now, it might be fun to wear --

Put your jacket on. We earned the right to wear these. We aren't going to stop just because someone else - we deserve them.

RYAN: Can we talk later? I wanted to --

RYAN! Didn't you tell mom and dad she wasn't a distraction? The bell is about to ring and you're out here wasting time.

RYAN: What? What are you talking about?

Ryan - the people - parents - paying teachers to mess with grades -- mom and dad -- (a long beat) ... you aren't Above the Average. Well - maybe you are. But not by much. Mom and dad... they've been paying our teachers. Your teachers... They wanted to make sure that...

RYAN: I can't get a hold of mom or dad... Lex isn't returning my calls... Where have you been?

Ryan --

STUDENTS: What is she talking about? // Huh? // How is this his fault?

Ryan was playing the game just like the rest of you - so what? But John - he was jealous. So jealous that if he couldn't be Above the Average - no one could. So he went to admin.

RYAN: . . . Sydney will probably be at the library this weekend, and I was thinking maybe you and I could --

Ryan! There you are! Oh! Hey Lex! Congrats to Lily on bottom 10%! You must be so proud!

RYAN: (singing) You've totally got this!

Ryan! You're late! Get over here!

RYAN: What?

Ryan...

RYAN: What? What's wrong?

Ryan... mom and dad just thought --

JOHN: No - I'm actually here to see -

So this was the plan. You knew you would never be Above the Average again, but you also knew how important it was to her.

JORDAN: Yeah. I did care.

So what happened?

RYAN: Today is really about separating the winners from the lose-- not winners.

That's right, Ryan. And we saw that firsthand from their last question. Now ladies and gentlemen, it's time for us to get to know our competitors a little bit!

RYAN: Who said you weren't funny? (beat) What am I supposed to tell Lex?

The truth.

RYAN: I don't know what to do. If I'm not Above the --

Then you're not. And we'll figure it out. There's still a lot of the school year left. (beat) Or maybe you could be a chef?

JACQUIE: Why was Lily with Jordan's brother?

We all make choices. There's a reason she's At-Risk. (a moment) Have you guys actually seen Jordan? She -- I mean, we --

JORDAN: Why does everything always need to be about you, Sydney?

We're going to figure out who did this. And they're going to pay. (to John) And if you had anything to do with th--

CARLY: It doesn't go with this romper.

We're wearing our jackets.

JACQUIE: Where have you been hiding?

We've been seeing a lot of John lately... I thought there was just one runt in every litter...

LILY: (singing) . . . And why do they think it's you?

Well, John. What are you going to do?

RYAN: Sydney. What do you need?

Well, as you know, the #1 ranked senior gets to MC the first Rank Redemption competition of the school year. Mrs. Miller wanted to know if you would MC with me...

ALL: (singing) . . . No not today.

Where's your jacket?

FRANCIS: She's competing too!

Worst case scenario, they'll both be happily Below the Average, together!

CARLY: It sounds... complicated.

Yeah -- it is. Well - I'll see you guys later?

RYAN: I don't see why this is such a big deal - like - they're going to figure out who was doing this and then everything will go back to the way it was.

Yeah.

JACQUIE: Fine. Ready for Ranks to come back on Monday.

Yeah. That will be good...

RYAN: I guess. That was pretty rough back there.

Yeah... I'm guessing you hadn't told Alexis?

JORDAN: Do you remember fall of last year - we had calculus 2nd period?

Yeah?

JORDAN: Sydney.

Yes... Jordan?

JORDAN: . . . Do you really think that makes you better than us?

You and I both know it doesn't matter what I think. That's just the way it is.

JOHN: Then what? My rank will go down?

You have no idea -- I'm going to -- you'll be --

JORDAN: It's not fair.

You shouldn't have had to choose between your rank and your mom.

JORDAN: Leave John alone, I swear, I'll --

You'll what? Please. Tell me. You and John have already taken away our ranks. What's left?