ACT 1: THE GENESIS OF PERFECTION (FLASHBACKS)
SCENE 1: THE MEET-CUTE (1980s)
EXT. COUNTRY CLUB - DAY
A young, vibrant JUNE stands by the pool, looking like a movie star. A young MR. GEORGE walks by, looking slightly awkward but wealthy. June doesn't look at his face; she looks at his Rolex. She flashes a practiced, dazzling smile.
JUNE (A whisper) Nice watch. Does it tell you when it's time to buy a girl a drink?
SCENE 2: THE VOWS (ONE YEAR LATER)
INT. CATHEDRAL - DAY
June stands at the altar in a dress so white it's blinding. As the priest speaks, June isn't looking at Mr. George. She is looking at her own reflection in the photographer's lens, adjusting her veil to ensure her "good side" is captured.
SCENE 3: THE FIRST REVEAL (REGINA'S BABY SHOWER)
INT. GARDEN PARTY - DAY
June stands surrounded by pink peonies. She pops a massive balloon. Pink glitter explodes everywhere.
JUNE (To the cheering crowd) It's a girl! A little masterpiece for me to dress up. I'm going to name her Regina. Because she's going to be my little Queen.
SCENE 4: THE BIRTH OF THE QUEEN (REGINA'S BIRTH)
INT. LUXURY HOSPITAL SUITE - DAY
June is sitting up in bed, fully made-up, holding a newborn REGINA. She isn't cradling the baby; she's holding her like a trophy for a Polaroid camera.
JUNE (To the baby) You're perfect. Don't ever change. If you stay perfect, Mommy will love you forever.
SCENE 5: THE SECOND REVEAL (KYLIE'S BABY SHOWER)
INT. MANSION - DAY Years later.
A young Regina stands by June's side, already wearing a matching designer outfit. June cuts into a cake. The inside is pink.
JUNE Another girl! A sister for the Queen. A spare for the throne.
SCENE 6: THE FINAL PIECE (KYLIE'S BIRTH)
INT. LUXURY HOSPITAL SUITE - DAY
June holds a newborn KYLIE. She looks at Regina, who is sitting in the corner, trying not to get her dress dirty.
JUNE (To Regina) See, Regina? Now you have a live doll to play with. Just make sure she doesn't break anything.
ACT 2: THE PORCELAIN PREDATOR
INT. GEORGE MANSION - KITCHEN - DAY
Three-year-old KYLIE stands on her tiptoes on a marble stool, reaching for a hand-painted ceramic COOKIE JAR on the counter. The CHIHUAHUA yaps at her feet, jumping and nipping at the hem of her lace dress.
Kylie wobbles. The dog lunges at her ankle.
KYLIE (Giggling, then startled) No, stop!
Her small hand brushes the jar. It slides. CRASH. The ceramic shatters into a hundred jagged pieces across the floor.
JUNE appears in the doorway instantly, her face transforming from "Cool Mom" to a mask of pure fury. She doesn't look at Kylie's crying face; she looks at the shards.
JUNE (Screaming) That was an 18th-century antique! You clumsy, stupid little girl! Do you have any idea what you've done to my kitchen?
June marches forward, her hand raised. YOUNG REGINA sprints into the room, throwing herself in front of Kylie, shielding her sister's body with her own.
REGINA (Voice trembling but firm) Don't! It wasn't her fault! The dog bit her! It was the dog, Mom!
JUNE (Hissing, leaning down into Regina's face) Don't you dare talk back to me. You're just as bad as she is—always making a mess, always being "human." You're ruining the aesthetic of this family!
REGINA (Tears streaming down her face) She's just little!
JUNE She's a George! And if she can't be a perfect George, she can be nothing at all. Now get out of my sight before I give you both something real to cry about! Go!
Regina doesn't wait. She grabs Kylie's hand, hoisting the toddler up into her arms. She sprints toward the stairs, her heart hammering against her ribs.
INT. REGINA'S BEDROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Regina slams her bedroom door and slides the small manual bolt shut. She sinks to the floor, pulling Kylie into her lap in the dark.
REGINA (Whispering, stroking Kylie's hair) Shhh. Don't cry. Don't let her hear you. If you're quiet, she can't find us. I've got you, Kylie. I've always got you.
In the silence of the room, Regina looks at her own hands. They are shaking. She clenches them into fists until her knuckles turn white—the first time she ever decides to be "hard" so she won't be broken.
ACT 3: THE PORTRAIT OF PERFECTION
INT. JCPENNEY PORTRAIT STUDIO - MALL - DAY (PRESENT TIME)
The air in the small studio is thick with the smell of hairspray and floor wax. JUNE is obsessively adjusting the angle of KYLIE'S head, while MR. GEORGE stands in the back, looking stiff in a sweater that clearly pinches his neck.
REGINA sits at the center, a vision in pleated silk. She hasn't blinked in thirty seconds.
PHOTOGRAPHER
And... perfect. Hold it. 1, 2, 3—
FLASH. The screen on the photographer's monitor flickers. The image is flawless. The four of them look like a painting. Mr. George exhales, thinking they've finally cleared the hurdle.
PHOTOGRAPHER (CONT'D)
Got it! That's the one for the Christmas cards. Beautiful.
The tension in the room drops for a split second. Regina relaxes her posture, her nose twitching from the dust kicked up by the heavy velvet backdrop.
REGINA
A-choo!
The sneeze is small, but in the silent studio, it sounds like a gunshot. A single stray hair falls out of Regina's perfect blowout, resting against her cheek.
June's smile doesn't just fade—it curdles. She turns to Regina with a look of pure, unadulterated disgust.
JUNE
(A terrifying whisper)
You couldn't wait five more minutes? You had to lose control now?
REGINA
(Rubbing her nose, confused)
Mom, he already took the picture. He said it was perfect.
JUNE
(Grabbing Regina's arm)
The picture is a lie now! I'm looking at you and all I see is a mess! You've ruined the mood, you've ruined the day, and you're acting like a common, sickly brat!
MR. GEORGE
June, for God's sake, it was a sneeze! The photo is finished!
JUNE
(Turning on him)
It's the discipline, George! If she can't control her own nose, how is she going to control a room?
June yanks Regina toward the exit, ignoring the confused stares of the mall shoppers outside.
INT. GEORGE MANSION - SECOND FLOOR - MOMENTS LATER
June hauls Regina down the hallway. She doesn't even let Regina take off her formal shoes.
REGINA
It was just dust, Mom! Please, I didn't mean to!
JUNE
Then you can stay in there and think about how "unintentional" failures are still failures. You don't deserve to be seen until you can be still.
June shoves Regina into her bedroom.
REGINA
Wait—!
SLAM. The DEADBOLT slides home. Regina stands in the center of her room, her hair still slightly mussed from the sneeze, listening to the sound of her mother's heels clicking away like a firing squad.
ACT 4: THE PUNCH THAT BROKE THE HOUSE
INT. GEORGE MANSION - DINING ROOM - DAY
REGINA is trying to be a "good big sister." She picks up a heavy pitcher of Hawaiian Pineapple Punch to pour a glass for little KYLIE.
Suddenly, June's CHIHUAHUA yaps and lunges, its teeth snagging on the lace of Regina's expensive sleeve. Regina jolts.
REGINA (Startled) Stop!
The pitcher slips. A wave of bright yellow punch flies across the table, soaking JUNE'S designer white dress. Silence hits the room like a physical weight.
JUNE (A low, dangerous hiss) You... clumsy... brat. You did that on purpose. You're trying to ruin me.
ACT 5 (THE RETREAT)
June takes a step forward, her face contorted with a rage that is far too large for a juice stain. Regina's instincts kick in. She doesn't wait for the blow or the scream.
Regina grabs Kylie's small hand, her grip firm but protective. She yanks her younger sister away from the table, the chairs SCREECHING against the marble floor.
REGINA (Under her breath) Kylie, come on. Move!
Regina sweeps Kylie into the SERVING PANTRY just off the dining room, pulling the heavy pocket doors shut until only a tiny crack remains. They huddle together behind the silver platters and fine china—surrounded by the "perfection" that June loves more than them.
The muffled sound of their father's voice rising to defend them begins to echo through the wood, but Regina immediately covers Kylie's ears with her hands, pulling the younger girl's head into her chest so she can't hear the shattering of their parents' marriage.
REGINA (Terrified, pulling Kylie behind her and whispering into Kylie's hair) It's okay, Kylie. Everything is going to be alright. You didn't do anything wrong! It was the dog, Mom!
MR. GEORGE (Standing up, finally finding his voice) Enough, June! It was an accident! You treat these girls like they're mannequins for your boutique instead of human beings! All you care about is exploiting their looks to keep up this fake lifestyle!
JUNE (Turning on him) I am building a brand! You're just the bank account that pays for it!
ACT 6: THE GUEST HOUSE GHOST
EXT. GEORGE MANSION - REAR GROUNDS - MOMENTS LATER
Regina leads Kylie out of the back service door, trying to get as far away from the screaming in the dining room as possible. They are both trembling. The sun is starting to dip, casting long, jagged shadows across the perfectly manicured lawn.
REGINA (Keeping her voice low) We'll just stay by the pool until they stop. We can play a game, okay? We can...
Regina stops mid-sentence. She notices the door to the GUEST HOUSE—the one June uses as her "personal styling studio"—is slightly ajar.
Regina pulls Kylie toward the structure, thinking they can hide inside. But as they reach the window, Regina freezes.
REGINA'S POV: Through the glass, the MAILMAN (still in his uniform) is standing in the center of the room. JUNE is there, her arms wrapped around his neck, laughing a soft, melodic laugh she never uses with Mr. George. They lean in, sharing a deep, unmistakable kiss.
KYLIE (In a small, confused voice) Regina? Why is Mommy hugging the mail guy? Is she...
Regina's face goes bone-white. She immediately spins Kylie around, shoving her back toward the main house so she can't see any more. The betrayal hits Regina like a physical punch to the stomach.
REGINA (Her voice shaking with a new kind of anger) Don't look, Kylie. Don't you ever look at that.
Regina looks back at the window one last time. She doesn't look sad anymore; she looks disgusted. She realizes her mother's "perfection" is a total lie. She grabs Kylie's hand again, harder this time.
REGINA (CONT'D) Come on. We're going to my room. And we're locking the door.
ACT 7: THE MASTERPIECE AND THE MAILMAN
INT. MANSION - FOYER - CONTINUOUS
Regina is halfway up the stairs, her hand white-knuckled on the railing as she pulls Kylie upward. Regina finally hustled Kyle up the stairs successfully. She stands at the top of the landing, looking down through the banisters. They freeze as they look down into the foyer.
Below MR. GEORGE is standing there after pacing, breathing hard, his face a mask of sweat and confusion still fuming from the argument in the dining room.. He is holding a BLUE GOVERNMENT-ISSUED CAP. He stares at it like it's a bomb.
The front door swings open. JUNE saunters in from the guest house, smoothing her hair, skirt, and white designer dress—which is now noticeably marked with grass stains. She hasn't even bothered to wipe the smeared lipstick from her mouth. She looks bored.
MR. GEORGE
Where were you? We weren't finished.
JUNE
Oh, cut it out, if it is another pathetic lecture about treating our daughters like objects, it's a waste of time.
MR GEORGE
Shush, I don't want to hear it! By the way!
MR. GEORGE (Voice cracking) I found this by the guest house, June. The mail hasn't even been delivered yet. Why is the mailman's hat inside our gated fence?
JUNE (Airily) I needed air, George. You were being "stifling" again. It's bad for my skin. For your information, he was probably hot and must have dropped it. It's a very thick fabric. You really shouldn't obsess over the help. It makes you look... desperate.
MR. GEORGE I saw him, June! I saw a man running toward the truck while you were "styling" in the guest house! While your daughters were right here, I was in the other room! You didn't even wait for the girls to leave the property!
He looks out the front window just in time to see the mail truck speeding away far too quickly. He turns back to her, his face transitioning from confusion to total, heart-shattering realization.
JUNE (A sharp, cold laugh) Oh, please. Don't act like a martyr. He listens to me. He thinks I'm a masterpiece. You're just mad because someone finally looked at me without checking the price tag first.
Mr. George lets out a sound that is half-laugh, half-sob. He stares at her, the realization sinking in that the woman he married is a total stranger. He looks up the stairs and catches Regina's eye for a split second. The shame in his gaze is unbearable.
MR. GEORGE I'm done. I am so incredibly done with this "masterpiece." (To June, in a low growl) Get out of my sight.
JUNE It's my house, too. And I'm not going anywhere.
June turns her back on him to check her reflection in the hallway mirror, carefully reapplying her lipstick as if her marriage wasn't currently burning to the ground. Mr. George hurls the blue cap against the wall and storms toward the stairs to pack.
Regina yanks Kylie the rest of the way up the stairs just as the sound of a door slamming downstairs echoes like a gunshot.
ACT 8: THE FALLOUT
INT. MANSION - HALLWAY - LATER (DUSK)
Regina stands in the shadows outside the master bedroom. She hears the muffled shouting of her parents.
MR. GEORGE (O.S.) I saw you, June! With the mailman! In the guest house! You don't want a family, you want a fan club! I'm done!
JUNE (O.S.) Then leave! But you aren't taking my "masterpieces" with you!
INT. COURTROOM - MONTHS LATER
Regina stands in a hallway, looking at her FATHER. He looks tired and defeated.
REGINA (Whispering) Can I come with you? Please? I can help you with Kylie.
MR. GEORGE (Pained) The judge gave her full custody, Regina. She... she convinced them I wasn't "stable." I'm so sorry. I'll call you.
He walks away. June steps up behind Regina, placing a cold hand on her shoulder.
JUNE Stop moping. You have a reputation to maintain at North Shore. Your father was a "misfit." You are a Queen. Now, let's go buy you something expensive so people think you're happy.
ACT 9: THE AFTERMATH
INT. NORTH SHORE HIGH - CAFETERIA - DAY
Regina is sitting with GRETCHEN and KAREN. She is staring at her salad, her eyes twitching slightly. She looks "weird"—too still, too perfect, like a statue that's about to crack.
GRETCHEN Regina? You've been staring at that crouton for five minutes. Is it... is it a "carb" emergency?
REGINA (Her voice flat and robotic) My parents are divorced. My father is gone. And this dressing has too much vinegar.
She suddenly laughs—a sharp, high-pitched sound that doesn't reach her eyes.
REGINA (CONT'D) Actually, it's great. Everything is perfect. Right, Gretchen? Tell me I'm perfect.
Gretchen and Karen exchange a terrified look. The "Porcelain Mask" hasn't just been put on—it's been fused to her face with trauma.
ACT 10: THE OBSERVER (OUTRO)
INT. NORTH SHORE HIGH - CAFETERIA - CONTINUOUS
A few tables away, CADY HERON sits with her plastic tray, frozen with a fork halfway to her mouth. She is staring intently at the Plastics' table.
From Cady's perspective, the high-pitched, hollow sound of Regina's laugh cuts through the ambient noise of the cafeteria like a jagged piece of glass. She watches as Regina's hand trembles slightly while reaching for a water bottle, her movements stiff and unnatural.
CADY (V.O.) In the African Savannah, when a lioness is wounded, she becomes even more unpredictable. But in North Shore, I couldn't tell if Regina was wounded or if she was just... glitching.
Cady leans in closer, trying to decode the expression on Regina's face. Regina is now smiling at Gretchen, but the smile is too wide, held a second too long.
CADY (V.O.) I didn't know if this was some kind of 'Junior Year' ritual I hadn't learned about yet. I just thought she was having a really intense reaction to a crouton.
Janis nudges Cady, breaking her trance.
JANIS (Low voice) Stop staring, Cady. You'll go blind from the reflected evil.
Cady looks back at her tray, but she steals one last glance at the "Queen." Regina has gone back to being a statue—perfect, cold, and completely empty. Cady shrugs it off, oblivious to the divorce, the mailman, and the locked bedroom doors.
CADY (V.O.) She looked like she had everything under control. But for a second, I could have sworn she looked like she was waiting for someone to tell her she was allowed to breathe