Original subtitles

I'm Allison.

I was just an average kid until an accident changed my life.

And since then, nothing's been the same.

My best friend Ray thinks it's cool.

My sister Annie thinks I'm a science project.

I can't let anyone else know.

Not even my parents.

I know the chemical plant was to find me and turn me into some experiment.

But you know something?

I guess I'm not so average anymore.

How's freshman life treating you?

I think I'll survive, maybe.

Well, that makes one of us.

You're a junior.

I thought it was supposed to get easier as you moved up the food chain.

Don't buy that myth. It gets harder.

Much harder.

Great. Something to look forward to.

Well, at least I look forward to going to my locker.

Hey, you doing anything now?

Uh, not really.

You want to go grab a soda or something?

Sure.

The thing I hate is you get into high school and suddenly everybody thinks

you're supposed to know what you want to do with the rest of your life.

Yeah. So, do you know what you want to do when you're 30?

Honestly?

I have no idea.

This girl I just started going out with, she's got her whole life planned out

already.

It's scary.

Personally, I don't even know what I'm going to wear tomorrow.

Well, I gotta go, Alex.

It was really cool hanging out with you.

Yeah, same here.

See you at the lockers tomorrow?

See ya.

Mind if I ask you something?

Go ahead.

Do you think a guy in 11th grade is too old for me?

Yes.

How come it's only two years different?

If you ask me my opinion, why, is there something you like?

Yeah.

Sort of.

I think so.

Hey, Yuck.

How you doing?

Um, okay.

Counting the minutes to get out of here.

Oh, me too.

You like doing a movie or something after school?

Jake, I thought you said you had a girlfriend.

No, no, no. I'm seeing someone, but it's not serious.

But we don't even have to consider it a date if that makes you feel better.

She said the movie, Alex.

I have to be home by seven.

I promise.

Okay. Okay.

I'll see you.

Barbara, everything okay?

Sure. Everything's fine.

Good.

Actually, I lied.

Everything's not fine.

It's Annie.

George, she and I... She and I never talk anymore.

I mean, she never wants to do anything with me.

And everything I say to her gets met with disapproving look.

Barbara, she's almost 18.

Being with her parents is a low priority.

Well, the thing is, George, I have this assignment that's due in, and I don't

even want to ask her for any help for fear she's going to say no to me. I

believe I'm afraid of being rejected by my own daughter.

It won't hurt to ask her.

Well, see, George, it does hurt. This whole thing hurts.

We're just not close anymore.

And there's not a lot of time left, is there? I mean, she's going off to

soon, and then what?

Alex unleashed and a very big phone bill.

Go ask her.

Was there

something you

wanted? No.

What are you working on?

Work.

Okay, Annie, I need a favor.

What?

I'm doing some field work, you know, for one of my classes, and we need to

profile a family member.

What about Dad or Al?

Well, you know, I was kind of thinking that it might be you.

See, I need to follow the course of an academic leader into a

normal teenage social world.

You know, it's not every day that you've got a prodigy in the family.

I don't know.

Oh, Annie, please. I promise I won't be intrusive.

Are we all set then?

Are you going to help your mom with her research?

Well, I don't know. Annie doesn't seem very enthusiastic about the idea.

That's not fair, Annie. As a scientist, I would think you would be the first to

understand how important a host environment can be in research.

It's a little different when you're asking me to be the host environment.

So, what did you think?

That was great.

Good. Most ninth graders wouldn't be too crazy about a film with subtitles.

Especially the ones you can't read.

Um, well, this is where I go.

Thanks for walking me.

No problem.

I had a great time.

Me too.

I'll see you later.

Oh!

You promised you wouldn't get in the way. I'm sorry, honey.

Get up.

Annie, Mom's looking for you.

You didn't tell her where I was, did you?

Uh -uh.

She's driving me crazy, Alex. She's everywhere.

She's following me around, taking notes, and she's horning in on my life.

I'm under constant surveillance, all under the guise of research.

Hmm, that sounds familiar.

She's treating me like this living experiment to be manipulated for her own

results.

I can imagine. It must be horrible.

Annie!

Please. Don't tell her where I am.

Alex, have you seen your sister?

Um, she's around somewhere.

All right, well, when you see her, tell her that he's here.

Who's here?

Oh, she'll know.

Um, dinner's in about 45 minutes, okay?

Who's he?

Oh, he's just some guy I met.

You met some guy and you didn't tell me about it?

I didn't want to jinx it.

Hi.

How are you?

Good.

Oh, I want you to meet my sister.

Um, Alex, this is Jake Waters.

Hi, Jake.

You two know each other?

Yeah, we have lockers right next to each other.

What a weird coincidence.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Oh, I hear things got a little hot in the lab today.

Yeah, they did.

Well, we should always be prepared for setbacks in our work, Annie.

This wasn't a setback, Dad. This was like a complete disaster.

I lost all of my results, and now I have to repeat the experiments all over

again.

I'll clean the dishes.

I'll help with the dishes.

No, Jake, that's okay. I can do it. Oh, no, that's okay. It's no problem.

I thought I'd help.

I think I can do the dishes by myself.

I had no idea Annie was your sister.

I mean, I didn't even know what your last name was.

I told you when I met you.

I forgot.

Please don't be angry.

I'm not angry.

I'm just totally confused.

No.

The whole thing is confusing.

Because I like you.

A lot.

And I know you like me too.

Dick's great, isn't he? He seems very nice.

It's such a surprise to me.

How many times have you seen him?

A lot.

Like four or five times.

I mean, I haven't seen her at all.

Like four or five times.

It's no big deal.

Have you asked Annex? It's a big deal to her.

Hey, what's going on in here?

Nothing. We're just doing the dishes.

I'm going to go get my coat, and then we'll go out.

Okay?

Okay.

I'll meet you outside.

Okay.

Go ahead. I can finish up here by myself.

Annie's waiting for you.

Can you believe it?

Hmm. Two sisters, one guy.

Happens all the time on a talk show. But this isn't television. This is my life.

Can you help me out here, please?

Wow, it must have been totally awkward.

Believe me, it was.

Another second and I think he might have even tried to kiss me.

Well, maybe he sensed that you wanted him to.

You're right.

I am?

Wow. Never write.

I think I really did want him to, even though I knew he was going out with

Annie.

I'm a horrible, horrible person.

I'm going to write him a note. Tell him I can't hang out with him anymore.

Alex, I think we should talk about what's going on with us.

Nothing's going on. You're with Annie.

I feel terrible.

Forget about it, okay?

Alex, wait.

Come on.

That's the problem. I can't forget about it.

I mean, we were in the kitchen last night. I really felt something, didn't

It doesn't matter. You're with Annie.

I'm going to stop seeing her. What?

Uh -uh. You can't do that. You can't break up with Annie for me.

It's not you.

It's me.

I want to be with you.

Please. This is ridiculous.

It's bad. It's wrong.

You going out tonight?

Huh? With Jake?

Look, I know that you're worried about me.

But Jake is different.

You see that? He's really unpretentious and sweet.

I know, but... You don't have to worry about me.

I can take care of myself.

Oh, and Jake and I are going to come back here later.

And it would be really nice if you could stay out of our way.

That's great.

That was terrible.

You didn't like it?

I don't know. I'm not really a big fan of subtitles.

So, what do you feel like doing?

I think we should talk.

Sure. About what?

About us.

One of my favorite topics.

I realize we haven't seen each other lately, but I feel like I'm young.

What was that?

It was probably a fuse.

I'll get it.

Hmm.

So where were we?

Well, I was just thinking about... Don't think too much. I kind of like you the

way you are.

Was that an earthquake?

In Paradise Valley, I doubt it.

I think I have an idea what it was.

I'll be right back.

It's a fabulous restaurant.

The food was delicious.

So, Jake, can I get you a little Chinese?

Maybe some mushu?

Oh, no, thanks. I should probably get going home.

Um, Jake, before you go, can I just ask a favor? Just one quick question for my

research, okay? Mom.

Please.

I've got to go.

You were going to tell me something.

Oh, never mind. It's nothing.

I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Good night.

Night. Good night.

Really upset Annie with my research paper.

I've somehow managed to invade her space and drive us further apart.

Barbara, you didn't have to choose a member of the family to do your paper

did you?

Well, no.

You only involved Annie because you wanted to try to get close to her.

Yeah, and I failed miserably. You know how whenever we go to your brother's

house, everybody rushes to the cat to pet her and the cat runs out of the

Yeah, except for you. You hate cats. And what happens?

The cat jumps up on your lap.

Exactly. Annie is just like that cat. And the more you try to pet her, honey,

the more she's going to run away.

I see.

Far be it for me to give you advice. I mean, I'm usually the oblivious one

around here.

Usually.

So what do you think? I should do my paper on you?

Me? Oh, honey, no. Well, you know how shy I am.

But maybe you could get something out of me.

George Herbert Walker Mack was born April 27, 1952, in the beautiful town

of Saginaw, Michigan.

Close by was Lake Huron.

The white caps were high that day as the wind came up off the greatest of the

great lakes.

Jake, listen up. You can't break up with Annie. Why not?

Because I feel completely guilty, okay?

But you didn't do anything.

Look, Annie is totally brilliant, an amazing person. Can't you just give her

chance? Alex, I have given it a chance.

If it weren't for me, would you really be doing this?

I'm not sure.

But your sister's getting really serious, and I'm not ready for that.

Jake, you can't just expect me to go along with this.

I'm not asking you to go along, Alex.

But I know you like me.

Don't you?

Don't you?

It doesn't matter.

Once Jake said he wanted to stop seeing me, I didn't see any sense in dragging

out the rest of the evening.

Jake broke up with you?

Mm -hmm.

He apparently met somebody that he likes more than me.

In two weeks.

Who?

I think you know who, Alex.

What do you mean?

Well, he said it was somebody at school, and isn't that why you tried to warn me

often? Because you'd seen him there with whoever it is?

No, I didn't know.

Whatever. Who cares? I mean, I obviously have no idea how to maintain a

relationship with a guy anyway.

What's wrong with me?

Oh, Mom.

Oh, Alex.

I know.

I know.

You do?

Mm -hmm. Honey, I've been doing this.

Research paper on Annie. I've been following around all week. I could see

was happening.

Jake likes you, huh?

And I like him.

I didn't mean to interfere. I didn't know he and Annie were seeing each

Sweetheart, you have done nothing wrong, okay?

Things like this happen.

So what are you two going to do?

You going to start seeing each other?

No. Does he know that?

Mm -hmm.

And he believed you?

Must really love your sister.

Yeah, I do.

I really do.

But he was so cute!

What are you doing here?

I had to come see you.

You gotta go. Annie could come down any second. Alex, I know how you must feel.

Jake, please.

Annie will get over this.

Please don't hate me just because I met her before I met you.

I don't hate you.

But I love my sister.

Now you have to go.

It's been pretty quiet.

Well, I wanted to give you your space.

Are you okay?

I'm fine.

It's just that I meet so few guys that I actually like, and it's so frustrating

when they all seem to end up like this.

I know.

Jake was pretty nice about the whole thing.

I can't blame him.

And I guess it's possible that there's some girl out there that's better than

me.

Although I find that kind of hard to believe.

Me too.

Well, anyway, thank you.

Thanks? For what?

Thanks for always putting up with me.

Oh, and I know you're going to see Jake at school, so you don't have to hate him

on my behalf.

Okay.

Good.

But you can if you want.

Good night.

Good night, Annie.