A West Texas Children's Story (2007)

AnnaSophia Robb: Cassie Kennington

Photos 

Quotes 

• Henderson : Do you, Ben...

  Cassie : Benjamin Reynolds.

  Henderson : Benjamin Reynolds, take this young woman...

  Cassie : Cassie Kennington.

  Henderson : [Henderson wipes eyes, takes off hat]  Do both of you promise to treat each other with dignity and love until one or the other drops dead?

  Cassie : I do.

  [looks at Ben] 

  Ben : I do.

  Henderson : [Henderson, Cassie, and Ben put their hands in the center and "break"]  Well, looks like you're both married now.

  [grins] 

  Ben : [looks at Cassie, laughs nervously and grins]  That's great.

  [Henderson nods] 

  Cassie : [whispers]  Oh, the ring.

  [Ben gets a straightened paper clip and wraps it around her finger, then pats her hand] 

  Henderson : Congratulations to you both.

  [gets up] 

  Cassie : Well, I feel good about this whole thing.

  [to Henderson] 

  Cassie : How about you?

  Henderson : [grins again]  Yeah. I feel good about it.

  [Cassie looks at Ben and their eyes meet] 

  Ben : [nervously]  Uh, well, I don't have a lot to compare it to, but, uh, yeah...

  [gulps] 

  Ben : I feel good.

  Henderson : Oh and if you wanna kiss the bride, you can do that now, 'cause I forgot to say it.

• Cassie : Sure is nice being up bright and early to take in the new day.

  Ben : Yeah. That's what they say. Where are we anyways?

  Cassie : Life In Hell, Kentucky. By the way, did I ever thank you? Because it would be way too comfortable for me and my banged up body to be in a nice, warm bus taking us directly where we need to be going.

  Ben : We're married, you know. That's supposed to count for something.

  Cassie : He's a nice guy. So we talked. It wasn't like I kissed him or anything, jeez.

  Ben : Yeah, whatever.

  [gets up, picks up a rock] 

  Cassie : [after a pause]  Jealousy. It's a good quality to have in a husband. Unless, of course, he gets overly possessive.

  Ben : Okay, why don't you just rest your tired ass and let me make the calls for a little while.

  Cassie : Tired ass? Where's that sweet, innocent youth I used to know?

  Ben : Don't you worry about it, he's in here somewhere.

  Cassie : Well, he better be.

  [Ben throws rock] 

• Cassie : The real question is why you're putting it in such a negative context. Yes, I am withdrawing somewhat, but is that a sin?

  Ben : Great. Take a major problem, even though you won't tell me what it is, and turn it into one of your brainy discussions.

  Cassie : Oh. Is that your opinion? You did finish seventh grade, so I want to give it the way it deserves.

  Ben : And you graduated from Harvard, right?

  Cassie : [sitting up a little straighter and looking angry]  Okay, cowboy. Wanna play?

  Ben : [also sitting up straighter]  I'm not exactly sure what we're playing here, but yeah, let's go.

  Cassie : It's all about introspection. And concepts which you are no doubt unable to digest at this point in your narrow-minded and sheltered pathetic life!

  [turns away and folds her arms] 

  Ben : [pause]  Go screw yourself.

  [turns off light] 

  Cassie : [after small pause]  Ben?

  Ben : What?

  Cassie : [leaning in a little closer]  Are you mad at me?

  Ben : Yeah.

  Cassie : Well, I don't like it.

  Ben : Then start talking to me like a real person.

  Cassie : [remorsefully]  I told you I was flawed when we met.

  Ben : Cass, everybody's flawed. Just in different ways.

  Cassie : [cuddles up next to Ben]  I'm so sorry.

  Ben : [kisses the top of her head]  It's okay.

• Cassie : [to her aunt and uncle, about needing a double mattress]  Y'know with my legs stiffening up sometimes and the two of us being married and all.

  Cassie's Uncle : You're married?

  Cassie's Aunt : That must be what kids call going steady these days.

  Ben : No, we're actually married.

  [Cassie smiles and displays her "ring"] 

  Cassie's Aunt : [looking a little confused]  Was it a large wedding?

  Cassie : Oh, about twenty or thirty head. Mostly hogs and some sows.

  Ben : Oh, and pigs.

  Cassie : Yes, there were several pigs in attendence as well.

  Cassie's Aunt : [still looking confused]  Well, I guess we'll get you a double mattress then.

• Cassie : That was one goddamn doozy of an accident, that's for sure.

  [Ben turns suddenly away] 

  Cassie : What?

  [she smiles] 

  Cassie : You never heard anyone cuss before?

  Ben : Well yeah, but... not from a girl.

  Cassie : Well, I'm very flawed. Extremely flawed, if you want to know the truth.

• Ben : [after Cassie wakes up from a particularly detailed nightmare]  You took it as long as you could, Cass. You can't blame yourself for that.

  [puts his hand on her cheek] 

  Cassie : There are good parts to them too.

  [pauses, then looks down, tears sparkling in her eyes] 

  Ben : [after a brief pause]  Cass?

  Cassie : [looks up]  Yeah?

  Ben : Let's go.

  Cassie : [whispering]  Ben, I'm sick. When you kill two people it makes you sick.

  Ben : [sniffs]  Look, I'm going to take you out of here, and... well, worry about everything later, okay?

  Cassie : [nods]  Okay.

  [pause, then Cassie leans her head against Ben's hand, where Ben strokes her cheek gently with his thumb] 

• Ben : [after Cassie wakes up from a nightmare]  You were screaming.

  Cassie : [Cassie gets a drink of water and lays back down, still panting]  It's late. You should get back to bed.

• Cassie : [smiling after she sees Ben watching her take off her jacket]  Don't worry. I'm not ready to have sex yet.

• Cassie : How much do we owe you? For room and board and water.

  Henderson : Hmm... well, waking up to the smell of pig shit ought to do it.

• Cassie : How much did you get?

  Ben : $25.

  Cassie : Well, at least that's $25 more than we had before.

  Ben : That's true.

• Ben : [wakes up and sees Cassie by his bed]  Jesus!

  Cassie : You're not screwing with me, are you?

  Ben : What?

  Cassie : You seem to like me, which is fine because I like you too. But if you're acting like you do because my parents are dead and you feel sorry for me, then that's just bullshit.

  [Ben stares at Cassie for a few moments] 

  Cassie : [waving her hand in front of his face]  Hello?

  Ben : No, I'm not screwing with you. I like you too.

• Cassie : See, a real plan is more than just some pipe dream.

  Ben : Pipe dream?

  Cassie : A pipe dream is an unrealistic fantasy that deludes oneself into thinking that it's an actual plan. It's a very popular expression. I'm surprised you've never heard of it before.

  Ben : I didn't say I'd never heard it.

  Cassie : Anyway, a real plan is an actual goal that you believe in enough to create a set of circumstances. Which leads you to, and into, a plan. Comprende?

  Ben : Where do you come up with this stuff? I mean, what part of your brain works so hard it makes you think and talk like that?

  Cassie : My father was a professor with a very wide vocabulary and lots of unique ideas. When he wasn't teaching his students, he taught me.

  Ben : So what does your mom do?

  Cassie : [after a pause]  She never did anything.

  [blinks, then turns and walks away from him] 

  Ben : [picks up their bags and follows her, regretting he said anything]  You know, I think most of what you say is true.

  [Cassie turns and tilts her head at him] 

  Ben : Some I just don't understand. But I also think you like to screw with people's heads.

  Cassie : I may be wrong sometimes. But I won't ever screw with your head. Ever.

  Ben : Me too. Ever.

  [Cassie smiles and nods] 

• Ben : [in the hospital visiting Cassie] 

  [gently] 

  Ben : Hey.

  Cassie : Hey.

  Ben : Cass?

  Cassie : Yeah?

  Ben : It's time to go.

  Cassie : [pause, then looks at him with dark circles under her eyes]  Is that the plan?

  Ben : Yeah. That's the plan.

  Cassie : What if I'm really, really tired?

  [pause, then she kisses his cheek and lays against him and goes to sleep]