(eerie music)
- [Heather] Did you really think you could just pass me on
to the next girl?
It's not over between me and you yet, N.
Not by a long shot.
- [Boy] What is this?
- [Nellie] I found it my first day here in the closet.
I think it belonged to Tiffany's old roommate.
What happened to your old roommate?
- I didn't like her, so I kicked her out.
- [Nellie] It's about how to survive Crown Lake
with challenges.
- [Boy] Like joining the Scavenger Hunt?
- Why is everyone laughing?
- Well if a girl joins the winning Scavenger Hunt,
she has to give everybody on the team a kiss.
- What?
- Why would someone write this?
- I don't know, it's so confusing.
I just wish we could find out who it is.
It's you.
It can't be.
Why didn't you tell me?
- If someone tells you about Heather, you become Heather.
The girl who goes home.
Everyone gets a Heather book when they first come.
Tiffany did it to me
and you'll have to do it to the next new girl.
- This is Lucy Quinn, our new student.
- But you got through it, it's over.
- [Heather] Now, are you in or are you out?
Welcome back, Crown Lake students.
I hope you got everything you asked for this holiday season.
A big pile of gifts,
and enough R and R to get you through the next semester
because surviving at Crown Lake is not going to be easy.
♪ Strings all choked with rust ♪
♪ Can't play that sweet song any more ♪
♪ Haunted by a memory ♪
The unwritten rules and secrets of these halls
could fill volumes.
Lucky for you, my advice is the best present you'll get.
♪ Trying to light a fire ♪
♪ Soft to the skin ♪
♪ All you can do is lay there ♪
♪ And go over it again ♪
♪ Your soul's on the line ♪
♪ You don't know where to hide ♪
♪ You're running, running ♪
- Everything you need to make it at Crown Lake
is within these pages,
so follow my rules, be loyal
and you and I will get along just fine.
After all, the most coveted gift of all
is to survive your first year.
I should know; I didn't.
Good luck.
♪ Hush my loves now, don't you lie ♪
♪ Karma's got a way of making things right ♪
♪ If you think your words aren't nice ♪
♪ Better close your mouth, shut your lips real tight ♪
(slow pop music)
(slow orchestral music)
- Young people file in, quietly thank you.
(slow orchestral music)
- Everything on track?
- Yeah, just great.
- Silent, quiet.
Miss Porecca, your hat. (girls giggle)
- Ladies, decorum.
I have some announcements.
First, everyone will be meeting with our guidance counselor,
Miss Rose, to see how things are going here at Crown Lake
and to make sure you all fit with the milieu.
Next, we have a new student this semester.
Everyone please welcome Miss Lucy Quinn.
She's from Connecticut
and I'm sure you will all make her feel at home.
- Hey, welcome. - Oh, thanks.
(tense music)
- Hey, how were your holidays?
- Fine, thank you.
- So we're not gonna talk about this?
- There's nothing to talk about.
I just thought you were my real friend.
- Nellie, I'm sorry, again.
I couldn't tell you the truth about Heather, you know that.
- Why?
You'd get in trouble, she'd find you?
She's not even real! (voice echoes)
- What's wrong? - I have to go.
(students laughing)
(students chatter) (slow orchestral music)
- How'd it get up there?
- I guess your friends wanted to see
if my backpack could fly?
- They're not my friends.
- [Nick] Is there anything fun to do around here
or is everyone always this uptight?
- I mean, I came last semester
so I'm maybe not the best person to ask.
- So you're still learning the ropes around here too, huh?
- You could say that.
- I mean, Crown Lake isn't that hard to figure out.
- Says the guy who's had Crown Lake alumns in his family
for the last six generations?
(tense music)
- I'm Ryan. - Oh, Nick.
What's the dating situation here?
- Well, dating is allowed but she's spoken for.
Ryan here is with the most popular girl in school.
(pager beeps)
- You late for surgery or something?
- Nah, though I've been known
to provide some cures now and then.
Midterms can be stressful.
Sometimes you need an extra boost, you know what I mean?
- Almost, almost...
Yes.
- Thank you.
- What can I say?
I've got mad rake skills.
I like your haircut by the way, it suits you.
- Thanks.
Hey, could I sit with you at dinner tonight?
I promise I will not make you
fish anything else out of the tree.
(soft singing)
- Hi. - Hey.
Long time no see.
- Yeah, how was your break?
- Fine, just helped my dad at the coffee shop, you?
- I went to Michigan,
and I don't know if you heard
but I got back together with Tiffany, officially.
- Oh, no, I hadn't heard.
Congratulations. - [Ryan] Thanks.
- Well, I'll see you around.
- Yeah, I'll see you around.
- [Heather] A good Crown Lake girl follows the Always'
and the Never's.
- Has she stepped out of line yet?
- Not that I've noticed.
- [Heather] Always wear knee socks,
ankle socks are for grandmas.
- They're a tad short, but okay.
- [Heather] Never speak to Merriweather unless spoken to.
- Here comes Merriweather.
- [Tiffany] Looks like everything's copacetic.
- By the way Tiffany, I love the new earrings.
- Oh, aren't they gorgeous?
They were a present from Ryan.
I picked them out, obviously, but he paid for them.
(tense music)
- What's going on?
- So far everything's on track with Lucy
but you better be ready to up your game.
These cards should get you started.
Go with the top one first.
- I don't want to do this.
- It's for her own good.
She has to learn how to survive here.
- [Heather] That's right.
Once you've shown you can play by the rules,
it's time to pay your respects
to the fallen girls of Crown Lake.
- Dessert's on me.
- Sweet, although are you sure this stuff isn't poisoned?
I've never actually seen anybody eat it.
- It's the best food here.
Everybody bans it because they're all lemmings
who share a common brain.
- Hmm, tell me how you really feel.
Oh my god, it's perfection.
- Right?
♪ Don't call for better days ♪ (slow soft music)
- Is this seat free?
- Yeah sure Nellie.
- I hope there isn't too much homework yet.
- Just nerves.
This place isn't exactly what I expected.
- I know, that's how I felt when I came here last semester.
- Only last semester?
How did you get over it so fast?
- I'm not sure I really have yet,
but just try and think of the positives
because it makes the negatives feel less negative.
♪ It's louder than I would have thought it'd come out ♪
♪ So don't cry for better days ♪
(tense music)
- Is that the famous Tiffany St Martin?
- One minute.
Nick?
What are you doing here?
- I thought you'd be a little happier to see me.
Dad enrolled me at Boys.
How long has it been?
One year, two?
- Welcome, or whatever.
(Nick laughs)
- Who was that? - He's cute.
Is he new? - He's nobody.
I mean, I already vetted him.
Loserville Central.
(tense music)
- [Heather] Long ago,
a Crown Lake girl called Charlotte Wellington passed away
and it buried in this very cemetery.
Go tonight, find her grave,
knock three times on Charlotte's grave
and wait until she knocks back.
If you leave before you hear the knocks,
you'll be kicked out of Crown Lake
and CharloQtte's ghost will haunt you.
Forever.
(owls hoot) (crickets chirp)
(musical box chimes)
(knocks on wood)
(wood knocks) (music intensifies)
(shakers tap) (girls giggle)
(wood scratches)
- She's stood there long enough.
- A little longer won't hurt her.
- Why did you guys call me here?
- Get down!
We're doing the old Charlotte Wellington trick
on the new girl.
I remember you almost fainted when you had to do it.
Don't you want to watch the new girl flail?
- Wait, you're in on this?
- Of course she is.
You know the rules.
- How could you be mad at me for being Heather
when you're doing the same thing.
- Chloe, if you're going to be a downer, please go.
- No, she's right.
You guys are on your own for this.
- [Tiffany] I'm gonna remember this.
- What are you doing?
(knocks wood three times)
You're just as bad as Nellie.
- [Heather] Careful N.
My friendship is a gift,
and you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.
I might bite.
(musical box chimes)
(music intensifies)
- You're Heather?
Oh no, no.
(upbeat rock music)
- [Heather] Next time, on Crown Lake.
There's a hierarchy at Crown Lake
but just because you're royalty today
doesn't mean you own the crown.
One misstep and everything you've built
can come tumbling down.
- [Lucy] What are we gonna do?
- [Nellie] We find a way to get rid of her, together.