[In the principal's office] Mrs. Lichtenstein:

Hello, Clareese. Are you pregnant?

[Clareese looks away]

Mrs. Lichtenstein:

You're 16; you're still in Junior High School; and you're pregnant with your second child. Is that correct?

[No reply]

Mrs. Lichtenstein:

Are you pregnant, again?

[Mrs. Lichtenstein huffs, exacerbated]

Mrs. Lichtenstein:

What happened Clareese?

Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

I had sex, Mrs. Lichtenstein.

Mrs. Lichtenstein:

Do you have any other thoughts about your situation, Clareese?

[Clareese shrugs]

Mrs. Lichtenstein:

Clareese?

Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

Am I in trouble?

[No reply]

Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

Thank you, but I have to get back to math.

[She gathers her things to leave]

Mrs. Lichtenstein:

Sit down, Clareese. Sit down right now!

[Clareese sits back down]

Mrs. Lichtenstein:

We should have a parent-teacher conference with you, me and your mother.

Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

My mother's busy.

Mrs. Lichtenstein:

Alright. How about if I come to your house?

Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

If I were you, I wouldn't.

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Tootsie:

You got a nasty-ass mouth.

[laughs] Joann:

You got a nasty-ass hat.

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Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

Some folks has a lot of things around them that shines for other peoples. I think that maybe some of them was in tunnels. And in that tunnel, the only light they had, was inside of them. And then long after they escape that tunnel, they sitll be shining for everybody else.

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[Taking an assessment test] Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

There's always something wrong with these tests. These tests paint a picture of me with no brain. These tests paint a picture of me and my mother, my whole family as less than dumb. Just ugly black grease, need to be wiped away, find a job for.

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Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

Sometimes I wish I was dead. I'll be okay, I guess, 'cause I'm lookin' up. Lookin' for something to fall,

[chuckles to herself]

Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

a desk, a couch, tv... my mom, maybe.

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Mary:

He looks just like his father.

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Joann:

Hi, I'm Joann, my favorite color is fluorescent beige. I'm already in the music business, shoot, I'm just here to get my GED!

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[of Ms. Rain and her friend] Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

They talk like TV channels I don't watch... I'm glad Abdul here to listen in, though, 'cause I know they're smart.

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[to Precious] Mary:

Oh, so you're going to stand up there and look down at me like you're a woman? You don't know what real women do! Real women sacrifice!

[Throws glass at Precious, which shatters at her feet]

Mary:

Now, laugh at that, fat bitch.

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[Crying hysterically] Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

Nobody loves me!

Ms. Rain:

People do love you, Precious.

Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

Please don't lie to me, Ms. Rain! Love ain't done nothing for me... but beat me... rape me... call me an animal! Make me feel worthless! Make me sick!

[Tears begin falling from her eyes] Ms. Rain:

That wasn't love, Precious. Your baby loves you. *I* love you!

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Mrs. Weiss:

Let's talk about the abuse in your household. You know what I'm talking about.

[Tearfully] Mary:

You sit there and you judge me, and you write them notes on your notepad, because you think you know who I am!

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Mrs. Weiss:

You know, let's talk about your father. Tell me about your relationship with him.

Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

I don't know much more than you do, Mrs. White.

Mrs. Weiss:

That's Mrs. "Weiss." Talk to me about the little you do know about your father. It is important, whether you know it or not.

Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

He give me his baby and my one before it, but I don't never see him...

Mrs. Weiss:

Wait, what did you say he gave you?

Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

Nothing.

Mrs. Weiss:

Wait, Clareece, you just said your father gave you something...

Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

Nothing.

Mrs. Weiss:

No, I HEARD you just say...

Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

You didn't hear shit.

Mrs. Weiss:

I heard you just say your father...

Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

You didn't hear shit like it!

Mrs. Weiss:

I don't care, honey! I need to know this!

[Overlapping with Mrs. Weiss' voice] Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

I didn't say nothing like it! Let's move ON!

Mrs. Weiss:

I need this to HELP you...

[Angrily] Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

Bitch, can we change the subject?

[tossing her file aside] Mrs. Weiss:

Okay. Well, I'll see you next time then. Or maybe you'll see someone else. But you're going to have to talk to someone if you want your check, sweetie.

[Long pause, whilst Clareece considers this]

Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

I see vampires too...

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[Angrily] Mrs. Weiss:

You just sat there, shut up, and let him abuse your daughter.

[Hysterically in tears] Mary:

I did not want him to abuse my daughter! I did not want him to hurt her! I didn't want him to do nothing to her!

[Overlapping with Mary's voice] Mrs. Weiss:

But you ALLOWED him to hurt her! You did!

Mary:

But, those... those things she told you I did to her? Who... who... who else was going to love me? WHO else was going to touch me? WHO else was going to make me feel good about myself?

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Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

You don't even like me.

Mrs. Weiss:

Have we not been in this room together for like, a year discussing your life?

Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

Does that mean we like each other because we discussing my life?

[Smiling] Mrs. Weiss:

Well, I can't speak for you. I can only speak for me, and I like you. I do.

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[first lines]

[voiceover] Clareece 'Precious' Jones:

My name is Clareece "Precious" Jones. I wish I had a light-skinned boyfriend with real nice hair. And I wanna be on the cover of a magazine. But first I wanna be in one of them BET videos. Momma said I can't dance. Plus, she said who wants to see my big ass dancing, anyhow?

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