Falling Down Perfect (Tentative Title)

Falling Down Perfect
(Tentative Title)

1.          The Ordinary World
The scene opens with a Filipino family sitting at a dinner table in the living room. There are multi-colored balloons and a Happy Fifteenth Birthday banner hung above the table. Missing from the table is the birthday girl, Rubina. The man at the table asks the stout middle aged lady sitting on his left, “Saan Ruby?” The lady replies, “Sa john.” The doorbell rings and the lady stands up from the table and opens the door. The guest is a medium height, teenage Caucasian boy holding flowers in his left hand and a gift on his right. The boy introduces himself as Derek and asks where Ruby is. The lady scowls and says in a Filipino accent, “She’s upstairs washing her hands. She won’t get out.”  The boy looks down nervously and then asks if he’s able to come in. The lady nods and continues to glare at him.
The scene cuts to the lady upstairs pounding on the bathroom door. Water is heard running. She yells for Ruby to get out because she has a guest and it’s rude to keep a guest waiting. Ruby, from inside the bathroom, yells for her to be patient and that she’ll be out soon. Scene then cuts to Ruby in the bathroom washing her face, looking in the mirror, and telling herself that everything is going to be okay. She opens the door to her displeased mother , and walks downstairs.
The shot then switches back to the dinner table. Rubina, Derek, and her family are holding hands. The mother says grace, then asks if anyone wants to add something. No one answers. Then then the mother tells everyone to eat.
During dinner, the mother asks Derek what college he is going to go to after high school. Derek looks at her and says that he plants to go straight to work. The mother raises her eyebrows, then tells him that it’s not a wise idea to do that. Ruby tells her mom to “Back off.” Derek tells Ruby that it’s fine. Then he looks at her mom and tells her that his parents do not approve either, but he is doing what he wants. The father speaks up and says  that Ruby is choosing the wise the decision to go to school, and become a nurse. Ruby glares at her dad, and tells him that she does not want to be a nurse, she wants to be a dancer. Her dad rolls his eyes and says that she is going to be poor and on welfare. Derek defends Ruby by telling her dad that there are dancers who are successful and financially stable. Ruby’s father tells him that he did not ask for his opinion. Derek talks back and says that Ruby should be able to do what she wants even it may not please him. Ruby pulls on Derek’s arm and tells him to calm down and not argue with his father. Derek tells her that it isn’t fair that her father is telling her what to do. She tells him that her father acts up, and that it’s normal. Ruby’s father yells at her and tells her she chose a boyfriend that is bad for her and that he should leave. Derek and her father argue about Ruby’s welfare, while she goes up stairs to the bathroom. In the bathroom she rocks back and forth and scratches her arms.

2. The Call To Adventure
         Rubina is in the locker room at school and is retrieving her books. She closes her locker and sees Derek standing. He tells her that he’s sorry for what happened and that it will never happen again. She tells him that it’s okay, she should stand up for herself. There is silence between them for around a second. He asks her what class she has next and she says math. He offers to walk with her, she says says no and that she needs to clear her mind. They hug each other and kiss. They both part.
         The scene cuts to Rubina walking to math class. She passes the school bulletin board. She glances at it and sees a flier for a dance competition. She walks closer to the flier, takes it off from the bulletin board, and reads it. Then she continues walking to class.
         In math class while the teacher is speaking, Rubina looks at the flier again. The teacher notices Rubina not paying attention and calls her to say the answer to the problem she said. Rubina looks up bewildered and says slowly that she was not paying attention. The teacher looks at her sternly and tells her that she will have to stay after school for fifteen minutes as punishment for not listening. She looks at the teacher and says okay and puts the flier back in her bag.
         The scene cuts to Derek waiting for Rubina after school. She comes out from class with a tired look on her face. Derek asks how she is, and Rubina says annoyed. They start walking to the parking lot and she tells him that she wants to enter a dance competition. He encourages her to apply for it, but she tells him that she is hesitating because of her AP classes and her parents. Derek tells her not to care so much about what her parents think. Rubina says that she wants her parents to care and support her with what she does. He says that it’s not possible with the way they are treating her, and she defends them by saying that’s how they are.

3.          Meeting with the Mentor/Refusal of the Call
The scene opens to Rubina in ballet class. She and her classmates are standing in first position and listening. The teacher is telling them about a local dance competition that is coming up in a few months. She tells the students they should try out for it because the grand prize would be a scholarship to the acclaimed summer workshop in their area. The students react by telling each other what they would do for their entry. Rubina is the only person in the room still standing in first position. The teacher notices that the class is noisy and yells at them to be quiet. All the students, expect for Rubina, stop talking and go back to first position. Then the teacher signals to the pianist to start the music for the ending of class. The teacher and the students curtsy to each other, and after that is done, they clap. All the students run back to class. The teacher stops Rubina and suggests that she should try out for the competition. She tells the teacher that she saw the competition flier at school, and then tells there are many things that are going on in her life right now that she is unable to enter. The teacher tells her that she has beautiful technique and musicality, but lacks confidence and that perhaps the competition would help her. Rubina says no again, and the teacher tells her to think about it, then hands her the flier. 

4.          Acceptance of the Call
The scene opens to Rubina at the kitchen table eating cereal. She is looking at the crumpled dance competition flier and tapping her fingers. Her mother comes by and asks her what she’s looking at. Rubina, still looking at the paper, tells her that she’s looking at something for school. Her mom asks her if she could see the flier, but before Rubina can say no, her mom takes the flier away and looks at it. Rubina’s mom looks at her and shakes her head. She puts the flier back on the table and tells her that she needs to focus on school, and just view dance as a hobby. Rubina closes her fists and grits her teeth. She replies, “Yes, mother.” Her mother then tells her that she should hurry up and finish her breakfast because she is going to be late, then she leaves the kitchen. Rubina stomps her foot. She stands up and gets a pen from the counter and fills out the form to the dance competition.

5.          Tests, Allies, and Enemies
The scene opens to Rubina in dance class. She is stretching at the barre and doing plies. Another ballet student, named Sibhon, comes towards her. She asks her, “I heard you’re trying out for the competition.” Rubina looks at her while stretching and replies, “Aren’t many people trying out?” Sibhon says, “Yes, many people are, but I heard Miss Lauders specifically asked you.” Rubina says, “So?” Sibhon replies, “You’re going to lose. Bye, sweetie.” She walks way. Rubina frowns, “Will I?,” she says quietly and continues stretching. Another student, named Mila, is stretching next to her. She taps Rubina on the shoulder. Rubina looks at her and says, “Yes?” She tells her, “Don’t listen her, you’re a great dancer.” Rubina smiles and says, “Thank you.”
The scene cuts to the dancers at the corner of the studio and observing the teacher demonstrate a dance combination. She asks the students if there are any questions, the students say no. The first person up to dance is Sibhon, she dances the combination. Then the next is Rubina, then Mila. The scene shows dancers taking turns doing the combination.
The next scene cuts to the teacher telling the class that they did the combination wonderfully, but the student who did it the best is Sibhon. Sibhon smiles at the teacher, then turns around, sees Rubina, and smirks at her. Mila, who is standing next to Rubina, rolls her eyes. The teacher asks Sibhon to demonstrate for the class. She does and students clap for her. Then the teacher asks for the students to do the combination again.

6.          Approach to the Innermost Cave/The Ordeal
          The scene cuts opens to Rubina arriving at her house. She opens the door and finds that the room is dark. She sees a figure sitting at the dining room table. She opens the light and sees that it’s her father. “Hi dad,” she says. Her dad asks where she’s been. Rubina says she’s been at the friend’s Gina studying at her house. Her dad says, “I called Gina, she says you weren’t there. Why are you lying to me?” Rubina gulps, and says, “I was at the dance studio extra late today; I’ve been practicing for an important competition.” Her dad tells her that she’s been neglecting her studies; he’s received her quarter report card. He tells her that she has a C in math. She tells her dad that she has been very busy, and that she will bring up her grades by the time the final report card comes. Her dad tells her that he doesn’t believe her, and he hits the table. Rubina steps back. She starts to run towards the door, and her dad goes after her. Her dad catches her by her hair and pulls her down. He slaps her and tells her to drop out from the dance competition, then he walks back towards the stairs to his room. Rubina stands and up and yells, “NO!”