Living the Art

FADE IN

EXT. DUSK
    Stucco apartment complex overlooking a busy street.  Zoom in on a window in the upper story.

INT. APARTMENT
    Enter the apartment through the window and see a slightly dishevelled sitting room.  The room lit only with light coming in through the window.  Move down a small hallway.  Toward the end of the hallway a door is slightly ajar.  Through the crack in the door an unmade bed can be seen.

FLASH

INT. BEDROOM
    Inside the bedroom a TV has been left on broadcasting static.  The window is open and the curtains are fluttering in a slight breeze.  On the bed is a male figure 30s.  He is asleep on the bed fully clothed.  His left arm is draped over the side of the bed.  Just out of reach is an overturned beer bottle.  A pool of spittle has collected on the pillow near his open mouth.  His breath hissing in and out.  The telephone rings.  The man's eyes pop open.  He rolls over and answers it in a raspy voice.

                                              MAN
Hello?

SLIGHT PAUSE on other end of the line before a woman's voice comes through the receiver.

                                          WOMAN
Ray?

                                              RAY
                  (voice croaking his free hand clenching into a fist)
What?

                                          WOMAN
I left my address book over there last night and I wanna make sure I didn't leave anything else.  I'll be down in half an hour.

RAY holds the DEAD PHONE to his ear until the busy signal snaps him out of his daze. He winces.

RAY gets out of bed and moves to the adjoining BATHROOM.

INT. BATHROOM
    RAY steps into the SHOWER and turns on the water.  The water cascades down his back and shoulders sluicing away the pain the alcohol left behind.

FADE OUT
    (beat)
FADE IN

INT. KITCHEN
    RAY at COUNTER fixing a sandwich.  He is dressed as if he will be going somewhere fancy.
 
CUT TO:
INT. SITTING ROOM
    RAY sits down and switches on TV.  He looks up at the clock on the wall.

POV. CLOCK:  7:27

PULL BACK:  RAY sitting in CHAIR.

                                          V.O.
                                          (RAY)
Any minute now.

OFF CAMERA:  There is a knock on the DOOR.

CUT TO:  FRONT DOOR opens to show WOMAN with a spiteful look on her face.

WOMAN barges through front door and walks past RAY bumping him in the SHOULDER as she passes.

POV. RAY watching as she turns to stand in middle of SITTING ROOM and looks at him.

                                            RAY
                                        (scowling)
Hey! Watch it!!  Next time just wait for me to step aside before you come barging in.

                                          WOMAN
There won't be a next time.  And just why the hell are you all dressed up?

CLOSE ON:  RAY

                                            RAY
What do you care?  I thought I might go out with the guys later.

CLOSE ON: WOMAN

                                          WOMAN
        (laughing)
Ha!  That bunch of losers?

                                            RAY
Look who's talking!

WOMAN slams ADDRESS BOOK on TABLE making RAY jump.
(beat)
CUT TO:  RAY and WOMAN standing and facing each other.

    WOMAN stares at RAY for a moment and then moves toward him in a SLOW SEXY STRUT.  She stops arms length away from him.  Her FACE is void of emotion and stoic.  Suddenly she SLAPS him across the face.
(beat)
Suddenly they both burst into hysterical LAUGHTHER.

WOMAN leans in closer to RAY and a sexy SMILE shows on her face.

                                          RAY
Feel better now?

                                      WOMAN
Much.
.........
    He had to admit, it was a convincing act.  It made him attracted to her all that much more.  He knew that he was going to have to come up with some pretty wicked stuff himself if he was going to keep it interesting.
    Besides, both being actors, they often rehearsed parts and different personalities all the time.  This act, however, was merely reserved for sex.  It was like foreplay.