Seasons Out of Time (1)

Title of Film:
[Currently Untitled]

Author:
Joe Harris

Author's Advisors:
Ryan Jaber & Alex Warta

======================== ACT I =============================
[COMPLETELY DARK SCREEN]

KYLE:
It's true what they say, you know. You can never hold onto that which is most important to you. It always seems to pass away, or slip out of your grasp just when you think it is yours, and you will never lose it.

It's also true that you never fully understand just how much you need something until it is taken away from you. Note it wasn't said that one doesn't know what they have until it is gone. That's too cliché, even for this purpose. It is obvious what you have, which is why the statement made previously holds true. You never realize how much something means to you, or how much you need it until it is taken from you.

The only real truth of this world is that none of us are truly given a fair chance to find happiness and hold onto it. Some have found, but lost. Some have held onto a feeling, only to later realize it is, in fact, not happiness. Everything is merely a game of chance. If you are lucky, you will happen upon this mysterious "happiness," but if you are an average Joe like the rest of us, that opportunity might never arise.

[LIGHT ON KYLE'S FACE]

For 18 years now I have lived on this planet, and in those eighteen years I have seen a lot of things. Some would say, 'Oh, Kyle, you are too young. You've seen nothing of what the real world is like.' I assure you that I know more about the way things are than your average grandparent, war veteran, or even the typical sociologist. They underestimate, no, don't underestimate. Underestimate implies they know a good deal about my past. They misjudge me, simply because I appear to be an average teenage punk.

[FADE TO BLACK SCREEN]

STACY:
It's true what they say you know. It's too easy to get caught up in the moment and make rash decisions that you will regret the next day. It feels so right at the time, but soon you realize that you have no idea what exactly you have gotten yourself into.

It's not true, however, what they say about me. They say I'm running from the situation. They say I'm avoiding conflict. I call it waiting for a proper time. There has to be a time for everything, and some things require a different atmosphere than what is typically presented when we are together.

Happiness is misunderstood among people like Kyle. He seems to think that he needs me to be happy. I think he's crazy. Actually, the truth is....it scares me. It scares me that any one person could feel that strongly, and center everything they feel around one person, especially when that one person is me.

[LIGHT ON STACY'S FACE]

I don't know what to do. I really do care about him, but I can't live with myself if I allow myself to stay in this uncomfortable environment. I don't want to have to choose. I know what he'd say. He'd say, 'Stacy, don't worry about me, put yourself first,' but I know more than that. I can see through that one.

He just doesn't want me to be uncomfortable, and that's what bugs me. He cares about me. I can't just shrug him off. I can't just toss him out on the street. But at the same time, I can't keep him here. I don't know what to do. I never really know what to do. Hell, most of the time, I don't even know what I'm thinking.

[FADE TO COMPLETELY BLACK AGAIN]

JOANNA:
George, does it seem odd to you that we never see Kyle anymore? He used to visit us frequently, but anymore, it's rare that he comes by at all, and when he does, he isn't the Kyle we got to know over the last half a year or so. He seems upset about things every time I see him. Maybe that is just my perception. Maybe it's just a misinterpretation.

I'm glad that he's a nice young man, either way. It makes it easier for me to be happy that she finally has someone that can make her happy, without making us nervous. George, do you remember when we were that young?

GEORGE:
I remember. It wasn't too long ago that we first held each other under the soft glow of the moonlight. It wasn't long ago at all that I first kissed you.

[SPOTLIGHT ON JOANNA AND GEORGE]

JOANNA:
I remember that. I remember the way it felt to have someone in my life that I knew cared about me and everything I did. I wouldn't go as far to say that it wasn't long ago that we first came together. It was 24 years ago, George.

GEORGE:
Ah, but my dear Joanna, love and memory know nothing of time. It is but a trivial matter when such things are concerned.

[FADE TO BLACK SCREEN]
[CUE MUSIC]
[TITLE SEQUENCE RUNS]
[TITLE SEQUENCE ENDS, AND THE MUSIC FADES]
[COMPLETELY BLACK SCREEN]

KYLE:
It wasn't too long ago, the day we first started dating. I asked her out on a whim, and with the expectation that she would never go for it.

To my surprise, after I told her some things that I had been thinking, she accepted. I remember that day rather well, actually.

STACY:
What was I thinking? Why did I put myself in a situation that I knew I wasn't going to be able to handle. I haven't had the best luck with relationships in my time, and I knew in my heart that I wasn't going to be able to let myself be happy for long with him. What made me think he would be different? What made me think that he could erase the pains of my past failures?

[ALL LIGHTS ON]
[SPLIT SCREEN; KYLE AND STACY STAND ON OPPOSITE SIDES, FACING THE SCREEN. EACH HAS THEIR OWN ROOM]

KYLE:
She and I had a few things in common. Neither of us had held a relationship that was happy and lasting. I had been told before that she had issues.

STACY:
I was screwed up. I had developed this fear. Maybe it was a defense mechanism, but either way, it is still here, and I wish I could get rid of it. Although, in a way, I'm glad it is here. It keeps me from getting too attached to anyone or anything, because the only reality in this life is that anything you become too attached to will be taken from you eventually.

KYLE:
She has so many reasons to not want to be with me, and yet she has so few. She has many reasons, but are they valid? To her, yes, and who am I to argue with that? I don't want them to be valid reasons in her mind, but they are, and who do I think I am to even try to change the way she sees these things?

STACY:
It has to be possible to care too much, doesn't it? There has to be a point where care becomes obsession, right? Am I right? Am I?

KYLE:
Maybe I really am the one who has the problem. Maybe she's perfectly ok, and I am just fucked up. Perhaps I am just dependent. Maybe there is something ingrained in my mind that tells me that if she is not there, I cannot be happy. Maybe, but I doubt it. I really doubt whether my caring is the problem here. If anything, I would think not caring would cause a bigger problem. Things could be altered to reflect that, but I don't think she would like that any better. In fact...

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Jesus....

[STACY BEGINS READING A BOOK OR SOMETHING AS HER SIDE DISAPPEARS]
[ONLY KYLE'S HALF IS ON SCREEN]
[VOICE COMES FROM OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR]

EMILY:
What are you doing in there, Kyle? Why can't you sit in your room and leave the door open?

KYLE:
Because, mother...I am in here doing illegal drugs, looking at porn, and having wild meaningless sex with every girl I've ever known.

EMILY:
God dammit, Kyle, is it possible for you to NOT be sarcastic and rude all of the time?

KYLE:
I doubt it...

EMILY:
And you wonder why we don't let you do the things you want to do...

KYLE:
No, I don't wonder.

[LOOKS AWAY FROM DOOR]

I don't wonder, I know why. They don't let me do anything that I want to do because they don't give a fuck what I want to do. They pretend to, but I can see through their bullshit. If there is one skill I have acquired over the years, it is definitely the ability to read people fairly well. I mean, sure, I'm not perfect. I miss a few every now and again, but overall I can tell.

My father doesn't care about what I want to do, because he doesn't think I am responsible enough to have any privileges. My mother just thinks I'm stupid, and treats me like it. For example, the other night, I was gonna go out and get a bite to eat with a buddy of mine, and she says 'You know right from wrong, right?' Right? Like I am really that stupid, and I just have no clue what is acceptable in this world.

Speaking of something to eat, I am supposed to be going out with Paul tonight, since we had to cancel our plans this morning, so we can hang out, talk, and eat some yummy food stuffs. I wonder where he is...

[TRANSITION TO STACY SITTING ON HER BED, READING A BOOK.]

STACY:
Maybe I am being irrational. Maybe I am thinking too much into things, and not giving life a fair chance. I doubt it. I think I'm just in a situation that I am not ready to be in yet. Maybe I'm just afraid of giving it time. Maybe I'm afraid that it could be something good, if I would just give him the chance. Maybe...but maybe not... Maybe he just needs to...

[KNOCK AT DOOR]

Dammit, why is she here already?

[STACY TURNS TO DOOR]

Hold on!

[STACY OPENS DOOR. HER MOTHER STANDS OUTSIDE, WITH “SADNESS IN HER EYES.”]

JOANNA:
I just wanted to drop these things off, and see if maybe you would stop and get a bite to eat with me. I thought maybe we could go out to that place that's just down the road a bit. I really think we need to talk.

STACY:
I'm not especially hungry, but, I guess we can go out for a bit.

JOANNA:
Ok, I'll be waiting out in the car.

[JOANNA WALKS OUT OF DOOR]
[STACY CLOSES DOOR]

STACY:
It'll give me an excuse to stop thinking about this stuff. It's driving me crazy. I just can't describe what I'm feeling. It's confusing, even though I was fairly certain that I had my mind made up at the time. Maybe my mother will be able to...wait, what am I saying? Was I about to tell myself that my mother could be able to give me advice on the matter? What the fuck am I on today? Whatever it is, I don't like it.

[STACY SIGHS]

Lunch with mother...here we go... an hour and a half of listening to her tell me how happy she is that Kyle and I are together, and how much she thinks that he is a great guy. It never fails. We could be talking about the terrible sewage problem England faced during the time of the plague, and she'd probably make some comment about how much she likes him.
Sewage ... Kyle ...

[STOPS TO THINK]

Maybe ...

[SPLIT SCREEN; BOTH KYLE AND STACY SIT FOR A MOMENT AND COLLECT THEIR THOUGHTS, AND THEN GET UP AND WALK OUT OF THE DOOR AT THE SAME TIME]
[(SINGLE SHOT) SHOW KYLE LEAVING HIS HOUSE, AND GETTING INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF A VEHICLE THAT IS IN THE STREET (IT IS DARK OUTSIDE) [PERHAPS WE WILL NEED A TIME REFERENCE HERE TO DISTINGUISH THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO SCENES (KYLE & STACY)...IF SO...NOVEMBER 20, 8:53 P.M.]]
[(SINGLE SHOT) SHOW STACY GETTING INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF A VEHICLE THAT IS IN THE STREET IN FRONT OF HER LIVING PLACE (IT IS LIGHT OUTSIDE) [PERHAPS WE WILL NEED A TIME REFERENCE HERE TO DISTINGUISH THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO SCENES (KYLE & STACY)...IF SO...NOVEMBER 22, 12:05 P.M.]]
[CUT TO INSIDE OF PAUL'S CAR]

PAUL:
So where should we go?

KYLE:
I dunno, it doesn't really matter. I just need to go somewhere that I can sit and just enjoy a good meal. If you don't mind that is. I really just need to talk about some stuff that is on my mind.

PAUL:
Understandable. I need to stop at an ATM first though.

KYLE:
That's cool.

PAUL:
Let's get going.

[PAUL PUTS CAR INTO GEAR AND BEGINS TO DRIVE]
[FADE TO BLACK]
[FADE INTO STACY IN HER MOTHER'S CAR]

JOANNA:
So how are you?

STACY:
The same as I usually am.

JOANNA:
And Kyle?

STACY:
Dunno, I haven't talked to him in like 2 or 3 days.

JOANNA:
[SIGHS]
Hardly surprising. I don't think anyone has.

STACY:
I doubt that. He likes to talk like he doesn't have friends, but it's usually just to get someone else to feel bad for him. He has a lot of friends, he just chooses not to hang out with some of them. He tends to concentrate on a few, and then gets hurt if they let him down or something.

JOANNA:
That doesn't sound like Kyle. He seems like the kind of guy that would limit the number of actual friends he held close. I think he had fewer actual friends than you give him credit for.

STACY:
Great, take his side on this issue too. Don't you have any concern for me?

JOANNA:
Why do you think I'm taking you to lunch?

STACY:
Oh boy, lunch. Just the way I would say, "I care about the way you feel about things. I really care about your mental state."

JOANNA:
You underestimate me, Stacy, you really underestimate me.

[JOANNA STARTS CAR AND STARTS TO DRIVE OFF]
[FADE TO BLACK]
[CUT TO SCENE OF PAUL AND KYLE PULLING INTO A RESTAURANT'S PARKING LOT, AND PARKING]
[THEY GET OUT AND WALK IN. AS THEY WALK IN, ANOTHER CAR PULLS UP RIGHT NEXT TO PAUL'S CAR]
[CUT TO INSIDE OF RESTAURANT]

WAITER:
Hi. Two?

KYLE:
Yes, please. Non-smoking if at all possible.

WAITER:
No problem, follow me.

[WHILE FOLLOWING WAITER]

PAUL:
Dude, you have to come with us tomorrow night out to see that new movie about the man who gets framed for murder by his friends. I hear there's a really awesome fight scene, where, after he breaks out of jail, he gets so pissed that he just fuckin' blows up, and beats the shit out of his "friends" with a pole.

KYLE:
You know, I would go see it, but I think it's a little too unrealistic, and from the previews, it looks like they ripped a lot of the effects off of other movies. Most of the scenes I saw in the trailer that were effect shots were way too obvious, and it seemed really stupid that they would have to resort to overdone effects to cover a seemingly moronic story line.

PAUL:
Opinion taken into consideration, it still looks awesome.

KYLE:
As I expected you would say. I however think I am going to sit at home and be utterly confused about my situation.

PAUL:
Stacy?

KYLE:
Yeah, isn't it always? Something to do with her. I really do...

[WAITER INTERRUPTS THEM]

WAITER:
Here are your seats, I'll be back in a moment to take your drink orders.

KYLE:
Thanks.

[WAITER LEAVES]
[KYLE TURNS TO PAUL AND CONTINUES WHERE HE LEFT OFF]

So yeah, I really do care about her a lot, and I wish I knew what she was thinking. But the base of this problem I think lies within myself, and I think I have a lot of things that I need to work on to make the situation better for myself. I just wish I were given some sort of feedback on things. I trust that she is giving me a chance, but I can never know for sure. I only wish she knew how much she actually means to me. I wish she understood, and even remotely acted like she cared. It wouldn't be bad if the people that call themselves my friends would actually do something to justify the use of that term.

PAUL:
Yeah, definitely, I know what you mean. I guess that's part of the reason I'm so anti-social. I just can't trust people. That summer a few years ago left me feeling empty in every way possible.

KYLE:
Yeah, that was a really shitty summer. I lost 4 people that were close to me that summer. And to think that we were so close one moment, and then the next, they were just gone. Like they were never even a part of my life. It makes me sad to think about it, even now. It seems like our lives have been all about loss, and neither of us have really had a taste of what true success really is like. We've had temporary encounters with this mysterious "happiness" that eludes us so well. Unfortunately, it doesn't last forever. Nothing lasts forever. At least not in our lives. There is one thing that people don't understand about me, and it's fairly important in my never-ending pursuit of this happiness. I am a...

[WAITER RETURNS AND INTERRUPTS KYLE]

WAITER:
Hello, how are you gentlemen doing this evening? My name is Spencer and I shall be your waiter for the evening. Can I start you off with some drinks?

KYLE:
We are doing fine, hello Spencer, and yes.

PAUL:
Good to see you haven't lost your touch of responding to EVERYTHING that is said to you.

KYLE:
Indeed.

[TO WAITER]
I'll have a hot chocolate.

[TO PAUL]
I hear their hot chocolate is really great.

PAUL:
I'll have one as well.

[TO KYLE]
We'll see about that, won't we?

[WAITER LEAVES]
So you were saying?

KYLE:
Yeah. I am a pretty good guy, I like to think. I think we are both good guys, when you look at all the shit that the typical guy does. I mean, think about it. To be a guy, typically, and stereotypically, means that I am the strong one. I am the fearless one. To be a guy means that I don't always think of how what I do could affect other people. A typical guy doesn't give a rat's ass about sensitivity. To be sensitive is to be stereotypically gay. I despise this thought. I hate the correlation between high sensitivity and low manliness. I despise conformity. I hate being called a man at times because of the image that goes with it. I hate people that think they are pimps. I hate people that treat everybody like shit. I hate guys that don't treat their "significant other" with the respect they truly deserve. I hate when a "man" abuses his power. I hate men that can't be faithful. I hate men that feel they have to be macho all the time. I hate men that talk like they are gods. I hate it when men can't act their age. I hate dead things. I hate water and fish. I despise guns. I can use power tools, but it is not my life. I couldn't cut down a tree to save my life. I would rather die than be forced to flex my muscles. Men don't have to show off like they do, but they do it because it is what is expected of them. Take basketball back in high school for example. While watching a girl's game, I would rarely see any dunking. I don't see a lot of dirty behavior. I see a good clean game of basketball, despite all the fouls, but that's just part of the game. I watch a guy's game, and I see hostility. I see a mentality of "I must prove to this guy that I am a bigger man than he is." I see this sense of competition, which, although I must say makes the game slightly more entertaining, just drives the point in further that males are expected to live up to this image that reflects them in a cocky negative way. I see guys showing off. Guys feel the need to embarrass the guy they are up against. If this means they must drive through them, and dunk on them, by god, they will do it. I hate this aspect of being a man. I am not one who likes to show off. I like being a man, but I can tell you that if being a man involves doing the things that I hate, I'd rather be dead. That is definitely one thing about me that a lot of people really don't know. I was made fun of all the time during junior high and high school because a lot of people thought I was gay. There's no problem with that, but that just shows how much about me people really don't know. I dunno, it's all in the past I guess, but it bothers me that I can't be seen as anything other than a stereotypical guy when it comes to relationships and such.

PAUL:
I know exactly what you are saying. It's a fucking shame that girls can't see us for who we really are.

KYLE:
There are some who do, but they are definitely few and far between, and even then, a lot of them can get easily scared off by one thing that you might do that could hint to them that you are even slightly the same as a "typical guy." Even if you didn't do anything, sometimes they get scared away because there is a chance you might.

PAUL:
Stacy did that to you didn't she?

KYLE:
You know, a few months of my life have passed since I made the first step out onto that long ancient tree branch. With each step I could feel the branch's age taking its toll and there would be creaks and cracks. I finally reached the edge and by this point the branch simply couldn't support me any longer. It snapped, sending me tumbling to the ground. I closed my eyes, waiting for impact, but it never happened. Why? She had caught me. She saved me. I thought we were set. I thought we were good, but something happened that I can't even begin to understand.

[WAITER BRINGS THEM THEIR DRINKS]

WAITER:
Enjoy. I'll be back in a moment to take your meal orders, unless you are ready now.

PAUL:
You ready, Kyle?

KYLE:
Yea.

[BEGIN TO ORDER, AND SHOT TRANSITIONS TO STACY AND JOANNA SITTING AT A TABLE]

JOANNA:
So how are your classes going?

STACY:
[VERY UNRESPONSIVE]
Good enough.

JOANNA:
What is that supposed to mean? Are you doing well? Are you having troubles?

STACY:
Yea...

JOANNA:
Yeah what? Yes, you are doing well? Yes, you are having troubles?

STACY:
[FRUSTRATED]
I'm doing just fine, Mom!

JOANNA:
Ok, that's all I was asking for. Just a little bit of knowledge about how your life is going.

STACY:
What do you care anyway?

JOANNA:
Stacy, I am your mother, that's why I care.

STACY:
That's why I didn't ask why you care...

[TRANSITION BACK TO PAUL AND KYLE]

KYLE:
I might as well just admit it. I know I'm boring. I know that I am not the most intelligent person. I know I'm not the cleverest, the funniest, the most fun to be around, the best looking, the nicest, or even the most tolerable person to be around. Why is this? I can go into a long complicated story about why the things that have happened to me in the past, some of which you already know, and even some that happened just two days ago, have affected the way I do things now. The reason I usually don't go into it is because I don't trust people, like we discussed earlier. If any of the people that are close enough to me to actually care want to know what I have gone through, I always tell them that they are free to ask. Giving other people a clear shot at me isn't exactly the smartest thing I can do. There are too many people that hate me for some reason or another, and I will not help them hurt me, or give them my life story to have thrown back at me. I will say, however, the people that do care, and do take the time to ask, are the ones I know will always be there. Unfortunately, I cannot say that about all of the friends I have at this moment. Too many of my "friends" have turned their backs on me. Too many have spoken with me when it was convenient for them, or when it benefited them. The few who actually stand by me no matter what are the people who truly matter, and you are one of the few.

PAUL:
As are you, Kyle, it seems like no matter what, you were there for me when I needed you. I tried to be there for you, but I don't know how good of a job I did.

KYLE:
You are the one friend from those days that has stayed with me. You has put up with my shit, and I have put up with yours. I mean really though, what are friends for? Those long summer days we spent hanging out down at the park when no one else was around. Those cold summer nights we grieved the loss of our friends. The hot, tiring days of building that hut. The one night we spent at the fountain just writing songs, because everyone else had deserted us. So much has happened since the day we met. So much that has changed our lives forever. I know you still remember the days of Noah, and of climbing the trees. Man, do we go back a long way, or what?. We used to hang out in my neighborhood every day. Back when it was more than just the two of us. We had Colin, Tremaine, Michelle, the list goes on. Due to the cruel circumstances life presented us, three of these people were ripped from you, and four from me. I remember you tried to warn me on several occasions about the situation with my ex. That is not all I could bring up about our past, but anything more would be revealing too many sad times, putting both of us in danger of it coming back to us. Thanks for everything you have done, knowingly or not.

PAUL:
No need to thank me Kyle. It's not like you are never going to see me again.

KYLE:
I know, Paul, but what I'm saying is that I am the kind of guy that makes a friend, and then will stand by them through everything, blizzards and hell fires. Nothing will make me give up on a friend that I am so close to, because I know that friends like those are the ones that will do the same for you. I just like to take the opportunities I am granted with to express to them how much it means to me. On a related note, that being one of friendships, and how you have memories, and take the time to examine them, I remember the first time I was actually given the opportunity to sit and have a deep conversation with Stacy. It was back when I was still dating Stephanie, and we were having a party of sorts at her house. Those were the days. We talked about things, at first mostly about how much having a headache sucks. After a while, I finally brought myself to ask her something I had wanted to ask for a while. I had to know whether or not I was annoying. I sometimes feel that I am to people because I never seem to go away. Luckily she said I'm not, so at least I knew she wasn't being annoyed by me continuing to talk to her. I asked her another question, but I never received an answer. I asked if she was ever uncomfortable around me, especially in situations like this. That is another thing that I often think about when I'm spending time with anyone, anywhere. I hate not knowing what people think of me. I hate making people uncomfortable, and yet, I hate being alone. I wish I just knew what people were thinking. Unfortunately, the way a lot of people are doesn't allow for this. Personally, I think that most people are uncomfortable around me, but don't want to say anything. I mean, I asked her this, hoping that, no matter what the response was, it would be truthful, and not some lie to make me feel ok about myself. She didn't answer however, but she did reply. She said something completely random about the dentist. Caught me completely by surprise. I was expecting an answer. I even said something about how I actually thought she was going to answer. After that we talked about how I thought maybe I was annoying and made people uncomfortable because I'm not a typical guy. I talked about how I despise conformity. I hate being called a man at times because of the image that goes with it. We discussed that earlier, and that's what reminded me of this conversation I had with her. That was the first time I ever really felt like I bonded with her. It wasn't going to happen again until after we started dating, but I was thankful for that, because I think it helped to set the stage for things to come. I guess ultimately, it helped to set me up for this hurt, but dammit, it was worth it. I would do it all again even knowing that I would end up hurting this much because of it.

PAUL:
One day Kyle, one day we will both find happiness. One day we will be able to take a breath and say 'THERE it is! Happiness does exist!' One day, Kyle. One day we will wake up and say 'Today is worth living for. Today is going to be the greatest day.' Someone woke up with that feeling this morning. Someone somewhere said 'I'm going to better my life, and the lives of others today,' and they got up feeling that their life had a sense of purpose. Happiness is floating around here somewhere, and it's bound to head come on over our way soon enough. Somewhere, you will find happiness somewhere.

KYLE:
Maybe tomorrow. Maybe not. I do not foresee happiness coming to me anytime soon. Seek your unicorn as you may, but I prefer not to waste my time looking for my own downfall. I refuse to let my search for happiness and comfort lead to my own demise. I refuse to allow myself to become vulnerable. When you are vulnerable, you are weak. When you are weak, you are out of control. Out of control of yourself, your emotions, your thoughts, and your actions. You have no control over your own life when you are weak. By opening myself up to more people, I risk being taken advantage of. People are vicious. As a rule, never open yourself up to anyone you do not have complete trust in. They are liable to take you out right there. They will take advantage of every weakness you have, and use it against you when you need them most. Never open yourself up to the wrong person. You will never recover.

[WAITER RETURNS]

WAITER:
Is everything ok this evening?

PAUL:
Yeah, it all tastes really good.

KYLE:
Uh, could I get some ketchup, by chance?

WAITER:
Sure thing. I'll be right back with that.

[WAITER LEAVES]

KYLE:
You will never recover from a friend who wasn't there. You will never forgive yourself for letting a person get that close to you, to get that far into your head, and then for that person to turn on you, and desert you, or worse, betray you, when you need them to actually be there.

[WAITER RETURNS WITH KETCHUP]

[TO WAITER]
Thanks.

[TRANSITION TO STACY AND JOANNA]

JOANNA:
So are you going to talk to me at all, or just sit there and be pissy because apparently my topics of conversation aren't what you want to hear?

STACY:
The latter. You always talk about things I don't care about. I don't know how Kyle is. I don't know how he's doing. Frankly, right now, I don't care.

JOANNA:
You don't care? Then I guess you don't want to talk about him?

STACY:
You would be correct. I don't even know where we stand.

JOANNA:
I know where you stand, and I'm not even in the relationship.

STACY:
Let me guess... We are a happy, perfect little couple that's so cute and will wind up married with 2.7 children, right? Right mom? Is that where we stand? It's not that easy.

JOANNA:
Stacy, I can only go off of what I know, and what I've seen. It is not my place to tell you that the two of you are, or were, whatever, perfect. I can think of it, and I can talk about how you could've been, but that is a decision you would have to have made yourself a while ago.

[TRANSITION BACK TO KYLE AND PAUL]

KYLE:
That's why I have this.

[PULLS OUT A TURTLE NECKLACE]

This is one thing that means more to me than anyone could ever imagine. The very meaning behind the turtle is strong. It speaks of an undying friendship, of an undying love, the everlasting bond that a group of us shared. If I am not destined to be there, then at least the turtle will serve as a reminder.

PAUL:
A reminder?

KYLE:
Yes. A reminder that sometimes, friends are all we have. A reminder that cutting ties with friends can prove to be more painful after it's done, especially when we do it for little reasons, or reasons that we later look back on and say 'wow, that was stupid...'

PAUL:
Yea...like Tremaine and Colin.

KYLE:
Exactly. Sometimes the only things we have worth living for are friendships. Sometimes they are the only things worth fighting for. Worth dying for. If you are not willing to risk yourself to protect a friend, then you are not a friend. You are in it for the good times, but not the bad, and that isn't what a friend is. A friend would do anything for a friend. A friend would support a friend. A friend would lie for a friend. A friend would die for a friend. I might have a rigid and strict view on what a friend really is, but it is one thing that I value over even my own life. A friend is more important to me than any lover or love interest. To have a friend is to be in love. One might argue that love is more than just the feeling that you get when you are with your closest friends, but I say that you cannot have a close friend without love. You cannot have love without a friend. The two are so closely related, and therefore one defines the other. Granted you may not be attracted to your close friends, but that isn't what love is. Love is not based on whether or not you want a piece of someone's ass. It is based on something deeper. Much deeper. It is based on the inner workings of each individual person. You love the person, not the body. Also, anyone who uses love to describe their feeling for an inanimate object is full of it. You cannot love peanut butter. It is impossible to have a loving relationship with peanut butter. Peanut butter doesn't have a personality. I should clarify. Peanut butter doesn't have a communicable personality. It very well might have one, but unless you can communicate effectively and logically with peanut butter, you cannot love it.

PAUL:
Agreed.

[SOUND OF DOOR OPENING]

But I think that there has to be a certain difference between the love of a lover and the love of a friend.

[DOOR CLOSES]

KYLE:
You see, that is where the problem arises. The love of a lover is the love of a friend. The only thing that makes a friend and a lover different is the physical aspect of everything. The real difference is not the love, or lack thereof. The main difference between a friend and a lover is the LUST, or lack thereof. You can love someone without being lustful of them, as I mentioned before.

PAUL:
Understandable.

[CUT TO FRONT OF RESTAURANT]
[THERE ARE 3 PEOPLE WAITING TO BE SEATED]

WAITER:
Hello there. Three this evening?

PERSON 1:
Actually, there are three more coming, so we are going to need a table for 6.

WAITER:
Very good. Right this way.

[LEADS THEM TO A TABLE]

PERSON 1:
Thank you good sir, you are indeed a gentleman.

WAITER:
Um...Thank you I guess.

PERSON 2:
As well you should thank him.

PERSON 3:
[LAUGHS]
Yeah, no shit.

[WAITER SEATS THEM AND SCENE TRANSITIONS TO STACY AND JOANNA]

JOANNA:
Stacy, you can't just avoid the situation. I think it means a lot more to you than you are letting on to.

STACY:
It means nothing to me right now, mother. I have a new life out here, away from there. I am no longer even in the same city as Kyle is. It is stupid for me to even think that I should try to care about what goes on there. I have so much to worry about here. I tried to care, but he doesn't make it easy.

JOANNA:
Love is not easy, Stacy.

STACY:
Love? Who said anything about love? That is what Kyle calls it. Kyle thinks he loves me, but deep down inside, he knows that he is only telling himself that so that he has a reason to try so hard for a relationship. It was merely a trial. It was never a question of whether we loved each other. It was only a question of how long we could spend together without one of us wanting to kill the other in the most horrible way imaginable.

JOANNA:
My god, Stacy, listen to yourself. Are you telling me that the entire time you spent with Kyle was just a game to you? I never saw you happier than when you were around him, and now you are trying to tell me that it was an act? I don't believe that. There has to be more to your side than that. You felt something for him, Stacy, I could see it when you were together. I see things that apparently you yourself have chosen not to.

STACY:
Don't talk like you know who I am, mom. You have no idea. You don't know what I feel. Stop pretending that you do.

JOANNA:
I may not KNOW what you are feeling, but I am aware of it. There is more to those thoughts than you are letting yourself believe. If there weren't, you would have never even brought him home. What happened, Stacy? What caused the two of you to drift apart?

STACY:
What happened? How dare you accuse me of this. I did nothing wrong. He was clingy, boring, and way too easy to please. He wasn't right for me.

JOANNA:
So it was completely his fault. There wasn't a thing to do with you involved in your decision making?

STACY:
Yes. I was involved. You want to know what my part was? I wasn't happy.

JOANNA:
[IMMEDIATELY]
Bullshit...

[PAUSES]

Stacy, you are my daughter. I have watched you grow up these 18 years of your life. If there is one thing that I can read perfectly, it is your emotions. When you were with Kyle, you never seemed as pissy, you always talked about him, and you brought him over quite a bit. I saw it Stacy. I saw the happiness in your eyes. You were happy with him. You liked him. Perhaps you even loved him, Stacy, but to have the nerve to tell me now that you felt nothing for him is little more than a lie.

STACY:
Oh yes, because I would lie about something as meaningless as whether or not I liked Kyle. He asked me out, I agreed to humor him. I didn't want to disappoint him.

JOANNA:
So what, you agreed to go out with him, and then left him out in the cold? That's just how I tell someone that I don't want to disappoint them. But...wait... Why would you be at all concerned about disappointing him if you didn't care about him?

STACY:
There is a difference between tact and acceptance. Tact is required, acceptance is not.

JOANNA:
You always have some sort of smart ass comment for everything, don't you?

STACY:
Pretty much.

JOANNA:
Well dammit Stacy, I’m sick of it.

STACY:
I’m sick of this too.

JOANNA:
You act like I’m being selfish here.

STACY:
Mom, you are. YOU wanted to come eat. YOU wanted to come here. YOU wanted this, YOU wanted that.

JOANNA:
[ON THE VERGE OF TEARS, AND FRUSTRATED]
Have you forgotten where we are? I drove 45 minutes to get here. Don’t you for once think that I did it out of selfishness.

STACY:
Don’t pull that crap on me, mom. What other reason could you have?

JOANNA:
Well, I honestly didn’t want to do it this way, but there is something I have to tell you.

STACY:
I know, I know, the usual mother bit, don't toy with people, I was your age once, time wounds all heals...

JOANNA:
Stacy, will you just let me talk? I wasn't even going to say any of those things. However, I have a feeling it is something you don't want to hear.

STACY:
Then why say it?

JOANNA:
Because you need to know.

[TRANSITION BACK TO PAUL AND KYLE]

KYLE:
[LOOKS AT HIS WATCH]
Shit.

PAUL:
What?

KYLE:
I left my phone out in your car.

PAUL:
So get it after we eat, there is no point in going out there right now.

KYLE:
You don't understand. Stacy is supposed to call me tonight at 9:45 so we could talk, you know that…you took the message.

PAUL:
Do you honestly believe she is going to call?

KYLE:
I have no reason to doubt her. I put all of my faith into her before, and I would do it again. She wouldn't just blatantly ignore me like that.

PAUL:
What reason do you have to trust her, man? What has she done to warrant your trust? Absolutely nothing. You can't live your life waiting for her.

KYLE:
Oh can't I? I wouldn't want to miss the call if it did come, and that alone is enough reason for me to go out there and get it.

PAUL:
Whatever man, it's your life.

KYLE:
This is my decision. She is the reason I live my life. I wake up every morning thinking about her, about what we had. I live every day of my life for her, and if I miss her call, it would be worse than death to me.

[KYLE GETS UP AND LEAVES THE RESTAURANT]

PAUL:
He's right; he needs to follow his dreams. He needs to go after her if that is what he wants, and who am I to say otherwise? I just fear for him. I fear for him because he does not.

[SHOW 3 PEOPLE SITTING AT THEIR TABLE. ONE GLANCES OUT OF THE WINDOW.]

PERSON 1:
Hey! Was that Kyle?

[THE SECOND PERSON REACHES INTO HIS POCKET AND PULLS OUT A CELL PHONE, DIALS IT AND SAYS SOMETHING INTO IT. THE THIRD PERSON GLANCES OUTSIDE AND SAYS SOMETHIING. (BOTH STATEMENTS ARE INAUDIBLE.) THE WAITER APPROACHES.]

WAITER:
Are you guys ready to order yet?

PERSON 3:
No, give us a few more minutes.

[SWITCH SCENE TO KYLE WALKING OUT TO PAUL'S CAR. HE GETS TO THE CAR, REACHES INTO HIS POCKET TO GET THE KEYS, AND REALIZES THAT HE ALREADY HAS HIS PHONE. AS HE PULLS IT OUT, THE PHONE RINGS.]

KYLE:
I knew she would call!

[KYLE ANSWERS THE PHONE AS HE WALKS BACK TOWARDS THE BUILDING.]

Hello?

[THE PERSON ON THE OTHER END SAYS SOMETHING AND KYLE STOPS. NOW, SEVERAL THINGS HAPPEN AT THIS POINT. FIRST, KYLE LOOKS AT HIS PHONE (TO SEE WHO ACTUALLY CALLED). SECONDLY, THE SHOT CUTS TO A PERSON WALKING TOWARDS KYLE (1ST PERSON CAMERA SHOT.) NEXT TO PAUL SITTING INSIDE WAITING FOR KYLE TO RETURN. IT THEN GOES BACK TO THE PERSON WALKING TOWARDS KYLE, AND WE SEE THAT HE IS CARRYING A BAT. HE WALKS UP TO KYLE FROM BEHIND AND RAISES THE BAT. SHOT TURNS TO STACY AND JOANNA SITTING AT THEIR TABLE.]

JOANNA:
It's not easy for me to have to say this...

STACY:
Just hurry up, I have things I could be doing.

[SCENE FLIPS BACK TO PERSON BEHIND KYLE BRINGING THE BAT DOWN. SCENE CUTS TO PAUL SITTING INSIDE. FROM THERE YOU CAN HEAR THE SOUND OF SOMEONE BEING BEATEN WITH A BAT, EVEN THOUGH IT IS NOT AUDIBLE INSIDE. SHOT CUTS TO 3 PEOPLE SITTING AT THEIR TABLE TALKING AMONGST EACH OTHER. SCENE THEN CUTS TO A WIDE SHOT OF KYLE ON THE GROUND, HAVING BEEN BEATEN VERY BADLY, AND THE PERSON THAT DID IT TO HIM STANDING WITH HIS BACK TO THE CAMERA. SUDDENLY HEADLIGHTS APPEAR TO COME INTO THE PARKING LOT. THE MAN WHO BEAT KYLE LEANS DOWN, FUMBLES AROUND IN KYLES JACKET, AND GETS UP, RUNNING OFF. THE CAR PULLS INTO A PARKING SPOT AND TWO PEOPLE GET OUT, AND START WALKING TOWARDS THE DOOR. THEY STOP, SURPRISED, WHEN THEY RUN ACROSS KYLE ON THE GROUND. THEY RUN FORWARD INTO THE RESTAURANT. THE SCENE THEN CUTS BACK TO JOANNA AND STACY.]

JOANNA:
Kyle was...

STACY:
Oh, it's about him. You were right. I didn't want to hear it.

JOANNA:
[ALMOST IN TEARS]
STACY! Let me finish! For God's sake.

[STACY LOOKS UNINTERESTED.]

Kyle was attacked two nights ago while he was out getting something to eat with Paul.

[STACY LOOKS UP, SLIGHTLY TAKEN ABACK.]

STACY:
He what?

[TRANSITION TO RESTAURANT. THE TWO PEOPLE HAVE JUST RUN IN.]

TREMAINE:
Aw, shit man, call the fuckin cops! Dude out there just beat the fuck out of some other guy!

[CUT TO PAUL. HE LOOKS UP IMMEDIATELY.]

COLIN:
Yeah, that guy is hurt pretty bad. Our other friend is following him, hoping to get something that can ID the bastard.

[CUT TO PAUL. HE STANDS UP AND RUNS OVER TO COLIN.]

PAUL:
[SCARED AND ANGRY]
Who is following the guy? Who did you send to follow him? Tell me!

COLIN:
Woah, Paul. Why are you here?

PAUL:
Answer my fucking question, Colin! Who the fuck did you send to follow the bastard?

COLIN:
Ryan.

PAUL:
Ryan? Ryan Pole?

COLIN:
Yeah, why?

PAUL:
Nothing. I don't believe he was running after the person who beat Kyle.

COLIN:
Kyle? Was he here?

PAUL:
Did you not look at the fucking person that was lying on the cement, you fucking moron?

[TRANSITION QUICKLY INTO STACY AND JOANNA TALKING]

JOANNA:
I see I have your attention now. He was very badly beaten two nights ago around 9:57, according to the news, and is in critical condition, deep in an unconscious state.

STACY:
An unconscious state? You mean like a coma?

JOANNA:
Kind of. The doctors say that he might recover, but it would take a miracle.

STACY:
What was he doing out that night? For that matter, why didn't anyone help him?

JOANNA:
He went out with Paul, and stepped out to get his cell phone from Alex's car. He needed someone to talk to, which is why he went to hang out with Paul.

STACY:
I...

JOANNA:
Was supposed to call him ten minutes before he even stepped outside? I know. Paul told me. He called here because he knew that Kyle would want him to tell you. Kyle told Paul that you were supposed to have called him at 9:45.

STACY:
I...

JOANNA:
I'm sorry, Stacy.

STACY:
I...