Cafe-Girl: A Tru Story

Act Two, Scene Six

Interior: Long dark hallway towards Willow and Tru's apartment.

Willow enters hurriedly and crosses towards door.  He starts to unlock, but door swings open.

WILLOW

Tru?

No answer.

Tru?  You home?

Sound of running water from the bathroom is heard, then the thud of a body falling to the ground.

Tru?!?!

Willow hurries towards bathroom.  He hesitates at the closed door, knocks.

You...okay?

There is no answer.  He cautiously turns the door handle, finding it unlocked, the door swings open.

Wide: Tru collapsed in bathroom, her arm hanging over bathtub edge, blood dripping down her arm.  She is barely cautious.  Shower water is on and the shower curtain is open, water spills out all over the floor, the bathroom.  she is naked and barely conscious.

Willow rushes towards Tru.  He crouches down near her, grabs her arm, tries to stop the blood with his hand.

WILLOW

Tru? Tru? Can you hear me?

Tru groans slightly.  Willow pulls cellphone from his pocket, fumbles nervously, and finally dials 911.

OPERATOR

911 What is your emergency?

WILLOW

My room-mate...I just came home and found her...she cut herself...she's barely awake...

OPERATOR

Okay, sir, we're getting someone there right away.  Can I just have your name and information?

Fade out.

Fade into:

Willow grabs a towel and wraps it around Tru's body.  He then cradles her in his arms.

WILLOW

Its going to be okay, Tru.  It's going to be okay.  It's not your fault.  It was never your fault.  Never.  It's going to be okay.

Fade out.

Distance

Nate & Laura & How They Met

ACT ONE, SCENE THREE

Exterior: College Dormitory Apartments, parking lot.

(Kiyah pulls into parking lot, stops car.  Ashley gets out.  She waves and says bye.  The car pulls away and Ashley watches it drive away before turning and heading into her apartment building.)

Fade Into:

Interior: Kiyah's living room

(Kiyah, Samantha, and Laura enter.)

KIYAH

(heading directly into her bedroom)

Laura, I can't even.

(She slams the door behind her.)

LAURA

What? Kiyah, don't be like that.  Just say it.

KIYAH

(coming out of her room, standing in the doorway)

How dare you? I asked you if you liked him and you said it was nothing, twenty minutes of nothing...Don't say it, Samantha! Why didn't you just tell me the truth, Laura?

LAURA

I didn't know...I didn't want...I don't want...

KIYAH

Don't want? But you kissed him!

LAURA

He kissed me!

KIYAH

Oh for the love of...why does everything good happen to everyone else?

LAURA

Don't say that, Kiyah.  Just don't.

KIYAH

So, he kissed you and now what, you guys are--

LAURA

Nothing...wait, I don't know...I just--

KIYAH

Nothing?

LAURA

(collapsing onto sofa)

I just don't know, okay? I mean, look what we just did today, with Lucy.  I'm just gun-shy, all right? Look, I'm sorry I didn't say anything to you but I honestly didn't want to...see it for myself.

KIYAH

Right. Whatever.

LAURA

Look, I am starting at the shop in the morning, for Lucy, so I think I just need a nice hot shower and then just to not think for awhile.  I need some time...to myself.  I don't want...

KIYAH

Don't want?

LAURA

Love.  I guess, I am....

SAMANTHA

Running?

LAURA

Yeah. That.

Fade into: Nate, in his room.

(Nate holds a piece of paper with "Laura's cell 541.226.5886" scribbled across it in one hand and his phone in the other. He stares for along time at the paper, as if willing himself to call or text her. His phone rings, the caller id reads "Jessica", he hesitates and then silences the phone. He puts it down on the table.)

Fade out.

Act one, Scene Four

Exterior: Street

(Laura is in jogging clothes, running and listening to music.)

Fade into: Ashley, waking up in her dorm room bed

She sits up, groggy eyed, then suddenly runs to bathroom.

CUTAWAY: Ashley bending over toilet, vomiting.

CUTAWAY:Laura running down the street, headphones in.

Cutaway: Nate and doodle leaving his granny unit

Nate walks Doodle down the street, sees Laura ahead of him on the other side of the street.  He watches her from afar, hesitating.

Cutaway: Laura in foreground, Nate in background with doodle.

Fade into: Lucy and Kiyah's boutique

(Laura and Kiyah are at work together, silently working, after a few beats, Kiyah speaks.)

KIYAH

Hey, Laura?

LAURA

Yeah?

KIYAH

Look, I've been thinking.  I mean, I am sorry that I was so harsh with you yesterday...I guess after everything that happened with Lucy and you and Samantha...and even with my ex...I get kind of testy.  I just...

LAURA

It's okay.  You've been awesome for all of us.  We've been through a lot, and its like what they always say--

KIYAH

What do they always say?

LAURA

I'll tell you...'Guys come and go, but friends are forever'.  So, let's not let little ol' Nate the Manny come between us.  So not worth it.

(Laura freezes with the memory of that last phrase from yesterday. Kiyah doesn't see it.)

KIYAH

Yeah, I just want to know, when its going to happen for me.  You know, love, life, everything.  I am almost thirty and I don't even know what I am doing with my life.  I mean, I got the shop but its really all Lucy, I'm just her glorified assistant.

LAURA

You are so more than that.

KIYAH

Well, yeah, but not legally.  I never finished my degree, so it is what it is.

LAURA

Maybe you should.

KIYAH

Should?

Laura

Finish your degree?

KIYAH

Yeah, been thinking about it, actually.

LAURA

Yeah, I need to figure out myself too, what I want and who I am...without.

KIYAH

Without?

LAURA

Without...a guy, without anything.  Just me.  Just Laura.

KIYAH

Yeah, like who is Kiyah without.  Who is Kiyah? Kiyah is?

LAURA

So its settled then? Boys on the side, friends forever?

KIYAH

Friends forever!

(They fist bump and then hug.  The door bell opens to signify that someone has entered.)

(Nate approaches the counter.)

(Laura and Kiyah's faces fall.)

Distance

Nate & Laura & How They Met

Act one, Scene Four

Interior: Auto Repair shop, Benjamin, a heavy set man in greasy work clothes, sits at desk, in the garage, with a car being worked on behind him.  Radio playing in background, he sips from a coffee cup and stares at computer, his cell phone rings,he looks at it, incoming call reads "Samantha", he lets it go to voice-mail.  He looks around, sneaks out a flask from inner coat pocket, opens it, pours liquid into coffee cup, sticks flask back in his coat pocket, stirs coffee with greasy finger, sucks on finger, then sips his drink.  He gives a satisfied grin.

Enter: Nate.

NATE

Um, hi, I'm new in town and my new, um, boss recommended this place so--

BENJAMIN

You got car troubles?

NATE

Yeah.  Just died when I came into town last night.  Had that car for years and then as soon as I got here...

BENJAMIN

That sucks, man.

NATE

Yeah, but it seems, like,I don't know symbolic or something, right?

BENJAMIN

I wouldn't know.

NATE

Yeah.

BENJAMIN

So, you want to bring it in or something?

NATE

Yeah.  My dad said he could cover any expenses.  So, yeah, I can get it towed here and...

BENJAMIN

I got some time this afternoon, say 2:00 pm.

NATE

Awesome. Do you know where I can get a tow-truck?

BENJAMIN

We got that service here.  What's your address?

NATE

Um...hold on...

(pulls out phone.)

I just moved there, like, last night, not memorized or anything yet.

(Benjamin stares at him.)

Right, okay...its 1122 Pine Street.

BENJAMIN

Got it.  So, I'll have my guy there at about 1:30?

NATE

Sounds good.

Exterior: Nate walking out of auto repair shop.

POV: Nate sees Scott and Laura's car pulled up across the street.  Laura gets out angrily, starts walking down the street.  Scott opens driver side door, stands and stares at her.

Nate waves at Laura to get her attention.

SCOTT

Laura, get back here!!

LAURA

No, we're through.  I've had enough--

Scott runs down the street and grabs her by the arm, pulls her back toward car.

SCOTT

Just get in the car.

Scott pushes her towards passenger side, into street. Laura whimpers, opens door, gets in.

CLOSE UP:Nate's reaction shot.

NATE

Fuck.

Nate's phone rings in his pocket, ring tone, Liz Phair's "Why can't I" plays.

Nate pulls phone, looks at it.

Close up: ON phone Incoming call reads "Jessica"

Nate stares at, sighs, answers.

NATE

Yeah, hi, Jessica.

JESSICA

Hi.

NATE

What's up?

JESSICA

I just wanted to check in, see how the move went--

NATE

Yeah, just getting things settled.

Pov: Nate looks across the street to Scott and Laura's car, idling.

CLOSE UP: Nate's face, thinking about what he saw with Scott and Laura.

JESSICA

Yeah? So...Nate, are you there?

NATE

Oh, yeah, sorry, just a lot on my mind.

JESSICA

Nate, I...I...miss you...

NATE

...Really? Well, maybe you should have thought of that before jumping in the sack with---

JESSICA

I told you it was a mistake--

NATE

Oh, yeah, right.

JESSICA

Look, maybe I can come to visit and we can--

Nate

Yeah, whatever, Jess, I got to go.  Things to do, really busy here.

JESSICA

I'm sorry, Nate, I really am.

NATE

Sure.

(He hangs up.)

POV: Nate watches as Scott and Laura's car drives off.

Distance