Gwen and Hyatt 20

INT. GWEN’S BEDROOM. AFTERNOON.

Gwen sits on the floor against the wall next to Hyatt. A cellphone is ringing. Hyatt answers the phone, puts it on speaker, and puts it down in front of them.

HYATT

Hello?

LUMI

Hyatt? It’s Lumi Nikola.

HYATT

We know.

LUMI

Cool. I was just hoping to talk to you and your sister for a few minutes. Is she available?

Hyatt glances at Gwen.

GWEN

I’m here.

LUMI

Oh. Okay. First I just want to say how sorry I am about your parents.

HYATT

Is that why you called?

GWEN

(Mouthing, scolding)

Hyatt.

HYATT

(Mouthing back)

I don’t want to talk to her.

LUMI

No. Sorry. The real reason that I called is because I have an offer for you.

HYATT

We’re not doing any interviews or television appearances.

LUMI

What? Oh, no, that’s not it at all. I actually–I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but I just inherited more money than I could spend in a lifetime. And…I know you two are going to college next year, and I just wanted to offer to pay for it. All of it.

HYATT

We can’t take your money.

LUMI

Look, it’s not…it’s not payment or anything. I am more grateful than you could possibly imagine for the recordings, but this isn’t for that. This is because some of this is my fault, and because I can. You never need to see me again, you never need to talk to me again, but I just want to do this for you. If you’ll take it.

HYATT

It’s a lot of money.

LUMI

When I say I inherited more money than I could spend in a lifetime, I wasn’t lying. I have no interest in living the way my father did.

GWEN

Hyatt.

HYATT

We’ll think about it.

LUMI

Okay. Whenever you make your decision, whatever it is, you know how to contact me. And if you take it, if you want, I can just put the money in an account that only you have access to, and you’ll never have to deal with me again.

HYATT

Thank you.

He hangs up. They both stare at the phone for a few seconds.

GWEN

Should we take it?

HYATT

It’s your decision, too.

GWEN

Every time I make decisions, we end up fucked over.

HYATT

Don’t you want to build planes one day? You’ll have to make decisions then.

She smiles.

GWEN

That’s math. Math it easy. You’re either right or you’re wrong. You don’t need to make any decisions.

HYATT

Okay.

GWEN

What do you think?

HYATT

I think that I don’t know how we’re going to pay for college if we say no. I don’t know how much money Dad has in his bank account. I don’t know when we would get access to it. I don’t know how to do what we’re supposed to do, Gwen.

GWEN

But you don’t want to take it.

HYATT

You think I want to take money from–you think I want to rely on her? On anybody? We got out, Gwen, but it’s not any better out here.

GWEN

At least nobody’s planning on killing us. In there, we didn’t know what day would be our last. Out here, at least we can try to do something.

She looks at him.

GWEN

Except, you know, we’re not.

HYATT

We’ll get there.

GWEN

At least you’re able to leave the house without–I can’t even say without something, because I haven’t left the house since Carla and Dad brought us back here.

He wraps his arm around her shoulders.

HYATT

We’re going to get there, Gwen. I would say that we should talk to someone–

GWEN

No fucking way.

HYATT

–but I know what your reaction would be. But we have time. For the first time, we have time. And we can figure it out. Together.

He reaches over and shuts the camera off.

Lumi 16

INT. LUMI’S HOME BEDROOM. AFTERNOON.

Lumi paces back and forth in a fairly sparce room, humming “Happy Birthday” to herself. The door behind her is open, and she glances over at it every few steps. Waiting for something. Finally, she stops, walking over to down in front of the camera.

LUMI

Okay, this is stupid. I keep waiting for Eleanor to walk through my door, like now that she knows I’m still alive she’s going to want to be my friend again. And, I mean, I can’t blame her for not wanting to. I betrayed her. But I’m not just going to let it end this way. If she wants to tell me to go to hell, she’s going to have to do it to my face.

CUT TO:

INT. ELEANOR’S LIVING ROOM. LATER.

Lumi sits uncomfortably on a couch, the camera in front of her, pointed at her.

LUMI

I remembered about ten seconds after arriving here that Eleanor doesn’t live here anymore, so I am now waiting for one of Eleanor’s evil stepsisters to tell me where she lives now.

Relia walks in and, seeing the camera, grimaces.

RELIA

You really are two goddamn peas in a pod. Get out of my house, and take your camera with you.

Lumi stands to face her.

LUMI

It’s not your house.

RELIA

(Mocking)

Ooh, the mouse has learned to fight back.

Relia steps closer.

RELIA

But you don’t get to talk to me like that.

She grabs Lumi’s chin, and Lumi jerks away.

LUMI

You think you’re scary? I grew up with my father. You’re like a puppy baring its teeth and growling at me. Where is Eleanor?

RELIA

You think I’m just a growling puppy?

She reaches out again, grabbing Lumi’s face.

RELIA

You’re just a stupid little girl always under the thumb of her big bad father. Poor you.

Lumi stares calmly at Relia.

LUMI

I’m older than you, with a college degree. I have also inherited more money than you will see in your lifetime. Now I suggest you get your hand off of my face.

RELIA

You think money will–

Amber

(O.S.)

I’ll give you the address.

Relia turns to look at her, scowling.

RELIA

Stay out of this.

AMBER

I’m bored of the pissing contest. And besides, I have a hair appointment soon, and this is wasting my time.

Relia looks at Lumi, then lets go.

RELIA

Fine. You and the whore deserve each other anyway.

She walks out of the room, and Amber approaches.

AMBER

Relia’s been calling her ‘the whore’ since she left.

LUMI

And you haven’t been?

AMBER

Talking about Eleanor around Relia isn’t always the smartest choice.

She hands a piece of paper to Lumi, who looks at it then pockets it.

AMBER

I don’t know her schedule, so I can’t guarantee when she’ll be there, but that’s where she lives.

LUMI

Thanks. And, uh, sorry for calling you an evil stepsister.

Amber smiles.

AMBER

I’m not the evil stepsister. I’m the shallow one. Good luck.

CUT TO:

EXT. OUTSIDE A HOUSE. LATER.

Lumi holds the camera pointed towards herself.

Lumi

This is the address Amber gave me. I’m assuming it’s really Eleanor’s address which, given Amber, might not be the safest bet, but it’s all I have to go on, so…here I am.

She puts the camera down next to her, pointing it at the door. She knocks.

Beat.

LUMI

This was a stupid idea. I shouldn’t have–

She crouches down to pick up the camera, when the door opens. A pair of legs appears.

ELEANOR

(Surprised, choked up)

Lumi?

Lumi stands up, standing awkwardly in front of Eleanor.

LUMI

(Hesitantly)

Hi.

There is a beat, and then Eleanor steps forward and gives Lumi a hug.

ELEANOR

Oh my God. Oh my God, I thought you were dead.

Eleanor starts sobbing.

LUMI

I’m so sorry. I couldn’t–I wish I could have–you must have seen in the news or the–or on the internet, or–God, Eleanor, I’m so sorry.

Eleanor pulls back slightly.

ELEANOR

(Crying)

I haven’t looked at the news or the internet in days. I’m trying not to–honestly, I was worried that there would be memorial reports for your birthday. How long have you been back?

LUMI

A few days. I gave a press conference–but I’m not the one who matters. Look at you. You look great. I haven’t seen you look this happy in years. You’re–Jesus, you’re gorgeous.

Beat.

ELEANOR

Oh, come in.

She sniffles.

ELEANOR

God, I’m a mess.

Lumi turns and picks up the camera then follows Eleanor into the house. There is an entrance room, and Lumi and Eleanor sit down on the floor against the wall, so close that they are touching. Both of them are crying.

Eleanor is dressed in brighter colors than before. She looks more confident than ever before. Lumi puts the camera down in front of them so they are both in the shot.

LUMI

Can you–can you forgive me?

ELEANOR

There’s nothing to forgive you for.

LUMI

I left you. I betrayed you. I let you think I was dead.

ELEANOR

You think I care about that right now? You’re back. You’re right here, right next to me, so I close I can touch you.

Lumi smiles.

LUMI

Thank you. And really, I’m…I’m glad to see you looking so good.

Eleanor smiles shyly.

ELEANOR

Very little of that can actually be owed to me.

LUMI

And will I get to meet your handsome groom?

ELEANOR

He’s at work right now, but if you want to stay, he’ll be back in a couple of hours.

LUMI

If I want to stay?

ELEANOR

I don’t know if you have something to do, or…

LUMI

Something more important than seeing you? Hell no.

They sit there for a moment, and then Eleanor looks at the camera.

ELEANOR

What’s with the–

She gestures towards it.

ELEANOR

That?

LUMI

I–I took page out of your book, I guess. I needed to pretend that someone was watching, you know. That I wasn’t all doing this for nothing.

ELEANOR

Can I–

Eleanor breaks off, looking suddenly uncertain.

ELEANOR

Never mind.

Lumi nudges her shoulder gently.

LUMI

What? I’m not going to say no to you.

ELEANOR

Can I watch them? Your videos?

LUMI

Yeah, of course. Please. I–

She swallows.

LUMI

I missed you. I missed you so much, and I’m so sorry I left, and I’m so sorry I didn’t help you. I’m so sorry I wasn’t the one to get you out.

Eleanor blinks at her.

ELEANOR

You–no, don’t be ridiculous. That’s–you couldn’t have. But you–you saved my life. You’re the only reason I didn’t–I love you. Not like–but I love you, and don’t you dare fucking blame yourself for something that was never your fault.

Lumi starts crying again, and laughing, and Eleanor wraps an arm around her shoulder and laughs.

Gwen and Hyatt 19

INT. GWEN’S BEDROOM. AFTERNOON.

Gwen sits on the floor with the camera in front of her.

GWEN

I am apparently supremely bad at making terrible decisions.

HYATT

(Shouting, off screen)

It’s not your fault.

GWEN

(Shouting back)

I gave her the tapes.

HYATT

(Shouting)

Our parents attempting to murder us is not your fault.

Gwen looks at the camera.

GWEN

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that. Apparently, Dad didn’t get lost in the forest. He left us there because Carla convinced him that we were going to get them arrested. Which, guess what, we did. They’re in jail now.

HYATT

(Shouting)

Because they tried to kill us.

GWEN

(Shouting back)

I already said that.

(To the camera)

We gave all the recordings from the bug on Carla’s work phone to Lumi Nikola. There wasn’t really any sort of sliding scale; it was an all or nothing gig, unless I wanted to sort through years worth of recordings. Which I didn’t. But apparently she did, because not only did she find what she was looking for, she also found a recording of Carla telling Dad to leave us alone in the woods.

So yeah, look, I have bad fucking decision-making skills.

HYATT

(Shouting)

It’s still not your fucking fault.

Gwen grimaces.

GWEN

Anyway, it’s probably stupid, me telling you this given that most of you probably watched her news conference or read about it on Tumblr or Facebook or, God forbid, a newspaper. But…fuck, I don’t know.

Here’s the thing about a camera. When it’s on, when it’s watching, nothing can hurt you. Nobody touches you when something’s watching.

And, you know what I was thinking when I was there? I just wanted to not be alone. But now…I mean, I still don’t want to be alone. God, the last thing I want is to be alone. But I don’t trust anyone enough to be alone in a room with them.

HYATT

(Shouting)

What about me?

GWEN

(Shouting back)

You barely count.

HYATT

(Shouting)

Well screw you too.

GWEN

He barely counts because he’s…he’s like…he’s like a part of me, now.

She holds up her shaking hands.

GWEN

A better part of me, given how fucked up I am right now.

HYATT

(Shouting)

The food’s done.

GWEN

See? Much better part of me.

She puts her hand down.

GWEN

I don’t know what we’re supposed to do now. I mean, we’re supposed to finish school–God knows how that’s fucking going to happen–and then go to college. Now we have no parents, CNN knocking at our door, and that food that Hyatt just cooked? He’s not going to touch a bite of it. Just push it around on his plate until he can pretend there’s less of it there than there used to be.

And it’s all because I walked in on a goddamn conversation years ago.

Lumi 15

INT. BACKSTAGE. AFTERNOON.

Lumi stands in the backstage of a stage. It isn’t immediately obvious where exactly she is.

LUMI

I did it.

KEVIN

(Behind the camera)

Not yet.

She scowls at him.

LUMI

I kind of did it. I almost did it. I’m about to do it.

KEVIN

You don’t need to.

She grabs the camera away from him to point it at him.

LUMI

What’s your problem?

KEVIN

You know what my problem is.

LUMI

And that’s not going to happen.

KEVIN

Right, because you’re going to have so much time for us when you’re a billionaire dealing with putting your father in jail.

LUMI

I’m not going to just forget about you.

KEVIN

That doesn’t mean that you need to do this now.

LUMI

Actually, I kind of do.

He grabs the camera back to point it at her.

KEVIN

What are you talking about?

LUMI

My…it doesn’t really matter.

KEVIN

Lumi.

LUMI

My birthday is in three days.

KEVIN

What?

LUMI

Yeah, I’m turning 25 in three days. And, I mean, I don’t need to do this before then, but it’ll be a whole hell of a lot easier if I do.

KEVIN

Why didn’t I know about your birthday?

LUMI

I kind of…forgot.

KEVIN

You forgot about your birthday?

LUMI

I haven’t celebrated it in years.

KEVIN

Your whole concern is something that revolves around your twenty-fifth birthday, and you forgot your twenty-fifth birthday?

LUMI

It’s less that I forgot my birthday than that I wasn’t paying attention to the date. I checked it when I was thinking about…taking a train recently. And this is important, Kevin. There are things that I found that are more important than just me.

KEVIN

I know. I’m just afraid that once you walk out on that stage, we’re never going to see you again.

LUMI

That’s not going to happen.

Kevin puts the camera down, pointing it at their feet. He walks over to her.

KEVIN

Promise me, Lumi.

LUMI

It’s not going to happen.

KEVIN

Promise.

LUMI

I promise.

He steps closer to her, giving her a hug. Then he steps back.

KEVIN

Now go out there and be a badass.

LUMI

Will do.

She walks over and crouches down in front of the camera, shutting it off.

Gwen and Hyatt 18

INT. GWEN’S BEDROOM. AFTERNOON.

Gwen and Hyatt sit against the wall, the camera in front of them.

GWEN

So apparently Carla conspired with a murderer. Somehow I’m unsurprised.

HYATT

God, Gwen.

GWEN

Do you want me to lie about it?

HYATT

You never liked her.

GWEN

What does that have to do with anything?

HYATT

We don’t have to give the recordings to that woman.

GWEN

We had this conversation yesterday, Hyatt. I want to give them to her.

HYATT

We’re back, Gwen. We don’t need to–

GWEN

What if she really did it?

HYATT

I don’t care.

He puts his head down on his knees, then looks back up at the camera.

HYATT

I really don’t care, Gwen. I don’t give a shit whether or not somebody we’ve never met gets justice for the death of somebody who we have no connection to.

GWEN

It’s not about–it’s not about Lumi Nikola or her complicated family. It’s about–I’m sick of hiding in the house not doing anything, but I’m too scared to leave the house so this is what I’m going to do.

Beat.

GWEN

I don’t want to fuck things up, Hyatt, so if you don’t want me to do it I won’t.

HYATT

She’s dead, Gwen.

Gwen frowns at him.

GWEN

What are you talking about?

HYATT

Nobody’s going to hurt you again. She’s dead.

GWEN

Fuck you, you don’t think I know that?

She holds up her hands, which are shaking.

GWEN

I can’t stop shaking, I can’t sleep in a bed, I can deal with–

A door opens somewhere, and she flinches.

GWEN

–fucking doors.

HYATT

It’ll get better.

GWEN

Hell of a thing for you to say. I’m just glad they took the nail away from you.

HYATT

What are you–

She grabs his arm and pulls up his sleeve to show black tick marks in sets of five. He’s keeping count again.

GWEN

You don’t seem to remember we’re not there, either.

He yanks his arm away, pulling his sleeve back down.

HYATT

I remember it.

Beat.

HYATT

I’ll text her the information.

GWEN

How did you think she got your phone number?

HYATT

I stopped questioning what her clients could do a long time ago.

A door closes, and Gwen flinches.

GWEN

Fuck.