https://open.spotify.com/episode/3AjldPaho1vG8WDf4aSjLu?si=b702a4de95484b69
FADE IN
INT.(EXT.) GISELLE’S SUV, DRIVING – NIGHT
She’s driving Samantha, who is profoundly broken.
GISELLE
How was court?
SAMANTHA
I think all these things are designed
to take us down. I stated my case
and you’d think that’d be it. But
they’re gonna side with him. I can
just tell that. Because we’re just
teenagers.
GISELLE
So what’s the point of going there
if you’re gonna just give up?
SAMANTHA
What would you do if defeat looked
certain?
GISELLE
I wouldn’t give up just like that. I
can tell you you’ve got to fight for
justice. And I’ll say that in court,
that you are in the right and this
officer is a monster. Didn’t Dr.
Morfield make you feel good in court?
SAMANTHA
He did but you should have been there.
That attorney is relentless. She kept
harping on that I was yelling at
police officers.
GISELLE
Take that as a lesson. Don’t yell at
people.
SAMANTHA
So that’s gonna make me look
like a criminal or a troublemaker. I
kept trying to bring it back to the
real issue, that we were raped, but
by the end of this woman’s questioning,
I felt like maybe I really was making
the whole thing up. And she kept
asking Dr. Morfield if I had a grip
on reality and he said I did but in
the end it looks like the jury thinks
we’re just holding a vendetta against
the cop because he didn’t let us
protest like we’re legally entitled
to, and that I was the troublemaker
by making all that noise.
GISELLE
Oh, honey, don’t feel so bad. You
come from a long line of troublemakers.
You see how your dad can get. And
I’m not one who’s gonna put up with
nonsense either. But you gotta be
strong inside. Because the world’s
always gonna try to tear you down.
That’s just the way it is.
SAMANTHA
(crying tears)
Thank you ma.
Her tears reveal she’s feeling worse.
GISELLE
Oh, don’t fall apart. Why are you
falling apart? You should be happy.
You stated your case. You did state
it with conviction, right?
SAMANTHA
(crying, not soothed)
Yes, I did.
GISELLE
Look. This is what the world is like.
I’m sorry I can’t give you what you
want. But that’s part of growing up.
To learn to live with the fact that
nobody out there gives a damn for
you and they’re only out for their
own agendas. You can’t take stuff
personally.
SAMANTHA
You mean even if it’s my best friend
and my brother?
GISELLE
(alarmed)
What? What are you talking about?
What’s
going on?
SAMANTHA
Oh’sh. I didn’t mean that.
GISELLE
Did your brother do something to you?
SAMANTHA
(in extreme
discomfort, broken)
No. Forget it. Never mind.
GISELLE
What happened?
SAMANTHA
Nothing, ma. I don’t know why I said
that.
GISELLE
Did he say something to you?
SAMANTHA
No. It’s all fine. He was happy to
see me.
GISELLE
It’s that girl. She’s the best friend.
SAMANTHA
Naah, it was just a rough day with
the court.
GISELLE
Why did you mention her and Josh,
then?
SAMANTHA
(feeling caught)
Because they’re both in pain because
of the separation. I am pissed that
they have to suffer. It’s making
them both go crazy.
GISELLE
And so they’re taking it out on you?
SAMANTHA
(feeling put upon,
aggravated)
No! Stop! It hurts me because I was
close to them and I feel for them.
GISELLE
But this is still different than
your case because this time, you all
had a hand in it. You weren’t the
victims. You made this happen. So
now, you are all feeling the
consequences of your actions. Which
is why I wanted to separate you and
Josh from that girl. But you didn’t
want to listen. And now you’ll just
have to learn life’s lessons the
hard way. I’m sorry.
INT. BONNIE’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Amanda walks in. Bonnie is chilling on the couch in front of the TV.
BONNIE
Well... It’s been a while. You been
having fun?
AMANDA
(down)
I wish.
BONNIE
I hope it’s not ICE again.
AMANDA
(better mood)
Oh no, it’s not them. They seem to
have disappeared mysteriously.
Although that doesn’t make me feel
too good. They might be laying a
trap for me.
BONNIE
But they got nothing on you.
AMANDA
Yeah, but that never stopped’m before.
BONNIE
(sits up, serious)
Listen, you gotta stop doing this
number on yourself. If they’re there,
they’re there. Nothing you can do is
gonna change that.
AMANDA
I guess.
BONNIE
There’s something else on your mind,
I can tell. You care to spill?
AMANDA
Oh, this is rough. I think I got
messed up by being La Multa.
BONNIE
La Multa? Is that some kind of Spanish
insult?
AMANDA
I guess you could say that. It
Literally means a fine. Shit, I never
told you. Will you still love me if
I tell you I had a really messed up
childhood?
BONNIE
I’ll love you more. It’s not your
Fault if something went wrong to you.
AMANDA
Thanks. I was the person my mom used
to pay for her drugs.
BONNIE
You mean she sent you on drug runs?
AMANDA
Not exactly runs. More like lays. I
had to pay the price for her drugs.
So I guessed it messed me up sexually
forever. I mean, Josh was like...I
felt like he was somebody finally
who got me. On the same level. Still
is. That’s why it hurts so much.
BONNIE
Oh dear... You carry a lot of drama
with you. Ever thought of going
into movies? You’d be right at home
here with all these messed up people.
AMANDA
I shouldn’t a’ gotten involved with
someone on lockdown.
BONNIE
Yeah, that’s a chance we all take.
You never know what kind of a load
someone's got on their back until
it’s too late. But I’ll tell you
something. It’s worse if you never
get that chance in the first place.
AMANDA
You think so? Cause I don’t see it.
BONNIE
You never see it when your love is
ripped away from you. But that’s got
nothing to do with your childhood.
Fergo comes in.
FERGO
Maah!
BONNIE
(getting up)
Excuse me... Hey. Shouldn’t you be
in bed?
FERGO
It’s still early.
BONNIE
Where’s your homework?
FERGO
I did it.
BONNIE
Show me.
FERGO
Okay.
He goes out.
BONNIE
He’ll be back any second. I hope he’s
really got his homework.
AMANDA
I slept with Samantha and then I told
Josh. They’re both mad at me.
BONNIE
(almost cracking up)
Great. Two children to deal with.
One who doesn’t want to do homework.
The other who can’t live without
home play.
AMANDA
It’s killing me.
BONNIE
You definitely should have a kid.
You’ll snap out of it like that.
INT. THE SCHOOL CORRIDOR – DAY
The girls are all there. Samantha goes up to Amanda.
SAMANTHA
I need to talk to you. Come...
(beckons finger)
They walk together, Samantha leading, to a corner where they can talk.
SAMANTHA
(leaning into Amanda)
I’m probably gonna make a bad situation
worse but I really want you and I
really desire you but I know we can’t.
AMANDA
I know too.
SAMANTHA
We have to be strong. I just don’t
want to lose your friendship.
AMANDA
Me neither.
SAMANTHA
We don’t have to have sex with each
other to prove our love; it’s much
stronger than that, alright? So let’s
go to our separate homes at night
and we’ll just think about each other.
AMANDA
(putting her arm around
her in half hug)
Or about Josh. I hope he forgives
me.
SAMANTHA
Me too. You gotta remember he’s
really freaking out about being in
such a harsh situation. He doesn’t
blame us. He just doesn’t want to
hear that we’re forgetting about him
by having pleasure while he’s in
pain. He’s mad at you for cheating
on him and he’s mad at me for being
your accomplice.
AMANDA
Wow, that’s pretty intense. But it’s
his love I want.
SAMANTHA
Let’s make a pledge not to hurt him
anymore but to stick by him. That’s
what he wants more than anything.
Come, let’s get back to the girls.
They go back to the bunch of girls.
CATHY
Are you guys alright?
SAMANTHA
(smiling)
Yes, we are.
KAMALA
Is this what was bothering you
yesterday?
SAMANTHA
(triumphant)
Yes. Josh’s incarceration is really
hard on both of us and it’s creating
tension between us. But we resolved
it because we know we both love him
and that’s all that matters.
She gives Kamala a big hug.
KAMALA
(surprised)
Thank you.
SAMANTHA
Thank you for being there for me. I
Need you more than ever now.
(planting kisses
on her face and lips)
KAMALA
I know it. Just hang on and hold it
together.
AMANDA
Let’s get to class.
KAMALA
(to Samantha, as
they walk)
This trial is really coming at a bad
time. But I guess there never was a
good time. Justice is always inconvenient.
That’s why most people put up with
injustice and abuse.
SAMANTHA
I never get a break. My mom said
that, I remember. Like she’ll give
me a hard time but then she’ll be
in my corner sticking up for me.
This is one week where I got all my
mistakes shoved in my face.
KAMALA
Did you get a chance to speak to Dr.
Morfield? I mean, I’m sensing more
discomfort from you than mistakes.
SAMANTHA
Hey, yeah, that’s a great idea. I’m
gonna see him this afternoon. Thank
goodness. That’ll help me hold on.
Thank you Kamala. I really do love
you.
KAMALA
I know you do. Thank you.
Discomfort seems to hang on them.
INT.(EXT.) JOEY’S AUTO REPAIR SHOP – DAY
Joey and his workers are cleaning their maintenance supplies. The phone RINGS. Joey retrieves it on his cell.
JOEY
Joey’s auto repair.
(listening pause)
Come again...
(listens again, raises
eyebrows, smile of
incredulity)
On the four-o-five? Can you give
me a more precise location? And
which side of the road are you
on?
(listens)
Oh, the river...going west... Alright,
don't go anywhere... You can’t. Good.
That makes it a lot easier to find
you.
Okay.
(to the workers)
I got a little excursion to do with
the tow truck. Somebody was trying
to avoid filling up and is now stuck
on the highway on empty.
The workers stop, look at him and smile at the craziness of it.
JOEY
(as he grabs his
gear and leaves)
I guess this is gonna be our new
business, Joey’s Towing-On-Empty.
EXT. HIGHWAY 405, ATOP SANTA ANA RIVER, APPROACHING EUCLID ST EXIT – DAY
Joey, in his small tow truck is HONKING his way to move standstill traffic, driving partly on the shoulder but having to weave through lanes of traffic, as he approaches a car with flashing lights.
He’s forced to wait, still, for traffic to move, which it takes some time to. His phone RINGS.
JOEY
Hello?
(listens)
You’re kidding. Another stuck gasless
car? I was just kidding.
(listens)
Oh, this one’s just stuck. Where is
he?
An opening opens up in the traffic which Joey aggressively tries to grab but another driver to his left aggressively moves in on the space in the lane. Joey HONKS his HORN FURIOUSLY, leaving his hand on it so it keeps on an ENDLESS HONK. Other cars—seems like all the cars—HONK up a CRAZY MANY-HORNS NOISE.
JOEY
(yelling)
Ey! What’d’you think you’re doing?!!
We got a car to tow and you’re gonna
start this??!
(to phone)
No, I got an asshole on the road who
pulled into the spot I needed to get
into. I hate those people so much.
Just get the guy’s location and text
it to me. Uh, this is gonna be the
worst work day of my life. I can see.
EXT. THE PARK – DAY
The girls are all sitting there, not saying much. A sadness seems to envelope them. Samantha clings to a slightly uncomfortable Kamala.
CATHY
(breaking the quiet)
Wow. We shouldn’t be so down.
AMANDA
I was saving this for private use
but it looks like maybe we could all
use it.
SAMANTHA
(suddenly very curious)
Use what?
Amanda opens up a small bag inside another bag from her shirt pocket and opens it up into a dark blue more or less flat unfolded velvet surface. She then pulls out a small canister and pours some white powder into it.
CATHY
Isn’t that illegal?
SAMANTHA
That’s okay. When we get high, it’s
illegal too.
KAMALA
I don’t know about this. I’m not
comfortable.
AMANDA
Would you rather be sitting with
this heavy feeling for the one hour
we get to do anything we want?
KAMALA
Well, you can’t do anything you want.
There’s things called laws.
SAMANTHA
Well, the law was hard on Josh, and
by extension, Amanda, so she’s got
a right to be hard back on the law.
She never broke it.
CATHY
Besides, it was legal I think a hundred
years ago.
AMANDA
Well I need it because I’m going
crazy. You have no idea all I had
to go through and have to be good
while people were abusing me.
Samantha comes up to her and puts her arms around her but Amanda pushes her away.
SAMANTHA
Hey! I’m trying to show you I care.
AMANDA
No. See this is what I mean. You’re
gonna touch me and then I’m gonna
feel desire and then things’ll get
worse. I don’t want to go through
that.
She arranges the coke powder into a line and picks up a coke “bullet” (snorter) to her nose.
AMANDA
It’d be easier if he died or we broke
up.
She SNORTS the line.
AMANDA
(taking empty
snorter out of nose)
Aa-ahh. So I deserve to treat myself.
She snorts another line.
AMANDA
Anybody want to join me.
She looks at Samantha. Samantha looks very uncomfortable. She leans into Kamala.
SAMANTHA
I hope you don’t mind if I pass.
CATHY
(to Amanda)
I’ll join you.
AMANDA
(smiles)
Wow, surprise. Here.
Cathy does a line. Angela moves closer.
ANGELA
How bout me?
As she moves in and does hers,
KAMALA
(to Samantha)
Look, if you want to do it, go ahead.
SAMANTHA
No, I’m your girl. I will stick with
you.
KAMALA
Is something going on that you’re
not telling me about?
SAMANTHA
What do you mean? Okay, maybe I’d
do it to be social if you weren’t
around. But you’re here so I want
to be with you and support you.
KAMALA
You don’t have to do all that to
support me. You already support me
a lot.
SAMANTHA
I do?
KAMALA
I feel like something strange is
going on. You just don’t seem like
your usual self.
SAMANTHA
(at first feeling caught)
Look... It hasn’t been easy with
Josh put away. So if I seem strange,
that's what it is.
The girls who snorted are LAUGHING and seeming to have a good time. By contrast, Samantha and Kamala seem uncomfortable.
KAMALA
Look. If you really want to do it,
go ahead.
SAMANTHA
And then what will become of us?
KAMALA
Nothing.
SAMANTHA
Are you sure?
They look at each other with a serious recognition that something major has changed. Samantha puts her arm around Kamala in a move that feels almost desperate. Clearly, there is massive discomfort between them.
SAMANTHA
I did something bad.
AMANDA
You should have taken the line. Now
you've moved the line and you can’t
get it back.
Kamala looks really uncomfortable. Angela gets up and starts to go away.
CATHY
Hey, wait up.
She joins Angela.
AMANDA
(getting up to follow)
Whatever is going on between you two,
I hope you guys can work it out. I
love you both.
SAMANTHA
(calling sharply)
Wait! Don’t go!
Kamala is really feeling discomfort.
SAMANTHA
I have to make a confession and I’m
sorry but I need you here.
AMANDA
It’s better if you two talk alone.
Amanda continues walking to be with the others.
SAMANTHA
No! Don’t go! Please!
Amanda keeps going. Samantha suddenly notices Kamala, who hasn’t left, and feels intense dread.
KAMALA
I feel like I have to do with this
but what’s going on with you?
SAMANTHA
Please, don’t be mad at me. I don’t
want to lose you over this.
KAMALA
(frustrated, upset at
not knowing)
Over what?
SAMANTHA
I can’t hold it in any longer. I
slept with Amanda.
Like a knife bludgeoning that growing dread, a refreshing calm of even greater stone cold envelops the two girls.
After no one says anything,
KAMALA
I’ll see you later.
And she just walks off.
SAMANTHA
(getting up, following her)
No! Don’t walk away! I was wrong!
Please forgive me.
KAMALA
No, don’t follow me. I’ve gotta
process this.
Samantha’s expression is so grave, so defeated, she can’t move. Just tears fall out.
INT. THE JAIL, INSIDE THE CELL – DAY
Josh is sitting amidst the others, looking a little more upset than usual. Most of them are in their own head space, another day like any other, while a couple, second and third inmates from Episode 79, are glancing at him.
THIRD INMATE
Hey Boozie! Don’t feel bad. We warned
you.
JOSH
Warned me about what?
SECOND INMATE
I don’t think he’s ready yet.
JOSH
Ready for what?
CASTELLO
(lying down, resting,
on a steel bench)
Leave him alone.
It’s quiet a while.
SECOND INMATE
I can see it in your face, Boozie.
She let you go.
JOSH
No, she didn’t. She told me she loves
me and doesn’t want to lose me.
SECOND INMATE
Are you sure you don’t mean you told
her you love her and don't want to
lose her?
CASTELLO
Hey, let him enjoy what he’s got while
he can.
SECOND INMATE
I just wanted know why he’s moping.
CASTELLO
Sure you did. He’s having a bad day,
alright? We’re all entitled to a bad
day every once in a while. Don’t we
all have’em?
ANOTHER INMATE WE
NEVER HEARD FROM
Just as long as we don’t make it a
habit.
CASTELLO
Oh, you’re funny. Not.
JOSH
I’m not having a bad day, alright?
I just miss her. Is there anything
wrong with that?
THIRD INMATE
FROM EP 79
You should save your bad days for
when you really need them. Hey,
Castello, you said you saw her.
Is she really pretty?
CASTELLO
She’s fire. Muy bonita chica.
SECOND INMATE
Now I get it. He’s suffering here
on the inside. That’s the worst
part of it. No matter what happens,
he’s just lost twenty years of the
best part of his life with her and
then, she might be with somebody
and he doesn’t even know it.
CASTELLO
Leave him alone. This is the worst
part of jail. These guys don’t leave
you alone. Don’t pay attention to
them.
JOSH
It’s hard. I was in solitary for
years, half my life. Anything anyone
says will affect me.
CASTELLO
You were in solitary?
ANOTHER INMATE,
MEAN-LOOKING
(from other side of cell,
moving towards them)
Ey!!
CASTELLO
Oh come on. Don’t make me have to
get up to quiet you down.
The man looks like he’s been through a bunch of fights or injuries from falling.
CASTELLO
Let’s stop talking about this.
I’m getting tired.
ANOTHER INNMATE
Let’s turn on the game.
The inmates seem to be more chill as the TV goes on revealing a capsulation of various sports events. Josh looks a mixture of bored and depressed.
INT. DR. MORFIELD’S OFFICE – DAY
Samantha is in the comfortable chair, Dr. Morfield sitting in another comfortable chair.
They are not talking. Samantha is clearly in intense pain, her face showing tears. Dr. Morfield looks at her with concern.
DR. MORFIELD
You want to talk about what’s making
you so upset?
Samantha is unable to speak. She seems to start to say something but stops a few times.
SAMANTHA
Alright. I really did a number.
DR. MORFIELD
What’d you do?
SAMANTHA
I guess saying I slept with Amanda
is a good place to start. At least
I know you won’t diss me for that.
(starts or continues
to break down)
Josh got mad. Kamala got mad and
wouldn’t hang with me. And it seems
like everyone else, including Amanda,
is pissed at me.
DR. MORFIELD
Why did you tell everybody that you
slept with Amanda? You remember what
I said about revealing secrets?
SAMANTHA
It kind of spiraled. Amanda told
Josh so she really started it. The
only one I told was Kamala and that
felt like the kiss of death because
you know how she can get.
DR. MORFIELD
You told me about a similar experience
the other night. You had a fantasy
going with a singer whose concert
you went to.
SAMANTHA
Oh, that’s right, Billie Eilish.
That feels like a million years ago.
DR. MORFIELD
But what I’m seeing is a pattern
here. You’re desiring other women
and emotionally turning your back
on Kamala. I remember asking you
where was Kamala in all that.
SAMANTHA
Oh my God, that was from the period
when I was upset with her when we
got back from court and I needed her
but she needed to be alone.
DR. MORFIELD
So there’s a pattern emerging of
not just you but both of you wanting
to walk away from each other.
SAMANTHA
Oh, no, does that mean we should
break up?
DR. MORFIELD
Do you want to break up?
SAMANTHA
No, no way. I love her.
DR. MORFIELD
And yet it seems you both are finding
ways to create a wedge between you.
I want to share something with you.
It’s alright to want and need space
from your partner. She expressed
that when you both returned from the
court after a stressed day. That’s
healthy. I know you really had a
hard time with it. So you then sought
the fulfillment of what you were
missing from Kamala in the arms of
other women. And that’s driving you
crazy too. And you’re getting your
friends and your partners alienated
in the process.
SAMANTHA
Oh no. Help. Please help me, Dr.
Morfield. Make me stop doing that.
DR. MORFIELD
I can’t make you stop. But you can
do it. It’s the same issue we talked
about last time. You need to love
yourself rather than trying to fill
your lack of self-love with others.
Everyone sees you as beautiful. Except
yourself. You’ve got to change that.
Love yourself. See how beautiful you
are. Let’s do an exercise. Close your
eyes.
FADE OUT
