INT: SUBURBAN HOUSE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
A party is in full swing, and alcohol is being served to mostly high schoolers. Social distancing doesn't exist, and most masks that are being worn are worn incorrectly. A crowd watches NICKY (16, junior, mixed racially, models when not in school) and JONES (19, super senior, tough guy in school) in a drinking competition. Nicky has eight small paper cups in a stack in front of her; Jones has six. Jones doesn't have a mask. Nicky's mask is under her chin.
CARMEN (18, senior, dancer at school) is pouring vodka in the cups for each of them. ADRIANE (17, junior, blonde hair & blue eyes, slightly goody-two-shoes), Nicky's best friend, is next to Nicky, making sure Nicky is okay. Both their masks are on correctly.
ANGELEKE (19, super sophomore, thinks she's hot stuff) is recording the drinking game from beside Jones. Her mask is over her mouth but not her nose. Jones finishes his seventh drink then leans over and passes out on Nicky's shoulder. Angeleke is torn between recording and taking care of Jones. Nicky tries to push Jones aside as she finishes drinks number 9 and 10, putting both cups on the stack in front of her.
NICKY
No fair; that's interference. C'mon, man.
Jones falls to Nicky's lap.
ANGELEKE
What the hell? Get off my boo, you hear me?
Adriane helps Nicky move so that Jones slides to the floor.
CARMEN
We have a winner! Yes!
ANGELEKE
He's not finished yet! Just wait!
(to Jones)
Baby, get up. C'mon, you got this.
Carmen raises Nicky's hand in true champion form. OMAR (17, senior, leading man at school) is in charge of the betting on the game. His mask is under his chin. He collects from the losers.
CARMEN
Winner and still champion!
ANGELEKE
They cheated! Let him finish.
NICKY
Yeah, he's done. You need help getting
him up off the floor?
ADRIANE
Are you going to be okay, Nicky?
NICKY
Sure.
ANGELEKE
(to Carmen)
She cheated. Her little girlfriend helped
empty all those cups. I have it on video.
No way she did this by herself.
CARMEN
You got nothing except your little boy got
beat.
ANGELEKE
(to Nicky)
You think this is over? My man always
wins.
NICKY
Apparently not. C'mon, Adriane.
Nicky and Adriane stand; Nicky needs Adriane to steady her.
ANGELEKE
You get back here, girl, I'll go with you
right now.
NICKY
Sorry, hon, I am otherwise engaged.
JOSH (17, tall, light, and handsome, good kid with a wicked sense of humor), Nicky's boyfriend, makes his way through the crowd to where Adriane and Nicky are. Josh has his mask on correctly. Omar gives half his money to Nicky.
OMAR
Pleasure doing business with you, young
lady.
NICKY
(taking money)
As with you.
(to Josh)
Hey, babe.
Nicky kisses him quickly then looks for a place for her money.
JOSH
It's about that time. How many'd you have?
ADRIANE
I counted nine.
NICKY
I lost count at six. A, can you hold this?
Adriane takes Nicky's money and puts it in her pocket. Angeleke pushes her way to the three. Josh blocks Angeleke from getting to Nicky.
ANGELEKE
Bitch, you better get back here, you hear
me? You and your little girl are gonna
answer to me.
NICKY
Nope; I don't answer to light-weights.
Sorry.
Angeleke tries to get past Josh but ends up getting pushed back by other party goers.
CARMEN
(holding Angeleke still)
Go find your boy, crazy lady. Don't make
problems where there aren't any.
Angeleke stares at Carmen for a moment then she and a couple other girls go to check on Jones.
ADRIANE
I think we need to stop at Rosie's.
NICKY
No, I'm fine, you guys. Really.
JOSH
Good, but I'm hungry.
NICKY
Fine. Let's go then.
Adriane holds onto Nicky as Josh clears a path through the crowd.
INT: ROSIE'S - EARLY MORNING
Josh, Nicky, and Adriane are in a booth towards the middle of the restaurant. Josh has finished his breakfast, Adriane is finishing her chocolate milkshake. Nicky is working on the home fries left on her plate. Josh's mask is on correctly, Nicky's is hanging from her ear, and Adriane's is pushed up enough for Adriane to be able to drink from a straw.
NICKY (CONT’D)
Are you sure you don't want some of this,
Josh?
JOSH
Yeah. I'm stuffed.
NICKY
A? All you had was a drink.
ADRIANE
I'm good. This was perfect.
(Nicky keeps eating)
Are we going to my house?
NICKY
And wake your parents up? No, thank you.
JOSH
I can't stay anyway. I have to be home
before my mom gets up.
NICKY
Maybe we should all go home then.
(checking watch)
Crap, Josh. You're going to be a lot of
trouble now.
JOSH
(checks his watch)
Nah. She's not going in 'til eight. But,
A, what're you going to tell your parents?
ADRIANE
Oh, they know we're together, so it's all
good. My mom's not expecting me before
noon.
Nicky puts her fork down and pushes the plate towards the middle of the table.
NICKY
That's it for me.
ADRIANE
Do you need to pee?
As Nicky thinks, Adriane gets up. Josh holds out some money.
NICKY
Nah. I can wait 'til we get home.
ADRIANE
What? No, Josh. She's got this.
Adriane takes out Nicky's winnings and shows them.
NICKY
Damn. You're not going to need all of that,
are you?
ADRIANE
What're you worried about? You're set for
life.
NICKY
That's what you think.
Adriane smiles and goes to the front register. Nicky holds Josh close, takes his mask off, and kisses him.
JOSH
We have to drop Adriane off first.
(she kisses him)
No. Not here. Not now.
Nicky puts her hand between his legs.
JOSH (CONT’D)
Adriane's right here, and I am way too
tired.
NICKY
You sure about that?
JOSH
I am. Now, tomorrow, on the other hand …
Nicky kisses him, gives a little squeeze, then sits back. Adriane comes back and stays standing. Both Josh and Nicky put their masks on properly. Adriane has also pulled her mask down over her face.
ADRIANE
You ready?
NICKY
Always.
JOSH
Are you going home, Adriane?
ADRIANE
If you don't mind.
JOSH
I don't mind. Let's go.
Josh slides out of the booth, then Nicky. She's still a little unsteady, so Josh holds onto her.
INT: MATTHEWS' KITCHEN - AFTERNOON
There is a set of COVID clothes for each family member by the back door, and there is a clean set of clothes for three adults and Nicky about 6 feet away from the COVID clothes. GINA (46 looks like 30, not your stereotypical teacher, tries to smooth things over), Nicky's mother, is doing her school work at the dining table when Nicky comes in from the living room. She's in jeans and a t-shirt. She has earbuds in as she listens to music.
NICKY
(taking one earbud out)
Hi, mom. Did you have lunch yet?
Nicky looks in the fridge and gets something to drink.
GINA
We did. How was the drive last night?
Did Josh take you anywhere new?
NICKY
It was good. We just went north; nothing
special. Where's dad?
GINA
He had an emergency meeting someplace in
Indiana.
NICKY
I thought he wasn't part of the crisis
team anymore.
GINA
He said something about a software glitch.
He was really pissed, so I didn't talk to
him much.
NICKY
I hope someone gets fired.
GINA
I hope your father doesn't have a stroke
over this. How's your homework coming?
NICKY
Already finished. English is what it is,
Josh helped with Chemistry, and Adriane
helped with Spanish.
GINA
As long as they're helping?
NICKY
You don't have to worry, mom. They'll make
sure I do my own work.
GINA
Good to hear.
Nicky gets an apple. TED (9 going on 40, fourth grader, likes to build things), Nicky's brother, comes in the back door. His clothes are covered with mud and sawdust.
GINA (CONT’D)
Freeze, Theodore.
(he does)
You are absolutely not coming into this
house like that.
TED
Mom, I need to bathe.
NICKY
No kidding, Teddy Bear.
GINA
Take your shoes and clothes off, leave all
of them outside, and I'll wash them later.
TED
But mom, I don't want to be naked.
GINA
You'll have your underwear on.
NICKY
It'll be like you having your bathing suit
on except drier.
TED
You're so not funny, Nicky. Can't I just
get my clean clothes from over there?
GINA
You don't have any here, and I know you're
not planning to clean the house after you
bring all that dirt inside.
NICKY
Having trouble with your fort?
TED
Not anymore, smarty pants. I just put
a floor in.
GINA
Go outside, Ted.
Ted sighs loudly and slams out the back door.
NICKY
So, I'm going to take a shower before he
gets back, and I think I'm in for the night.
GINA
It is a school night, after all.
NICKY
(heading upstairs)
And I have no curfew, after all.
GINA
Have a good shower.
Gina watches Nicky go for a moment then goes back to her work.
EXT: ROSIE'S - AFTERNOON
Josh and TIM (17, short, dark and handsome, really good kid) are sitting towards the back part of an outside seating area. They're using Josh's tablet to control a drone that Tim is flying among the empty tables and the sidewalk. They have their school bags next to their table. Nicky and Adriane have also left their school bags under the table. Both boys have their masks on properly.
TIM
This is freaking amazing, Josh. Thank you.
JOSH
I couldn't update the batteries - that'll
have to wait 'til Christmas when I get more
money.
TIM
I can give you some now,
JOSH
No, that's fine. And my mom wants me to
study more, so I have to focus more on
school, unfortunately.
Adriane and Nicky, their masks on properly, bring two full trays of food to the table. Nicky is listening to music through her earbuds. As they sort out their meals, ALISON (18, senior, east coast kid, free spirit) sits at the empty table next to them with her tray of food and drink. She has her backpack over one shoulder. She pushes her mask down so she can eat and drink.
TIM
Do they want you to decide about next year,
too?
JOSH
Yeah. I'm really tired of filling out all
those applications. What about you?
TIM
I'm focusing on UC and state schools.
ADRIANE
What are you doing?
TIM
Hey. Watch this, Adriane.
Tim brings the drone around only to knock over Alison's drink and food.
ALISON
(jumping up)
What the hell …?
TIM
(landing drone on his table)
Oh, God, I'm so sorry.
NICKY
(handing over napkins)
Here. I think you're all right.
ALISON
Yeah, I wanted to buy two lunches today.
Alison wipes off her clothes and sees what she can salvage of her food.
ADRIANE
We can do that, actually.
TIM
I insist, really. I didn't realize this
thing could go so fast.
ALISON
No, it's fine. I'm just … It's been
a hell of a day already.
NICKY
Tell me about it. C'mon; let's get you
another lunch.
ALISON
Really. It's fine.
ADRIANE
Do you want some fries?
Nicky holds her basket of fries out to Alison.
ALISON
(taking fries)
Thanks.
NICKY
Sit here. It's a big enough table.
A little hesitant, Alison drags a dry chair over to their table, and they all sit. Unintentionally, Alison's leg rubs against Nicky's leg. Nicky is amused but doesn't say anything.
JOSH
(holding out fist)
Hi. I'm Josh, this is Tim, Adriane, and
Nicky.
They all move their masks so they can eat. Alison slowly fist bumps Josh then waves to everyone else.
ALISON
Hey. Alison.
NICKY
Do you live around here?
ALISON
Not really. You?
ADRIANE
It's our central location so we can figure
out where we're going next.
ALISON
Great.
