fourth draft of script

FADE IN:

EXT.  IN THE KITCHEN – DAY

LISA, 35 average looking with brown hair, is cooking lunch in the kitchen and BEN, 15 blonde hair, is sat round the table. Ben and CHLOE 13 blonde, quite short, have just had a heated argument in the dining room over Ben getting a letter from his mum. Ben had thrown the letter away without reading it and Chloe didn’t agree. Lisa can see Ben is upset about what has just happened but it thinking whether to get involved or not.

BEN:

(talking quietly to himself)

Why is Chloe even bothered,

it has nothing to do with her?

LISA:

(trying to lighten the mood)

 I’m making a roast for dinner,

peas or carrots?

Ben:

Carrots, oh whichever it

doesn’t matter

Lisa:

Don’t be so rude, it’s not my

Fault you and Chloe have

fell out.

There is an awkward silent (6 seconds) between Lisa and Ben.

Lisa:

You should really make it up to

 Chloe, she is having a tough time

and you were pretty hard on her.

Ben:

I know but I don’t know

what to say to her.

Lisa:

She is in the games room now

and she is feeling quite bad. Just go

up to her and try to change the

Conversation, you too are close and

it’s a shame to break that over a

silly argument.

Ben:

I know, I’ll go and sort

 it out now.

Ben stands up and walks towards the door.

Ben:

Lisa

Lisa:

Yeah

Ben:

Thanks

Lisa smiles then turns the radio up as Ben walks out of the room.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT.  IN THE GAMES ROOM – DAY

Chloe is sat on the sofa in the games room on her mobile, when ben walks in. Chloe’s eyes are all red from where she has been crying.

CHLOE:

Hi

She wipes away her tears

Ben:

Oh Chloe hi…

Ben walks over to the sofa were Chloe is sitting and sits next to her. There is still tension between them and there is an awkward silence.

Ben:

I’m sorry for upsetting

 you before.

Chloe:

I’m sorry for making such a fuss

over a silly letter, it was

your letter and I should have

 never said anything.

Ben:

I know you’re only trying to look

out for me but you have to

understand you don’t know my

mum and what she is like.

Chloe:

I know it’s just your lucky

          (more)

Enough to know your mum and

I don’t want to throw it all

 away just because of

what happened in the past.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. Flashback - 2 years ago – Kitchen – Morning

It is Chloe’s birthday and all the members of the foster family are sat around the table. Chloe is looking through her birthday mail.

Ben:

(joking)

Come on Chloe just open

Them

Chloe:

I was just looking if I

could see one from my mum

Ben:

Well open them and find out

Chloe starts to open her birthday

mail but realises that there isn’t

 one from her mum.

Chloe:

(signs)

Well I guest she has forgot

Again

MEGAN:

It might just be late or

she might bring it round herself.

Few seconds of silent and

everyone can see Chloe is upset.

LAURA:

Here open might and Megan

present, it will cheer up.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT.  IN LAURA’S BEDROOM – DAY

Laura, 10, short, ginger hair and Megan, 12, brown hair, are sat on Laura’s bed discussing Laura’s future. She is going to move in with new foster parents at the end of the week. She has all her stuff packed up in cardboard boxes.

Laura:

We can still stay friends

and Julie says you can come

and stay over whenever you want.

Megan:

I know but it won’t be the same.

Laura:

Change is good and we

can still talk at school.

Megan:

I know but who will cheer me

 up when I’m upset and make

 me laugh when I’m fed up.

Laura:

You have other friends,

 Lucy seems quite nice,

Megan:

You don’t even know Lucy

you have only just arrived

in here, I’ve been here for

 years and you have been

 the only person to talk to me.

Laura:

Just give her a chance you

 never know she might be really

nice.

Megan:

But how do I know I can trust

 her, you’re the only person

 who knows my secrets,

 what if she tells someone?

Laura:

Well you don’t need to tell

her about your past and what

 your parents did to you.

Megan:

But what if she asks about them

Laura:

She won’t and it smells like

 Lisa is making the roast,

shall we go and see

 if she needs any help?

Laura:

Yeah but that won’t solve

 my problems

Megan and Laura both decide to walk downstairs to the kitchen to help Lisa.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT.  IN THE GAMES ROOM – DAY

Ben and Chloe both look up and smile at each other, Ben sees that Chloe has been crying so he decides to offer her a game of pool, to take her mind of things.

Ben:

Do you want a game of pool

so I can beat you again?

Chloe:

I let you win

Ben:

You’re only saying that

because you’ll a bad loser.

They both laugh, Ben stands up and picks up both cues and hands one to Chloe. Chloe takes the cue and also stands up leaving her mobile on the sofa.

Chloe:

(still shaking from the argument)

I’ll set the game up if I can break?

Ben:

Fine, I’ll win away

Chloe’s reaches the triangle and all the red and yellow balls from under the table. She then places them neatly on the table on lines the Black ball up. Ben laughs because she is taking too long.

Ben:

It doesn’t have to be

perfect you know?

Chloe:

I know but I don’t want

any excuses when I beat you.

Do you have the chalk?

Ben:

Yeah

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT.  IN THE CORRIDOR – DAY

On the way to the kitchen they hear Ben and Chloe talking in the games room.

Laura:

Mmm sounds like Ben

 and Laura are fighting again

Megan:

I wonder what about this time

Laura:

Shall we have a quick listen?

Megan:

Well it’s none of our

business but I guess it won’t

hurt.

Laura and Megan both lean again the games room door to try and listen in.

Megan:

There only playing pool,

So let’s go downstairs.

Laura:

Okay I need a drink anyway.

Megan:

Race ya?

Megan and Laura both race down the corridor into the kitchen.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. IN THE KITCHEN - DAY

Lisa:

Will you two stop being so

 silly and calm down, I’m trying

 to finish dinner.

Megan:

Sorry Lisa, it was my

idea to race.

Laura:

Yeah Lisa it was all

 Megan’s fault.

Megan and Laura turn to look at each other and smile sarcastically.

Lisa:

I don’t care who’s fault

it is, I have a million

other things to do so will

you two either help or go

 and mess about somewhere else.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT.  IN THE GAMES ROOM - DAY

Ben hands the chalk over to Chloe and checks his phone.

Chloe:

You ready?

Ben:

I’ve been ready

for ages

Chloe breaks but she doesn’t get any balls in so she rolls her eyes at Ben. Ben smiles and takes his go; he easily gets a yellow ball into the top right pocket, he takes his go again and gets another one in the same pocket.

Ben:

Looks like your red then

 and are you sure not going

to lose?

Chloe:

I wanted to be red anyway.

Chloe takes her go and also gets a red in this time in the bottom right pocket. She smiles sarcastically at Ben and takes her go again this time she misses.

Chloe:

YES!

Ben’s phones beeps, he looks at it but chooses to ignore it. He takes his go, this time quickly and he uses too much force so he misses.

Chloe:

Who was it?

Ben:

What do you mean?

Ben pretends not to understand because he doesn’t want to tell Chloe the truth. Ben is not in the mood and he tries not to answer.

Chloe:

(raising her voice)

You know what I mean, who

rang you?

Chloe realises he isn’t going to answer so she leans over the table and lines her next shot up, Ben throws his cue onto the table and wrecks the game. Chloe then stands up and looks at Ben, hand on her hip

Chloe:

Ben just because I was going

 to win and you still haven’t

 answered my question.

Ben:

Actually you lined that shot

 up totally wrong and I couldn’t’

t be bothered playing anymore.

It’s none of your business who

rings me and whether I answer or

not.

Ben goes to walk out of the room when Chloe interrupts his movement.

Chloe:

So you’ll just go to walk

away as normal, I’m meant

to be your best friend and

best friends don’t keep secrets.

Ben turns around and looks at Chloe

Ben:

Fine, it was my mum ringing

but I didn’t want you to get

upset again.

Chloe:

I wasn’t upset!

Ben:

Chloe I’m not stupid and why

are we arguing about this again?

Chloe:

You started all this, and why

don’t you just listen to your

mum for a change. She might

 actually have something

important to say and then

 you would have

wished you had listened.

Ben interrupts her

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT.  IN THE KITCHEN - DAY

Lisa:

(starting to get frustrated)

Are Ben and Chloe Fighting

Again?

             

Laura:

Last time we heard they

were playing pool.

Megan:

But it’s not like we were

trying to listen or anything

Laura nudges Megan as to say stop

Laura:

(trying to cover up)

Why don’t you go and check while

 I and Megan watch the food.

Lisa:

Well I’m not sure, I don’t want

 you burning yourselves.

Megan:

We won’t, we have cooked

 loads of times

Laura looks at Megan again as if to say stop making it worse

Lisa:

You shouldn’t be telling me

that, and I think I will go

 and check on them. Don’t

hurt yourselves or burn

the roast and I will be back soon.

Lisa exits the kitchen and starts walking to the games room, while the girls sit room the table.

Laura:

So I wonder what Lisa will

 say

Megan:

Dunno but she is in a really

 bad mood so it’s not going

to be good.

Laura:

It’s very quiet this

morning, where is

everybody?

Megan:

They found out that Lisa

was in a bad mood and decided

 to stay in their rooms.

Laura:

I don’t like it being this

 quite, shall we have a look

 at Lucy’s magazines.

Megan:

She wouldn’t be too

happy if she found out.

Laura:

But she is upstairs so she will

 never know if we put them back

 afterwards.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. IN THE GAMES ROOM - DAY

Ben:

My mum has never said anything

 worth hearing and if you’re so

 bothered why don’t you talk to

 her.

Ben offers his phone to Chloe but doesn’t take it.

Chloe:

Why would I want to talk

 to your mum?

Ben:

I dunno but you seem

to know everything, so I just

 through you would know what to say

Chloe:

That’s not fair I’m only

trying to stop you making

 the biggest mistake of your life.

Lisa the care worker walks in from the kitchen.

Lisa:

Not this again! I

through you two had

made friends?

Ben:

It’s Chloe’s fault, thinking

 she knows everything

Lisa:

I don’t care whose fault it

 is, I have worked hard all

 day cleaning up and making

 lunch, I haven’t got time

for this. Both of you go to

 your rooms and I don’t

 want you to hear another

word from either of you.

Dinner will be ready in 10

minutes.

Ben and Chloe both walk out of the games room in a mood without talking and Lisa follows behind to back to the kitchen.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT.  IN THE KITCHEN – DAY

Megan and Laura have got themselves a drink and they are still sat at the table.

Megan:

Quick Lisa is

coming, stir the food.

Laura gets up from the table

 and goes to stir the food.

Laura:

(turns to face her)

Quick put the magazines away

and the food is all stuck to

the pan

Megan:

Just stir it around a bit

and it will be fine with some

gravy.

Laura:

Did you not hear me put

the magazines away?

Megan:

I’m doing it now.

Megan puts the magazines away just in time and goes to wash the empty cups out.