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Roddy turns a corner, still talking into his mic, when he is greeted head on by a gun pointing in his face.
It's Johnny. Johnny tells Roddy to take his helmet off. Roddy laughs and points his gun at Johnny.
Another gun is at the back of Johnny's head. It's Cherry.
Johnny informs Roddy that he wants to shoot a paintball into Roddy's crotch area, as payback. Roddy says no way.
They are arguing when Jimmy comes on the scene. He tells Johnny he wants to tell him something... something important.
In the confusion Roddy runs away, laughing. Cherry follows him.
Jimmy brings something out of his pocket. Johnny gasps. "You motherfu-"
EXT. MAZE
In another part of the maze Cherry chases Roddy, both of them laughing and wildy shooting at each other.
EXT. MAZE
In another part of the maze Darnell stops, smelling. He brings his head close to a small green plant on the ground. It's weed. "Gabriel, you bloody beauty."
EXT. MAZE
Back to Johnny and Jimmy. Jimmy brings out the ring. Johnny lunges at him. Jimmy dodges him, and explains that Darnell stole it, and he took it from him.... to give back to Johnny.
Pause.... Johnny calls bullshit, raises and points his gun. Jimmy brings his gun up too. They keep their guns trained on eachother as they argue.
EXT. MAZE
In another part of the maze, Gabriel and a laughing Jeana run away from Frances. Gabriel turns around - No Frances.
Gabriel wants to go back to look for her. Jeana says forget her, and lets find the others. Gabriel disagrees and walks back the way they came to find Franes. Jeana is pissed. Gabriel smiles, telling her that conflict is key. Jeana is having none of it.
Gabriel and Jeana scoot away from Frances. She gives up the chase but wants revenge.
Frances shoots the camera lenses she can find with her paintball gun.
She runs into Darnell and enlists his help. Darnell in his usual mild euphoria goes along with Frances not really knowing why Frances is doing this. Darnell can’t hit a camera lens to save his life.
Frances tells Darnell they need to get everyone together.
EXT. MAZE (BY JOHNNY AND JIMMY)
Jimmy and Johnny are in a face off over the ring.
Jimmy sadly confesses that he was playing Johnny at first. He reveals his passion for Cherry and that one wild, passionate night they had in high school. And the sparks rekindled when they first met this weekend.
Johnny pisses and moans about life, how it’s always about bro’s before hose. Jimmy retorts that it’s hose before bro’s -- have you been watching bromances again?
Jimmy hands Johnny his gun as a sign of submission.
Johnny prepares to shoot Jimmy in the crotch. Jimmy tenses.
Frances and Darnell enter and surprise the duo. Darnell looks askance at the ring. Neither Jimmy nor Darnell fess up.
Frances says she staging a prank on Gabriel and wants Jimmy and Johnny to help.
Jimmy and Johnny look at each other unsure of what to do next.
Frances puts her arms around both of them and pushes them deeper into the maze.
EXT. MAZE (BY RODDY AND CHERRY)
Roddy and Cherry continue to wrestle and laugh. Roddy and Cherry kiss. Cherry’s motor is running hot after her warm up in the pool.
Roddy reminds her of the “Chair rub” incident.
Frances, Darnell, Johnny and Jimmy stop as a group a few feet away from the couple. Johnny makes a comment like “I should have shot all of you in the crotch.” Or “I remember the Chair Rub story now…”
Roddy and Cherry stand up and brush off their clothes.
Frances aims as if going to shoot Cherry but fires a paintball at a nearby camera.
Frances tells everyone how Gabriel and, she suspects, Jeana, have been using this paint ball shootout, if not the whole weekend, for some reality TV show or DVD.
Frances lets that news sink in. The gang reacts, mostly in the negative.
She wants to know if anyone is interested in punking Gabriel. Unanimous assent.
Frances asks if anyone has their paint ball war paint with them.
EXT. MAZE (BY GABRIEL AND JEANA)
Gabriel and Jeana wait in a corner of the maze. A “security” camera is in plain view.
Frances yells to get their attention.
The gang moons the Gabriel with his name painted on their six pair of butt cheeks:
Everyone is cleaned up and all are present except Gabriel and Jeanna. They talk amongst themselves about Gabriel and the cameras.
Frances sits next to Johnny. She wipes some paint off his cheek.
Darnell snorts some coke over in a corner. He says he doesn't care if Gabriel was taping as long as he gets a cut of the cash.
Cherry shouts at him, "This is serious!"
She says it's like when they were back at school - he never cared about anything serious. Not his grades, what the teacher said, anything.
Roddy sticks up for Darnell, saying Johnny is still the loser he was in high school.
Frances laughs, calling Roddy a big jock who lives in the past.
Roddy calls Frances a man and tells her she changed too much, and that she can run away from the past, but she can't hide.
Frances starts to cry. Jimmy comforts here.
Gabriel enters and makes some wise crack and then everyone in the room starts shouting at him about the cameras. Jeanna follows and hides in his shadow.
Jimmy tries to play peacemaker.
Gabriel goes off at Jimmy, telling him he always picks the best moments to be friends with people... when they are at their weakest, and that he has always been like that.
Jimmy tells Gabriel he hides behind money. And that he acts because he is too scared to live in the real world, just like he was too scared in high school. Jimmy's just trying to help.
Everyone starts shouting at each other.
Suddenly Gabriel picks up a vase and smashes it on the wall.
Everyone goes quite.
Gabriel starts to cry, and he tells them everything. The debt, the camera's, the tv show, everything.
19 INT. MANSION, LIVING ROOM Jeanna comforts Gabriel.
She starts into a spiel about how he was always there for her, but Frances interrupts. She's going to bed.
Johnny is too. They exit.
Roddy calls them party poopers.
Gabriel agrees. It's late. They should all go to bed.
Roddy says Gabriel's just a pooper or something like that.
Everyone but Roddy and Darnell head upstairs.
INT. MANSION, GUEST CORRIDOR Frances and Johnny stand outside Johnny's room. Frances thanks Johnny for being there for her. She gives him a kiss.
Johnny watches Frances walk toward her room. Then suddenly Jeanna, Jimmy, and Cherry are in the corridor. Johnny hurries into his room.
INT. JOHNNYS ROOM Johnny shuts his door. Then leans his back against it, holding on to the door frame for dear life like his world is spinning and he doesn't want to fall off.
INT. MANSION, GUEST CORRIDOR Jeanna has forgotten something. She turns around and heads away.
Cherry and Jimmy are at the door to their respective rooms. Cherry eyes Jimmy. Then she calls him. He stops at his door.
Cherry saunters over. She gets seductive with him. She says she was thinking that maybe they could...
Jimmy turns cold. Not tonight, I have a headache. Then he enters his room. Cherry is left at the door, shocked.
INT. MANSION, LIVING ROOM Darnell offers Roddy some coke. Roddy shrugs and accepts it.
Roddy asks how much money Darnell owes. Darnell tells him. Roddy is shocked.
INT. MANSION - OUTSIDE GABRIELS ROOM Jeanna knocks on the door. Gabriel opens it.
What does she want. To thank him. She pushes him in the room. And closes the door.
INT. MANSION - GUEST CORRIDOR Johnny exits his room and looks both ways. He tip toes across the hall to Frances' room. He knocks on the door.
Frances holds here sheer robe tight at the neck. She asks what Johnny wants.
Johnny is tounge tied. She asks if he came there just to stutter at her.
Johnny lean in and kisses her. A real kiss. She responds. They fall into the room and the door closes.
[b]INT. MANSION - LIVING ROOM A couple of beers in front of them. So coke laid out.
Roddy tells Darnell he's always been his best bud. Roddy going to give Darnell the money.
Darnell doesn't believe him.
But Roddy insists.
Darnell is overjoyed. He gives Roddy a big kiss and they both fall off the couch.
Roddy pushes the overjoyed Darnell off of him exclaiming that’s the second time Darnell has given him a man kiss. Roddy confirms he’ll get the money to Darnell come Monday morning at the bank. Darnell tries another macho kiss and Roddy puts his hand up to fend off the kiss.
INT. GUEST WING
Cherry waits outside Jimmy’s door and reaches up to knock but pulls he arm back when she hears voices from the living room. She walks toward the voices.
INT. LIVING ROOM
Darnell states he is too excited to sleep and wants to prank the bedroom occupants. Roddy confides he is done with being the joker. He needs to get his shit together if he’s going to be the man he wants to be.
Cherry stands just outside the entrance and likes what she heard.
Cherry enters and asks the duo why they aren’t in bed. Darnell claims Roddy is refusing his advances and laughs. Roddy says they were talking about getting Darnell into a sobriety program causing Darnell to howl with laughter.
INT. BEDROOM (JIMMY’S ROOM)
Jimmy tosses and turns. Jimmy has a flashback: He walks around the corner in the maze and witnesses Roddy and Cherry kissing. Jimmy can’t sleep and exits.
INT. GUEST WING
Jimmy walks to Cherry’s room, whispers her name, and about to knock on the door when he hears Cherry’s laugh from the living room.
INT. LIVING ROOM
Jimmy enters. Darnell, Roddy and Cherry exclaim “Jimmy!” They want to hear a story of his from high school. After a moment of inner tension, he complies.
INT. BEDROOM (FRANCES’)
Making love for Johnny and Frances is nice and easy. Afterwards, Frances confesses to a high school crush on Johnny. Frances asks to see the ring. Johnny worries about paying for the ring. Johnny looks into the hall and hears voices. They go down to the living room arm in arm.
INT. LIVING ROOM
Jimmy captivates the audience with the story of why he thought Gabriel was gay and Frances was too. Johnny and Frances enter obviously together. The group exclaims “Johnny!” and after a moment “Frances!?” Frances and Johnny sit together. Frances asks Jimmy to continue. Cherry smiles at Frances then Johnny and whispers “Good for you.”
INT. MASTER BEDROOM
Jeana forces herself on Gabriel. This is one of two sexual encounters he has had. The first was Frances a long time ago. He is overwhelmed by the sex and is quite content. They hear laughter through the door and go out to investigate.
INT. LIVING ROOM
Jeana and Gabriel find everyone in the living room. No drugs, no beer but plenty of fun. The gang exclaims “Gabriel!” and “Jeana!” Darnell states Gabriel is not Gaybriel or Gabrielle, he’s just Gabriel.
ADD: -- Explanation of why characters are at mansion -- Variety topics for dinner scene to establish characters such as jobs (See profiles) -- Johnny vs. Gabriel (per profile Johnny believes Gabriel never showed him appreciation for start in acting) -- More scenes (montage?) with ring changing hands -- Desperate scene in paintball where Gabriel threatens to throw the ring into the pond
CHANGE: -- Jeana’s reason for leaving and later returning to mansion; diminished character? -- Darnell is hiding from his drug supplier and marks; won’t answer his phone but he checks it every ring -- Cherry doesn’t end up with anyone -- Roddy is fresh from rehab -- Paintball battle should be teams (Johnny vs. Gabriel) -- High school flashback to more of an interactive scene -- Cameras and microphones are wired to central control -- Francesca is 100% functioning trans-sexual -- The ending will need to change since no RV
TRIM: -- Introduction length -- Jesus Christ Superstar -- The RV, Muslim, and Logan legacy -- Episcopalian as topic of dinner scene -- Quote from Romeo and Juliette (shortened)
EDIT (Added 02-23-2010):
Example of opening scene (dialogue can be added later)
BLACK:
The word “Thief” is on the screen. Then it reads “Thoef” with the “o” being a diamond ring which begins to twirl in place until a side view of the ring reveals a perfect “i” completing the correct spelling.
FADE IN:
EXT. MANSION
An awe inspiring mansion sits on lush green grass. The hedges are sharply trimmed. Not a wave dares to disturb the surface of the pond.
INT. LIVING ROOM
GABRIEL (17), a person everyone at the party wants to talk to. He has charisma and the good looks to go along with his dazzling smile. The music plays LOUD from a vintage stereo system. He stands in the middle of the party and holds his hand up in a man wave at…
CHERRY (17), a shapely beauty that every teen boy dreams about, waves back her slack wristed girl wave. At her side is…
FRANCES (17), pale skin and dark hair, notices Gabriel’s wave to Cherry. His face stiffens. He waves a Gabriel but then pulls his hand back. The wave wasn’t for Frances. He whispers something to Cherry causing her to grin.
Gabriel eyes Frances like he couldn’t care less what was said.
Gabriel looks around scanning for known faces and nods at…
DARNELL (17), skinny with an afro and sparse facial hair on his small chin, talks to anyone who will listen about drugs, concert tickets, and condoms he has for the right price. He holds an imaginary doobie, inhales, and invites Gabriel or a smoke later.
Gabriel taps his watch and nods “later” at Darnell. Darnel smiles and puts his arm around…
RODDY (17), tall and imposing, nods with a glint of mischief in his eyes and smirks a half-smile.
JIMMY (17), a clean cut boy scout with a square jaw, notices the sign and wants in on the doobie too. The music playing changes to a different band and Jimmy moves his body to the rhythmic music. He slaps Gabriel on the shoulder as Gabriel walks by. Jimmy and the other boys watch with young lust in their eyes as Cherry glides next to…
JOHNNY (17), a fat boy so jovial he doesn’t mind being called Fat Boy, sits watching TV. He yells at the actors every time they do something stupid. Johnny appears satisfied to stay in the TV room alone with his snacks.
Gabriel works his way over to…
JEANA (17), a slight girl with a Goth look to her attire and make up. She smiles coyly at Gabriel…
Graduation Ceremonies: May 28, 1999. Five friends linger on the curb in front of Simply High School. They're obvious deviants, wearing apparel that actualizes their abhorrence to society's constructs.
The final three arrive on scene in a hearse. A wedding? A Funeral? Neither, but a "Thy dare be done", in what appears as a gag that has a priest about to marry. Truth is, "the gag" only breaks the surface of the real storms brewing underneath the surface of the group's dynamics.
This is a story about "the group", namely, one that is prone to use and abuse each other, but also to love and no one knows it or could feel it except them. Especially not "the propers".
The Propers are the rich kids that belong at this proper school. They snub their noses at our proverbial "onions" that in turn, brandish some exotic martial arts moves and attitudes that denote a rousing and scornful performance towards the proper "petunias", that seem to have zero performance anxiety and one hundred percent productivity on the success scale.
How did these Onions manage to get into Simply? Money. From Logan Heisberg, the step-father of Jeana Marie, both characters who everyone wants around and no one wants around because as easy as they make life sometimes, they also make it hell.
Like for Gary, now.
From the get-go in front of Simply, we meet the twisted couple that seem to break religious oath. Both GABRIEL RAZON and JEANA MARIE FOREST (HEISBERG) prove truth is stranger than fiction. The trouble with these two, is we never know which is which. They don't either and that might be their greatest challenge.
Hard to tell who to focus on. RODDY "BURNER" BURNSIDE, the suave practical joker dressed as a magician who smoothly pulls flowers out of his wand? Or CHERRY "CHERUB" CHAMBERS, the big bosomed tease who accepts the flowers and a kiss from Roddy on her one flattered and extended hand.
Maybe it's our gay friend, FRANCES TERRY who snaps "magical" pictures that lead us with captions to identify the eight of our group.
Wrong on the gay front. Frances is a female trapped in a male body and with the help of Gabriel, he's only just figured that out himself. In the process of "snapping" Frances drops his change purse. No one notices.
It seems the most normal is JIMMY GREEN. He's dressed in a suit, pretty standard, but then he's without his shoes and the back of said suit is a patchwork quilt. Normal theory over.
Normal must then mean JOHNNY BOSCO, the overweight boy with "schlep" predominating his disposition. Someone's got to figure out a way to get him to hold his head up. His casual attire seems pretty normal, but his fascination with the curb is not.
Speaking of which, the curb is the antagonist that trips Jeana leading her into the "saving arms" of DARNELL DAVIES, an afro-haired lollipop upon his head, a tuxedo T-shirt and golden velour pants that cascade in gigantic flairs at his feet.
Only Darnell could pull off a look like this and still appear suspiciously intelligent despite the amount of drugs he absorbs.
As Jeana trips and is "saved" by Darnell, Gabriel thinks it's more and "grabs" Darnell's crotch and remarks that his "instant hard ons" mean he's not getting lucky. Darnell retorts he's not getting lucky with the Steves rather than the Eves and he shoves Frances into Gabriel's arms.
The sensitive "condition" of Frances is apparent as he kisses Gabriel and Gabriel at first puts on a "macho pat" on his back.
The disguised Blow Job scene at the drive-in where Gabriel helps Frances to know himself comes as a flashback in Gabriel's mind. The only one who knew besides Frances was Jimmy, in the car next to them, he witnessed it and after the widest of eyes since the day of his birth, Jimmy closes them for a moment. His gestures were then of "mum's the word", but of course he tells and everyone in their onion patch knows.
After the instant of remembrance, Gabriel lightens from the "macho pat" to a lady-like pat. Even the screen lightens a shade.
Gabriel and Darnell wind up fighting, but Jimmy intercepts with his peace-making skills. Both Gabriel and Darnell turn their attention to Jimmy, the mood lightens one more degree as they take the opportunity to "beat up" on Jimmy, but it only seems that way. As Darnell holds Jimmy and Gabriel looks like he's about to take a solid punch to Jimmy's stomach, he begins to tickle Jimmy. Thus Jimmy's weakness is exposed.
Against the frivolity ensuing out front, is the elegance around back.
EXT. SIMPLY HIGH - BACK GROUNDS
LOGAN HEISBERG (43) suited in the best threads money can buy seems to be enjoying a la-te-dah conversation with ISSAC TERRY (40) worn appearance upon a closer look.
Closer still as the conversation reveals itself, the la-te-dah is missing its "dah" and it's la-te-fuck because things aren't as they seem.
Issac asks Logan if he thinks his alcoholism caused Frances' sexuality issues. Logan's response is to pull out his own private flask, hand it to him and then remark that, ""The cause of everything is the first cause, Issac. And this aint it," he says. They look out at the surroundings. Beautiful, isn't it.
Logan makes a proposal to Issac. He'll look after Frances. He offers money for Frances' sex change, an "in" at one of his companies, and a life as beautiful as "this", if... Logan announces, "You advise Gabriel to work with me. The best recommendation you can conceive of. Tell him that I've made life easy now."
Issac asks why on earth Gabriel would even want to take any advice from him, after all, he's a drunk. The answer is precisely he would not, and therefore will not want to work any deals with Logan out of pride. Only drunks and weaklings accept charity, right?
Logan knows that Gabriel is just like him: he doesn't want things easy. He wants to earn it, just like he did. Logan doesn't want Gabriel to simply fall into his estate without knowing what it feels like to be down and out and thus is his plan: to bring Gabriel down.
INT. SIMPLY HIGH - FRONT
The group is in the process of heading to the party out back, but Roddy goes back to the hearse for a moment to grab some practical joke supplies. He's about to catch up with the group when he notices that someone dropped their change purse. He begins to shout out "Hey-" but when he opens it to see the bills, he opts to keep it for himself.
INT. SIMPLY HIGH - TENTS
The graduates perform The Tango together. The end of an age.
Summer. The glorious open air market hums with activity. The docks are filled with street vendors and artisans. The water glistens and so do the smart eyes of Jeana.
She's a calculating cashier and has an interesting way of handling a cranky customer. As sly as she is to the woman (who winds up digging for a twenty for charity), she's sweet enough to the real priest (who's next in line). Jeana treats him to his pastry and energizer drink despite her "closed" sign. He performed a confession for her in off hours, so it only makes sense.
The uniformed Jeana counts her float, closes and we find her finding Gabriel.
EXT. SIMPLY MARKET DOCK-SIDE
Gabriel sips a latte. Jeana notes the delicate nature of the cup he drinks from, a small rose-like petaled porcelain lady cup, small as in Turkish-coffee, cup.
Pa-chaw! from Gabriel, though she teases him while "clipping his hair" with one of her diamond studded hair combs.
Laughter. Gabriel sobers quickly, a nervous tick upon his face.
So the news is that Jeana is holding The Last Hurrah before Gabriel goes off to L.A. and becomes "one of those".
The Last Hurrah is going to honor her step-father's forty-fourth birthday. Gabriel mentions how much Logan's done for everyone, but the most important thing wasn't the money. It was this: He pulls out a "lucky rock" that Logan gave him as a child.
Jeana mentions that he shouldn't be carrying it around or he'll lose it. Gabriel says he knows, but he was feeling sentimental about leaving Simply and you know.
INT. JEANA MARIE'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY
A birthday cake alight with forty-four candles. Happy Birthday Logan, it reads.
The eight friends sing Happy Birthday, clap and do "He's The Jolly Good Fellow."
Logan looks contemplative.
He finally admits that "Jolly is for Santa Clause and Good is for fools and he's neither; so think of what a man who's a sinner and sick sinner at that-- with a damndable illness from Satan himself-- What might he need to make this occasion really memorable?"
Jeana begs her father not to ruin it.
But Logan won't let it rest. His number #1 and only son (only in his mind) is leaving and he will have the final word.
Someone (he stares hard at Gabriel) to look after my life's work after I'm gone.
Logan gets up and leaves the room. The birthday candles still flaming.
Jeana jumps to Gabriel's side asking him to talk to her father. To tell him he'll do it. The group takes Jeana's side. "Tell him you'll do it! Look at what he's done for us!"
Each explains in turn what Logan has done for various family members. Paid for this. Paid for that.
Gabriel gets up reluctantly to follow into Logan's study.
INT. LOGAN'S STUDY
Gabriel enters. Logan is facing away. A cigar sits in the ashtray, its smoke coiling quietly.
Gabriel doesn't say a word. Logan, still facing away asks Gabriel if he thinks he has control over his life. Gabriel acknowledges that he has control over his decision to say "yes" or "no" to all of Logan's business which he has no blood connections to anyways and "Why don't you get Jimmy? He's a level head."
Logan makes a comment, "If you don't want what I have to offer, then why don't you give me back the lucky rock I gave you when you were ten. Or did you lose it? No. Of course didn't lose it, or you wouldn't be going to L.A. now would you? Wouldn't have met Donald Esquins at Johnny's. Wouldn't a lot of things, would you?"
Logan lifts out a strange looking pendulum out of his drawer. It swings sideways. Underneath, he places a "fortune telling map" with various scenarios inked over in a splotchy black. The pendulum swings in every direction precariously.
"I want you to be in charge," says Logan as he scrutinizes the pendulum.
Gabriel pulls the rock from his pocket. His hand stretches forth. He's about to give it back and as it moves closer to Logan, the pendulum shifts dramatically wavering and completely unstable.
Gabriel focuses upon the pendulum. His vision blurs. His hands begin to shake. He cannot give up the rock.
Logan very carefully holds open his hand, waiting.
Gabriel closes his hand tight around the rock and pockets it. He leaves.
Logan enters, smiling. He places an arm around Gabriel. "My number #1 and only son. Of course he's going to. He just needs a little time in L.A., get his career off to its spectacular start, and then he'll be coming back home. Right Gabriel?"
Gabriel agrees "right" to cheers and applause.
Logan hands out several bottles of champagne. Corks fly.
Glasses foam over and rise in unison to Logan's forty forth.
"Though ye break trust, thy love's a must," he says. Thus completes the essence of this dark character with a caring heart.
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
The end of the evening. The drunken group walks down some nameless street in Simplytown yaking about nonsense.
Roddy throws a football in the air and barely catches it. One last huddle before the "real game" commences. The game of Life. The group gathers together in a huddle.
Gabriel speaks: "Ten years from now we'll have a reunion. No matter what. And none of us will have changed. We'll all be exactly the same 'right here'. Where it counts." And he knocks upon the area of his heart, but Darnell gets him back from the day of their graduation and grabs Gabriel's crotch.
"That's where it counts my friend." Darnell laughs and remarks that it's soft as putty. Gabriel's too drunk and can't conjure even an angry stare. "So we're even. ...And we'll perfectly remember this perfect moment..."
High School Reunion. June 11, 2009.
EXT. GABRIEL'S MANSION - FRONT
Together, just as before. A circular huddle, around we go, searching their perplexed faces.
"I hardly remember that moment," Roddy says, his face a tightly woven knot of confusion.
"What moment?" Darnell adds.
"The moment!" Gabriel shouts. "The moment we were all going to remember." Gabriel remembers, but the rest have the cloud of doubt hanging over their heads.
Jeana says she remembers confessing to that priest the next day. It was just a joke, but it felt wrong. You know.
Arm-in-arm, all gathered together. Just like before. Yep. Just like before... No. Not-At-All. They break apart.
"What's wrong with us?" Cherry asks. The ole cheer leader decides to do a little cheer and this has a miraculously healing effect on group dynamics.
Jeana notices and fixes it further by pulling down Cherry's top and exposing a little more of the bobble.
Darnell, in one of his lesser known straight moments snaps his fingers to order:
"We don't remember because we're not drunk. It's the synchronicity factor. "If we get wasted, we'll remember".
Roddy acknowledges that he's been clean and sober for two weeks.
Gabriel remarks that it's no wonder he looks peaked.
Jeana contributes that she just finished reading an article that some people work better when they're stoned. Cherry nods agreement that she read that too in Science Digest.
Gabriel encourages them to go in and make themselves at home.
Jeana's about to head too, but he grabs her by the arm, holding her back.
"How did you get Cherry to go along with your Stoned is Good For You in Science Digest" bit. Jeana pulls out her wallet, packed with bills. "Father doesn't want us wanting."
Gabriel's furious. He exclaims that he doesn't want her father's charity. He's going to do this on his own. She brings up "the deal" that Gabriel and her father made years ago and that it's not charity if he fulfills his obligations.
Gabriel responds angrily that he 'doesn't want to be no Vito Corleone-- especially one who drinks the blood of virgins and chants ooram on the nights of the full moon. I've changed, Jeana.'
But Jeana won't accept that. Her memory's quick "What about 'And none of us will have changed. We'll all be the same right here.'" Jeana knocks upon her heart and then upon Gabriel's. Real hard fisted. Gabriel stares for a long cold moment, then walks off into the mansion.
Cherry walks up. She inquires about what's really happening. Jeana declines, giving Cherry a sisterly kiss and a few more dollars. Cherry declines the money, but Jeana insists.
They walk to the side of the expansive and well manicured garden, reliving a few good times when they enter upon what is the back yard grounds of the mansion. Before we see it, they do.
It's a "holy shit" moment.
EXT. MANSION - BACK GROUNDS
It's terrible. Weeds, overgrown grass. Peeling paint on the Gazebo... Cherry says something's terribly wrong. Jeana says, more than you know and hands her some more bills. She's paying off her guilty conscience because she wants to confide the truth, but can't.
Cherry announces that we're going to get together and arrange a work party. Fix things up.
Jeana enters Gabriel's study. He begins to apologize. She does likewise and then explains that Cherry's got a one track mind about arranging a work party to fix his sorry ass back yard.
"That 'ill be loads of fun to compete with Survivor for the "This Old House" crowd who spend their Saturday mornings shopping Home Depot".
Gabriel paces and determinedly says, "I'm going to produce this Reality Show Logan or no Logan! And I'll do it my way."
Jeana smirks at the Frank Sinatra vibe and gets huffy; says he should snap out of it. "I'm here for you aren't I? Things could be easy. You could accept Father's help and move on, but no. You have to prove yourself! Ok then. Let's do this whole charade! Make a mockery of the friendships we've had since grade five."
But it's not about mockery, Gabriel says. "It's about fun damn it! And we're gonna have fun!"
Jeana says, "Oh yeah. Workin' to fix up your back yard-- that'll be tons of fun."
Gabriel doesn't remit. Games before work! He sounds like Darnell. "We're gonna play ourselves some Paintball!" He throws some military-like clothes at Jeana for her to suit up. She's lightened. "Ookay, but at least let me settle."
EXT. GUEST HALLWAY (OUTSIDE JOHNNY'S ROOM)
Jeana enters on the Guest Hallway and stops to hear Jimmy and Johnny arguing.
INT. GUEST ROOM (JOHNNY'S)
Heated dialogue over Cherry, their mutual love interest.
EXT. GUEST HALLWAY
Jeana's heard enough. She shakes her head and continues to her room.
INT. GUEST ROOM (JEANA'S)
Jeana admires the war garb. Could be fun. She begins to undress.
EXT. GUEST HALLWAY (OUTSIDE JOHNNY'S ROOM)
Darnell arrives at the same spot. He hears the same argument, but rather than move on, he stays to eavesdrop and then spy, seeing "The Ring" and learning Johnny's plan to propose. Darnell can hardly contain himself.
INT. GUEST ROOM (JEANA'S)
Jeana wears the war garb. She notices "missed call" on her phone. She dials, but it won't work. It's dead. She looks for her charger, but it's not packed. She calls out to her father as if he might hear her telepathically.
INT. LIVING ROOM
Gabriel and Roddy engage in animated conversation. (pg 21 old draft).
EXT. GUEST HALLWAY
Jeana runs smack into Darnell. They experience a moment. Darnell learns that Jeana's worried about having left her father. She tears off and down the stairs.
INT. LIVING ROOM
Jeana's about to leave, but Gabriel won't let her. The argument. When the group appears, they're all "Why is she dressed for war?" She speaks about her father dying and that she never should have left. She finally breaks free, slamming the door behind her. The group stands shocked. Frances runs after her.
EXT. MANSION - FRONT
Frances catches up and reveals what Jeana never knew: That Frances' father might be a drunk. He might be a lot of things, but he isn't a liar and he doesn't keep secrets.
Frances confides that Jeana's father helped her with the money for the sex change. That it was Logan that set her career in motion. And that Logan wanted her father to convince Gabriel it would be easy and happily ever after if he just took his offer and not worry about it.
Jeana doesn't get it until Frances explains: "Your father and Gabriel are two of a kind. Your father has been pulling all kinds of strings to bring Gabriel up to where he was flying on dream clouds and now he's bringing him down... Just so--
She knows this all too well. Just so he will learn what it's like to be on that roller coaster. The "Life is Fickle" roller coaster.
Jeana and Gabriel have always played the "make people learn" game. Of course, they learned how to play from the best, Logan Heisberg.
Frances and Jeana experience some female bonding as Frances explains that if it wasn't for she and Gabriel, she would have never learned who she really was. Tough love is good love I guess. What is it you always said, Though ye break trust, thy love's a must. And who did Jeana and Gabriel learn that from if not from Logan?
"I know all about my father. How could I not see this one?"
Frances shrugs, but Jeana has the look of remorse. For years I've idolized my father, I've lived by every word of his. When everyone else was sneaking out, I was sneaking in to be with him..." (Frances doesn't know the whole story.) "But maybe I was wrong. Maybe we were wrong. Him, Gabriel, me. Maybe we were all completely wrong. And maybe you shouldn't be a woman and maybe what we're planning..." What? Frances wants to know.
... Jeana's character is experiencing dilemma. She's questioning all of her values. Is teaching people the hard way the best way to teach? Has she manipulated just like her step father is manipulating Gabriel? Just like Gabriel is manipulating the group?
"If my father's not really dying, he better be prepared to pay up because if Gabriel wants a show, then he's gonna get a good one. Frances' quizzical look prompts a few more "guilty conscience bills" to be stuffed into her palms before Jeana leaves.
"Did she buy your love?" comes the voice of Cherry. Frances thinks. "She bought my trust, but if it's for her own good, I might have to break it." Love first, trust second. Her words; not mine.
Cherry repeats the old saying, "Though ye break trust, thy love's a must... I have a feeling that long after Logan's dead and buried, we'll be reciting his words and looking for him around the long corridors of our dreams at night."
"Cremated". Frances offers. He wants his ashes scattered over the Simply ocean.
The question comes from Frances, "Do you think he's dying?"
The answer, "I hope not." Demonstrating a love for the old man from Cherry. No surprise though from this queen of sympathy.
INT. GABRIEL'S STUDY
Gabriel's on the phone to Logan. He demands to know if he's really dying or if this is just a game. Logan answers "Of course I'm dying, we're all dying!" But then he gets serious and says "yes", but it's went into remission before and it could easily do so again." Gabriel feels a twinge of guilt.
He requests that Logan just order her back. I need her as much as my lucky stone. Gabriel opens his drawer and pulls out a small wooden box. It's gone!
EXT. SIMPLY MARKET - DOCKS
Logan's out on a houseboat enjoying a brew. He advises Gabriel that everything is a sign no matter how incidental it seems.
Logan holds up "the stone" in his hand, twirling it around.
INT. KITCHEN
(Page 25 old draft) Gabriel attempts to make dinner, stressed about his lucky stone because he knows it's more than that. His frustrations lead to him dropping a glass.
Frances appears just in time and begins to sweep it up. Gabriel confides to Frances about Jeana being so godamned "everything". For a little while Frances is thinking that she and Gabriel can have some "time" again.
INT. GUEST WING
A light moment as Cherry, Johnny, Jimmy and Roddy stand puzzling over one of Gabriel's abstract paintings. They decide it looks like Darnell's brain.
The conversation turns to the feeling they get that Gabriel's hiding something.
Roddy heads off to score something from Darnell, proclaiming that "Sober's over".
INT. KITCHEN
Dinner's coming along, but not any further "happenings" between Frances and Gabriel.
INT. GUEST ROOM (JOHNNY'S)
Johnny's feeling sorry for himself and diving into self pity and he speaks with Jimmy. Jimmy, being the man he is, tries to console him.
EXT. POND
Roddy finds Darnell and gives him "the connections list" compliments of Gabriel. Darnell's thrilled. They bitch about Johnny and his pathetic "ring thing". Roddy admits to Darnell that he found-stole money from Frances years ago. That he's going to admit to it and pay her back.
INT. GUEST HALLWAY
Cherry hears Johnny and Jimmy in the "can/can't" propose debate. She walks in asking what can't Johnny do? Johnny's answer is only a cover.
INT. KITCHEN
Darnell and Roddy enter bringing some old/new light to Gabriel's day. These guys haven't changed. It's nice to have them around again, but Gabriel cuts himself even as things are lightning.
His luck is turning bad he says. Roddy makes Devil horns and jokes that it was that "thing" Logan did back in 99. An ornament FALLS off the corner shelf and breaks. Roddy isn't laughing now. The three clean it up together and eye each other. No words.
Kay fun. Turns out Darnell has recently converted to Episcopalian and is even selling drugs to his new flock.
Some playfulness ensues as Frances discovers a book in Gabriel's pantry on "Sexual Cooking" with pictures... Soon Johnny's plans enter the conversation bringing on a downer, but Roddy changes that.
He's quick to snatch the book and run away with it. Frances and Darnell are quick to play the game and run in pursuit.
INT. GUEST HALLWAY - LATER
Jimmy and Johnny followed by Frances and Cherry head down to dinner.
Frances inquires if Cherry has heard anything about a certain "proposal". Cherry obviously hasn't. Frances reveals interest in Johnny under her breath.
INT. DINING ROOM
A glimpse of group dynamics. Cherry's a tease alright. While she shows Darnell how to make an appetizer, Roddy and Jimmy are keen on her gentle manipulations of the ingredients.
Johnny's already gone to get the ring, but O.S. comes his scream that "It's gone!"
INT. GUEST ROOM (JOHNNY'S)
A mad rush to find out what's the matter. When Cherry learns that everyone knew, but her, she's angered. Johnny is too. He runs after her.
INT. KITCHEN
Johnny calls out, but Cherry isn't there. Gabriel arrives offering some friendly advice, but Johnny lays into Gabriel. At this point, Gabriel is "that" close to punching Johnny, but he's better than that.
INT. GUEST ROOM (JOHNNY'S)
After all the drama, Roddy and Darnell and Jimmy decide to dig into some coke. Frances digs into their nerves by telling them to grow up. She leaves strong, but once outside-
EXT. GUEST ROOM (JOHNNY'S)
She hears "Fuck him. Fuck her." She tears, but quickly pulls herself together. About to walk off...
Frances gets a text.
TEXT MESSAGES:
Frances, I know you gave Gabriel's lucky stone back to my father. It's all good. I understand. But I need to know something about Gabriel once and for all.
Frances texts back: What?
I need to know if he's gay or bisexual or whatever.
You want me to test him? I already tried. Sorry he doesn't want me.
Try again. Try harder.
Frances falls to the floor in the hallway. What the hell am I doing here? Paying for the operation, that's what I'm doing here.
Cherry tries to convince Darnell and Roddy about her fabulous plan of how the back yard should go. They laugh at her calling it a "back yard". Presidential grounds more like.
INT. GUEST ROOM (JOHNNY'S)
Johnny sulks alone.
(Note *Edit Area around page 41 old draft. Here things need to be heated up.)
EXT. MANSION - FRONT - NEXT DAY
The sun rises on a new day. Swing around back and Cherry's already up and at it.
She's not alone. She hands Roddy, Darnell and Jimmy her list.
MONTAGUE:
The men set to the heavy work while
Cherry, in a fashionable and sexy "work outfit" paints the Gazebo.
While the men do a little "real" work, they do a lot of "pretend work", while spying on Cherry in her artsy endeavors.
It turns out that it's much more fun to request her help with finding things in the tool shed than anything else. The tool shed is quite the place of action.
But there's no action here:
INT. GUEST BEDROOM (JOHNNY'S)
Johnny snoozes and loses on his bed. The covers are half off. Various half-eaten snacks lie on his bedside table.
END MONTAGUE
EXT. MANSION - BACK GROUNDS
From below, it's slightly visible: there's the small slip of the window curtain. It's Gabriel spying on the proceedings from his lofty point.
INT. GABRIEL'S BEDROOM
Gabriel can only say "Fuck! This is reality all right. I can hear them now. When Gabriel says reality, he means reality. Dull reality."
INT. GABRIEL'S STUDY
He plays back some of the tape from his security camera. Sure enough, Frances is taking the Lucky Stone from its box.
Gabriel dashes out.
EXT. MANSION - BACK GROUNDS
Dum-de-dum-dum. Darnell's hammering away at a bench. He looks up thinking of another chance to get Cherry in the tool shed.
"Where's the-" But this tool that he requests is in a "different" shed and Gabriel has the key. Shucks! Darnell heads inside to get said key from Gabriel... Roddy laughs. Darnell sneers.
INT. GUEST ROOM (FRANCES')
Frances sleeps peacefully.
Gabriel DIVES on Frances. Her eyes open, shock then--
Gabriel? Oh Gaaabriel! she says lovingly.
The affections don't last. It's clear Gabriel's furious.
"If you weren't a woman I'd..." Finally Gabriel just holds her down.
If you didn't know, you'd think he's about to rape her.
"Where is my rock and why did you take it?"
Frances can't get over the way he's acting.
"Why the hell do you care so much about a stupid lucky rock? It's just a rock!"
"Because it really is lucky! Logan is involved in a special organization. And when I was a kid, he gave it to me and when he did, my luck changed, I swear to God."
"You're crazy. Let me go." She screams.
Gabriel presses his hands down hard on Frances' wrists as she squirms to break free.
"Tell me where it is... I want--
Darnell walks in.
"To get lucky again!"
Darnell's in hyper-mode "I heard screaming and I thought, I didn't mean to intrude..."
He leaves.
Thus Gabriel lets Frances go. He apologizes. She apologizes and explains that she's "paying" for her operation.
Gabriel admits that he's sorry. He's really really sorry.
He has visions of giving Frances the best damn blow job he could give him. And maybe he regrets it now. "I was only trying to help. I was only trying to help." And Gabriel breaks down into tears. Frances comforts him.
EXT. BACK GROUNDS
Darnell explains to Cherry and Roddy that he saw Gabriel cheating on Jeana. He thinks he really is bi-sexual after all.
Ya think?
What is bi or tri or anything really? And maybe that's what this story's about after all. Defining people not as isolated individuals, but as grouped, groupies, and groupesque.
The reason these people chose to be together might also be firmly fixed to their own personal needs which, after all, were fulfilled by the power and money that Logan offered to them all. Logan Heisberg. He's a savior. He's Jesus Christ. He's Lucifer. All wrapped up in one.
Gabriel sits alone. Drinking. Cherry enters. Inquires on his "state". State of "Where the hell am I and what am I doing here anyways? Sympathetic Cherry tries to offer him comfort. Gabriel rejects it. He apologizes for not telling her about Johnny's intentions.
Cherry emphasizes how she thinks Johnny is a spoiled "pop tart" brained lazy ass baby. This, from Miss Sympathy. Gabriel raises an eyebrow. Why does Cherry hate him so much?
Because if Johnny's been like a brother to her, he also reminds her of her Dad, who was a lazy ass and her mother wound up divorcing him because of it. Cherry doesn't want to wind up like her Mom. She'll be with someone who has some self-esteem and something opposite the scale of apathy that Johnny's weighing heavy on.
INT. GUEST BEDROOM (FRANCES')
Frances sees the mysterious RV pull in the driveway. She sees Jeana exit wearing a black abaya. Gabriel wants a show and he's gonna get it.
Off Frances goes in a hurry. She needs to talk about Gabriel's "state" now! One that Jeana, having been away, doesn't know about.
INT. KITCHEN
Frances runs into Johnny. They are clearly in a "get to know the real you" mode even though Frances is still in a hurry and speaks about what she just saw, which is:
Jeana. She enters dressed as a Muslim. Just as before with, "Why are you dressed for war?" Now it's, "Why are you dressed as a Muslim?" Noticing a pattern here?
Jeana explains that Logan's in the RV and he's demanding that Gabriel come clean with the deal he made on his birthday.
Frances knows that Logan's not in the RV. She remarks something in that regard and Jeana is "Ok maybe not."
EXT. MANSION - SIDE
Darnell gets a call from his drug man. He owes big time. The drug man makes death threats. Darnell is very intoxicated and his level of caring is suppressed. He promises he'll pay up.
He enters on the front.
INT. MANSION - FRONT
Darnell sees the RV and is freaked that maybe he better lay off the stuff because he thinks he's seeing things. He goes to touch it and sure enough it's real.
Gabriel approaches furious. "What the hell Darnell?!" He thinks Darnell stole the RV.
INT. KITCHEN
Johnny admits to Frances and Jeana that he borrowed the money from his parents without them knowing it. Jeana proclaims that's not borrowing; that's stealing.
Roddy's just come in, really loaded. (Just before the make-up scene). He admits to Frances that he stole the "lost" purse years ago on graduation. Roddy gives the money to Frances.
Frances gives the money to Johnny to pay for the ring. Johnny is overwhelmed and kisses Frances.
Jeana kisses them both. O.S. Gabriel yells at Darnell. Jeana and Frances rush out to see what's going on. Johnny says that the weird shit that's going on is making him hungry. He stays behind.
EXT. GUEST ROOM (CHERRY'S)
Roddy knocks. No answer. He presses his forehead up against the door, contemplating what to do. He enters.
EXT. MANSION
Gabriel's yelling at Darnell to get the gawdamned thing out of his driveway, but Darnell insists it's not his.
INT. KITCHEN
Johnny gets an evil grin, dons an apron and sets to work.
INT. GUEST ROOM (CHERRY'S)
Roddy gets a sinister grin like Johnny. He finds a make-up bag and begins applying make-up a-la Joker.
EXT. MANSION
When Gabriel sees Jeana coming into view wearing the black abaya, his jaw drops in "What the hell, Jeana?!"
The manipulating dialogue that comes from Jeana and Gabriel can only come from these two twisted sorts and while Frances tries to figure out what Gabriel's so angry about, Gabriel and Jeana go into a full rendition of "The Money Changers" scene from Jesus Christ Superstar.
After "the performance", Darnell asks, "Does this mean you're not angry with me anymore?"
Jeana answers for Gabriel, that he's not, but oh yes he is angry, but he's ESPECIALLY angry with Jeana.
Darnell is swiftly yanked away by Jeana who attempts to get Darnell to lie and admit to stealing the RV because she isn't ready to admit to him that she was using it to channel to her dead "real father" asking questions about The Legacy that Gabriel is supposed to assume from her step-father. And yes, the sentence is very run-on.
While Jeana convinces Darnell, Frances and Gabriel are enjoying the memory of The Beginning of this Movie, when everything was normal. Well, normally abnormal and Graduation was a funeral and a wedding all rolled into one.
Darnell and Jeana come back from their little "discussion" and Darnell now freely admits that yes, he stole the RV. Gabriel can't believe this. What the hell? And then it's Roddy from the upstairs window:
"Rooked me. He-he-he!"
Gabriel doesn't waste any time. He's off to make sure nothing in his house gets broken.
INT. LIVING ROOM
It's soft inside compared to the craziness out. Cherry is missing Johnny in a sentimental way as she chooses a sitcom to watch like she did years ago together with the lazy ass pop tart brain.
She's also missing her cigarettes and she reaches for a pack that Darnell left behind. She notices her empty ring finger. Lights a smoke. Blows a smoke ring and begins to cry "Ro- Rah- Rod".
INT. FOYER
Gabriel sprints up the stairs. He trips. A black cat runs past him. He doesn't own any cats. A dog chases the cat. He doesn't own any dogs.
INT. GUEST WING
He strides down the hallway; arrives at Cherry's room.
INT. GUEST ROOM (CHERRY'S)
He finds the room empty and sees on the mirror "The Ring = Johnny = Loser" written in lipstick. Gabriel cusses while he wipes the mirror off.
O.S he hears Roddy. "Here kitty-kitty-kitty. Rover's big, but he won't hurt you. He only wants to play." He exits the room at the height of rage.
INT. GUEST WING
Roddy's drunk, wearing Joker make-up and petting the black cat, who's now purring and rubbing up against Roddy's face.
"A stolen RV in my driveway compliments of Darnell and now you're stealing my neighbor's pets?"
"Borrowing," comes Roddy's reply. "And how come you don't have any pets anyways? Don't you like animals?"
It wouldn't be fair. When he's working all the time. When he WAS working all the time... Gabriel falls down into his ever-loving pit of despair. He pulls a hefty bottle of pills from his pocket and pops one. Roddy pulls them out of his hand. Xanax. "You've got everything. What the fuck is wrong with you? Here." He hands the purring cat to Gabriel. He pets it, gratefully.
Jimmy enters silently while Cherry speaks to the television actors like in the old days.
They share a sentimental moment and the surprised Jimmy gets a hug from Cherry. He's not sure how to take it.
INT. KITCHEN
Darnell makes a mocking imitation of Gabriel angry about the gawdamn RV in the gawdamn driveway.
Jeana and Frances laugh. They head to leave, Jeana's laugh dying down...
Roddy pops his Joker head in the doorway. The laughter's back up to speed when Roddy takes it too far, wipes his make-up off on Johnny's shirt and "picks on him" before running off.
INT. POOL ROOM
Jeana whispers to Frances: Ready to pay big time?
Frances smiles. "Should I go with a "really evil" or "semi evil". She does an "eye thing".
Jeana whispers, "I like the "really evil" personally.
Thus:
Comes the elaborately staged "pool fight" between Frances and Jeana. Roddy joins in the pool fun and then Gabriel enters. He shoots a knowing look at Jeana. He's upset that things aren't going as he planned and his words say so very little but so very much.
Both Frances and Jeana jump up to follow after him as he exits. Will they tell him that they're manipulating the manipulator?
INT. FOYER
Jeana and Frances meet up with Johnny and Darnell. Noting the "wet" clothes, Darnell asks if they spilled their drinks.
Johnny wants to know who slammed the door.
The explanations come round about and about round and both Jeana and Frances conceal the fact that they're "working the show" and "playing the player".
The ring and who stole it and why is brought up. Darnell brings it down as he reminds Jeana about the favor she owes him.
Instead of "paying the favor", she pays it with cash and stuffs some of her guilt bills into Darnell's hands. Jeana should start her own currency. Darnell flatly refuses. He's acting just like Gabriel. Darnell pulls Jeana close. "You know what they're gonna do to me if I don't come up with the money?"
For crying out loud Darnell, she just gave you the money now take it!
"They're gonna break my arms, pluck out my eyes and leave me floating in a little dingy off some nameless coast until the sea birds come along and start eating at my half-dead flesh... And it will be because you didn't "do me" my favor."
Jeana knows Darnell's absolutely serious. She can't be responsible for that. He'll take the money from her alright, but first...
INT. HOME THEATRE ROOM
Time to screw some sense into Jeana.
Wait. Jeana tries to get away to turn off the camera, but Darnell gets rough. That's the way she liked it with Darnell.
Please don't's are all we hear as the screen goes black.
INT. GABRIEL'S STUDY - LATER
Jeana enters, looking around the room, trying to think of a way to get Gabriel out.
Instead, Gabriel says, this time it is definitely time for paintball. It's been long enough.
Jeana says that something's awful happened and she tries to tell him, but Gabriel says it can wait.
INT. POOL ROOM
Roddy plays dead in the water. Johnny tries to rescue him, but is pulled in and rewarded by Roddy with several "holds" under the water. Johnny can't fight against Roddy. Roddy just plays with him.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM
Spy-themed music plays as Gabriel dresses in a black turtle-neck over his head, completing his black ensemble.
Jeana does the same.
O.S. Roddy is heard. "Fat boy can swim!"
INT. POOL ROOM
The lopsided fight continues until Johnny makes his get-away.
EXT. POOL ROOM
Johnny storms the hallway, muttering his revenge.
INT. POOL ROOM
Jimmy, still standing at the side of the pool, calls Roddy a jerk. Roddy just back strokes happily.
INT. POOL ROOM - LATER
Roddy's in the hot tub, sobering up quickly. Darnell enters asking about the cost of the ring. He reveals that he stole it to get the money to pay off some debts.
Roddy tells him to just ask Jeana. "I hear she's been passing out "the bills" like there's no tomorrow."
Darnell, full of guilt says, that yeah, he thought of that. Twice. But he can't. Because he thinks he maybe loves her. And you know what they say about Can't buy me love?"
No shit, you serious Darnell? I can't even believe it. He won't take the fucking money and what's he trying to prove. Gotta be a hero or something.
INT. LIVING ROOM
Darnell enters. Jimmy's there bumping very purposefully into him and his hands are all over Darnell. A quick slide into his pocket and voila.
After Darnell questions Jimmy about the worth of the ring, he leaves, satisfied that it's worth enough to pay his debt.
Jimmy opens the palm of his hand, exposing the stolen "stolen" ring.
INT. POOL ROOM
Cherry enters. This is the scene all men have been waiting for. She slowly undresses and dives naked into the water.
Someone's in a changing area behind a Japanese screen. They take their pants down and "stroke" as Cherry strokes her laps in the pool.
INT. FOYER
Darnell's about to leave when he's confronted by Gabriel.
Gabriel convinces him to have some fun with Paintball. How hard is it to convince Darnell to have fun? The answer's obvious.
You know, Darnell could ask Gabriel for the money. "If you ever need anything, I'm here for you," Gabriel says. But Darnell's #1 competitor isn't Roddy despite what everyone thinks. It's always been Gabriel. Bi-sexual or whatever he is, Gabriel is one he will take an honest "drug lead" from, but nothing else.
Maybe Darnell decides to stick around because of "fun", that's a good supposition, but perhaps it's more than that. Maybe he's afraid of leaving Jeana alone with Gabriel, playing paintball in the dark. Having fun. Alone. In the dark.
INT. LIVING ROOM
Gabriel gathers them together notifying that they're about to have some real fun. Like they used to. Back in the day.
INT. POOL ROOM
While Cherry does her laps, she also sings a mocking chant on the craziness of our eight crazy onions.
INT. LIVING ROOM
Gabriel reveals what's in the bag-- a gun.
Roddy wanders in asking what's going on.
Gabriel points it. Roddy thinks it's real.
Gabriel shoots it right at Roddy's crotch.
DAMN!!!! FUCK!!! Roddy's in pain and hopping to try and wear it off.
Roddy accepts the challenge of the game by virtue of the fact that he wants revenge and he wants it bad.
Gabriel tosses them each a bag with the paintball gear.
INT. POOL ROOM
Cherry sighs. The waters have soothed her. Johnny sighs, bigger. More. He comes. And that is real good, but then--
SIX BAD MOTHERS dressed in black arrive, pointing guns at the naked Cherry.
Johnny runs. Correction. Tries to run with his pants down. "Leave her be!"
Oh man, the looks on the face-masked six. If you could only see. And then the look on Johnny's face, as they take off their masks.
Holy shit. "You wanna play paintball, Johnny?" Sure. Anything to forget this nightmare, but I'm just not fit enough.
Frances brings Cherry a robe. What'd you go and do that for, Frances? Geeze.
Roddy sprints left, Gabriel sprints right. Jeana follows Gabriel.
Darnell, Frances and Jimmy head in different directions.
EXT. MAZE - GABRIEL AND JEANA
Jeana tries to express herself, but Gabriel's wrapped up in "the game". She needs to know that he'll forgive her. But no, he's trying to have fun damn it.
Darnell spies. He SHOOTS Gabriel and takes off. Fuck. Gabriel's mad at Jeana for taking away his concentration.
He steers her ahead and she runs, looking aimless.
Frances appears. She pretends to "think" that something's going on when she "knows" something's going on. Gabriel upholds that the cameras are only for security.
As Frances turns around. Gabriel shoots her in the back. He meant that. Frances is angry. The game's went up a notch.
EXT. MAZE
Roddy's all Bravo Bravo, Charlie Charlie... trying to call Darnell, but Darnell won't answer. He's involved with the picking of "buds" he's found in the maze.
When Roddy finally proclaims, "Damnit, where the hell are you, Darnell? Darnell answers. Why didn't he answer? Because as far as he's concerned, Roddy was calling for Bravo and Charlie. Darnell's just having fun with Roddy, getting him back.
Darnell breaks off and resumes with his buds.
Roddy tries to call back, but soon finds himself looking down a gun barrel. Johnny's. And he's got the look of a Cheshire cat.
Roddy raises his hands, but it's time to pay the piper. Johnny gives his revenge spiel and then he's about to "pull", but Cherry shows up, trying to apologize for the way she's acted and convince Johnny that they all love him.
"Even you?" he asks. For a moment even we wonder if it might be true. That maybe Cherry does have some kind of feelings for Johnny.
But alas, she doesn't have an answer, and right then, Roddy seizes the opportunity to shoot Johnny and make his get-away. So long sucker. Johnny thinks Cherry was helping him. No. She wasn't. But Johnny's a ruined man. He drops the gun and heads to exit. He can't even do that. He falls down, hopeless.
Jimmy arrives. He tries to question. To help. Do something, but Johnny only sputters about what a fat slob he is and what an idiot. A fat idiot slob, is all he winds up able to say in between his blubbering hiccups.
At this time, Jimmy pulls out the "recovered" ring. Bad timing. Johnny at once believes "the whole group" if not the "whole world" is out to get him. Jimmy is part of the conspiracy to make him look like a fool, he thinks. "You bastard!" echoes through the maze. No Johnny. You're doing a fine enough job on your ownsome of making yourself look like an idiot.
EXT. MAZE - NEAR DARNELL
Darnell's drug dream is interrupted by Johnny's "bastard!". But he returns to his precious.
EXT. MAZE - NEAR RODDY AND CHERRY
Cherry chases Roddy down a path. Roddy tackles Cherry to the ground. He's on top and she can't help but laugh until he leans in to kiss her and she "bites" his nose.
"What the hell'd you do that for?" he asks, but it's evident if not to Roddy.
"You should have let him shoot you! Can't you at least let him gain back a little self respect?"
"OK, you want me to let him shoot me, I will, OK?"
This makes Cherry very very happy. And they kiss.
EXT. MAZE - NEAR JIMMY AND JOHNNY
Jimmy tries to convince Johnny that he didn't steal it, but Johnny just thinks he's been played. Jimmy draws a kind of blank sadness. Maybe Johnny is hopeless after all.
EXT MAZE - NEAR FRANCESCA
Frances runs with words breathing fast upon her lips. "Though ye break trust, thy love's a must..."
EXT. MAZE - NEAR JOHNNY AND JIMMY
The argument continues and now Johnny is about to pay back Jimmy with a "shot" in the crotch.
Frances and Darnell come rounding the corner. Frances spills it.
"This has all been one big game!"
"Yeah. It's called Paintball," says Jimmy.
"No, this whole week has been a pre-planned pre-fab lego legopolis of unfathomable heights of leg-pulling depths of which couldn't sink any lower and so I helped to fix it so he thought he was "doing his thing", but I was doing mine. And Jeana, she was doing it too." Darnell looks hard at Frances.
"No way. What we had was real, Baby."
Frances doesn't know. She admits to not knowing what is between her and Darnell, but Jeana was working with her to make a "different show" than the one Gabriel was planning.
These onions reek with malice towards the one who would trick them, try and steal their personal property and lie about what he was going to actually "show".
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