INT. EVEN. INSIDE LIVING ROOM  

 

A heated argument is heard. The shouting becomes louder and more aggressive. As we fade into the scene the words become more distinct.

  

Johnny:

I dunno what ya fuckin problem is?

 

Sophie:

Take a guess. You had it a second ago.

So typical when I want to…

 

Johnny:

Get a grip

 

Sophie:

Get a fucking grip?

 

Johnny:

(Sucks his teeth)

Idiot

  

There is a sound of a glass being smashed and a scream.

 

FADE IN:

 

Sophie is holding the handle of a pint glass. She is petite, well groomed with long brunette hair dressed in office wear. She is out of breath and looking dishevelled.

 

Sophie:

Johnny?

 

Johnny is lying on the floor half draped over a chair holding his head. Blood is pouring from his temple as he looks up at her in shock.

 

Johnny:

What the fuck have you done?

    

EXT. DAY. OUTSIDE THE FLAT.

 

Front door slams. Johnny has a bandage on his head half hidden under a cap. He is handsome, blonde and rugged in appearance. He is wearing sports trousers, T-shirt and trainers. He looks and the key in his hand thoughtfully, moving it between his fingers. Two small girls are sitting on a doorstep close by. They watch him, whisper to each other and start giggling. He looks at them and sighs. Turning his attention back to the key in his hand he chucks it on the door mat, picks up two old 70’s style bulky plastic suitcases by his side and walks away.

  

INT. DAY. AT FRIENDS HOUSE.

 

Johnny is round his mate Ben’s house. His suitcases are tucked next to him between the sofa and a tall broken lamp. The lounge is decorated with magnolia walls, blue sofa, grey carpet, DVD’s filling the shelves, silver widescreen TV, X-box, rubbish accumulating in the bin and around it, men’s health magazine and bills on the coffee table, constructed out of beer cans and plastic board.

 

Johnny is sat on the sofa. Ben enters from the kitchen with two cans of lager and passes one to him as he stumbles around the table to sit down.

 

Ben:

Here we go

 

Ben:

(Trips over Johnny’s foot)

Woops

 

                                                         

Ben manages to sit down and they open the cans.

 

Johnny:

Cheers

 

Ben:

Eh, what are mates for. Remember you

can stay here as long as you like.

 

Johnny:

Thanks. Shouldn’t be

too long.

 

         

They both take a gulp of their cans. Johnny looks down at his and wipes the condensation off the can with his forefinger then after inspecting it wipes it on his trousers.          

   

Ben:

Well there’s no rush. Never have thought

it though, you two set the standard for the rest

of us. Nice girl I thought, sweet job, flat, car.

Far from us eh.

 

                                                    

Johnny continues to stare at his can. Ben looks him over.

 

Ben:

What you guna do now?

 

Johnny:

Get a place; get laid-I dunno.

 

Johnny begins to rub the back of his neck and shuffle in his seat. Ben puts his can on the table and reaches for his cigarettes. He sparks one up and puts the lighter and packet back on the table.

 

Ben:

(Sitting back and inhaling loudly)

Shit happens man

 

Johnny:

(Gulps his lager)

Yeah well, I’m out of it for good

 

Ben:

You not guna try work things out with her?

Can’t be that bad. I mean whatever you did to

deserve that beauty. (Points to Johnnys head) You can make it up.

 

Johnny:

It’s not like that

 

Ben:

Well you know. There’s no excuse for

what she did, but you know what we’re like,

can’t say no to…

 

Johnny:

I didn’t cheat on her

 

Ben:

Then what?

 

Johnny:

It was over a remote.

 

Ben:

A TV remote?

 

Johnny:

Yeah, I lost it. She wasn’t too happy

  

Ben:

She glassed you over the head because of a TV remote?

 

Johnny:

Yeah, she’s a fucking psycho. Duno what I was thinking.

  

Ben reaches for his lager then sits back, shakes his head and laughs for a moment.

 

Ben:

Did you find it?

 

Johnny:

What?

 

Ben:

The remote

 

.

They both laugh and Johnny takes the last gulp of lager then shakes it. He looks at Ben. He sighs, gets up and walks into the kitchen to get another can for him.

  

INT. EVEN. THE PUB.

 

Sophie, her mum Jean and her friends Kelly and Nicky are sitting around a table. Sophie has a G&T, Jean has a pint, Kelly has a white wine and Nicky has a half. Jean and Kelly have Embassy or Lambert cigarettes on the table; Sophie has an unopened packet of Marlborough lights. Four empty glasses are in the middle of the table.

 

There is a fruit machine next to Sophie on her right. A male student, 18 or about is playing on it. The noise from the machine irritates Sophie and she looks towards him in aggravation.

 

Nicky:

So basically you glassed him?

 

Jean:

Oi!

 

Sophie:

(Turns away from the fruit machine)

Mum

 

Sophie:

(Con’t to Nicky)

Yeah basically

   

Nicky:

(Sits back and takes a sip of her drink)

Shit

 

Sophie is getting increasingly annoyed by the fruit machine man; she is twitchy and turns her head in his direction at times while trying to be involved in the conversation. In the background Jean and Nicky are in a heated debate about hitting men. Sophie pulls out a 10p piece from her pocket and begins to flip it.

 

Jean:

If my baby thought he needed a good slap then he did.

 

Nicky:

But still…

 

Jean:

Still what?

 

Nicky:

If he had done the same to her

we would all be out  now looking to kill him.

It’s not right that it’s less of an issue just because

the person doing the hitting is a woman.

 

Jean:

That boy is layabout scum. If his mum had given

him a slap when he was young then he might

not have turned out the way he did. Should see the

state of that family, she should never have got involved

with him.

 

Sophie stops flipping the coin and picks up her packet of cigarettes. She unwraps it and takes a cigarette out rolling the silver foil into a ball and holding it her hand.

 

   Sophie:

Look, whatever. It’s over with us for now…

 

Kelly:

But what did he do?

 

Sophie looks at her but doesn’t respond. A barman walks over and begins collecting glasses leaning across the women.

 

Barman:

(Noticing Sophie)

Rememeber ladies. If you want to

smoke do it outside

 

Sophie:

We’re well aware the law thanks

Barman:

I was just reminding you…sweetheart. Got to

consider the other customers…

 

Sophie huffs, picks up the coin, flips it, looks at it and smiles.

 

Sophie:

Well, dickhead. Tell him…

(Points at the man at the student)

…to hurry up on that fucking machine.

The sound is doin my head in.

 Consider that.

  

Sophie flicks the silver tin foil ball at the barman. Jean begins to laugh and Kelly and Nicky look on un-phased. The man on the fruit machine admits defeat, picks up his pint and walks back to the table of his mates, talks to them and they look over.  

 

Barman:

                                     Anymore of that Sophie and I am going to

ask you to leave. I’m in no mood for it.

 

Sophie:

(Putting her hands up)

Yeah, there’s no problem

 

He walks away shaking his head and muttering to himself. Sophie chucks the coin down onto the table and sighs.

 

                                                                

Jean:

Bloody ‘ell girl

 

Sophie:

(Shaking her head)

Prick

 

      Kelly:

So anyway…what’s your plans now you’re a single girl?

 

Sophie:

Huh? Oh. Believe me; I won’t be single for long.

 

Kelly:

Eye on someone else?

 

     Jean:

Plenty more fish. Always told er’ don’t settle.

Especially not with some low life criminal.

 

Sophie:

(Slaps Jeans shoulder)

Mum, he isn’t a criminal. And I would

appreciate it if you would stop telling

people that.

  

Sophie con’t:

I haven’t got my eye on anyone.

I’m just saying I can be very persuasive.

And me and Johnny…well…we have seen

worse.

 

Jeans tut’s, turns her head and sips her drink.

 

                                                           

Kelly:

How are you going to convince him?

 

Jean:

She doesn’t need to convince him

 

Sophie:

If you think about it this way, we have been

together three…three and a half years…

 

Jean:

Its been three and a half. Remember

you got together after your uncle…

(Turns to Nicky and Kelly)

… on her farthers side married again. A black woman.

Fourth wife.

 

Sophie:

(Rolls her eyes at Jean)

Anyway, three and a half years we have

been together. He can’t just get over me like that.

  

There is a moment of silence, they all sip their drinks.

  

Jean:

Well, on that note we all going for a fag ladies?

 

All mutter in agreement, pick up their things and head for the door. Sophie stops mid way.

   

Sophie:

Hold on

 

She turns back picking up the 10p she left on the table and putting it in her back pocket, and then they all exit the pub.

    

CUT TO:

 

MUSIC CUE:

 

SEQUENCE: JOHNNY REBUILDING HIS LIFE

 

EXT. DAY. THE STREET.

 

Johnny is carrying his suitcases down the street. The bandage has been replaced by a child’s plaster with a picture of an animal of some sort printed on it.

 

CUT TO:

EXT. OUTSIDE JOHNNYS NEW FLAT

 

He puts the suitcases outside the door. The lock breaks on one of them and the contents spills out onto the pavement. Amongst the clothes, toothbrush deodorant etc a remote control falls out.

 

Johnny:

(Smiles as he picks the remote up)

Yeah I fucking found it

 

He struggles to put everything back in the suitcase.

 

             Johnny:

             Bastard

 

He has to resort to carrying the suitcase under one arm as he fumbles in his jeans pocket for the key to the flat. He pulls them out, unlocks the door and kicks it open. Putting the key back into his pocket and picking up the other suitcase he struggles in backwards.

  

                                                                                                                          CUT TO:

 

INT. UNPACKING

 

Johnny walks into the living room and puts one suitcase down and drops the other on the floor. Its contents fall out again. The flat has no furniture apart from an old sofa, a fake plastic cannabis pot plant and curtains. He takes in his surroundings.

 

MUSIC STOPS

 

                       

                                                                                                                        CUT TO:

 

INT. NIGHT. THE PUB

 

Johnny is with Ben and their two mates Tony a mechanic and Raymond an Asian wannabe entrepreneur. Johnny is wearing the same old, Ben and Tony are wearing nearly identical white checked shirts, jeans and puma trainers, and Raymond is dressed in a cheap suit, an obvious attempt to impress the women. It’s a Friday night and the pub is busy. There is music playing and disco lights in a small area cleared for dancing.

 

The guys are stood in the far corner of the pub.

 

There is a woman stood by the bar. While Raymond is cracking jokes about Tony wearing a similar shirt to Ben winding them both up, Johnny watches her.

 

Raymond:

You’re fucking copying him you know it

 

Tony:

Fuck off. Same could be said about him.

 

Raymond:

Sad bastards

 

Ben turns to Johnny while Tony and Raymond continue to talk.

 

Ben:

Hey mate. What you looking at? Who’s that?

 

Johnny:

Don’t know

 

Ben takes a step in front of Johnny to get a better look.

 

Ben:

Go for it mate

 

Johnny:

Nah, not on top form. Especially not with

this fucking thing on my head.

 

Ben:

(Laughing)

Told you I only had kids plasters for when the lil’un

comes over. Don’t expect a full grown man to be banging

his head off things. You should have gone to the

hospital to get your stitches out. Mad bastard.

 

Johnny:

(Laughing)

Fuck that.

 

Tony and Raymond step closer and join in the conversation.

 

                                                                Ben:

Go chat to her. What’s up with you?

 

    Tony:

What’s this about?

 

Ben:

Johnny’s seen a bird at the bar

 

Tony:

Yeah?

 

Johnny:

(Points to the plaster)

What do you fucking think?

 

All start laughing.

 

                                                           

Raymond:

I don’t know, she could like it, think you’re cute.

 

Johnny:

I look like a twat.

 

Raymond:

Shut it and get over there, she looks like

she is struggling to get served.

 

Ben:

Cummon, stop messing about.

 

Johnny:

(Finishing pint)

Alright ya bastards I’ll go, I’ll go.

 

Johnny pushes past a crowd standing around the bar. He reaches the woman and leans in next to her. They start talking and he shouts the barman who greets him and orders the drinks. All the lads are stood watching him. As she is distracted Johnny looks over to them, she notices and turns around seeing the lads and she smiles and waves.

  

Raymond:

She’s not bad. Don’t know what he’s

worrying about.

 

Tony:

Nice one Johnny

 

Johnny and the woman walk across to the far wall of the pub opposite the lads. The woman points out two women sat at a table that she is with, they wave and like the lads they are watching them too. The woman turns with her back towards the rest of the pub, and as they talk Johnny looks over her head and smiles at the lads.

 

Ben:

He’s in there

 

They all turn away and continue talking leaving him to it.

   

Sophie and Kelly walk into the pub. Sophie’s attention is focused upon Kelly as they walk towards the bar.

 

Sophie:

I don’t know how they have the nerve to

threaten her with the sack. It’s Helen who

just so happens to get the good sites. The property

should be torn down, no one could have sold that shit

hole…

 

Ben notices that Sophie and Kelly have walked into the pub. He gets the lads attention.

 

Ben:

Fuck. Tony. Tony. Raymond. Look who’s walked in.

 

Tony:

Brilliant. Should we go tell Johnny?

 

Ben:

Dunno, won’t look to good to the

woman he’s with will it. Shit.

 

Raymond:

I think we best leave it eh, couples stuff.

 

Ben:

Yeah but she’s…

 

Raymond:

(Puts his arm around Ben)

He’s a big boy, stop fussing. He can handle

her.

 

Ben continues to look over worried before turning back.

  

Sophie puts her handbag on the bar and starts rooting through continuing to talk. Kelly looks behind her and notices Johnny talking to the woman at the other side of the room. Kelly quickly turns her back to him blocking Sophie’s view.

 

                                                           

Sophie:

But that’s the thing with today’s market…

  

Kelly:

Sophie

 

Sophie:

They are over-priced and these modern

developments…

 

Kelly:

Sophie

 

Sophie:

What?

 

Kelly:

I don’t know if I should tell you

this. But Johnny’s over there (Signals over her shoulder.)

 

Sophie:

(Brushes Kelly out the way)

Where?

 

Sophie (Con’t):

Who the fuck is that he’s talking to?

 

Kelly:

I don’t know, maybe they are just…

 

Johnny points to his plaster and the women moves closer and touches it. She begins talking into his ear and he puts an arm around her waist. Sophie and Kelly watch for a moment. Sophie looks around and sees Ben, Tony and Raymond. Ben smirks and waves at her.

 

Sophie:

Let’s go

 

Sophie picks her handbag up from the bar and walks towards the door. Kelly catches up with her and takes hold of her arm.

 

                                                             

 

Kelly:

Sophie, wait. What are you going

to do?

                                                           

 

   Sophie:

(Freeing her arm)

It’s fine let’s just go ok

  

Kelly:

But. Sophie?

 

Sophie:

I told you…

 

Sophie glances towards Johnny and the woman. They begin to kiss.

 

Sophie:

It doesn’t matter.

Let him have his fun eh.

 

Sophie walks out the door. Kelly looks uneasily towards Johnny and the woman then at Ben, Tony and Raymond who are still looking over. She exits as the sound of laugher can be heard from the crowd inside.

 

                                                                                                                          CUT TO:

 

INT.DAY. JOHNNYS FLAT

 

C.U on a can of lager being opened.

 

Johnny walks into the sitting room. The weather is humid and he only has his boxers on. The suitcases are still lying on the floor and most of his stuff is spread across the room.

 

The sofa has a pillow and a quilt on it. The remote control is lying on the top of some shirts in the suitcase which is lying half under it. There is a ray of sunshine beaming through the gap in the curtains breaking up the darkness.

 

Johnny sits down, stretches and rubs his head. He puts the lager on the floor and picks up his mobile. The phone rings and Johnny jumps.

 

C.U on phone. It’s Ben.

 

Split screen between Johnny and Ben. Ben is lying in the bath eating a strawberry pop tart. There is children’s bath toys stuck to the wall and an ashtray resting on the side.

  

Johnny:

Shit, you made me jump

 

   Ben:

You have a good night?

 

Johnny moves off the sofa and opens the curtains. He squints.

 

Johnny:

Yeah. Feeling it today.

 

Ben:

(Speaking through a mouthful of pop tart)

Yeah me too, taking it easy.

So what did you get up to with that bird then?

  

Johnny:

Nothing. Just talked. Got a few kisses. She’s a nice girl.

  

A child in the background shouts ‘Dad!’ Ben takes the phone away from his ear.

 

Ben:

Yeah yeah I will be out in a minute

 

Child:

I need the toilet

 

Ben:

(Lowering his voice)

Go in the fucking garden then.

 

Child:

Dad!

 

Ben:

Yeah I will be a minute. Go play or something.

Sorry about that, the lil’uns round. So yeah

you disappeared on us where did you end up?

 

Johnny:

Just did a bit of a pub crawl with her and her mates.

Was wasted can’t remember too much. Mad bunch.

  

Ben:

So you had a chance to get it on with three ‘mad’, fit chicks  

and you didn’t. And not even an

invite? Me and the lads could have sorted em out.

 

     Johnny:

(Laughs and pacing the room)

Ya dirty bastard.

She got my number so…

 

                                          Ben:

Yeah right mate. Look, gotta tell you summat.

Last night So….

 

The front door knocks, Johnny looks over, frowns then heads to open it.

 

Johnny:

Look gotta go someone’s at the door.

 

Ben:

Who is it?

 

Johnny:

Well I don’t fucking know who I haven’t

answered it.

 

Ben:

No listen mate I’ve gotta tell you that…

 

Johnny:

I’ll ring ya later.

 

Ben:

Look it will…

 

Johnny:

Yeah yeah, sounds good.

In a bit.

(Hangs up)

 

Ben:

(Looks at phone)

Fuck

 

Johnny opens the door. It’s Sophie. She looks stunning and Johnny can’t help but look her over.  

  

Sophie:

Hi

    Johnny:

What do you want?

 

Sophie:

Can I come in?

 

Sophie (Con’t):

Please

 

Johnny looks her over again and opens the door. She walks in and lightly brushes past him. As he closes the door Johnny looks down and starts muttering to himself.

 

Johnny:

I can’t believe this…

 

As Sophie enters the living room she looks around, her focus being drawn to the mess, the sofa and the cannabis plant.

 

                                                           

    Sophie:

                                                       (Turns to face him)

Nice plaster by the way

 

Johnny:

(Touching it)

If you have just come here to be a bitch…

 

Sophie:

(Putting her hands up)

No. No. I just want to talk.

 

They look at one another. Johnny breaks eye contact and sighs rubbing the back of his neck. He walks away from Sophie and picks up the larger by the sofa.

                                                           

   Johnny:

Better sit down then. Want a Cuppa?

 

Sophie picks up a part of the duvet with her thumb and forefinger flicks it away from her before sitting.

  

Sophie:

No thanks

 

Johnny:

(Heading to the kitchen)

Fuck you then

 

She laughs at his remark. She opens her bag and pulls out a cigarette and lights it. He walks back in and leans against the far wall with his arms folded facing her. There is a silence.  

 

Sophie:

So how have you been?

 

Johnny:

Aren’t you going to comment on the flat?

                                                           

Sophie:

Uh, yeah…yeah it’s nice.

 

Johnny:

 Thanks. What do you want?