ONE YEAR AGO...
-
INT. - OUTSIDE APARTMENT - NIGHT
The PARTY can be heard from outside the door.
KYLIAN pulls himself together.
Any trace of pain disappears from his face.
He stands up straight.
Takes a deep breath.
And enters the apartment.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
INT. - KYLIAN & HAILEY’S APARTMENT - NIGHT
KYLIAN quietly closes the door behind him.
He tiptoes towards the closet and hides his bag
before taking off his shoes and jacket.
He spots HAILEY in the kitchen,
taking appetizers out of the oven.
He walks over and wraps his arms around her.
Kisses the back of her neck.
HAILEY:
Did you pick up the cake?
KYLIAN:
Fuck.
HAILEY:
Kylian...
Hailey pushes Kylian away
and brings her attention back to the oven.
KYLIAN:
Babe, I...
(lowers his voice)
I’m pretty sure I cracked a rib bae.
Hailey catches her best friend ROBYN looking at her
from the living room and smiles at her
before walking close enough to Kylian
so that he can hear her whisper.
HAILEY:
(whisper:)
I told you to ask Citadel to replace you tonight
because this was very important for me.
You don’t get to complain about being in pain
after making me look like a fool in front of
my best friends and my parents.
She grabs the tray of appetizers
and heads towards the living room.
KYLIAN:
Bae... I couldn’t...
She ignores him.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
INT. - KYLIAN & HAILEY’S APARTMENT - NIGHT
KYLIAN walks into the living room,
where her mother SOFIA,
her father ANDRE,
ROBYN and her partner DAVE
are all sitting around the dinner table.
ANDRE:
Ah. Look who decided to show us company.
KYLIAN:
Hey 'pa, I’m sorry I’m so late.
Kylian takes a seat next to Andre,
who gently pats him on the shoulder.
ANDRE:
Oh it’s okay, I know your generation works very hard.
It’s not worth losing your job over a simple dinner.
DAVE:
It’s not a simple dinner...
ANDRE:
Every dinner is a simple dinner child.
HAILEY walks into the dining room,
carrying a tray of zucchini bites.
HAILEY:
It’s gonna have to be a simple dinner
cause he forgot the cake.
DAVE:
Bro!
KYLIAN:
I’m sorry...
DAVE:
Nah this is the shit I mean.
You be disrespecting this family bro.
ROBYN:
Dave, it's cool.
Sofia helps Hailey set the tray on the table.
SOFIA:
¡Se ve delicioso!
HAILEY:
Thanks ma! It's a new recipe so,
please don't judge too harshly.
Hailey sits down on the other side of Kylian.
ANDRE:
I don't understand why you always insist
on cooking for us on your birthday...
You should be relaxing!
HAILEY:
It makes me happy!
There's nothing I want more on my birthday
than to have you all here.
She looks at Kylian and smiles.
Kisses him on the cheek.
HAILEY:
(whispers to him)
And I'm glad you're here.
Kylian smiles.
Andre is looking at them with so much love in his eyes
it warms Kylian's heart.
Robyn is looking at them too,
but she doesn't seemed pleased at all.
SOFIA:
Okay, okay. Comamos!
FADE TO BLACK
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
EXT. - FIRESCAPE - NIGHT
ROBYN squeezes through the window,
blunt in her mouth,
careful not to spill her drink.
She closes the window behind herself.
And sits on the firescape.
She starts going through her pockets,
looking for her lighter.
But she cannot find it.
ROBYN:
Fuck.
She leans her head back against the building,
frustrated.
Closes her eyes.
BUT
She is interrupted by the sound of
the WINDOW opening back up.
KYLIAN:
Hey.
The window CLOSES.
KYLIAN is on the firescape.
Robyn rolls her eyes,
maybe a bit more visibly than she intended.
KYLIAN:
Okay... I can go back inside I’m not trynna bother you.
ROBYN:
It’s cool.
KYLIAN:
You sure?
Robyn shows Kylian the blunt she’s holding.
ROBYN:
Please tell me you got a light.
KYLIAN:
Yup!
Kylian pulls a lighter out of his back pocket
and hands it to Robyn as he's sitting down.
Robyn takes it without saying a word
and simply proceeds to light her blunt.
She hands the lighter back to Kylian
without bothering to look at him.
He grabs it.
KYLIAN:
I know you’re not my biggest fan.
Robyn lets out a chuckle
KYLIAN:
You mind if I hit that?
Robyn hands Kylian the blunt.
She still isn’t looking at him.
KYLIAN:
Bless.
They close their eyes, slowly take a hit
and let their head lean back against the wall.
ROBYN:
Long day?
KYLIAN:
You have no idea...
ROBYN:
Is that why you didn’t show up to help us prep?
KYLIAN:
What?
ROBYN:
Hailey said you were supposed to be there.
She always says you’re supposed to be there.
And you never are.
KYLIAN:
Okay...
ROBYN:
Nah I’m not playing KYLIAN.
KYLIAN:
It’s complicated..
Work stuff.
I can’t really get into it.
ROBYN:
Your work always comes before her.
KYLIAN:
It...
Kylian is visibly nervous.
KYLIAN:
(Cnt’d)
I got this pretty important job. It’s...
Okay it’s not like the greatest or the best paid job but...
Robyn shakes her head.
KYLIAN:
(Cnt’d)
It comes with a lot of responsibilities and...
Let’s just say my boss is always putting so much
on my shoulders it’s...
He takes a breath
KYLIAN:
(Cnt’d)
It’s not really the type of job that comes
with a fixed schedule, it’s a lot of last minute
shit that... I can’t really...
It’s hard to explain without breaking all the NDA’s
I had to sign when I got hired...
ROBYN:
(Interrupting them)
Do you love her?
KYLIAN:
What? Of course!
ROBYN:
How do you know?
KYLIAN:
What?
ROBYN:
How do you know that you love her?
KYLIAN:
I just know.
ROBYN:
You just know.
KYLIAN:
Yeah?
Robyn shakes her head and stops looking at Kylian
to focus on the building across the street.
KYLIAN:
She makes me feel like I’m home.
A BEAT
KYLIAN:
Like the world could be complete chaos and...
I just have to open the door of the apartment
and see her in her sweatpants on the couch
playing video games.
And I feel like I’m home.
Like there’s a huge weight on my shoulders
when I’m out in the world but...
The second I see her there it’s gone.
All she has to do is smile at me
and the whole world becomes... Light.
I know it can look like I don’t give a fuck to you
and, well, most of her friends. But I really, really do.
She’s the love of my life.
And she’s been very respectful and understanding
about my job, even though that means
yall are always telling her she should dump me.
Robyn turns her head to look at him.
ROBYN:
What type of job do you have that you can’t even explain
why is it you’re always late?
He doesn’t reply. Robyn passes him the blunt.
ROBYN:
I don’t like you.
KYLIAN:
That’s fair.
ROBYN:
That’s my best friend. My sister.
I swear to god KYLIAN.
You better keep her safe.
KYLIAN:
Of course.
ROBYN:
I mean it.
KYLIAN:
Yeah.
ROBYN:
Kay move, Imma go back inside.