THE MEETING

Written by Ilianna Ntouvli

Based on true events. Second draft: 06/11/2013

Sedgemoor House, Doust Way, Rochester, Kent, ME11HH 07983807891

EXT. EMPTY BUS STATION- EVENING A MISTY-COLD autumn evening. A few travellers here and there waiting for their bus. Buses PASSING by, some STOPPED at their junctions as travellers enter or leave, and others leaving, heading towards their final destination. A woman sitting on the bench trying to keep warm. A group of teenage boys TALKING and joking around as they WAIT for their bus. Aman is leaning against a metal pole. A STREAM of people coming from the arrivals section. ISABELLE, 23, is SITTING down on a metalic seat as shes WAITING and LOOKING for someone. She looks at her mobile phone, and with a DISAPPOINTED face she looks up, shakes her head. She starts SHIVERING and stands LOOKING again for someone. SUDDENLY a TALL, dark- haired, fair-skin male, in his twenties, PATS her on her shoulder. MALE (unsure) UHH, excuse me do you know where the High Street is? I seem to have gotten lost already. Isabelle jumps a bit as she gets SCARED by males gesture. ISABELLE (shocked) OH SHIT! Oh, hey.. Uum yes its that way. ISABELLE points towards the direction of the High Street, behind her. The TALL male seems to be HESITANT at first, but soon starts to RECOGNISE the young, petite, brunette girl that seems to have CAPTURED his attention. ISABELLE (CONTD) (weirded out) UHH, can I help you with anything else, sir? Male starts to look at her form head to toe, and now REALISES that the girl in front of him is someone he knows. MALE (stunned) I-i-zzy? Is that you? FUCK Iz... is that really you? ISABELLE Yeah? In fact, my name is Isabelle. Wait... how do YOU know my name? MALE Izzy? SHIT, its really you! Oh my...

2. ISABELLE (scared) Who the FUCK are you? MALE You dont remember me? Iz, Its ME Dan. ISABELLE (confused) Dan? Am I supposed to know you Mr. Dan? DANNY (annoyed) Isabelle... Im DANNY for FUCKS SAKE we practically LIVED in the same house when we were younger. ISABELLE (stunned) Oh my, what? Danny... Dan McCoy? Is that really you? Youve changed so much! Danny starts LAUGHING NERVOUSLY and gives a FRIENDLY hug to Isabelle. DANNY Come here you. Should I take that as a compliment? ISABELLE Yeah off course, you freak. Danny pulls away from friendly EMBRACE. DANNY So how have you been? ISABELLE Oh well, Ive been quite busy lately. Interviewed this local band this morning, nothing special. DANNY (smirkes) So I guess youre a journalist now? ISABELLE I call it Music Journalism but you can call whatever you want. DANNY MUSIC journalist? You always did love music, right? I remember when your dad taught me how to play the guitar, good times.

3. ISABELLE So how have you been? Haven't heard from you in ages. DANNY Ive been great, Iz. Travelling and all. Just came to the UK for this huge project Edd and I have been working on. You remember Edd, dont you? ISABELLE Edd... Edd Dillon? Your roommate from college, right? DANNY Yeah him. Ive been building our advertising empire with him since graduating from college. ISABELLE Wow, well Im really proud of you, Dan. Look at you, youre a successful 23 year old! DANNY Call it what you want. At that moment Danny seems to be thinking about something DARK and seems to be zoned out, but only for MERE seconds as he QUICKLY recovers. DANNY (CONTD) Hey weve been standing here for quite some time why dont you join me for a cup of coffee? ISABELLE Do you even know any coffee shops around here? DANNY (stifles a laugh) No, you brit. I didn't even know where the exit was a few minutes ago. So where are we going? Isabelles now DEEP in thought. ISABELLE Hmmm... well we can go there, it seems pretty cozy.

4. DANNY Cozy? Seriously, Iz? It seems like that fat lady will eat all those cupcakes on the counter, plus those sexy-looking cucumber sandwiches and drink all the tea of this whole country. Oh yes, and if were lucky we might not get eaten too. Lets go somewhere else, please? ISABELLE Youre paranoid, you know that? Lets just gIsabelles phone starts RINGING. She sees the caller ID and HESITATES to answer it at first, but eventually ANSWERS it. MALE VOICE (V.O.) (stressed) Hey babe. ISABELLE (annoyed) Hey, youre late! MALE VOICE (V.O.) What? You want me to apologize? ISABELLE It would be nice. MALE VOICE (V.O.) (angry) Well sorry Im not gonna become a pussy for you! ISABELLE Im sorry, I shouldnt have said it. I have to go, text me when you get here Without letting the male voice answer, Isabelle hangs up the phone. DANNY You look stressed. Whats up? ISABELLE (frustrated) Im FINE, Dan. Just had a tough day! DANNY Iz, who was that?

5. ISABELLE (lying) No one, just a friend. CONFUSED by her response, Danny starts LEADING them towards a coffee shop. INT. COFFEE SHOP- LATE EVENING Sounds of LIGHT chatter across the room. They sit in a SNALL table in the corner of the shop. DANNY (concerned) You seem stressed out. Whats wrong? ISABELLE (worried) Nothing, Im just thinking. About? DANNY

ISABELLE The way we were split. The way you were forced to move to the US with your mum and how eventually after sending letters to one another, you stopped writing. DANNY Iz, I was a horny teenage boy that didnt give a FUCK about anything. When I stopped writing to you, it wasnt because I forgot about you or because I wanted to forget about you, but I got involved more in my new life than in my old. I was starting to live my life again. Edd was the only person the only person that reminded me of you, but I still missed you like hell. (now stressed) ISABELLE But you didnt do anything to prove how much you missed me. Instead, you just left me thinking I wasnt part of your life anymore, that you didnt care about me anymore. Why Dan? Danny starts looking through his pockets for his packet of CIGARETTES and finds himself been STARED at by the OTHER customers.

6. DANNY (irritated) UUUUH, FUCKING England! Cant even smoke in a fucking coffee store anymore. ISABELLE You really have to quit, D. DANNY (frustrated) Dont even start with me, Iz! ISABELLE Dan, whats bugging you? Danny DOESNT answer. An AWKWARD silence is spread the two of them. A PETITE, chubby waitress brings their order, BREAKING their awkward silence when SPEAKING. WAITRESS (to Isabelle) Heres your cappuccino with cinnamon and blueberry- raisin muffin, miss. Isabelle THANKS the waitress with a QUIET thank you. WAITRESS (CONTD) (to Danny) ...and heres your double espresso and toast, sir. DANNY Thank you... (looks at her tag on shirt) ...Lucy. Danny gives a FLIRTY smile to waitress. Isabelle starts CHECKING out her phone and finds a TEXT message, getting stressed out. The message reads: Hi honey, Im still stuck in traffic. Please dont be mad at me x DANNY (CONTD) Iz, are you ok? ISABELLE (ignorant) Yeah Im fine. Dont worry about it. DANNY No, tell me whats up? Youve been like this since that phone call. Whats up?

7. ISABELLE Dan, theres a lot in my life that you wont get a chance to know about because they simply arent any of your interest. DANNY What are you trying to say, Iz? Isabelle SHIFTS uncomfortably in her seat, whilst Danny STARES at her INTENSELY waiting for a response. DANNY (CONTD) ...Are you trying to tell me that Im not interested in you? Or in what you do? Or in general, what concerns you? Danny SOFLTY touches her hand, but Isabelle PULLS her hand very QUICKLY. ISABELLE Dan, its complicated. DANNY Iz, whats the matter? Please teAs Isabelle ABRUPTLY stands up and TRIES to LEAVE, Danny gets UP and PULLS her towards him and KISSES her PASSIONATELY, INTENSELY. CONFUSED, Isabelle PULLS away trying to REALISE what just happened and looks STUNNED at Danny. MALE VOICE (O.S.) cough, cough Danny looks CONFUSED at the man standing besides their table that has a STERN look on his face. DANNY (jokingly) Hey there buddy, like what you see? REALISING that theyre not ALONE anymore, Isabelle RECOVERS from her state of SHOCK and looks up at the man standing beside their table. Her eyes WIDEN, her posture STIFFENS. DAVID Hey, Izzy havent seen you in a while. Are you happy to see me? (sarcastic) S-U-R-P-R-IIIIIIII-S-E! ISABELLE I-I-I-I thought you were going to call me to come get you.

8. UNSURE of whats happening and STUNNED at the SUDDEN frozen and SCARED reaction of Isabelle, Danny TRIES to figure. DANNY Iz, whos this? DAVID Oh yes, IZ who am I? Isabelle DOESNT answer. Shes still FROZEN in her current position. DANNY (hard and loud tone) Iz, who the FUCK is this guy? As Isabelle attempts to speak, her voice comes out SHAKY. ISABELLE Dan, this is David, my boyfriend. DANNY WHA-WHAT THE FUCK IZ? ISABELLE I would have told you, but you moved so fast a-an-and... we werent at our bestest for me to announce to you such thing. DANNY (more angry) BESTEST? Do you seriously think theres a right time, Iz? Is there EVER a good fucking time? Now the coffee shop has gone QUIET. Waiters have STOPPED working, the customers are SITTING SPEECHLESS and the only sounds are of the coffee machines, fridges and the passengers passing by. DANNY (CONTD) No, actually Iz, leave it I just bumped in to you, wanted to find out about the things I missed whilst I was in the US. And the SIMPLEST thing as to whether or not you have a boyfriend and the reason why youre here was NEVER important to you? It wasnt important enough for me to KNOW? ISABELLE Dan, listen I-I just di-

9. DAVID Babe, forget about it. Obviously the DICKHEAD, didnt know anything about us. Why would you EVER talk about us with HIM? What I came here for was for this... David PRESENTS a VELVETY square box and KNEELS with one leg in front of her. DAVID (CONTD) Th-this is the reason I travelled so long to give it to you, this is the reason why Ive loved throughout our relationship, even through our wildest moment. (presents a VELVETY square box and KNEELS with one leg in front of her) ISABELLE D-David, Im not sure its the best time to propose right now... DANNY Iz, no youre not marrying that FOOL are you? Un-fuckingbelievable! PLEASE Iz, remember all those dreams we made when we were younger. Remember how we always dreamed of making our own home with a GIGANTIC garden and pool near our old homes. Just remember all those MEMORIES we share, right now in this moment. Please Iz, RETHINK this whole situation please? The now GROWING crowd STARES stunned at the CURRENT scene. Danny SLUMPS his shoulders, puts his head DOWN and STARTS to WALK away. DANNY (CONTD) I'm sorry. Bye Iz. David CONTINUES to PUSH the velvety and slowly OPENS the box. A pair of diamond earrings appear. Isabelles dropped immediately and TEARS start GETS up slowly, SLAPS Davids cheek EXIT of cafe. square box towards her GORGEOUS, SPARKLING, anxious expression to POOL in her eyes. She HARD, and HEADS towards

Looking back, her tears continue to roll down her now BLUSHED cheeks but soon she WIPES them up with a napkin, she found in her coat pocket. Looking at the napkin she REALISES that someone must have put it in whilst she was at the coffee shop, but soon sees a phone number written on the back of it.

10. Writing, 07983807891- Call me, Dan x TYPING the digits on her phone, she starts CALLING the number. The SOUND of the calling tune is heard... FADE OUT.