Bitter

by

Melissa Pennartz

melissa.pennartz@gmail.com
718-809-8812
 FADE IN:

1 INT. OFFICE - DAY

TARA, a Black female in her late twenties is sitting at her

office desk. At her neck is hanging a gold chain she always
wears with a treble clef pendant. She takes a sip of her
coffee and makes a face as it is too bitter for her. She adds
a little cup of cream to it. At each sip that she takes, she
notices her coworker PHILIP, a 29-year-old Black male, pacing
back and forth in front of her office. Tara proceeds to
writing on a document but hears Philip's steps again. She
interrupts her writing and addresses him without taking her
eyes off the paperwork.

TARA
Philip can I help you with anything?

Philip stops and looks around acting surprised before

approaching Tara's desk.

PHILIP
Well, since you're calling me I might
as well ask you something.

Tara looks up.

TARA
What's up?

Philip scratches his head, gets closer and sits in front of

her.

TARA
(Ironically)
Well, have a seat...

PHILLIP
(Shy and hesitant)
Huh... Everybody in the office is
getting excited about John's wedding
you know, and, huh... Well, I'm
thinking of inviting Lori as my plus
one, so out of respect I wanted to
make sure that it'd be OK with you?

Tara who's sipping on her coffee chokes on it and almost

spits it out. Philip reaches a hand in concern.

PHILIP
Wow, you're ok?!

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 2.

TARA
(nodding)
It's stupid hot! Lori... You mean our
admin department Lori?

PHILIP
Yea, Lori.

TARA
(faking)
Oh Philip go for it! I mean you and I
broke up for a minute now. You do not
need my permission.

PHILIP
(relieved)
I know, but the way gossips go around
here I thought I'd give you the heads
up.

As Tara and Philip are talking in her office, LORI, a 27-year-

old woman walks by the hallway, sees them, smiles, waves,
says hi and keeps walking away. Tara fake smiles back and
waves weakly.

TARA
Oh, Lori...

Philip turns around, stands up, nods to Tara for approval and
steps out following Lori's direction.

CUT TO:

2 INT. KITCHEN - EVENING

Tara is in her kitchen cooking. Her best friend NATE, a Black

male in his late twenties, is sitting around busy flipping a
magazine's pages. Tara stops her meal preparation and sighs.

TARA
I can't believe Phil is taking Lori to
John's wedding. I was convinced he
would ask me to go together.

NATE
(looking up from his magazine)
I'm not mad at him. You dumped him
after all but now it looks like bro is
winning the break up...
(Flips a page)

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 3.

TARA
What do you mean "winning the break
up"? And I didn't "dumped" him. It was
just not working. He's so... clingy,
needy... Ugh, I just can't.

NATE
(keeping his eyes on the magazine)
In the meantime he has a date
(looking up at Tara)
while your stuck up picky ass will be
at that wedding SO-LO!

TARA
I'm not picky. I just know what I
don't want.

NATE
(with a side look)
We know that...

Nate puts down the magazine on top of a music sheets book,

stands up and gets next to Tara.

NATE
You broke up with Phil like a year ago
and haven't met anyone that suits you
ever since.
(Snarky)
I swear you can be a little of a stuck
up bitch sometimes.

Nate grabs the eggplant laying on the cutting board.

NATE
(holding the eggplant next to his
face and overly smiling)
This is the missing piece in your
life. If you had more of this you'd
loosen up a bit.

A frustrated Tara snatches the veggie back from Nate and

chops it up very firmly.

NATE
OUCH... kill it. That's what I'm
talking about!

Tara and Nate start laughing. She then takes out her phone,
opens up an app on it and passes it to her friend.

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 4.

TARA
I've been looking at this dating
app... I might give it a try. It's
kinda pricey because they're using
real match makers but there's also a
blind date formula that's cheaper.

Nate checks out the app and looks pretty excited about it. He
flips around the profiles naming the men out loud making
approving and disapproving faces. He decides to subscribe
Tara.

NATE
Girl you're in! Blind date it is. It's
the only way your picky ass will meet
someone and have a date for that
wedding.

Tara attempts to get her phone back from Nate's hands.

CUT TO:

3 INT. BEDROOM - DAY

Tara is in her bedroom in front of the mirror trying out many

outfits and hairstyles. She practices different attitudes and
ways to carry herself. As she moves around, a reflection of
her keyboard can be seen in the mirror. Her phone rings. She
opens a text from Nate saying "R u ready" followed by
eggplant emojis. She answers "I can't believe I got matched
and no I'M NOT" followed by a stressing emoji.

CUT TO:

4 INT. CAFÉ - NIGHT

Tara is in a café waiting on her blind-date with a book. She

can't focus on her reading and keeps peeping at everybody
entering the premises wondering if it may be her date. A
handsome guy opens the door. Tara gets excited and fixes
herself but he is actually holding it for another woman who
enters the room. Tara returns to her book with disappointment
when all of a sudden, BEN, a 30-year-old Caucasian male,
pokes her shoulder.

BEN
Hey, are you Tara?

TARA
(frowning)
Yyy...es, how can I help you?

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 5.

BEN
I'm Ben. We've got matched online for
a blind-date.

TARA
(looking around and laughing)
Oh, no I'm sorry, it must be a
mistake. Are you sure I'm your Tara? I
mean, we are more than just me.

BEN
(Looking around)
I am pretty sure you are the one,plus
I don't see anyone else alone.

TARA
But, I've got matched on...

Tara doesn't finish her statement embarrassed by what she was

about to say

BEN
blackconnection.com, I know.
(he smirks)

TARA
But you're not even...

She cannot finish her sentence once again.

BEN
Black? Can you tell? I thought this
was a blind date.
(shaking his head)

TARA
You got jokes... May you excuse me for
a second? I'll be right back.

BEN
(confused)
Go ahead. I'll wait here.

As Tara lays her book on the table and stands up, Ben sits at
the table. She heads to the restroom. In there she calls
Nate.

CUT TO:

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 6.

5 INT. RESTROOM - DAY

NATE (V.O)
Girl, ain't you on a date?!

TARA
I'm in the restroom. What's going on
here wasn't part of the plan...

NATE (V.O)
develop...

TARA
(whiny)
He's really not my type. I did not
sign up for this.

NATE (V.O)
What was I saying again, picky much?
What's wrong with bro?

TARA
That's what's wrong... He's not a bro.

NATE (V.O)
You mean they matched you with a
brother from another mother? Lemme
find out, you're on a date with
Vanilla Ice?

Nate laughs.

TARA
Nate shut up!

NATE (V.O)
Chill. Don't judge a book by it's
cover. He may be what your annoying
ass needs! Get back there and stop
being your rude self.

TARA
(Rolling her eyes)
Whatever. Later...

Tara hangs up, fixes herself, exhales and heads back to her
date.

CUT TO:

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 7.

6 INT. CAFÉ - DAY

TARA
Hey, Sorry. I didn't mean to be
disrespectful. Just felt a little
caught off guard. Being matched on
that app I kind of expected
something... different? Well, you
know.

BEN
(laughing)
Don't stress yourself, I get it. It's
just that I personally love my women
like my coffee.

Ben stands up to pull Tara's Chair. They continue talking as

she sits back down.

TARA
(frowning)
Black?
(rolling her eyes)
Corny.

Ben sits down on his chair.

BEN
You're right, but I think you should
try adding a little cream in yours
though, so you wouldn't be so bitter.

TARA
I'm not bitter. Just a little
confused. Why would you even use that
app? Are you some kind of fetishist or
something?

BEN
(laughing)
Fetishist? Are you serious now? I just
don't discriminate. I love all women
but like they say, once you go black
you never...

Tara interrupts him.

TARA
Please do not! Just don't say that.

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 8.

BEN
Wow, chill I was just trying to be
funny.

TARA
Listen "buddy", I know this whole
situation looks like a joke but I'm
surely not looking for a clown.

BEN
Got you "sis".

Tara gives Ben a side look.

TARA
I don't want you to think that I am
being prejudiced but I don't think
this is going to work.

Tara starts gathering her belongings and placing them back in

her purse.

BEN
I just came, how did you figure that
one out?

Tara gets up from her chair.

TARA
I am sure you are a great guy but I
don't see where is this going to go.

BEN
You are not supposed to see, this is a
blind...

TARA
(cutting Ben off)
Oh-my-God! That's what I'm talking
about. Don't make another blind-date
joke please. I'm sorry but imma get
going.

BEN
Well, do as you please. this is the
free world after all... No pun
intended

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 9.

TARA
(side looking)
Boy bye!

Tara picks up her purse, put on her jacket, pushes her chair
under the table but somehow,as she is leaving her foot trips
into Ben's chair and she falls. Ben stands to try to help her
out but she is really hurt and can't lay her foot on the
floor. He helps her sit back on her chair. Once seated, Tara
looks in her purse for her phone.

TARA
Oh great, I can't walk, I need a Uber
home and my phone died!

BEN
Are you ok? Don't worry I'll get you a
car.

As Ben takes his phone out of his pocket a piece of paper

falls out. Tara who is lower, sitting on her chair, bends
down and picks it up.

TARA
You dropped this.

As she lays the paper on the table, she realizes that it is a

hand written music sheet. She starts reading it.

TARA
Who wrote this? It's really good.

BEN
I did. I compose and play guitar for a
band. Do you read music?

TARA
I've been playing the piano since
before I could walk. I almost gave up
as a teen but my crazy strict parents
wouldn't let me.

Tara is searching in her purse and takes out a pencil.

TARA
May I?

She starts writing notes on Ben's composition and changes a

few chords. She then hands the sheet back to him. He starts
to read making guitar movements with his free hand and sits
back down on his chair.

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 10.

BEN
This is genius! That chord you changed
here is powerful. How didn't I think
of that.

TARA
(smiling)
It's your work. You are pretty
talented. I just thought that it may
be more dramatic that way.

Ben stares at a brooch on Tara's jacket that says "Black Girl

Magic" he refers to it.

BEN
That's what all that black girl magic
is about huh?

Tara slightly embarrassed lifts up her collar to hide the

brooch but Ben places it back down, acts as though he brushes
some dirt off of it and smile.

BEN
Maybe one day you could come see me
and my band playing. I'm better at
guitar than I am at jokes... I
promise.

TARA
And you are pretty bad at jokes!

They both laugh when a waitress approaches their table to

extend some menus.

WAITRESS
Hello, how is it going today, may I
get you something to drink?

BEN
(rushing to his phone)
Oh shit, your Uber, my fault. Let me
call it right now!!

Tara places her hand on Ben's hand holding the phone to stop
him. She looks at him and then turns her head to the
waitress.

TARA
Yes, I would love a coffee please.

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 11.

WAITRESS
Sure, how do you like it?

Tara quickly laughs then looks at Ben shaking her head.

TARA
With cream.

FADE OUT.

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