WITH GRACE

"PILOT"

Written by

Kerry O'Neill

Katie Newman
3 Arts Entertainment
knewman@3arts.com
EXT. ROCKAWAY BEACH, QUEENS - DAY

Waves crash onto the shore of a picturesque beach. TWO

SURFERS run into the ocean, boards in hand.

PULL BACK to reveal a Lululemon clad JOGGER and her dog

running down a rickety boardwalk. Their breath hangs in the
air as the dog pisses in a pile of dirty snow.

PULL BACK further and a row of high rise condos sits just
beyond the beach. A faded sign reads “WELCOME TO ROCKAWAY
BEACH, QUEENS: THE IRISH RIVIERA”

PULL BACK one last bit to the Q35 bus stop on a boulevard
lined with nail salons, dollar stores, and housing projects.
Commuters waiting for the bus ignore A LOUD MAN selling
bootleg movies and mix tapes. The bus passes by without
stopping, causing everyone to jumps up and curse at no one.

GRACE (PRE-LAP)
I hate myself and I want to die.

KIM (PRE-LAP)
Can you just sit still?

INT. Q35 BUS - CONTINUOUS

In an asses-to-elbows full bus we land on GRACE O’CONNOR, 17,

a ball of ever-changing emotions with a head of mixed race
curly hair she’s got no clue how to deal with. It’s clearly
exhausting to be her. Grace’s head lays in the lap of KIM
RICH, 16, wise beyond her years, sporting 2 pounds of
eyeliner and a septum piercing. She’s a Gen-Z Patti Smith.
Kim plucks Grace’s eyebrows using a photo from a white,
Kardashian-esque classmate’s Instagram as a visual reference.

GRACE
Okay, I just feel like we need to
be adding MORE hair to my eyebrows
instead of taking it away.

KIM
Jesus Christ, I have to clean them
up first. Hasn’t anyone ever told
you patience is a virtue?

GRACE
Has anyone ever told you not to use
the fucking lord’s name in vain?

They laugh. A PRAYING WOMAN looks up from her rosary beads to

shoot them a dirty look. The bus jerks to a stop, causing the
tweezers to dig into Grace’s face.
 2.

GRACE (CONT’D) KIM

FUCK! Sorry!

GRACE
It’s fine. My face is never gonna
look like her’s.

KIM
Stop spiraling. You don’t need to
look like Sam for Tramelle to like
you. But you can if you want. I
mean, if Instagram has taught us
anything--

GRACE
--And it hasn’t.

KIM
It’s that what you lack in physical
beauty can be made up for with sex.
And cosmetics. Expensive cosmetics.

GRACE
Wow thanks, but I haven’t lifted
from Sephora since that security
guard sprayed Marc Jacobs’ Daisy
into Becky Neumann’s eyes over a
damn lip pencil.

KIM
Nobody’s telling you to shoplift.

Kim digs a crumpled red envelope out of Grace’s backpack.

GRACE
No fucking way. If I spend it, I
have to thank her. Nope. No.

KIM
Then why do you carry it
everywhere?

GRACE
In case of emergency.

Grace reaches for the envelope but a HAND from behind

intercepts it.

It’s JORDANA SWENSEN (18, self assured, bleach blonde, plump

lips, Fashion Nova model vibes -- the opposite of Grace).

JORDANA
What the fuck is this?!
 3.

GRACE
Give it back, bitch.

Jordana opens the card and $100 bill falls to the floor.
Grace tries to grab the money, but Jordana stomps her boot on
top of it as she reads the card aloud.

JORDANA
Grace, Happy 17th birthday. I’m
sorry I missed the last few but I
hope to celebrate many more with
you. Please call me. Love, Mom.

Bus riders pretend to mind their business as Grace tenses up.

JORDANA (CONT’D)
A hundred dollars? I thought your
mom was on crack.

Her voice is so shrill it makes bystanders tense up.

GRACE
And I thought you had half a brain
cell but that went out the window
when I saw you pierce your own
nipple with a stapler in 7th grade.

KIM
(shaking her head)
Unhygienic.

Grace’s fists are clenched so tight her nails dig into her
palms. After a beat, Jordana tosses the card at Grace.

JORDANA
Here, take your sad little card.
And stay away from Tramelle. Hate
to be the bearer of bad news, but
you’ll never look like Sam and you
and Tramelle will never work out.

GRACE
And why is that?

JORDANA
Because you’re not white.

Grace snaps. She PUNCHES the shit eating grin off of

Jordana’s face. Kim crawls on the floor to get the $100 bill
while they fight. The praying woman prays faster and louder
with her rosary beads.

TITLE SLAM: WITH GRACE

 4.

INT. P.S. 225 PRE-K CLASSROOM - DAY

PEGGY O’CONNOR (50, Irish as all hell) sways back and forth,
struggling to zip up a BOY’s coat. After a beat she gives up.

PEGGY
Alright, off you pop!

He runs down a small flight of stairs into the school yard.

Now that the classroom is empty, Peggy climbs into a kid’s
playhouse and unearths a six pack. She rattles the cans. All
empty. She swigs a can anyway, and her moment of bliss is
interrupted by a screaming child.

PEGGY (CONT’D)
(sotto)
Fuckin’ A.
(yelling to children)
I SWEAR TO GOD, ISIAH, IF YOU’RE
CAUSING TROUBLE AGAI--

Peggy loses her footing and tumbles down the steps. A group
of preschoolers circle around her fallen body.

INT./ EXT. SATURN VUE - EVENING

JEN O’CONNOR (35, intense, bottle blonde with 4 inch roots)

chain smokes as she drives down an empty road. An audio book
plays over an orange and pink sunset. Serene.

AUDIO BOOK (V.O.)

“You can’t go back to your family,
back home to your childhood.
Forgotten memories return to me.
Old songs, old--”

Out of nowhere, a Jaguar pulls up behind Jen’s Saturn and

honks. He tailgates for a moment before cutting her off.

JEN
Motherfucker!

Jen switches the music to HIGH OCTANE ROCK and speeds up to

ride the Jaguar’s ass. Fuming, she lays on the horn and
swerves into the oncoming lane to pull up next to the Jaguar.
The window rolls down revealing the driver: a SCARED OLD MAN.

JEN (CONT’D)
EAT SHIT, ASSHOLE!

Jennifer throws her lit cigarette directly into his face,

then slams on her brakes and pulls off the road, following a
sign for Rockaway Beach.
 5.

INT. O’CONNOR HOME - NIGHT

Grace slips through the front door and into the kitchen,
hiding a black eye. She swings open the freezer and slaps a
bag of broccoli on her face before making a run for her room.

PEGGY
Grace, come in here. We need to
talk to you.

GRACE
We?

Grace turns to see her beat up looking grandmother sitting

with Jen. Stunned, she drops the broccoli, revealing her eye.

PEGGY
What happened to your face?!

JEN
Are you guys in a fight club? I
know you can’t say if you are, so
just blink twice if yes.

GRACE
Wow, your finger is on the PULSE
with that Fight Club reference.

JEN
There she is.

PEGGY
I fell at work. I’m okay. But I
have to go to rehab.... Tomorrow.

GRACE
And she is...?

JEN
Here to take care of you.

Push in on Grace forcing a smile while her eye twitches.

INT. DINING ROOM - LATER

Grace, Jennifer, and Peggy sit at the dining room table.

PEGGY
I don’t have a choice, Grace. The
principal had to fight to get me
this deal. It’s rehab or I lose it
all. My job, my pension,
everything.
 6.

JEN
Apparently fixing yourself a stiff
drink in the Fisher Price kitchen
is frowned upon.

Grace shoots Jennifer a dirty look.

GRACE
Yeah, so is abandoning your only
daughter so you can go smoke crack.
(to Peggy)
Can you please explain the logic of
my alcoholic grandmother getting my
drug addict mother to watch me?

PEGGY
Don’t be so dramatic. I’m a casual
drinker.

Jen and Grace give her the same incredulous look.

JEN
I’ve been clean for three years.
You’d know that if you’d dignify my
letters and calls with a response.

GRACE
I am so sick of you waltzing in and
out of my life when you feel like
it. You don’t get a gold star for
being around once in a blue moon.

JEN
Hey! I’m trying to make things
right. Peg asked me for help, and
I’m here. I might not have been
here then, but I’m here now.

GRACE
I’ll be fine on my own.

PEGGY
No, you won’t. I’m sorry, Grace,
but I’m not getting into trouble
with CPS because you can’t be nice.

JEN
It’s temporary.

GRACE
So is life, but it’s still pretty
long.

Grace walks down the hallway to her room and slams the door.
 7.

INT. KIM’S BEDROOM - NEXT DAY

Grace is zoned out in an Instagram hole-- lurking way back on

Jordana’s page. Kim body checks in a full length mirror. She
sucks her stomach in, disgusted by her reflection.

KIM
I think I gained two pounds...
Maybe four.

GRACE
Oh yeah?

KIM
Yeah. I don’t know how. Ever since
my dad started dating Jason he’s
never around for dinner.

GRACE
Maybe it’s water weight... FUCK I
found it! It’s on her Finsta.

Grace waves her phone at Kim. A photo of Jordana getting

pretty cozy with TRAMELLE WOODS (17, tall, dark and HOT).

GRACE (CONT’D)
Maybe he does only date white
girls. Rich, cunty white girls.

KIM
Yeah... Who cares?

GRACE
Umm, I care.

KIM
But why?

GRACE
Why? Who spearheaded the “Grace has
no parents” chant in second grade?
Who continues to call out the fact
that I’m not white every chance she
gets?! She’s like a movie bully.
And her head’s gonna roll backwards
when she sees me with Tramelle.

Grace smiles wide at that last part.

KIM
Yeah, but do you even really like
Tramelle? I can’t think of one good
quality he has besides the fact
that he smiled at you. Once.
 8.

GRACE
It was twice. And yeah, I like him.
He’s cool. Wouldn’t it be cool to
be cool? Don’t you want to just
have fun and, like, blend in?

She looks at Kim: a total punk.

KIM
Not really. That’s why I am cool. I
leaned into the different thing.

Grace nods and gives her a “nice, real nice” face.

KIM (CONT’D)
You haven’t said a word about
Jen... How is that going?

GRACE
So fun! Peg left for rehab this
morning and by the looks of it,
Jen’s already rehearsing for the
role of “Good Concerned Mother Who
Never Did Anything Wrong #2”.

Kim puts her hands on Grace’s knees, looking into her eyes.

KIM
I’m serious. How are you doing?

GRACE
I would rather not think about the
hellscape that is my home right
now. Instead, let us focus on--
SHIT. I JUST DOUBLE TAPPED THE
PICTURE!!

KIM
Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!

INT. O’CONNOR LIVING ROOM - NEXT MORNING

Grace watches JUDGE MATHIS with a mouth full of cereal.

JUDGE MATHIS (O.S.) GRACE

You’re gonna learn today! (mouthing)
You’re gonna learn today!

Jen saunters into the room just as Grace gets a TEXT MESSAGE.

JEN
Who’s Tramelle?
 9.

Grace snaps up, hiding her phone. Jen sits down next to her.
She recoils.

GRACE
Jesus Christ.

JEN
You’re right. Sorry.

Grace turns the volume WAY up. Jen turns the TV off.

GRACE
What do you think you’re doing?!

JEN
Give me a break. I don’t deserve to
be treated like this.

GRACE
But I deserve to suffer through
your little visit? What’s your
angle, just so I know? Are you
trying to get money from Peg?
Staking your claim to the house?

JEN
My angle is that I want to use this
as an opportunity to repair our
relationship. When you’re ready.

GRACE
It’s not an opportunity, it’s a
crisis... Every time shit goes
south you seem to show up and I’m
done trying to convince myself that
that’s a coincidence.

Grace punches power on the remote to turn the TV back on.

JUDGE MATHIS (O.S.)

He’s not the father, why should he
pay?!

GRACE
Sound familiar?

Grace gets up and storms into the bathroom.

INT. BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS

Grace angrily plugs a flat iron in and starts trying to

straighten her hair. A fool’s errand. Jen barges in.
 10.

JEN
That is SO unfair of you!

GRACE
It’s not unfair of me to ask about
my father. Where’d I get this skin
tone? Where’d I get this hair? WHO
IS HE? Or do you just not know?

Jen plays with her necklace, anxious.

JEN
I’m not going to live like this. I
understand you’re upset, but you
need to speak to me with respect.
And I’m done apologizing to you.

GRACE
Then don’t apologize. Just tell me
who he is! Do you have any idea
what it’s like to not know who the
fuck you are?! God. I PRAY he’s a
normal person so that I at least
have one good parent.

Grace slaps away tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

JEN
I can’t do this. I can’t do this
right now. It’s toxic and it’s
fucking with my sobriety.

GRACE
So now I’m to blame for your
sobriety? Or lack there of?

JEN
JUST STOP! JESUS CHRIST!
(beat)
I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Can we- Can
you.. Would you be open to coming
to an NA meeting with me? I think
it would really help us communicate
and understand each other.

GRACE
Last time I went to a meeting with
you I was 9 and your junkie friend
put his hand on my thigh while you
were getting a french cruller. So
no, I think I’ll pass.

Grace goes back to trying to tame her curly hair. Jen watches
her in the bathroom mirror. Both are on the verge of tears.
 11.

INT. BEACH CHANNEL HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - AFTERNOON

Grace walks down the hallway, anonymous among pockets of

social teens. She almost says hi to a group of kids, but
bails when she notices Jordana talking to them.

Kim walks up from behind Grace.

KIM
Hey. You do the homework for
Morganti?

GRACE
Yeah, I woke up at 6 this morning
to finish it.

Grace hands her homework to Kim just as a SCREAMING BOY runs

full speed down the hall. In one fell swoop he snatches the
homework from Kim, lights it on fire, and uses it as kindling
to set a bulletin board up in flames.

BOY
RIOT!!!!

A teacher is nearly trampled by students exiting her class.

TEACHER
CAN SOMEBODY TELL ME WHAT’S GOING
ON?!

Kim and Grace look at each other and nod.

KIM GRACE
Sub. Sub.

KIM
Turn around, lock your door, and
wait it out. It’ll be over soon.

SUBSTITUTE TEACHER
Does this happen regularly?

KIM
Yup!

GRACE
It’s like when smart kids have walk
outs for social justice. But less
woke.... And more violent.

The two of them run down the hallway.

 12.

EXT. 101 DELI - AFTERNOON

Jen walks past the mass exodus of students to enter the deli.

INT. 101 DELI - CONTINUOUS

The door CHIMES as Jen enters, looking around with nostalgia.

A LANKY GIRL (20’s) throws off her apron and fixes her hair.

LANKY GIRL
Jen? You’re 10 minuteS late. Next
time there won’t be a next time.

Jen opens her mouth, but thinks better of it. Instead she
gives the girl an understanding look and nod as she suits up
and takes her place behind the counter.

LANKY GIRL (CONT’D)

Cool. Don’t forget to change the
sanitizer bucket hourly. I’m out.

She takes off and Jen sighs in relief.

EXT. UNDER THE BOARDWALK - LATER

Afternoon sun streams through the wooden slats creating

intense shadows as Grace and Kim pass a blunt back and forth.

KIM
So you told her off?

GRACE
Yeah. I don’t know, I kind of feel
bad for her? It feels like I’m
throwing a tantrum because, like, I
do want a relationship with her.
But I don’t want it to be so easy.
I mean, nothing’s been easy for me.

KIM
You should really think about what
you want and make sure you don’t
prevent yourself from getting it.

Tramelle walks up next to them.

TRAMELLE
Damn, that’s deep.

Tramelle fist bumps Kim. Grace straightens up.

 13.

GRACE
Heeyy. What are you doing here?

TRAMELLE
Lookin’ around. Thinking about
throwing a rager down here
Saturday. You comin’?

KIM
To a beach party in the dead of
winter? Wow! Sign me up!

GRACE
Depends. Are you thinking or doing?

TRAMELLE
Damn, I like that.

They both smile.

TRAMELLE (CONT’D)
Won’t be much of a rager if I can’t
find molly. My mom’s been trippin’
ever since the basketball scouts
started coming around. She’s trying
to get the coach from UCLA to buy
her a house. Which means she’s the
fuckin’ Gestapo right now. She can
smell weed and alcohol from a mile
away. So.. No molly, no party.

GRACE
I can get molly!

TRAMELLE
Really?

GRACE
Really really.

TRAMELLE
Well then I guess I’ll see you here
Saturday, then.
(beat)
I better get back to school. A
black kid goes missing after a
riot? They’ll think I’m dead.

He leans down to hug Grace and takes off. Grace beams.

KIM
You know where to get molly?
 14.

GRACE
No. But you’re going to help me
find some, right?

Kim takes a deep breath and reluctantly shakes her head yes.

INT. 101 DELI - NEXT DAY

Jen wraps a huge turkey breast in plastic as COLLEEN (35,

bleach blonde with a leathery tan) enters.

COLLEEN
I just had to see it with my own
two eyes. Jen O’Connor. How are
you?

JEN
You know, same old same old.

COLLEEN
Well this is new.

Colleen circles her finger around Jen and the deli.

COLLEEN (CONT’D)
You’re back!

JEN
Yeah, my ma is having a hard time.

COLLEEN
I heard from one of the doctors at
work about Peg’s big fall. Rehab
must run in the family.

JEN
Get off your high horse Colleen. We
all know about the prescription
pads you stole from Dr. Weiler to
write yourself a Kirkland size
supply of Vicodin. Still have any?
Or have you moved on to bigger and
better?

Jen slaps the inside of her arm and mimes tying off.

COLLEEN
I don’t know what you’re talking
about. But I would love a half
pound of Boars Head Oven Gold and a
pound of American. Land-O-Lakes,
not government cheese, sweetie.
 15.

Jen rips the plastic off the turkey and slams it onto the
slicer. Jen works in silence, then slaps a handful of turkey
on the scale so hard that a piece hits Colleen in the face.

JEN
That’s about half a pound.

INT. KIM’S BATHROOM - NIGHT

Kim mindlessly eats a sleeve of Girl Scout cookies as Grace

rummages through bathroom cabinets.

KIM
I’m telling you, my dad isn’t going
to have anything resembling molly.
Molly isn’t like, Western medicine.

Kim slyly spits a mouthful of cookies into her hand and

tosses it into the trash. Grace doesn’t notice.

GRACE
I don’t need you to tell me what
molly is, alright? I know.
It’s like ecstasy, right? Like a
powwwwder... pill. It’s a pill.
Definitely, for sure a pill.

KIM
Dude, you have to stop being so
extra. You don’t need to lie to get
people to like you.

GRACE
In my experience, that’s a lie.

Grace checks her phone. SUPER: A never-ending scroll of the

same unanswered text from Grace: “Know where to find molly?”.

Kim pulls a sequin bustier top off the back of the door and
tosses it at Grace. A text response finally comes in. “No.”

KIM
Get dressed.

GRACE
For what?

KIM
Molly.
 16.

EXT. KIM’S HOUSE - NIGHT

The girls descend the stairs of Kim’s house-- an old bungalow

nestled between the beach and the housing projects.

One side of the street is lined with neatly kept lawns,

waving American flags and inflatable winter decorations. The
other side is bleak, with chain link fences, discarded
bicycles, and signs that read things like “MY PIT BULL CAN
GET TO THE DOOR IN 1.8 SECONDS, CAN YOU?”

It’s clear Rockaway is not diverse out of choice, but out of

the necessity of urban planning. This is not a melting pot.

The girls walk on Kim’s side of the street as long as they

can before they have to cross to catch the train.

EXT. SUBWAY PLATFORM - CONTINUOUS

Kim unzips her puffer jacket to get to her flask, revealing

her outfit: club wear. She takes a swig and passes the flask
to Grace, who chugs. A mentally ill SHIRTLESS MAN walks past
them screaming at nobody. They ignore him and keep drinking.

EXT. DREAM HOTEL - LATER

Kim and Grace tie their jackets tightly around the base of a
city trash can so that they’re unnoticeable. This isn’t their
first rodeo. Between the make up and the tiny sparkly outfits
they can pass for 22, and they do.

INT. DREAM HOTEL - CONTINOUS

Kim and Grace dance to EDM music in a sea of hipsters and

flashing lights. Kim is a natural dancer. Grace bounces
around, mostly looking at her feet. Kim grabs Grace’s face
and pulls it up to look at her as they dance.

INT. DREAM HOTEL - SUPERCUT

Kim and Grace ask various club goers for molly. Everyone is a
no, except one guy who offers them coke. Kim accepts. Grace
grips her hand tight.

INT. SUBWAY TRAIN - LATER

The sun rises over Kim and Grace, fast asleep with their
coats open on the A train. Several MEN gawk. One MAN gets
close enough to touch them and his presence shakes Kim awake.
 17.

KIM
GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME OR I
SWEAR TO GOD I’LL STAB YOU!

The man puts his hands up and shakes his head, walking away.

INT. O’CONNOR HOME - MORNING

Jen smokes a cigarette at the kitchen table. Grace enters in

an oversized t-shirt with last nights make up on.

JEN
Rough night?

Grace sits down and lights up one of Jen’s cigarettes.

GRACE
Yeah. Whatever. I don’t wanna talk
about it... What’s up with you?

Jen stops a smile from creeping across her face.

JEN
Mentally preparing for work.

GRACE
You got a job?

JEN
At the 101. Where I get paid
minimum wage to be treated like
garbage by white trash who’ve never
even dreamt of leaving this
paradise of a town.

GRACE
It is truly psychotic that nobody
leaves Rockaway when Manhattan is
literally ONE train ride away.

JEN
I take it that’s where you were
last night given the Zsa Zsa Gabor
look you’ve got going on.

Grace stares into the distance, pleading the fifth. Jen

slides her the ashtray.

GRACE
Peg doesn’t let me smoke in the
house, you know.
 18.

JEN
Trust me, if she had to go slice
cold cuts for Colleen McGovern
she’d be blasting cigs in here left
and right.

Grace chuckles.

JEN (CONT’D)
Colleen’s been Vicodin’ed up for a
fucking decade, but I’m the addict.

GRACE
You did give her ex husband a blow
job in the bathroom at their son’s
first Communion.

JEN
That was before you were born.
(off Grace’s look)
And I said I was sorry!!

Grace laughs. Her phone chimes. It’s a text from Kim. SUPER:

KIM (TEXT)
Molly is supposed to be hanging on
86th later by St. Rose.

JEN
Hey, you sure you don’t want to
come with me to that meeting later?
If nothing else it’ll be full of
gossip. Of course we can’t tell
anybody, that would violate the sa-

GRACE
I can’t. But thanks for the smoke.

Grace puts the cigarette out and gets up from the table.

EXT. ST. ROSE CHURCH - LATER

Grace nervously fiddles around in her pockets.

DEVIN
Moon rocks or molly? Moon rocks are
like, pure. I also have LSD, shroom-

GRACE
I just need regular molly. Two
pills. Or whatever they come in.

Jen speed walks up and hugs Grace from behind.

 19.

JEN
I’m so glad you decided to come!

Grace slowly plucks Jen’s arms off of her and turns around.

GRACE
Decided to-

Grace clocks people smoking and drinking coffee by the church

basement stairs. Once she sees a pink donut box it clicks.

GRACE (CONT’D)
Come to the NA meeting. YEP!
This is my friend, Devin. Devin
this is Jen... My mom.

JEN
Hi, nice to meet you, Devin. Are
you in NA?

DEVIN
Oh yeah. Keep coming back, it works
if you work it, so work it, you’re
worth it.

GRACE
Well, I guess we should all go in!

Grace mouths a “thank you” to Devin as they walk downstairs.

INT. CHURCH BASEMENT - LATER

The meeting is in full swing. JAMES (50) speaks at a podium.

JAMES
It took me driving drunk on
OxyContin, hit and running that
kid, and getting arrested in a Best
Buy while my 14 year old was buying
me a Boost Mobile burner phone to
finally say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Thank
you.

Scattered clapping as James leaves the podium.

MEETING LEADER
Powerful stuff. Next up is Jen, who
is celebrating something today.

More claps while Jen walks to the podium.

JEN
I’m Jen, and I’m an addict.
 20.

EVERYONE
Hi Jen.

JEN
I’ve been clean for a little over
three years. 36 months and 17 days
to be exact. I could probably count
the hours, minutes and seconds,
too, but I’m not here to do math.

People chuckle.

JEN (CONT’D)
I’m here to share my story and uh,
it’s a story that doesn’t have an
ending yet, but, um, if this was
the ending I’d be happy with it.

A wheeze-cough bellows through the room. Grace looks annoyed.

JEN (CONT’D)
This week I moved back to Rockaway
and, more importantly, moved back
in with my daughter, Grace, for the
first time since she was 5.

Jen gestures to Grace, who blushes. People clap.

JEN (CONT’D)
Back then I would do just about
anything to get high. I even robbed
a couple hundred bucks from the
bank I worked at one time, trying
to score. And then when my father--

Another COUGH. Grace taps her foot on the ground anxiously.

She looks around but can’t place who’s coughing.

JEN (CONT’D)
When he gave me the money to pay
the bank back, I spent that on
drugs, too. That was when I knew
something had to change. My family
got me set up at a rehab I could
take Grace to. I did alright there
until I didn’t.

Grace shakes her leg faster.

JEN (CONT’D)
We were allowed off site and I
asked the neighbors to watch Grace
while I went to McDonald’s.
(MORE)
 21.

JEN (CONT’D)
I took her happy meal order and I,
um, didn’t come back for 5 days. It
breaks my heart that my daughter
learned to tie her shoes by herself
in fucking rehab. The pain I fee--

A huge cough, this time Grace sees COUGHING GUY.

GRACE
Oh my fucking God! This is so
bleak... Like a scene from Gummo.
Have you seen Gummo?

Coughing Guy shakes his head no.

GRACE (CONT’D)
Eat a fucking lozenge my dude.

Grace fishes a cough drop from her bag and flings it at him
as she storms out. Devin follows. Jen stands in shock.

EXT. ST. ROSE CHURCH - CONTINUOUS

Grace speed walks down the block, Devin following.

DEVIN
Hey! Wait up!

Devin runs to the corner and catches Grace.

DEVIN (CONT’D)
Shit dude, that was heavy. Here. 40
bucks.

He throws a baggie to her and she gives him the money.

GRACE
Thanks for covering for me back
there.

She speeds down the block before he can answer.

DEVIN
Damn.
(beat)
I gotta see Gummo.

An out of breath Jen approaches.

JEN
Hey, where did Grace go?

Devin shrugs. Jen grabs his shirt.

 22.

JEN (CONT’D)
Tell me where the fuck my daughter
went or I will put you in the
hospital.

DEVIN
Whoa, bitch. You better get the
fuck off me.

Jen comes to her senses and lets him go. She’s shaking.

JEN
Sorry... I’m sorry. I really am.
I’m.. Having a hard time.

She gestures in the direction Grace ran off.

DEVIN
Hey, it’s chill. Do you... Need me
to call someone for you or my house
is right there if you want a glass
of water or something.

Jen recognizes the house.

JEN
Wait... You’re Colleen’s kid?

DEVIN
Yeah, you know my mom?

JEN
Yes I do... It’s a small town. I
gotta go find Grace.

DEVIN
Hang on.

Devin slips a plastic canister into Jen’s bag.

DEVIN (CONT’D)
It’s indica. It’ll help you relax.

JEN
Are you really giving me drugs
outside of a fucking NA meeting?

Devin smiles.

DEVIN
You know where to find me when you
need more.

He walks off in the opposite direction.

 23.

INT. KIM’S HOUSE - EVENING

Kim and Grace apply their make up. Grace’s phone buzzes. We
see she has 7 missed calls from Jen.

KIM
Maybe you should just pick up and
say you’re fine so she’ll stop
calling.

GRACE
Did you HEAR what I just told you?
She like, selfishly invited me to a
meeting where she HUMILIATED me.

KIM
I think you’re framing the
situation kind of self centered-ly.

GRACE
I’m sorry, but this town sucks and
you’re the only person in it who I
care about so I would like to just
like, bask in the glory of a
successful molly purchase and allow
it to open the door to popularity
for us so we can be happy. Finally.

Kim picks up the baggie of pills.

KIM
Is this the molly you bought?

GRACE
Yeah.

KIM
There’s only two pills. One is
mine, right?

GRACE
Sorry. Fuck. I took off pretty
quick from the meeting and I must
have dropped the rest of them... We
can split one, though.

KIM
(nodding)
Split one. Ha.

It’s tense for a moment. Kim lights a joint.

GRACE
Isn’t your dad going to smell that?
 24.

KIM
I don’t know if you’ve taken three
seconds to think about anyone but
yourself lately, but my dad’s
barely been home the past month.

Kim walks out of the bathroom.

INT. KIM’S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

Kim throws herself onto the bed. Grace follows.

GRACE
I love you. I’m sorry.

Grace tries to hug Kim but she rolls away.

GRACE (CONT’D)
That’s okay. I wasn’t trying to
touch you. I was admiring your
bedspread.

Grace rubs her hands back and forth on the bed. Kim laughs.

GRACE (CONT’D)
What?

KIM
Nobody says “bedspread”.

GRACE
Jesus Christ. How many times have a
tipped my hand to a potential lover
by saying the word “bedspread,”
alerting them to the fact that I
was raised by grandma and am a lot
of work?

They both laugh. Kim passes Grace the joint.

GRACE (CONT’D)
We good?

Kim nods. Grace gets up on the bed in excitement.

GRACE (CONT’D)
FUCK YES! Let’s go to this fucking
party on the beach and open this
fucking pill and share what’s
inside and HAVE A TIME... After we
eat something, though.

Kim reaches under the bed and tosses her a box of cookies.
 25.

KIM
That’s all I got.

GRACE
Fine by me.

Grace digs into the cookies.

INT. O’CONNOR HOME - EVENING

CLOSE ON the canister of weed on the table as Jen calls Grace

yet AGAIN. Straight to voicemail. Jen opens the canister and
smells it. She paces for a beat before digging in the bottom
of her suitcase-- a secret compartment.

Jen pulls out an Altoid tin containing a syringe and metal

pipe. An old class picture of Grace floats around with the
paraphernalia-- perhaps to deter Jen from using.

Jen calls Grace again-- straight to voicemail. She lets out a

guttural scream as she crumples the photo of young Grace.
Jen’s hands shake as she starts to pack the pipe with weed.

After moment, as if by divine intervention, something occurs

to Jen. She throws her coat on and rushes out the door,
leaving the tin and the weed behind.

EXT. ROCKAWAY TOBACCONIST - LATER

Jen tosses a cigarette butt onto the street and lights

another one. She takes a few puffs and walks in.

INT. ROCKAWAY TOBACCONIST - CONTINUOUS

Jen enters the shop with her lit cigarette, fingering a wall
of magazines. An ARAB MAN comes out from the back.

ARAB MAN
Miss, you can’t smoke in here.

Jen freezes for a moment, then tosses the smoke out the door.

JEN
Sorry, um.. I’m an old friend of
Robert’s. Is he here?

He looks her up and down.

ARAB MAN
I don’t know, let me check.
 26.

He walks into the back. Jen pretends to look at a magazine

while trying to eavesdrop. The man returns.

ARAB MAN (CONT’D)

I’m sorry, Robert is overseas.

JEN
Why did you go to the back then if
you knew he wasn’t there?

ARAB MAN
I was confused. I’m sorry. Robert
is overseas.

JEN
Yeah, okay. Let me get a pack of
Newport 100’s.

He puts the cigarettes on the counter. Jen snatches them and

tosses him a $20. She gives a security camera the finger.

JEN (CONT’D)
Keep the change.
(to camera)
HI ROBERT! YOU CAN’T RUN FROM ME!
I’LL BE SEEIN’ YA!

Jen knocks over a magazine rack as she exits.

EXT. BOARDWALK - NIGHT

Kim and Grace do “last looks” before walking down onto the
snowy beach. Kim wipes gloss from the sides of Grace’s mouth.

KIM
Voila. Are you excited for your big
night with Prince Harming?

GRACE
Oh, give me a break.

They both laugh. Grace holds up the pill baggie.

GRACE (CONT’D)
You sure you don’t want half?

KIM
I’ll let you try the poison first.

Grace smiles. The two of them descend the stairs.

 27.

EXT. BEACH / UNDER BOARDWALK- CONTINUOUS

Hip hop plays from a bluetooth speaker while A GIRL does a

keg stand. There are pods of 5-6 people smoking blunts,
drinking liquor, laughing. Grace hits up the keg while
scanning the beach for Tramelle.

KIM
Uh oh.

Grace whips around and sees Tramelle talking to Jordana by a

bonfire. They’re leaned in close.

GRACE
What the fuck?!

Grace’s beer cup overflows onto her shoes and the shoes of a
GUY behind her.

GUY
Hey! You good?

Grace stops pouring beer and smiles, embarrassed.

GRACE
My bad.

Grace chugs her beer then walks towards the bonfire.

EXT. BEACH BONFIRE - MOMENTS LATER

Grace walks up to Tramelle and Jordana.

TRAMELLE
Look who came!

He gets up and gives Grace a hug.

GRACE
And she came through.

Grace shakes the baggie of pills with a devilish grin.

TRAMELLE
Hell yeah!

She shakes a pill out onto his hand and they both pop them.

GRACE
Oh, Jordana. Must’ve forgot to get
you some. Poor you.

Jordana rolls her eyes and turns away.

 28.

INT/EXT. UNDER THE BOARDWALK - LATER

Tramelle and Grace make sand-angels, high out of their minds.

GRACE
So I wasn’t like a piano prodigy or
anything, but yeah, I got pretty
good.

TRAMELLE
Do you still play?

GRACE
Nah, I came home one day and my
mom, who I hadn’t seen in like two
years at that point, was in the
living room going at the piano with
an axe.

TRAMELLE
Oh shit.

GRACE
I guess the brass inside is worth
money.

Tramelle puts his hands through Grace’s hair.

TRAMELLE
I’m sorry.

He kisses her. The two of them start making out.

GRACE
Wow, molly feels so good.

TRAMELLE
No, you feel so good.

He tries to unbutton Grace’s pants, but she stops him. They

keep kissing for a beat and he tries again.

GRACE
Come on, no.

INT. POLICE STATION - CONTINUOUS

Jen talks to a DESK OFFICER.

JEN
I haven’t been able to get in touch
with my daughter, can you help me?
 29.

DESK OFFICER
How long has it been, ma’am?

JEN
Umm, like 5 hours.

The desk officer laughs in her face. OFFICER VIC walks past
and does a double take.

OFFICER VIC
Jennifer?

Jen smiles. There is a vibe here.

EXT. OFFICER VIC’S OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER

Officer Vic and Jen chat. Though we can’t hear them, the
conversation seems to jump from dire to flirty.

INT. UNDER THE BOARDWALK - CONTINUOUS

Grace’s phone buzzes. Tramelle pulls it out of her back

pocket and turns it off as they make out. He unzips his pants
and leads Grace to his dick.

TRAMELLE
Come on, doesn’t it feel good to be
together? Just kiss it a little.

Grace finally relents. We see her head go down.

FADE TO BLACK

The sound of Tramelle moaning is abruptly halted by a GAG.

TRAMELLE (CONT’D)
What the fuck?

GRACE
OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD. I’M SO SORRY.

EXT. BEACH - MOMENTS LATER

Grace stumbles out from under the boardwalk and reaches for
her phone-- it’s off. She turns it on and wipes her mouth.

GRACE
Kim? Kim!!

Grace runs towards Kim, but Jordana intercepts her, smiling.

 30.

JORDANA
Hi Grace!

Grace is spinning, on the verge of tears. Jordana pours a

beer over Grace’s head, then throws the cup in her face.

Tramelle and Kim both run up from different sides.

TRAMELLE
She threw up on my dick!

Kim grabs Grace’s arm.

KIM
Let’s go.

Grace projectile vomits on Jordana as Kim drags her away.

JORDANA
You fucking bitch!

EXT. O’CONNOR FRONT DOOR - CONTINUOUS

A very drunk Grace moans as she struggles to unlock the door.

INT. KIM’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Kim stumbles inside and turns a light on. Nobody’s home.

INT. O’CONNOR BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS

Jen, in a panic, tosses the drug paraphernalia she left out

into the bathroom trash.

INT. O’CONNOR FRONT DOOR - CONTINUOUS

Grace stumbles in and beelines to her room.

JEN
What the fuck?! Where were you?

GRACE
Come on, I can’t do this right now.

JEN
Oh, we’re DOING this right now.
Where were you?

GRACE
Out!
 31.

JEN
No shit, Sherlock. Out where?

GRACE
Just out! God, leave me alone!

JEN
I’m not gonna leave you alone! It’s
the middle of the fucking night!
You think you can just run away
from me and come home whenever you
feel like it?

GRACE
How is that any different from what
YOU do?

JEN
No! You’re not gonna throw that
into my face every time YOU fuck
up! That’s not how this works,
Grace. STOP IT!

GRACE
I can’t believe you’re doing this!
I thought you were cool.

JEN
NO YOU DIDN’T!

Grace rocks back and forth.

INT. KIM’S BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS

Kim is drunk, but fine. She opens the cabinet under the sink
and pulls out a handful of cookies. She sits on the floor and
eats them one by one. It’s a pleasurable experience.

INT. O’CONNOR HOUSE - COUNTINUOUS

JEN
What are you on?

GRACE
I had one drink!

Jen grabs Grace’s face and looks in her eyes as she sways.

JEN
A drink doesn’t make your pupils
the size of fucking saucers! I
can’t BELIEVE this.
 32.

GRACE
You know what I can’t believe?

Grace projectile vomits, again. This time into Jen’s face.

INT. KIM’S BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS

When she’s done with the cookies, Kim kneels at the toilet
and shoves her fingers down her throat until she throws up
violently.

INT. BATHROOM - MINUTES LATER

Grace kneels, writhing, at the toilet. Jen sits behind her,

holding her hair back. Grace pukes violently. Jen sweats,
eyeing the bathroom trash can.

JEN
This ain’t just from alcohol,
girlie.

GRACE
I’m really--

She pukes again.

GRACE (CONT’D)
Really sorry.

JEN
It’s alright, just get it all out.

Grace lays her head on the toilet bowl.

GRACE
I just wanted to be cool, or liked,
or something. It’s like my whole
life I’ve been living in this
shadow of your absence. I just want
to be like everyone else. And what
do I do when I get the chance? I
fuck it up. I took molly or moon
rocks or whatever and I fucking
tried to give a blowjob and I... I
threw up on his dick.

JEN
Whoa whoa whoa. You’re on MOLLY?!
And you’re SUCKING DICK?!
 33.

GRACE
I DIDN’T EVEN SUCK IT I THREW UP!!!
I can’t fucking do anything right.

JEN
Okay, well that’s really... Not
that bad. I mean the drugs and sex
are bad.

Jen tugs on Grace’s hair a bit, she winces.

JEN (CONT’D)
But the throwing up part is fine.
Sometimes that happens.

GRACE
You don’t understand. I ate a whole
sleeve of thin mints before the
party. It looked like I dumped a
used coffee filter on his crotch.

Jen laughs.

GRACE (CONT’D)
It’s not funny!

JEN
It is.
(beat)
Listen, that guy is probably
bragging to all his friends right
now about the blowjob, not even
worried about the--

GRACE
Everybody knows. I’m fucking dead
at school. I’m dead in this town. I
hate it here. Why are you smiling?!

JEN
You’re so much like me it hurts.

GRACE
Ugh.

JEN
Listen, I know everything sucks
right now. I know it might not mean
a lot coming from me but it’s true.
Other people’s opinions of you
can’t be what makes you feel good
at night. I did that when I was a
kid and I’m all fucked up. And I
fucked you up. And I’m sorry.
 34.

Jen rubs Grace’s back as she cries harder. Jen starts to cry.

JEN (CONT’D)
It’s escapism. It’s control. These
are all qualities that... Well. I
mean, I felt all those same ways
and I turned to drugs.

Grace gags loudly.

JEN (CONT’D)
It’s true. All of the peer pressure
shit and trying to impress assholes
to be cool.. That’s a road to
nowhere. Trust me.

Jen sniffs the air.

JEN (CONT’D)
Is that beer in your hair?

Grace looks up at her like a wounded deer and nods yes.

INT. GRACE’S BEDROOM - LATER

Jen carries Grace into her bed and tucks her in. Grace pulls
the covers over her face and moans.

JEN
Alright, you got water and
ibuprofen right here.

GRACE
Thanks.

JEN
Okay, I’ll see you in the morning.

Jen turns to leave as Grace emerges to take the pills.

GRACE
Hey, um.. Do you want to lay with
me? For a bit, I mean?
(covering vulnerability)
I’m just not sure if I might throw
up again and I might need you to--

Jen lays down and spoons Grace. Grace slowly falls asleep as
Jen runs her fingers through her hair.
 35.

INT. GRACE’S BEDROOM - MORNING

Grace moans in pain as she lifts herself out of bed.

JEN (O.S.)
Come on!

Grace gets up and walks into the living room.

INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

GRACE
Where are we going?

JEN
To get a big, greasy breakfast. But
first you’re gonna text that little
prick who’s prick you... You know.

GRACE
Be cool. Nobody says prick anymore.
And why would I text him?

Jen gets a text from Officer Vic.

OFFICER VIC (O.S.)

Yeah, whatever you need.

JEN
Can you just trust me?

Jen types a text on her phone that we don’t see.

GRACE
No.

Jen stares her down.

GRACE (CONT’D)
Fine. What am I texting him?

JEN
Tell him to meet you on 86th by St.
Rose. Southeast corner.

Grace starts sending the text.

GRACE
South east corner? Again, no one
talks like this. And why am I
asking him to go there?
 36.

JEN
Just make something up! I’ll be in
the car.

GRACE
Alright, I just have to pee.

INT. BATHROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Grace finishes the toilet paper roll and replaces it. As she
throws the empty roll into the trash, she notices the drug
tin. She picks it up and inspects it, fingering the syringe
before closing it and putting it back.

EXT. CAR - MOMENTS LATER

Grace gets into Jen’s car.

INT. CAR - CONTINUOUS

Jen lights a cigarette and drives off.

GRACE
Rams Horn Diner?

JEN
Yeah... We gotta stop at the
tobacconist first though.

GRACE
But you have cigarettes.

JEN
There’s someone I want you to meet.

GRACE
I don’t feel like meeting anyone.

JEN
Yes, you do. This is your lucky
day, baby. Just trust me.

The wind blows through their hair as Jim Croce’s ‘New York’s
Not My Home’ plays.

JIM CROCE
‘Cause I know that I gotta get out
of here / I'm so alone / Don't you
know that I gotta get out of here /
'Cause, New York's not my home
 37.

As the car passes 86th street Jen and Grace see Officer Vic
arresting Devin and Tramelle. Grace looks at Jen, eyes wide
with a mix of terror and excitement.

GRACE
How did you do that?!

Jen just smiles. They zoom off.

INT. TOBACCONIST - LATER

Jen and Grace walk into the tobacconist. There’s a shipment

being unloaded by several employees, including ROBERT (55,
Arab and handsome in ill fitting khakis).

JEN
Hey Robert, this is Grace.

Grace and Robert lock eyes-- they have the same unmistakable
dark features.

JEN (CONT’D)
Your daughter.

Music swells.

END OF PILOT