Is It My Fault - First Rough Draft

written by

Vas Batricevic, Estefania Loaiza, Rodrick Ruiz

Address
Phone
E-mail
*THE TRANSLATED TEXT IN ITALIC WILL BE SHOWN AS SUBTITLES*

INT. APARTMENT, DINING TABLE - DAY

BELLA, 26, is talking to her friend MARIO, 30, over Zoom.
They are in the middle of what seems to be a very important
conversation. She’s tense. She has a minor bruise under her
eye. Mario is listening intently.
BELLA:
Ay Mario, ya se, ya se ni me digas…
No me digas NADA… Estoy bien
pendeja… Ay no se que hacer… Cuando
pistea se pone bien pesado y no
mide su fuerza y pues ahorita con
la cuarentena se la pasa pisteando
Es que es MI culpa porque siempre
me meto con puro animal… Y ahora si
me pase… No se que hacer… Me doy
vergüenza.
(trans.)
Ay Mario, I know, don’t even say
it… Don’t say anything… I’m so
stupid… I don’t know what to do…
when he drinks he becomes very
aggressive and he doesn’t realize
how rough he can be and now during
quarantine he’s drinking all the
time… but it’s my fault cause I’m
always involved with some animal…
and know I really fucked up… I
don’t know what to do… I’m ashamed.
MARIO:
Bella que chingados estas haciendo
ahi?
(trans.)
Bella wtf are you still doing
there?
BELLA
Ya se! ¿Qué hago?
(trans.)
I know! What do I do?
MARIO
Empaca y salte de ahí.
(trans.)
Pack and leave.
 2.

BELLA
Dices para asustarlo?
(trans.)
You mean to scare him?
MARIO
No pendeja, te vas y no vuelves.
(trans.)
No idiot, leave and never come
back.
BELLA
Ay Mario no.
MARIO
Si.
(trans.)
Yes.
BELLA
No es para tanto, casi ni duele…
(trans.)
It’s not such a big deal, it almost
doesn’t hurt.
MARIO
Hijo de la chingada… Si pudiera ir…
(trans.)
Son of a bitch… if I could go
there…
BELLA
A donde voy a ir? Si cruzo para
irme a mi casa, no voy a poder
regresar… Y ni ahorre nada.
(trans.)
Where would I go? If I cross to go
home I won’t be able to come back…
and I didn’t even save anything.
MARIO
No importa. regresate, Vente para
acá, vente en camion y te recojo.
Aca vemos como le hacemos.
(trans.)
That doesn’t matter, come back.
Come home, take a bus and I’ll pick
you up. We’ll figure it out here.
BELLA
Ay Mario no se… Me da miedo.
(trans.)
Ay Mario I don’t know… I’m scared.
 3.

MARIO
Ven por favor.
(trans.)
Please. Come.
BELLA
Okay… Si…
(trans.)
Okay… Yes…
MARIO
Me lo prometes?
(trans.)
Promise?
BELLA
Si.
(trans.)
Yes.
MARIO
Me lo juras?
(trans.)
Swear?
BELLA
Si, Mario. Te lo juro.
(trans.)
Yes, Mario. I swear…
Apartment door opens. MARCO, 28, comes in. He is tipsy. BELLA
is taken back by his sudden entrance. She wasn't expecting
him.
BELLA (CONT'D)
Hey baby!
MARCO
Hey.
BELLA
You’re back early, what happened at
the market? Did Jimmy cancel?
MARCO
Who are you talking to?
BELLA is trying to come up with something, but overwhelmingly
fails.
BELLA
Mario called. Haven’t talked in
forever.
 4.

MARCO
Mario?!!!
BELLA
(awkward)
Do you wanna say hi?
MARIO (O.S.)
Hi...
MARCO
What the fuck did I tell you? Ha?
BELLA
What?
MARCO
Ah fuck. Nothing.
MARIO
(to Bella)
If you want, call me when you’re
done.
A small exchange between the two in Spanish. In the
background, MARCO is mumbling, imitating them, trashing
MARIO, all while fixing himself a drink.
BELLA
He can hear you.
MARCO
Like I give a fuck.
BELLA
Why are you so rude?
MARIO
No importa Bella, solo haz lo que
quedamos, porfavor. Voy a estar
esperando.
(trans.)
It doesn’t matter Bella, just do
what we agreed, please. I’ll be
waiting.
BELLA
Voy a ver. No se. Te marco.
(trans.)
I’ll see. I don’t know. I’ll call
you.
 5.

MARCO
(comes in behind her)
What don't you know?
BELLA
What?
MARCO
Gimme the phone.
BELLA
No.
MARCO reaches for the phone. They fight for it.
BELLA (CONT'D)
Marco!!!
MARIO
Hey man, relax.
MARCO
(to Bella)
Just gimme the phone. I gotta talk
to him.
He finally wins and takes the device.
MARCO (CONT'D)
(a little slur)
You’re doing this again? What’s
your problem man? I told you not to
call here anymore.
MARIO
Dude, I’m just checking she’s fine.
We’re just talking.
MARCO
What does that mean? Who the fuck
are you to check if she’s fine or
not? She’s ok. Don’t call anymore.
Bye.
MARCO is about to hang up, but MARIO jumps in quickly.
MARIO
She called me!! She told me you
fucking hit her again! She’s scared
from you. I told her I will call
the cops if necessary, I don’t
care.
 6.

BELLA
Mario!! Shut up!
MARIO
(to Bella)
You shut up for once!
(to Marco)
Listen to me man - You are a
fucking piece of shit who doesn’t
care for anybody but yourself. You
are a - stupid - aggressive - fuck.
A peasant. Ever since she started
seeing you, she disappeared. We all
told her to run away. From day 1.
You should be in prison. With all
your market schemes and dealings
and stealings and bullshit. You are
a junkie and a drunk and somebody
needs to interfere. I’ve known
Bella ever since she was five and
she has never been so empty in her
life.  What do you think caused
that? You!! You stupid fuck!!! You
are everything I hate in a man.
God, my uncle was like that. You
know how I reacted when I heard
they stabbed him to death? I
LAUGHED (he laughs) Happiest day in
my life!! I hope they stab you too…
Cuz you fucking deserve it.
MARCO
(processing)
Oh, yeah?
MARIO
Yeah! I hope you realize that soon
and maybe do it yourself. Be a
favor to everyone. 
BELLA
What the fuck Mario?!!
MARCO
(to Bella)
(getting emotional)
Is this true? Is this how you feel?
BELLA
Of course not!
MARIO
Don’t lie Bella! That’s what you
told me.
(MORE)
 7.
MARIO (CONT'D)
You said he should be in prison.
(to Marco)
That’s exactly what she said!
MARCO
Yes?
BELLA
No!!
MARCO
Okay...
(trying to find words)
BELLA is trying to reach him. She tries to touch him. They
disappear O.S. He reacts on an impulse and hits her. We hear
a slap and a scream O.S.
MARCO (CONT'D)
(overwhelmed)
Is it my fault??? Is it my fault
they left me?? Is it my fault
nobody was there to teach me?? Is
it my fault I didn’t have what you
privileged fucks had for a given???
TELL MEEE?? Does he even know what
he’s talking about? Did you even
dare tell him that part? Ever? I
bet you didn’t.
(to Mario)
I bet she didn’t.
Ohhhhh, but I’m the bad guy. I’m
always the bad guy.
(to Mario again)
Did she tell you, she cheated on me
last year? She didn’t mention that
too. Ohhhh, I know. Trust me.
Did she tell you she doesn’t wanna
work? That I feed her. That I took
her in here. That everything we
have I earned. She didn’t. Because
she doesn’t care about that. That’s
not important. Bla bla bla. I’m
sick and tired of this shit. I’m
outta here. Fuck you both.
(to Bella)
Go fuck yourself… together with
this Santa Clause (referring to
Mario). You ain’t seeing me no
more. I want you out of here by
tonight. I don’t give a fuck that
you’re illegal and don’t have
anywhere to go. Get your shit, and
get the fuck out!!!
(MORE)
 8.
MARCO (CONT'D)
When I come back, I don’t wanna see
a piece of hair left. Adios
BELLA
Marco!! What?? I didn’t cheat on
you - we talked about this!!
MARCO
I know what dick smells like, and
that one wasn’t mine.
He storms for the door. She doesn't know what to do.
BELLA
Marco, no!!
(to Mario)
Why did you say that? What did I
tell you? I can’t believe you!!!
Maybe more lines, maybe Mario replies here.
BELLA (CONT'D)
(emotional)
Marco!!!
She gets up and starts running after the door. We hear her
voice in the background - Marcoooo!! Marcooo!! Wait!!!
MARIO is left on screen in disbelief.
FADE TO BLACK.
END