1 EXT.

MALL – DAY
People are busy as bees. Doing their weekend leisure
activities. Employees going to their usual shifts.
Doing their businesses. In one of the stores a guy
in a black hoodie holding a laptop gets out and gets
off hurriedly. His name is Darren Esposito. A 20-
year-old student. He just got his laptop fixed. He
walks away from the store observant with his
surroundings cautiously.

EXT. SIDEWALK – DAY

DARREN’s on his way to his home. He grabs the strap

of his bag tightly as he walks with apprehension.

2 INT. DARREN’S HOUSE BEDROOM DAY

3 We’re now in Darren’s room. The door opens and it is

Darren finally getting home. He goes right to his
bed immediately and flops on it. He is relieved to
be in his house. He is finally alone. He stares on
his ceiling and thinks about how stressful his
situation is.

4
DARREN (V.O)
Mahigit dalawang taon na din simula nang
Covid, di ko alam kung nagbago ba
Lahat- lahat ng tao sa paligid ko, ng mundo.
O baka naman ako lang yung binago ng pandemyang
to.

Ang hirap, simula noon parang gusto ko nalang

lagi ilayo sarili ko sa lahat ng bagay. Sa lahat ng
tao.

Hindi naman ako ganito dati, ako pa mismo pasimuno

sa kalokohan o mahilig gumimik noon e.

Ngayon, Sa tuwing lalampasan ko mga tao sa

daan di ko namaiwasang mag-isip kung
anong tumatakbosa utak nila tuwing makaka
salubong ka-
tulad nalang nang kung ayos ba lakad mo,
gusot ba yung damit mo o kung napansin
mo ba yung gusot sa damit nila-

Ang dami kong dapat pwede isipin bat eto pa

Simula kasi nang nagka-pandemya nagkagulo-gulo na.

INT. DARREN’S HOUSE LIVING ROOM – DAY

Darren is in his laptop, doing his group project in

school. He connects his tablet- spiritless, he
proceeds to continue rendering his project

His phone vibrates. He picks it up and sees a

message notification from his leader following up
their assigned tasks for their project.

Classmate 1 (On the phone)

“Hello guys, how’s everyone doing. Remind ko lang
malapit na due ng project so ill be needing your
your assigned tasks finished anytime soon”

Classmate 2
“Rendering, update ko kayo pag tapos ko na”

Classmate 3
“Kakatapos ko lang. Send ko na lang sa drive later.”

DARREN
“Malapit na din ako matapos, inaayos ko nalang din
render.”

Classmate 1
“Okay guys! Oh, I almost forgot, group meeting in my
place sa isang araw ha we’ll discuss about the
presentation ng project.”

Darren stops and doubts. It’s been a long time since

he had been out with an acquaintance. He is worried.
Hesitant to respond to his classmates as he frets if
he’s still capable associating with someone.
Darren (V.O)

Nayari na, paano ba to. Kung iisipin sa sobrang

bilis ng oras mayamaya face to face na.
Kailan ba ang huling beses na nakihalubilo ako sa
kahit kanino? Kamaganak ko pa yata yung mga yon.
Kahit sa family reunion naming nagpanggap pa kong ma
sakit para lang hindi makasama. Kelan nga ba? Hindi
ko na matandaan.

Darren is overwhelmed at the thought of socializing

once again. he doubts if he still has the gut to be
that guy who’s decent and fun at gatherings. Who’s
able to confidently share his thoughts and give
arguments on a regular conversation. The guy who
cracks the silliest joke but still able to entertain
the people he goes with.

INT. DARREN’S ROOM BED NIGHT

He lays on the edge of his bed as he sits on the

floor. Puts the phone close to his face and imitates
a phone call and rehearses greeting his friend.

DARREN (on the phone)

Hello, pre kumusta…

Tol, long time

(Laughs boldly)

Langya, mun’tanga lang.

Darren’s hesitant, he’s about to call one of his

friends in school back then. He’s going to call him
now. He stops and hesitates once more. finds all the
courage he can get and dials the number on his
phone.

Phone rings and took only seconds before his friend

answers the call. Darren couldn’t say a word to
start the conversation. He just waits and hope for
his friend to talk first. A voice greets. Darren’s
friend Tony talks through the phone.
Tony (thru phone)

Dar, pre kumusta na!

Darren (nervously)

Ooy pre, oo Darren nga to

Tony

Oh kumusta pre! Naaptawag ka ah

Darren

Ah, eh wala naman pre, nangangamusta lang…

Tony
Ayos naman pre buhay pa

Himala tol ah…

Darren

Ha
Tony
Ilang buwan na nagdaan pre simula noong nawala ka,
ano ba nangrayi

TONY
Nako man, di mo na kailangan itago. Alam naman
naming kung bakit ka biglang nawala Darren, at di
kami galit

Flashback of memories a
Both had fun recollecting their high school memories
and share their quarantine experiences throughout
their call.

Darren (Cont’d)
Salamat ulit Tony, di moa lam kung gaano kalaki
natulong neto sakin.

Tony
Anytime pre, di ba mahalaga communication pre. Kung
kailangan mo ng kausap wag ka magdalawang isip
tumawag sakin or sa ibang tropa.

Darren
Thank you ulit pre!

They finished talking and ends the call.

Darren takes a sudden pause. Something’s changed

Darren for the first time since the pandemic

experienced relief and bliss again. He finally
understood what to think and do, how distancing is
and how it should be without corrupting his mind
with doubts, hesitation, and bad energy. Him
reconciling with his friend put him into ease and
gave him a secured frame of mind.

Darren (V.O.)

Darren starts to scroll throughout his phone and

messaged his groupmates about coming along with
their meeting, He then continues to use his phone
and looks for someone to call or reconcile with. He
dials the number with optimism while practicing his
greetings again. The dialing stops and the call is
answered. Darren greets thru the phone.

Darren

Hello pre, Darren to Kumusta na.

THE END