Rebounds and Regrets By Nick Cahill

INT. FELICIAS LIVING ROOM - DAY - PRESENT ISAAC KELLY, (early to mid 20s, medium build, dark hair) and FELICIA, (Isaacs long-term girlfriend, early to mid 20s, medium build, blonde hair) are facing off in the living room. FELICIA is pacing the floor furiously in front of ISAAC. ISAAC is staring straight ahead, stone-faced. FELICIA (shouting) You wont even respond! What the hell is your problem? ISAAC Im just doing what I think is for the best. For both of us. FELICIA (shouting) Then answer me! Why do you want a break? Am I not good enough for you now? Is that it? ISAAC No... nothing like that. Its just... FELICIA Its just what? ISAAC We fight. A lot. Every time Im home, actually. Its hard to look forward to coming home when I know its just leading to another shouting match. FELICIA (shouting again) Then you should try listening to me every once in a while. I told you 2 weeks ago about this wedding... ISAAC And I told you I wasnt going. Im trying here. But theres not enough of me to work on the road and give you everything you want too. Im sorry. Thats not how it works. FELICIA (shouting) (MORE) (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: FELICIA (contd) And this is the problem! Its you! You never listen! You never think about me! Its always about you! ISAAC Whatever you say. Ive said what I came to say. If you want to give this another try in a few months, fine. If not... thats ok too. Isaac begins to get up and walk towards the door. FELICIA (crying, still shouting) I would do anything to please you, and this what I get? Youre a heartless bastard, Isaac Kelly! INT. ISAACS CAR - DAY - PRESENT

2.

Isaac is indifferent as he drives down the interstate. Outside the car, he sees signs for the Atlanta airport and follows them. INT. HARTSFIELD-JACKSON AIRPORT - DAY - PRESENT Isaac is hurrying through security and runs to the gate to board his plane, nearly flattening and older couple as he weaves in and out of foot traffic. INT. AIRPLANE - DUSK - PRESENT ISAAC settles into his seat beside EMILY, an attractive young woman in her early to mid 20s, petite build, with dark hair. Shes staring intently at her phone and is clearly engrossed in a game of Angry Birds. He glances at her while placing his carry-on in overhead storage, then double takes. ISAAC (Smiling) Is that, uh, is that Angry Birds? EMILY Oh... yeah, it is. Im so addicted to this game its not even funny. ISAAC (jokingly) Well, you might want to pause it or whatever. I think they arrest you (MORE) (CONTINUED)

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3.

ISAAC (contd) for being a terrorist if youre using a cellphone when we take off. EMILY (laughing, holding out her hand) Youre funny... Im Emily. ISAAC (shaking her hand) Uh, thanks... Im Isaac. EMILY (putting away her phone) So what are you doing in Chicago? ISAAC Connecting. Im heading out to LA in the morning. EMILY Me too! Im headed out to Seattle to start my new job at Nordstrom Corporate. ISAAC Really? What do you do? EMILY Im a human resources manager. What about you? ISAAC (laughing) Me? Oh, Im a traveling computer nerd. EMILY (laughing) Sounds exciting! ISAAC Oh yeah. I go all over. Fixing networks, training users...(sarcastically)Yknow, life in the fast lane. EMILY So where are you from, originally?

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: ISAAC Pensacola, Fla. EMILY Really?! My grandmother has a condo there! I used to live there in the summer when I was in school. ISAAC (smiling) Small world, huh? EMILY (smiling) Small world. INT. CHICAGO OHARE AIRPORT - NIGHT - PRESENT

4.

ISAAC and EMILY are standing at the baggage carousel, watching the bags file past, still deep in conversation. Its obvious theyre both enjoying themselves. ISAAC Well, my connecting flight doesnt leave until tomorrow. Can I walk you to your gate? EMILY (smiling) Sure. Id like that. ISAAC and EMILY walk together to the gate. ISAAC thinks about hugging her, then stops himself and awkwardly jams his hands into his pockets instead. EMILY Well, this is my stop... it was nice meeting you, Isaac... ISAAC Kelly. Isaac Kelly. EMILY (smiling) Well, Isaac Kelly, it was nice talking to you. ISAAC You too. Hey, can I get your phone number? Maybe Ill be in Seattle sometime for work and we can get together...

(CONTINUED)

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5.

EMILY (smiling sadly) Id like that... but I dont think my boyfriend would. ISAAC (dejected) Oh... Im sorry. I had no idea. EMILY (sadly) No, no, its not your fault. Im really sorry. ISAAC Well... goodbye, Emily... EMILY Johnson. ISAAC turns and walks away, dejected. Its clear from the look on his face that Emilys boyfriend caused him more grief than his breakup. INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT - PRESENT ISAAC is sitting in his hotel room with his laptop computer open, staring not at the screen, but over the top of it. He sighs deeply and leans back in his chair to look at the ceiling. Suddenly, his cell phone rings. GAVIN Isaac! Hey buddy! Hows it going? ISAAC Oh, hey Gavin. Not too well, honestly. GAVIN Oh, that sucks bro. Whats up? ISAAC So I met this girl on my flight today... GAVIN Wait, wait. Arent you still with Felicia? ISAAC Oh. No. I told you I was thinking of taking some time off from her. (MORE) (CONTINUED)

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6.

ISAAC (contd) Turns out, she wasnt crazy about that idea. She flipped. GAVIN No surprise there. I told you she would. So is that whats bothering you? ISAAC No. Strangely, not at all. I suppose that makes me a monster, huh? Thats what Felicia said. GAVIN Oh yeah? ISAAC Called me a "heartless bastard." GAVIN Classic. ISAAC (laughing) Yeah, I guess so. You tried to warn me about her, didnt you? Shoulda listened. Anyway, I met this girl... GAVIN Ok. Go on. I got that part. ISAAC And, well, she was... perfect. One of those people that made you feel like you were the only one in the world that mattered, you know? GAVIN I think I follow you, yeah. So why is this a bad thing? ISAAC Well, thats just it. We talked through the whole flight and it went by so fast... but then I ask for her number, and... GAVIN Lemme guess... Boyfriend?

(CONTINUED)

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7.

ISAAC Bingo. GAVIN That sucks, bro. What are you gonna do? ISAAC (sighing) What can I do? I just met this girl. Seems kind of stupid to hop the next flight to Seattle and track her down, you know? Besides, I dont even have a phone number to go on... GAVIN Well, you could always use (mockingly dramatic) THE INTERNET! ISAAC (sarcastically) Oh yeah. I could cyberstalk a girl I met on an airplane. Great plan. GAVIN Just trying to help, bro. ISAAC I know, bud. Hey, Im pretty exhausted. Im gonna hit the sack. GAVIN Alright dude, have a good night. ISAAC You too. Tell your mom I said "hi." GAVIN Will do. ISAAC sighs and rubs his face with both hands. He stands up and heads into the bathroom. He stares into the mirror and shakes his head slowly. ISAAC What now?

8.

INT. CHICAGO OHARE AIRPORT - MORNING - PRESENT ISAAC is stumbling through security, barely awake. He wanders through the airport until he arrives at his gate. He flashes his boarding pass quickly and shuffles aboard his flight. INT. AIRPLANE - MORNING - PRESENT ISAAC finds his way to his seat, stepping over bags and sliding past people as he makes his way to his seat. He slides in next to a morbidly obese blonde woman and sighs. FAT WOMAN Mind if I sleep? ISAAC Uh, nope. Not at all. FAT WOMAN Great. Im beat. The woman closes her eyes and falls asleep. Before too long, her head drops over onto ISAACs shoulder. She breathes heavily in his face and he recoils violently. The PA system crackles to life overhead. PA SYSTEM Flight 282 to Seattle, arriving on schedule. ISAAC smiles and takes a deep breath. EXT. SEA-TAC AIRPORT - DAY - PRESENT ISAAC rushes to a cab and throws his bag into the trunk. He snatches the door open and piles in. The driver, a man of about 40, is inside, looking hostile. ISAAC Can you get me to the Nordstrom Corporate Building? DRIVER (curtly) Yeah. I can do that. ISAAC Lets go.

9.

INT. TAXI CAB - DAY - PRESENT ISAAC is gripping the door handle so tightly that his knuckles are white. He refuses to look out the window as the tax careens around corners, barrels through red lights, and weaves in and out of traffic. Finally, the cab screeches to a halt right outside the Nordstrom Building. EXT. NORDSTROM BUILDING - DAY - PRESENT ISAAC jumps out of the cab quickly, as if it were full of poisonous snakes. The cab driver just smirks as he calculates his total. DRIVER That will be 70 bucks. ISAAC (shocked) Holy... SEVENTY DOLLARS? DRIVER Sorry bub. Thats a 20 mile haul for ya. ISAAC Fine, here. ISAAC hands the driver his money, then turns to face the building. The driver counts it, scowls a moment, then walks to the trunk. He throws ISAACs bag out on the ground behind the cab, then gets in and speeds off. ISAAC Oh God... what the hell am I even doing here? ISAAC turns around as if to get into the cab and leave, but can only watch as it disappears into the distance. He begins furiously pacing back and forth, arguing with himself. He mutters under his breath for a while. ISAAC (sighing) Ok. No regrets. Here we go. ISAAC walks toward the Nordstrom building, his hands shaking.

10.

INT. NORDSTROM BUILDING - DAY - PRESENT ISAAC wanders into the Nordstrom lobby, glancing around as he heads to the receptionists desk. The receptionist, a woman in her early 50s with glasses like a librarian, barely even glances up from a game of solitaire as he approaches. ISAAC (stuttering) Hey, could you tell me where I can find an Emily Johnson? RECEPTIONIST (shortly) What department? ISAAC (thinking) HR, I think. Shes new. RECEPTIONIST One second. The receptionist picks up her phone and punches in a few numbers. RECEPTIONIST (on phone) Miss Johnson? Im fine. You have a visitor here in the lobby. Ok. Youre welcome. The receptionist hangs up the phone and goes back to her game of solitaire, ignoring ISAAC. She just points to a chair, indicating where he should wait. ISAAC sits down and begins drumming his hands on his knees, a bundle of nervous energy. The receptionist glances up over her desk and shoots him a withering look. He stops immediately. The familiar "ding" of an elevator sounds in the lobby, and EMILY walks in. She doesnt notice ISAAC, instead walking straight to the receptionists desk. EMILY Where did my visitor go? The receptionist points to ISAAC without looking away from her game.

(CONTINUED)

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11.

EMILY Oh my God... Isaac, what are you doing here? ISAAC Its, uh, its kind of a long story. EMILY Didnt you say something yesterday about having to be in LA? ISAAC Yeah, but that can wait. EMILY So what is this about, then? ISAAC (nervously, flustered, running his words together) When I was growing up, my dad had this thing he used to drill into my head. "Live your life so that when youre on your deathbed, you can look back without regrets." I never had a clue what he meant until I got on that flight to Chicago yesterday. EMILY I dont... ISAAC (a bit more confident) I know, Im probably not making much sense right now. Yesterday, when I met you, I felt something Ive never felt before. My whole life is lived on the road. Never in one place too long. Never really connecting with anyone. But yesterday, I felt that. And I knew that if I didnt tell you how I felt that Id regret it for the rest of my life. RECEPTIONIST Miss Johnson, should I call security?

(CONTINUED)

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12.

ISAAC No! Just let me finish! EMILY (smiling) No... no, its ok. ISAAC (soberly) Anyway... I know you have a boyfriend and Im sure hes a great guy. And if you think youll regret choosing me over him, then dont. But I couldnt... I couldnt just ignore what I felt and live with the regret of inaction. Ive said what I came to say. EMILY looks down at the floor, then back up at ISAAC. Her eyes full of tears, she shrugs, then looks down again, speechless. After a long pause, she looks up and speaks. EMILY You... youre not the only one that felt something on that flight to Chicago, Isaac... but I just dont know... ISAAC (sadly) I understand. I even expected it. I just wanted to try. Ive never tried before. EMILY suddenly strides over to the receptionists desk and swipes a post-it note and a pen. She scribbles something down, then walks back over to ISAAC. She hands him the slip of paper. EMILY Here. Its my number. Im not making any promises, but call me next time youre in Seattle. Maybe... maybe we can get together and hang out. ISAAC Id like that. EMILY I think I would too.

(CONTINUED)

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13.

ISAAC turns and heads for the door, looking down at the post-it note in his hand. Once he gets to the door, he turns around one last time to look over his shoulder at Emily. Their eyes meet, he smiles, and heads out the door to the parking lot. After a few steps, he stop, turns around, and runs back in the door to the receptionist counter. ISAAC Do you think you could call a cab for me? FADE OUT: