The Modern Way

1.INT. BEDROOM – DAY

Music begins (ANGEL by GAVIN FRIDAY)

A GIRL sits at a dressing table looking at herself in the mirror. She is 17 but looks younger. She is small for her age and awkward with enormous eyes that are staring back at her.

TITLE

The GIRL uses a remote control to turn down the music. The sound of raised, angry voices overpowers the song.

2.INT. HALLWAY – DAY

The GIRL walks towards the front door of the flat with headphones in her ears.

Shadows appear on the wall mirroring her arguing parents.

The GIRL narrowly avoids being hit on the head by an empty mug. It smashes behind her as she continues to walk towards the front door.

3.EXT. STREET – DAY

The GIRL walks down the street with her hands slumped in her pockets. There is a messenger bag hanging diagonally from her body.

She pauses outside a middle school. There are children in the playground chasing one another. She grips the metal fence with one hand.

4.EXT. SCHOOL PLAYGROUND – DAY

The GIRL’s hand is in view. A little boy chases a little girl, pushing her over as he catches up. The little girl cries.

5.EXT. CORNER SHOP – DAY

The GIRL comes out of the shop with a drumstick lolly in her mouth. She walks past a mum angrily pulling her young son towards her.

6.EXT. COLLEGE – DAY

The GIRL walks towards a group of her friends. A BRUNETTE GIRL begins to talk to her, but she cannot be heard over the music.

The music is clicked off.

GIRL
What?

BRUNETTE GIRL
I said you alright? In a world of your own Jen.

JENNY
Sorry Lou. Shit night.

LOUISE
Not another row!

JENNY
Something like that.

The tallest BOY in the group has been half-listening to the girl’s conversation. He now looks straight at JENNY.

BOY
Alright Jen?

JENNY turns her back to him and turns toward LOUISE.

JENNY
I’d better get going.

LOUISE
Town after?

JENNY looks towards the BOY and his friends, nods and leaves.

7.INT. SUPERMARKET FOYER – NIGHT

The group of friends are talking and laughing. The BOY is pretending to ride an electronic NODDY car.

LOUISE
What are you doing Paul?

PAUL gives her the finger mid-ride. His mates look on laughing.

PAUL jumps off the car.

PAUL
Maccy D’s? I’m Hank Marvin!

8.INT. MACDONALDS – NIGHT

The students are all sitting around a large table. Empty food wrappers litter the table.

PAUL has his arm half-heartedly around JENNY’s shoulder.

LOUISE
It’ll be years before you get your licence if Noddy’s teaching you!

Everyone laughs. PAUL pretends to strangle LOUISE. JENNY peels herself from the table.

JENNY
You coming Lou?

9.INT. BUS – NIGHT

JENNY waves to LOUISE as the bus pulls away. She wipes the condensation off the window and puts her headphones in her ears.

Music clicks on. (ANGEL CONT.)

Through the raindrops, JENNY sees a young couple arguing outside a pub. The man is pointing in the woman’s face.

JENNY does up her coat and slumps back in her seat.

10.INT. HALLWAY OF FLAT – NIGHT

JENNY clicks the music off and opens the front door.

Her parents are aggressively arguing in the living room.

JENNY pushes through them, picking up her college folders from the table. She leaves the room and stomps towards her bedroom.

Her MUM comes into the hallway.

MUM
Where’ve you been? I’ve enough to put up with your dad. Not you as well. The bloody same.

JENNY slams her bedroom door shut.

MUM
You’re spoilt. That’s your trouble.

12.INT. JENNY’S BEDROOM – NIGHT

JENNY throws herself face-down onto the bed and covers her head with a pillow.

Clicks music on. (ANGEL CONT.)

MUM (VO)
Turn that racket down!

JENNY turns the music up.

13.INT. LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

MUM and DAD have begun to get violent with each other. MUM throws a pile of bills into DAD’s face. He raises his fist.

14.INT. JENNY’S BEDROOM – NIGHT

JENNY is rocking herself in time with the music with her eyes closed. Her hands are covering her ears.

15.INT. JENNY’S BEDROOM – NIGHT

DAD is standing over MUM shouting down at her. She grabs his leg and pulls him over.

16.INT. JENNY’S BEDROOM – NIGHT

JENNY is still rocking. She is now crying silently.

17.INT. LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

Sunlight is coming in through the thin curtains. Only MUM is in the room. She is lying in the foetal position.

JENNY walks in slowly, sighs and bends down to her MUM and smoothes her hair.
18.INT. PUB – DAY

The friends are sitting around a table drinking half-pints of lager.

MODERN WAY by KAISER CHIEFS is playing on the jukebox.

JENNY is telling a joke but cannot be heard over the jukebox. She points at PAUL. Her friends laugh.

PAUL raises a backhand to JENNY before turning both hands around in mock surrender. All laugh.

JENNY catches LOUISE’s eye.

19.EXT. STREET – DAY

JENNY is walking down the street with her hands in her pockets. PAUL is chasing behind her.

20.EXT. ROAD – DAY

JENNY steps to cross the heavily-congested road.

PAUL grabs her arm and pulls her towards him. JENNY shrugs her arm away and crosses the road.

PAUL stands there watching her leave.

21.INT. LIVING ROOM – NIGHT – FLASHBACK

MUM is lying on the floor in the foetal position. Her eyes are open.

22.EXT. STREET – DAY

JENNY is walking with her hands in her pockets and headphones in her ears.

Music clicks on. (ANGEL CONT.)

23.EXT. BLOCK OF FLATS – DAY

PAUL is waiting nonchalantly for JENNY.

She ignores him, opens the entrance door and goes inside.

24.INT. JENNY’S BEDROOM – DAY

PAUL walks into the bedroom throwing his bag on the floor.

Music playing in the background (ANGEL CONT.)

PAUL
What the fuck’s wrong with you?

JENNY
(Quietly) Get out.

PAUL twirls his finger at his temple.

PAUL
Mate, you’ve gone psycho. Even your mum thinks you’ve gone a bit…..

JENNY
Get out!

PAUL stands his ground, lifts his chin and folds his arms.

JENNY jumps into action, throwing a textbook at him.

JENNY
Get out! Get the fuck out!

PAUL walks towards her with his arms outstretched.

PAUL
Come on then little girl. Do your worst.

15.INT. JENNY’S BEDROOM – DAY (CONT.)

PAUL is crouched against the dressing table with his head in his hands. JENNY is standing over him. Her feet are in view.

There is no sound apart from JENNY heavy breathing, trying to calm down.

26.INT. JENNY’S BEDROOM – DAY

PAUL is sitting at the dressing table.

Music clicks on (ANGEL CONT.)

He is staring at himself in the mirror, peering closely at the deep cut on his head.

JENNY is behind him on the bed, her head in her hands.

PAUL
Fucking bitch.

Tape scrambles and stops.

FADE OUT