FADE IN: 1

INT. ALLISON’S HOUSE - LATE AFTERNOON.

1 All takes place in kitchen.

Multiple ice trays for multiple shots.

CARLY, age 25, is getting ready for a date. Her hair is wet and she is in a robe. Her mannerisms are methodical, like she has done this routine many times before. It’s become muscle memory. She lines up her makeup on her vanity based on size. Gets her dress and shoes out of her closet and hangs them up. She exits her room and enters the kitchen. As she walks into the kitchen to addresses the camera. She gets a large bowl out of the cupboard and an ice tray from the freezer. She cracks the ice into the bowl and fills it with water. She puts her hair in a ponytail. She turns to the camera. CARLY When your mother has you committed to a psych ward at age 14 you learn three very important lessons. One, never trust anyone, two, always pretend like you aren’t insane, and three, and my personal favorite, no one gives a flying fuck about anyone but themselves. Carly slams the ice tray down on the counter and smirks. They teach you skills. You have no idea how many times someone told me to “use my skills.” Like that’s really going to fix me. Basically they are tips and tricks so you don’t lose your shit in public and disgrace the family name. When someone asks you how you are, you look them straight in the eyes and say fine. The key is practice. Don’t wave or falter because the second you trip up its like giving meat to starving dogs. They’ll latch onto it until they bleed you dry. Everyone always says I look calm on the outside. It’s all a mask. On the inside I’m usually in a continual state of panic. And that’s when ice diving comes in handy. Basically you’re tricking your body into thinking you’re about to die of hypothermia. Your heart rate slows down, your body goes into survival mode. I know it looks like torture, no I won’t bullshit you, it fucking sucks. She closes her eyes takes a deep breath and plunges her face into the ice water. She taps her finger for each second Blow dryer in case passed. After 5-6 seconds she comes back up. She wipes the of multiple takes. water out of her eyes and turns back towards the camera. CARLY And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how it’s done. She leaves the kitchen and goes back to get ready.

2. INT. BEDROOM - LATE AFTERNOON. Montage of Carly getting ready. Putting on dress, slipping on heels, putting lipstick on. Suddenly she hears a crash and looks towards her door. INT. KITCHEN - LATE AFTERNOON.

2

Carly enters the room and stops for a moment to take in the scene. Her mom, ALLISON, age 50, is sitting at the table with a bottle of wine and a half empty wine glass. They both eye each other. She is sitting at the kitchen counter. ALLISON Carly, dearest, how are you? CARLY Getting ready for a date. ALLISON You look rather conservative tonight. Not one of your drunken trysts? CARLY Couldn’t wait until dark to start drinking? ALLISON Your disposition certainly puts you at a disadvantage, but with your looks I’m confident you’ll find some idiot who can accept it. Carly turns towards the camera. CARLY Mother likes to say disposition instead of mental disorder. Frankly, I would prefer it if she just called me crazy. I hate people who beat around the bush. Can you imagine her having to ice dive in the middle of one of her charity meetings? I would pay to see the look on her friend’s faces. Carly turns back to Allison and the spotlight comes on. CARLY I know I’m not perfect.

1 6/8

3.

Hardly.

ALLISON

CARLY But I’ll use all of my skills tonight that the good doctors taught me. ALLISON I spent a fortune on your hospital stay. CARLY I’m so grateful and lucky that our family had the means to pay for my health. Allison keeps on drinking her wine. CARLY I promise that I will try my best to act normal tonight. ALLISON You got my looks and your father’s intelligence so really, Carly, it shouldn’t be this difficult. CARLY I promise, Mom, I’ll do better, I’ll be better. I’ll be perfect. The lights go off and Carly turns towards the camera. CARLY Such bullshit and yet she’s so delusional that she doesn’t even notice. Carly turns towards her mother. CARLY Try not to blackout again, it’s really rather annoying. INT. FANCY RESTAURANT - EVENING

3

1 7/8

MICHAEL, age 28, is patiently waiting for Carly to arrive. Carly walks up and he gets out of his chair to push her chair in. They both sit down.

4. MICHAEL You look stunning. CARLY Thank you. I’m so sorry I was late there was a lot of traffic. MICHAEL No need to apologize. So, how has your day been? Carly turns to address the camera. CARLY Honestly, I hate this question. How do people even want you to respond? Carly squints up at the lights and looks around the room. CARLY Why do the lights have to be so bright and why did he pick such a loud place? I need to ground myself. Carly looks around searching for something. CARLY Not his hands moving, it’s super obvious when you are staring at something other than someone’s face. Also, people think you are bored. Eye contact--too intense. Ice, perfect. Carly grabs her ice water, holds it and drinks. The lights come on. CARLY It was good. How about you? MICHAEL It was great. We’re in the trial phase for a new drug and the test samples are coming back really positive. There are minimal side effects and it’s targeting the main disorder. Carly is listening and sipping her wine. Michael smiles.

5. MICHAEL I don’t want to bore you, I know everyone isn’t fascinated with science. CARLY You’re not boring me, I just had no idea you were a scientist. Elizabeth was always going on and on about how you were at Stanford Law. MICHAEL I dropped out and transferred to MIT. Then she kind of disowned me. She wishes I went into law or banking. My mom can be rather, ah let’s see, narcissistic, scheming, manipulative, condescending... Basically a raging bitch. Carly laughs. CARLY Wow. I did not expect that at all. MICHAEL It’s interesting to think about how other people perceive us. We all put on a front day-to-day so no one ever knows if they know the real you, or the person you want everyone to think you are. The lights go off. Carly turns to address the camera. CARLY He pleasantly surprised me. INT. ANOTHER FANCY RESTAURANT - EVENING

4

1 2/8

It’s their second date and Carly is laughing at something that Michael said. Carly turns to address the camera. CARLY So far he hasn’t made any major mistakes. He’s attractive, smart, kind, funny. Everything I should want. (MORE)

6. CARLY (CONT’D) But all that I can focus on right now is how I’m going to start getting attached to him and that leads to obsession and jealousy. So I need to think of all the things I don’t like about him. What scares me is that I can’t think of a single thing. The lights come on. MICHAEL I seem to be doing all of the talking. Tell me more about yourself. CARLY There’s not a ton to know. You already probably know a lot from your mom. I really like volunteering on the weekends. I’m an active member at the country club... I’m learning how to play golf. Michael pauses for a moment. MICHAEL Tell me the truth, Carly. I want to know you, all of your crazy thoughts, your fears, your hopes. Everything. I don’t want that perfect, idealized image you show everyone else. The lights start to flicker. Carly just stares at Michael. Carly starts to fidget with the silverware and glasses lining them up. Sounds get louder--people clinking glasses and silverware, laughing, heart beat, footsteps etc. She looks at Michael. The lights go off. Michael looks at her with concern. MICHAEL Carly? What’s wrong? Carly pushes her chair back quickly and runs outside. MICHAEL CARLY, WAIT!

7. EXT. ROAD - EVENING

5 6 INT. KITCHEN CONTINUOUS

7

1/8

Carly is walking down a road barefoot, holding her shoes in one hand. She doesn’t have a coat and is shivering from the cold. She is stumbling and looks catatonic. EXT. DOOR - EVENING

Key needed

Carly reaches her house and unlocks the door. It takes her a couple of times because her hands are shaking so much. She enters her house and stumbles into the kitchen. She frantically looks for alcohol. She finds a bottle of whisky 4/8 and slides down to the floor. She starts chugging it like water. Allison enters the room. ALLISON What did you do this time? Carly keeps on drinking. ALLISON You can’t even act normal for two hours. ALLISON Try not to do anything that embarrasses me. Carly keeps on drinking and Allison leaves. She digs her fingernails into her hand trying to scar them. When that isn’t enough she goes into the kitchen and opens the knife drawer. She unzips the side of her dress and there are tiny scars covering her side. She holds the knife, looks at her side, and makes a cut. FADE TO BLACK.