A LIFE LESSON

A short film about a girl who gets a very different kind of education while at college.....

A LIFE LESSON.

INT. COLLEGE BATHROOM.

Close up of BETHANY sat in the cubicle looking down at something with a stunned expression. We only see her face in frame.

CUT TO:

INT. COLLEGE CORRIDOR.

BETHANY exits the bathroom in a flustered state, she immediately takes out her phone and begins to scroll through her contact list, she bumps into someone unexpected and she is caught off guard by them, increasing her flustered state.

MR. WILLIAMS

BETHANY, where were you last Friday?

BETHANY

Sorry...I was ill.

MR. WILLIAMS

OK, and the Friday before that?

BETHANY

Sorry....I've just err....Had a lot going on recently and err....

MR. WILLIAMS

It's important you attend, remember you have an assignment due soon.

BETHANY

Yeah, yeah, I'll be there.

MR. WILLIAMS

(Smiles)

Good.

(BEAT)

And you know if you ever need to speak to anyone about anything, I'm always willing to listen.

BETHANY

Yeah, of course.

MR. WILLIAMS

Good. See you Friday.

MR. WILLIAMS and BETHANY part ways.

CUT TO:

INT. HOME.

SAMANTHA is relaxing reading a magazine, suddenly her phone rings, the name 'BETH' is displayed on screen. SAMANTHA answers.

SAMANTHA

Hey. What's up girl?

CUT TO:

EXT. OUTSIDE COLLEGE.

BETH is sat somewhere quiet alone.

BETH

Not much, just wondered what you're gonna wear tonight.

CUT TO:

SAMANTHA

Erm.....Whatever's ironed (Sniggers).

What about you?

CUT TO:

BETH

(Laughs)

Erm, I'm thinking that blue dress with the straps, the one I got the last time we went out.

CUT TO:

SAMANTHA

Yeah I like that one.

(BEAT)

But I don't think it's going to be that formal to be honest. I reckon we'd be alright just rocking up in jeans.

CUT TO:

BETH

Oh OK.

(Sniggers)

Lucky I rang.

(BEAT)

Suddenly BETH bursts out into tears, she pulls the phone slightly away from her head to try and hide the sound of sobbing, there's an awkward silence. We see CARLY pass by and observe BETH in tears, she stops and looks on in the background.

CUT TO:

SAMANTHA

Although all my jeans are ripped or got holes in, so, not sure it's THAT informal. But, f**k it.

(There's no response from BETH)

Hello?

SAMANTHA CONT'D

(BEAT)

Hello? BETH?

CUT TO:

BETH

(Placing her ear back to the receiver)

Sorry what was that?

SAMANTHA

Are you alright?

BETH

Yeah, yeah, fine.

SAMANTHA

You sure? You don't sound it? What's up?

BETH

Nothing, I'm good. Speak to you later yeah.

SAMANTHA

(Bewildered)

OK.

BETH ends the phone call and wipes her face, trying to conceal she's been crying. CARLY approaches her.

CARLY

(Trying to lighten the mood)

I get fed up of PPI ringing me as well.

BETH

(Fake laugh)

Yeah their b******s.

CARLY

Everything alright?

BETH

Yeah, I'm just.....Having one of those days, you know.

CARLY

(Insinuating)

Ah. Do you mean, one of THOSE days?

BETH

(Looks blankly for a moment but then realises what she's insinuating)

OWWWW....No, no, not one of THOSE days (Sniggers).

In fact, I haven't had one of them in a while.

(BEAT. Suddenly she becomes tearful again but tries to put on a brave face and hold back the tears)

CARLY

(Puts her arm around BETH trying to comfort her)

C'mon, you got to tell someone.

CUT TO:

INT. CANTEEN. LATER IN THE DAY.

CARLY and BETH are sat together having a coffee.

CARLY

I'm not going to lie, that's a tricky one. And I don't mean for you.

BETH

I just.....Don't know how I could have been so stupid. What was I thinking? Well, clearly I wasn't.

CARLY

We all do extremely stupid s**t from time to time.

BETH

Really? Even you? Student rep, golden girl.

CARLY

Oh yeah. Just yesterday I sent a very important email without a subject heading.

BETH

(Pretends to look shocked with a gasp)

I didn't know the devil had a daughter!

CARLY

He disowned me because I voted for Green Party.

(Both Laugh. BEAT)

But seriously, you got to do what you thinks best, best for you, no one else.

BETH

I don't know what do do though, that's the thing, and it's not like I'll be able to keep it a secret for much longer, as soon as.....well, you know. And I was supposed to go out tonight, and to be honest, I really don't want to.

CARLY

Then don't, as I said, do what's best for you, and remember, this is his stupid mistake as much as yours, in fact, this is mostly on him, I mean, he should know better. If anything, he's responsible, not you, or at least, he should have been, his age, and his.....You know. So don't be so hard on yourself.

BETH

Yeah, I know.

CARLY

Does he know your......

BETH

(Shakes head)

I only did the test today.

CUT TO:

INT. HOME.

LATER IN THE DAY.

BETH is sat contemplating things. She takes out her phone and writes out a text, 'Can we speak after class Friday? In private. It's important', she is hesitant in sending it, but eventually does.

CUT TO:

INT. OFFICE.

A close up of a vibrating phone on a desk, a hand reaches over and picks it up, we only see the hand and phone in frame, the person behind the phone writes a response, 'Of course :) You haven't told anyone what happened though right? Coz that would be bad for the both of us xx'. The message is sent. The camera pans out and up to reveal MR. WILLIAMS sat behind his desk at college.

CUT TO:

INT. HOME.

BETH's phone vibrates but she's too busy looking in the mirror at her stomach with a look of worry to acknowledge it.

THE END.