The Beach

A Screenplay by Kelvin

The story of a boy and a girl.

Ext. Docks - noon

The sky is blue. The sun is shining brightly above a small coastal beach. Children are playing on the beach.

EXT. hOUSE - NOON

Two moving vans park in the driveway of an empty house. Two cars, one pink, and one blue, park by the sidewalk. Moving men get out of the moving vans and begin unloading the boxes contained therein. A man gets out of the blue car and a woman gets out of the pink car. Both walk over to one of the vans. They each grab a box and come into the house, behind the moving men. There are azaleas growing in the garden. A small boy gets out of the blue car and walks up the driveway. He gazes at the house, with a melancholic expression on his face.

INT. house - room - noon

The father is unpacking boxes enthusiastically, when his cell phone rings. He stops unpacking to answer it, and begins talking with his colleague. The little boy is watching from the doorway. His father has his back to him.

Int. House - Room - noon

The little boy enters the doorway of the room in which his mother is is. She's standing. She's talking on her phone. At her feet is a cluster of boxes that remain unopened.

INT. House - Dining room - night

The little boy and his parents are sitting at a small table, eating. His parents are talking enthusiastically. The little boy is staring at his food indifferently. He has rice and deviled eggs on his plate.

int. House - bathroom - morning

The mother and father are both standing in front of the mirror, getting ready for work. The father is shaving, brushing his hair, and applying deodorant. The mother is applying lipstick, concealer, and using an eyebrow pencil.

INT. HOUSE - HALL - morning

The little boy is standing in the hall, watching as his parents say goodbye to him, both leaving through the door. The little boy is left alone. There's a dried white rose in a vase on the table.

Int. House - LIving room - morning

The little boy's nanny is sitting on the couch, watching TV. From the back, we see she has large hair. There's smoke hanging in the air. She smokes a cigarette and exhales. She puts out the cigarette on the ashtray sitting on the coffee table in front of her. She has long, fake fingernails.

int. house - little boy's room - morning

The little boy is sitting on the floor with his back against the door. His face is unhappy. There are no lights on. There's a packet of red pop rocks on his desk. We cut to the boy at different shots of the camera getting closer and higher, interspersed with different, escalating days of the calender on his wall. Empty packets of red pop rocks increase on the surface of his desk. There's a knock at the door. We see a shot of the calendar indicating that the weekend has come. The little boy stands and walks away from the door. The door opens, and the father pokes his head in. An expression of mild bemusement crosses the boy's face.

Ext. PARKING LOT - MORNING

The family's car pulls into the parking lot. The family piles out, carrying towels, an umbrella, and a cooler. The little boy's parents step onto the beach and keeping walking, while the boy hangs back and assesses the beach with a look of restrained relief.

INT. THE BEACH - MORNING

The mother unrolls the towels for herself and her husband. The father sets the umbrella in the sand, while the son wanders toward the water. He looks out over the water, as it washes over his feet. As his eyes are scanning the water, they fall on a girl in his periphery. She has brown hair and she's bent over. She appears to be searching for seashells. The little boy looks at the sand around him and sees a particularly nice shell. He picks it up, walking over to the girl. He taps her shoulder, startling her a little bit. When she looks over her shoulder, we see she wears glasses. When she sees he's handing her a shell, her face breaks out into a smile. We see the top of the girl's body moving forward. We see the top of the boy's body moving forward. We see a shot of her hand in his, pulling him forward. She introduces him to a couple of friends of hers. The little boy's parents are seen looking happily on at him. The four children play beach volleyball. Eventually, the boy approaches his parents, asking to go spend time with his new friends on boardwalk.

INT. ARCADE - Morning

Boy plays air hockey with girl in glasses.

INT. ARCADE - MORNING

Two friends compete in a shooting game; boy and girl play against each other in similar positions, paralleling them.

EXT. FOOD STAND - MORNING

Girl gives pink cotton candy to boy.

EXT. STREET - CROSSWALK - MORNING

The boy, the girl, and the girl's two friends cross a crosswalk together, smiling.

INT. OFFICE - night

Father is typing away at a computer, looking frustrated and haggard. There's a cup of coffee near his keyboard.

INT. HOUSE - DINING ROOM - NIGHT

Mother is sitting at a table, in formal dress. She has a disappointed expression on her face. There's a well-laid spread at the table. There are a pair of candles lit in between the mother and the space where the father would otherwise be sitting. We see the mother blow out one of the candles.

EXT. BOARDWALK - afternoon

Boy, girl, and one of her friends are leaning against the railing, staring at the people run about the beach, happy, and carefree.

INT. OFFICE - NIGHT

Mother is sitting at a keyboard, typing with a frustrated, haggard expression on her face. There's a cup of coffee near her keyboard.

INT. HOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT

Father is sitting at an empty dining table, looking stressed. He stands up, and walks out of the room.

Ext. House - porch - night

Father steps out onto the porch and lets out a sigh. He looks around cautiously. We see the blue car in the parking lot; the pink car is missing. Father pulls a box of cigarettes out of his pocket. He pulls out a lighter and lights one of his cigarettes.

EXT. PLAYGROUND - DAY

Boy is sitting on swing looking forlorn when Girl walks up and places a comforting hand on his shoulder. The boy smiles. We receive a closeup of her hand.

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Father knocks Mother's hand off of his shoulder. Mother looks benignly open, as she tries to reason with him. He yells frustratedly at her.

INT. BEACH - MORNING

Girl is walking along the beach when boy runs up alongside her. They share pleased expressions before he locks hands with her.

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

Mother pulls her hand out of father's. Father is silent, with a pleading expression, while mother yells her exasperation at him.

EXT. STREET - AFTERNOON

Boy is walking along the street with a report card in hand. He's looking forlorn while Girl has her hand on his back.

INT. LIVING ROOM - AFTERNOON

Mother looks at the report card. Father looks at the report card. Father walks towards Boy and places a comforting hand on Boy's shoulder. Mother yells at the boy with exasperation. Father turns to rebuff her. Mother yells at Father. Father, stands, walks toward her, and starts yelling. Boy looks on.

INT. OFFICE - NIGHT

Father is sitting at his desk, typing. His manager, a woman, bends over him to look at what he's typing. She has a hand on his shoulder. There's a cup of coffee by his keyboard.

iNT. mEETING ROOM - AFTERNOON

We see a hand slide a packet of papers across a table.

int. living room - night

We see Mother drinking wine at home, alone. She sets her cup down and contemplates for a moment, before throwing a glance at the phone.

INT. MEETING ROOM - AFTERNOON

We see a hand slide a packet of papers, the top paper now signed, from the other direction.

EXT. HOUSE - NOON

The boy watches from the porch as moving men load the last couple of boxes into a moving van before driving off. They're followed by a pink car, driven by the boy's mother. The boy's father walks out the door, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. The boy continues looking on.

EXT. PARKING LOT - MORNING

Father's car parks, and Father gets out. When Boy gets out, he has a forlorn expression on his face. Father has an expression of forced enthusiasm, concealing wounded hope that he can lift his Boy's spirits.

int. beach - morning

Father is laying on a towel, relaxing. Boy is sitting near him. Boy sees Girl nearby and runs towards her. He stops in front of her, panting hard.

int. beach - morning

Boy is walking hand-in-hand with girl. He has his same forlorn expression, while Girl has a faint, comforting smile. The two walk on for a while.

INT. ARCADE - MORNING

Boy and Girl play a shooting game together.

EXT. food STAND - MORNING

Girl buys pink cotton candy for Boy.

EXT. BOARDWALK - morning

Boy and Girl lean on railing, gazing out at the beach; Girl still smiling, faintly; Boy now looking less forlorn, more contemplative.

INT. Theater - night

Father meets up with his manager, from work. The two see a movie together, wherein a man proposes to a woman surrounded by a garden of roses.

INT. BOY'S ROOM - night

Boy and Girl are watching a movie together, wherein a man gives a woman a rose.

INT. RESTAURANT - night

Father and his manager are eating dinner together; there's a vase with a rose in it on their table.

INT. girl's house - dining room

Boy is having dinner with Girl and her family. There's a rose as the centerpiece.

EXT. MANAGER'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Father gives manager a bouquet of roses on her doorstep; manager reacts happily.

EXT. STREET - AFTERNOON

Boy and Girl are walking down the street, when they pass a bouquet of roses.

INT. MANAGER'S HOUSE - night

Father gets down on one knee and proposes to Manager.

int. house - Living room - night

Father gets down on knees, clasps hands around boy's shoulders, and explains that he's getting remarried. Boy's eyes widen in shock.

INT. HOUSE - LITTLE BOY'S ROOM - Night

Boy is sitting with his back against the door, his arms drawn up to his chest, and his arms wrapped around them. There's a pack of red pop rocks on his desk.

INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT

Father walks into restaurant with son to greet manager. Manager has three children; two boys, and one girl. Father shakes the hands of her children. Father's boy reaches hand out to shake hand of one of manager's boys.

INT. HOUSE - LITTLE BOY'S ROOM - NIGHT

Boy reaches hand out to turn off light at his desk. He leans back in his chair, his arms behind his head, a frustrated expression on his face.

INT. HOUSE - LITTLE BOY'S ROOM - MORNING

Father is in a tux; he's pinning a dried white rose to his son's chest.

INT. CHURCH - NOON

Father, Boy, Priest, Bridesmaids, and Manager's Children are all standing by the altar. Manager starts coming down the aisle, walked by her father, in a white wedding dress. There's a dried white rose pinned to Boy's chest.

INT. HOUSE - LITTLE BOY'S ROOM - NIGHT

Little boy is sitting against his door. There's a dried white rose pinned to his chest. There are two packs of pop rocks on his desk.

EXT. HOUSE - NOON

A moving van parks in the driveway of the house. Father comes out to help bring in the luggage. Manager (who will now be termed 'NEW WIFE') gets out of the car in tandem with her children. They all start unloading boxes from the moving van, and taking them into the house. The azaleas in the garden are dead.

INT. HOUSE - ROOM - NOON

Boy watches Father start to unpack, from doorway. Father's phone rings; Father ignores it. Boy leaves doorway.

INT. HOUSE - ROOM - NOON

Boy watches New Wife unpack, from doorway. She's much farther along than father is.

EXT. HOUSE - NOON

Boy leaves house, a frustrated expression on his face. The azaleas in the garden are dead.

EXT. STREET - NONE

Boy is walking down street, a forlorn expression on his face; he walks past a bundle of dried white roses.

ext. girl's house - noon

Boy knocks on door; there's a faint smile on her face, as she reads his expression. She welcomes him in. The azaleas in her house's garden are alive.

int. girl's room - noon

We see shots of the clock in Girl's room moving, interspersed with Boy and Girl eating lunch, reading separately, and watching a movie together.

EXT. GIRL'S hOUSE - NIGHT

Boy leaves house, waving at Girl as he leaves.

ext. house - night

Boy comes home, entering his house.

INT. BOY'S ROOM - NIGHT

Boy comes into his room and finds the ground littered with boxes. There are a pair of dirty sneakers by the door. One of New Wife's sons (The one Boy shook hands with) is lying on his stomach, reading a comic in Boy's bed. Boy blows up, and begins kicking the boxes on the floor. He rushes out of the room.

EXT. HOUSE - NIGHT

Boy exits house, and stands on porch. He pours some red pop rocks into his mouth, before running off.

EXT. GIRL'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Boy knocks on door of girl's house. She opens up, a concerned expression crossing her face when she sees him.

INT. BEACH - NIGHT

Girl and Boy are walking on beach. Girl has a patient expression on her face, while Boy is silently contemplating; his warring emotions, clear on his face. The moon is shining brightly in the sky. After walking for a time, though we don't see his eyes, tears begin falling down his cheeks. Girl quietly wraps her hand around Boy's as they walk together.

int. convenience store - night

Boy and Girl enter store, together. Boy hovers in the candy aisle for a few moments, before spotting a few candy canes.

INT. HOUSE - NEW WIFE'S DAUGHTER'S ROOM - NIGHT

Boy enters room, closing the door behind him.

int. house - new wife's son's room - night

Boy pulls a candy cane out of his pocket, walking towards his new sibling.

INT. HOUSE - LITTLE BOY'S ROOM - NIGHT

Boy holds out a candy cane towards new step-sibling. Step-sibling looks on with surprised expression.

EXT. HOUSE - MORNING

Girl knocks on door. Boy answers.

INT. HOUSE - LITTLE BOY'S ROOM - MORNING

Girl comes into Boy's room. Step-sibling (whom we'll call 'Brother 2' from this point) is reading a comic on the bed again. He looks up from what he's reading. Girl's smile widens.

INT. ARCADE - MORNING

Brother 2 plays shooting game with Girl. When the match ends, the girl steps away, and Boy takes her gun. Boy starts playing game with Brother 2.

int. arcade - morning

Brother 2 plays a game of air hockey with Boy.

EXT. FOOD STAND - MORNING

Brother 2 buys Boy a stick of blue cotton candy. Boy takes a candy cane out of his pocket and holds it out to Brother 2. We see Brother 2 clasp the candy cane.

INT. BEACH - MORNING

Brother 2, Boy, and Girl are all walking along the beach, with light smiles on their faces. Boy is still eating the blue cotton candy, and Brother 2 has a candy cane sticking out of his pocket.

INT. HOUSE - DINING ROOM - NIGHT

The entire family is eating together. Girl is a guest. Boy has a faint smile on his face. The family is eating rice and deviled eggs.

int. church - noon

Boy is walking towards altar, with a smile on his face. He has aster pinned to his tuxedo.

int. little boy's room - night

The little boy drops a dried white rose into his trash can and lets the lid fall.

int. church - noon

Boy smiles brightly, beside Mother's groom, as his Mother walks down the aisle in a beautiful dress.

EXT. MOTHER'S - HOUSE - mORNING

Mother, her new husband, and her new step-children are all standing on the porch. Father's car drives into the driveway. Boy gets out, runs eagerly across the lawn, and stops in front of the porch. He pulls several candy canes out of his pocket. The faces of his new family members are surprised, before relaxing into smiles.

INT. OFFICE SUPPLIES STORE - morning

Boy is following as his father and New Wife push a cart through office supplies. Boy hears greeting and turns around. Girl is standing next to cart with her parents. Boy smiles as Father and New Wife pluck pencils, folders, and binders off of shelf.

EXT. SCHOOL - MORNING

Boy and Girl approach school, smiling at each other; she's wearing a pink backpack, while he's wearing blue. The two push through the double doors.

int. classroom - morning

We see shots of Boy receiving increasingly low grades on his papers, interspersed with shots of the passing months, as the Boy's posture in his chair becomes increasingly more slumped over.

int. classroom - afternoon

Boy is receiving after school tutoring from his teacher. But Teacher's increasingly exasperated bodily expressions and face, as well as the boy's increasingly closed body language and withdrawn expression make it clear that he's not understanding it.

ext. classroom - afternoon

A group of students are let out of detention.

EXT. SCHOOL - AFTERNOON

Boy hangs out in front of school, looking resigned. He pulls a packet of red pop rocks out of his pocket and throws his head back to swallow some. When his head swings forward again, he notices a group of detention students standing nearby. Several of them smile at him. He smiles back. The boy starts walking over towards them.

EXT. Teacher's House - NIGHT

Boy keys red car with several students from detention. Boy eats red pop rocks from his pocket.

EXT. TEACHER'S HOME - MORNING

Teacher experiences severe anger upon seeing the state of his car.

INT. GIRL'S HOUSE - GIRL'S ROOM - NOON

Girl tries, unsuccessfully, to call Boy.

EXT. WALL - NIGHT

Boy sprays graffiti on wall, alongside several students from detention. Boy eats red pop rocks from his pocket.

ext. house - night

Girl knocks on door; Father answers, but shakes head to indicate that Boy's not at home.

ext. school - night

Boy is tossing stones through windows of school, alongside several students from detention. Boy pulls another packet of red pop rocks out of his pocket, but before he can open them, the group is lit by the red and blue lights of a police car. The group runs. The packet of pop rocks are crushed under the foot of a policeman as he chases them.

ext. house - night

The moon is shining in the sky. Girl knocks at door. Father opens door with forlorn expression.

INT. HOUSE - BOY'S ROOM - NIGHT

Boy and Brother 2 are sitting on bed, staring at their own feet when there's a knocking at their door. The door opens, Girl comes in. She stares sternly at Boy for a minute before crossing the room and slapping him across the face.

Int. House Boy's room - Afternoon

Boy, Girl, and Brother 2 are all sitting in room, staring at their textbooks. Girl can tell boy is still struggling, by his expressions. She gets up off the floor and goes to sit next to Boy. She gives a supportive smile.

INT. BOY'S ROOM - AFTERNOON

We see several scenes of Boy, Girl, and Brother 2 studying, writing, and highlighting interspersed with shots of the changing calendar, as well as Boy's papers getting better.

INT. STREET

Boy is walking along street, looking happily down at a report card in his hand.

INT. HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Father is looking at report card, smiling, in front of Boy, when there's a knock at the door. Girl peeks her head in.

EXT. FOOD STAND - Night

Girl buys boy a stick of pink cotton candy. They smile happily at each other.

INT. BEACH - NIGHT

The moon is shining brightly in the sky. Boy and Girl are walking along with happy smiles on their faces. The boy is holding pink cotton candy in his left hand. He sees a beautiful shell on the ground. He picks it up and gives it to Girl. She holds it in her right hand. Then the two clasp hands.