A SPOTLIGHT FOR PETE & LIZZY A SHORT BY BRIAN GORDON December 30th, 2011

FADE IN: EXT. PLAYGROUND - DAY Snow falls slowly as we pan from the sky, to a playground filled with CHILDREN running in overcoats. The playground shares its space with a parking lot. Cars line the interior edges of the fence. As we pan left slowly, we see two overcoats nestled between the cars and the fence, far away from all the rest of the children. Underneath a BOY and GIRL (7) stand, their pants at their respective feet. UNDERNEATH THE COATS PETE and LIZZY stand staring directly at each other. Her arm moves forward off-camera. Retracts. His does the same. LIZZY That's so weird. PETE What? LIZZY That it just hangs there like that. PETE Shut up. You don't even have one. LIZZY (laughs) Girls aren't supposed to have one, stupid. They both start pulling their pants up as the bell RINGS. Children GROAN EVERYWHERE. LIZZY Remember: you promised not tell. PETE I won't tell. LIZZY Promise!

She punches him in the arm, a little harder than intended. PETE Ow! Promise! Geez! LIZZY Kay. (she smiles) Bye Pete. She pulls the coat from over her head, slides it back on. He watches as she runs away. PAN DISSOLVE TO: EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - DAY Snow continues to fall, but it's now FIVE YEARS LATER. Lizzy is walking along with three other girls to school: ANNA, SAM, and TINA. They're all GIGGLING. LIZZY Nothing happened. ANNA

Liar!

Scandal!

SAM

Tina moves to block Lizzy's path. TINA Spill it. LIZZY He kissed me. They all GASP. LIZZY

Oh grow up.

Lizzy moves ahead of them, starts walking faster. TINA Tate Rowley kissed you? That's such a big deal. LIZZY It's so not. I don't even like Tate.

ANNA But he's so cute. SAM

Suave, even.

LIZZY Because his voice is deeper than all the other boys in seventh grade? They'll catch up. Pete comes running up beside Lizzy. Everyone awkward, gangly pre-teen ever rolled into one.

PETE Hi Lizzy!

LIZZY (quiet) Hey Pete.

PETE I was wondering if we were still doing movie night. My mom's gonna order Pizza Hut.

LIZZY I can't tonight, Pete.

PETE Tomorrow? She shakes her head no, as they walk. PETE What's wrong? ANNA Hey Pete! Guess what? LIZZY Anna, shut up.

TINA Lizzy made out with Tate Rowley. Shotgun blast to Pete's chest stops him dead in his snowboots. PETE What? TINA Last night, after the mixer. LIZZY We're gonna be late for school, Pete. Tina runs to catch up with the rest of them, leaving Pete standing windswept. A car passes by and... PAN CUT TO: INT. CAR - NIGHT Pete driving through a snowstorm, five years older. A little more handsome, a little less nerdy. He looks worried. He pulls up to a raging party. CUT TO: EXT. HOUSE - SAME Pete gets out and walks across the drunken senior-strewn lawn. CUT TO: INT. HOUSE - SECONDS LATER Pete enters the house, LOUD MUSIC and DRUNK TEENS everywhere. An older, sluttier, drunker Tina moves toward him. TINA Pete Buckler, what the fuck are YOU doing in my house?! GRAB A BEER! PETE Lizzy called me. Where is she? TINA How should I know? Probably with Tate. It is her graduation, after all. Virginities are lost, that sort of thing.

Pete pushes past her. He moves towards the staircase and starts checking bedroom doors, one by one. He comes to the last door and pushes it open, sees Lizzy laid across the bed unconscious. Tate stands over her. Pete moves into the room, but we stay in the hall. MUFFLED PUNCHES are heard. Moments later, Pete carries Lizzy from the room. CUT TO: INT. CAR - NIGHT Streetlights flash by overhead. Lizzy's eyes flutter on Pete driving through a snowstorm. LIZZY

Tate?

PETE Still at the party. LIZZY Where are we? PETE I'm taking you home. LIZZY Thank you. For coming. PETE Of course I would, Lizzy. I love you. He looks down at her. She's gone back to sleep. CUT TO: INT. CAR - LATER Pete pulls up in front of Lizzy's house. She sleeps against the window. He wants to kiss her. Doesn't. PAN CUT TO: EXT. LIZZY'S HOUSE - DAY Light snow. Lizzy exits the house, five years older. Climbs into her car and backs out. CUT TO:

EXT. MAIN STREET - LATER Lizzy carrying a grocery bag. Anna and Tina literally bump into her arguing over a magazine.

ANNA Oh my god!

TINA Hey!

LIZZY Hi! How are you guys?

ANNA Great. Pregnant again.

LIZZY At twenty-two. That's awesome, Anna. Congratulations.

ANNA Thank you! A car HONKS. ANNA That's Tate. I gotta go. Great seeing you again, Lizzy. Merry Christmas. (to Tina) Call me later, cunt. Anna runs for the SUV. TINA She may not get your sarcasm Lizzy, but I do. LIZZY And?

TINA Merry Christmas, bitch. Tina pushes past her, walks off. Lizzy SIGHS, sits on a bench. She lights a cigarette. PETE (OC) When did you start smoking? She smiles at the voice, looks up. Pete stands over her, a little more handsome. LIZZY College was really stressful. PETE

May I?

You may. He sits next to her.

LIZZY

LIZZY I thought for sure you were leaving. PETE I got back a few weeks ago. My father's sick. Cancer. LIZZY Pete, I'm so sorry. PETE It's okay. I mean, it's not but what else can I do. He seems okay with it, though. That's all that matters, I guess. She takes his hand. LIZZY You should've told me. PETE We didn't find out that long ago. And it's Christmas. Why would I do that? LIZZY You should stop by for dinner.

PETE Maybe. I'll let you know? LIZZY

Sure. Pete looks down.

PETE You're still holding my hand. LIZZY So? HOLD on this moment, and then... PETE I have to go. LIZZY

Pete...

He's already up and walking. lizzy stands behind him. LIZZY PETER ROSS BUCKLER, DON'T YOU WALK AWAY FROM ME! Lizzy sees a GIRL with bright red hair come out of a store. She kisses Pete on the cheek, then takes his hand as they walk off together. Lizzy sits down slowly. SLOW PAN CUT TO WHITE: EXT. HIGH SCHOOL - NIGHT Heavy snow dissipates, revealing the high school and a huge banner which reads MITCHELL HIGH CLASS OF '01. Beneath it, Lizzy stands in a winter coat and a tracker hat smoking a cigarette. She flicks it into the night. CUT TO: EXT. GYM - HIGH SCHOOL - NIGHT Lizzy sits at a table with Tate, Anna, Sam, and Tina. Lizzy stares into her glass while Tina, older and more bitter, yammers on about whatever. ANNA Oh god. Look who finally showed up. Everyone looks. Sam starts LAUGHING.

Shut up.

TINA

TATE I'm getting more punch. Tate leaves the table. Lizzy, still staring into her glass. An outstretched palm lowers in front of her. PETE (OC) Would you like to dance? TINA Hey Keebler. Elves let you out for the night? PETE Don't you have a brothel you should be getting back to? Lizzy takes his hand with her ring hand. Pete leads her out to the dance floor. She lays her head against his shoulder as they sway back and forth, the lights around them dimming. A spotlight for Pete and Lizzy. SLOW PULL. BLACKOUT.