Phil and Lila

INT. LILA AND PHIL’S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

PHIL (mid-20’s, semi-succesful screenwriter), sits on the couch, face in his hands. LILA (mid-20’s, beautiful yet cold) faces away from him, staring out the window. A storm rages outside.

PHIL

So that’s it, then? Three years together and it’s over, just like that. Where are you planning to go?

LILA

(dismissive)

I’m not planning on going anywhere, Phil. I own this house.

PHIL

(rising to his feet)

You’re kicking me out?

LILA

I packed you a suitcase.

PHIL

There’s someone else, isn’t there?

At first, Lila does not respond, standing motionless.

Phil strides towards her, grabbing her arm and turning her to face him.

PHIL

(again, more forcefully)

There’s someone else, isn’t there?

LILA

(icily)

And he’s everything you’re not.

Phil stares at her for a moment before releasing her arm and turning away. The woman he thought he knew is gone, replaced by someone cold and distant. Perhaps she never cared for him at all.

EXT. LILA AND PHIL’S HOME - NIGHT

The front door swings open, and Phil stumbles out, carrying a small suitcase. Raindrops and tears streak down his face as he walks out into the night.

Lila gazes at him through the window, rain pounding against the glass.

LILA

(muffled by the window)

Is that really how it happened?

What?

INT. LILA AND PHIL’S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Lila turns away, allowing the curtain to fall over the window as she walks away. She

LILA

Answer my question.

picks up a bottle of wine sitting on the coffee table and pours herself

LILA

You honestly just plan to ignore me?

a glass, sipping it meditatively.

LILA

Very mature. I shouldn’t have expected anything else, really.

You’re right, passive aggression is much more adult.

LILA

This isn’t how it happened.

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

LILA

Spare me the disclaimer, Will. Sorry, “Phil”. Your subtlety is admirable.

INT. CAB - NIGHT

Phil sits in the cab, suitcase clutched to his chest. Lights from street lamps and billboards briefly illuminate his face as the cab moves through the streets.

CAB DRIVER

So now you’re just avoiding me?

Lila? What are you doing? You’re not supposed to be here. You’re supposed to be back at the house.

CAB DRIVER/LILA

Then go back to the house.

INT. LILA’S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Fine, have it your way. Say what you have to say and we can all move on.

LILA

We can’t move on, Will. Because you refuse to.

I’m not refusing to move on, I’m processing my feelings through creativity. Which I have every right to do!

LILA

If you’re processing your feelings, why aren’t you being honest about what happened? Why won’t you call me by my name?

I am being honest. You broke my heart.

LILA

Did you ever stop to consider that you broke mine?

I’m the one who got dumped after a three year relationship, not you.

LILA

And that makes me a two-dimensional, cold-hearted bitch, I suppose?

Maybe it does.

LILA

Did you always see me that way?

Of course not.

INT. LILA AND PHIL’S LIVING ROOM - DAY - 8 MONTHS AGO

Phil pushes open the door with his shoulder as he and Lila walk in carrying armloads of boxes. They set the boxes down in the middle of the floor, and Phil looks around appreciatively. Lila smiles and wraps her arms around his shoulders, giving him a peck on the cheek. In the sunlight that beams through the window, she’s practically glowing.

LILA

Look at us. Homeowners.

PHIL

Well… technically, you’re the homeowner.

LILA

Oh, come on, Phil. What does it matter whose name is on the paperwork? It’s ours.

Phil shrugs, and Lila moves to hold him tighter.

LILA

We’re building a life together. Both of us.

PHIL

It’s just… you’ve done so much for me, Lila. You’ve made my life so much brighter by being a part of it. How am I ever supposed to make it up to you?

LILA

Hey. Look at me.

Lila turns Phil around to face her. Their eyes meet, and as she smiles at him, he begins to smile despite himself.

LILA (CONT’D)

This isn’t something you have to make up to me. I’m choosing to do something for the both of us. We’re a team, and we’ll always be a team. Hopefully.

PHIL

(smiling)

Hopefully. God, I love you so much.

LILA

I love you too.

They kiss. It’s beautiful.

It really was beautiful, wasn’t it?

LILA

(breaking the kiss)

This scene isn’t over yet.

What are you talking about? It’s perfect.

LILA

Shut up and listen.

PHIL

Anyway, once my career takes off you’ll be able to take it easy.

LILA

Who said I’ll be taking it easy?

PHIL

Well… I’ll be able to provide for you. You can relax, and I’ll take care of you.

LILA

Jesus, Phil, I thought we talked about this.

PHIL

What? I just want to look after you, sweetie. The way you’ve looked after me.

LILA

Don’t “sweetie” me right now. I’m not going to quit my job, as I made very clear before. My job paid for this house, and I worked hard to get where I am.

PHIL

I know you’ve worked hard, I just -

LILA

We’ve spent over two years together and in that time you haven’t sold a single script. But here I am, supporting you anyway. Never once have I asked you to give up on your career so I could take care of you. What is this really about?

PHIL

(sighs)

As your husband -

LILA

There it is.

PHIL

What did I say?

LILA

You know what, I’m going to go for a walk. Why don’t you try to get your head straight before I come back.

EXT. LILA AND PHIL’S HOUSE - DAY

Lila storms out, shutting the door firmly behind her.

LILA

Stop doing that and talk to me.

She exhales slowly as she stands on the front stoop.

LILA

Can you at least admit that you were wrong? Just once?

Is it so wrong to want to provide for my wife?

LILA

I told you I wasn’t going to quit my job, and still you come to me and say you’ll be the breadwinner, you’ll be the provider, all I need to do is be your dutiful wife. Not only is it condescending, it’s frankly ridiculous coming from an unsuccessful screenwriter.

If you really believed in me, you wouldn’t be telling me how ridiculous it is to think one day I could support the both of us.

LILA

Your insecurity is palpable.

This isn’t about insecurity.

LILA

Oh, really?

INT. LILA AND PHIL’S BEDROOM - NIGHT - 6 MONTHS AGO

Phil is sitting in bed, scrolling on his phone. Lila walks in and begins to tuck herself into bed.

PHIL

You’re back late.

LILA

It’s 11:15.

PHIL

Which is fifteen minutes later than when you told me you’d be home.

LILA

(beat)

Are you trying to insinuate something?

PHIL

Nothing, nothing.

(beat)

Though you and Sam have been spending a lot of time together lately…

LILA

So in the fifteen extra minutes we spent in a public restaurant, me and Sam had a passionate tryst? Fantastic deduction, Holmes.

PHIL

That’s not what I’m trying to say.

LILA

Then what are you trying to say?

PHIL

I just - I meant - well, what makes him so much more interesting than me, huh?

LILA

I never said he -

PHIL

You didn’t need to. You spend all your time out with Sam, or Alex, or Dan, while I sit at home, waiting for you -

LILA

What, I’m not allowed to have friends?

Phil starts to speak, but Lila cuts him off.

LILA

No, you know what? It is impossible to talk to you when you’re like this. I’m sleeping on the couch.

INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT

Lila steps out into the hall, shutting the door behind her.

LILA

Like I said. Insecurity.

Maybe I am insecure. But the way you acted made me insecure.

LILA

I could have handled some things better, I admit that. I could have communicated better. But it is not my job to stroke your ego, Will.

I just

I just wanted

LILA

What? What is it that you want?

You were always too good for me. I was always so scared you would leave.

And then you did.

It’s funny, I spent so much time feeling like we were doomed to fall apart.

And now that we have… I don’t know who I am without you.

LILA

And that’s exactly why it didn’t work. I was never… a person, to you. I was a way for you to prove something to yourself. To prove you were enough. But that’s the trick, isn’t it? It was never going to be enough.

I’m sorry.

LILA

An apology hardly fixes things now. I just wish… you saw me. Just once, I want you to actually see me. The real me, not whatever you wanted me to be. Please, Will.

I’m sorry, Margot.

INT. MARGOT AND WILL’S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

WILL (mid-20’s, unsuccesful screenwriter), sits on the couch, face in his hands. MARGOT (mid-20’s, successful software engineer) stands facing him. She rubs a tear from the corner of her eye.

WILL

So that’s it, then? Three years together and it’s over, just like that. Where are you planning to go?

MARGOT

Where am I planning to go? I own this house, Will.

WILL

(rising to his feet)

You’re kicking me out?

MARGOT

You should pack your things. You can stay the night, but I want you out by the end of the week.

WILL

There’s someone else, isn’t there?

MARGOT

Jesus Christ -

PHIL

(again, more forcefully)

There’s someone else, isn’t there?

MARGOT

Stop it, Will, just stop, already! I can’t keep having this conversation over and over and -

Margot stops, taking a moment to gather herself.

MARGOT

There’s no one else, Will. It’s you. The problem with us is you.

Margot wipes away the last of her tears and walks out of the room. Will is left alone, staring at the space where she once stood.