Good Terms (Lauren) "A bizarre love triangle in an even more bizarre world" written by Zack Lane Inspired by "Rules of Attraction" by Bret Easton Ellis Coming of Age, Drama We follow the lives of three confused art students as they pursue the notions of love and "knowing" someone but seemingly never grasp it naturally This will be a Netflix mini-series comprised of 5x30minute episodes. The entire series will be scored and framed under the music of 'The Velvet Undergrackound', every song wi ll bLanee unique to the moment. Z INT. LAUREN AND CLAIRE' DRESSING ROOM - SATURDAY NIGHT "Femme Fatale" by The Velvet Underground plays over this scene as a petite pale brunette dresses in to her party outfit. The opening of the song (0s) dwindles and unravels as she works her way down her body. "Here she comes, you better watch your step" (10s) she looks in the mirror, applying her crimson lipstick, puckers her lips and continues with her alluring art piece. "Just look into her false coloured eyes" (30s) she builds up black shades around her pale blue eyes, they are bloodshot and impure from the cocaine. On chorus "She's a femme fatale" (45s) she twirls and laughs at herself performativley in front of her mirror, she feels awkward dancing in this body, she knows it's hers because she feels the effects of the drugs, but at the same time it feels leased, worn before, damp. Title over action: Lauren Song FADES to quiet on final "Hear the way she talks" bar, (01:05m) LAURENS smile breaks as she becomes transfixed by her imperfections. CUT TO BLACK. Title over black: Good Terms

INT. LAUREN AND CLAIRE' BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS "Femme Fatale" (01:05-) picks up from the record player in the bedroom, we FADE IN to the scene with the song. LAUREN and her room mate CLAIRE sprawl out on their single beds, they hackave not left this p risoLanen cell all day. They are both dressed fittingly for the 'Eyes Wide Shut Party' with cheap masks of each others faces. Lauren wears her infamous party stockings and a new (vintage) red and blacZk checkered mini skirt that just about hides the material tear on her inner thigh. Lauren' feet dance to the melody. This moment feels cool and authentic to Lauren so she decides to get out her phone, she films her feet twirling and posts it on Snapchat. The caption reads : "Stockings on. Skirt high. Dignity intact. For the meantime." 2.

Lauren proceeds to post this on her social story, she hesitates and looks at a framed photo besides the bed of her and JAMES they took at the vintage photo booth down in Brighton last summer. She blocks James from viewing the her story and posts it. CLAIRE (instantaneously) Lauren you slut get your feet off the internet before Tarantino gets you on the casting couch- LAUREN Fuck you Claire, I'm on a part time celibacy vow until James gets back from his semester abroad. CLAIRE (chuckling) The only thing part time about you is the degree you seem to change every semester Lauren ignores this statement. Instead her mind drifts back to James as she stares up at the ceiling. LAUREN (V.O.) His hands were callus (beat) He was cut from a different material, they were marble he was granite (beat) Or is it the other way round?- CLAIRE Lauren? Lauren do you want a toke? Claire fadesack in to Lauren's hea d, bLanereaking her soliloquy. Claire flaps her arm off of the bed and dangles the joint in the gap for Lauren to take.` LAUREN ZNah I'll give the smoke a miss tonight, I need to get rid of the snow on the driveway first. CLAIRE We're in the midlands Lauren, the only thing you're getting rid of is the mascara from your eyes when it pisses it down on the way back 3.

Lauren huffs. She rises from the bed and examines Claire' pet gheko next to the record player. LAUREN I wonder what would happen if I fed Thom Yorke some coke. (beat as Lauren thinks) I have far too much anyway (more thinking) I reckon he can take it-

CLAIRE You fucking dare! Lauren, Thom Yorke was not built to consume cocaine, I don't even think they have noses. Lauren looks at Claire, smiles deviously and throws a pinch of cocaine in to the chamber like tinker bell. SHE is the fairy of the night. Fed only by her longing for James and substance abuse. Lauren twirls and dances whimsically whilst Claire plunges Thom Yorke out from the tank. Femme Fatale rises from a background noise in to a crescendo that ends both the scene and the song. "She's a femme fatale, She's a femme fatale" (02:25m) FADE TO:

EXT. INNER CAMPUS STREET. NIGHT. ARIEL SHOT: ack Lane The campus street lights that dissect halls of residence from the place where learning occurs envisage a dim path for Lauren and Claire to walk down side by side. LaurZen and Claire are both glued to their phones, the light emitted from their devices puts the ambient broken buzz of the street lights to shame as it SWALLOWS the glow whole.

LAUREN' POV: Lauren browses through the snapchat stories of her friends currently at the party. 4.

The stories flick between girls posing in their revealing outfits and the lads hurtling ping pong balls in to assortments of mugs and glasses, even a vase on the kitchen table. Lauren turns her phone off and walks onward. LAUREN (V.O.) I wonder where James is now, the thought of him anywhere but here makes me sick to the stomach. (beat) He's probably studying the architecture in the Sistine chapel, comparing the compelling meticulous arcs and curves to my bare silhouette against his bedroom curtains. Or maybe he's lost. (beat) Why (Lauren looks outside herself) If he is lost then what am I? - Fuck I need some more cocaine. CLAIRE This party looks MAD Lauren, we need to go. (beat) Now! Lauren reanimates after her sleep walk and picks up the pace further down the path towards the house party. Lauren and Claire fade in to the darkness, the street lights now form a runway for a plane to begin take off in the following sequence. MATCH CUT TO: Title over aackction: Lane James

INT./EXT. EUROPE - DAY/NIGHT IN AZ SERIES OF SHOTS that are narrated by JAMES we are directed through both FAST DIALOGUE and DESCRIPTION in a succession of QUICK CUTS as he takes study leave around EUROPE for his architecture degree. This is framed using both his phone camera and the film camera. The plane sets off. 5.

JAMES (V.O.) (narrating) Took a flight from Gatwick to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol on KLM, met an online friend there, we cooked, we got cooked, went to Anne Franks house, small but cosy, couldn't see the problem, took a picture, uploaded it, remembered to block clingy Laura or Lucy from social media. Later we went to a bar I saw on Instagram, famous for what goes on behind closed doors, I drank, which was expensive because they only served cocktails named after serial killers 'Bubblegum Bundy','John Sherbet Tasty'. Went to the red light district, went to the blue light district, blue light cost less so I decided to just shut my eyes. The rain started to fuck me off so I fucked off, said thanks to my online friend for the accommodation and fucked her too. Headed out for Bruges that morning, met a group of travellers on the train to Brussels, fingered one of the girls in the toilet who I think was called Poppy, dark hair dark eyes, Poppy was with Ben but Ben had been shagging Susan, a classic notion of revenge. I left the group and Brussels and carried on for Bruges. Smoked a spliff on the connection there, no one checked my ticket so the journey was free, I kept Dads travel money for drugs, same thing. Got to Bruges and walked in to the centre, there were no small people there like in the film, buildings were nice, colourful, a lot of bridges, I think the style was Baroque so I wrote it in my diary. Saw a small person in the end standing near pop up creperie, took a picture, uploaded it. Turns out he had coke on him so I thought why not, it was late and we both went to an underground Irish bar 'Delaneys' that served the best tripel ale. I did coke in the toilet, turns out it was the ladies toilet and the lady proceeded to walk in, a Belgian local, she realised I was British and had coke and was friends with the small bloke so started getting off with me. I cancelled the hotel with a refund and took the girl back to the small blokes B and B. Fucked her on his bed which was fine but he awkwardly third wheeled which creeped me out, she finished, I found it hard to because of him so she sucked my cock, all the gurning kind of made it work. I finished after subtly kicking him to the side so we took the rest of his ackcoke and left for t he sLanetreets. It was 3am, still dark, she took me past the streets and to a brothel, a Belgian brothel, I needed to save for Paris so I left with the coke, threw up outside a Godiva shop near the main square on the corner that was now opening its doors, I bought some BelgZian chocolate, took a picture, uploaded it. Walked up the Belfry, threw up half way, got to the top and considered jumping, never had this been more appealing. I took a picture, uploaded it. Thought my followers would appreciate the ‘In Bruges’ reference, made me look cool I guess. Train back to Brussels to transfer on to the Eurostar headed for Paris. 6.

Thought Paris was too mainstream so I jumped out at Lille, walked around its cobbled streets and sat by the river which was pretty, smoked a joint which was crap because I didn't have much hash left, so I went looking for some. Found a hippie girl next to the water fountain outside The Palais des Beaux-Arts playing the ukulele, she was from Liverpool and for some reason goes to uni here? Studying foreign literature, I didn't think hippie's were a thing anymore so I embraced it, kinda cool. She spoke about this new movement of hers, where everyone is free and 'chill', I agreed and fleetingly joined the club to fuck her and take whatever hash she had from her bedside drawer, which wasn't a lot, she let me finish in her mouth though. She had a travel pass in her drawer so I commandeered it on my next pursuit to Italy, had to transfer at Liguria, the train had a maintenance stop, as did I. I followed a couple Italian birds who spoke some broken English to a lake that sat above the station further up the valley. I kind of wanted to check out the area, looked vintage, vintage is cool, I took a picture, uploaded it for all the vintage lovers, I'm the king of fucking vintage. We bathed in the lake for a while, the ugly girl of the two kept dry humping me under water, I kind of wanted the other one though, I say ugly, she was a solid nine on a dingy Friday night. I used some broken Italian to try articulate my dilemma as I floated, I started gesturing to make it easier, they understood and we fucked under an apricot tree where our clothes dried, they spoke some dirty Italian shit in my ear, 'prendi i suoi soldi', please mr fuck me I deduced. The train was scheduled to leave in five so we parted, the tree and the lake and the girls looked kind of likeable so I took a picture, uploaded it. Train to Rome was easy and free, headed straight for Vatican City, saw a few Roman Catholic Priests mooching around, fuckers. Briefly looked in the Sistine Chapel, never been a fan of the Renaissance period, arches were cool though, made me think how trippy it would be to have someone ride me while I looked up at it all. I swiftly left to acquire some acid, I only wanted to experience the art in the fifth dimension. Bumped in to a green peace activist wearing a V for Vendetta mask doing some street demonstration. Slipped him ten euros and waited for the lonely show ackto finish. He didn' t haLaneve acid, or even shrooms, who would have thought, he knew someone who did so I walked down the street on to the next street performer, she was flexible, I thought about fucking the trip off and fucking this goddess instead but it was the last night and I wasn't evenZ horny, more nauseous. I slipped her a twenty and she pulled a tab out of her blouse, she slipped it in her mouth and made the exchange via her tongue inside my mouth, the crowd were probably confused, I was now confused and horny. Checked in to the hotel, which was pretty much The Overlook at this point or the one from that Arctic Monkeys album, the trip was full speed ahead. I headed back to the Sistine, which was closed, shouted profanities at the Catholic Priests, navigated back to the strip of street performers, couldn't find Athena so I settled with Medusa just down the street, the trip turned the snakes in to this kind of alluring phallic thing which I kind of liked, I tried to take a photo but later realised it was a flash photo of my face. I took Medusa back to my hotel and spoke about her estranged children, I imagined she turned them in to statues and laughed, she got upset and wanted to leave, I slipped her a twenty for her time and ordered room service, she stayed and we drank and fucked, the trip was bumming my sex drive out so I took the condom off and focused on the snakes and came. 7. Woke up next to Mia, took my twenty and checked out. Just about made the flight back to Gatwick, I realised this trip had garnered the most likes ever on my Instagram, result. As I sat in the plane an enormous sense of worthlessness washed through my thudding brain, why were all these names in my head?

The SERIES OF SHOTS concludes with a MONTAGE of the photos JAMES took on his trip. They play fast enough to digest and LOOP for 15s. The MONTAGE FREEZES on the final accidental photo of JAMES' face, it sticks. "I Found A Reason" by The Velvet Underground FADES IN (0s) as the final photo of the MONTAGE FADES OUT. FADE TO: Title over action: EYES WIDE SHUT PARTY

INT. NICKS HOUSE - HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS - LATER The opening of I Found A Reason continues over this scene up to (30s) as - Lauren walks through the front door with Claire leading. We TRACK BACKWARDS as they enter and walk forward. The obligatory walk towards the kitchen happens in slow motion, mirroring the perpetual sobering nature of the elusive hallway march in search of some substance. The hallway is lined both sides, boy, girl/boy, girl, the 'Eyes Wide Shut Party' is well under way. Lauren and Claire continue in to the KITCHEN.

INT. NICKS HOUSE - KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS The TRACKING HALTS as we reach the island in the kitchen, the island is packed to the edge, filled with various cheap spirits fromack Tesco, Asda, Aldi, BudLanegens, Lidl -- none of the original shit in sight. We circle the counter with Lauren as she makes her way to the fridge, it's been ajar for god knows how long -- FRANKLIN, a shagZgy haired fresh faced first year, appears from the other side of the counter. "Oh and the reason, dear, is you" (01:00m) simultaneous as Lauren turns to look at Franklin, everything slows. 8.

FRANKLIN Grab me a glass will you? (half way through another conversation elsewhere) Fuck off Cal!- "Oh I do believe, if you don't like things you leave, for some place you've never gone before" (01:15m) the line reverberates as a thought in Lauren' head. Back to slow motion. Lauren is dazed... Song continues now instrumentally (01:35m-) ...Back to reality. LAUREN (clearing her throat) - From the fridge? FRANKLIN Yes! - Cal! I mean no, the freezer, I like the frozen effect. Lauren doesn't hesitate and reaches down for the freezer drawer, sure enough a pint glass sits there, crammed between the frozen peas and medical ice packs. The glass reads "suck it up buttercup". LAUREN Which glass is yours? (smirking) FRANKLIN - the one with the bu- (realisation) ..ack.very funny. Lane Lauren finally looks up from the freezer at this voice that has been dictating her moves for the past twenty seconds. Franklin wears a mask that was either Sloth from The Goonies or aZ Phil Mitchel mask that melted at last weeks party. Lauren undresses him with her eyes, tall, slender but obviously toned, he wore a plain white t-shirt because frankly he didn't need much else to stand out. Lauren held the glass, mouth open behind the mask of Claire, looking up at this weird hybrid. 9.

LAUREN (V.O.) Had James returned early from his trip? This mask was so him, the glass I thought was his, if it were James he could be sure I was also. FRANKLIN Claire? - (he waits for a response) LAUREN ... (blank) FRANKLIN - Clever mask and all that, but could you pass me the glass? I'm five pints down and need to catch up. LAUREN Yeah sure, there... there we are, a glass -- your glass -- aha, funny glass.

The rest of Lauren' sentence barely makes it out of her masks mouth hole. This exchange is awkward, frankly, Lauren could end her life right here right now. Franklin walks away with his glass...

LAUREN POV: We see Claire masquerading as Lauren at the living room door, she's already trashed. Lauren looksack back to Franklin a nd hLaneas an epiphany, her mind wanders -- LAUREN (V.O.) Anonymity is for cowards... I'm Zgoing to wear Claire in to the fucking ground. The song returns seamlessly with the vocals... "Oh, I do believe you are what you perceive" (03:20) We circle around Lauren in this once domesticated kitchen, chaos bubbles away, Lauren is in the eye of the storm. 10.

"What comes is better than what came before" (03:35) The circling turns in to a dizzying spin as Lauren makes a start on a Tesco Value Vodka bottle using a straw to conceal her identity. Still circling, we see over the shoulders of party members in the kitchen all viewing James' Instagram posts, they all double tap to like, no emotional response follows. Lauren remains sharp in the centre, still oblivious to his social media pursuit. The spinning SLOWS as we PULL IN through the crowd on to the mask of Claire, emotionless, printed on the cheap, the substance sets in as... We now FADE OUT with the "ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba" (03:50-)

INT. NICKS HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - LATER The rest of the party is filmed using the effect of 16mm film, as the camera moves, the colours will struggle to match the movement, they will therefore bleed out of form to keep up. The living room is by far the darkest room in the house, it steals light from the rooms around it. Everyone is consuming something: their phone, drink, smoke, speed. Sniffing from the coffee table, the TV stand, an empty fish tank, Bronski Beat' The Age of Consent record (the record, not even the sleeve). Everything seems slower than normal, fast enough to remain lucid but there is an unspoken feeling that the party has reached half time, people rejuvenate with various toxins, they catch up on the first half - discuss tactics for the second. We SWIPE SLOackWLY to a familiar f ace.Lane.. Claire sits on a two person black leather sofa, it's far lower than the table, somehow almost lower than the hideous vinyl flooring. Her Zmask is off to enable her joint rolling procedure to begin. She licks the brown paper side to side, jaw quivering, cold. A FIRST YEAR waddles in from the kitchen... followed similarly by a waddling SECOND YEAR. They race around the coffee table using unscrewed wooden sofa legs as bucket stilts. 11.

FIRST YEAR Sophie is mine! SECOND YEAR It's Bella you cunt! STELLA (O.S.) (distant echo from kitchen) - It's Stella, and I'm not attracted to either of you! A couple drama students reanimate- DRAMA STUDENTS (uncompromising and rehearsed) Stellaaaaaaaa! As the lethargic living room zombies begin to unsheathe their phones to capture this moment the FIRST YEAR' rope SNAPS, rope fashioned from his own shoe lace. Claire chuckles a one syllable laugh as his fall leaves him ready for crucifixion on the coffee table, a mist of coke surrounds him. A moments rest as the room pays it' respects. SUDDENLY, A VOICE-- A VOICE CLAIRE! You little minx. (sarcastically) You must be sensational or some shit. -- We struggle to look for the source of this voice. CLAIRE ack(tongue stuck on rolLaneling paper) Wha-? Claire turns all the way round and looks out of the living roomZ door in to the hallway. She scans upwards... A FACE! Wedged between two white spindles on the banister, eyes sunken, trying to make their own way in to the living room to accompany Claire. Claire prizes her tongue away from the paper. 12.

CLAIRE Nick? (she turns round even more, laughing) Are you fucking high? I keep telling you to lay off the speed at house parties. NICK wedges his faces further in, disfiguring his already lost eyes. NICK (slurring) Either Frank did you dirty, or, you felt short changed by what ever was beyond his pockets. CLAIRE Frank? I've not seen Frank all night. NICK Claire, honey, baby, mistress of the sinking substance sofa. (loses train of thought as first year passes) Frank hasn't seen Frank all night. CLAIRE I'm fucked up Nick, just leave me alone. Claire turns back to begin rolling up as Nick harks back-- NICK It's an exercise in futility you knackow! Lane CLAIRE (tongue stuck on paper again) ZWha-?! NICK Fucking somebody when the drugs are fucking you. (pulling face out from spindles) Doesn't usually affect Franky boy though. Does it Frank! (shouting up stairs) 13.

Nick stumbles upstairs. Reassuring himself he won't throw up. Claire looks perplexed, she follows the white rabbit in search of the truth.

INT. NICKS HOUSE - SECOND FLOOR - CONTINUOUS Claire slowly walks up the nine stairs leading to the second floor, on each step Claire takes a seat. It's that time of night. Claire gets to the landing and examines the doors that line the hallway in front of her. Five doors, two bedrooms each side, a shared bathroom at the end. Claire now lies on the top step, slumped, still perplexed; she spots Nick as he exits the bathroom. CLAIRE (shouting) Nick! Nick you fuck, come here right now and explain, just tell me, are you fucking wacked off your face or just being a little prick? And are you being a little prick simply by nature of having one? If so, it all makes sense to me now... Nick! Nick struggles to close the bathroom slider door, he walks towards the door closest to the bathroom on the right side, ignoring Claire, he knocks quickly-- NICK Frank let me in... Frank! FRANK! The door opens, Nick enters. Claire scurries down the hall as Nick enters Franks, still perplexed, fackuelled mostly by th e paLaneranoia. She tries to follow behind him as the door SLAMS shut. Claire knocks, punches, she huffs and she puffs. Nothing. Z CLAIRE Frank! Nick! Let me in you morons, I'm fucking paranoid enough as it is. FRANKLIN (O.S.) You can't come in Claire - 14.

NICK (O.S.) Yeah Claire it's probably not best for you to come in CLAIRE Are you boys finally experimenting? Is this it? Claire leans her head on the door for emotional and gravitational support. This instantly makes her more nauseous so she jolts up right. CLAIRE (CONT'D) (coarse and dry) FRAAAAANK! Claire throws herself in to the cheap plywood door, the singular hinge holding it to the wall pathetically prizes off. MATCH CUT TO:

INT. NICKS HOUSE - FRANKS ROOM - TWO HOURS EARLIER Frank flings his bedroom door open, the screws holding the singular hinge rattle, his whole room shakes from PTSD of long nights and drug binges. Lauren follows through the door, still wearing her mask of Claire. FRANKLIN Sorry there's no bed frame. The banging was starting to piss Nick off. Kinda needed some firewood as well so it worked out I guess. I kinda like sleeping on the floor thackough, I like the vi bes.Lane LAUREN It's definitely a vibe. Lauren looks round Franklins room: A Pulp Fiction poster, a suitZcase record player, only one record (Unknown Pleasures), a spiral patterned psychedelic wall tapestry covering an entire wall, a corner of around ten plain baseball caps, a "suck it up buttercup" coaster. LAUREN (CONT'D) (giggling) What's up with suck it up buttercup? 15.

FRANKLIN Ah well, it's kind of become my catch phrase. It's like a sign off, like... it's like my signature. LAUREN Like your signature what? FRANKLIN Well I only started using it last week, so it's not fully cemented as like a "Franklin staple" yet. I don't know, I've used it a couple of times after sex. Lauren drifts round the room again. LAUREN (V.O.) Fuck I'm too sober. Franklin sits cross legged on the bed, he pulls out a couple bags of various substances from under his mattress. LAUREN (V.O.) (CONT'D) If he catches me from the wrong angle I'm fucked, Claire is fucked... would he fuck Claire? He's pretty wasted too. Franklin dabbles with the bags, a nibble of a pill here, a sniff of a rough white powder there. Lauren stands, she kneels down for a moment, then crosses her legs, then opens them slightly, trying to gauge a response from Franklin. Finally after a brief moment of reminding Franklin that Basic Instinct was still a thing, in the most awkward possible way- - She stands backack up and dims the bedLaneroom light, all the while staring in to the full body mirror, trying to make the line between herself and Claire even more ambiguous. Finally, the light hits just right, it bounces of her in such a waZy to allow her to take off the mask. Make full transition in to her character. FRANKLIN (dabbing coke on his gums) Are you happy Claire? Like truly content? Like, if someone gave you a painless exit, euthanasia type of shit, right now! Like... 16.

Franklin' mouth is dry like cotton, he laps up moisture from the air to help him speak to Lauren. LAUREN Like what? FRANKLIN Would you off yourself? Completely painless like I said. Lauren leans on the door, knees bent, uncomfortable. FRANKLIN (CONT'D) Are you happy? LAUREN (V.O.) Sometimes I just wander around campus and hope someone I know passes me looking all sad and in my element. It's a lot easier to express my emotion this way, actually talking is futile when the only outlet people know is texting-. LAUREN Yeah I guess. FRANKLIN Fair enough. So are we gonna do these drugs and fuck then? LAUREN (V.O.) You fucking bet. Claire needs some character development. My skin has been lacking some texture lately as well. LAUREN Suackre. Lane Lauren stoops down in to Franklin’s pit of a bed and sits cross legged dead opposite him, eye to eye, toe to toe. LAUREN (V.O.) ZI love how I always end up corrupting myself even more. I love James, Lauren loves James, Claire loves other stuff though. Like enchanting escapades at parties. Maybe I'm doing her a solid. 17.

FRANKLIN (staring intensely in to Lauren' eyes) You look kind of quirky tonight Claire (BEAT as Franklin messes around with his drug instruments) Like compared to usual, like don't get me wrong you know, I like it, I like you, I don't love you. LAUREN (V.O.) Amazing. LAUREN I don't want much coke if thats chill, like I did a couple bumps while I waited for you in the toilet. I don't wanna end up like Mia you know? Lauren looks over to the Pulp Fiction poster and chuckles, looks back at Franklin' dead stare and realises now what sort of guy he is. FRANKLIN Well it's not actually coke, like, it's like a different heroin compound, it's white because it's nearly Christmas. Was this Mia girl like your friend? Did she die or some shit? LAUREN (V.O.) Will I wake up a smack addict or will Claire? LAUREN Yeackah I'm easy. Lane Franklin gets out a stained teaspoon from the mug on his catchphrase coaster. He pinches some powder on to the spoon and circles his lighZter under the metal curve, hand shaking, flame low and lethargic. This glowing metallic curvature is starkly the only visible thing other than Lauren and Franklin's face. The image creates a weird sort of trippy prog rock album cover. Franklin grabs the syringe lying on his pillow and sucks up the bubbling glue like substance, it takes a bit of effort. 18.

FRANKLIN Right give me your arm Claire. LAUREN Will it not burn? FRANKLIN Just suck it up buttercup. LAUREN (V.O.) What a cunt thing to say. I kind of love it though. Lauren stretches her arm outwards, her skeletal fingers nearly popping from their sockets. She leans forwards in to Franklin all the while. Her arms are vascular enough already from weeks of malnutrition and cold shakes, Franklin inserts the needle with ease, he struggles to press the end of the syringe as his hand shakes. As we see the primordial gloop drain in to Lauren' already tainted blood "Candy Says" by The Velvet Underground begins to rise from nowhere (0:00-). "I've come to hate my body, and all it requires in this world" (0:07-). Lauren' head bobbles slowly side to side and front to back, like a nodding dog in need of some WD40 (no way near as happy).

LAUREN (V.O.) (CONT'D) I've never liked my body much, I've never understood how mirrors and cameras are this kind of surreal image. They're brutally honest, degrading. I gave social media a break last year because I was only geacktting like eleven l ikesLane on pictures I uploaded of myself, like happy pictures as well, back when I exuded confidence, is that not Zworth at least a few more likes? The gentle guitar ravels through the second verse as Lauren' soliloquy takes a trip down her inner consciousness 19.

A SHOT: A short dreamlike sequence of Lauren twirling in the mirror, upset with her body, identical to the opening sequence, but in a blank non-descript location, this is just a little trip, a lucid reminder for Lauren of how each night starts. FADE TO:

INT. NICKS HOUSE - FRANKS ROOM - CONTINUOUS

"I'm gonna watch them past me by, maybe when I'm older, what do you think I'd see, if I could walk away from me" (01:05-) Franklin slowly morphs in to a soft focus watercolour piece, as the song continues, Lauren wobbles more and more IN BEAT as the strings sway, her brain gradually losing connection with this live video of Franklin, he softens and bleeds out of form ever so slightly. LAUREN (V.O.) Imagine uploading a picture for hundreds of people, for what? I'm engaging in the pursuit of making the completely intangible nature of the platform seem somewhat more and more, real? I'm proving that I am, indeed, a person? The lyrics fade in to the forefront "Candy says, I hate the big decisions, that cause endless revisions, in my mind" (01:50-) Lauren folds backwards in to her legs as the heroin asphyxiates her brain. We can just about make out Franklin squirting the rest of the heroin in to his mug. Franklin turns his phone on, setting the room alight with a cold explosiackon of artificiality , itLane glows gently as if seen through a rainy car window at night. LAUREN (V.O.) (CONT'D) He attempted to shuffle the clothes Zoff from my body, I can feel it, this isn't his first rodeo, but he's drunk and he's obviously struggling. I can't feel my fucking face. I'll let him do it but the filming is a bit too far, not that I can even do much, I've become one of his stained pillows. 20.

Lauren lifts her head from the pit in which she has fallen, slumped in Franklin' bed. She just about has the energy to make him out at the other end of the bed, he's tumbling around trying to get his jeans off. LAUREN (V.O.) (CONT'D) I could feel the weight of the mattress shift from side to side, and finally lean more on mine. The grunting sounded like it was coming from a tin can in the corner of the room. His mouth was practically inside my ear though so I knew it was just the drugs. Momentarily Lauren shakes along with the pillows, the colours all blend in to one as Franklin tries to finish up before the alcohol numbs him completely, euphoria heightens the already vivid colours. LAUREN (V.O.) (CONT'D) The grunts quickened, shortened. If it were James I knew this would only be an appetiser, he'd proceed to turn me over, he'd make a point to look in my eyes, maybe even tell me he loved me, he'd take his time, if this were James maybe I'd feel less nauseous--a shift, movement from behind me--I waited for his catch phrase... Nothing. He turned my face round. FRANKLIN Claire? Claire! LAUREN (V.O.) Is he confused that he's finished up? -- Angry? Franklin stuackmbles, scurrying na kedlLaney for the light. SNAP. It burns the room with an unflattering yellowish stain. Lauren lies at the end of Franklins bed, naked, fetal, mouth frotZhed, her left arm repeatedly twitching violently. Her right tucked awkwardly between her damp inner thigh. A new born baby left forgotten, nameless. FRANKLIN Claire! Lauren?-- Nick! (Franklin opens his bedroom door) Nick!- 21.

LAUREN (V.O.) - The cats out the bag. The mask of Claire lies ripped next to Laurens shaking face. We FOCUS on this image for a BEAT, then a SUDDEN-- FAST SWIPING MATCH CUT TO:

INT. NICKS HOUSE - FRANKS ROOM - TWO HOURS LATER Claire collapses inwards through the door in to Franklins room. We can barely make Lauren out as Nick and Franklin crouch over her, trying to operate. Nick and Franklin pump her naked chest using a youtube video that Franklin now half dressed holds above Laurens face. FRANKLIN Have you never listened to the fucking bee gees Nick?! Claire edges cautiously for a better look. NICK Fuck off Frank just give me the beat to follow! You know I only listen to brit pop anyway. CLAIRE Fuck Fuck fuck fuck, what did you do you fucking cunts, is she dead?! Is she fucking dead (slap punching franks arm) Why didn’t you just fuck anyone else frank you sleazy fuck- FRANKLIN Clackaire! I thought she wasLane you... she played along with it. I didn’t know it was your room mate- CLAIRE Z- Lauren, her names fucking Lauren you, you, fuck Frank why?! Laurens eyes seem to curl over they seem to return back to hiding in their sleeping chambers, where life is easy. Claire, Nick and Frank step back, they watch Lauren as her body makes some sort of final push-- 22.

Her stomach makes a pulse, it forms a wave up in to her throat and out through her mouth as she regurgitates a vile pale porridge like mass. CLAIRE (CONT'D) Lauren! Lauren, Lauren are you okay? What the fuck happened? Lauren remains pale, her eyes curl back round, bloodshot and drained of natural colour, she returns to her body as her gaze darts around the room. LAUREN (V.O.) There's few times in my life I've actually slipped in to a death like state and reawakened, this may even be the first. But the natural high created from my body working over time is a feeling I could definitely see myself chasing, potentially fatal as it may be, I feel oddly cleansed yet completely riddled with scum and grime at the same time--where are my fucking clothes? Shall I still pretend to be Claire? Laurens second wind kicks in as she rises, hands over her bare chest, underwear barely on, stockings crumpled around her left ankle and right knee. FRANKLIN Lucy hold up- CLAIRE Lauren, Lauren. L-A-uren. It's Lauren you little shit, now both of you turn around so she can get dressed Claire noticackes The Second Sex i n hiLanes reading pile near the record player, below the pulp fiction poster. CLAIRE (CONT'D) How about you go read up on some ZSimone De Beuvour, I'm sure it's due back soon right? Lauren stands awkwardly, shaking, embracing herself to try control the shivering, the feeling of familiar hands on her skin helps alleviate the biting sensation of loneliness. Franklin and Nick turn without hesitation to the wall as Lauren dresses herself. 23.

Lauren gathers herself as well as her skirt and her striped polo shirt. LAUREN (V.O.) This was the first time I'd stood naked in the overwhelming conditions of light. I tend to avoid it generally, no one wants it looming over the bumps and the blemishes, not me anyway. CLAIRE Come on let's get out of here Lauren LAUREN Okay... see you buttercup. Franklin turns only his head around, confused. CLAIRE Don't look you fucking rapist. Get reading. Lauren and Claire quietly laugh at each others current selves as Franklin faces back to the wall. Lauren is dressed now, and somewhat an image of her pre-party self, the make up remains smudged and stained IN A SERIES OF SHOTS Lauren and Claire leave Nicks house in the similar perpetual nature in which entered, the walk is sobering and happens almost in slow motion, the bedrooms they walk past pulsate with various animalistic nauseating sounds, mostly male, there is a rarely a female response. They walk down the stairs, stepping over a tired drama student and down in to the hall. They take a final look around the finished piece of art: looking down in to the kitchen, the usual kitchen sink drama echoes down the hall, the living room that Claire once occupied is now a dark seedy breeding ground for the friends ackof friends to consu me aLanend hand out drugs. Lauren and Claire leave. The warped colour effect has subsided by now, we are left bare and sober. Z FADE OUT: INT. LAUREN AND CLAIRE' BEDROOM - SUNDAY AFTERNOON We FADE IN with the cerebral bell chimes of "Sunday Morning" by The Velvet Underground (00:00) "Sunday morning, brings the dawn in. It's just a restless feeling, by my side" (00:10s-) 24.

We linger above Lauren and Claire' beds, a modern image of greek renaissance art is replicated using an amalgam of Lauren and Claire' clothes, their sprawling bodies half outside the covers, barely dressed, a communal sick bucket in the middle of their beds. "It's just the wasted years so close behind" (00:30s-) We spiral down still semi drunk amongst the two sleeping bodies, they look glossed, artificial from the lack of pigment. Lauren pulls herself alive. "There's always someone around you who will call" (00:40s-) The bells slowly become harsh and heady as Lauren winces at her pulsating brain. The slurred nature of the lyrical delivery mirrors Lauren as she struggles to sit up in bed and find her phone to check the social media stories she may or may not have been involved in last night. She reaches for Claire' instead. LAUREN (V.O.) Zero-Five-Zero-Four-Nine-Eight. Claire my fellow Aries, what ever would I do without you. As Lauren opens up Claire' instagram she begins to scroll through stories of people last night. LAURENS POV: We skip through multiple social media stories, plotting familiar settings from the party: drama students drunkly doing improv in the garden, fine art students hot boxing Nick' pantryack, and James- Lane LAUREN (V.O.) (CONT'D) James? LaurZen squints, forcing life out of her eyes to concentrate. Lauren studies James' instagram story, flicking back and forth between his obvious sexual endeavours and the occasional scenery of Europe. The bell chimes ring and bounce around now as Lauren becomes alarmingly hysteric 25.

"Sunday morning and I'm falling, I've got a feeling I don't want to know" (01:05-) Lauren locks the phone, she puts it down and picks it back up for a BEAT, holding it close. She puts it back by Claire' bed side and stands up from the bed- Lauren immediately hurls in to the bucket- Claire wakes up slowly- Lauren spits the rest out in to the bucket and gathers some clothes QUICKLY- She dresses herself in some lazy blue jeans and an oversized Good Times A24 studios sweatshirt, she exits... Claire has only just sat up and opened her eyes by this point- CLAIRE Lauren?.. (croaky and barely audible) The song and the scene FADES OUT poignantly with the paranoid lyrics- "Watch out the worlds behind you, theres always someone around you who will call, it's nothing at all" (01:40s-) This dejected disposition lingers as Claire lies confused and hungover in her bed oblivious as to what Lauren just saw. The song fades out. CUT TO: EXT. INNER CackAMPUS COMPLEX - MOM ENTSLane LATER Everyone walking about is either trying to sober up for their closing shifts or they've been chosen to gather food for the rest of the pack. LaurZen walks differently to these two groups, she's obviously part of her own niche club, no one stops but they stare. She spots PAUL and SEAN walking side by side. Paul tries engaging with Sean whilst Sean walks head down on his phone, they weren't at the party last night. LAUREN (V.O.) Can't Paul just take a fucking hint. 26.

PAUL (a good few meters away from Lauren) I'm just interested in how many women you've slept with that's all? - Sean? There's something intrinsically important about me knowing this... do you want a smoke? (talking at him) Paul and Sean walk by in an instant. Lauren walks in to the SU grocery shop.

EXT. INNER CAMPUS COMPLEX - MOMENTS LATER Lauren walks out with a half full sized bottle of red label vodka. She walks up close as we track backwards seemingly as she runs through the motions. LAUREN (V.O.) Does anyone know who I am? Am I just one of those poor people that become an accessory, purely suiting the spontaneous fulfilment of someones impending loneliness, whenever they feel it coming on. Was that James, has someone stolen his phone as some sick twisted prank aimed at me. We slow as Lauren pursues ahead, walking in to the unknown. Pale Blue Eyes begins to play by "The Velvet Underground" as we linger momentarily for a beat on the image of an empty campus. ack Lane CUT TO: EXT.Z OUTSKIRTS OF CAMPUS - OPEN AIR THEATRE - MOMENTS LATER A couple second year drama students rehearse in groups at the open air theatre just outside of campus. The opening slow guitar riff plays out longer than usual from the song over this routine. Their motions are leisurely and beautiful, the pace matches the looping progression of the songs opening instrumentals 27.

We see them clearly, but from a distance, as they perform strange expressionistic movements, possibly a warm up routine, but it could also be a dream sequence, they sparkle with a very alien mood nonetheless (for a Sunday). The lyrics now open up as we turn to Lauren from- "Sometimes I feel so happy, sometimes I feel so sad, sometimes I feel so happy, but mostly you just make me mad" (00:07-) Lauren sits mid level of the rising blocks of rocky industrial seating, Lauren is their only audience but they're noticeably thrilled. She drinks straight from the bottle of red label. We're head on, a considerably unflattering distance, but the morning sickness look is suiting Laurens style, her eyes dominate this picture, they're paler than ever, her pupils have essentially retreated inside of her. "Linger on your pale blue eyes, Linger on your pale blue eyes" (00:30s-) We turn back to the slow motion dancing and twirling of the drama students. One group of three takes front stage and acts out a highly eccentric dance, they periodically pull and tear each other apart in a triangular motion. The slow motion show exudes a surreal sense that maybe, in this moment, Lauren isn't so insignificant after all, all this energy from stage is being channeled exclusively in to her and no one else. Lauren feels it- LAUREN ack(to the performe rs) Lane I'm Lauren!- by the way... They STOP. The song STOPS. LaurZen claps and sits down. They continue, disgruntled. We go back to Lauren' face as she takes an alarming gulp from the vodka bottle. LAUREN (V.O.) I should have taken fucking drama. 28.

The strange dream like image of Lauren watching these keen drama students is brought back as we linger above, as the song FADES OUT, and as Lauren drinks purely to ponder the absurdities of life and last night. “If I could make the world as pure, and strange as what I see, I’d put you in a mirror, I put in front of me... (01:55m-)” “Linger on your pale blue eyes, linger on your pale blue eyes...” We FADE OUT as Lauren’s eyes LAYER over the aerial view of campus. FADE TO BLACK.

ack Lane Z