Coursework Script

TEA PARTY

Written by

Hana Kudryavtseva

FADE IN:

EXT. RESIDENTIAL ROAD - NIGHT

Montage of cyclist riding down the street, before the bike crashes into the hood of a car. Camera falls and lands sideways onto the road with the cyclist. Sound of SIRENS.

FADE TO BLACK.

Sound FX of HEART RATE MONITOR falling flat as title screen appears.

FADE IN: INT. GIRL’S BEDROOM - MIDDAY

Camera is in an identical position on the floor of the room, as the legs of a little girl walk into frame and pause, as she brings down her head into frame. She is curious.

NOAH sits up, holding his head, before noticing EVIE and lowering his hand. She rises. 

EVIE:

What’s your name?

NOAH:

I’m…

EVIE:

Mine is Evie. 

NOAH:

Noah.

Silence. EVIE walks out of frame. Some rummaging is heard, and she comes back arms full of plastic teacups and saucers that she proceeds to set out in front of NOAH. 

EVIE:

Do you want to join my tea party?

NOAH:

Where am I?

EVIE:

In my room.

Pause.

EVIE:

Did Ellie and Charlie send you?

NOAH:

Who are they?

EVIE:

My aunt and uncle. I live with them. Are you imaginary?

NOAH rises and walks over to the window, looking outside, trying to figure out where he is.

NOAH: 

Where do you live?

EVIE: 

Here. 

Pause.

I haven’t memorised the address yet. I used to know mine off by heart, because mummy made me learn it in case I got lost. I haven’t learned this one yet. 

NOAH:

Well, hasn’t she made you memorise this one?

EVIE:

She’s dead.

NOAH turns around, as EVIE looks up at him. She gets up and walks over to the other side of the room and comes back with a picture frame with a photo of a couple.

EVIE:

That’s mummy and daddy. [she thrusts it into his hands and points accordingly] They were in the car, and daddy turned the wheel to avoid a boy on a bicycle, and they crashed into a tree. 

NOAH:

When was this?

EVIE: 

The eighth of may. 

NOAH:

I-I’m really sorry. 

EVIE: 

[tilts head] Why are you sorry? You weren’t there. You’re imaginary.

NOAH:

No I’m not.

EVIE:

Yes you are. I probably made you up. I like making things up. Look!

She runs over to the tea party set.

EVIE:

Right now I’m a princess, and I’m having 5o’clock tea in my castle. You can be there too if you like.

There’s a KNOCK on the door. AUNT ELLIE comes in, peering in cautiously.

AUNT ELLIE:

Who are you talking to, Evie?

EVIE:

No one. I’m playing.

NOAH:

[stepping towards AUNT ELLIE] Miss, I was ju-

EVIE snaps her head to him and shushes him. AUNT ELLIE watches her uncertainly and with worry, not noticing NOAH.

AUNT ELLIE:

Can you see someone there, darling?

EVIE shakes her head vigorously and smiles. There’s a pause.

AUNT ELLIE: 

You’ll call to me if you need anything, right?

EVIE:

Yes, Auntie Ellie.

AUNT ELLIE:

Good girl. I’ll leave the door open. 

She leaves. NOAH watches her go, fixed to the spot.

NOAH:

She can’t see me.

EVIE:

I told you! 

EVIE grins, sitting back down to her tea set. NOAH stands still processing for a few seconds, before sliding through the opening in the door and following AUNT ELLIE down the stairs. As he is slowly walking down the stairs, he overhears her talking to UNCLE CHARLIE. 

AUNT ELLIE [muffled]:

She is talking to herself, Charles. She can’t even hide it when I’m in the room.

UNCLE CHARLIE [muffled]:

That is quite common in young children. Why are you worried?

AUNT ELLIE: 

She’s too old for this - she never had any imaginary friends before.

UNCLE CHARLIE:

Maybe it’s her way of coping, Eliza. You should leave her to it. It’s still very fresh in her mind.

AUNT ELLIE:

It’s fresh in everyone’s minds. 

UNCLE CHARLIE:

I know, love. Don’t worry about her. It might do her some good.

[OUT OF SHOT AND EARSHOT CONVERSATION

AUNT ELLIE: 

You don’t think it’s gonna stop her making friends?

UNCLE CHARLIE:

We can cross that bridge when we come to it. She’s still at the same school as before, she doesn’t have a problem with talking to people. I think if we get involved now, it might actually hold up her grieving. ]

Voices carry on, gradually fading out of earshot. NOAH, having overheard all of this from the stairs, slowly heads back upstairs. As he does this, he looks around, his fingers gliding across the walls or stair handles. MUSIC starts quietly playing. Stopping just outside EVIE’s room, he sees her playing pretend games through an opening in the door. MUSIC gradually gets louder as he smiles very slightly and enters the room. He walks to her and sits down opposite as she looks at him, holding a tea pot. After a second he picks up a tea cup and reaches it over to her, as she smiles.

CUT TO BLACK.

THE END.