Chapter Text
SATURDAY, 5TH OCTOBER, 21:28
“Say Amen (Saturday Night)” by Panic! at the Disco plays as we see Brighton at night, illuminated, flashing over various shops, buildings, gay bars and houses, before settling on one we’ve seen before.
INT. LIVING ROOM, RORY’S HOUSE
As the first verse begins, we see JAKE opening the living room door, holding a six pack of beer in one hand, and he walks through the crowded room. He pushes past various people, not paying attention to them as he smiles emptily, staring ahead.
He pushes past a group of dancing girls, who are being stared at by RORI, who’s standing next to BRIANNA, as BRIANNA makes out with a guy we can’t see the face of.
He passes SOPHIE, SANDY, ESTHER, LIZ and JAMES, who all stand together to the side of the room, talking. He quickly glances at them, looking away before they can see him as he walks halfway up the staircase and looks over the sea of bodies as the beat drops.
He stares out into them, rolls his eyes and opens a beer, downing it. He winces, as he keeps going up the stairs.
INT. RORY’S BEDROOM
JAKE enters the room, grinning as the song continue faintly outside the door. We see BRYAN and RORY lying on either side the bed, RORY holding a bong.
JAKE
Got the beer, bitches!
BRYAN and RORY
Ayy!
JAKE walks up to the bed and lies between them, handing them a beer each, taking the bong from RORY.
RORY
Cheers, mate.
BRYAN
As I was saying, I reckon I could get Miranda back.
JAKE takes a hit from the bong and then laughs.
JAKE
Come on, look at the state of you, she would never fuck you.
BRYAN
Fuck off, like you’re any better.
JAKE scoffs.
RORY
Ladies, ladies, you’re both pretty.
BRYAN
You’re not funny, Rory.
RORY
Why else would you keep me around?
BRYAN and JAKE look at each other, the bong, and then at RORY.
RORY
Oh, shut up. Seriously though, I throw all of these parties, and I haven’t hooked up with a girl since the start of the year.
JAKE
[sarcastic] Wow, wonder why.
RORY flips him off.
RORY
It’s like there’s no good women anymore. They’re all either bitches, sluts or lesbians. No offence, Bryan.
JAKE
I thought you were trying to be a "feminist" now?
RORY
I did try. It didn’t work out.
JAKE
So no girl would fuck you?
RORY
Jesus, it’s not like you two are getting your dicks sucked all the time!
BRYAN
Fuck off, once football season starts, then you’ll see.
RORY
Yeah, yeah, I really believe that, Bryan. What’s your excuse, Jacob?
JAKE laughs, stalling for time, as the song changes to “Get Out Of My Head” by Redlight.
JAKE
Well, I can’t walk down there without seeing at least five of my exes.
BRYAN
That’s your fault for being a manwhore.
JAKE shrugs.
JAKE
Not my fault none of them could live up to my standards.
RORY
Some of us can’t afford to have standards.
BRYAN
Well, how about the new girls, huh?
JAKE
"New girls"? They’re fucking 11, you sick bastard.
BRYAN pushes him as he laughs, RORY laughing too.
BRYAN
Fuck off! I mean the new sixth formers. Some of them are pretty hot.
JAKE
Not really.
RORY
Not really? Not even the one with the purple hair?
JAKE shrugs again.
BRYAN
Like half of them have dyed hair, be more specific.
RORY
Short, big forehead, big tits?
BRYAN
Oh fuck! Yeah! She’s hot.
RORY
And the one with brown hair, blonde bits in it?
BRYAN
That’s the other half of them, be more specific.
RORY
Okay, she has really big--
JAKE
Tits?
RORY
Yes!
BRYAN
She is alright, yeah.
RORY
Alright alright or just alright?
BRYAN
Oh, alright alright.
JAKE scoffs.
RORY
What? You don’t want to fuck her?
JAKE
I don’t want to fuck, I want someone I can talk to.
RORY and BRYAN
Ew!
JAKE
Okay, guess a connection’s illegal.
BRYAN
The only connection any of us should want is a wifi one, because we’re all addicted to the internet.
RORY
We get it, philosopher.
BRYAN
Not my fault you guys can’t reach my high intelligence.
JAKE
The only high thing about you is you .
A short girl with purple hair - KAYLA - enters the room, stumbling slightly.
KAYLA
Fuck, this isn’t the bathroom.
RORY and BRYAN nudge each other as JAKE subtly rolls his eyes.
RORY
It could be, if you wanted it to.
JAKE
What's that meant to mean?
BRYAN
I could help you find it, if you want.
KAYLA smiles.
KAYLA
Alright.
BRYAN gets up, throws a bag of weed to RORY and JAKE, and exits the room, his arm around KAYLA.
RORY
Fuck this. This is my house, I’m going downstairs, and I’m gonna talk to a girl!
JAKE
Wow, lower your standards, Rory.
RORY flips him off and walks out. JAKE looks at the weed on the bed and pockets it. He puts his head in his hands as the song fades out to “idontwannabeyouanymore” by The Theorist.
JAKE leans back against the headboard, closing his eyes, finally letting his smile fall. He looks exhausted. He sighs, running his hands through his hair.
He gets up and slowly walks to the door. He looks back at the room, considering going back and staying there, but he puts his smile back on and head out.
INT. LANDING
“Insane” by Sonny Fodera and Biscits plays as JAKE walks out, and there’s a sharp giggle to his right and he turns to see a drunk blonde girl - ELEANOR - stumbling up the stairs. He looks over his shoulder, sees no one, and quickly walks over to her, smile back on.
JAKE
Are you okay?
She reaches out for him, and he helps her stand.
ELEANOR
I’m looking for Kayla. She had to piss.
JAKE
Oh, purple hair?
ELEANOR nods.
JAKE
My friend’s taking care of her.
ELEANOR
Thanks.
JAKE
I didn’t do anything.
ELEANOR giggles again, and pulls JAKE towards her.
ELEANOR
What’s your name?
JAKE
Jake Love.
ELEANOR laughs.
ELEANOR
Love. That’s nice. I’m Eleanor Early. Ellie for short, if you want.
JAKE nods and tries to pull away, but she pulls him back.
ELEANOR
Dance with me.
JAKE
What?
ELEANOR
Ali won’t dance with me anymore, so you can dance with me, Love.
JAKE
Um--
ELEANOR’s face falls.
JAKE
Uh, yeah! Sure! Let’s go!
ELEANOR smiles widely and pulls JAKE down the stairs, into the crowd, and the two of them start to “dance”, ELEANOR waving her arms around and jumping up and down, having fun, as JAKE awkwardly nods and steps from side to side next to her.
ELEANOR pauses and looks at JAKE. She puts her arms around his neck and starts to sway him from side to side as he nervously laughs. She kisses him and doesn’t stop. He rolls his eyes and closes them, waiting for it to be over.
The music suddenly stops and they break apart. Everyone looks around, making a ruckus. There are police at the door, a man and a woman, talking to RORY.
JAMES quickly walks past them, bumping into JAKE, who stares at him, confused.
JAMES
[whispers] I was never here.
JAKE nods, and JAMES keeps walking. JAKE watches more police enter and start to search RORY - who looks very pleased that a woman is searching him - and various other people and feels his pocket for the weed.
JAKE
Shit.
ELEANOR
What’s wrong?
JAKE
[lying] Left my jacket in the kitchen, gotta go get it.
ELEANOR waves at him, as JAKE walks to the edge of the room, at the unlit fireplace. He takes the weed subtly out of his pocket and drops it there, as he walks towards the kitchen, BRIANNA looking between him at the weed, confused and annoyed.
INT. KITCHEN
JAKE walks into the kitchen and out through the back door.
EXT. BACK GARDEN
There are police here too, talking to various people. JAKE looks around for JAMES and doesn’t see him. He nods to himself, and start to make his way out through the hedge.
POLICEWOMAN [O.S.]
Excuse me?
JAKE turns around and smiles charmingly at her.
JAKE
How can I help you?
POLICEWOMAN
I just need to ask you a few questions about the party. What’s your name, son?
JAKE
Uh, Jack. Jack Valentine.
POLICEWOMAN
Funny name. So, Jack Valentine, did anyone offer you any drugs of any kind?
JAKE shakes his head, as the POLICEWOMAN’s radio buzzes.
RADIO [V.O.]
Come in, McEwan.
POLICEWOMAN
What is it now?
She walks off, talking into her shoulder, as JAKE looks around. He makes eye contact with TARA, who’s standing with a POLICEMAN and smiles politely, before backing into the hedge.
EXT. BACK OF RORY’S HOUSE
JAKE begins to walk off, “Drive” by Halsey beginning to play, and he then breaks into a sprint, running as fast as he can down the backs of a row of houses, in slow motion.
EXT. STREET
JAKE continues running down several streets, panting, a light, genuine smile on his face, until he reaches the end of the road. He stops, looks behind him, and sees no one. He runs his hands through his hair.
It returns to normal speed as the smile slowly falls from his face as he feels something in his pocket - he takes out his phone, seeing several messages from his, BRYAN and RORY’s group chat, all panicked, and one from his mother saying: “I will allow no sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
JAKE sighs, disappointed, and puts his phone back in his pocket, not having clicked on any of the messages.
He starts to walk, alone in the dark, the streetlights far away from him.