Script for our short film school reunion

EXT. Combwich MARK SMITH IS WALKING DOWN RIVERSIDE HESTITANTLY TOWARDS OTTERHAMPTON VILLAGE HALL. HE IS ABOUT TO ATTEND A 15TH ANNIVERSARY SCHOOL REUNION.

(MARK: (As I’m walking towards this stupid school reunion that I can’t believe I agreed to go to, a few things cross my mind. Firstly, no one will probably even remember me. Why am I agreeing to spend my night listening to a bunch of old class ‘mates’ tell me about how well they’re doing, how cute their kids are, what car they drive and how big their house is.Seeing all these people will just make me reminise of my unfortunate time at school. People say they're the best years of your life, however school did not treat me too kinldy in the luck department. Or any department actually. ) (Admittedly I could be at home doing better things, such as...- Anyway, with each footstep closer to the hall, I am dreading it more and more. I just hope that some people have learnt that being popular in school counts for nothing in the 'real' world. That wearing 2 inches of make up on your face won’t make you a model, that playing sports won’t always win you a gold medal in the Olympics and that doing drugs won’t make you Mick Jagger but you’re more likely to end up like Kurt Cobain. Just like I've learnt that school wasn't as important as I thought and that it had nothing on college and university. Nothing. I hated school. )

(I kept myself to myself back then. All the ‘popular’ kids just talked about how drunk they got on the weekend, who kissed who and who passed out. And the 'others' all had their cliques and interests. I just didn't seem to fit in anywhere. A 'floater', if there is any way to put it, that would probably be it. I was just there.) ( I didn’t go to these parties, me. It's not that i didn't want to. An invite would've been helpful of course. But I can't imagine if I did attend I would enjoy it that much. I didnt just sit around and not do anything though. I wasn't one of them kids to just stay in and watch tv or spend my days playing in the arcades on pacman. I used to read quite a lot. Novels, the local paper, the occasional film review. That was a main reason why I didn’t really fit in at school. Books weren't 'the in' thing. Well, especially the ones I read. They weren’t the generic magazines about the latest bands, or about the football which if anyone was going to read, it would be them.I read books like 'The Bourne Identity', a novel by Robert Ludlum. That was my favorite. People often asked if I ever got bored, not having that many friends and often not socialising, but every time I replied 'no'. 'The Bourne Identity' was action-packed and exciting enough to keep me entertaiend. It was a sci-fi thriller about true identities and assassins, which wasn't exactly considered cool.Or just reading in general was generally frowned upon and 'abnormal' for a kid of my age to actually enjoy. But I loved it. Knowing my peers didn't have the same interests as me didn't stop me. I could always just live in the world of a book and forget about everything.)

MARK HESITANTLY WALKS UP TO OTTERHAMPTON VILLAGE HALL ENTRANCE MARK LOOKS UP TO THE SIGN READING 'OTTERHAMPTON VILLAGE HALL' SHAKES HIS HEAD AND ROLLS HIS EYES MARK REACHES FOR THE DOOR HANDLE, PAUSES FOR A MOMENT, COLLECTS HIS THOUGHTS AND ENTERS THROUGH THE DOOR. INT. Otterhampton village hall ONCE MARK WALKS THROUGH THE ENTRANCE DOOR HE IS FACED WITH THE REALISATION THAT THE HALL IS NEAR ENOUGH EMPTY AND THAT THE MAJORITY OF HIS PEERS HAD NOT TURNED UP. HE LOOKS AROUND THE ROOM CONFUSED AND TRYING TO IDENTIFY SOME OF THE OLD FACES JOSH STARTS TO WALK CONFIDENTLY TOWARDS MARK. MARKS FACE DROPS BUT NOT ENOUGH FOR JOSH TO NOTICE OR FOR MARK TO LOOK ARROGANT OR RUDE. A FLASHBACK OF HOW MARK REMEMBERS JOSH IN SCHOOL. (MARK: (There was a guy in school called Josh Roberts.)

INT. The corridor of the school that Mark attended. JOSH IS WALKING DOWN THE CORRIDOR WITH HIS FRIENDS. HES HOLDING A SPORTS BAG OVER HIS SHOULDER AND PLAYING WITH A RUGBY BALL IN HIS HANDS. ( He played every sport possible. Most well-known by his peers as the schools rugby captain and he made sure of it that he was known. He thought highly of himself and that he could get any girl he wanted. )

STILL WALKING DOWN THE CORRIDOR, JOSH WALKS PASSED SOME GIRL AND GIVES THEM A SUGGESTIVE, FLIRTY LOOK. (He thought he could beat up anyone that got in his way or annoyed his short temper. However, despite him being a self-proclaimed Rocky, he wasn’t exactly intelligent or street smart. JOSH BRUSHES SHOULDERS WITH SOMEONE WALKING PAST. HE PUSHES THEM AND AUTHORITIVELY POINTS AT HIM AS A WARNING Common sense wasn't his strong point. Though I will give him credit; it is incredible how someone could play so many sports with so little co-ordination.)

JOSH IS DISTRATCED BY THE GIRL AND LOSES CONTORL OF THE RUGBY BALL IN HIS HAND. int. Otterhampton village hall JOSH STROLLS UP TO MARK AND GIVES HIM A FRIENDLY NUDGE Josh: Oh hey, wassup man! JOSH IS TALKING, BUT THE TALKING IS MUFFLED AS MARK IS NOT PAYING ATTENTION MARK: (Who still says that? With just two words he's reminded me of exactly what he was like in school. He's still the condfidnet Josh I remember. It's quite intreguing how he has so much condfidence when he doesn't necessarily have the smarts to back himself up. It's actually quite endearing. He just hasn’t changed in the slightest.) MARK ZONES BACK IN AND STARTS TO PAY MORE ATTENTION, NODDING HIS HEAD SO IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S INVOLVED AND INTERACTIVE IN THE CONVERSATION. JOSH:..and then I hung out with Gazza. So, what are you up to these days? MARK: (What do I say? I need to think of something quick, I can't tell him the truth, i'd look like such a hypocrite..) uhh..I'm a...philanthropist? JOSH LOOKS CONFUSED AT MARKS ANSWER AND NODS HIS HEAD WITH A MYSTIFIED LOOK ON HIS FACE. JOSH: ah...Sounds cool man..anyway(MARK: He quite clearly has no idea what a Philanthropist is. To be honest, I'm not so certain myself and can't quite remember where I heard it. I need to give myself a subtle excuse to leave. I was never good at lying, so why did I just blatently do it? Maybe Josh isn't as stupid as I thought and he'll eventually ask what my job is and I won't be able to back myself up. Im not good in these situations. I need out. How can I excuse myself from this conversation. though on my part I'm not exactly sticking to the linguistic rules of 'conversation') MARK: Sorry to interupt, but I'll see you around, I've got to head..to the loo. JOSH: oh..alright dude. well I'll see ya in a bit then! I'll be here. MARK STARTS WALKING TOWARDS THE MENS TOILETS. LOOKING BACK AT JOSH HESITANTLY TO SEE IF JOSH IS WATCHING HIM. (MARK: right, the only place I'm heading is the exit..)

MARK IS WALKING TOWARDS THE EXIT AND IS APPROACHED BY MANDY. MARKS FACE LOOKS DEFEATED (MARK: I thought her of all people would have better things to do, bieng the major socialite she is.)

MANDY PRANCES UP TO MARK, STRUGGLING TO KEEP HER BALANCE IN HER HEELED SHOES. MANDY: Mark! Hiya! It's been so long! MANDY GOES IN TO HUG MARK MANDY: Hey you! MANDY IS TALKING, BUT ONCE AGAIN MARK IS PAYING NO ATTENTION Int. the corridor of OTTERHAMPTON SCHOOL MANDY IS STOOD WITH HER FRIENDS IN THE CORRIDOR. MANDY NOTICES JOSH WALKING DOWN THE CORRIDOR, QUICKLY CHECKS HERSELF IN THE MIRROR ONCE MORE AND DOES A SLIGHT POUT OF APPROVAL (MARK: Mandy was one of those typical girly girls. Every school has one, don't they, and Otterhampton was no exception. She didn't care mcuh for school. Her main passion was her appearance.)

MANDY IS TOUCHING UP HER MAKE UP AND LOOKING AT HERSELF IN THE MIRROR VAINLY (MARK: And boys.)

MANDY NOTICES JOSH WALKING TOWARDS HER DOWN THE CORRIDOR. SHE QUICKLY CHECKS HERSELF IN THE MIRROR ONCE MORE AND DOES A SLIGHT POUT OF APPROVAL. JOSH WALKS PAST MANDY AND GIVES HER A FLIRTY LOOK

MANDY THEN WINKS BACK IN JOSHS DIRECTION, SMIRKS AND GIGGLES TO HER FRIENDS.

MANDY IS LOOKING AT MARK QUESTIONABLY AS SHE AWAITS FOR MARKS ANSWER TO HER QUESTION MARK: (why is she looking at me like that?) Wait, sorry. What was that? MANDY GIGGLES MANDY:I saiiiiid.. what do you do now then? MANDY PLAYFULLY TWIDDLES WITH HER HAIR MARK: (since when has she been interested in anything besides herself?) Oh right, was in a mind of my own there! Sorry (now would be a good time to remember what I previously told Josh my profession was) um..I'm a..th..im..bl..rigger? Thimblerigger! (Thimblerigger?!) MANDY HAS A VERY CONFUSED LOOK ON HER FACE MANDY: oh... um? That sounds.. wicked. WELL. Im a hair therapist for a-list celebs.. (MARK: shock) MANDY: you know who I mean yeah? Kerry Katona, Janine from eastenders... the lot of them! (MARK: Kerry Katona? A-list? Really? ) MARK: Sounds like you're doing really well for yourself then! Look, I'm really sorry, Mandy, but I've got to leave. Nice to er.. see you!

MANDY: Oh well okay..bye then hun! MANDY TAKES A GULP OF HER DRINK AND WALKS OFF MARK LOOKS AROUND TO SEE IF ITS CLEAR TO LEAVE AND THAT NO ONE IS GOING TO STOP HIM AGAIN MARK LEANS INTO TO EXIT DOOR, LOOKS BACK AT MANDY AND JOSH AND THINKS TO HIMSELF. (MARK: they really remind me of some people I now know ) MARK PAUSES FOR A MOMENT, TURNS BACK AROUND AND WALKS OUT OF THE DOOR. EXT. COMBWICH MARK SIGHS LOUDLY AND STARTS TO WALK HOME

AS MARK IS WALKING: (MARK: I really don't quite know what to think of that. Where even was everyone? From everyone that I remember from school, those two were the least likely I'd have thought would turn up to a school reunion)

AS MARK IS WALKING, the scene changes to a school corridor, but he continues to walk. Cross-fade to Mark still walking INT. SCHOOL MARK PUTS HIS HAND ON THE DOOR HANDLE, SIGHS, AND WALKS THROUGH. THERE IS LOUD GIGGLING AND CHATTERING FROM STUDENTS, 2 OF THEM BEING THE NEXT GENERATION OF JOSH AND MANDY, WITH THE YOUNG VERSION OF MARK SAT INBETWEEN THEM WHILST THE TALK THROUGH HIM. MARK SHAKES HIS HEAD.

MARK LOOKS OVER TO THE FRONT ROW OF THE CLASS WITH AN INQUISITIVE LOOK ON HIS FACE. THERE ARE THREE STUDENTS SAT AT THE FRONT OF THE CLASS. EACH STUDENT REPRESENTS MARK, JOSH AND MANDY FROM WHEN THEY WERE AT SCHOOL.

NEXT GENERATION MANDY IS SAT BACK IN HER CHAIR WITH HER PHONE IN HER HAND. NEXT GENERATION MARK IS SAT INBETWEEN MANDY AND JOSH. HE HAS A LOOK OF DISAPROVAL AND BOREDOM ON HIS FACE. NEXT GENERATION JOSH IS LOOKING OVER AT MANDY AND TRYING TO GET HER ATTENTION