A Short Script: Lockdown Ideas
At the start of lockdown I wanted to get my creativity flowing after weeks of sitting in a room doing not much. I wrote it to enter into a competition and although nothing came of it, I was writing and that was the most important thing. The idea was born from the lack of real human interaction I was experiencing which sparked a lack of passion within me. This is a trait I attempted to express in Sofia's character. This burst of creativity pulled me out of my rut that the lockdown had forced me into which gave me valuable insight into the power of writing.
We start in a call between 4 friends, all close through their distant connections to each other. Lola is the glue in their dysfunctional friendship group, ‘The Bonder’ one could call her. The other 3 are simply friends through convenience and their loyalty to Lola. She said they’d all love each other and they’ve all gone along with it for too long to turn back now.
The topic of the call immediately skipped over anything to do with the current isolation, which was depriving them of having their weekly chats over coffee, and immediately to Billie’s tragic and very recent breakup. For context, this breakup occurred mid-isolation, no explanation and very out of the blue. Tears were shed, questions were asked and now comes the all important facetime of the century for Billie’s life to be put back on track and all the unanswered questions of the universe on how to solve a breakup to be resolved.
Billie: (Constantly varying emotions with each line) How can this happen to me?! I didn’t do anything wrong! I messaged him every day. I made sure he was okay. I tried to distract him from the isolation with my humour. Not even nudes made him like me more. One worded answers. All he would give me was one worded fucking answers. (Realisation) Controlling. That’s controlling. Maybe it was for the best that he dumped me if we’re going by that logic. Maybe he saved me time. The trash took out itself.
Amelia: I think the first thing to remember is to stay calm and not overthink anything. Stay rational.
Lola: You were too good for him anyway. He is way out of your league.
Pause. The girls wait for Sofia to input something. Anything.
Sofia: Ugh. Yeah. You can do better than him. He’s a dickhead.
Billie: I’m just so in shock. Never did I think he would do something like this. It was all going so well before the isolation. We met up all the time. We had so much in common. We spent every moment of everyday together. We fit together perfectly in every single way. He was the one guys.
Lola: Oh come one B. You’re gonna find someone else. Someone who’s much better for you and isn’t just using you for… you know.
Billie: Using me?! He was never using me. He loved me. He even said it. Over and over again.
Amelia: I know its hard to hear B but people change. Looking at the way he’s acting, he wasn’t worth it anyway. Him dumping you saved you time. Now you can get on and find someone who actually likes you for who you are.
Billie: So are you saying I wasted my time? Are you saying that I was with a boy for a whole 3 months for no reason?! It was going in such a good direction. He even said that. We had so much planned for our future and look at us now. What’s the point?
Another pause. Waiting for Sofia to input another pearl of wisdom.
Sofia: How can you be sad over someone who was such a dickhead?
Amelia: (Frantically trying to save Sofia from what she had just said) He didn’t treat you well B. We could all see it and we did try to tell you. But you were in love and it makes sense that you wanted to try your hardest with him. But this is probably for the best.
Lola: I’m so sorry B, but my takeaway has just arrived and Jake wants a date night. I love you and I’ll message you later.
Lola left call.
Amelia: Yeah same B. Sorry but will defo call you later. Love you.
Sofia: No guys don’t-
Amelia left call.
Billie: (Ignoring that anyone has left) I just want him to take me back. I need him you know. And I know that he needs me. He will regret this soon. I know it. He would never want to give up something this good. How could he-
Sofia: Have you maybe considered that he was sick of not getting some?
Billie: Our relationship was more than just getting some.
Sofia: (Sighs and realises she has to input something more than a few words) Let’s face it. You’re like 23 or something. Relationships that are more than getting some is still rare. You’d think they’d grow up after Uni but no.
Billie: Our relationship was deep and meaningful. We told each other our deepest and darkest secrets. People that I haven’t told anyone else I told him. Our relationship was like a tree built on trust and happiness. ‘Getting some’ was a tiny little branch to our big and beautiful tree.
Sofia: Guess that’s why he dumped you then. He was probably too unemotional for you. He was in it for one thing and you wanted more. So I guess you got away easy. You’re lucky.
Billie: Not him. He was different. He was special. He was sometimes immature but mainly mature (Trying to convince herself)
Sofia: Clearly not. He is literally a textbook asshole.
Billie: No he’s not. He’s wronged me but he’s not a horrible person. I know he still loves me. How could he just switch his feelings off like that?
Sofia: Because he has the mind of a recently post-pubescent boy with one, vastly oppressive thing on his annoyingly childish mind.
Billie: Showering me with intense love and affection?
Sofia: Putting in a polite and anatomically correct way. Vagina.
Billie: Why do you keep saying that? That’s not what all boys are about.
Sofia: You’re right. But what makes you think you’re the one that would find the, like, 10 boys on the whole planet that value sex over building a healthy happy relationship. That comes when they’re older. For most guys. I guess.
Billie: Well why are you telling me all this now? Could you not have told me when we first got together. We’ve been together for basically a lifetime.
Sofia: It was 3 months-
Billie: Its quality not quantity!
Sofia: I’m gonna be straight with you here. I don’t think you had quality or quantity. And anyway, you need to go through a few people before you find the one anyway. How fucking boring would it be if you were with one person for the rest of your life. People get boring. If you want some real advice, don’t stick with the same person for more than a few months. People stop bringing you anything after a while. And that’s fact.
Billie: Are you done telling me your life story yet? I understand that you are happy with being alone for the rest of your life, but I want something a little more than that and would appreciate a loving happy relationship.
Sofia: I mean you’re definitely not the only person who wants that. But it doesn’t come about a lot, so you’re going to have to go through a few people to get to the right person. But you know what’s wrong with that. New people are fun, spend one night with them, make not connection, don’t tell them anything about yourself, then leave and move onto the next person. Boom. No – emotions – involved.
Billie: There is so much wrong with you.
Sofia: Maybe. But I’m not sad all the time because I can’t hold down some douche who doesn’t like me.
Billie: But he did like me! He said it. He wouldn’t lie.
Pause.
Sofia: Are you dumb?
Billie: You’re so fucking rude.
Sofia: Dude just open your eyes. I get that you become super obsessed with people and you put your 100% into one reprobate boy with zero body fat and bags under their eyes so big that they could carry all the weed that they insist on smoking every single day, but that doesn’t mean you have to be a dumb about it. You’re better than that. Probably.
Billie: I don’t even know why I came to advice from you. What would you even know, you’ve never been in a relationship.
Sofia: Its common sense.
Billie: How could it be common sense when I don’t understand?
Sofia: Some people don’t have common sense. That’s common sense.
Billie: Why haven’t you hung up yet? You never interact with me for this long. I barely know anything about you.
Sofia: I dunno. I’m bored. This quarantine is forcing human interaction just to pass the time. I’m worried about who I’ve become.
Billie: You’ve never had a boyfriend right?
Sofia: Why are you suddenly taking interest in my life?
Billie: Just answer the question.
Sofia: I’ve had a couple I guess. Probably only one properly serious one.
Billie: And what happened?
Sofia: Same as you.
Billie: You’re lying.
Sofia: Excuse me?
Billie: No way did the same thing that has happened to me happen to you. I just don’t believe it. You don’t give a shit about anything, no way could you get emotionally attached to a human being. I don’t even want to know what you get emotionally attached to.
Sofia: You’re right.
Pause.
He didn’t like that I was never around.
Billie: Why weren’t you around.
Sofia: (Surprisingly aggressive) Why do you ask so many questions.
Billie: We’ve come this far. You might as well tell me.
Sofia: (Sighs) I’m a secret undercover spy working for MI6 and I couldn’t tell him anything about my life and I was never around because I’d have to go away for long periods at a time and he didn’t like that I wasn’t fully committed to the relationship and my job mattered more. (Takes a huge breath)
Pause. A long pause. Billie nods.
Billie: So how am I meant to get over a breakup in isolation?
Sofia: I dunno. Download Tinder or something.
Sofia’s screen begins to glitch and blur and she displays an anxious facial expression. She starts to say something but it can’t be made out through the glitching. Billie is filing her nails at this point to doesn’t notice that the screen has gone black and the call has disconnected. After a few moments of silence, Billie looks up and sees that the screen has gone blank and disconnects her call. And that, is how to deal with a breakup when in isolation. You’re welcome.