Pretend

INT: BEDROOM – DAY

REI is laying down in her bed on her side. The glow of her phone
ILLUMINATING her face. We move to an over the shoulder shot of her. Rei
looks tired and uninterested with the world around her. She sits up and
sighs before getting out of bed.

INT: KITCHEN – DAY

The kitchen is full of a sort of colourful YELLOW GLOW. SEAN, REI’s

tired older brother, is making breakfast.

SEAN:
Morning REI, you want eggs?

REI smiles politely

REI:
Sure, I guess… how long is your shift tonight SEAN?

SEAN continues cooking, the crackles of the eggs cooking drown out any
sound of an answer.

CONTINUED:

SEAN slides REI the plate of freshly cooked eggs, the shot intensifies
on the eggs and the sound of MUFFLED SPEAKING, the CRACKLING of before
becoming intermixed and overwhelming REI. The mixture of sounds comes to
ahead once a loud DING emits from the door.

a loud KNOCKING can be heard from the door

HUNTER (muffled):
OI! REI get out ‘ere!
CONTINUED – KITCHEN:
REI smiles awkwardly towards her brother, waving him off before standing
up and quickly slinging her bag over her shoulders and walking outside.
The shot peers towards an anxious looking REI as she walks towards the
door.

REI (VOICE OVER):

Fuck, fuck, fuck. I should’ve gotten out of bed sooner, we’re
going to be late and we’re going to walk in late and look
stupid.

REI opens the door and smiles to HUNTER, who looks annoyed.

HUNTER:
What took you so long huh?

REI:
Sorry hunter (getting cut off)
 The door shuts behind her loudly, shifting the shot to

EXT – DAY DREARY

The two walk up the hill, a side on shot shows the two conversing
about something menial beforehand.

HUNTER:
Why are you so quiet anyway? You never talk in class, and
honestly its annoying.

REI:
Maybe I just don’t like speaking,

REI (voice over):

No, you don’t like getting embarrassed. Coward.

HUNTER rolls her eyes, sighing and continues the trek uphill, REI tries
to keep up with her pace after getting lost in her thoughts.

HUNTER:
So? Are you going to see TAB today?

REI:
I’m not sure actually, depends on whenever SEAN gets off work
REI (voice over):
You’re not going, you don’t need too, you’ll be fine.

INT – CAFETERIA

REI and HUNTER sit down, they look tired from walking uphill but HUNTER
stares daggers into REI

HUNTER:
Y’know we could’ve gotten here quicker-

REI:
I know- I know, sorry.

HUNTER (annoyed):
It’s fine. Just don’t let it happen again. Last time you-

HUNTERS voice slowly becomes muffled as REI starts to zone out, looking
down at her fingers as a loud RINGING sound could be heard.
REI (voice over):
You idiot, you need to be more productive, you need to be
better. Pay attention, you need to be normal, pay attention,
she’s talking to you, pay attention (yelling) pay attention!

HUNTER stops talking as REI silently nods, hoping she thinks she didn’t
notice.

HUNTER:
REI? You awake?
REI looks anxious fiddling with her hands as her leg bounces up and
down.
 REI:
Yeah, sorry-

HUNTER:
Stop apologizing, its annoying innit?

REI nods and goes to say sorry again before stopping herself.

INT – TABS ROOM

The room is smaller, clearly its been put together by the student
welfare team in a short amount of time. With little to no effort. LIT by
the FLORECENTS TABS a slightly older woman sits in front of REI. Who
looks scared.

TABS:
Hello REI, your brother and I have been in contact for a few
days, as your guidance councillor I’ve enquired about your
recent struggles and-

Once the words “recent struggles” are said we are flashed a scene of a
car crash. Before returning to the room. The sound of a heartbeat over
plays all of this.

REI(VOICE OVER):
You don’t need to be here, shes just going to say what
everyone said at the funeral, pity. They are just pitying you.
They don’t care.

REI:
I’m sorry I have to go, I have to go home. Its getting late.

TABS:
Its only three thirty- are you sure?

REI nods as she hastily tries to leave, picking up her bag and making
her way out the door.

REI:
I need to go home- bye TABS

TABS:
(confused) ok REI, see you next week.

REI closes the door and we transition out to the street.

EXT – hill, rainy

REI is walking home late after school, memories of her parents before
the car crash flash in her head.

REIS MUM:
We’ll be back soon, I promise.
REI:
Alright but… drive safe. Please.
We go back to present day REI. Running down the hill, her breath
heaving.

REI (VOICE OVER):

You should’ve gone instead of her, she didn’t deserve to die.
Your overreacting. You don’t need to keep going.

REI looks out to the edge of town towards the bridge, the camera follows
her down to the bridge. The light outside becoming dimmer and dimmer.

EXT – Henley bridge. Dusk.

REI stands over the bridge, her breath heaving and heaving continuously,
hands holding onto the railing as she looks off into the deep blue abyss
below her. Any music that there was is faded out until all you hear is
her heart beat.

REI (voice over):

Do it coward. Fall.

We go to black.

INT – REI’s room

REI lays in her bed. The white light of the window SHINING on her, a
KNOCK on her door.

SEAN:
Hey, are you alright? You came home pretty quietly. TABS
Called and said you left early.
REI sits up, looking to SEAN guiltily, looking down at her hands as they
shake.

REI:
SEAN, I miss mum, I miss them both.
SEAN sits down on her bed comfortingly. Looking at her with a silent
sort of empathy.
SEAN:
I miss them too REI, but…
SEAN sighs, and stays quiet. REI holds herself close.

REI:
You don’t understand. I miss them so bad I

Her mask, her masking of her sadness is slipping in this moment as she
continues on
REI:
It should’ve been me. I- after college today I wasn’t sure if
I would come home. (panicking) I went to the bridge- I looked
down I don’t- I didn’t-
SEAN hugs REI as she sobs in his arms.
INT – TABS

TABS Sits across from REI, placing a notepad down and smiling kindly.
REI looks apprehensive but calmer.

TABS:
This is your referral for your GP, when they take it in you
can get your fluoxetine prescription. It should also help you
with your anxiety.
REI smiled politely, though this time it was genuine.
REI:

And this will help me? I mean I know it will cause its
literally anti-depressants but-
TABS:
REI, they will help. I promise… and I think that’s our time
for this week!

REI:
Oh- alright, I’ll just take this then, see you next week!

The door closes and we go to credits.