BREATHLESS

By

EBI OGIJOH

September 1, 2016 A-Bee Entertainment, Inc.

© All rights reserved.
 2.

FADES IN:

INT. BEDROOM. MORNING

Aaliyah, 24, Ebony in complexion with a kinky hair wakes up

from her sleep. She opens her eyes to find her boyfriend;
Bobby lying next to her - watching her ever since. He gives
a wide smile as he slides a finger across her hair.

BOBBY
Hello Beautiful.

Aaliyah taps his hand, she gets up amused, feeling loved.

MUSIC CUE: SEYI SHAY - RIGHT NOW

Aaliyah and Bobby seems to be a very happy, inseparable

couple. They dance to the music, pillow fight, play with
each other's cheeks and so on.

Moments Later....

Bobby is getting dressed to go out. Aaliyah goes to the

bathroom, she turns on the tap on the sink, glides paste on
her Toothbrush and lifts the toothbrush to brush her teeth.
She looks to the mirror; her and Bobby's photograph is just
at the top right of the mirror. She smiles.

As she continues to brush, she suddenly throws up - morning

sickness.

BOBBY (V.O)
Is everything okay?

Aaliyah cleans up and comes out of the bathroom.

AALIYAH
I'm fine I guess.

She wipes her mouth with the towel and goes back to bed.

BOBBY
Are you sure?
 3.

AALIYAH
I'm not. I will go to the mall to
get groceries and stop by the
healthcare Centre for a checkup.

BOBBY
Make sure you do.

AALIYAH
Don't forget about tonight.

BOBBY
Do we have to go?

AALIYAH
Bobby... Yes we do! Sara and George
are highly expecting us.

Bobby walks over to kiss her.

BOBBY
Mmm. I love you, babe.

AALIYAH
Why don't you come back to bed.

BOBBY
Don't tempt me Aaliyah. I'm already
late.

AALIYAH
Good bye.

BOBBY
Not goodbye... Remember?

BOTH
See you later.

Bobby goes out, Aaliyah slouch back into her duvet.

CUT TO:
 4.

INT. CLINIC. DAY

Aaliyah sits smiling, holding a Clearblue® digital

pregnancy test reading positive. She feels a small burst of
joy as she speaks to the female doctor.

AALIYAH
Five weeks, you mean I'm five weeks
gone?

DOCTOR
Yes. During the first trimester of
pregnancy, your body is producing
the pregnancy hormone HGC, which
can cause anxiety, vomiting,
nausea, light-headedness, fainting,
dizziness, exhaustion, and mood
swings. Your breasts will become
increasingly tender and sore, and
sometimes you will notice a
tingling sensation.

AALIYAH
But I never had any symptoms until
today.

DOCTOR
Everything is fine dear, it's
Completely normal. You're lucky you
weren't getting those nauseaus and
throwing up all the time. Besides I
know you must have been feeling
tired some sort this past weeks.

AALIYAH
(Smiling)
Yes, I have been developing bust as
well, and I also feel a soreness in
my nipple. Well I'm fine, just
happy... First child

DOCTOR
Congratulations. Make sure you
prepare for antenatal soon enough.

CUT TO:
 5.

INT. KITCHEN. DAY

Aaliyah has a rag tied Around her head, she's done cooking,
just cleaning the kitchen when Bobby walks in. Bobby curls
his hands around her waist and kisses her neck. She turns
around, kiss him and push him sexily away.

AALIYAH
How did it go?

BOBBY
My boss didn't give me a chance. I
was just in that boring office all
day. How are you feeling now?

Aaliyah hands him a present, tied with a ribbon.

BOBBY
(Unwrapping)
What's this?

AALIYAH
I'm pregnant

Bobby unfolds the present to see a pair of baby shoes

BOBBY
You, you're what?

AALIYAH
Pregnant?

BOBBY
(Confused)
...Wow...are you for real?

AALIYAH
(Happy)
Yeah, five weeks gone

Bobby freezes like a mannequin --- then the news hits him
like a wrecking ball.
 6.

BOBBY
Five weeks? What?... No, no hold on
a second, what?

AALIYAH
Why what? Aren't you...

BOBBY
We've been using protections, so
how?

AALIYAH
C'mon, remember that night it
broke, but yeah you still went
ahead.

BOBBY
Yeah, but it was just that time,
later on that night we used
protection.

AALIYAH
Well once is enough.

Aaliyah cleans her hands with a napkin and walks over to

the kitchen sink, looking out the window. Her joy is caged.

BOBBY
I'm sorry... You know... I mean I
was little in shock. You know, you
tell a guy something like that
it's... Disturbing

Aaliyah picks up a knife and an orange fruit. She gently

peels the Orange fruit.

BOBBY
So you want to keep it?

She paused, processing... then continues peeling the

orange.

AALIYAH
Do I want to keep it?
 7.

BOBBY
I'm just saying...

AALIYAH
Ok what are you saying? I'm
listening to you but you're not
saying anything.

BOBBY
I can help out with the money for
an abortion. I want to find a good
doctor and I will pay for it.

Aaliyah is uneasy, she gets tensed while peeling the

Orange. She suddenly cuts herself.

AALIYAH
Arrgh!!!

Bobby reaches for her but she already finds herself a bunch
of serviette to reduce the bleeding.

AALIYAH
(Flaring)
Don't touch me! You have the nerve
to come talk to me about abortion.

BOBBY
Aaliyah, we are not ready for a
baby yet, we barely just graduated!
I work in an upcoming firm and you
know about my pay. We have so much
to handle already and you won't
want to add to it.

AALIYAH
But no matter the circumstance, the
baby is already here.

BOBBY
I cannot operate like that and gone
are the days when people go on with
things because they’re already in a
situation.
 8.

AALIYAH
(Attacking him)
So typical! You want to take away a
life! See my mother raised me
without any help from a man but I
still don’t understand how you
could say that. Did you forget all
those conversations that we had way
back about your father and you told
me that you dislike him? Talking
about how he happens to be a coward
and you are glad that you are not
like him because he left your
mother when she had you and he
didn't care and here you go doing
the same thing.

Bobby feels ashamed of himself. He walks out of the

conversation and steps out of the house.

CUT TO:

EXT/INT. NEIGHBORHOOD/KITCHEN. DAY

Bobby is walking by the neighborhood, possibly looking for

a distraction to wave his attention off his conversation
with Aaliyah.

Aaliyah sits by the window in tears. Her make up ruined:

black eyes, tear drops digging through the foundation.

Bobby sees a school, kids playing around the block.

Delightful cheering as some swing up and down, some at the
carousel - Total amusement. Bobby stands to watch a kid run
up to his dad.

CUT TO:

INT. BEDROOM. EVENING

It's hours later, Bobby lets himself in, offing his clothes
he sees Aaliyah's gown and purse on the bed. Bobby glances
back at the room, listens to the shower running, and senses
her presence.

Bathroom.
 9.

Bobby enters, can't see her, now is becoming concerned. He

sees a leg protruding from the shower. He turns the corner
and finds her sitting in bra and panties, clutching one
knee to her chest, oblivious to the pelting water. Bobby
drops to the floor of the shower, throws his arms around
her and pulls her to him, letting the water run over both
of them.

AALIYAH
I'm sorry...

BOBBY
Shhh. Lets not talk about it.

AALIYAH
I couldn't get the blood stains
off. It's still under my nails.

Bobby looks at her fingers: not a trace of blood, just a

FIRSTAID treatment on it. He puts each finger in his mouth
in turn, not sexually, but as if to clean them. And of
course the non-sexual aspect of it is incredibly sexy. When
done...

BOBBY
Better?

AALIYAH
(Looks at them)
Thanks.

BOBBY
... You cold?

Aaliyah realizes she is, gives a small little-girl nod.

Bobby reaches up and turns the hot water tap higher. She
appreciates the unusual, and charming choice, in that he
fails to acknowledge anything odd about her behavior of not
going ahead with the quarrel. She rests her head on his
shoulder. The two sit there in the warm "rain" not saying a
word.

FADES TO:
 10.

INT. ENGAGEMENT PARTY. NIGHT

It's a cool night, light looming from the chandelier, a

banner reading "SAVE THE DATE, SARA & GEORGE" stretches
behind a few friends of SARAFINA & GEORGE who are present
for their engagement party. George clinks his glass to get
everyone's attention.

GEORGE
Ok. Can I get a little respect here
before I make a fool out of myself.

People chuckles.

GEORGE CONT'D
Well you all know Sarafina and I
have been together for sometime
now...
(Indistinctly)

Sarafina glows, a pretty shy. Aaliyah Pats Sarafina's

shoulder with a wide smile on her face.

AALIYAH
Congratulations

SARAFINA
(With a warm smile)
Thank you, It's just like a
fairytale.

AALIYAH
(Chuckling)
Prince Charming.

SARAFINA
What happened to your finger?

AALIYAH
Nah, it's just a little kitchen
accident.

GEORGE CONT'D
... Thank you all for celebrating
us.

All cheering.
 11.

GEORGE CONT'D
Sara, I adore you.
(Raising his glass up)
To Sara and George.

All cheering.

EVERYONE
(Clinking glasses)
To Sara and George.

MOMENTS LATER

Bobby, George, Sarafina and Aaliyah are sitted on a sofa...

Catching on a few drinks. A little girl on pyjamas runs to
George.

PENELOPE
Uncle Georgeeeeee

She dives into George's arms, allowing her head rest on

Bobby's thigh.

PENELOPE
(To Bobby)
Hi Sir.

BOBBY
Hey girlie.

PENELOPE
My name is Penelope.
(Then)
You look funny upside-down

BOBBY
Then why aren't you laughing?
(Starts tickling her)

PENELOPE
(Giggling)
Hahaha...
 12.

GEORGE.
Okay, Penelope, it is way past your
bedtime.

PENELOPE
You're supposed to read to me, The
Cinderella's Story. Remember?

GEORGE.
Yeah, so say good night to
everybody.

PENELOPE
(Adorably)
Good night to everybody.

George carries Penelope out as she start talking gibberish.

SARAFINA
(To Bobby)
You're natural with kids you know.

BOBBY
Yeah I play with them a little and
then give them back to their
parents to take home.

SARAFINA
(To Aaliyah)
Oh I can tell he's going to be a
good father when you guys get
married and start having kids.

AALIYAH gives a fake smile and then lock eyes with Bobby
for a beat. Aaliyah's face shows her emotion - a woman
whose joy is being caged.

CUT TO:

INT/EXT. CAR/ROAD. NIGHT

That cold night, Bobby's car drives on a lonely road.

 13.

BOBBY
It was a beautiful party.

AALIYAH
(Nodding her head)
Mmm-hmm

BOBBY
You good?

AALIYAH
You still not ready to be a father
are you?

BOBBY
(Sigh)
We've already been through this
babe

AALIYAH
Exactly. We have been through this
and nothing seems to change.

BOBBY
We also agreed that we weren't
going to talk about this.

AALIYAH
(A tear drops from her eye)
How can I not talk about this?...
When I looked over at you being so
sweet with George's niece, it
just... Because I know you don't
want that.

BOBBY
No, no I never said that I didn't
want that. I'm just... I'm just not
ready Aaliyah. I refuse to bring my
boy or my girl into this world when
I have nothing to give yet.

They arrive at a T-Junction and Bobby stops for the light.

 14.

AALIYAH
(Sobbing)
Bobby! nobody's perfect, still we
can make it work but you doubt it.

Bobby try's to reach for something in the Pigeon-hole. It's

hard for him to get through so he releases himself from the
seatbelt.

Suddenly, a car hits them from behind, pushing them

forward. An SUV from the right approaches in full speed.

Aaliyah & Bobby, A horrified scream.

The screech of brakes, fast track into Aaliyah's face - A

blinding flash... And then...

BLACKNESS... Until...

Slow fade up on a scene of carnage. Glass glitters like

crystal on the Backtop. The crumpled Toyota lies on its
roof.

The SUV is slewed across the roadway. It's headlights Lear

monstrously out of the dark.

No sound but breathing! A blinding light illuminates.

Bang!

The world sways with the speeding siren wailing motion of

an ambulance.

CUT TO:

INT. EMERGENCY ROOM. NIGHT

CLOSE ON: Aaliyah's drifting in and out of consciousness

CLOSE ON: Defibrillator paddles as they shock Bobby's chest

PAN TO: Bobby's lifeless face.

Sounds of chest pumping, heart beating along, clock

ticking.

FADES TO TOTAL BLACKNESS

 15.

INSERT: Camcorder videos of Aaliyah and Bobby

Aaliyah and Bobby's graduation scene, Aaliyah and Bobby at

a leisure park, a hand protruding to touch Aaliyah's face,
Aaliyah twerking, Bobby trying to kiss Aaliyah but she
pushes his mouth away, Aaliyah making snapchat videos of
herself and Bobby, tasting different cuisines, running and
trying to catch up eachother etc.

10 Months later

INT. BEDROOM. MORNING

Aaliyah wakes up. Bobby with a bandage wrapped around his

head is smiling at her - He has been lying next to her and
watching her sleep ever since. She gets up and goes to the
bathroom.

---BATHROOM---

Silhouette Of Aaliyah stepping out of the shower, wrapping

her towel, applying lotion, dressing up. Aaliyah rinses her
mouth, putting her toothbrush back on the holder...

---BEDROOM---

Bobby perambulate the room and suddenly Aaliyah's phone

rings.

BOBBY
Baby your phone is ringing

---BATHROOM---

Aaliyah is set to go out. She kisses her and Bobby's

picture on the mirror then puts it straight into her bag.
She quickly rushes to her phone ringing.

She picks up her phone and the call hangs up. Her phone
chimes - She receives a notification.

BOBBY
(Smiling)
You're always gorgeous.
 16.

AALIYAH
(Smiling to her phone)
Thank you.

CUT TO:

EXT. SHOP. DAY

A car pulls over a flower shop.

CUT TO:

INT. SHOP. CONTINUOUS

Aaliyah walks up to the receptionist/ flower girl with

Bobby accompanying her behind.

FLOWER GIRL
Good morning Miss, how may I be of
help?

AALIYAH
I want to get a flower

FLOWER GIRL
For what occasion please?

AALIYAH
Fun... Birthday

CUT TO:

EXT. ROAD. MORNING

Outside, it's quite cloudy. Bobby is already in the car,

Aaliyah quickly enter into the car in a jiffy. She starts
the ignition and drives off.

She is moody, looking worried. She drives with little

attention. Out of the blue there's an obstruction en route.

BOBBY
Watch out!

Aaliyah quickly navigate through the obstruction.

CUT TO:
 17.

EXT. GRAVEYARD. MORNING

She arrives at a graveyard, she stops the car, steps out

and walk to a grave holding her handbag which is obviously
too small to accommodate the bouquet, Bobby walks slowly
behind her. Aaliyah is full of emotions. She is cold. She
exhales...

She hesitates, she's moody, not knowing where to start. She

stands in front of the grave for a beat.

AALIYAH
Remembering you is easy, I do it
everyday but missing you is a
heartache that never goes away. You
were one of the greatest persons I
ever known and being with you was
the greatest gift I have ever
received. You gave me love and
touched my life, now I have dreamed
of life until life has become a
dream.

Dropping her bag to the ground, she places the bouquet on

the grave.

AALIYAH (CONT'D)
God has a plan for everyone, I
know, but this one is hard to
accept. You left a big hole in my
life, now that big hole is covered
in your memories that I keep with
love. What keeps me sane is knowing
I have memories of us, the pictures
captured a glimpse, but my heart
captured everything like a film
recorder.

Aaliyah brings out the picture in her bag and she drops to
the ground. She's melting.

AALIYAH (CONT'D)
When I see this picture of you
smiling I remember the things that
you were hiding. When I think of
you my eyes rain, I still remember
the plans we shared together.
 18.

(Laughing hysterically)
Remember the time I dragged you to
the beach and you said it would
rain and it did? I thought you'd
say "I told you so" but you didn't.
Do you remember the time I spilled
strawberry pie all over your car
rug? I thought you'd hit me but you
didn't.

Aaliyah kisses the photograph, tears rolling down her

cheeks.

AALIYAH (CONT'D)
(Stuttering)
Yes there were lots of things you
didn't do but you put up with me
and loved me, and protected me.
There were lots of things I wanted
to make up to you but... you're no
more. You are loved. You are
missed. Happy Birthday Bobby!

Aaliyah wipes her eyes with her fingers and places the
photograph on the grave.

Boldly written on it is: IN LOVING MEMORY OF BOBBY PARA

14th APRIL, 1991 - 4th NOVEMBER, 2016.

Aaliyah winks with a smile on her face.

AALIYAH (CONT'D)
That's for you. Take that with you
till we see each other again, just
incase you miss me too much. Good..
Sorry, See you later.

With same wide smile on Bobby's, he slowly fades away like

a fairy.

As rain starts to drizzle, Aaliyah looks to the sky.

AALIYAH (V.O)
Love is a beautiful thing... Some
people smile for love, some people
cry for love but love has made me
BREATHLESS.