Lisa Kilhefner
Response
Pamela Nash
Inspiration
Stalker: A Love Story
EXT – ALLIE’S APARTMENT – DAY
ALLIE, a 30-something young urban professional, hipsterwannabe type, locks her apartment door, crosses her fingers
in front of her, and hops down the steps. With each step that she lands on, she chants
ALLIE
Today. Today. Today.
INT – COFFEE SHOP – DAY
Allie is at a table by the door, watching BRAD, thirtysomething uber-yuppie, yacht club type, order coffee. Allie
mouths the exact words while BRAD orders.
BRAD (OS)
Large, cafe au lait, cold milk not steamed. Please. Thank You. You’re the best.
Allie never takes her eyes off Brad as he waits for his coffee.
M, at another table watches Allie darkly and intently.
Allie is startled when JEN, 30-something, trendy-nerdy type, plops down at the table. Jen spreads a newspaper open to a
sudoku puzzle full of scratched-out mistakes in front of her.
JEN
You’re kidding me. Again? You don’t even drink coffee!
ALLIE
It’s tea. And it’s a free country.
JEN
OK, stalker.
Allie sees Brad heading towards the door. She fixes a smile on her face, turns her seated body towards the door, and
accidentally spills her tea over the side of the table, onto her purse.
ALLIE
Oh, crap!
Allie ducks her head under the table and frantically wipes at her purse. Brad walks right by their table. He catches Jen
looking at him, and smiles. Jen’s eyes widen, shocked and embarrassed.
Jen ducks her head under the table after Allie.
JEN
Allie! Seriously. This is not normal.
ALLIE
(still wiping her purse)
What else am I supposed to do?
JEN
Well, for one thing, you can sit up now, he’s gone.
They sit up. Allie notices a new napkin on their table. She picks it up and reads “not like that – M.”
ALLIE
Nice try, Jen.
JEN
Nice try what? I didn’t put that there.
ALLIE
Really.
Allie picks up the napkin, presses her finger against the ink so that the M comes off on her finger. She looks at the M on
her finger, intrigued.
ALLIE (CONT’D)
M.
JEN
All-ie…
EXT – SIDE STREET – DAY
Allie walks to her car carrying a new cup of tea and the napkin. She notices another napkin on the windshield of her
car saying, “Let’s talk 555.1215 – M.”
Allie gets in the car, obviously excited, dials her cell phone and pulls away from the curb.
ALLIE
(driving)
Oh my God, Jen, there was another napkin. I mean a note. I mean a note on a napkin.
JEN (VO)
From “M”? What does it say?
ALLIE
Nothing. There’s just a phone number.
JEN (VO)
You’re not calling it, right?
ALLIE
No way, why would I call it?
JEN (VO)
OK, just checking. But don’t, OK?
ALLIE
I won’t.
INT – GYM – DAY
Brad jogging on a treadmill, with a latte instead of a water bottle, earphones hooked up to the TV watching something
mindless and stupid. He’s more “being seen” than actually exercising.
Allie is one row behind and one machine over to the left, watching the same TV Brad is watching, and watching Brad.
She’s more speed-walking than actually running, trying to look like she’s exercising without breaking a sweat and
ruining her makeup.
As the credits roll on the show he was watching, Brad ends his workout and steps off the treadmill. Allie smiles and
faces toward him, attempting to catch his eye, while at the same time trying to stop the treadmill, which is not
responding to her pressing the stop button. She has to look away from Brad to stop the treadmill. In that brief moment,
he passes by her. She looks around the gym, he is gone.
Thwarted, she leaves the gym.
EXT – GYM PARKING LOT- DAY
Allie heads toward her car, she notices something on the windshield. Excited, she rushes to the car, picks it small card, and turns it over. It is just an advertsing flyer for a nearby dry cleaner. She is disappointed. Across the parking lot, we see Allie from M’s POV. We see that hers is the only car with a flyer on it. M is watching for her reaction, pleased.
EXT – ALLIE’S APARTMENT – DAY
Allie sits on the steps of her building, tea next to her, napkin with phone number on her lap. She dials her cell
phone.
INT – M’S APARTMENT – DAY
We see that M has converted a corner of his living room to a simple home office. A snapshot of Allie is paper-clipped to a calendar over his desk.
M answers the phone but does not speak.
ALLIE (CONT’D)
Hello?
M
I’ve been waiting for you to call.
ALLIE
Really? I…
M
I know what you’ve been doing,
Allie. Pathetic.
Allie takes a sip of her tea, leans back on the step, and
exhales softly.
ALLIE
What, Brad?
(She sighs)
I know.
M
You’re not really the girl everyone thinks you are.
ALLIE
How do you know that? I mean, what is that supposed to mean.
M
I’m better at this than you.
Allie drops her head back onto the step, closes her eyes,
exhales.
ALLIE
Clearly. Do I know you?
M doesn’t speak right away. He goes to his window and looks out, and we see that his window is on an upper floor of the building across the street from Allie’s apartment. He looks down at Allie lounged on the stairs, head thrown back, hair spilling down the steps.
M
No questions.
Allie sits up, startled.
ALLIE
wait, what? I won’t… you know… I just…
M
Stop it, Allie. I already know.
Allie relaxes, but slightly.
M (CONT’D)
Do not call me again. If I want to talk to you, you’ll know.
M hangs up the phone watching Allie out the window. Surprised and confused, Allie quickly sits up, looking at her phone, accidentally knocking over her tea and her purse at the same time. She gathers her things together, at the same time looking up and down the street, for M. Watching her, M smiles to himself.
M (CONT’D)
Patience, Allie. Patience.
INT – ALLIE’S APARTMENT – DAY
Allie and Jen drink tea lounging on a large couch, postbrunch. Jen works studiously on a sudoku puzzle. Allie watches Jen work on her puzzle, disinterestedly pages through the newspaper. Allie and steals glances out the bay window which looks out to the street.
ALLIE
I know you think it’s creepy, it is creepy, I know. But it’s kinda not. Just the idea of it though – he picked me.
JEN
Because he’s a dangerous psychopath that wants to strangle you with your own panties.
ALLIE
God, Jen, please.
JEN
Just sayin’.
ALLIE
You don’t get it. It was me he wanted, me he picked – not anyone else – me.
JEN
You called him.
ALLIE
No.
JEN
You did! I knew it! Are you out of your mind?!
Allie’s phone rings. She answers.
ALLIE
Hello?
M (VO)
She has to leave now, Allie. You need to get ready.
ALLIE
Wait. What? Ready for what?
M hangs up.
JEN
Was that him?
ALLIE
(shaking her head)
My sister. I have to get ready to go. I told her I’d watch the nephews this afternoon.
JEN
I thought they were going to Gettysburg this weekend.
ALLIE
Next weekend. I’ll call you later,
ok?
Jen looks skeptical, but leaves.
INT – ALLIE’S BEDROOM – DAY
Allie paces around her bedroom. She looks anxiously out her window then at herself in the mirror. She obsessively checks her phone. She takes the napkin out of her purse, looks at it, picks up her phone, changes her mind, puts the phone down. She repeats this behavior, window, mirror, phone, and then something in the closet catches her eye. She fidgets. She looks out the window again. Stumped. Finally, Allie’s phone rings
ALLIE (CONT’D)
Hello?
M
Where’s the dress you wore on Halloween?
ALLIE
(barely audible)
That was a stripper costume!
M
Put it on.
Allie looks toward the window, and then toward her closet, and back toward the window. She looks up and down the street.
ALLIE
It’s the middle of the afternoon!
M hangs up.
ALLIE (CONT’D)
You there? Hello? Oh, crap.
Allie looks out her window and slowly paces her room. She walks back and forth between the closet and the window. She hesitates. She gets the “Halloween costume” dress out of the closet. It is a tight, black, very short dress.
INT – ALLIE’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Allie sits on her bed in her Halloween dress. Her phone rings. Allie jumps. We see Jen’s picture on the caller ID. She hits the end-call button so as not to answer.
INT – COFFEE SHOP – DAY
Allie and Jen at their usual table. Allie is absently filing her nails with a metal file. Jen has a blank sudoko puzzle in front of her. Allie looks around the coffee shop at a variety of men in her age range. She looks past M with interest, but without recognition. She watches Brad absently mixing sugar into his coffee and tapping on his iPad.
JEN
I’m starting to think you’re an obsessionist.
ALLIE
That’s not even a word.
JEN
Well it should be, because you are one.
Brad walks toward their table, heading for the exit. Allie continues to search the inside of the coffee shop for M, oblivious of Brad’s approach. We see M watching Allie. He is pleased. As Brad walks by the table, he smiles at Jen, who is looking at him.
JEN (CONT’D)
God dammit!
INT – ALLIE’S BEDROOM – MIDNIGHT
On the nightstand is a half-eaten container of Chinese takeout and two empty soda bottles. We see various makeup containers are strewn across the foot of the bed. Allie sits on her bed in her Halloween dress, her face heavily made up with dark eyeliner and red lipstick. Her phone lies idly beside her.
INT – ALLIE’S BEDROOM – DAY
Allie sleeps sprawled across the bed, still wearing the dress. Her makeup is smeared and there are wadded-up tissues on the bed beside her hand. Her phone battery light blinks red.
EXT – STREET – NIGHT
Allie walks up the street, dressed for a party, hair pinned up, and evening-appropriate makeup on. She looks at the very crowded upscale “Georgetown”-type bar. She stops. Sighs. She is obviously over-dressed. Allie approaches the door of the bar. A crowd of 20-something men burst out, laughing and swaggering. She enters.
INT – BAR – NIGHT
The bar is crowded with mildly drunk cheerful yuppie types. Allie’s appearance draws looks of disdain as she makes her way through the bar. She sees Brad with a group of friends, both men and women. She hesitates, and gets jostled by some passers-by. She approaches Brad and stops in front of him, hesitant. Brad turns and looks at her expectantly. Now that she’s here, Allie wishes she was somewhere else. All the conversation among Brad’s group of friends stops. His friends look at each other, wordlessly communicating riducule, eye-rolling, amusement. The silence is painful and awkward. Allie turns around and leaves, pushing her way through the crowd, aggravated and confused.
EXT – STREET – NIGHT
Allie walks away from the bar, rushing away. Her phone rings. She answers it via her Bluetooth.
M (OS)
Striking out on your own tonight?
ALLIE
(not in the mood for this)
What makes you think I’m on my own?
The door to the bar swings open and Brad rushes out, looking up and down the street. He sees Allie half a block away.
BRAD
Hey! Wait!
Allie keeps walking. Brad hurries to catch up. He touches her elbow.
BRAD (CONT’D)
I’m sorry. That was rude. We were rude. My friends. I just… I wanted to apologize.
ALLIE
No, it was my fault. I shouldn’t have…
BRAD
Where are you headed? Can I get you a cab?
ALLIE
Oh, no thanks. I live nearby. I’ll walk.
BRAD
Well let me walk you home then.
M (OS)
Good job, Allie. Now if you want this guy, let me take it from here.
INT – ALLIE’S LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
We see two wine bottles on the coffee table, one is empty, one is half-empty. Two wine glasses are on the table. Allie’s dress is unzipped in the back, but still on. Brad’s shirt is unbuttoned and untucked. They are standing and kissing. He turns off the light. She turns it back on. We see she is still wearing the Bluetooth. Allie maneuvers the two of them closer to the window while they continue to kiss. Brad reaches to unhook her bra.
M (OS) (CONT’D)
No. Keep it on.
Allie takes Brad’s hands and lowers them to her waist. He kisses her neck, her cleavage, and reaches to unhook her bra again.
M (OS) (CONT’D)
Don’t let him, Allie.
She takes his hand off her bra. He walks her to the couch and pulls her on top of him. He holds her head and kisses her again. His hands slide down her back to her bra. She allows him to unhook it.
M (CONT’D)
No! I said clothes stay on!
INT – M’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
M hangs up the phone and tears Allie’s photo off of the calendar. He crumples up the photo and throws it. He slams his window shut, forcefully closes the blinds. M picks up the crumpled photo, begins to tear it, smooths it out instead. He clips the crumpled photo back onto the calendar.
INT – ALLIE’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
Allie is startled by M’s outburst. She hears a beep as he angs up.
ALLIE
Oh, crap.
Unaware that Allie has been on the phone, and a little bit more than slightly drunk, Brad responds as though he’s done something wrong.
BRAD
Sorry.
ALLIE
No, it’s OK.
BRAD
Do you want me to go?
ALLIE
No. Yes. I guess. Maybe you should.
BRAD
Maybe I’ll… well… ok.
ALLIE
Ok.
Brad buttons and tucks in his shirt, looking at Allie.
BRAD
OK so. Um. Yeah. Um. Bye.
ALLIE
Bye.
INT – ALLIE’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Allie furiously paces her room, yelling at the walls, the ceiling, the window.
ALLIE (CONT’D)
Why are you doing this to me? Why? What do you want from me? Where the hell are you? Where are you? She throws her phone across the room, it bounces off the wall and lands on the bed.
ALLIE (CONT’D)
WHERE ARE YOU, GODDAMMIT!
She collapses on the bed. EMOTIONALLY EXHAUSTED.
ALLIE (CONT’D)
Where are you?
EXT – STREET – DAY
Allie is dressed in “fashion” workout-type clothes, the kind not made for working out. She is wearing oversized sunglasses, carrying a large purse. She crosses her fingers in front of her and without energy hops down the steps chanting.
ALLIE (CONT’D)
Please God, not today. Please God, not today.
Allie approaches the coffee shop. She sees Brad, in jeans and a crisp shirt, walking down the street towards the same
place and ducks into the nearest doorway.
INT – GROCERY STORE – DAY
Allie rushes up the aisle of the grocery store, finger crossed, looking over her shoulder, chanting.
ALLIE (CONT’D)
He didn’t see me. He didn’t see me.
We see Brad enter the store, curious and slightly confused.
He walks lengthways across the front of the store, looking up
each aisle until he spots Allie.
BRAD
Wait a sec! Hey, wait!
Allie changes direction, cuts over two aisles, and heads towards the entrance. She sees Brad at the front of the aisle, heading towards her. She turns and hurries to the back of the store.
INT – STOCKROOM – DAY
Allie pushes through the double-doors to the stock room, ignoring the “employees only” sign. She heads toward the corner of the room. Brad follows Allie into the stockroom. Allie gives up and sits heavily down on a pile of pallets.
BRAD (CONT’D)
Hey, Um, are you ok? I only wanted to talk to you a second. The door to the stockroom opens and Allie jumps, startled. She looks hopefully past Brad to see who has entered. A grocery clerk enters, pushing a full cart. Allie sags, disappointed.
ALLIE
No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…
BRAD
So, you’re ok?
Allie looks at Brad and smiles uncertainly.
ALLIE
I’m, well… I’m glad I finally met you.
BRAD
Finally?
They look at each other awkwardly.
BRAD (CONT’D)
Is there, ah, something you want to
tell me?
ALLIE
You were going for coffee, right?
Can I um… can I join you?
EXT – COFFEE SHOP – DAY
We see Allie and Brad at an outdoor table, drinking coffee and sharing a newspaper, talking comfortably. Brad seems to be doing a lot of the talking. Confidently. Instructing, even. Across the street, we see M watching them, troubled.
EXT – ALLIE’S APARTMENT – DAY
ALLIE sits on the steps in front of her apartment and leans seductively on the steps. Smiling, she dials her phone and says to herself.
ALLIE (CONT’D)
Today.
EXT – STREET – DAY
We see M walking up the street toward his apartment. We see Allie on her steps in the distance. His phone rings. He looks at the phone, then up the street at Allie. He smiles triumphantly, and answers the phone.
THE END
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