Thu 30 Apr — Sides
3.16
On a hand, gently pulling a block. Hannah and Will are sitting in her apartment close together at a table playing Jenga.
I've never understood the appeal of this game.
It's all about steady hands and patience.
Will reaches in, his off-hand instinctively hovers to steady the stack; Hannah lightly taps his wrist back without looking away from the tower.
One hand.
They continue playing.
You and Julia play this a lot?
No. She's a klutz.
But you have the set.
I bought this before we met. So it's been collecting dust until you came along.
That's very forward of you.
Not like that. Her phone didn't work. So I paid. She was just coming back from her sister's funeral. Anyway, we sat, had a drink, and the rest is history.
That's a sweet story. Also sad.
Speaking of which... you never talk about Maya.
I guess the memory's still too painful.
You were together for years.
Yeah.
That's a lot of memories that aren't painful.
Will pulls the wrong block and the tower crashes. He winces.
Will.
He looks at her.
Can I say something?
Please.
I never lost someone the way you have, but it seems to me you really loved her, right? You don't have to talk about her death, but you can talk about her life. Wouldn't she want that?
I just keep going back to the same moment.
I don't know how.
Hey.
(she places her hand on his)
You are an amazing person. You're kind, you're smart, you're compassionate to a fault. And you're an easy person to love.
Will absorbs this, tries to recover.
Is that from your bag of compliments?
No. This one's from the heart.
On Will. He makes a decision.
3.12
INT. APARTMENT BEDROOM - NIGHT #12#
Coats on the bed. Quieter in here. He steps inside, closes it most of the way. On the dresser: a paperback with a photo strip peeking out as a bookmark. He takes the book, pulls out the photo. Hannah and Julia in a booth, cheek to cheek. He stares at it thoughtfully.
Can I help you?
He turns, caught, easing the strip back.
Sorry. Was looking for my coat.
Will returns the book, ashamed.
I'm sorry. That wasn't...
I don't believe we've met properly. Will, was it?
Yeah. You're Julia.
I am.
A long, uncomfortable pause.
Aren't you going to get your coat?
Another pause.
You know, I don't think it's here. Excuse me.
He walks out of the room as she stares at him.
3.11
INT. APARTMENT HALLWAY - NIGHT #11#
Will wanders down the hall, peeking for the bathroom. He moves on. A half-open door: the bedroom.
3.10
A small downtown apartment with easy warmth: soft light, low music, fogged up windows. People stand shoulder-close with drinks, conversations overlapping as a makeshift bar and open kitchen keep things moving. It feels freshly settled but already lived in and cozy. Will moves through the crowd trying to find any familiar face, alone in a sea of people. No sign of Hannah or even Julia anywhere, so he moves to the kitchen. Someone is standing at the fridge with the door open. When he closes it, we see it's JOSH holding a beer bottle.
My bad, I didn't see you. Beer?
Yeah, sure.
Josh throws him the beer, then opens the fridge to grab another one while Will opens his.
The two clink their bottles and drink.
Oh, I'm Josh.
Will.
Is that short for William?
No. Are you a friend of Hannah's or Julia's?
Julia's! How about you?
I... don't really know either of them. I'm a colleague of Hannah's, but we only just met.
Oh, she must really like you then.
Will takes this in.
Yeah, you too.
Josh walks off into the crowd. Will stands awkwardly in the kitchen corner for a moment, observing, when next to him, Hannah pops up.
Boo!
There she is.
Sorry, it's been a little hectic.
You're very popular!
Oh, these are mostly Julia's friends. I know, like, five people.
Am I one of them?
Sure, if we stretch the definition of 'knowing' a person to include 'knowing who they are'.
Well, we can change that.
It's nice you came. You looked a little lonely at that table. Are you?
It can't have been easy. How long were you together?
Years.
Yeah. You think you have a future with someone, and then it’s just taken away from you.
(a beat as she clocks Will's reaction)
Oh no, I'm bumming you out again!
It's fine. It was nice of you to invite me. I'd love to get to know you more.
Yeah! Same. I think there's a connection.
Definitely!
And if you're still up for it, we could have lunch sometimes.
I'd like that.
Hannah's about to speak but catches herself. Will notices.
What were you gonna say?
It was gonna sound stupid.
I'm sure it wasn't.
It's not my place to say, not after what you've been through.
Say it.
There's always hope for the future.
Will nods, smiles.
I believe you.
Hannah smiles.
I'm gonna mingle a bit, catch you later?
Yeah.
He watches her go off, then walks through the crowd at the party.
A bystander points him toward the bathroom. Will ends up in a hallway with several doors.
3.14
Will is back in the kitchen trying to get his bearings. He can't have travelled far. Then:
Boo!
There she is.
The smile lingers as he pockets the knowledge.
3.13
INT. APARTMENT HALLWAY - NIGHT #13#
As he leaves the room, the embarrassment reads on his face. He's anxious, unsure of what to do. In the distance, he sees Hannah mingling in the party. Then inspiration strikes. Instinctively, he stands where no one can see him, then RESETS to: