SCRIPT TITLE

Written by

Name of First Writer

Based on, If Any

Address
Phone Number
 FADE ON

NATHAN’S FLYER

We slowly push on a flyer posted on a pole at a park that

reads:

“ Need a date covered? Need help with a breakup? Come on and

call to see what's up with a stand-in!”

NATHAN(V.O.)
People love to think my job is
easy.

CUT TO:

INT. COFFEE JOINT - EVENING

NATHAN(V.O.)
But the hardest part is pleasing a
potential.

The coffee joint is lively, vibrant, and full of people

chattering.

A woman (20s) sitting at a table, tapping her finger

frantically. Her name is LUCY.

She sighs heavily. She is waiting for someone, but is losing

her patience.

LUCY
(to self)
Been here for about ten minutes
now.

LUCY’S EYES dart left to right to scan the room.

LUCY (CONT'D)
(to self)
Screw this.

Lucy slings a purse over her shoulder, aggravated. She is

about to stand up until--

MAN(O.S.)
Wait! I’m here for the date!

Lucy’s eyes squint in confusion, tilting her head.

 2.

MAN(O.S.)
I’m so sorry, traffic was busy and
I had to get gas!

LUCY
Who. The. Fuck. Are. You?

We see NATHAN(20s), a mess of a man, sitting across Lucy. He

offers a handshake.

NATHAN
I’m Nathan, tonight we are supposed
to get a cup of coffee and go to a
concert.

Nathan pulls out a pair of tickets.

We close on LUCY’S LIPS.

NATHAN(V.O.)
Let's see—big lips.

A close-up of LUCY’s BROWN EYES.

NATHAN(V.O.)
Brown eyes.

On LUCY.

NATHAN(V.O.)
Meh. I can work with her. Gotta
charm her.

Lucy stares at his hand in disgust.

LUCY
My date is Henry. HENRY! Please
stop gawking at me.

NATHAN
Oh! There is something about Henry
you should know, Lucy.

LUCY
How do you know my name?

Nathan takes back his offer, digging into the depths of his
pocket for something. Treasure? We hear CRUMPLED PAPER, COINS
JIGGLING, and a FRIGHTFUL SCREAMING MAN that makes Lucy jump
up in fear.

NATHAN
My bad! That is just my phone!
 3.

Nathan places the phone on the table.

THE PHONE HOME SCREEN OF NATHAN WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND, AMIRA.

Lucy catches this.

LUCY
You have a girlfriend already.

Nathan shrugs.

NATHAN
It isn’t very easy. She use to kiss
me, but now she bites me in the ass
any chance she gets.

A beat.

NATHAN
Here!

Nathan slaps a worn-down flyer onto the table.

NATHAN
Have you ever heard of a “Stand-
In”, Lucy?

Lucy shakes her head.

NATHAN
Well--.

CUT TO:

EXT. PARK - DAY - QUICK FLASHBACK

NATHAN(V O.)
Your boyfriend came looking for me
in the park.

The park is desolate of life. Nathan sits on a bench, basking

in the sunlight.

A man approaches in sunglasses and a top hat, not very

mysterious or covert, because the fit is entirely red.

He sits on the other end.

MAN IN RED
I heard you do stuff.
 4.

NATHAN
What stuff? I do many things.

MAN IN RED
Take a man’s date—a switcheroo.

Nathan nods.

NATHAN
How much?

The man in red pulls out a STACK OF CASH.

Nathan nods, impressed.

We close on the man who snatches his glasses off, eyes stern
and jaws clenching.

MAN IN RED
5:00 PM at the Mean Bean, 50 bucks,
and tell her: “ It’s over”.

LUCY(V.O.)
What?

END OF FLASHBACK

CUT BACK TO:

INT. COFFEE JOINT

Lucy giggles.

She claps her hands hysterically, laughing.

LUCY
Alright! Where are the cameras?
(beat)
Where are they? Henry, hun, are you
hiding around here?

NATHAN
He is hiding in your sister’s
house, not this coffee joint.

Lucy's face instantly morphs into utter pain with a mixture

of confusion.

LUCY
What?
 5.

NATHAN
Why don’t we enjoy the evening I
planned for us?

Nathan leans in, his eyes sparkling with hope, only for Lucy
to stand up and toss coffee on his face. He keeps his smile.

LUCY
You’re… you’re a wall for those to
avoid accountability. Why?

Silence.

She stomps off, sniffing.

NATHAN
That went better than last time.

NATHAN(V.O.)
I got cash but lost the opportunity
of a sidekick because I was rash.

Nathan looks at the camera, directly addressing us in his

coffee-soaked attire.

NATHAN
Why? I think it's because I want
something new in this dating
market.

QUICK FLASHBACK

EXT. CAMPUS - DAY

A couple, AMIRA and NATHAN, are sitting on a bench, smiling

cluelessly at one another. They are studying each other's
clothes.

NATHAN(V.O.)
When you first meet someone, it’s
exciting.

Amira has a gleeful smile.

AMIRA
Hi.

SUPERIMPOSE: 3 months later

Amira talks passionately about the book she wrote; however,

Nathan jerks his gaze to a woman walking by.
 6.

Amira’s voice fades away slowly.

AMIRA
Blah, blah, blah, blah.

NATHAN(V.O.)
After a while, it all becomes
tedious. Yet, that spark--

The woman turns around, waving at Nathan.

CUT TO:

BLACK SCREEN

A spark of light flickers.

AGAIN. AGAIN. FIRE!

NATHAN
Ignited!

INT. VARIOUS LOCATIONS- MATCH SHOTS

We get a flutter of quick scenes of Nathan sitting across a

variety of girls, rapid, and snappy!

We pause on one where it’s Nate and another dude.

DUDE
Hey.

NATHAN
Yo.

A beat.

Then back to dating other people.

END OF FLASHBACK

CUT TO BLACK.

NATHAN(V.O.)
So why not prey on the insecure,
while keeping a partner at arm
length?

CUT TO:

INT. DINER - NIGHT

 7.

SUPER: PRESENT DAY

In a desolate breakfast diner sits a lonely Nathan.

Nathan is at a table alone, with an ice pack pressing against

his red cheek.

Nathan stares at the camera.

NATHAN
I forgot to tell ya.

QUICK MONTAGE

Nathan is being slapped by a dozen women.

END MONTAGE

INT. DINER

Nathan shakes his head. Someone sneaks behind Nathan. We can

not see who, just their lower body.

???
Dillan?

Nathan deeply sighs.

NATHAN
Joy?

???
Isn’t that what we are all
searching for?

Nathan turns-GASP! His eye widens at the sight of this “

Potential”.

NATHAN
A-Amira?

Amira points at Nathan, shocked.

AMIRA
I can ask you the same thing!
Nathan, why didn't you tell me that
you’re here?

Amira takes a seat across Nathan, whose eyes are bloodshot.

 8.

AMIRA
One second!

She stands up, raising a thumb down to the window.

On the other side of the glass a woman nods, walking away to

her car.

Silence. Besides a fly buzzing around.

AMIRA
Wait, how did you know about
Dillan?

Nathan gulps.

NATHAN(V.O.)
Come on! Come on! Think! Think!

Nathan clears his throat.

NATHAN
You’re cheating on me?

Amira chuckles.

AMIRA
No! I’m a stand-out.

NATHAN(V.O.)

Now we’re just making up words.

Nathan stares blankly.

AMIRA
I am hired to make sure the date is
actually there.

NATHAN
Why?

AMIRA
A creep has been going around
ruining other people’s dates. Who
hires a stranger to take their girl
out?

Nathan shrugs.

NATHAN
Maybe he’s trying to help the
vulnerable.
 9.

AMIRA
It could be a kidnapper or worse. A
woman was kidnapped and trafficked
two months ago!

Amira leans in. Her eyes full of fiery. She whispers as if

she has a secret.

AMIRA
(whispering)
I found a flyer on a park’s pole.

We hear Nathan’s heart beating .

Amira breathes in. she breathes out.

AMIRA
I’m close to finding the culprit.

She slaps a beat-up flyer on the table.

AMIRA
Once I find him, I’ll post him
everywhere to be known.

Amira slides the paper over to Nathan side.

Nathan doesn't look down at it. Sweat drips from his brow,
and breathing is uneven.

AMIRA
Go on. Look at it.

A fly buzzes around Nathan’s face.

AMIRA (O.S.)
Don’t worry.

Amira’s hand catches the fly.

AMIRA
Now you may read without fear.

Nathan eyes looks down at the table. He gulps.

A flyer that is faded. No trace of his name or image, but the

slogan is intact.

NATHAN
Wow. You’re getting close.

Amira pulls out her phone.

 10.

AMIRA
Number is still intact. It looked
familiar, but I don’t recall seeing
such numbers.

NATHAN
Maybe we should call him later.

Amira shakes her head.

AMIRA
No. I think we should do it now.

Nathan reaches into his pocket with haste, but it is too

late. His phone screams at the top of its lungs.

Amira is frozen, phone pressing against her ear. She is in

utter shock.

AMIRA
No.

Nathan scrambles to reach his phone, but is trembling like an

earthquake.

NATHAN
That’s my job!

Amira stares blankly.

NATHAN
Call the number again- I swear on
my cousin life it is not going to
ring!

AMIRA
(softly)
Your cousin dead, remember?

Nathan snatches his phone out, rejecting the call.

Nathan is catching his breath.

AMIRA
Why?

Nathan avoids eye contact.

NATHAN
I just wanted to make money.

Amira nods.
 11.

AMIRA
Do you kidnap women?

Nathan scoffs.

AMIRA
You think this is a joke? Each day
I beg you to take me out. To walk a
trail or be an actual partner.

Beat.

AMIRA
You’re out here running around with
other woman and for what?

NATHAN
I’m… I’m searching for someone
better than you.

Amira has hurt in her eyes.

AMIRA
Fuck this.

Amira gets up from the table.

AMIRA
I’m out of here.

Nathan head pokes up! He is realizing something. He chase

after Amira.

AMIRA
Stop following me.

NATHAN
Look, I just want to make things
work by talking!

Amira walks out the door.

EXT. PARKING LOT - CONTINUOUS

The two walks out into the parking lot.

Nathan is trailing Amira to her car.

NATHAN
I messed up! I messed up big time,
okay? Just your fault for being too
much at times, but I don’t want to
be without you!
 12.

Amira is unable to contain it any longer. She lets it all out

into the open.

AMIRA
My fault? My freaking fault?

Amira advance forward to Nathan, as he takes steps back from

the screaming lady.

AMIRA
What is there to fix? You go on
dates with a dozen women--

NATHAN
Also a man.

AMIRA
-- but won’t take time off for me?
Nathan, take accountability! Learn!

Amira shuts her eyes.

AMIRA
I’m make you learn. A lesson you’ll
never forget.

Amira enters her car, swerving away into the depth of the
night.

Nathan stands alone.

NATHAN(V.O.)
I was all over twitter the next
day. But one thing was for sure.

Nathan stares at his faded flyer in his hands.

NATHAN
My business. My life is in ruins
because of me.

We linger on Nathan shamefully walking away.

CUT TO BLACK.

END