EXT.

GATE - EARLY AFTERNOON

TOM walks from the right up to the gates and presses the
buzzer. He is holding a wrapped present. He waits for a
few seconds, then it buzzes and he enters the gate. He
continues walking to the door inside.
NARRATION
Tom walked to her apartment,
intoxicated with the promise of
the evening. He believed that
this time his expectations would
align with reality.
INT. HALLWAY - EXPECTATIONS
TOM walks towards the camera from the middle of the
hallway, messes with his tie, looks around curiously and
climbs the staircase.
INT. HALLWAY - REALITY
Same - he looks slightly more tired, it takes a slightly
longer time.
INT. DOOR/APARTMENT - EXPECTATIONS
TOM knocks on the door. SUMMER opens the door with a
smile.
SUMMER
Hey.
TOM
Hey.
She looks him up and down, then steps forward and kisses
the corner of his mouth. She steps back and continues
eyeing him. They have a soft, slightly mumbled
conversation.
SUMMER
Mmm... You look nice.
TOM
(laughingly)
Yeah, thanks.
SUMMER
Your tie, and your jacket...
Summer steps back and to the side, waving Tom into the
apartment. They continue smiling at each other as he walks
inside. As Summer closes the door, Tom walks forward and
greets the room with a nod.
2.
Four people are situated around the room. The couple
standing up notice him; the MALE nods and raises his glass
to him, while the female smiles at him.
Summer walks back towards him, and Tom turns to her. He
hands her the present.
TOM
(nervous laugh)
I, uhh, got you something.
SUMMER
(surprised)
Thats so nice.
Summer opens her mouth in surprise, accepting the present
with both hands. She turns it over and unwraps it to
reveal a BOOK The Architecture of Happiness.
SUMMER (contd)
(wonderingly)
Thank you.
Summer smiles at him, then hugs him. She looks to the
side, then asks if he would like to go outside. They walk
off to the right.
INT. DOOR/APARTMENT - REALITY
TOM knocks on the door. SUMMER opens it then steps
forward, giving him an awkward hug and patting him lightly
on the back.
SUMMER
Hey.
TOM
Hi.
SUMMER
Howre you doing?
TOM
Good, how are you?
SUMMER
Good.
She steps back and gestures him to come inside. He steps
around her. As Summer closes the door, Tom walks forward
and greets the room with a nod.
There are nine people walking/standing/sitting around,
none of whom acknowledge him.
Tom makes a disorientated face and turns to Summer to hand
her the present.
3.
TOM
I, uhh, got you something.
SUMMER
Oh, wow.
She takes it with one hand, then flips it over to open it
revealing the BOOK.
SUMMER (contd)
You shouldnt have.
TOM
(mumbles something)
Summer places her hand on Toms shoulder, looking down at
the book and back at him.
SUMMER
Thats so nice, thank you so
much.
TOM
No problem.
SUMMER
Im excited to read it.
TOM
Yeah.
Summer looks back up to at the room, then points off to
the right, leading Tom with her.
EXT. ROOFTOP - EXPECTATION - LATE AFTERNOON
The scene is an intimate dinner party. Tom and Summer sit
at the far end of the table, leaning into each other and
engaging in conversation. A group of three people talk
between themselves to their left, and a couple talk to
their right.
EXT. ROOFTOP - REALITY - LATE AFTERNOON
TOM sits with others around a coffee table on the far
left. Summer leans against a WOMANs chair on the far
right. Other people stand and walk behind them.
WOMAN
So Tom, what is it that you do?
TOM
(fiddling with his beer
bottle)
I, uhh, I write greeting cards?
4.
SUMMER
(gesturing at Tom with her
drink)
Tom could be a really great
architect if he wanted to be.
WOMAN
Thats unusual, I mean... what
made you go from one to the
other?
TOM
(gesturing with his hands,
laughingly)
I guess I just figured... why
make something disposable, like a
building... when you could make
something that lasts forever,
like a greeting card.
Tom laughs self-deprecatingly, and the others laugh too.
Summer gives him a disappointed smile and sips her drink.
Toms smile fades.
EXT. ROOFTOP - EXPECTATIONS - EARLY EVENING
TOM and SUMMER lean against the rooftop wall, holding
hands and smiling at each other through their
conversation. Summer leads him off to the left.
EXT. ROOFTOP - REALITY - EARLY EVENING
TOM leans against the rooftop wall alone, looking into the
distance and drinking his beer. He looks back towards the
party.
SUMMER stands with two men. She gives the left a hug, then
introduces him to the other man and the two then shake
hands.
Tom looks down, then back at the distance.
INT. APARTMENT - EXPECTATIONS - NIGHT
From the left, TOM backs SUMMER into a wall - his hands
are on her waist, hers are on his jacket. They start
kissing, and the door slowly closes.
5.
EXT. ROOFTOP - REALITY - NIGHT
TOM squeezes a lime wedge into his drink. He picks it up
and turns around, smiling at a random. He sees something
and freezes, staring.
On the other side of the rooftop, SUMMER and a WOMAN stand
together. She is holding her hand out and the woman holds
it. They are both admiring an ENGAGEMENT RING on her
finger.
Tom stares, his mouth open, blinking slowly.
Disorientated, he turns around to place his drink back on
the table and rushes out.
INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT
TOM rushes down the stairs, pushing himself off the
banister and walls and walking angrily back down the
hallway.
EXT. GATE - NIGHT
TOM throws the gate open, storming down the sidepath to
the right. He walks past a few buildings, then sees a
COUPLE in front of him and averts his eyes, crossing into
the street. The couple walk past with the hands around
each others shoulders.
Tom walks down the middle of the street from the left,
stopping at a distance. His head hangs. His shoulders
lift, and he exhales. He looks back up. Then back down,
slowly.
FADE OUT.