Author: Damon Moudry
Email: [email protected]
The Letter
FADE IN:
INT. THE CRASHDOWN CAFE - NIGHT
The place is closed for the night as LIZ PARKER, dressed casually, sits in a booth writing a letter while MARIA De LUCA, still wearing her waitress uniform, finishes cleaning up behind the counter.
MARIA
Are you like still working on that thing, Liz?
LIZ
Yeah, I’m still revising it. I just want this to be perfect.
MARIA
Why? It’s not like you need a letter to tell him how you
feel you know?
(Liz looks up and Maria stops.)
LIZ
No, that’s exactly why I need to write him a letter. Even
though we’ve been through a lot together, I just think it’s
time to square things away between us.
(Maria continues to clean.)
MARIA
Square things away between you? Liz, you make it sound like your
paying your credit card bill. I mean, this is Max Evans we’re
talking about here. Mister brooding-alien-guy. Fire of your
loins, purveyor of your heart’s passion...
LIZ
Yeah, but we’ve never talked about any of that stuff. I
mean, I know he saved my life, but we also made a pact to just
stay...
MARIA
Friends?
LIZ
Yeah.
(Maria shakes her head and smiles as she walks toward the back.)
MARIA
Liz, when in the history of the world have two people who were
drawn together by intense circumstances and an undeniable
attraction ever managed to stay just friends?
(Liz thinks about this as Maria exits to the back.)
EXT. THE EVAN’S HOME - NIGHT
A familiar jeep sits in the driveway as windows glow warmly.
INT. THE EVAN’S HOME - MAX’S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
MAX
Mulder and Scully. They are two people who were drawn to each
other by unusual circumstances, but who managed to remain just
friends.
(MAX EVANS sits on bed trying to type a letter on a laptop as ISABELLE EVANS sits at his desk going through a photo album. She uses her power to turn the pages, not touching them.)
ISABELLE
They’re characters on a TV show, Max. Get real. (Isabelle
takes a picture of MICHAEL GUERIN and holds it up.) Speaking of
“The X-Files,” doesn’t Michael remind you of
someone?
(Max looks up and rolls his hand from side to side as if to say
“so, so”. He then looks down at the computer and shakes
his head.)
MAX
I can’t get this right.
ISABELLE
Maybe you’re trying too hard.
MAX
It just doesn’t sound right. Maybe you could help me with
it?
(Isabelle rolls her eyes, gets up, and sits down beside Max. The
photo album floats along side Isabelle and rests on the bed as
she looks at the latptop.)
INT. THE CRASHDOWN CAFE - SAME
(Maria, now dressed in street clothes, sits opposite Liz reading the letter. After a moment, Maria hands it to Liz.)
MARIA
It’s good.
LIZ
But?
MARIA
But what?
LIZ
I don’t know. You tell me.
MARIA
What do you want me to say, Liz? It’s good. It’s really
good.(Without hesitation, Liz pulls out another piece of paper
and begins to write.) What are you doing? I said it was good.
LIZ
Which means I’ve still got a long ways to go. (Maria rolls
her eyes.)
INT. THE EVAN’S HOME - MAX’S BEDROOM - SAME
(Isabelle types on Max’s laptop while Max looks on.)
MAX
Wait a minute -- What are you doing?
ISABELLE
Trust me. Girls love poetry. It’ll make her feel special.
MAX
She is special.
ISABELLE
Exactly.
MAX
But -- (Max stops Isabelle typing.) I want this to be from me.
Not from Shakespeare, or Thoreau, or anybody else. Just me.
ISABELLE
But you said you wanted my help, right?
MAX
Yeah, but not if that means pretending to be something I’m
not. (Isabelle rolls her eyes.)
ISABELLE
Look, Max, I don’t even know why you need to even write her a letter. Just walk right up to her and tell her how you feel. It’s pretty obvious you both have feelings for each other.
MAX
I can’t do that.
ISABELLE
Why not?
MAX
It’s not that simple. (Isabelle shakes her head and walks
out of the room. Max thinks a moment and then starts typing.)
INT. THE CRASHDOWN CAFE - SAME
MARIA
It is that simple, Liz.
LIZ
No, it’s not. (Maria now sits next to Liz and is writing the
letter.)
MARIA
Yes it is. “Max, I know we’ve been through a lot and
that even though you’re from another world and I have to
tell you that this whole “let’s be just friends”
things is really getting to me...” (Liz stops her.)
LIZ
What are you doing?
MARIA
I’m trying to show you that you don’t need a letter to
tell him what you want to say.
LIZ
Yeah, but that’s just too...
MARIA
Too what?
LIZ
...To...
MARIA
Easy? (Liz is at a loss for words.)
INT. THE EVAN’S HOME - MAX’S BEDROOM - SAME
(Isabelle walks in with a cup of coffee. A spoon rotates in the cup without her touching it as she stands near the door.)
ISABELLE
Still at it, huh?
MAX
Like I said, it’s just not that easy to write something like
this.
ISABELLE
Well, I’ve given you my take.
MAX
Thanks. (A moment of silence as Max looks down at the laptop.
Isabelle studies him for
a moment.)
ISABELLE
You know what, Max? Sometimes it’s just better to say what
you mean, than to try and mean what you say. I know that in our
unique situation that we try to remain as anonymous as possible,
but when it comes to stuff like this... Somtimes it’s better
to take a risk and see what happens than to do nothing at all. (Max
looks at Isabelle. Isabelle then walks out of the room. Max
considers her words.)
INT. THE CRASHDOWN CAFE - SAME
LIZ
This is pointless! (Liz crumples up the letter. Maria sits
opposite her in the booth with her head on
the table. Maria slowly sits up.)
MARIA
You know what you’re problem is?
LIZ
What?
MARIA
I think you’re trying too hard.
LIZ
Trying to hard to do what?
MARIA
Tell him what you think you should say instead of what you want
you really want to say.
LIZ
What do you mean?
MARIA
I mean, why don’t you just write what you want to tell him.
Or better yet, just tell him in person? I mean, God, it’s no
secret you two have the hots for each other.
LIZ
Maria, it’s just not that simple. I mean, there are so many
factors here that I can’t even begin to fathom the
repercussions of what might happen if...
MARIA
But at least you’re willing to take the risk and find out,
or else you wouldn’t be writing him a letter now would you?
(Liz considers Maria’s words. Maria checks her watch and
yawns. Maria then gets up and puts her book bag over her
shoulder.)
MARIA
I gotta get going. I hope your letter turns out the way you want
it. (Maria takes a few steps and turns to face Liz.) And by the
way, be glad you have someone you want to express all these
emotions to. The only person I would ever consider writing a
letter like that to would be my dad -- That is, if I could ever
find him. And even though he ran out on me and my mom, I still
think it would only be three words long. (Maria nods and then
exits the cafe. Liz ponders Maria’s words. Liz then takes a
out a fresh piece of paper and starts writing.)
LIZ (O.C.)
Dear Max...
INT. THE EVAN’S HOME - MAX’S BEDROOM - SAME
(Max types on his laptop: DEAR LIZ...)
MAX (O.C.)
Dear Liz...
EXT. WEST ROSWELL HIGH SCHOOL - DAY
(Students walk about the campus.)
INT. W ROSWELL HIGH - HALL - CONTINUOUS
(Max walks down the hall with Isabelle and Michael and sees Liz and Maria coming the opposite direction. They meet in the center.)
MAX
Hi.
LIZ
Hi.
(There is a moment of awkward silence...)
MICHAEL
Hey, Maria. Wanna make out?
MARIA
Not if you were the last al... Available guy on the face of the
Earth.
MICHAEL
Right back at ya.
(Michael smiles deviously at her as Maria shakes her head.)
ISABELLE
Come on you two.
(Michael, Isabelle and Maria leave.)
MAX
So.
LIZ
So.
MAX
How are you doing?
LIZ
Fine, fine. And you?
MAX
Fine.
LIZ
Good, good. (Max opens his binder and pulls out an envelope.)
What’s this?
MAX
Um... It’s for you. It’s kind of a... Letter I’ve
been meaning to give you.
LIZ
A letter? For me? Oh, that’s... Nice. (Max smiles as Liz
takes the letter.)
MAX
Don’t open it now.
LIZ Okay. When can I open it then?
MAX
Just not here. (Liz nods.)
LIZ
Okay. I have something for you...(Liz pulls a white envelope from
her binder and hands it to Max.)
MAX
A letter? (Liz appears embarrassed.)
LIZ
Yeah, funny, huh? (Max smiles.)
MAX
Yeah.
LIZ
Don’t open it now.
MAX
When can I open it then?
LIZ
Just not here. (Max nods.)
MAX
All right.
(Max and Liz stand there, not knowing what to do next, as students swirl around them.)
LIZ
Well, I’ve got get to Chem lab.
MAX
Yeah, I’ve got to get to P.E.
LIZ
See you around?
MAX
Always, Liz.
(Liz looks at him with a heart-felt gaze. Max and Liz then walk in opposite directions down the hall. Max and Liz both examine the envelopes they received.)
EXT. THE CRASHDOWN CAFE - NIGHT
(Liz sits on the roof of the Crashdown watching a meteor shower. She then looks down at the envelope on a table. She opens it and unfolds the note: “Dear Liz... I LOVE YOU. Max” She looks up and smiles as light streaks across a starry sky.)
EXT. THE EVAN’S HOME - SAME
(Max sits in the backyard watching the same meteor shower. He opens his envelope and reads the letter: “Dear Max... I love you. Liz” Max looks up at the stellar display and smiles.)
THE END