Skating Off For Heaven (1)
(Aidan, a black-haired, punk-looking teenager, is skateboarding through a courtyard towards a large, red-brick school with a blue banner hanging above its main doorway, reading, "Welcome New Students!", in large gold letters. As he passes by other classmates, none of whom notice him, he begins having flashbacks of himself walking in another hallway, much more dimly lit and grim. The scene of teenagers whispering and saying cruel things behind their hands flies across his mind. He jumps off his skateboard and walks into the new school,in the present, and over to a desk, where he says his name and is handed a schedule. He walks along the hallway, and again noone takes an interest in him. He has another flashback, this time with classmates rolling their eyes and making snide comments directed at him.) AIDAN (thinking, to himself) They all live for themselves. They spend each day, enjoying it to the fullest, but merely for their own pleasure, when, in truth, they're more empty than the hollow caverns they lock their true personalities into. I revealed to my former friends how much I believe in God-and they dropped me. I haven't thought of it as much as a loss, afterall, if they hadn't stuck with me, then they weren't real friends at all. I mean, I don't stand on a car in the middle of the street preaching, but I genuinly believe in the whole deal, not just the Sunday church stitch. So, they thought they could make my life miserable by whispering behind their cowardly hands, though I'm still smiling, knowing I'll be taken to a place very opposite from where there wretched souls will be plunging. (He enters a classroom, with Shakespeare portraits and quotes lining the walls, and is obviously an english classroom. He takes a seat in the middle row. Other students soon fill in around him. As the room is mostly full, the teacher, a middle-aged man, balding, comes to the front of the room and begins passing out forms.) TEACHER Please have your parent or guardian fill these out and return them to me tomorrow. They are essential if we aim to have a balanced.... (Aidan tunes the rest of his spiel out, as he has another flashback. He is walking into a house, richly decorated. He enters into a hall, and a woman sitting at an oak table in front of him swirls around and hurries over to him, looking very worried.) AIDAN (in flashback, hurriedly meeting her across the room) Mom? What's wrong? MOTHER (fretting and anxious) "Oh, Aidan honey, what is all this? A joke from your friends? I knew there were problems between you and them, but I would have never have thought they would be as fierce as this. (She hands him a pile of printed emails, with sentences jarring out at him, such as, "Aidan, if you believe all that crap, then why isn't God taking you away from all this?", and last, "Aidan, just leave here.Noone cares to talk to you, noone wants to hear what you believe. Just leave". AIDAN (walking closer to his mother, calm, dismissing the emails) Mom, don't worry about it. I can handle it. MOTHER (yelling, losing control) How can this not phase you, Aidan? It scares me. You act as if you believe nothing can harm you, nothing can scratch your surface. You don't know what they could do to you. They could- (She stops as his father walks in.) FATHER (shaking his head) Aidan, I'm not completely sure I know what's going on, I'm not sure I want to. But I really think it would be for the best if you went to live with your aunt in Mammoth Lakes for awhile. I'm sure you can make many new friends. AIDAN (growing annoyed) I don't care if I have friends or not. I don't want to move up there. Nothing will happen to me. FATHER (as he reads another letter) And what's this about candles? It says you should light a candle for yourself, none of us could care if you ever light another for us. AIDAN After I pray for someone, I light a candle for them. The flame represents my prayer, burning strong. MOTHER (almost pleading with him)Aidan, do you really believe all that? I mean, realistically- AIDAN (cutting in, irritated) Yes- FATHER Aidan, It'll work out. Just listen to your mother. I know it'll work out. (Aidan shakes his head in disbelief, but stays silent.) (Aidan returns to the present as he realizes a brown-haired girl is speaking to him.) ANNA (smiling) Hi, I'm Anna. You're new here, aren't you? AIDAN (nodding) Yeah, I just moved here a few days ago. I'm Aidan, by the way. ANNA I hope you like it here. So where are you from? AIDAN Southern California, by Long Beach. Have you ever gone on break there? ANNA No, I wish. Perfect sunny weather and palm trees. That would be heaven. So what did you do there? AIDAN Skateboard. Everyone else in my high school was just a bunch of blunt-smoking, conforming Abercrombie pricks. That's not my deal. ANNA (skeptically, surprised)A straightedge skater? You're rare. AIDAN (laughs)Thanks, I guess. Most people only skate for the drugs and all that, and would spend their cash on a bag of weed rather than a new set of wheels for their board. It's pathetic. ANNA A hardcore man. So- (The teacher returns to the front of the room and starts speaking, causing Anna to cease talking.) (Aidan grabs his skateboard from his locker and slams it shut. He finds Anna standing next to him.) ANNA I just wanted you to meet my friend, Josh. He can give you a ride home, too, if you need one. AIDAN (nodding) Oh, yeah, sure. Thanks. ANNA He's great. Come on. (Aidan and Anna walk out of the school and across the cobble-stoned courtyard. Aidan sees a guy with shaggy brown hair leaning against a small black convertible, surrounded by a crowd of laughing friends.) ANNA (pointing at the guy) That's Josh, and that's his possee, as I call them. I think they would follow him off a cliff if they had the chance. AIDAN (looking at Josh as they neared him) Are you friends with all of them, too? ANNA (laughing cynnically) No, not even close. They all skate, but they're too wrapped up in the greeny green. They embody everything I hate to be. Josh is really nothing like them. Not the real Josh, atleast. AIDAN There was the same kind of crowd at my old school. It's as if their lifelong goal is to fit perfectly into a stereotype. (A few of Josh's friends catch sight of Anna walking up, and the rest immediately scatter. Josh smiles as his eyes take view of Anna coming towards him.) JOSH (taking her books) Hey Anna. (messing her hair) Ready to get away from here? ANNA (laughing) And what, ride into the clouds and fly among the stars? (gesturing towards Aidan) Oh, Josh, this is Aidan. He's new. JOSH Hey Aidan, what's going on? So what do you think of this place? AIDAN It's a lot better than my old school. It was so beat there. JOSH Yeah, well, it's not much better here. I think Anna's one of the few who go against the mold. Everyone else are just updated models of a copy machine. ANNA Can you give Aidan a ride home today, too? (Josh nods, and all climb into the car. Anna sits in the seat next to Josh, and Aidan takes a seat in the tan, leather interior behind them.) JOSH (as they are driving, to Anna) So do you actually want to go home today? ANNA (seriously, pondering for a moment)Yes, today I do. I want to get my mother's wrath over with, early. JOSH Well, why not introduce your Mom to Aidan? You know she'll be fine as long as he's around. (Aidan takes his eyes away from the cars and houses flying past to ask what they meant.) JOSH Just go over there today. You'll see it with your own eyes. (Aidan nods, though he is still very much confused.) (Josh pulls in front of Anna's large, white house, complete with flowers and tall, decorative grasses lining the path towards the glass front door. Anna and Aidan both exit the car. Anna enters her house first, and her mother catches sight of her.) ANNA'S MOTHER (accusingly)Were you with Josh today, Anna? I've told you a thousand times-(halting quickly, sees Aidan, sweet voice)Oh hi, who are you? AIDAN (reaching forward to shake her hand)Hi, I'm Aidan. Nice to meet you. ANNA'S MOTHER (graciously, tone completely changed)And the same. I'm so glad Anna is making new friends. She always seems to pick the wrong ones. Maybe you can help end that trend. ANNA (thoroughly irritated)Mom- AIDAN (recovering the situation)I really should be getting home. Nice meeting you, though. ANNA I'll just walk him out, Mom, and then I'm heading out to the library. (She turns away from her Mother, and rolls her eyes at Aidan as she reaches into a side closet and grabs a skateboard. They both walk out of the house and onto the white sidewalk, lining the neatly paved street.) ANNA I'll walk you home. The library isn't really my scene. I'd rather skate. AIDAN My thoughts exactly. So why does your mother hate Josh so much? ANNA (thinking for an instant)Josh has caused me to become myself, the "me" I actually like, not some fabricted little version my Mom wishes I would be. She wants me to be friends with her friends' kids, and I wouldn't even if my life depended on it. Josh is everything to me, though I doubt he knows it. My Mom really cannot stand that I'm happy. AIDAN Misery loves company. Since your Mom is so down, she wishes for you to feel the same. ANNA Exactly. She's always on my case, even for small matters. She's just bitter, though. But although she infuriates me, I pray everyday that all things will work out. (Aidan stops, a bit surprised.) AIDAN So do I, though that was the reason my parents exiled me here. Apparently high school kids hate those who speak their mind. ANNA (laughing sarcastically) You think? (more seriously) So that's why you moved here? I had been wondering. Most people don't see it as a happy place. Or atleast not the people who live in it. AIDAN (gesturing towards a dark brown house behind them)My parent's sent me to live with my aunt. (cynically, small laugh)People in my old school didn't understand me too well, I guess. I honestly don't think a single one believed in anything but themselves. ANNA I have to get back, but I'm really glad I met you, and I'm sure Josh is too. I'll see you tomorrow. AIDAN Yeah, you too. Bye. (Aidan, Anna, and Josh are in Aidan's bedroom. It is mostly dark, save for a small lamp, and the light from Aidan's television as he plays a skating videogame. Josh is occupied, with his back turned from the others, at a small table. Anna is lying on the bed, leafing through a magazine.) JOSH (Turning around) Hey Aidan, do you have a lighter around here? AIDAN (absently, absorbed in the game, gesturing at a few tall,cylindrical, white candles, with a red cross on each) Yeah,over by the white candles. JOSH Hey, man, what's with all the candles? AIDAN (taking his eyes off the screen)Oh, I light them when I pray for someone. (Aidan turns back to the television. Anna sharply watches Josh as he fiddles with the lighter.) ANNA (suddenly) Not here, Josh. His aunt will smell it. (Aidan glances over at him, as Josh lifts a joint to his lips. Aidan watches as the smoke swirls around Josh's face, obscuring his features.) JOSH What, never seen a joint? Aidan, this is the stuff with real punch. It'll clear your mind and show you the truth you crave. Not that book of your's.(he points at Aidan's weathered, old, Bible, lying on the red carpeted floor infront of the candles. AIDAN You have that all wrong. If you'd- ANNA (pointedly cutting him off)Smoke later, Josh. Aidan's aunt is downstairs. JOSH (staring at Aidan, still smoking) What, about to start preaching to me, like Anna does 24/7? AIDAN (fiercely)Stop thinking you're above us. You're far from it. ANNA Right, and I'm sure he knows that. He's sorry, Aidan, I'm sure- AIDAN (breaking in) What happens when you trip one day, and you stumble hard into the pavement? Anna won't always be around to bandage your bleeding lip. What then? Who will you cling to? JOSH (caught off guard)I'll- (defensively)I'm not an invalid. I can handle myself. ANNA (pulling Josh to his feet) We have to go.Sorry we have to leave so early, but this isn't really Josh talking. We'll see you, Aidan. I'm sorry about Josh, it isn't him after he smokes. I apologize. (She firmly guides Josh out the bedroom door.) (Anna and Josh step out onto the street, and Anna, outraged, turns toward Josh, looking him in the eye.) ANNA (yelling)Why did you smoke? And there, of all places. Did you have to humiliate yourself like that? Or did you want to show him you're superior or something? You are so twisted. You disgust me sometimes. (She begins to stalk off, but he grabs her arm before she can get far.) JOSH Why are you so serious? Can't you have any fun? I feel like I'm always under your harsh gaze all the time, and every action of mine is scrutinized and saved for closer review. You'd be better off with Aidan for a friend. (bitterly) Go read your Bibles together. (Josh marches off in the opposite direction, leaving Anna standing alone. Her gaze follows him until he leaves her scope of view, and she turns her face up towards the blue sky. The camera swivels around her, as if the sky, like her world, is swirling around her, while she remains isolated and still.) (Hours later, Aidan is attempting some tricks on a quarterpipe at a small skate park. Josh enters, skates over to him.) JOSH Hey Aidan. I thought I'd find you here. AIDAN (still skating, paying little attention to him)I'm not mad or whatever you think. Don't worry about it. Just chill. JOSH (skating next to him)How do you let things roll off you so fast? It's like you don't even care about anything. AIDAN (flipping around, concentrating very hard on his skating)I care about a lot of things.(stops and turns to Josh)I know you don't want to hear it, but just let me break it down. Having faith and believing in God is a lot like skating. (seeing Josh's bewildered face)Like, when you try a new trick, you have to trust that your board will be under you when you land. When you take a risk in life, you have to trust that He will come through and somehow make it all work out.(shruggng, getting back on his board)The same idea, atleast. JOSH No, I see what you mean. I can respect that, you and your faith deal. I only know one other person who would say something like that, and she's already given up on me. AIDAN She hasn't, Anna just gets fed up with you sometimes. You know, you're not a true skater if you do it just for the atmosphere. It's a way of life, not just a little scrap of it. JOSH I can't just drop my friends. It's not that easy. AIDAN You're not as weak as you think you are. And it's not just about giving up the drugs and all that. You can be an atheist and do that. You really have to believe, just saying it for other people isn't enough. Words can be lost in a second. JOSH (Aidan skates off) (to himself)It's not that easy, Aidan. It's a lot harder than you think. (It is now dark, night, and Josh is at a raging party, drinking, smoking, and laughing, with his other friends. By his loose movements, it is apparent he is out of control and can barely stand. The colorful lights gleaming brightly from red, yellow, green and blue lanterns strung over the doorway and windows swim before his eyes. Camera then cuts away to Anna, sitting up in her bed, back turned, sheets rumpled around her. The room is entirely dark, apart from the moonlight streaming onto her. Camera pans to show her laboriously writing something on a near crumbled piece of white, lined paper. Her face is tear stained, her hair disheveled. Again, the camera cuts away, but to Aidan, peacefully sound asleep. The camera pans over to his candles, which begin to flicker violently. Camera breaks away to Josh, almost stumbling, as he grabs his keys from his pocket and unlocks his car door. Then, at that exact moment, Anna, in her bedroom, reaches across her bed to a small nightstand and picks up a phone resting on its charger. Over to Josh, sitting in his car, ready to start the ignition, just as his cell phone rings. He answers it, his voice slurred.) ANNA (abruptly standing, worried) Josh, where are you? I'll come, stay there! (Anna talks to him for a few more seconds, folds up the paper she had been working on, scribbles "Josh" onto it, grabs a blue jacket and stuffs it into the pocket. She rushes quietly past her sleeping mother's bedroom, and hurries down the blue carpeted staircase. She spots the car keys on a wooden key rack in the kitchen, and eagerly pulls them off. Anna runs out to a dark blue Mercedes parked on the paved driveway. She then pulls up to the party, her hair and face looking a bit less unkempt, yet still very tousled, and parks near where Josh is standing. He opens the passenger door and climbs inside.) JOSH (completely sloshed, running his hands anxiuosly through his hair) Anna, maybe you should just leave me here. I can't walk into my house like this, I would never see daylight again. I look a wreck. Just drive back home, your Mom won't even realize you left yet. There is no way I can trudge into my house smelling like I just had a keg smashed over my head or looking like I haven't slept for days. ANNA (smoothing his hair,in a caring voice)Let's go to the waterfall. You can sleep for awhile. We haven't been there in so long, remember? Your parents will never know. (Anna stops the car after she parks in a densly wooded area. Water slapping off wet rocks is heard as both step out of the car. They walk around several tall, green pine trees as both take in the view of a mid-sized waterfall, running over dozens of flat, piled rocks. Anna spots a perfectly smooth, large rock, away from the cold spray of the water. Josh stumbles a bit as he navigates up the rocks, and Anna reaches for his hand, keeping him steady. Anna releases her hand as both arrive to the rock, spreads her coat out and they sit, their feet dangling over the rock.) JOSH (catching sight of a brown shack, with tiny, glowing, white lights strung through the finger-like branches of pine trees fanning over the shack) (pointing at the lights) Remember when we put those up? It was almost four years ago, I think. I can't believe people still turn them on. ANNA (nodding) I remember. Everything was so much different then. JOSH Everything was so much better then. ANNA (sitting up straighter, turning to face him) Why did you do all that, tonight? I know you're blind to it, but you're going to end up worse than where you started. JOSH (also sitting up, next to her, calm, not angry sounding)Don't lecture me if you've never tried it, Anna. You have no idea how you feel when you have it. Your mind crystallizes and all is perfect, no matter whether it is even for a minute. You feel as if not a single one of your problems can hurt you and absolutely nothing can prick you. ANNA But then all that bruises you comes flying right back in full force. You still have to deal with the same problems-just later on. JOSH (tired, worn-out)I don't want to deal with it now, ok? Let's just let it go for awhile.(He rubs his temples with his palms, and squeezes his eyes tightly shut) ANNA (lightly) See? And above all else, it makes your head hurt.(smiling)If you really crave that feeling, you can simply come talk to me. I make everyone's head pound. (Josh looks up at her, a small smile creeping from the corners of his lips. He lays back onto Anna's jacket, and she does the same, lying close.) JOSH (incredibly)I can't believe your Mom let you take the car out this late, and especially to come rescue me. ANNA (laughing mischievously) Well, she's really hard to wake up, so I took the liberty of just grabbing the keys myself. (biting her lip impishly) I mean, I just didn't want to wake her from her beauty sleep. JOSH (laughing) You seriously called at the right time, though. Driving just wouldn't have flied too well. Thanks, and I really mean that, Anna. But, honestly, how are you? ANNA (silent, thinking, then, very slow, deliberate sounding) Ok, I think. Ok. (not smiling) JOSH (He turns on his side to face her, both very close to each other. He takes notice of some fireflies gliding around them.) I haven't seen fireflies since ever. ANNA (also looking at them) Did you know that's their mating call? JOSH (to the fireflies, grinning) Oh, get a room already, you bad boys. And I hope you're all married. (Anna laughs, and she rests her palm on the side of his face. They both shut their eyes, falling asleep. The scene fades out, showing the fireflies still whirling around them, the white lights, shining like little stars amid the black sky, and last, Josh and Anna serenely sleeping.) (It is presently early morning, mist surrounding much of the waterfall, the sky a light gray. The camera shows Anna and Josh, still sleeping, Anna's head resting beneath Josh's. The sound of the waterfall begins to wake her, and she stirs.) ANNA (opening her eyes, suddenly realizing) Shoot, Josh, wake up! I have to get the car home! Josh (sluggishly waking, tired) Allright, let's go. (He stays very silent, obviously very drained and exhausted.) (They both walk to Anna's car, and drive back to the party from the night before. She parks, and both step out of the car, and walk over to Josh's car.) ANNA (looking at the car) Are you ok to drive home? JOSH (shivering from the cold) Yeah, just a little headache. I'm fine. ANNA ( noticing how chilled he is) Here, take my coat. You're freezing. (She wraps her coat around him.) I'll see you tomorrow, then. (She turns to walk away, but he speaks up, stopping her.) JOSH (sincerely) Anna, thank you. I know you don't believe it, but I do listen to you, and I'll try hader to cut it out, I promise. ANNA (a bit unsure) My Mom's awake by now. JOSH Tell her it's all my fault, that I forced you to come. ANNA (small smile) I'm not afraid of her, Josh. I've been the cause of all of her shouts. What's another one? (lightly punching him in the shoulder) I'll see ya, Joshie. JOSH (grinning, and wrapping her into a huge hug) Bye, Annie, I'll talk to you later. (Josh watches as she gets in her car, and drives off. He unlocks his car door, places Anna's coat in the passenger seat, and sits inside. He glances over at her coat, and sees a white paper with his name scribbled onto it protruding from a pocket. He pulls it out, and opens it.) JOSH (reading to himself, Anna's voice overlaps as Josh's eyes absorb every word.) Why let it scare you so much? Too terrified To move your shaking limbs Up the escalating steps. You think you're a crumbled heap No chance to emerge intact Though from over here My ever noticing eyes haven't caught A glimpse of a fault. Instead you let life push you away. Always bating the worst You sit on the sidelines. Already bruised Too many scars Left lingering on your mind. Why do you let life intimidate you? You're always so motionless Wasting your precious time With meaningless diversions. Don't let life push you away. There's still some light left over Waiting for you Ready to take you back in From where you fell off. (Josh looks up, almost gasping for breath, and reads Anna's poem over again and again.) (Camera then cuts away to Josh driving, way over the speed limit, on a car-less straight of way. The screen splits into two, and on the left, Aidan is urgently reading his Bible, with two tall candles clustered infront of him. In Josh's frame, he suddenly tightly shuts his eyes and releases his hands from the steering wheel. the screen then splits again, showing Anna, in the middle, walking into her house, the car keys dangling nervously from her fingers. She flings the door open, and the sight of her mother sitting directly infornt of her leaves her completely frozen. Her mother, sitting cooly at a wooden table, begins to yell. The keys in Anna's hand fall to the floor with the weight of a thousand bricks. On the left, In Aidan's screen, he flicks a lighter, a bright flame emergining, and silently lights both candles. At that moment, as her mother's shouts intensify, Anna hands curl around a cup with the words, "I LOVE YOU MOMMY", drawn onto it. In one unhesitated motion, she hurtles it across the room, violently smashing it into the wall. In Josh's frame, the sudden blast of a car horn is heard blaring. He blinks his eyes open to glimpse a large truck puling across his path. He jams both feet hard on the brake, the car stopping within a foot of the white side of the truck. Shaking, he collapses in relief onto the steering wheel. His screen disappears, leaving Aidan's on the left and Anna's on the right. Anna races from the house, shoving the door open as she escapes. Her screen also breaks away, leaving only Aidan's. He places the two candles on his desk, both flickering, almost as if their flames were troubled.) (Josh is lying on his black blanketed bed, staring at his pure white ceiling. He jumps up, startled, as Anna rushes in, near-hysterical, crying. Her hugs her as her tears drip onto his shoulders.) JOSH (trying to act calm)Anna?! What happened? What's wrong? ANNA (pulling herself away) My Mom- I don't want to go back there. JOSH (smoothing her hair) What happened? What did she say? ANNA (shaking, looks up at him, her face tear-stained)She's beyond reasoning. (voice pitching louder) I can't manage anymore or I'll crack in half. Everything hurts right now. (She suddenly spots Josh's lighter lying on his desk and jerks her hand toward it. She grabs it and quickly opens his right desk drawer, pulling a little white joint from it. Josh rips it from her hand and crumbles it into his palm.) ANNA (shouting)It always makes you so happy. Everyone smokes anymore. Why can't I? JOSH (disgusted, reaching into the drawer, pulling them all out and crumbling them) You're too strong for that, Anna. It's only for the weakest of people who want to hide, to run away from all that bothers them. It's for losers, like me, who pretend they're better than everyone else and can't make their own good time. You're not that low, Anna. You'll never be. ANNA (crumbling to the floor) I can't do any of this anymore. It kills, it really does, and nothing will help. JOSH (shaking his head, sitting on the bed, facing her) Why are you so negative? What about God and everything you've told me? That as long as you have faith you can get through anything, and life will never be smooth sailing, but you'll always have enough strength to ride through even the heaviest of waves. (taking a breath, words pouring out) If anyone, you are the one who can ride through all of this. Whenever something bad happened, I always came to you and you helped me and you never let me give in or give up. I never followed all of your faith advice, I know, but I always listened to every syllable and every bit of advice you spoke. Every word meant so much. Now you need to take you own advice and follow it. I always did and I somehow managed to make it through every trouble I ever had. If you let go of all you believe in because of one person, your Mom, then you never really believed at all. ANNA (looks up at Josh, the faint glimmer of a smile at her lips. She takes his hand and pulls him to the floor with her.)Then we have to pray. That's the only way to make it allright. JOSH (turning uncomfortable) Anna, I really don't think I- ANNA Just try it, okay? Why not? Unless you've turned satanist or something on me? JOSH
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