29.
She hands him a cigarette and the lighter. He
watches her leave, then looks at the lighter.
seven.
A common room. Quinn, Irene, Jay, and
NICOLE—16, cute, blonde, seemingly always
smiling—sit on the floor around a table, playing
a card game. However, the cards (of which
everyone holds six) aren't playing cards at all,
but trading cards, from the movie Batman
Forever.
As they play, they drink from soda bottles
spiked with a flask Irene hides near her hip.
(The girls may have drank more than the boys.)
The cards, Quinn's notebook, Irene’s cigarettes
and Jay’s Yankees cap are on the table.
Quinn examines three cards. Nicole takes a drink
from her bottle, cringes; Jay notices. Finally,
Quinn makes his choice, holds one up.
QUINN
Crashing The Party takes it.
NICOLE
Woo!
IRENE
No! No, this is...how do I not have a single point? You're all doing something here, giving
some... signal. Card-sharps one and all.
NICOLE
What's the difference between a card-sharp and a card-shark?
JAY
Irene, when playing Batman Forever, you have to play the player as much as the cards.
IRENE
I was! (shows her card) Batman and Nicole Kidman kissing! Stupid romance! It's Quinn!
30.
JAY
Yeah, but that's full-out romance. That scares Quinn.
QUINN
Am I still here? Can anyone see me?
JAY
(showing Nicole's card)
Whereas Nicole played this. Colorful, abstract, and, most importantly...sorta poetic.
Quinn's true weak point.
QUINN
Wow. That...that actually stung.
JAY
Never let people know you, Quinn. 'Sthe only way to get stung. (to Nicole) But, wellplayed, m'lady. Such strategizing. Do you know any game theory?
NICOLE
I'm more of an artsy gal.
QUINN
Jay's semi-artsy. He writes sci-fi, though, of course, that'll be just a side project to his
many businesses.
JAY
Okay, Quinn. (to Nicole) I don’t really advertise all this.
NICOLE
How many businesses (drinks, cringes) do you plan on starting?
JAY
As....(embarrassed, trying not to be) As many as it takes to make me a billionaire. I can
get you another soda if you spiked that too strongly.
NICOLE
Why would you/
JAY
You cringe when you drink.
31.
NICOLE
I don't know what you're talking about. In fact, there's far too much Fanta in my Vodka
Fanta. (Katherine Hepburn-ish accent) Irene, deah, would you pahss the flask heah?
IRENE
High-class British? No, it's...Northeastern Patrician?
NICOLE
Yeah! It's good, right? Woulda been perfect for the scene you and James did. I'm jealous.
IRENE
Don't be. If I'm murdered in the next couple weeks, just assume James did it.
NICOLE
He's not that bad.
QUINN
I dunno. He does remind me of a kid I knew who used to kill squirrels.
Nicole laughs, way too loudly. Jay tries to laugh
along. Irene passes the flask to Nicole. Over the
next few lines, everyone but Quinn takes a
replacement card from the pile.
NICOLE
Card shark, card sharp, seriously, what's the difference?
JAY
Nicole, darlin', there isn’t one. No difference. I swear.
NICOLE
What? No, that can’t be right. (drinks, trying not to cringe) Did you call me darlin'?
IRENE
Next round!
Nicole faces away from the other three, who
each slip a card under Jay's hat. Quinn knocks
the table twice. She turns around, looks at the
cards awhile.
32.
IRENE (CONT’D)
Nicole?
NICOLE
Thinking. There's so much of each of you in these cards. (to Quinn) This game you
invented is deep, man.
JAY
Actually, I invented it. And discovered these cards, abandoned in the Stratego box.
QUINN
Jay is the deep one.
NICOLE
M aybe. (lays out the three cards) Yet Jay's card is the most superficial. He doesn't think
others can think as complicated about themselves as he does himself. Did that make
sense? I am a (sing-song) lil' tips. (drinks) That's why Jay put out the Drew Barrymore
card. He thought I'd pick her cause I look sorta like her, except I'd never wear my hair in
doll curls like that. Ugh. (drinks) Quinn picked Bye-Bye Batcave because it's pretty, but
goofy too, what with Jim Carrey making a dumb face in the background. So he can like it
but not like it like it, like. And Irene picked The Riddler in a silver suit because...he kinda
looks sexy in it. (beat) Did I pick those right?
QUINN AND IRENE
JAY
You are very good at Batman Forever.
Yeah.
IRENE
Impressive, but which card wins?
NICOLE
Oh God, the game. Um...Irene wins.
IRENE
(pumping her fist)
Yeah! (notices she just pumped her fist, feels a little mortified) Wait, this was a pity
point, wasn't it?
Nicole smiles. Quinn looks at his notebook.
33.
QUINN
Seems like a good time to quit. Irene is...not scoreless, Jay's in third, and I am one behind
our winner, Nicole.
IRENE
Want a victory cigarette? (to Quinn) Sorry, I only have two.
QUINN
I don't smoke.
NICOLE
All the easier. (stands up) We'll be right back after these messages.
JAY
We'll stay tuned!
Awkward beat. The girls go off.
JAY (CONT’D)
Holy shit, that was the corniest thing I've ever said. I'm failing on all cylinders. And you
are a terrible wing man.
QUINN
You weren’t doing that badly with her.
JAY
She probably only likes white guys.
QUINN
She’s from Nebraska. She’s probably only ever seen white guys.
JAY
If I hear that you’ve done anything with her, Quinn/
QUINN
What?
JAY
You’re weak as fuck, and I’ve taken boxing lessons. Just because Nicole likes you doesn't
mean you're allowed to have her too.
QUINN
I don't have anyone. Why are you the rule-maker, Jay?
34.
JAY
Because we’re friends. Because...because I’m not as confident as I seem.
QUINN
You understand...no girl has ever showed interest in me before this summer, right?
JAY
Your probabilities are limited. Aren't there like ten girls in your high school? Or was that
ten on your whole island? (beat) Please, Quinn. Anyone but the pizza princess of
Omaha,.
QUINN
Is that what her dad does?
JAY
Dude, they’re Greeks.
QUINN
Greeks own pizzerias?
JAY
Sometimes...sometimes I swear you just arrived on Earth from, like, the smallest planet
that can sustain life. (beat) Fuck. That way she shudders when she drinks liquor's so...I
can’t stand it. I could ruin her, man. I want to. (stands) Curfew's coming. I'mma go write.
Apparently, I'm presenting tomorrow.
QUINN
You know, you might have a chance if you didn't always pull all-nighters to do this. Is it
gonna be another episode of the Parralux Saga?
JAY
We'll just have to see how the Dust Engine bends. (putting out his fist) Peace.
Jay gives Quinn dap, leaves. Quinn rushes to his
notebook. A moment later, Nicole enters,
unnoticed, as he writes.
QUINN
(writing Jay's words down)
"I'm not as confident as I seem." (laughs) Who talks that way?
35.
Quinn looks up, sees Nicole. She takes a sip of
her drink, cringes.
NICOLE
Hey.
QUINN
Hey. Where's Irene?
NICOLE
I don't know. She didn't even smoke with me...just gave me a cig and walked away.
QUINN
(knowingly)
Huh. I wonder why. (beat) Jay's up in his room. Writing. (beat) Curfew's coming up.
Nicole does the yawn-and-put-arm-aroundshoulder move on Quinn. Laughs.
NICOLE
Is that weird? M e making the move? I don't mean to, like, feminize you. It must be hard
enough being a boy named Quinn.
QUINN
It's fine. And 80 percent of Quinns are boys.
NICOLE
Huh. (beat) I like you, Quinn. And Irene, for all her charms, has a boyfriend.
QUINN
You don't?
NICOLE
Not one who matters. And I'm sure our scene's dynamic won't be affected too much if we
do...stuff...even if we're playing brother and sister. (beat, looks at her watch) So. Want to
make out for fifteen minutes?
QUINN
Yes?
eight.
36.
An acting studio. Nicole, seated on a chair, holds
and sometimes strokes a large pillow (standing
in for the head of her sleeping boyfriend, Ian)
and emotes in an inconsistent British accent.
NICOLE
Ian. Ian are you asleep? (beat) Bloody well good you are, all the good I am to you when
you're awake. (whispers) Ian. Ian, I know I'm not half good enough for you. Oh, I have
looks, for now, but I know what's in me, and it's cruel and angry and spiteful. I'm trying
to be good to you, I bloody am, but I didn't make myself this way, and I (too flat on her
accent) cun't...(corrects herself) can't seem to...
Beat. She tenderly, gently, kisses "Ian's" hand,
replaces it carefully across his body.
NICOLE (CONT’D)
I'll let you fall asleep before me every night when we live together, I will. So I can do this.
So I can fill your dreams with all the love I (carefully) can't give you when we're awake.
She pats the pillow, suddenly feels ridiculous
about it, laughs.
NICOLE (CONT’D)
(out, and out of character)
I'm so sorry, Katja! Can I do it again without the pillow?
nine, parts one and two.
Night. A distant corner of the End of the World;
an unkempt bench, the shadows of trees. Irene,
on the bench, flicks her lighter, looking up at the
sky through a clearing. Quinn, with his
notebook, enters. Having interrupted each
other's attempt at solitude, they look at each
other. After an awkward moment, Quinn thinks
something needs to be said.
QUINN
The stars are...they're really out tonight.
Irene smirks, half-rolls her eyes.
37.
QUINN (CONT’D)
What?
IRENE
You could look up at stars like this almost every night if you wanted to. You and me are
from small places, Quinn. We're meant to run to brighter lights, away from the stars.
QUINN
I dunno. If we run, we’ll miss this, eventually. Future, bright lights me already regrets
that current me never learned any constellations.
IRENE
(pointing upward)
Cassiopeia. Ursa M ajor, of course. And Orion, the hunter.
QUINN
That was way too quick.
IRENE
They’re up there. Just...not necessarily where I pointed. (beat) The future is going to be
great. I’ll live in Brooklyn, if I don’t end up settling in Paris. Depends how much I like
my junior year abroad there, of course.
QUINN
Of course. Bien sûr.
IRENE
What?
QUINN
You don't speak any French?
IRENE
No. That's, like, the point of going to Paris. (beat) Wherever I end up, I know I’m gonna
struggle. I might even have to model.
Quinn laughs.
IRENE (CONT’D)
Or be a barista in an independent coffeeshop, or tend bar at some forgotten joint where all
the customers will be men and all the men’ll call me sugar. It won't be easy.
(MORE)
38.
IRENE (CONT’D)
As I'm, like, bouncing checks and fleeing apartments in the middle of the night and even
missing my mom and my shitty hometown for no good reason, I know I'll be asking
myself, “Iris, is it really worth it?” But, it will be. It will be a beautiful life.
QUINN
You’ve got it all planned out.
IRENE
It’s not a plan. It’s an idea. You don’t have one?
QUINN
No. I’m just...enjoying myself right now, for the first time in forever. That’s all I know. I
keep having these dreams...they've very real. Like, they're just days in this July that
didn't happen.
IRENE
What?
QUINN
Days that could have happened, y'know? Like, it’ll be acting class, but we're working on
a different script...or we’re in the common room, but we’re playing Uno.
IRENE
Why would we ever not be playing Batman Forever?
QUINN
I don’t know. Dream logic.
IRENE
What about me?
QUINN
You’re there as much as you are here. Though you are slightly nicer in my dreams.
Beat.
IRENE
They sound like super-boring dreams.
39.
QUINN
I’m just expanding the time. When July is over, I'm back to...I dunno. To a small island.
To my own head. I have less to go back to than you.
IRENE
You'll be fine. Just stay in the lighthouse another two years, and college will solve all
your problems.
QUINN
Two years. (beat) Have you ever thought of suicide?
IRENE
What? No. (beat) I mean, when I was really depressed, sometimes I'd think of dying in,
like, a car accident, painlessly...but I never thought of doing it to myself. Took too much
initiative. (beat) You haven't.
QUINN
(holding out the scar on his left forearm)
"Why do you deny things you don’t know?"
IRENE
No. Quinn/
QUINN
Sorry I lied, before. But, see, it's nowhere near my wrist, I was only...testing what would
happen. And then I didn't have the courage to play it out, either. I told my parents the lie
I told you, with the tree branch. They didn't ask any questions.
IRENE
When was this?
QUINN
I dunno. February?
Irene hits Quinn in the chest.
IRENE
Don't you (hits him again) fucking do that. Don't you (hits him again) ever fucking do
anything like that again. You have books to write and places to explore and...your life
isn't just your fucking stupid teenaged now, okay? (grabs Quinn's hand, hard) Say you
won't.
40.
QUINN
I won't.
She kisses him. Beat. Both look surprised.
QUINN (CONT’D)
That was an actual kiss.
IRENE
I know.
QUINN
Does that/
IRENE
I don’t know. Just...stay normal.
QUINN
I’ve never been normal. How do I start? What did that/
IRENE
QUINN, I don't know. M y lips moved themselves, like a Ouija board. Let it breathe.
Pause. They sit on the grass; Irene rests her
head on Quinn's lap.
QUINN
I saw my own handwriting the other day.
IRENE
I’ve seen it too. It’s really bad, like a secret code.
QUINN
No, not like...I saw what looked just like my handwriting, on the wall of the phone booth
of my dorm, okay? My handwriting, scrawled on a wall of a place I’d never been before.
Isn't that crazy?
Irene laughs.
QUINN (CONT’D)
Hey, this is meaningful. What, you think I’d just make this up?
41.
IRENE
Of course you didn’t make it up. It was just someone else's handwriting is all.
QUINN
You have no sense of magic.
IRENE
It is magic that there is someone else in the world, let alone New England, with
handwriting as bad as yours. Why does it have to mean something? What did it say? (no
reply) You told your story. What did the writing say?
QUINN
“Call your mother.”
IRENE
And did you? (no reply) After all that, you didn’t even listen to your future past self?
QUINN
I don’t understand how I can like you when you’re so intentionally irritating so often.
IRENE
You irritate me too. I’m in irritation with you. We're in a state of passionate irritation.
(looks up at the stars) You're right. It is a really beautiful night. I think/
Her thoughts are stopped by Quinn, who boldly
kisses her and gets on top of her.
IRENE (CONT’D)
Easy! You’re gonna give me grass stains.
Quinn rises to his knees.
IRENE (CONT’D)
I didn’t say stop. Let’s....let’s...make love. (laughs) Do people really say that without
laughing? It doesn't matter. I mean it. Don’t fuck me. I’ve been fucked. M ake love to me,
Quinn. I don't think I’ve ever had that.
QUINN
Irene...Iris, I’ve never made love or fucked.
42.
IRENE
I know. (kisses him) But you'll know the difference. You pay attention to things. (lying
down) All that said, don’t be afraid to yank my hair.
QUINN
Does that mean yank your hair, or/
Irene gently puts her hand on Quinn’s lips,
silencing him.
IRENE
Just come here. There's nothing to fear.
Scene fades out as Quinn lowers his lips to hers.
After a extended darkness, lights fade up. Irene,
blank-faced, is buttoning her shirt; Quinn,
happy, has a cigarette in his hand. They don't
face each other, although Quinn sneaks glances
at Irene's inscrutable face. A moment passes like
this. Quinn puts the cigarette over his ear.
QUINN
I want to smoke but it seems, y'know, cliched. To smoke right after sex.
Quinn picks up the lighter from off the grass,
lights his cigarette. Unnoticed by Quinn, Irene
starts to silently cry.
QUINN (CONT’D)
But most cliches exist for a reason, right? (inhales with pleasure, coughs a bit, exhales)
Can't believe I let you get me hooked. (semi-sings, from Wilco's "M isunderstood")
"Cigarettes taste so good...but you're so misunderstood..." I am noticing your silence, by
the way. I can fill it up, it's fine, but I wanted you to know I noticed. I really only blabber
like this when/
Quinn finally notices that Irene is crying.
QUINN (CONT’D)
Hey, Iris, what's wrong? (no reply) Iris/
43.
IRENE
STOP calling me that!
Irene grabs Quinn's cigarette, smokes.
QUINN
Okay. Irene, then. Fine name, always liked it. Irene? Can you tell me what's wrong?
IRENE
Nothing.
QUINN
Nothing. That's...nice to hear, but random crying might constitute a problem too.
IRENE
I wish you could talk less right now. Fewer words, smaller words. (beat) Tomorrow's
Sunday. I'll go to church. The only nearby one is Unitarian, but only me and Catholic
God need to know I'm having Catholic thoughts and making Catholic prayers.
QUINN
What are you praying for?
IRENE
We can't do that again.
QUINN
Did I do something wrong? (beat) You can't do this. You can't just dump your guilt on
me.
IRENE
I'm not/
QUINN
It's not fair.
IRENE
It's not! I'm sorry! But I can't make it fair! (almost breathlessly) I'm sorry I got caught up
in your words and the stars and this place and the feeling that maybe this is a Special July
and we're all Special young people when we're really here because your parents were
worried about you and I was afraid I wouldn't survive another summer lifeguarding and
fighting with my mom. (breathes) I'm sorry I let my guard down long enough to let all the
fucking magic in and let you in...it was so unfair to you.../
44.
QUINN
Please stop.
IRENE
But the moment you rolled off me and told me you loved me, again, it was like....like the
curtain fell, right off the rungs. I don't even feel guilty. Just stupid.
QUINN
You're not stupid.
IRENE
I wasn't/
QUINN
You're being stupid now, but that's because...I don't know why! I don't know what you're
doing or how real this place is, or if it's changed you, but I know how I feel about you.
That is real, no matter why we're here. You can't just...knock that away.
Quinn touches her hand. She moves it away.
IRENE
I know what you think this month means to you/
QUINN
Don't do this.
IRENE
But you won't always be so isolated...so alone. I'm not special either/
QUINN
You don't get to decide that.
IRENE
Someday you'll struggle to remember my name. And sure, you'll remember me,
eventually, but only because you never forget your first. (beat) It's really late. I'm going
to get another warning. We'll talk about this, okay?
QUINN
Why? About what? There's nothing real here, right?
45.
IRENE
Quinn!
Quinn storms off. Irene breathes, looks up at
the stars.
ten.
One of the two theaters of the Deep River Cine.
Quinn and Jay, holding a giant bag of popcorn,
seated before a movie. Jay points at the screen.
JAY
Brad Pitt.
QUINN
Jay...a three-year-old could get that. M ovie scrambles aren't supposed to be difficult.
JAY
I know. But I got it before you did. I won.
QUINN
I wasn't...(beat) Do you think I could pull off "Q?" You know, like, as a nickname?
Beat. Jay laughs wildly.
QUINN (CONT’D)
Okay. "No" would've worked.
JAY
Q is the Omar Epps character from Juice. Or the dude with the devices from the Bond
flicks. Q sounds like...like a man of mystery. You're not that. You're...you're Quinn.
QUINN
I've got mysteries. You don't even know what my middle name is.
JAY
Look, I've never met a dude named Quinn before, but you just are a Quinn. It fits you.
QUINN
It did, once. But, (Parralux voice) "After the Dust Engine, I'm not who I once was."