Backgammon

---

[Birds chirping]

[Sighs]

[Sizzling]

- Good morning.

- Hey.

You mean, good afternoon?

Afternoon.

A bacon sandwich?

- [Clanking]

- No.

A bacon sandwich?

No, thanks.

You should.

It'll make you feel better.

[Woman hums]

[Clanking]

Things haven't exactly

turned out well

after last night.

Somehow I guessed

they wouldn't have.

Andrew left a note to say

that he was so embarrassed

by me and Gerald

that he is going

back to school early.

He said that I'm,

"the stupidest person

he has every met,"

and that he will meet you

at college.

Gerald's left as well.

Or rather...

I threw him out last night.

[Chuckles]

I'm sure he won't be

returning either.

That's good.

I know it is.

Are you sure?

Yes...

Yes.

Intellectually and emotionally,

I'm sure.

But...

I've relied on the bastard

for the last five years.

So it feels pretty strange.

Leaves all kinds

of complications.

And what about Beth?

I saw her on the stairs

this morning.

I caught up with her

halfway down,

so you probably

wouldn't have heard

the poor girl

expressing her opinions.

She got up on her own, I guess.

She was looking for you.

She saw the two of us.

You did tell her

it wasn't what it looked like.

Of course I tried.

She wasn't in the mood

to listen.

I meant to go up to her,

but we started playing cards...

And the door was locked.

F***ing door was locked.

[Whispers]

I'm so screwed.

Perhaps it's for the best.

No.

You may be happy

to be rid of Gerald,

but I'm not so happy

to lose Beth.

I...

I should call her.

Do you love her?

Yes.

I think so.

No, really.

Do you?

Is it really the end

of the world

that she thinks

you've been unfaithful?

If you're meant to be together,

you'll get over this.

Don't worry,

she isn't gonna say anything

to anyone.

She'd look stupid.

You're welcome to stay here

as long as you'd like.

No matter how bad things seem

right now,

they'll be a little easier

by tonight.

And tomorrow

they'll be even better still.

Doesn't change the fact

that I'll still have

to call her.

How pathetic will you sound?

If she really loves you,

she'll come back

and ask for your side

of the story.

Let her prove her love.

- Hey.

- Hey, what's up?

Uh, nothing.

- I was looking for you.

- Oh.

Listen, I think I'm gonna

head back to the dorm,

first thing tomorrow.

- Really?

- Yeah.

You just got here.

Yeah, I know,

but I can't stand it anymore

is the problem.

What do you mean?

This is your house.

- You like it here. It's why we came.

- Yeah, I know.

But it's my sister's boyfriend,

that fuckhead.

I didn't know that he'd be here.

I can't stand the guy.

[Man]

He's not a bad artist.

He's a pretentious a**hole

is what he is.

All he f***ing does

is quote French poetry.

Anyway, I know that you won't

get to see Elizabeth again

for a while,

so you two can stay if you want.

No, if you're leaving

we'll leave as well, so...

- Come on.

- No.

I can't.

But you two stay.

That's fine.

And you don't think

you're sister won't mind?

Miranda?

No.

She could care less

about anything.

Come on, it's just

one more night.

Okay, listen, can we step away

from the nude paintings

of my sister, please?

Let's go.

By the way, Elizabeth is over

there by herself with those two.

So, hurry up.

- Let's go.

- Yeah.

[Man]

Green shadows,

the moist evenings of summer.

The man's depth of thought.

- Shut the f*** up, Gerald.

Expressions...

[laughs]

He's always quoting,

as my British uncle would say,

"bloody, Baudelaire."

- Hey, Gerald?

- Hmm?

Did the moist green shadows

remind you of that quote,

or did the quote create them?

Hey, Lucian, just be quiet.

[Miranda]

He's too tedious.

Oh, you do embarrass me

with your compliments.

Oh, my god,

you're far too self-obsessed.

[Laughs]

It's the height of bad manners

to leave your guests

to entertain themselves.

- Good bye, Andrew.

- [Andrew] F*** you.

[Miranda]

Andrew!

- Ugh!

- [Gerald] Well...

I need a new drink.

A real one.

This is getting far too...

Terrible.

[Elizabeth]

Yeah, you know what?

I'm actually,

I'm gonna go upstairs.

Even though it's early,

I'm going to bed.

I'll be there in a minute.

I hope Elizabeth appreciates

that Gerald was just

trying to upset her.

You shouldn't give him

that satisfaction.

Yeah.

She seems a bit high-strung.

Maybe.

I don't know.

I mean, convincing her to come

wasn't easy,

but until a few moments ago,

things were going great.

What's the problem

between you two?

There's no problem.

Of course there is.

I'm not stupid.

I just have to be back

at school on Monday.

I won't see her for a while.

I thought she was at Yale

with you and Andrew.

No, not quite.

She's...

She's at Berkley.

Other side of the country.

Hmm.

Are you trying to keep your

relationship going long distance?

- We're trying.

- Hmm.

I should go see

if Beth is all right.

Oh, I think she's just fine.

I might turn in early as well,

I'm tired and I need some sleep.

Ahh, sleep.

Every evening's

sinister adventure.

Well, thank you.

I'll see you guys later.

Hmm.

Lucian?

I'm sorry.

You don't have to baby me,

it's all right.

Go hang out with Gerald.

I don't wanna

hang out with Gerald.

Why not? He's an artist,

just like you want to be.

I don't want to be an artist.

You changed your major to art.

Art history.

I told you.

I haven't

officially changed it yet.

I was just thinking about it.

[Sighs]

What are you gonna do

with an art history degree?

With an engineering degree,

your dad could get you a job

right after college.

I mean, you wanted that, right?

I don't know.

You sound stupid.

Like already in college,

just decide.

You've changed.

Well, it's been five months.

So, yeah...

I have changed a little bit.

But it's still me.

Five months ago,

you wouldn't have

wanted anything to do

with somebody like Gerald,

or Miranda...

Come on. He's just trying to

get a reaction out of us.

And if we run away, he wins.

We can't let that a**hole win.

Right?

I don't care.

I don't know him. I don't even

know what we're doing here.

I thought it would be fun.

Come on...

We could still

go get dinner in town.

Maine clams, lobster...

Let's get out of here

for a while.

No. No. No.

I'm not hungry, I'm exhausted.

[Miranda]

How ls Elizabeth?

Oh, she's all right.

We were just...

Wondering what to do

about dinner tonight.

[Gerald]

Well!

What wonderful events have

we planned for this evening?

It's lovely to see that you

haven't gone to bed yet.

- [Laughs]

- I was about to...

Not before we've consumed vast

quantities of alcohol, right?

We've been drinking

all day, and yesterday.

Oh...

We've hardly

even started, Lucian.

Oh, some for me.

Here we go.

Here you go.

That right.

There you go, my dear.

Who... well...

I propose a game of cards.

Oh, I don't know, I...

Huh?

What?

I guess I can play

for a few minutes, yeah.

That's right.

That's good.

So...

What should we play for?

Rate this script:4.0 / 1 vote