Black Swan Page #6

Come on! I’m about to burst!

Nina quickly balls up the peeled skin and throws it away.

She opens the door.

30.

Lily pushes in.

LILY (CONT’D)

Hey! Look who it is.

Lily closes the door behind her and locks it.

LILY (CONT’D)

I’m Lily, by the way. Don’t think

we’ve officially met.

NINA:

(rattled)

Nina.

LILY:

Our New Swan Queen! That is so

huge! You must be freaking out.

NINA:

Yeah...

Lily slides her PANTIES out from under her dress and puts

them in her clutch.

NINA (CONT’D)

I should probably get back.

LILY:

Stay. Keep me company.

Lily starts to refresh her makeup.

Nina stays put for a second, uncertain.

NINA:

Excuse me.

31.

She opens the door and steps out, where she’s immediately met

by Leroy.

LEROY (O.S.)

Ah, there you are.

Lily closes the door behind her.

38 EXT. UPPER EAST SIDE APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT 38

Leroy escorts Nina out. It’s a couple hours later and she’s

tipsy. She stumbles a little and grabs onto Leroy.

NINA:

I think I drank too much. All those

toasts...

LEROY:

You did well.

NINA:

Really?

LEROY:

They tried to eat you alive, but

here you are, in one piece.

NINA:

(melting)

I guess.

LEROY:

I’ll get you a cab. Where you

going?

NINA:

Oh, Upper West Side.

LEROY:

Why don’t you come to my place

first? It’s on the way.

She gives him a coy glance, reading between the lines and

hiding her excitement.

LEROY (CONT’D)

For a drink. Unless you’ve had

enough.

NINA:

No, that’s good.

He starts to look for a cab.

32.

MRS. BRINSON (O.S.)

Thomas!!!

They turn, see Mrs. Brinson, the host of the party, standing

at the door.

MRS. BRINSON (CONT’D)

You need to say hello to Karen

Halloway before you disappear.

She’s from Texas. Correction: she

is Texas.

LEROY:

(to Nina)

A minute more of ass-kissing. Wait

here.

He runs back inside to say his goodbyes.

Nina smiles after him, giddy and anxious.

She notices a slender figure watching her from the shadows of

the adjoining doorway. In the dark, she looks like Nina.

NINA:

(concerned)

Hello?

Spotted, the figure backs up, seeming to disappear.

Nina cautiously approaches, but can’t see anyone.

She gets closer to the doorway...and someone JUMPS OUT,

startling her.

It’s Beth, drunk and shivering. Cheeks streaked with mascara.

NINA (CONT’D)

Beth? What are you doing out here?

Beth stares her down. Nina backs up, nervously grabbing her

earlobe.

NINA (CONT’D)

I was crushed to hear that you’re

leaving.

BETH:

What’d you do to get the role?

33.

Nina shakes her head, confused.

BETH (CONT’D)

He always said you were a frigid

little girl.

Her words needle Nina, too close to the truth.

BETH (CONT’D)

So what did you do to make him

change his mind? Suck his cock?

NINA:

Some of us don’t need to do that.

Nina’s struck a nerve. Beth starts to come at her.

BETH:

You f***ing little whore.

NINA:

(guilty)

Beth, I’m-

LEROY (O.S.)

What’s going on?

They both turn to see Leroy returned.

BETH:

I need to talk to you.

LEROY:

You’re drunk. You should go home.

BETH:

Don’t do that! Don’t just dismiss

me!

LEROY:

(exasperated)

Poor, poor little princess. Try to

hold it together.

BETH:

I’m going to drop by later, okay? I

have something I want to give you.

LEROY:

(ignoring her)

Come on.

He puts his arm around Nina, starts to lead her away.

34.

BETH (O.S.)

A token of my appreciation.

He ignores her and raises his arm to hail a cab. As they

enter the cab, Beth calls after them.

BETH (CONT’D)

Make the most of it Nina.

Through the cab window Nina looks at Beth, troubled by her

words.

39 INT. LEROY’S APARTMENT - NIGHT 39

Tasteful but spare loft. Modern and expensive furniture.

Large windows.

Nina stands alone, looking around his inner sanctum, wide-

eyed.

She explores the pieces of art, the furniture. She touches

some of it, in awe.

LEROY (O.S.)

Here.

She turns, finds Leroy holding out yet another flute of

champagne. For himself, a scotch.

NINA:

Thanks.

She looks up at him, expecting him to make a move. Instead,

he walks away, and sits in a chair. He gestures for her to

sit as well.

Confused, she sits across from him, alone on the large couch.

He takes an unceremonious sip of his drink and studies her.

Uncomfortable, she takes a drink as well.

LEROY:

I thought it’d be good to talk

about the role. Ground us a little.

NINA:

Yes.

LEROY:

The better we get to know each

other, the more productive we’ll

be. I don’t want there to be any

boundaries between us.

35.

NINA:

Me neither.

LEROY:

Good. So, do you have a boyfriend?

She’s caught off guard by his question and just smiles

uncomfortably. He waits for an answer. Finally she manages a

reply.

NINA:

No...

LEROY:

Have you had many in the past?

NINA:

A few. But no one serious.

LEROY:

You’re not a virgin, are you?

Her expression sours at this line of questioning. She shakes

her head.

LEROY (CONT’D)

Then there’s nothing to be

embarrassed about, is there?

(she shakes her head)

And you enjoy making love?

NINA:

Excuse me?

LEROY:

Sex. Do you enjoy it?

Blushing and feeling awkward, she takes a sip of champagne.

LEROY (CONT’D)

We need to be able to talk about

this.

NINA:

Okay.

LEROY:

So?

Nina looks at him, embarrassed, and shrugs.

He smirks, and joins her on the couch.

36.

LEROY (CONT’D)

I have a homework assignment for

you.

NINA:

Yes?

LEROY:

Go home and masturbate. Live a

little.

She blanches, scandalized. He finishes off his scotch and

stands.

LEROY (CONT’D)

It’s late. Lots of work tomorrow.

The doorman will find you a cab.

He leaves her alone in the living room.

40 INT. NINA’S BEDROOM - NIGHT 40

Nina looks at herself in the mirror, removing bobbie-pins, as

Erica folds clothing and puts it away.

ERICA:

Sounds like quite an evening. Wish

I could have been there.

NINA:

You know I asked.

ERICA:

I know, Susie told me. Guess he

wanted you all to himself.

NINA:

That’s not why.

Erica looks adoringly at Nina’s reflection in the mirror.

ERICA:

I don’t blame him.

Erica starts to remove Nina’s DIAMOND EARRINGS, but pauses.

ERICA (CONT’D)

Where did you get these?

NINA:

They’re fake.

37.

ERICA:

Fooled me.

Erica removes the earrings, then walks behind Nina to unzip

her. Nina faces her.

NINA:

I can do it.

ERICA:

Turn.

Nina turns back around, reticent.

ERICA (O.S.) (CONT’D)

He must have been at your side all

night, showing you off.

Erica finishes unzipping the red dress and sees Nina’s

shoulder.

ERICA (CONT’D)

Oh Nina...

Remembering, Nina pulls away from her.

NINA:

It’s just a rash.

Erica gruffly pulls Nina to the mirror and turns her around.

ERICA:

What are you talking about?

Nina checks her reflection and sees the RASH, red and

irritated from scratching.

NINA:

It was worse a couple days ago.

It’s already getting better.

ERICA:

You’ve been scratching again.

NINA:

No-

Erica yanks her out of the room.

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