Judas Kiss Page #5

Look, before Judas Kiss

and this festival,

nobody at this school

knew I existed.

I was just the new weird kid

making a movie with his fag hag.

So I heard.

This is a competitive place.

Yeah, and I'm just

trying to keep up.

By shacking up with Shane?

How did you know that?

You think you're

Shane's first b*tch?

Last year.

The way he calls me C.W.,

I swear, he made me

hate my own name.

He promised me everything,

anything I wanted.

Until Mommy and

Daddy Lyons met me,

and my films were too weird,

too bloody.

Too bloody weird.

So when do you meet them?

Today...

At the luncheon.

Come here.

You think I'm scared of Shane?

Nothing compares to how

scared he is of his parents.

Think about what you're doing.

I don't have a choice...

Look, I told you about my dad.

I need Shane's help.

Those pills

he's been feeding you...

they helping?

My dad's cutting me loose,

one of the judges

is out to get me.

I could lose everything.

I need a place to stay,

a job, money.

Shane can get me

all those things.

So you and me...

we're off the table.

Well, maybe we could, uh...

Look.

Whatever you've

done to get here,

I'll stand by you.

I'll be your friend.

But so long as

you're with Shane,

there can never be an us.

I'd like to recognize the

festival's continuing support

from Richard and

Annabelle Lyons,

Hollywood's most

generous financiers.

And a heartfelt appreciation

to the judges

of our student competition:

cinematographer

Ralph Garlington,

screenwriter

Rebecca Lynn,

and, uh...

Keystone alumnus Zachary Wells.

Screening of the

top five student films

begins at 7:
00 in

the Lyons Theater.

Please, enjoy your dessert.

Reassuring to observe your

attention to hygiene, Mr. Wells.

I know that what

you've decided today

about Danny's future

changes everything for you.

Why am I so important?

Did you even look around as you

announced my name out there?

No one knew me.

I know.

You actually remember me?

Faces and films.

Frankly, with you,

it was more about the film,

the one that got you

into this competition.

Your face was pretty,

but your Judas Kiss

was horrifying.

I've never been able

to get it out of my mind.

Well, it wasn't a horror film.

You can't take a compliment,

can you?

That was supposed to be nice?

Would you like my critique?

Yes. No.

How did you even know

what I decided to do?

This is the key to your future.

Feent.

Bitter?

Would you stop

sneaking up on me?

This roller coaster ride's

almost over.

You just need to take

the last loop.

I know what I have to do:

ruin a kid's career,

my career.

You already did that.

Go.

Go make his life

different than yours.

Are you okay?

Yeah.

Fine.

This is a really good movie.

Yeah. Isn't it?

I mean, Judas Kiss is...

I need to get some fresh air.

You want me to come with?

I'm fine.

Damn it, damn it, damn it,

damn it, damn it, damn it.

Hey.

You all right?

No...

Thanks to you.

That film playing

in there right now,

it's better than mine.

I'm gonna lose this thing.

So, congratulations.

I know that's what you wanted.

You know that, huh?

Yeah, I do.

You know, I wasn't bullshitting

when I said

I felt a connection with you.

I can't get you out of my head.

Believe me, I want to.

Zachary Wells

isn't my real name.

Yeah, duh.

You know?

You kept telling everyone,

"Please, call me Zach,"

like not even you believed it.

So who are you?

My real name is Daniel.

Like me?

Daniel Reyes Jr.

Come on, stop joking around.

I went to Lockton High School.

My mom had cancer twice.

She died my junior year.

My dad's a controlling

son of a b*tch.

He cheated on my mom all

through her last year of life.

My dad f***ed my drama teacher.

My dad f***ed-

What the f***, shut up!

Who are you?

Look at me...

Who am I?

Who are you?

What just happened?

Reality, I think.

So what do we do now, huh?

What happens when

I go back to my life

and you go back to

the year 3000 or whatever?

Does any of this actually count?

I think it's a chance for you

to not make

the same mistakes that I did.

Don't move in with Shane.

How did you know about that?

He's only gonna try and

control you like Dad did.

Worse, even.

Look, I have

nowhere else to go.

You don't know how many

times you're gonna sell

little pieces of yourself

to people like Shane.

Your dreams aren't worth that.

God, you never f***ing stop,

do you?

Hey, look at me!

Look at me, Danny.

I make cheap-ass wedding videos.

I go from shitty job

to shittier job.

I can't keep

a stable relationship.

I'm a seven who gets

rejected by nines.

I don't even know

what that means, okay?

It's too late for me to

save myself, but you...

You can save me with your life.

Jesus, look, I am not you!

Please, just help me.

You're a f***ing quitter.

I'm not!

I'll do what it takes

to get what I want!

Hollywood is never

gonna happen.

Chris, the guy you gave up

for the safety of being

Emperor Shane's b*tch,

is gonna leave you in the dust

and become Keystone's

best-known film graduate.

You've already

driven Abbey away.

Shut up.

This is our chance.

I don't know why it's happening.

Maybe it's God.

I don't know.

But we have a chance

to make our life better.

You had your life...

and it's gone.

So any mistakes I make,

they're gonna be mine.

Mine!

I know you cheated

making Judas Kiss.

Look, you hate

your life so much,

then just kill yourself,

you f***ing mus.

Leave mine alone.

Dude, everyone's looking

for you.

It's a f***ing sh*t storm.

I had to wait until I could

confirm the allegation.

The Judas Kiss screenplay

was written before...

Mr. Reyes' matriculation

at Keystone.

Rough night?

Rough life.

I used to come

up here myself

when I was upset

about something,

which was often

back in the day.

Drama, drama, drama.

Not that I'm ungrateful,

but what are you doing here?

Walking down memory lane,

and I tripped over you.

Looks like you tripped over

someone yourself.

Just a little disagreement

with myself.

I hope you knocked

some sense into yourself.

And then some.

I'm a mean son of a b*tch.

Cigarette?

I've decided to quit.

Well, you're a better man

than me.

I've learned to take a punch

better than you.

I want to roll back

this roller coaster

that you've put me on.

Roller coasters

only go forward.

You know, I've figured out

who you are.

"Welds. "

That's just a typo, isn't it?

Frigging university's

too cheap to replace it.

You still go by Zachary?

No one could ever get used

to calling me that.

Yeah, tell me about it.

Well, no offense, old man,

but after tonight,

I'm definitely not gonna

let myself turn into you.

I'm sorry, Mr. Reyes.

We'll have to move on

to the next film.

Hold on, Mrs. Blossom.

Ms. Lynn?

I won't argue with your rules,

but I've seen Danny's film.

So what if it's

no longer eligible?

The film's already

in the projector,

and the audience is here.

It deserves to be seen.

I agree.

I do too.

Me too.

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