Five Minutes
Int. The college library -- evening
JOHN SANDOVAL, early twenties, is sitting at a table with books and notes spread out. He's dressed in a casual shirt with a basketball cap placed carelessly on his head. He idly twirls a pencil in one hand, resting his cheek on the other. He is absolutely still otherwise, staring at the books on the desk.
BARBARA CANTER walks up to his desk and stands directly in front of him. One arm is supporting her stack of books and folders. She puts the other hand on her hip. She is wearing blue jeans with tall boots and a college sweater.
JOHN stops twirling his pencil.
John
(looking at his books)
Go away! Can't you see I'm studying?
BARBARA
Like hell you are. You haven't written anything in five minutes.
Silence for a few seconds. JOHN starts twirling his pencil again. BARBARA slams down her books and folders on the table, on top of JOHN's books and notes. JOHN sits up straight and drops his pencil.
JOHN
Hey! What the…
BARBARA
(sitting down and looking straight at JOHN)
John Sandoval, you are a bastard!
JOHN
Et tu, Barb?
BARBARA
Don't call me Barb!
JOHN
Oh, fine! Barbara. There, you happy? Now would you go away and leave me alone. I got shit to do.
BARBARA
Bullshit. I know you're just here so that you can see her. Would you just man up and admit it?
JOHN
What? No, no way. I'm not some creeper. I don't care about her…
BARBARA
(standing up)
There! I knew it! You don't give a fuck about her do you? You're just leading her on like you did Mel.
JOHN
Whoa! Way out of line there, Barb!
BARBARA
Don't call me… Oh fuck it. She's too good for you anyway.
BARBARA stands up decisively and picks up her books and notes. JOHN bends down and picks up his pencil. He doesn't look up at her.
JOHN
(softly)
Go away, Barb.
BARBARA
John Sandoval, you are a bastard.
BARBARA turns around and walks away. JOHN goes back to twirling his pencil. He looks around once, as if he is searching for something and then stares at his books again.
CUT TO:
Int. Library Staircase -- Same Time
BILL CHAPEL and SUSAN PRITCHARD are sitting on the stairs of the library, side by side. They are careful not to actually look at each other. BILL stares at his shoes. SUSAN has her chin propped up on her arm and is looking away from BILL. Both are dressed casually -- T-shirt, jeans and sneakers. SUSAN has her backpack sitting on the step in front of her. She's fiddling with one of the shoulder straps.
BILL
So, did you talk to him?
SUSAN
Yeah. He called me yesterday.
BILL
What did he say?
SUSAN
He asked me to go out with him.
BILL
Soon?
SUSAN
Yeah. We're going out tomorrow.
BILL
So, you said yes?
SUSAN
Maybe. I haven't decided yet.
BILL
You just said you were going out with him.
SUSAN
Yeah. I don't know. He said he was sorry. And that I shouldn't think I was second choice.
BILL
Oh, well …
SUSAN
Well what?
BILL
No, nothing. Never mind. So he broke up with Mel?
SUSAN
I guess. I mean, she said she didn't trust him anymore. It's really mean of her to say something like that, don't you think? After they've been going out for three years.
BILL
Yeah, I suppose so. Where are you guys going?
SUSAN
Dunno. Probably getting pizza. We've gotten pizza before.
BILL
I see. Pizza's cool.
Both of them sit silently for a while. BILL looks at SUSAN for a few seconds and then looks back down at his shoes. SUSAN is still staring in the opposite direction and misses BILL looking at her.
Suddenly SUSAN's phone beeps loudly. She stands up and pulls it out of her jeans pocket and looks at the screen.
SUSAN
Oh no!
BILL
(looks up at her)
What?
SUSAN
I'm late for class. And I left my homework in my room. I gotta go.
SUSAN picks up her backpack and runs down the stairs to the stairwell doors. At the door she stops and looks back at Bill.
SUSAN
Can I call you later? After class?
BILL
Yeah, sure. If you want to.
SUSAN
Ok. Bye.
She pulls the door open and leaves without waiting for Bill to respond. The door closes shut behind her.
BILL
Bye Sue.
Bill looks back down at his shoes and keeps sitting on the stairs.