Short from the Done Deal 2014 Valentine's Day contest. "Paint It Black" FADE IN: INT. RESTAURANT BOOTH - NIGHT TRENT, 22, dressed casual but smart, sits at the table alone. He's alert with anticipation, looks at his watch. A bell DINGS. WOMAN'S VOICE (O.S.) Two minutes, go! A GOTH GIRL sits down opposite Trent, who's kinda surprised. She's wearing more make-up than Marilyn Manson. His eyes roam her piercings, her tattoos, her black-clad body. He offers his hand, she ignores it. TRENT Hiiii I'm Trent. GOTH GIRL What do you do, Trent? TRENT I'm a web designer. GOTH GIRL Well, that kills it for me. Let's not waste any more of each other's time. She picks up a bread stick and quarter-turns away, nibbling the stick while glancing at neighboring table booths, where couples are talking animatedly to each other, dudes on the inside, ladies on the outside. TRENT You asked me what I did, what am I supposed to say, I'm an astronaut, I'm a whale rider, I dance for the Russian ballet? GOTH GIRL Do you have a tutu? TRENT Yeah but it's pink, we would clash. GOTH GIRL When you say you ride whales...? TRENT I break them in, for Seaworld. For God's sake, you can't just put wild whales into pools, they'll smash the place up. Give me three days, I'll have them eating fish out of my hand, guaranteed. GOTH GIRL Have you been into space? TRENT Not since college, that was one freaky night, I still have no idea how I ended up handcuffed to the Principal's bed, but my grades that year were straight A's. Okay, she decides that he amuses her, but only slightly. GOTH GIRL What kind of web sites do you design? TRENT I do subliminal advertising. Goth Girl raises a pierced eyebrow, whut? TRENT (CONT'D) There's this government department, I'm not really supposed to talk about it... He leans forward, lowers his voice. TRENT (CONT'D) They tell me who they want you to vote for, and I arrange for it to happen. You're looking at kitten gifs, and bam, Smiling Friendly Politician is in your head, you see him every time you blink. The other guy they don't want to win, God what is he doing with that donkey, he disgusts me. GOTH GIRL Do you like manipulating people to do your bidding? Trent sits back, losing his sense of fun. TRENT The last website I designed sold Italian shoes. They don't use child labor, I checked up on them. GOTH GIRL What's the most outrageous thing you've ever done in your life? TRENT I wore my sister's underwear when I was twelve. Actually I was sixteen. Okay I was twenty. I just wanted to know how it felt against my skin. Pretty nice, actually. GOTH GIRL Did you ever tell her? TRENT God no, she would have smacked me up and down the hallway. GOTH GIRL You like getting beaten up by girls? TRENT No. Yes. I'm not sure. GOTH GIRL And you're looking for that special someone who shares your fantasies? TRENT I think we're all looking for that special someone. Look around, that's why everyone you see came here tonight. Desperation has driven us all to endure the pitiful shame of speed dating. GOTH GIRL You ever dated someone you met on the internet? TRENT So many questions, so little time, when do I get to ask about you? GOTH GIRL So tell me. TRENT All right, I tried it, a couple of times, or more, it didn't work out. GOTH GIRL What happened, weren't they perfect enough for you? TRENT Nah, nobody's perfect. You have a third nipple or extra toes, I'm not going to judge. They just didn't find me funny, I guess. GOTH GIRL Sense of humor. That's what everyone rates number one, above appearance, career, financial wealth. TRENT Whoa, speak for yourself. If you have a Maserati Gran Turismo waiting outside, I am totally into you. The bell DINGS. WOMAN'S VOICE (O.S.) Time's up. Say your goodbyes! Ladies, move to the next table to your right, please. At the other tables, everyone says goodbye, great talking to ya, and shake hands. Smiles and chuckles. The ladies rise up and move to their right... PRETTY BLONDE GIRL in a stunning dress looks down curiously at Goth Girl, who hasn't moved. GOTH GIRL Skip this one and take the next table, will you? PRETTY BLONDE GIRL I don't think that's how it's supposed to work? GOTH GIRL I like the bread sticks here. Pretty Blonde Girl shrugs and passes by and sits at the next table, shakes hands with the dude who's waiting there. They glance over at Trent and Goth Girl and smile, hey it gives them a conversation icebreaker, it's all good. The bell DINGS again. WOMAN'S VOICE (O.S.) Two minutes, go! TRENT Should I be flattered? Goth Girl eats another bread stick. GOTH GIRL You really don't remember me, do you? TRENT Remember you from...? GOTH GIRL I was a year behind you at school. Trent pretend-buries his head in his hands. TRENT Oh God. What did I do? GOTH GIRL Nothing too heinous. TRENT Sorry, you're not dinging any bells. No pun intended. GOTH GIRL I was shorter and my boobs were smaller. You didn't notice me. TRENT For what it's worth, I'm apologize. I was a very studious boy. I always had my nose in books. GOTH GIRL You studied Abby Waters for years. Lusted after her, in point of fact. TRENT Man. There's a blast from the past. GOTH GIRL Did you ever get it on with her? TRENT As if. Abby went out with older guys. I tried to ask her out once. I remember standing in front of her, in the hallway, trying to get the words out. They just wouldn't come. Stage fright. I think I peed myself. GOTH GIRL What did she say? TRENT Get out my f***ing way. They both laugh. GOTH GIRL That sounds like Abby. TRENT You knew her? GOTH GIRL I still do, she's my big sister. TRENT You have got to be kidding me. Trent has to think hard. TRENT (CONT'D) Melanie Waters? GOTH GIRL One and the same. Goth Girl offers her hand, Trent shakes it. TRENT It's nice to see you again, Melanie. I'm sorry for not recognizing you. GOTH GIRL I clocked you as soon as I walked in. You've not really changed much. More worn around the edges, maybe. Tired looking. Bags under the eyes. TRENT Thank you very much. GOTH GIRL Any time. I don't even know what made me come here. It was a stupid idea. I suppose I just wanted to see how guys would react. TRENT I would think they'd react, like, wow, thank you God for this... I mean, you look... you look really-- Trent buries his head in his hands again, for reals. TRENT (CONT'D) Oh God, shut up. Goth Girl nibbles on a bread stick, amused, as Trent struggles with his embarrassment. TRENT (CONT'D) I'm sorry, I am a total a$$. GOTH GIRL It's okay. A lot of guys get off on the Goth look. TRENT Sure, but I've got an advantage. Goth Girl tilts her head, hmm? TRENT (CONT'D) I know what you look like without the make-up. GOTH GIRL Maybe you're thinking about Abby. TRENT I'm pretty sure I'm not. GOTH GIRL Are you trying to tell me you noticed me at school? I think we both know that might be a little white lie. TRENT I remember you and your pals dragged Marty Spalding into the girls' toilets and pulled off his pants. He got suspended for a week for that, like it was his fault. GOTH GIRL For the record, he touched my butt without my permission. TRENT And you superglued the staff room door shut, they were trapped in there for hours. We got grilled by the cops, but nobody ratted you out. Everyone in school thought you were the coolest. GOTH GIRL So you were paying attention. TRENT Yeah, no, I'm not saying anything till my lawyer gets here. The bell DINGS. Trent looks at his watch. TRENT (CONT'D) Gotta be kidding-- WOMAN'S VOICE (O.S.) Time's up. Say your goodbyes! Ladies, move to the next table to your right, please. Goth Girl gets up. GOTH GIRL Nice seeing you again. She moves to the table to the right. A PRETTY REDHEAD sits down opposite Trent. The bell DINGS again. WOMAN'S VOICE (O.S.) Two minutes, go! PRETTY REDHEAD Hiiii, I'm Shevaun. Trent is a little dazed, still focused on Goth Girl, who ignores him and talks to the dude at her new table. TRENT Hi, I'm Trent. How are you? They shake hands. EXT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT Giggling couples exit together and head off into the night, successful matches, hey it happens sometimes. Trent exits alone. He shrugs on his jacket. Sighs. The people and traffic clear, and he looks across the street. Goth Girl leans against her gleaming black car, it's not a Maserati but it's got style, like its owner. GOTH GIRL What happened? I thought Shevaun looked your type. TRENT Something knocked me off my game. I'll do better next time. GOTH GIRL Yep. Give you a ride home? TRENT It's not far, I can walk from here-- No, wait. He thinks for a moment. What is he saying? TRENT (CONT'D) That would be great. They climb in. INT. GOTH GIRL'S CAR - NIGHT GOTH GIRL You look nervous. You're not scared? TRENT I just don't want to be dragged into the toilets and, superglued. GOTH GIRL Don't worry about that. She starts the engine, and smiles. GOTH GIRL (CONT'D) You have my permission. EXT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT They drive off into the night. FADE OUT