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SCENE 1 – INT. ANITA’S APARTMENT – NIGHT A tiny, cluttered studio. Scripts are spread across the floor, Post-its cling to the wall in color-coded chaos. Sheet music is scribbled with red ink.

Anita, 29, intense but burnt out, presses piano keys mechanically. Nothing lands.

She exhales. Closes the piano.

ANITA (to herself) Come on. Just one chorus that works.

She crumples a page. Shoots it into the trash. Misses.

She opens her phone and records a voice memo.

ANITA (V.O.) Memo to self: Act One—rewrite “Running Again.” Chorus isn’t working. Oh—and stop doubting yourself. (sarcastic) Seriously. That’s helpful.

Ping. A text from JACK (Ex): "Still ignoring me? I deserve an answer."

She stares. Deletes it.

SCENE 2 – INT. DANCE STUDIO – DAY A small class of kids on Zoom follows Anita through a fast routine.

ANITA And five-six-seven—again!

Marcus, 40s, smug and checked-out, leans against the door. After class, he approaches.

MARCUS (on phone) Walk-ins just paid cash. You’ll cover Sasha’s classes again this week, right?

ANITA That’s… the third week in a row.

MARCUS (on phone) You’re good with the kids. Smile more, Anita. You’ll get better tips.

He walks off.

Anita clenches her jaw. A student taps her leg. She smiles, but the exhaustion is real.

SCENE 3 – EXT. SIDEWALK – EVENING Anita exits the studio. Her tote bag is overstuffed with notebooks. She walks briskly, nearly colliding with—

BILL, 30, unshaven, magnetic, a bit too charming. He stumbles backward.

BILL Whoa—sorry! Hey! You dropped this.

He holds up a small laminated card.

ANITA (pats bag) Oh wow. That’s my ID.

ANITA (beat) I didn’t even know I dropped it. Thanks.

BILL No problem. Hey, I’m looking for Jane’s Carousel?

ANITA That’s… not far. I can tell you, or—

She hesitates. Then gestures.

ANITA (CONT’D) I’ll show you. If you want.

Bill smiles. Anita second-guesses herself.

ANITA (CONT’D) Or I can tell you. I can show you or tell you. Up to you. I don't care. Either way. It'd be better if I show you, I think.

BILL Hope I'm not pulling you from anything.

ANITA No.

They start walking.

BILL I'm Bill, by the way.

ANITA Anita.

BILL Nice to meet you, Anita.

ANITA Nice.

BILL Is it always this hot?

ANITA This time of year.

Anita’s ex-boyfriend calls again. She sees the name, doesn’t answer. It goes to voicemail.

SCENE 4 – EXT. WATERFRONT PROMENADE – TWILIGHT They walk. Bill snaps a photo of the skyline.

BILL It’s really pretty down here.

He flips his phone to selfie mode.

BILL (CONT’D) Your turn. Be iconic.

ANITA Iconic? I’m more… “awkward standing girl #2.”

She twirls. He snaps the photo mid-spin.

BILL (CONT’D) Boom.

They sit on a nearby bench. Laughter gives way to quiet.

SCENE 5 – EXT. COFFEE STAND – LATER Bill and Anita wait for drinks. She laughs as he scrolls TikTok dance fails.

BILL So… it’s Friday. Plans?

ANITA Going to the movies. With friends.

BILL Nice. Which one?

ANITA Avengers. I love it.

BILL Didn’t know it was back in theaters.

ANITA It’s a re-release.

BILL Got a favorite movie?

ANITA (grinning) I’m not saying.

BILL Come on, I won’t judge.

She pulls up a poster on her phone and shows it.

ANITA Dear John.

BILL You’re joking.

ANITA Nope.

BILL Alright.

She checks her phone. Her face shifts.

ANITA I’m late. Gotta run. Teaching again tonight.

SCENE 6 – INT. ANITA’S APARTMENT – NIGHT Anita sits on the floor, laptop open. She FaceTimes her best friend, MIRA (30s, opinionated, warm), who’s mid-makeup routine.

MIRA You look… like someone who hasn’t seen the sun in 9 days.

ANITA I’m writing. Or trying to.

MIRA What’s the hold-up?

ANITA The chorus still sucks. The story’s strong, but I keep second-guessing the emotional beats. (beat) Also, I met this guy. Kind of annoying. Kind of charming. The producer who came to the showcase last year finally responded. Said, ‘Send me something tight.’

Anita smirks. Glances at the crumpled lyrics pile beside her.

SCENE 7 – EXT. FERRY TERMINAL – SUNSET Anita waits. Her phone’s dead. She frowns at the schedule.

BILL (O.S.) Missed it?

He appears, holding a ridiculous vintage hat.

ANITA You again. Yeah. Coming from a lesson I was teaching at the studio. Now dead phone. No clue when it’s coming.

Bill checks his phone.

BILL Next one's in an hour.

ANITA That hat is… something else.

BILL Hey, it’s for an audition. Sixties thing. I kind of love it.

She leans in, adjusts the brim with both hands.

ANITA It was crooked. That’s better. (beat) I’ve been writing a musical. That hat could work.

BILL What’s it about?

ANITA It’s kind of… about my mom. Sort of. She performed in community theater. Used art to survive.

BILL That’s beautiful. What's the main character want?

ANITA To make sense of her life. Through songs. Through travel. Through… something bigger than what she was given.

ANITA (CONT’D) I’ve been writing this musical for years. I just… don’t know if I can pull it off.

BILL (CONT’D) Can I read it? Your script?

ANITA Maybe. If you promise not to fix it.

BILL No promises.

She spots something.

ANITA Wait—are those…?

BILL Yep. Bought for an audition.

ANITA Put them on.

BILL Right now?

He puts them on.

ANITA Let’s film this for TikTok. Something fun.

BILL Now your turn.

Anita’s ex-boyfriend calls again. She sees the name, doesn’t answer. It goes to voicemail.

SCENE 8 – INT. STUDIO – NIGHT Anita dances alone. Mirror reflects her hesitance. She stops, checks the time.

BILL (O.S.) Knock knock.

He enters, holding her script.

BILL (CONT’D) I read the script. It’s raw. Messy. Personal. Beautiful.

ANITA Yeah?

BILL Yeah. As the lead character travels the world, maybe add some foreign language? The mom’s lullaby—what if it starts in English, then slides into Hindi?

ANITA I don’t speak it fluently.

BILL I can help. Just… small phrases.

She hesitates.

ANITA Okay. But only if it feels real.

He nods. They stand in front of the mirror.

SCENE 9 – INT. STUDIO OFFICE – NEXT MORNING Anita approaches Marcus with her check stub.

ANITA This doesn’t cover all my classes.

MARCUS It’s what I can offer right now. Take it or leave it.

She takes a breath—then walks straight past him.

INT. STUDIO – MOMENTS LATER Bill walks in. Sees Anita, furious. She hands him the stub.

ANITA I’m not doing this again. Three weeks. Subbing for other teachers. Doubling classes. I get paid 100 dollars.

BILL Want me to talk to him?

ANITA Ok. He’s at the studio. Probably counting cash from walk-ins.

Bill storms off into the studio.

INT. STUDIO – CONTINUOUS Bill confronts Marcus. After a heated discussion, Marcus agrees to a raise.

BILL He agreed to a raise.

ANITA You didn’t have to.

BILL I had to.

SCENE 10 – INT. CAFE – DAY Anita and Bill sit at a corner table, laptop open between them.

ANITA Scene four—her monologue at the train station—it’s too abstract.

BILL Make it about the moment she decides not to leave.

ANITA She wants something more. Not escape. Just… meaning.

BILL Like you?

ANITA Exactly.

He leans in.

BILL You’re not writing her. You’re writing you.

She leans back.

ANITA Don’t psychoanalyze me, musical boy.

They laugh.

Anita’s phone buzzes. Text from Producer: "Let’s talk. I’m interested."

She stares at it, breath caught.

ANITA (V.O.) This might be it.

SCENE 11 – INT. PRODUCER’S OFFICE – DAY A sleek, minimalist office. Anita sits nervously across from the Producer (50s, sharp, no-nonsense), clutching a marked-up draft.

PRODUCER (on phone) I’ve been following your project. The potential’s there. It’s bold. Intimate.

ANITA It’s about finding identity. Through art. Through leaving home. Through staying connected to something lost.

PRODUCER (on phone) Right. But I need a hook. Something commercial. Something “big.”

He taps the script.

PRODUCER (CONT’D) (on phone) The writing? Solid. But the structure—loose. keep working on it

SCENE 12 – INT. ANITA’S APARTMENT – NIGHT Anita sits on the floor, staring at her phone. Draft pages surround her like fallen leaves.

A knock. It’s Bill, holding two paper bags.

BILL You missed dinner. I brought dumplings. And… dumpling-shaped cookies?

He sits across from her.

ANITA The producer wants to fund it.

BILL That’s amazing!

ANITA If I drop you.

Beat.

BILL Oh.

ANITA I said no. But… it shook me. I don’t know how to protect this show.

BILL We protect it together.

They sit in quiet solidarity. She pulls a Post-it off the wall, hands it to him. It reads: “Scene 6 – Rewrite.”

ANITA Let’s start here.

BILL Opening monologue: starts too vague. Needs stakes.

ANITA How do we show she has something to lose?

BILL What do you feel like you’re risking?

Anita considers this, surprised.

ANITA Being forgotten. Like my mom. She sang her heart out to five people and no spotlight.

BILL Then let’s write that.

She smiles, emotional. Anita’s ex-boyfriend calls again. She looks at the phone. Lets it ring. No hesitation this time.

INT. STUDIO – EVENING Anita’s phone vibrates again. Jack. She stares at it, frozen.

BILL Pick it up.

ANITA I can’t. He’s my ex. He’s going to mess up everything… the musical, my head—everything.

BILL If you don’t pick it up… he’s not going to stop calling.

A long beat. Anita finally answers.

ANITA (sighs) Hello?

JACK (V.O.) Honey. Honey, are you okay?

ANITA I’m fine.

JACK (V.O.) I called the FBI,—hell, I hired a private investigator.

ANITA Jack, come on. I’m fine. Just… give me a break.

JACK (V.O.) I thought you were dead or kidnapped!

ANITA We're over. It’s done. You have to understand that.

JACK (V.O.) No, we’re working this out. Right now. I enrolled in a program, I gave up drinking.

ANITA God, shut up. It doesn’t even matter anymore. (beat) You know why? Because I’m with someone.

JACK (V.O.) You’re what?

ANITA I’m with someone. And he thinks I’m beautiful.

JACK (V.O.) You’re with a guy? Don’t do this.

ANITA He’s standing right here.

JACK (V.O.) Put him on the phone.

ANITA Fine. You want to talk to him? Here. (she holds out the phone to Bill) Please. Just say something.

BILL I’m not talking to your ex-boyfriend.

ANITA Please. Anything.

Bill takes the phone reluctantly.

BILL Hello?

JACK (V.O.) Who the hell are you, huh?

BILL Look, man, I’m just—

JACK (V.O.) If you so much as touched her—I swear I’ll come over there with a shotgun. She’s mine. She will always be mine!

BILL You need to back off.

JACK (V.O.) Put her back on. Now.

ANITA Hello?

JACK (V.O.) I’m driving to your place right now. I’m gonna burn every last piece of your crap.

ANITA Oh god…

BILL What did he say?

ANITA He’s going to my house. To burn my stuff. (tearful) He’ll destroy pictures of my grandmother.

BILL Okay. Let me handle it.

SCENE 23 – EXT. PARK – SUNSET They sit on a bench surrounded by scripts and coffee cups. A soft golden hour.

ANITA We’re getting closer. The show feels like… it’s breathing now.

BILL It’s you. You gave it lungs.

ANITA It’s us.

He looks at her. Something hangs between them.

BILL Can I ask something stupid?

ANITA Please. I’ve done interpretive scarf mime today. No judgment.

BILL Do you ever imagine… what happens after? When the lights go down?

ANITA Sometimes. (beat) But I’m trying to stay here. In the middle of it.

She taps his notepad.

ANITA (CONT’D) We’re building something. Let’s get it right.

They smile—unspoken, growing connection.

SCENE 24 – INT. STUDIO – EARLY EVENING Anita walks in with new props—fabric swatches, a worn tambourine, and a folded vision board.

Bill’s tinkering with a lighting console.

ANITA Look what I found—my mom’s tambourine. Glitter and all.

She shakes it. It jingles.

BILL (laughs) It belongs in Act One. The mother’s memory scene.

ANITA Exactly.

She lays out fabric ideas. Bill doesn’t look up.

BILL I’ve been thinking… we should scale bigger. LED screens, transitions. Make it feel epic.

ANITA We don’t need that. The show’s intimate.

BILL Sure, but small doesn’t mean cheap. We want impact, right?

ANITA Impact doesn’t mean spectacle. It means truth.

Tension grows.

BILL Why won’t you even try something new?

ANITA Because it’s not a gimmick. It’s my story.

A beat.

BILL Maybe we’re not on the same team.

ANITA (quiet but firm) Maybe we’re not.

A beat. Anita turns away… then stops.

Bill Wait. Let me say something.

ANITA Go ahead.

Bill At first, I didn’t care. I just needed something.

ANITA So why now?

Bill Because I saw you care. I saw your work. And I started to care too. But I got scared.

ANITA Of what?

Bill Everything. Rent. Money. My dad. If I made this work… maybe it’d fix things.

He steps closer, unsure.

ANITA I don’t know… Show me you really care.

(continued in next message due to length)

(continued from previous message)

SCENE 25 – INT. TATTOO SHOP – NIGHT Bill, drunk and determined, stumbles in.

TATTOO ARTIST You sure about this?

BILL Yeah. It matters.

He holds up a crumpled napkin: “The Music Is the Map.”

TATTOO ARTIST Left tricep it is.

As the machine buzzes, Bill closes his eyes.

BILL (V.O.) This is it. Show her I care. Show her I mean it.

SCENE 26 – INT. STUDIO – DAY Anita tunes the keyboard. Bill enters, arm bandaged under his sleeve.

BILL Hey.

She turns. Notices his wince.

ANITA What did you do?

He pulls up his sleeve. Reveals the raw tattoo.

BILL To prove I care.

She stares.

ANITA You got the title… tattooed?

BILL I was drunk. But it felt right.

ANITA It’s kind of… a mess.

BILL I know. But the feeling was real.

She touches the edge of the bandage, then his hand.

ANITA Okay. Let’s fix it. The tattoo. The show. Everything.

They sit side-by-side again.

SCENE 27 – INT. STUDIO – NIGHT A montage:

Anita scribbling lyrics furiously

Bill coordinating costume fittings

Tech rehearsal mishaps

Anita directing cast with clear vision

Bill in the background, following her lead

This time—she's steering the ship.

ANITA (V.O.) I used to think if I told the story right, it would heal something. Now I just want it to land true.

The stage lights flicker on. Everything is almost ready.

SCENE 28 – INT. ANITA’S BEDROOM – NIGHT Anita lies awake. The phone buzzes.

TEXT FROM PRODUCER: “London offer still open. Solo billing. Clean slate. You’re ready.”

She stares at it, heart pounding. Then, she writes a message:

ANITA (TEXTING): “I told the story right. That was always the goal. I’m not going alone.”

She hits send.

SCENE 21 – INT. STUDIO – DRESS REHEARSAL – NIGHT The studio buzzes with final preparations. Costumes everywhere. Stage lights flicker on.

Anita emerges wearing a vintage dress and an oversized wig.

ANITA Okay, this is… a lot.

She twirls. Reaches for the wig. It won’t budge.

ANITA (CONT’D) Wait—it’s stuck. Like, seriously stuck.

BILL Here—let me—

ANITA Be gentle. That’s my scalp.

He gently tries to untwist it. They laugh.

BILL Okay, on three—one, two—

POP! The wig flies off. Lands on the lighting board. Lights flicker.

ANITA Oh my god.

BILL You broke the light with your head.

ANITA And you wore that boa last week. So we’re even.

They collapse into laughter.

ANITA (CONT’D) Let’s get back to work. Curtain’s coming.

ANITA (CONT’D) Wait—can I see that?

INT. STUDIO – LATER ANITA He wants to bring it to London. But… he doesn’t think you should be part of it.

Bill freezes.

Bill What? Why?

ANITA He says the musical needs a different creative direction. “The producer ran with it. I didn’t want to lose the momentum.” It’s a marketability issue.he says Bill So after everything, they want to cut me out?

ANITA I’ll talk to him. I’m not okay with it either.

Bill (voice cracking) We’ve put everything into this. All of ourselves. And now I get sidelined?

ANITA Bill, I swear—this isn’t over. You matter. I’m going to fight for you.

Bill Will they even listen to you? Or has it already been decided?

She doesn’t answer.

Bill (CONT'D) I gave this everything I had. If they take it away… what’s left?

ANITA (quietly) We’ll figure it out.

INT. ANITA’S BEDROOM – NIGHT Anita sits on the edge of her bed, phone to her ear. Her notebook is untouched beside her.

ANITA (into phone) I tried. But the producer isn’t listening. He wants to replace you.

INT. COFFEE SHOP – DAY – FEW WEEKS LATER Anita, more composed, speaks into her phone.

ANITA Hey… how’s it going? I’m back in the city.

Bill (V.O.) So you just erased me? After everything?

SCENE 25 – EXT. NYC STREET – DAY A few days later. Anita exits a coffee shop, scripts under her arm.

Bill spots her across the street.

BILL Hey. Didn’t expect to see you so soon.

ANITA London didn’t feel right. I didn’t end up going.

BILL I’ve been rewriting. A new show. My own story this time. But… I’m stuck.

ANITA What do you need?

BILL Perspective. Your voice in the room.

She studies him, wary but open. He offers her a script. She takes it.

SCENE 26 – INT. STUDIO – DAY Anita and Bill sit side-by-side again—coffee cups, notebooks, and open laptops between them. But this time, Anita takes the lead.

ANITA Act One—we open with your first audition. The failure. The sweat. That weird hat.

BILL Bold choice.

ANITA We show the fear. The desperation. Not just “I want to perform,” but “I need to be heard.”

BILL And what about you?

ANITA I’m not writing myself in. Not this time. But you’ll know it’s me in the details.

She taps a Post-it: “Speak what you’re afraid to say.”

INT. STUDIO – LATER Bill pulls out a ridiculous outfit: glitter blazer, feather boa, cowboy hat.

BILL (defensive) This is for the opening monologue. And I would be wearing—

ANITA Tell me you wouldn’t wear that on stage.

BILL (already putting it on) Tell me why I shouldn’t.

He strikes a pose, full diva energy. Lights in the studio flicker to life as Bill tweaks the console, creating a new lighting sequence.

ANITA (calling out) Don’t touch the tech!

BILL Too late. I’ve watched like five YouTube tutorials.

STROBE LIGHTS FLASH.

ANITA Oh my god. Stop!

They both laugh as the lights pulse and the music cues up.

Few days later, he arrives with a glued-up beer belly costume. She laughs.

INT. BILL’S APARTMENT – NIGHT Dim light. A quiet energy hums in the room.

BILL A producer reached out. He’s interested.

ANITA Wait—really? That’s huge!

BILL He wants a showcase. One night only. No crowd—just him and his team.

ANITA That’s scary… but incredible.

BILL Yeah. And terrifying. What if I screw it up?

ANITA Then we learn. But what if it’s the night everything opens up?

BILL Exactly. This might be it.

INT. STUDIO – AFTER THE SHOWCASE – NIGHT Pizza boxes, tea mugs, scattered notebooks.

Bill and Anita sit on the couch—exhausted but wired.

BILL I wrote it. Premiered it. It actually happened. (laughs) Still doesn’t feel real.

A quiet beat. He notices her expression.

BILL (CONT’D) What? You don’t look happy.

ANITA No, I’m…

BILL It’s 1 a.m. Can we eat and crash?

ANITA Sure.

But he watches her. Feels the shift.

BILL So you are mad.

ANITA No.

BILL Then what’s going on?

ANITA It’s not a big deal.

BILL Don’t say that. I can’t sleep if you’re upset. Tell me.

A long beat.

ANITA Where’s my name?

BILL What?

ANITA I saw the flyer. The website. The program. Nothing. Not even a thank you.

BILL Anita, it’s a solo show. That’s… the format.

ANITA So now it’s all yours? Even the parts we built together? (quietly) You used my words.

BILL I didn’t use you. I wrote what I felt. What we experienced.

BILL (CONT’D) What are you saying? You want credit?

ANITA (hurt) Don’t reduce it like that.

BILL I’m not. I just… I had a draft before you came on.

ANITA It’s not about recognition. It’s about truth.

A long silence. Her voice softens.

ANITA (CONT’D) The script is beautiful. I’m proud of you. (beat) But do you really think it would be what it is… if we hadn’t done it together?

Bill exhales. The weight of it settles in.

BILL (softly) No.

ANITA That’s all I wanted to hear.

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