FIRST SCENE
(First scene is narrated by Lola. She is doing a school presentation in a classroom. She is nervous, she stands up from her chair when Mrs. Black calls out her name. She stands in front of the podium and starts reading. )
Lola: “Everyday is the same, she wakes up a 6:30 in the morning to complete the routine of the day, the unbearable loop of washing teeth, showering, putting decent clothes on and walking out the door. She faces a world that doesn’t have a sound, so her eyes and her nose and her hands are her ears. She has to walk looking in every direction to make sure she’s safe. But sometimes, and when i say sometimes, i mean, all the time, she feels like she doesn’t want to take care. She wants to walk the streets with her eyes looking at the ground, she wants to live her life like nobody else can hear, like everybody is just like her: Deaf. This is the story about me when I found my long lost sister from another family. This story takes place in a time of my life where I could really use a best friend. ”
SECOND SCENE
(Lola is in the train station sitting in a bench looking down at some instruction papers when her good friend Ryan calls.)
Lola: Omg thank God you called, i need your help.
Ryan: What the heck Lala, you scared me with those text messages, whats so bad?
Lola: Ry, Mrs. Black gave me a summer assignment that will destroy my whole education because i will get the biggest F ever.
Ryan: Oh, please, i’m sure you’re overreacting, what is it about?
Lola: I have to write a story about something unusual, and interesting in my life.
Ryan: Oh shhhhhhh….
Lola: RYAN I LITERALLY HAVE NOTHING INTERESTING!
Ryan: HAHAHAHAH girl, i’m sorry but i have to agree! You will get an F!
Lola: I’m a freaking white girl with a basic story. Raised by a perfect marriage, only child, have always had straight As and thats it!
Ryan: Maybe you could write about me!
Lola: Oh, c’mon theres nothing interesting about you either!
Ryan: Except for the fact that i’m the best photographer in the whole world!
Lola: Okay, don’t flatter yourself too much. I gotta go, but i’ll call you if i find something new.
(Hangs up with a smile on her face. Lola looks around and finds a girl sitting next to her who’s reading a book she likes.)
**********
Lola: Looking for Alaska? I loved that book, i read it last summer.
(Tallulah is unaware of Lola talking to her.)
Lola: Hey, i’m talking to you.
(Tallulah is still unaware. So, Lola taps her shoulder. Tallulah lifts her head and stares at Lola with a confused expression.)
Lola: You know, it’s kinda rude to ignore people.
(Tallulah tries to read her lips but fails.)
Lola: And you keep ignoring me.
(Tallulah starts speaking in sign language and says “I can’t hear you, i’m deaf.”)
Lola: Now, i don’t understand what is that.
(Tallulah smiles and looks for her phone and writes “I’m not ignoring you on purpose, i’m deaf.”
Lola: Oh, okay, i’m so sorry. Oh, you can’t hear that either.
(Tallulah writes “If you speak slowly, i can read your lips.”)
Lola: Alright, i’m sorry for thinking you were ignoring me, i didn’t expect you to be deaf. Oh, was that rude of me?
Tallulah writes “No, thats not rude, nobody expects me to be deaf.”
Lola: Alright, cool. Well, i was telling you that I love that book, I read it last summer.
Tallulah writes “That’s awesome, i’m almost done reading it.”
(They stay silent for a while, smiling.)
Lola: Oh, i’m Lola! What’s your name is?
(Tallulah writes her name on the phone.) “Tallulah”
(Scene finishes with some back ground music and the girls still talking.)
THIRD SCENE - ASL INTERACTION
(This whole scene is with music. Clips of Lola is in her bedroom searching for ASL basic signs so that she can communicate with Tallulah. A quick transition to the train station, Lola sees Tallulah again and walks up to her and starts talking in ASL.)
Lola: Good morning, how r u?
(Tallulah smiles)
Tallulah: Amazing
Lola: I didn’t sleep yesterday. because i was learning sign language ASL. I want to learn more.
Tallulah: I can teach you more.
Lola: Thank you.
Tallulah: Why did you decide to learn?
Lola: Because i want to talk with you better.
(Tallulah smiles.)
(More clips of them together talking in sign language.)
(A lot of clips of them of time passing by. Them with different clothing and different hairstyles as if days were passing by. Clips on the train and clips in the park.
One clip of Ryan meeting Tallulah for the first time, and then clips of them hanging out together.)
FOURTH SCENE
(Lola and Ryan are together in the park and they start talking.)
Ryan: Did you invite Tallulah to hangout?
Lola: I don’t know, maybe… Why so curious?
Ryan: I just want to see her.
Lola: Ry, do you like her?
Ryan: What? No!
(Lola gives him the “you sure?” look.)
Ryan: Okay, maybe.
Lola: I knew it.
Ryan: You wouldn’t be upset if i asked her out, right?
Lola: Why would i be upset?
Ryan: Cuz she’s like your best friend now and we don’t ever hangout without you.
Lola: Of course i wouldn’t be upset. Plus, i need sometime alone to finish my project.
Ryan: Oh! Did you finally find something to write about?
Lola: Yes, i’m writing about my friendship with Tallulah.
Ryan: Wait, why?
Lola: Oh Ryan c’mon. You just said it. She’s my best friend. Okay? My best friend is deaf. Isn’t that interesting?
Ryan: When did you think about writing about her?
Lola: When i met her, why do you think i learned sign language and became her friend?
Ryan: But, Lola, you know how she gets when people victimize her or see her as an interesting thing.
Lola: I’m not victimizing her, Ry, chill.
Ryan: Does she know?
Lola: Yes, of course she knows.
Ryan: Was she cool with it?
Lola: Yes, she’s cool with it.
Ryan: Okay! Then, can i ask her out tomorrow?
Lola: Sure, do as you want.
FIFTH SCENE - ASL INTERACTION
(Tallulah meets with Ryan in the park.)
Tallulah: Where’s Lola?
Ryan: She stayed home finishing the project she’s doing about you.
Tallulah: Project about me?
Ryan: Yeah, the story thing.
Tallulah: I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Ryan: Wait, you don’t know about it?
Tallulah: No.
Ryan: Of course you know, she told me you know. The last project of her semester? You don’t remember?
Tallulah: It’s not that i don’t remember, it’s just that she never told me.
Ryan: So, she lied to me?
Tallulah: I guess so.
SIXTH SCENE
(Transition to Lola in her bedroom. She is sitting in her desk writing in her computer when a text arrives. It’s from Tallulah.)
Tallulah: So, when were you going to tell me that i’m your school project?
Lola: Um.. I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Tallulah: Oh, please, Ryan told me.
Lola: Told you what?
Tallulah: You are writing a story about the most interesting thing in your life: Your deaf best friend.
(Lola picks up the phone and calls Ryan.)
Ryan: Hello.
Lola: Did you tell Tallulah about my project?
Ryan: Um, yeah, but only because you told me she knew about it.
Lola: But what did you tell her exactly?
Ryan: That you didn’t go to the park today because you had to finish the story that you’re writing about her and she didn’t know about it so she asked. I told her you are writing a story about the most interesting thing in your life.
Lola: So now she thinks i’m her friend because i needed something interesting to talk about.
Ryan: Well, in our defense, you lied to the both of us. You told me you had asked her, and she thought you genuinely wanted to be her friend but all you did was use her.
Lola: But that isn’t why we’re friends.
Ryan: Lola, you’re a really shitty friend, honestly. You lie and use people. Maybe it’s better if you stay away from us.
Lola: But…
(Ryan hangs up the phone. Lola looks upset and starts to cry.)
SEVENTH SCENE - ASL INTERACTION
(Lola and Tallulah see each other in the train station. Tallulah tries to walk away, but Lola grabs her arm and makes her turn around.)
Lola: Stop! Please, you need to understand.
Tallulah: I understand! I understand that you’re a really bad friend.
Lola: You’re wrong!
Tallulah: No, i’m not. You’re not my friend. Friends don’t lie. Did you learn sign language because you wanted to write a story about me?
Lola: No!
Tallulah: SAY IT! You’re my “friend" because you needed to write about me.
Lola: Yes, but you need to understand!
Tallulah: I don’t want to. Don’t you think i’m tired of people taking advantage of my deafness? I’m not sick! I don’t need a cure! All i need is to be accepted as i am! So, please… Stay away from me.
(Tallulah walks away from Lola.)
(After this scene, there are going to be clips of them going to the same places but not together. Ryan and Tallulah ignoring Lola.)
EIGHTH SCENE - ASL INTERACTION
(Lola is carrying a little book in her hands. Its her story finished. Walks up to Tallulah in the park.)
Lola: Hey!
(Tallulah ignores Lola completely, so she taps her.)
Lola: If you don’t want to be my friend, that’s okay. But before judging me for what i did, you should read it first.
(Tallulah struggles whether to take the book or not, but ends up taking it.)
(Lola walks away with a smile in her face
NINTH SCENE
(She is where the short film started, in the classroom, doing her story presentation.)
Lola: She doesn’t want to have to take a minute to read somebody’s lips because they don’t know how to sign. She doesn’t want to have to apologize to a stranger who thinks she’s ignoring him when he’s speaks to her as she’s not facing him. She doesn’t want to have to write what she’s trying to say in her iPhone’s notes so that somebody else doesn’t have a hard time trying to understand her. She doesn’t want anybody’s pity. She doesn’t want fake friends who feel obligated to be friendly to the deaf girl. She’s not only a deaf girl. Her name is Tallulah. Her grandmother raised her, and taught her to love books, and drawings, bicycles and plants. Her dream? Her dream is to hear music. But even though, a lot of us might find her interesting, this isn’t a story about a deaf girl, because being deaf shouldn’t be a disability, or seen as an illness. It doesn’t need a cure because, to me and to Tallulah, it should just be characteristic, rare to find. This is the story about the weirdest, funniest but sweetest friendship i’ve ever had. I hope you enjoy it.
(As she is narrating, Tallulah will arrive with Ryan and he will start interpreting what Lola is reading. When Lola is done reading, Tallulah will walk up to her and hug her. Short film will finish with them having fun again.)
