unfinished script
ATO, A BOY OF A NEGATIVE PERSPECTIVE GETS A LIFE DETOUR WHEN HE MET A GIRL NAMED ASHA WHO ACQUIRE A LESSON OR TWO FROM THEIR ENCOUNTER.
SCENE 1
FADE IN
OWNER TYPE JEEP TRAILED AERIAL SHOT
(V.O.) ATO: Hindi ko maalalang naging bata ako, kasi, sa mga nakikita kong mga bata–kesasaya nila… hindi ko maalalang.. naging masaya ako…
EXT. FRONT DOOR-DAY OF SLIGHTLY BIG HOUSE WITH A SMALL VARIETY STORE.
DOOR OPENS
DANNY: Pareng Duardo..!
DANNY, a well built man in his forties welcomes
DUARDO, a man of the same age wearing a buri hat accompanied by a slightly thin boy ATO who is in his late teens.
INT. LIVING ROOM
DUARDO: O, nagsawa ka na rin sa States?
DANNY: Hindi naman, pero mula nuong trahedya, e, minabuti na namin ni ASHA na umuwi na muna nang medyo makagaan sa loob, ‘lam mo naman ‘yung nangyari kay Lupe…
DUARDO: Ganyan lang talaga ang buhay, pare. Kahit gaano kahirap, tanggapin, may dahilan Siya sa lahat…
DANNY: Salamat, buti nga pala at pinaunlakan mo ‘yung paanyaya kong patulungin ‘tong si ATO dito sa tindahan…
DUARDO: Asus! Para ‘yun lang, hindi rin lang ‘yan nakakapag-aral e mabuti na rin ‘yan kesa matutong mag-istambay at magbulakbol..
THE TWO COMRADES STAND AND WALK TOWARD THE KITCHEN.
DUARDO (WHISPERS THOUGH STILL AUDIBLE): Ewan ko ba d’yan sa inaanak mo, wala nang inatupag kundi gumuhit…! Sa dami ba naman ng mga chicks baranggay namin e wala akong nababalitaang sinusuyo…
DANNY: Gano’n ba? Naaalala ko tuloy ‘yung pagkabinata natin…
COMRADES GLANCE AT EACH OTHER, MANLY LAUGHTER FOLLOWS…
COMRADES CONTINUE TO CONVERSE, THIS TIME FADED AND BARELYAUDIBLE, BURIED BENEATH THE SOUND OF ATO’S VOICE OVER.
(V.O) ATO: Itay talaga, puro kalokohan. Pero sigurado naman akong kapag nakadale ako ng ‘di oras s’ya ‘tong unang unang mananabon sa k—
CAMERA TRACES ITS PATH OF VIEW FROM THE VARIETY STORE TO THE LIVING ROOM SOFA WHERE ATO SITS.
ATO NOTICES A LADY, PERHAPS OF SIMILAR AGE AS HIS, FROM THE VARIETY STORE INTERIORS.
FOCUS ON ATO THEN ON THE GIRL.
GIRL TURNS AROUND
ATO: Kung ganyan ang hitsura ng isang
anghel, bakit may langit pa…
ASHA: Umm, may..dumi ba sa mukha ko..?
STARTLED, ATO SHIFTS SIGHT TO OPPOSITE DIRECTION FOR AWHILE.
ASHA: Asus! Ke laking damulag, mahiyain.
(GRINS) Joke. Asha, ikaw?
EXTENDS A HAND FOR ATO TO SHAKE
ATO: A-Ato. Pasensya ka na.
EXTENDS HIS HAND TOO, ASHA RETRIEVES HER HAND BACK BEFORE HE CAN CLASP IT.
ASHA: Actually, kilala na kita, e. <GRINS>
Ikaw ‘yung kargador ko ‘di ba?
SCENE 2
EXT. DANNY’ S RESIDENCE – EARLY MORNING
ZOOM OUT FROM ATO’S KNAPSACK, ATO WALKING TOWARD DANNY’S HOUSE.
DANNY GETTING READY TO BOARD HIS CAR
ATO: ‘Gandang umaga ho.
DANNY: O, Ato, ‘buti’t maaga ka, paalis na ko papuntang opisina, kayo nang bahala ni Asha dito.
ATO: Sige ho, ingat na lang…
INT. VARIETY STORE
A SERIES OF SCENES SHOT WITHIN THE VARIETY STORE SHOWING BOTH ASHA AND ATO, SAME CAMERA ANGLES DIFFERENT POSITION/ ARRANGEMENT, ATO EITHER READING OR DRAWING WHILE ASHA STARTS GETTING RESTLESS AND RATHER ANNOYED OF THEIR PREDICAMENT.
ASHA: Look, I can’t stand this any longer, aren’t we gonna have a conversation or somethin’?
ATO LOOKS ON BUT CONTINUE ON WHAT HE’S DOING
ASHA: Ah, I know.. hindi ba tayo maaari mag-usap?
ATO GLANCES AT ASHA, A LITTLE INSULTED.
ATO: I completely comprehend what you just said, princess, no need to translate it, thank you.
ASHA: E iyon naman pala, e! Ba’t di ka nagsasalita?! God, I don’t deserve this, I’m stuck in claustrophobic asylum with an autistic—whatever it is you call yourself. I didn’t asked for this, you know…!
ATO: Well, I didn’t asked for this either. Ano bang pinaghihimutok ng butsi mo? May ginagawa kaya ‘yung tao. ‘Yan bang natutunan mo sa States?
ASHA: … (INFURIATED, SHAKES HER HEAD AND FIX AN OMINOUS LOOK ON ATO)
ATO STARES BACK THEN LAUGHS
ATO: Maganda ka pa rin pala kapag galit…
ATO PROCEED TO THE KITCHEN, LEAVES THE SCENE, LEFT HIS SKETCHPAD ON THE TABLE HE DREW ON. SNEAKILY, ASHA TAKES A PEAK ON THE PAD. WHEN ABOUT TO FLIP ON A CERTAIN PAGE, THE PHONE RANG AND SHE WENT, LEAVING THE PAD FLIPPED OPEN. CAMERA FOCUS ON THE FLIPPED SKETCHPAD: A SKETCHED PORTRAIT OF ASHA.
SCENE 3
THE NEXT DAY, SAME SETTING
ASHA: Hey, Ato. Pasensya ka na yesterday…
ATO: Seryoso ka na n’yan? (JOKINGLY)
ASHA: Of course, I am. I mean, since malamang, matagal din tayong magkakasama dito sa tindahan..mas makakabuti na rin sigurong maging magkaibigan tayo, ‘di ba? Mahirap magtrabaho ng may alinlangan sa kasama, right?
ATO: (SMILES) ‘K, truce then…
ATO EXTENDS A HAND AND WITH MUCH ENTHUSIASM ASHA TAPS IT INSTEAD (LIKE A GESTURE IN ‘GIVING FIVE’)
SUCCEEDING FRAME FEATURES THE TWO HAVING FUN TOGETHER DOING CHORES AT THE STORE AND OTHER ACTIVITIES; FRAMES ACCOMPANIED BY MUSIC
SETTING: AT A PARK DAY TAKING THEIR TIME OFF
MUSIC FADES; ASHA TAKES A REST BESIDES ATO WHO HAPPENS TO BE DRAWING
(V.O.)ATO: -
***
ASHA: ‘Galing mo talagang magdrawing.. idrowing mo naman ako—hindi ‘yung basta mukha lang, ha? ‘Yung as in whole body saka siempre, kamukha ko…!
ATO: Oo ba…
CHANGE OF SETTING; THE MATERBEDROOM; CAMERA TOURS FROM ONE CORNER…
(V.O.) ASHA: Duon tayo sa kwarto ni Papa bukas, ‘di daw s’ya uuwi…
(V.O) ATO: Bakit du’n pa?
(V.O.) ASHA: Basta…
…CAMERA MOTION STOPS AT THE DOOR, THE ROOM’S FAIRLY LIT MAKING A COUPLE OF SILHOUTTES FRAMED BY THE BEDROOM DOOR
ASHA CLICKS THE LIGHTS ON
ASHA: D’yan ka lang muna. Mag-aayos lang ako…
ATO FIXES HIS THINGs FOR THE PORTRAIT, ASHA ENTERS FROM THE BATHROOM CLAD IN ROBES.
ASHA: Um, I forgot to tell you: I want you to draw me in my birthday suit…
ATO: Ha?! S-sigurado ka?
ASHA CONFIRMS ATO WITH A NOD AND A FRAGILE SMILE
NEXT FRAMES FEATURES THE ARTIST, SUBJECT OR CLOSE-UP OF THE ARTIST’S HAND
ASHA: Ato, you’re so stiff, er, formal, I mean.
ATO: (CAUGHT UNATTENDED)Ha?
ASHA: ‘Ka ko, mas relax pa ‘ata ako kesa sa ‘yo…! Nakakabingi pala ang pagdrodrawing..? (JOKINGLY)
ATO: (BLURTS A SIGH, THEN SMILES) ‘La lang, nagkoconcentrate kasi ‘ko… er, ‘Asha’ ba talaga ‘yung tutoo mong pangalan?
ASHA: Actually, Russian ‘yun ng ‘Alexander’…
ATO: At…
ASHA: ..At ang first name ko ay ‘Alexandra’..!
ATO: ‘Hello Alexandra’
ASHA: ha, ha.. Eh, ikaw, si ‘Ato’ ka ba talaga?
ATO: H-ha?!.. Hawthorne..Hawthorne ang pinangalan sa ‘kin…
ATO VOICED OVER THE NEXT SCENE: THE USUAL VARIETY STORE SCENARION
ASHA INVITES ATO TO TAKE A SHOT ON DRAWING HER ALA KATE WINSLET
ATO DRAWS VO ATO
ASHA WONDERS WHY NOTHING HAPPENS
(ATO PROFESSIONAL)
ASHA RECEIVES AIRMAIL
ASHA INFORMS A BF ABROAD-HE’S COMING IN
ASHA THINKS OF PLAN; ASK ATO IF ITS OK
ATO ASKS HER IF THEY’RE AN ITEM
PLAN PUSHED THROUGH
BF ARRIVES
AFTER AWHILE ATO CAN’T TAKE WHAT’S HAPPENING ANY LONGER
ATO MADE ASHA CHOOSE
ASHA FAILED TO REPLY
ATO WALKS OUT
ASHA CONFESSES TO BF
‘BF’ CONSOLES ASHA
ADMITS OF PLAN OF MARRIAGE TO OTHER GIRL AND SPILLS THAT’S THE REASON HE CAME—TO SAY GOODBYE
VO ATO
ASHA RUSHES IN
ATO STARTLED; ASHA TELLS THE STORY
ATO SAY SORRY
SAME WITH ASHA
SCENE GETS INTIMATE
