Ok I'm gonna try a new format. Let me know how you like it.
Camera opens on a plain white door it zooms out to show the nervous women standing by the door getting ready to knock.
It's been a week since Charlie had that meltdown. Callie wanted to talk to her about therapy but she didn't know how. She was just always so open with Sofia. Sof know who to express her emotions. She didn't know how to get through to Charlie. A manual or a pamphlet would be good right now callie thought to herself as she opened the door. Charlie sat on the bed scrolling mindlessly on her phone.
CALLIE: (opens the door)Heyyyy
CHARLIE: (looking up from the book in her lap) You need something?
CALLIE: (sits on the bed next to Charlie)Umm no just wanted to talk
CHARLIE:( closing the book in her lap)About what?
CALLIE: (Nervously) Therapy
CHARLIE: (confused) Why?
CALLIE: ( staring at the wall behind Charlie) The whole family goes, we have family therapy once a month, individual therapy once a week. and I was just wondering if you'd want to join in on the therapy, I think it would beneficial.
CHARLIE: Yeah sure. Therapy couldn't be that bad.
CALLIE:(surprised) Oh ok I guess I'll leave you to your devices(she gets up feeling accomplished and leaves the room)
Camera leaves the plain room and pans to a modern kitchen decorated in Black and white
To be honest everyone had been walking on egg shells around Charlie. They didn't know how to deal with her. And they didn't try to make her feel unwanted but that's what was shown.
CHARLIE:(walking in the kitchen. Gets oranges juice out of the fridge and pours it in a glass from one of the cabinets)
CHARLIE: ( taking a sip of the orange juice) Hey sof
SOFIA: (sitting on a stool by the counter looks up from the book she was studying)Hi Charlie
CHARLIE:(lean on the counter next to SOFIA) what position do you play (looking at the book SOFIA was studying)
SOFIA:( collects her things and leave the counter) Goalie
CHARLIE: (kind of hurt. Whispered) What's her deal? ( she finish the juice and put the cup in the sink)
They kinda avoided her at all cost.
CHARLIE: ( walks over by the stove) Arizona you need any help in the kitchen
ARIZONA: (back turned to face the stove) Um no sweetheart
CHARLIE:Ok cool (takes a deep sigh before heading back to her room slamming the door by accident )
ARIZONA: (sighing. Stressed) Shit.
CALLIE: (worried) You ok?
ARIZONA: (mixing the contents in the pot) Iwill be. Can you go talk to Charlie though. I feel bad for the way we've treated her. I mean when I told Sofia to not bring up sensitive subjects, I didn't want her to treat Charlie like a parasite.
CALLIE: (walking up behind Arizona. Turning her around by the hips to face her) Alright so I talk to Charlie. And you talk to Sofia before dinner.
ARIZONA: (smiling dimples adorned) Alright
CALLIE: (gives Arizona a high-five then a kiss and walks to CHARLIES room)
Charlie knew she never fit in. But she thought after his patient they were with her that she would fall in to place. Be the missing piece in the puzzle. But she was wrong it was like she was repeatedly getting forced into a tight space. Instead for florishing she was backtracking. She wiped her tears biting her emotions down again.
(Charlie frustrated plops on the beds. The taps her foot and bits her lip to stop from crying but it doesn't work. She hears someone coming so she wiped the tears and grabs the book on the night stand pretending to read.)
CALLIE:(from behind the door) Hey can I come in?
CHARLIE:(still looking down at the book in her lap.trying to making it look as if she just wasn't crying)Yep
CALLIE:(trying to beat around the "bush". Nervously) So
CHARLIE: (kinda confused) So what?
CALLIE: (awkward. Looking down at her hands) So the first night huh
CHARLIE:(confused) It was my first night
She had forgotten about her outburst. That's what she would do most of the time or atleast try to. But it didn't work she was bursting at the seams with pain and emotion. Getting kicked out of her last home hurt the most.
CALLIE: (hinting) Well you know you acted a certain way
CHARLIE: (confused) I did
CALLIE: (being straightforward of at least trying) You kinda had this outburst
CHARLIE: (denying) Idon't know what your talking about
CALLIE: (nurturing motherly voice) Um I don't know what you've been through at past homes but we talk about feels her you don't have to deny them
CHARLIE: (denying) I'm not
CALLIE: (sighing) I came here to apologize.
CHARLIE: (confused looking up at Callie) Why?
CALLIE: (clearing her throat) Well honestly we've been horrible to you. We didn't know how to deal with situations like this. And still don't. (Pause)
CHARLIE: (preparing for the worst. She knew eventually this family would kick her out like all the rest. )
CALLIE: (cont.) But we can work through this. I'm sorry if my family has alienated you in the past week. Or if we have made you feel unwanted because trust me, you're wanted.
CHARLIE: (looking about at her hands not wanting to look at CALLIE in fear of crying)
CALLIE: (smiling) I don't want to push butcanwehugit out. We kinda hug in this house it's our thing.
CHARLIE: (not feeling comfortable with it shakes her head. Still looking down)
CALLIE: (gets up not wanted to push) Alright (getting up taking one look to say something but decides not to and walks out the door)
Charlie didn't say anything. Just opening up the book. Letting tears season the tattered pages of the overdue library book.
It was weird tho in all her other Foster homes she was never able to express her self like this. She kinda enjoyed tho she didn't know how to express it. She wanted to say so more but, she couldn't. She knew the system she knew the patterns. The foster parents tell you make yourself at home. Tell you they love you and want you to express yourself. And when she finally would they would run away. They would send her back. She was to much to deal with too much trauma, too much sickness, too much pain. So she blocked the voice out in the back of her head. The voice that said "give them a chance" that's lead with her heart not her head.
Camera opens up on a degree on a wall belonging to a SANDRA IKEDA-FREY. It pans down to two flags on belonging to JAPAN the other belonging to SWITZERLAND. It goes down even lower bring into view a women.
DR. MARSALIS: Hello my name is Dr. Marsalis
The women was in her later 30's early 40's. She had streaks of grey hair poking through her tight bun. She had thick round rim glasses, that reminded Charlie of a librarian. She wore a brown, earth tone turtle neck, with multi pattern green maxi skirt. It looked like a cubism painting of a forest.
CHARLIE: ( looking down at her hands picking at the skin, anxiously)
They sat their for half of the session. DR MARSALIS wanted to let CHARLIE take her time.It was quiet til DR Marsalis finally spoke up
DR. MARSALIS:(clearing the throat. Trying to get the girl to speak) I heard your name is Charlie.
Charlie didn't answer. She only moved from picking at her hands to picking a hole in Dr. Marsalis couch, which she felt bad for you.
DR. MARSALIS: ( in a calm yet authoritative motherly kind of voice) I can't help you feel better if you don't speak
Truth was she wanted to talk but she didn't know how. She wanted to get help but when she tried to talk she just couldn't she was too anxious.
DR. MARSALIS: ( trying to change the subject to something more light) What do you like to do for fun
She'd been in the profession long enough to know the signs of a panic attack. So she decide to ask her something unfeeling related, something more light.
CHARLIE: (not looking up still picking at the small hole in the dark blue couch. Whispering.) Ium like to paint
DR. MARSALIS: (intrigued) What do you normally paint.
CHARLIE: ( looking up from the holes shed picked on the couch to the degree on the wall) Um I don't really know I just paint.
DR. MARSALIS: (wanting to know more) How about next time you bring a portfolio of some of your art.
CHARLIE: (not paying attention to the women still studying the degree) Sure
DR MARSALIS: ( turning behind her to look at the degree too) That's my old name. I'm married now.
CHARLIE: ( looking down at the ring on her finger) Nice.
DR. MARSALIS: ( looking at the clock behind the girls head) Well I enjoyed todays session but, I'm afraid our time is up. Remember to bring the portfolio with your art.
CHARLIE: ( confused. Not knowing how to feel) OK .
DR. MARSALIS: ( flipping the note pad she had in her lap close) I'll show you the way out. My office is a maize it's easy to get lost.
CHARLIE: (getting up off the couch pulling the sleeves of the green sweater over her hands. Waiting for the women to open the door)
DR. MARSALIS: ( get up out of her seat . Opening the door for Charlie and guiding her out to the waiting area)
CALLIE: (sitting engrossed in her phone her face adorned with black reading glasses.)
DR. MARSALIS: (walking up to the women) Hey we had a good session today. Just hope the next one will be great.
CALLIE: (noticing the talking women. She took of her glasses and grabbed the big purse in the seat next to her) Well that's great. (trying to make small talk)
DR. MARSALIS: You can schedule your next appointment at the receptionist desk or over the phone. (The women gave one last smile before leaving the waiting room)
Camera opens up inside a suv. The young girl laying her head against the window watching the scenery that they pass by.
CALLIE: (looking through the rear view mirror) So how was the session.
CHARLIE: (shrugs her shoulders still not knowing how to feel about it)
CALLIE: (awkwardly) Ok cool (tapping the steering wheel before pulling into the driveway of the home)
CHARLIE: (hops out the car not waiting for Callie. Only looking back at the suv when she made it to the door)
CALLIE: (startled by the girl the zoomed past her)Don't worry I have the key. (Joking)
CHARLIE: (not amused)
CALLIE: ( juggling her keys trying to find the right one) Ok tough crowd. Don't worry I'll be here all night ( finally opening the door holding it open in a jokingly way.)
CHARLIE: ( runs to her room)
CALLIE: ( sighing throwing her hands up) I don't speak teenager.
CHARLIE: (on the phone dialing a number in. She paces around as she her the ringing on the other end)
NIA: (yawns on the other end) Yo what's up.
CHARLIE: (nervously) I'm sorry to bother you I didn't know you where sleeping.
NIA: Chill it was just a smalll nap. You know I always got time for you Char.
CHARLIE: ( sitting on her bed nervously) Good because I need to talk about my new foster placement.
NIA: (gasp) Are they abusive or something?
CHARLIE: (surprised by the accusation) No, actually it's the opposite.
NIA: ( confused) What?
CHARLIE: (serious) They care like way to much.
NIA: (kinda irritated) Like how.
CHARLIE: (taking a deep breath) Ok so on my first night, I kinda had a small pts panic attack. And you know normally you help me with those. Or I just get through them on my own. But Callie one of the moms came to tell me dinner was ready. Which is weird, in and of it's self. And she like found me like in a panic state under the bed. And she like coached me out. And then there was this guy how oddly looked like Matt.
NIA:(interrupting) Matt will never come back he's in jail.
CHARLIE: (sighing) I know but he just reminds me so much of him. So I had a break down mid dinner and I told my foster moms to beat me.
NIA: (in disbelief) Are you serious Charlotte.
CHARLIE: (sighs disappointed) Sadly yes. But then they took me to therapy.
NIA: (annoyed) Newsflash that how people do stuff when they care. Or think your crazy. Or it could be both.
CHARLIE: (annoyed) Stop joking Mi
NIA: (serious) Char I'm not joking. It sounds like they care. I think you have a good one.
CHARLIE: ( sigh) Yea well let's see how long it lasts.
NIA: (sad) I know you don't see it but I don't think you're coming back.
CHARLIE: (sighing not believing her)Yeah I guess
NIA: (frustrated) You know what I have to go cuz it's dinner but talk to you later.
CHARLIE: (annoyed) Yeah I guess.
The phone drops on the other end. The camera shows CHARLIE sitting on her bed. CHARLIE poops down on her back. The camera pans out to the Seattle night sky. Camera goes black, tittle card THE RUNAWAYS appears credits roll.