PHYFF 2021: ‘We All Make The Little Flowers Grow’ by Kaya L. Trefz

We All Make The Little Flowers Grow Written By: Kaya L. Trefz

1

Characters: Alice (23): Dancer Maggie(24):wants to go to grad school to become a professor of literature ACT 1.

INT. MAGGIE’S APARTMENT-TIME UNKNOWN The room is dark and the two sit as far as they can apart on the bed. The bed isn’t made and Maggie holds a letter in her hands, Alice looks at her shoes as Maggie stares at the letter, unmoving.

ALICE V.O. Maggie wanted to go to grad school in the fall.

CUT To: EXT. PARK- DAYTIME It is brighter both in color and in energy as the two walk hand in hand seeming much younger.

ALICE V.O. (CONTD.) We weren’t in school anymore.

CUT To: INT. CAFE-DAYTIME Maggie sat at a cafe with a friend who holds up her ring hand to reveal an engagement ring. The friend is excited as Maggie fakes a smile.

ALICE V.O. (CONTD.) Our friends started doing ‘adult’ things.

CUT to: INT. MAGGIE’s APARTMENT- DAYTIME Maggie and Alice sit on the couch, Alice snuggled into Maggie's side as they watch a movie. Maggie’s attention is on a pamphlet for college, flipping through. She drinks tea from a mug.

ALICE You got anything to eat?

MAGGIE Fuck. (looking down at her.)

2

ALICE We can just order pizza.

Alice grabs her phone looking for a place to order from.

INT. MAGGIE’s BEDROOM NIGHT TIME Alice is asleep on one side as Maggie is curled up on her side, looking at her phone.

ALICE V.O. It wasn’t an all at once thing. She didn’t, like, wake up one day and decide she wanted to go back to school or wanted kids or anything. She used to be cool.

EXT. PARK-DAYTIME A slightly younger Maggie lights a cigarette, putting it between her lips.

Maggie (looking at Alice.)

One more time?

ALICE (rolling her eyes.)

Oh yeah?

MAGGIE Mhm. (She gestures with her cigarette) You know, you could busk all day and we could live off that.

ALICE Yeah if we wanted ramen noodles and a dingy apartment.

MAGGIE Hey I’d eat ramen noodles and live in a shitty place with you.

ALICE And what would you do?

3

MAGGIE Admire you.

(Alice laughs, beginning to dance as Maggie watches, grinning.)

ALICE V.O. I don’t even know when it started.

INT.MAGGIE’S BEDROOM-NIGHT TIME Maggie types on her laptop as Alice lays dozing off on the other side. Maggie looks over before shaking her slightly.

MAGGIE Hey… you should head home.

ALICE Dude what, how late is it?

MAGGIE I just have an, um, interview early.

ALICE (Looking at phone.)

It’s 11.

MAGGIE I really need to focusALICE At least walk me to the train?

MAGGIE I have to make sure my resume is perfect.

EXT. STREET-DAYTIME ALICE V.O. Maybe it started when she stopped watching my dancing.

Alice begins to dance as they walk, grinning at Maggie.

MAGGIE

4

(Simply) Alice we’re in public, come on.

CUT to: INT. MAGGIES APARTMENT- DAYTIME ALICE V.O. Or when she got busy.

Maggie sits on the floor reading a textbook as Alice rehearses her dancing. She hums to herself practicing her steps. (beat) ALICE Babe how does this look? (repeats step) MAGGIE (not looking up) It looks fine.

ALICE You didn’t look.

MAGGIE (setting her book down, looking up at her.)

Alice I’m busy.

ALICE Yeah… I can tell.(rolls her eyes) look I just wanted to know if it was good.

MAGGIE Yeah it’s fine. You always look fine when you dance.

ALICE But this is newMAGGIE It all looks the same.

5

ALICE (Stopping to look at her) No it doesn’t…

MAGGIE And you never even dance in front of anyone anymore. What’s the point if you don’t have an audience?

ALICE I’ve been going to auditions and trying to choreograph andMAGGIE Heather’s pregnant.

ALICE Don’t change the subject.

(Alice takes a beat) Heather? Didn’t her and her boyfriend just get married?

MAGGIE Moved to the suburbs too.

ALICE Fucking lame.

MAGGIE I think it's sweet.

ALICE It’s so generic. I bet she sold her soul too.

MAGGIE Maybe some of us want practical life.

ALICE What’s that?

MAGGIE

6

I-I think I want to go back to school. Grad school, maybe major in English and become a teacher.

ALICE A teacher? You hate kids.

MAGGIE (Shrugging) Teachers get a nice pay and they always need teachers.

ALICE Always need dancers too.

MAGGIE Yeah until you age out of it.

ALICE WhatMAGGIE We have to be practical! We’re not in school anymore, this isn’t a joke. We don’t even have a place together!

ALICE You wanted to wait until we could afford a bigger place.

MAGGIE I don’t even have dishes! Not matching ones anyways! Maybe I want to be the type of person with a matching dish set who can just have someone over for food.

ALICE You can do that- we can, we can make it work. I can try to audition for more companies andMAGGIE I have to go to school, Alice. I can’t do this anymore.

7

INT. MAGGIES APARTMENT-DAYTIME The room is dark and the two sit as far as they can apart on the bed. The bed isn’t made and Maggie holds a letter in her hands, Alice looks at her shoes as Maggie stares at the letter, unmoving.

ALICE V.O. So she waged it on a letter.

Maggie grins, opening the letter as she hugs Alice who tenses up.

ALICE V.O. (CONTD) She wanted to be civil, and she wanted to be ‘practical’ EXT. TRAIN STATION-DAYTIME Maggie and Alice sit on a bench, bags between their legs. They look down, sitting in silence.

The train comes and passes when its gone all that remains is Alice sitting alone on the bench.

ALICE V.O. But what she didn’t realize is INT. THEATER-TIME UNKNOWN Alice stands on a stage, the audience packed in front of her.

The lights shine bright, clouding the theater for a moment.

ALICE V.O. Dancing is freedom.

She begins to dance. It begins soft and elegant as we see memories of her and Maggie. Sweet moments where they are very obviously in love; holding hands, sharing kisses, etc.

As the dance progresses it becomes more emotional, we see reflective moments of Alice realizing Maggie was never fully in the relationship. Not watching her practice, not listening to her speak, love gone from her eyes.

8

The dance ends with Maggie lying on the ground. Cut to her eyes as the audience roars with applause.