Indahsari (Screenplay - Episode 4)

INT. ZICO'S ROOM

GLOOM AND DOOM.
INDAH stands behind the door.
Huge LOUDSPEAKERS in front of her.
Heavy metal POSTERS on the wall.
A framed picture of RORO JONGGRANG praying.
She turns to her left. RECOILS in shock.
ZICO sits in bed. Facing her. Headphones on. Eyes wide open.

                                                      INDAH
                               ZICO...

She approaches him.

                                                      INDAH
                                You not feeling well?

He remains stoic.
She touches his forehead. Reaches for the curtains.
His hand GRABS her wrist.
She GASPS. Bulges her eyes.

                                                        ZICO
                                               (not looking)
                               Don't.

He releases her.

                                                        ZICO
                               I'm skipping school today.

SUPER: FORTY DAYS AGO

INT. BI INAH'S ROOM, LAWANG - NIGHT

INDAH and her mother sit on the edge of the bed.

                                                     BI INAH
                               ZICO was a happy boy before his dad
                               left. He seldom left his room.
                               Started skipping school. At least
                               once a month.

SUPER: THE PRESENT

INT. ZICO'S ROOM - NIGHT

THREE BLURRY PHOTOS lit by a dim desk lamp.
The first one shows a boy, his father and his mother smiling in front of a candle-lit cake, with handwriting that reads, "ZICO'S 6TH BIRTHDAY WITH DAD AND MOM".
The following picture shows a boy and his father, looking at a candle-lit cake. "ZICO'S 7TH BIRTHDAY WITH DAD", the handwriting says.
The final image depicts a boy standing alone in front of a cake with the words "ZICO'S 8TH BIRTHDAY". The lone figure looking down.

EXT. BASUKI RAHMAT STREET, ZICO'S MOTORBIKE - DAY

ZICO's motorbike stops at the FOREIGN LANGUAGE ACADEMY.
INDAH gets off. Approaches him. Nods to him.

                                                      INDAH
                               Thank you.

He nods without looking. Drives off.

INT. YOUTH FELLOWSHIP ROOM - NIGHT

ZICO and INDAH pick up songbooks from the floor.

                                                 YUNA (O.S.)
                               Hello ZI!

Yuna, age 16, pixie haircut, stands behind ZICO.

                                                       YUNA
                                                     (smiles)
                                Tomorrow Dani, George, and I are
                                going to the movies. You coming?

                                                        ZICO
                                           (shakes his head)
                                Mmm, maybe next time--

                                                       YUNA
                               Promise?

He TURNS to INDAH.

EXT. ZICO'S MOTORBIKE (MOVING) - NIGHT

ZICO drives into increasingly BUSY weekend traffic.

                                                        ZICO
                               Indahsari!

                                                      INDAH
                               Yes?

                                                        ZICO
                               Wanna go to Blauran Market?

He looks at her through the left REARVIEW MIRROR.
She lowers her face. SMILING SHYLY.

EXT. KRANGGAN STREET - LATER

ZICO parks his motorbike. INDAH stands behind him.
He looks at the CROWDED sidewalk.
GRASPS her hand. Walks closely in front of her.
She can't stop staring.
At his FACE.
At their INTERTWINED fingers.

INT. BLAURAN MARKET

They stand in front of an East Javanese cuisine STALL.
Browse FOOD.
Sit face to face with YELLOW RICE and ICE CENDOL.
Eat together.

                                                      INDAH
                               ZICO, you eat here often?

                                                        ZICO
                                                (not looking)
                               When mom's shop was in Wijaya.

LATER

He takes his ice cendol bowl. Stirs it. Takes a sip.

                                                        ZICO
                               Blauran Market's ice cendol is
                               the best!

She smiles.
Takes her bowl. Stirs it. Takes a sip.

                                                      INDAH
                               Oh, ZICO! So fresh!

Her eyes SPARKLE. Her face LIGHTS UP.
STEALING his eyes. Making him blush. And SMILE.

                                                        ZICO
                                            (half-whispers)
                               Next time we'll come here again.

MOMENTS LATER

She watches him SCRAPE his bowl.

                                                      INDAH
                               ZICO...

He glances at her. Looks at her BOWL.

                                                      INDAH
                               May I ask?

He nods without looking.

                                                      INDAH
                               Why didn't you go to school
                               yesterday?

                                                        ZICO
                               Got my period.

                                                      INDAH
                               Huh?

He keeps looking at her leftover ice cendol.

                                                      INDAH
                                What does it feel like?

                                                        ZICO
                                A nightmare.

                                                     INDAH
                                How come?

He shrugs.

                                                     INDAH
                               Since when?
                                                        ZICO
                               Second grade.

He POINTS to the remaining ice cendol in her bowl.

                                                        ZICO
                               You going to finish it?

She smiles shyly. Shakes her head.
He draws the bowl closer. Slurps it up with her spoon.
She's STUNNED. Blushing.

INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT

ZICO sits at the table. INDAH sits on the floor.
Watching Kate Bush's "Wuthering Heights" music video.

INT. INDAH'S ROOM - NIGHT

A knock on the door. She opens it.
ZICO leans his head against her door frame.
She quickly preens herself.

                                                      INDAH
                                                     (smiles)
                               ZICO...

He shows her a copy of Emily Bront's "Wuthering Heights".
An "English - Indonesian" dictionary.
A SONY WALKMAN and its headphones.
A cassette of "QUEEN GREATEST HITS".

                                                        ZICO
                                              (not looking)
                               To help you with your English.

She looks at them. Hesitantly takes them.

                                                      INDAH
                                                       (nods)
                               Thank you.

He nods. Turns around. Walks away.
She LOOKS ON.

INT. ZICO'S ROOM - NIGHT

The wall clock reads "9:30".

                                                 MOM (O.S.)
                               ZI, I'm leaving!

EXT. PORCH

INDAH stands behind the open door. His mom hugs her shoulder.

                                                       MOM
                               NDAH, I'll be back Monday morning.

                                                     INDAH
                               Have a safe trip, ma'am.

ZICO follows his mom out with her duffel bag.

INT. HALLWAY

ZICO and INDAH walk inside together.

                                                        ZICO
                               INDAHSARI, wanna watch a video?

He goes straight into his room.
Emerges with a Betamax cassette.
Turns on the video player.
Turns off the light.

INT. DINING ROOM

On TV, a schoolgirl cries. Covering her FACE with a scarf.
A female pedestrian approaches. Asks her.
The girl stops crying. Uncovers her withered face. LAUGHS.

                                                      INDAH
                                           (bulges her eyes)
                               This is a scary movie, isn't it?

She gets up.
Approaches him. Sits on the floor. Near his small couch.
He GLANCES at her.
Gets off from the couch. Sits next to her.

SUPER: NINE YEARS AGO - 1974

INT. MOVIE THEATER - DAY

ONSCREEN, a young woman with pale skin and long black hair NIBBLES on a glass.
SCREAMING, the audience covers their eyes.
Little ZICO covers his ears.
His dad glances at his boy. Smiles. HUGS his shoulder.

SUPER: THE PRESENT

INT. DINING ROOM - LATER

The light's ON. ZICO and INDAH are still on the floor.

                                                        ZICO
                                               (not looking)
                               I like scary movies.

                                                      INDAH
                               Not scared?

He shakes his head.

                                                      INDAH
                               ZICO...

He glances at her.

                                                      INDAH
                               May I ask?

He nods without looking.

                                                      INDAH
                               Why don't you look at people
                               while you talk? You never smile--

Suddenly, he TURNS. Stares at her with a red expression.
WRAPS his hands around the back of her head. Pushes it down.

                                                      INDAH
                               Ouch ouch. ZICO!

He releases her. Sighs. Lowers his head.

                                                        ZICO
                                Grief's a burden. Longing's heavy.
                                People are not significant. They are
                                bothersome!

INDAH's shaken.

                                                        ZICO
                                       (stares at the ceiling)
                                 Twelve hours in the day I miss dad.
                                 Above fifty in the night I grieve.
                                 I suffer! Wish I were dead!

DEAD silence falls.