Indahsari (Screenplay - Episode 10)

EXT. ZICO'S MOTORBIKE (MOVING) - NIGHT

It rains cats and dogs.
ZICO wanders the streets.
Passes TUGU STATION.
MALIOBORO STREET.
THE PALACE.
Makes a U-TURN.
Heads back to the STATION and so forth.
OVER AND OVER.

SUPER: TWELVE HOURS AGO

EXT. LECTURE HALL'S PORCH - DAY

Restubumi bows her head.
Conceals the pale face and puffy eyes her hijab can't hide.

                                                RESTUBUMI
                                                (raspy voice)
                                Unfortunately, we're different.

SUPER: TWO DAYS AGO

EXT. RESTUBUMI'S FRONT YARD - NIGHT

Their hands MEET in the bag.
Restubumi GAZES into his eyes.
SMILES sweetly to him.
Secretly WAVES him goodbye.
Mouthes, "SEE YOU SOON!"

SUPER: THREE YEARS AGO - CHRISTMAS EVE 1983

INT. BACKYARD - NIGHT

A HAND turns the door knob.
Soaked, INDAH turns around.
Drenched ZICO stands at the stone table.
WATCHING her.
INDAH smiles to him. Waves him goodbye.

SUPER: FOUR MONTHS AGO - AUGUST 1986

INT. LECTURE HALL - DAY

A FACE lights up.
She extends her right hand.

                                       A STUDENT IN HIJAB
                                            WITH GLASSES
                                                    (smiles)
                               Restubumi.

SUPER: THREE YEARS AGO - AUGUST 1983

INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

INDAH stands on the porch.
Lets go of her boyfriend's HAND.
Takes a step toward ZICO.

                                                      INDAH
                               Good morning. I am INDAH,
                               Bi Inah's daughter.

SUPER: THE PRESENT - DECEMBER 1986

EXT. ZICO'S MOTORBIKE (MOVING) - LATER

ZICO rides his motorbike slowly.
TURNS his head toward a building with colorful lights.
Turns his EYES.
Upon THE CROSS.
Makes a U-TURN.
Stops in front of the sign.
EYES UP.

INT. SANCTUARY - DAY

"O COME, O COME, EMMANUEL" is sung by a children's choir.
ZICO walks slowly through the pews.
Sits.
Bows his head.
THE CONGREGATION applauds after the choir.
Slowly, ZICO lifts his eyes.
His jaw DROPS.
A MALE PASTOR, 50s, takes the pulpit.

                                             MALE PASTOR
                               What an amazing choir. Please keep praying
                               for our conductor INDAH, who is getting married
                               on December the twentieth. Let's bow our heads.

INT. SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSROOM - LATER

INDAH waves goodbye to the children.
Clears her desk. Walks toward the door.
JUMPS out of her skin.
ZICO leans his head against the door frame.
STARING at her.

SUPER: THREE YEARS AGO - AUGUST 1983

INT. INDAH'S ROOM - DAY

In his uniform ZICO leans his head against the door frame.
STARING at THE MARTABAK BOX in his hand.

SUPER: THE PRESENT

INT. SUNDAY SCHOOL HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER

ZICO and INDAH stand still.
STARING at each other.
Red faces. Wide open eyes.

                                 INDAH                           ZICO
                             (whispers)                (whispers)
                   ZICO...                           INDAHSARI...

They FREEZE for a good five seconds.

                                                      INDAH
                               H-how are you...?
                                   (extends her right hand)

                                                        ZICO
                                                (takes hers)
                               Good. You?

                                                      INDAH
                               Good. Vacationing?

                                                        ZICO
                               College.

                                                      INDAH
                               Oh...

Another good five seconds they FREEZE.

                                                      INDAH
                                              (tries to smile)
                               ZICO, I'm hungry. Are you?

He rubs his tummy. Nods to her.
She GRINS.

                                                      INDAH
                               Let's take a walk.

                                                        ZICO
                               How far?

                                                      INDAH
                               About a stone's throw.

They stare and chuckle.

EXT. BHAYANGKARA STREET

On a sidewalk, he walks outside and she walks inside.
Crossing streets, he holds her hand.
She stares at their hands.

INT. CHINESE RESTAURANT

They sit across from each other.
LOWER their gazes like rocks.
KNIT their brows.
Quietly PEEK at each other.
Both smile and nod.

                                                      INDAH
                               When did you come to Yogya?

                                                        ZICO
                               August--

                                                      INDAH
                               August? Why did we just meet today?

                                                        ZICO
                                            (lowers his face)
                               Hadn't been to church.

                                                      INDAH
                               What major are you taking?

                                                        ZICO
                               Philosophy--

                                                     INDAH
                                          (her eyes sparkle)
                               Your dream came true--

                                                        ZICO
                               You still remember...

Her face TURNS RED.

                                                        ZICO
                               When did you move here?

                                                      INDAH
                              Two days... after that night.

                                                        ZICO
                              With your boyfriend?

She shakes her head.

                                                     INDAH
                               Remember when I wrote a letter?

SUPER: THREE YEARS AGO - CHRISTMAS EVE 1983

INT. INDAH'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

She flips the cassette.

                                                      INDAH
                               "Karma Chameleon"?

                                                        ZICO
                               Studying?
                                          (points to her pen)

                                                      INDAH
                                   (smiles, shakes her head)
                               Writing a letter.

SUPER: THE PRESENT

INT. CHINESE RESTAURANT

ZICO nods.

                                                      INDAH
                               That's the last one.

                                                        ZICO
                               Something wrong?

She shakes her head.

                                                      INDAH
                               I ended it. By the way, where
                               are you staying?

                                                        ZICO
                               About a stone's throw.

Both GRIN.

                                                        ZICO
                               Pakuningratan. You?

                                                      INDAH
                               I live in Kotabaru with auntie.
                               Oh, how's mom?

                                                        ZICO
                               Good.

                                                      INDAH
                               Still in her room all the time?

He SIGHS.

                                                        ZICO
                               Mom's never home.

                                                      INDAH
                               Hmm?

                                                        ZICO
                               Always in her room. Untouchable like
                               a wounded tigress. She made me become
                               less like me and more like her.

She SIGHS.

                                                        ZICO
                               I know mom loves me more than anything.
                               Though she doesn't always show it. Maybe
                               I'm not helping. Only reminding her of
                               woman's greatest failure.

                                                      INDAH
                                            (half-whispers)
                               ZICO, please don't say that.

                                                        ZICO
                               Grandpa and grandma never
                               agreed to mom marrying dad.

                                                     INDAH
                              Oh...

                                                        ZICO
                               Dad's a native Minahasan.

                                                      INDAH
                               I see.

                                                        ZICO
                               Mom told me I look more
                               like dad's side.

They fall silent.
LOWER their faces.

                                                        ZICO
                               In mom's family, I'm not really Chinese.
                               People in dad's family think I'm Chinese.

He shrugs.

                                                        ZICO
                               People here see me like I'm not one of them.
                               My race makes me minority. Then my faith
                               makes me a double minority.

                                                      INDAH
                               Where's dad now?

He shakes his head.

                                                        ZICO
                               He said he went to work in Kalimantan
                               when I was in second grade. He saw me
                               once a year. Took me to Sulawesi.

SUPER: ELEVEN YEARS AGO - 1975

INT. BILLIARD LOUNGE, UJUNG PANDANG, SULAWESI - NIGHT

A LONG-HAIRED woman, 25, and a MAN, 37, take turns hitting a ball.
FLIRT with each other.
Behind them, a little boy's SITTING and WATCHING.

EXT. APARTMENT'S PORCH, GORONTALO, SULAWESI - DAY

A WOMAN, 25, in a bathrobe opens the door.
Waves hello and smiles.

INT. APARTMENT'S LIVING ROOM

She removes the towel from her head.
Flips her LONG HAIR.
Smiles at a MAN, 37, who's sitting next to her.
Behind them, a little boy's SITTING and WATCHING.

INT. NIGHT CLUB, MANADO, SULAWESI - NIGHT

"WONDERFUL TONIGHT" is playing the background.
A woman with LONG HAIR, 25, slowdances with a MAN, 37.
Her arms around his NECK.
His arms around her WAIST.
Behind them, a little boy's SITTING and WATCHING.