SCENE 1 — BROOKE DEMANDS AN ANSWER

INT. ISAIAH’S HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — NIGHT

The house is quiet.

Only the soft hum of the television fills the room.

Brooke sits on the couch, staring at Isaiah.

Isaiah stands near the window, his arms folded.

Brooke looks exhausted.

But her expression is determined.

She slowly gets to her feet.

BROOKE
What am I supposed to do now?

ISAIAH
Brooke, we already talked about this.

BROOKE
No.
You talked.
I listened.
But you still haven’t given me an answer.

Isaiah sighs.

BROOKE
You need to marry me.

ISAIAH
Brooke…

BROOKE
I’m serious.
I don’t know what I’m supposed to do anymore.

Her voice begins to shake.

BROOKE
I’m not going back home without you.

Isaiah takes a slow breath.

ISAIAH
You’re making this harder than it needs to be.

BROOKE
Because you’re avoiding the question.

A long silence fills the room.

Brooke steps closer.

BROOKE
Do you want me or not?

Isaiah looks at her.

He struggles to find the right words.

SCENE 2 — ISAIAH ASKS FOR TIME

INT. ISAIAH’S HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — CONTINUOUS

Isaiah finally speaks.

ISAIAH
I never said I didn’t want you.

Brooke watches him carefully.

ISAIAH
But I’m not ready to get married right now.

Brooke’s expression falls.

BROOKE
Why?

ISAIAH
Because I need time.

BROOKE
How much time?

Isaiah pauses.

ISAIAH
I don’t know.

BROOKE
Exactly.
You don’t know.

Brooke turns away.

She wipes her eyes.

BROOKE
That’s always your answer.

Isaiah takes a step toward her.

ISAIAH
I’m trying to be honest with you.

BROOKE
And I’m trying to tell you how I feel.

Isaiah nods.

ISAIAH
I understand.

BROOKE
No, you don’t.

Brooke turns back toward him.

BROOKE
If you understood, you wouldn’t ask me to just go home and forget everything.

ISAIAH
I’m not asking you to forget anything.

BROOKE
Then marry me.

Isaiah becomes quiet.

SCENE 3 — BROOKE REFUSES TO LEAVE

INT. ISAIAH’S HOUSE — HALLWAY — NIGHT

Brooke walks toward the hallway.

Isaiah follows a few steps behind.

ISAIAH
Brooke, please.

She stops.

BROOKE
What?

ISAIAH
You can’t force me to make a decision tonight.

Brooke slowly turns around.

BROOKE
I’m not forcing you.
I’m telling you what I need.

Isaiah looks frustrated.

ISAIAH
Marriage is a serious decision.

BROOKE
I know.

ISAIAH
Then you should understand why I need time.

Brooke’s eyes fill with tears.

BROOKE
And you should understand why I can’t just pretend everything is okay.

ISAIAH
Go home, Brooke.

She immediately shakes her head.

BROOKE
No.

ISAIAH
Brooke—

BROOKE
I’m not going back.

ISAIAH
You can’t stay here forever.

BROOKE
I’ll stay until you marry me.

Isaiah stares at her.

SCENE 4 — THE ARGUMENT ESCALATES

INT. ISAIAH’S HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — LATER

Brooke returns to the couch.

She sits down.

Isaiah remains standing across the room.

ISAIAH
You’re not listening to me.

BROOKE
Because you’re not listening to me either.

ISAIAH
I told you I need time.

BROOKE
And I told you I’m not leaving without an answer.

ISAIAH
That’s not fair.

BROOKE
Maybe it isn’t.
But that’s how I feel.

Isaiah rubs his forehead.

He walks toward the kitchen.

Brooke watches him.

BROOKE
Isaiah.

He stops.

BROOKE
If you really care about me, you’ll understand why I’m asking.

Isaiah slowly turns around.

ISAIAH
I do care about you.

BROOKE
Then prove it.

Isaiah doesn’t respond.

Brooke looks down.

BROOKE
I just want to know that I have somewhere to belong.

Isaiah’s expression changes.

For a moment, his anger disappears.

ISAIAH
Brooke…

BROOKE
I’m tired.

She looks toward the couch.

BROOKE
I’m tired of fighting.

Isaiah remains silent.

SCENE 5 — BROOKE FALLS ASLEEP

INT. ISAIAH’S HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — LATE NIGHT

The room has become completely quiet.

Brooke is lying on the couch.

Her eyes slowly close.

Isaiah sits across from her.

He looks at her.

She appears peaceful now.

The argument is over for the moment.

Isaiah quietly gets up.

He walks toward the kitchen.

He grabs a glass of water.

He returns to the living room.

Brooke is still asleep.

Isaiah sits down.

He looks at the floor.

His mind is racing.

Brooke’s words keep repeating in his head.

“I’m not going back without you.”

Isaiah closes his eyes.

He takes a deep breath.

ISAIAH
Why does everything have to be this complicated?

Brooke shifts slightly in her sleep.

Isaiah looks toward her.

SCENE 6 — ISAIAH LOSES HIS TEMPER

INT. ISAIAH’S HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — MOMENTS LATER

Brooke wakes up briefly.

She notices Isaiah sitting nearby.

BROOKE
Are you still here?

Isaiah looks at her.

His frustration returns.

ISAIAH
Where else would I be?

Brooke sits up.

BROOKE
I don’t know.

She looks at him.

BROOKE
Are you going to marry me?

Isaiah’s face tightens.

ISAIAH
We already talked about this.

BROOKE
I just need to hear it again.

ISAIAH
No.

Brooke looks hurt.

BROOKE
Then I’m staying.

Isaiah stands.

ISAIAH
Brooke, stop.

BROOKE
No.

ISAIAH
I said stop!

Brooke stands as well.

BROOKE
Why are you getting so angry?

Isaiah’s temper gets the better of him.

The argument suddenly becomes frightening.

Isaiah moves toward Brooke in anger.

The situation becomes unsafe.

Brooke immediately backs away.

The room falls silent.

Isaiah realizes that he has crossed a serious line.

He steps back.

His expression changes from anger to shock.

Brooke looks frightened.

Neither of them speaks.

SCENE 7 — THE SILENCE AFTERWARD

INT. ISAIAH’S HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — CONTINUOUS

Brooke slowly moves away from Isaiah.

She keeps her distance.

Isaiah looks down.

ISAIAH
Brooke…

She doesn’t answer.

ISAIAH
I shouldn’t have let my anger get that far.

Brooke remains silent.

Her breathing is unsteady.

Isaiah takes another step backward.

ISAIAH
I’m sorry.

Brooke finally looks at him.

BROOKE
You scared me.

Isaiah’s face falls.

ISAIAH
I know.

A long silence follows.

Brooke sits down on the far end of the couch.

Isaiah stays across the room.

Neither wants to move closer.

BROOKE
This isn’t what I wanted.

ISAIAH
I know.

BROOKE
I wanted you to choose me.

Isaiah looks at her.

ISAIAH
I should have told you what I was feeling without losing control.

Brooke looks away.

BROOKE
I don’t know what happens now.

Isaiah doesn’t answer.

SCENE 8 — BROOKE QUESTIONS EVERYTHING

INT. ISAIAH’S HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — LATER

The clock moves toward morning.

Brooke sits quietly.

Isaiah remains near the doorway.

The argument has changed everything.

Brooke looks at him.

BROOKE
Do you still want me here?

Isaiah hesitates.

ISAIAH
I don’t know what to say.

BROOKE
That’s the problem.

She stands.

BROOKE
You never know.

Isaiah watches her.

BROOKE
I came here thinking you were going to give me an answer.

She pauses.

BROOKE
Instead, everything got worse.

Isaiah looks down.

ISAIAH
You’re right.

Brooke wipes away a tear.

BROOKE
I thought getting married would fix everything.

Isaiah looks at her.

ISAIAH
Marriage can’t fix something that’s already hurting.

Brooke becomes quiet.

His words sink in.

SCENE 9 — A DECISION HAS TO BE MADE

INT. ISAIAH’S HOUSE — EARLY MORNING

Sunlight begins to enter through the curtains.

Brooke sits with her phone in her hand.

She looks at the screen.

Several missed calls appear.

She doesn’t answer any of them.

Isaiah walks into the room.

He stops when he sees her.

ISAIAH
You should talk to someone you trust.

Brooke looks up.

BROOKE
Maybe I should.

Isaiah nods.

ISAIAH
And maybe we both need some space.

Brooke looks toward him.

BROOKE
You still need time.

ISAIAH
Yes.

Brooke takes a deep breath.

BROOKE
Then take it.

Isaiah looks surprised.

BROOKE
But I’m not going to keep begging you.

Isaiah says nothing.

Brooke picks up her bag.

She stands.

BROOKE
I wanted a marriage.
I wanted a future.
But I don’t want it if I have to force you into it.

Isaiah looks at her.

ISAIAH
Brooke…

She raises her hand.

BROOKE
Not now.

She walks toward the door.

Isaiah stays where he is.

SCENE 10 — BROOKE WALKS AWAY

INT. ISAIAH’S HOUSE — FRONT DOOR — MORNING

Brooke reaches the door.

Her hand rests on the handle.

She pauses.

For a moment, she looks back.

Isaiah stands several feet away.

Neither says anything.

Brooke finally opens the door.

Morning light fills the entrance.

She steps outside.

Isaiah watches her leave.

The door slowly closes.

Isaiah remains alone in the living room.

He looks toward the couch where Brooke had been sleeping.

His expression is filled with regret.

He sits down.

His phone begins ringing.

Isaiah looks at the screen.

He doesn’t answer.

He simply stares at it.

The call ends.

Silence returns.

Isaiah looks down.

ISAIAH
I should have handled this differently.

CUT TO BLACK.