THE CALL ISAIAH COULDN’T IGNORE

INT. LARRY’S HOUSE – LIVING ROOM – AFTERNOON

The house is unusually quiet.

Larry sits on the couch, staring at his phone. His expression is tense.

He scrolls through his contacts and stops at Isaiah’s name.

Larry takes a deep breath.

He presses CALL.

The phone rings.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

No answer.

Larry’s jaw tightens.

He calls again.

Still nothing.

Larry lowers the phone and shakes his head.

LARRY
Isaiah, you better not be ignoring me.

He looks at the screen again.

The call goes unanswered.

Larry knows something is wrong.

He immediately scrolls through his contacts and finds Isaiah’s father’s number.

He presses CALL.

---

INT. ISAIAH’S FATHER’S HOUSE – LIVING ROOM – SAME TIME

Isaiah’s father is sitting in his chair when his phone rings.

He looks at the screen.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
Larry?

He answers.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
Hello?

---

INTERCUT – LARRY’S HOUSE / ISAIAH’S FATHER’S HOUSE

Larry speaks firmly.

LARRY
I’ve been trying to reach Isaiah, but he isn’t answering his phone.

Isaiah’s father’s expression changes.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
He’s not answering you?

LARRY
No.

Larry pauses.

LARRY
I need you to tell him something for me.

Isaiah’s father sits up.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
What?

LARRY
Tell Isaiah to call Brooke.

His father looks confused.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
Brooke?

LARRY
Yes. Brooke.

Larry’s voice becomes more serious.

LARRY
Whatever happened between them, he needs to stop avoiding her and talk to her.

Isaiah’s father nods slowly.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
I’ll talk to him.

LARRY
Please do.

Larry hangs up.

He stares at his phone for a moment.

He knows the situation is getting worse.

---

INT. ISAIAH’S FATHER’S HOUSE – ISAIAH’S BEDROOM – MINUTES LATER

Isaiah sits on the edge of his bed.

His phone is beside him.

He knows Larry has been calling.

He also knows why.

His father enters the room.

Isaiah looks up.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
Why aren’t you answering Larry?

Isaiah says nothing.

His father steps closer.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
He called me because you won’t answer him.

Isaiah looks away.

ISAIAH
Dad, I don’t want to talk about it.

His father shakes his head.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
Then talk to Brooke.

Isaiah remains silent.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
Why aren’t you contacting Brooke?

Isaiah looks down at the floor.

ISAIAH
I don’t know what to say to her.

His father becomes frustrated.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
You don’t know what to say?

He takes a breath.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
After everything that’s happened, you’re just going to sit here and ignore her?

Isaiah doesn’t respond.

His father’s voice rises.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
Call Brooke.

Isaiah looks at him.

ISAIAH
Dad—

ISAIAH’S FATHER
No.

He points toward Isaiah’s phone.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
You need to call her.

Isaiah looks uncomfortable.

He reaches for his phone but doesn’t unlock it.

His father notices.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
You keep avoiding the problem, and you’re making everything worse.

Isaiah looks away.

His father becomes even angrier.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
Do you understand what you’re doing to that girl?

Isaiah remains quiet.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
Brooke hasn’t been eating properly for days because of this situation!

Isaiah’s face changes.

For the first time, the words hit him.

He looks up.

ISAIAH
She hasn’t been eating?

His father shakes his head.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
No.

His voice is filled with disappointment.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
And you’re sitting here acting like none of this matters.

Isaiah looks down.

The guilt begins to show on his face.

---

INT. ISAIAH’S FATHER’S HOUSE – LIVING ROOM – MOMENTS LATER

Isaiah follows his father into the living room.

His father is still angry.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
I’ve raised you better than this.

Isaiah stands silently.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
You don’t have to agree with Brooke.

You don’t even have to know what the future holds.

He points toward the phone in Isaiah’s hand.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
But you owe her a conversation.

Isaiah swallows hard.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
If you hurt someone, you don’t disappear.

Isaiah looks down.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
You face them.

Isaiah nods slowly.

ISAIAH
You’re right.

His father watches him carefully.

ISAIAH
I should have called her.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
Then do it.

Isaiah unlocks his phone.

His hands hesitate over Brooke’s name.

He finally presses it.

---

INT. BROOKE’S HOUSE – BEDROOM – SAME TIME

Brooke sits quietly on her bed.

Her phone is beside her.

She looks exhausted.

Her eyes are red.

She has barely touched the food sitting on the table beside her.

Her phone begins to ring.

She looks at the screen.

ISAIAH CALLING

Brooke freezes.

For a moment, she doesn’t move.

The phone keeps ringing.

She wipes her eyes.

Then she answers.

BROOKE
Hello?

Isaiah takes a deep breath.

ISAIAH
Brooke…

She doesn’t respond.

ISAIAH
It’s me.

Brooke looks away.

BROOKE
I know who it is.

Isaiah closes his eyes.

ISAIAH
I’m sorry.

Brooke’s expression hardens.

BROOKE
Sorry for what?

Isaiah struggles to find the right words.

ISAIAH
For not calling you.

Brooke lets out a quiet, bitter laugh.

BROOKE
You didn’t just forget to call me, Isaiah.

Isaiah remains silent.

BROOKE
You ignored me.

His eyes drop.

ISAIAH
I know.

BROOKE
And now you’re calling because your dad told you to?

Isaiah looks toward his father.

His father gives him a serious look.

ISAIAH
No.

Isaiah pauses.

ISAIAH
I’m calling because I should have called you myself.

Brooke’s eyes fill with tears.

But she refuses to let them fall.

BROOKE
It’s too late.

Isaiah’s face falls.

ISAIAH
Brooke, please—

BROOKE
No.

She wipes her cheek.

BROOKE
You had days to call me.

Isaiah’s voice becomes softer.

ISAIAH
I was scared.

Brooke looks at the floor.

BROOKE
You weren’t scared.

She takes a breath.

BROOKE
You were avoiding me.

Isaiah has no answer.

The silence says everything.

Brooke slowly shakes her head.

BROOKE
I needed you.

Isaiah looks devastated.

BROOKE
And you weren’t there.

Isaiah’s eyes become watery.

ISAIAH
I know I messed up.

BROOKE
You did.

A long silence follows.

Isaiah tries again.

ISAIAH
Can we talk?

Brooke closes her eyes.

For a moment, it looks like she might agree.

Instead, she shakes her head.

BROOKE
Not right now.

ISAIAH
Brooke—

BROOKE
I need time.

She ends the call.

---

INT. ISAIAH’S FATHER’S HOUSE – LIVING ROOM – CONTINUOUS

Isaiah slowly lowers the phone.

His father looks at him.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
What happened?

Isaiah looks broken.

ISAIAH
She doesn’t want to talk to me.

His father exhales.

The anger in his face softens.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
Then give her the space she asked for.

Isaiah nods.

He stares at Brooke’s name on his phone.

ISAIAH
I really hurt her.

His father puts a hand on his shoulder.

ISAIAH’S FATHER
Then don’t make the same mistake twice.

Isaiah looks down.

He finally understands.

---

INT. BROOKE’S HOUSE – BEDROOM – NIGHT

Brooke sits alone.

Her phone rests beside her.

She looks at the screen one last time.

Then she turns it face down.

A tear rolls down her cheek.

She whispers to herself.

BROOKE
I just wanted him to care.

The room falls silent.

FADE OUT.