BETHANY QUESTIONS LARRY’S DISTANCE

A CINEMATIC SCREENPLAY

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SCENE 1 — LARRY AND BETHANY’S BEDROOM — NIGHT

The bedroom is unusually quiet.

A soft lamp glows beside the bed.

LARRY stands near the window, staring outside. His expression is distant, almost unreadable.

BETHANY sits on the edge of the bed, watching him carefully.

She has been studying his behavior for days.

Tonight, she finally decides to ask the question that has been eating away at her.

Bethany slowly stands.

She walks toward Larry.

BETHANY

Larry…

Larry doesn’t turn around immediately.

LARRY

Yeah?

Bethany pauses.

Her voice is calm, but there is pain underneath it.

BETHANY

Why have you started staying away from me?

Larry finally turns toward her.

He looks surprised by the question.

LARRY

What makes you think I’m staying away from you?

Bethany gives him a hurt look.

BETHANY

Because I can feel it.

Larry remains silent.

Bethany steps closer.

BETHANY

You don’t talk to me the way you used to. You don’t come near me the way you used to. Even when we’re in the same room, it feels like you’re somewhere else.

Larry looks down.

That silence hurts Bethany more than an argument would.

BETHANY

So tell me the truth.

Larry looks at her.

BETHANY

What did I do wrong?

SCENE 2 — THE UNANSWERED QUESTION — CONTINUOUS

Larry walks away from the window.

He takes a seat in a chair across the room.

Bethany remains standing.

There is a long silence between them.

LARRY

Bethany, you didn’t do one particular thing.

Bethany’s expression changes.

BETHANY

Then why are you treating me like this?

LARRY

I’m not trying to treat you badly.

BETHANY

But that’s exactly what it feels like.

Larry rubs his forehead.

He clearly doesn’t know how to explain everything.

Bethany’s eyes begin to fill with emotion.

BETHANY

Larry, I need you to understand something.

He looks up.

BETHANY

I made serious sacrifices because I believed we were getting closer.

Larry listens.

BETHANY

I went through all that pain because of you.

Her voice trembles.

BETHANY

I thought it was going to bring us closer. I thought you wanted us to have that kind of connection again.

Larry looks away.

Bethany notices.

BETHANY

But now you’re pulling away from me.

Larry slowly stands.

LARRY

Bethany…

BETHANY

No.

She shakes her head.

BETHANY

Please don’t give me another answer that doesn’t actually answer my question.

SCENE 3 — BETHANY’S PAIN — NIGHT

Bethany walks toward the dresser.

She takes a deep breath, trying to control her emotions.

Larry watches her silently.

BETHANY

You should have told me before.

Larry’s face becomes serious.

LARRY

Told you what?

Bethany turns around.

BETHANY

That you were going to change.

Larry says nothing.

BETHANY

If you had told me from the beginning that you weren’t going to feel the same way anymore, I wouldn’t have gone through all of this expecting something different.

She wipes away a tear.

BETHANY

Maybe then it wouldn’t hurt this much.

Larry takes a step toward her.

LARRY

I never wanted you to suffer.

Bethany looks directly into his eyes.

BETHANY

But I did.

Her voice breaks.

BETHANY

I suffered because of you.

Larry stops.

Bethany continues.

BETHANY

And now I’m standing here wondering why the person I did all of this for is the same person trying to get farther away from me.

Larry lowers his eyes.

SCENE 4 — LARRY TRIES TO EXPLAIN — CONTINUOUS

The room becomes completely silent.

Larry finally speaks.

LARRY

I know you’ve been through a lot.

Bethany waits.

LARRY

And I know you made choices because you believed they would bring us closer.

Bethany nods slowly.

BETHANY

Exactly.

LARRY

But things between us became complicated.

BETHANY

Complicated because of what?

Larry hesitates.

LARRY

Because everything that’s happened between us has changed the way I see things.

Bethany looks confused.

BETHANY

Changed what?

Larry takes a breath.

LARRY

Us.

That one word hits Bethany hard.

BETHANY

Us?

Larry nods.

LARRY

Our relationship. Our arguments. Everything we’ve been through.

Bethany’s expression hardens.

BETHANY

So after everything I’ve done, you’re telling me that you’re questioning us now?

LARRY

I’m telling you that I don’t know how to fix everything overnight.

Bethany takes a step backward.

BETHANY

I never asked you to fix everything overnight.

She looks at him through tears.

BETHANY

I just wanted you to be honest with me.

SCENE 5 — THE SACRIFICE — LATER

Bethany sits down on the edge of the bed.

Larry remains standing several feet away.

She looks exhausted.

BETHANY

Do you know what hurts the most?

Larry doesn’t answer.

BETHANY

It’s not even that you’re distant.

She looks up at him.

BETHANY

It’s that I believed I was doing something that mattered to you.

Larry’s expression softens.

BETHANY

I thought my sacrifices meant something.

She pauses.

BETHANY

I thought you wanted me close.

Larry looks toward the floor.

BETHANY

If you had told me you didn’t want that anymore, I would have understood.

She takes a shaky breath.

BETHANY

But you let me believe everything was changing for the better.

Larry finally speaks.

LARRY

I never wanted to give you false hope.

Bethany gives a small, painful laugh.

BETHANY

But you did.

Larry has no immediate answer.

Bethany looks away.

SCENE 6 — A DEEPER CONFESSION — NIGHT

Larry walks closer.

He stops before her.

LARRY

Bethany, I’m not trying to punish you.

BETHANY

Then why does it feel like punishment?

Larry struggles to find the right words.

LARRY

Because I don’t want to pretend.

Bethany looks up.

LARRY

I’ve been thinking about everything.

BETHANY

About leaving me?

Larry immediately shakes his head.

LARRY

That’s not what I said.

BETHANY

Then what are you saying?

Larry takes a deep breath.

LARRY

I’m saying that I need time to understand what I feel.

Bethany’s eyes widen.

BETHANY

Time?

She slowly stands.

BETHANY

You had all the time in the world to let me believe you wanted me close.

Her voice becomes emotional.

BETHANY

Now that I’ve gone through everything, suddenly you need time?

Larry looks at her.

LARRY

I know how that sounds.

BETHANY

It sounds like I’m the only one who paid the price.

SCENE 7 — BETHANY’S BREAKING POINT — CONTINUOUS

Bethany walks toward the door.

Larry watches her.

LARRY

Where are you going?

She stops.

She doesn’t turn around.

BETHANY

I don’t know.

A pause.

BETHANY

Maybe somewhere I don’t have to keep wondering whether my husband still wants me around.

Larry’s expression changes.

LARRY

Bethany, don’t say that.

She turns around.

BETHANY

Why not?

Her voice is filled with frustration.

BETHANY

You haven’t said anything to make me believe otherwise.

Larry takes a step forward.

LARRY

I never said I don’t want you.

BETHANY

But you’re acting like it.

Silence.

BETHANY

That’s what I’m trying to make you understand.

She points toward herself.

BETHANY

I’ve been hurting, Larry.

Her voice cracks.

BETHANY

And I need to know whether all that pain meant something to you.

Larry looks deeply conflicted.

SCENE 8 — LARRY’S SILENCE — NIGHT

The clock on the wall ticks softly.

Neither of them speaks.

Bethany waits.

Larry finally approaches her.

LARRY

It meant something.

Bethany looks at him.

BETHANY

Then why are you pulling away?

Larry struggles to answer.

LARRY

Because sometimes caring about someone doesn’t make everything simple.

Bethany listens.

LARRY

I don’t want to lie to you.

BETHANY

Then don’t.

Larry looks directly at her.

LARRY

I’m still trying to figure out what happens next.

Bethany’s eyes fill with tears again.

BETHANY

And where does that leave me?

Larry doesn’t answer immediately.

LARRY

Right here.

Bethany looks confused.

LARRY

With me.

Bethany studies his face.

For the first time that night, she sees something familiar in his expression.

But she isn’t convinced.

SCENE 9 — THE LAST QUESTION — LATE NIGHT

Bethany moves closer.

Her voice is quieter now.

BETHANY

Larry, just answer one thing.

LARRY

What?

BETHANY

Do you still want me close to you?

Larry looks into her eyes.

A long silence follows.

Bethany waits for his answer.

Larry opens his mouth.

Before he can speak, his phone begins ringing.

Both of them look toward the nightstand.

The moment is interrupted.

Larry reaches for the phone.

He looks at the screen.

His expression suddenly changes.

Bethany notices.

BETHANY

Who is that?

Larry doesn’t answer.

The phone continues ringing.

Bethany’s eyes narrow.

BETHANY

Larry?

He finally looks at her.

The tension in the room rises instantly.

BETHANY

Who is calling you this late?

Larry stares at the screen.

He still doesn’t answer.

Bethany steps closer.

BETHANY

You were just about to tell me the truth.

She looks at the phone.

BETHANY

So tell me now.

Larry slowly lowers the phone.

His expression is unreadable.

The call stops.

Silence returns.

Bethany watches him carefully.

BETHANY

Larry…

He looks at her.

BETHANY

What are you hiding from me?

Larry says nothing.

The camera slowly holds on his face.

Bethany’s expression changes from hurt to suspicion.

Something about the call has clearly changed the entire conversation.

CUT TO BLACK.

SCENE 10 — CLIFFHANGER — NIGHT

The screen remains black for a moment.

Larry’s voice is heard in the darkness.

LARRY

Bethany… there’s something you need to know.

Silence.

Bethany’s voice follows.

BETHANY

Then tell me.

Another pause.

Larry breathes deeply.

LARRY

I will.

CUT TO BLACK.

TO BE CONTINUED… <