Speak Softly, Love

SPEAK SOFTLY, LOVE

FADE IN:

INT. THEIR TABLE, RESTAURANT – EVENING

VINCENT and LYDIA are sitting at their table, glasses of water before them.  Vincent takes a sip.  In the background, a SINGER is finishing "Someone to Watch over Me" on the karaoke system.

OTHER DINERS applaud.

An idea strikes Vincent.

VINCENT
Hey, let's sing a song!

Vincent grabs Lydia's forearm and tries to pull her away.  Lydia resists.

LYDIA
No, let's not.

Vincent is crestfallen.

VINCENT
Why not?  C'mon, it'll be fun.

LYDIA
No, really, I'd rather not.

Vincent continues to try and pull her out of her seat.

VINCENT
Aw, c'mon...you know you want to.

LYDIA
No, I don't.

Vincent persists.

VINCENT
Come on, Liddy, let's go...we're doing this, I'm not taking no for an answer.

LYDIA
Vincent...

Lydia looks Vincent in the eye.

LYDIA (CONT'D)
...no.

The playfulness of the situation is gone.

VINCENT
Fine...I'll sing by myself.

LYDIA
Oh, don't do that.  You know you're just going to embarrass yourself.

Vincent looks at her as if to say, "How could you say that?"  He walks off without another word.

INT. KARAOKE STATION, RESTAURANT – CONTINUOUS

Vincent storms up, accidentally bumping into JASMINE, walking up at the exact same moment.

JASMINE & VINCENT
Oh, I'm so sorry.

Their similar responses catch them both off-guard.

JASMINE & VINCENT
(flustered)
You go first.... No, you.

They both turn away, laughing lightly.  Then they both turn to the KARAOKE DJ.

JASMINE & VINCENT
"Speak Softly Love"?

They both look at each other again.  A "No way" moment.  Vincent finally decides to break the silence with a joke.

VINCENT
Well, I'm going to go sit down before this gets any creepier.

Vincent starts to walk away when:

JASMINE
Do you want to sing it with me?

Vincent really wants to but isn't sure if he should or not.

VINCENT
Um...

He looks back at Lydia, who is ordering without him...for him too, most likely.

VINCENT
Sure...why not?

Vincent walks back to her as the Karaoke DJ hands Jasmine two microphones.  She hands one to him.  Neither one of them starts up on the stage.  A beat.

VINCENT
Ladies first...

Jasmine smiles and steps up, Vincent following immediately behind.

INT. KARAOKE STAGE, RESTAURANT – CONTINUOUS

Vincent steps into the light, which is a bit bright.  The music starts and Jasmine pulls him down-center-stage with her.  She starts singing.

JASMINE
Speak softly love and hold me warm against your heart...

Vincent joins a bit tentatively.

VINCENT
...I feel your words the tender trembling moment starts...

Vincent looks to his table again, as Jasmine continues singing, to find that Lydia isn't even watching him; she's checking her make-up.

JASMINE
...We're in our world...our very own... sharing a love that only few have ever known.

Seeing this inspires Vincent to sing louder, prouder, and better, as if to spite Lydia.

VINCENT
Wine colored days, warmed by the sun...

Jasmine looks to Vincent, surprised by this sudden change of enthusiasm but enjoying it.

JASMINE
...Deep velvet nights, when we are one.

VINCENT
Speak softly love so no one hears us but the sky...

JASMINE
...The vows of love we make will live until we die...

VINCENT
...My life is yours...and all because...you came into my world with love... Speak softly love.

The music crescendos for the bridge and they look into each other eyes and smile.  They join each other in a brief mock-tango for the remainder of the bridge.  Other Diners laugh and clap.  Some hoot and holler for the “couple”.

JASMINE & VINCENT
Speak softly love so no one hears us but the sky...

They look at each other again, smiling.  Jasmine attempts to harmonize with Vincent as they continue singing.

JASMINE & VINCENT (CONT'D)
...The vows of love we make will live until we die.... My life is yours...and all because...you came into my world with love so softly love.

They end with Vincent dipping Jasmine, looking into one another's eyes.  They want to kiss but the Other Diners' thunderous applause snaps them out of the moment.

They smile once again and take their bows.

INT. THEIR TABLE, RESTAURANT – EVENING

Lydia is eating her salad, shielding her face with her other hand.  Vincent joins her with a smile a mile wide.

VINCENT
Hey, whaddaya say?  Still think I embarrassed myself?

Lydia stops eating for a moment to answer.

LYDIA
No.

Beat.

LYDIA
You embarrassed me.

Vincent is crestfallen to say the least.  He looks at his girlfriend, then to Jasmine, talking to the bartender while throwing on her purse, then back to Lydia.  He is about to say something when Lydia kisses him on the mouth.

LYDIA
But it's okay, I forgive you.

Beat.  Vincent doesn't know how to respond to this, either.

VINCENT
You know what?  

Vincent stands up and starts edging out of their booth.

VINCENT (CONT'D)
I'm gonna go get something to drink... you want anything?

LYDIA
You don't drink.

VINCENT
I should. / Yeah, but I've been meaning to start.

INT. BAR, RESTAURANT – EVENING

Vincent looks around to find that she's gone.  He searches frantically for her.

He spots a figure walking out the door.

He starts running out.

INT. THEIR TABLE, RESTAURANT – CONTINUOUS

As he rushes by:

VINCENT
I need some air.

EXT. RESTAURANT – CONTINUOUS

He bursts out of the door and looks around but she's nowhere to be found.

Disappointed, he starts back inside when Jasmine steps out from behind the door and kisses him.

After a kiss that seems to last forever, they part and, smiling, Jasmine starts to make her way down the street.

Vincent looked after, rather perplexed.

VINCENT
Wait, what're you doing?

No reply.  Vincent continues to stare after her for a few moments longer.

VINCENT
I don't even know you're name!

Totally and utterly confused, he slowly starts back inside.

CUT TO:

INT. VINCENT'S APARTMENT – NIGHT

Vincent trudges in through his front door.  He shuts the door, locks it, and tosses his keys on the stand in the hallway.

He starts taking off his jacket to hang up on a hook when something falls out of it.

He looks at it curiously before stooping to pick it up.  It's a napkin.  He's looking at it when suddenly his eyes shoot open along with a smile.  He drops the napkin, pulls out his cell phone, and presses a button.

On the napkin, is loopy handwriting which reads, "THAT WAS FUN.  WE SHOULD DO IT AGAIN SOMETIME.  JASMINE"

VINCENT (O.S.)
Hi, Lydia?  We need to talk...

FADE OUT: