[SCENE START]
INT. HOTEL BAR – NIGHT
Late 1980s hotel bar. A dense, suffocating cloud of cigarette smoke hangs beneath low-wattage wall sconces. The air is thick with the rumble of loud, bass-heavy music, clinking glass, loud male laughter.
MATCH CUT TO:
CLOSE UP – OLLIE’S HAND
Ollie’s hand slides smoothly over Liz’s thigh, pushes the fabric of a tight dress with buttons down the front a few calculated inches to reveal more leg
WIDE SHOT – THE GLOOMY CORNER
OLLIE sits back in a dark faux-leather armchair. Beside him sits LIZZIE her body visibly stiffening, her posture hyper-aware.
OLLIE
(grins, leaning in)
Be a good girl, Lizzie, and get us some drinks.
TRACKING SHOT – FOLLOWING LIZZIE
Lizzie stands and steps away from the table.
ECU (EXTREME CLOSE UP) – LIZZIE’S FACE
Her eyes flick nervously around the room. Her internal voice reverberates through the heavy bass of the bar.
LIZZIE (V.O.)
Be a good girl, Lizzie, be a a good girl Lizzie?
CAMERA PANS & TILT – THE CROWD OF MEN
Lizzie manoeuvres through a dense throng of partially drunk, suit-clad businessmen.
MEDIUM CLOSE UP – LIZZIE
She shifts her weight, pushing her shoulders back and thrusting her chest forward. She moves with a heightened, almost performative posture.
POV SHOT – LIZZIE’S PERSPECTIVE
The men at the bar turn, eyes tracing her body from her chest down to her bare legs. Their gazes are heavy, predatory, and immediate.
HIGH ANGLE SHOT – LOOKING DOWN AT LIZZIE
She stands trapped in the centre of the crowd, looking visually small despite the attention.
LIZZIE (V.O.)
They know. In that second, they all know, I’m not wearing knickers. I’m a bitch on heat to them, a perfumed cloud of pheromones… God, the power of it.
ZOOM IN – OLLIE AT THE CORNER TABLE
Framed through the gap between two drunk men, Ollie sits back in the shadows, sipping his drink, watching her; proprietary, lustful, smug.
LIZZIE (V.O.)
He’s watching. He’s loving it. And God help me… for a second, I do too. The power.
CUT TO:
MEDIUM SHOT – THE TABLE
Lizzie sets two fresh drinks down and sits . Ollie leans across the small table immediately.
INSERT SHOT – DRESS BUTTON
Ollie’s fingers reach out and deliberately undo the bottom button of her dress, exposing yet more leg.
LOW ANGLE – THE BAR PATRONS
Several nearby men watch the interaction, their eyes locked on Ollie’s hand.
LIZZIE (V.O.)
Mine, he’s saying to all of them. Look what I can do that you can’t. Watch me.
CLOSE UP – LIZZIE
A deep blush creeps up her neck. Her spine arcs. She winces subtly, shrinking under the weight of her own self-consciousness.
CUT TO:
MONTAGE – THE SECOND ROUND
— HANDHELD SHOT: Ollie sends her back to the bar.
— OVER-THE-SHOULDER SHOT (LIZZIE): Drunk men hovering close, their mouths moving in slow-motion through the haze of smoke.
MAN 1 (O.S.)
(muffled under music)
I wouldn’t mind giving her one…
MAN 2 (O.S.)
Look at the state of those tits… He’s a lucky fucker.
— CLOSE UP – LIZZIE’S HANDS: Trembling as she holds the drinks, her confidence evaporating.
END MONTAGE
INT. HOTEL BAR – CONTINUOUS
Lizzie sits back down at the table, mouth opening to speak to finally say something.
Ollie stands up smoothly before she can speak.
OLLIE
Got to go for a piss. Back in a minute.
LONG SHOT – LIZZIE ALONE
Ollie walks away into the crowd. Lizzie sits isolated in the vast, hostile room.
CLOSE UP – LIZZIE ON THE CHAIR
She shifts uncomfortably on the squeaky faux leather. Her hand moves nervously to her dress, smoothing the fabric over her thighs.
She reaches out and tightly grips the heavy brass hotel room key resting on the table.
Ollie ambles back into frame. Holds a hand out.
OLLIE
Come on, let’s eat.
INT. HOTEL RESTAURANT – LATER
A quieter space, illuminated by dim amber table lamps.
MEDIUM SHOT – OLLIE
Ollie is aggressively chewing through a thick piece of steak smothered in a beige sauce. A bottle of Sancerre sits between them.
OPPOSITE SHOT – LIZZIE
Her plate of pasta remains untouched. She stares at him.
LIZZIE
What was that about?
OLLIE
(without looking up)
What was what about?
LIZZIE
That performance in the bar.
CLOSE UP – OLLIE
Ollie pauses, knife and fork suspended. He makes rare, direct eye contact. A subtle, calculating flicker crosses his features.
OLLIE
You’re sexy, Lizzie. You are very fucking sexy. Thought it might be interesting for you to try it out.
LIZZIE
(flatly)
What do you mean “try it out”? Why? What for?
EXTREME CLOSE UP – OLLIE’S MOUTH
Ollie shovels another piece of bloody steak into his half-open mouth, chewing vigorously before pouring more wine.
LIZZIE (V.O.)
You eat little girls like me for breakfast.
LIZZIE
To entertain you? Was that it?
OLLIE
Entertainment? No, not sure that’s the right word. But I liked watching you. I liked watching you being wanted. Don’t tell me you didn’t enjoy it at least part of the time, Lizzie?
CLOSE UP – LIZZIE
She stares back, motionless.
LIZZIE (V.O.)
It was bragging rights. Here, look at my new toy, boys. It was never about me.
Ollie goes back to cutting his meat, entirely indifferent.
OLLIE
(casual, dropping a bomb)
I’m going home after we’ve eaten. Need to get some clean clothes and see Helen.
CLOSE UP – LIZZIE
She blinks, caught entirely off guard.
LIZZIE (V.O.)
Helen. The shadow. The protected topic. The fiancée waiting at home while he goes on his fuck-finding missions.
LIZZIE
(stammering)
Fine. Yes. OK.
TWO SHOT – LIZZIE AND OLLIE
Ollie downs the remainder of his wine glass in one long draw, wiping his mouth with a napkin. He stands up smoothly, showing zero signs of the alcohol he’s consumed.
OLLIE
See you tomorrow. Suggest we start early, we need to find out what’s causing the database errors
Ollie walks away, exiting the frame without looking back.
WIDE ANGLE – LIZZIE ALONE AT THE TABLE
Lizzie remains seated in the centre of the frame, surrounded by empty wine glasses, untouched pasta, and the quiet hum of the empty dining room.
FADE TO BLACK.
[SCENE END]
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