#WritersGuide

◦ Plot & Scene Development

Events: Fred comes home from work. He spent the day with Tom at the Photo Hut, running pictures through a machine to be copied. Fred listened to Tom’s constant bragging about his amazing new girlfriend and how Fred needs to find a good woman to take care of him. Fred ignores Tom and his chatter. When Fred gets home, he’s irritable and hurt. He wants Ren to comfort him and be the best friend he’s been neglecting so much lately. He’s been busy with work, band practice, and gigs. Fred comes through the kitchen and shoots an eye over to the couch, where he expects to find Ren in her normal spot. When she’s not there, he decides to check her bedroom upstairs. But, upon reaching the top, he hears giggling and a male voice.

He steps up to Ren’s door and listens closely. He can’t hear anything, so he carefully tries to turn the knob. When that doesn’t work, he steps back, puzzled, and wonders who the hell is inside her room and why this mystery man is making her laugh. He then reaches for the knob again, this time with the intention of making his presence known. But before he can, the door swings open and Ren appears, along with Eric in the background. All Fred has to see is Eric buttoning up his shirt for him to know what happened while he was away at work. He sees Ren blush, and knows that it’s time for him to leave. He runs down the stairs and out the back door.

Feelings: Fred is irritated and hurt upon coming home from work. He wants to talk to his best friend, who he has been neglecting lately due to his busy schedule. He wants to tell her that he’s sorry and he should be a better friend. He wants to sit down on the couch with her and stroke her hair. He wants to eat ice cream and watch an action movie like they did every weekend before Fred’s life took this selfish turn. He wants to be close to her again. When he looks over to see that she’s not sitting in her regular spot on the couch, he cannot  help but think something weird is happening. She’s always on the couch when he gets home, he remindes himself before making his way to the stairs. She looks over fashion magazines and circles the outfits she likes with a red marker so that she can design something similar for herself or to sell at her shop.

He goes up the stairs, thinking that the only other place she’d be is in her bedroom, probably listening to Imagine Dragons or sewing. When he reaches the top of the stairs, he hears her sweet giggle, which naturally makes him smile. The smile is quickly squashed, because after her laugh comes the voice of a man saying something that couldn’t be heard through the walls of Ren’s bedroom. Fred steps up to the door and tries the knob to find that it’s locked. He steps back, thinking of who could be in the room and why the door is locked against him.

He thinks that maybe she’s getting dressed.  He can’t put his finger on any reason why a man would be in her room. Fred can’t  remember seeing a guy around the apartment - hell, he’s never even heard Ren mention a guy she’d be interested in enough to lead upstairs! Shaking the thought away, he gets enough courage to step up to the door, this time intending to wiggle it and call Ren’s name. When the door swings open, he sees Ren standing before him, her beautiful blonde hair falling like crinkled satin, beckoning him to come closer, which he would have gladly done if he hadn’t looked past her to see Eric sitting on her bed, buttoning up his shirt, his socks and shoes sitting neatly beside him. When he looks back to Ren, her cheeks flush and he suddenly feels very sick.

He can't think of anything else to do besides run down the stairs and out the door where he stands by the gate with his hands over his head. Eric, a guy Fred thought was a trustworthy addition to the band he founded and put all his time into for the past three years, now proved to be disloyal, and Fred had to do something about that. But not tonight. Not with Ren watching from the window like she was now, and Eric coming through the back door without giving even a quick glance to Fred.