EXT. CORY'S OLYMPIC APARTMENT - DAY
Cory and Dave walk up to the door. There's a package on the ground. Dave picks it up.
DAVE
Earplugs?
Cory smirks as he takes the package and shoves them in his pocket. They enter the condo.
DAVE (CONT'D)
I'm heading out for a meeting with the coaches. You're okay?
CORY
I'm fine. If you don't disturb me the rest of the night, I promise to get a full night's rest.
Dave contemplates.
DAVE
Okay, I'll leave you alone tonight and hopefully we'll see some good things on the mountain tomorrow. Break that trust and I'll never leave your side.
Cory nods. Dave leaves.
INT. CORY'S OLYMPIC APARTMENT - MOMENTS LATER
Cory pours ice into a bath and then sits down into it. As soon as he leans back and closes his eyes, he hears loud music above him and then a loud THUMP and another THUMP. He opens one eye.
He gets out of the tub.
EXT. LAINEY'S OLYMPIC APARTMENT - NIGHT
Lainey opens the door to find Cory with wet hair. He's wearing his ski jacket. Stevie Nicks' "Landslide" plays.
CORY
Do you think you could keep the music down? I'm still trying to catch up on sleep.
LAINEY
Ah, sorry, I was just going through my routine. (beat) You sleep in your jacket?
CORY
Now that I've been so rudely interrupted, I thought I'd go into Milan for some carb-loading. You should come with me. The anxiety in here is stifling.
LAINEY
I don't carb-load.
CORY
That's a shame as you're in the country with the best pizza and pasta in the world.
Lainey grabs her phone and turns off the music.
CORY (CONT'D)
Great song by the way. A little surprised it's Stevie Nicks and not Beyonce.
LAINEY
If you must know, it's for my dad. It makes me feel like he's there on the ice with me.
Cory takes that in.
CORY
C'mon, let's go walk off this energy.
LAINEY
No, I can't go anywhere. I have to concentrate.
CORY
Studies show we perform better if we take breaks.
Lainey stares at Cory, thinking.
CORY (CONT'D)
Look, I don't know why but I feel compelled to help you. You seem overwhelmed and taking a walk is way better than staying here and freaking out.
LAINEY
Your hair is wet. You'll catch cold.
CORY
Where's your dryer?
LAINEY
In there.
She points to the bathroom. Cory heads in the bathroom and starts the dryer.
He notices Lainey's notebook. It's open and he sees all of her calorie counting and sizing and the words "Fat Don't Fly" on the top of the first page.
He stops the dryer. He heads back out to her room where she stands ready in her Olympic jacket and hat.
CORY
Ready?
He throws on a hat himself.
LAINEY
Oh, let me just text my Mom or she'll think I've been kidnapped. I made her go out to dinner so I could--
CORY
Obsess and annoy me, yeah we know.
Lainey quickly writes a text and they head out.
EXT. MILAN - NIGHT
Cory and Lainey walk through the cobble-stone streets of Milan, past charming storefronts of designer clothing stores, espresso shops, and pizzerias, filled with happy patrons. Twinkle-lights brighten their path.
CORY
So this is your first Olympics?
LAINEY
You can tell?
CORY
You're a wee bit tightly wound.
LAINEY
And you're not focused at all. Is that an Olympic-winning strategy?
CORY
Yeah, well, you were right that I probably should have given up my spot to someone else.
LAINEY
That was a pretty shitty thing to say, wasn't it? I don't know you--
CORY
I'll be honest, I'm not sure I see the point of all this anymore. The Olympics.
LAINEY
You're so not what I would expect a gold medalist to be.
CORY
You sound like my coaches.
LAINEY
You're at the pinnacle of your sport. What do you have to be depressed about?
Cory's silent. He looks over and sees a charming cafe, Il Trattoria.
CORY
Hey, you want to grab a bite there? I'm starved. I usually eat like 8,000 calories a day and I'm nowhere near that.
Lainey stops and looks at Cory.
He smirks.
LAINEY
You eat 8,000 calories a day?
CORY
I burn a lot of calories when I'm skiing. And I need the extra fat for padding.
LAINEY
We're definitely in different sports.
They walk toward the cafe.
INT. IL TRATTORIA - LATER
Cory sits in front of a huge plate of pasta. A WAITER puts down a pizza on the table as well. Lainey has a plate of plain pasta with a tomato on the side.
LAINEY
Do you have any family here, rooting you on?
CORY
Nope, my Mom couldn't afford to come.
Cory points to her plate.
CORY (CONT'D)
Is that all you're going to eat?
LAINEY
I can't afford extra padding. I have to fit in my costume and be able to jump high.
She takes a bite of her plain pasta.
LAINEY (CONT'D)
It must have been a dream of yours to win gold?
CORY
It was, for sure. All eyes are on you for a few months and you think it's going to change your life-- bring you meaning and opportunities. But then the attention goes away and you start wondering if all the years of sacrifice was worth it.
LAINEY
But you're the favorited to win gold again.
CORY
Don't listen to me. You should be concentrating on winning this week.
LAINEY
No, it's okay. You're being honest. I like that. It actually makes me calmer hearing about your experience. Gold-medal winners aren't these perfect human species, which means I have a chance.
CORY
You look pretty perfect to me.
Lainey smirks.
LAINEY
Ah, see, now, my coach would say my hips are two wide and I have too many curves.
CORY
How are curves not a good thing?
LAINEY
You're like this bad boy, tough skier and a bit of an asshole and then you say or do something that's kind of endearing.
CORY
You bring it out in me.
LAINEY
The bad boy or the charmer? Or the asshole?
CORY
All of the above.
Lainey relaxes. She takes another bite of her pasta.
EXT. IL TRATTORIA - LATER
Cory and Lainey exit into blistering cold.
LAINEY
Wow, now it's insanely cold.
Cory turns to Lainey. He reaches out his arm.
LAINEY (CONT'D)
What are you doing?
CORY
I'm offering you warmth.
Lainey tentatively snuggles into Cory's side.
LAINEY
Thanks. (beat) I do have kind of a cheesy tradition the night before I compete.
CORY
What's that?
Lainey grabs Cory's hand and leads him to a nearby canal. The water is frozen, making the city look like a winter wonderland. Lainey looks up at the sky.
LAINEY
I like to pick a constellation for every competition.
CORY
You like astronomy?
LAINEY
I do. There's an entire universe out there that doesn't care if I come in last. Or do a quad in competition.
Lainey points to a star.
LAINEY
There! That's the one for this Olympics. You see that bright star. It's called the Dog Star. It's part of the Canis Major constellation, which means Greater Dog, but it's also believed that each summer when it rises in conjunction with the sun that it helps create the sweltering Dog Days of Summer.
CORY
You're worried about your quad?
LAINEY
I've never landed it in competition. My coach doesn't think I should do it. But I've been practicing on my own and feel like it's in reach.
CORY
Only you can make that decision.
Lainey looks up at the Dog Star.
EXT. IL TRATTORIA - SECONDS LATER
Lainey and Cory walk arm in arm back toward their apartment building.
LAINEY
So tell me why a gold medal-winning skier looks like he's carrying the weight of the world.
Cory slows.
CORY
You probably heard about my brother...
LAINEY
He had a skiing accident right?
CORY
It wasn't an accident. I killed him.
Shocked, Lainey looks up at Cory.
LAINEY
I don't understand. What happened?
CORY
We were racing back home in Vail. He caught an edge and couldn't recover.
LAINEY
That's not your fault.
CORY
Ashton and I grew up racing each other on Vail Mountain. Our parents were on the ski patrol. After he beat me down The Streif in Austria- -which is over five thousand feet of screaming speed, we were called the "Wonder Twins." No one could beat us. We would constantly try to outrace each other. And that's exactly how I killed him.
Lainey goes to touch Cory then pulls back.
CORY (CONT'D)
We never thought anything bad could happen on Vail Mountain. We both knew those runs like the back of our hands. We were in a dead heat when suddenly he caught an edge and started tumbling headfirst down the slope. Over and over he spun, hitting his head repeatedly, until he hit a tree. His helmet cracked in two and his brain immediately swelled.
LAINEY
I'm so sorry. (beat) But you know you didn't kill him.
CORY
I pushed him too hard.
Cory starts walking again. Lainey follows.
LAINEY
That's what we do. We push each other to be the best. I'm sure your brother was pushing you too. You can't blame yourself.
CORY
I know what happened on that mountain and without me, Ashton would be alive today.
A MILAN COUPLE walks up.
MILAN WOMAN
Mi scusi. Could we get a picture with you both?
Lainey and Cory smile.
CORY/LAINEY
Of course. Sure.
The Milan Couple take their selfie.
MILAN COUPLE
Grazie. Arrivederci!
CORY/LAINEY
Ciao!
Lainey pulls out her phone.
LAINEY (CONT'D)
Hey, let's get a selfie. It's so pretty out here.
CORY
Oh, now you want a photo with me? You weren't so keen about it at the airport.
LAINEY
You're right. What was I thinking?
CORY
How amazing I am. Give me your phone.
LAINEY
I've changed my mind.
CORY
Come on. Hand it over. You're too cute not to get a photo.
She gives him her phone. He reaches around them both to take a photo. Lainey smiles.
CORY
Beautiful smile.
Lainey smiles wider. Cory takes the selfie and they restart the trek back to the Village apartments.
CORY (CONT'D)
Don't post that on social okay?
LAINEY
Weird, but okay.