Grace

FADE IN: 

INT – A WHITE EXPANSE – NOTHING

An empty, boundless space bright with fluorescent lighting. We see a young woman from behind. Her name is GRACE. We hear nothing but her breathing. She takes a deep breath, rolling back and squaring her shoulders. Her hand reaches out into the emptiness and a door opens out of nowhere. A blurry image of a dinner party is visible within the frame. It ripples as if underwater. The faint clinking of cutlery and chatter in Mandarin is audible. GRACE walks through. 

DISSOLVE TO

INT – CHINESE RESTAURANT – NIGHT

GRACE is seated at a large, round table. The seats are filled with family friends and relatives. GRACE wears a demure smile, frozen. 

A MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN seated besides GRACE nudges her. She speaks with a heavy Chinese accent. 

MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN

Aren’t you Cheng-Fei’s daughter?

GRACE blinks once, then slides smoothly into a courteous nod.

GRACE

Ah, yes, I am.

The MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN looks GRACE up and down and purses her lips.

MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN

How’s your mother doing these days? Never come visit us, you know. I always ask her to attend the reunions and gatherings, but she never comes. Who does she think she is?

MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN speaks heatedly. She throws her hands into the air and slaps her hands on the table.

MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN (CON’T)

Think she’s so much better now because she got a house, huh? I tell you, back in the day, she was always staying at my place.

GRACE appears unaffected by the MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN’s words. 

GRACE

Oh...well, I think my mother’s been quite busy with work recently.

MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN scoffs in scorn. 

MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN

Work, work, always work. I tell you, back in university that bit-

MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN is cut off by a wave from DISTANT AUNT, who is seated on GRACE’s other side. 

DISTANT AUNT

Aiyah, what I tell you? Grace don’t talk to her mother much, you know. She’s being independent now, living all alone.

MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN pauses, gaze moving critically to GRACE.

MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN

Oh, really?

(under breath)

At least my children not so unfilial.

GRACE continues staring amicably forwards, nodding politely as if she had not heard that last sentence. 

INT – A WHITE EXPANSE – LATER

GRACE sits in the middle of a seemingly endless plane. Bright lighting washes the room. Silent except for the measured sound of brush on paper.

Grace’s body is bent over a long sheet of CHINESE PAPER. She holds a large INK BRUSH, hand moving slowly in controlled strokes. She writes the Chinese characters “女儿” (daughter).

INT – CHINESE RESTAURANT – LATER

Voices fade in.

DISTANT AUNT

...all these children, they just forget! They go off and away and live their own lives. Forget their parents, forget their roots, forget, forget- everything! 

The group of listening ladies nod and murmur in agreement at DISTANT AUNT’s words. DISTANT AUNT glances sideways at GRACE. GRACE opens and closes her mouth slightly. 

DISTANT AUNT raises her brow expectantly. 

GRACE swallows. 

GRACE

Yeah...I guess it’s...disappointing.

DISTANT AUNT sighs. GRACE turns back to her plate, head bowed. 

INT – A WHITE EXPANSE – LATER

GRACE is writing the last character of “女儿”. Voices echo around the space, warped. 

DISTANT AUNT (V.O)

...at least Grace still come to gatherings. My son barely talks to me nowadays! Always busy with work, girlfriend, friends. Who is more important than his own mother?

MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN (V.O)

Right, right! My kids, they always making excuses. Always never have time off school and work. What? Do they think I’m a fool?!

DISTANT AUNT (V.O)

Grace is studying at Yale, too, you know. And she still has time for this! If only my son was half as successful...

MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN (V.O)

Cheng-Fei’s lucky to have such a good daughter.

A slight tremor runs through GRACE’s wrist as she lifts the brush off the page. Ink forms a droplet at the INK BRUSH’s head. As the droplet falls onto the CHINESE PAPER, the CHINESE PAPER ripples like water. 

The frame zooms out to reveal the surface GRACE sits on covered in rows upon rows of calligraphy. A small circle around her remains empty. 

GRACE

(murmuring)

A good daughter.

GRACE rubs the droplet of ink with her palm, smearing it. A furious expression takes form on GRACE’s face. She scrapes at the CHINESE PAPER with her nail. It tears. 

GRACE

(barely audible)

A good daughter.

EXT – PARK – DAY

GRACE and FRIENDS are seated in a circle on the grass, surrounding a picnic lying on a square of cloth. Dappled sunlight filters from the canopy above. The park is busy, an occasional child’s shout heard above the rustling leaves.

GRACE picks up a strawberry and pops it into her mouth whole. 

AMELIE, one of GRACE’s FRIENDS, shuffles over to GRACE, eyes bright, and shows GRACE the screen of her phone. 

AMELIE taps hurriedly at her screen. 

AMELIE

(ecstatic)

Oh my god, Grace! Look- there’s this vintage Dior Diamond Motif bag that’s being auctioned online!

GRACE squints at AMELIE’s phone, nodding.

JASMINE, seated across the circle, perks up. 

GRACE

Wait, in what color?

AMELIE

(breathily)

Holographic!

JASMINE pauses. She raises a brow critically. 

JASMINE

No. Way. Isn’t that, like, super rare? Are you going to get it?

AMELIE

It’s 30k...

JASMINE stares at AMELIE, then sneers. 

JASMINE

That’s like- your future salary’s worth.

AMELIE gapes, furious. She leans forward, raising her voice.

AMELIE

Oh, shut up! You’re just mad that I got the scholarship position you secretly wanted!

JASMINE

Uh, hello? Actually, good for you, ‘cause you’re the only one who needs a scholarship!

JASMINE and AMELIE fume at one another, while their other FRIENDS stare warily at them. Conversation within the circle lapses into silence. 

GRACE waves her hands between them, as if clearing out the tension. 

GRACE

I really should intern at Dior and get a discount or something. Or just buy those Chanel tissues. Expensive things for broke people.

Laughter fills the circle. JASMINE shrugs, and AMELIE un-crosses her arms. 

PREPPY FRIEND

Even if you did have a discount, it’d still be like, 28k or something, right?

GRACE

True...

GRACE taps her chin, as if pondering the question.

GRACE

I guess I’ll just have to bag an heir then.

GRACE grins as remarks and giggles erupt from her FRIENDS.

INT – A WHITE EXPANSE – LATER

GRACE stands on a stool, in front of a wall. A cartoon-like drawing fills the wall, half-colored with pastel shades. In one hand, GRACE holds a large yellow MARKER in hand. In the other, a PICTURE with FRIENDS. GRACE’s gaze flits between the unfinished mural on the wall and the PICTURE in her hand.

GRACE sets the MARKER firmly on the wall, and begins to fill an unfinished portion of the drawing in. The MARKER squeaks as GRACE slowly forms line after line, staying perfectly within the thick black outline. 

EXT – PARK – LATER

GRACE stares at her phone, expression clouded. AMELIE leans over, peering. GRACE quickly shuts the phone, flipping it over. 

AMELIE

Oh, ew. Internships? 

GRACE nods sheepishly. 

AMELIE (CONT’D)

Have you been accepted yet?

GRACE shakes her head nonchalantly.

GRACE

I mean, not a lot of companies want little kiddies doing nothing at their desks. And-

AMELIE nods fervently in agreement, launching into a long line of rapid speech.

AMELIE

Exactly! Last time when I interned at...

AMELIE’s voice fades away.

INT – A WHITE EXPANSE – LATER

GRACE stares at a blank patch high above her head. She reaches upwards, on tip-toes. The tip of her MARKER shakes.

EXT – PARK – LATER

GRACE listens raptly to AMELIE. 

AMELIE (CONT’D)

...anyways. It was so not fun.

GRACE twists her lips sympathetically, patting AMELIE on the shoulder. 

GRACE

Internships just suck.

AMELIE

Agreed. (a pause) Well, that was my rant. (laughing) Thanks for listening to me talk for, like, ten minutes.

GRACE flashes AMELIE a quick thumbs-up. 

INT – A WHITE EXPANSE – LATER

A tremor runs through GRACE’s leg as she balances, MARKER reaching further upwards. 

GRACE presses the MARKER hard against the wall. A line of paint begins to creep downwards.

AMELIE’s voice, faint, travels to GRACE. 

AMELIE (V.O)

But hey, seriously.

GRACE’s stool wobbles. Her hand jerks, sending the yellow line into the black outline. GRACE’s eyes open wide. 

The drip of yellow paint continues running downwards, infuriatingly slow. The yellow is stained black as it crosses the outline.

AMELIE (V.O – CONT’D)

You’re a really great friend.

AMELIE words ring in the space, sending vibrations through the floor. 

GRACE’s stool topples over, and she lurches forwards towards the ground, PICTURE falling to the floor. 

As GRACE falls, we catch a glimpse of the PICTURE. It’s blurry, but GRACE’s laughing face is in focus. The PICTURE flutters, flipping mid-air, and when it completes its rotation, the image has changed. GRACE no longer smiles in the image. 

GRACE hits the ground, which swallows her with a splash. 

GRACE continues to fall through the white space, MARKER slipping out of hand, until she finds herself once again standing in the expanse. 

Another doorway faces GRACE.

INT – CLASSROOM – DAY

The PROFESSOR gives a lecture in front of rows upon rows of students. GRACE taps a pen on her desk, a page of half-written notes in front of her. 

A CLASSMATE leans over towards GRACE.

CLASSMATE

Hey, do you have the notes from last lesson?

GRACE turns to look at her CLASSMATE.

GRACE

Uh, yeah. Yeah, I think I do.

GRACE rummages through a FOLDER and produces a few neatly stapled papers. She hands them to the CLASSMATE. 

CLASSMATE

Thank you!

GRACE

Mhm, no problem.

The PROFESSOR’S voice fades in.

PROFESSOR

...okay, make sure you’re writing this down,...

GRACE returns to scribbling furiously on her notes. 

INT – A WHITE EXPANSE – LATER

GRACE sits at a wooden office desk. A long sheet of paper is looped around the desk- extending into the distance. The paper moves like a conveyor belt. GRACE has a pair of large, blocky HEADPHONES on. She writes line after line on the page, ink flowing continuously from her FOUNTAIN PEN. We hear her FOUNTAIN PEN scratching on the paper.

INT – CLASSROOM – LATER

The PROFESSOR stops pacing and stands in the middle of the lecture theater. 

PROFESSOR

Any questions?

The classroom is silent. Students begin to shuffle, packing folders and binders away. 

The PROFESSOR stands, waiting. 

GRACE raises her hand. The PROFESSOR nods at her. 

GRACE

Is there a particular theme we should focus on while reading the book? 

PROFESSOR

That is a great question. No- you do not need to look at a specific theme- just identifying them would be enough. 

GRACE

Okay, thank you.

PROFESSOR

Any other questions?

Another student raises their hand. The PROFESSOR turns in their direction.

PROFESSOR

Yep?

INT – A WHITE EXPANSE – LATER

GRACE pauses her scribbling, turning her head to one side, as if listening for something. She readjusts her headphones, leaves a blank on the paper, and continues scribbling. GRACE’s eyes squint and her writing becomes more erratic.

INT – CLASSROOM – LATER

GRACE collects her items off her desk. 

PROFESSOR

...and finally, I’d like to commend these students for getting a full score on their papers! First:...

GRACE pauses, looking up at the podium. The PROFESSOR’s mouth keeps moving on screen, but a ringing cuts out all sound. 

PROFESSOR

...and Grace, for always having amazingly well-written papers!

The PROFESSOR stares straight at GRACE, smiling. 

INT – A WHITE EXPANSE – LATER

GRACE’s penning has become even faster, and more aggressive. She leaves deep indents on the paper. 

PROFESSOR (V.O)

Keep up the hard work!

GRACE, an intense look of concentration on her face, jams the FOUNTAIN PEN nib into the paper. It breaks. Ink spills out of the pen and onto the long, continuous sheet of paper. 

The ink spreads down the entirety of the paper- into the distance.

Slowly, Grace lifts her hands off the paper and stares at her ink-stained fingertips. 

She exhales.