EXT THE BOBA SHOP
Two YOUNG MEN walk out of a boba tea shop with one of them holding a boba tea. The one holding the boba is called AIDEN and the other is called GABRIEL. Aiden takes a sip of his boba and makes a sour face.
AIDEN
“This boba is trash but it was £6. I need to guzzle it down.”
Gabriel makes a sour face.
GABRIEL
“Pause.”
AIDEN
“What? Guzzle is just part of my repertoire.”
GABRIEL
“Repertoire? Bro, what are you on about?”
AIDEN
“I'm just saying I know the word guzzle. Why can't I use it?”
GABRIEL
“You know how it sounds.”
AIDEN
“What else should I use? Suckle?”
GABRIEL
“No.”
AIDEN
“Well that's it then. I just won't speak.”
Gabriel looks at Aiden in confusion.
GABRIEL
“Are you telling me you can't think of a word for drinking that isn't guzzle or suckle?”
AIDEN
“Take it all down?”
GABRIEL
“Nah man.”
AIDEN
“Swallow it all?”
GABRIEL
“I can't believe that you can't think of another word for drink.”
AIDEN
“What do you know then?”
GABRIEL
“It's not on me to tell you. Just keep the guzzling to yourself.”
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Aiden makes a sour face at that last phrase.
AIDEN
“I can hear it now but what do I use?”
GABRIEL
“You got an A* in English language. You have to figure it out.”
CUT to a bike rack that Gabriel is getting his bike out of.
AIDEN
“Gulp?”
GABRIEL
“Bro? Are we still on this?”
AIDEN
“But is gulp a good word though?”
GABRIEL
“No. Gulp is not a good word.”
AIDEN
“Slurp? I need to slurp it all up?”
Gabriel visibly creases as he gets on his bike. Aiden starts walking with him down the road.
GABRIEL
“Why are you like this? This always happens. Last time, you were stuck trying to find another way to say you were doing the dishes.”
AIDEN
“I haven’t washed the dishes in what, four years? Of course I’m going to call it ‘rubbing it out’.”
GABRIEL
“Grown man like you not washing dishes?”
AIDEN
“Bro, I don’t eat food.”
GABRIEL
“What do you have then?”
Aiden shows the half finished boba.
AIDEN
“Boba mostly.”
Gabriel and Aiden are side by side down the street with Gabriel on the seat. Constantly, he keeps adjusting it.
AIDEN
“You good?”
GABRIEL
“Yeah. I just need to fix the seat. And the wheels. I really need a quick release.”
There’s a moment of silence as Gabriel tries to fix his bike while Aiden is looking at him in an accusatory way.
AIDEN
“How come you can say stuff like that and I’m here getting lectured on boba?”
GABRIEL
“What?”
Aiden proceeds to put on a mocking voice repeating what Gabriel said.
AIDEN
“Oh, I need a quick release. ”
Gabriel puts his hands up in defeat.
GABRIEL
“Okay, fine. But it’s on you as my friend to tell me that man.”
AIDEN
“And somehow, it’s my fault again?”
GABRIEL
“You didn’t pause me. You can’t complain.”
AIDEN
“Forgive me if the code that you live by isn’t the one that I live by!”
Gabriel raises his eyebrows.
GABRIEL
“Why do you act like this man?”
Gabriel waves his hands in front of him in frustration.
GABRIEL
“What is all this? It’s like it’s all you can think about. It’s like it’s-”
AIDEN
“All-consuming…”
GABRIEL
“I guess but-”
Aidens eyes are glossed over. Gabriel starts clicking his fingers at his face to bring him back.
GABRIEL
“Bro? Bro?”
AIDEN
“Yeah?”
GABRIEL
“You okay?”
AIDEN
“Yeah! I just thought of a word I could use instead of guzzle or suckle! Consume!”
Gabriel starts to ride off. Aiden follows after him.
GABRIEL
“Not worth it mate. This entire conversation was not worth it at all.”
Aiden stands on the spot and looks at the empty cup of boba.
AIDEN
“Neither was the boba.”