06:15pm. The Mance's place is packed with a bunch of guests of Elena's peer, having fun and moving their bodies to the bubbling music as they wait for her.
ERIC: Dad, why aren't they here yet? (Pulling Ethan away from the noise so they can hear each other)
ETHAN: Dunno, I've been calling but they aren't picking up. I told them to be back early but look... (showing Eric the time on his Hublot) they shouldn't be...
ELVIS: She's here!! (Pointing to the front door as Elena walks in with her mom and Zoey, staggering with a lot of shopping bags)
ETHAN: What took you ladies so long? (Helping then with the bags)
EMILY: Sorry love, the SUV was acting funny on our way back so we had to stop and get a grease monkey.
ETHAN: This is all my fault, it's high time I changed that vehicle, it's becoming a jalopy.
EMILY: What are you talking about? It's barely three years since you bought it. Though I don't mind you getting a new one.
ETHAN: Well, it's good you guys are here now so... party time! (With a broad smile)
Elena goes to greet and appreciate the guests who turned up for her party.
ELENA: Hey Aiden, hey Angie, Oh my!... Maxx! (She chuckles and glances at Zoey where she's standing, whispering with perfect articulation so Zoey can clearly read her lips) Maxx is here.
Maxx smiles and gives her a side hug, she continues with the greetings.
ELENA: Hey you're Peter, right? My brother's lab partner.
PETER: Yeah. Happy birthday. (He smiles)
ELENA: Thank you! (She returns the smile) Even you two... Bonnie! And you, Neighbor (she makes a face at him and he chuckles) can't believe it's a full place. Thanks for coming, guys!
She catches Tyler flashing her a weird smile and she holds her gaze on him momentarily.
ELENA: What's with the smile? You want a special acknowledgement or what? Alright... thanks for coming, neighbor.
TYLER: Come on, Elena. The name's Tyler.
ELENA: Thanks for coming... Tyler (she chuckles)
TYLER: Finally, you said my name. Wasn't so difficult, was it? (He smirks)
ELENA: Get out of my face.
She laughs, leaving Tyler and walking up to a big guy standing next to Elvis.
ELENA: Oh my geez! Marcello! I never would have believed if someone told me you'd grace my event.
MARCELLO: Me neither. Superstar jock at a fourteen year old party? Unimaginable! It's a good thing there are no clowns or balloons or some kinda weird shit over here.
ELENA: Seriously? I'm fourteen, not four.
MARCELLO: Right! (He laughs, placing an arm around her shoulders and she staggers a little under the weight of his dense muscles) You see, Elvis is like my kid bro, and you're his sister, which makes you my sister in a way, that's why I'm here.
ELVIS: He's right.
ELENA: Thanks for coming, Marcello.
MARCELLO: Thank me with a beer, hope you got some in the chiller.
ELENA: Uhm... yeah, of course, my dad always keeps a crate.
MARCELLO: Nice. At least your party doesn't suck as much as I expected.
ELENA: Ouch... (she whispers)
ELVIS: Trust me, that's a compliment. (He and Marcello share a laugh)
Marcello takes his arm off her shoulders so he can fist bump her before going to take a sit, playing with Sheen while she walks up to a girl standing close to Bonnie.
ELENA: Hey you, thanks for coming.
"You're welcome"
ELENA: I'd love to know you, if you don't mind. I'm Elena.
"I'm Laura Martin"
BONNIE: She's my best friend, she so crazy.
LAURA: She was talking to me, bitch.
ELENA: Ouuu...
BONNIE: Haha, ignore that. She thrives in vulgarity.
LAURA: Hey! That's a lie! (She laughs)
ELENA: Nice to meet you, Laura.
LAURA: Mutual feeling, honey. Happy birthday.
ELENA: Thanks! Care for some drinks?
LAURA: What else am I here for? Bottoms up!
Minutes later...
ETHAN: Hey guys! Emily and I would be leaving the party for the teenagers to enjoy, we're going to the golf club and would be back tomorrow morning. Keep the house in order, okay?
ELENA: Aye Aye, Captain!
ETHAN: Before I forget, y'all gotta appreciate Maxx...
MAXX: Sir, you don't have to...
ETHAN: Eric invited him just this afternoon and he showed up with a truckload of tacos.
MAXX: Hey, it was a mini van.
ETHAN: Still, thanks for the gesture. Alright, I know y'all can't wait for us to leave so you can funk and vibe all you want... just don't do any illegal stuff here, I can see more cars pulling up at our front lawn and kids trooping in. I thought I was told that it would be just a few friends...
ERIC: Dad...
ETHAN: Well, y'all try to keep the numbers down, keep the music down, tune down the wilding to a minimum, one more thing... my room is off limits! And...
ERIC: Dad, just go already!
ETHAN: That's exactly what I'm doing... I'm going...
EMILY: Ignore the old man. Y'all have fun and be good, okay? (Leaving the house with Ethan)
"How dare you call me old? I can comfortably do a hundred pushups on the spot. Don't test me, sweetheart"
"Oh really? Why don't show me what you've got, Bruce Wayne"
Elena chuckles, watching her parents bantering as their voices fade out.
ELENA: Thanks for your contribution, Maxx. That's a lot.
MAXX: You're welcome, the credit goes to my dad anyway, I informed him about your party and he supplied the tacos.
ELENA: When you get home, tell him I said he's an angel.
TYLER: Heyy Maxx! Did you bring French fries also?
MAXX: Nope. But if you guys want it I can have dozens of packs delivered here in a few minutes.
TYLER: Counting on you, buddy.
08:22pm. The party raves on. The house is not so congested but it's quite packed. There's literally a teenager at almost every corner in the house.
MARCELLO: Got more beer? You can be nice enough to go through your dad's stuff and get me something stronger... like rum, yeah rum would be perfect.
LAURA: Big guy, are you aware that if you pass out here, no one's gonna carry you home?
BONNIE: That's because no one here can carry him.
LAURA: Damn, he's like four times my size.
BONNIE: I bet he's bigger.
MARCELLO: Y'all gonna debate my weight class right now? (He shoots them glances)
BONNIE: Whoa, he's already sozzled, look at his eyes.
MARCELLO: Excuse me? I'm completely sober. Who wants to have a drinking contest and let's see who staggers first?
12:53am...
The party is over, all their friends have left. Elena's brothers are outside clearing the trash while she's inside cleaning up the mess all over.
"Happy birthday, Elena"
Next thing she hears. She turns around and sees the same girl she saw at the grocery store a week ago.
ELENA: Oh my geez... seems you enjoy sneaking up on people.
"Sorry I frightened you"
ELENA: It's... okay. Have you been here the whole time?
"I just got here. Have this, it's my gift to you" (Handing Elena a purple diary)
ELENA: How... how did you know I needed a new diary? And how do you know my favorite colour is purple? Are you psychic or what?
The girl smiles.
ELENA: How did you even know it's my birthday?
"Let's just say news travels fast"
ELENA: Hmm.
"I gotta go" (leaving the house)
ELENA: Hey, wait! You said you just got here, why don't you stay a while longer so we'd get to know each other? For Christ sake, what's your name? (Running after her, but when she gets outside, she doesn't see the girl)
ELVIS: Who are you talking to?
ELENA: Uhm... a friend, she just left (Looking around, still wondering where the girl could have gone to)
ERIC: What friend? There's been no one here. Tyler was the last person to leave because he stayed back to help us pick up trash, and that was about 20 minutes ago, so who did you say you were talking to?
ELENA: Uhm... you know what? Never mind. I think I'm a little tipsy, maybe the two shots of vodka I had is what's messing with me.
ERIC: I knew I shouldn't have let you have those!
Elena walks back inside, still baffled.