EXT. OLD ABANDONED BUILDING - NIGHT

Ethan, Jason and a group of friends are standing outside the building. The friend are drinking alcohol. Ethan is watching. Jason hands the drink to Ethan.

JASON

Here take a drink.

ETHAN

No thanks.

JASON

If you’re going to hang with us you need to loosen up. Take a drink.

Ethan hesitates for a moment but then gives in and takes a drink. Everyone congratulates him.

JASON

That wasn’t so bad. Was it?

Ethan smiles but feels a little convicted.

INT. LIVING ROOM

John is seated and watching TV. He sees Ethan walk into the room. Ethan is dressed in Gothic cloths and looking very pale with white makeup.

JOHN

Ethan.

Ethan stops and looks over at him.

JOHN

Are you wearing makeup?

ETHAN

(hesitates)

Yes.

John is puzzled.

JOHN

Why?

ETHAN

This is me. This is who I am.

EXT. FRONT OF HOUSE - NIGHT

A car drives up to the front of the house. Two teens get out of the car and help Ethan out. They walk him over to the front of the house and lean him up against the wall. They ring the door bell, run away, jump into the car and drive away. Susan opens the front door and sees Ethan on the ground. She looks shocked.

SUSAN

(yells)

John! Help!

Susan kneels down and checks on Ethan. John runs out to the front of the house. He sees Ethan on the ground.

JOHN

What’s wrong?

SUSAN

I don’t know.

Susan is crying. John leans down and checks on Ethan.

JOHN

Ethan. Wake up.

Ethan responds by opening his eyes.

JOHN

Are you ok?

ETHAN

(slurred speech)

Yeah.

John smells the alcohol on Ethan’s breath.

INT. ETHAN’S ROOM

John walks into the room and wakes Ethan up.

JOHN

Wake up.

John shakes Ethan a little.

JOHN

Get up.

Ethan hesitates but slowly gets up.

JOHN

First thing you’re grounded.

Ethan grabs his head.

ETHAN

I’m sorry dad.

John hands him a drink of water and an aspirin.

JOHN

Here this will help the headache.

Ethan takes the pill and a drink of water.

ETHAN

I won’t drink again.

JOHN

I know you won’t. But you’re still grounded.

Ethan shakes his head in agreement.

JOHN

You know Ethan you’re better then this. You don’t need to hang out with people who are going to convince you to drink.

ETHAN

I know.

John looks at some of Ethan’s clothes and picks them up.

JOHN

I wasn’t going to say anything about the new wardrobe. But after what happened I’m getting a little concerned about the people you are hanging out with.

ETHAN

They aren’t that bad.

John isn’t convinced.

JOHN

Well do I need to be concerned about you? Are you the one convincing them to drink?

ETHAN

No.

JOHN

Be the unique person that God created you to be. Don’t be a clone of someone else. You don’t need to act and dress like your friends to have them. If you do then they aren’t really your friends. Be yourself and you’ll attract good quality people into your life. Does that make any sense to you.

ETHAN

Yeah, that was deep.

John laughs and hugs Ethan. Ethan smiles.

JOHN

We’ll you’re still welcome to join me and your mom at Church today or you can stay here a be grounded with no computer or TV.

ETHAN

No computer or TV.

John shakes his head no.

JOHN

No computer or TV.

ETHAN

I guess I’ll be joining you then.

John gets up and walks out of the room.