"C'mon, ladybug." "I want you to stay with me." "We'll work things out." "BEHIND ME" "When we got to Sarah's the fireworks had begun." "Girls need time to get made up." " Takes crazy long!" " It's not that bad!" " I admit, it was a long time." " Like an hour." " Right." " Half an hour." "Me, an hour." "Me, I just wash my hair and leave." "Guys are different." "You don't dress up." "Good thing!" "We iron our hair." "Your girlfriend must do that." "That takes way long." "Takes me 15 minutes." "She goes, "How do I look?" "Okay."" ""That means it's not okay."" "Start over..." "Then she's even, "I think maybe I'll curl them."" "Make it frizzy." "The fireworks had started, but I couldn't see much." "You weren't even there?" "Scuse me." "Could I buy a cigarette off you?" "No, but I'll ask the girls inside." "Hold on." "Thanks." "What do I owe you?" "Nothing, forget it." "You sure?" "It's so beautiful here." "I really love it." "It's so different from the city." "I couldn't take it." "I'm Betty." "And you?" "Léa." "I think I could move here." "Do you live here?" "Yeah." "Mom's in the next town over, where I was born." "I live with my gran." "In the summer I work for her here." "With my gran." "The diner belongs to her." "You on holiday?" "Sort of." "I'm just travelling around." "Want a puff?" "I'm staying at the motel with the restaurant." "I'm taking it easy." "It's so laid back here." "What's there to do?" "What do kids your age do?" "Not much, aside from the beach." "We rent movies and veg out like everyone." "I gotta go back to work." "Thanks for the smoke." "You can see that the telescope is aimed at two stars in a binary system." "Anyone know what a binary system is?" "It's two stars that orbit around a shared center of gravity." "At any time one star is in a weak phase, the other in a strong phase, called a giant red." "It transfers its mass to the weaker star, which then shines brightly by thermonuclear reaction." "In some cases it receives so much mass, that a violent reaction immediately ensues, producing a huge quantity of light before disappearing." "It becomes a neutron star, also known as a black hole." "Calm down!" "Okay, everybody." "Let's play." "Enough!" "She pisses me off." "Why didn't he expel her too?" "He's a goddamn fucker." "I'll join a team where they don't cry if they're fouled." "She thinks she's better than everyone, but she's the worst." "Team of fucking losers." "Do you have a smoke?" "Thanks." "It's gonna be a long summer." "Endless!" "What level is your team?" "We're U-16." "But we're not rated." "It stinks cause we only play lousy teams." "From tiny towns, like us." "So how can we improve?" "What age is U-16?" "15 and 16." "One girl's 14." "Otherwise we'd be short." "That little ugly girl there." "I'm the oldest." "I'm looking for stuff to do." "I find it pretty quiet here, so..." "Are there any parties or anything?" "The gang goes drinking at the lake after supper, around 6:30." "You can come." "We'll be back at dawn." "Not really a party, but..." "Hey, wait!" "Hey, your friend's asleep." "She's not my friend." "Well you brought her." "Yeah, so?" "Don't you find your city friend cool?" "Just drop it." "Charlie?" "What do I do if I want to leave?" "To go or for here?" "For here, on the terrace." "It'll take about 10 minutes." " Anything else?" " No, thanks." "Hi." "When do you finish?" "About 9." "Depends how busy we are." "Do you have a minute?" "Want to go for a ride or something?" "Like what?" "Why?" "You look fun, and you're the only person I know here." "This one or that one?" "Fuck, I'd loved to go dancing, or for a beer." "Sorry." "If it were the weekend, maybe." "But I'd get in trouble." "Wear whatever." "The skirt's cute." "Wear the skirt." "In case we go out after all." "Just look at you, you're really cute." "Boys must be crazy about you." "Sort of." "A little, I guess." "Got a boyfriend?" "You're pretty straight?" "They're town property." "Stolen bikes nobody claimed." "They paint them blue, and anyone can use them." "You have to return them to those blue racks you may've seen." "Right, it's like in Copenhagen." "People just dump them anywhere, like that." " It sucks." " Copenhagen?" "Yeah, they have bikes like that." "But it's an environment thing." "It works too." " You went to Denmark?" " Yeah, but not for very long." "I so dream of going to Scandinavia." "Sweden, Norway, even Iceland." "You're so lucky!" "What did you go for?" "I went to hook up with Plan D." "What do you mean?" "They were in town and a friend knows the bass player." "He invited him to a private party and I got it on with him." "You mean you slept with him?" "The bass player from Plan D?" " Know who I mean?" " Like, yeah!" " It's hot?" " And how!" "And after?" "Well, after he sent me flowers and presents." "Then he called and said he wanted to see me." "So he flew me to Paris, and later to Copenhagen." "It was cool." "He's real nice." "He paid your flight and everything?" "Did you see the statue of the Little Mermaid?" "We pretty much stayed in our room." "You didn't see anything?" "I wasn't making the decisions." "I wouldn't have had a clue what to see." "You could've visited a few things." "I sure would've taken advantage of it." "What then?" "Well, that was it, it ended." "I was one of many, I guess." "Cool, we don't even get the tribute bands here." "Sorry for the mess." "I'm so disorganized." "I can't stand these clothes anymore." "Can I have one?" "So you do smoke?" "Not always, but sometimes, at parties, or like now." "Like me, really." "I don't smoke much." "I mean, I smoke, but I don't see myself as a real smoker." "You know?" "I've got beer." "Why'd you choose this town?" "I dunno." "I needed a break from work, go someplace before the fall." "Just like that." "What do you do?" "For work?" "I work in bars, at clubs, stuff like that." "In town." "I really like the city." "Gran took me a few times, but I was very young." "I gotta piss." "Is this for smoking pot or hash?" "Both." "You'll call me straight again, but I've never tried." "Do you have any here?" "What?" "Yeah, I have some pot." "Would you show me how to smoke?" "Sure I would." "I didn't suggest it, in case your grandma disapproves." "Come on!" "I hear the first time you hardly feel it." "Depends." "Ready?" "Inhale." "Not so hard." "You okay?" "When Mom had me, she was nearly my age." "I only found out when I was 12." "Before that I thought Gran was my mom, and my mom was my big sister." "Since I found out, it's like Gran seems older." "Like a real grandmother." "Even if she's only 50." "I have friends whose mothers are her age." "And Mom seems way stupider." "So I live with Gran." "And I really don't want to cause trouble." "So I'm not like my friends with their moms." "I'm pretty quiet." "Not like my mom." "I think she was pretty trashy." "I hardly know her." "I see her now and then, but it's always weird." "Her boyfriend's disgusting." "They do nothing, just smoke their cigarettes and play bingo." "Real welfare bums." "I even hate Christmas and my birthday." "Cause I know he's gonna want to give me a big kiss." "He's my dirty old uncle." "I don't even know who my father is." "Mom always says it's not important, and that he's like a dad." "I'd love to have a job that would take me to Europe and Asia." "My dream would be to have a house in Oslo or Copenhagen." "That would be so hot." "My art teacher is always pushing me." "She says I could be a painter for sure." "But you have to be really good to be a painter anywhere." "What do you paint?" "My paintings are a bit abstract, but not..." "It's hard to describe." "They're like..." "I can't describe them, I'd have to show you." "Like the ones in your home?" "I saw them." "You're super good, seriously." "Think you could do that for a living?" "I think you could." "My art teacher keeps pushing me to take private lessons and stuff." "She used to have a gallery in town." "I dunno." "I dunno if I like that better than writing." "Maybe I could do both." "It's really cool being here with you." "You have such an exciting life." "Let's say I'm pretty busy." "I don't want to be a pain, but I'm falling asleep." "Would you mind if I took you home?" "Are you in shape to drive?" "Yeah, well..." "It's not so bad." "I'll be okay." "I've done worse." "It's too bad." "If Gran agreed I could sleep here." "That would be fun." "What are you doing today?" "Yes." "A guy?" "Yes." "Is he a Quebecker?" "An American?" "Yes." "Is he alive?" "A historical figure?" "What do you mean?" "Well, like Leonardo da Vinci or Jesus." "A star?" "A movie star?" "In music?" "Elvis?" "You only have one guess so ask more questions." "I don't know many dead singers." "Sure you do!" "Is he as old as the Beatles or Elvis?" "Did he die recently, after 2000?" " In the '90s?" " Yes!" "I don't know any." "Try harder." "The singer of the Colocs?" "Oh, yeah, he isn't American." "Okay, he died in '94, April '94." "I was like 2!" "Yeah, but you've heard of Nirvana." "Yeah, maybe." "By name." "Seriously?" "You don't know their music?" "The singer?" "Kurt Cobain." "Oh, yeah, right." "He died." " Do you know them?" " No" "It's hot." "This is totally a party for fucking losers." " I know, but..." " There are like 30 people." "You brat!" "Just you wait!" "You beat me!" "Backwards!" "I'll show you!" "And I'm wearing heels!" "Come on!" "Are you drunk?" "Have you seen Maryline and Joe?" "No, and I've been here for an hour." "Fuck we're drunk!" "Who are you with?" "A friend from the city." "Who, your cousin?" "No you don't know her." "She's in the toilet." "I'm with my brother." "It sucks, so I'm looking for people." "I don't know what to say." "I have to piss." "Betty, this is my friend Simone." "Be right back." "Know where I can find some pot?" "What are you going to do now?" "I dunno, you?" "I told you, we're looking for pot." "I'm going to find my brother and some other people, I hope." "See you." "Shit, what do I tell her?" "She'll throw a fit!" "She won't." "I dunno, tell her..." "Hello, Gran?" "It's been ages since I partied with kids." "You don't have to whisper." "We're alone." "Kids?" "So how old are you?" "23." "You're what, 16?" "No, I'm 17." "Gus is 16." "We're going to college in the fall." "What's your real name?" "Why Gus?" "It's Gustave." "C'mon, quit joking." "What is it?" "No, I swear, it's Gustave." "Stop it!" "You stop." "That's my real name." "What an ugly name!" "Fuck you!" "Okay, it's not ugly, but..." "It's weird." "Do you know many Gustaves?" "But it's still a name." "What will you study?" "Social sciences, no math." "Last summer here, thank god!" "Why's everybody hate the place so much?" "It's fucking boring, nothing to do." "All the kids move away." "There are no cool clubs, no jobs." "Not even any girls." "So much for us." "You're not from around here and she's, what?" "Like 12." "Almost 15!" "What's your problem?" "You know what I mean." "It's just that we've dated all the girls from around here." "At 17, we've done the rounds." "Should we leave them alone?" "Want to go upstairs?" "Let's go outside." "I don't feel so hot." "Thanks." "I feel rotten." "Hello." " What time is it?" " Nearly 10." "Where are the guys?" "I dunno, they left." "Guess like we're all alone." "What happened last night?" "With Gustave?" "Not much, really." "I nearly threw up on him, and he still frenched me." "Gross?" "But I'm not real sure." "What did you two do?" "Well, that's it." "We made out." "That's all, I think." "I want the details!" "That's all." "Fuck, you're a virgin!" "Are you?" "Well, I've done stuff before." "I'm not totally innocent." "Just not everything." "It's just the way it is." "Me, at 15, I'd done it long ago." "So, you don't want to, or it's just never happened?" "I dunno, it's just like that." "I dunno." "I know some hotties if you want to get it out of the way." "Have you ever had a real boyfriend?" "I'm more the type to go from guy to guy." "Sometimes I overdo it." "What do you mean?" "I may have several in the same week." "Have you ever gone on spring break?" " Course not." " But you know what it is?" "Well, that's it." "You overdo it." "Once when I was 16, I think, I went on one in Florida." "Spring breaks suck, don't they?" "Sort of, but you party hard." "It was the first time I did it with a girl." "That was hot!" "Know what would be cool?" "What?" "Tonight or tomorrow we hit the road." "We go into town for a few days, not long, and come back." "You're crazy." "No, just there and back." "We'll have a blast." "Gran will never agree." "She'll throw a fit." "Yeah, but don't tell her." "Or make something up, or we just take off." "I'm not going to run away." "That's not running away." "I was sick almost all afternoon." "I don't know what's wrong, it won't go away." "Not really." "Totally bad timing." "I dunno, it keeps on..." "You're asking a lot from me." "Léa?" "Be a sweetheart." "I'd like to go there with you." "Make up a story." "Don't you have friends there, a cousin or something?" "Come on!" "I really want to." "You travel light." "You didn't take much." "I thought I had too much." "Will I be okay?" "Sure." "Anyway, we'll go shopping." "Who's that?" "One of my friends, a doorman at the Stadium." "People call him Sir, he's like..." "And her?" "That's me at 17." "It was on my trip to California." "I've changed?" "For the better, I hope." "Have I?" "You were pretty." "You still are pretty." "You're super pretty." "But I like you better with your real hair." "You have to try this." "What is it?" "It's K." "How do you take it?" "You sniff it." "Isn't it too intense?" "There's nothing to it." "I do it like once a week." "Nothing wild, just enough to get a nice buzz." "You'll see." "You'll feel connected." "We'll have ourselves a little party and not waste our evening." "It grosses me out to put something in my nose." "No way." "Doesn't feel any worse than Dristan." "Come on, let's go." "Or we'll fall asleep and waste the night." "Look, I'm fine." "We can order beer, vodka..." "They have Champagne." "Let's order Champagne!" " Can I just take a bit?" " Yes, hello." "I'd like to order a bottle of Champagne for room 2317." "No, that'll be all." "Well?" "Not as bad as I thought." "Does it take long to hit?" "No, it's pretty quick." "But it doesn't go bang, like..." "You'll see." "You're going to turn into a smoker." "Tonight's gonna be wild." "We'll go to a bar where a friend works later." "It's a strip club, but it's cool." "The girls are beautiful and the music rocks." "Then, if you want, there's an after in a friend's loft." "I'll take care of you." "I see that." "What'll we do today?" "It may sting a bit, okay?" "You okay?" "There, a new stage in your life." " That's it?" " Yup." " Thank you!" " My pleasure, miss!" " Pretty?" " Very pretty." "Yup, it's really cool." " Thank you!" " You're welcome." "What are you doing?" "You're sleeping?" "No, I'm not sleeping, just resting." "I'm ready, except for my makeup." "Do you like my hair?" "Yeah, it's really beautiful..." "Is it okay after smoking before?" "I still have a buzz, it's been non-stop." "Perfect, this'll help you." "God you're beautiful, Léa." "Choose a stripper's name." "Like what?" "I dunno, like Natasha or Cassandra." "A stripper's name." "Melissa?" "No, it doesn't sound right." "Something dirtier." "Pamela." "Yeah, okay, that'll do." "Stay here." "So?" "It was fun?" "You're so intense." "Have you done this before?" "Yeah, but just for kicks." "No big deal." "So you're a dancer." "Dancing like this, that's your job." "No way." "I did it for like a year." "No, I'm into lots of other stuff." "No big deal." "The manager's a friend." "He says that if you want to try, he'll let you, and pay you too." "Not on the stage, but in a little booth." "Don't look at me like that." "Why?" "I'm serious." "You're super cute." "For fun, nothing heavy." "You don't have to strip all the way." "And I'll be with you." "Nothing to worry about." "I'm freaking out." "I really don't feel good." "I don't like the feel of this buzz." "No, let's get out of here." " Come on." " Stop it." "You're not gonna get angry now?" "No, I've had enough." "Let's go." "If I didn't do this stuff, how do you think I'd get my cash?" "Y'know, I don't care what you do." "But you're asking me to dance and..." "And I'm tired." "And I don't feel well." "I want to go home." "She's not an addict and she's not willing." "You bring her doped on GHB and you think the deal's on?" "I gave her some K and she trips pretty hard." "She may not be willing, but she kisses well, she's a virgin and beautiful." "That's better than willing." "I want my cash." "Okay, calm down." "Let me inspect the merchandise." "Okay for the cash." "Less whatever cash and drugs are left." "It's all gone." "I was gone a day longer than planned." "Is she from far away at least?" "Almost a 9 hour drive." "Are you sure she's a virgin?" "I didn't look." "Yes, she's a virgin." "Fuck you're beautiful." "Stay with me." "She's 14, you said?" "Yes." "It'll pay off, there's lots of demand." "Especially if you go." "You could bring more like her." "I'd give you lots of money." "I'll give you the car, paint it any color you want." "Is that a good deal?" "You were making that in two weeks." "What'll you do with it?" "You won't get far with it." "Stay with me, fuck." "Be a sweetheart." "BEHIND ME"