SITUATIONSHIP ｜ Award Winning Short Film

There wasn't a lot of traffic. Good, I got some stuff on the stove, but make yourself at home. You're cooking? Great, you're right. You doing alright over here? Yeah, um, could be better. I think I bit off a little more than I can chew. I can't believe you still have it. Mr. Pickle? Yes. He's my favorite. Who knew I'd be so good at ring toss, huh? Yeah, that was a fun night. He keeps me company when I'm lonely. Reminds me of you. Kind of looks like you too, don't you think? I mean, yeah, I guess you can see a little bit of a resemblance. Uh, what are you cooking? Spaghetti. Wow. I know. Probably won't be as good as yours, but, you know. Sorry, I didn't properly get to say hello. I know. Hi. It's good to see you. How have you been? Good. Your sauce. It's on fire. Oh, ----! Hi. Some things never change, huh? I'll take this over your cooking any day. Yeah, you always used to love this place. So, what did you think? Just as good as I remember. No, I meant the book. It was good. That's it? It was really good. I'm sorry, it's just... It's kind of weird being back here. But it was really good. I think it was really well written. I love the characters. I'm really proud of you. Thank you. You know, you're the first person to read it besides my publisher. Well, I'm honored. And I'm sure it'll be another bestseller for you. Could you tell I really put a lot of myself in there? Did you? Yeah, I mean, it's subtle, but... I really dug deep over the last couple of years, and... It's kind of a retrospective of everything I've learned, you know? Hm. What, you don't think so? No. I'm glad you learned from that experience. Okay, what? Something's wrong, I can tell, so just... I'm just... I don't know what I'm actually doing here. What do you mean? I mean, we've been here before, haven't we? So I guess I'm just asking myself what's different. I mean, the cooking, that was new. The Mr. Pickle, that was a really good touch. Look, I'm sure it was weird getting a text from you out of the blue, but... You were a huge influence in this. I don't know, I just wanted to show you my appreciation. Alright. And then what? You go ****? Oh, God. Why do you have to make this a thing? You're asking me that? Oh, come on, I didn't make you come here. You wanted this just as much as I did. So I guess I'm the dumbass who actually thought that things would be different. Shit, I thought two years would be long enough. You know I have a lot going on. Yeah, I know that. And you'll always have a lot going on. So what's next, huh? What's your next distraction? Media circuit? A book tour? Movie adaptation? Yeah! Look, no, I'm not doing this, okay? You have plenty of people praising you in your book. Why the **** do you need me? Because you're the only one who'll be honest with me. So why has it always been so hard for you to be honest with me? Okay, this is clearly about her, so... And yes, I'm still smoking. I didn't say anything. You didn't have to, I can feel it. Okay, so what do you want to know? You were so adamant about, I'm not ready for commitment. And yet there you were, committed. Do you know how many times I've wondered and racked my brain, why not me? I wasn't in the right headspace then, okay? But the pandemic really changed a lot for me. Made me realize what was important. So what happened? She wasn't you. The love, the connection we share. I didn't feel for her what I feel for you. Grace, you've ruined me. I'm more than just sex, Joe. I know you're more than sex. When we dated... When we dated? Why does that sound so weird coming from you? What we were doing, that wasn't dating. That was a ******* situationship. Another afterthought when your ego was down. Hey, that's not fair. Oh, it's not fair? You know what's not fair? Letting my walls down. Being completely vulnerable with you. As a writer, you inspired me to write. You encouraged me to really go for my dreams. You made me feel special, Joe. One day he'll love me the way I love him. You know what? I finally just realized it's all been just a fantasy in my mind. I've romanticized the idea of us for so long that I don't even know what's real. I mean, you're still the only woman I've ever said I love you to. Does that not mean anything? It does. But yet, here we are again. In another situation. So tell me, Joe. What is it that you need from me now? I want you back in my life, okay? Look, I know we have a complicated history, but we were friends first. Friends? I can't be friends with you, Joe. I'm madly in love with you. But I'm just never going to be enough for you. Grace. I know I've played my part in this too. So I take full responsibility. But if you really, truly love me, you will let me go. I do love you. I hope you know that. And I love you too. But my love doesn't have walls.