Ollie- story treatment

Its 6pm. The night is starting to settle as CHARLOTTE is anxiously awaiting a text from ‘Ollie’. She is perched on the side of her bed doing a last minute appearance check. Her phone buzzes and she jumps to scan the message.

The message reads ‘I’m ready when you are’ and a little bubble of excitement races through charlottes body as she eagerly grabs her things to go. Her mum shouts up the stairs ‘come on, we are going to be late’, Charlotte reaches the top of the stairs and her mum says ‘don’t forget your keys’ with an excited smile from ear to ear.

Charlotte pulls the front door shut and twists the key to keep it locked, she take a step towards the car and suddenly realises what’s to come. As she pulls the handle to open the car door, more thoughts of ‘Ollie’ dance through her mind. A subtle smile crosses her lips and her seatbelt is on.

The engine starts and they begin to pull out of the drive. Charlotte’s mother softly looks at her daughter and gently asks ‘So… nervous?’ Charlotte’s cheeks redden with a flush of embarrassment. The corner of her mums lips turn up at the confirmation of her thoughts ‘So that’s a yes’. Charlotte chuckles, turns towards the window and whispers ‘Shhh’. Charlotte’s obvious emotion makes her mother curious and spurs her on to pry more answers out of her. ‘What’s he like then? Tall, dark and handsome?’ her mother says jokingly. Charlotte replies automatically with ‘Do we have to do this?’ Her mother realises her daughter’s hesitation towards answering these questions and begins to lay off. After a few painful seconds of silence Charlotte caves and blurts out ‘Well… he’s got dark hair, he’s plays guitar and he has the most beautiful eyes’. Her mother sniggers at her daughters dreamy thoughts and replies ‘So he’s quite the catch then’ Charlotte winces at her mother’s description of Ollie.

As the minutes in the car drag on, Charlotte becomes very aware of the noises surrounding her. The fast, repeating pace of the engine, her mother flicking the indicators at each new turn. Every sound becomes heightened as Charlotte starts to panic at the situation she is now in. Ollie awaiting her arrival, her mother unaware of Ollie and the truth. All the words of every sentence that spins through her mind creates a cocoon of fear that slowly begins to tighten with every passing minute. Charlotte finally catches her breath to speak and composes herself to say ‘I don’t know if this is a good idea’. Her mother makes a sharp turn towards her daughter, worried and says ‘how come sweetie?’ Charlotte searches through her mind for a good reasons and all she is left with is

‘I’m nervous’. Her mother sighs with relief and gently says ‘Everybody is nervous on their first date. You’ll be fine. You look beautiful and like you said he has the most beautiful eyes’ Charlotte giggles at her mother who is obviously mocking what she had said before. Then she focuses on Ollie and all her feelings for her ‘Ok, I guess you’re right’.

The car makes its last turning before they reach the park. Charlottes mind gradually relaxes as she knows now that there is no turning back. This is happening. Charlotte looks at her mother with a slight frown thinking of all of the outcomes of this situation when the car suddenly stops which sends a shiver down Charlotte’s body. This is it she thinks as she says to her mother ‘Ok, so you’ll be back for 8.30 yes?’ Her mother replies saying ‘Yes of course, have a great time and try not to be too soppy’ Charlotte smiles as she once again opens the car door to let herself out into the fresh, cold air. ‘Goodbye’ Charlotte mumbles. ‘Bye darling’ her mother replies, then Charlotte shuts the door and steps away as her mother begins to drive of into the distance. Charlotte slowly turns around and walks towards the park, each step a little keener than the last. As charlotte reaches the last corner before the meeting point she stands stills for a second and gathers up the courage to take the last few steps. As she looks up she is then greeted by Ollie. With a shy grin she whispers ‘Hi Olivia’.