Collin
You could have told me you were coming home.
Collin
Well, someone’s in your room.
Ella
I’m at school until spring break, Collin.
Ella
Whether you like it or not.
Ella
It’s probably just my mom.
Collin
It’s not your mom.
Collin
I saw her leave this morning.
Collin
Her car’s not in the driveway.
Ella
And you’re sure there’s someone in my room?
Collin
I’m looking at them right now.
Collin changes the direction of his camera and points it out his window.
Directly across the lawn…
In the window of the house next door…
A person-shaped shadow moves behind pink curtains.
Ella
Why are you doing this Collin?
Ella
You’re trying to get my attention…
Ella
Maybe even freak me out.
Collin
Why would I do that?
Ella
And you can’t accept that.
Collin
We were together for 4 years.
Collin
That’s not something I can just get over.
Ella
When I left for college…
Ella
I know you thought we could make long distance work, but…
Collin
I guess I was wrong about us.
Collin
Maybe in another universe, I would’ve been right.
Collin
But I’m not just trying to get your attention.
Collin
There’s someone in your room.
Collin
And if it’s not you…
Collin
And it’s not your parents…
Ella
But what would someone want in my room?
Ella
I took everything valuable with me to campus.
Ella
My laptop, my phone…
Collin
What about the ring?
Ella
I told you I would give it back.
Collin
I don’t want it back.
Collin
But do you think someone might want to take it?
Ella
I left it in my room.
Collin
It’s not worth very much…
Collin
It was the smallest stone they had.
Ella
That doesn’t matter.
Ella
It’s worth a lot to me.
Collin
You just said you wanted to give it back.
Ella
Because we’re not together anymore.
Ella
Not because I don’t care.
Collin
Well, where did you leave it?
Collin
The shadow’s near your bed now.
Collin
I’m going over there.
Ella
We should call the police.
Collin
Let me check it out first.
Collin
Maybe it is just a shadow.
Collin
Your room’s never been this empty before.
Collin
I’m used to looking over and seeing you there.
Collin
Waving goodnight to me before bed.
Collin
Flashing your lights to get my attention.
Collin
Maybe it’s all just wishful thinking.
Collin
I want you to be there…
Collin
Besides, I still have my key.
Collin
Might as well use it.
Ella
Okay, but please be careful.
Collin
Let me call you right back.
Ella gets another video call from Collin.
Walking across the pathway between his house and Ella’s.
He carries his phone in one hand…
And a baseball bat in the other.
Ella
Collin, what’s that for?
Collin
We don’t know who we’re dealing with, El.
Ella
A minute ago, you weren’t even sure if this was a person.
Ella
You’re really going to fight someone?
Ella
I really think we should call the police.
Collin
Let me try and handle this first.
Ella
Since when are you all macho?
Collin
Our break up made me realize some things.
Collin
There’s nothing I can do to change that.
Collin
But from now on I want to fight for the things that are important to me.
Collin
They mean a lot to me.
Collin
Shh. I’m going in.
Collin uses his key to enter Ella’s house.
Nothing’s been disturbed.
It doesn’t look like a break-in.
Ella watches as Collin slowly makes his way up the stairs.
He winces as one of the stairs creaks under his weight.
Finally, he reaches the top.
He stops in front of Ella’s door.
A whiteboard reads ‘Ella’s room — Keep Out!”
A woman’s scream echoes through the room.
She can only hear Collin and the intruder.
Collin
I don’t understand.
Collin
Is this some kind of joke?
Woman
What are you talking about?
Woman
What are you doing here?
Ella
Collin, what’s going on?
A woman’s hand reaches down to pick up the phone…
Ella
Whoever you are, please, don’t hurt Collin!
The mystery woman shuts off the phone.
Back in Ella’s room, Collin sits face to face…
Or, a different version of her.
But it’s definitely Ella.
Ella 2
Babe, are you feeling okay?
She puts a hand on Collin’s forehead.
Ella 2
Collin, what the hell?
Collin
I don’t know how you’re doing this.
Collin
We were just on the phone.
Collin
How are you doing this?
Ella 2
I’m not doing anything!
Collin
I don’t know who you are…
Collin
But this isn’t funny.
Collin
Get out of Ella’s house.
Ella 2
What are you talking about?
Collin crosses over to Ella’s nightstand and pulls out her jewelry box.
There are necklaces, bracelets…
Collin
Let me see your hand.
The other Ella is clearly upset now.
Ella 2 holds out her hand.
Collin
You’re wearing the ring.
Ella 2
You gave it to me.
Ella 2
I never take it off.
Ella 2
I know it’s just a promise ring, but…
Ella 2
It means so much to me.
Slowly, a realization starts to dawn on him.
Collin
Did we…ever…break up?
Ella 2
Why would we break up?!
Ella 2
I’m seriously worried, babe.
Ella 2
Did you hit your head?
Ella 2
Should I call an ambulance?
His phone starts buzzing in the other Ella’s hand.
The other Ella has already swiped right, answering the call.
On the line, the original Ella comes into view.
Ella 2 goes pale with shock.
Collin dives and grabs it, facing Ella on video chat.
Ella
Collin, who is that?
Ella
This has to be fake.
Ella
You’re messing with me.
Collin
I would never do that.
Ella
So you’re telling me there’s someone who looks exactly like me…
Ella
Sitting in my bedroom right now?
Ella
Some sort of evil twin?
Collin turns to the phone.
Collin
Ella…you broke up with me 3 months ago, right?
Collin turns to the other Ella, sitting on the bed.
Collin
You said we’re still together?
Ella 2
Yes…what do you mean still?
Ella 2
We’ve always been together.
Ella 2
Ever since middle school.
Ella 2
I even got a job here in town instead of going to college.
Ella 2
Just so I could be with you.
Collin thinks, and turns to face his phone.
Collin
I think I know what’s going on.
Collin
It sounds crazy, but…
Collin
What if this Ella, this house…
Collin
Is in a parallel universe.
Collin
A universe where we never broke up.
Collin
I’m in the middle of the 2 universes.
Collin winces, anticipating Ella’s laughter.
Ella
That…actually doesn’t sound crazy.
Ella
I’m a physics major, remember?
Ella
I study parallel universes.
Ella
Lots of scientists believe there are universes similar to our own.
Ella
Where every choice you make creates a new universe…
Collin
Actually, I tried to read some books on it to impress you…
Collin
Yeah, that’s what made me think of it.
Collin
But why would your house be in one universe…
Collin
And my house in the other?
Ella
But I think you should get out of there.
He then crosses to the other Ella, who is seated on the bed.
Ella 2
I don’t understand, Collin.
Ella 2
If you want to break up with me, just say it.
Collin
Ella, that’s the last thing I want.
Collin
If it were up to me…
Collin
We’d still be together.
Collin
There’s another Collin.
Collin
You guys are still together.
Collin
You’ll see him soon, and—
Collin
Everything will be back to normal…
Ella 2
What about your Ella?
Collin
Sometimes things don’t work out.
Collin
Maybe, someday, we’ll get back together.
Collin
Ella’s in college on the east coast.
Ella 2
I decided not to go…
Ella 2
But…I wanted it so badly.
Collin
Well, my Ella followed her dream.
Collin
She’s studying, making new friends.
Collin
Dating new people.
Ella 2
And what about you?
Collin
I’m happy that she’s happy.
Collin
It’s hard, but I’ll be okay.
Collin
I just need you to do something for me.
Collin
I’m going to go back to my house.
Collin
I need you to flash your lights.
Collin
If I see them, then I’ll know I’m still in your universe.
Ella 2
And if you don’t see them?
Collin
Then I’ll know things are back to the way they were.
Ella 2
I’m sorry, Collin.
Ella 2
That things didn’t work out between us.
Ella 2 wraps Collin in a hug.
He lingers in her embrace, wanting the moment to last forever.
The Ella who’s in college on the east coast.
The Ella who is no longer his girlfriend.
Collin
I’m back in my room.
Collin
I told her to flash her lights—
Collin
That way, I’ll know if we’re still caught between universes.
Collin reverses the camera, pointing it out the window—
The shadow is still there.
The other Ella pulls back the curtain and waves at Collin.
A light flashes from Ella’s window…
But after a moment it fades, growing dimmer and dimmer…
Until the light is extinguished.
Until the other Ella is just a shadow…
And even that fades away.
Collin reverses the camera back toward himself.
Revealing a face streaked with tears.
On screen, Ella wipes away tears as well.
Ella
I’m still here Collin.
Ella
And even though we’re not together anymore…
Ella
And I’ll always just be a video call away.
Collin
That means a lot to me, Ella.
Ella
I have to get to class now.
Collin
It makes me happy.
Collin
That there’s a universe where you and I are together.
Collin
That somewhere, there’s another Collin, another Ella.
Collin
And they managed to make it work.
Ella walks across campus, headed toward class.
An incoming video call…from Collin.
Confused, she picks it up.
Ella
I told you, I’m headed to class.
Collin
You just texted me, asking me to come over—
Collin
That something crazy had happened.
Collin
But I’m at your house, and you’re not there.
Collin
And the ring I gave you is here, in your jewelry box.
Collin
You told me you’d never take it off.
Collin
Is everything okay?
Ella’s eyes grow wide as she realizes that this is not her Collin—
But the Collin from the other universe.
