The door opens and Drew enters, catching Alex just as he climaxes, watching himself in the mirror. Drew tries to avert his eyes but can’t help stealing a few glances at the sight in front of him.

DREW

I’m sorry, sir, I wouldn’t have barged in, but she’s threatening to kill herself.

ALEX

Well, I suppose I should have a word with her then, shouldn’t I?

EXT. ALEX’S HOUSE—SWIMMING POOL—NIGHT

RED satin dress sinking, slowing.

PULLBACK to REVEAL Thalia, standing in a slip on the end of the diving board, her long brown hair framing her face and dark mascara smudged around her eyes. She has a surgical elastic band pulled tightly around her arm and is holding a syringe.

Alex, still in his exercise shorts and shirtless, walks out of the house, wiping off his hands and stomach with a small towel.

He hands the towel to Drew and strides past him. Drew hesitantly folds up the towel and places it in his pocket.

Alex stands with his hands on his hips, watching her, unruffled. He waits for her to speak. When she doesn’t.…

ALEX

You are a vision, aren’t you?

Thalia looks up, startled.

ALEX (CONT’D)

You must be, ’cause I’m sure I told you that I never wanted to see you again. Yet here you are, back in my life, in my own backyard. My dear, sweet Thalia. So beautiful, with your almost-perfect tits and sweet-smelling pussy. I got lost there. Tasting you for nearly an hour. Remember? Of course you do.

She smiles at the memory. Alex walks over to her and places a hand on her thigh. Thalia shudders.

ALEX (CONT’D)

It’s cold out here, you shouldn’t be in just a night dress. Such a sweetly broken rose. Why are you here?

He slips his hand up her slip and caresses her inner thigh.

Thalia trembles.

THALIA

I can’t stop thinking about you. I close my eyes and all I see is your face. At night I hear your voice whispering in my head, it’s driving me insane. I need to be with you, Alex. You told me you loved me.…

Alex continues to pleasure her as he speaks, softly and with passion.

ALEX

Love is an irregularity. It’s shapeless and obeys no conventions. To say “love” may have been overly ambitious and methodical. Don’t try to understand, you never will. You saw me as a prize and tricked me, didn’t you.…

THALIA

No.…

ALEX

Yes. Yes, you did. You made me think you were beautiful, you made me think you were what I wanted. And I believed it for a while, but then I realized you were never beautiful to me. Your beauty was a lie. And that’s why I can never see you again. Because now I find you truly ugly. Ugly.

THALIA

Alex, don’t do this—

ALEX