Not Who She Seems

The SCENE BEGINS with Marcy (Natasha Nice) ascending the stairs of a residence, a backpack casually thrown over her shoulder. Dylan (Mickey Mod), a young gentleman in business attire, opens the door and welcomes Marcy. Marcy exudes warmth, exuberance, and is endearing, introducing herself to Dylan and inquiring if he’s the cool host she's been expecting. Dylan, a bit flustered by this attractive and engaging young lady, jovially confirms that he is indeed the host. He invites her into his home, assuring her that despite having connected through a couch-sharing app, she isn't obliged to sleep on the couch. He offers her the use of a spare bedroom. Marcy is delighted by the offer of a private room and follows him there. However, when Dylan's back is turned, she furtively scans the surroundings, seemingly memorizing the layout of the place. After showing her the room, Marcy giggles and hugs Dylan, expressing her gratitude for his hospitality. She comments on the unreliability of online personas, which makes Dylan somewhat shy. After they part, he mentions that he will give her some time to freshen up and that she can find him in the kitchen if she needs anything. He then withdraws, leaving Marcy alone. As he departs, Marcy's smile fades. She retrieves her cellphone from her bag, sends a text saying 'I'm in!' to an unknown recipient, and then smirks. TITLE PLATE CUT TO Marcy joining Dylan in the kitchen, surreptitiously photographing Dylan's valuable possessions with her cellphone, including a high-end camera. She inquires about the camera, mentioning that her boyfriend is a photographer. Dylan seems slightly surprised that Marcy has a boyfriend, but maintains his friendly demeanor. He asks if her boyfriend is comfortable with her travelling alone. Marcy replies with a flirtatious smile, 'Nah, I'm a grown woman.' Marcy quickly diverts the conversation back to Dylan, distracting him with trivial chatter. Whenever he's preoccupied, she continues to photograph any valuable items left in plain sight. Realizing the time, Dylan exclaims, 'Damn, I'm going to be late,' appearing somewhat frantic. Marcy teases him to hurry and get to work, assuring him that she doesn't need to be entertained. She has plans for the day. He hands her a spare set of house keys, joking that this way she won't feel trapped in his house while he's away. Grinning, she thanks him for the keys, and cheerfully bids him farewell. As soon as Dylan leaves, she checks her phone again and sees a new text. The message applauds her efforts so far and encourages her to explore the bedroom. Marcy proceeds to the bedroom, rummaging through drawers and closets. She discovers a briefcase and opens it, but finding only mundane paperwork, she shuts it and moves on. Spotting a box under the bed, she grins, exclaiming, 'Jackpot!' Her excitement is palpable as she reaches for the box, placing her phone on the floor beside her. Just as she's about to grasp the box, a stern voice startles her, 'What are you doing?!' Caught off guard, Marcy turns to see Dylan in the doorway. He looks equally surprised and even angry. She quickly stands and lies, saying that she lost an earring and was just looking around. Despite her attempts to appear nonchalant, she's visibly nervous and stammers slightly. Dylan questions why she would be searching for an earring in HIS room. His tone has changed, and he's no longer the friendly, shy man she met earlier. Becoming increasingly nervous, Marcy lies again, suggesting that the earring could have rolled under his door. Despite her attempts to maintain her sunny disposition, Dylan is not convinced. She tries to change the subject by asking why he returned so soon, to which he responds that he forgot his briefcase. He gestures to the briefcase Marcy had previously inspected. 'Odd, I don't recall leaving it open,' he comments, his tone icy and suspicious. Marcy unsuccessfully attempts to defend herself, making her appear even more suspicious. Dylan insists there's more to the story than she's letting on and demands to know her actual motive for being in his bedroom. She tries to bring up the earring again, but Dylan interrupts her, demanding she stops lying. Dylan picks up Marcy's phone and reads the screen. 'LEO is asking if you 'found anything valuable in the bedroom,'' he mocks. Marcy tries to explain it away, claiming it's just her boyfriend checking in on her. 'You were planning to rob me, weren't you? You and this Leo,' Dylan accuses. Despite her pleas, he begins dial