Honeymoon

SCENE BEGINS with Carly (Karla Kush) positioned in front of a tall, reflective mirror. She is gripping a bridal gown against her body, gazing at her reflection in the mirror. But instead of appearing joyous, she looks somber, haunted. Carly's companion, Emma (Liv Wild), raps on the entrance door, then proceeds inside without waiting for a response. She hollers out to Carly, but Carly remains unresponsive. Emma locates Carly in the lounge and breathes a sigh of relief. Emma is puzzled about Carly's abrupt shifts in behavior and why she seems to be hastily plunging into matrimony. Despite Emma's genuine worry, Carly remains adamant that everything is fine. Aggravated that her friend is not understanding her concern, Emma departs. Carly appears disoriented as she once again stares blankly at the mirror, still clutching the wedding gown. SOMETHING is evidently amiss. TITLE PLATE It's Carly's nuptial night, yet she seems far from ecstatic. Her spouse, Dean (Chad Alva), walks into the room and appears to take pleasure in her misery, particularly when she confronts him. As the heated exchange progresses, it becomes evident that Carly is with Dean due to his role as a bystander in a hit-and-run incident where Carly was behind the wheel. He vowed to keep her secret under the condition that she complies with all his demands, including becoming his wife. Realizing the full extent of her now entangled life, Carly is overwhelmed with despair. Dean edges closer to her on the bed. As he stretches out to caress her hair, she recoils, and Dean chides her for not acting like a newlywed. This is their honeymoon, and Carly had better start playing the part...