ALWAYS SOMEWHERE

Always SOMEWHERE

ALWAYS SOMEWHERE

An Emotional Romantic Drama – Screenplay

GENRE: Romance / Drama / Long-Distance Love

SETTING: Multiple cities, hotel rooms, concert venues and a family home.

THEME: Love, sacrifice, distance, loneliness and the price of pursuing one's dreams.

STORY SYNOPSIS

Daniel and Angela are deeply in love, but Daniel's demanding career as a travelling musician keeps him away from home. Every night, he performs before thousands of cheering fans, yet the applause cannot replace the warmth of the woman waiting for him.

As Daniel moves from one city to another, Angela struggles with the loneliness of loving a man who is physically absent but emotionally present. Their relationship is tested by missed calls, postponed promises, unanswered questions and the uncertainty of when they will see each other again.

But beneath the glamour of the stage lies a man who longs for something money, fame and applause cannot buy: the comfort of home and the embrace of the woman he loves.

Will their love survive the distance?

 

FADE IN:

SCENE 1 – INT. CONCERT VENUE – CITY CENTRE – EVENING

A massive concert hall is filled with excited fans. Coloured lights flash across the auditorium. The audience screams as DANIEL, a talented Nigerian-born international musician, walks onto the stage with his band.

He is confident, energetic and charismatic.

Behind the stage, his manager checks the time.

MANAGER: Daniel, five minutes! The crowd is waiting.

Daniel nods, adjusts his microphone and looks briefly at his phone. There is a photograph of ANGELA, his girlfriend, smiling.

He smiles to himself.

DANIEL (softly): I wish you were here, darling.

The stage lights come on.

The audience erupts.

Daniel begins performing.

DANIEL (V.O.): Arrive at seven, the place feels good. No time to call you today. Encores till eleven, then Chinese food. Back to the hotel again.

The performance continues. The audience demands an encore.

Daniel returns to the stage, even though exhaustion is beginning to show on his face.

CUT TO:

SCENE 2 – INT. ANGELA'S APARTMENT – NIGHT

Angela sits alone on her couch. A television plays quietly in the background.

She looks at the wall clock. It is 11:45 p.m.

She picks up her phone and calls Daniel.

The phone rings.

No answer.

She tries again.

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This time, the line is engaged.

Angela sighs and puts the phone down.

Her eyes settle on a framed photograph of herself and Daniel taken during their last holiday together.

ANGELA: You promised you would call tonight.

She walks to the window and stares into the darkness.

ANGELA (V.O.): I call your number, the line ain't free.

She returns to the couch, fighting back tears.

CUT TO:

SCENE 3 – INT. HOTEL ROOM – NIGHT

Daniel enters his hotel room, exhausted.

He drops his travelling bag beside the bed, removes his jacket and sits down.

His phone vibrates.

It is a missed call from Angela.

He immediately calls her back.

DANIEL: Hello, sweetheart!

ANGELA: Daniel! Do you know what time it is?

DANIEL: I know, baby. I'm sorry. The concert ran late. The audience wouldn't let us leave.

ANGELA: There is always a concert, Daniel. Always another city, another performance, another hotel.

DANIEL: You know this is my job. I am doing all this for our future.

ANGELA: And what about our present? Are we supposed to keep postponing our happiness until tomorrow?

Daniel becomes silent.

DANIEL: I miss you, Angela.

ANGELA: Then come home.

He looks away.

DANIEL: I wish I could.

ANGELA: Sometimes I wonder whether I am in a relationship with you or with your travelling schedule.

Daniel smiles sadly.

DANIEL: Give me a little more time. I promise I will make it up to you.

ANGELA: You always say that.

The call ends.

Daniel remains seated, staring at the phone.

CUT TO:

SCENE 4 – EXT. HOTEL BALCONY – NIGHT

Daniel steps onto the balcony. The city is alive with traffic, lights and distant music.

He looks at the beautiful skyline but feels completely alone.

He remembers the day he met Angela at a friend's birthday party.

FLASHBACK – INT. RESTAURANT – EVENING

Angela is laughing with friends when Daniel approaches her.

DANIEL: Excuse me. Is this seat taken?

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ANGELA: It depends. Are you interesting enough to occupy it?

They both laugh.

Their eyes meet.

BACK TO PRESENT.

Daniel closes his eyes.

DANIEL (V.O.): I like to tell you, come to me. A night without you seems like a lost dream. Love, I can't tell you how I feel.

He looks up at the sky.

DANIEL: Angela, if only you knew.

CUT TO:

SCENE 5 – INT. ANGELA'S BEDROOM – EARLY MORNING

Angela wakes up and checks her phone.

There is a message from Daniel.

"Good morning, my love. Another day, another city. But you remain my favourite destination. I love you."

She smiles faintly.

She types a reply but deletes it.

Instead, she sends:

"Please, take care of yourself. I miss you."

She gets out of bed and prepares for work.

CUT TO:

SCENE 6 – MONTAGE – VARIOUS CITIES – DAY AND NIGHT

A sequence of Daniel's travels unfolds.

He performs in a packed concert hall in London.

He boards an early-morning flight.

He arrives in Paris and checks into another hotel.

He rehearses with his band.

He performs before another excited audience.

He eats alone in a restaurant.

He sits by a hotel window, watching couples walking hand in hand.

He calls Angela from different cities, sometimes catching her at work, sometimes finding her asleep.

His passport fills with entry stamps.

His calendar fills with performance dates.

Yet every city reminds him of the woman he left behind.

DANIEL (V.O.): Always somewhere. Miss you where I've been. I'll be back to love you again.

CUT TO:

SCENE 7 – INT. ANGELA'S OFFICE – AFTERNOON

Angela is working when her colleague, MARY, approaches.

MARY: Angela, are you alright? You haven't been yourself lately.

ANGELA: I'm fine.

MARY: Is Daniel still away?

ANGELA: Yes. Another city. Another performance.

MARY: But he loves you, doesn't he?

ANGELA: I believe he does. But sometimes love needs more than telephone calls.

MARY: Have you considered travelling to meet him?

ANGELA: I have. But I don't want to keep chasing a man whose work never seems to end.

Mary sits beside her.

MARY: Maybe you should both have an honest conversation about what you want.

Angela nods.

Her phone rings.

It is Daniel.

ANGELA: Hello?

DANIEL: Baby, I've got some news.

ANGELA: What happened?

DANIEL: My management has added another city to the tour.

Angela closes her eyes.

ANGELA: Daniel...

DANIEL: I know. I know. But this is the final leg. After this, I'm coming home.

ANGELA: You said that three cities ago.

There is silence.

DANIEL: I promise you. This time, I mean it.

CUT TO:

SCENE 8 – INT. HOTEL ROOM – NIGHT

Daniel is packing his suitcase.

His manager enters.

MANAGER: We have a problem.

DANIEL: What now?

MANAGER: The organisers want an additional performance tomorrow. The sponsor has requested an extension.

Daniel drops the shirt he is folding.

DANIEL: Tomorrow? That's supposed to be my day off!

MANAGER: I know, but the contract...

DANIEL: There is always a contract! There is always another show!

His manager becomes quiet.

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DANIEL: When exactly am I supposed to live my life?

MANAGER: Daniel, you have worked hard to get here.

DANIEL: And what is the point of getting everywhere if I cannot be where I am needed?

His manager leaves.

Daniel sits on the bed and looks at Angela's photograph.

DANIEL: I need to go home.

CUT TO:

SCENE 9 – EXT. AIRPORT – MORNING

Daniel arrives at the airport with his luggage.

He receives a call from Angela.

ANGELA: Good morning.

DANIEL: Good morning, my queen.

ANGELA: Where are you?

DANIEL: At the airport.

ANGELA: Another journey?

DANIEL: Yes, but this time I am making a different journey.

ANGELA: What do you mean?

DANIEL: I'm coming home.

Angela freezes.

ANGELA: Daniel, please don't give me another promise you cannot keep.

DANIEL: No more promises, sweetheart. Just watch the door.

Angela begins to cry.

ANGELA: I love you.

DANIEL: I love you more.

CUT TO:

SCENE 10 – INT. AIRCRAFT – DAY

Daniel sits beside the aircraft window.

Clouds pass beneath him.

He switches off his phone and leans back.

For the first time in months, he has no concert to prepare for, no manager demanding his attention and no hotel reservation waiting at the next destination.

He smiles.

DANIEL (V.O.): Another morning, another place. The only day off is far away. But every city has seen me in the end, and brings me to you again.

He looks out of the window.

DANIEL: Home, at last.

CUT TO:

SCENE 11 – EXT. ANGELA'S RESIDENCE – EVENING

Angela is in her living room when the doorbell rings.

She looks at the clock.

She walks towards the door.

She opens it.

Daniel stands outside, holding a bouquet of flowers and a small travelling bag.

For a moment, neither speaks.

Angela covers her mouth.

ANGELA: Daniel!

She runs into his arms.

He embraces her tightly.

DANIEL: I'm home, baby.

ANGELA: Are you really here?

DANIEL: Yes. And I'm not leaving tonight.

They kiss.

Daniel gently wipes away her tears.

DANIEL: I'm sorry for every missed call, every lonely night and every promise I postponed.

ANGELA: I never asked you to stop chasing your dreams. I only wanted to be part of them.

DANIEL: And you will be. From now on, we make room for both.

Angela rests her head on his chest.

ANGELA: Welcome home, my love.

CUT TO:

SCENE 12 – INT. ANGELA'S LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

Daniel and Angela sit together on the couch.

A soft romantic song plays in the background.

Daniel holds her hand.

DANIEL: Do you remember what I used to tell you whenever I travelled?

ANGELA: That you would be back?

DANIEL: Yes. But I now understand something. Coming back physically isn't enough. I have to be present emotionally, too.

ANGELA: That's all I've ever wanted.

He kisses her forehead.

DANIEL: No more living only for the next city. No more allowing distance to decide our happiness.

Angela smiles.

They embrace as the camera slowly pulls away.

DANIEL (V.O.): Always somewhere. Miss you where I've been. I'll be back to love you again.

The music rises.

The camera fades to black.

ON-SCREEN TEXT:

"Sometimes, the greatest journey is not the distance between cities, but the journey back to the heart that has been waiting for you."

THE END