NOTTING HILL

    WILLIAM
  I also have a phone.  I'm confident
  that in five minutes we can have you
  spick and span and back on the street
  again... in the non-prostitute sense
  obviously.

 In his diffident way, he is confident, despite her being
 genuinely annoyed.  She turns and looks at him.

    ANNA
  Okay.  So what does 'just over the
  street' mean -- give it to me in yards.

    WILLIAM
  Eighteen yards.  That's my house
  there.

 He doesn't lie -- it is eighteen yards away.  She looks down.
 She looks up at him.

 INT. WILLIAM'S HOUSE - CORRIDOR - DAY

 They enter.  She carries a few stylish bags.

    WILLIAM
  Come on in.  I'll just...

 William runs in further -- it's a mess.  He kicks some old shoes
 under the stairs, bins an unfinished pizza and hides a plate of
 breakfast in a cupboard.  She enters the kitchen.

    WILLIAM
  It's not that tidy, I fear.

 And he guides her up the stairs, after taking the bag of books
 from her...

    WILLIAM
  The bathroom is right at the top of
  the stairs and there's a phone on the
  desk up there.

 She heads upstairs.

 INT. KITCHEN - DAY

 William is tidying up frantically.  Then he hears Anna's feet on
 the stairs.  She walks down, wearing a short, sparkling black
 top beneath her leather jacket.  With her trainers still on.  He
 is dazzled by the sight of her.

    WILLIAM
  Would you like a cup of tea before
  you go?

    ANNA
  No thanks.

    WILLIAM
  Coffee?

    ANNA
  No.

    WILLIAM
  Orange juice -- probably not.

 He moves to his very empty fridge -- and offers its only contents.

    WILLIAM
  Something else cold -- coke, water,
  some disgusting sugary drink
  pretending to have something to do
  with fruits of the forest?

    ANNA
  Really, no.

    WILLIAM
  Would you like something to nibble --
  apricots, soaked in honey -- quite
  why, no one knows -- because it stops
  them tasting of apricots, and makes
  them taste like honey, and if you
  wanted honey, you'd just buy honey,
  instead of apricots, but nevertheless
  -- there we go -- yours if you want
  them.

    ANNA
  No.

    WILLIAM
  Do you always say 'no' to everything?

 Pause.  She looks at him deep.

    ANNA
  No.
   (pause)
  I better be going.  Thanks for your
  help.

    WILLIAM
  You're welcome and, may I also say...
  heavenly.

 It has taken a lot to get this out loud.  He is not a smooth-
 talking man.

    WILLIAM
  Take my one chance to say it.  After
  you've read that terrible book,
  you're certainly not going to be
  coming back to the shop.

 She smiles.  She's cool.

    ANNA
  Thank you.

    WILLIAM
  Yes.  Well.  My pleasure.

 He guides her towards the door.

    WILLIAM
  Nice to meet you.  Surreal but nice.

 In a slightly awkward moment, he shows her out the door.  He
 closes the door and shakes his head in wonder.  Then...

    WILLIAM
  'Surreal but nice.'  What was I
  thinking?

 ... He  shakes his head again in horror and wanders back along
 the corridor in silence.  There's a knock on the door.  He moves
 back, casually...

    WILLIAM
  Coming.

 He opens the door.  It's her.

    WILLIAM
  Oh hi.  Forget something?

    ANNA
  I forgot my bag.

    WILLIAM
  Oh right.

 He shoots into the kitchen and picks up the forgotten shopping
 bag.  Then returns and hands it to her.

    WILLIAM
  Here we go.

    ANNA
  Thanks.  Well...

 They stand in that corridor -- in that small space.  Second time
 saying goodbye.  A strange feeling of intimacy.  She leans
 forward and she kisses him.  Total silence.  A real sense of the
 strangeness of those lips, those famous lips on his.  They part.

    WILLIAM
  I apologize for the 'surreal but nice'
  comment.  Disaster...

    ANNA
  Don't worry about it.  I thought the
  apricot and honey business was the
  real lowpoint.

 Suddenly there is a clicking of a key in the lock.

    WILLIAM
  Oh my God.  My flatmate.  I'm sorry --
  there's no excuse for him.

 Spike walks in.

    SPIKE
  Hi.

    ANNA
  Hi.

    WILLIAM
  Hi.

 Spike walks past unsuspiciously and heads into the kitchen.

    SPIKE
  I'm just going to go into the kitchen
  to get some food -- and then I'm going
  to tell you a story that will make your
  balls shrink to the size of raisins.

 And leaves them in the corridor.

    ANNA
  Probably best not tell anyone about
  this.

    WILLIAM
  Right.  No one.  I mean, I'll tell
  myself sometimes but... don't worry
  -- I won't believe it.

    ANNA
  Bye.

 And she leaves, with just a touch of William's hand.  Spike
 comes out of the kitchen, eating something white out of a   
 styrofoam container with a spoon.

    SPIKE
  There's something wrong with this
  yogurt.

    WILLIAM
  It's not yogurt -- it's mayonnaise.

    SPIKE
  Well, there you go.
   (takes another big spoonful)
  On for a video fest tonight?  I've
  got some absolute classic.

 INT. WILLIAM'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

 The lights are off.  William and Spike on the couch, just the
 light from the TV playing on their faces.  Cut to the TV full
 screen.  There is Anna.  She is in a stylish Woody Allen type
 modern romantic comedy, 'Gramercy Park,' in black and white.

 INT. MANHATTAN ART GALLERY - DAY

 Anna's character -- Woody Anna -- is walking around the gallery
 with her famous co-star, Michael.  They should be the perfect
 couple, but there is tension.  Anna is not happy.

    MICHAEL
  Smile.

    ANNA
  No.

    MICHAEL
  Smile.

    ANNA
  I've got nothing to smile about.

    MICHAEL
  Okay in about 7 seconds, I'm going to
  ask you to marry me.

 And after a couple of seconds -- wow -- she smiles.

 INT. WILLIAM'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

    SPIKE
  Imagine -- somewhere in the world
  there's a man who's allowed to kiss
  her.

    WILLIAM
  Yes, she is fairly fabulous.