To Write Love on Her Arms

I wrote this story for Renee because

I wanted to believe in the happily ever after.

Now, her story isn't unique,

but she is.

The way she speaks the truth.

The way she sees the world.

Once upon a time there was a girl who loved fairy tales.

Her mind painted the brightest day.

And the darkest night.

But her imagination turned on her

and found her wherever she would hide.

It's okay, it's okay now.

There, there, sweetheart.

Good night.

Now, where are we going to go in our dreams tonight?

My garden.

Good, good. Now you draw your beautiful garden.

So she imagined the most beautiful garden.

But even the sun could not outshine the gray.

When her best friend, Jessie, lost her mom,

she realized not every story has a happy ending.

So the girl grew up and left fairy tales behind,

but her music, art and friends made her feel something...

...even if it wasn't happily ever after.

- Yep? - Hello?

You left this on the counter last night.

Crazy pills.

No, no, bipolar is not crazy.

What were you doing when the memory part of my brain was forming?

- I forget. - You what?

- Take them. - Okay.

Only in Orlando.

Monday play list. Track four.

One, two, three...

- What? - Sean sighting.

You ladies coming tonight?

I'm not a lady.

- Thanks. - See you there.

He smells like leather.

He smells so good.

- No. It starts at midnight? - So?

- We can be there for 10 minutes. - It's Halloween.

- Are you kidding me? - Who cares? My dad will kill me, Renee.

- You know that. - He will not.

It says dancing on here. Is it, you know, like sexy dancing?

Or, you know, girls getting really close and...

We're going.

I don't want to get shanked in strobe light hell,

so can we, you know, please get out of here?

- Yeah, let's bounce. - Let's explore a little bit.

- No. - Let's explore.

There's nothing over there.

- Renee! - Jessie!

We need to go home.

No. Where'd she go?

Where did... Are you drunk now?

- It was so beautiful. - Hey, hey, come on.

You know what, this place sucks and you're trashed and I wanna go home.

No, no, no. I like how this place is.

- No, well, I don't care, we're going home. - You're not my mom, Jess!

- Walk your ass home then. - Why don't you just...

Nice one. Way to go.

Don't leave like that.

Don't worry, I got you.

That was bad.

I'll take you home.

I think these swings are broken.

- Need me to push you? - I think I do.

You're Superman!

Michael, come on. Dinnertime.

- You wanna get higher? - Shit, Mackey!

And, yes, I do have the shit.

Come on.

Got it? There you go.

Unbelievable.

Damn kids.

You know what I thought about the first time I got high?

What?

That Adam and Eve must have been cavemen.

What?

Think about it, we grow up and they tell us about Adam and Eve,

and then we go to school and they teach us about cavemen.

The whole point of our education is to get rid of those fairy tales.

I think Adam and Eve is the truest story I've ever heard.

'Cause things are perfect and then you ruin them.

Man's gonna cope.

Speaking of which, word is it's snowing in Daytona.

- At Echo's? - Yes.

Yes!

- Ready? One, two... - Go!

Man, leave that poor fish alone.

Children's stories are sick, man.

You got Humpty Dumpty chillin' on the wall, right?

I wouldn't be on the wall if I was an egg.

That's suicidal, man. You know, for real.

Maybe he was a crackhead.

He was just a dumb egg.

He's not an egg.

- Yeah, he was. - No.

The nursery rhyme never says he's an egg. The artist drew him like that.

Whatever, man.

The shit's set. Who's in?

This ain't free.

If you wanna hang out

You gotta take her out

Cocaine

If you wanna get down

Down on the ground Cocaine

If you got bad news

Gonna kick them blues Cocaine

When your day is done

And you wanna run Cocaine

Cocaine!

Yeah, yeah

Don't forget this fact

You can't get it back Cocaine

Cocaine!

She don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie...

Everybody!

- Cocaine! - Cocaine!

- One more time, come on. - One more time!

She don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie

Cocaine

Cocaine

Cocaine

Cocaine

No!

No!

Cocaine

No.

Cocaine

No!

Cocaine

She don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie

Cocaine

She don't lie, baby!

- Yeah! - Love cocaine!

Hey, where you goin'?

Leave me alone.

I do believe you've got something of mine.

Come on, baby, get in the... Shit.

Cut her off.

Hey.

Hey, it's Renee.

I'm sorry to call so late.

I kind of need you.

- Hey! - Hi.

Look at this ride.

No, it's not mine. It's my boss's.

- How you doin'? You look so good. - Good.

You look... You look so different.

Can we go?

Hi, Jess.

Old friends, huh?

So, I'm working for a big music manager now.

By working for him, I mean I'm just interning, you know, for free.

He still hasn't heard me sing yet.

So why were you in Daytona?

Thanks for getting me.

So where are we taking you, your parents' house?

Or you wanna go to a crack house or where do you wanna go?

I don't know yet.

It doesn't matter. Wherever it is,

I have to get the car back to my manager first and then wherever.

He's your boss.

You have got to be shitting me.

Relax. Okay? This is where my boss is.

It's just... It's kind of crazy that there's a thing on addiction and stuff.

Wow. What a coincidence.

The way I see it, you kind of owe me one. All right?

So just think about going in there

and listening to an ex-drug addict who happens to be my manager.

He's your boss.

My boss slash future manager

is in there talking about how he used to be a crack whore,

and I would say this is really good timing.

He was a crack whore. You're calling me a crack whore then?

No, you're not a crack... It's the first...

It's the only drug slang thing I know. I don't...

What else would I call you?

I mean, I'm not calling you that.

Just, whatever you do, if you don't wanna go in there,

stay here, I'll be back in 10 minutes.

- Okay? - Fine.

Excuse me.

Can I have a cigarette, please? If you have an extra one?

Thank you.

Rough night?

- Rough life. - Cheers.

So are you addicted to Jesus?

Doing a favor for a friend. You?

Here for the communion wine.

I think it's probably watered down.

I'll see you in there?

- Nope. - Okay.

Here you go. Not a scratch on it.

You rescue your princess?

Yeah. This is her, I mean, this is Renee.

Pleasure to meet you, I'm McKenna.

Princess Renee.