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Obsession · written by Curry Barker · 2026
Scene 9 of 61 · ≈ 3 min on screen · Act one
Bear wishes the woman he loves would love him back. The wish comes true — and her devotion becomes a violence neither of them can stop.
Bear slouched before the TV's idealized love speech, a dead cat where his coffee table should be — grief and longing established in one image.
Bear sits alone on his bed, crying over the cat, or Nicky, or his whole life.
Browsing the crystal shop for a gift, Bear spots a shelf of recalled "One Wish Willow" novelty wish-sticks and grabs one for Nicky.
At checkout, Bear jokes with clerk Viola about the Willow's recall and dark rumors, and she deadpans that people who open them die or wish they were dead.
This scene
Bear drives to trivia alone in his early 2000s model. His car still has crank-down windows. He appears to be talking to himself.
BEAR
So, I've felt... for a very long time, I've tried to find the best way to tell you that... You're the only person I've ever met with the same sense of humor as me. We have the same taste in music, we both love-
IAN (V.O.)
(on speaker phone)
We have the same taste in music?
Bear eyes the phone with disapproval.
BEAR
(defensive)
What?
IAN (V.O.)
Okay, right off the bat, way too strong.
BEAR
Well, my feelings are strong.
IAN (V.O.)
Doesn't matter. That would freak anyone- That freaks ME out. Nicky would vomit on your broken heart.
BEAR
(passionate)
Nicky, for six years-
IAN (V.O.)
Nope.
BEAR
Back in marching-
IAN (V.O.)
Drop the timeline stuff.
BEAR
Nicky, I got you something-
IAN (V.O.)
No, dude! What did you- I don't even wanna know.
BEAR
(pleading)
Then what do I say, Ian? What do I do?
IAN (V.O.)
Dude, you got to be less sappy with Nicky. She doesn't like that shit.
BEAR
I know, so what do I say then?
IAN (V.O.)
Well, honestly, I wish you wouldn't say anything because it's gonna ruin our-
BEAR
I have to, I can't do this anymore-
IAN (V.O.)
I know I'm not gonna stop you. Just- If you're going to say anything, I would say... Nicky, I think we should grab a drink sometime.
BEAR
We have "grabbed drinks sometime." Multiple times. You knew I was trying to do this tonight! I ask you guys
IAN (V.O.)
Dude, I love trivia night. It's all I have! I wake up every Wednesday rock-hard thinking about trivia night.
BEAR
You get hard to trivia?
IAN (V.O.)
This wasn't a date, Bear.
BEAR
I know, but-
IAN (V.O.)
This was never gonna be a date! You can't turn our weekly gathering of camaraderie and skill into your 7-year late prom-posal. You gotta take her somewhere else. You have to be clear about your intentions. Do you even try to flirt with her?
BEAR
I don't know how to start-
IAN (V.O.)
Tease her. Girls like when you're jokingly mean to them.
BEAR
Be mean to her?
IAN (V.O.)
Yeah, just be jokingly mean. Bring up, Freaky Nicky!
BEAR
Why would I? Dude, she's sensitive about that shit.
IAN (V.O.)
It's been years. It'll ease the tension that you can laugh about it now. She'll be like
(impersonating Nicky)
"Oh my gawd stop, that was so long ago."
BEAR
Call her Freaky Nicky?
IAN (V.O.)
Yeah, or say remember when you were bullied and everyone called you Freaky Nicky? That was hilarious.
BEAR
(skeptical)
And that will, like... take her breath away?
IAN (V.O.)
Dude, I'm not a dating expert, but I'll tell you this - If you confess your feelings to her like you just did to me, you won't have a relationship with her in any capacity after that.
Bear takes this in, more confused than before.
BEAR
Well, maybe that's for the best. I can't just be her friend anymore.
Ian sighs through the phone.
IAN (V.O.)
(under his breath)
We all did fine for a while.
BEAR
Painfully.
IAN (V.O.)
Look... there's a better way to do this that increases your chances with her. You know what I mean? If she means this much to you, and I know she does, do it right. You know? Because you're gonna ruin my trivia night if you fuck this up.