Model Behavior

[Pepa returns home to find an answering machine full of messages.]



[ANSWERING MACHINE, spoken]

You have twenty-seven messages. 



[CANDELA, spoken]

Pepa? Pepa, it's me. Are you there? Call me. 



[Pepa fast-forwards to the next message.]



Hi, it's me again, Candela. Where are you? Just call me when you get this. Okay? Okay. 



[Pepa fast-forwards again. We now see Candela in her own apartment.]



Pepa? Pepa?!



(sung)

Pepa, it's me again

Why aren't you picking up the phone?

It's like my brain is gonna melt if I don't talk to you



I've got a problem in the shower

And I've only got a minute

‘Cause the problem in the shower

Is this guy that I've been dating named Malik



He's… what's the word? Swarthy, like a desert sheik

And he's been here in my apartment for about a week



I met him down at Cafe Sombra

And I know you think I'm overly romantic

But you wouldn't believe the connection we had

Like immediately I was ready for him to

Meet my mom



Like I could feel my heart exploding like some kind of bomb

Which is ironic because actually I think he literally has some kind of…



[Malik enters. As he crosses the room, Candela instantly shifts her tone into phone:]



(spoken)

Anyway, Grandpa, happy birthday. Say hello to Grandma and be sure to take your…



[He exits. Frantically back into the phone:]



(sung)

That was him!



I may be jumping to conclusions, God I hope I am

He thinks I'm thin and he's got shoulders like Jean-Claude Van Damme



Listen, call me when you hear this

I'll be here for half an hour

Call me back!



[Pepa fast-forwards to the next message. Candela is now at a phone booth on the street.]



Pepa? Are you there? Are you there? Are you…

Okay, you're not there but we need to talk

My stomach's aching like I swallowed some enormous rock



I'm at the phone booth on the corner

And I've only got a minute ‘cause I'm running out of change

'Cause I've been lending all my money to Malik



God knows with men I'm not exactly on a lucky streak

But this one really is a mess, I think I'm gonna freak



I know you say I'm an alarmist but I'm not

Remember there's that time I thought I saw a spider?

You said "nah, it's a raisin"

But it suddenly started moving

And it crawled over and bit me on the toe



So if you're gonna stand in judgement

That's how much you know



It's a good thing I didn't eat it

But I never would have ate it

‘Cause I never did like raisins

So why would there be a raisin on the floor?



So when you hear this call me back

I'll wait a little more

I'll be at seven-seven-three…



(spoken)

Damn, they scratched out the number… And misspelled "vagina."



(sung)

All right I'm hanging up, I'll call you back!



[Pepa fast-forwards again, as time passes and Candela arrives at a photo shoot.]



Pepa

Okay, I'm trying you again, it's afternoon

It's like my eyes are gonna pop if I don't get you soon



I'm at the studio, which sucks

Because I'm having trouble working

'Cause the only thing I think about's

This crazy situation with Malik



I don't know what I'm gonna do if you and I don't speak



I know you think I'm just a drama queen

But actually I'm practical and damn it, I'm a model

So of course I feel things deeper than most people

Typically do



And anyway I think my life may be in danger too

You won't believe what he's got hidden in the…



(spoken)

Oh, Fernando's working here! He's lost a lot of weight and, wow, he got that thing removed! He just looks…



(spoken, to Fernando)

Pepa... Marcos...



(sung, back into phone)

He says hello

And now he's telling me we're shooting

So I've gotta go



It's some big deal ad campaign

I don't know what it's for

They've got me posing with

A melon and a matador



Some kind of metaphor



Call me back!



[Pepa continues to fast-forward, as we see Candela rush between a series of various phones:]



Pepa, it's eight

I don't know why you're treating me like this



Pepa, it's almost ten o'clock

You really are a terrible friend



Pepa, I'm sorry

I've never felt so frightened and alone

I'm like a helpless little kitten up a…



[A man knocks on the phone booth door.]



(spoken)

HEY! I'M ON THE FUCKING PHONE!



(sung, back into phone)

Please call me back



[Pepa fast-forwards through a night-full of messages:]



Pepa, it's midnight. Are you screening?



It's three a.m. You have to call me!



… would never do this to you! What kind of a friend …



What was the name of that cheese that I like?



[Pepa fast-forwards one more time. We suddenly hear Iván's voice:]



[IVÁN, spoken]

Pepa? Pepa, sweetheart. Listen, I need to tell you…



[ANSWERING MACHINE, spoken]

Tape is full. End of messages. 



[Pepa pulls the machine from the wall and throws it out the window.]



[CANDELA]

Pepa

Okay, now even your machine's ignoring me

Listen, Pepa, I know you think I'm needy but you've got to see…



I'm feeling kind of woozy, I've been crying for an hour

And my boyfriend has an Uzi, and he doesn't clean the shower



And I don't know where you are

I don't know where I am

I'm halfway up a tree and completely in a jam



I'm out here in the desert and nobody gives a damn



Pepa?

Pepa!

Pepa…

Call me back!