Palm Trees and Power Lines 2023

In the sweltering heat of Southern California’s suburban summers, 17-year-old Lea spends her days basking in the sun-kissed camaraderie with her best friend Amber. Amidst the humdrum routine, Lea’s life is punctuated by her emotionally distant mother, Sandra, who struggles to connect on a deeper level. The absence of Lea’s father, now residing in Arizona with his new family, leaves a void that only serves to further complicate their already strained relationship.

As Lea and Amber hang out with their peers, including the boy she’s casually seeing, Jared, Lea finds herself searching for something more meaningful than just physical connections. It’s during one such evening at a local diner that Lea’s gaze meets that of an older man, who flashes her a knowing wink as he departs. Although her friends abandon ship without waiting for the check, Lea lingers, only to be accosted by the cook when she tries to follow suit. The stranger from earlier, now revealed to be 34-year-old Tom, intervenes, and with his assistance, Lea is able to extricate herself from the awkward situation.

As Lea walks home under the starry night sky, Tom’s truck pulls up beside her, and he invites her for a ride, regaling her with tales of his own life. Over the course of their conversation, Lea discovers that Tom’s life has been marked by similar struggles to form close connections with his parents. When she confides in Amber about meeting someone new, Lea carefully guards the details, describing Tom as “just another guy from school.” Meanwhile, her relationship with Sandra becomes increasingly strained as her mother welcomes back an ex-boyfriend into their home.

As Lea finds herself drawn to Tom’s empathetic ear and genuine interest, she begins to rely on him for emotional validation. Tom, sensing her vulnerability, shares stories about his own experiences, including the freedom he enjoys running his own small business, which grants him a sense of liberation from the constraints of traditional employment. With each passing day, Lea finds herself growing more and more entranced by this enigmatic figure, unaware that their connection will soon set in motion a chain of events that will forever alter the trajectory of her life.

As Lea (name) and Tom’s romance blossomed, they embarked on a series of intimate escapades, culminating in a night spent at a humble motel. Initially, Tom rationalized their presence there by claiming he was temporarily residing at the establishment until he found more permanent accommodations. However, when he suddenly excused himself to address a domestic disturbance unfolding above them, Lea’s intuition kicked in, suggesting that something was amiss. Despite her reservations, Tom reassured her that his departure was merely an act of goodwill toward a female neighbor beset by a rowdy boyfriend.

Their beachside date soon followed, where Lea’s friend from school happened to be present, and Tom introduced himself with affable ease. This unexpected encounter prompted whispers to spread back to Amber, prompting Lea to make a solemn vow not to disclose their relationship to anyone else. Tom, in turn, implored Lea not to fraternize with other men, tenderly emphasizing, “You’re mine.” Lea reveled in the intoxicating feeling of being desired and cherished.

As they sat at a local eatery one day, a perceptive waitress sensed that Lea was trapped in an unhealthy relationship. Seizing the opportunity when Tom stepped outside to take a phone call, she discreetly shared her concerns with Lea, cautioning that if she needed an escape route, she would be there to help. Initially perplexed and unaware of Tom’s true nature, Lea asked why she might require assistance, only for the waitress to casually mention that Tom was a regular customer at the restaurant, often accompanied by young women. When Tom returned, he picked up on Lea’s unease and skillfully coaxed her into sharing her concerns. As she confessed the waitress’s suspicions, Tom deftly deflected the accusation, insisting that she must be mistaken about his identity.

As the evening wears on, Lea (Lea) finds herself entangled in a web of social drinking and smoking with friends, where Jared’s sarcastic remarks about her “hanging out with the geriatric” send her reeling. The hurt and anger simmering within her finally boil over when she discovers that Amber is the one who spilled the beans to Jared. Lea’s distress becomes all too apparent as she storms off and arrives at Tom’s motel room in a state of dishevelment. Tom, ever the empathetic listener, offers her words of comfort, assuring her that his love for her will never waver, no matter what others may think. As a token of their special bond, he presents Lea with a bracelet bearing an inside joke they share - a symbol of their deepening connection. When Tom invites Lea to join him on a vacation getaway, she accepts without hesitation, and the two check into a hotel for a much-needed break.

However, as the days pass, Tom’s intentions take a darker turn. He reveals his true nature by asking Lea to engage in a compromising act - one that will compromise her very being. With a heavy heart, Lea reluctantly agrees, and Tom leaves her at the mercy of an unsuspecting stranger. The unnamed man coaxes Lea into a series of intimate acts, leaving her emotionally drained and vulnerable.

As the night wears on, Lea finds solace in the brief respite offered by a warm shower. But when she attempts to escape the room, she’s caught off guard by Tom, who wraps his arms around her in a suffocating embrace. This time, he takes her to a nearby restaurant, where Lea seizes the opportunity to make a break for it, fleeing to a gas station and making a tearful phone call to Amber.

With Amber by her side once more, Lea finds solace in the comfort of familiar surroundings. She redoubles her efforts to connect with her mother and rekindles her passion for activities she once enjoyed with Amber. But despite her newfound sense of purpose, Lea can’t shake off the feeling that Tom has abandoned her.

As she sits at home, trying to make sense of the chaos he’s unleashed, Lea becomes fixated on contacting Tom, only to find his phone number disconnected. Undeterred, she pays a visit to the motel, hoping against hope that he’ll answer her knock. But when no one comes to the door, she turns to a sympathetic upstairs neighbor for help.

The neighbor’s reluctant assistance yields a phone call that leads Lea straight to Tom’s doorstep. Sobbing uncontrollably into the phone, Lea demands answers about his sudden departure from her life. As the tears subside, and Tom’s soothing voice begins to calm her nerves, Lea finds herself smiling once more - this time, in response to Tom’s heartfelt confession of love for her.