Samuel García Domínguez

Act 1: The Awakening The episode begins on a sunny spring morning. Samuel is in his modest room. He looks out the window. Trees are blooming in the small garden. He smiles.

His mother, Julia, enters.

Julia: "You're up early."

Samuel: "I can't sleep. It's spring."

Julia: "Spring makes you an insomniac?"

Samuel: "No. It makes me… impatient."

Julia: "Impatient for what?"

Samuel: "To live. Really live. Not just survive."

Julia looks at him. She places her hand on his shoulder.

Julia: "You have the right to be happy, Samuel. You have the right to move forward."

Samuel: "And Marina?"

Julia: "Marina would want you to live. Not to stay stuck in the past."

Samuel doesn't answer. He looks out the window. The flowers are beautiful.

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Act 2: The Encounter with Carla Samuel arrives at Las Encinas. He runs into Carla in the hallway. She is alone.

Carla: "Samuel."

Samuel: "Carla."

Carla: "You look… different."

Samuel: "It's spring."

Carla (smiling): "Spring?"

Samuel: "Yes. Trees are blooming. The air is soft. And I want to stop being afraid."

Carla: "What are you afraid of?"

Samuel (looking at her): "Of you. Of what you represent. Of what I feel."

Carla is silent. She lowers her eyes.

Carla: "I'm not a good person, Samuel."

Samuel: "I know."

Carla: "And you still want to get close to me?"

Samuel: "I don't want to get close. I just want to stop lying."

Carla: "About what?"

Samuel: "About you. I think about you. All the time. It annoys me. But it's true."

Carla looks at him. She is surprised. She wasn't expecting this.

Carla: "You're sincere."

Samuel: "I always am."

Carla: "I'm not."

Samuel: "I know. But maybe spring will make you want to be."

He leaves. Carla stays there, frozen.

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Act 3: The Confrontation with Guzmán Later, Samuel runs into Guzmán in the courtyard.

Guzmán: "Samuel. We need to talk."

Samuel: "About what?"

Guzmán: "About Polo. I know you know something."

Samuel: "I don't know anything."

Guzmán: "You're lying."

Samuel: "Guzmán…"

Guzmán: "You were with Marina. You knew her better than me. You know who killed her."

Samuel (silence): "Yes. I know."

Guzmán: "Who?"

Samuel: "I can't tell you. Not yet."

Guzmán: "Why?"

Samuel: "Because if I tell you, you'll kill him. And I don't want you to become a murderer."

Guzmán: "I don't care."

Samuel: "I do."

Guzmán looks at him. He is angry, but he understands.

Guzmán: "You're a good guy, Samuel. Despite everything."

Samuel: "Despite what?"

Guzmán: "Despite the fact that you slept with my sister. Despite the fact that you're a scholarship student. Despite the fact that you're hiding the truth from me."

Samuel: "I'm not hiding the truth to be mean. I'm hiding it to protect you."

Guzmán: "I don't need to be protected."

Samuel: "Yes, you do. You're more fragile than you think."

Guzmán leaves, frustrated. Samuel stays there, his heart heavy.

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Act 4: The Conversation with Ander Ander finds Samuel alone in the courtyard, sitting on a bench.

Ander (sitting next to him): "Are you okay?"

Samuel: "No."

Ander: "Do you want to talk about it?"

Samuel: "No."

Ander: "I'll stay here, then."

Long silence.

Samuel: "You know, Ander, I'm tired."

Ander: "Tired of what?"

Samuel: "Of fighting. Of seeking the truth. Of lying. Of being afraid."

Ander: "Then stop."

Samuel: "I can't."

Ander: "Why?"

Samuel: "Because if I stop, it's like Marina died for nothing."

Ander: "She didn't die for nothing. She died because Polo is a coward. But you, you are alive. And you have the right to live."

Samuel: "You're right. But it's easier said than done."

Ander: "I know."

Samuel: "How do you do it, to move forward?"

Ander: "I think about Omar. He makes me want to fight. Not for justice. For him. For us."

Samuel: "I have no one."

Ander: "You have your mother. You have Rebe. You have Nadia. You have me."

Samuel looks at him. He smiles.

Samuel: "Thank you, Ander."

Ander: "You're welcome."

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Act 5: The Spring Party Valerio organizes a party to celebrate spring. Samuel is invited. He hesitates to go, but Rebe pushes him.

Rebe: "Come on, Samuel. It'll do you good."

Samuel: "I'm not in the mood for a party."

Rebe: "That's exactly why you need to come."

He agrees. At the party, he sees Carla. She is alone, a glass in her hand.

He approaches.

Samuel: "You're alone?"

Carla: "I like being alone."

Samuel: "No. You hate being alone. You just pretend."

Carla (looking at him): "You know me that well?"

Samuel: "I watch you. I observe you. I understand you."

Carla: "And what do you see?"

Samuel: "A girl who is scared. Scared of losing control. Scared of being vulnerable. Scared of loving."

Carla: "You're wrong."

Samuel: "No. I'm not wrong."

He places his hand on hers.

Samuel: "Spring is the season of renewal. Maybe it's time to stop being afraid."

Carla: "What about you? Have you stopped being afraid?"

Samuel: "No. But I'm trying."

They look at each other. Music plays softly. Spring is there.

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Act 6: The Crisis At the end of the party, Samuel is drunk. He is sitting on the ground, leaning against a wall. Rebe finds him.

Rebe: "Samuel, are you okay?"

Samuel: "No. I'm not okay."

Rebe: "Why are you drinking so much?"

Samuel: "To forget."

Rebe: "Forget what?"

Samuel: "Marina. Carla. The truth. The lies. Everything."

Rebe (sitting next to him): "You'll never forget Marina, Samuel. She was part of you. But you can learn to live with it."

Samuel: "And Carla?"

Rebe: "Carla is different. Carla is alive. She is here. She made mistakes, but she's trying to change."

Samuel: "Do you think people can change?"

Rebe: "I think they can try. That's not bad."

Samuel: "You're a good friend, Rebe."

Rebe: "I know."

They laugh.

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Act 7: The Resolution The next day, Samuel wakes up with a headache. He leaves his house. The sun is shining. Trees are blooming.

He goes to school. He runs into Carla in the hallway.

Carla: "You look rough."

Samuel: "I am rough."

Carla: "Do you want to get a coffee?"

Samuel: "Why?"

Carla: "Because I want to talk to you. Without lies."

Samuel (surprised): "Without lies?"

Carla: "For once."

They leave together. They walk through the flowering streets of Madrid. Spring is everywhere.

Samuel: "Carla, I don't know what we are. I don't know what I want. But I know I don't want to be afraid anymore."

Carla: "Me neither."

Samuel: "So where do we start?"

Carla: "With a coffee. And after that, we'll see."

They enter a café. They sit face to face. Spring comes in through the window.

Samuel (quietly, to himself): "Let's start over."

End of episode.

Dialogue 1 – Samuel and Carla (confession) Carla: "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Samuel: "Because you're beautiful."

Carla: "Are you serious?"

Samuel: "I always am."

Carla: "Even after everything I've done?"

Samuel: "Especially after everything you've done."

Carla: "I lied to you. I manipulated you."

Samuel: "I know."

Carla: "And you still think I'm beautiful?"

Samuel: "Yes. That's a problem."

Carla: "Why?"

Samuel: "Because I should hate you. But I can't."

Carla: "I can't hate you either."

Samuel: "So what do we do?"

Carla: "We stop lying."

Samuel: "That's a start."

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Dialogue 2 – Samuel and Guzmán (the truth) Guzmán: "Samuel, I want to know."

Samuel: "I know."

Guzmán: "Why won't you tell me anything?"

Samuel: "Because I want to protect you."

Guzmán: "From what?"

Samuel: "From yourself."

Guzmán: "I don't need to be protected."

Samuel: "Yes, you do. You're angry. You're hurt. You want revenge. But revenge doesn't heal anything."

Guzmán: "You think I don't know that?"

Samuel: "You know it, but you don't accept it."

Guzmán: "And you? Do you accept it?"

Samuel: "No. But I'm trying."

Guzmán: "You're strong, Samuel."

Samuel: "No. I'm tired."

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Dialogue 3 – Samuel and Ander (friendship) Ander: "Are you thinking about Marina today?"

Samuel: "I think about her every day."

Ander: "That must be hard."

Samuel: "It is hard. But it's less hard than before."

Ander: "Why?"

Samuel: "Because I've learned to live with it. Because I have friends. Because spring reminds me that life goes on."

Ander: "You're lucky."

Samuel: "No. I chose to continue. That's different."

Ander: "How did you do it?"

Samuel: "One day at a time."

Ander: "I'm proud to be your friend."

Samuel (smiling): "Me too."

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Dialogue 4 – Samuel to himself (final monologue) Samuel (alone in his room, looking out the window): "19 years old. I'm 19, and I just did the hardest thing of my life. Not confronting Polo. Not surviving prison. Accepting to be happy."

(He smiles.)

Samuel: "I told Carla the truth. She said she wants to stop lying. It's a start. It's not much. But it's something."

(He looks at the sky. Spring is there. Trees are blooming.)

Samuel: "Maybe that's what spring is. Accepting that the past is past. Accepting that we have the right to move forward. Accepting that we have the right to love again."

(He takes his coat. He leaves.)

Samuel: "Good night, Marina. Hello, Carla."