Picture of Innocence Moving On

SHE SOBS

That you, Ruby?

Ruby?

What's wrong?

Ruby!

RUBY SOBS Please open the door.

Ruby, I can't help you if you won't tell me what's happened.

DOORBELL RINGS

-Mel.

-Are you all right?

No, not really. Ruby's just come back in a right state.

-Has she said anything?

-Just ran straight upstairs and locked herself in her room.

Think I might know why.

Will you just tell me what's going on?

Look, I'm sure it's nothing, but Izzy's just come in from school and told me...

Told you what?

Apparently someone's posted some pictures in an online group.

-I don't understand. What do you mean?

-Well, they're saying it's a picture of Ruby.

What kind of picture?

From what I can make out, it's a site where lads share pictures of their girlfriends.

Intimate pictures.

She hasn't even got a boyfriend.

What about that lad she was knocking about with?

-Stephen something. Dark hair.

-Stephen Matthews.

Yeah, well, according to the rumours going around school, that's him.

Look, I'm sure it's not even them.

You know what teenage girls are like.

-I need to see it.

-Are you sure?

What choice have I got?

This is the one.

Nice name(!)

-It's private.

-What's that mean?

Means you have to request to join the group.

-How long's that going to take?

-How long's a piece of string?

I don't know, do I? You know me, I don't even do Facebook.

Mum, when will tea be ready?

-Not long. Sorry, I thought you were playing a game?

-I'm starving.

Won't be long. You go upstairs.

-I just need to speak to Mel about something.

-Hiya, Leo.

We're in. That was quick.

Oh, my God. Those poor girls.

-She only looks about 14.

-If that.

And just look at the comments.

Do people still talk about girls like this? So depressing.

Is that it?

I mean, you can't even see her face. Could be anyone.

And like I said, it's just teenage girls doing what they do best -

being malicious little...

SHUTTER CLICKS What are you doing?

-I don't know. But you might need it as evidence.

-Evidence?

And I'm going to write down the names of everyone who's left a comment.

I don't get it. Why would they even say it's her?

In our day, it would've just been graffiti on the back of the toilet door.

Yeah, but you can't just scribble this out. How do you get it taken down?

Only the person who set up the group can delete it.

Surely there's another way.

Unless...

"This site appears to show explicit images of underage girls.

"The IP address of everyone who has viewed these images

"has been logged and forwarded to the police."

That should set the cat amongst the pigeons.

-You think it'll work?

-It's worth a try.

I mean, nobody these days wants to be accused of looking at child porn.

What am I supposed to do in the meantime?

First things first, you need to talk to Ruby.

And then I know what I'd be doing if I were you.

I'd be going straight to the police.

-Thanks, Mel. I don't know what I'd do without you.

-Good luck.

You know where I am.

ALERT SOUNDS

KNOCK ON DOOR/ALERT SOUNDS

-Who is it?

-Let me in, Ruby.

ALERT SOUNDS

I need to talk to you. I know what's going on.

Mel's been.

Izzy told her about this photo.

I've seen it.

ALERT SOUNDS

It's not me, Mum. I swear it isn't.

ALERT SOUNDS No, I know.

I don't know why they're all saying that.

It could be anyone.

Yeah, but I'm the one that's been named!

-OK. Do you know who's behind this?

-No.

And what about all the people leaving comments?

Some of them are from my school.

Why would they say stuff like that about you?

I don't know.

-Cos they hate me.

-What do you mean they hate you? Why?

-I don't know, do I?

-OK, right.

Please don't take it out on me.

I'm just trying to work out why they'd all suddenly turn against you for no reason.

Connie was seeing Stephen before me.

They're all saying that I did all this stuff with him...

-..and I never, Mum! I never...

-Breathe.

-I'm never going back to that school! I mean it!

-No, don't be silly.

You can't expect me to go back after all this.

It was only posted this afternoon and it's already got 138 views.

ALERT SOUNDS

-153 now.

-It's not you so it doesn't matter.

ALERT SOUNDS

-What?

-I've got 38 new friend requests.

It must be from people who've seen it.

-Do you know any of them?

-No.

-What should I do?

-What do you mean?

Well, should I accept them or not?

Have you got any idea how serious this is?

Mel thinks I should go to the police.

But before I do anything, I need to ask you a question

and you're not going to like it.

You're not going to get into any trouble...

and I won't judge you.

But I need you to be 100% honest with me.

Is it you in that picture?

No, I need to ask, Ruby.

-I can't believe you'd even ask that!

-No, I have to.

Is that what you really think of me?

No, I...I...

What chance do I have at school if my own mum doesn't even believe me?

-No...

-Everyone thinks it's me. Everyone thinks I'm lying.

No, I don't think you're lying.

I'd never do anything like that!

What do you think I am?

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

I'm so... I'm so sorry, darling.

I'm...I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

I'm ever so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.

BUZZER SOUNDS

-Can I help?

-Hiya, it's about my daught...

It's not about my daughter exactly.

That's the point, it's not her.

She's only 16 and she's come back from school today completely distraught.

Someone's set up this group, erm, online...

and they post photos and leave comments, all that nonsense.

But when I say photos, it's mainly these poor young girls who have obviously been, erm...

..persuaded to pose for their boyfriends or whatever.

Today, another picture went up,

but it's even worse and it's of a boy and a girl and they're...

Well, she's, erm... She...

My friend took a photo of the site and sent it to me.

Should I just show you that? OK.

Erm, sorry.

Erm...

So, I mean, it's the same uniform but it's not my daughter.

I mean, I know that for a fact, so...

That's not the point, because she's been named so...you know,

no smoke without fire and all that...

Unless your daughter actually admits to being the person in the photo,

there's nothing we can do really.

It's just hearsay otherwise.

So...so what do I do?

ALERT SOUNDS/KNOCK ON DOOR

Come on, then. Time to get up, please.

It's been taken down.

-What has?

-The site.

-Thank God for that!

Doesn't make a difference, everyone will still be talking about it.

Yeah, and this time tomorrow,

they'll all be talking about something else,

so get yourself ready for school, please.

-I've told you, I'm not going.

-You have to, Ruby.

I'm not going and you can't make me!

KNOCK ON DOOR

-Hey. Come on, Leo.

-I don't feel well.

Thank you.

I'm so sorry.

Well, I can assure you we have stringent child protection policies

in place, but if Ruby's insisting it's not her in the picture...

Do you have any reason to believe she is at risk from any kind of sexual exploitation?

-No, of course not.

-And you're satisfied she's telling you the truth?

But what about all those girls who left comments?

I can assure you, we don't tolerate any form of bullying.

You wouldn't believe some of the things they were saying.

Is it any wonder she doesn't want to come back?

Look, I appreciate how upsetting this must be,

but she's just about to take her GCSEs.

Yeah, I know that, but apart from physically dragging her here,

I don't know what else I'm supposed to do.

Ruby is a very bright girl, she's excelling in all of her subjects,

but she can be easily distracted at times.

How do I put this?

Let's just say, if ever there's any kind of drama, you can bet

your bottom dollar Ruby will gravitate towards the centre of it.

I'm so sorry. I don't know where she gets it from.

It certainly isn't me.

She's been running rings around me since she was a baby.

She knows how to wrap me around her little finger.

She always gets her own way.

I've made a rod for my own back, I know that.

But she is a good kid really.

She's really thoughtful, she's ever so kind-hearted and I am trying my best, I really am, but I...

I just seem to be public enemy number one right now. I can't say right for saying wrong.

I'm sure there aren't many parents of teenage girls who wouldn't be able to empathise.

Bring her in to see me this afternoon, let me talk to her.

I will give her a cast iron guarantee that those girls

who left comments won't be bothering her again.

Yeah, I know. It's been taken down now anyway.

As if!

I hope so.

Anyway, I just thought you'd want to know.

And you.

See you.

Who was that?

Stephen.

Stephen Matthews?

-Why's he phoning you?

-He never. I phoned him.

-Why?

-Because he needed to know what was going on.

-What did he say?

-That I should ignore everything everyone's saying.

-It could ruin him if it got out.

-Ruin him?

-You know what I mean.

-I'm not... I don't think I do.

How could it ruin him if he's not even in the picture?

Why do you have to twist everything I say?

-Don't speak to me like that!

-I can't cope with all this!

Yeah, you're not the only one.

-Get changed for school while you're there, because you're going in this afternoon.

-I'm not!

-You are!

-I'm not!

You are.

It's about my daughter.

Yeah, but how long will that take?

A few days? What?

OK, so in the meantime, the whole world just sees it?

Yeah.

Oh, do you know what? Forget it!

-Cheers.

-And I think you could do with a drop of this.

Seems like one thing after the next at the minute.

-I don't know how you cope.

-I don't.

At least I've got Matty to back me up when Izzy goes off the rails.

I wouldn't dream of saying this to anyone else...

..but part of me wonders if she's enjoying all this.

Being the centre of attention.

She's like some celebrity who's had her sex tape leaked.

-MEL LAUGHS

-Don't.

It's true though - one minute she's crying uncontrollably

and the next, she's on cloud nine because 47 complete strangers

have asked to be her friend on Instagram.

Thank God there was no internet when we were their age.

I mean, when I think back to some of the things I was getting up to...

-Yeah, I was no angel.

-I don't envy young girls these days.

They're under so much more pressure than we ever were.

The most frustrating thing is I just keep coming up against this brick wall.

If she's insisting it's not her in the picture, there's nothing the police or the school can do.

Do you believe her?

I've got to, haven't I?

But what do you really think?

I'm just confused.

It's like, her reaction when it first came out, it was over the top.

It was like she was protesting too much, do you know what I mean?

And there's the other thing I can't get out of my head.

I don't know if you noticed, in the picture you can see the coat of the boy who took it.

It's blue, it's got a really distinctive pattern

and there's this little strap on the cuff.

Stephen Matthews had one identical.

-Are you sure?

-Positive.

It was the first thing I thought of when I saw it.

I remember Ruby coming home wearing his coat, just completely made up.

You know, like you are when you're that age and you're smitten with someone.

I don't know, Mel.

One minute she's this innocent little girl and the next...

But she is still a little girl. That's the problem, innit.

They think they're all grown-up and then something like this happens

and they haven't got the emotional maturity to deal with it.

And he seemed like such a nice lad.

He was polite, from a nice area, doing his A levels.

He was in the Cadets, for God's sake.

I trusted him.

I let him in my home, made him cups of tea and cheese on toast.

Why should he be allowed to get away with it?

He's the one who took the photo, he's the one who shared it

and Ruby's the one who gets all the grief.

Yeah, while he's being lauded as some big stud.

I just wish I could find out where he lived,

see his mum and dad, let them know what he's really like.

Well, what's stopping you?

SHOWER RUNNING

DOOR OPENS

FOOTSTEPS

What are you doing?

Nothing.

Just admiring your floor-drobe.

Can you do me a favour? When you're finished with that wet towel,

can you just...dump it on the floor with all the others? Cheers.

PHONE RINGING

'Hello?

'Hello. Er, is that Mr Matthews?

'Yeah. Speaking.

'Hiya. Er, sorry, my name's Hayley,

'I'm...Ruby Sullivan's mum.

'Who?

'Ruby.

'She was knocking about with your Stephen a few months back.

'Actually, they were more than just knocking about,

'they were actually...seeing each other for a short while...

'How can I help?

'I'm really sorry...to call out of the blue like this,

'but I really need to speak to you about something...'

DOOR BUZZER

'Hello?

'Yes, yes. Come on through.'

TEASPOON CHINKING

It's a really lovely house.

Thank you.

Thank you.

There you are.

I really appreciate you agreeing to see me like this.

Brian said you... sounded very distressed

when he spoke to you yesterday.

To be honest, the last few days have been a complete nightmare.

I wasn't sure if I was doing the right thing.

But I thought you should know

it's...it's not just Ruby named on the site, it's both of them.

I've, um...

I've had a word with Stephen and he's adamant

that this is nothing more than malicious gossip.

You read about these things all the time.

Cowards using the anonymity of the internet

to spew all kinds of vitriol.

Stephen's admitted vaguely

knowing your daughter through some mutual friends, but, er...

he's insisted that they never dated.

That's...that's not true.

They WERE seeing each other -

not for very long, but they... definitely were.

Well, how can you be so sure?

Cos Ruby didn't talk about anyone else for about a month.

She was completely besotted with him -

you know, Stephen spent the majority of his time at ours...

Sorry, did he not tell you any of this?

They were on the phone to each other only yesterday.

Yesterday?

I got the impression

Stephen's very worried about all this.

He told Ruby it could ruin him.

You say you've, um...

seen this photo?

It's on my phone.

Do you believe it's them?

I wish I didn't.

All I know is

it's a girl very like Ruby -

similar age, same coloured hair, uniform...

But you can't be 100% certain?

You can see the sleeve of the boy's coat.

It's very distinctive.

I'd be grateful if

you could take a look and tell me

if Stephen's got one like it.

I'm afraid I can't.

I am so sorry.

I don't blame you -

we're all in the same boat.

This isn't about what they did or...or didn't do together,

that's not why I'm here.

I'd like to believe that

Ruby's as pure as the driven snow, but I... I'm not completely naive,

teenagers will be teenagers and...

at the end of the day, if Stephen hadn't taken the photo

and shared it with his friends and...whoever else,

then we'd never be any the wiser.

Ruby's absolutely devastated by this.

She was refusing to go to school, and she's got her GCSEs coming up.

It...

really couldn't have happened at a worse time.

I knew Stephen was...

slightly older, but I trusted him.

He's very well spoken. He's...polite.

Respectful.

He was a credit to you.

And...I never thought in a million years that he'd be capable of doing

something like...

I suppose I just want him to understand

how this has affected Ruby, and...

..take responsibility for his actions.

Well, he's at Cadets tonight.

He doesn't usually get back till after ten, but, er...

I can promise you when he does get home,

he will be dealt with.

They seemed like nice people. I liked them.

Oh, come on, they can't be that nice to have a son like him.

The dad knew as soon as he saw that photo.

He didn't say anything, but...

it was just the way he looked up at his wife. She saw it, you know.

So did I.

They both looked devastated.

Well, so they should be.

Have you heard from 'em since?

They said they'd call once they'd spoken to him.

Well, how long ago was that?

Two days...?

Why don't you call 'em?

I dunno...

Part of me wonders if I should just leave it now.

What do you think?

I think they should be counting their lucky stars

they're dealing with somebody as understanding and placid as you.

I mean, can you imagine how Terry or any other dad would've reacted?

Why do you think I didn't tell him?

Yeah, exactly. Because he'd have been straight down there

knocking seven shades of you know what out of the little...

It's just a shame he's not as handy with his maintenance

as he is with his fists.

Yeah. Well...I'll tell you this now,

if that was my daughter, I know exactly what I'd do.

-Remind me not to mess with you!

-Mm.

Hi, you all right if I...

just grab your washing?

You all right?

-What's wrong?

-Nothing.

Don't look like nothing.

Just...Bella Jones posting some stuff on Facebook.

What kind of stuff?

Nothing like that.

What, then?

You know she's best mates with, er...

Stephen Matthews' new girlfriend.

-They've all been invited to his 18th on Friday.

-OK...

It's in that really nice restaurant on King Street.

You know, the one where all the footballers go.

I thought you were well over him.

I am.

Yeah, looks like it.

Bella said his new girlfriend's really stunning.

What's she see in HIM, then?

Anyway, there's no way she could be as stunning as you.

All right, listen, I... I promise,

OK, one day you're going to look back on all of this

and you are going to cringe

that you ever gave the likes of him the time of day.

But now,

you need to put all this behind you.

Cos...believe me,

he isn't worth crying one more single tear over.

Do you know the best way to get revenge on someone?

By making a success of yourself.

So from now on, you promise me you're going to spend less time

obsessing over what people are saying on that thing

and more time revising.

Good.

Cos you've got your whole life ahead of you.

And I promise, one day you're going to meet someone who really deserves you.

So...

takeaway?

Yeah?

Film?

Can we have pizza?

Yeah, if you fancy.

Mum...

..I'm sorry.

PHONE RINGING OUT

-'Hello?'

-Hello, Mr Matthews?

'Speaking.'

Hi, it's me, Hayley.

'Ruby's mum.'

Oh, hello.

I'm so sorry to bother you again.

Erm...it's just you said you'd call,

and then when I didn't hear anything, I just...

We have spoken to Stephen and he is emphatic

'that it couldn't possibly be him in that photograph.

'His relationship with your daughter was never anything other than platonic.'

Now, I know... He's admitted

'that they WERE friends briefly,

'but he suspected that, er...'

she had some kind of crush on him and

-'that's it, it never went any further.'

-That's not true.

Well, I think I know when my own son is telling me the truth.

What about the jacket?

'What ABOUT it?

'Yes, Stephen has one similar,

'but then so do thousands of other boys his age.'

Really, I think it would be in everyone's best interests

'if we put this whole sorry affair behind us.'

No, I wish it was that simple, but, erm...

the picture can surface again at any time.

'Mrs Sullivan...

'your daughter is 16 years old,

'she hasn't even left school yet -

'do you think that she's capable of such behaviour?

'Look, our son is a hard-working boy with a promising career'

ahead of him, and I simply won't have his good name

sullied by schoolgirl tittle-tattle.

Now, Stephen is now in a committed relationship

with a respectable girl from a VERY good family.

What?

He just wants to be left alone to get on with his life.

I suggest that you and your daughter do the same thing.

-No, I...

-'And I would appreciate it

'if you don't call on this number again.'

PHONE GOES DEAD

LIVELY HUBBUB

There's one for you there, Stephen.

-Cheers, Dad.

-Don't drink it all at once.

You got me a present!

Yeah, that's fantastic, thank you.

-You shouldn't have done that, that's brilliant.

-No, you shouldn't. But thank you.

Right, has everyone got what they need for the minute...?

CONVERSATION CONTINUES

..OK. Now then, if we could just have you for a second...

Dad! No speeches, please...

Stephen, I'm your father. It's my duty to embarrass you.

Anyway, look - we're here to celebrate

and say that we hope you have a fantastic 18th birthday.

And to say as well that we are both

so very, very proud of you.

Short enough?

All right. To Stephen, everyone.

ALL: To Stephen.

Can we have another...

I am so sorry to gate-crash your party,

but...I wouldn't mind saying a few words about Stephen myself.

How did you know we'd be here?

They share everything online these days. Isn't that right?

-What?

-Look, wh-whatever it is you've come to say,

I don't think this is the time or...or the place...

Believe me, there really couldn't be a BETTER time or place!

I assume you're his new girlfriend.

And you must be Mum and Dad.

I thought so - I saw you from outside

and I thought, "They look like a good family."

-Exactly as you described.

-I think YOU should leave right now.

They told me your daughter is a very respectable girl.

It's a shame they can't say the same for their son.

-What are you even on about?

-You know exactly what I'm on about.

Do you want to tell them what you did when you were going out

-with my 16-year-old daughter, or would you like me to?

-Please...

He took an intimate photo of them together,

-and he posted it online.

-No, I never!

-I won't ask you again.

-I'm not surprised you're denying it -

from what I saw you have VERY little to brag about in that department.

-That is enough!

-You've already tried to silence me once - well, not this time,

because Emily and her family

deserve to know exactly what your son is.

You talk about good families?

What do you even KNOW about that?

Good families don't turn a blind eye

when their son treats a young girl like a piece of meat -

something to be degraded, and humiliated...

Don't listen to her, it's just lies.

I'M a liar? You're the one who said you weren't even going out with Ruby

and we all know that's not true, so what else you lying about?

I would hate for your daughter - for anybody's daughter -

to go through what mine's had to go through because of him.

-Can I have the manager?

-You've made it perfectly clear

what do you think about me. And my family.

But I'll tell you something -

I might have struggled to bring 'em up on my own.

I might not have your fancy house and your fancy car,

but I'll tell you what I HAVE got, I've got two kids

who I couldn't be more proud of.

Who know the difference between right and wrong

and I tell you what - if either of them turned out like him,

I'd disown 'em.

-Excuse me...

-No, you're all right, I'm going now.

You enjoy the rest of your night.

# Oooh-ooh

# Oooh-ooh

# Oooh-ooh

# Oooh...

-PALOMA FAITH:

-# Held down, heavy now Living in the same town

# Trying to find something new

# Broken picture frame I've been frozen in

# Trying to find a better view

# This ain't me, this ain't cool

# This ain't what I signed up to

# This ain't right, it's no good

# No good, no

# Everything is changing

# And I've been here for too long

# Going through the same things

# I've been hurt and done wrong Got to move on, say

# I-I-I-I...

# I can't do this any more

# If everything is changing

# Then I know, yeah

-# Gotta let go

-# Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh

# Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh... #