Recap of DFL: Hastings Bonfire
Short Recap (Full Recap below with pictures)
In the run up to Hastings Bonfire, Noah and Lydia go for dinner as friends and end up at The Beacon on the West Hill for a cosy campfire chat.
Wrapped up warm against the cold, the pair have some fun with flames as Lydia shares her concerns about Hastings now she’s experiencing some less-than-ideal weather.
But a friendly chat turns into something else as Lydia gives Noah an ultimatum: it’s her or Chloe.
An unexpected moment changes everything, and they leave with a rift growing between them.
10 point recap with pictures:
01
As folks gather around a fiery brazier, our musician asks for a volunteer from the audience. Lydia, sat with Noah, encourages her friend to join in, and the musician hands him… a whisk and a cheese grater. He creates a percussive beat, as everyone joins in with a folky, ukulele-fused rendition of “Light My Fire” by The Doors. The song ends, and Noah pulls out some sparklers from his bag.
02
They goof around with pyrotechnics as Noah shares his excitement about Hastings Bonfire and its connection with his dad (“the one festival I’m actually invested in”) and Lydia voices her confusion about the event’s positioning in the calendar.
03
Noah struggles to persuade Lydia to come to the bonfire to meet his family, and we learn that their chaotic best friends Baz and Maddy are starting to hang out. Lydia expresses some kind of misgivings about Maddy but, quick as a flash, she shuts down any interrogation.
04
Noah goes back to his bag to grab some marshmallows and skewers. As he roasts them over the flames, Lydia shares a list of her concerns about Hastings now she’s the weather worsens and a the town shifts away from the busy summer season ("The weather's awful. Transport is awful. And everything shuts too early in the week"). They bicker about the merits (or otherwise) of DFLs, and flirt over the gooey sweet treats they’re eating.
05
Noah comes out with what he’s been wanting to say all night: Chloe wants to be ‘official’ with him, and he wants to know what Lydia thinks. Lydia is immediately annoyed by him even asking the question, and starts making jibes about longevity, monogamy and ownership.
06
Lydia realises that Noah set this whole evening up so he could share this news, but is confused by why he’s even asking. He lays his cards on the table: he wants to know if there’s something here and, if so, whether it would change things with Chloe.
07
It’s clear they’re not going to see eye-to-eye. Lydia is annoyed that Noah always wants to talk about his feelings; Noah is annoyed that he always feels like he can’t figure out what’s going on in her head. He rants at her, tells her he needs to know how she’s feeling, but then…
08
She kisses him. He kisses her back. They breathe. She tries to kiss him again.
09
Everything has changed. Once again, they argue about choices and insecurity and commitment. But Noah doesn’t want anything casual, for him this is all or nothing. He asks her simply: “Do you want to be with me? Yes or no?”
10
It’s clear Lydia isn’t ready for that kind of commitment. And besides, she mentions, the shop with Maddy isn’t working out and everything is up in the air. Noah expresses his condolences, but it seems his mind is made up: he’s sticking with Chloe for the time being. As they wander off (as friends) to meet Baz for some fun with fireworks, the musician strikes up again with a mournful ballad about their story.
