American History X Page #4

LAWRENCE:

Seven-six. Let's go! Set some picks!

SETH:

Bring it on, boy.

Derek quickly moves his eyes to the court.

LAWRENCE:

Boy?

Lawrence quickly pivots past Seth, dunks it, and yells as

he hangs on the rim. The crowd cheers.

SETH:

Lucky piece of sh*t! I'm through

"monkeying" around with your ass!

Lawrence spins around and challenges Seth.

LAWRENCE:

Fat, pasty, pale, pastrami eating,

cracker, motherf***er. A hundred

bucks says I make you my b*tch.

SETH:

(to the crowd)

Here we go! Trying to make ends meet

for that cut in welfare.

He makes a scene and passes Danny on the sideline.

Lawrence waits for Seth to take it further. Danny looks

at him, concerned.

DANNY:

It's eight-six, Seth.

SETH:

When I want your f***ing opinion I'll

ask for it, fuckhead.

(to Derek and Cam)

Help me cover here, guys.

Derek and Cameron stare at Seth, knowing Seth will lose

and embarrass them.

CAMMERON:

You got a big f***ing mouth, fat kid.

SETH:

I'll take this negro down.

DEREK:

You can't take a sh*t, Seth. Shut up.

Derek shoots a look to Cameron, comes to a decision, and

stands. He shouts for all to hear.

DEREK:

I got a bet.

Lawrence stares at him, sensing something harder.

DEREK:

I come in, same score now, first one

to eleven. Black boys against the

white boys.

Lawrence looks back to his boys in disbelief.

LAWRENCE:

Name your price, Cracker.

DEREK:

No money...for the court. We win, you

grab your sh*t and find a different

place to run. Not just today...

forever. You win, and we don't come

back. No hitching, no fighting, here

in front of everyone. Six-eight, our

ball.

The action around the court gets very still. Finally,

Lawrence nods.

LAWRENCE:

You got a lot of f***ing balls, man.

Bring it. Right now.

Derek pulls off his sweatshirt and gives it to Stacey.

Lawrence gets his team together.

CUT TO:

EXT. COURT - BLACK VERSUS WHITE

No more mixed assemblage of players. One team is white,

one team is black.

A SERIES OF SMOTS

Derek blows by Lawrence for a left handed layup. Derek

hits a thirty looter. Curtis grabs a rebound and uses

his elbows to get defenders off him. Big Lawrence fouls

Derek hard and Derek stares at him. Big Lawrence makes a

twenty foot turnaround. Lawrence advances on a three on

two and dunks it. Derek pump fakes three times and uses

the glass for a deuce. Finally, Derek drives the lane

and dishes to Seth at the last minute for a bucket.

SETH:

Yes! Ten a piece! Nice f***ing dish.

SETH and CURTIS slap Derek's hand as they get back on

transition. Derek stares at Lawrence. CAMMERON watches

intently.

CAMMERON:

It's all you, Der!

LAWRENCE:

F***in' BYU, man! All right! All we

need is one now!

Lawrence and Derek lock eyes, a look exceeding

competitive boundary. A look filled with rage.

CAMMERON:

Use that fat ass and keep him out,

Seth!

Seth and the opposing player bang to get position

underneath.

LAWRENCE:

I ain't losin' in my house! Clear it

out!

The POWER FORWARD dribbles beautifully up the court --

his teammates clearing out the key. Defensively, Derek

is solid. He tries to pass Derek but Derek's defense is

stifling. Again. With another tricky move, Lawrence

inadvertently puts his LEFT ELBOW into Derek's face,

sending him quickly to the pavement. EVERYBODY STOPS.

CURTIS:

That's f***in' offense!

LAWRENCE:

Get the f*** outta here! He was

movin' his feet!

Derek, teeth bloodied, rises. The two have a stare down.

DEREK:

(threateningly)

I'll go if you want to.

LAWRENCE:

You wanna piece! Bring it!

Players quickly rush to restrain the two even though the

teams hate each other.

DEREK:

If you wanna go...I'm ready. Don't be

throwin' f***in' elbows.

LAWRENCE:

F*** you!

Derek walks over to Cammeron, Danny and Stacey standing

courtside. She has a water bottle and a towel waiting

for him. He wipes his BLOODY LIP and takes a sip.

Cameron stares at Derek.

CAMMERON:

Hey. Are you copacetic?

Derek nods and looks at Danny and Stacey.

CAMMERON:

He's gonna do that 180 spin move.

DEREK:

I know what he's gonna do.

DANNY:

You gotta call offense on that sh*t.

DEREK:

Not on point game you don't.

STACEY:

F*** that, D. That chucker can't pull

that sh*t. It's f***ing-

DEREK:

Not on point, honey.

He turns back to the court and walks over to Lawrence.

He stands in front of him and checks the ball in.

DEREK:

Tens!

Lawrence takes the ball, passes it to the wing, and

quickly gets it back. Lawrence dribbles up top, makes a

marvelous 180 spin with the ball, and pulls up for a ten

foot jumper. Derek reads it perfectly and REJECTS IT.

Lawrence trips to the ground, Derek grabs the ball off

the fast break and DUNKS IT.

DANNY:

(amazed by the dunk)

Holy sh*t!

Everybody courtside goes nuts. Derek walks to the

sideline, ignoring all the hand slaps being offered.

Everyone is riveted on Derek.

SETH:

(to the other team)

Get off my f***ing court! This is my

house!

DANNY:

Yeah! F***...yeah!

A sweaty Derek pulls his little brother close. He takes

a drink of water, spits out more blood, looks at his

bitter opponent, and says nothing.

CUT TO:

EXT. STREET - BY THE COURT

Derek, Danny, Seth, Cammeron, Curtis and Stacey stand

outside the Bronco. The doors are all open and the

stereo softly plays music in the b.g. Derek dries off.

DANNY'S POV. Derek throws a shirt and tie over his

sweaty, tattooed body. Danny watches the tats disappear,

and it's almost like his brother is normal. A name tag

reads LA COPY CENTER - DEREK - ASSISTANT MANAGER.

Derek looks at JEROME and LAWRENCE from afar. Danny

notices the two men stare at his brother, ready to kill.

Derek meets their gaze.

CUT TO:

EXT. VENICE BOARDWALK - PRESENT - DANNY'S POV

Danny awakens from his daydream. The black players now

stare at him. Danny puts his board down and skates down

the boardwalk.

DANNY (V/O)

It was only the beginning.

(then)

Derek once told me that minorities

would take America over one day. That

white people are too afraid. Maybe he

was right.

CUT TO:

EXT. SMALL BEACH HOUSE - A PATIO

Danny skates up to the gate and kicks his board up to his

hand. He passes two SURFBOARDS on his way towards the

back.

EXT. SIDE ENTRANCE - TWO 14-YEAR-OLDS

LIZZY, the redhaired beauty from earlier, and her blond

friend KAMMI, sturable out and laugh. They're stoned.

KAMMI:

Hey! Danny!

DANNY:

(smiling)

Hey.

LIZZY:

You're going tonight, right?

DANNY:

Where?

LIZZY:

That party. Go there.

The two young girls giggle and take off.

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