Beyond the Lights Page #3

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You got dressed up for nothing.

- I just need to see her for a second.

- You know I can't do that.

Jesse, I'm asking.

- You really wanna see her?

- Yes, I do.

Then go wait at the curb

with the rest of the groupies.

Hey!

Go on.

Eight.

Heard you were

looking for me.

You look beautiful, baby!

Right here!

Yeah. Um...

Just wanted to apologize for the way

I acted after the press conference.

You didn't deserve that.

And, um...

I'll be right there.

- We're already late.

- Just a minute. Please.

I'm sorry you had to lie.

Noni!

- I don't like doing that.

Boy Scout, huh?

"Truth is the only safe ground

to stand upon. "

- You just eat a fortune cookie?

- No, it's a quote.

I'm kind of big on quotes.

Anyway, that's what I came to say.

And to see if you're OK.

What's your name... Officer Nicol?

I'm Kaz.

Short for Kazaam.

- No.

- Yeah.

My parents thought

it sounded African, so...

Well, uh, it's nice to

officially meet you, Kazaam.

Doesn't sound so bad

when you say it.

This is me.

You busy?

Why?

Noni, over here. You look

beautiful, baby. Right here!

Noni!

Noni!

Noni!

Have you been to rehab yet?

Are you suicidal, Noni?

Are you planning on

another suicide attempt?

Jesus!

You really gotta tint

these front windows.

So, where am I going?

How about we roll by my favorite spot,

get some food to go?

Wow!

Yeah.

So what's this spot?

Your mom and dad used to

bring you here when you were little'?

And you'd dream of all the places

you were gonna fly to?

I just like watching planes.

I still don't get why they don't drop.

You must be real fun

to sit next to on a flight.

- Never been.

- You've never been on a plane?

I'm not trying to put my life

in someone else's hands.

That's funny.

My whole life's

in someone else's hands.

You look cold.

Here.

You good?

- Thanks.

- Mmm-hmm.

So what's it like'?

Being on a stage and...

all those people feeling you.

It's a crazy high.

Better than any drug.

So what's it like for you?

What?

Saving someone's life.

Crazy high.

Better than any drug.

I think you should get some help.

I'm OK.

For real.

It was just a stupid,

drunk mistake.

Don't I look OK?

What's this?

A reporter gave it to me.

He's from the Enquirer.

I... I know.

I haven't told him anything.

Nothing.

How much to keep

your mouth shut?

- What?

- Give me a number

- and my mom will write you a check.

- No, wait, slow up. This isn't...

I guess even Boy Scouts

have a price, huh?

- I didn't ask for any of this.

- How much?

I don't want your money.

Seatbelt.

Please.

One-nine-oh-five Sunset Canyon.

What's that?

Where I wanna go.

This you?

My new crib.

Looks like it's done.

So you good then?

You can call your people

and tell them where you are?

This mean you're done saving me?

Look, Noni... I don't know

how to play this game of yours.

I know you're not gonna

call that reporter.

Why not?

- 'Cause.

- 'Cause?

'Cause I see you, too.

Later, Kazaam.

Later, Noni Jean.

I would have waited outside,

but it was a little crowded.

He's fed.

Thanks.

- Sorry I left earlier.

- Me, too.

Thought something was wrong

until I got a call from Miss Jean.

Seems you took off

with her daughter.

She wanted to hang out.

How do you hang out with Noni?

We sat in the truck...

and ate fried chicken.

- Bullshit.

- It's true.

Look, Kaz, I know how easy it is

to be drawn to vics.

They look at us like we're Superman.

- It's gotta be exciting.

- This is different.

Kaz... you have to think

like a politician now.

Everything you do,

every person you're associated with,

- is gonna be scrutinized.

- She's good people, Pop.

You didn't meet her

in a church pew, son.

Church girls are

the ones you gotta watch out for.

But we both know,

this one ain't First Lady material.

What's up, Black? You the Boy Scout?

I need some protecting.

Hi, guys.

Hi, I'm Noni.

I can't wait for the world to hear it.

All right. Thank you, Keisha.

- Hey.

- How you doing?

Noni, did you really

try to kill yourself?

Why won't you

answer our questions?

Move.

Is this just a publicity stunt?

That's it. Beautiful.

Yeah, use that hood.

Exactly.

Gonna move the chair for a second.

Gonna need you on the floor, all right?

- Nice.

- You getting full body as well?

I am getting full body as well.

That's foxy, that's it, right there.

Can you arch your back just a little

bit? Little bit. Exactly. Good stuff.

Noni, eyes back over here?

Beautiful. Noni, show me.

We wanna see you.

Exactly, a little bit of that.

All right, let's lose the jacket.

Can we lose the jacket?

That's right. Yeah.

- Yeah, that'll look gorgeous.

- Do you want to get it? Thank you.

Thank you, perfect.

Angle your body a little toward...

There we go. That's it.

Whoo! Go, Noni.

Perfect.

This... this is it.

That's that cover.

You want that cover? Let me see it.

Are you an item?

How does Kid feel about this?

Noni, come on. Right here!

So, how do you

go like that every day?

Normal's different for everybody,

I guess.

I'm not the one jumping

in front of bullets.

It doesn't exactly work like that.

So, how come you're police?

Trying on Daddy's shoes?

- It's all a part of the plan.

- The plan?

Political science major,

law enforcement, then politics.

- For real?

- For real.

Just wanna be a brother

who makes a difference, you know?

Well, I'm gonna be calling you

about everything.

Mmm.

The pothole in front of my crib.

- Parking tickets.

- You might get your feelings hurt.

- You can't say no to me.

- Try me.

- Kiss me.

- No.

Come on, boy

Come on, boy

Come on, boy

No, I wanna hear it. Hold on.

Come on, boy

Put your face in this...

Put your face where?

- Look, I didn't write it, OK?

- All right.

Now I know you don't know

nothing about this.

Nina Simone.

That voice.

All that... pain and power.

- Like she lived every lyric.

- Mmm.

Wish I could have songs like that.

So write one.

No one cares what I have to say.

I'm listening.

What's all this?

Ideas.

Lyrics.

They come into my head

all day long.

"It's not my business

what you had with her.

And now I see

that you're not free of her.

And I was foolish

to compete with her.

But my fractured heart cries,

'Choose me'.

That's beautiful.

For real, I mean...

You know,

I've seen letters from crazy people,

and they look a lot like this.

I got this dinner, I gotta go.

It's not like I follow

this kind of thing, but...

...what's up with you and Kid?

We're sort of together.

Together?

Look, it started as a label thing.

- "A label thing"?

- For press.

You get down like that?

Look, I should've said something.

But I didn't know

what was up with us before.

And what is up?

I gotta go.

Kaz... Hey.

Officer Nicol. I was more than willing

to break bread with you.

But I'm not sure I can support someone

who looks like a college boy.

It was a 26-year-old minister

that led the civil rights movement.

Are you comparing yourself

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