Love and Basketball Page #10

Silence, then.

ZEKE:

Besides, the sooner you go pro, the

sooner you'll have to deal with the mess

I'm dealing with.

QUINCY:

What mess?

ZEKE:

there's this thing out there. This

paternity suit.

QUINCY:

What?

ZEKE:

Some girl that's been hanging on at every

party. now I'm supposed to be her baby's

Daddy.

(then)

Anyway, I told your mom I wanted to be

the one who told you.

QUINCY:

Tell me what?

ZEKE:

I just told you.

QUINCY:

I mean, it's not true, is it?

Zeke stares at his son.

ZEKE:

You got the balls to ask me that?

Quincy can't hold his father's look. Zeke shakes his head,

hurt.

QUINCY:

Sorry.

ZEKE:

No, you need to hear me say it, I'll say

it. It's not true.

Quincy looks in his father's eyes, knows he's telling the

truth.

QUINCY:

So what are you gonna do?

ZEKE:

I want this thing to go to court, but my

lawyer's telling me to settle.

QUINCY:

Why?

ZEKE:

A case like this could hang around for

months and I'm up for this player

relations job with the "Clips." This

gets out, false or not, no one'll touch

me.

QUINCY:

What's Mom think?

ZEKE:

We haven't exactly been living the fairy-

tale life the past few years. Something

like this happens, it either brings a

family closer or pushes them further

apart. We'll just have to see how it

plays out.

(then)

I'm giving her some space, couple

days...

Just then, a COLLEGE STUDENT approaches.

COLLEGE STUDENT:

Yo, Q-man, great game.

QUINCY:

Thanks.

The student holds out a piece of paper, without even a glance

to Zeke.

COLLEGE STUDENT:

Can I get an autograph?

Quincy nods, signs the guy's paper. Zeke watches his son,

the rising star.

EXT. MCCALL HOUSE - NIGHT

Through the windows, we see Quincy enter the house. He

glances around, then walks to the living room. He sees his

mom sitting outside by the pool, drink in hand, looking torn

up. He pulls open the sliding glass door. Nona jumps, then

sees Quincy. She quickly puts her drink down.

NONA:

You scared me.

QUINCY:

Sorry. You okay?

NONA:

I'm fine.

Quincy glances at her half-hidden glass.

QUINCY:

Last time I remember you drinking was

when Marvin Gaye died.

No response from Nona.

QUINCY (cont'd)

This about Dad?

NONA:

Guess he talked to you.

QUINCY:

Don't sweat it, okay. Sooner or later

the truth'll come out.

NONA:

(beat)

Whose truth are you talking about?

QUINCY:

Mom, we can't let something like this

mess up the family.

She doesn't respond. Quincy studies her.

QUINCY (cont'd)

I mean, you believe him, right?

Nona sits silent, humiliated.

QUINCY (cont'd)

Mom?

NONA:

Just...leave it alone.

QUINCY:

This is just about money, you know that.

NONA:

Quincy, please...

QUINCY:

I mean, how many times have you told me

yourself to watch out for these ho's?

NONA:

Guess I should have been telling your

father.

QUINCY:

So you're gonna take the word of some

trick over Pop's? He wouldn't lie.

Nona grabs an envelope beside her and throws it at him.

Confused, Quincy opens it. HE PULLS OUT A COUPLE OF PHOTOS:

Zeke outside a party. IN ONE PHOTO, his arm is around a

young woman. IN ANOTHER PHOTO, they KISS. AND YET ANOTHER,

they climb into his car.

QUINCY (cont'd)

What...what's this?

NONA:

I hired somebody. How pathetic is that?

After all his late nights and "meetings"

and I still needed proof.

Quincy just stares at the photos.

NONA (cont'd)

I used to think I was lucky just to be

married to Zeke McCall, but I'm too

tired.

Quincy looks stricken, but he moves to Nona, comforts her as

she cries...

EXT. TRACK - NIGHT

Monica sits with a devastated Quincy, high up in the

bleachers. In the distance, the clock-tower glows 10:50.

QUINCY:

Don't put your hands in your pockets,

hold your head up, always look a man in

the eye, and all the time I'm hanging on

his every word like he's God or

something...

MONICA:

I know he messed up, but that doesn't

change what he's been to you.

QUINCY:

What has he been to me? I mean, he

looked me in my face and lied like it was

nothing. Like it was easy.

(then)

And I'm standing there getting loud on my

mom like she's the one with no sense...

MONICA:

She understands.

QUINCY:

He even had me wanting to play for the

"Clippers." Man, how stupid am I.

MONICA:

You're not stupid.

QUINCY:

I know a lot of brothers dog their wives,

I just never thought my pops would do

some sh*t like this...

Monica puts her arms around him. They sit there, quiet.

Monica glances up at the clock tower. She reacts. Quincy

notices.

QUINCY (cont'd)

What?

MONICA:

Nothing.

(beat)

Why don't we walk to my dorm?

QUINCY:

I'm not up for running into anybody.

Let's just kick it here, alright?

MONICA:

I...can't.

QUINCY:

Why not?

MONICA:

Coach has us on eleven o'clock curfew.

If I'm late, I don't suit up.

Quincy looks at her, almost in shock.

QUINCY:

Didn't realize you were watching the

clock.

MONICA:

I mean, I can stay a few more minutes.

QUINCY:

Nah. Don't sweat it.

MONICA:

Quincy...

QUINCY:

For real. I should be alone, anyway.

Monica reluctantly stands.

MONICA:

Will you call me when you get in?

Quincy nods. Monica gives him a kiss. Then she turns and

crosses away.

INT. MONICA/SHAYLA'S DORM - NIGHT

The lights are off but Monica sits up in bed. SHE WEARS

BOXERS AND ONE OF QUINCY'S PRACTICE SHIRTS.

Shayla lies under her covers across the room.

MONICA:

I shouldn't have left.

SHAYLA:

Go to sleep.

MONICA:

You should have seen him, Shay...

SHAYLA:

Mon, Sidra's out for one game, and you

got the start. But you get caught

breaking curfew and Coach is gonna send

your ass back to the bench. You'll see

your man tomorrow.

Shayla's warning slowly sinks in. Finally, Monica lays down.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. TRACK - NIGHT

The clock tower glows 12:30. Quincy still sits in the

bleachers. Alone. Tears fill his eyes as his world comes

crashing down...

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. CAMPUS GYM - LATE DAY

USC vs. Louisiana Tech. The packed crowd is hyped. Nathan

sits by himself in the stands, excited.

Monica sits on the bench with four of her teammates. The

rest of the team is lined up in front of them, including

Sidra in street clothes.

ANNOUNCER:

And now the starting line-up for your

Women of Troy! At center, a senior, Toni

Noise!

Toni rises, jogs through the line of teammates to the court.

ANNOUNCER (cont'd)

At forward, a senior, Lisa Mason!

Lisa stands, skips through the line.

ANNOUNCER (cont'd)

At forward, a junior, Zvette Mitchell!

Zvette jumps up, bumps into each teammate as she moves down

the line.

ANNOUNCER (cont'd)

At guard, a freshman, Monica Wright!

Monica takes a deep breath, then jogs through the line. She

gets to the middle of the floor and looks around with her

game face on.

ANNOUNCER (cont'd)

And at guard, a sophomore, Sandra Perez!

Sandra jogs out and the rest of the team follows. Everyone

gathers in a tight circle with their arms around each other.

TONI:

Look y'all, we got all these people here

to see big-bad, La Tech. We need to let

them know that this is our house. So

everybody better leave everything out on

that floor, you got that? Ready? One,

two, three....

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