Love and Basketball Page #12

Monica shakes her head. An awkward silence.

SIDRA (cont'd)

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't pissed.

MONICA:

I know.

SIDRA:

Just one word of advice for next season.

MONICA:

What's that?

SIDRA:

Never let a freshman take your spot.

Sidra turns and walks away.

EXT. BALCONY - CONTINUOUS

Quincy takes one long drink from his cup. KERRY, 20, and

spandexed, stands directly in front of him, flirtatiously.

KERRY:

Excuse me.

QUINCY:

Excuse me.

He steps aside as she tries to work the keg. Nothing comes

out. She nods at his cup, smiles.

KERRY:

If that's the last beer, you and I are

sharing.

Shayla glances over as Quincy pumps the keg a couple of

times. Kerry hands him her cup and he starts filling it up.

KERRY (cont'd)

I like watching you play. Number twenty-

two.

QUINCY:

Guess you didn't see the game.

Quincy knows he should blow her off, but he's digging the

attention. He hands her back her cup.

QUINCY (cont'd)

What's your name?

KERRY:

Kerry.

QUINCY:

Q.

KERRY:

I know.

ANGLE ON:

Monica looks over at Quincy and sees him talking to the

hoochie. The girl looks too damn comfortable. Monica moves

back outside.

KERRY (cont'd)

I'll see you. Q-man.

She swishes past Monica. Shayla "accidentally" bumps her.

Kerry glares.

MONICA:

Who was that?

QUINCY:

Nobody.

MONICA:

Who's nobody?

QUINCY:

Look, this party's whack. You ready to

go?

MONICA:

You want to go talk?

QUINCY:

Not really.

He leans in, kisses her drunkenly. She pulls away.

MONICA:

We could finish what we were talking

about last night.

Quincy kisses her again.

MONICA (cont'd)

Q...

(pushing him off)

Quincy, quit. You're drunk.

They fall silent.

QUINCY:

You know what, I'm just gonna crash.

MONICA:

(agitated)

Fine...Maybe I'll come by later.

QUINCY:

Nah. I have curfew.

He starts to walk away, then stops.

QUINCY (cont'd)

Oh, by the way. Congratulations.

He goes. Monica stares after him.

INT. QUINCY/REGGIE'S SUITE - LIVING ROOM - LATER

Quincy pushes through his front door, then stops short in his

doorway. Zeke sits on the couch.

QUINCY:

What are you doing here?

ZEKE:

Your door was unlocked.

QUINCY:

Still is, so let yourself out.

ZEKE:

We need to talk.

QUINCY:

We ain't got nothing to talk about.

ZEKE:

I messed up, okay, I know that. But I

ain't that kid's father.

QUINCY:

Lucky kid.

ZEKE:

Look, I ain't saying it was right, but

sometimes things happen.

QUINCY:

And some things should never f***ing

happen!

ZEKE:

Boy, you're so perfect you can look down

on me?

QUINCY:

I ain't a damn liar.

ZEKE:

Your mom was real quick to show you those

pictures, wasn't she?

Well, she was nineteen when she got

pregnant and don't get me wrong, you're

the best thing in my life, but she knew I

wasn't ready for no marriage.

QUINCY:

So now you're saying my mother trapped

you?

ZEKE:

I'm saying I handled my responsibilities

like a man. But when you're in the NBA,

you pull into a city and there's a

hundred women waiting at the hotel. And

another twenty that made it past security

on your floor. And the boldest one is

standing right at your door. And after

awhile, it just becomes part of the game.

(then)

I'm sorry I lied to you, I shouldn't

have. But I did it cause I love you.

Zeke looks at his son, meaning every word. Quincy stares

back, long and hard.

QUINCY:

Since we're being honest, guess I should

tell you. I'm dropping out of school and

going pro.

ZEKE:

What?

Quincy just stares back.

ZEKE (cont'd)

Quincy, you'd be making the biggest

mistake of your life.

QUINCY:

(sarcastic)

From your mouth.

ZEKE:

(desperate)

I know your mad at me, okay, but I can't

let you do this.

QUINCY:

Always thought "can't" wasn't in a man's

vocabulary.

Zeke is taken aback by the hatred in his son's eyes. He

turns and without another word, exits.

EXT. STREET - LATE NIGHT

Quincy stands across the street from the houseparty, staring

up at the balcony. Monica leans against the railing,

laughing with a couple of teammates. Quincy watches her,

then turns and walks away...

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. CAMPUS GYM - LATE DAY

SLOW MOTION. Monica's eyes are on fire as she races an

Oregon player for a loose ball. Both dive for it, slide

across the floor. Monica grabs it up, screams for a time-out

as her opponent tries to wrestle away the ball...

EXT. QUINCY/REGGIE'S SUITE - DUSK

Monica walks down the hall to Quincy's suite. The window is

open. The sounds of Nintendo are heard. She walks in

without knocking.

INT. QUINCY/REGGIE'S SUITE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Reggie sits on the couch with a TEAMMATE, playing Nintendo's

"Duck Hunt".

MONICA:

Hey, y'all.

They barely give her a nod. Monica crosses into

INT. QUINCY/REGGIE'S ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Quincy stands at an ironing board, ironing a T-shirt.

MONICA:

Hey.

QUINCY:

Hey, what's up.

MONICA:

You weren't at my game.

QUINCY:

Yeah, sorry about that. I had this

meeting with this guy.

Quincy pulls on the T-shirt.

QUINCY (cont'd)

You win?

MONICA:

Yeah, I hit a three at the buzzer.

QUINCY:

The "man" again.

MONICA:

(smiles)

Woman...

A knock at the front door. Quincy exits.

INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Monica follows, then stops short. Kerry, the spandexed girl

from the party, stands in the doorway.

QUINCY:

Hey, you.

KERRY:

Hi.

Quincy gives her a hug. Monica stares at him in disbelief.

Reggie and his teammate smack each other, "Oh sh*t!"

QUINCY:

Oh, Kerry, this is Monica. Monica,

Kerry.

MONICA:

What the hell's going on?

QUINCY:

We're going to get some food.

MONICA:

Are you out of your mind?

KERRY:

Maybe I should come back?

MONICA:

No. You stay, I'll leave.

She storms out.

EXT. WRIGHT HOUSE - DRIVEWAY - DUSK

BAM! Monica slams her car door. Her face is a mask of anger

and confusion.

Camille exits the house, car keys in hand. She sees her.

CAMILLE:

Monica. What are you doing here?

MONICA:

Didn't know I needed a reason to come

home.

CAMILLE:

Don't be defensive. I'm just surprised

to see you.

MONICA:

Dad around?

CAMILLE:

He's still at the bank.

Monica glowers. Camille looks at her.

CAMILLE (cont'd)

Everything okay?

MONICA:

(clearly not)

Yeah.

Camille just nods, doesn't bother asking again.

CAMILLE:

Well, I'm going to get dinner.

She pulls open her car door. Beat, then...

CAMILLE (cont'd)

It's just a game.

MONICA:

What?

CAMILLE:

Whenever you lose, you get this attitude.

But it's just a game.

Monica rolls her eyes, as her mom leaves.

EXT. DORMS - NIGHT

Quincy sits on the wall outside of Monica's dorm, as Monica

slowly makes her way up the walk. She sees him, stops.

QUINCY:

Can we talk?

MONICA:

Talk to your new girlfriend.

QUINCY:

I just took the ho to Burger King,

alright.

MONICA:

Cheap date.

QUINCY:

Least she had time for me.

MONICA:

So you f***ed around to prove a point!

QUINCY:

I just said I didn't f*** around. But

you got your head so far up your ass it

took a cheap date for you to notice me.

MONICA:

What, "Q-man", did I forget to kiss your

ass like everybody else?

QUINCY:

You forgot to be there.

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