Love and Basketball Page #6

With ten seconds left, down by one, Monica drives down court

and throws up a prayer. EVERYONE IS ON THEIR FEET AS THE

BALL SPINS AROUND THE RIM. AND THEN...IT POPS OUT. An

opposing player grabs the rebound and Monica has no choice

but to foul her.

Monica has just fouled out. She walks to her bench and drops

down. She buries her face in a towel and sobs.

The buzzer goes off. Cougars lose.

Quincy stares at Monica, feeling almost as bad as she does.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. WRIGHT HOUSE - MONICA'S ROOM - NIGHT

Monica sits slumped on her bed in a bathrobe, as Lena stands

in front of her, putting the finishing touches on Monica's

make-up.

LENA:

Might help if you didn't look so evil.

MONICA:

I don't even want to go.

She steps back, looks at her work.

LENA:

Mom!

Beat, then Camille enters.

LENA (cont'd)

Talk to me.

Camille stares at her daughter, taken aback by how great she

looks.

CAMILLE:

Go in my top drawer and get my pearls.

Lena exits. Monica still looks miserable.

CAMILLE (cont'd)

You okay?

Monica shrugs.

CAMILLE (cont'd)

Well, can you promise me one thing?

MONICA:

What?

CAMILLE:

Tonight, don't worry about yesterday's

game, the recruiters, or anything else.

I just want you to enjoy being beautiful.

Will you do that?

Monica takes this in as Lena returns with Camille's pearls.

LENA:

Here.

Camille puts them around Monica's neck. Monica looks back at

her.

MONICA:

You really think I look beautiful?

Camille smiles at her daughter, nods. Monica touches the

pearls.

INT. CRENSHAW GYM - NIGHT

An R&B song jams through the speakers, filling the dance

floor with high school kids in suits and dresses.

In the middle of the floor, Quincy gets his groove on with

his date, Shawnee. She dances so provocatively, there is no

mistaking what she has in mind for later.

Over at the doors, Monica enters with her college date,

JASON, 21, and fine. Heads turn in surprise. Monica feels

the stares, shifts nervously.

JASON:

Can I take your coat?

MONICA:

You're cold?

Monica starts to pull it off.

JASON:

No, I mean I can check it for you.

MONICA:

(embarrassed)

Oh, sorry.

Jason pulls off her coat, revealing a dress that shows off

everything Monica has been hiding. He checks out her frame,

smiles.

JASON:

Your sister wasn't lying.

He crosses to the coat check, leaving her alone.

ANGLE ON:

Quincy, who glances over from the middle of the dance floor,

and abruptly stops. He stares at Monica in shock.

QUINCY:

Oh...sh*t.

Quincy starts off the floor as a new song kicks in.

SHAWNEE:

Q, I like this song...

ANGLE ON:

Monica, sees Quincy approaching in his suit. She quickly

steadies herself on her heels, brushes a curl from her face.

QUINCY:

See you made it.

MONICA:

Yeah.

QUINCY:

You don't look half-bad.

MONICA:

You either.

Jason returns. Quincy looks at him, surprised.

JASON:

What's up, Black. I'm Jason.

QUINCY:

Q.

Shawnee suddenly steps up, slides her arms around Quincy.

SHAWNEE:

Dang, girl, I didn't know Nike made

dresses.

Monica looks at Shawnee, wrapped around Quincy. She can't

believe it.

MONICA:

Guess we'll see you later.

Monica heads into the crowd with her college man. Quincy

watches her go.

INT. CRENSHAW HIGH SCHOOL GYM - LATER

Monica sits at a table with Jason. His arm lays casually

across the back of her chair. Monica sits upright, stiff.

JASON:

So, you like school?

Monica smiles nervously, nods.

JASON (cont'd)

Yeah, high school was cool. I don't

remember sisters being as fine as you,

though.

Monica just holds that nervous smile.

JASON (cont'd)

So what do you like studying?

MONICA:

Gym.

He waits for more, but nothing comes.

JASON:

I'm an English major. You like English?

MONICA:

Sort of.

JASON:

Careful.

MONICA:

Huh?

JASON:

That was two words.

Monica ducks her head, embarrassed. Jason laughs.

JASON (cont'd)

Girl, how come you're so stressed?

MONICA:

Sorry.

JASON:

I mean, I'm having a good time with

you...

His arm slides off the back of her chair and onto her

shoulders.

JASON (cont'd)

So tell me what I have to do to make you

have a good time with me.

MONICA:

My mouth is kinda dry.

JASON:

Then I'll get you some punch.

He stands, then.

JASON (cont'd)

Just don't jet while I'm gone and leave a

glass slipper behind.

Monica's face lights up. Jason smiles.

JASON (cont'd)

There we go.

He crosses away to the refreshment table. Monica smiles

wider, leans back in her chair with her legs splayed. She

catches herself and quickly crosses them.

A couple of guys pass by and check her out. Monica smiles

wider. Quincy steps up, holding two cups of punch.

QUINCY:

Hey.

MONICA:

Hey.

QUINCY:

You having fun?

MONICA:

Yeah.

QUINCY:

Yeah, the DJ's kinda whack, though.

(beat)

So who is this clown?

MONICA:

He ain't Spalding.

QUINCY:

Guess not.

MONICA:

So you took Shawnee, huh?

The DJ puts on "Make It Last Forever" by Keith Sweat.

Couples move to the dance floor.

QUINCY:

(embarrassed)

You know, it was late and she asked...

JASON:

You want to dance?

Jason stands behind her chair. Monica smiles shyly.

MONICA:

Sure.

Jason puts down her cup of punch, takes her hand, leads her

to the dance floor.

Quincy just shakes his head, then crosses to his table, grabs

Shawnee's hand.

QUINCY:

C'mon.

He pulls Shawnee to the middle of the floor.

ANGLE ON:

Monica, nervous at first, a little awkward, but Jason gently

guides her in a slow circle and she starts to relax.

Jason moves his hands down Monica's back, pulling her in

closer. Shawnee snuggles into Quincy's chest, runs her hands

down his neck. The heat from bodies grows.

Monica and Quincy glance up at the same time and catch each

other's eyes. They start to look away but find they can't.

Eyes locked as they dance, they move together, almost feel

each other. Finally, as their bodies turn, they lose sight.

Monica puts her head to Jason's chest, Quincy slides his

hands lower down Shawnee's back. The music continues...

INT. JASON'S CAR - NIGHT

Jason and Monica are parked up on Mulholland Drive. LL Cool

J's "I Need Love" plays on the tape deck.

Jason has his arm around Monica, ready to make his move.

MONICA:

(rattling)

Freshman year, my free throw percentage

was fifty-one percent, cause I was

shooting it like a jump shot.

Jason leans in, kisses her bare shoulder.

MONICA (cont'd)

Um...but then sophomore year I was

shooting seventy-five percent from the

line.

Jason kisses her neck.

MONICA (cont'd)

...uh, by keeping my feet set and really

following through.

Jason goes in for the slam dunk. Kisses Monica on the lips.

It's the first time she's really been kissed. Jason pulls

away, smiles.

JASON:

That was nice.

MONICA:

Uh-huh.

JASON:

Your sister told me hands off, but I

can't help myself...

Jason leans in. Monica closes her eyes, and they kiss some

more. Monica tries to follow his practiced lips.

Jason's tongue slides in and their bodies slide down. His

hand moves across her breast. Monica's eyes pop open.

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