Pariah

FADE IN:

1 EXT/INT. NIGHTCLUB- EVENING 1

A disembodied gaggle of jersey clad shoulders, jeans, and

hats crosses a narrow street. Lights flare, hands are

stamped, torsos are patted down. Money exchanges hands. We

descend into a black, throbbing tunnel.

Explicit music booms from bassy club speakers. Hips, legs

feet dancing.

A GO-GO DANCER struts and wiggles around a brass pole. Hoots

and cheers.

The dancer marches in place, rolling her thonged bottom.

More cheers, greedy hands stuff dollars into her waistband.

FEMALE DJ (O.S.)

Let’s go! Where all my sexy

Sagittarian ladies at?

Arms go up. A collection of whoops ripple the crowd.

The dancer wraps her legs around the pole and oozes upward

headfirst. The CAMERA ROTATES as she stretches her booted

heels into the crowd. We realize that she has been dancing

on the ceiling.

FEMALE DJ (O.S.)

Oh my God!

ALIKE (pronounced AH-LEE-KAY), 17, covers her mouth, laughing

and wide-eyed. She tries to back away from the stage, but is

pushed forward by a torrent of eager arms waving dollar

bills. Among them is LAURA, 18, worldly and smooth.

LAURA:

Where your singles at?!! Where your

singles at?!! Yeah, baby!

Laura strains over Alike’s shoulder to tuck a bill into the

dancer’s boot. Alike drops her beer in all the jostling.

FEMALE DJ:

Goddamn I love my job!

Laura stuffs a bill into Alike’s now empty hand and forcibly

waves Alike’s wrist in the air.

2.

Alike pulls free just as the dancer takes notice and begins

to direct her attention at her.

ALIKE:

Stop! Chill!!

LAURA:

Whatchu’ come here for?!

Alike shoves the dollar bill into Laura’s chest and shoulders

her way past the wall of onlookers surrounding the stage.

Laura shrugs, puts the bill in her teeth and lays her head at

the edge of the stage. Alike looks away and breaks through a

snarl of clubgoers just as the dancer begins to descend.

ALIKE:

Excuse me. Sorry. Excuse me. Oof,

sorry ladies.

Finally free of the throng, Alike takes a breath and looks at

the clock on her cell phone.

ALIKE (CONT’D)

Sh*t!

She rolls her eyes back to the stage where Laura is no longer

visible. Not daring to risk another plunge into the throbbing

crowd, she retreats for the bar.

FEMALE DJ:

Let’s go!

2 INT. NIGHTCLUB BAR- NIGHT 2

Alike beaches at an empty spot at the bar. Her gaze settles

on a CUTE GIRL a little ways down, staring out at the dance

floor. Alike jerks her eyes away and smooths the front of her

shirt and adjusts her hat as she edges toward the girl.

ALIKE:

Hi.

The girl ignores her. Alike clears her throat and speaks a

little too loudly.

ALIKE (CONT’D)

Umm... Hey! How are you?!

The girl jerks around and frowns at Alike, looking her up and

down.

CUTE GIRL:

What?!

3.

ALIKE:

Umm...sorry. I was just sayin’

Umm...hi.

CUTE GIRL:

Oh.

The girl dismisses Alike and turns back toward the floor.

ALIKE:

Oh. You wanna drink or something?

Hey! Hey! Over here!

Alike strains, snapping at the bartender. A CONFIDENT WOMAN

swaggers up close to the girl and extends her hand. The cute

girl takes it and allows herself to be lead to the dance

floor. Alike looks around just in time to see her leaving.

The bartender finally materializes, and Alike slinks away.

3 INT. NIGHTCLUB BATHROOM - NIGHT 3

Alike slumps into a long line of women waiting to squeeze the

cramped, 2 stall bathroom. A COUPLE in front of her makes out

vigorously, and she folds her arms and looks away.

A buff 30-SOMETHING WOMAN with locs smiles and winks at

Alike. Alike smiles and fidgets with her eyebrows and looks

away. The line inches forward. Alike glances around

searching for the woman. The 30-something has already lost

interest, her attention now fully directed at a much more

FEMININE WOMAN strutting out of the restroom. Embarrassed,

Alike faces front again. Two androgynous gangsters (AGs) who

have witnessed the whole thing nudge each other and sneer.

Alike squares her shoulders and widens her stance. One of

the AG’s breaks out in laughter and they turn around as the

line inches forward again. Alike pretends not to notice and

slumps out of line and retreats for a lonely oasis of couch

along the wall.

4 INT. NIGHTCLUB COUCH - LATER 4

Alike dozes on the couch.

FEMALE DJ:

Give it up for Sin-A-Min ladies!!

Alike wakes with a start. She checks the time on her cell

phone. Cursing, she scrambles up from the couch.

4.

5 INT. NIGHTCLUB BAR - EVENING 5

Laura dances with a cute SHORT HAIRED GIRL.

Alike spots the pair from afar and heads in their direction.

ALIKE:

C’mon, we’re late.

LAURA:

Huh?

ALIKE:

I gotta go!

LAURA:

Hold on a minute.

ALIKE:

C’mon, why you trippin'?

LAURA:

What?

ALIKE:

Why are you trippin', you know I

gotta go!

LAURA:

What?

ALIKE:

You know I gotta go. I’ma get in

trouble.

LAURA:

Lemme dance with shortie first,

then I’ll be ready.

ALIKE:

What?

Laura spins the short haired on the dance floor and the pair

continue their wobbling, uneven groove. Alike endures several

moments of invisibility as a sea of women, both “feminine”

and “butch” push past her without a second glance. Alike tugs

at Laura’s jersey. Laura, happily tangled in her dance

partner’s embrace rolls her eyes.

LAURA:

Stop pulling on my clothes!

5.

6 EXT. BUS STOP- NIGHT 6

Laura sulks, frowning out at the night. Alike extends the

olive branch.

ALIKE:

How many numbers you get? One?

LAURA:

I could’ve gotten more, but your

moms was holding me up.

ALIKE:

Oooh. That’s jacked up.

LAURA:

How many you get?

ALIKE:

Tonya, Denise, Shelley. No wait

that’s old, I can delete that one.

Tonya...

Laura snatches the phone from Alike. Alike swipes at it but

misses. Laura fends her off with one hand and scrolls through

the numbers with the other.

LAURA:

Ain’t Shelley that chick from your

math class?! Denise... What?

These are your damn study group

numbers! Why you frontin’?!

Alike snatches the phone and wipes the screen with her

sleeve.

ALIKE:

I don’t see you with no list of

numbers.

LAURA:

I’m not the one looking for a

girlfriend, man. You the one still

a virgin!

ALIKE:

Shut up!

LAURA:

Trying to help your ass. I’m

sayin’, whatchu waitin’ for?!

Alike shrugs it off, her smile fading a little. Laura elbows

her and sneers.

6.

LAURA:

Kickin’ that same ‘ol quiet sh*t

since 6th grade. I don’t need to

press, I gets plenty. Sh*t.

ALIKE:

Wah-wah.

LAURA:

I get more p*ssy than your daddy,

nigga, what?!

ALIKE:

Oh sh*t!! Yeah, you got me with

that one.

7 INT. BUS - NIGHT 7

Alike becomes more quiet and less playful as the ride wears

on. A middle-class Bronx landscape, well-lit with a newly

constructed Starbucks and renovated condos flits by the

window. Alike reaches over and presses the tape. Laura elbows

Alike.

LAURA:

Quit playing.

ALIKE:

Your stop.

LAURA:

Huh?

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