Pariah Page #12

too, help yourself.

PIER GIRL #2

‘Preciate ya.

Laura pulls up close to the kitchen table. The GED test prep

book, now dog-eared and worn is on the table in front of her.

She finds her place and copies notes and multiple choice

answers into a spiral notebook. A stack of old Math and

English textbooks are in a chair next to her and the room is

peaceful and still save for the scratching of her pencil.

57 INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - AFTERNOON 57

Alike spies on Bina stuffing books into her locker. She draws

her breath and approaches.

ALIKE:

Hey.

72.

BINA:

Hey.

A long awkward silence. Alike leans against the bank of

lockers, not daring to make eye contact.

ALIKE:

I’m sorry about the other day.

BINA:

It’s cool.

Bina pretends to rearrange books in her locker.

ALIKE (CONT’D)

Things have been crazy. But look,

I’m sorry I bugged out. It’s

just...I didn’t know that you...I

wasn’t expecting that.

BINA:

You still coming to the party?

ALIKE:

I don’t know--I need to try and

catch up with Laura.

BINA:

Oh.

ALIKE:

But I do wanna hang out...I

mean...maybe we could do both.

Bina smiles and shuts the locker door.

BINA:

Cool.

(beat)

You could spend the night if want

to. Avoid the whole curfew thing.

ALIKE:

Yeah...

BINA:

You sure?

ALIKE:

Yeah.

73.

58 INT. FAMILY CAR - DAY 58

Arthur coaches Alike as she navigates the car to a jerky stop

in front of Mack’s liquor store.

ARTHUR:

Easy, easy now. Watch your right

hand side.

ALIKE:

I am.

ARTHUR:

Don’t ride the brakes though. Good.

ALIKE:

See? I’m getting better!! Can I

drive back?

Arthur rubs his chest in mock heart-attack.

ARTHUR:

I don’t about that. You’re shaky

girl, you’re shaky. Get us some

chips and I’ll think about it.

Arthur hands Alike a five dollar bill and she bounces down

out of the car.

59 EXT. LIQUOR STORE - CONTINUOUS 59

Arthur shouts a greeting to Mack who lounges on a plastic

chair outside his door. Sock and TWO OTHER MEN chit chat

nearby. Their chatter lowers as Arthur approaches. Alike bops

into the store.

MACK:

Hey, baby!

ALIKE:

Hey Mr. Ferguson!

MACK:

I see Alike’s been running circles

around you again!

ARTHUR:

Little bit, little bit. I still got

it though.

Arthur claps Mack on the shoulder and glimpses Sock

whispering to one of the men.

74.

Arthur follows the men’s gazes over to Alike at the potato

chip rack. She twirls the string of her basketball shorts

round and round her finger and idly hikes the collar of her t-

shirt up over her nose. The smile evaporates from Arthur’s

face.

Sock peers back at him, smirking. Arthur starts toward him,

when Alike saunters out between them.

ARTHUR:

We better get going.

MACK (CONT'D)

Gone already?

ARTHUR:

I’ll holler at you later.

Arthur crosses the lot in a bound, snatches the car keys from

Alike’s hand, and hustles her into the car.

ARTHUR (CONT'D)

Get in the car.

ALIKE:

But you said I could drive-

ARTHUR:

I said get in the car!

Alike frowns, then catches sight of the men in front of the

store. She slumps into the car and slams the door. Arthur

piles into the driver’s seat. They sit in silence for a

moment, Alike traces the lines in her hands.

60 INT. ARTHUR’S CAR - CONTINUOUS 60

ARTHUR:

Look...umm...you know you’re

daddy’s girl, right?

Alike avoids eye contact, staring out her window. Arthur

searches her face a moment longer, then starts the car and

pulls away in silence.

61 INT. ALIKE’S APARTMENT LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 61

Audrey reclines on the couch reading a book. The doorknob

jiggles and Audrey folds the book against her chest,

pretending to be asleep.

75.

Arthur slips in and lays his holster on an armchair, not even

bothering to approach Audrey’s sleeping form.

Arthur peeks inside the fridge and inspects one of Audrey’s

foil covered plates. He tosses it aside and gathers sandwich

ingredients instead. Audrey yawns and props herself up on one

elbow.

AUDREY:

Oh you’re home?

ARTHUR:

Hey.

AUDREY:

I must’ve dozed off. How long have

you been in?

ARTHUR:

Hour.

Dad takes a bite of his sandwich and shoves the ingredients

back into the fridge.

AUDREY:

Did you see the plate in there?

ARTHUR:

This is fine.

Arthur plops down on an armchair and flips the TV channel to

sports highlights. Mom scoots over on the couch.

AUDREY:

There’s room over here. You can see

the TV better.

ARTHUR:

This is fine.

Arthur props his feet up on the coffee table and catches

Audrey’s hurt expression. He winks at her.

ARTHUR (CONT'D)

Thank you.

AUDREY:

Just alike.

ARTHUR:

Say what?

76.

AUDREY:

You and your daughter. Have you

talked to Lee yet? I told you she-

ARTHUR:

I talked to Alike.

AUDREY:

You did?

ARTHUR:

Everything’s fine. Like I told you.

Matter fact, she’s got a boyfriend.

AUDREY:

Boyfriend?

ARTHUR:

Just give her some space.

AUDREY:

Space? She’s hardly ever home in

the first place and you’re just

like her, creeping in all hours of

the night. Both of you. Running

around like you got something to

hide, like I’m the big, bad witch

and what about me? I’m home by

myself all the time and Sharonda’s

getting older and starting to go

out and pretty soon-

ARTHUR:

I don’t have anything to hide. Look

I told you I talked to Alike and

everything is fine.

AUDREY:

Did you ask her?

Dad slams down his half-eaten sandwich and stands up.

ARTHUR:

No, because I didn’t have to.

Besides,I would know okay? If

anybody would know, it would be me.

I know my daughter-

AUDREY:

Your daughter?!!

ARTHUR:

--better than anyone else and-

77.

AUDREY:

So now all of a sudden she’s just

your daughter?!

ARTHUR AUDREY:

--I’m telling you she’s just Well I guess I better not

fine!! have nothing else to say

then, huh?!

ARTHUR:

That’s your damn problem, you’re

too much of a damn worry wart.

AUDREY:

Let’s hope you’re right, Detective.

ARTHUR:

Will you shut the f*** up?!

Audrey jerks to her feet and flings the book aside.

AUDREY:

An hour? Really? I’m not your dumb

damn floozy in the street. And you

will not talk to me that way.

Audrey slaps the sandwich off Arthur’s plate and storms to

the bedroom. Arthur sees Sharonda peeking from her bedroom

door but can’t summon any words. Sharonda skitters into

Alike’s bedroom.

62 INT. ALIKE’S BEDROOM - NIGHT 62

Alike is awake, hands folded behind her head. Sharonda curls

up on top of the covers next to her.

ALIKE:

I know you’re not scared.

SHARONDA:

I’m not.

The girls lay silently as they listen to Arthur bang around

in the kitchen.

SHARONDA (CONT’D)

Lee?

ALIKE:

Hmm?

78.

SHARONDA:

I hope you know it doesn’t matter

to me.

Alike rubs Sharonda’s head and gives her a little squeeze.

ALIKE:

I know.

63 INT. HOUSE PARTY/POETRY SLAM - NIGHT 63

A MOHAWKED WOMAN yowls into a microphone atop a coffee table

turned stage. Kids roam from room to room nursing plastic

cups. Some in elaborate ensembles, some in thrift store duds,

others in plain old jeans, but no two people the same. Alike

clad in simple shirt and jeans looks especially comfortable

as she and Bina ease their way through the crowd. In between

performers, guitar riffs rock the large loft apartment and

render their voices practically inaudible.

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