Pariah Page #14

LAURA:

Oh.

Laura’s mother crosses her arms and looks at Laura up and

down.

83.

LAURA (CONT’D)

Thought you might’ve stepped out or

something? How’ve you been?

Laura’s mother frowns up and down the block before refocusing

on Laura. Laura takes a step closer to the door.

LAURA (CONT’D)

Me and Candy, you know we’re doing

real good.

Laura’s mother puts her hand on the doorknob.

LAURA (CONT’D)

We might even be moving to a bigger

place soon. You know she’s workin’

at the hospital now, yeah you’d be

real proud of her. She might even

go back and get her RN-

Laura takes another step forward.

LAURA (CONT’D)

How--? How’s Pops? You look good.

You look healthy, yeah you look

real good. You know uh, we miss you

and everything-

Laura’s mother starts to close the door. Laura backs away.

LAURA (CONT’D)

I don’t wanna take too much of your

time. I just stopped by--you know I

uh--I’m getting my stuff together

too--I uh-

Laura fishes the stiff envelope out of her pocket and

advances on the screen door again, holding it out.

LAURA (CONT’D)

So, I did it. I took the test and-

Laura’s mother slams the door. Laura stands on her tiptoes

and yells at the diamond shaped window.

LAURA (CONT’D)

I got my GED!

The lock on the door snaps into place. Renewed barking from

across the street. Silence from the door. Laura brushes a

fist across her eyes and stuffs the envelope into the

mailbox.

84.

LAURA (CONT’D)

But listen I--I gotta go. I gotta

get to work but I’ma leave it for

you to see. It was nice talking to

you.

Laura backs off the porch and starts down the walkway. She

stops halfway and bounds back onto the porch. She yanks the

envelope out of the mailbox and jams it into her pocket.

Laura storms off the porch and out of yard, never looking

back.

69 INT. BINA’S BEDROOM - MORNING 69

Alike is asleep on the bed. Bina cleans up feverishly,

“accidentally” bumping Alike awake. Alike yawns and rolls

over, a huge grin spreading across her face as she remembers

her surroundings.

ALIKE:

Hey.

BINA:

Hey.

Bina bolts to the dresser and crams clothes in.

ALIKE:

You up already?

BINA:

It’s after one o’clock, actually.

Bina deposits an armful of clothes into the dirty clothes

hamper, and then begins making the bed with Alike still in

it. Alike pulls Bina down beside her.

ALIKE:

What’s wrong?

BINA:

Nothin’s wrong, I’m just cleaning

up. Don’t worry about it.

ALIKE:

Okay then, I’ll help you.

BINA:

No, I got it.

Bina snatches a pillow from behind Alike and fluffs it.

Alike, still oblivious, grins and traces Bina’s shoulder.

85.

ALIKE:

Look um--I just wanted to say that

last night...last night was

amazing...thank you for-

BINA:

Last night we were just playin’

around, that’s all.

Bina flinches away from Alike’s touch. Alike shoots a glance

at the door and drops her voice to a choked whisper.

ALIKE:

Look... We can slow things down...

Nobody has to know that we’re

together.

BINA:

“Together”? Whoa, no...

ALIKE:

Huh?! I thought... Look if you

don’t want to call it that, that’s

fine, but don’t act like nothing

happened.

Bina moves away and levels her gaze at Alike for the first

time. Alike touches Bina’s elbow, Bina flinches away.

BINA:

Look, I’m not gay okay? This isn’t

me--I wasn’t--I’m not ready for all

this...

Alike recruits the discarded stuffed moose and dances it

around on the bed. Bina recoils and snatches it away.

Recognition seeps across Alike’s pained face. Bina moves away

from the bed and turns her back on Alike.

Alike finds her pajama pants on the floor and yanks them on.

She pulls on jeans over her pajama bottoms and hauls a

sweatshirt down over her nightie. She flings her backpack

open on the bed and hunts around the room wildly gathering

her things. Alike goes in the bathroom and reappears with an

armful of toiletries, dumping them in the bag. Bina watches

her, arms folded. Alike takes one last look around the room

and heads for the door, running a sleeve across her face.

BINA (CONT’D)

Lee?

Alike ignores her and launches into the hallway. Bina runs

to her bedroom doorway.

86.

BINA (CONT’D)

Wait--Lee?!

Alike beelines for the front door. Bina chases Alike across

the room.

BINA (CONT’D)

Lee, stop please?

Alike wipes a sleeve across her swelling eyes and running

nose and turns to face her. Bina takes several steps toward

her. Alike lets go of the doorhandle, her voice cracks.

ALIKE:

What?

BINA:

You promise you won’t tell anybody?

70 EXT. BINA’S HOUSE/STREET - DAY 70

Alike rages outside, weaving blind fury down the sidewalk.

She kicks over a cluster of garbage cans and cyclones out

into the street, narrowly missing getting hit by a car. She

continues her zag to the other sidewalk, her pace quickening.

She rips open her backpack and launches a baseball cap into

the air. She tears a handful of wifebeaters from the bag and

flings them into the street. Spinning and thrashing she

wrenches out a football jersey and jams it into another

garbage can. She circles back and kicks the can over. She

hurtles her backpack into the trees like a discus and sheds

her hoodie like a skin before disappearing into the scream of

a subway station.

71 INT. ALIKE’S LIVING ROOM - EVENING 71

Lee bursts into the living room and charges to her bedroom.

Audrey, who has been waiting in the living room storms in

after her.

AUDREY:

Where in the hell have you been?!

Alike kicks off her shoes and paces the room.

AUDREY (CONT’D)

You hear me talking to you ?! Where

you been? You left Bina’s hours

ago!!!! Lee-

ALIKE:

I’M NOT YOUR HUSBAND!!!!

87.

Audrey gasps in stunned silence.

ALIKE (CONT'D)

I’m not your husband so stop comin’

at me like I am. I’m not your

companion, I’m not your friend -

you made that abundantly clear--I’m

your daughter and I have my own

sh*t to deal with!!

AUDREY:

LEE--don’t you dare--Alike--I am

your Mother-

Audrey melts back against the doorjamb. Alike slings off her

shirt and slams the door in Audrey’s face. A livid Audrey

bangs on the door and jiggles the handle.

AUDREY (CONT’D)

You must have lost your damn mind!

Wait until your father gets home!

72 INT. ALIKE’S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS 72

Alike attacks her closet, ripping all the “girly” shirts from

the hangers and hurling them toward a small vanity trashcan.

She plunges back in and slams an armful of blouses to the

floor. She launches a pair of pumps into the wall, followed

by a chunky pair of Timberlands. Silent sobs rack her body as

she tears off her own shirt and slings it at the mirror. She

strips off her jeans and kicks them brutally into a corner.

Alike considers her unclothed form in the mirror before

collapsing onto the bed. She writhes against the pillows and

covers her eyes with her elbow as darts of grief twist

through her body. Blackout.

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