Pariah Page #2

ALIKE:

Your stop-- you’re getting off

here, right?

LAURA:

Nah, I’ll roll with you a few more

stops.

ALIKE:

Why you gon’ walk all the way back

down for? That’s stupid.

LAURA:

Make sure you get home okay.

The bus pulls to the curb. The light flicks on over the back

door.

7.

ALIKE:

You ain’t big, nigga. Trying to

protect somebody. Hurry up, man,

get off!

LAURA:

(to bus driver)

That’s alright man--next stop. Next

stop!

Alike elbows Laura sharply. The bus driver frowns in the rear

view.

LAURA:

You ain’t gotta push me, why’re you

beastin’?

ALIKE:

I’m not beastin’.

Laura climbs over Alike and swings toward the door.

LAURA:

You got a problem. Call me.

ALIKE:

I’ma call you.

Alike turns and watches Laura stroll away. Laura drums a

little beat on Alike’s window as the bus pulls off. Alike

waves and faces forward again. An OLD LADY sitting nearby

shoots her a disapproving look. Alike rolls her eyes and

moves to a seat farther away.

8 INT. BUS - CONTINUOUS 8

Alike studies her reflection in the window, and takes a

breath. She unbuttons her bulky men’s shirt to reveal a

fitting baby doll shirt that reads ”Princess.” She stuffs

her baseball cap and durag into her backpack and jabs a pair

of small gold hoop earrings into her ears. She slumps back

against the seat and stares into the night.

The bus stops at a lonely island of curb. Alike is a dark

silhouette sprinting around the corner and into the night.

9 INT. ALIKE’S APARTMENT - NIGHT 9

Alike cracks open the front door just wide enough to slip

through. The house is dark except for the flashing microwave

clock.

8.

Alike takes off her sneakers and pads down the hallway. Her

younger sister, SHARONDA’s door cracks open as she passes.

SHARONDA:

You late.

ALIKE:

(whispering)

Be quiet.

SHARONDA:

Where you been this late?

ALIKE:

(whispering)

Movies.

SHARONDA:

Movie ended at midnight.

ALIKE:

(whispering)

Shhh. Shut up.

Alike shoves her sister and tries to close the door. Sharonda

yanks the door open wider.

SHARONDA:

(whispering)

Don’t push me.

ALIKE:

(whispering)

Go to bed.

SHARONDA:

I know what stays open past

midnight.

Sharonda puts a hand to her head and does a little dance.

ALIKE:

Shut up!

Alike eases Sharonda’s door shut. Sharonda swings the door

open wide.

SHARONDA:

Good night Lee!

Sharonda slams her door. The light clicks on underneath

Alike’s parent’s door.

9.

AUDREY (O.S.)

Lee? Lee?!

Alike rolls her eyes at her sister’s closed door and shrugs

into her room.

10 INT. ALIKE’S BEDROOM - NIGHT 10

Alike rushes to shove her stuffed backpack under the bed.

She tosses her shoes in the closet just as her mother, AUDREY

appears in the doorway.

AUDREY:

Nice to know you still live here.

Alike peels off her socks and slumps on the bed.

AUDREY (CONT’D)

What’re you doing home so late,

anyway?

ALIKE:

Lost track of time.

AUDREY:

You know what time your curfew is.

Where were you?

ALIKE:

Movies.

AUDREY:

The show ended at midnight. And

your curfew is twelve thirty.

ALIKE:

I lost track of time.

Audrey gets cozy in the doorjamb. Alike turns her back on

her and slumps into pajamas.

AUDREY:

At least you were cute. Where’d you

get that shirt? ‘Princess’. I like

that.

Alike winds the princess shirt around her fist and launches

to the top of the closet.

ALIKE:

It’s old.

10.

AUDREY:

Compliments your figure. I saw

something just like it on sale,

maybe we could go shopping-

ALIKE:

Goodnight.

Audrey stiffens and pulls her robe tighter. Vinegar replaces

honey in her demeanor as the warmth drains out of her voice.

AUDREY:

I really don’t care for that young

lady you run around with anyway.

ALIKE:

Yeah, okay!

AUDREY:

And tie your head up.

Alike snags a satin headscarf from the nightstand and slaps

it around her head.

AUDREY(CONT’D)

It’s your head. And you really

should wash your face, too.

ALIKE:

I don’t have on make-up.

AUDREY:

Wash your face anyway.

ALIKE:

Mom. I’m seventeen years old,

please don’t talk to me like-

AUDREY:

Watch your tone.

(Beat)

Well, it’s your skin.

Audrey leaves. Alike is still. She listens for the door to

her parent’s room to shut before snatching off the scarf and

storming to the bathroom.

11 INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT 11

Alike turns on the faucet, wets the soap and puts it back in

the dish, wets her wash cloth and puts it back on the rack.

She plops down on the toilet and looks up. A crucifix frowns

down at her from the wall.

11.

She averts her eyes and stands to leave.

AUDREY (O.S.)

Did you brush your teeth?

Alike wets her toothbrush and throws it back into the holder.

AUDREY (O.S.)

Lee?

Alike squeezes out a dollop of toothpaste and smears a little

around the sink. She stares at her reflection.

AUDREY (O.S.)

Lee?

Alike flicks water droplets at the mirror for good measure.

ALIKE:

Yes, mom.

12 EXT. SCHOOL - MORNING 12

Alike, bundled in an oversized hoodie edges up to the

perimeter of campus and waits against a bus shelter. STUDENTS

horseplay and mill about the entrance in groups, chugging

their morning Fantas and munching on snack cakes. The school

bell rings and the lawn slowly empties into the building.

Alike shifts her weight and checks her watch as the last

STRAGGLERS finally trickle in. She yanks her hoodie tighter

and launches across the lawn and into the building.

13 INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - MORNING 13

A second school bell sounds and the din of slamming lockers

and jubilant chatter dies to a hush as students shuffle into

classrooms. Alike cracks the back stairwell door and peeks

out into the mostly empty hallway before tearing for the

bathroom. One last straggler BINA, a 17 year-old girl with

mature, but down-to-earth good looks rushes past Alike. The

two exchange a brief, confused look then mutually dismiss

each other as they hurry in opposite directions.

14 INT. SCHOOL BATHROOM - MORNING 14

Alike hurtles into the handicapped stall and snaps it shut

behind her. She rips off her hoodie and the “girly” shirt

beneath and flings them to the floor. She pulls out a pair of

wife-beaters from her bag and pulls them over her head. She

unwads a polo shirt and yanks it over her head.

12.

She stares at her reflection in the window and tries

unsuccessfully to smooth her shirt. Her eyes scour her

reflection again and again for any imperfections. She spots

the earrings and yanks them out of her ears. The late bell

beckons and Alike stuffs her “feminine” clothes into her

backpack and bolts.

15 INT. MATH CLASSROOM - DAY 15

The MATH TEACHER glides up and down the aisles passing out

graded tests. A chorus of groans follows in her wake.

MATH TEACHER:

As promised, I will be grading

these on a curve.

Alike is folded into the backmost corner of the classroom.

The desks in front her and beside her are empty. She is

ignored as the rest of the class chatters and passes notes.

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