Pariah Page #4

18.

21 INT. ALIKE’S KITCHEN - EVENING 21

Audrey, Sharonda, Alike, and their father, ARTHUR, 40something

with a used-to-be athletic build, are all gathered

around the dinner table for a rare family dinner. Everyone

takes half-hearted nibbles at their food avoiding eye contact

with each other. Sharonda picks at her food.

SHARONDA:

I don’t see why we can’t just watch

TV like usual.

Alike elbows Sharonda.

SHARONDA:

Quit it!

ALIKE:

Shut up.

SHARONDA:

You don’t tell me what to do!

AUDREY:

Girls.

The phone rings and Arthur beats a path to bedroom to get it.

Audrey wilts.

ARTHUR:

I’m expecting a call.

Audrey stares after him then glares back at Alike and

Sharonda.

AUDREY:

This is your father’s night off.

Alike casts a glance in the direction of the bedroom, where

Arthur can be heard talking in hushed tones. She rolls her

eyes and slinks down into her seat.

AUDREY (CONT’D)

So straighten up.

Arthur settles back into his chair, his mood a little

brighter. Seeing an opportunity for brownie points, Sharonda

pitches in.

SHARONDA:

Homecoming got moved this year.

It’s gonna be in September instead

of October.

19.

AUDREY:

Oh really?

SHARONDA:

Yeah. Which means I’ll be able to

go to Autumn Ball and the

Homecoming Dance.

AUDREY:

Who are you going with?

SHARONDA:

I don’t know. Maybe Derek. If he

asks me. Maybe Parrish. I haven’t

decided yet. But for homecoming, I

definitely want to go with Craig.

AUDREY:

Oooh, I see. Lee, who are you

going with?

ALIKE:

Umm. I’m not going.

Arthur gives Alike an approving Daddy’s girl wink. Alike

beams back.

AUDREY:

Not going? This is your junior

year. How can you not go?

ARTHUR:

Leave her alone Audrey, if doesn’t

want to go, she doesn’t have to go.

AUDREY:

But it’s her junior year, she’s not

gonna have any memories.

ARTHUR:

I don’t like all those boys buzzing

around my daughters anyway.

SHARONDA:

Nobody buzzes around Alike.

ARTHUR:

That’s right and it better stay

that way. Matter of fact, I don’t

know if I’ma let you go.

SHARONDA:

Daaa-aad?!

20.

Alike smirks and takes her plate to the sink. Arthur jabs her

on the arm as she walks by. Audrey tears into a dinner roll

shooting daggers at anyone who dares to make eye contact.

22 INT. LAURA’S KITCHEN - NIGHT 22

Laura brings a steaming cup of Ramen noodles to a worn

kitchen table splayed with bills. Her older sister CANDACE,

a stout 30 something with pleasant but hard-working looks

scribbles notes on the back of an envelope while soaking her

feet. Laura takes a sip of her soup and starts sifting

through a pile of envelopes.

LAURA:

How much we paid him last time?

CANDACE:

Six twenty-five.

LAURA:

So that makes--we owe another two

seventy-five for the rest of the

month.

Candace pecks on a calculator and scribbles on the envelope.

Laura flips through more bills.

LAURA (CONT’D)

Electric?

CANDACE:

Half.

LAURA:

Phone?

CANDACE:

Let it ride.

LAURA:

Gas?

CANDACE:

How much?

LAURA:

Eighty-five.

CANDACE:

Half. No let it ride.

Laura locks her hands on top of her head and leans back in

her chair, surveying the financial carnage.

21.

Candace reaches inside a CERAMIC HEN on the table and pulls

out a wad of money. She counts out several hundred dollars

into an envelope.

LAURA:

I can get some more hours-

CANDACE:

No. You know what you need to do.

LAURA:

Nah Candy, I can’t just dip out on

you like that-

CANDACE:

I was doing just fine before you

moved in, remember? I can handle

it.

Laura sucks her teeth.

CANDACE (CONT’D)

You working was only supposed to be

temporary. Mom would've wanted-

LAURA:

Who?! Man, don’t even-

CANDACE:

She would’ve-

LAURA:

Stop.

Laura pushes up from the table and glares at Candace, a

showdown. Candace stares back, unfazed. Laura caves first.

LAURA (CONT’D)

I’ll get the money orders in the

morning.

Laura tugs at the envelope but Candace doesn’t let go right

away.

LAURA (CONT’D)

I’ll look into it alright?

Candace relinquishes the envelope and Laura stalks off down

the hallway to her room.

CANDACE:

The next test is coming up soon!

22.

LAURA (O.S.)

I said I’ll look into it!

Candace smiles wanly and sips her soup. She takes a foot out

of the water and kneads it.

23 INT. SCHOOL BATHROOM - MORNING 23

Alike slams into her usual stall and launches into her

‘Superman’ changing routine. She unrolls pulls a jersey from

her backpack and yanks it over her head.

24 EXT. SCHOOL LAWN - AFTERNOON 24

Alike sits off to one side of the stairs, headphoned into

oblivion and scribbling into her composition book. A group of

FAST GIRLS strut by and encamp on the opposite wall, giggling

and yakking on cell phones. One of the girls, MIKA cuts a

flirty smile at Alike. Alike turns away and buries herself in

her book, but cranks down the volume on her iPod.

MIKA'S FRIEND

It was like seven of us--Me,

Khalil, Misha, Tamara....

FAST GIRL #2

Tamara Marks?

MIKA'S FRIEND

Heeeell no--Fat Tamara.

MIKA:

Oh I was about to say, Tamara Marks

is a ughh--I can’t stand her.

MIKA'S FRIEND

Anyway, it was all of us and oh

Laura, you know that girl from the

restaurant? She was there with one

of her friends.

Alike’s ears prick up.

MIKA:

That gay chick? Ya’ll be hanging

like that?

MIKA'S FRIEND

Yeah, well it’s a couple of them.

She’s mad cool though, so sometime

she come out with us every now and

then, anyway-

23.

MIKA:

Man, y’all be doin’ it on it

weekends, let me find out!

FAST GIRL #2

I told your butt to come.

MIKA'S FRIEND

But anyway-

MIKA:

Some of them AG’s are kinda cute-I’m

not saying I would, but I would

holla.

FAST GIRL #2

I don’t know about all that.

MIKA:

Isn’t that one of them over there?

What’s her name? Amika?--Alisha?

The pack directs their attention at Alike. Alike profiles and

attempts to look casual.

MIKA'S FRIEND

Alike.

MIKA:

Yeah, Alike--she’s cute too.

FAST GIRL #2

Uugh. I don’t be looking at them

all like that.

Mika smiles as her eyes travel down Alike’s physique. Alike,

aware of the admiring gaze tugs and smooths at her shirt

unnecessarily. She licks her lips and readjusts the book in

her lap, fighting hard to keep the grin off her face.

MIKA:

Look, I’m not gay--but if I was gay

I might talk to her.

MIKA’S FRIEND

She’s in the middle anyway.

MIKA:

Yeah, but if she was just a little

more harder-

Alike looks over and starts to nod when a CUTE BOY with locs

swaggers up to the girls, drawing their rapt attention.

24.

CUTE BOY:

‘Sup ladies?

MIKA FAST GIRL #2

Heeeey. What’s up?

The girls erupt into titters, and they melt into

conversation. Alike deflates, watching them over the top of

her book. She observes every little moment between the girls

and the boy, every wink. Another BOY joins the group and they

stroll off down the sidewalk.

Alike plucks the headphones out of her ears, watching them

leave. Mika casts a parting glance over her shoulder at

Alike. Remnant’s of Alike’s grin return reflexively. Mika’s

friend jerks her elbow around.

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