Pariah Page #6

used to it.

Alike tugs at her crotch and attempts to cross her legs.

ALIKE:

Owwww!

Alike uncrosses her legs and yanks at her jeans. Laura bats

her hand away.

32.

LAURA:

Sit still, people gon’ think you

got something.

ALIKE:

This joint hurts, man. I’ma go take

it off.

LAURA:

You not gon’ take it off.

ALIKE:

I’m gonna take it off.

LAURA:

Where you gonna take it off at?

ALIKE:

In the bathroom.

LAURA:

Then where you gon’ put it? You

gonna walk around the club with a

dick in your hand? Chill. I knew we

shouldn’t have done this. You

blowin’ me right now.

ALIKE:

Then I’m out.

LAURA:

Nah, you’re ‘bout to stay and go

through this. You’re the one who

wanted to meet her, not me.

ALIKE:

Then you come on, too. Hurry up-

A group of girls approaches, one of them we recognize as

Mika, the girl that likes Alike, from the bathroom. Laura

stands to greet them. Nervous introductions all around. Laura

shoots Alike a warning glance.

28 INT. NIGHTCLUB COUCH - LATER 28

Laura is hugged up with two girls at the end of the couch.

Alike fidgets in her seat and keeps pulling at the knees of

her jeans. Mika hand in chin, stares into space. Alike does

another pull-fidget combo. Mika rolls her eyes at her.

MIKA:

You alright?

33.

ALIKE:

Yeah, no, yeah it’s just--there’s a

spring in the cushion or something.

MIKA:

You wanna switch seats?

ALIKE:

No, I’m good.

MIKA:

And you don’t wanna dance?

LAURA:

Hey ya’ll we’re about to go dance!

ALIKE:

No, no not really. I’m not really

feeling the music.

Mika sighs and looks around at the other dancing couples.

Alike gives her jeans another tortured tug. Agonized minutes

of awkward booming silence.

MIKA:

Well you don’t mind right? I mean

you don’t mind if I go dance with

somebody else?

ALIKE:

No, do your thing.

MIKA:

If you change your mind-

ALIKE:

No, no it’s cool.

Mika escapes the couch and disappears into the crowd.

29 INT. ALIKE’S APARTMENT - NIGHT 29

Alike slips off her shoes and eases through the kitchen.

Audrey flicks on the light, blocking the hallway entrance.

AUDREY:

I hope it was worth it.

ALIKE:

Mom I lost-

AUDREY:

Save it.

34.

ALIKE:

It won’t happen--

AUDREY:

Oh I know it won’t.

30 INT. ALIKE’S BEDROOM - NIGHT 30

Alike peels off her jeans and lobs them into the top of her

closet. She unharnesses the dildo and wads the tangled mess

up in an old t-shirt. She stuffs the wad in back of the

closet and slams the closet door shut, staring at her

reflection in the mirror.

Alike reconsiders and yanks the wad back from the closet.

31 EXT. ALIKE’S APARTMENT - NIGHT 31

Alike stuffs the wad into a trash bag and plunges it deep

into a neighbor’s garbage can. She scurries back into her

building and doesn’t look back.

32 INT. ALIKE’S LIVING ROOM - MORNING 32

Alike skulks on the couch in wrinkled khaki pants and a

cotton button down shirt. An obnoxious R&B video plays on the

TV. Sounds of bustling and the drone of a hair dryer fill the

room.

AUDREY (O.S.)

Turn that mess off!!

Alike turns the television volume to low and continues

watching.

AUDREY (O.S.)

Sharonda?! Sharonda are you ready?!

Stop lollygagging!

SHARONDA (O.S.)

I’m coming!

AUDREY:

Lee are you ready?! Lee?!

Audrey hobbles out with one high heel on. She snatches the

remote from Alike and snaps the TV off.

AUDREY (CONT'D)

I said off. Thought you were ready?

35.

ALIKE:

I am ready.

AUDREY:

You’re not going to church looking

like that. Where’s the blouse I

bought you?

ALIKE:

What’s wrong with this?

The front door bursts open, and Arthur tromps in, his police

uniform hanging open over a white undershirt. He slings a

heavy F.O.P tote bag on the floor and strips off his shirt as

he crosses to the kitchen. Audrey rushes over and buzzes

around him.

33 INT. ALIKE’S KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS 33

AUDREY:

Hey there, you’re home early--well

actually late. I thought you would

have called-

ALIKE:

Dad-

ARTHUR:

Do what your mom says.

Audrey scuttles over to where Arthur is now digging through

the open fridge. He pulls out a foil covered plate, tears

open one corner, sniffs it.

AUDREY:

Are you hungry? Let me heat it up

for you.

Arthur heads toward the microwave with the plate. Audrey

intercepts the plate from him and dumps the contents into a

skillet.

AUDREY (CONT'D)

I’ll heat it up on the stove for

you. Tastes better.

ALIKE:

Dad-

AUDREY:

Lee!

36.

ARTHUR:

Leave me out of it.

AUDREY:

Go get changed.

ALIKE:

Dad, what’s wrong with this outfit?

ARTHUR:

Nothing.

ALIKE:

See?

AUDREY:

I’m not gonna argue with you.

ARTHUR:

Do what she says.

ALIKE:

Dad-

ARTHUR:

(speaking bad Tarzan

Swahili)

Umgowa!

AUDREY:

And put on a skirt!

Alike stalks off to her bedroom. Sharonda bounces into the

kitchen.

SHARONDA:

Hey Dad!

AUDREY:

Too much lipstick.

SHARONDA:

It’s lipgloss.

Audrey wheels on Sharonda with a death glare.

SHARONDA (CONT'D)

Okay, okay.

ARTHUR:

Gimmie kiss.

Sharonda pecks dad on the cheek. Dad wipes his cheek and rubs

his fingers together.

37.

Sharonda giggles and bounds back into her bedroom. Audrey

slides a steaming plate in front of Arthur.

AUDREY:

Did you talk to her?

ARTHUR:

Get me a beer, please. Sharonda’s

fine.

AUDREY:

I’m talking about Lee.

ARTHUR:

Alike. And I don’t see that there’s

a problem.

AUDREY:

I’m tired of this tomboy thing

she’s got going on. And Laura. You

said you were going to handle it.

ARTHUR:

Umm-hmm.

AUDREY:

She needs a male point of view.

ARTHUR:

I said okay, dammit! Now can I

please have a beer please?

AUDREY:

It’s Sunday morning.

ARTHUR:

It goes with the spaghetti.

Audrey lifts a beer out of the fridge and slides it in front

of Arthur. She pulls up a chair as he plows through the meal,

her expression softening as she caresses his forearm.

AUDREY:

Do you have to work tonight?

ARTHUR:

To put food on the table and

clothes on our backs, no. To go out

to restaurants and keep designer

sneakers in the closet, yes.

AUDREY:

Are you forever gonna be mad?

38.

ARTHUR:

Are you forever going to be happy?

(beat)

You made that decision a long time

ago.

AUDREY:

We both made sacrifices.

Alike stomps back into the kitchen wearing the pink v-neck

that Audrey bought her and an unflattering pleat-front skirt.

Arthur stifles a giggle behind his beer can.

ARTHUR:

You look beautiful, baby.

AUDREY:

Tuck your blouse in.

ALIKE:

This isn’t me.

AUDREY:

Tuck your blouse in.

ARTHUR:

Leave it out.

Audrey frowns at Arthur. Arthur stands his ground.

ARTHUR (CONT’D)

I think it’s fine out. What’s the

deal with you and Laura?

ALIKE:

What deal?

AUDREY:

Comin’ in late...

ALIKE:

Dad, I hardly ever-

ARTHUR:

Why don’t you give that a break for

a little while?

ALIKE:

Dad, come on...

AUDREY:

(to Alike)

You heard him!

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