Short Term 12 Page #6

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GRACE (CONT’D)

I don’t want that for you.

EXT. GROUP HOME LOUNGE -- DAY

All the kids file back into the lounge, sweaty from theirgame of whiffleball.

Marcus walks through the door.

MASON:

Straight to your room Marcus!

JESSICA:

No free time until all your choresare done!

Mason walks up to Grace after everyone has gone inside.

MASON:

What's going on with him?

GRACE:

He doesn't wanna leave.

Mason looks in Marcus's direction.

MASON:

Should I go talk to him?

GRACE:

Yeah.

MASON:

Alright, I'll be inside, lettingMarcus kick the sh*t out of me.

GRACE:

Have fun!

INT. MARCUS' ROOM -- DAY

Marcus sits at his desk with his headphones on, writing

lyrics in his notebook.

Mason knocks on the door. Marcus pulls off his headphones andacknowledges him with a head nod.

MASON:

You got some new lyrics you wannatry out on me?

Marcus looks down at his notebook.

MARCUS:

There's a lot of fucks in it.

Mason shrugs.

MASON:

I won't tell.

CUT TO:

INT. MARCUS'S ROOM -- MOMENTS LATER

Mason sits next to Marcus on the bed, playing drums on an

upside-down, rubber trash-can. He starts a very simple hip-

hop beat.

MASON:

Like that?

MARCUS:

Yeah.

Marcus begins to feel it, holding his notebook of lyrics.

Then he spits it out.

MARCUS (CONT’D)

It don’t matter now, damn near

eighteen, all the pretty pictures

in my f***ing head is faded. And

when I think about that trick that

raised me, I think about sick,

cause the b*tch is crazy. F***

that b*tch, n*gger, f*** that pain.

Your body’s in a ditch inside this

turned up brain, I mean I can’t see

how you claim it. You be a mom?

doctor snatch me out the snatch,

pair of evil eagle claws. Ho ho

ho, slut, f*** the way you want it.

Got your young dumb son pitchin

pigeons for money. I mean is colder

than the b*tch when it’s sunny.

Blow’s raining down on the globe,

got the nerve to tell me you love

me? I said again? Again? Sell it

again? B*tch, I’m ten, let me go

outside and function with friends.

Marcus begins to pick up his intensity. Mason stops drumminghalfway through, too caught up in Marcus's performance andraw honesty to continue.

MARCUS (CONT’D)

You say you ma? You mother? You

tha father f***in' queen? I say

alright, I love her, so I flip it

again. Nah, not this time, b*tch,

cause I’m stronger than you. Not

this time, b*tch, swinging harder

than you. Nah, not this time,

b*tch, you ain’t leave me a choice,

you just a body in a ditch in the

brain of a boy. All f***ed up now,

damn near eighteen, all the

pictures in my past ain’t never

fading. I’m always wishing for

something amazing, but when your

life is sh*t, then there ain’t no

trading. So put me in your book so

you know what it’s like to live a

life not knowing what a normal

life’s like. Put a label on my

head so you know what it’s like to

live a life not knowing what a

normal life’s like. Look into my

eyes so you know what it’s like.

Look into my eyes so you know what

it’s like. Look into my eyes so

you know what it’s like to live a

life not knowing what a normal

life’s like.

Marcus finishes, breathing heavy, staring at the floor.

Mason is dumbfounded.

MASON:

I don't even know what to say.

MARCUS:

It’s cool, man. I just need toshave my head. You think Grace

will still shave it?

Mason's a bit caught off-guard by the question.

INT. JAYDEN'S ROOM -- DAY

Grace knocks on Jayden's door. Jayden looks up from her bedto see Grace standing with sketchbook in one hand.

GRACE:

I like the new wall decor.

Jayden looks up, then glances at her penis diagrams.

JAYDEN:

Thanks. They’re actually veryinformative.

Grace smiles and holds up her sketchbook.

GRACE:

Can I draw with you?

Jayden looks at her, considering.

CUT TO:

INT. JAYDEN'S ROOM -- MOMENTS LATER

The two sit on the bed, drawing portraits of each other intheir sketchbooks.

GRACE:

When I was 9 or ten, I used to drawportraits of all my mom'sboyfriends and then I’d sell themto her for 10 bucks a piece.

JAYDEN:

How many boyfriends did she have?

GRACE:

Enough that I was able to save upand buy one of those portable cdplayer with anti-shock protection.

Jayden smiles a little.

JAYDEN:

You're old.

GRACE:

Whatever, those things were cool.

Grace is lost in the memory.

GRACE (CONT’D)

You know what’s weird? Whenever I

was drawing portraits of thoseguys, I would always take forever.

Like 30, 40 minutes, just stringin'

'em along, like, “oh I just gottado a couple more shadows, or finishfixing the nose.” I don't know whyI did that...I hated every singleone 'em.

JAYDEN:

Maybe you were just trying to keep'em away from your mom.

Grace thinks about it for a moment.

GRACE:

Yeah, maybe.

(beat)

Are you done?

JAYDEN:

(sarcastic)

I just gotta do a couple moreshadows, and fix the nose a little.

Grace smirks.

GRACE:

You're such a little smart ass.

Jayden smiles back.

JAYDEN:

That's a level drop.

GRACE:

Oh, no. Not a level drop. I wanted

to play foosball later.

JAYDEN:

Well, too bad.

The two continue with their drawings, side by side.

INT. BATHROOM -- DAY

A razor slides across Marcus' shaven head.

Marcus sits in a chair in front of the bathroom mirror with a

towel around him and hair all over the place. Grace stands

behind him with a razor, finishing up the back of his head.

Mason stands beside her.

GRACE:

Okay, finished. Wanna take a look?

Marcus doesn't move, just stays sitting there, staring at thefloor. Grace looks to Mason.

MASON:

It looks great Marcus. Check it

out.

MARCUS:

Is it lumpy?

Mason and Grace exchange another confused look.

MASON:

What do you mean?

Marcus still stares at the floor.

MARCUS:

I usually keep my hair long, causethat's where she use hit me.

(beat)

Is it still lumpy?

MASON:

No way man, not at all. See for

yourself.

He stands up slowly and looks at himself in the mirror. He

walks up closer, touches his head, feeling it, squeezing it,

as if looking for something. He's amazed.

MARCUS:

Pretty smooth.

Marcus turns to Grace and Mason with a big smile.

MARCUS (CONT’D)

What about the back? No scars,

nothing?

GRACE:

It looks really great.

Marcus looks at himself again in the mirror, then braceshimself on the sink and begins to sob uncontrollably.

Mason walks up to him and puts his hand on his back.

Grace watches them, touched by the scene: he's going to be agood dad.

INT. GRACE'S APARTMENT BATHROOM -- NIGHT

Grace sits in the tub.

INT. GRACE'S APARTMENT BEDROOM -- NIGHT

Mason and Grace lie in bed.

GRACE:

Mason. I have something to tellyou.

MASON:

What's that?

GRACE:

We’re going to have a baby.

MASON:

What?

GRACE:

We’re going to have a baby.

Grace nods, unsure of how he'll take it. He thinks for a

moment.

MASON:

We are?

GRACE:

Mmhmm.

MASON:

Whoa.

He sits up, then stands. He paces.

MASON (CONT’D)

Um, ah, give me a minute.

Mason goes into bathroom.

MASON (O.S.) (CONT’D)

Oh, boy. Holy sh*t.

Mason returns and looks down, notices Grace, senses herworry, bends to her, holds her hand in his, looks at her moreseriously and adult-like than ever.

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