Sparkle Page #2

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It was just getting good.

See you tonight, Sparkle.

- Call you later.

- All right.

See you next time.

- Bye, Tammy.

- Bye, Tune.

Well, good night.

Good night.

Why are all the cute ones

always so stupid?

Hey, can I talk to you for a second?

All right, I'm going.

Please, don't stop.

- What are you still doing here?

- That was beautiful.

Wait, that's your song?

You wrote that?

Only if you thought it was good.

I thought it was phenomenal.

Then I wrote it.

So did you write that song

your sister sang...

...at the Discovery a few weeks back?

- Yes, but she kind of made it her own.

- Wait a minute.

You wrote that song?

You wrote the song you were singing?

You wrote the songs in here too?

Yes.

What you gonna do with the music?

- Nothing.

- Why not?

Because my mother

would never let me.

Plus, I'm not the singer in the family.

Sister is, then Dee.

I sing in the choir

so I don't sit by myself in church.

No offense,

but I'm just hearing excuses.

- Excuse me?

- I don't mean to be rude.

I'm just passionate,

especially when it comes down to music.

That's why I'm here.

I'm staying with my cousin, Levi.

I'm from Kansas City.

We got a cool jazz scene down there.

I managed a few acts,

but the money's here in Motown.

And I want to be--

I am the next Berry Gordy.

I figure, his stomach ain't

growling like mine anymore.

Maybe he's leaving a lot

of steak and potatoes out there.

You mind if I hear that song again?

Still needs a lot of work.

Why won't you unpack?

I really don't plan on

being here that long.

You said that two months ago.

Sorry

Hey, don't ever be sorry

for telling the truth, Spark.

What was that?

Your Romeo is out there.

What?

You can't be throwing rocks

at my window.

My mother has a gun.

A gun. A big one.

There's an underground club tonight.

The kind that songwriters

don't want to miss.

You got to hear the music.

It's the stuff they ain't playing

on the radio.

- Come with me.

- He wants me to go hear music with him.

You've snuck out

of the house for less.

And I know just the dress.

You coming?

I ain't gonna bite you.

And how do I know that?

You're gonna have to trust me.

Can I tell you something?

I think your lyrics are too safe.

I mean, you got Dr. King, the war.

I don't think the metaphorical lyrics

gonna fly anymore.

What?

You impressed by my big word?

I was.

In the spirit of telling the truth,

can I tell you another?

- I wouldn't want you to lie.

- Then why do you lie to yourself?

About not wanting to sing?

I mean, Sparkle,

you writing these songs.

And you can sing.

- So why aren't you singing them?

- I'm no Diana or Aretha.

You know, you right.

You Sparkle.

Look, my mom

used to sing professionally.

She tried to break out

and it almost killed her.

So thank you, but I know

the realities of this business.

- I'm just doing it for fun.

- You know the realities?

- Oh, stop.

- I'm...

Listen.

What are you afraid of?

Your mom or your own voice?

Maybe you'd be like your mom

and never reach your goals.

But don't fall short of it

because you can't admit that you want it.

Okay.

I want to be better than Diana.

I want to be a star.

Thank you.

I had a great time tonight.

And just in case

I never get out of that house...

...thank you for making me

tell the truth.

Sparkle...

...do you want to be a star?

What?

- Do you want to be a star?

- Yes, I want to be a star.

No, I don't believe you.

Say it like you mean it.

Yes, I want to be a star.

Okay.

First you have to

write a song for your sister...

...something where she

can work the crowd.

Sparkle, you gonna have to get

over your fear of singing...

...because you and Dee

gonna back her up.

I mean, everybody loves

a good girl group.

Now, you tweak your lyrics,

make them more raw, more relatable.

But Fillmore, here we come.

Of course, you gonna

have to win Cliff Bells.

- You have to be invited to compete.

- Yeah, I know. I'm gonna work on that.

Now, I want you to work on your sisters,

and I'll work on Cliff Bells.

- And you'll be our manager?

- Of course.

Then you manage to get my sisters.

Do I have you?

Backup, remember?

Good night.

Cliff Bells?

Come on. I'm not embarrassing myself.

- Didn't Marvin Gaye get booed there?

- Yeah, but it made him better.

Now he's traveling, making millions.

Mr. Gordy is making millions.

However it may be, it was enough

to get him out of his mama's house.

You don't have to be rude about it.

Well, I don't really know

if you were asking me.

You never really looked my way,

so our eyes never got to dance, but I'm in.

And just to be clear,

I'm in it for the money.

Medical school is expensive, so, no,

you won't get 20 percent. Fifteen max.

And once I get accepted into medical

school you will have to replace me.

And if you pretend

like I don't exist going forward...

...I will turn my sisters against you.

Other than that, sounds like fun.

I'll wait for you guys outside.

I'll let you know.

My first day at Freeman's is tomorrow.

Working at a department store?

You ain't gonna make no money.

Sparkle!

Come on, Sparkle.

- Everything I said the other night, I believe.

- You used me to get to Sister.

You said it yourself,

Sister is the better performer.

Sparkle.

Have you lost faith

in Mr. Johnson?

Well, I guess the president

would have to answer that question.

Oh, who doesn't like Sidney Poitier?

- But the movie, you liked the movie?

- Yeah, I loved the movie.

More importantly, the next time

you take me out, you need to have a car.

Oh, I'm just--

I'm just waiting

on the right one to buy, baby.

Take me on a date on a bus

in the rain?

You're lucky I like you.

Look, I don't know any other way to be

than myself. I'm a straight shooter.

So here we go.

I like you too.

I do, and I want to be your man.

I'm serious. I ain't like all the other

jive guys that just want to do you.

I heard about your reputation.

I just think it's what guys say...

...when they see something beautiful

and know they can't have it.

So they'd rather tear it down

than make it something they want.

But I see your beauty.

Outside and inside.

I want to earn it.

Kind of like a job.

Yeah, so just tell me what you need

to fall in love with me.

Because whatever it is, I'll do it, girl.

Whether you believe it or not,

I'm already in love with you.

I already heard it so much,

it all sounds like BS to me.

Maybe I better roll up

my sleeves then, huh?

- Hopefully not as high as your pants.

- What's wrong with my pants, girl?

- This is the style. You can see my socks.

- Change it.

Put some sugar in them shoes.

So I can sweet-talk

my pants down, huh?

What's this?

Open it up.

Oh, Levi.

I swear,

one day that's gonna be yours.

I promise you.

That's Satin Struthers.

Now that's some of the coolest trolling

I done seen in a long time.

- Did you see this cat, Ham?

- Yeah, I see him.

What's your name, brother?

Levison, but they call me Levi.

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