Wadjda Page #14

the bicycle.

Wajda’s Gets excited and hits the brakes hard.

WAJDA:

He must be holding it for me!

100 INT. THE MAJLIS - DAY 100

Wajda sits playing her video game, wearing her helmet. A new

resolve in her eyes.

VIDEO GAME:

What is Al Mihrab?

WAJDA:

I know that one.

She hits the button.

VIDEO GAME:

Correct!

WAJDA:

Finally!

She falls back onto the couch. She looks up to see the family

tree. Her name has been taken off, and the leaf she wrote it

on is crumpled up on the table. She picks it up, sadly.

70.

Through the half open door she sees her Mother on the phone

in the other room, yelling.

MOTHER:

Well if you won’t listen to me, I

don’t know why I should listen to

you!

Her Mother hangs up, puts on her abbayah and yells:

MOTHER (CONT’D)

Get ready, we are going out!

Wajda quickly takes off the bicycle helmet. The Mother puts

on her Abyya quickly. The new red shoes are left on the

floor.

101 INT. THE HOSPITAL - DAY 101

The Mother fidgets. At the far end of the room she sees

Leila, in a lab coat, putting files onto a shelf. She stands

on a ladder, wearing only a hijab, with her face and some

hair showing.

A SAUDI MAN puts a cup of coffee on the counter next to her.

They exchange jokes.

WAJDA:

Are you going to work here with

Leila? Those lab coats are cool,

like the Matrix, only white!

MOTHER:

Shhh! I… just want to give her

something.

Leila steps down and heads over.

LEILA:

Hey! You came! Wait, let me get you

the application.

MOTHER:

Leila, what happened? Why you are

you revealing your face?

Laila smiles to her confidently and searches under the desk,

her male colleague comes back. He smiles at the Mother.

MALE WORKER:

Hello, How are you?

71.

She doesn't answer, uncomfortably tucking her hands into her

abbayah, looking away. Wajda looks at him casually.

WAJDA:

Hello.

The man smiles to Wajda, grabs a file, and exits. The Mother,

now really uncomfortable, tries to get Leila's attention.

MOTHER:

Leila, don't worry dear. I'm not

here for an application. We were

just passing by.

Wajda is surprised by her Mother's lie.

MOTHER (CONT’D)

We'll leave you now to work. Looks

like you're busy.

LEILA:

(sympathetically)

It's a good job and the places are

filling up quickly. You should…

MOTHER:

(interrupting)

It's so good to see you, Leila.

I'll call you later.

She grabs Wajda's hand and leads her towards the door. Wajda

looks back at Leila wistfully, then at her Mother.

WAJDA:

I thought you were going to-

MOTHER:

Enough!

Her Mother shushes her and quickens her pace out the door.

102 INT. SCHOOL CORRIDOR - DAY 102

The girls line up for an assembly. Ms. Hussa makes her way to

the stage and picks up the megaphone. She stares over the

crowd, sternly. She checks the microphone.

MS. HUSSA

Hello...Hello...In the name of God.

First I want to thank all the girls

for their hard work this term. We

are the best school in the area.

(MORE)

72.

MS. HUSSA (CONT'D)

And I would like to remind all the

girls that school is a place for

virtue and knowledge. (clears her

throat). Girls, I would like you to

listen very well. We caught two

girls committing a sin behind the

school. Their names are Fatin Ali

and Fatima Umar.

The girls stare intently as Ms. Hussa motions the “offenders”

forward.

MS. HUSSA (CONT’D)

And now they will come to the front

of the stage to repent.

Fatin and Fatima make their way to the stage. They appear

broken, their heads hanging low and their faces blank. Wajda,

upon seeing the girls, feels sick to her stomach.

MS. HUSSA (CONT’D)

To avoid similar situations, you

are no longer allowed to bring

flowers to school for your friends,

or give each other letters or

autographs. And no one is allowed

to hold hands. Do you understand?

Good. You may go to your classes

now.

The girls move quickly toward the door. As Fatin and Fatima

leave, Fatin bumps into a GIRL.

GIRL:

(panicked, screaming)

Don't touch me!

Fatin says nothing. Wajda starts to walk toward them both

when she sees Ms. Hussa waiting by the stairs.

Wajda stops, glances at the two girls, then back at Ms. Hussa

who smiles at her. Wajda turns her head quickly and walks

away from Fatin and Fatima, feeling guilty and uncertain.

103 INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 103

Wajda brings in her Koran and sits on the floor next to her

Mother who irons her Father's thobes, singing.

MOTHER:

The handsome man stole my heart;

with his black eyes. I come closer,

he goes away;

(MORE)

73.

MOTHER (CONT'D)

making me feel hollow. No tears, no

words can bring him back; Oh my

heart..

Wajda ignores the piles of note-cards scattered around her,

looking morose. Her Mother looks at her, concerned, and stops

singing.

WAJDA:

I don't want to finish the

competition! I hate Ms. Hussa! I'm

tired.

MOTHER:

What does Ms. Hussa have to do with

it? It's your business!

(smiling encouragingly)

Your Father is happy that you are

doing this. He is so proud of you.

Please, Wajda. That’s very

important right now.

Wajda looks at her Mother, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. She

sits up straight and recites Surah 30 (Ar-Rum), verse 21:

WAJDA:

And of His Signs is that he creates

for you mates out of yourselves, so

that you may find tranquility in

them; and He has put love and mercy

between you. Surely in this there

are indeed Signs for a people who

reflect.

Wajda stops reciting. Her Mother looks at her, lovingly.

MOTHER:

Give it a tone like this.

(beautifully)

And of His Signs is that he creates

for you mates out of yourselves, so

that you may find tranquility in

them - Go on try it.

WAJDA:

(imitating her Mother)

And of His Signs is that he creates

for you mates out of yourselves, so

that you may find tranquility in

them.

MOTHER:

Very good! Now do the next lines

like this:

(MORE)

74.

MOTHER (CONT'D)

(reverently)

And He has put love and mercy

between you. Surely in this there

are indeed Signs for a people who

reflect.

WAJDA:

(following)

And He has put love and mercy

between you. Surely in this there

are indeed Signs for a people who

reflect.

MOTHER:

(proudly, teasing her)

Excellent! Your voice is as lovely

as your Mother's.

Wajda stops, realizing she’s doing it well!

WAJDA:

I feel shy! I can't recite like

this in front of everyone.

MOTHER:

You are shy? Ha! I only wish it

were true!

Wajda makes a face at her Mother, who bursts out laughing.

Wajda barely smiles.

Outside they see the lights Abdullah strung up turn on and

illuminate the street and their living room.

Wajda and her Mother look at each other.

MOTHER (CONT’D)

You’ve worked hard. Come on.

She quickly turns the iron off and they run up to the roof.

104 EXT. THE ROOF OF WAJDA'S HOUSE - NIGHT 104

The two look out as groups of men gather in the street below.

The lights reflect on Wajda and her Mother who look so much

alike in the dim light. A breeze blows their hair gently.

Down the street they see Abdullah's bearded Uncle greeting

everyone as they arrive.

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