(ERIC walks into the room.)
BEN - Yo Nupe!
ERIC - Wassup bruh.
BEN - Chillin' man. What's goin' on?
ERIC - Nothin' much. Akina is mad at me...again.
BEN - Oh yeah? Why?
ERIC - Because I went to Jess' house to send off my report instead of goin' to Jay's.
BEN - Oh! Ha ha ha ha!
(JAY overhears and walks over.)
JAY - So what's wrong with that? I was wonderiing what happened to you anyway.
ERIC - Well I told Akina where I was. I was being honest.
BEN - You told her?
ERIC - I told her because you know Renee lives across the hall from Jessica. So my happy ass is walking into Jessica's crib and Renee and Tracey walk out. And you know how them loud mouths are.
BEN - Oh shit! Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
ERIC - So I figured, let me tell Akina first. That way, she hears it from me.
BEN - Well I see now why she got mad. She's still gonna get pissed. Girls don't understand that shit. If I was you, I wouldn't have said shit until she brought it up.
JAY - But you did the right thing. You told her first and you were up front. Whenever you put your cards on the table, chicks can't get upset. That's just the way it is. I feel you E. If you put shit out there first, then they can't say shit if they hear it out in the streets. I feel you man.
BEN - Well did you and Jessica do anything? You still hittin' it?
ERIC - Oh no, absolutely not. It isn't like that at all. Jess ain't thinking about me. I think she's about to have a new man or something. I saw her with some dude on the yard one day.
(There is a knock on the door and BEN goes to open it. GREGG and MIKE walk in from the chapter at Ahpla University.)
GREGG - Wassup Nupe.
BEN - Yo! What's the deal player?
GREGG - You know how it is bruh. Just coolin' out.
BEN - Big Mike, what's up man?
MIKE - What up B!
ERIC - Aight bros. Let's all sit down and start to take care of business. We got a lot to talk about.
(Everyone sits down.)
ERIC - Aight. As yall know, we're here to discuss the Kool Out. This is the biggest party on Amgis' yard by far and the whole campus waits for this every year. So we need to really make this one hotter than ever. Last year was hot, but this year needs to be off the chain.
JAY - Yeah.
ERIC - So I want to open up the floor to suggestions to how we can make this joint even hotter.
(The room is silent.)
ERIC - Don't all you niggas talk at once.
(MIKE raises his hand.)
ERIC - What's up Mike?
MIKE - I got an idea. Now I went to the Kool Out last year, eventhough I wasn't supposed to. You know how curious niggas are.
(Everyone laughs.)
MIKE - So you know they're gonna be some guys there that want to be Nupes.
ERIC - Most definitely.
MIKE - So with that being said, I think we should give them a show.
ERIC - Give them a show? What do you mean?
(MIKE smiles.)
MIKE - What if in the middle of the party, when it's really bangin', two pledgees run out and kick some real intense greetings. Then they run away. It would be off thoe hook! The whole party would be shocked, the Nupes would look intimidating, it would be dope!
(silence)
MIKE - And I volunteer me and Ben to be the two pledgees!
BEN - What!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Delta Sigma Theta member BREANNA has telephoned her soror TIA to talk.
TIA - Hey Bree, what's the deal soror?
BREANNA - Hey Tia. Can we talk? Remember the problem that I have that I was telling you about?
TIA - Problem?
BREANNA - Yeah. Remember when I was on line and we went aside to talk? I told you that I had given my heart to someone?
TIA - Oh yeah. I do remember that. You looked really upset that day. I could tell you had been crying and I thought Robin was just being extra hard on you two.
BREANNA - Right. She actually had, but that isn't why I was crying obviously.
TIA - Well you know how Robin can get.
BREANNA - Don't I know it!
TIA - Well anyway, what's the problem?
BREANNA - Well...
(BREANNA pauses.)
BREANNA - ...I need to talk to you about it. I felt a bond when we spoke and I feel very close to you. And I need to share what is going through my mind right now. And in my heart.
TIA - Well I appreciate that. Go ahead.
BREANNA - Okay. Well, the guy that I fell in love with is older.
TIA - Okay.
BREANNA - He was actually one of my professors. I dropped his class though.
TIA - Really? A professor? Oh damn.
BREANNA - Yeah. I had his class and he is very nice. Charming actually. So he was basically helping me with assignments. And the thing is, it didn't even start off like I liked him or anything. It was just that he was so nice and seemed to be a real nice person.
TIA - Uh huh.
BREANNA - So anyway, we started to talk about things outside of school work. Well it started with school work, and then he started to tell me how he became a professor and what drove him to study so hard. Why he wants to teach. He's actually brilliant. That was impressive.
TIA - It always is.
BREANNA - We went to lunch one day and I still saw him as my professor. So lunch was cool and very comfortable.
TIA - So when did you see him as different. Or start to like him.
BREANNA - He started to let me read and review some of his writings from his dissertations. I guess I'm a sucker for smart guys because that got me. When he talks about politics or the psyche of men and women, or on policies in South Africa, I just sit there quietly and absorb it all in. He speaks well and fluently and his world knowledge is incredible.
TIA - Damn.
BREANNA - So when I fell for him, I fell for him hard. Like a ton of bricks.
TIA - Uh huh. I've definitely been there before.
BREANNA - So when I found out he was married...
TIA - What!
BREANNA - ...yes girl. I was already madly in love with him. We had already made love. And I find out that not only is he married with children...
TIA - Uh huh.
BREANNA - But he's married to the chapter advisor! And here I am trying to make line!
(silence)
TIA - Wait...you're talking about Alex Jefferson?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Kappas are meeting about their upcoming party, the Kappa Kool Out when MIKE makes a suggestion.
MIKE - What if in the middle of the party, when it's really bangin', two pledgees run out and kick some real intense greetings. Then they run away. It would be off thoe hook! The whole party would be shocked, the Nupes would look intimidating, it would be dope!
GREGG thinks - Oh God! I've created a monster!
(silence)
MIKE - And I volunteer me and Ben to be the two pledgees!
BEN - What!
MIKE - That would be hot!
BEN - Man, that's stupid! I ain't a Scroller no more! Forget that!
MIKE - Come on man! You can put yourself back into the mentality just for a minute. For the Kool Out.
BEN - Hell no! That's got to be the dumbest idea...
ERIC - Naw wait, hold on man. Maybe that isn't a bad idea.
BEN - What?
ERIC - It would be theatrical if nothing else. Ha ha ha ha!
BEN - Then you do it.
ERIC - I'm already working the door.
JAY - Yeah, and I'll be on security for most of the night. So I'll be tied up.
BEN - Negro, you're gonna be working the room for most of the night! Stop trippin'!
(Everyone laughs.)
MIKE - I think it's a good idea.
BEN - I don't.
MIKE - Why not?
BEN - I don't know about you Mike but I didn't enjoy pledging. I hate to be reminded of it and I don't want to go back on line.
MIKE - Well depending on your process...
(MIKE smiles sarcastically.)
MIKE - ...I mean, nobody...likes...
(MIKE uses his fingers to indicate quotation marks.)
MIKE - ...their process. But those of us who have pledged right don't mind a revisit every now and again. If nothing else, it strengthens your love for Phi Nu Pi. Know what I'm sayin'?
BEN - No I don't know what you're sayin'. I don't have to memorize greetings or have these niggas yellin' at me for me to have love for the frat. And I pledged right, so what you sayin'?
(MIKE murmurs under his breath.)
BEN - Excuse me?
ERIC - Bros! Yo bros! Chill out.
(BEN looks at MIKE strangely and MIKE shrugs at him innocently.)
ERIC - Let's vote on this thing. Obviously we got a lot of mixed reactions to Mike's idea. Since this isn't a formal meeting with minutes or anything, a show of hands will do. How many of yall think that Ben and Mike should dress up like Scrollers and run through the party? They would be serving us drinks and stuff and doing greetings and shit. Face paint, boots, the whole nine yards. So who thinks it's a good idea?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
MARCUS and RASHIM are walking in the mall. They dip into Foot Locker.
RASHIM - Oh shit! Look at these! These are the hot shits for the summer!
MARCUS thinks - Must he curse in every sentence?
MARCUS - Why are you so loud man?
RASHIM - Huh?
MARCUS - Does everyone in the mall have to hear you man? Dang.
RASHIM - Oh my bad Marcus. Ha ha ha ha ha! But check out these damn kicks man! These are off the motherfuckin' chain!
MARCUS - Oh yeah? Let me see.
(RASHIM hands MARCUS the shoe from the shelf.)
MARCUS - Oh yeah, these are tight. These are real hot.
RASHIM - I'm bout to try these on playa! Ha ha!
MARCUS - I don't know why. You ain't got no loot.
(RASHIM lowers his voice and leans toward MARCUS.)
RASHIM - Yeah, but they don't know that!
MARCUS - Oh right! Right!
(RASHIM smiles and MARCUS sighs. RASHIM sits down and has the employee bring him his size.)
RASHIM - Man, if I stepped on the yard with these, the honies would be on a brotha!
MARCUS - You need new sneaks to get the honies?
RASHIM - Bruh, anything will help! Ha ha ha ha!
MARCUS - You're a fool man! Ha ha ha ha! Ay man hurry up. I'm starvin'.
RASHIM - Aight man, hold your horses. We can get something to eat as soon as I try these on.
MARCUS - Aight cool.
(The employee walks back out with a box for RASHIM as MARCUS casually glimpses out the store into the mall.)
MARCUS - Oh no!
RASHIM - What?
(MARCUS almost jumps out of his seat.)
RASHIM - What's up?
MARCUS - It's Renee and she's coming this way!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
BREANNA - So when I found out he was married I was already madly in love with him. We had already made love. And I find out that not only is he married with children...
TIA - Uh huh.
BREANNA - But he's married to the chapter advisor! And here I am trying to make line!
(silence)
TIA - Wait...you're talking about Alex Jefferson?
BREANNA - Yeah. You know him?
TIA - Yeah! I know him! I mean, I know Stacie so I met her husband a few times! Oh my God!
BREANNA - Yeah. So can you imagine what I've been through?
(silence)
TIA - Oh my God!
CAMILLE - What? What?
(TIA looks over at CAMILLE who has been trying to over hear her conversation with BREANNA. She gets up and walks into the bathroom with the phone.)
CAMILLE thinks - Aw man!
TIA - I cannot believe Stacie's husband did these things! Oh my God!
BREANNA - So already he's trying to get me back. He keeps telling me that he misses me and that he never really loved her. He just got her pregnant and subsequently married her, and all this other crap.
TIA - Really? Are you serious! Damn!
BREANNA - But I ain't buying it.
TIA - Well I hear you Breanna. Be strong girl. He is full of crap and I'm glad you can see him for who he really is.
BREANNA - Yeah.
(silence)
TIA - Are you okay?
BREANNA - Well here is the problem. I try to stay strong and feel the way that I should feel. But with all that, a part of me does still miss him a lot.
TIA - Really?
BREANNA - I guess it's hard to explain. I mean, don't get me wrong. I'll never ever go back. But I miss talking to him.
TIA - You gotta get over that shit Breanna. You can't even think of him at all. Just move on from it.
BREANNA - Well I try to but...
TIA - No buts about it. Move on. It's just that simple.
BREANNA - It isn't that simple. I wish it was.
TIA - Why isn't it?
BREANNA - Because everything reminds me of him. Even if I talk to a guy now. He'll be trying to talk to me and spittin' some real weak game, and I'll just think about Alex and how intelligent he speaks. Or if I see a Range Rover go by, I'll think about Alex. He drives one. Or I think about him on Tuesdays because we used to meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays after classes.
TIA - See what I'm sayin'? He's all up in your brain and you're all messed up. Forget him Bree. Forget him.
BREANNA - It just isn't that simple Tia. If it was, I wouldn't be on the phone with you asking for your help.
TIA - Well this is my help. Forget his ass.
BREANNA - Why can't you see that it isn't that simple?
TIA - What's so hard about it?
(silence)
TIA - Breanna, the man is married to a soror. He is a cheat, a liar, and a no good dog! He has babies at home for God sake! If you look at the kind of man he is, how in the world can you even miss him at all?
BREANNA - Yeah but he married someone that he isn't in love with. What about that? Maybe he was trying to do the decent thing by marrying Stacie but realized that that was a mistake.
TIA - Then that further shows how stupid he is! You don't get married because you get your girlfriend pregnant! This is two thousand three for God sake!
BREANNA - Alex is not stupid.
TIA - Yes he is and if you can't see that then...
(TIA stops.)
BREANNA - What! Am I stupid too?
TIA - I didn't say that Breanna. Of course you're not stupid.
(silence)
(TIA can hear BREANNA start to cry.)
TIA - Breanna? Breanna...
(BREANNA doesn't answer.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
MARCUS - Oh no!
RASHIM - What?
(MARCUS almost jumps out of his seat.)
RASHIM - What's up?
MARCUS - It's Renee and she's coming this way!
RASHIM - Who? Where?
MARCUS - Renee! She goes to school with us!
RASHIM - Where?
(RENEE and TRACEY walk into the Foot Locker and are walking directly toward MARCUS and RASHIM who are sitting down. MARCUS smiles as the ladies aproach.)
RENEE - Marcus! How are you?
(MARCUS stands up and gives RENEE a hug.)
MARCUS - Hi Renee! How you doin'?
RENEE - I'm fine stranger, how are you?
MARCUS - I'm chillin'.
RENEE - This is my soror Tracey.
MARCUS - Hi.
TRACEY - Hi.
RENEE thinks - He is so cute!
RENEE - I got a bone to pick with you Mister!
MARCUS - Huh? What did I do?
(MARCUS smiles as RENEE playfully hits him in the arm.)
RENEE - What happened to you that night when we met? We were having a great conversation and then all of a sudden you were gone. You up and bounced.
RASHIM - Excuse his rudeness ladies, I'm Rashim.
(RASHIM has stood up with one shoe on and one shoe off. He extends his hand toward RENEE and TRACEY.)
MARCUS - Oh my bad, this is my boy Rashim. Rashim this is Renee and Tracey.
RASHIM - AKAs right? I remember seeing yall in the step show last homecoming.
TRACEY - Yeah.
(RASHIM smiles seductively.)
TRACEY thinks - Oh God.
RENEE - So what happened that night? Why did you disappear?
MARCUS - Oh you're talking about up in the club that night? Oh yeah, well one of my boys had a little too much to drink at the bar and got into a scuffle with one of the bouncers. Ya know how that goes, so if he had to go, we all had to go. I had to make sure he got home in one piece.
RENEE - Oh okay.
MARCUS - I'm sorry about that.
RENEE - No problem. I was just hoping that I would see you again or something.
MARCUS - Oh.
(silence)
RENEE - Are you like hungry or anything? We're getting ready to go up to the food court.
(Both TRACEY and RENEE look MARCUS in the face for his answer.)
RASHIM - Yeah we're starv...
MARCUS - Uh we actually just ate and were gonna bounce up out of here as soon as he tries these shoes on.
RASHIM thinks - What?
MARCUS - But it was good running into you again Renee. Maybe I'll see you on campus or something.
RENEE - Uh yeah. Sure. Fine.
(RENEE looks disappointed as she turns to leave.)
RENEE - So I'll see ya around.
MARCUS - Yeah. Take care. Nice meeting you Tracey.
TRACEY - You too.
RASHIM - Uh...nice meeting you both...uh...
(The girls don't reply to RASHIM as they walk out.)
RASHIM - What you do that for man! She was diggin' you and her friend was checkin' me out! Why you let them leave like that? And you just said you were hungry, why are you trippin'?
MARCUS - Man, that girl Renee is bad news dude. I mean she's cute and all, but I heard she got some undercover issues goin' on.
RASHIM - Word?
MARCUS - Dude, she got like all these dudes that she messes around with. And I think she was pregnant just a few months ago. Obviously she took care of that because she clearly ain't pregnant now fittin' into those jeans.
RASHIM - Yeah, shit. You got that right. Damn!
MARCUS - Yeah, this girl named Mona told me about her. And it must've been some true stuff that Mona was saying.
RASHIM - Why you say that?
MARCUS - Because Mona is an AKA too. Why would she lie on her own soror?
RASHIM - I guess so.
MARCUS - Yeah man, I ain't tryin' to get caught up in no drama. Especially now.
RASHIM - Well I definitely feel you on that tip bro.
(They walk out of the Foot Locker.)
RASHIM - So we gotta leave now? Damn, why you tell them we were leaving?
MARCUS - Whatever man. Ain't nothin' happenin' up in here anyway. Let's be out. We can go to Burger King on the way back to campus.
RASHIM - Aight.
(They turn to walk toward the closest exit.)
MARCUS - Oh dang!
RASHIM - Now what?
MARCUS - Look man! Over there!
(MARCUS points without being obvious.)
RASHIM - Oh shit!
MARCUS - Man! Did he see us?
RASHIM - Yeah, he looked me dead in my face and then turned back to that girl.
MARCUS - What should we do? We have to go up and speak right? I guess.
RASHIM - I guess so. Yeah we should. Come on.
MARCUS - Dag!
(MARCUS and RASHIM change direction and walk toward BUCK and the two girls he is talking to.)
MARCUS - Just play it cool man.
RASHIM - I got you.
MARCUS - Not cool like you were with those girls. I mean real cool.
RASHIM - Shut up!
(They walk up to BUCK.)
MARCUS - Hey Buck.
(BUCK turns around and doesn't look too happy.)
BUCK - Hey...
(BUCK is trying to remember MARCUS' name.)
MARCUS - It's Marcus.
BUCK - Oh yeah. Marcus.
MARCUS - And this is Rashim. We uh met at the interest meeting that time.
(JUNE overhears MARCUS state that and turns around.)
(silence)
BUCK - Oh just tell the whole world Marcus.
(silence)
MARCUS thinks - Damn!
(BUCK sighs indicating that he is clearly frustrated.)
BUCK - Marcus this is June. June this is Rashim and Marcus.
(JUNE smiles and laughs to herself.)
JUNE - Hi guys.
MARCUS - Hello.
RASHIM - Hi.
BUCK - This is Marcus and Rashim...
(BUCK points to the guys once again.)
BUCK - ...fellas, this is Ginger.
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