Episode 32

JASON, QUINTON and ALEXIS are in The Sands, the Greek paraphernalia store on Ahpla's campus.

QUINTON - I can't believe we're in here about to buy these boys crossing gifts. It seems like we just crossed.

JASON - Yeah time flies.

QUINTON - I'm sayin'! You doin' a good job with them so far man.

JASON - Thanks but I can't take all the credit.

ALEXIS - Sure you can. I do it all the time. I'll bask in some credit!

(They laugh.)

JASON - Yall gonna have a line soon?

(ALEXIS smiles.)

ALEXIS - You'll just have to wait and see.

JASON - Intrigue! I like it!

QUINTON - I heard the Zetas started already.

JASON - I aint supposed to say nothin' but yeah. They got four.

ALEXIS - They do?

QUINTON - How you know?

JASON - I'm talkin' to the dean.

QUINTON - Talkin' to talkin' to? Or having conversation talkin' to.

WORKER - What can I do for yall? Sorry to keep you all waiting.

JASON - Its okay... you right on time!

(JASON winks at QUINTON and smiles.)

JASON - I need to order two jackets. Just like this one.

(JASON pulls his own jacket out of his bag.)

WORKER - Okay no problem. Chapter jacket. Nice. You got all the information for it?

JASON - Got it right here.

WORKER - Okay let me grab an order form. Be right back.

JASON - Thanks.

(ALEXIS' phone rings. She grabs it and looks at the caller id and doesn't recognize the number.)

QUINTON - So you gonna answer my question or not nigga!

JASON - What question?

(QUINTON laughs.)

QUINTON - Oh now you stupid. Ha ha ha!

ALEXIS - Hello?

SLIM - Hey, is this Alexis? Its Slim.

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JOHN and TONY, the pledgees of Kappa Kappa Psi Fraternity are waiting in a dark alley behind the dorm.

TONY - This is ridiculous! This is stupid and ridiculous!

JOHN - Shut up!

TONY - No, I'm tired of catering to this fool and you got me out here! Do you know how stupid this is?

JOHN - T, shut up!

TONY - No! This is pissin' me off! The object of pledging is to get smarter! To do things more efficiently and smarter. This isn't smarter, this is dumber!

(JOHN doesn't reply but keeps peeking around the corner looking for BRENDON.)

TONY - We didn't do the assignments! Any of them!

JOHN - I know Tony.

TONY - No, I don't think you realize how dumb it was to put all of our eggs in the Brendon basket!

JOHN - Could you please be quiet!

TONY - Look...

(TONY grabs JOHN and spins him around.)

TONY - I don't think you fully grasp what the hell is supposed to happen to us!

JOHN - Get off me!

TONY - No... listen to me!

JOHN - No you listen to me dammit!

(JOHN slams his hands down on TONY's arms, forcing him to let go.)

JOHN - You been acting like you in charge or some shit from day one! And I'm tired of hearing your mouth!

(TONY is taken aback from surprise.)

JOHN - I know I chose to trust Brendon and I know I didn't think of a back up plan if the nigga didn't come through! But you know what, so what! So the hell what!

TONY - So what huh? Okay... let me here you say so what when Kai is beatin' your ass.

(silence)

(TONY turns around and puts his hands behind his head.)

TONY - Shit!

(JOHN doesn't say anything.)

TONY - Shit! Shit! Shit!

(silence)

TONY - So how long are we gonna hang around here?

(JOHN looks at his watch.)

JOHN - Five more minutes. I just got a hunch that Bren is not gonna let us down.

TONY - Uh huh. And you wonder why I want to take the lead when it comes to the things we do. I let you make a decison for the both of us, and I knew that shit was stupid but I went with it anyway, and you got us bout to face the big brothers.

JOHN - Damn.

TONY - Oh now you starting to consider the consequences of this shit.

JOHN - I was just thinking. This stuff we supposed to get done, Prof is gonna come down hard on them... which means...

TONY - It means we in for the ass whippin' of a lifetime! That's what it means.

JOHN - Damn.

(silence)

TONY - Look dude, I aint tryin' to be yellin' and hollerin' at you because we in this together. At least that's more than I can say for that nigga Brendon and his unreliable ass. But from now on, we gotta work as a team dude. We gotta stick together.

JOHN - Okay.

TONY - No more arguements between us. It aint me against you, its me and you going up against them. We gotta keep that in mind.

JOHN - Yeah.

(TONY sighs.)

TONY - So let's go do what we gotta do man. We gotta handle our business, so we might as well just handle it well.

JOHN - Yeah, I guess you right.

(They both grab the empty bags that they had brought with them in order to fill with the stuff they trusted BRENDON to bring.)

TONY - And I hope this confirms for you once and for all... Brendon is never going to be a member of Kappa Kappa Psi... not here at Ahpla, not at Amgis, not any damn where!

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ALEXIS - Who is this?

SLIM - Its Slim... Gary's boy.

ALEXIS thinks - Oh shit...

ALEXIS - Um... hold on a second.

(ALEXIS turns to QUINTON.)

ALEXIS - Hey, I'll be right back.

QUINTON - Who is it?

ALEXIS - Um... one of our new sorors that I met at regionals.

QUINTON - Cool.

ALEXIS thinks - God I just lied!

(She steps away into a different part of the store.)

ALEXIS - Hello.

SLIM - Hey, how you doin'?

ALEXIS - How did you get my number?

SLIM - Slim got his ways. Ha ha ha ha.

ALEXIS thinks - Damn Rosalind!

SLIM - So what's goin' on hon? How you?

ALEXIS - Um... nothing. Slim why are you callin' me?

SLIM - Something wrong with me calling you?

ALEXIS - I mean... I have a boyfriend.

SLIM - He don't like for you to have friends?

ALEXIS - No, it aint that. But...

SLIM - I'm sayin', I thought you was mad cool when we met. You know what I'm sayin' and my man Gary said you was cool. So I was like yo, that's what's up. Just figured I'd call and holla holla holla.

(ALEXIS giggles.)

SLIM - Aint tryin' to cause no havoc. You feel me?

ALEXIS - I feel you.

SLIM - No do you feel me! Do ya feel Slim Daddy?

(ALEXIS laughs.)

ALEXIS - I got it.

(SLIM laughs.)

SLIM - So what's goin' on? What you doin'? Who you be with?

(She smiles.)

ALEXIS - I'm hanging out with some friends. We buying some fraternity jackets for some guys that are about to cross.

SLIM - Oh you all into that sorority stuff?

ALEXIS - Yeah, me and Ros are Sigma Gamma Rhos.

SLIM - That's what's up. I aint into all that Alpha Kappa Lambda or whatever. I just pledge me. Slim Slim Daddy!

(She laughs at how SLIM says it... like its a fraternity call.)

ALEXIS - Silly.

SLIM - I'm just playin'.

ALEXIS - What is your real name?

SLIM - Slim.

ALEXIS - What does your mother call you?

SLIM - Slim son.

(ALEXIS laughs hard.)

ALEXIS - Boy! What's on your birth certificate?

SLIM - Slim baby.

(ALEXIS laughs and sucks her teeth.)

ALEXIS - Don't make me have to beat you!

(SLIM laughs.)

SLIM - I don't like to go by my name. It sounds corny when people say it.

ALEXIS - How does it sound when you say it?

(SLIM pauses.)

SLIM - Hector.

ALEXIS - Hector? Your name is Hector?

SLIM - Wow, I like how you say it!

ALEXIS - Do you?

SLIM - Yeah I do.

ALEXIS - Well then I'll call you that.

SLIM - Hey hey hey, let's not go overboard with it!

(They both laugh.)

SLIM - But my mom is from Puerto Rico. She wanted to call me Hector.

ALEXIS - You don't look Puerto Rican.

SLIM - You couldn't tell Mami?

(ALEXIS laughs.)

ALEXIS - Actually that does explain the long hair.

SLIM - You like cornrows?

ALEXIS thinks - Yes!

ALEXIS - They look cool. How bout your dad? What's the story there?

SLIM - He was a pimp so he called me Slim.

ALEXIS - Your father named you Slim? Are you serious?

SLIM - Oh yeah. Shit, his name was Cool Breeze!

(ALEXIS laughs.)

ALEXIS - You're funny.

SLIM - Slim is what Slim is baby.

ALEXIS thinks - Oh God!

ALEXIS - Well look, I gotta get back to my friends.

SLIM - Aight cool, so you won't trip out if I call you?

ALEXIS - No, I won't trip if you call I guess.

SLIM - And you gonna call me sometimes?

(silence)

SLIM - Just as friends baby, just as friends.

(ALEXIS smiles.)

ALEXIS - I guess so. Yeah, I'll call you. Is this your number in my phone?

SLIM - Does it say Slim Daddy that'll make ya happy?

ALEXIS - You gettin' corny now.

SLIM - Sorry, I get it from my pimp father. Everything is a rhyme ya know.

(She laughs.)

ALEXIS - Aight Slim, I mean Hector.

(SLIM smiles.)

SLIM - You the only person that'll ever call me that!

ALEXIS - I'm special?

SLIM - I guess we gotta find that out.

(She smiles.)

ALEXIS - Talk to you later.

SLIM - Peace baby.

(They hang up. ALEXIS smiles as she puts her phone away.)

ALEXIS thinks - I'm gonna kick Rosalind's ass!

(She walks back to where QUINTON and JASON are talking.)

QUINTON - Hey. Thought you left the store.

ALEXIS - Naw, I was just chit chattin'.

QUINTON - Cool. How is your soror?

(silence)

(silence)

(silence)

ALEXIS - Oh um... she's fine. Just had some questions about chapter procedure. She's new and doesn't know yet.

QUINTON - Oh okay. Cool beans.

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GINA slams the door as her and MIRI enter her apartment.

MIRI - But listen...

GINA - No! I'm tired of you trying to talk and explain! I said that we're gonna finish this in privacy and that's what I meant!

MIRI - If you would just listen...

GINA - Stop! I ask the questions now!

MIRI - Fine.

(GINA hesitates to try and gain her composure. She's been crying and screaming at MIRI.)

GINA - All I want you to do is this...

(She closes her eyes as she speaks.)

GINA - ...all I want you to do is answer a few questions.

MIRI - Baby I'll answer anything you want.

(silence)

GINA - Did we adopt Migiri legally?

(MIRI hesitates.)

MIRI - Yes.

GINA - Did you sign something that you shouldn't have signed?

MIRI - Gina let me tell you why...

GINA - Yes! Or no!

(MIRI holds his head down.)

(silence)

MIRI - Yes.

GINA - God! My son! What did you do! Is it going to negate the legal adoption?

MIRI - I don't know.

(GINA is crying very hard and yelling. She approaches MIRI but he doesn't back up.)

GINA - What did you do!

MIRI - Let me explain!

GINA - That's my son! That's my baby boy!

MIRI - He's my son too.

(GINA is crying into her hands.)

MIRI - This whole thing is one big colossal screw up okay? I had conversations with the king's people. They never told me that he was a king!. They never told me that Migiri is a prince! They told me that he was going to be placed in a foster care program and probably left to grow up alone!

GINA - What did you do?

MIRI - I promised a better life for him. I promised an education for him. I promised we would take care of him forever.

GINA - What backfired?

MIRI - A lot of things.

GINA - Like what? And why didn't you tell me?

(MIRI sits down and rubs his head.)

MIRI - I was scared. They told me that because you and I weren't married... and because of our age and because we haven't graduated... I mean all this stuff came up from out of nowhere!

GINA - What? When!

MIRI - After you held him.

(silence)

MIRI - I couldn't tell you.

(silence)

MIRI - You fell in love with him and him with you from the first time you picked him up. I didn't think this was gonna happen.

GINA - Oh my God, we're going to lose him!

MIRI - Gina...

GINA - Miri we're going to lose our little boy and I'm never gonna forgive you!

MIRI - Don't say that! We can work this out!

GINA - No! You better work this out! Because if you don't get my baby back the wedding is off!

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JOHN and TONY get to the Fine Arts building on campus. They hesitate and are reluctant to go inside.

TONY - We're not supposed to be here for five more minutes with the stuff. We might as well wait, I aint in no hurry to get this started.

JOHN - Yeah but if we go a few minutes early, at least they will be in a good mood before we drop the bad news bomb on em.

TONY - Good point. Damn.

(They walk up the steps to the building and go inside.)

JOHN - This feels like the long green mile... that long walk to the execution chamber!

TONY - I know. Fuckin' Brendon!

(They take the stairs to go down.)

JOHN - I don't know man, I really know Bren and I thought he would come through... I'm just kind of surprised.

TONY - I aint!

JOHN - Well, you were right all...

BRENDON - Psssssssst!

JOHN - Did you hear something?

BRENDON - Psssssssst!

(JOHN and TONY look around.)

TONY - What the hell?

BRENDON whispers - Down here!

(They look underneath the staircase and see someone hiding in the dark.)

JOHN - Who's down there?

TONY - What are you doing in there? Come out!

BRENDON whispers - It's me! Brendon! Come here!

TONY - Oh shit!

(JOHN and TONY quickly sneak to the dark area underneath the stairwell.)

TONY whispers - What are you doing here?

BRENDON whispers - What took you guys so long? We only got like three minutes left!

JOHN whispers - Three minutes left?

BRENDON whispers - Did you guys forget or something? The big assignment! Its due in three minutes and I got all the stuff here!

TONY whispers - You do?

BRENDON whispers - What? You didn't think I was gonna do it?

JOHN whispers - But we were waiting for you behind Tandy Hall like you told us to!

BRENDON whispers - I called Tony and told him to meet me under here instead! You don't remember? I've been down here for half an hour!

TONY whispers - Oh shit! You did call me and tell me that! I forgot!

JOHN - You forgot! You asshole! You grillin' me for trustin' him and you forgot?

TONY - I been under a lot of stress lately!

JOHN - Stress? Stress! Like I aint been going through this same bullsh...

BRENDON whispers - Shut up before they hear us! They right down the hall!

(silence)

BRENDON whispers - Listen, we got a minute! I got all the stuff!

TONY whispers - Yes! Yes! Thank you Jesus!

JOHN thinks - Oh now you happy!

TONY whispers - How did you do it all?

BRENDON whispers - Just know that I took one for the team... and I have sworn off big girls for at least three weeks!

JOHN - What! What did you do?

BRENDON - Look, we got like forty five seconds! What's up!

TONY - Oh shit! We gotta go! Put all the stuff in these bags!

BRENDON - Well wait...

TONY - What?

BRENDON - I need to go in with you... like we've been back together all along.

(silence)

BRENDON - All for one and one for all. Cool?

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GINA runs into her bedroom crying and slams the door. MIRI runs after her.

MIRI - Gina open up baby! Don't do this!

(MIRI can hear GINA crying heavily.)

MIRI - G I love you baby but we need to figure this out together!

GINA - You got us into this! You get us out!

MIRI - Gina I need you!

GINA- You wasn't thinking that when you signed whatever you signed!

(MIRI opens the door. GINA is laying across her bed.)

MIRI - Gina...

(He kneels down beside the bed.)

MIRI - Gina listen to me. I have never been so hurt in my entire life. That little baby is my little man, our little boy. If I lose him I will lose my life. I don't want to lose him and I don't want to lose you.

(She sits up.)

MIRI - I love you with all my heart.

(silence)

GINA - But what if we do lose? I mean, we're still young, we're still both in college. We didn't even get married. The same issues that were brought up are here. What are we gonna do?

(MIRI is relieved that GINA is no longer screaming but is still hurt by how wet her face is with her tears and how she is breathing and speaking in short breaths.)

MIRI - The first thing we should do is get ourselves a good lawyer.

GINA - A lawyer, how we gonna afford a lawyer?

MIRI - We need to ask around in the frat and in your sorority.

GINA - I don't even know anybody here. Not really.

MIRI - Well I know plenty of people and that's where we need to start first.

GINA - But if you signed something, what legal right do we have?

MIRI - I don't know. But I'm not a lawyer either.

(She continues to cry.)

GINA - This is not gonna work.

MIRI - Don't say that. Give me your phone.

(GINA silently hands him the phone.)

GINA - What are you doing?

MIRI - Putting my family back together!

(MIRI gets up and walks into the other room. He grabs his backpack and opens it. He pulls out a small phone book, pages through it, and dials.)

BRANDON - Hello?

MIRI - Hey man. I need your help bad.

BRANDON - What's wrong? Where are you?

MIRI - We're at Gina's. Listen, I need the name of a good lawyer. Didn't you tell me that you knew of one?

BRANDON - Oh yeah! I do! Actually my girl does but I don't remember the lawyer's name.

MIRI - Can you call her and ask?

BRANDON - Yeah man sure, I'll call right now. Is everything okay?

MIRI - No. I need that lawyer.

BRANDON - I'm on it, I'll call you right back!

(They hang up and BRANDON dials immediately.)

BREANNA - Hi.

BRANDON - Hey got a quick emergency!

BREANNA - What's the matter?

BRANDON - Miri needs a lawyer and they need one fast! What was the name of that lawyer that you were telling me about that was real good? It sounds like they need some help in the worst way!

BREANNA - Oh my God! Well then need to call my soror! She hooked my case up and I heard she just slammed one down at Amgis too! Her name is Valerie Edwards! She is the best! Hold on let me get her number!