We begin this week’s episode with NINO and CANDACE. They have begun to argue over whether or not NINO should step with the Alphas in the homecoming stepshow. NINO has begun coughing badly.
CANDACE - Nino are you ok?
(NINO is on one knee, coughing and holding his chest.)
CANDACE - Oh my God!
(CANDACE runs to the kitchen and grabs some orange juice out of the fridge. She also grabs the cordless phone. She runs back. She is crying.)
CANDACE crying - Oh my God! Nino, drink this while I call for some help.
NINO - cough...I’m fine. I’m ok...cough.
(NINO stands up and casually drinks the orange juice. He catches his breath.)
NINO - Baby, put the phone down, I am fine.
CANDACE - Nino, you scared the shit out of me!
NINO - Come here.
(NINO holds CANDACE as she cries in his arms.)
CANDACE crying - You can’t step Nino. I can’t take it. Please don’t do this to yourself.
NINO - Shhh. Shhhh. Everything is gonna be alright baby. Be quiet. I’m ok. I just lost my wind there for a second. But I feel fine ok?
CANDACE - K.
NINO - Just let me hold you baby for a minute until you calm down ok?
CANDACE - K.
(CANDACE slowly stops crying. NINO still holds her.)
NINO - You alright?
CANDACE - Yeah.
NINO - Ok baby, sit down right here.
(CANDACE sits down.)
NINO - I want to show you something.
(CANDACE wipes her eyes.)
CANDACE - What?
NINO - Ask me a question.
CANDACE - Huh?
NINO - Ask me a question baby. Anything.
CANDACE - Uh...how do you feel?
(NINO slaps his chest, smiles and then enthusiastically claps under his leg.)
NINO - What did it seem like my response said?
CANDACE - That you are alright I guess.
NINO - Right, exactly baby. Now go ahead, ask me somthing else.
CANDACE - Ok...uh...what time is it?
(NINO looks at his watch. He then starts to do an Alpha train step. He breaks the train six times with a large pause. Then he stops.)
CANDACE - Six?
NINO - Yes!
CANDACE - Ok that is cute, but what is the point?
NINO - This is the point, greeks step and do stepshows because it is cute, or they get the audience to cheer. Or the formations are tight or maybe the costumes are bangin’. But I communicate when I step. That is what stepping is. That is where it came from.
(NINO starts to do a slow silent foot slap step.)
NINO - See this? This what I am doing?
CANDACE - Uh huh.
NINO - The miners in South Africa used to do this to entertain themselves. They couldn’t play no radio blastin’ No Limit Soldiers!
CANDACE - Ha ha ha.
NINO - This is called the gumboot dance. See? Stand up.
(CANDACE hesitates.)
NINO - Come on, try it.
CANDACE smiling - Ok.
NINO - Listen to this rhythm. After I explain this, we are gonna communicate and I won’t say another word ok?
CANDACE - Ok.
NINO - Hit slap step, hit slap slap, step hit step clap! Ok? Hit slap step, hit slap slap, step hit step clap! Then just do it again. Hit slap step, hit slap slap, step hit step clap!
CANDACE - Hit slap step...
NINO - Right, keep going. Hit slap step, hit slap slap, step hit step clap!
(CANDACE slowly starts to do it.)
CANDACE - Hit slap step, hit slap slap, step... Hit slap step, hit slap slap, step...damn! Hit slap step, hit slap slap, step hit....
(NINO nods and smiles.)
CANDACE - Hit slap step, hit slap slap, step hit step clap!
(CANDACE giggles.)
CANDACE - Hit slap step, hit slap slap, step hit step clap! Hit slap step, hit slap slap, step hit step clap!
(They are doing it together so NINO picks up the speed. Hit slap step, hit slap slap, step hit step clap! Hit slap step, hit slap slap, step hit step clap!)
CANDACE - So what are we saying now?
(NINO turns and motions to CANDACE to keep going. She understands and keeps it up. He then changes what he does. The beat sounds the same but he is doing something different.)
CANDACE - Ok, I got you! I got you!
(NINO points to his heart while stepping, then kisses his hand. He then blows CANDACE a kiss. He doesn’t miss a beat. He then points to her to do the same.)
CANDACE thinks - Damn, can I do two things at once?
(CANDACE tries it... Hit slap step...points at herself...hit slap slap...kisses her own hand... step hit step clap...blows the kiss to NINO.)
CANDACE - Hee hee hee. I did it!
(CANDACE keeps it going. NINO then changes and begins to do one of CANDACE’s Sigma Gamma Rho steps.)
CANDACE - Oh uh uh!
(CANDACE starts to do the Alpha train. The beats come in together perfectly.)
NINO - Ha ha ha ha ha!
CANDACE - What you got for me now?
NINO - Shhhh!
(CANDACE gives a face as if to say that she forgot she wasn’t supposed to talk. NINO nods and they keep going.)
CANDACE thinks - He is stepping so well, not coughing or anything! Wow!
(NINO motions that they are gonna finish. CANDACE understands.)
CANDACE thinks - I guess there should be a breakdown...right...five...six...seven...here!
(As CANDACE starts to break it down, so does NINO. They both do sixteen beats and stop at the same time with their hands in the air.)
NINO - Woooo!
CANDACE - Damn! That was tight! How do you feel though?
NINO - Never better! See what I mean? This shit is deep ! How did you understand everything I was saying? I didn’t say a word. I want to take this art form back to where it used to be. Back to where it needs to be. You feel me?
CANDACE - Yes, yes I do. I know your passion. I just don’t want to see you hurt yourself. Are you sure you are ok?
(NINO is holding in his coughs in and his chest is burning.)
NINO thinks - I am getting ready to fall on the floor! Shit!
CANDACE - You sure you feel ok?
NINO - I feel fine.
CANDACE - Pomise?
(silence.)
NINO - Promise.
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BOBBY is in his room writing a letter he doesn’t plan to mail.
BOBBY writes - Dear Lexi,
The words that I am about to put on this paper will not describe to you how I miss you. The term "words cannot express" has never meant more to me. As a matter of fact, many terms have new meaning for me nowadays. Like, you never miss a good thing til it’s gone. I hurt for you so deeply that I don’t breathe right. I have to consciously think about inhaling and exhaling because if I forget to, I won’t do it.
(ALEXIS’ house.)
QUINTON - Wow, you really can burn! This tastes great.
ALEXIS - If there is one thing that I know that I am good at, it is cooking. My mom was like a master chef and I stood by her at the stove growing up. Ha ha ha.
QUINTON - Well call mom on the phone right now so I can thank her!
(QUINTON playfully pulls out his cell phone.)
QUINTON - What’s her number?
ALEXIS - Boy! Quit playin’! Ha ha ha ha!
BOBBY writes - I think about you Alexis every moment of every day. I dream about you when I sleep. I cry over you when I am alone. Every thing that I encounter in my day somehow reminds me of you. When I was on campus, I saw a butterfly. I remember that is what I used to call you. I see a whole lot of couples on the yard all of a sudden. It is breaking my heart.
QUINTON - How exactly did you make this? This shit is off the heazy for sheazy!
ALEXIS - Well I can’t give away my secrets. But just know that it is all in the spices. That is they key.
QUINTON - Actually, I can tell that.
ALEXIS - Lots of people who prepare food don’t season it. That is why it tastes bland sometimes. But certain spices in certain amounts help to capture and bring out food’s flavor.
BOBBY writes - I don’t want to complain to you about the heartbreak that I am currently experiencing or the pain that I am going through. Firstly, I deserve every bit of it. But more importantly, I put you through a whole lot worse. Just dealing with the things that I did and some of the things that I said...I don’t know. I am so sorry.
QUINTON - That was the best meal I have ever had.
(QUINTON plops down on the couch.)
ALEXIS - Well thank you for saying so.
QUINTON - No, thank you for preparing it for me. I really appreciate that.
(ALEXIS plops down next to QUINTON.)
ALEXIS - You only appreciate it because it was so good.
QUINTON - Naw, that aint true.
ALEXIS - So you would have appreciated it just as much and been so estatic if it were terrible?
QUINTON - Sure! I would have just been like, hey Alexis, I really appreciate you cooking for me...um...I’ll just be in the bathroom for a few minutes. Better yet, let me call you next week!
ALEXIS - Oh so if I couldn’t cook, you would have left huh? Listen to you!
(ALEXIS hits QUINTON with a pillow.)
QUINTON - Hey! Ouch!
(They start to wrestle on the couch.)
BOBBY writes - If I could ask a favor of God, just one, I would ask him to take your pain away. I wouldn’t even ask him to back up time so I could do things all over again. Because knowing my dumb ass, I would do things the same. Or somehow still mess up. I did some real hard thinking on myself since you left me. I am so afraid of the term of what comes around goes around. I would never want a daughter of mine to meet a man like me. Or maybe I should say the man I used to be.
ALEXIS - Oh you wanna play rough huh? Don’t think that because I can cook that I aint strong and I can’t beat your ass in wrestling!
QUINTON - Well bring it on! Can you smell what the Quint is cookin’?
ALEXIS - Ha ha ha ha ha!
(ALEXIS and QUINTON wrestle and tumble over each other and fall on the floor.)
BOBBY writes - Alexis, I just want to hold your hand again. Promise you the world again. Look into your eyes again. Have you trust in me again. Have you love me again. I want to talk on the phone with you again. I want to instant message you again. I want to send you email greetings again. I want the pledgees to bring you food to your dorm. I want to love you again. Again? Again? I still love you.
(ALEXIS and QUINTON start to kiss on the floor.)
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Changing scenes, we revisit JUNE who has just entered KATRICE’s room and surprisingly found APRIL to be there.
APRIL - Hey June, what’s up.
JUNE thinks - I could have sworn I heard...
JUNE - Hey April. What yall up to?
KATRICE - Nuttin, just chillin’. Drinkin’ a Bud.
(They all laugh. JUNE sits down.)
KATRICE - So what brings you by sands?
JUNE - Always a pleasure to visit my sands of course...
(KATRICE smiles.)
JUNE - But I needed to speak to April about something and PJ said she might be over here.
APRIL - Oh really? Well what’s up?
JUNE - It’s kinda...personal.
(silence.)
KATRICE - Oh ok. My bad yall. Um, let me run down to the soda machine downstairs. Yall can talk. You all want anything?
APRIL - Yeah, get me an iced tea.
JUNE - I’m fine.
KATRICE - Ok cool.
(KATRICE grabs the key to her room and leaves. She closes the door behind her.)
APRIL - So June, what’s up girl?
KATRICE thinks - I hate to listen in on my own line sister that I love, but...
(KATRICE waits right outside the door listening.)
JUNE - I’m sorry to...bother you now. With this...
APRIL - It’s ok. What’s on your mind?
(silence.)
JUNE - I need to ask you about your involvement with Derrick while I was pledging.
APRIL - Ok let me say this to start. I didn’t know who Derrick was when we met. I didn’t know that he was your man, or ex man, or whatever. I met him in the cafeteria.
JUNE - Really? He didn’t tell you anything.
APRIL - Nothing at all. Derrick is shady. He knew you were on line pledging AKA and he knew that I was your big sister, but he said nothing.
JUNE thinks - Don’t call him shady!
JUNE - But how do you know that he knew that you were an AKA? Maybe he didn’t know.
APRIL - He knew because he told me that he knew. He could’ve easily told me that he was your man...or your ex man.
JUNE - So how did you find out?
APRIL - Octavia told me, later.
(KATRICE is nervous that APRIL will reveal her secret.)
JUNE - So what exactly happened between yall?
(silence.)
(KATRICE moves closer to the door.)
APRIL - You want to know if I slept with him?
(JUNE gets a chill over her body and feels like she needs to throw up.)
(silence.)
(APRIL remembers.)
DERRICK - You like that? Huh you like that?
APRIL - Oooh yes, I like that!
DERRICK - What’s my name?
APRIL thinks - Katrice!
APRIL - Derrick! Oh Derrick!
DERRICK - You can leave if you want. But if I were you, I’d stay. Unless of course you want me to spread the word that you prefer females to lick on you instead of guys.
APRIL - What did you say?
DERRICK - I said, order my shit.
APRIL - What did you say?
DERRICK - You can leave if you want. But if I were you, I’d stay. Unless of course you want me to spread the word that you prefer females to lick on you instead of guys.
DERRICK - I said, order my shit.
(silence.)
JUNE - Yeah. Basically, I want to know if you slept with Derrick.
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We rejoin DERRICK who is still standing on the yard in disbelief that JUNE left. CARYN is still laughing.
CARYN - Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
DERRICK - I don’t see what’s so fuckin’ funny!
CARYN - I’m sorry, hee hee, don’t mean to bust out laughing. But playa, you aint got no mack skills! Ha ha ha ha ha! How you gonna say April’s name when you talking to me?
DERRICK - Shut the hell up.
CARYN - Ha ha ha, sorry Derrick. But on the real, I didn’t come here to bust up your groove.
DERRICK - Well you sure did. I may have just lost June!
CARYN - No, you did just lose June. And it wasn’t my fault, it was yours. Let’s be real. Your game aint tight and it never was. So that is your fault player, not mine.
DERRICK - Whatever.
CARYN - But enough about that. As you can see, I am very much pregnant.
DERRICK - I see.
CARYN - And as you can see, I don’t get down with no abortions.
DERRICK - Me neither.
CARYN - Good, so does that mean that you are going to act responsibly with this kid?
DERRICK - What kind of a man do you think I am? Of course I am. I aint gonna have no babies walking around without a father. That shit happened to me and it aint cool.
CARYN - Really?
DERRICK - Yeah. Nigga bounces out of my life because he wasn’t fucking man enough to handle his business.
CARYN - Damn.
DERRICK - I met his ass for the first time three years ago.
CARYN - Wow, where did you meet him?
DERRICK - He found out that I was ballin’. So he came to my final game in high school. He knew that I got picked to play ball for Ahpla. So he came to see my farewell game.
CARYN - How did you feel seeing him?
DERRICK - I wanted to kick his ass. My whole family was there with a banner and shit. They had food back at the house, you know because I was graduating. It was like a big deal. Then his ass shows up. Killed the mood.
CARYN - Damn. Well I am sorry to hear that shit.
DERRICK - Yeah.
(silence.)
DERRICK - That is why I am the way that I am. I would never abandon a child, especially my own. Fuck that coward shit.
CARYN - Thank you Derrick. That means a lot.
(silence.)
(CARYN walks over and hugs DERRICK. He hugs her back. While they hug, CARYN looks past DERRICK’s shoulder and sees TRINA approaching.)
CARYN thinks - Oh shit!
CARYN - Stay here, I will be right back ok?
DERRICK - Alright.
(CARYN walks quickly toward TRINA who is looking pissed off.)
TRINA - I’m gonna kick your ass you ho!
CARYN - Wait Trina, before you do anything! I have something to tell you.
TRINA - What bitch, this better be good!
CARYN - Look, I know what I did was wrong but I aint trying to come between you and Bobby. Especially now that things are looking to be on the up and up with you two.
(silence.)
CARYN - So I told Derrick that it is his baby.
(TRINA looks at DERRICK sitting on the bench with his head in his hands.)
TRINA - You did what?
CARYN - Trina, if Bobby finds out that this baby is his, he may leave you. I don’t want that to happen so let’s just play along that it is Derrick’s. He already told me that he doesn’t believe in abortion either. So he is down to be a responsible dad.
TRINA - Really?
CARYN - Yeah. Let’s call a truce. You my dawg and I aint trying to mess that up. Peace?
(silence.)
TRINA - Peace!
(CARYN and TRINA hug.)
CARYN - Now listen, this is something that has to stay between the two of us. If anybody finds out that this baby is not Derrick’s and it is Bobby’s, we will both be shit out of luck.
TRINA - You’re right.
CARYN - So I won’t tell anybody and you can’t either. Agreed?
(TRINA remembers.)
TRINA - The baby is not yours Gregg, it’s Bobby’s!
GREGG - What!
TRINA - The baby is not yours Gregg, it’s Bobby’s!
GREGG - What!
TRINA - The baby is not yours Gregg, it’s Bobby’s!
GREGG - What!
TRINA - The baby is not yours Gregg, it’s Bobby’s!
GREGG - What!
CARYN - Agreed? You won’t tell anybody right?
TRINA - Oh yeah...yeah. Sure. I won’t tell anybody.
(meanwhile in Gregg's room)
GREGG - Reece! Tell me your man isn’t the bomb and just mad faithful!
SHAREESA - What are you talking about?
GREGG - I told you these hos be trying to set a pla...I mean, set a brother up! Remember when I was telling you about that chick that said that I got her pregnant?
SHAREESA - Yeah?
GREGG - Well guess what!
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THERESA is at home online.
THERESA thinks - I can’t believe Ahplasphinx is already taken! Sheesh how corny can these guys be? I gotta keep trying.
(THERESA tries another aol screen name to see if it is available.)
THERESA thinks - Damn, 3rdAlpha at aol is taken too! Good grief!
(THERESA tries again.)
THERESA thinks - How dare Willie try and take my man? She knew good and well Jason liked me and it was just a matter of time before I started to really like him! Who the hell would use a name like Alphatrain at aol? I am starting to run out of ideas here!
(THERESA tries one more time.)
THERESA thinks - She’s got some nerve. I guess I don’t blame her though, Jason is kinda cute. All of a sudden. Bingo! I got one!
(THERESA has set up a new aol account called Iceberg06@aol.)
THERESA thinks - Now let’s see. How should I say this?
(WILLIE goes into the computer lab.)
WILLIE thinks - Oh I have new mail.
(WILLIE scrolls down the email addresses that her new mail has come from.)
WILLIE - Oh I got one from Bernadette! I haven’t heard from her in a minute! Iceberg06? Isn’t that one of Jason’s line names?
(WILLIE opens the letter.)
ICEBERG06 - Hey girl, it’s Jason. How are you? I just had a few things I needed to lay on you about our "relationship". I just need to let you know that although I do think you are cool, I can’t see us pursuing any type of deep intimate relationship with each other. Mainly because I have serious feelings for Theresa. She is all the woman I want and need and to be honest with you, I don’t know if you are as much woman as she is.
WILLIE - What!
ICEBERG06 - Besides, you didn’t seem to have any interest in me until after I got my letters. That’s not cool Willie and you know that shit. At least I know that Theresa was there for me before, during and after I got my shit. So I know she will have my back. With you, you may change your mind as the wind changes direction. And I just can’t trust that.
WILLIE - You have to got to be kidding me!
ICEBERG06 - I hope that there are no hard feelings, as I do want to be your friend. Just don’t speak to me on the yard because I don’t want my baby to think that there is anything possibly up between us. You can just nod to me as you go by and I will acknowledge. Take care and good luck in tracking down a man of your own.
Jason "Iceberg Slim"
(THERESA has just finished a slice of pizza that she ordered and has decided to log back on.)
THERESA thinks - That should be enough time.
COMPUTER - You’ve got mail!
THERESA thinks - I knew it! I am a genius!
CRIMSONCOUNTRYDST@Ahpla.edu - You know what Jason, I can’t believe you would even fill my inbox with such ridiculous nonesense! If you want to lower your standards and step to Theresa, be my guest. It just shows that you could never handle a true devastating diva! Don’t worry about me "acknowledging" you on the yard, you aren’t worth it!
THERESA - Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
(THERESA logs off, picks up the phone and dials.)
JASON - Hello?
THERESA - Hey J, what’s up? I was sitting here just thinking about you.
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PJ is studying upstairs in the stacks section of Pearl library.
PJ thinks - I love coming up here. It is so quiet. You can barely hear a pin drop.
(PJ opens her notebook and textbook.)
PJ thinks - Now where did I leave off at?
(PJ starts to read until she hears voices from the cubicle next to hers.)
VOICES - Ooooh yes! Oh yes!
PJ think s- I know somebody didn’t come up here just to...
VOICES - Ah...oooh!
PJ thinks - Gross!
(PJ quietly grabs her books and her bag and moves several cubicles over.)
PJ thinks - I can’t believe negroes nowadays. What kind of respectable sister would mess with someone in the damn library? Sheesh!
(PJ opens her books again and starts to read. She soon hears voices whispering from the cubicle next to hers.)
PJ thinks - Now what!
From the next cubicle...
MIRI - Hi baby girl.
MONA - Hello warrior man.
(MIRI and MONA kiss.)
MIRI - How was your day?
MONA - Good. How was yours?
MIRI - Excellent. I think I am really making some progress with my project.
MONA - Really? Great, well let’s see it.
(MIRI pulls out his manuscript.)
MIRI - Remember where I left off at? Right here with the pledgees on the plantation?
MONA - Oh yeah.
MIRI - Well I was able to pick it up from that point. In the very next scene, the two pledgees that were kidnapped are brought back to the line in chains.
MONA - Oh that is a great idea. That really relates because pledgees are always getting kindnapped by big sisters.
MIRI - And slaves were brought back in chains when they ran away.
MONA - You are so smart!
(MIRI smiles. They kiss again.)
MONA - So then what happens?
MIRI - I’m not sure yet. I am still figuring that part out. You have any suggestions?
MONA - Hmmm. Actually, let me tell you about the time when I got kidnapped while on line.
MIRI - Oh cool, hold on, let me get a pen.
(MIRI reaches into his bag and gets a pen.)
MIRI - Ok, go ahead.
MONA - Ok it was me and June and Katrice. PJ wasn’t there. I don’t remember where she was.
MIRI - Uh huh.
MONA - So we were going to get some food for our big sister Sylvia. Some pork fried rice.
MIRI - Uh huh.
MONA - So we are on our way and we get to the Chinese food place and Katrice goes inside to make the order. Me and June are outside talking.
MIRI - Ok go ahead.
MONA - So June decides that she is thirsty and she wants something to drink. So she goes inside and I am outside alone. All of a sudden Shareesa and Gregg pull up and order me to get into the back of their car. I didn’t know what to do.
MIRI - So what happened?
MONA - I got the hell in! I was so scared of the big sisters back then.
MIRI - Damn! So then what did they do?
MONA - Put it this way. If I may play the poet...
(MONA clears her throat.)
MONA - You aint never felt no pain, until you get hit in the butt with a cane!
MIRI - Are you serious?
MONA - I tell you no lie!
(They laugh together. MIRI’s pager goes off.)
MIRI - Oh this is my agent. Let me go down and call him right back. I’ll use the pay phone in the lobby.
MONA - Ok sweetie.
(They kiss. MIRI leaves.)
MONA thinks - I wonder what time step practice is.
(MONA is startled as she turns and sees PJ standing at the cubicle.)
PJ - So you were kidnapped by Gregg and Shareesa huh?
(PJ starts to take her earrings off.)
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