Episode 26

The Kappas have just finished their performance in the homecoming step show.

GREGG thinks - Damn, I am tired as shit! I wonder who goes next. I think we got the Sigmas beat, just depends on how well the Alphas do.

(GREGG looks around and sees the Alpha section.)

GREGG thinks - Oh shit!

(GREGG immediately starts to make his way toward the black and gold section of the audience.)

STUDENT - Yall did a good job Gregg.

GREGG - Huh? Oh...oh ok thanks.

(GREGG continues to hurry as if he never heard the compliment.)

GREGG thinks - Oh my God! I have to hurry.

(GREGG sees most of the Alphas begin to stand up and head back stage to get ready to step.)

GREGG - Nino! Hey Nino!

(NINO stops and turns around. He sees Gregg and smiles.)

GREGG - Hey, wait a minute man!

(NINO waits for GREGG. When GREGG reaches him, he is out of breath.)

GREGG breathing - Shit man! Oh my God!

NINO - What's wrong with you man? You guys did a good show.

(GREGG just stares at NINO and then grabs him and hugs him.)

NINO laughing - What are you doing you idiot? Ha ha!

GREGG - Oh shit! I don't believe this!

NINO - What?

(GREGG lets go of NINO.)

GREGG - Nino! I had this terrible nightmare or some shit! I dreamed that you stepped in the step show with your frat and that you collapsed! And then you got rushed to the hospital and you died!

(NINO begins to laugh.)

NINO - What!

GREGG - Hell yeah man! We were all at the hospital and everything!

NINO - That is crazy!

GREGG - Yeah man! I was totally fucked up, and Candace was crying her eyes out! I saw you on a table and...it was just terrible.

NINO - Well aren't you glad it was only a bad dream?

GREGG - Hell yeah I'm glad! I thought I lost the only brother I have that can't twirl a cane! Ha ha ha ha!

NINO - Hey, don't be so sure! Ha ha ha ha ha!

GREGG - Well look man, can you promise me one thing?

NINO - What's up?

GREGG - Please take it easy tonight on stage. I don't want my dreams to become reality. I couldn't take the same nightmare twice in one lifetime.

NINO - Oh I didn't tell you? I'm not stepping.

GREGG - You're not?

GREGG thinks - Thank you Jesus!

NINO - Naw, me and Candace talked about it and we just think that the risk is too high. I am way to young to be permanently hurting myself. Ya heard?

GREGG - Bruh, you don't know how happy that makes me!

NINO - Why because the Nupes have a better chance of winning now? Ha ha ha ha ha!

GREGG - Shut the hell up before I kill you myself! Ha ha ha ha ha!

NINO - Look man, I am headed back stage though to make sure my bros are ready. So I'll catch you later.

GREGG - Cool man.

(GREGG and NINO give each other a pound and NINO disappears behind the side of the stage.)

GREGG thinks - I am so happy! That dream seemed so real! Oh shit!

(GREGG heads back to the Kappa section and sees SHAREESA talking to KATRICE.)

GREGG - Hey Reese.

(SHAREESA and KATRICE turn around and see GREGG.)

KATRICE - Uh...I'll talk to you later soror.

(KATRICE walks away.)

SHAREESA - Hey Gregg.

(SHAREESA addresses GREGG sarcastically. GREGG ignores it.)

GREGG - Shareesa, you are not going to believe what I am about to tell you!

SHAREESA - What?

GREGG - I had this crazy nightmare that Nino passed out during the Alpha part of the show and then died in the hospital that night!

SHAREESA - What! Are you serious?

GREGG - It was so real though! I cried like a baby and everyone was in the hospital! It was terrible! I just told him.

SHAREESA - Maybe you shouldn't have told him that Gregg. It may distract him during his show.

GREGG - But that is the best part, he isn't stepping with them!

SHAREESA - Really? Since when?

GREGG - I don't know but he said that him and Candace spoke about it and decided that it was too much of a risk for him to step. So now I am sure he will be ok!

SHAREESA - So you feel better now?

GREGG - I feel better than ever! I just know that my boy will be around for a real real long time!

SHAREESA - That's sweet Gregg. Gregg! Gregg! Gregg!

(GREGG wakes up as SHAREESA is shaking him on the couch.)

SHAREESA - Gregg! Gregg!

GREGG - Huh...huh...wh...what...what!

(GREGG sits up on the couch and looks around. It is dark in his living room and he is sweating. He looks up at SHAREESA.)

GREGG - What happened?

SHAREESA - I heard you out here tossing and turning. You were talking in your sleep so I woke you. You must have been having a bad dream. Are you ok?

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JASON gets back to his dorm room and there are messages on his answering machine.

(BEEP)

ANSWERING MACHINE - Hi this is Theresa. Give me a call when you get in ok? Bye.

(BEEP)

ANSWERING MACHINE - Hey it's Theresa. Just checking to see if you were in yet. Give me a call when you get in.

(BEEP)

ANSWERING MACHINE - Jason, why haven't you called me? Is there a problem? This is Theresa.

(BEEP)

ANSWERING MACHINE - You know Jason, I am not about playing games. Call me.

(BEEP)

JASON thinks - Dammit!

(JASON picks up his phone and dials.)

THERESA - Hello.

JASON - Hey, it's me.

THERESA - Um hmm.

JASON - What is the matter with you?

THERESA - What is the matter with you!

JASON - Why did you leave all those messages on my phone? I told you that I was at the hospital.

THERESA - All that time? Come on Jason, what do you take me for? A fool?

JASON - What?

THERESA - You have been gone for hours.

(silence)

JASON - Nino died.

(silence)

THERESA - What?

JASON - Nino died after the step show. He died in the emergency room.

THERESA - Nino is dead? Oh my God.

JASON - Yeah.

(silence)

THERESA - Jason I am sorry to hear that.

JASON - Yeah thanks.

(silence)

THERESA - So do you remember what I told you?

JASON - Huh?

THERESA - What I told you when we were on the phone. You know, when you called me back from the emergency room.

JASON - I don't remember. What did you say?

THERESA - You don't remember?

JASON - Naw, I don't remember.

THERESA - How could you not remember something so important?

JASON - Theresa, my frat brother just died! Nino was my spec! He was my good friend and now he is gone! And you expect for me to remember what you told me on the phone?

THERESA - I understand all that and I feel bad, but Jason life goes on. If I tell you that I love you from my heart, I expect you to at least remember what it is that I said.

JASON - Am I the only one listening in this conversation? Nino just died! We just lost a beloved member of this chapter!

THERESA - See, that is why I am not with this greek shit.

JASON - What! This aint got nothing to do with being greek! Nino was a good man, regardless of the fact that he is an Alpha! What about his fiancé? Huh? What about that? He just got engaged!

THERESA - And how do you ever expect to get engaged if you keep shunning the woman that loves you?

JASON - I can't believe you just said that!

THERESA - And I can't believe you don't remember me saying that I love you! Jason, some serious changes are gonna have to be made if we ever expect to progress in this relationship!

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Miri is in the stacks section of Pearl Library studying.

MIRI thinks - Damn, I have this test and Hayden coming to campus on the same day. I really gotta brush up on some more Sigma history. But I really need at least a B on this exam.

(MIRI opens his backpack and takes out his notebook.)

MIRI thinks - Damn, decisions...decisions...what should I read.

(MIRI opens his notebook and sees a poem that he was working on.)

MIRI thinks - Oh, this is the poem I have to finish for my baby Mona.

MIRI reads - I picked for you seven roses, the prettiest I could find.

Not your everyday flower, and not the Valentine kind.

But I picked...

(MIRI sees someone walking up to his cubicle.)

GINA -Hey.

(MIRI quickly closes his notebook.)

MIRI - Oh hi. You surprised me.

GINA - Sorry. I was just looking for somewhere to sit.

MIRI - Oh...well...uh...this seat right here is vacant.

(MIRI points to the seat next to him.)

GINA - Oh ok.

(GINA sits down and starts to pull out her books.)

MIRI - So how's it going...sister?

GINA - I've been fine. How have you been?

MIRI - Trying to make it ya know. Just reading and writing.

GINA - Work on any poetry lately?

(silence)

MIRI - No.

GINA - Really? That doesn't sound like you. Why not?

MIRI - I have just been extra busy. It's been kind of hard but I haven't had time to write anything.

GINA - I cannot imagine you not writing. That is what makes you who you are. You don't seem like yourself.

MIRI - You always had an easy time seeing right through me. Ha ha ha ha.

GINA - Yeah.

(silence)

GINA - So write something now.

MIRI - Huh?

GINA - You know you can do it, write something right now.

(MIRI looks at GINA like she is crazy. Then he smiles.)

MIRI smiling - I hate you.

GINA - No you don't.

MIRI - Yes I do because I can't fake it around you.

GINA - Yeah well I aint fake. I see right through you and I know you want to write something. So do it. Right now. You have ten minutes.

MIRI - Ten minutes?

GINA - I was gracious because you only need five.

(MIRI laughs.)

GINA - I would suggest you get started.

(GINA opens her books and starts to read. MIRI is still staring at her.)

GINA - Ten and counting.

(MIRI opens his notebook and starts to write.)

MIRI thinks - I can't believe I am about to do this!

(GINA begins to talk while she is reading. She doesn't look up from her book.)

GINA - So how is Mona?

(silence)

MIRI - Huh?

GINA - How is Mona?

MIRI - Um...she's fine.

(silence)

GINA - What? Did I break your concentration?

MIRI - Heck no.

GINA - Well then get back to writing. You only have seven minutes left.

MIRI - Oh don't sweat my skill, I am almost finished.

GINA - Alright, it better be good.

MIRI thinks - Shit!

Seven minutes later...

GINA - Ok, time is up mister man.

MIRI - Ok, just finishing up.

GINA - Ok.

(MIRI scribbles down the last two lines.)

GINA - Shall I read it or should you?

MIRI - Let me. You may not be able to read my handwriting.

GINA - Fair enough. Proceed.

MIRI - Now before I start, your line number is seven right?

GINA - Yeah, why?

GINA thinks - Wow, he remembered that!

MIRI - Just making sure. The poem wouldn't make much sense if you were a

different number. Ha ha ha ha ha.

GINA - Ok.

(MIRI takes a deep breath.)

MIRI - I picked for you seven roses, the prettiest I could find.

Not your everyday flower, and not the Valentine kind.

But I picked for you seven roses. I give you separately.

I hope these roses mean to you as much as they mean to me.

Rose one is the most important because I give it to you first.

Rose one represents the rhythm, rose one represents the verse.

Rose two catches you off guard, the reason being this...

It stands for the time you caught me off guard in Pharoahs the night that we

first kissed.

Rose three you see the most. The one you'll call your own.

It stands for the three times I have read for you my poems.

Rose four stands for king's richness and your eloquence as queen.

Blue and white richness, eloquence of pink and green.

Rose five and six are coupled. Their roots are intertwined.

My heart began to couple whenever your hand was in mine.

And last but not least rose seven. I give you hesitantly.

For you can't see rose seven, until the day you come back to me.