Episode 43

XAVIER and SHAREESA are in the office of the student newspaper, The Sands.

SHAREESA - Well, I just want to say, thank you for being the man that you are. There are some good men out there, and you are one of them.

XAVIER - Thanks Shareesa.

(They hug.)

XAVIER - I really appreciate that, more than you know.

(They are still hugging.)

SHAREESA - It is the truth.

(As they let go, they come in to kiss each other again.)

SHAREESA thinks - Oh God, why is this happening?

(They kiss.)

XAVIER thinks - Oh God, why is this happening?

(They stop and hug again. They then let go of each other and back up. At that moment, GREGG and APRIL walk in.)

GREGG - What's up Z...oh uh...hey Reece. I didn't know you were...what are you doing here?

SHAREESA - Uh...

XAVIER - What's up nupe?

(XAVIER slaps hands with GREGG.)

GREGG - Hey man, what's the deal?

XAVIER - You know me man, just writing. Hi April, how you doing hon?

SHAREESA thinks - Xavier is a gift from God! That was close!

APRIL - Hey Xavier, nice to see you honey.

(XAVIER and APRIL hug.)

SHAREESA - What's up girl?

APRIL - Hey soror.

(APRIL and SHAREESA hug.)

XAVIER - What's the good word with yall?

GREGG - Well I was coming by to kick it with you and I saw April walking. So she just decided to drop in and say hello also.

XAVIER - Cool. Cool. Well pull up a chair, relax.

APRIL - Actually, I can't stay. I just thought of some things that I gotta get done.

XAVIER - Aw man, do you have to leave now?

APRIL - Yeah, I'd better get back before I start getting sleepy.

XAVIER - You want me to walk you home or something?

APRIL - Oh Xavier you are so sweet. You don't have to do that, I will be fine. It isn't far.

XAVIER - You sure?

APRIL - Boy sit down. You are so cute. I'll holla at yall lata.

XAVIER - Okay but call me when you get home so I know that you made it safe.

APRIL - Okay.

APRIL thinks - He is so sweet!

SHAREESA thinks - He is so sweet.

APRIL - See yall lata.

SHAREESA - Bye girl.

(APRIL leaves.)

XAVIER - So what's up G?

GREGG - I am like Hughley.

XAVIER - Huh?

GREGG - I am on the D...L.

(They all laugh.)

XAVIER - Okay nigga, I am laughing because you are my boy. But that was mad corny.

GREGG - Ha ha ha ha ha, shut up!

(GREGG looks over at SHAREESA.)

GREGG - So what's up Shareesa?

SHAREESA - Nothing much Gregg.

GREGG - You been okay?

SHAREESA - I am cool.

GREGG - I haven't heard from you in a minute. I was about to start looking on milk cartons.

SHAREESA - I have just been busy. You know?

GREGG - Yeah. Too busy to even give me a call?

SHAREESA - Yep.

(silence)

GREGG - So can we talk for a minute?

(silence)

XAVIER - Uh...maybe I should step out for a min...

SHAREESA - No Xavier, you aint got to go nowhere.

GREGG - Yeah man, you can chill. This is your office and you are my brother. It aint like you don't know about me and Shareesa's relationship problems anyway.

SHAREESA - Relationship problems? Gregg, you have to be in a relationship to have relationship problems.

GREGG - Reece, I have been...I mean we have been going together since day one. I know that we have had rough times along the way, but that is what makes relationships stronger. I am not trying to throw in the towel.

XAVIER thinks - I really shouldn't be hearing all this.

(XAVIER tries to start typing on the computer as if he is not paying attention.)

GREGG - I know that I have not been the man that I could have been. But Reece, it is because of you that I have grown up. I understand that now.

SHAREESA - Oh now that I left?

GREGG - To be honest, yes. You know the old expression, you never miss a good thing til it's gone? Well I am learning that in the worst way.

SHAREESA - Well have you ever heard the expression, too little too late?

(GREGG smiles.)

GREGG - Cute.

(SHAREESA doesn't smile.)

GREGG - Okay look Shareesa. I am not trying to play games or make jokes right now. I have not been this serious about anything in my life. As serious as I take my education, I can't even read anything right now because of the void in my life. I miss you terribly and I want you back. I will do whatever it takes. I promise you I will never hurt you again.

(silence)

GREGG - Well?

SHAREESA - I know that you won't hurt me again Gregg...

(silence)

SHAREESA - ...because I have decided to see someone else.

(XAVIER spins around in his chair with his mouth wide open as he and GREGG both stare at SHAREESA.)

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The weekly Alpha Phi Alpha meeting is winding down.

BOBBY - So that is the deal. We can use that event as a fund raiser and half of the money will be used to be the first deposit into the Nino Daniels scholarship fund.

REGGIE - Yeah, that sounds good.

BOBBY - Okay, this is the last thing on the agenda. Are there any announcements?

(LARRY raises his hand. BOBBY looks around the room and pretends that he doesn't see LARRY's hand. But LARRY is the only one with his hand up.)

BOBBY thinks - Damn, what the hell is this nigga gonna say?

BOBBY - Go ahead Larry.

LARRY - I want to announce the launch of my new book club.

(Silence as all the brothers look at each other.)

BOBBY - Book club?

LARRY - Yep.

BOBBY - You're starting a book club?

LARRY - Yep.

BOBBY - What is the first book the club is gonna read?

(LARRY smiles.)

LARRY - The bible. Great book, he dies at the end. Don't want to ruin the surprise but he comes back.

BOBBY thinks - I am an idiot for falling for that!

(All the brothers laugh, except BOBBY.)

BOBBY - And on that note, this meeting is adjourned. Who wants to join me for a drink at Pharoah's? After that dry ass joke, I need something wet!

(The brothers laugh as they get up and begin to disperse. BOBBY is collecting his papers.)

QUINTON - What's up man?

(BOBBY looks up.)

BOBBY - Hey Quinton, what's up bruh?

QUINTON - Chillin. You got a minute?

BOBBY - Uh...yeah. Sure. Hold on a second.

(REGGIE comes over.)

REGGIE - Yo Bobby, I'm trying to hit Pharoah's too. What's up?

BOBBY - Let me meet you there Reg, I gotta handle some business first.

REGGIE - Aight then, I'll see ya there.

(REGGIE is the last person to leave. BOBBY and QUINTON are now alone.)

BOBBY - So, what can I do for ya bruh?

QUINTON - I need to talk to you about Alexis.

BOBBY - What about her?

QUINTON - I spoke to you on the phone about what she told me.

BOBBY - What was that?

QUINTON - That you had told her some Alpha secrets.

BOBBY - Oh yeah. I remember that now.

QUINTON - Well, what's up with that?

BOBBY - What's up with what?

QUINTON - Why is she telling me that you are telling her secrets?

BOBBY - Because she is lying Quinton! Think man! Alexis is a liar. She is a nice person, a real nice person. But she doesn't always tell the truth.

QUINTON - Yo man, don't call my girl a liar.

BOBBY - She was my girl first so it aint an easy thing for me to say. I'm just tellin' it like it is. She has always been that way. And she aint stupid either, she knew that if she told you that I had told her secrets, that you would confront me. Can't you see that that is exactly what she wants? And you are playing right into it.

QUINTON - First of all, Alexis aint no liar! You know just as well as I do that she is the sweetest girl on the planet, and that is why you feel like an ass half the time for messing things up with her!

BOBBY - You know what bruh, this conversation is over.

QUINTON - No it's not!

BOBBY - What the hell do you want from me? I told you that I never told her anything and you choose to believe her over me. What did she say that I told her?

QUINTON - Well...

BOBBY - Well what?

QUINTON - First she said that you showed her the grip.

BOBBY - What? That is some bullshit!

QUINTON - I asked her to show it to me and she got it wrong.

BOBBY - I know she got that shit wrong because she doesn't fucking know it! Wise up Quinton, you are a smart guy! Use your head! Can't you see what is going on here?

(silence)

BOBBY - Look man, I don't have anything against you. I think you are a real smart brother and I am glad to have you as a part of my chapter. That thing about the election was a technicality. I think you have the smarts and the character to run this chapter just as well as I do. Half the brotherhood did vote for you, I only beat you by one vote.

QUINTON - Uh huh.

BOBBY - But at the same time, you are not using your head. Alexis wants to get back at me for the way I treated her in the past. So she is using you to get to me. She was always jealous of my love for the fraternity. So she is using the closest thing to me, the frat, against me. Quinton, the truth is, Alexis probably doesn't like you the way that you think she does.

QUINTON - That's not true.

BOBBY - The truth is, she has never gotten over me. She told me.

QUINTON thinks - I did hear her say that to him on the phone!

(silence)

BOBBY - Hate to burst your bubble.

QUINTON - Whatever man.

BOBBY - Look, come with us to Pharoah's. Get a drink, loosen up. There has been way too much tension between us and in the chapter.

(silence)

BOBBY - What do ya say?

QUINTON - Actually Bobby, I would love to go. But I really can't. I got some things I really have to do tonight. But I will catch yall next time.

BOBBY - Okay cool. Well look man, no hard feelings. About anything.

(BOBBY extends his hand.)

QUINTON - Yeah.

(QUINTON takes it and they exchange the fraternal handshake.)

BOBBY - Aight man, I am out. Have a good evening.

QUINTON thinks - Oh I will, I will get to the bottom of a few things with Alexis!

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THERESA is walking between the book shelves at Pearl Library.

THERESA thinks - Okay, it should be right...right...here!

(THERESA reaches up and grabs a book.)

THERESA thinks - Yes! It is here!

(THERESA walks out and finds a desk. She sits down and looks at the book.)

THERESA reads - The Divine Nine.

THERESA thinks - This is what Jason wanted me to read to help me with Delta, so whatever.

(THERESA opens it up and flips through the pages. She looks at the pictures, then finds the section on Delta Sigma Theta.)

THERESA thinks - Okay, what do we have here.

(THERESA starts to read, then stops. She reaches into her bag and pulls out her CD disc man.)

THERESA thinks - Ok, let's start again.

(THERESA begins to read again and doesn't realize someone has walked up on her. She looks up when she is tapped on the arm.)

THERESA - Hey girl!

MONA - Damn, why you talking so loud.

THERESA - Huh!

MONA - Take those ear phones off!

THERESA - Oh!

STUDENT - Shhhhhhhhhh!

(THERESA pulls them off and turns the CD off.)

THERESA - My bad girl. What's up.

MONA - Nothing much. What's happening with you?

THERESA - Getting some reading done.

(MONA looks at the cover of the book.)

MONA - What the hell...

(THERESA smiles.)

MONA - Why are you reading this?

THERESA - Because maybe I have an interest in pledging a sorority.

MONA - No seriously!

(They laugh as MONA pulls up a chair.)

MONA - You have got to be kidding me!

THERESA - Why? I can't want to pledge?

MONA - Girl shut up! I know how you feel about greeks!

(They laugh together again.)

THERESA - No seriously. I may be changing my mind and this book may help.

MONA - Well, I know you could only be interested in the lovely oh so pretty ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha right?

THERESA - Nope guess again!

MONA - Well I know you aint trying to be no Zeta!

THERESA - Nope! Try again!

MONA - SGRho? They are worse than Zetas! Damn!

THERESA - Wrong again!

MONA - Oh wait a minute! Not Delta!

(THERESA smiles.)

MONA - Theresa are you crazy? They are worse than the SGRhos! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

THERESA - Shut up Mona!

MONA - Ha ha ha, girl I'm just playing withcha! For real, the Deltas are cool.

THERESA - You really think so?

MONA - Hell yeah. Deltas are the bomb girl. For real. As a matter of fact...

(MONA looks around to see if anyone is listening.)

MONA -...as a matter of fact, the only reason that I went AKA and not Delta was for my mom.

THERESA - Really?

MONA - Heck yeah.

THERESA - So do you know some Delta history and info?

MONA - What? Girl, I know it all! You are looking at a walking Delta historian! Ha ha ha ha!

THERESA - Wow! Then maybe you can tutor me.

MONA - Sure, we will make a good team!

THERESA - We will make a great team!

MONA - Good! Well stick with me and I will have you up in the Delta chapter in no time.

THERESA - Cool!

THERESA thinks - And in the process, I get my man back! Hee hee!