Episode 7

This week’s episode begins with RONNIE who is walking across the yard.

RONNIE thinks - I hope the caf isn’t too crowded. If it is, I will just eat later.

(RONNIE sees WILLIE walking across the yard as well.)

RONNIE - Roof! Roof! What’s up sawrah!

WILLIE - What’s up bruh. Where you headed?

RONNIE - Cafeteria. What about you?

WILLIE - Same place, let’s go.

RONNIE - Cool. So what you been up to?

WILLIE - Trying to keep my head on straight. School got a sister stressing!

RONNIE - I know that’s right. But it’s all good.

WILLIE - Oh yeah, nothing a strong sister can’t handle. You know?

RONNIE - No doubt.

(They get to the cafeteria.)

WILLIE - Ooh, they got pizza today.

RONNIE - Oh cool.

(RONNIE and WILLIE get their trays, food and drinks. They pay for everything and have a seat in a booth.)

WILLIE - So how is life treating you?

RONNIE - Life took an oak paddle, bent my ass over and pretended I was on line!

WILLIE - Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! What in the world happened?

RONNIE - Girl if I told you, you wouldn’t even believe me.

WILLIE - Try me, I put nothing past brothers nowadays.

RONNIE - Ok, you asked for it. I think I am in love.

WILLIE - Ok, now I know you are ready for the padded wagon!

RONNIE - See, I told you. What? A brother can’t be in love?

WILLIE - Sure a brother can be in love. But you? There must be a catch.

RONNIE laughing - Why there gotta be a catch?

WILLIE - What’s the catch? Who is it?

RONNIE - I’m saying. Why there gotta be a catch?

WILLIE - Who is it?

(silence)

RONNIE - Alexis.

WILLIE - I knew there was a catch!

RONNIE - But...

WILLIE - But? But? Butthead is what you are! Alexis! Are you insane?

RONNIE - I can’t help who I like.

WILLIE - Yes you can help who you like. You don’t go around claiming to fall in love with people who are already in relationships. What the hell are you talking about Ronnie?

RONNIE - But what if the relationship that the person is in is bullshit?

WILLIE - By your standards?

RONNIE - By anybody’s. You know Bobby has been openly cheating on Alexis. He got Trina pregnant.

WILLIE - What?

RONNIE - You didn’t know?

WILLIE - Well thanks to you I know now.

RONNIE - So what if the relationship is bullshit?

WILLIE - Even if it is? What the hell did you expect her to do? Break up with Bobby and be with you? Please Ronnie. You sound crazy.

RONNIE - I think I became overly possesive and moved too fast. So I backed away. I didn’t want to hurt Alexis more than she already was hurt. But I know I can be a better man for her. I know I can. I respect her and I care for her deeply. I miss her now.

WILLIE - If you cared for her deeply, you would leave her alone and not pursue this.

RONNIE - What? Why?

WILLIE - Because Ronnie, she just found out that not only did her boyfriend, a man she was in love with, cheat on her, but he got the other woman pregnant. That is two crushing blows to the heart. She can’t take anymore emotional turmoil.

RONNIE - Maybe you’re right.

WILLIE - Besides, you shouldn’t even be thinking of Alexis. It is just too soon for her. And honestly, I think that this is what is wrong with America today. The moral fabric of this nation is gone.

RONNIE - What are you talking about?

WILLIE - No one cares for monogamy anymore. This person is sleeping with that person and people are jumping in and out of relationships like they are playing hopscotch. You need to realize that she basically belongs to someone else. They are just going through some trials right now. And she may even decide to break up with him. But for the time being, she belongs to someone else.

(RONNIE puts his head down. Then he takes a drink of soda.)

WILLIE - You need to recognize that and move on. Some people are just off limits and need to stay that way.

RONNIE - This hurts though and it only stops hurting when she is with me.

WILLIE - But those are not true feelings. You cannot push up on her, it just isn’t right. Some people are just forbidden fruit and should not be dealt with.

(JASON enters the cafeteria and looks for a seat. He finds one and sits by himself.)

WILLIE - Um...can you excuse me for a minute?

RONNIE - Yeah, cool.

(WILLIE gets up and walks over.)

WILLIE - Hey Jason, how you doing boobie?

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Our scenes change and we revisit with TRINA who is standing at GREGG’s door talking to GREGG.

GREGG - You came to talk to me? What for?

TRINA - Can I come in?

GREGG - Uh...yeah.

GREGG thinks - Now what!

(GREGG lets TRINA in.)

GREGG - Hold on a second Trina.

(GREGG walks over to the phone.)

GREGG - PJ, you still there?

PJ - Yeah Gregg, I am here. What is wrong with Nino?

GREGG - Look, let me call you back, I can’t talk about it right now.

PJ - Gregg wait, are you ok?

GREGG - I will talk to you later PJ ok?

PJ - Gregg honey wait! Are you ok? I am worried.

(SHAREESA looks at PJ funny.)

GREGG - PJ, I have to go now. I have unexpected company.

SHAREESA thinks - Company?

PJ - Well promise me you will call me back.

GREGG - Ok I promise. Bye.

PJ - Bye bye.

(PJ looks at SHAREESA. SHAREESA doesn’t look back.)

PJ - Who do you think his company is?

(PJ goes to push the speaker button on the phone to hang it up.)

SHAREESA - I don’t know. I wish I could find out who...

GREGG - So what brings you over here to see me?

(PJ and SHAREESA look at the phone.)

PJ thinks - Oh shit!

TRINA - I need to talk to you and it is damn important.

(SHAREESA looks at PJ.)

PJ whispers - Shhh, he is talking to some girl. He didn’t hang the phone up all the way.

SHAREESA whispers - I can’t listen in. That would be wrong and dishonest?

PJ whispers - Huh? You were just listening in a minute ago. What’s the difference?

GREGG - What do you need to talk to me about?

TRINA - This whole deal with you and the baby!

(PJ jumps up.)

PJ - Baby!

(PJ stumps her toe on the desk.)

PJ whispers - Ow, ow shit!

SHAREESA whispers - Will you be quiet!

SHAREESA thinks - This must be the girl he got pregnant! I wonder who it is!

(PJ is hopping around holding her foot.)

GREGG - Trina, I aint got time for this alright?

SHAREESA - Trina!

TRINA - Hey don’t bite my head off! I am here to help you.

GREGG - There is nothing that you can possibly say that would help me ok?

TRINA - Don’t be too sure about that.

(PJ sits back down.)

PJ - Gregg got somebody pregnant?

SHAREESA - Yeah! Trina!

PJ - Trina?

GREGG - Look, can we talk some other time? I got some real heavy things on my mind right now.

TRINA - Well if you just shut up and listen, I will take a heavy burden off of you.

GREGG - What? Ok you got my attention. What is it?

SHAREESA thinks - What is it?

(PJ and SHAREESA lean closer to the speaker.)

TRINA - You aint nobody’s baby daddy. It’s Bobby’s.

GREGG - What!

PJ - What!

(PJ leans back and her chair topples over backward.)

SHAREESA - What!

GREGG - Yes! I knew it! I knew it! Dammit!

SHAREESA thinks - My man has been telling me the truth all along!

(PJ gets up holding her foot and her head. SHAREESA clicks the phone off.)

GREGG - I knew it! I used a damn condom every time I was with that ho! I knew I didn’t get her pregnant! And I heard she was getting around!

TRINA - Yeah, she is a straight up ho!

(SHAREESA is staring into space.)

PJ - So Bobby got Trina pregnant? This shit is like a soap opera! Aint that crazy?

SHAREESA - No, what is crazy is that I didn’t trust my man in the first place! Hear I am conniving with you and scheming on Gregg, listening in to his conversations, and he was telling the truth all along! He is the only brother on this whole campus that isn’t fucking around! I am going back home to my man!

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We rejoin APRIL who is in KATRICE’s room. KATRICE was administering a breast massage when APRIL called out DERRICK’s name.

KATRICE - Derrick? Is that what you said? Derrick?

(APRIL snaps out of her laziness and realizes that KATRICE is on top of her with her hands on her breasts.)

APRIL - Uh...uh...

(KATRICE gets off in disgust. APRIL fixes her bra.)

KATRICE - You know what April? You are really foul. You really know how to hurt someone’s feelings.

APRIL - What the hell are you talking about?

KATRICE - How you gonna conitnually lead me on and then get up in my face and mention another nigga’s name? Especially that nigga?

APRIL - Whoa whoa whoa, slow your roll Katrice. First of all, I told you straight up that there was no funny business going on.

(KATRICE crosses her arms.)

APRIL - I was very clear about that. If you were lead on, then that was your fault because I told you the deal.

KATRICE - What deal? You are constantly sending mixed signals! Your mouth is saying no but your body is always saying yes. What the hell am I supposed to think?

(silence)

KATRICE - And you fucked Derrick didn’t you?

APRIL - What I did with Derrick or any other brother is none of your business.

KATRICE - I know you did. I can tell by the smart ass looks he is always giving me.

APRIL - For your information, Derrick is a damn jerk and is not even worth this discussion ok? I took care of him a long time ago and now that whole situation is over with.

KATRICE - So you just love em and leave em huh?

APRIL - Why don’t you mind your business?

KATRICE - Why don’t you take care of yours?

APRIL - Why the hell are you so hostile toward me?

KATRICE - Because you are insensitive April? I mean what the fuck? How would you feel if you were with someone you cared about and they said someone else’s name?

(silence)

APRIL - But we aint even seeing each other? You are making this way more than it needs to be. I just said for you to rub my shoulder. How the hell did that get into you getting mad because I said Derrick’s name?

(silence)

KATRICE - Maybe you should go.

APRIL - Yeah, maybe I should.

(APRIL grabs her bag and heads for the door.)

APRIL - Catch up with ya later.

KATRICE - Um hmm.

(KATRICE is not looking as APRIL lets herself out. KATRICE waits a second and then lies across the bed holding a pillow.)

KATRICE thinks - This shit is fucked up. This is not April’s fault and I am treating her like shit. She is not gay and not mine. I am such an idiot.

(KATRICE rolls over onto her back.)

KATRICE thinks - I am pushing her away more than I ever have before. If I wasn’t a soror now, she probably would have nothing more to do with me!

(A tear runs across KATRICE’s face and onto the bed.)

KATRICE thinks - I have to make a committment to APRIL to leave her alone. I can’t put her nor myself through this. This is not cool.

(KATRICE turns back over so she can reach over to her desk. She grabs two tissues from the tissue box.)

KATRICE thinks - I just need to stop and lay low on this. I really don’t want to ruin a potential good friendship and sisterly bond. I wish none of this would have happened. Dammit!

(There is a knock on the door.)

KATRICE - Who the hell is this?

(KATRICE jumps up and grabs another tissue. She looks in the mirror and wipes her eyes and blows her nose.)

KATRICE - Just a minute.

(Another knock. KATRICE opens the door. APRIL is standing there.)