ACT 3, SCENE 1 EXT – THE BRICKS – APARTMENTS – AFTERNOON
MELISSA DAY is ignoring catcalls as she walks past the burned out shell of one apartment complex and heads towards around. Someone is coming out of the apartment she’s heading towards.
MELISSA:
Hold the door!
MELISSA runs up the steps to catch the door just in time.
CUT TO ACT 3, SCENE 2 INT – THE BRICKS – APARTMENTS – CONT’D
ELEVATOR DOOR SLIDES open, but MELISSA pauses before she steps out. The hallway is empty and one of the halogen lights are flickering. MELISSA’S HAND is shaking, until she makes a fist.
She throws her hand between the elevator doors before they close. She steps out bravely. She walks to the halls looking at the apartment numbers. She finds the one she is looking for. She knocks on the door.
MELISSA:
Sarah? You home? I’ve been calling you.
MELISSA keeps knocking. She tries the door, but it’s locked. Someone walks out of an apartment and down the hallway. MELISSA attempts to hide her face from the person and pretends to search for her keys in her purse. As soon as the coast is clear, she examines the lock, reaches into her purse and pulls out two paper clips. She hums GRANDMASTER FLASH – THE MESSAGE to herself while she folds one paperclip into a hook. She sticks both into the lock and fiddles with it.
MELISSA:
(to herself)
Can’t nobody break my stride. Can’t no body hold me…
LOUD CLICK
CUT TO ACT 3, SCENE 3 INT – SARAH’S APARTMENT – CONT’D
MELISSA:
Down. I got to keep on moving.
DOOR pops open into the dark apartment. As Melissa enters…
MELISSA:
Hello?
She turns on the light to reveal a bare and empty apartment: a kitchen table and chairs, packing tape, and mattress on the floor. The apartment is dirty: empty bags of chips and take out containers.
MELISSA closes the door behind her.
MELISSA:
She left… in a big hurry.
She reaches into her purse and pulls out latex gloves. Then she checks from room to room.
In the bedroom there is a bed set and a side table covered in condoms.
In the bathroom, she checks through the medicine cabinet. She picks up a razor. CLOSE UP reveals dried blood and hair.
MELISSA:
If he got to you, I’ll find out. You won’t be forgotten.
She pockets the razor.
Back in the kitchen, MELISSA examines and grimaces at a crusted over frying pan and opens the fridge and finds several forties.
MELISSA:
I hope to God she wasn’t drinking while pregnant.
MAN:
Who the hell are you?
MELISSA jumps and closes the fridge.
TALL MAN w/ tattoos is ROMEO – a pimp.
ROMEO:
How the hell did you get in here?
MELISSA:
I’m sorry. I knocked but no one answered. I was worried. I’m from management. Sarah was short on rent this month. We were a bit concerned and wanted to check on her. Do you know where she is?
ROMEO:
Sarah? Is that the name she gave you? (LAUGHS) Nah, I haven’t seen or heard from her in a while.
ROMEO keeps laughing. He closes the door behind him and locks it.
ROMEO:
And ya damn sure weren’t gonna find her in my fridge.
MELISSA:
Okay, I’ll let management know. Thank you. Sorry again.
ROMEO blocks her way out.
ROMEO:
Where you going? You break into my place, and now you wanna run?
MELISSA:
Sorry to intrude. We should’ve called.
ROMEO:
“We” should’ve known that I pay the bills around here. “Sarah” was my bottom bitch. So before I put my hands on you, I’m gonna ask you one more time. Who the hell are you?
MELISSA:
Wait. Don’t. I know people. My boyfriend works for the Mayor, and his brother’s a cop.
ROMEO:
I know people too. We break cute bitches like you down easy, and we can make you disappear just as fast.
MELISSA:
I don’t want any trouble. You don’t want any trouble. I was just looking for Sarah. I’ll leave. I won’t say anything to anyone.
ROMEO:
Oh yea, definitely, I know you won’t.
ROMEO backs her into a corner.
ROMEO:
Your bitch Sarah owes me money. She upped and left and took everything I got. Maybe you got it?
MELISSA:
HE–!
He quickly chokes her.
ROMEO:
You got some mouth on you. I’m gonna have some fun with you.
MELISSA expertly breaks his chokehold with self-defense moves and then she knees him in the groin.
ROMEO collapses to his knees in pain, just as MELISSA pulls mace from her bag and sprays it in his face.
ROMEO screams. MELISSA tosses the mace, grabs the stray pan and smashes it across his head.
ROMEO is laid out on the floor unconscious. MELISSA stands over him.
MELISSA: (huffing)
Asshole. You think you can do whatever you want. Beat us. Rape us.
MELISSA pulls out her cellphone and stops.
MELISSA:
You don’t deserve prison. (She pockets her phone and smirks) I’m gonna have some fun with you.
ACT 3, SCENE 4 INT: CAR – AFTERNOON
MERENGUE music playing in the car.
LEIGH is in the backseat, while MATEO is driving leisurely through the HEIGHTS. MARIA is in the passenger seat looking adoringly at LEIGH.
MATEO:
All these people I bet are trying to figure out what celebrity’s in the car.
LEIGH:
I’m pretty sure they’re wondering why the bass on this car is set to earthquake.
MATEO laughs.
LEIGH:
And can you tell her to stop looking at me like that?
MATEO:
You’re freaking her out, Maria. Teenagers are very self-conscious.
MARIA:
I can’t stare? It’s my eyes.
LEIGH:
You’re making me uncomfortable.
MATEO:
What’d I tell you!
MARIA
But you’ve grown so much. You must’ve got that indigena blood on your father’s side. His mom was like Indian, or some shit, dating all kind of men from different races.
LEIGH:
Wow. That’s like a nice way of saying she was a whore.
CLOSE UP on MATEO’S face as he cringes and slowly turns up the radio.
MARIA:
<Watch your mouth>. That woman was a saint with a big heart. She loved love and people of all colors.
LEIGH:
I’ve never met her.
MARIA:
If you did, you’d slap the taste out your mouth for me.
LEIGH:
Whatever.
Music is way up.
MARIA:
We bothering you, Mateo?
MATEO:
Not at all. I love this song.
MARIA:
You know Leigh wasn’t always self-conscious. She was an amazing entertainer back in the day. Ever since she could wrap her hand around my hairbrush, she’s been singing.
MATEO:
Really?
MARIA:
Her little baby butt would jiggle like she was a mini Shakira.
LEIGH:
Oh my god…
MARIA:
I know you still got it. Sing us a little something.
LEIGH:
Get me out this car.
MARIA:
Just listen to her sing. She had a voice to make you cry. C’mon, sing!
LEIGH:
Here’s fine. Let me out. Please.
MARIA:
<Muy miedosa>, that one.
ACT 3, SCENE 5 EXT: ASTRO CITY – THE HEIGHTS – AFTERNOON
The car pulls over and Leigh gets out and is about to speed walk away.
CAR WINDOW rolls down.
MARIA:
What time should we pick you up?
LEIGH:
You don’t need to do that.
MARIA:
I told you that I was here, and I wasn’t going anywhere. You need me.
LEIGH:
I don’t need you to bus me around.
MATEO:
So in an hour?
LEIGH:
You don’t need to wait up for me either. Do what you came here to do.
MARIA:
I came here to save you from the people trying to hurt you. (BEAT) So two hours? Give or take?
LEIGH:
Mami, please…
MARIA:
(Smiles) I haven’t heard that in a while. (BEAT) Mateo, call her.
LEIGH’S cellphone rings.
MARIA:
That’s my number. Call me when you’re ready. I’ll be there.
LEIGH:
How do you have my number?
MARIA:
What don’t I know? I didn’t spend four years in prison for nothing.
MARIA reaches out of the window and holds LEIGH’S hands in hers.
MARIA:
I’m gonna make things right. (BEAT) Have fun. Love you.
CAR pulls off, while MARIA is smiling brightly at LEIGH.
LEIGH:
(shaking her head)
Not again.
CUT TO: ACT 3, SCENE 6 EXT: THE HEIGHTS – CONT’D
LEIGH puts on her headphones and starts walking around the HEIGHTS. She sings to herself with her headphones on – ‘SMILE’ by TELEPOPMUSIK
She walks to the makeshift memorial for SHAUNICE. The candles have all burnt out and the small teddy bear is there. Everyone else in the HEIGHTS walk past it without a care.
While LEIGH sings, her song is “remixed” into another song, but another voice that raps deeply about the things his mother told him and about his father he doesn’t know. Theme is that he is king, she is Queen, and we are all royalty.
LEIGH searches out the voice surrounded by a small crowd. When she makes it to the center, she finds JAMAL COLE rapping in front of a cup of coins. She ad-libs a chorus, but JAMAL stops rapping.
As the audience around them applaud, LEIGH and JAMAL stare at each other blankly.
ACT 3, SCENE 7 INT: BUTLER HOUSE – KITCHEN – AFTERNOON
CLOSE UP of AMED’S face as he stares down at something off screen.
LINDA (O.S.)
Amed? Amed?
He ignores her, until he looks up. She is standing in the threshold of the kitchen.
LINDA:
Are you cooking something? I can smell it upstairs.
AMED:
No.
FOCUS on stove with a pot of boiling water.
LINDA:
Then what’s the stove doing on?
AMED:
I don’t know.
LINDA:
(SIGH) I want you to call your job and let them know you need more time at home.
She hands him a paper.
LINDA:
I want you to see a therapist. You need something stronger than Rev Mac. Someone who’s actually a professional.
AMED crumbles up the paper and launches it on the floor.
AMED:
It’s like you’re not even bothering with the truth anymore. You want me out of the house so bad.
LINDA:
Amed, I’ll leave you if you don’t get help.
AMED:
I think you were going to leave anyway.
LINDA:(scared)
I’m going upstairs.
AMED
Wait…
She waits for him to change his mind.
AMED
Since you forced me to stay in this house, I looked at your phone records. Guess what I saw?
LINDA:
I’m trying my hardest, Amed, but if you keep acting like this, I don’t know how long I can stay here with you.
AMED throws papers in her direction. They litter the floor.
AMED:
In the past week, you’ve called the hospital almost every day, multiple times a day. Am I holding you back from someone?
LINDA:
Don’t talk to me like that.
AMED:
This time you will answer me with the truth. (Gets more emotional) Who are you seeing behind my back?
LINDA:
Relax, Amed.
AMED:
Tell me! Who is he?
LINDA struggles with the truth.
LINDA:
My doctor.
AMED is stunned like he’s about to cry and then he attack her. He grabs her by the throat and chokes her. They fall to the ground and in the crash the pot of water tumbles off the stove.
LINDA is gasping for air and fighting for her life.
AMED:
I gave you everything. I trusted you.
LINDA gasps something loudly. It seems like all is lost.
AMED looks confused and finally loosens his hands around her throat.
AMED:
What?
LINDA:
I’m pregnant! I’m pregnant!
LINDA cries, and AMED slowly climbs to his feet and looks frighteningly at his hands.
Around them phone record papers are floating in a puddle of water.
LINDA:
I would’ve never done anything to hurt you! Never!
As LINDA cries profusely, AMED walks out the kitchen in horror.
END OF ACT 3