ACT 2, SCENE 1 INT: HOSPITAL
TITLE CARD: WEEKEND
SISTER NETTA enters OMAR BUTLER’S hospital room. She rushes to OMAR’S side, kisses and hugs him.
SISTER:
Oh my god, are you okay? Are they taking care of you? Are you in pain?
OMAR:
Yes, yes, I’m fine.
SISTER:
I can’t believe this happened to you. It’s not supposed too. Did something happen? Did you do something? Maybe we can find Neb. Have her fix you up again.
OMAR:
Don’t bother. I’m all healed up. It just took some time. I’m actually leaving today.
SISTER:
The hell you are. You were shot. You’re staying here. Who knows where those maniacs are now? What if you get hurt again? What if you die? I can’t lose you.
OMAR:
Sister, listen. I can’t stay in here. I got a lot to do. People are in danger if I don’t get out of here.
SISTER:
Omar, please. No one is asking you to be a hero.
OMAR:
This isn’t about me.
SISTER:
If you love me, you’d stay in this hospital bed.
OMAR:
You know I do.
SISTER looks as though she is about to kiss OMAR, until he notices someone else in the room.
OMAR’S POV: AMED standing in the doorway, stern-faced, studying them.
OMAR gently pushes SISTER away.
OMAR:
But like I said, this isn’t about me.
AMED BUTLER steps into the room.
OMAR:
We have something really important to tell you.
SISTER:
What is it?
POV from the hospital hallway as AMED somberly closes the door. CAMERA dollys away from the door and down the hall where hospital staff are at work.
Everything stops briefly when SISTER screams in pain from behind the door.
ACT 2, SCENE 2 EXT: BASKETBALL COURTS – DAY
RICKY and JAMAL are outside. JAMAL is in a hoodie still trying to stay low.
JAMAL:
I hate being out here like this.
RICKY:
Don’t be. Loco’s crazier than we think if he pulls something else in all this light, with all these pigs out looking for him. Let them deal with him.
JAMAL:
If anybody knows we’re here, we got problems.
RICKY:
There’s always gonna be problems. So what?
JAMAL:
So we can’t stay out here.
RICKY:
I don’t know about you, but I’m gonna get lit and then hit up one of my uncles for a tux.
JAMAL:
A tux for what? Your casket?
RICKY:
Nah bro, the dance. The hell you mean casket?
JAMAL:
The dance?
RICKY:
You forgot? DJ Fyah’s gonna be there. My girl’s dress is on fleek. I’m gonna look straight up pimp. Ain’t nothing stopping me from having a good time. Not DCF. Not Loco. I’m going out.
JAMAL:
You serious?
RICKY:
As much as we put up with, we earned this. Who the hell gonna tell us what we can and can’t do? Ya feel me?
JAMAL:
I’m with it.
RICKY:
Now ya talkin.
JAMAL:
So anyone could go?
CUT HARD TO ACT 2, SCENE 3 EXT: J-COOL’S
MARLEIGHA “LEIGH” SUAREZ and DARLAH WOODS stare blankly ahead. RICKY and JAMAL look back at them expectedly.
RICKY:
Why she looking at me like that?
LEIGH:
Cause I don’t like you, and I don’t trust you as far as I can see you.
DARLAH:
Girl, relax. Ricky told me he’s on Loco’s shit list too.
LEIGH:
Good! Loco and him can go to hell on a spiked dick for what you did to Shaunice.
RICKY:
Yo, you still on this? If I did anything to her, I’d be arrested.
LEIGH:
You did do something.
RICKY:
The worst thing I did was cop a feel. Just answer Jay’s question. You down or nah?
LEIGH:
Jamal, how could you be around him? With all that he did to us? I can’t trust you if you’re around him.
JAMAL pulls her aside.
JAMAL:
He’s so scared of Loco he’s been at my place. I figured we’re all safer together.
LEIGH:
But with Ricky? That’s asking for problems.
JAMAL:
C’mon. There’s always gonna be problems.
RICKY (O.S.)
That’s my line!
DARLAH (O.S.)
Shut up.
JAMAL:
I really just want this to be about us though.
LEIGH:
I don’t like it.
JAMAL:
What’s not to like? It’s me and you. Forget about the rest of them. I wanted to have you all to myself since I saw you.
LEIGH:
That’s corny.
JAMAL:
C’mon…
LEIGH:
I don’t know.
LEIGH turns and heads into the store.
JAMAL:
What does that mean?
DARLAH:
I got you. Wait right here.
RICKY:
Your girl has a hard-on for me.
JAMAL:
Shut up Rick.
ACT 2, SCENE 4 INT: J-COOL’S – CONT’D
BELL RINGS ABOVE THE DOOR
LEIGH:
I can’t believe this.
JOSE “J-COOL” COLUMNA:
<Hola bonita! It’s been a long time. Que tal?>
LEIGH kisses him on the cheeks.
LEIGH:
<Not good.>
J-COOL:
<Have you seen your mother?>
LEIGH:
No and I don’t care.
J-COOL sighs mournfully.
BELL RINGS ABOVE THE DOOR and DARLAH comes in.
DARLAH:
Girl, you’re forcing it.
LEIGH:
<Let me punch this bitch in the face. Just once.>
DARLAH:
I know youre talking about me.
LEIGH:
When were you going to tell me you were dating Ricky?
DARLAH:
Whoa! He and I ain’t that exclusive. I do his hair.
LEIGH:
Do you understand what he did to your cousin?
DARLAH:
He told me he didn’t do anything. And he’s right because he’s not charged with anything.
LEIGH:
Because the system’s always right? I can’t trust him.
DARLAH:
Well then trust me girl. This ain’t about Ricky.
LEIGH:
This could be a trick to get me.
DARLAH:
A trick by who? Ricky? Ya alright. He ain’t that smart.
LEIGH:
Then I don’t know what to do!
DARLAH:
The boy you have wet dreams about is outside. He wants you, and you need some fun. We both do. What would Shaunice tell you to do?
LEIGH gives her an incredulous look.
DARLAH:
Ok, yeah, and then after you cussed her out, what would you actually do?
LEIGH thinks about it.
HARD CUT TO: ACT 2, SCENE 5 EXT: J-COOL’S
LEIGH:
Yes, I’ll go to the dance with you.
LEIGH and JAMAL are close.
JAMAL:
You won’t regret this.
LEIGH:
I better not.
JAMAL:
You won’t.
DARLAH and RICKY starts to pull them apart.
DARLAH:
Girl, we don’t have much time to get you ready.
RICKY:
Bro, we gotta get Gucci for this.
JAMAL and LEIGH look longingly at each other before they head out.
ACT 2, SCENE 6 INT: SISTER’S HOME – CONT’D
LEIGH and DARLAH excitedly walk into the house.
DARLAH:
It’s mad dark in here.
LEIGH:
Sister, you home?
The house is still and every noise seems to amplify.
DARLAH:
This house is creepy.
LEIGH:
Imagine living here. My room’s upstairs.
As they hit the steps, DARLAH stops suddenly. She walks into the living room.
LEIGH:
What?
DARLAH:
I thought I saw someone in there.
LEIGH:
Sister you here?
No response.
DARLAH:
This might sound crazy, but it looked like Shaunice.
LEIGH:
You’re right. That sounds crazy.
DARLAH:
Hello?
No response.
LEIGH:
C’mon.
They head upstairs and out of view/frame as the HOODED GHOST OF JOSHUA quickly follows after them.
DARLAH quickly turns around, but no one is behind her.
LEIGH at the stairs.
LEIGH:
C’mon.
DARLAH:
This house. Is creepy.
LEIGH rolls her eyes.
ACT 2 SCENE 7 INT: LEIGH’S ROOM – CONT’D
As LEIGH fishes through her closet for clothes to wear, DARLAH notices a box in the corner.
DARLAH:
I thought you were supposed to drop off Shaunice’s stuff?
LEIGH:
Her mom didn’t want it then. I didn’t think she would want it now.
LEIGH adores herself in the mirror with a dress in her hand as DARLAH fishes through SHAUNICE’S things.
DARLAH:
This bracelet might look good on you.
LEIGH takes it and holds it thoughtfully in her hand before putting it on her wrist.
DARLAH:
Did you know that she had a diary?
LEIGH:
No.
DARLAH finds a book and starts flipping through it.
DARLAH:
It looks like poetry. “As his hands touch my body, I scream internally. My dignity diminishes. I am his again. I scream. I scream.” Damn this shit is steamy.
LEIGH yanks the book out of her hand and places it down on a bureau.
LEIGH:
Shaunice would’ve focused on the fun stuff right now.
DARLAH:
You right.
The pipes in the house start to groan loudly as if screaming.
DARLAH:
Bitch, I’m done. This house is creepy.
DARLAH gets up to leave. LEIGH sighs exasperatedly.
ACT 2, SCENE 8 INT: HOSPITAL – AFTERNOON
AS AMED gathers OMAR’S things, OMAR huffs and hangs up his phone.
AMED:
She’s not answering you either?
OMAR:
No.
AMED:
She doesn’t just ignore our calls. I should’ve gone after her.
OMAR:
No, she needed space.
AMED:
She needs us. (Beat) We should’ve never told her the truth.
OMAR:
That’s incredible coming from you. She had the right to know. All that she’s done, all that she is and will do now, was about that night. We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for that.
AMED:
She was lying when she said she was going home.
OMAR:
Yeah I figured.
AMED:
Maybe she’ll go to Rev’s.
OMAR:
Maybe, but not likely.
AMED:
Where else would she be?
OMAR shrugs.
OMAR:
But I know some places we could check. We should hit up the bars first.
AMED:
How could you think about drinking right now?
OMAR:
It’s not for us.
AMED:
Sister drinks?
OMAR:
She’s been sober for years, but she relapses off and on. I think we just pushed her back off the wagon.
AMED:
I didn’t know that. Clearly, Sister shared a lot more with you than with me.
OMAR:
She has no favorites. You know that.
AMED:
You don’t have to sugar coat it. It makes sense she likes you more. I left you alone a lot with her. I should’ve never done that.
OMAR:
You were handling your business with what’s her face.
AMED:
I wish Sister treated me the way she treated you. I’ve never known a mother’s love. When I first walked in here, I thought Sister was gonna kiss you.
OMAR looks at AMED suspiciously.
OMAR:
No that’s stupid.
AMED looks back at him oddly.
AMED:
What was that?
OMAR:
What?
AMED:
That. What was that? Why am I feeling that?
OMAR:
Don’t do this.
AMED:
What is it? Is it about you and Sister?
OMAR:
Stop. Let’s just go.
AMED turns him back around.
AMED:
Wait a minute. Was Sister about to kiss you when I walked in here?
OMAR:
Probably a little peck on the cheek.
AMED:
No. You’re not telling the truth. I can feel it. Was she going to *kiss* you, Omar?
OMAR:
I can’t lie to you.
AMED: (disgusted)
But you are! Shit! Is that normal? Has she done this before?
OMAR:
Lower your voice.
AMED:
Answer me.
OMAR:
I rather not.
AMED:(gags)
How long has she been doing this to you? God, is she forcing you! Was she raping you when I wasn’t there?
OMAR:
Relax, Amed. It happened when I was older. And it was mutual. I needed her.
AMED freezes.
AMED:
This is disgusting. She’s practically our mother.
OMAR:
Don’t psychoanalyze it, please.
AMED:
You gotta stop this. I can’t let y’all do this. I can’t even…I, I…I’m gonna be sick.
OMAR:
Okay. Okay. Breathe. Deep breath.
AMED:
I have more questions.
OMAR:
But not enough time, let’s just find her before she does something crazy.
ACT 2, SCENE 9 EXT: J-COOL’s – CONT’D.
BELL RINGS ABOVE THE DOOR.
J-COOL looks on happy, but is shocked when he’s ignored.
A hand slides open a refrigerator door and grabs a 6-pack of beer.
The 6-pack slams down on the counter.
J-COOL looks on confused.
J-COOL:
Sister?
SISTER:
It’s tea time.
END OF ACT 2