JAY has an exam to study for... and has guests that have decided to visit.
LISA - I know I can't stay because you got work to do.
(LISA pouts.)
JAY - Tell ya what, I'll make it up to ya.
LISA - You will?
JAY - No doubt!
(She steps to him to hug him again.)
LISA - Well good luck on your exams. I hope you do well.
(There is a knock on the door.)
JAY - What the... what is goin' on tonight?
LISA - Well I need to go so give me a call tomorrow after you wake up. I know you're gonna have to crash after your exams tomorow.
JAY - Yeah, that's right.
(JAY walks her to the door.)
JAY - Thanks again. I'll call you.
LISA - Okay.
(They kiss and JAY opens the door.)
NIKKI - Hi Jay, I thought you might be hungry so I brought you something to...
(NIKKI looks LISA up and down.)
NIKKI - I thought you had exams to study for Jay, who is this?
LISA - Who is this? Who are you?
JAY - Hold up... hold up... come in here Nikki.
(JAY steps aside to let NIKKI in. Both girls are waiting to see what JAY is going to say.)
JAY - Okay listen and listen closely, both of yall.
(He looks them both in the eye, first LISA on the left of him and then NIKKI on the right.)
JAY - I told you both that I had two exams tomorrow, didn't I?
LISA - Yeah.
(silence)
JAY - Nik...
NIKKI - Yes.
JAY - And I told you both that I already ate. Didn't I?
LISA - Yeah, you did.
NIKKI - Yeah I guess so.
JAY - Both of you took it upon yourselves to come and see me uninvited. Did I invite you here Lisa?
LISA - Naw.
JAY - Did I invite you here Nikki?
NIKKI - No.
JAY - So don't get hot with me. Next time listen to what a brother is saying. I have two... two exams tomorrow and my frat is in the hospital passed out or some shit. So I don't need stress. I need friends who understand me.
LISA - I'm sorry Jay. I didn't know.
JAY - You gotta talk to me. I'm an open book you know what I'm sayin'? I aint tryin' to hide shit. Ya know?
LISA - Yeah.
JAY - I aint tryin' to hide nothing. I'm as real as they get. So you aint gotta try and play me and I definitely aint tryin' to play either one of yall.
NIKKI - I'm sayin' though Jay, I mean I thought we was seeing each other and you seeing other people. I didn't know that shit.
JAY - All you had to do is ask and not assume. I aint never said I was your man, or your man.
(He points to them both.)
JAY - The only thing I said is that I got two exams tomorrow and I aint got time for bullshit. Now I got a bunch of food that I aint even gonna...
(There is a knock on the door.)
NIKKI - Well damn! Who's comin' in next the whole cheerleading squad?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KIM is still in AHMAD's room. She is thinking about how she interacted with him and how that probably caused him to leave.
KIM thinks - I hope I didn't chase Ahmad away. Gosh what is wrong with me! I always go overboard with it! Damn!
(She stares at the door that AHMAD and SETH just walked out of to get into the hallway.)
KIM thinks - Okay, when they get back, I'll just change the subject and not mention anything else.
(silence)
KIM thinks - Unless he does of course!
(She smiles to herself.)
KIM thinks - I won't say anything else and I'll try to not stick my darn foot in my mou...
(There is a knock on the door.)
KIM thinks - Oh Ahmad must've left his keys in here.
(She gets up to open the door.)
KIM thinks - Don't bring this up again... don't bring this up again... don't bring thi...
(She opens the door.)
SHAREESA - Hey Kim... is Ahmad back here yet?
(silence)
SHAREESA - Kim? Is uh... Ahmad here?
KIM - Uh... no he's not!
(KIM answers with an attitude.)
SHAREESA - Look Kim, this doesn't concern you. I know he's here so let me just talk to him.
KIM - He's not here Shareesa and he probably wouldn't want to talk to you if he was.
SHAREESA - That is not your business.
KIM - If you don't believe me come in and have a look for yourself.
(KIM steps aside, SHAREESA walks in.)
SHAREESA - Ahmad...
(SHAREESA walks into the back room. KIM sits on the couch and grabs the remote. She folds her arms.)
KIM - I told you he wasn't here and he doesn't want to talk to you.
(SHAREESA walks back out.)
SHAREESA - And I told you to mind your business! What the hell is the matter with you Kim?
KIM - What's the matter with me? What's the matter with you! I heard about that stunt you pulled with Ahmad and that was foul, real foul.
SHAREESA - I don't need you in my business telling me bout what I did okay? That's between me and my man and not you.
KIM - Well if I was him, you wouldn't have a man no more. And from the way he sounded, that's whats up!
(SHAREESA walks over and stands in front of where KIM is seated, blocking her view of the television.)
SHAREESA - Let me tell you something...
KIM - No let me tell you something Shareesa, Ahmad is a nice guy and that stunt you pulled was messed up! If you're ashamed of him because of his age then why the hell are you with him? And why the hell do you keep hanging around the college scene anyway? You graduated! Why are you with someone in college?
SHAREESA - What I do and who I choose to be with is none of your damn business little girl.
(She takes a step and is now right in front of KIM.)
SHAREESA - Don't get in my way Kim... and don't fuck with me.
(She turns to leave.)
SHAREESA - Oh and Kim...
(She turns back around and smiles.)
SHAREESA - ...tell my man that I stopped by.
(She smiles at KIM, opens the door and walks out.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(JAY steps past NIKKI and reaches for the door.)
JAY thinks - Who the hell is this and why can't I get a break tonight? Shit!
(He opens the door.)
PHIL - Yo Nupe.
JAY - Wassup man, you got my notes?
PHIL - Notes?
JAY whispers - Follow me.
JAY - For the second exam.
PHIL - Oh... uh... oh oh yeah. Yeah, I got it. Um got it right here in my bag.
JAY - Damn! Thanks frat! You are a life saver man!
(JAY turns back to LISA and NIKKI.)
JAY - Ladies, I really gotta go. If I don't study I'm gonna fail. I got a lot of work to do and I'm still worried about Eric.
LISA - Okay Jay. I'm sorry for not calling first.
JAY - Its okay. I'll talk to yall later.
NIKKI - I don't think you'll be talking to me Jay. I don't do the sharing thing.
JAY thinks - Shit!
JAY - I understand Nik. That's up to you. Right now, I gotta study and my man is here with these notes. So...
NIKKI - I can take a hint.
(NIKKI walks past PHIL and leaves.)
LISA - Call me after you get some rest tomorrow.
JAY - Thanks for understanding Lisa. That means a lot.
(LISA smiles.)
JAY - Phil, this is Lisa. You may be looking at the new Misses.
(LISA smiles.)
LISA - Stop lying. Nice to meet you.
PHIL - You too. Take care.
(She smiles as she walks out. JAY closes the door behind her. JAY closes his eyes and rubs his head.)
PHIL - How bruh? How the hell do you do it? You the official Amgis freak!
JAY - These broads is crazy man! Damn! Can a brother breathe?
PHIL - Awww, are they smothering you Jay?
(PHIL is sarcastic and starts to laugh.)
JAY - You aint funny nigga. What you doin' here anyway?
PHIL - I was trying to check on E but I didn't know you had exams. And I definitely didn't know you had the usual two girls up in your crib.
JAY - I wish!
PHIL - I bet you do.
JAY - Naw man, but really, you the lucky one. You got a good girl and that's what's up.
PHIL - What? You wanna settle down now? A lot of girls on the yard are gonna cry their eyes out if they aint the chosen one!
JAY - I'm being for real. Like, you got a girl, and she takes care of shit. She don't give you a lot of stress or lip and yall got something real. See, that's what I'm talkin' bout.
PHIL - Yeah, Tia is cool like that. Fo sho.
JAY - But how you got your shit set up? I mean, she don't be trippin' when you be with bros or nothing!
PHIL - We just got an understanding and a true love. I got Tia wrapped around my little finger bruh.
JAY - Well I aint mad at ya.
PHIL - That's what you gotta have. Respect, communication and honesty. If you got that, you can have what I have.
JAY - I'm honest as hell, probably too honest. If a girl asks me if I think she's fat and she is, I'm gonna say hell yeah you fat!
(They both laugh.)
PHIL - I see why you stay single! Nigga, let me use your phone to call Akina and check on Eric. My cell phone is dead.
JAY - Aight, don't be running up my minutes nigga.
PHIL - Its for Eric fool!
(JAY laughs. He grabs his phone and turns it on.)
JAY - Where's your girl now?
PHIL - She was hanging out with one of her sorors.
JAY - Cool cool. Here ya... oh wait, I got a message. Let me check, it may be Akina.
MESSAGE - Jay! Jay! They took Eric to the police station and I don't know why! I am rushing there now! Call me!
JAY - What!
PHIL - What happened?
(JAY plays it again.)
MESSAGE - Jay! Jay! They took Eric to the police station and...
JAY - Shit! They took Eric to the police station!
PHIL - Police station? Why?
JAY - I don't know! Come on!
(PHIL runs out of the room. JAY looks back at the open textbook on his desk. He pauses.)
JAY thinks - Damn!
(He closes the door and runs behind PHIL.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MIRI is talking with his frat brothers of Phi Beta Sigma in the frat house.
MIRI - We do plan to go back. We actually have to.
HAYDEN - Have to? Why?
MIRI - A part of Migiri's adoption process requires that we check back with the agency once every three years to monitor his progress.
HAYDEN - So they make you come all the way back for that? All the way back from America?
MIRI - Well no but we want to. We want Migiri to have the best of both worlds. To understand his heritage both from here and from the motherland.
CALVIN - That's cool. I hear ya.
SETH - What you know about the motherland Cal?
(Everyone laughs.)
CALVIN - I know about your mother! How bout that?
(Everyone laughs again. CALVIN's cell phone rings. He is laughing as he answers it.)
CALVIN - Hello.
GWEN - Hello there.
CALVIN - Hey Gwen! Hold on.
GWEN - Okay.
(He gets up to walk into another room where it is more quiet.)
CALVIN - Hello.
GWEN - Yeah.
CALVIN - Hey, how's it goin'?
GWEN - I'm good. What are you up to?
CALVIN - Nothing much. I'm over here at the frat house chillin' with my boys.
GWEN - Oh okay. You wanna hook up later or something?
CALVIN - We can hook up right now if you want. Where are you?
GWEN - Just leaving Camille's house. Me and Tia just left so I'm dropping her off.
CALVIN - Cool. Drop off your girl and then come by our house. We can go do something.
GWEN - Okay. See ya in a few okay?
CALVIN - Okay.
(They hang up.)
TIA - So you really like this dude huh?
GWEN - He's nice.
TIA - He's more than nice. Look in the mirror at your own smile!
(GWEN laughs.)
GWEN - Shut up.
TIA - This aint no puppy love now is it?
GWEN - It aint even like that okay? Calvin is real cool. He's not like your normal frat guy.
TIA - He's not like your normal Black college student either.
GWEN - Whatever. If folks can't see past that then I feel sorry for em.
TIA - Naw, I'm just jokin'. But I feel ya. Nothing like being happy.
GWEN - Yeah. Speaking of which, how's Phil?
TIA - Aw he's cool.
(silence)
GWEN - That's it? Just cool?
TIA - Cool.
(silence)
GWEN - Okay spill it.
TIA - Spill what?
GWEN - Bitch don't make me beat you.
(TIA laughs out loud which makes GWEN laugh.)
TIA - I mean, things are cool with Phil, but he's gotten too comfortable in the relationship. Ya know? He don't really excite me no more. He used to be all about me and all about us.
GWEN - What you mean?
TIA - I mean, he used to be flowers and cards, and constant calls. Now a nigga is comfortable, so no more romance.
GWEN - Oh. And you're a romantic huh?
TIA - I'm just sayin'. I love getting flowers and nice surprises. Ya know? Do you know what we did for Valentine's Day this year?
GWEN - No. What?
TIA - He took me to the diner.
GWEN - The twenty four seven?
TIA - Girl the twenty fo seven! Come on now!
GWEN - Shoot, well I was sittin' at home. So you was luckier than me.
TIA - Next time I'll come to your house and we can kick it!
(They both laugh.)
TIA - See, I need me a man like Ahmad!
GWEN - Oh brother. Not again.
TIA - No for real. That brother knows how to treat a lady!
GWEN - You just saying that because you think Ahmad is fine.
TIA - Oooh girl he is!
GWEN - He aight.
TIA - Aight? Tall and brown skin, with muscles!
GWEN - Muscles? As skinny as he looks?
TIA - Don't let the frame fool ya! He works out. He is cut!
GWEN - Lord!
(GWEN pulls up in front of the dorm.)
GWEN - Well that aint gonna work regardless. He got a girl and you got a man. So whatever.
TIA - Hey, a sister can dream ya know.
(GWEN laughs as TIA grabs her bag.)
TIA - Aight soror, holla.
GWEN - Later crazy girl.
(They hug and TIA gets out. She hears GWEN drive off behind her as she walks into Tandy Hall.)
TIA thinks - I wonder if Ahmad is home right now. Maybe I'll stop by and say hello.
(TIA smiles to herself as she picks up her pace.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KIM is in AHMAD's room looking through his things.
KIM thinks - He needs to get rid of these pictures. Shareesa is whack!
(There is a knock on the door.)
KIM thinks - God! Is that her again! She can't take a hint!
(KIM doesn't move. She stands quietly.)
(silence)
(There is another knock.)
KIM thinks - Maybe she'll go away.
(silence)
KIM thinks - No wait, what am I afraid of? I need to say a few more things to her anyway!
(She hurries to the door and opens it.)
TIA - Uh... hey Kim.
KIM - Tia... what are you doing here?
TIA - Um... I was just gonna leave Ahmad a note. Uh, we have a class together.
KIM - Oh okay. Um, come in.
(TIA walks in and KIM closes the door.)
TIA - Is he... here?
KIM - No, he went out with his frat brothers.
TIA thinks - Then why are you here?
KIM - I can tell him you came by though.
TIA - You'll still be here when he gets back?
KIM - Probably. I aint got nothin' else to do.
TIA - I know that's right.
(silence)
KIM - Your note?
TIA - Huh?
KIM - You had said that you wanted to leave him a note.
TIA - Oh yeah, a note. You got a piece of paper?
KIM - Yeah, hold on.
(KIM walks over to AHMAD's desk.)
TIA - So what are you doing camped out over here girl?
KIM - Who me? Oh, you know how it is.
TIA - Oh its like that?
KIM - I'm just saying. I'm just chillin' out. Ya know?
TIA - Well I certainly aint mad at ya.
(KIM comes back with a piece of paper and a pen.)
TIA - You know what girl, I'll just call him and ask him the question about class. I won't leave a note.
KIM - You sure?
TIA - Yeah, well if you're gonna be in his room when he gets home... you said you'd still be here right?
KIM - Probably.
(TIA pulls out her cell phone and looks at the time.)
TIA - Gettin' kinda late. You sure you're gonna still be here?
(KIM smiles.)
KIM - Girl why you keep asking me that?
(TIA smiles back.)
TIA - I was just surprised to see you here like this. That's all. I mean, doesn't Ahmad's girlfriend have a problem with you being here with him not home?
KIM - Put it this way...
(She pauses.)
KIM - ...me and Maad got a special friendship.
(silence)
KIM - And chances are, he aint gonna be seein' Shareesa no more neither.
TIA - Really? Wow, that's too bad.
KIM - Yeah. She'll get over it.
TIA - I'm sure.
(silence)
TIA - Well anyway, thanks girl. I'll give him a call.
KIM - Sure.
(TIA turns to leave.)
KIM - Talk to ya later.
TIA - Yeah, see ya.
(TIA walks out and closes the door behind herself.)
(silence)
(TIA pulls her cell phone out of her pocket.)
CAMILLE - Hey T, wassup soror.
TIA - Hey! I need you to get some dirt for me.
CAMILLE - Ooooh! Wassup!
TIA - I think Ahmad is sleeping with Kim! I need you to get the scoop and verify.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(There is a knock on the door. SETH opens it.)
SETH - What's up blue!
BRANDON - Hey man, I heard Miri is here!
SETH - Yeah, come on in!
(BRANDON walks in.)
BRANDON - Miri!
MIRI - Bran! What's up bro!
(MIRI gets up and gives BRANDON a long hug.)
BRANDON - It's good to see you man!
MIRI - Yeah, its good to be back home with my frat!
BRANDON - Where's your girl?
MIRI - She went to see her sorors. She got our son with her.
BRANDON - Son? Aw shit! A little Sigma man!
MIRI - Oh yeah! I already started teaching him! I made his fingers throw the sign and I took a picture!
(Everyone in the room laughs.)
MIRI - How things been with you man? How's Denice?
BRANDON - Oh, we're not together no more. But its all good. She a good girl but we just aint right for each other ya know?
MIRI - Aw damn. Sorry to hear that man.
BRANDON - Its all good.
MIRI - Well who you with now? I know a brother like you aint sittin' around in the cut.
AHMAD - Yeah, what's up with that Bran?
BRANDON - I mean, I'm just chillin' right now.
AHMAD - Yeah right!
(Everyone laughs.)
AHMAD - As many girls that be on you and your brother! Man please!
SETH - Shit! If I had them honies on me, boy I'd be...
AHMAD - You'd be what? Man shut up! You aint got no game!
(Everyone laughs hard.)
CALVIN - Dag, ha ha ha ha! That's messed up!
SETH - Man whatever!
(CALVIN's cell phone rings.)
CALVIN - Hey you're here?
GWEN - Yeah, I'm right out front of the Sigma house.
CALVIN - Okay cool, I'll be right out.
(He hangs up and grabs his jacket.)
CALVIN - Bros, I gotta roll out. I'll catch up with yall later.
HAYDEN - Cool.
CALVIN - Miri, great having you back man.
MIRI - Good to be back my brother.
(They shake hands and hug. CALVIN walks outside and gets into GWEN's car.)
CALVIN - Hey!
GWEN - Hey yourself.
(GWEN drives off.)
CALVIN - How you doin'?
GWEN - I'm good, how are you?
CALVIN - Great! My line brother is back from Africa so we were just talking to him.
GWEN - Africa? Really?
CALVIN - Yeah. He went over there to study on some kind of exchange. But he is back now with his girl and a new baby boy.
GWEN - Awww, that's sweet.
CALVIN - Yeah.
GWEN - So what you wanna do?
(CALVIN looks at his watch.)
CALVIN - Hey, you wanna go over to Pharoahs? They got some poets going on tonight. Miri mentioned it.
GWEN - Oh cool! I love poetry night over there. Dag but I need to go home and change first.
CALVIN - We have plenty of time. That's cool.
GWEN - Okay cool.
(GWEN starts to drive to her room.)
CALVIN - Now are you one of them chicks that takes forever to get dressed? All in the mirror for two hours?
(CALVIN laughs.)
GWEN - First of all, I aint no chick. Secondly, I aint no AKA.
CALVIN - Oooooooh! I'm tellin' Renee!
(They both laugh as she approaches the dorm.)
GWEN - You can actually wait here in the car if you want. I'll be right back down.
CALVIN - Actually, can I use your bathroom?
GWEN - Oh yeah, sure.
(She parks.)
GWEN - Come on up.
CALVIN - Thanks.
(They walk into the dorm and go up to GWEN's room.)
GWEN - I'll be right out.
CALVIN - Okay cool.
(CALVIN starts to walk toward the bathroom.)
GWEN - And keep your hands out my medicine cabinet this time!
(CALVIN laughs.)
CALVIN - Oh you got jokes huh?
(GWEN laughs as she walks into her room.)
CALVIN thinks - Stay out the medicine cabinet! Very funny!
(He smiles to himself as he looks at the closed medicine cabinet. He uses the bathroom, washes his hands and walks out.)
CALVIN thinks - Dag, we do need to hurry up to catch the first poet.
CALVIN - You almost ready?
GWEN - Yeah, coming out right now.
CALVIN - Okay.
(CALVIN starts to casually look around GWEN's room. He notices something and picks it up. She comes out.)
CALVIN - Hey, what's this?
GWEN - Oh...
(It looks like an African piece of art, but it is painted red on top, white in the middle and red on the bottom.)
GWEN - ...that's a piece I got as a gift. It represents both the male and female spirit. Mike gave it to me because he wanted to be a Kappa and I wanted to be a Delta. So he had it painted in the colors like that.
CALVIN - Mike gave you this?
GWEN - Yeah.
(GWEN picks up her bag and makes sure she has her keys.)
CALVIN - Why do you still have it out?
GWEN - Huh?
(She is still about to walk out.)
CALVIN - Why do you still have this thing out if Mike gave it to you?
GWEN - Why wouldn't I have it out?
CALVIN - For one thing Mike is an ass.
GWEN - Well yeah...
CALVIN - And for another, its disrespectful.
GWEN - Disrespectful? To who?
CALVIN - To me.
GWEN - To you? Oh I'm sorry, I missed the date that we must've had when you asked to be my man.
CALVIN - I aint gotta ask to be your man. We seein' each other, I aint seein' nobody else, and you got some art that your ex got you, a dude that picks a fight with me? With some Kappa red and white shit on it?
(silence)
CALVIN - You said yourself you don't even know why you was with Mike in the first place.
(GWEN slowly sits down.)
CALVIN - And I still can't see what you saw in him. He's an asshole and everyone knows it!
(silence)
CALVIN - I mean, I aint tryin' to tell you how to live your life or decorate your room or whatever, but damn I would think that you would just take this down out of respect for me. Ya know? Without me asking.
(silence)
(CALVIN places it back down where he picked it up.)
CALVIN - I just think its whack is all. But you do what you wanna do.
(silence)
(silence)
(CALVIN turns around and faces GWEN who is sitting down.)
CALVIN - Aint you gonna say something?
(silence)
(GWEN looks up and a tear falls from her eye. She grabs her throat and motions that she cannot breathe.)
CALVIN - Gwen...
(GWEN falls head first out of the chair and collapses on the floor.)
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