Pariah

Written by

Dee Rees

SUPER: "WHEREVER THE BIRD WITH NO FEET FLEW, SHE FOUND TREES WITH NO LIMBS." --- AUDRE LORDE

FADE IN:

1EXT/INT. NIGHTCLUB- EVENING1

A disembodied gaggle of jersey clad shoulders, jeans, and hats crosses a narrow street. Lights flare, hands are stamped, torsos are patted down. Money exchanges hands. We descend into a black, throbbing tunnel.

Explicit music booms from bassy club speakers.Hips, legs feet dancing.

A GO-GO DANCER struts and wiggles around a brass pole.Hoots and cheers.

The dancer marches in place, rolling her thonged bottom. More cheers, greedy hands stuff dollars into her waistband.

Arms go up.A collection of whoops ripple the crowd.

The dancer wraps her legs around the pole and oozes upward headfirst. The CAMERA ROTATES as she stretches her booted heels into the crowd. We realize that she has been dancing on the ceiling.

ALIKE (pronounced AH-LEE-KAY), 17, covers her mouth, laughing and wide-eyed. She tries to back away from the stage, but is pushed forward by a torrent of eager arms waving dollar bills. Among them is LAURA, 18, worldly and smooth.

Laura strains over Alike's shoulder to tuck a bill into the dancer's boot. Alike drops her beer in all the jostling.

Laura stuffs a bill into Alike's now empty hand and forcibly waves Alike's wrist in the air. 2.

Alike pulls free just as the dancer takes notice and begins to direct her attention at her.

Alike shoves the dollar bill into Laura's chest and shoulders her way past the wall of onlookers surrounding the stage. Laura shrugs, puts the bill in her teeth and lays her head at the edge of the stage. Alike looks away and breaks through a snarl of clubgoers just as the dancer begins to descend.

Finally free of the throng, Alike takes a breath and looks at the clock on her cell phone.

She rolls her eyes back to the stage where Laura is no longer visible. Not daring to risk another plunge into the throbbing crowd, she retreats for the bar.

2INT. NIGHTCLUB BAR- NIGHT2

Alike beaches at an empty spot at the bar. Her gaze settles on a CUTE GIRL a little ways down, staring out at the dance floor. Alike jerks her eyes away and smooths the front of her shirt and adjusts her hat as she edges toward the girl.

The girl ignores her. Alike clears her throat and speaks a little too loudly.

The girl jerks around and frowns at Alike, looking her up and down.

The girl dismisses Alike and turns back toward the floor.

Alike strains, snapping at the bartender. A CONFIDENT WOMAN swaggers up close to the girl and extends her hand. The cute girl takes it and allows herself to be lead to the dance floor. Alike looks around just in time to see her leaving. The bartender finally materializes, and Alike slinks away.

3INT. NIGHTCLUB BATHROOM - NIGHT3

Alike slumps into a long line of women waiting to squeeze the cramped, 2 stall bathroom. A COUPLE in front of her makes out vigorously, and she folds her arms and looks away.

A buff 30-SOMETHING WOMAN with locs smiles and winks at Alike. Alike smiles and fidgets with her eyebrows and looks away. The line inches forward. Alike glances around searching for the woman. The 30-something has already lost interest, her attention now fully directed at a much more FEMININE WOMAN strutting out of the restroom. Embarrassed, Alike faces front again. Two androgynous gangsters (AGs) who have witnessed the whole thing nudge each other and sneer. Alike squares her shoulders and widens her stance. One of the AG's breaks out in laughter and they turn around as the line inches forward again. Alike pretends not to notice and slumps out of line and retreats for a lonely oasis of couch along the wall.

4INT. NIGHTCLUB COUCH - LATER4

Alike dozes on the couch.

Alike wakes with a start. She checks the time on her cell phone. Cursing, she scrambles up from the couch. 4.

5INT. NIGHTCLUB BAR - EVENING5

Laura dances with a cute SHORT HAIRED GIRL.

Alike spots the pair from afar and heads in their direction.

Laura spins the short haired on the dance floor and the pair continue their wobbling, uneven groove. Alike endures several moments of invisibility as a sea of women, both "feminine" and "butch" push past her without a second glance. Alike tugs at Laura's jersey. Laura, happily tangled in her dance partner's embrace rolls her eyes.

6EXT. BUS STOP- NIGHT6

Laura sulks, frowning out at the night. Alike extends the olive branch.

Laura snatches the phone from Alike. Alike swipes at it but misses. Laura fends her off with one hand and scrolls through the numbers with the other.

Alike snatches the phone and wipes the screen with her sleeve.

Alike shrugs it off, her smile fading a little. Laura elbows her and sneers. 6.

7INT. BUS - NIGHT7

Alike becomes more quiet and less playful as the ride wears on. A middle-class Bronx landscape, well-lit with a newly constructed Starbucks and renovated condos flits by the window. Alike reaches over and presses the tape. Laura elbows Alike.

The bus pulls to the curb. The light flicks on over the back door. 7.

Alike elbows Laura sharply. The bus driver frowns in the rear view.

Laura climbs over Alike and swings toward the door.

Alike turns and watches Laura stroll away. Laura drums a little beat on Alike's window as the bus pulls off. Alike waves and faces forward again. An OLD LADY sitting nearby shoots her a disapproving look. Alike rolls her eyes and moves to a seat farther away.

8INT. BUS - CONTINUOUS8

Alike studies her reflection in the window, and takes a breath. She unbuttons her bulky men's shirt to reveal a fitting baby doll shirt that reads "Princess." She stuffs her baseball cap and durag into her backpack and jabs a pair of small gold hoop earrings into her ears. She slumps back against the seat and stares into the night.

The bus stops at a lonely island of curb. Alike is a dark silhouette sprinting around the corner and into the night.

9INT. ALIKE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT9

Alike cracks open the front door just wide enough to slip through. The house is dark except for the flashing microwave clock. 8.

Alike takes off her sneakers and pads down the hallway. Her younger sister, SHARONDA's door cracks open as she passes.

Alike shoves her sister and tries to close the door. Sharonda yanks the door open wider.

Sharonda puts a hand to her head and does a little dance.

Alike eases Sharonda's door shut.Sharonda swings the door open wide.

Sharonda slams her door.The light clicks on underneath Alike's parent's door. 9.

Alike rolls her eyes at her sister's closed door and shrugs into her room.

10INT. ALIKE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT10

Alike rushes to shove her stuffed backpack under the bed. She tosses her shoes in the closet just as her mother, AUDREY appears in the doorway.

Alike peels off her socks and slumps on the bed.

Audrey gets cozy in the doorjamb.Alike turns her back on her and slumps into pajamas.

Alike winds the princess shirt around her fist and launches to the top of the closet.

Audrey stiffens and pulls her robe tighter. Vinegar replaces honey in her demeanor as the warmth drains out of her voice.

Alike snags a satin headscarf from the nightstand and slaps it around her head.

AUDREY(CONT'D) It's your head. And you really should wash your face, too.

Audrey leaves. Alike is still. She listens for the door to her parent's room to shut before snatching off the scarf and storming to the bathroom.

11INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT11

Alike turns on the faucet, wets the soap and puts it back in the dish, wets her wash cloth and puts it back on the rack. She plops down on the toilet and looks up. A crucifix frowns down at her from the wall. 11.

She averts her eyes and stands to leave.

Alike wets her toothbrush and throws it back into the holder.

Alike squeezes out a dollop of toothpaste and smears a little around the sink. She stares at her reflection.

Alike flicks water droplets at the mirror for good measure.

12EXT. SCHOOL - MORNING12

Alike, bundled in an oversized hoodie edges up to the perimeter of campus and waits against a bus shelter. STUDENTS horseplay and mill about the entrance in groups, chugging their morning Fantas and munching on snack cakes. The school bell rings and the lawn slowly empties into the building. Alike shifts her weight and checks her watch as the last STRAGGLERS finally trickle in. She yanks her hoodie tighter and launches across the lawn and into the building.

13INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - MORNING13

A second school bell sounds and the din of slamming lockers and jubilant chatter dies to a hush as students shuffle into classrooms. Alike cracks the back stairwell door and peeks out into the mostly empty hallway before tearing for the bathroom. One last straggler BINA, a 17 year-old girl with mature, but down-to-earth good looks rushes past Alike. The two exchange a brief, confused look then mutually dismiss each other as they hurry in opposite directions.