Episode 54

DEXTER has left MONA's room with THERESA's pledge book. He is on his way out the dorm to return it to her now.

(DEXTER walks through the lobby holding the book in his jacket. He walks outside the dorm and turns to look for the shuttle bus. He sees it and it is about to close its doors. There are several students walking past him going into the dorm.)

DEXTER thinks - Dag! Wait!

DEXTER - Hey! Wait!

(As soon as DEXTER starts to run for the bus, he slams into a student and drops THERESA's book. He immediately scoops it up and apologizes.)

DEXTER - I'm so sorry...I was just rushing to catch the...oh, what's up
Jason?

JASON - Hey man, where's the fire?

DEXTER - My bad dude, I was trying to catch the shuttle...that just left.

JASON - Oh okay. Sorry for holdin' you up man.

DEXTER - It's aight.

(silence)

JASON - So...you and Theresa, huh?

DEXTER thinks - Oh God!

JASON - You know, I used to date her myself.

DEXTER - Uh...yeah. I knew that.

JASON - I guess we just switched girls then, huh? Ha ha ha.

DEXTER - Somethin' like that.

(silence)

JASON - Well, let me go, man. I'm sure you got things to do.

DEXTER - Yeah. Peace man.

JASON - Later.

(JASON walks into the dorm and DEXTER walks to the shuttle stop.)

DEXTER thinks - Wow, maybe it's okay for Jason to think I like Theresa. That way he won't know that I still have feelings for Willie.

(DEXTER sits down to wait for the next shuttle to arrive. He thinks about his situation for a few minutes.)

DEXTER thinks - I need to stop. This is silly.

(He looks down the street and sees the shuttle arriving.)

DEXTER thinks - I can't have Willie back because it was my choice to let her go. I should've paid more attention to her. If I had done that, maybe she would still be with me now.

(The shuttle pulls up. DEXTER waits for the students on to get off, then he boards.)

DEXTER thinks - This whole situation is my fault. Willie didn't do anything wrong, and Jason certainly didn't do anything to me.

(The bus takes off toward campus.)

DEXTER thinks - I won't bother her again.

(DEXTER collects his thoughts as he rides back to campus. He gets off the bus and heads to ROBIN's place to return THERESA's book to her.)

DEXTER thinks - I hope Willie ain't even here. If I can just return this book and leave, that would be great. I won't even have to see her.

(He gets off the elevator at ROBIN's floor.)

DEXTER thinks - Whenever I see her, I make a fool out of myself. So, I need to drop this thing and go about my business.

(DEXTER raises his hand to knock on the door and it opens by itself. WILLIE is startled to see DEXTER standing there.

WILLIE - Oh, my, gosh! You scared me! I didn't know you would be standing here!

DEXTER - Oh...uh...sorry.

WILLIE - What are you doing here?

(WILLIE closes the door behind her and steps into the hallway.)

DEXTER - I just came back to...

(DEXTER traces the outline of THERESA's book with his hands, which are in his jacket pockets.)

DEXTER - ...I need to talk to you, Willie. You got a minute?

WILLIE - Uh...sure. Gotta make it quick though. We got some drama going on inside and I was only stepping out for a minute.

DEXTER - Yeah...okay. Um...

(WILLIE is staring back at DEXTER.)

DEXTER - Um...Willie.

WILLIE - Yes, Dex.

(silence)

(DEXTER opens his jacket and pulls the book out.)

DEXTER - Can you give this to Theresa? I was trying to sneak it back to her.

WILLIE - What are you doing with this? How did you get it?

DEXTER - She left it by accident at home. So, I ran to her place to get it for her. That's what I wanted to talk to you about.

WILLIE - Oh, okay. Thanks.

DEXTER - Listen, don't get her in trouble though, okay? I was trying to get it back without Robin finding out. You know how Robin can be.

WILLIE - Yeah, I hear ya. Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it.

DEXTER - Thanks, Willie.

WILLIE - No problem.

(silence)

(They're staring at one another.)

WILLIE - Well, let me get back inside.

DEXTER - Oh, okay. I guess I'll see ya around then.

WILLIE - Yeah. Talk to ya...later.

DEXTER - Okay. Bye.

WILLIE - Bye.

(WILLIE opens the door and goes back inside the room.)

WILLIE thinks - Dag! I thought he was gonna say that he still loves me!

(WILLIE sighs.)

WILLIE thinks - Oh well, maybe it's good that he doesn't. I need to stop thinking that way and totally move on anyhow.
:: NEW PAGE ::


SCENE 2

The new brothers of Phi Beta Sigma are stepping on the campus of Amgis
College. They have completed the first step and SETH has introduced himself and his line brothers to the campus. They are now starting another step.

(CALVIN jumps out of line.)

CALVIN - I got one question for everyone here today!

(CALVIN starts to walk around.)

CALVIN - This is my question! Did you all...

(He points to the crowd.)

CALVIN - ...I said, did you all...

HAYDEN - Blue Phi! Hook it up, Calvin!

CALVIN - ...did you all come here today...to hear a funky beat?

(The crowd starts to clap as CALVIN holds his hand to his ear.)

CALVIN - I said, did y?all come here to the main yard, to the Sigma plot, to hear a funky beat?

(The crowd cheers louder. COREY leans over to HAYDEN.)

COREY - Ha ha ha! I didn't know Calvin was such a ham!

HAYDEN - You know how boys break out after they cross! Ha ha ha ha!

(CALVIN starts the step off by himself.)

CALVIN - You came...

STUDENT - Let me find out the white boy got some rhythm! Ha ha ha ha ha!

CALVIN - You came to...

SIGMAS - ...hear! You came to hear! Hear!

(His line brothers have joined in on the step.)

SIGMAS - Our funky beats!...Beats!...Beats!
It's in our hands! It's in our feet!
I know you think!...Think!...Think!
This step is hard...this step ain't hard!
But can you catch!...Catch!...Catch!
The tricky part! The tricky, tricky, tricky part!

(The brothers start to break it down and the older Sigmas give up the call.)

VINCENT - Blue Phi!

HAYDEN - You know!

(The step is fast and intricate but all of the new Sigmas keep up and finish at the same time.)

SIGMAS - The tricky, tricky, tricky part! Blue Phi!

(The crowd cheers. CALVIN steps back in line and AHMAD steps forward.)

AHMAD - Blue Phi!

SIGMAS - You know!

AHMAD - Blue Phi!

SIGMAS - You know!

AHMAD - Ladies and gentlemen, we, the newest brothers of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., . . .

(His line brothers start to do a quiet beat behind him.)

AHMAD - . . . wish to thank you for coming out and checking out our show! Please check us out at our going-over party at the Phi Beta Sigma frat house this weekend! But before we go...

(AHMAD smiles.)

AHMAD - We wanted to leave y?all with this!

(AHMAD starts to sing.)

AHMAD - When I was a young boy...my daddy said to me!

STUDENT - Ooh girl, he sings nice!

STUDENT - Yeah!

AHMAD - He said listen up, my little man child, a Sigma you're gonna be!
I cried whoa, Daddy, please reveal these secrets to me!
He said keep your heart and your mind on Sigma, but keep your eyes on me!

(The beat behind AHMAD stops and he stops singing. The crowd cheers, they think it's over.)

AHMAD - Now stay alert!

SIGMAS - And watch me do work!

(They all start to step strong and the crowd cheers. Now some of the older Sigmas that were seated get up and join the neophytes? stepping.)

HAYDEN - I see bros can't hold their peace!

COREY - Nope! And I know you want to step to old man, so get up!

(HAYDEN laughs as he joins the other Sigmas stepping. They finish the step and start to hug and congratulate the neos. The ladies of Zeta Phi Beta come over to hug them as well, followed by the other students that are there.)

STUDENT - Hey Calvin, congratulations man! You guys did a great show!

CALVIN - Thanks, man!

STUDENT - I didn't know you could step like that, man! Good stuff! Ha ha ha ha!

CALVIN - Thanks!

DENICE - Hey!

(BRANDON turns around.)

BRANDON - Hi!

(They hug.)

DENICE - You guys did great!

BRANDON - Thanks, soror!

(They hug again.)

BRANDON - Baby, I just wanna thank you for sticking by me through all of this. Especially when I was in the hospital.

(DENICE smiles uneasily.)

DENICE - Sure, Brandon. What else would I've done?

BRANDON - I know, but it just means a lot that through it all, your love remained the same. And, mine for you. Thank you.

(BRANDON smiles.)

DENICE - Brandon...

(DENICE takes a deep breath.)

DENICE - ...I need to tell you someth...

HAYDEN - Hey Brandon!

(BRANDON turns around.)

HAYDEN - Come get in this picture man! Hurry up!

BRANDON - Okay, hold up!

(BRANDON turns back to DENICE.)

BRANDON - Baby, I'll be right back okay?

(He kisses her on the cheek and runs toward the group.)

BRANDON - Hey Miri, come get in the chapter photo man!

MIRI - Oh cool, man! Here I come! Gina, I'll be right back okay?

GINA - Sure, take your time.

MIRI - Okay. But when I get back, I got something real deep, that I need to ask you.

GINA - Real deep?

MIRI - Yeah. Be right back.
:: NEW PAGE ::


SCENE 3

KATRICE and PJ are on their way to campus to an emergency Alpha Kappa Alpha meeting.

KATRICE - PJ, you can stop thanking me. You would've done the same for me in a heartbeat.

PJ - True, but thanks anyway.

KATRICE - Okay, don't annoy me with the thank-yous, okay?

PJ - Oh, sorry.

(PJ drops her head and looks away sadly.)

KATRICE - See PJ, this is what hurts me the most. You aren't your old self. You normally wouldn't give up so easily, nor take any mess from me or anybody else. You've become timid.

PJ - I can't help it. I'm acting as natural as I can.

KATRICE - That's the thing. You shouldn't be acting at all. Just be yourself.

PJ - Yeah. I will.

(They become quiet as they continue to walk.)

KATRICE - You know what you need?

PJ - A gun to shoot Joseph with?

KATRICE - After that. You need something to smack you out of this. You need for someone to throw a bucket of cold water in your face so you can snap out of it. It's killing me to see you this way, PJ.

PJ - Well, you sure know how to make me feel good about it.

KATRICE - My bad, but sheesh!

(KATRICE smiles, which lightens PJ's mood. They arrive at the meeting room.)

KATRICE - Hey, sorors.

JUNE - Hey, what's up?

(KATRICE and PJ sit down. JUNE is in front of the room. KATRICE leans over and whispers to SYLVIA.)

KATRICE whispers - Why is June in front of the room?

SYLVIA whispers - She called the meeting. I didn't.

KATRICE whispers - June called an emergency meeting?

SYLVIA whispers - Yeah! She may as well get used to it. She's probably going to be the new chapter Basileus.

JUNE - Okay, now that we're all here, I'm sure you're all wondering why I called this meeting.

(Everyone is looking at JUNE attentively.)

JUNE - Well, it has been brought to my attention that Mona Ferguson had an interest meeting.

SHAREESA - She had a what?

SYLVIA - Mona did? When?

JUNE - Let me tell you all I know.

(Everyone quiets down.)

JUNE - A young lady named Charmaine came by my place. She informed me that she was interested and attended an interest meeting for the sorority in Mona's room.

KATRICE - In Mona's room?

JUNE - Yep. She went and a few other girls where there as well. And, Soror Ferguson was there, too.

SYLVIA - What! Mona's mother was there?

JUNE - Yeah, that's what Charmaine said.

SYLVIA - Oh, God!

JUNE - Charmaine became very suspicious because Mona didn't seem to know a lot of the historical information behind the sorority. Then, Mona called her on the phone and asked her to recite the founders, but it was as if Mona didn't know it herself. So, that caused Charmaine to come to me.

KATRICE - I like Charmaine.

JUNE - Yeah, this has been a big help. But the story isn't over.

SHAREESA - There's more?

JUNE - As soon as Charmaine leaves my room, another young lady named Linda comes by and tells me that everything that Charmaine said is a lie and that I shouldn't believe her.

SYLVIA - What!?

JUNE - Yeah. Seemed like a Mona wannabe or something. I don't know. But I couldn't even take what she said with a grain of salt because she didn't even know what Charmaine and I had spoken about. So, how can she call her a liar?

SYLVIA - Dag! This mess is like a soap opera!

JUNE - Yeah. So, there's a lot of mess going on and we need to decide how we want to handle this. Soror Ferguson is involved, Mona is doing things on behalf of Alpha Kappa Alpha and the chapter on her own, and now she has girls running around campus thinking that they have attended an official event when they haven't.

(silence)

(Everyone is looking around at each other, visibly angry.)

JUNE - So, I want to get some suggestions on how we should handle this.

SYLVIA - I think we need to go directly to Soror Bergen and tell her what's been going on.

SHAREESA - I think we should talk to Soror Ferguson. Maybe she thought that it was an official event and is mad at us for not being there.

KATRICE - I think we should talk to Charmaine and find out what other interested girls were there and round them up to let them know that it wasn't an event thrown by us.

(PJ raises her hand.)

JUNE - Go ahead PJ...what do you think we should do?

(PJ answers confidently.)

PJ - I think y'all should let me handle this one.