Episode 55

ALEXIS is shocked to find BOBBY waiting for her in the stairwell. He warns her that her big sisters are waiting for her downstairs in the lobby and to follow him for his help in alluding them.

BOBBY - I know you, Alexis. I knew you'd come see Quinton here in the dorm. And I figured that you wouldn't be as dumb as to take the elevator back down, so you would choose the stairs. That's why I've been here waiting for you, to warn you and to help ya out.

AURORA ALEXIS - Help me? How?

(BOBBY smiles.)

BOBBY - Follow me. I can get you out the building and back to where you're supposed to be without your big sisters finding out.

(silence)

AURORA ALEXIS - So let me get this straight...

(ALEXIS whispers.)

AURORA ALEXIS whispers - ...my big sisters are downstairs in the lobby...

(ALEXIS leans in closer to BOBBY.)

BOBBY - Uh, huh.

AURORA ALEXIS whispers - ...and you came up here in the stairs to warn me...

(BOBBY leans in closer to ALEXIS.)

BOBBY - Uh, huh.

AURORA ALEXIS whispers - ...because you know me so well that you knew I'd be here visiting my man...

(BOBBY smiles.)

BOBBY - Yep.

AURORA ALEXIS whispers - ...and now you want me to follow you...

(ALEXIS smiles and places her hand on the side of BOBBY's face.)

BOBBY - Uh, huh.

AURORA ALEXIS whispers - So, you can get me out of the building without them finding out?

BOBBY - Yeah...

(BOBBY smiles harder.)

BOBBY - ...yeah, that's exactly right.

(ALEXIS pushes BOBBY's face as hard as she can and he stumbles on the
stairs.)

AURORA ALEXIS - If you know me so well Bobby, then you should know that I'm not that stupid...anymore!

BOBBY - What?

AURORA ALEXIS - I wouldn't follow you right now if my life depended on it!

BOBBY - Don't be a fool, Alexis!

AURORA ALEXIS - I was a fool for trusting you for so long! Now, I don't trust you as far as I can throw you!

BOBBY - Fine! Fend for your own!

(BOBBY pulls out his cell phone as he starts to walk down the stairs.)

BOBBY - It's your mistake, Alexis! Ha ha ha ha! Good luck!

(BOBBY disappears from ALEXIS' sight. He hits redial on his cell phone.)

BOBBY - Paula, it's me. She's in the stairway coming down.

PAULA - Thanks, baby! We're on it!

(ALEXIS goes back through the door into the hallway and runs to QUINTON's room. She bangs on his door.)

AURORA ALEXIS - Quinton, it's me! Open the door! Quinton, it's me!

(She knocks frantically again. The door doesn't open.)

AURORA ALEXIS - Quinton!

(She looks at the peep hole in QUINTON's door and notices that the lights are all off in his room.)

AURORA ALEXIS - Oh, God! He left!

(ALEXIS looks both ways down the empty hall and tries to figure out what to do.)

AURORA ALEXIS thinks - I need to think fast! I need to...

(ALEXIS hears the elevator bell as it reaches QUINTON's floor.)

AURORA ALEXIS thinks - Oh sh...

(ALEXIS makes a quick turn and runs back toward the stairs.)

SCENE 2

The brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi have been instructed to meet with the Provincial Polemarch Dell under hazing allegations against the chapter at Ahpla. The brothers from Amgis have come to the meeting as well.

GREGG - No, we don't need to admit anything! Forget that strategy.

XAVIER - But, he knows everything already. What would be the point in denying now?

GREGG - We don't know what Dell knows.

ERIC - What exactly did you tell him Mike?

MIKE - Man...um...I don't remember everything.

XAVIER - Well, you need to remember!

(XAVIER raises his voice.)

MIKE - You need to back up off me!

XAVIER - It's your fault we're in this situation to begin with!

MIKE - Dell played me! That's not my fault!

XAVIER - Why didn't you know who Dell was!

MIKE - Why didn't you tell me!

GREGG - Hey! Hey! Hey! We don't have time for this stupidness! Dell's gonna be here in like...

(GREGG looks at his watch.)

GREGG - He should already be here!

ERIC - So, what are y'all gonna do?

(silence)

GREGG - Mike, what did you tell Dell?

BEN - Do you remember any of the conversation at all?

MIKE - Um, I told him that I pledged...beyond what the national office
allows.

XAVIER - What else?


MIKE - I told him that I didn't skate, and that brothers who only do the required stuff skated.

(XAVIER holds his head in his hands.)

MIKE - I told him that the national office has lost touch of what brotherhood means.

BEN - Dag!

MIKE - And...I think I told him that I pledged...all day, all night...and all afternoon.

XAVIER - Good Lord, Mike!

GREGG - Okay look, this is what we need to do. We have to make sure that our story...

(The door opens and DELL walks in with another brother. He is carrying a briefcase that is so full, there are papers sticking out from inside.)

DELL - Hello, brothers.

GREGG - Dell. How are you, brother?

(MIKE sits up in his chair.)

DELL - Brothers, this is brother Clarence from the office. He will be sitting in on our meeting in a supervisory position.

GREGG - Clarence, I'm Gregg. Nice to meet you.

CLARENCE - You, too.

(DELL and CLARENCE sit down. DELL opens his briefcase.)

DELL - Now, let's get down to business.

(DELL pulls out a pair of glasses from inside his jacket pocket and puts them on. He takes out a pen and begins to write as he questions the brothers.)

DELL - Tell me step-by-step what happened with Mike's intake process after he was finished with the national requirements.

GREGG - After the national requirement, we threw a going over party for Mike. A lot of brothers came. Some of the chapter brothers that had graduated came back. Some of the brothers from Amgis came.

(DELL is writing.)

GREGG - We did a yard show. We introduced Mike to the campus. We stepped on the yard. That's about it.

(DELL speaks to GREGG without looking at him and as he continues to write.)

DELL - What else?

GREGG - That's it. That's all that we did.

(silence)

DELL - Are we gonna do this easy or the hard way, Gregg?

GREGG - What do you mean?

(DELL stops writing and looks at GREGG above his glasses.)

DELL - Look, brothers. You guys know me. Well...most of you guys know me.

(DELL glances at MIKE. Then continues.)

DELL - You guys know that I don't play around and that I'm thorough. I leave no stone unturned and I will not tolerate hazing in my region. I do not allow illegal activity in my region. Now, your neophyte has already admitted to me that he was involved in illegal activity. I am asking for you to tell me what happened before I have to make this ugly.

GREGG - Dell, I've told you all that went on. I don't know anything about an off-the-record conversation you had with Mike. But, you asked me a question...I answered it.

(DELL and GREGG are staring at one another in silence.)

DELL - Suit yourself, Gregg. We can do this however you want.

(DELL grabs a stack of papers from inside his briefcase.)

DELL - I apologize for being a little late for this meeting, brothers. But Clarence and I were interviewing some Ahpla University students about what they may have seen in regard to anyone pledging Kappa Alpha Psi this semester.

(GREGG and XAVIER glance at one another in disbelief.)

DELL - I have their statements right here, so let me read a few of them for you. Let's see...let me start with this one from...uh...

(DELL looks through his glasses to the page that he has on top.)

DELL - ...from uh...a guy named Quinton, who had a lot to say about neophyte Mike.

SCENE 3

Alpha Phi Alpha brothers LARRY and REGGIE are in the Callis student union going to the bookstore.

LARRY - I don't know man. I haven't seen anyone worthy.

REGGIE - Of course, you're gonna say that. You won't think anyone is worthy because you're still a neo. As far as you know, nobody will come as correct as y?all did.

LARRY - That's right!

(LARRY smiles, which makes REGGIE laugh.)

REGGIE - Negro, please! Get over the neo fever. Ha ha ha ha! Y'all were not that tight.

LARRY - Whatever, hater! My line is the tightest this chapter has had in years!

REGGIE - Are you kidding? Come on, man. Y'all are sorry! Ha ha ha! Jason almost got voted out; you trying to fight everybody; Quinton was talking too much. Please, man! Don't go there!

LARRY - You know what?

(LARRY pauses and REGGIE stares at him for his next statement.)

LARRY - You're right! Ha ha ha ha! We were pretty whack at first, huh? Ha ha!

(REGGIE laughs.)

REGGIE - Yeah, but y'all have handled your business since then. So, it's all good, playa.

LARRY - True that!

(They enter the bookstore.)

REGGIE - What book do you need?

LARRY - Some stupid book for this psychology class! How they gonna let the semester start, get halfway through, and then give us the book to buy?

(REGGIE laughs.)

LARRY - And on top of that, they make us buy a brand new book! So, I can't even borrow it from someone who took the class already! This is the first time they are using this book! Sheesh!

REGGIE - Good ol' Ahpla U. for ya!

LARRY - That's why when I grow up, I'm gonna become president of Ahpla. Then we'll see some changes around here!

REGGIE - Oh yeah? Like what?

(LARRY picks up the book that he needs and begins to walk toward the cashier.)

LARRY - First of all, I'd revamp that financial aid office!

REGGIE - Well, I hear that! You got my vote already!

LARRY - And then, I'd change the registration process. Alphas get to be first to register for our classes, and then the rest of the student body!

(REGGIE laughs.)

REGGIE - Yeah, right.

LARRY - Hey, man, membership has its privileges.

(LARRY gets to the front of the line to pay for his book. REGGIE notices a familiar face coming into the bookstore.)

REGGIE - Hey, Trina!

(TRINA is walking in with a friend and hears her name called. She sees
REGGIE, smiles and walks over.)

TRINA - Reggie! Hey man, how are ya?

(REGGIE walks past LARRY to hug TRINA.)

REGGIE - I'm cool, girl. What's up with you?

TRINA - Just doin' my thing. How's your boy, Bobby?

REGGIE - Bobby is...well...Bobby is Bobby. Ha ha ha ha!

TRINA - Old habits die hard, huh?

REGGIE - Yeah.

(LARRY walks up with his book.)

REGGIE - Trina you know Larry right? He was on the last line that we had.

(TRINA turns to face LARRY.)

TRINA thinks - Hmmmm...cute!

TRINA - Hi, Larry, I'm Trina.

LARRY - Hey, Trina, nice to meet you.

TRINA thinks - Hmmm...real cute!

(TRINA glances at the book that LARRY is holding.)

TRINA - Oh, my gosh! Did you just buy that for the psychology class?

LARRY - Yeah. How did you know?

TRINA - I just came in here to buy the same book!

LARRY - Really?

TRINA - Yeah, I'm taking his class now!

LARRY - So, am I! I've never seen you in class before.

TRINA - I take it on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The long version of it!

LARRY - Oh, heck no! I can only take an hour at a time! Monday, Wednesday, Friday baby! How do you manage?

TRINA - I just do. I couldn't fit it into my schedule on Mondays. So, this was the only way and I need this class to graduate.

LARRY - Me, too.

(TRINA smiles.)

TRINA - So, Larry, I got an idea. Why don't you let me pay for half of your book and then, we can share it. We shouldn't ever need it at the same time.

LARRY - You know what? That's not a bad idea. We'll both save some loot.

TRINA - Yep, and we'll both get to use the book.

LARRY - Yeah! That's cool! That's a good idea, Trina!

TRINA - Great!

TRINA thinks - And I'll arrange for some personal study time between the two of us!