I/E. BASKETBALL COURT - DAY
Two weeks later: Tavaris, Jermaine, Rogelio and Keith play
basketball on an empty court (can be indoor or outdoor).
Keith and Jermaine play against Rogelio and Tavaris. Keith
and Tavaris defend each other while Jermaine and Rogelio
defend each other. Tavaris dribbles as Rogelio runs around to
get Jermaine tired.
KEITH RIDNOUR
Stay on em, stay on em.
JERMAINE SMITH
I got it!
Tavaris passes the ball to Rogelio, who speeds around him for
an easy lay up.
KEITH RIDNOUR
You need to switch?
JERMAINE SMITH
So I can follow a taller, faster
guy? Nah. I got it. He’s not gonna
make all of em.
TAVARIS OKIRO
He will if it’s just lay-ups.
ROGELIO RAMIREZ
I don’t know, man.
JERMAINE SMITH
What we not gonna do is talk bad
about me like y’all all pros out
here.
They laugh. Tavaris checks ball in. Rogelio starts running
around. Jermaine gives chase. Tavaris passes the ball in.
Jermaine pins Rogelio to the corner. Keith and Tavaris start
moving about. (Result of play up to actors).
87.
ROGELIO RAMIREZ
I got a none basketball related
question.
They all look at him.
ROGELIO RAMIREZ (CONT’D)
(To Jermaine)
How’s Bethany working out?
JERMAINE SMITH
(Smiles bright)
We’re official now.
ROGELIO RAMIREZ
What!?
KEITH RIDNOUR
That’s what’s up.
TAVARIS OKIRO
(Chuckles)
Congrats.
Ball is checked in.
JERMAINE SMITH
(Confused; to Tavaris)
Why the chuckle?
They all look at Tavaris.
TAVARIS OKIRO
(Waving them off)
Nah, man. I’m happy for you. It’s
not like that. Don’t worry.
KEITH RIDNOUR
Here we go.
TAVARIS OKIRO
What?
KEITH RIDNOUR
Everybody knows what you want to
know, so you mind as well ask it.
JERMAINE SMITH
Look, man, if it’s about how you
hit it first, it’s not important.
She has so much more to her than
her body, bruh.
TAVARIS OKIRO
Dawg, I didn’t say anything. Let’s
ball.
88.
Tavaris and Rogelio take possession (either by steal or by
score). Rogelio picks Keith and so Jermaine guards Tavaris.
TAVARIS OKIRO (CONT’D)
(Dribbling)
But really, though. It’s not even
in the slightest awkward?
JERMAINE SMITH
Nope. (Steals ball) Just like it’s
not awkward for me to steal the
ball from you.
Rogelio and Keith laugh. Keith goes to get open.
TAVARIS OKIRO
You hit at least?
JERMAINE SMITH
Nah, man. You know what type of man
I man I am.
TAVARIS OKIRO
So she got you out here creating
relationships and ain’t gave up the
goods, bro?
Jermaine stops dribbling. Tavaris closes in. Jermaine pivots.
JERMAINE SMITH
We trying to establish something,
not just have sex.
TAVARIS OKIRO
(Reaching for the ball)
So you tellin me I’m the last one
that had that?
Jermaine pauses. Tavaris steals the ball and laughs. Points
at his head, signalling for Jermaine to use his.
TAVARIS OKIRO (CONT’D)
It’s not just athletics. It’s a
thinking man’s game, too.
JERMAINE SMITH
So we doin’ mind games, now?
KEITH RIDNOUR
Ey, yo, chill out.
ROGELIO RAMIREZ
Guys, chill.
89.
JERMAINE SMITH
(Waving them off)
Nah, nah. He wants to play mind
games. So let’s play mind games.
TAVARIS OKIRO
Bring it, then.
JERMAINE SMITH
I don’t know why you taking so much
pride in having sex with women
anyway. I mean, even the one you
want the most ain’t giving you
none.
TAVARIS OKIRO
(Threatening gaze)
Aight.
KEITH RIDNOUR
Chill, bro.
ROGELIO RAMIREZ
We playing basketball. Y’all
gotta stop.
TAVARIS OKIRO
Nah. Big man wants to be the big
man. Let’s see what you got.
Tavaris leads Jermaine down in the paint. Tavaris backs
Jermaine down.
TAVARIS OKIRO (CONT’D)
This how she throw it back at you,
just so you know.
Rogelio and Keith stop. Tavaris overshoots the shot. Jermaine
gets the rebound.
JERMAINE SMITH
And that’s what happens when you
doing too much. You lose the prize,
and some other man gets it.
Tavaris walks up on Jermaine. Keith and Rogelio step in
between them.
JERMAINE SMITH (CONT’D)
(dribbling)
What? It’s just basketball, right?
We just hoopin, right?
TAVARIS OKIRO
(Moving Keith)
Yeah. What y’all worried for?
90.
ROGELIO RAMIREZ
Y’all takin it too far.
KEITH RIDNOUR
Y’all gotta cool down.
JERMAINE SMITH
(Dribbling)
Oh, I’m fine.
Jermaine drives to the goal. Tavaris tries to stop him but
can’t get around the others. Jermaine makes the lay-up.
JERMAINE SMITH (CONT’D)
And now we only have two more
points. Game point.
Tavaris goes to check him. Rogelio and Keith look at each
other aggravated.
KEITH RIDNOUR
Aight.
ROGELIO RAMIREZ
(Whispering)
Watch him.
KEITH RIDNOUR
I got it.
Rogelio walks over to Tavaris.
ROGELIO RAMIREZ
(Nudging)
Watch out I got him.
TAVARIS OKIRO
Nah. Don’t worry about it. I got
him.
ROGELIO RAMIREZ
(Turning Tavaris)
Really!? I can’t guard Keith as
good as you.
TAVARIS OKIRO
I’ll get the ball before it gets to
him!
Tavaris steps in Rogelio’s face. Rogelio backs off and waves
him off.
91.
JERMAINE SMITH
(Checks ball in)
Let’s play.
TAVARIS OKIRO
(Bounces ball back)
Yeah, let’s play.
Keith and Rogelio sigh. Keith gets the ball. Jermaine goes
down into the paint. Keith and Rogelio watch as Jermaine and
Tavaris get into a positioning battle, with Jermaine staying
low, and Tavaris shouldering his back.
JERMAINE SMITH
(Pushing back)
Pass it.
TAVARIS OKIRO
(Pushing forward)
Yeah. Pass it, so I can steal the
ball.
They shove for a little longer. Keith shoots and misses.
Jermaine grabs the rebound. He turns and rams his way into
Tavaris, who keeps his balance. Jermaine drives all the way
to the goal and attempts to lay it up but Tavaris smacks him
trying to aggressively block the ball. Jermaine hits the
ground. Tavaris stands over him. Jermaine gets up quickly.
Keith and Rogelio hurry to them.
KEITH RIDNOUR
(Hurrying)
Ey, chill chill chill chill
chill.
ROGELIO RAMIREZ
Whoa!
JERMAINE SMITH
(Shoving Tavaris)
What was that!?
TAVARIS OKIRO
(Shoving back)
That’s how a man plays ball!
They start shoving. Keith grabs and pulls Tavaris back.
Rogelio pushes Jermaine back.
TAVARIS OKIRO (CONT’D)
(Trying to break from
Keith)
Nah, he run his mouth, let him run.
92.
JERMAINE SMITH
(Trying to push Rogelio
aside)
Watch out, bruh. Watch out.
KEITH RIDNOUR
Y’all gotta chill!
ROGELIO RAMIREZ
Think about what you’re
doing!
TAVARIS OKIRO
I’m good. He the one worried about
my sloppy seconds.
Keith and Rogelio pause and look at Tavaris. Jermaine gets
around Rogelio and charges Tavaris. Tavaris goes to fight,
but Keith twists him just in time. He swings Tavaris away and
stands between them while still holding Tavaris.
JERMAINE SMITH
Let him go!
TAVARIS OKIRO (CONT'D)
Let me go! Dawg, let me go!
KEITH RIDNOUR
Y’all gotta chill! Ro, get him!
ROGELIO RAMIREZ
(Hurry over)
My bad, my bad. J, calm down.
JERMAINE SMITH
Nah! He want to run his mouth off
bout my girl, he bout to catch this
fade.
TAVARIS OKIRO
I’d love to see you try it, big
man!
Jermaine goes after Tavaris. They swing at each other a few
times. Keith picks Tavaris up and walks him back while
Rogelio tackles Jermaine and wraps him up so he can’t move.
JERMAINE SMITH
(Struggling)
Let me up!
ROGELIO RAMIREZ
No!
TAVARIS OKIRO
(Struggling)
Put me down!
KEITH RIDNOUR
Calm down!
93.
They keep trying to fight but Rogelio and Keith keep them
apart. Keith eventually sets Tavaris down, but stays in front
of him.
JERMAINE SMITH
Get off me, Ro. (To Tavaris) That’s
why Ashley left yo sorry behind.
You ain’t deserve her, and now look
at you.
Tavaris tries to move Keith but Keith stays in front of him.
TAVARIS OKIRO
Say that to my face, garbage boy.
Pickin up my trash the only way you
was ever gonna find a girl.
JERMAINE SMITH
(Gets up with Rogelio
holding him)
That’s your problem right there.
You think every girl but your own
is trash, yet you rummaged all
through the (does air quotes) trash
and left your treasure. Stop taking
your pain out on me just because
you ain’t happy because of what you
did!
Everyone calms down. Tavaris walks away. Keith stands there
in case he changes his mind. Jermaine stands, winded, with
his hands on his hips. Rogelio keeps a hand on his chest to
make sure the others are calm.
JERMAINE SMITH (CONT’D)
(Walks towards Tavaris)
Look, man.
ROGELIO RAMIREZ
(Pushing against
Jermaine)
Whoa whoa whoa!
JERMAINE SMITH
(Grabs Rogelio’s hand)
Look. I;m good. I’m not trying to
fight my brother, aight? (Walks
around Rogelio) Tavaris. Tavaris!
TAVARIS OKIRO
What, man!?
Keith stands in between them. Rogelio stands ready to take
Jermaine down again.
JERMAINE SMITH
Look, man. I’m sorry for what I
said, aight?
(MORE)
94.
I know you going through a tough
time, and I’m not tryna make it
harder than it already is, aight?
But seriously. Did you think
anything different would happen?
You know how many relationships end
because of infidelity? And you
risked that, knowing what type of
woman Ash was? You really thought
you’d get away with it?
TAVARIS OKIRO
Man, I don’t want to hear this!
Keith and Rogelio stand between them. Jermaine lifts his
hands and backs two steps.
JERMAINE SMITH
Does it really bother you that I
found love in yet another one you
took for granted?
TAVARIS OKIRO
Nah, man. But you can’t tell me
that ain’t weird.
JERMAINE SMITH
I’m not trying to! But respect what
I’ve found. You weren’t Ashley’s
first. You see anybody tryna clown
you for choosing his (does air
quotes) sloppy seconds? Why we even
callin women that nowadays?
ROGELIO RAMIREZ
Look at us! We’re literally
standing here wondering if two of
our brothers are gonna fight. Two
of the three groomsmen in my
wedding are a few words from
fighting each other. What’s gotten
into you two!?
They both quiet.
ROGELIO RAMIREZ (CONT’D)
I chose all of you for my wedding!
Which is in a few months, by the
way. You know Marie’s not playing
... And you tellin’ me we fighting
now? Seriously!?
JERMAINE SMITH (CONT'D)
95.
KEITH RIDNOUR
Y’all obviously got some hang-ups,
and you especially Tavaris. We not
s’pposed to be fightin’ each other,
man. Not like this.
ROGELIO RAMIREZ
Exactly!
KEITH RIDNOUR
Y’all gotta sort this out like men.
ROGELIO RAMIREZ
Why don’t we start it like my tia
used to make us do. (Waving them
in) Come hug it out.
Tavaris and Jermaine look at Rogelio crazy.
ROGELIO RAMIREZ (CONT’D)
Don’t look at me like I’m loco.
What’s crazy is you two fighting
each other over stuff that has
nothing to do with each other. Now
bring it in.
Everyone reluctantly closes in. Keith and Rogelio stands
aside while Tavaris and Jermaine size each other up.
ROGELIO RAMIREZ (CONT’D)
What you waiting for!? Are y’all
not brothers.
TAVARIS OKIRO
Tsh. Yeah, man.
JERMAINE SMITH
We are.
ROGELIO RAMIREZ
Then, get to it!
TAVARIS OKIRO
Man, I only hug women, dawg.
ROGELIO RAMIREZ
And look where that got you.
They pause.
ROGELIO RAMIREZ (CONT’D)
Now if we grown men out here, we
can hug. We not little boys no more
man. (Turns and hugs Keith) We
grown men out here. Ain’t nobody
got time for that macho bull.
(MORE)
96.
Quiero a mis hermanos. Come on,
man. Bring it in.
Rogelio waves them all in. They hug as a group. Then, Keith
hugs Tavaris, and Rogelio hugs Jermaine. Then, Jermaine and
Tavaris face each other. They, too, hug.
TAVARIS OKIRO
(Uncomfortable)
Feels like elementary man.
JERMAINE SMITH
(Chuckles)
I know, right.
They separate.
JERMAINE SMITH (CONT’D)
I’m sorry for what I said, man. I
know you going through it right
now. I shouldn’t have egged you on
like that.
TAVARIS OKIRO
Nah, man. It is what it is. I
started this. (Shakes) I started
all of this. I shouldn’t have
cheated. I shouldn’t have slept
with yo girl. I definitely
shouldn’t have teased you about
it... (Scratches head) I shouldn’t
have done a lot of things. I’m just
now seeing that. My fault, bro.
They shake hands.
JERMAINE SMITH
Don’t worry about it, man. That’s
life. Just know I got your back
through all of it.
TAVARIS OKIRO
Preciate that, man. You know I got
you.
They nod.
KEITH RIDNOUR
Good, man. Y’all had me worried,
bruh.
They chuckle.
ROGELIO RAMIREZ (CONT’D)
97.
ROGELIO RAMIREZ
You! Shoot, I wasn’t about to
replace my groomsmen. Especially
since my next options are my
cousins. Aye, Dios, no.
They laugh and walk to their things. Rogelio gets the
basketball. Tavaris goes through his bag and pulls out his
phone. His eyes open wide as he grabs Jermaine.
TAVARIS OKIRO
Bro!
JERMAINE SMITH
What is it?
TAVARIS OKIRO
I gotta go get my girl!
KEITH RIDNOUR
Ashley texted you.
TAVARIS OKIRO
(Hurrying)
Yeah, yeah. I’ll tell y’all later.
Tavaris runs off the court to his car. Rogelio looks confused
as Tavaris runs past him.