BLACKNESS
SWFS 4 Life Refrain
Int. Tia’s grandmother’s sitting room.
Tia, Erin and Jam are sitting on the couch. They are covered in jewelry. Each one is wearing at least ten gold necklaces. The necklaces range in style and size. They are wearing rings on every finger of both hands; some fingers have two. Erin and Tia are wearing tiaras and large diamond earrings. Jam is wearing a tennis headband with diamonds in it. On the coffee table is a large platter of bacon. The three are eating bacon. After a beat of watching them chew their bacon…
ERIN
God, I love bacon.
TIA
Me too. My grandmother would die if she knew I was in her house eating bacon.
JAM
She already died.
TIA
Well, she would turn over in her grave.
JAM
If in fact, she was in a grave.
TIA
Well, she would…
ERIN
She would roll out of the bed and hit the floor if she knew we were eating bacon.
A loud thud is heard coming from the room just above Erin, Jam and Tia. The three look up at the ceiling. Erin eats another piece of bacon.
Cut to
SWFS 4 Life theme song.
Cut to
Int. Condo. Day
Erin is stretched out on the couch reading a magazine. Tia is pacing while on the phone.
TIA
Oh my god…oh my god…oh my god, she…oh my god…oh my ew…oh my god
ERIN
Tia.
TIA
(into phone) Hold on. (to Erin) Yes.
ERIN
Oh my god.
TIA
I know right. Wait.
Tia waves Erin off. Erin smiles and returns to her magazine.
TIA
(into phone) I have to go okay but oh my god. Bye.
Tia hangs up her phone and sits down in the loveseat.
ERIN
What’s so OMG?
TIA
Turns out grandmother was a hoarder.
ERIN
Duh. I have like fifty chains.
TIA
Everyone hoards jewelry.
ERIN
FS. But the house wasn’t cluttered.
TIA
It’s the basement. Dad said he could barely get in there.
ERIN
What’s in there?
TIA
Everything. Her old clothes. Her old papers. Her old pets.
ERIN
Pets?
TIA
Well, bones of pets.
ERIN
Oh my god.
TIA
I know right.
Erin shakes her head and returns to her magazine. Beat of silence.
TIA
Where’s Jam?
ERIN
He’s at the coffee shop with Crazy.
TIA
The girl that talks in third person?
ERIN
Yep.
TIA
What’s her story?
ERIN
Long.
TIA
I’m all ears.
Erin sighs. She closes her magazine and throws in on the table. Tia gets more comfortable in the loveseat.
ERIN
Jam use to date this girl named Sarah. She was gorgeous. They dated for like two years and Jam was so in love her that totally I’m sure he would have married her. Then one night…
Cut to
Int. Coffee Shop. Day
We see a close up of a gorgeous young WOMAN. She has a great smile. We zoom out to see her sitting at a table in the coffee shop across from Jam.
ANGELA
She’s really happy to see you, Jermaine.
JAM
She is or you are?
ANGELA
I am, Jermaine.
JAM
Then why did you say she?
ANGELA
Because Jermaine, you act like I don’t exist.
JAM
Is it too much for you to call me Jam?
ANGELA
No, Jermaine. It ain’t too much for me to…
JAM
JAM!.
Angela smiles.
ANGELA
It’s nice to see you, Jam.
JAM
I wish I could say the same thing.
ANGELA
I want us to be friends.
JAM
I can’t be your friend.
ANGELA
Why?
JAM
You know why.
Angela looks at Jam. Jam looks at Angela. They stare for a beat.
Cut to
Int. Condo Day
TIA
D.I.D. Oh my god. That’s crazy.
ERIN
Hence the name.
TIA
That’s so…I mean…oh my god. And she was with Jam the first time it happened?
ERIN
Yep. He went to bed with Sarah and woke up with Angela.
TIA
I would have freaked out.
ERIN
He did.
TIA
I mean if I was her.
ERIN
She did. She thought she was being kidnapped and jumped through a window trying to escape. That’s how she lost a toe.
TIA
Oh my god.
ERIN
I know right.
TIA
And Jam stayed with her?
ERIN
Yep. I told you he was in love. He figured out some way to bring Sarah back when she was Angela. But then her parents intervened and had her committed and when she came out she was 100 percent Angela.
TIA
Oh my god.
ERIN
I know right.
TIA
Is she why Jam doesn’t date?
ERIN
Yep. He’s still in love with Sarah. He really thinks Sarah will come back one day.
TIA
That’s sweet.
ERIN
It’s sad. And stupid. She’s not coming back.
TIA
I think he’ll figure it out. Jam just needs time.
ERIN
Jam needs to get laid.
Tia laughs. Erin retrieves her magazine and begins reading it. Beat of silence.
TIA
What did Jam do to bring Sarah back?
Erin thinks for a second.
ERIN
You know, I don’t remember.
Cut to
Int. Coffee shop. Day.
Jam has zills on each hand. He plays a short rhythm then calls out “Sarah.” Angela shakes her heard. Jam plays the rhythm again and calls out Sarah’s name again. Angela shakes her head. Jam begins the rhythm again. Angela pounds her fists on the table. The sound is loud and gets the attention of everyone in the coffee shop.
ANGELA
She’s gone Jam.
JAM
She’s in there somewhere.
Jam begins to play the rhythm with the zills again. Angela gets up and gathers her things.
ANGELA
Goodbye, Jam. I’m sorry.
Angela turns to leave. Jam plays the rhythm again. Angela rushes out of the coffee shop. Jam takes the zills off his fingers and throws them on the table then buries his head in his hands. The barista comes over to the table and sits down. She grabs one set of zills and puts them on and crashes them. Jam looks up. She smiles at him.
BARISTA
What’s her story?
JAM
Long.
BARISTA
What’s the short version?
Jam sighs.
JAM
Boy is with girl. Girl leaves only girl doesn’t really leave but she really leaves. Then she really leaves. Then girl comes back but she’s not really back and though she’s back she probably never coming back. And boy needs to get over it but it’s just really hard getting over it.
Jam sighs. The barista smiles. She reaches across the table and grabs Jam’s hand.
BARISTA
I find that the best way to get over someone is to get under someone new.
Jam looks at the barista. The barista looks back at Jam. She smiles at him. They stare for a beat.
Cut to
Int. Jam’s bedroom. Night.
Jam and the barista are asleep in Jam’s bed. Beat of silence.
CUT TO BLACK
ROLL CREDITS
ERIN
She did. She thought she was being kidnapped and jumped through a window trying to escape. That’s how she lost a toe.
TIA
Oh my god.
ERIN
I know right.
TIA
And Jam stayed with her?
ERIN
Yep. I told you he was in love. He figured out some way to bring Sarah back when she was Angela. But then her parents intervened and had her committed and when she came out she was 100 percent Angela.
TIA
Oh my god.
ERIN
I know right.
TIA
Is she why Jam doesn’t date?
ERIN
Yep. He’s still in love with Sarah. He really thinks Sarah will come back one day.
TIA
That’s sweet.
ERIN
It’s sad. And stupid. She’s not coming back.
TIA
I think he’ll figure it out. Jam just needs time.
ERIN
Jam needs to get laid.
Tia laughs. Erin retrieves her magazine and begins reading it. Beat of silence.
TIA
What did Jam do to bring Sarah back?
Erin thinks for a second.
ERIN
You know, I don’t remember.
Cut to
Int. Coffee shop. Day.
Jam has zills on each hand. He plays a short rhythm then calls out “Sarah.” Angela shakes her heard. Jam plays the rhythm again and calls out Sarah’s name again. Angela shakes her head. Jam begins the rhythm again. Angela pounds her fists on the table. The sound is loud and gets the attention of everyone in the coffee shop.
ANGELA
She’s gone Jam.
JAM
She’s in there somewhere.
Jam begins to play the rhythm with the zills again. Angela gets up and gathers her things.
ANGELA
Goodbye, Jam. I’m sorry.
Angela turns to leave. Jam plays the rhythm again. Angela rushes out of the coffee shop. Jam takes the zills off his fingers and throws them on the table then buries his head in his hands. The barista comes over to the table and sits down. She grabs one set of zills and puts them on and crashes them. Jam looks up. She smiles at him.
BARISTA
What’s her story?
JAM
Long.
BARISTA
What’s the short version?
Jam sighs.
JAM
Boy is with girl. Girl leaves only girl doesn’t really leave but she really leaves. Then she really leaves. Then girl comes back but she’s not really back and though she’s back she probably never coming back. And boy needs to get over it but it’s just really hard getting over it.
Jam sighs. The barista smiles. She reaches across the table and grabs Jam’s hand.
BARISTA
I find that the best way to get over someone is to get under someone new.
Jam looks at the barista. The barista looks back at Jam. She smiles at him. They stare for a beat.
Cut to
Int. Jam’s bedroom. Night.
Jam and the barista are asleep in Jam’s bed. Beat of silence.
CUT TO BLACK
ROLL CREDITS