TIGHT ON DR. SWEENEY. He softly chuckles from his chair and manages to spark a smirk out of Derek. Derek closes his eyes in pain as Aguilar puts the needle in his ass.
AGUILAR: Hold still, Eric. Okay. I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.
Aguilar looks at Derek and walks away. Derek turns his head slightly and meets Sweeney’s eyes.
SWEENEY: I sure hope you learn from all of this bullshit.
DEREK: What am I gonna learn in here, Doc? Hunh? What the fuck am I gonna learn?
SWENEY: That you have the final say in who you are, man. What did you expect, Derek!?
The two look at each other and Derek puts his face into his pillow. Sweeney stands up and walks over to the bed. He sits right beside him and thinks to himself for a moment.
SWEENEY: I got my Doctorate in Education…not medicine. But if you think babies come out of the womb evil…like I think you do…you’re bein’ a goddamn fool. No two ways about it. You’re missing the big picture, man. (after a beat) There’s nothin’ more beautiful, Derek. Nothin’ more pure…and nothin’ more innocent…than a baby. Yet…you can’t see this.
DEREK: They filled my father, Sweeney.
SWEENEY: Hate killed your Dad…not that kid. You reap what you sow, Derek..
DEREK: You gotta get me outta here, man.
SWEENEY: Oh yeah? Why should I help you?
DEREK: Why the hell are you here?
SWEENEY: I don’t know. You’ve got something. I can’t put my finger on it but—
DEREK: They’re going to kill me, Sweeney.
Sweeney looks at the young man, heavily weighing his options.
BACK TO:
INT. HOUSE SHOWER – PRESENT – DEREK
Water crashes on top of his head as he composes himself.
Danny enters with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth and opens the shower curtain. He looks at his naked brother.
DANNY: Did you tool any of my cancer sticks?
DEREK: Yesterday I did.
DANNY: Okay. I’ll let it slide this time. Do it again though…and I’ll do my Lawrence Powell imitation on your ass.
Danny laughs, shuts the curtain and takes a piss. Derek pushes the curtain open, leans out, pushes Danny, and he pisses all over himself.
DANNY: (smiling) Fucking asshole!
Derek slides the curtain shut. Danny hears a SOFT KNOCK offscreen so he zips up and flushes and exits.
DEREK: (screaming from the water) Don’t flu—AAAHHH! You shit!
INT. HALLWAY – TIGHT ON DANNY
He looks through the PEEPHOLE. He sighs, drops his MACHETE to his side, and opens the door.
INT. BATHROOM – THE SHOWER
TIGHT ON DEREK. Behind him, after a few seconds of water therapy, the shower curtain opens again. A naked STACEY comes in from behind and wraps her arms around him. He looks over his shoulder and puts his head back under the faucet. She kisses him, erotically.
STACEY: I love you, Derek. More than anything.
DEREK: Who says I love you?
STACEY: You do. Your eyes. You will always love me, too.
Slowly, Derek turns to face Stacey – knowing deep down it’s the truth. He analyzes her beautiful body. He grabs her face with one hand and cups her breast with another. She french kisses his ear and then his mouth.
STACEY: I’ve missed you so much. Oh God. You feel so good.
INT. BEDROOM – DANNY’S POV
He stares at the closed bathroom door where Derek and Stacey make love. He sits at the computer and begins to type.
DANNY (V/O): (on the screen) There was only one person Derek loved more than Stacey Sanders.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. VINYARD HOUSEHOLD – MORNING – FLASHBACK
The place is immaculate. DENNIS VINYARD, the father of the household, eats his breakfast in his LA COUNTY FIREFIGHTER UNIFORM . Vintage fireman material: muscular, receding hairline, zero facial hair. Handsome. A pretty and well-dressed Doris scrambles eight eggs with mushroom and red peppers.
DANNY (V/O): That was Dad. Derek and Dad were best friends…which is something I’ve never heard of before. Fathers and sons are never best friends…but they were.
YOUNGER DANNY stares at his larger-than-life father. Dennis takes his fire helmet off the table and sets it on the floor.
DORIS: (towards the back) Breakfast!
DENNIS: Let’s go, Davina! Derek!
DORIS: So what’s this all about, Dennis?
Dennis doesn’t hear his wife because his attention is focused on Danny.
YOUNGER DEREK, donning a flat-top haircut and no tattoos, walks into the kitchen. The smiling athlete has his backpack and blue SANTA MONICA CITY COLLEGE gym bag. He drops it onto the ground and sits at the table. His father stares at him.
DENNIS: Good morning.
DEREK: Good morning.
Doris sets food in front of her two sons and they both go to work. Young Danny eats quietly.
DORIS: (to her husband) Are you going to keep ignoring me?
DENNIS: Jesus Doris…it’s not that big of a deal. All departments have to take a precaution class on gang patrol today.
DEREK: What for?
DENNIS: A guy was shot yesterday in Inglewood while changin’ a valve on a hydrant and LAPD is worried more firefighters will become targets. That’s what this bullshit is about. (sipping coffee) A good father this guy was though and now he’s in intensive care because of some goddamn…nigger. Compton Crips have pretty much declared war on LAPD and us.
DORIS: Why you guys though? I can see LAPD but the fire department?
DENNIS: They think we would rather let a building burn down over there than fight it.
DEREK: They hit the nail on the head, basically.
DENNIS: (smiling) Pretty much, yeah. (then, to Derek) Hey? Are you ready for tonight or what?
DANNY: Hell yeah he is.
DEREK: Let it all burn down I say Dad.
DENNIS: Yeah. So…now we got two fights goin’ on at one goddamn time. And of course you know whose fault that is?
DANNY: Whose?
DENNIS: Mayor Tom Bradley’s.
DANNY: (excited) He spoke at our school.
DENNIS: (smiling) I didn’t know you spoke "African", Dan?
Derek and Dennis laugh. Danny looks at them, confused. Doris stared down Dennis.
DORIS: Honey? Please don’t speak that way. They don’t—
DENNIS: How am I speaking, honey? I’m speakin’ fine.
Dennis takes a bite of his eggs and explodes.
DENNIS: (to the bedroom) Davina! Get in here! Now!
DAVINA (O.S.): I’m coming right now!
DENNIS: I’ll tell you one thing. This "affirmative blaction" shit is driving me up the fuckin’ wall. (taking a bite) firefighters getting’ 99’s on their tests while rappers who score a goddamn 62 walk away with the job.
DANNY: Don’t we have to have "affirmative action?"
DENNIS: Not when a job requires ability. No.
DORIS: A lot of people would say otherwise.
DEREK: Oh yeah? If Dad’s fightin’ a brush fire…surrounded by thousand degree flames…who would you want watchin’ his back? A guy who scores a 99 or a guy who scores a sixty? (after a beat) You’d want the best man for the job.
DENNIS: (smiling) You’re absolutely right, Derek.
YOUNGER DAVINA enters the dining room and takes a chair.
DAVINA: Good morning.
Her lipstick glares off the dining lights.
DENNIS: Good morning! (smiling) Look at you. You look like a star.
DEREK: I like that color, Davina.
DAVINA: Thanks.
DENNIS: You did like it.
Dennis reaches over and wipes it off with his napkin.
DAVINA: (whining) Come on, Dad. I’m a sophomore now.
DENNIS: Yeah. Well you’re lucky I’m letting you wear that crap on your eyes.
DAVINA: That sucks, man.
DENNIS: It totally sucks. And we all sympathize with you, too.
Everyone laughs at their father – including DAVINA.
DENNIS: (shifting to Danny) You got practice today?
Danny shakes his head no
DANNY: Coach’s sick.
DENNIS: You wanna go to Der’s game with me then?
DANNY: (excited) Yeah.
DENNIS: (quickly to Derek) Long Beach CC tonight, right?
DEREK: Yep.
DENNIS: Okay. (to Danny) Ben’ll whip us up a couple of double deckers and we’ll head over.
DANNY: (smiling) Killer.
DANNY’S POV. He looks at his happy father. Dennis reaches over, puts his hand on Dan’s shoulder, and leaves it there.
CUT TO:
INT. BEDROOM – DANNY – PRESENT
He stops typing and realizes just how much he misses his father. Tears form in his eyes.
CUT TO:
EXT> BEN’S BURGER SHOP – LATE NIGHT
A white homeless man in an ARMY JACKET sits outside begging for change. Seth and Cammeron, both beat-up, drunk and bloody, stare at the man.
HOMELESS MAN: Spare change for a cheeseburger?
SETH: Get a job and buy one why don’t you.
HOMELESS MAN: God bless you, brother.
SETH: Fuck you.
Seth stumbles into the shop. Cam stares at the homeless man, psychotically.
HOMELESS MAN: Fifty cents is all I ask. I was in Vietnam, man.
CAMMERON: Really? So you’ve had, what? Twenty fuckin’ years to get your shit together?
HOMELESS MAN: All I want is something to eat, brother.
CAMMERON: there are plenty of fuckin’ dishwashing jobs out there, Vietnam…and you’re not my brother.
In the background, BEN THE OWNER and Seth shake hands.
HOMELESS MAN: Who am I then if I’m not your brother?
CAMMERON: You’re a disgrace to the white race is what you re. If Adolf Hitler was alive…God bless his soul…he would have you shot.
HOMELESS MAN: Fuck you then. Now and forever. Fuck you.
Cammeron knees the weak man square in the face. The man slopes down to his side, unconscious. As an afterthought, Cammeron kicks him several more times.
CAMMERON: Noooo. Fuck you.
He walks inside the shop. He sees Ben and smiles.
CAMMERON: Hey Ben. How are you?
BEN: Fine. What happened to you?
CAMMERON: (smiling) I don’t look that bad, do I?
BEN: You look like you got hit by a Mac Truck. You want somethin’ to eat?
CAMMERON: Uhhh…I don’t have too big an appetite right now, Ben. I’m just gonna watch fat boy over here eat.
CUT TO:
INT. BATHROOM - TIGHT ON DEREK
He lies naked in the tub and stares at the ceiling. A naked Stacey sits on the toilet, smokes a cigarette and stares at her former boyfriend.
STACEY: (softly) What are you thinking about?
DEREK: What aren’t I thinking about?
STACEY: Not that bullshit with Cammeron. I told you it’s nothin’.
Derek shifts his eyes upwards to hers and stares her down. She looks at him and takes a drag off her cigarette.
DEREK: I was thinking about Dan’s two buddies. Chris and the other one.
STACEY: What about them?
DEREK: Their lives are fucked.
STACEY: (smiling) Hey. Jason and Chris are cool. They fuckin’ worship you.
DEREK: Worshipping me doesn’t mean they’re cool, Stacey. It means they’re fucked.
Stacey leans over and touches his shoulder.
STACEY: Hey. Those two niggers deserved what they got, Derek. And just like Jason and Chris and a whole lotta us out there…I’ll believe that ‘til the day I die.
Derek looks at her, quickly sits up on the edge of the tub, and flashes her his PECKERWOOD TATTOO.
DEREK: You see that?
STACEY: Yeah.
DEREK: What does it say?
She stares at him, confused.
DEREK: (distraught) Tell me what it says!
STACEY: It says Peckerwood, Derek.
DEREK: Do you know what that means?
STACEY: No. What does it mean?
Derek lays back down in the water and looks at her like she’s from a different world.
DEREK: It means "white boy."
She drops her cigarette in the toilet, grabs the hanging towel, and drapes it over her.
STACEY: So what’s the point? (softly, after a beat) What are you saying?
DEREK: Everything’s different now, Stacey. And I can’t pretend I don’t see through it anymore.
Derek stares at her naked body and reminisces for a moment before he shifts his eyes back at the ceiling.
STACEY: (sensing it) So?
DEREK: So goodbye, Stacey.
She stares at him, knowing it’s over.
CUT TO:
INT. BURGER SHOP – TIGHT ON SETH
He eats a burger and chili fries at the same time. Cammeron sits across from him, sparks
up a cigarette and watches Seth eat food nearly as gruesome as his face. He then takes a look at the homeless man outside – who still lays motionless. Cam feels his BANDAGED FACE.
CAMMERON: I think I need to go to the hospital.
SETH: Seriously?
CAMMERON: I don’t know. I think so.
SETH: Where’s Stacey?
CAMMERON: Hanging out with Cassandra.
Seth continues to stiff his mouth. Cam looks outside again and this time he sees a RED BMW slowly pull up. Cameron slowly feels for his pistol and looks back at Seth.
SETH: Derek’s a fuckin’ traitor pussy.
CAMMERON: Well…we might be pussies too if we got treated the way he did.
SETH: What do you mean?
CAMMERON: Stevie McCormick called me…old school Venice bro.
SETH: You’re kidding. Is he still--?
CAMMERON: Fuck yeah. He’s doin’ ten years.
SETH: For what again?
CAMMERON: Heroin. He said Derek was a blow up doll in there.
SETH: (overwhelmed) What? (laughing in disbelief) Fucking A.
CAMMERON: (amazed) He turned his back on those guys in there.
SETH; Jesus.
Seth continues to eat as Cammeron becomes serious.
CAMMERON: (towards the street) Oh Christ. You gotta be kidding me?
SETH: What?
CAMMERON’S POV. A large and mature looking BLACK MAN with the red BMW helps a BEAUTIFUL BLOND out of the car and THEY KISS. Cammeron is at a loss for words. Cam puts out his cigarette as the couple ENTER.
CAMMERON: (looking at the two) Is there anything sacred in this country anymore? I mean…Jesus Christ.
SETH: (more worried about food) What?
CAMMERON: Stop feeding your face for a second and look behind you.
Seth turns his head and stares at the interracial couple. With his back to them, Seth starts to sing a verse from the famous Stevie Wonder song, EBONY AND IVORY. Cammeron starts to laugh. The hard black man turns and looks at the two.
CAMMERON: Can we help you with something? Do you have any questions about the menu?
BLAK MAN: No questions.
CAMMERON: I recommend either the "Big Ben Burger" or the "Chicken taco Special." Ben’ll put white meat or dark meat in your tacos if you ask him nicely.
BLACK MAN: I only like white meat.
CAMMERON: Obviously.
BLACK MAN: (fed up) What’s your problem, pal?
CAMMERON: First of all…I’m not your pal. Secondly…I don’t have problems. People who fuck me have problems.
WHITE GIRL: Come on. Let’s get out of here.
CAMMERON: Hey! What a great idea! You got a clever little whatever it is there. I’d listen to it if I were you.
BLACK MAN: You’re not me.
CAMMERON: (smiling) And I thank God Almighty every day for that; believe me.
SETH: Excuse me? Tyrone?
BLACK MAN: My name’s not fuckin’ Tyrone, man.
SETH: Whatever. Why can’t you stick to your own race.
WHITE GIRL: (disgusted) Jesus Christ! Where do you assholes come from?
CAMMERON: What the fuck difference does it make where we come from, bitch? I’m from a place called America. A place that used to be a nice place to live before it became fuckin’ Africa-America.
BLACK MAN: You ignorant…mother…fucker.
Seth quickly gets out of his chair and makes his gun totally visible to the couple.
SETH: You got a fuckin’ death wish, asshole? Do you? Make your move now if you do. If you don’t…get the fuck out of my sight. Cause I’m real close to shoving my piece up your girlfriend’s crotch…let me tell you.
The black man stares at the gun sticking out of Seth’s belly. He grabs his girlfriend and quickly walks out of the joint. Seth sits back down and continues with his food. Cammeron looks over at Ben and raises his hands in the air.
CAMMERON: (smiling) everything’s hunky dory, Ben. No problemo, okay?
BEN: Better not be.
EXT. BURGER JOINT – THE RED BMW
The black man slams the passenger door and makes his way to his side. He stops, produces a POCKET PHONE and snaps it open. He hits one button and waits.
BLACK MAN: (into the receiver) Put Jerome on.
EXT. APARTMENT COMPLEX – LATE NIGHT
A half-dressed Stacey sits in her piece of shit Ford Mercury and sobs.
INT. BEDROOM – THE COMPUTER
Derek lifts a sleeping Danny off the keyboard. He helps him into the bottom bunk, tucks him in, and watches him snooze.
DEREK: (softly) Hey. Did you save it?
An asleep Danny nods. Derek slowly walks over to the computer and reaches back to turn it off. Instead, he PEERS at the screen, grabs his GLASSES and sits in the chair.
CUT TO:
INT. BURGER JOINT – SETH AND CAMMERON
Seth winds down on his feast.
CAMMERON: Ready?
SETH: Yeah.
They get up and walk towards the door – leaving a mess on the table. Cammeron sparks up another cigarette.
CAMMERON: It wouldn’t irritate me so much if the ratio was a little more even.
SETH: What’s that?
CAMMERON: (going mad) Ebony and Ivory back there! Almost all of those orange kid relationships are black men with white women and I’m fuckin’ sick of seein’ it! I wouldn’t mind so much if it were more even.
SETH: Huge dicks, Cam. That’s all it is.
EXT. SHOP – LATE NIGHT
CAMMERON: I used to think that too but…it’s gotta be more, man. It has to be more than the fact that they carry a big load. Chicks aren’t that shallow, are they? It’s politically correct…that’s what it is. White women…bein’ seen with the coloreds…it’s great for their image. Bitches today want to be known as bein’ fuckin’ color blind.
SETH: Oh yeah. They get off on it.
CAMMERON: And you can’t really blame Tyrone.
STH: Why the fuck not?
CAMMERON: Well…how’d you like to drag around some fat, obnoxious Fly Girl? I wouldn’t.
SETH: No shit. (imitating) Oh go girlfriend! Don’t be puttin’ up wid dat, girl! Oh stop girl!
Seth and Cammeron laugh together.
INT. CAN – TIGHT ON LITTLE HENRY
He watches his brother Jerome and three others finish loading. Henry sits in the driver’s seat as the four get out of the WHITE VAN. Brandishing AK-47’s and pistols, Henry watches them follow Seth and Cam through the van mirrors.
TIGHT ON THEIR FEET. The men close in. PANNING UPWARDS – the one with a BLUE BANDANA on his head is JEROME.
SETH: Are we goin’ to the hospital or what?
JEROME (O.S.): Funny you say that, Vinyard.
Seth and Cam freeze in their tracks. As they wheel with their guns, the black men open fire. Shots virtually tear apart their bodies and they fall to the pavement.
As Seth and Cammeron lie in pools of blood, the assassins quickly walk over and examine their faces. Cammeron struggles to stay alive.
THUG #1: (quickly checking them out) What the fuck?! I thought you said he was here!
JEROME: Homeboy said he was!
TIGHT ON CAMMERON. He struggles to breathe.
THUG #2: That’s what’s his name!
JEROME: Cammeron Alexander. Long time no see, nigger bitch.
A siren builds in the background.
THUG #1: LETS’S GO!
Three of the men jet back to the WHITE VAN – Jerome staying behind. He grabs CAMMERON and drags him over to the curb. THUG #2: (to Jerome) Come on, man!
Jerome places Cameron’s mouth on the corner of the curb. CAMMERON: (delirious, half-dead) Where we goin’?
JEROME: How does Hell sound?
Jerome slams his foot to the back of Cam’s head. As sirens approach from almost around the corner, he runs back to the van and LITTLE HENRY takes off down the street. The two bodies lay there – blood escaping them. MOVING UPWARDS – we see their transfixed bodies composed over the lights of Venice.
CUT TO:
INT. BATHROOM – BIRDS CHIRPING – EARLY MORNING
Danny stares at himself in the mirror as he rinses the toothpaste from his mouth. He tries to shape the stubble on top of his head.
INT. BEDROOM – CLEAN-SHAVEN DEREK
The whiskers are gone but still he has difficulty trying to get the knot on his TIE correct.
DEREK: Almost ready?
DANNY: I’m printing it up and we’re out of here.
DEREK: Okay. Hurry up.
Derek walks out into the living room.
INT. MESSY LIVING ROOM – DORIS
She’s on the couch watching cartoons. She takes a jar of Vick’s Vapor Rub and puts some on her chest. Derek walks in the room on with a coat and tie. He bends over and kisses her on the forehead.
Davina sits on the couch with a bowel of FROSTED FLAKES.
DEREK: Good morning.
DORIS: (shocked) Jeez. What happened to you?
DEREK: I’m going to see my parole officer.
DAVINA: Do you have Excel on disk?
DEREK: I’ve got everything on disk.
DAVINA: Can I use your computer?
DEREK: Sure.
Davina smiles and takes her cereal bowl into the back bedroom. Doris looks at Derek.
DORIS: You look good.
Derek smiles and caresses his mother’s cheek.
DEREK: We’re getting out of this dump, Mom.
DORIS: All right. I’m all for it. (after a beat) Do you think I should color my hair?
DEREK: Yes.
Derek smiles at his mother and thinks to himself.
DORIS: What are you thinking about?
Derek gathers his thoughts and stares at her for a moment.
DEREK: When I was in jail…all I thought about was how I was going to apologize to you. You, Davina, and Dan…but you mostly. You believed in me. You stood by my, even when it meant losing the house. (tearing up) Then I thought about Dad and—(wiping his eyes) You think you’ll ever be able to forgive me someday, Mother? Maybe?
A tear rolls down her face.
DORIS: You’re my son.
DEREK smiles and hugs her tightly. She pulls back and brushes the tears from his cheek. He smiles at his reaction.
DEREK: Look at me. I’m such a pussy.
DORIS: No you’re not.
EXT. VENICE BLVD. – MORNING
Derek takes out some change and gets a copy of the LA TIMES as Danny continues to skate ahead of him. Derek looks back behind him, sensing danger. With no one in the distance, he walks into a doughnut shop.
INT. DOUGHNUT SHOP – DEREK’S POV
He takes a guarded look outside. Everything seems normal. A bus drives by. A group of Mexican laborers, dressed for work and smiling, walk past in the other direction.
Inside, a black woman orders a dozen doughnuts from a short Korean man behind the counter. Her young daughter grabs her leg. Danny sits down and reads over his paper.
DEREK; What do you want?
DANNY: Chocolate bar and a…large milk.
Derek smiles at the little girl while he waits. She wanders from her mother’s leg and over towards Derek.
DEREK: (to the girl) You look very pretty today.
She laughs and runs back to her mother. He looks outside the window. Nothing. He looks back at the little girl.
DEREK: How do I look?
BLACK GIRL: (bashfully) Fine.
DANNY’S POV. He looks up from the paper. He watches the girl come over and check out his brother. Derek laughs at her spontaneity and drops to one knee.
DEREK: What’s your name?
BLACK GIRL: Tisha.
DEREK: How old are you, Tisha?
She holds up four fingers. Derek smiles.
BLACK MOTHER: (staring at Derek) Come here, Tisha.
Tisha return to her mother and they exit. Derek watches the girl as she continues to stare at him, wide eyed.
Outside, they hear SCREECHING TIRES and a BLUE FORD pulls up in front. Rasmussen and Young Fuhrman get out.
INT. SHOP – DEREK AND DANNY
The two walk in and look at a curious and confused Derek.
DEREK: What’s goin’ on?
RASMUSSEN: We need to talk, Derek.
DEREK: About what?
RASMUSSEN: Seth Ryan and Cammeron Alexander are dead. They were shot to death outside Ben’s Burgers early this morning.
Derek takes both hands and pulls back his hair. He sits down and thinks to himself for a few more seconds, frightened. Familiar Cops #3 and #4, now on call, walk in and sit down. SWEENEY FOLLOWS IN LAST AND DEREK STARES AT HIM.
DEREK: (to Rasmussen) Any suspects?
RASMUSSEN: Possibly. Big Cam’s jaw was shattered and nine of his teeth were knocked out on the curb.
SWEENEY: Sound familiar?
Facing a vicious circle, Derek takes his frustration out on a nearby chair. The owner barks at Derek in Korean. A confused Derek eyes Sweeney, who walks over to him.
TIGHT ON SWEENEY AND DERED. Derek sparks up a cigarette and stares over at Rusmussen, Danny, and the other officers.
SWEENEY: Are they coming after you?
DEREK: Fuckin’ A.
SWEENEY sighs to a concerned Derek.
SWEENEY: I don’t think so. I think they feel justice has been served.
DEREK: Maybe it has.
SWEENEY: But we can’t let this thing escalate. (after a long beat) Will you talk to them?
Derek looks over and analyzes the innocence of his brother. He then takes a long drag off his cigarette and nods.
DEREK: I’ll do whatever it takes.
SWEENEY: Okay. Good.
Sweeney walks away and then turns back to Derek.
SWEENEY: Watch your back.
Derek says nothing. Sweeney exits with Rasmussen.
SWEENEY: (back to Danny) You’re showing up today, right?
Danny looks at Sweeney and nods his head yes.
CUT TO: EXT. VENICE HIGH – A BEAUTIFUL DAY
DEREK AND DANNY
Are outside the fence surrounding the field. There are boys playing basketball on the far courts. Girls sitting in circles on the grass. People eating lunch.
DEREK: Hey. Keep your head up, alright? I’m going to take care of this bullshit and everything’s gonna be okay.
DANNY: All right.
Derek stares at his brother as THE BELL RINGS.
DANNY: I gotta bail.
DEREK: Okay. I’ll see you at home.
DANNY: Okay.
Danny hops the fence with his backpack on. He looks back at Derek. Cops #3 and #4 sit in their car in the background.
DEREK: Hey.
DANNY: Hey what?
DEREK: Come here.
Derek puts his hand over the fence. Danny walks up and clasps it – FINGERS INTERTWINED.
DEREK: I love you, Dan.
Danny smiles at his brother and nods, embarrassed. Danny puts his ear phones on and heads to class. Derek watches his brother through the chain linked fence. Danny meets up with REDHEAD LIZZY and they soon diaper from Derek’s sight. Derek turns and walks down the street,
COP #3: You need a lift anywhere?
DEREK: Nope.
INT. MESSY HALLWAY – DANNY
Students rush past him off to class. Danny kisses Lizzy and he hurries off to class. He pushes on a men’s room door.
INT. SCHOOL BATHROOM – SAME
Danny enters, sets his AMERICAN HISTORY X PAPER on the sink, and takes an unearthly long piss at the urinal. He finishes and turns. Standing there, GUN drawn is LITTLE HENRY.
DANNY: (terrified) What are you doing, Henry?
HENRY: Taking care of business.
Henry fires a shot into Danny’s chest. Danny SLAMS into the URINAL, gasping for air. The force of the pistol knocks Henry to the ground. The two stare at each other – EYE TO EYE. The PAPER falls to earth.
A teary-eyed Henry observes Danny’s death and together they FREEZE on the tile floor.
CUT TO:
EXT. VENICE HIGH BATHROOM – YELLOW POLICE TAPE
Officers and detectives monitor the area. Young students, including Lizzy and her friends, weep at the horror Rasmussen brings THE PAPER over to Sweeney. Sweeney looks over the bloodstained report and peers up.
SWEENEY’S POV. He spots a grieving Davina and Doris.
RASMUSSEN: He won’t let go. Will you talk to him.
INT. BATHROOM – TIGHT ON DEREK AND DANNY
A tearful Derek cradles his bloody brother. Sweeney walks over, crouches, and talks to Derek’s back.
SWEENEY: Derek? You gotta let him go, man.
DEREK: I can’t.
Derek begins to cry outright. He can’t control himself. He lets go of Danny’s corpse and charges out into the hall.
INT. HALLWAY – DORIS AND DAVINA
Derek embraces them. Doris grabs his face – torn between love and hate. A guilt ridden Derek tears from them and walks away with Sweeney soon in tow.
END
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