<< INSIDE - KELLY AND ERIKA'S DORM ROOM -- MORNING >>

The girls are fast asleep in their beds. Suddenly, Erika's bedside alarm sounds, violently. Erika reaches over and smacks the snooze button.

From across the room, Kelly groans. Moving only her right arm, she throws a pillow at Erika, which lands with a thunk on Erika's head. Kelly talks groggily muffled into her bed.

KELLY

“Erika... That's your third snooze...You're gonna be late for class again…”

          Erika bolts upright in bed with a wild-eyed, surprised look on her face, then whips her covers off.

<< OUTSIDE - UNIV. OF MARYLAND - NORTH CAMPUS -- DAY >>

Erika pedals feverishly on her bike, zooming down the sidewalk. She comes to a classroom building and stops. She almost trips over the bike as she hops off, and rushes to lock it up on the nearest rack. She runs inside the building.

<< INSIDE - CLASSROOM HALLWAY >>

Erika rushes down a hallway that's empty except for a janitor mopping the floor. He looks Latino and in his early 50's. As his back is turned, Erika accidentally bumps into him in her haste and almost trips, tipping his rolling mop bucket in the process.

ERIKA

“Sorry!”

          She continues to speed walk as the man catches the bucket by its handle. A few splashes of water fall on the floor. He shoots her an angry look.

<< INSIDE - PROFESSOR ADAMS' CLASS >>

A woman's brown hands slice a big green apple with a six slice wedger, THWACK! She wrenches the slices from the wedger, drops them on a plate, picks one up, and starts to chew loudly. PROFESSOR ADAMS.

PROFESSOR ADAMS

“...And that's the primary effect of strenuous activity without rest on the cardiovascular system. And why today we're going to have a short quiz.”

          The class groans and grumbles in unison. Classy, but pinched, Professor Adams passes a hand over her smooth grey hair, patting her tight bun.

Erika rushes in quietly and quickly finds a seat near the back of the small stadium lecture hall. The professor shoots her a disapproving look as the T.A., a small East Indian guy, starts to hand out quizzes.

LATER

Students are filtering out of the room. Erika walks up to the front and puts her quiz in the tray on the front table as other students do the same.

ERIKA

“Professor Adams?”

PROFESSOR ADAMS

“Hm.”

          Professor Adams barely looks at Erika as she packs up her large leather executive bag.

ERIKA

“Hi. Um, I really need some help with the material. Could I meet with you sometime outside of class?”

PROFESSOR ADAMS

“My office hours are on the syllabus.”

ERIKA

“Uh, yes I know, but you see I have another class at the same time as your office hours... Is there any other time you're available to meet?”

          The woman rolls her eyes callously.

PROFESSOR ADAMS

“Those are the only times I have to meet. If you need a tutor I suggest you visit the learning annex.”

ERIKA

“I have, but-”

          The woman cuts her off by leaving abruptly. Rudeness unparalleled. Erika watches her walk away, baffled.

<< INSIDE - KELLY AND ERIKA'S DORM ROOM -- EVENING >>

Erika, agitated, paces the room as she talks on the phone. She's in her work uniform.

ERIKA

“It's bad enough she never sticks to the assigned chapters, but does she have to cut her apples so loud during every class?! While we're taking her stupid, nonsensical quizzes! I can't stand her. I go to her for help and it's like she doesn't even care.”

          Erika shakes her head as she listens to the person on the other line.

ERIKA

“I know... I know, but it's just so unfair.”

          She listens.

ERIKA

“Well I couldn't chase her down to argue, I had to get to my next class. Wait, someone's beeping on the other line.”

          Erika takes the phone from her shoulder and hits the flash button.

ERIKA

“Hello?”

<< INSIDE - GAYMON'S HOUSE >>

A white man in his early forties smiles awkwardly as he stands in his kitchen looking out the window. BILL GAYMON. His full head of salt and pepper hair doesn't quite match his youthful, but worn face.

INTERCUT BETWEEN GAYMON AND ERIKA

GAYMON

“Hi, yes. Is this Erika?”

          His polite tone is eerily hollow.

ERIKA

“Yes?”

GAYMON

“This is Bill Gaymon. I'm responding to your email about the salon chair.”

ERIKA

“Oh yes, could you hold on one moment?”

GAYMON

“Sure.”

          She clicks over.

ERIKA

“Hey, Robbie, that was the guy with the chair. I have to go, but I can come get the car right? Yeah, It might be Thursday or Friday... Ok, ok bye.”

          She clicks back over.

ERIKA

“Hi, sorry about that.”

GAYMON

“Oh, no problem.”

ERIKA

“Yes, so it's still available for thirty-five?

GAYMON

“Yes, it is. How soon can you pick it up?”

          She goes over to her bookbag on the floor and pulls out her day planner as she balances the cordless on one shoulder.

ERIKA

“Well... Oh, I forgot I work late on Thursday... I can pick it up Friday evening. Is that ok?”

GAYMON

“Sure.”

ERIKA

“How about around seven? Will you be in?”

GAYMON

“Oh, yes, that's fine.”

ERIKA

“Ok, great. Thanks. And you're on Briarwood, right?”

          She listens and writes the address down on a page in her planner.

ERIKA

“Ok...five, nine, twenty... ok. Got it. Thanks so much.”

          Gaymon nods with a faint smile.

GAYMON

“Oh no, my pleasure. See you soon.”

          He puts down the phone and continues his empty gaze out the window. Through the window, a green and gold antique salon chair waits ominously in the small back yard, lit eerily by a dim porch light. THE CHAIR.

<< INSIDE - KELLY AND ERIKA'S DORM ROOM >>

Erika clicks the phone off just as Kelly enters the door wearing gray exercise shorts and a tank top. She's sweaty.

KELLY

“Hey, you coming to dinner?”

         Erika starts to gather up some books and stuff them into her bookbag.

ERIKA

“No, I grabbed something earlier. I'm about to be late for work.”

          Kelly takes a towel from the closet doorknob and begins to dry off. Erika begins to head out the door.

KELLY

“Hey, your phone's been ringing off the hook today. Did you get your messages?”

ERIKA

“Oh yeah, I got it. It was just the guy calling about that last salon chair I showed you on craigslist.”

KELLY

“Wow, that's kind of eager.”

ERIKA

“Maybe he needs the money. It's a good deal so I'm gonna buy it from him.”

KELLY

“Ok, well if you're going there by yourself. Make sure this guy's not some crazed axe murderer.”

ERIKA

“I'll be fine. He's a hairdresser, how scary can he be?”

          Kelly nods and Erika heads out.