CHAPTER 13
EXT. HOLLYWOOD HILLS MANSION – NIGHT Anthony’s car pulls up in front of the Mansion. Luxury automobiles line the driveway. Valet parking and security staff circulate around the entrance. Anthony, Steph, Ricky and Manny hop out. Manny This is what I’m talking about! STEPH What a view! Anthony (following Steph; looking at her behind) Yes it is. Steph catches him checking her out and punches him playfully. Manny I’ve been trying to tell him that was a nice view. Steph punches Manny. RICKY I hope I see some stars. I don’t want to waste this outfit on riff raff! The walk inside the party. INT. HOLLYWOOD HILLS MANSION – NIGHT They’re in the middle of the ultimate Hollywood Hills mansion. Hollywood stars, starlets, wannabes and beautiful people are everywhere. In one corner of the room, CHARLIE SHEEN snorts a line of coke off a woman’s belly. Out in the grotto, a hot young girl shrieks as a guy sprays her with champagne from a bottle. RICKY A-list here I come! Sid talks with a small group, including his beautiful wife, HEATHER, Jessica and Maxwell. Jessica spots Anthony and brings him over. SID Brilliant performance tonight, congratulations! This is my wife, Heather. (loudly; to everyone) Everyone, I’d like you to meet the star of tonight’s showcase, Anthony Carto, Jr.! The Party Goers applaud. Sid (CONT’D) Anthony, go enjoy all the folks who will be sucking up to you in the future! (to Jessica) Show him around. Jessica leads Anthony through the party. Steph, Ricky and Manny are left behind. STEPH How big is his head is going to get? Manny Not as big as my appetite. Manny heads to the food table. RICKY Oh, my God, it’s Ru Paul! Come over with me, girlfriend. We have to mingle! Jessica and Anthony grab cocktails from a waiter’s tray. JESSICA Come upstairs. Anthony follows her up a staircase. Maxwell watches. Ru Paul tells a story to a small group. RU PAUL Let me tell you girlfriend, he is so hot, he makes Denzel look like Chris Rock in New Jack City! They all laugh, when Charlie Sheen staggers by and bumps into a waiter, knocking a tray of drinks onto Steph. CHARLIE SHEEN Sorry babe, wanna go in the bathroom with me and take that wet shirt off? STEPH No thanks, Charlie. I’ll be right back. Steph goes upstairs and finds a luxurious bathroom. STEPH (CONT’D) Oh my God, this is bigger than my apartment. She wipes her blouse, when she hears voices coming from the adjoining bedroom, where Anthony and Jessica are talking. JESSICA Did you talk to him about the rest of the stuff. Anthony I already told you I’m meeting him tomorrow night. JESSICA It’s taking too long. Should I ask someone else to do it, maybe your cousin Jimmy? Anthony Jimmy doesn’t know about any of this. JESSICA I’m sure he’ll know someone. Anthony I set this up, I’ll finish it. Steph enters the room and flips on a light switch. STEPH What are you two doing? Anthony Nothing. JESSICA I was showing him around the house. STEPH Where’s Maxwell? JESSICA (ignores Steph) Come on Anthony, let’s get back to the party. Jessica walks out. Steph stares at Anthony for a long beat. ANTHONY It’s not what you think. Steph walks out. INT. TONY & JIMMY’S APARTMENT – DAY Tony pours a cup of coffee as Anthony walks in. TONY Great job last night, Anthony! I was so proud!! Anthony I couldn’t have done it without you. TONY The audience loved you, your teacher was thrilled. You were great, son. Anthony Thanks for being there, Dad, it really means a lot to me. Where’s Jimmy? What did he think? TONY He loved it too. But I think he slept out again. Anthony Again? TONY You getting jealous? Anthony Yes. I mean no! TONY A Freudian slip. You have problems, my friend. Anthony Why didn’t you come to the party? TONY We had some business come up out of the blue. Anthony Me too. I have to do something before work. Maybe we’ll grab a bite later. TONY Can’t. Card game tonight. If you see Jimmy, tell him to get back here soon. ANTHONY Will do. Anthony leaves. INT. STEPH’S APARTMENT – DAY Steph is startled as Anthony barges in. STEPH You frightened me! What’s the matter? Anthony looks around the apartment. It’s empty. Anthony Nothing, just seeing what you’re doing. Steph is uncomfortable. She walks out onto a small balcony. Anthony follows. STEPH What do you want? Did Jessica have other breakfast plans? Anthony She doesn’t mean anything to me. STEPH You could’ve fooled me. Anthony We were talking about something else. STEPH Don’t insult my intelligence. ANTHONY You have to trust me, Steph. STEPH Why should I trust you? Anthony Because I think that maybe you and me– STEPH You and me what? Anthony Maybe you and me could be, but– STEPH But what?! Long beat. Anthony You and Jimmy. How can we be together after you and Jimmy– STEPH Jimmy? You’re wrong, Anthony. Anthony Then why has Jimmy been coming up here? Suddenly, Jimmy comes out of Ricky’s bedroom, bare-chested, putting on his shirt. He doesn’t see Anthony yet. JIMMY I’m late Rick, my uncle’s gonna kill me! Ricky chases after Jimmy. RICKY Come back lover boy, let me show you my ball trick! Anthony watches from the balcony, stunned. Anthony Jimmy?! JIMMY Anthony! STEPH Ricky! RICKY Steph! They all look at each other in amazement. Anthony (to Steph) You mean Jimmy and Ricky? STEPH I told you, you had it all wrong. JIMMY Anthony, it’s not what it looks like, it’s—- Ricky covers himself with a pillow. Anthony I’ve been in LA long enough to know exactly what it looks like! JIMMY Please don’t say a word to Uncle Tony, he’ll kill me! RICKY Oh, no! Me too? I don’t want to die, I’m too young to die! STEPH Everybody relax! What’s the big deal? Anthony The big deal is I’ve looked up to Jimmy since I was in diapers! STEPH So? Anthony So, should I sleep with Ricky too? RICKY No, Anthony. I’m not a slut! One man per family is the limit. (beat) Unless we have a threesome. JIMMY Shut up, Ricky! Anthony, listen, some things you can’t hide from yourself. Anthony I know, but you’ve always been with women. Hot women! RICKY What am I, chopped liver? JIMMY Not always. And since I’ve been out here, I feel free and honest. I don’t need to lie anymore. Anthony I understand. But you have to tell my father. He thinks you’re seeing Steph. When he finds out you’re not… I can’t keep your secrets for you. JIMMY I know. But I want to tell him in my own way. Anthony When? JIMMY Soon. What I have planned for the newsstand will allow me to stay out here and live my lifestyle openly. Just give me a little time. Ricky rubs Jimmy’s arm in support. Anthony Fine, do what you have to do. JIMMY This doesn’t change things between us, does it? I still love you, man. Anthony I love you too, Jim, no matter what. Anthony and Jimmy hug. Ricky joins in. STEPH How cute. RICKY I’m gonna cry. Anthony (to Jimmy) You smell like perfume. RICKY Chanel No. 5. JIMMY I’ll see you later at the newsstand. Anthony Okay. Jimmy leaves. Ricky wipes tears from his eyes with a tissue and goes back to his bedroom. Steph and Anthony are alone. STEPH Back to us. Anthony Wait, I need a minute to digest what just happened. STEPH You seem to have handled it well. Anthony Yeah, but that was like a 10.5 on the Richter scale. I’m still waiting for aftershocks. STEPH Aftershocks? Anthony My father! Listen, I have to get to work. STEPH I want to talk about us later. Anthony Okay. |