INT: PLATFORM 1, LEVEL 2, KMS
SFX: (off) A SONG PLAYS FROM THE PHONE (ROAR - Katy Perry - From 0.42)
(NIDHI and SANJAY are seated on a platform bench.)
NIDHI: (sings along, cracking voice) ...I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter. Dancing through the fire. 'Coz I am a champion...
SHE SIGHS, PAUSING THE SONG AT 0.58.
Ya, what do you want to tell?
SANJAY: Nothing. You were singing-
NIDHI: You've been really fidgety since you came. So tell.
SANJAY: (excited) Okay.
SANJAY UNZIPS THE BAG.
NIDHI: Oo, did you get something for me?
SANJAY: I wanted to...but my bank bal's zero.
NIDHI: Aish.
SANJAY: Here. This is the something I did.
NIDHI: WHAT? Wow. This is-OMG. How did you do it? I mean, how did you get it?
SANJAY: I just needed to submit a few documents. And in 30 days, I got my ID.
NIDHI: Who-hoo!
SHE REPEATEDLY TAPS THE BENCH.
Congrats, Sanjana Prasanna.
SANJAY: (not that excited) Thanks.
NIDHI: (bummed out) What? Didn't I pronounce it right?
SANJAY: You did. It's just...
NIDHI: Wait... Aunty found out?
SANJAY: Yeah. She found my ID in the mail.
NIDHI: Sheesh. Out of all the days, where she would make you take the mail, she had to go and check. (beat) Things didn't go well, didn't they?
SANJAY: We're talking now, even though it's restricted to my schedule. (beat) Dad doesn't know yet...that's why I'm still...in the closet.
NIDHI: God. When did this all happen? How come I didn't know this?
SANJAY: A month ago. The same day you died.
NIDHI: Damn it. (beat) Ah, curse everyone for doing this. I mean, how can't your mom understand this? She's a fricking lawyer?
SANJAY: It's okay. She didn't expect me to turn out like this.
NIDHI: Turn out? You were born like this.
SANJAY: You know what I mean. Even I didn't know the term I could use for myself is trans, until I heard of the Trans Rights Act three years ago.
NIDHI: See, this is the irritating thing. Half of us don't know what "transgender" exactly means -ah.
SANJAY: Nidhi?
NIDHI HITS HER HEAD.
NIDHI: Aah!
SANJAY: Nidhi!
NIDHI: AH...WAIT, I'm getting something.
SANJAY: What-Oh!
NIDHI: AH...my head's gonna explode.
SANJAY: Come on, Nidhi. You can do this.
NIDHI: (grumbles) Just shut up, Sanju.
PAUSE.
(weak) Ya.
SANJAY: What?
NIDHI: I think I know who killed me.
SANJAY: WHO?
MEANWHILE, BEHIND A WIDE PILLAR:
SG MURTHY: (close) What? So... he didn't kill her? And, he's not a boy? How did this...
SFX: AUDIO OF SO FAR IS REWOUND TO...