Pipeline

The lights go up on Nya, who is leaving her ex-husband, Xavier, a cell phone message. She falters as she tells him that their son, Omari, has been in a fight at school and faces possible expulsion and charges. Nya is struggling to cope and, in a moment of desperation, she admits she misses Xavier. Realizing her error, she deletes the message and replaces it with a short, impersonal message asking him to call her instead. As she smokes a cigarette, the school bell rings and the morning public address announcement begins. Stubbing out her cigarette, Nya readies herself to teach her inner-city students.

At a private school, Omari is hiding out in the girls’ dormitory with his girlfriend, Jasmine. He is tense and on edge after his fight, leading him and Jasmine to squabble. She is annoyed that his mood keeps shifting but her concern for him outweighs her annoyance. She loves Omari deeply and does not want him to leave her. However, Omari is worried about what will happen next for him,