Hairspray, Chapter 4: The Revolution

Meena stood downtown in front of a church with about sixty African American people.

She picked up a poster that said: "Integrate not Segregate."

She looked around until she saw Cory and Sophie both picking up signs as well.

"Are you ready for this?" he asked

"Yeah." Meena replied, "You guys deserve a chance."

Cecilia lined up the mob to walk down the street with the signs. She began to sing a song called, "I Know Where I've Been"

They kept on walking until they reached the station.

Police were already lined up outside the place.

"MEENA!"

Meena turned around, hoping it would be Newt, only to find her father.

"Dad, what are you doing here?" she asked

"I came to…" he paused, "Help"

"Oh no." he said

"Dad, you know the police were going to be here." She said

"Yeah, but won't it prevent you from getting your point across."

"Oh no!" Tanya said, "We'll get it across, one way or another."

"Hey!" Meena yelled

The police officer turned around, "You aren't getting past us."

"Why not?" Meena asked

"We have a strict code from Ms. Samuels not to let anyone through." He said, turning around

"What if we don't care?" Meena said

The police officer didn't even flinch.

"Hey!"

Nothing.

"Hey!" she said, finally hitting him on the back of the head with her sign.

He turned around, red with anger, "You just assaulted a police officer."

"Assault, you weren't listening." She said

"I'm going to have to take you into custody." He said

Meena looked at her father and then at Cecilia and Cory before running out of the mass of people and running down the road.

She only stopped when she reached Jessica's.

She looked in the front window to see Jessica and her mother watching the news.

"14 year old revolutionist/anarchist, Meena Parhoom has gone on the run from accounts of assaulting a police officer in an attempt to picket outside of local television station WXXI where the popular teen show Capitol Beat show tapes everyday at four. Parhoom was a regular on the show. The police officer is in critical condition at a local hospital. If you have any information, do call our station." The man on the TV said

"You see, if you had been with her, you could have been killed." Her mother said

Jessica was about to nod when she saw Meena sitting outside the window signaling for her to come around the back.

"I'm going to go er, pray." Jessica said

"Well, pray for your Satan possessed friend." Her mother said

Jessica nodded before going around back.

"Oh my God, Meena, you assaulted a police officer!" she said, hugging her friend

"Not really hard, but sort of." She said

"Where's Newt?" Jessica asked

"I don't have a clue." Meena said

"Come here, I have a place for you to hide out." Jessica said, pulling her friend to the downstairs area

"Nice, with a bed, canned food and…" she raised an eyebrow, "A gas mask."

"My mom's paranoid." Jessica said

"JESSICA ANNE MALDANADO!"

The girl whipped around to see her mother staring at her.

"I cannot believe you tried to sneak a felon in my house!" she said, "you are going to be permanently punished."

"As for you," she said, pointing at Meena, "I've already called the cops on you, they'll be here momentarily."

"I can't believe you'd do this to my best friend!" Jessica said

"You don't need friends like her, Jessica." She said, dragging her daughter out.

"And don't you touch my canned tuna!" the lady said

Meena nodded and looked out the barred window.

Back at Meena's house, Newt stood outside and knocked on the door.

"Mr. Livingston, it's good to see you." Mr. Parhoom said

"Thanks, I'm so worried about her, is she alright?" he asked

"I don't know for sure, she went on the run." He said

"I heard she assaulted a police officer and a cub scout with a crow bar!" Newt said

"No, she assaulted the police officer with a picket sign and she knocked the boy scout over in the process of running out, neither bled all that bad, do come in and worry with us, we'll make you some pork." He said, leading the boy inside

He then excused himself to go to the restroom, when really he went up to Meena's room.

He picked up a picture of her and stared into it and began to sing.

Newt-
Once i was a selfish fool
Who never understood
I never looked inside myself
Though on the outside, i looked good!
(he ran a hand through his hair and looked in the mirror and did his signature wink.)

Then we met and you made me
The man i am today
Meena, i'm in love with you
No matter what they say,
'Cause...

Without love
Life is like the seasons with
No summer
Without love
Life is rock 'n' roll without
A drummer

Meena, i'll be yours forever
'Cause 1 never wanna be
Without love
Meena, never set me free
No, i ain't lyin'
Never set me free, Meena,
No, no, no!!

Back at Jessica's, Jessica was tied up to her bed, being forced to listen to old gospel music.

There was a noise coming from the window.

She looked over to see Cory breaking into her room.

"Cory, what are you doing here?" she gasped

"Saving my princess from being locked away in her tower." He smiled

"Aww, you do care!" she smiled

"Yeah," he said, beginning to untie her, "And nothing is going to keep us apart."

He pulled at the knot again and again.

"Except maybe these ropes." He paused, "Was your mother in the navy?"

Jessica laughed as he finally untied the ropes.

They both looked at each other momentarily before Cory crashed his lips down on hers.

Then he began to sing:

Cory-
Living in the ghetto
Black is everywhere ya go
Who'd 've thought i'd love a girl
With skin as white as winter's snow

Jessica-
In my ivory tower
Life was just a hostess snack
But now i've tasted chocolate
And i'm never going back

'Cause without love

Cory-
Life is like a beat that you can't follow

Cory and Jessica-
Without love

Jessica-
Life is doris day at the apollo

Cory and Jessica-
Darling, i'll be yours forever
'Cause i never wanna be
Without love

Cory-
So darling, never set me free

Cory and Jessica-
I'm yours forever
Never set me free

All-

No, no, no!

They went out the window and down the fire escape.

They all kept singing:

Newt-
If I'm left without my baby doll, I don't know what I'll do!

Meena-
Newt, i've got to break out
So that i can get my hands on you

Cory and Jessica ran to the basement and let Meena out and instructed her to get in the trunk of Cory's dad's car.

Cory-
And girl, if i can't touch you
Now i'm gonna lose control

Jessica-
Cory, you're my black white knight
I've found my blue-eyed soul

All-
Sweet freedom is our goal

Newt-
Meena, i wanna kiss ya!

Meena-

Let me out at the next toll!

ALL
'Cause without love

Cory-
Life is like a prom that won't invite us

ALL
Without love

Newt-
Life's getting my big break and laryngitis

ALL
Without love

Jessica-
Life's a '45' when you can't buy it

ALL
Without love

Meena-
Life is like my mother on a diet

They all got out at the old record store warehouse where they had been days before.

They entered and kept singing.

ALL
Like a week that's only mondays
Only ice cream never sundaes
Like a circle with no center
Like a door marked "do not enter!"

DARLING, I'LL BE YOURS FOREVER
'Cause 1 never wanna be...

Without love

Newt and Meena-
Yes now you've captured me

ENSEMBLE
Without love

Cory and Jessica-
I surrender happily

ENSEMBLE
Without love

Jessica-

Oh Cory

ALL
Never set me free

Cory and Jessica-

No, no, no

Newt and Meena-
No, i ain't lyin'

Cory and Jessica-
Never set me free

ALL
No, no, no
No, i dont wanna live without

Jessica-
Love, love, love

Newt-
Yeah, yeah, yeah

ALL
Darling, you had best believe me,
Never leave me without love!

Soon, Cecilia came out from upstairs with Sophie following behind her.

"So are you planning on hiding her out here?" she said

Meena looked away in fear.

"Well why didn't you think of that before!" she smiled

"And this is?" Cecilia said gesturing to Newt and Jessica

"Cracker boy right here is Newt Livingston, and this," he paused, taking Jessica's hand, "Is Jessica Maldanado."

"Well, love is a gift, but get ready for some stupid coming your way." She said

"I see you've met my mother." Jessica said

The group smiled at her.

Meena quickly called her parents as they came up with a plan.

Tomorrow, the day of the Miss Teenage Hairspray, was going to be crazy, and they were going to accomplish the goal they had been waiting to accomplish forever, no matter what.