What is Today?
Outside University Library, Morning.
ABUBAKAR and ALI are leaving the library.
ALI
It's Dina's birfday tonight. You coming?
ALI notices ABUBAKAR phone continuously pinging with calls from ZIA.
ALI
Just talk to her fam.
ABUBAKAR'S phone rings, it's an unknown number.
ABUBAKAR
Who's this...? Oi, long time man?
Have time for what–
(PAUSE)
Huh?! Oh shit, I forgot. No no no...
I'm coming!
ALI
Who was that?
ABUBAKAR
I've got to go, bro.
ALI
Oi! We have a lecture, you nutter!
ABUBAKAR runs off.
Hussain.
We arrive at a Graveyard.
A grave with the headstone engraved' HUSSAIN REZA ALI, September 1996 to June 2011'. FAISAL (24) is standing in front of the grave. An out of breath ABUBAKAR appears from behind.
ABUBAKAR
Fais.
When will you sack up?
FAISAL sits on a nearby bench, flicking through sheets of paper. ABUBAKAR's phone lies on the bench next to him; it's vibrating. FAISAL shifts his attention to the phone, ZIA's name appears with a love heart.
FAISAL
Have you delivered the speech?
ABUBAKAR
Last week.
The phone continues to vibrate. FAISAL picks it up.
FAISAL
Who's Zia?
ABUBAKAR searches for his phone. FAISAL dangles it in the air.
ABUBAKAR
Stop pissing about.
FAISAL tosses the phone to ABUBAKAR.
FAISAL
When's the wedding?
ABUBAKAR
It's over, she's Shia bro.
FAISAL
For real? How comes she's still
texting you then?
ABUBAKAR
I haven't told her it's finished yet.
FAISAL
What are your parents saying?
ABUBAKAR
They're pissed.
FAISAL
Hers?
ABUBAKAR
They want her to marry this other guy.
FAISAL
If she's leaving 36 WhatsApp
messages on your phone. I'm
guessing that isn't much of a
problem for her.
ABUBAKAR
I'm not in the mood for an
interrogation right now.
FAISAL
Nah! There's gotta be another
reason. Let me think...
YOU ARE READING
SUSHI FROM SOUTHALL
RomanceIn a South Asian district of West London, a young Sunni man falls for a Shia woman despite the barriers placed upon them by their families and society.
