Step Up: High Water (2017) s01e07 Episode Script

1 [SOFT PIANO MUSIC PLAYING.]
[HIP HOP PLAYING.]
Step up Gotta step up You gotta step up Real tough, gotta step up Big girl You gotta step up Yeah yeah Girl you gotta step up Shorty Now you gotta step up Gotta step up You gotta step up [ECHOING.]
So How are we doing? Okay, I guess.
Class is good.
Davis, the purpose of this first review is for me to touch base with my students and make sure that they are progressing here.
You've been through a lot lately.
It's hard.
I think about Justin, you know? Makes it difficult to focus.
I understand, but, well, you need to focus.
Justin will be fine for the time being.
And you doing well here really improves your chances of getting him back.
Change is hard.
Yeah, I know.
It's just I always thought it would be me, Rigo, and King, you know? They were my homies.
What about Odalie and Tal? I mean, Sage was very impressed with what you guys came up with for the live stream.
Yeah, we make a pretty good team, I guess.
It's good to make new friends, Poppy.
You should lean in to that more.
And Odalie is just the type of person that you're gonna wanna align yourself with, trust me.
Okay, if you say so.
- But you like it here, right? - I love it here.
Good, and you're doing really well.
Your dance ability is strong, teachers love you.
Oh, hey, you, uh you attended Marcus Garvey? I taught a movement class there a few years back.
I thought I'd met all the dancers.
You weren't in my class, were you? Um, no, I wasn't.
I was more into sports while I was there.
Also, my parents split up, so it wasn't really the best time for me.
[COLLETTE.]
I see.
So you're dancing with Poppy now? Yeah.
[COLLETTE.]
And how's that going? Good, yeah, she's, um she's really talented.
And classes? Uh, they're hard, but they're really fun.
Look, I'm trying to get a full picture of how you're doing here.
OKAY, FINE, HERE'S THE DEAL: I I'm doing fine.
Like, really.
I like it here, and I even think that I have a shot at Sage's tour.
So do I.
Just keep up the good work.
I will.
Oh, you know what? One more thing.
I don't seem to have any of your social media accounts.
- Right.
- We take it very seriously here, and it's a crucial part of setting yourself apart.
Especially if you want a spot on Sage's tour, you have to have an online presence.
[TAL.]
Mm-hmm.
I'm sure you have great stuff.
I just need you to get it to me ASAP, all right? How's tomorrow? Um Sure.
No problem.
I ain't trying To do what's right Me is the best thing I could ever do So I'm-a keep doing me - Yeah! - Me is the best thing I could ever do So I'm-a keep doing me Hustle all day Party till I [BOTH LAUGHING.]
Yeah.
Dondre! - What up, boy? - What's good, brother? - Chillin', chillin'.
- You good? How are you? - I'm good.
Yeah.
- Yeah? Listen, man, I heard what happened at High Water.
Shit was fucked up.
- You're sure you're good? - I'm all right, man.
In fact, I'm better than all right.
Now I got this music studio, bro.
This shit is lit.
I can see that.
Straight fire.
Yeah, man, I've been locked in here for a solid week now, working on some new tracks, and I got this one in particular, I know this shit is dope.
- Word? - Yeah.
Well, you know I wanna hear it whenever you're ready.
Man, say no more.
Listen, man, I've been grinding all alone, and it's time to put it out there, see if the people like it.
So I was wondering [LAUGHS.]
Can I play my song at your next party, bruh? Come on, man, you got the perfect crowd for me.
Yeah.
Yeah.
About that.
Shit I'm doing now, it's a whole different crowd.
I mean, it ain't even people from our hood.
- Talking about Marietta.
- Marietta? Yeah, exactly.
Maybe next time, brother.
Nah, that's perfect, bruh.
Marietta? Rich white folk? Bruh, if my shit can get Marietta jumping, I'll know it's a hit.
I hear you on that, but it's tonight.
- Kinda all set up.
- Even better, bruh.
Listen, I'll keep it cool, man.
I'll slide through, flip my shit to the DJ, then I bounce.
Come on, man.
Do me this solid, bruh.
- Please.
- Do you a solid? Come on, man.
- All right.
- [LAUGHS.]
- Yeah! - I got you.
But I need you to keep it professional.
That's what I said.
Professional, cool, same thing.
No, no, no, no, no.
- Professional.
- Same thing.
[LAUGHS.]
We are not the same Oh really you are lame Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! I tried to tell her Tell her tell her Me is the best thing I could ever do Yeah! Hey! Okay! Cheers, Dondre! Aah! That's how we're gonna have them in Marietta, boy! [LAUGHS.]
Hustle all day Party till I faint I gotta stay high Just to try to Hey.
- Hey.
- Hey.
There you are.
How was How was New York? It was hectic, but productive.
The label seems cool.
We set most of the tour dates.
We're kicking it off with four nights at the Garden.
Madison Square Garden? Tickets go on sale at midnight.
- Shit.
- Yeah, Sage is big time.
- Right.
- [BOTH LAUGH.]
Hey, I missed you.
Yeah, uh, me me, too.
[BOTH LAUGH.]
So when can we, uh Uh, just remember what we talked about.
Just keeping it on the DL? - Right, yeah.
- At least here at High Water.
Yeah, yeah.
How about How about later tonight? I can't tonight, um I gotta figure some shit out.
What? My social media.
Collette says she needs it.
Yeah, your social sucks.
Fuck.
Thanks.
Hello? Director of Social Media here.
Come on, let me help you.
- You'd do that for me? - Of course.
- When does she need it by? - Tomorrow? Okay.
Then we have a lot of work to do.
So when are you done with class? Uh I don't know.
Ask Bill.
[DONDRE.]
Birthday girl loves her glamping theme.
We all set with the alcohol? Um, yes, kegs for the masses, bottle service for the VIPs.
And everything else is set.
Bartender is en route, sound check is complete, and my dancers are ready.
[DONDRE.]
I know we've been running it all week, but just to make sure it's tight, - let's run it one more time.
- Okay.
- Okay? - Yeah.
[DONDRE.]
Cool.
[JANELLE.]
Oh, man, this is crazy.
Party like this, we do it right, our business is gonna catch fire.
- Fire.
- Fire.
[CHUCKLES.]
Okay.
Vanessa, y'all ready to run it? - Let's go.
- DJ, let me just hear it from the hook.
All right, five, six, seven, eight.
[HIP HOP PLAYING.]
Hold up.
Hold up, hold up, hold up.
Come on, y'all.
Come on.
We went through this.
What's going on? Y'all not giving me nothing.
No energy.
No sauce.
I need Can I get some of this? I need some of this.
I need some stank on it.
This move right here, y'all gotta get down low.
This here, the Fader move.
Uh! Hey! Come on.
Uh! It's here.
Here, mm.
Gotta be stank.
That's the move I want everybody throwing down this summer in Atlanta, all right? - Y'all hear me? - Yeah.
All right, let's run it again.
[JANELLE.]
All right, y'all, same place, ready? Five, six, seven, eight.
[HIP HOP PLAYING.]
[DONDRE.]
Yeah.
Hey! Hey! - There you go! There go the sauce! - [JANELLE.]
Good job.
There go the sauce! [DANCERS LAUGHING.]
That's what I'm talkin' 'bout.
Hey, Nelle.
Make sure you stay in sync on that last part, okay? You can't be falling out like that when we're doing it for real.
I know, sorry.
You don't need to apologize.
Just make sure you're on when it's game time.
And keep your confidence up.
You got this.
You sure? I'm sure.
Hundred percent.
They ain't gonna know what hit 'em.
[CARDI B.]
That means I don't fuck with you I'm a boss You a worker bitch - I make bloody moves - That's right, right? Now she say she who Gonna do what to who? Let's find out and see Cardi B You know where I'm at All right, guys, come on.
I'm gonna show you it once, and then we're gonna learn it together.
Ready? Goes like this.
I know they're tired of me Honestly don't give a fuck 'Bout who ain't fond of me Dropped two mix tapes In six months What bitch working As hard as me? All right, guys, let's go from the top.
Ready, five, six, seven, eight.
One and down and me, hey! Is he trying to teach us this routine or kill us with it? I don't know, probably both.
I'm starving.
Tal, what are you doing later? I was supposed to be going to a party, but I got shit to do.
What party you going to? [TAL.]
Marietta.
It's Dondre's party.
Dondre's throwing white boy parties now? Marietta's a rich neighborhood.
You know, that's what everybody says.
Well, y'all know I love a good Dondre party.
O, you should come with me.
You gotta check the scene out.
I'm serious.
Well, could Davis come? I mean, if I go, I'd want him to come with me.
Girl, invite whoever.
I'm inviting everybody.
Tal, you sure you can't roll with us? No, I can't come with you.
And will you just shut up? I'm dying here.
All right.
All right, Poppy, looks like you got it down pretty good.
- Come do it with me one time.
- All right.
I be in and out Them banks so much I know they're tired of me Honestly don't give a fuck 'Bout who ain't fond of me Dropped two mix tapes In six months What bitch working As hard as me? I don't bother With these hoes Don't let These hoes bother me They see pictures They set goals Bitch I'm who They trying to be Look I might just chill In some BAPE [JOHNNY-ONE.]
So, I'm downloading all of your assets from the cloud, pictures, video, music, whatever you got.
And then we'll sort through it later for the best stuff.
Okay.
Cool.
Then we also need to build you a full online presence.
Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and since your specialty is dance, your own YouTube channel.
Okay, that sounds like a lot a lot of work.
It is, but that's why it's good you're here with me.
Because we're gonna build you your own website.
And then I had this idea of calling it greyhounddancer.
com.
Do you like it? Yeah.
I like that.
Yeah.
Cool.
- Well, there's a problem.
- What? I'm just I'm not seeing a lot of video, Tal.
Pictures are great, but it's just not enough.
- I don't - You need to tell a story.
Your story.
It needs to live and breathe and have some personality.
That's what makes social media really work.
A story is the difference between a person with a bunch of online friends and then a person with a million followers.
And if I wanna be on Sage's tour You wanna be the guy with a million followers, right? - [SIGHS.]
- It's okay.
It's okay.
We just need some more assets, that's all.
Do you have any? - Think, come on.
- I don't know! - Yes, you do! - Uh Well maybe.
I have Would you take a ride with me somewhere? [MUSIC PLAYING.]
Yeah, man, that shit sounds dope! - Is that you, bruh? - Boy, none other! Damn, you got it sounding like Velvet City up in here, homie.
[LAUGHS.]
I appreciate it.
Yeah, you're the first to hear it, too.
- Word? - Yeah, but I'm gonna roll it out at this party in Marietta tonight.
- Marietta? - Yeah.
[CHUCKLES.]
What's up with that shit? It's Dondre, man.
He's expanding his shit.
Trying to take his party business to, like, the next level or whatever.
Yo, can you imagine how much money he gonna be racking in with those rich folks? Huh.
Yeah, that's, uh That's crazy.
Look, homie, I gotta be there when you play the song for the first time, so let me ride with you.
Uh yeah, cool.
But we gotta be in and out.
I told Dondre, you know what I'm saying, I was gonna be cool.
You know, quick, in and out, and just don't wanna fuck up anything he got going, you know? Yeah, we wouldn't wanna fuck up what Dondre got going on, right? - Yeah.
- I'll text you a little later, cool? - Yeah, all right, man.
- All right.
[YOUNG BOY.]
I don't trust you 'Cause you dab With the left hand I keep something Up on my hip That's my right hand All my dogs come first All lost in the purp Left hand doin' numbers Right hand doin' work - Dondre! - Hey! - Happy birthday, beautiful! - Thank you! Happy birthday.
Thank you.
Oh, this is my boyfriend, Ridge.
- What's up, man? - What's up? All kinds of shit, my man.
We got nothing but fun planned for y'all tonight, so I'm gonna need y'all do me a favor and turn the F up, all right? 'Cause I got all my party people here and wait until you see what Janelle got going on with these dancers.
That bit is lit.
I love hip hop.
I know you guys are gonna bring it.
Well, thank you, it should be fun.
I'm excited.
It's gonna be great.
It's gonna be better than great.
Shit's about to be crazy.
Off the chain.
Anything, you name it.
Y'all getting the full Dondre experience tonight.
This party better be sick, dude.
Costing a fortune.
Here, try it, it's really good.
Mm.
Oh, this is good.
Right? Keep it.
- Really? - Yeah.
Thank you.
I need it.
You wouldn't believe.
Well, we got some last minute shit to check up on, so y'all enjoy yourselves, all right? - Oh, we will.
- We will.
Nelle? Bye.
You sure about this shit? There's a lot of people I don't even know showing up right now.
Look, trust me, okay? I've been to this guy's parties.
They fucking rock.
See that chick over there? I fucking know her from high school.
What the fuck is she doing here? Whatever.
She probably knows Dondre.
Come on, I wanna do another bump.
Okay.
[DAVIS.]
Hey, check this out, yo.
Is this shit free? Well, if it wasn't, it is now.
One for you.
Hey! [HIP HOP PLAYING.]
Thank you.
There are a ton of people here.
Hella people.
And we about to make hella bank.
Mm-hmm.
This party could put us on the map for real.
When these folks tell their friends, when they tell their friends, we're gonna be the go-to from now on.
I mean, seriously, this is hype.
It's exactly how we pictured it.
I know, right? Oh, shit.
Marquise, what's up, my G? Don't give me that smarmy-ass shit.
Whoa, chill out.
Why you so hostile? Because my phone didn't ring on this party, that's why.
We had a deal.
You don't just come up here and start up some side-hustle bullshit.
- It ain't like that.
- The fuck it ain't.
I push my product at all your parties, nigga.
That includes tonight.
Unless you need me to have a reason to go back on our deal.
- Nah, we good.
- All right then.
Much like you, I got some business to attend to.
Fuck, that's all I need tonight.
All these drawings are pretty amazing.
Thanks, yeah, I love those skinny dogs.
Yeah, no, they're beautiful.
- They're perfect, actually.
- Yeah? Yeah.
Oh, and what we can do here is we can shoot this on the Oxberry stand and then animate it for your homepage.
- Yeah, that'd be cool.
- You like this one? - Yeah, sure.
- What else you got? Uh Oh, those are baby pictures.
- That's J.
- Oh, cool.
- Oh, my God.
- What? Look at little Tal.
- [LAUGHS.]
- You are so cute! Oh, my God, is that a load in your diapers, dude? What? Shut up, you idiot.
You're stupid.
And, of course, we're both comic book nerds.
I should have guessed.
It's probably all the men in tights.
Shut up.
No, they were actually the best role models an Ohio boy could find.
Like, for real.
- [CHIPS CRUNCHING.]
- Mm.
Mmm.
Al! Hey, what's up? Nothing.
I thought I heard voices.
- This is This is Johnny.
- Right.
- He's my friend.
- Nice to meet you again.
I mean, we work to - Oh, hey.
- Well, um, yeah, we got to get back to High Water, so.
- Nice to meet you, man.
- [JOHNNY-ONE.]
Yeah, cool.
That's, uh, that's my Uncle Al.
We should we should go.
Yeah.
- [HIP HOP PLAYING.]
- [CROWD CHATTERING.]
Look, man, nah, no freebies, all right? - I don't get down like that.
- But this is my party.
It's my birthday.
[CHUCKLES.]
I don't give a fuck who day it is.
This is basic commerce, bitch.
Everybody pays.
All right, fuck you! All right, shit, let me know.
Man, what the fuck are you doing, dog? That's not what we came here for, man.
Tonight's music, bro.
I promised Dondre, man.
Yo, back the fuck off me, all right? I'm working.
For your pops.
So let me do my thing, a'ight? Right here.
So back up off me.
- We good? - Yeah, man, we're good.
[CROWD CHATTERING.]
[RIDGE.]
Hey! Having a good time? - What? - Ashley, it's me, Ridge.
Ashley? Look, I'm sorry, you must have the wrong person.
I I don't know you.
Come on.
What are What are you talking about? - Of course, you know me.
- Look, I don't know you.
All right, this is bullshit.
Ashley, it's me, Ridge.
Okay, bruh, she said she don't know you, so she don't know you.
Now why don't you step off, all right? Yeah, uh Yeah, my bad.
Yeah, your bad.
Hey.
You know I got your back, right? Come on, let's dance.
You wanna dance with me? Eh, not right now.
I mean, these new heels are kinda killing me.
Okay.
All right, look, I'm gonna go get us some more free drinks, and that'll change your mind.
Since when do you pass up a chance to dance? It's very cute.
But, uh, I don't know.
We're not there yet.
It's not enough.
What do you What do you mean? That's Johnny, that's everything.
That's I just showed you my whole life.
No, no, no, it's good.
It's just I don't know.
Something's missing.
What? You.
That's Come on.
Come with me.
Come on, let's go.
[TAYLOR.]
Where's Dondre? Um, I don't know, I can find him, though.
When you do, tell him I'm bumming, okay? There are some super sketchy people here, like that fucking Marquise guy? What is up with that dick? Like, does he even know this is my party? I swear, I'm about to ask Dondre for my money back.
Excuse me.
Sorry.
Dre, um, I think we have a problem.
- What's up? - Taylor is pissed.
Apparently, Marquise dissed her or something.
- Aw, shit, are you serious? - No, I'm not kidding.
She said something about getting her money back.
- Whoa, whoa.
- Oh, no, no, no, no.
Okay, that's not happening.
We gotta do something to step this shit up, okay? All right, new plan.
Get the DJ ready, okay? And find your dancers, - all right? - Okay.
Rigo, I need you, bro.
Instead of playing your song tonight, I need you to perform it.
- Yeah.
- Huh? - Yeah.
- For real? Yes, dead ass.
Need you to turn this bitch out.
- All right? - Hey, let's get it.
I got you.
[JOHNNY-ONE.]
So, tell me, who is Tal Baker? Uh, I'm I'm a dancer.
And I like music.
- All kinds of music.
- Okay.
And how'd you find dance? I don't know, it just It just happened, I guess.
Come on.
You're gonna have to give me something.
What? What do you mean? I'm just I'm talking, like, you asked me a question.
- I answered the question - No, you're not.
I don't know what you want from me.
Okay, let's try this another way.
Okay.
Here's a couple of things that I can tell by just looking at you.
Yeah, you're a dancer, but look at you.
You are hot as hell.
And your smile lights up the room, and you know it.
[LAUGHS.]
But you're scared as fuck whenever you get on stage.
But you love being up there.
You have to be up there.
Why is that? - I don't know.
- Yes, you do.
- I don't, I - Yes, you do.
- Yes, you do.
- I just You're this reserved guy.
And then you pop off on people.
And, I don't know, I just think it's because deep down, you know you're smarter than they are.
That's not That's not true.
Like, I love people.
- What do you - Yeah.
You know what love is, but you've never been in love.
Okay, well, now you're just wrong.
- Am I? - Yeah, you're wrong.
- You don't know.
- Okay.
So, just give me a name.
Someone that you have loved with your whole heart.
Someone you'd die for.
Anyone.
My sister.
I'm talking about romantic kind of love, Tal.
So just give me a name.
You know what your problem is? No.
What's my problem? You've been an outsider everywhere you've lived.
You've been hiding, and you've never found a person or place that understood you.
Until now.
What do you mean? Come on, Tal.
You're gonna have to open up if this is gonna work.
Yo, yo, yo, what's going on? It's your boy, Rigo.
What a hoppin' place to be! Marietta's poppin'! Marietta, I see you, man.
We're about to do his thing.
Where the fuck is she? [MAN.]
I don't know, bro.
Hey! Get up there.
Where you at? What are you doing? - Whoa! Are you drunk? - No, no, no.
Are you fucking rolling right now? Dre, I'm fine, I can do it.
I'm sorry, it just hit me.
- Sit down! Sit down.
- Dre.
Rolling in the money Eating breakfast At the Waffle House Open in the morning Counting paper In the copper house Do that oh man Do that throw down Do that oh man do that Rolling in the money Eating breakfast At the Waffle House Open in the morning Counting paper In the copper house Do that oh man Do that throw down Do that oh man do that I am the life of the party What's new I'm into somebody Found my way Up from the block Hey, Janelle's fucked up.
I need you up on stage.
Yo.
Just follow them, follow me, all right? You got this.
Throw it.
Rolling in the money Eating breakfast At the Waffle House Open in the morning Counting paper In the copper house Rolling in the money Eating breakfast At the Waffle House Open in the morning Counting paper in the cell Hey! Hey.
I covered for you back there.
Wanna tell me what's going on here? It's not every day a girl you used to date pretends not to know you.
I'm sorry.
It's It's complicated.
- What are you even doing here? - I go to UGA now.
It's where I met Taylor, and this is her party, so Ash, what's going on? Do that oh man Do that throw down Do that oh man do that [CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY.]
Do that oh man Do that throw down Do that oh man do that I am the life of the party What's new I'm into somebody Found my way Up from the block Come on, I don't want my boyfriend to see.
He gets jealous.
Nobody better than me They're like oh man Oh man oh man I thought that shit It was free Rolling in the money Eating breakfast At the Waffle House Open in the morning Counting paper In the copper house Rolling in the money Eating breakfast At the Waffle House Open in the morning Counting paper in the cell Open on them Open on them Throw that shit Throw that shit Man oh man when I walk up Man oh man What's the boss say Man oh man He ain't accusing nah He ain't got my mind It's a toss-up Man oh man when I walk up Man oh man What's the boss say Man oh man he ain't Accusing nah He ain't got my mind It's a toss-up Rolling in the money Eating breakfast At the Waffle House Open in the morning Counting paper In the copper house Rolling in the money Eating breakfast At the Waffle House Open in the morning Counting paper in the cell Open on them Open on them Throw that shit [CROWD.]
Throw that shit! Open on them Open on them Throw that shit [CROWD.]
Throw that shit! [CROWD CHEERS.]
[CROWD.]
Rigo, Rigo, Rigo, Rigo, Rigo, Rigo, Rigo, Rigo! You see this shit? Yeah, I hope that was good enough, 'cause I ain't got no more music, bro.
Should've brought the whole damn album.
These rich white folks love your ass.
Yeah, that shit was real dope.
Nah, man, your dancing was dope.
Shit was inspiring.
Yo, promise me we can do this again, yo.
Please, come on.
Throw that shit.
Throw that shit.
Throw that shit.
[ALL.]
Throw that shit, yeah! Throw that shit! [CROWD.]
Throw that shit! Throw that shit! Throw that shit! Throw that shit! Who's the greatest dancer that's ever lived? - Baryshnikov, easy.
- And your favorite rapper? - Tupac.
- All-around performer? - Sage Odom, obviously.
- Have you ever been drunk? I don't know if it counts as drunk.
[JOHNNY-ONE LAUGHS.]
Okay, okay.
It was like my version of drunk.
I had, like I had, like, two beers, and, I mean, I felt drunk.
- That's why I think - [LAUGHS.]
- What turns you on? - Like, sexually? [LAUGHS.]
If you wanna talk about that, you can.
No, I mean, uh Con Confidence.
[HIP HOP PLAYING.]
All right, so level with me.
What the fuck is up with you? - Look, I really need to go.
- Whoa, whoa, hey.
Come on, come on, come on.
Don't leave.
Don't be like this.
- Just stay with me.
- Hey, man, let her go.
Odalie, who the hell is this guy? No, the question is, who the fuck are you, asshole? - What the fuck did you just say? - Hey, cool it! Stop.
Look, Davis, can you give us a minute? No.
Seriously, so you just blow me off and then you dance with him? No, I think you owe me an explanation.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
She don't owe you anything, dude.
Fuck off! [GRUNTING.]
- Come on, man, get the fuck up! - Davis! Dondre, you fucking idiot, do something! - [ODALIE.]
Davis, stop! - Hey, hey, hey! - Watch out! - What do you call that? [DAVIS.]
Man, I'm gonna fuck his ass up! - Leave him the fuck alone! - Stop! What the fuck, Ashley? Who the fuck are these people? - They're my friends! - Your friends? Yeah, real nice friends.
You are not some hood rat from the ghetto.
You're a rich bitch from Buckhead.
[CROWD MUTTERING.]
Odalie, what the fuck? Okay, who is the better dancer, you or your sister? What? - What do you mean? - Who's the better dancer? Uh I'm sorry, why, like I don't understand why - Come on, don't bullshit me.
- Why? No, I don't understand, what's the? Like, we're different.
We're completely different kinds of dancers.
She's She's more confident.
She's a lot more confident, you know? But she's, like, cheerleader confident.
And I guess I'm more in touch with the feeling of dance and the emotion.
Like, I would I would dance just for me.
I would dance if nobody was watching.
You fucking lied to us? Your little ass had everybody at High Water fooled.
Who cares where I'm from or how I got here? Bitch, I do! You know, I have real friends that got their ass bounced outta High Water to make room for your sorry lying ass.
Oh, like your homegirl, Janelle, your lie meant that she got passed over.
- Who is better? - It's me, okay? All right, it's me.
Fuck, what do you want me to say? I'm the one at High Water, okay? I'm I'm the better dancer.
[POPPY.]
I can't fucking believe this shit.
Fucking lying ass.
- [DAVIS.]
Hey, hey, hey! - Don't fucking touch her! Whoa, hey, bro, you don't wanna do that.
Back the fuck up or I knock your ass outta here, motherfucker! [JOHNNY-ONE.]
Tell me about your dad.
We're definitely not talking about my dad.
- Oh, you a man? - Get the fuck out of here! Don't you fucking touch her! - You gotta get the fuck outta here right now! - You're a liar! [OVERLAPPING SHOUTS.]
There was this one guy.
His name was Michael Sterling.
Mike Sterling.
Mike Sterling.
And Mike Sterling was popular.
He was real popular.
Everybody liked him.
Boys liked him.
Girls liked him.
I liked him.
I liked him, and In seventh grade, I found the courage to tell him.
I was like, "I'm gonna tell Mike Sterling that I like him.
" And that's what I did.
I decided I was gonna do it at lunch.
I walked outta class, walked across that playground.
I walked right up to him, and I told him.
I just said it.
And And he punched me and pushed me to the ground.
And then he announced to the whole playground what I had just told him.
Everybody began to crowd round and scream, "Faggot.
Faggot.
Faggot.
Faggot.
" And it's funny 'cause I always loved that saying, "Sticks and stones could break my bones, but words can never hurt me," 'cause, shit, each one of those hurt more than the punch.
I knew he liked me.
I knew he did.
Fuck him.
Fuck him.
- [SIREN WAILING.]
- Now where you going, bitch? - Janelle, just chill! - Excuse me? - [RIDGE.]
You're fucking drunk.
- [JANELLE.]
I'm not drunk! - Back the fuck up.
- Don't touch me, okay? I said cool it, bitch! - I swear, you call me a bitch one more time - Yo, shut the fuck up! You ain't gonna do shit! [OVERLAPPING SHOUTS.]
- Back the fuck up, you bitch! - Davis! What is going on? [RIDGE.]
These girls are out of fucking control! [TAYLOR.]
Yeah, they're starting fights! I'm sorry, we're not the ones starting fights.
- That bitch started the fight! - No, no! Hey, hey, hey, hey! - Whoa, whoa, whoa! - Hey, let me go! Hey, you go over there! Motherfucker, you better not - Hey! - What are you Let me - What's wrong with you? - Get down! - [GROANING.]
- Stop! - [POPPY.]
Let me go! - [JANELLE.]
Are you fucking serious? [COP.]
You're under arrest! That's what you fucking get it! What the fuck! - Please let me go! - Shut the hell up! Someone do something! I said shut the hell up! Come on, leave her alone! Man, he a nigga just like us! Bro, look, you don't want no part of this, bro! What the fuck you doing? - Get off of me! - Stop! [JANELLE.]
Somebody help! Please help! Let me go! Dondre! Dondre, please! [POPPY.]
Get the fuck off of me! Hey! [GROANS.]
Somebody stop! Get the fuck back, Ashley! Get the fuck back! Get the fuck over here! Get the fuck back over here! No! Stop! [SHOUTING.]
- Davis! - Stop resisting! What kind of man puts his three-year-old children on a bus and then never shows his face again? You need a man to teach a boy how to fight! 'Cause when he knows how to fight, he doesn't get his ass beat.
I fucking hate him so much.
I hate him, but I miss him, you know? When I'm up there, when I'm dancing, it's it's the only place I feel alive and I feel free and I feel untouchable.
[JOHNNY-ONE.]
Why are you hiding, Tal? Why do you hide when you're on stage? I don't I don't know.
Why does anybody Because I feel like you should just know.
You should look at them and you should know who they are.
I mean, why why do we have to do this? It's It's really hard.
It's emotional, and it's I'm realizing that I've never actually said it out loud.
To anyone, not even to myself, I I've never just said it.
I'm I'm gay.
[CRYING.]
That was really beautiful, what you just did.
- What, kissing you? - [LAUGHS.]
No.
No, the interview.
And now you have everything you need to tell your story.
You just have to decide what you want it to be.
Sorry, I didn't know that anyone was in here.
So, uh, so you got it from here, right, Tal? - [TAL.]
Yeah, yeah, thanks.
- Just let me know if you need any more help.
- Cool.
- Cool, yeah.
- Will do, thanks.
- Have a good night.
Night.
He was just helping me with my social media.
- Oh.
- So, I'm gonna have some great stuff - for you in the morning.
- Good.
- It's really nice of him.
- Yeah, real real nice.
You know, this morning you had said that you wanted to make the tour.
Yeah, I I do, but Well, I wouldn't wanna see you do anything to jeopardize that dream.
Okay, Johnny-One works for Sage, so believe me when I tell you I know what I'm talking about with this.
Don't mix business with pleasure.
All right? All right, have a good night.
Good night, Miss Jones.
[DOOR OPENS.]
- Fuck.
- [DOOR CLOSES.]
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER.]
[CROWD MURMURING.]
[ENGINE STARTS.]
Odalie.
I just wanted to dance.
That's all, I I didn't mean to lie.
I can't believe what happened to them.
It's all my fault.
They were my friends.
It's over for me now.
[MUSIC PLAYING.]
[TAL.]
It's really hard.
It's emotional, and it's I'm realizing that I've never actually said it out loud.
To anyone, not even to myself, I I've never just said it.
I'm I don't want To run away - [AL SIGHS, GROANS.]
- I'm g - Hey, kid.
- Hey, hey, Uncle Al, what's up? Uh, how was how was the dinner rush? Oh, man.
Crazy.
I'm tired, I feel like Kunta Kinte the first day of slavery.
[CHUCKLES.]
That's terrible.
Can't say that.
- Where's Janelle? - Uh, she's at the party with Dondre.
Mmm.
Okay.
Is there Did you want some - Was there something else? - No, why would Well Your friend today from High Water, now, is that a friend-friend or is that a hanging-out friend, or friend, like you guys go get ice cream and share stories about movies and you go to movies and things like that? That kind of friend.
No.
No, we are not just friends.
And we are not just hanging out because I'm gay, Uncle Al, so Um Hmm [SIGHS.]
Okay, that was that was not the reaction I was hoping for.
[TAL.]
Are you all right? [MUMBLES.]
Am I all right? I'm just surprised you thought I wouldn't be cool with it.
[LAUGHS.]
I built you a ballet pole.
- [TAL.]
Right.
- Okay? I'm sending signals.
Okay? I mean, this motherfucker took five hours to build.
I had to come home with power tools and - [LAUGHS.]
- I mean, it's Straight people do ballet, too, Uncle Al.
- You know that, right? - Name one! [LAUGHS.]
- Huh? - Uncle Al.
You see those shoes? [LAUGHS.]
- Okay? - Right.
I'm kinda offended that you didn't think I'd be I'd understand.
We're family.
I'm sorry.
You know? We're on the same team.
Gay, straight And I appreciate it.
Really, Uncle Al, and and I appreciate you.
Like I said, don't ever forget we're family.
We're always on the same team.
All right? - Thanks, Al.
- [PHONE CHIMES RINGTONE.]
Hello? Yeah.
Wait, what? What do you mean? Okay.
Uh Janelle's Janelle's been arrested.
With drugs.
Every road Don't lead to Rome I see you We're in here because they saw two black girls and one white girl.
Next on Step Up High Water Hey! You can't drop her.
- Ashley? - Tell her I'm sorry.
Sorry you did it or you're sorry you got caught? Just think about all the times I've done Poppy wrong.
You love her.
[TAL.]
When you care about somebody, you're supposed to keep them away from this kind of shit.
When our mom's an addict! [MAN.]
Made in Georgia.
Dooba da-da dee-dee dah