Step Up: High Water (2017) s01e08 Episode Script

1 Can I get my phone call? Gosh, do they ever turn off the lights in this place? How can you sleep right now? I'm not sleeping.
I'm ignoring your stupid ass.
What makes you think I know what the fuck they do in here? Hello, never been arrested before.
Right, so can we at least try and get along for once, please? You want to get along? Don't you say another goddamn word to me.
Look, what did I do this time, Poppy? Because you're the one who's fucked up.
You're the one who started struggling, not sitting your little ass still.
You.
Not me.
I was just scared, okay? Why? Because you knew they'd find drugs on you? - Hey.
- Hey, where's Janelle? She hasn't been released yet.
- She's been there all weekend.
- What? She hasn't been released yet.
Uncle Al's on his way over to the courthouse now.
- Okay, so let's ride.
- I can't.
He said I shouldn't go to the arraignment and it's better if he goes alone.
Why? Have you talked to her? What? How? You all right? Do you You need something? - I got I got Aspirin or something.
- No, I'm good, thanks.
You should talk to her.
She probably needs to hear from you.
- I can't.
- What do you mean you can't? I can't.
Okay, I'm so fucking pissed.
All right? Drugs? I mean, where does she even know how to get drugs? Marquise, probably.
Wait, what do you mean Marquise? What, he was there? What was he doing? I thought it was supposed to be some girl's birthday party.
- It doesn't matter.
- It does matter.
So, what? Marquise is her dealer now? When did she start When did she start getting high? We popped Molly once or twice, all right? I don't know what all she took at the party.
I When you care about somebody you're supposed to know enough about them to know that you're supposed to keep them away from this kind of shit - when their mom's an addict - Ohio, listen.
currently serving time.
Listen to me.
After Marquise threw that brick through your window, me and him had a talk, all right? Said he'd leave you alone if I let him run a little weight through my parties.
Now, at the time, I wasn't putting pieces together about your mom.
All right, I'm sorry.
I'm grateful for what you did for me.
Getting Marquise off my back, really.
And Janelle, whatever her decisions are, they're hers and they're not yours, but in case you hadn't noticed, she's a little lost right now.
It's like, I can't even take my eye off her for one second.
But you think I did.
- It's not exactly what I said, but - Nah, it's cool.
You know what, I think I'mma just wait somewhere else, all right? Maybe you should sit down.
- I can't be in here anymore.
- Poppy? When are they coming to get us? What do I say to the judge? Do I get a lawyer or something like Come on, Poppy.
You should sit and breathe.
You called your parents, right? My mom.
It's just my mom.
Everything's going to be okay, all right? So, what they're probably gonna do is take us to a judge and he'll charge us with something and set your bail.
You'll probably get charged with drunk and disorderly, maybe resisting arrest.
They'll set your bail and then your mom will pay it and take you home.
Everything's gonna be fine.
You tell her to bring cash? - No.
Should I tell her? - Yes.
Tell her not to get a bond.
It's easier to pay with cash at a courthouse.
And cash only.
Make sure you tell her that, okay? They don't take credit cards or checks.
Okay? - Yeah, okay.
- It'll be fine.
I'd like to make my phone call.
Excuse me.
Excuse me.
Hey, where the hell have you been? I tried calling you all weekend.
I've been trying to lay low at my parents' house.
I figured after a couple of days it might be calm enough for me to come and face the consequences.
- Are you okay? - Compared to Poppy and Janelle, yeah.
- Any word? - No.
Collette's looking for you.
The fake social media profile was mainly to keep my parents from finding out.
They think I'm enrolled at Emory.
So, you've been lying to me, Sage, everyone here, and also your parents.
You know, I gotta say that must have been incredibly difficult.
So, obviously, High Water is a school for low-income kids in this neighborhood.
Is 70 Pryor Street your address? Yeah, I moved in a year ago, but I'm kind of in between places right now.
Look, I never meant to hurt anyone or steal anyone's spot.
Do you know the average cost of dance classes in an area like Buckhead? Per month, it's about $300.
All right, and you've been taking dance class for how long? - Since you've been - Four.
All right, so rough math, uh, I'd say you've spent over $50,000 on dance lessons.
- My parents paid.
I - Right.
But you competed for a spot here with $50,000 worth of training.
Against kids whose parents barely make that in a year.
Odalie, our mission here is to help forgotten kids.
Well, in my family, that's how I feel.
My mother signed me up for my first dance class as a way to network with her boss.
She hired someone to drive me to dance the rest of the summer.
I knew even in that toddler tap class I knew that I was meant to be a dancer.
You're passionate.
You want this, and I understand that.
But I have to review this very carefully.
Let me ask you something.
How did you know what to do? Bail, lawyers, hearings.
You got me thinking you ran out here from Ohio on some parole-type shit.
But seriously.
You don't look like the type of chick that knows her way around the county courthouse.
Oh, you'd be surprised.
Oh, word? You gangsta? It's, um, it's my mom.
She's doing three years.
Drugs.
It's why me and Tal had to come down here to live with our uncle.
She's got some problems.
Was all that on Friday just so you can get turnt up and go on stage? Honestly, Poppy, I don't know.
Moving down to Atlanta really threw me.
I had things figured out in Ohio.
And here, I just I can't seem to figure out how or if I fit in.
And when the party started to get out of control, I wanted to be able to get a handle on things.
Instead of getting the party under control, I completely just lost control of myself.
Yeah, which probably didn't help when the cops showed up.
I know you were scared that night.
I was, too.
I just want to get out of here.
Me too.
Ashley? Ashley? Look, I've had enough crap today already.
What the fuck are you wearing here? It was a benefit performance for one of my mom's charity things.
Right.
Well, I'm sorry, I'm just I'm playing catch-up.
See, I missed out on the part where Odalie is a completely manufactured alter ego! Because I spent my whole weekend worrying about my sister being in jail.
Tal, I'm sorry.
You're sorry you did it or you're sorry you got caught? What the fuck kind of name is Odalie anyway? It's the name of a French singer I like.
Right, 'course it is.
Look, I know it's stupid, but could you just ease up for a minute? I could really use a friend right now.
I don't even know who you really are.
So, good luck with that.
What did you expect to happen? How did you think this was gonna Gonna go down? I was just focused on being good enough to get in.
Because that's all that mattered.
Yeah, well, other things matter.
Like the people you're dancing with.
And whether or not you You trust them enough to open up your soul and make something beautiful together.
'Cause if I don't know who you really are, I can't trust you.
I basically been here since everything went down.
I haven't even left the spot.
Can't get Poppy's mom to call me back.
Poppy's not answering her phone.
They still out in Cobb County.
Arraignment should be over by now.
You been here all weekend? - Can you turn that off, man? - My bad, yo.
People keep sending me videos of that damn party like that's the only thing that happened Friday night.
Yeah, man.
I've been in my head about all this, yo.
Just thinking way too damn much.
Yo, I mean, at least you got out already, though, right? My dad's lawyers ran the PK Defense.
Said I wasn't obstructing justice but trying to help Janelle.
I was just some naive preacher boy who didn't know better than to let those officers do their job.
Convinced them there wouldn't be a massive outcry in the church community.
They let me go.
I let this go.
Okay, remember, keep that contraction sharp.
Staccato, you got me? Let it go through your body, through your arms, and through your legs.
And guys Sharp.
Right, and I need this Yeah, yeah! I need that double turn clean! Here we go.
From the top.
Hey, what's up with that? Man, hey! What's going on? You can't drop her.
Don't amateur up on me now.
- Sorry.
- Don't sorry me.
I don't want to hear sorry.
Let's make it right.
From the top.
One more time.
Hey, what's going on over there? We're sorry, Mr.
McCoy, but we're not dancing with her.
So, does the whole class feel this way? There's no way Sage and Collette are gonna let me stay.
- Everyone hates me.
- Hey, nobody hates you, okay? It's just complicated right now, that's all.
Look, after everything you've done for me, you know I got your back.
You helped me take care of Justin and not to mention I'm falling in love with you.
Me too.
But because I love you, I I always gotta tell you the truth.
You think I stole someone's spot? I feel like you don't know what it's like to fight for a spot.
And you come in here like this is just It makes it seem like you don't care that some of us could have our entire lives and never have an opportunity like High Water.
You get me? Come on, Odalie, just Either you have my back or you don't.
You can't have it both ways.
I was talking to Tal earlier.
I was so focused on my party, man.
My business, making money.
Somewhere in there, I lost track of Janelle, man.
Maybe if she wasn't so fucked up or high, maybe she wouldn't have resisted, you know? That's not you, man.
That's on her, yo.
You thinking too much, bro.
You're being way too hard on yourself.
- You wanna smoke? - Nah.
Come on, man.
It's for pain and shit.
That face look like it hurt like a motherfucker.
Yeah, let me get a little bit of that.
I knew it.
I'm tired of thinking about shit, too.
I don't know how they are in Ohio, but I don't trust nobody in a police uniform, period.
We in here because they saw two black girls and one white girl.
But we the ones who were drunk and disorderly.
Trust and believe your messy ass was just part of the problem.
And Odalie or Ashley, whatever the fuck that bitch's real name is, none of this shit's gonna come down on her lying ass.
Hell, I wish somebody would fight for me or trade places with me and give a fuck whether I was in here or not.
Well, I do.
I care.
I'm in here with you.
- Plus, your mom paid your fine.
- She didn't come.
She wasn't even in court this morning.
Both times I called, all she said was if I got myself in jail, I have to get myself out.
- Poppy, I'm sorry, that's - Normal.
For her, at least.
I mean, your mom has to care.
She might in some kind of way, but I don't know, it's like ever since I started getting curves, something changed.
All the time she fussing at me.
"Cover up.
You showing too much.
You too big.
You came out too dark.
Do something with your hair.
Don't eat like that.
Don't walk like that.
Don't dance like that.
" Sometimes, I feel like it's 'cause she had me young, and seeing me makes her think about what she was doing back then.
Sometimes, though it's like my mom's a little jealous.
Men look at me.
Yeah, but, you know, she's your mom.
She should have your back.
When that cop was on me When he had my face on the ground I kept thinking about how my mom said some fucked up shit sometimes.
"One day a man's gonna put his hands on you.
And your fast little ass won't get away.
" Who the fuck says some shit like that? I couldn't breathe.
I couldn't scream.
There was dirt and grass in my mouth.
And all I kept wishing was that she was there to help me.
It's okay.
- It's okay.
- Baker.
Time to go.
It's gonna be okay.
Baker.
Look, y'all can hug on y'all's own time.
Bail's been paid.
I gotta process you out.
Let's go.
Look, I'm gonna find out what the fine is, okay? - Go.
- You're gonna be okay.
Baker.
No, it's Poppy Martinez.
What do you mean she's not in your system? How do you just lose a person? Fuck! - Ms.
Jones? - Yes? Um, can we talk to you for a minute? It's about Odalie.
Well, as I told Odalie this morning, her status at this school is still under review.
Now, I get that this party, what happened with Poppy and your sister is all connected, but I can't weigh that incident as part of my decision-making.
If we remove her from the school, it Right, but that's That's the thing.
We don't think you should remove her.
And why is that? I was in that class this morning with McCoy.
Okay, I saw everything blow up.
Okay, I watched them ice her out.
And I know exactly what that's like.
When I was here and I was an outsider, High Water made a way to bring me in.
Right? Yes, but you didn't conceal your identity.
You told the truth about yourself.
And so did she, every single time she dances.
She showed us today that she is still one of the best dancers here.
Ms.
Jones, you know there is no place like High Water, and we think Odalie is the best of High Water.
Shouldn't that count for something? I'll take it into consideration.
Collette, can I steal you for a moment? Yes.
How long have they been here? Since my class this morning.
I had to relocate everybody to the performance space.
I just thought it was important that the students felt heard.
And they refuse to move while she's still a student here? They want her gone.
Hey, guys, I realize that tensions are heightened, so I'm gonna cancel dance classes for the rest of the day.
We don't go until she goes.
Yeah, fuck that lying-ass bitch.
I'm sorry, I don't know who the hell you think you're talking to, but if you can't be productive, go home.
I'm not asking.
Go, now.
- You heard the woman.
- And that means you guys, too.
Okay, but I mean, what's Is she gonna become Come on, man.
All of this because of me.
Ceiling.
Ceil ling.
Don't that word sound funny? No, man, it don't sound funny.
Shit sound French.
Yo.
You got a dictionary? Man, what the fuck I would be doing - with a dictionary? - You got a dictionary? You know, I think my auntie gave me one on my birthday or some shit like that.
Look that shit up.
Ceiling.
Come on, man, it's gonna bug me until I figure it out.
- Give me some chips.
- Come on, man.
- Yeah, gotcha.
- Idiot.
Oh, man.
I'm guessing it's a Spanish.
I took Spanish in grade school.
And the word for "sky" in Spanish is cielo.
So, maybe ceiling is a sky for a room.
You find that dictionary yet? Nah.
Just looking at this damn picture.
Y'all ugly.
- Shut up, man.
- Eh Don't you hate when girls do that? Make you take pictures with 'em.
Put it in frames.
Trying to be all cute and shit.
But really, they just trying to remind you that you their man.
Girls remember everything, man.
Birthdays, your mama's middle name.
First time you took 'em roller skating.
Yeah, man.
It's like we forget.
You know, I don't remember if I took her out for her birthday or if this was an anniversary or Nothing, man, I just I be forgetting everything.
Yo, man, seeing her like that the other night, the way that cop slammed her down like that Bro, he was hurting her, bro.
And I just had to stand there, man.
I couldn't even do nothing, bro, just stand there.
Yeah, you see what happened to me, though.
Lost my cool.
Bro, just think about all the times I've done Poppy wrong.
It's like every time I saw a fine-ass piece of something new, I forget about Poppy.
Meanwhile, I'm expecting her to have my back through it all, like as if I ever had her back, man.
Now I've got this fucking picture in my head of him just Bro, I don't think I'll ever forget that shit.
Man, why you got me getting all fucking emotional and shit, man.
Damn, yo! You the one fucking pouring out your heart.
It's okay if you still care about her.
You love her.
Give me that bag! What's up with you and Janelle? She got y'all picture framed up yet? Real talk.
- Real talk? - Mm-hmm.
Nah.
We ain't there yet.
Hey, Tal.
Um, we're back.
Al and I stopped for food on the way.
In case you're hungry.
Tal? I'll just fix you a plate in case you get hungry later.
Wait, you're You're back? Well, Collette hasn't made her decision yet, so.
It's just my parents don't get all of this.
'Cause they think that dance is just a hobby or something you do for exercise.
Or something you buy season tickets to watch because other people you know have season tickets.
Well, then what we do at High Water might as well be something from another planet.
It's just dancing like this here feels like the planet I'm from.
Yeah, well I know what that's like.
Is that why you went out on a limb for me with Collette? No, actually.
Uh, I don't know, I just It made sense, I guess, for me to say something.
I don't think I'm the kind of person who can say that somebody doesn't belong somewhere, so.
There's all kinds of places people don't think I belong.
You know, not black enough.
Not white enough.
Not straight enough, not gay enough, so What was I supposed to do? I'm glad you're here.
And it means a lot that you stuck up for me.
Yeah, you got it.
But there is something I do have to ask.
Do you know why you didn't get arrested at the party? Yeah, the cops thought that Poppy and Janelle were trying to fight me.
People were calling them party-crashers.
People were saying that they didn't belong.
But the cops assumed that you did, right? I mean, how many places do you go in in a day where people tell you that you don't belong? I imagine it's not many, right? What do you think I should do? Mm.
Mm, mm, mm.
I think you're the only person who can decide that.
Yo.
Hey, wake up, man.
Come on, man, I'm trying to be out.
- I need a ride.
- Where you need to go? And can we get some breakfast first? Yeah, we can go eat after.
I just got off the phone with Poppy's mom.
I need to go see about paying her bail.
Wait, what? They still in there? Yeah, man, Janelle made her bail yesterday.
Poppy's mom left her in there on some straight bullshit.
Look, I owe her this, man.
Yeah, I could take you.
Come on.
We gotta go.
The first drum any of us moves to is right here in our bodies.
I took a trip last year on a sabbatical to study communal dance traditions.
In a park in Guinea, these young dance crews taught me a few new dance moves.
It reminded me that in a simple drum beat, dance can create a community across language, across age, across economics, across continents.
So, in the spirit of that, we're going to share those steps with you all right now, and our intent is that we will connect all the pieces.
Our hearts, our bodies, our opinions.
So, up on your feet.
Now, we're gonna teach you three passages, and then we're gonna combine them all together.
The first one goes a little something like this.
Hey! Let's go! Join in! Five, six, seven, eight! Come on, y'all! Come on! Yo, what the fuck, man? So, you guys could talk behind her back or not talk at all? But none of y'all can say shit to her face, huh? You're the fakest ones in here.
I said I got your back and I meant it.
- No matter what.
- Yeah, me too.
I have to go.
- What? - Look, guys I'm really sorry.
I am.
It's the right thing to do.
And thank you for helping me see that.
Poppy? What are you doing here? I I needed a shower.
A change of clothes.
Have you been home at all? - Do you want me to call your mother? - No.
No, I'll call her later.
Come here.
Oh, my gosh, I've been worried sick.
I'm just glad you're safe.
You look tired.
Come on, we can go to my office and you can rest on the couch.
You okay? Five, six, seven, eight.
Ha! Ha! That's good! That's what I'm talkin' 'bout.
Whoo! Whoo! That's good, that's good! Now what we wanna do is connect the pieces.
Just so you can feel what it's like to dance together again.
- Okay? Here we go.
- Okay.
Well, look who's back.
Baby girl! - Think you can join in? - I think so.
What is this? This is us saying, "Welcome home.
" All right, so shoes off.
Let's get it! Yeah! Ho! Oh, oh, oh! - Come on! - Hey! Hey! Dance! Ha ha! Yes! Ha! Ha! Whoo! That's what I'm talking about! Do it! Seconds Ticking off the clock Counting Down to when I walk It's easier to go than to stay I can't help burning down All the bridges that I've found I've lit more up Than I can count All the bridges You sure you really wanna do this? I have to.
Yesterday, I just tried dancing harder to prove myself.
Well, to those who didn't want me here anymore.
And that didn't really work.
I get it now.
I lied.
I stole and I didn't really wanna see it that way.
But it's what I did to get in here.
And Davis and Tal, they shouldn't have to defend me when I was the one that was in the wrong.
Well, I think that you're good enough to dance anywhere you want.
I'd rather be dancing here with my friends.
I can't help burning down All the bridges that I've found I've lit more up Than I can count All the bridges that I've found - Hey.
- Hey.
How's it going? - You heading home? - Uh, avoiding it, really.
Avoiding Janelle, I guess.
She told me about your mom.
Maybe you should think about taking it easy on her.
I think she knows what she did and why she did it.
And when you figure out a way to forgive her, tell her I said thank you.
For what? She paid my fine.
That's how I got out.
- When? - This morning.
Someone came to the courthouse and paid in cash.
Like, $700.
No, Uncle Al's had Janelle on lockdown.
She's not allowed to crack a window much less leave the house.
And she doesn't have that kind of money anyway.
Oh, my mistake.
I just thought Look, I gotta go, all right? Um, but I'm glad you're all right.
Hey.
You're all right, right? I'm getting there.
I can't help burning them down You remember this? Your birthday.
I took you to Pappadeaux.
We split two orders of the crab fingers with the dirty rice.
How come you didn't say it was you? I just didn't want you thinking there was some strings attached to it.
I just wanted to do something for you, yo.
Say I'm sorry for a lot of things.
That's way more than I ever expected from you.
Maybe I should get back to work.
Yeah, I don't I don't want to keep you.
I just What if there were strings? What? Do you mean with you and me? I mean, if you're really trying to change.
I am.
Then maybe I can let you show me what that looks like on you.
Come here.
Let me pat you down right quick.
Make sure you ain't got no matches.
Ain't having you set my shit on fire again, yo.
Come here.
Feel my knees shake In vascular tremor Hear my bones quake Just to remember We left half a heart In the hands of the other Undying love sinks the earth like Like Thunder, touch Feel your blood rush Your legs shudder A dangerous love shakes the earth like thunder Lust Feel your heart thrust Pull me under A dangerous love shakes the earth like thunder A dangerous love shakes the earth like thunder Poppy said I should be nice to you.
- So, welcome home.
- Thank you.
Uh, Jesus, I can't even look at you right now.
Janelle, you know we can't fuck around with shit like that, okay? Both Mom and Dad were addicts.
Okay, and I know you probably don't feel like a lecture right now, but you deserve one because you should know better.
Okay, you made Uncle Al worry.
You made me worry.
And Social Services is involved.
And I don't know what that means for us.
They might not let us stay here anymore.
Do you wanna do all this all over again? We just got here.
You wanna find somewhere new? Start over? How are you gonna explain to me that this is the second time that you got high since you got here? That I know of.
You know what? As far as I'm concerned, that's it.
You get one more shot.
After that, I'm done.
All right, because I already spent too much fucking time picking up the pieces after Mom left - that I can't do it - I know.
Trust me, I know.
And I'm sorry.
Glad you're home.
Oh.
- You see this? - Wow.
I knew Jai was taking a video, but He must've just gone ahead and posted it.
I guess a fly beat gets more hits than a beatdown.
Well, maybe this means something.
Yeah, we had a dope moment on stage, but But maybe that's the part of Friday night we need to hold on to.
You know, make something good come out of something bad.
I love you.
Getting kicked out of High Water, having you and King both mad at me, kind of opened me up to something.
Maybe I was just trying too hard staying in front of both of y'all.
And then that shit that happened the other night at Marietta.
We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to.
I don't even know if I can.
Hey, I'm talking about on stage.
Me, you, Dondre.
My music didn't even come alive until you and him put y'all moves on it.
We need to do something like that, yo, but but bigger.
- What do you mean? - Um, like a music video.
Make more music.
Make some platinum albums.
Just become, like, multi-millionaires, yo.
We just need to ride whatever waves we make as far as they can go.
And I wanna make sure that what happened to us the other night at Marietta never happens again.
Ever.
Making it big may change our lives, but What's it really gonna change? You guys caught fire with that party video.
Next on STEP UP: High Water.
We think it can take over the world.
The song is fire, but every other lyric - is dissing Sage.
- Wait, what? These motherfuckers think they can diss me - in my city? - I deserve a chance - to at least audition.
- I was counting on you and you let me down.
- I'm I'm gonna go.
- What?