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[♪♪♪]
[SCISSORS CLIPPING]
[MACHINE WHIRRING]
[♪♪♪]
-[BACKGROUND CHATTER] -[BELL RINGING]
[OVERLAPPING CHATTER]
ZACH: What the?
[LAUGHTER & CHATTER]
Wh-- wh-- poor?
[CHUCKLES]
MARK: Hey, Clara. Clara.
I heard you got into Yale. That's awesome, congrats.
Did you get on like, the-- the poor people scholarship
where they feel bad for you or--
Shut up, dick face.
Settle down! Settle down!
Quiet please. Quiet please.
Please, take your seat.
I have some very unfortunate news.
Mr. Abbott will not be returning to teach this class.
If you haven't heard already, Mr. Abbott took his own life.
[STUDENTS GASP]
-STUDENT 2: Oh my God. -STUDENT 3: What?
Oh my God.
PRINCIPAL EDWARDS: I know, I know.
It's a terrible situation, but that is all I'm at liberty
to disclose for the time being.
Um, Mrs. Estrada has made arrangements
for a grief counselor this Thursday
and I highly, highly suggest that you reach out to her
directly via email to make those arrangements.
ERIC TO PRINCIPAL EDWARDS: So, do we like, go home?
You like, stay in your seat and I will introduce you
to your new teacher.
Mr. Heller?
Now, Mr. Heller here is an accomplished academic
with an Ivy League tenure, and despite
the unfortunate circumstance, you're in good hands,
and I will leave it to you to get acquainted with the class.
Again, thank you for your time and I'm very, very sorry.
Thanks.
[HELLER WHISTLING]
Good morning.
Good morning?
CLASS: Good morning.
[CHUCKLES]
"O Captain! My Captain!"
Does anybody know what that's from?
None of you.
It's a poem by Walt Whitman about Mr. Abraham Lincoln.
Now in this class, you can call me, "Mr. Heller"
or if you're feeling daring, "O Captain, my Captain."
Well, as much as I don't want you to hate me on my first day,
I do have your first assignment.
I get it. I get it, but this is important.
When someone dies, and there's a loss
like you've just experienced, writing is a way through it.
It's in these darkest moments that we tend to shy away
from the work,
but the whole point of the work is to exist as an outlet.
Now who here is a fan of Emily Dickinson?
At least, there's one person in the room with good taste.
Remind me, what's your name?
-Clara. -MR. HELLER: Clara.
MR. HELLER: Clara, thank you.
If you look at the second paragraph down,
it's a poem titled, "A Funeral in my Brain".
Read it.
Maddy, right?
Could you actually read it to the class?
-The ending. -[MADDY SIGHS]
"I felt a funeral in my brain and mourners to and fro--"
MR. HELLER: Just the last four lines.
"And then a plank in reason broke
And I dropped down and down
And hit a world at every plunge
And finished knowing, then".
Very good.
And what's it about?
Uh, a funeral, obviously.
[STUDENTS LAUGH]
MR. HELLER: Clara?
It's a metaphor for her mind slipping away.
Her feelings of despair.
Precisely. The poem doesn't even conclude.
All right. This suggests a loss of comprehension,
surrendering herself to the state of madness,
or as you correctly put it, despair.
Uh, can you think of anyone else who may have felt that way?
Your first assignment is to write a short-form essay
inspired by what you just read.
The subject will be Mr. Abbott.
You want us to write about Abbott?
MR. HELLER: What you remember about him, how you feel
about what just happened, stuff like that.
All I care about is that it's truthful
and that maybe it helps you process emotions
you didn't even know you had.
Make it three pages. And make it count.
You know?
The whole point of this is to work through it,
so it doesn't live with you forever.
[♪♪♪]
[INDISTINCT LYRICS]
Zach.
Can't spot you this time.
I've got a 20.
ZACH: Here.
[SNIFFLES]
Still fucked about Abbott?
Yeah.
I mean, he was always depressed, so it's not really like a shock,
you know?
[TAKES A DRAG, BLOWS SMOKE]
CLARA: I guess.
I just hope this new guy is not as much of a dick as he was.
Abbott wasn't a dick.
ZACH: Yeah, he was.
To everyone, except you and I wonder why.
CLARA: Why?
Nothing.
Because I'm the fucking charity case?
That's not what I meant.
Whatever. I have to go.
♪ Shorty bad, I mean super bad ♪
♪ About to plan a s--
[WATER DRIPPING IN BACKGROUND]
[SNORTS]
[MADDY SIGHS]
[FLUSHING IN BACKGROUND]
[WATER RUNNING]
The fuck are you looking at, loser?
-[GRUNTS] -Oh, my gosh.
Uh, I'm so, so, so sorry. Oh.
It's my fault. I'm a little lost.
Are we reading this next?
MR. HELLER: Would you like to be reading that next?
Uh, uh, sure.
I mean, I like some of her other books.
That's as good a reason as any.
You know, I've long believed students should have a say
in the curriculum, at least the right ones.
Relax.
It means you're off to a good start.
And congrats, by the way, Yale, my old stomping grounds.
Yeah. Uh, thanks.
But it's conditional.
MR. HELLER: Read some of your work already.
There's no reason you won't finish the year
with me as strong as you started it with Mr. Abbott.
Thanks.
MR. HELLER: I'll see you tomorrow.
Bye.
[♪♪♪]
-[PHONE RINGING IN DISTANCE] -Thank you, sweetheart.
Baby, I-- I need you in here.
Hey.
You have a good day today?
[LAUGHS]
[WATER RUNNING]
[TRUCK WHIRRING IN BACKGROUND]
Doesn't really work when you talk to her.
I'm better with dealing with her than you are.
-You know that. -CLARA: May I be excused?
SYLVIA: Just a second.
Sit.
Your mother's got something for you.
Yeah.
It's just some uh, stuff you gotta sign
for Social Services.
CLARA: I don't understand. What's a term extension?
Oh, um,
it's just so we can collect the money we're owed.
Once you turn 18, we stop getting the $600
every month.
SYLVIA: Unless you're living under our roof.
I'm moving away for school. I'm moving to Connecticut.
-This thing says I have to-- -No. No. No.
CLARA: ...still be living with you for two more years.
No. You can still go away to school.
And if they ever call, I'll just say you're at work.
Or you know, I mean, you're gonna come home
on the weekends. I-- we want you to come home.
Oh, God.
Will you just sign the damn thing?
I'm not signing anything.
-Un-fucking-believable. -Just give her a minute.
We just sprung it on her for Christ's sake.
You know, ever since you got into that stupid little school
it's like you forgot where you came from,
what we saved you from.
I'll always appreciate what you did for me.
-I-- I just-- -SYLVIA: Yeah. Yeah.
[TAKES A DEEP BREATH]
Then let's fix this, please.
I'll look over it tomorrow.
I said I'll look over it tomorrow.
JACK: Don't make me fucking ask you again!
Jack. Just calm down, okay?
JACK: Leave me be!
My God, every time you do this to me!
SYLVIA: What are you doing? Can you just stop?
-I have to finish my homework. -SYLVIA: Just calm down.
Oh my God, Jack.
Why do you have to do that all the time?
JACK: Well, this your fault! You were gonna handle it.
-You were-- -SYLVIA: Come on! Just--
JACK: You were gonna get her to sign it.
I am gonna get her to sign it.
Just leave her alone, for Christ's sake.
JACK: [INDISTINCT SPEECH] Goddamn it!
-[SOBS] -SYLVIA: Oh my God.
SYLVIA: I'm sorry this always happens. I just--
Hon.
[♪♪♪]
[TAKES A DRAG]
[KNOCK ON THE DOOR]
Let me see.
He feels real bad about it.
Does he?
He's doing the best he can.
I see the way you look at him. You hate him.
[CHUCKLES]
No, I don't hate him.
Then something must be seriously wrong with you, too.
There's nothing wrong with operating
from a place of love.
So you do love him?
SYLVIA: You're right, he's a fucking asshole.
[CHUCKLES]
-Isn't he? -CLARA: Yeah.
Yeah.
But the older you get, you realize love
is more a choice than a feeling.
But I feel real love for you. I do.
And for Evie, and for all the kids
that we've taken care of.
I got in this to help people.
You think you're helping me?
SYLVIA: I hope so.
I mean, you got into a fancy school, didn't you?
Maybe that was all you.
[SCOFFS]
That's not what I'm saying.
SYLVIA: You're a real smart girl.
If I left him, where would I go?
I'm staying here, because of you girls.
Don't worry about anything. I'll take care of it.
Get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning.
Okay.
[♪♪♪]
[BODY THUDS]
[GRUNTING]
[INDISTINCT LYRICS]
[VOMITS]
[PANTING]
♪ You think I know where to run to ♪
♪ 'Cause I get high, high, then I get low ♪
♪ When you come around me, bitch, I move too slow ♪
♪ I really can't believe I was dumb enough to trust you ♪
[INDISTINCT LYRICS]
♪ Better watch your back, 'cause I ain't afraid anymore ♪
♪ Who's the one to blame
♪ When all you do is run around with your games ♪
♪ You know what's going on
♪ Who's the one to blame
♪ When all you do is run around with your games ♪
♪ Fuck me once, don't play it again ♪
♪ Who's the one to blame
[MACHINE WHIRRING]
[♪♪♪]
[TAKES A DEEP BREATH]
[GULPS]
NEWS ANCHOR: [ON TV] Let's talk about the weather.
WEATHER FORECASTER: [ON TV] Well, it's going to be
a beautiful sunny day today. We can...
[GULPING]
[PHONE DIALING]
FAYE: [ON PHONE] Hello?
Hey, mom.
FAYE: [ON PHONE] Oh, my. Is it really you?
Yeah, it's me.
FAYE: [ON PHONE] Oh, where have you been? I--
I mean, Sabrina was sick for a little bit
and I had to take off work to help out.
FAYE: [ON PHONE] Oh, poor girl.
Ah, but lucky to have such a lovely husband.
Yeah. I'm uh, I'm lucky to have her.
[FAYE LAUGHS]
FAYE: [ON PHONE] Now isn't that's the truth.
-What's that supposed to mean? -FAYE: [ON PHONE] Oh, nothing.
No, say, say what you meant, mom.
You know, it's almost impossible to accomplish anything
when the person that's supposed to believe in you doesn't.
It's--
No, that's awesome, mum. I'm always glad to call.
FAYE: [ON PHONE] Oh, nevermind. I'm sorry.
I-- I am--
How are the kids? Everyone's healthy?
Yeah, the kids, mom, the kids have never been better.
In fact, JR's the top of his class in gymnastics.
I gotta pick him up in about 15 minutes,
so I actually can't talk, because I'm so busy.
After this, I have to go to my job.
But--
FAYE: [ON PHONE] Well, thanks for calling.
I won a couple games this morning.
Any money?
Yeah, like 200.
-JACK: 200 bucks? -SYLVIA: Yeah.
-All right. -SYLVIA: Pretty good, right?
[JACK CHUCKLES] Not bad.
Hmm.
Hey.
You okay?
Hm. Yeah.
JACK: I didn't mean to hurt you.
I gotta get to the shop.
Mm.
Bye, bye, baby.
Bye, hon.
[ROLLS TONGUE]
You guys.
JACK: Talk later, okay?
See, he's sorry.
[DOOR SHUTS IN DISTANCE]
I'm gonna get ready for class.
[CHUCKLES]
What's so funny? Oh. [CHUCKLES]
You see.
Oh yeah, I love that show.
[CHUCKLES]
Now, I know you've all been waiting with bated breath
to see how harsh a critic I am, but, well,
you're gonna have to wait a little bit longer,
'cause I'm handing you back your papers ungraded.
What? Why?
Well, it was that or give you all an F,
and that didn't feel very nice.
All right, don't be scared.
Okay, there was some really good stuff in there, honestly,
but there was one thing missing from every single one
of your papers.
I didn't learn anything about any of you from your writing.
Okay, now, I'm not gonna lecture you on being personal
with your work or any of that shit.
Abbott did.
No disrespect to Mr. Abbott, may he rest in peace,
but telling someone to be personal with their writing
is misleading.
Okay?
Not everything is about you,
despite what your parents may have led you to believe.
Nevertheless, it is important that your personality shows
in your work, and I know that's easier said than done,
so I'm gonna give you one more chance.
Okay?
I want you to write 10 pages.
ERIC: 10 pages?
-MR. HELLER: 10 pages. -Tonight?
Right now.
Listen, it's gonna be easier than it sounds, okay?
It's gonna be free writing.
It's more of an exercise than an assignment.
I'm not even gonna grade them.
Think of it as a way for me to get to know you.
So what are we actually supposed to write?
MR. HELLER: Whatever you want.
I'm serious.
I do not care what you write.
As long as you fill up 10 pages, I'm happy.
You can write, "Fuck Mr. Heller" a thousand times for all I care.
The point is to see what comes out naturally.
What are you waiting for?
Can I talk to you outside?
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Uh.
Is everything okay?
MR. HELLER: It's about your essay.
Look, I get what you were saying in class.
We shouldn't just write whatever we think--
MR. HELLER: No, no, no.
I just didn't wanna embarrass you in front of them.
What you wrote is incredible. Okay?
I need you to know the talent that you have. Okay?
It kills me to see someone so good who doesn't know it.
Thanks.
That's nice to hear.
I don't want you to feel any pressure,
but I'm looking for a student assistant
to help me close out the year.
That's an automatic 5% bump in your grade.
I was gonna announce to the class like--
You want me to do it?
MR. HELLER: Only if you want to.
I just know the scholarship's really important to you
and thought maybe this would help.
Okay? Plus, it's all easy stuff.
You know, helping with lesson plans,
making copies, that sort of thing.
Okay.
Well, can I at least think about it?
I should finish.
Hey, is everything okay at home?
Yeah. Why?
MR. HELLER: Just making sure.
Yeah, it's good.
[♪♪♪]
MRS. ESTRADA: Clara?
-Clara. -CLARA: Yeah.
Can you um, can you come with me?
Yeah.
MRS. ESTRADA: You are not in any trouble.
CLARA: Okay.
I need to know, is it true you hurt your jaw?
-[SCOFFS] -Okay, this is a safe space.
Okay? If something happened at home, you could tell me.
It's nothing.
I know it's not nothing.
I also know that you're so afraid of rocking the boat
when it comes to that scholarship
that you sometimes don't wanna speak up for yourself.
Who told you to talk to me?
What?
Did Mr. Heller tell you to talk to me?
Uh, no. No.
[SCOFFS]
Look, I just want you to know that you're not alone in this,
okay?
Can I go?
MRS. ESTRADA: Yeah.
You have to hold it in, it's kinda weak.
[COUGHS]
[SNIFFLES]
So are you gonna take it?
What?
That whole student-teacher thing?
Yeah. I can't not take it.
That 5% bump just too good?
It's not even that.
Then why would you waste your time?
[SIGHS]
I don't know.
I feel like Heller could pull some weird shit on us.
Something's up with him.
He's got some tricks up his sleeve.
And that makes you wanna buddy up with him?
[CHUCKLES]
Keep my enemies close.
Yeah.
[BLOWS]
The fuck?
What?
Holy shit!
[POLICE SIREN WAILING IN BACKGROUND]
[INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER]
DISPATCH: [ON RADIO] 28 to vehicle 9-0.
OFFICER 1: Done?
Yeah.
-Here. -Thank you.
[INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER]
MR. HELLER: They told me what happened.
If you need time off from class or--
I'm fine.
Don't worry about the assistant thing.
Uh, no, uh-- I wanna do it.
Are you sure?
Yeah.
[CLARA HUMMING]
[DOGS BARKING IN DISTANCE]
WOMAN: [ON TV] No, no! No, no!
Oh.
-Fuck. -Oh my God.
[DOOR BELL RINGS]
[WOMAN SCREAMING ON TV]
SYLVIA: Put it on pause.
Can I help you?
DET. SOMMERS: Yeah, hi. I'm uh, Detective Sommers.
Um, I'm looking for Clara Simmons.
Does she live here?
I already wrote my statement.
What statement?
DET. SOMMERS: She doesn't know?
Know what?
I just got home.
She's not in any trouble, but I--
I do need to speak to her in private.
Uh, just for a few minutes if that's okay.
SYLVIA: Can I know what this is about?
I'll tell you in a second.
DET. SOMMERS: Just take a minute.
Okay. Come in, I guess.
DET. SOMMERS: Thanks.
Zach said he would go down to the creek regularly.
Is that true?
Yeah. Guess, he did.
DET. SOMMERS: How often would you go down there?
I already wrote all of this down in my statement.
I believe that. That thing read like a novel.
Sorry.
DET. SOMMERS: For what? Having an eye for detail?
Next time just dumb down the vocabulary a little for me,
so I can understand it.
Look, it's been a day. Let's leave it there.
But if you see anything or hear anything,
you know how to reach me.
Okay.
[DOOR OPENS AND SHUTS]
[BODY THUDDING IN DISTANCE]
[JACK GROANING]
[WATER RUNNING]
[♪♪♪]
MR. HELLER: Not delivered in 30, it's free, right?
[DELIVERY GUY CHUCKLES]
Sorry. Uh, sorry we're late.
It's been busy today.
All good.
Oh shit, I thought you were Gene.
Are you a friend of the Hellers?
Yeah. Yeah, I'm his brother.
Oh, okay. Um, is Gene here?
Yeah, he's in the back there watching the game.
He gave me his card.
I-- I know. I'm sorry.
It's policy. My boss is a dick.
Just run the card, man.
[CHUCKLES]
Um, you know what? Just, it's fine.
Just uh, I'll-- I'll talk to my manager
and we'll-- we'll get it settled out, all right?
I got cash. Just stay there. I got cash.
[GRUNTS]
[DOOR SHUTS]
[OWL HOOTING IN DISTANCE]
[FIRE CRACKLING]
[TAKES A DRAG, BLOWS]
[TAKES A DRAG]
[♪♪♪]
♪ Have you ever heard yourself
[YAWNS]
Good morning.
Morning.
Oh, let me bring this in to your dad.
What happened to him?
Got sucker punched last night as he was leaving the shop.
What? By who?
I don't know. Guy ran off.
Must have been some pissed-off customer.
[MUNCHES]
Weird.
[♪♪♪]
Hey.
You okay?
Didn't sleep much.
Yeah, me neither.
I read online, they think she's from outta state.
No one's missing from any school, so...
This post I read said someone probably
just dumped her body and ran.
Ah, it's so messed up.
You don't look so good.
Yeah, it's just-- it's weird.
Never seen a body like that before.
Yeah.
Well, whoever did it is probably in Mexico by now.
Uh, well, we should go. We're gonna be late, yeah?
[LAUGHS]
Okay, pencils up.
[BELL RINGING]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
[GIRL LAUGHS]
-STUDENT 4: I mean I would. -STUDENT 5: Yeah.
STUDENT 6: I wouldn't do that.
See you tomorrow.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Hey, I totally forgot to tell you.
You officially got the gig.
You good?
Yeah, I'm fine.
Approved this morning by Mrs. Estrada.
That's great.
MR. HELLER: Don't get too excited.
Now the real work starts.
Library, 15 minutes.
No, I have science right now.
I already talked to Mr. Birman.
We're all clear.
Yeah?
We're partners now, me and you.
Uh, okay.
[♪♪♪]
This one could work.
For the reading assignment or the final project?
For the assignment.
It's a quick read, so everyone might actually
read it for once.
"Rules for happiness, something to do,
someone to love, something to hope for.
Kant." It's a good choice.
You guys didn't read it in philosophy?
We basically read nothing in philosophy.
See, this is why I need you.
Before I let you go...
...I need to talk to you about this.
Free-writing thing?
I thought it wasn't being graded.
No, it's not. [CHUCKLES]
You have nothing to worry about when it comes to the quality
of your writing in this or any other format.
You have it.
So, what then?
It's what you were writing about.
Did you mean it?
What part?
The part where you said you feel invisible.
Yeah.
You meant it?
Ugh.
I don't know. I guess.
I know what that feels like.
Look, it's really not that big of a deal.
It can become one.
Just know, if you ever need to talk, I'm here.
Okay.
[BACKGROUND CHATTER]
[♪♪♪]
[TYPING ON KEYBOARD]
[PHONE RINGING]
Hello?
MR. HELLER: [ON PHONE] Clara?
Mr. Heller?
MR. HELLER: [ON PHONE] I just saw your email.
Oh, um, yeah. Hi, thanks.
Uh, sorry, I know it's the weekend.
You didn't really have to call me.
MR. HELLER: [ON PHONE] Thought it might be faster
to discuss on the phone.
Look, if you wanna go over the limit, that's fine.
I just need to know why.
There's just more there. I don't know, I--
I feel like I'm not really exploring it enough
if I just arbitrarily force an ending.
Isn't the whole point to write the best version possible?
MR. HELLER: [ON PHONE] Okay.
Well, try this.
Write your version first. Forget page limits.
Then cut it back when you revise.
If you really don't think it works once it's edited,
we'll talk.
All right. Yeah, thanks, that helps.
[DOOR OPENS]
Sorry, I-- I have to go.
CLARA: What are you doing? What are you doing?
-Where's my damn signature? -Mom said we hadn't till next--
Stop! Let me make this easy for you.
Either you sign that fucking piece of paper right now,
so the state can continue to fucking pay me
or you can pack up all your trash
and get the fuck outta my house.
What?
I don't owe you a goddamn thing.
I need you to leave. I'm finishing my assignment.
This?
CLARA: What are you doing?
Give me that!
-Are you writing about me? -No, I'm not! I need that!
That's my final assignment.
Do you know how long that took me?
No!
Stop!
I don't have it saved! Give it back!
I don't have it saved! No!
You're running outta chances.
Sign the damn paper or get the hell outta my house!
[HYPERVENTILATING]
[INDISTINCT LYRICS]
♪ Check a bag and make deposits, and deposits, and deposits ♪
♪ Hey, mister, send your girlfriend ♪
It worked. Here.
♪ And she whipped me and she naked ♪
♪ Hey, hey, top dawg, quit blowin', let-- ♪
ZACH: Look, you don't need to stress.
You have time to redo it.
My whole fucking life rides on that assignment.
Yeah, and you'll kill it like you always do.
♪ Show me Show me somethin' ♪
♪ Show me Hey ♪
-♪ Show me somethin' -I'm so fucked.
-♪ Show me somethin' -♪ Show me
♪ Show me somethin'
-♪ Show me -♪ Hey, hey, hey
Look, we don't have to go to Maddy's
if you'd rather just go home.
I wanna go.
ZACH: Sure?
♪ And is he straight?
♪ I'm only chasing money
♪ Smart and mama ain't raised no dummy ♪
♪ Say he tryna freak
♪ But if she bring it we can run it ♪
♪ As a youngin I learned bullshit ain't about nothing ♪
♪ Nigga be losing, there ain't no way ♪
♪ My homie just died
Want a line?
I'm fine.
MADDY: Pussy.
You?
Just go.
Come with me. Just relax.
[SIGHS] Fine.
♪ And I can't stop till I see my goal ♪
[SNORTS]
♪ ...My baddies at?
Here you go.
-♪ You bad -Thank you.
♪ Where my baddies at?
[SNORTS]
Here you go.
♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
♪ Real bad on the prowl
♪ Heard you were...
[SNORTS]
♪ And I hear a couple haters in the crowd ♪
More drinks are here.
♪ Don't really care what she say ♪
♪ And we all on birthday
♪ It's your birthday, girl, go crazy ♪
♪ Now make it clap and get low
♪ Yeah
♪ Now back it up a little more
♪ Yeah
♪ Now bring it up slow
♪ You need to save the way you putting on a show ♪
♪ Now grab your bestie by the hand
And let her know she bad ♪
[ZACH SNORTS]
Oh.
[SNORTS]
ZACH: There you go.
[CHUCKLES]
[GRUNTS]
♪ I'm bad
♪ You bad
♪ Where my baddies at
♪ I'm bad
♪ You bad
♪ Where my baddies at
♪ I'm bad
♪ You bad
♪ We bad
♪ Where my baddies at
♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
Well, that was fun.
Yeah.
Thanks for listening to all my insanity.
[CHUCKLES]
I'll uh, I'll see you tomorrow?
Shit.
[EXHALES]
[♪♪♪]
Hey.
[SIGHS]
You're m-- uh-- Sylvia was a big help.
I think we've got everything we need.
Can I just go to sleep?
Yeah, of course.
[♪♪♪]
[DOOR SHUTS]
MRS. ESTRADA: I understand,
but you have to take time to process what happened.
Take the week.
I can't.
MRS. ESTRADA: Oh, of course, you can.
You wanna know what the last thing he did was,
before he killed himself?
MRS. ESTRADA: Tell me.
He tore up my final assignment, three months of work.
Why?
He was trying to punish me for not lying to social services.
He knew I'd never sign it.
What he did was his decision, and he doesn't get
to keep deciding what I do with my life anymore.
I'm going to class.
Okay, understood.
[BACKGROUND CHATTER]
Okay, I think it's done.
Exercise is C-I-S-E, comma.
If we want them to give us good answers,
we have to at least write out the questions properly.
Yeah.
[TYPING ON KEYBOARD]
Jesus.
Look, I'm sorry that was so insensitive.
It totally makes sense why your mind
-would be elsewhere here. -It's not.
Hey, this is too much given all you have going on.
I can handle it. Okay?
He was your foster dad for nearly a decade.
At least, now I don't have to worry about getting thrown
down the stairs.
If you're saying what happened helped you,
I understand.
I mean, death isn't always so black and white.
Yeah, apparently not.
MR. HELLER: What are you feeling then, if not grief?
I don't know.
I guess I just sort of feel like the universe
was looking out for me in a way.
God, I know it sounds sick.
No, not at all.
When I was a kid, my dad got
in this terrible car accident and drowned in a lake.
Didn't know that.
And as worthless as my mom could always
make me feel, he was 10 times worse.
When he was gone, the truth is, it got easier.
In a fucked-up way,
it felt like the universe was looking out for me, too.
I'm supposed to meet Zach.
We'll finish this tomorrow.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
CLARA: Thanks, by the way.
For what?
Not being so fucking annoying about what happened.
Who's being annoying?
Heller's just being so creepy about it.
It's like in class, he's always trying to act
so much smarter than he actually is.
I don't know how the hell Yale let him in.
Well, Heller definitely has a thing for you, so...
Uh, ew, shut up. Don't put that image in my head.
ZACH: I'm just saying, he definitely does.
CLARA: What? Are you jealous?
Oh, I'm super jealous.
[CLARA SCOFFS]
You know, he called me out on my grammar today,
on top of everything else.
ZACH: The day after your foster dad died, yeah?
CLARA: Yeah, when I coulda just fucked off
like anyone else would have.
ZACH: The guy's a loser.
If he critiques your grammar again, I'll fuck him up.
You promise?
ZACH: Yeah.
As a reminder,
there will be no more minor assignments given this year.
Don't get too excited.
That means finals are up next.
And unfortunately, a lot of you under-performed on this one.
Which means this will be your last chance
to make up for it.
Meet me in the auditorium after class.
That's an F if you can't read.
[SCOFFS]
-Why are we meeting here? -MR. HELLER: Sit down.
Where's your assignment?
Who wrote this?
What? I wrote it.
So interesting,
'cause it sounds like it was written by a chatbot.
You saw me write it in class.
MR. HELLER: Which is why I'm so confused.
I've read all your writing. This sounds like everyone else.
CLARA: What's that supposed to mean?
I asked you to write about your emotional experience
as a high school senior.
I hope I didn't overestimate you.
This is well-written, okay? It doesn't deserve an F.
Anything can be well-written, that doesn't mean it's good.
Okay, you broke my one rule: Be...
-...Truthful. -MR. HELLER: Be truthful.
The other kids make fun of you.
I see it.
Even after this week, even after
all that you've been through, they still laugh
behind your back and-- and you feel it, right?
You feel it?
And it must kill you inside,
but you'd never know it from this.
This reads like it was written by one of them,
not about one of them.
Okay, fucking Maddy could have written this trash.
So what?
You want me to write about how much I hate Maddy?
Is that it?
You just wanna read about a bunch of high school
girl gossip?
MR. HELLER: Do you hate her?
What?
I'm asking you, do you hate Maddy?
I don't know.
Then figure it out, on the page.
Free-writing.
Right now?
Unless you'd rather keep the F.
[SCOFFS]
[♪♪♪]
[SCRIBBLING]
[♪♪♪]
CLARA: Here.
Thank you.
CLARA: Can I go?
Don't you wanna stay and see how you did?
[SIGHS]
It's better, but not by much.
You're giving me a D? You said you wanted honesty.
MR. HELLER: And you were honest
about your feelings about Maddy, your father's death,
suicidal thoughts,
and I appreciate that, but you left out Zach.
And if you left out Zach, what else is missing?
What does Zach have to do with this?
What's really going on between you two?
[SCOFFS] That is none of your business.
MR. HELLER: It is my business if it affects
your academic performance,
which it clearly is.
You realize he's taking up all your time.
He's jeopardizing any chance you have
of not being a loser forever.
Give me 10 pages on Zach.
[SCOFFS]
[INSECTS CHIRPING IN DISTANCE]
Are you serious right now?
What?
I really thought you were more perceptive than this.
Excuse me?
You write about Zach like he's some sort of outsider.
You realize he's a part of the same country club
that every privileged kid at this school, right?
Okay, he might not dress like them
or listen to their music, but that's exactly who he is.
He can't help where he comes from.
Do you really wanna be a writer
or are you just doing this for the scholarship?
I want to be a writer.
Oh. Well, I have bad news for you,
because it's gonna be fucking hard
if you can't learn to see things for what they really are.
So what, then?
I'm gonna give you one more chance to prove to me
that you deserve my support, to show me
that you can see truth.
So rewrite it,
but this time, stop fucking lying to yourself!
[SOBS]
[SCRIBBLING]
[♪♪♪]
[DOOR BANGS IN DISTANCE]
[CAR DOOR OPENS]
MRS. ESTRADA: Clara?
-CLARA: Hi. -Clara. It's so early.
What are you doing here?
I'm just going home.
Just going home? What, did you sleep here?
[SCOFFS]
I didn't sleep.
Oh, okay. What-- what then?
Clara, no, no, no, no. I'm-- I'm sorry.
Look.
You need to tell me what's going on right now,
okay?
I-- I can't.
MRS. ESTRADA: Please.
He kept me up all night.
Who?
CLARA: Mr. Heller.
He gave me a F
on this really important assignment and then--
and then he made me rewrite it over and over again all night.
Wait, no. I spoke to him about that assignment.
I asked him to give you an extension.
[SCOFFS]
Yeah. Well, he didn't.
MRS. ESTRADA: And then you just stayed there?
[SCOFFS]
Just let me go home.
No, please. Um, wait, let me just take you.
CLARA: I wanna walk.
No, look, we need to bring this to the principal's attention.
Don't.
MRS. ESTRADA: What you told me is a major violation
of school policy against Mr. Heller.
No, please.
I-- I can't handle that right now, okay?
-CLARA: Please, just don't. -Okay. Okay.
Go get some rest and I'll tell your teachers
you're taking today off.
Okay?
Okay.
[♪♪♪]
SYLVIA: Oh my God.
Clara, where were you last night?
Yeah, where were you?
Are you okay?
Rude!
That was rude.
[♪♪♪]
[TYPING ON KEYBOARD]
♪ Follow me wherever I go
[INDISTINCT LYRICS]
♪ And if I fall down
[INDISTINCT LYRICS]
[TAKES A DEEP BREATH]
SYLVIA: It's been an incredibly difficult time for all of us.
And I don't know what it's doing to the girls.
MR. HELLER: The pressure that you must feel as a parent
trying to navigate this.
SYLVIA: Yeah, I'm gonna have to get a full-time job now. I--
-MR. HELLER: For sure. -Yeah.
Oh, hi, honey.
I was just talking to your uh, nice teacher,
Mr. Elber?
Heller.
Come join us, Clara.
Mrs. Estrada said you were acting erratic today,
that she had to send you home early.
Maybe because I didn't sleep?
Hmm.
MR. HELLER: I guess I just worry that
maybe this is too much for her.
What is?
MR. HELLER: The academics, the assistant job, the scholarship.
I mean, and you know, with her dad just dying, too.
MR. HELLER: Dad.
And-- and we've always been telling her
she just works so damn much.
MR. HELLER: You might be right.
This isn't too much.
Okay.
Can I get you a hot drink or something?
MR. HELLER: That would be lovely. Thank you.
-What the fuck is this? -Shut the fuck up.
You really thought that you could humiliate me like that?
All I did is say what happened, the truth.
I have had your back from the fucking start.
You have no idea what I've done for you.
Oh, please. What you've done for me?
I really thought that I saw myself in you,
something special, but clearly I was mistaken.
What the hell do you want from me?
What I want is for you to know that your placement
with me is hereby terminated.
Excuse me?
Maddy starts tomorrow.
[CLARA SCOFFS]
Maddy?
MR. HELLER: It should have been her from the start.
I misread both of you.
What about the 5%?
I already put in the time and the effort.
MR. HELLER: You could still make up for it
in the final assignment.
CLARA: What?
You could turn this around. I believe in you.
I'll report you to the school board.
Don't think I won't.
That wouldn't be a very good idea.
Why the hell not?
Clara, are-- are these drugs?
Where the hell did you get that?
Ah, here we are.
MR. HELLER: Oh, look at that.
I actually have to get going.
SYLVIA: Oh, so soon?
Yeah, last-minute staff meeting. Don't ask.
SYLVIA: Well, thanks for stopping by.
It was lovely to meet you.
SYLVIA: You too.
I'll see you in class?
[♪♪♪]
[DOOR OPENS AND SHUTS IN DISTANCE]
[♪♪♪]
Saw your text.
What do I do?
Just depends on how bad you think it is, Clara.
He's gonna fail me. I know it.
[ZACH INHALES]
Why is he fucking with you for no reason?
He's turning it into some kind of a weird game.
Weird game how?
It's like he thought he saw himself in me.
Yeah, that's pretty fucked up.
I'm going to Estrada.
Thought you didn't wanna rock the boat.
I'm past that.
Can I help you with something?
I just need to talk to Mrs. Estrada.
PRINCIPAL EDWARDS: You are gonna have to come back later.
She's not in this morning.
She's not?
No, and I need her reports by the end of today.
[PHONE RINGING]
CLARA: It's her phone.
Pick it up. It could be her.
Hello? This is Principal Edwards.
No, she hasn't. It was under her desk.
Listen, calm down. Okay, just slow down.
Let me-- let me take care of her.
And I'll call you right back from my office.
Got it.
All right, thanks. Bye.
CLARA: What happened?
I gotta go.
What?
[SCOFFS]
Yeah, where it gets a little bit complicated--
Is there's like a 143 members that you're gonna have to email
-whenever we set these meetings. -Okay.
Okay, I know it gets weird, but they're basically
in the auditorium.
They're gonna have this list and you have to go through
-each one and figure out-- -MADDY: Okay.
MR. HELLER: Who actually needs to be--
We're good for today. Nice work.
[♪♪♪]
Awkward.
What the hell did you do?
Where did you get that?
What?
That pen, where did you get it?
I don't remember. Maybe the lost and found?
What the hell did you do?
I've only ever tried to help you.
Where's Mrs. Estrada?
How would I know?
She never showed up today.
But you knew that, didn't you?
What are you accusing me of, Clara?
Why don't you just fucking tell me?
Holy shit.
Where was that fire in your writing?
I knew you had it in you.
Fuck you. I'm going to the principal.
-I wouldn't do that. -CLARA: Watch me.
I'd rather watch this.
What is this?
You should see your face.
Now, if I publish this, your grades won't matter,
because that scholarship is poof, gone.
Now, don't think for one second that I won't email this
to every single admissions counselor.
Turn it off!
[GRUNTS]
Hit pause on that plan. Rewind, and try it again.
Come here. Come.
Could she see me in the video?
-Yeah. -Oh, what the fuck?
We have to get that video back.
Was it on like, a security camera?
CLARA: Looked like it was on a phone.
-We would've seen a phone. -CLARA: Yeah, I know.
Okay, I don't know how we didn't see it, but...
looked like it was just right on the bookshelf behind us.
Well, Maddy was the only one in that room.
CLARA: She was?
Yeah, she kept going in and out.
So what, she recorded us?
ZACH: It's not like Heller did it himself.
[SCOFFS]
You have to call Maddy, right now.
[PHONE DIALING]
MADDY: [ON PHONE] What?
Um, do you still need some?
MADDY: [ON PHONE] No, I still have some. I gotta go.
Well, I uh, I don't pick up for like, another month.
It's the last couple of grams.
It's fine if you don't need any, I'm just saying.
[♪♪♪]
Get in the front.
[DOOR OPENS AND SHUTS]
[INDISTINCT LYRICS]
Where is it?
Zach, do you want my money or not?
What do you know about that video?
What video?
The video you sent to Mr. Heller.
I-- I really don't know what you're talking about.
CLARA: Well, you're fucking lying.
MADDY: Shut up!
Heller has a video of us coked out in your guest bedroom.
If it wasn't you, you know who it was.
There was like, a thousand people there that night.
You were the only person in the room.
You planted it!
[SCOFFS]
You're fucking unbelievable. I'm leaving.
No, you're not.
[GASPING]
MADDY: Oh my God.
[PANTING]
Just tell us what you fucking did.
He made me do it.
Do what?
The stupid video!
That's why I invited you.
He fucking made me do it.
He promised to bump my grade up.
If what?
If I showed him the real you. That's what he kept saying.
What the fuck does that even mean?
I don't know, okay? He's fucking weird.
He just kept saying that he didn't know if he could
trust you or if you were who you said you were.
So you just decided--
I fucked up!
Okay?
I didn't think he was actually gonna show anyone.
Get out.
-What are you gonna do? -She said leave!
Does this have something to do with Ms. Estrada?
Why?
They found her body.
It was him. I know it was.
[SIGHS]
♪ Get together with a felony, 'cause I get my... ♪
[PHONE RINGING]
CLARA: Shit.
Hello?
SYLVIA: [ON PHONE] The police are here.
What? Why?
SYLVIA: [ON PHONE] Something about your teacher, Ms. Estrada.
They found--
Yeah, I know. They found her body.
SYLVIA: [ON PHONE] They're saying they have evidence.
[DOG BARKING IN BACKGROUND]
Evidence? Of-- of what?
SYLVIA: [ON PHONE] That you were there.
What?
SYLVIA: [ON PHONE] I'm not supposed to be calling you.
I just wanted to warn you.
W-- w-- w-- what, what did they say?
SYLVIA: [ON PHONE] Yeah, I'm coming!
Oh, shit.
The police are at my mom's.
[SIGHS]
It's not till next summer.
FAYE: [ON PHONE] Well, let me say goodbye
to Sabrina before I go.
I told you, she's got the kids at the park.*
FAYE: [ON PHONE] Oh, I'm beginning to think
she doesn't exist.
Excuse me?
FAYE: [ON PHONE] It was a joke.
It's not funny, mom.
Kids are making a card, by the way, for your birthday.
FAYE: [ON PHONE] Oh, isn't that sweet?
Hey mom, I gotta go. I love you.
Hello?
MADDY: [ON PHONE] I know you said not to call this line.
What's going on?
MADDY: [ON PHONE] It's Clara.
She made me--
Wait, hold on. Sh-- she made you what?
MADDY: [ON PHONE] She made me tell her.
Okay? She trapped me,
I-- I didn't know what to do-- I thought I was gonna--
Slow down, okay? Where are you?
[♪♪♪]
This is the one?
It should be.
[CLANKING]
[♪♪♪]
Holy shit.
Hold this.
Oh, this has to be the wrong house.
He would've left by now.
Maybe he slept in.
Or maybe this isn't the right address.
[SIGHS]
What do you wanna do?
Let's just go in. Just to see.
Right now?
I mean, we have to prove he did it, don't we?
Come on.
I thought you said you knew how to pick a lock.
[♪♪♪]
CLARA: "Liar."
Zach.
What is this?
ZACH: What the hell?
Come on.
[♪♪♪]
Is that him?
ZACH: It looks like him.
CLARA: Come on.
What the fuck?
Jesus Christ.
CLARA: Zach, look at this.
ZACH: What is that?
CLARA: Holy shit.
That's the girl we found in the woods.
Oh my God.
Clara, I think we should go.
[CAR DOOR SHUTS IN DISTANCE]
Shit.
[GRUNTING]
[♪♪♪]
ZACH: Fuck.
Wait, right here.
[PANTS]
Oh my God.
[PANTING]
Oh my God.
ZACH: Clara!
[CHOKES]
[PANTING]
Oh my God.
[ZACH CHOKING]
[♪♪♪]
[THUDDING IN BACKGROUND]
[WATER SPLASHING]
[COUGHING]
[PANTING]
Fuck.
[GRUNTS]
[MUFFLED SCREAMS]
No!
No, stop it!
What are you doing? Stop it!
You don't have to do this!
[PANTING]
Oh my God. [PANTING]
Just let us go, okay? Please, we won't say anything.
It's a little late for that, don't you think?
Now, which one of you wants to go first?
Oh, fuck you, man.
Look, I can-- I can call my dad and he can-- he can--
Call your dad?
Cal-- Yeah. Call your dad.
I'll call my dad and we'll have our dads talk.
Zach, you're never leaving this basement.
Look, he can-- he can get you whatever you want, man.
Like, as much money as you need.
Money?
It's all about fucking money with you people.
The whole world is falling apart and all you care about is money.
Now you, you think I'm some sort of monster.
But who do you think made me this way?
What are you saying?
'Cause some girl won't fuck you, that's my fault?
That was the wrong answer.
CLARA: No!
[GROANING]
CLARA: Why would you do that?
Oh my God!
[PANTING]
This isn't too late.
Okay? You can still stop this.
[PANTING]
I'll never stop.
Not until each of you has been extinguished.
You are just like them.
No, I'm not. I'm different, okay?
That's what I thought, too.
Until you turned your back on me,
after all that I did for you.
After all you did for me?
Do you really think your foster father
would have let you leave the house?
Get up.
[PANTING]
-Wait. -Get up, Clara.
CLARA: Just give me a second.
Okay?
I wanna write you something, something really important.
Let me show you who I really am.
I wanna prove to you that I do understand you,
that I am different.
I've made mistakes. Okay?
But I just wanna make this world a better place,
just like you.
I don't want you to regret this day
for the rest of your life.
Please.
[♪♪♪]
One page.
I need you to untie me.
[GROANS]
[♪♪♪]
[TAKES A DEEP BREATH]
Time's up.
[♪♪♪]
[SOBS]
How could you write this?
CLARA: What? What?
How could you be so nice to me?
CLARA: Because I see you. What you did wasn't your fault.
They made you do that.
You mean this?
Of course. I only told the truth.
The-- the truth?
You can trust me.
[♪♪♪]
[SCREAMS]
[PANTING]
[GRUNTING]
[PANTING]
[♪♪♪]
This everything?
Whose house was that?
DET. SOMMERS: Gene Heller. Missing almost 10 months.
Lost his wife few years back. Didn't have much family.
Kind of a loner.
We think that's why Wade took him as an easy target.
Wade?
Your teacher.
And um, about what I did, um--
DET. SOMMERS: We're good.
You're in the clear.
Okay?
You take care.
Okay.
SYLVIA: It's over, baby.
[SOBS]
[♪♪♪]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
[♪♪♪]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
MR. PALMER: Good morning, everybody. I'm Mr. Palmer.
Welcome to Intro to Playwriting 114.
Did everyone get the questionnaire I emailed?
MR. PALMER: All right, good.
Let's go ahead and bring 'em up
and drop 'em right here, please.
We're gonna be using these as part of our assignment
for today.
Thanks.
Favorite playwrights. See if we have some consistency.
All right. Good choices.
Good morning.
Thank you.
[♪♪♪]
All right. Let's see what we got here.
Go ahead and take a seat, everybody.
Yeah, these look great. It's gonna be an exciting year.
[♪♪♪]