Selah and The Spades (2019) - full transcript

At the Haldwell School
for Boarding and Day Students,

there are five factions.

The factions are realistic
about the need

for the student body
to engage in their vices

and are pragmatic
in facilitating them.

The first rule that they live by
is that of not being a rat.

And the only consequences
they’re concerned with

are the ones
that they impose themselves.

The Sea, run by Tarit,

is comprised of teachers’ pets

who have gone rogue
for petty cash.



They’ll help you cheat your way
through anything for the right price.

The Skins, led by Amber,

deal in anything
you can gamble on:

football in the fall,
basketball in the winter,

softball every spring.

The Bobbys,
led by Bobby, of course,

are responsible for every illegal
party that’s ever been thrown

in a dorm basement
after lights out.

The Prefects are the ones
who keep the administration

blissfully unaware of
the student body’s ongoings.

Current senior Prefect,
Thomas Richard Thomas.

Two Tom for short.

The Spades deal in
the most classic of vices:

booze, pills, powders, fun.



Led by Selah,
with Maxxie at her side,

they will push you
past your limit

so that you know
what your limit is.

They consider this a kindness.

But this story isn’t
about the factions.

Not really.

It’s about her, Selah Summers,

and what she must do
in order to ensure her legacy,

seeing as it’s the spring
semester of her senior year

and she has no one
to pass her power down to.

- You know what, it’s reckless.
- It’s harmless.

- I don’t care. No.
- You don’t care.

The heads have been
riding our asses all year.

- What if they come after prom?
- It’s Banton.

I’m telling you, he’s cracking the
whip ’cause he’s got some complex

about making a name
for himself.

You know,
separating himself from...

I mean, if he’s so insecure,
he shouldn’t have come here.

I-I assume that they’re
hiring at Pence, right?

- Seriously.
- Why aren’t we doing balloons?

Balloons are harmless.

Balloons aren’t harmless.

They’ll start going off,
it’s all, like, bang-bang-bang.

Next thing you know, one of us
gets slammed to the floor

-’cause they think we’ve got a bomb.
-Exactly.

-But sure, let’s do balloons.
-Whatever, Tarit.

Water is memorable.

Water is legendary.

-So, let’s do water.
-Water.

I wonder what Teela would want.

Okay, Bobby, if you got something
to say, then say it. Come on.

Oh, I do, I have,
and I will.

-That doesn’t even make sense. -Don’t
you dare tell me I don’t make any sense

when you’re the whole goddamn
reason we’re in this situation.

-- Order, order.
Secretary calls us to order.

We all agreed at the end
of winter term

that the topic of Teela
should be put to rest.

Correct?

-I remember.
-We all signed the memo.

-I mean, do we need a reminder?
-Bobby does.

Yes?

Great.

Now let’s put it to a vote.
Any objections?

All in favor of the water
proposal for senior prank.

Honestly, it’s no surprise
you can’t find anyone

to pass your reign off to,
Selah.

The Bobbys will happily
take over your racket

after this
bootleg faction folds.

Okay. Bobby,
it’s just so funny to me

that you really believe
after all these years

you could do what I do
for even a second of your life.

Priceless, honestly.

Isn’t it?

I don’t trust her.

She’s Bobby.

Not trusting her
is part of the game.

What if she tries to poach June
to get back at us for Teela?

Or Mooks?

Or Reggie.

-She could have Reggie.
-Hey.

We’re running out of time,
Maxxie.

I know. I know.

It can be quite difficult,
can’t it?

Entering a new place
in the midst of things.

Not just because of your age,
of course.

Uh, you know, even I
experienced a feeling of...

being a touch overwhelmed
in my new position here.

But we do persevere, don’t we?

Yes, we do.

Well, I’m on the newspaper.

That’s right.
I did see that.

Yes, extracurriculars
are imperative

to a well-rounded
Haldwell experience.

Definitely harder
than my old school, but...

Well, it wouldn’t be worth
the money otherwise, would it?

But your scholarship...

...your scholarship seems

to handle a hefty portion
of that cost, doesn’t it?

Um, yes.

It does.

And socially?

Socially?

That’s right.
How are you adjusting socially?

Selah, you got a phone call.

It’s your mom.

How was calculus?

Well, I got a 93, and,
um, on my other test, I...

What happened
to the other seven points?

We-We had a game
the night before,

and, uh, we...
everybody hung out afterwards.

I also had, like,
an AP bio test, and...

I mean, but I got higher
on the last one, so...

Mom?

The older you get, the more
like your father you sound.

Always with the excuses.

Dad wasn’t like that.

I knew him for much longer
than you did, Selah.

Hey.

They make the new kids
take our photos ’cause...

they don’t take us seriously.

That’s a mistake
the whole world makes.

They never take the girls
seriously.

So it’s like this.

When you’re 17
and when you’re a girl,

you’ve got the whole world
telling you

what to do with your body.

Your mom tells you, change
your dress, it’s too fast,

too short, too shiny.

The school tells you,

cover your shoulders,
cover your legs,

because they can’t tell boys
to keep it in their pants?

And boys...

...they’re the worst.

They tell you they’ll only
like you if you look impossible.

So you’ve got all these people
telling you

how to wear your skin,
making you feel like

whatever you want
is the wrong, slutty thing.

And then you’ve got
Spirit Squad.

You know who decides
our uniforms?

We do.

You know who choreographs
our routines?

We do.

We tell you how short
our skirts will be,

how high and tight
our tucks will reign,

how spread out
we make our eagles.

I mean, if you got
a problem with it, well,

honestly, that’s...
that’s your problem.

Because we do it for ourselves,

for our control
over our bodies.

’Cause when you’re 17...

you’ve got to grab
onto that control

wherever you can
and hold tight for dear life,

’cause they always try and
take it from you, don’t they?

They always try and break
you down when you’re 17.

Come on! Come on,
come on, where you going?

Slow down!
We just want to talk!

Where you going?

Cooper!

Just give us
what you owe us, Coop.

Yeah. I’m gonna go ahead
and assume this covers it.

Look, I get it.
I... I-I’m done.

I swear. You’ve got it.

It’s more than the debt.

It’s the principle
of the matter.

It’s the situation
that you’ve put us in.

-We just, uh...
-Got to leave a message.

Ah, we got to leave
a message, Coop.

Wait.
Selah, I swear. I promise...

I told you, sir, I fell.

You fell?

Yes, sir,
down the north stairwell,

yesterday afternoon.

You fell down
the north stairwell.

Yes, sir, I did.

Lot of students falling down the
north stairwell these days, huh?

I-I wouldn’t know anything
about that, sir.

If you say so.

Maybe the school
should invest in

some of that stuff that makes
stairs less slippery.

Get out of here.

Today, please.

Selah.

Lulu?

The Skins are with y’all
no matter what.

The Bobbys are bullshit,
and everyone knows it.

Thank you.

Yo.

Hey.

Oh, these are dope.

Much better than last year.

-And the year before that.
-True.

Yeah, the new girl took ’em.

Day student.

Paloma Davis.

-Oh.
-She’s cute.

You say everybody’s cute.

She’s cute.

Who’s this?

Uh, she’s JV.
Her name is Nuri.

Hey, are Two Tom and Morgan R.
still going out?

Or did they break up,
or am I just making this up?

Uh, no, yeah,
they’re still together.

They even applied
to the same schools,

which is kind of extra,
but whatever.

Why?

Mm.

Is she single?

-Who, Bobby?
-What?

No.

Her.

Ah.

Hey.

Hey.

I like your photographs.

Thanks.

Do you have any more?
Can I see ’em?

Yeah. Yeah.

Um...

Right.

-There’s a few.
-Thanks.

You know, I don’t, um...

I really like that one.

I didn’t know
you were taking it.

Those are usually
the best ones, though.

Yeah.

Hey, um, are you busy
right now?

Um... no.

Can I buy your eye for an hour?

--What class is this for again?

I told you... Modern Socialization
in the Surveillance Era.

It’s like art
meets social studies.

Hmm.

Never heard of it.

Yeah, you’re new. No one’s expecting
you to memorize the course catalog.

So, what’s your project on?

It’s about how someone’s
always watching.

But you never know
who or why or when,

so it’s best to assume
it’s always happening.

Bobby and Two Tom,
they’re in my group.

They know we’re here.
It’s fine.

So, how’s the transition
been for you?

What transition?

You know, from the real world
to this one.

Um, it’s been okay.

I mean,
a bit of a culture shock.

Oh, yeah, you’ll get used to it.

Just got to find where
you fit in, you know?

Dig your own groove.

You may be a cog in the machine
that is Haldwell,

but at least you get to choose
the cog you want to be.

And what kind of cog are you?

How much do I owe you
for the hour?

-Oh, God, don’t worry about it.
-All right.

Really, it’s nothing.

It’s not nothing.
Value your time, P.

It’s the only thing we’ve really
got that’s worth anything at all.

But, uh, thanks
for the freebie.

I owe you one.

I can’t believe you
had her take pictures of me.

Why don’t we just talk
about the senior prank?

Like, why... I’m not talking to you,
Maxxie. I am not talking to you!

Okay, you seem really upset
right now.

-I’m not... I’m not upset.
-You just seem really angry.

-You’re just so full of shit.
-Okay, so then why are you...

Doesn’t it drive you crazy

that you can’t pick
what song plays next?

Uh, not really.

I mean, the right song
always plays.

Mm, that’s very Zen of you.

You want to hear it?

Hey, um, listen,
do you have to get home?

Uh, soon, I should.
Lot of homework.

I’ll sign you in to my dorm for study hall.
You should stay.

Something very, very, very
exciting is going down tonight,

and I want to offer you
the chance to be

the only non-senior
to witness it.

Really? Why?

Does it matter?

Did you and Maxxie
ever used to...

Oh, never.

Really?

Maxxie is not my type.

What is your type?

I don’t have one.

Everybody has a type.

Not everyone has a type.
I don’t do that.

Do what?

Like, like, dating and sex
and, like, making out.

I don’t... I don’t do it.

Never?

-I never wanted to.
-Hmm.

Have you ever, like,
done that stuff?

Uh...

yeah, a few times.

I don’t know.

Nothing serious, though,
like sex or anything.

How come?

I don’t know.
I guess I just...

haven’t found
the right person or whatever.

That’s the thing... like...

I don’t think I’m waiting
for some right person.

I just don’t think I’m
interested in the thing itself.

Yeah?

Yeah, like, I don’t know.

I see girls crying
in the bathroom,

and it’s like, why bother?

Why not just do things that keep
you from crying in bathrooms?

Look, come here.

Here you go.

Thanks.

Close your eyes.

You’re ready.

- Selah.
- Bobby.

She’s not a senior.

Who are you gonna tell?

-- No, no.
Put that one here.

There’s some space over there.

Put it, put it down.

- Selah. Selah, grab this one.
- Yeah.

I had this little roach, right?
The tiniest thing.

Now, I could either
be selfish and smoke it

or give it to this guy I knew.

So I said, "Here you go."
And he grabs the little roach,

and I promise you,
he ate the shit.

And then it’s...

one, two, three, four,
five, six.

Little extra. Watch.

-Okay. One, two, three, go!
-Oh, that’s some bullshit.

Oh, you stupid.

I still beat you, though.

How is that fair?

Oh, don’t even play.

Oh, it’s lava.

I’m afraid of heights
in the first place.

-I don’t even know how I got
myself up here. -Selah got you.

You want to see a dead body?

-Congratulations. -Do you want to race?
Do you want to race?

Okay, Maxxie,
you wait on that side.

You saw what Reggie
was wearing this morning?

- No.
- You want some?

-A cardigan.
-Hmm?

Oh, yes.

She has this particular essence
about her that just makes me

want to show her
all that she’s capable of.

You only like her
because she reminds you of you.

She is nothing like me.

Not you now, but back then?

Like, way back then, yeah.
She’s too new.

She doesn’t even know
how the world works yet.

If she doesn’t know,
then I’ll teach her.

You’ll teach her?

Yes. My gut says Paloma.

Your gut is never wrong.

Tomorrow, then?

Tomorrow.

I’ll bring the ledger.

"Paloma Davis, my love,
meet us after class

for a good old-fashioned
blowing off of steam.

3:15 by the ivy wall.

Heart, Selah Summers."

Who’s this? This Peter?

- That’s Janet.
- Janet?

Okay, yeah.

Zack. Okay.
He must have a final coming up.

That would make sense.

No.

I think we’re running low
on the eight balls, by the way.

This is Jelly Bean
Gumdrop White Witch.

I got the dirtiest
look from Banton today.

And that’s for, uh, Sharice.

That left eye.

-He catching me, there’s not
even the right eye. -Yeah.

It’s just a left eye.

- Staring.
- I don’t care.

It doesn’t even make sense.

This is Bobby.

- And that is for Zack.
- We’re at 500.

This is for
the blue and yellow.

Her ten-dollar usual.

This is Reggie. This is Mooks.

They help us with our rounds.

And this is June.

She helps us
during our busy times.

Spring term is the busiest.

- I want to replace those.
- I think we should.

Fridays are for larger orders that
come up, like booze for after-prom,

the amount of Adderall requests
we get for AP exams.

For that, we deal
with peddlers in Fishtown.

Hmm. Where’s that?

The seediest of seedy places, about
an hour northeast of here, in Philly.

You never go
to Fishtown alone.

-There’s a fox in your
penthouse, Selah. -What?

-A fox in the hole.
-Tarit.

You’ve got a rat
in the foxhole.

A rat? No. No way.

Not after sophomore year.

There’s been rumblings of it.

Hearsay. Rumors.

Can’t be the best faction
without enemies, now, can you?

Oh, Tarit, you think
we’re the best?

Neutrality, Selah.

Come by HQ before the games
on Wednesday.

-Who’s the snitch?
-Nobody knows.

The Sea is working
on smoking ’em out,

but, um,
from what I’ve heard,

your boy Maxxie’s
getting sloppy.

Okay, okay.

Maxxie.

Guess what.

-What?
-I just heard from Tarit

that there may or may not be
a rat in the system.

What?

No, not since sophomore year.
Nobody would’ve...

I know. I...
That’s what I said.

- But he says...
- Maxxie!

Max. Max.

Yeah.

He wants to talk
next week before games.

- Talk before games.
- Okay, cool.

- What?
- You’ve got gunk on your face.

-I do?
-Yeah.

I mean, shit,
it’s the only face I got.

Look, I’ll see you, okay?

-All right, see you.
-Okay.

Yeah, Nuri seems nice.

She’s okay.

I liked the other one better,
Farrah.

She goes to Pence.
Other than that, she’s great.

This one...

Anyway, I’ll see you
tomorrow night, yeah?

Tomorrow night?

What’s tomorrow night?

Selah?

Yo, who is this?
Put me down!

Knock it off!

Oh, my God.

I thought I lost you.

I’m always here.

Campus Safety has been spotted!

Campus Safety
has been spotted!

Hmm.

Halston Dorm, second floor.
Selah speaking.

Good morning, Mom.

- Hi, baby, we’re home!
- Hey.

Oh, there she is.

Okay, I’m going to go
grab the kids from soccer.

Oh, wait a minute.

Will you pass these out,
please?

I forgot to drop them off.

Oh, these look delicious.

-Yeah.
-They’re going to love ’em.

-Okay.
-Bye.

-See you in a bit.
-All right.

See you, kiddo.

The head of admissions called me to make
sure that you were receiving their mail.

Imagine my surprise.

Did you think I wasn’t gonna
find out you were ignoring them?

I just wanted some more time
to think about it.

What’s there to think about?

I don’t know.

I don’t know,
I just thought maybe...

When I was much younger
than you,

my mother told me a story.

Peel that.

At the bank of a river
stood a scorpion

who found herself
in desperate need of crossing.

Below her, in the water,
there was a frog.

She asked the frog,

"Will you please carry me
across the river?"

The frog refused.

He said, "If I put you on
my back, if I carry you across,

if I trust you,
you will sting me."

And the scorpion balked
at this and said,

"If I sting you,
we’ll both drown."

The frog considers this truth,
acquiesces.

Throws her on his back,
and off they went.

Well, you can imagine
what happened next.

Halfway across the river,
the scorpion stings the frog.

And as the frog sinks
to his death,

he asks, "Why did you do this?

Now we’ll both drown."

And the scorpion replied,
"I can’t help it."

"It’s my nature."

Redwood will be good for you.

It’ll put you in your place.

It will keep you safe...

from yourself.

Something has to.

Okay.

Closer together... your heads.

There you go.

How’s it going, B?

Closed for cleaning.

What is going on in there?

Well, since you asked,
not so great, actually.

This morning, one of my guys
went to pick up a gram,

but instead of Maxxie,
some kid was there... Mookie?

-It’s Mooks.
-Mooks. Okay, yeah.

Some kid named Mooks shows up and pulls
two eight balls out of his backpack.

Two eight balls, Selah.

In the middle of center campus.

Well, if Mooks showed up
instead of Maxxie,

I’m sure that was
previously arranged,

and if Mooks showed up
with two eights,

then I can only assume
it was a mistake on your part

and the Spades
were paid for as much.

Yeah... no.

Too risky.

That’s not the business
we’re in.

Left it with Mookie.

Mooks.

We’d like a refund
on our order.

Just until you guys get things
squared away on your end.

Straighten out your operation,
if that’s all right.

Check your ledger
if you don’t believe me.

Maxxie has our ledger,
as you know.

Oh, right.

Silly me.

I forget you do things
a little different.

Double-check your orders
before you send requests.

Bobby is so extra.

To hell with her.

You know you don’t
have to be perfect?

Not all the time.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

You’re late.

Thanks for
meeting me here today.

Spring term, busy semester,
as you well know.

-Of course.
-Per usual,

where there’s a rat,
we shine a light.

Wait, him?

He’s a Prefect, isn’t he?

Wait, a Prefect would do this?

He’s only a sophomore.

He’s a goddamn baby Prefect.

Word is that the whole lot of
them are in cahoots with the Bobbys.

- I’d bet it was the senior prank that
set ’em off. - No, it wasn’t.

Yeah, they don’t have anything
against us. It’s just rumors.

They can’t give the heads
anything that matters, at least.

Well, do you think it might have
something to do with Teela?

Look, I’m just the messenger.

And why aren’t you more?

Why aren’t you interested

in helping us keep
some semblance of peace?

I’m getting you that name.

Because you’re right,
we’re friends,

and I’ll be damned if I let a friend
go down by the hands of a rat.

-No one deserves that.
-Do they know you’re helping us?

Of course not. But they know
if ever there was a war again

whose side
we’ll likely fall on.

Bobby said that?

I mean, are-are you sure?

Because, I mean,
there’s no way.

That doesn’t sound right.

Yeah, well, I had to shell out
for it anyway.

She seemed sure.

Can you check the ledger? I want
to know if I owe Bobby any money

before I see her
at dinner tonight.

What did he mean by that...
Tarit... by "war"?

Sophomore year
was a rough time.

Let’s not revisit it.

Plus, we all signed
the treaty, so...

the rest is history.

Uh, yeah, I-I don’t have it
on me right now.

It’s in the room.

I was looking through
some stuff before breakfast.

So I can get it
to you guys tomorrow.

Uh, and I-I have to go, but I’ll
see you guys later, all right?

That was weird, yeah?

Why do you think
he’s doing it?

I mean, do you even
know this kid?

I mean, maybe he’s
just jealous. Who knows?

Do you think I should
ask somebody to prom?

I don’t know,
is it weird if I go alone?

- Can I even go alone...
- "Hey.

I’m hearing weird rumblings
about the Bobbys and y’all.

All okay? Amber B."

What about Tarit?
What’s his...

Paloma, God, can you just shut up
for a second? I need to think.

Does this really seem like a moment
where I want to gossip about prom?

I mean, I get that
you’re stressed about this,

but that doesn’t mean you get to
take it out on the rest of us.

I wouldn’t have to
take it out on you

if you were subtracting from
my stress and not adding to it.

I’m not trying to add to it.

I was just talking,
and you snapped.

I-I can’t do this right now.
The world is screwing us over,

and you really want to fight
about my tone of voice?

Found it.

Where’s Sels?

She just left.

Well, where’d she go?

Tell the truth. You mixed up
Bobby’s order, didn’t you?

Uh... well, no,
not-not completely.

It-It was a misunderstanding.

What?

I just think you should be
more careful, is all.

Careful?

You think I should be
more careful?

You’ve been doing this
for what, half a semester?

You really want to tell me
how to do my job?

It’s just that Selah’s under
a lot of stress right now,

so I don’t see why
we should add to it.

Selah has stress?

So, what, did Selah invent
having stress?

This is high school. It’s Haldwell.
We’re all stressed.

Well, for someone who’s supposed to be her
best friend, I just think you fell off...

Why don’t you let
the weight of Selah

rest on your shoulders
for most of your life,

and we’ll talk about
falling off.

I wouldn’t. I won’t.

You will.

Actually, no, you’re right.

You won’t.

Because you’re not her friend.

You’re not.

You’re some little girl
who likes to run around

doing things
for a gold star from Selah.

You’re wrong.

So, you think you know Selah
better than me?

You’re just jealous.

Yeah, maybe.

I don’t know.

But at least I know Selah.

At least I know I’m not
some entry-level trainee

and that if something
happens between us,

she’ll always
come back for me.

Can you say the same?

Hmm.

"Selah, Selah, Selah.

I’m hiding this in your desk
while you get changed.

Today was a very,
very, very good day.

Heart, P."

I was a bitch.

Yeah. You were.

And...

I’m sorry.

Thanks for that.

It’s just that things
can get so exhausting.

What?

Like, all of it.

Well, that’s what I’m here for.

Right?

To make it a little less so?

I know.

I’m glad I met you.

I don’t know what
I would do without you.

You’d die, probably.

Definitely. Definitely die.

Immediately perish.

-Oh, immediately.
-Definitely.

Yo.

-Hey.
-Hey.

I wanted to apologize for
the other day in the library.

Oh. It’s fine.

Really.

I mean... no, I mean,
I-I was out of it.

Just... really stressed.

Spring term, you know?

I’m really sorry.

It’s okay, but thanks.

Yeah, no problem.

Hey, uh, do you think
maybe you could tell Selah

that I’m gonna be
a little late tonight?

Just, like, 15 minutes late.

Nuri has this
presentation thing.

Yeah. Yeah, I’ll tell her.

Oh.

All right, cool.

Yeah.

Thanks.

I see your cards.

Do you have any gum?

Come on.

We don’t need him.

Tarit says
they left him in the wings.

Do they know
what he has on us?

It’s got to be the ledger.

It always comes back
to the ledger.

What’s the play this semester?

Macbeth.

-Where did you get this? -Selah, I
swear, it was... it was just a joke.

Someone told someone who told
someone who told, uh, Jessie,

who told me where Max
would be hanging out with Nuri.

And everybody knows Maxxie
always has the ledger on him,

and-and the Bobbys and the
Prefects thought that we could,

you know, get-get you
to make a trade.

Just a trade, uh...
It was just a joke.

I-I know it looks like we were gonna
rat, Selah, but I...

Maxxie?

No.

No, it’s... No.

Not possible. It’s-it-it...

It’s obviously fake.

This isn’t...
This is the ledger.

Paloma.

All right.

You know what needs doing.

But...

I mean, we should wait
for Maxxie, shouldn’t we?

I mean, we... we need
to figure out what’s going on.

Maxxie?

You still think we need Maxxie?

I mean, we know
what they were planning, so...

- Look.
- I...

If you don’t want to do it,
you don’t have to.

But if you don’t do it now,

you’re only putting off
the inevitable.

What do you think makes
what we do possible?

Trusting people to keep
their mouths shut?

Trusting people to love us,
to want us to succeed?

Please.

It’s better to put the fear
of God in their souls, Paloma,

better to have them fear
your goddamn sneakers

walking towards them
on the concrete

than to let them think that their
actions don’t have consequences.

This is what it means
to have power.

This is what you have to do
to keep it.

Just listen to your gut. That
is all I’m asking you to do.

What if my gut says
this just isn’t right?

Well, then your gut
is fucking wrong.

So, what?

What is it that
you’re afraid of, hmm?

You’ve come
all this way just to flake?

You’ve come all this way
just to run away?

What is it, Paloma?
What is it? Tell me. Hmm?

You’re afraid of doing something that
matters? Is that what you’re telling me?

That you are just like
the rest of them?

You’re not special.

You’re just another kid who’s
afraid to get their hands dirty

for the greater good.

For the good
of our friendship.

Is that it?

Is that it?

Paloma.

I-I didn’t realize
it would hurt this bad.

You’ll get used to it. I swear.

You grow calluses.
It’ll hurt a little.

But geez, P,

talk about
leaving a message.

Look, you’re fine.

Better?

Yo.

Yo... I’ll be right back.

-Oh. Okay.
-Hey.

Hey, I-I tried calling
when I got back

to the dorms last night.
How-how’d it go?

I’m sorry I missed it,
all right?

Uh, N-Nuri had
a presentation.

-There was a reception after.
-Mm.

It was, I mean...

Paloma told you,
though, right?

Um, sh-she told you
I might not make it, right?

Yeah, yeah, it’s no big deal.

-We handled it.
-Yeah?

-Yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s fine.
-Ah...

Oh, um, I won’t be able
to make it this afternoon.

You know,
that thing for the Skins.

Yeah, I-I know I said I could.
I’m sorry.

Oh.

But it’s in...
it’s in Fishtown.

Yeah, I know. I’m sorry.

Look, I got an AP bio test,
and I’m super underprepared,

and I’m just stressed out.

Oh, all right. I mean,
we can... we can reschedule it.

Mm, no. Bummer. Look, we
need it for this weekend.

We made that order months ago, and
after that hiccup with the Bobbys,

we’ve really got to
come through on this one.

Okay. Um,
you-you think me and Paloma...

Nope.

Paloma’s busy.

Newspaper stuff, you know?

Look, you should...
you should leave now

before it gets late.

Just-Just gonna have to go
to this one alone.

Good luck.

You got to talk to him.

Imagine if the heads
had gotten those pages.

I know. I know.

When he gets here,
I’ll handle it, but...

I don’t know, I just need
some time away from him.

Distance never hurt anybody.

What’s that?

My mom got it for me.

That’s sweet.

Do you like it?

What are you doing?

Are you... Selah. Selah.

Hey. Hey, Selah.

Hey, hey, hey. Stop, stop,
stop, stop, stop, okay?

Selah.

It’s okay.

Just breathe.

Sorry.

No, no.
Look at me. Look at me.

You have nothing
to apologize for.

It’s okay.

Maxxie!

What happened to you?

Who did this to you?

Where were you?

How could you miss this?

How could you let this happen?

It’s not like I did it
on purpose, Selah.

That’s worse. How do you not
see that that’s worse?

I mean...

we’ve got all these people
coming for us,

and I can’t trust
my own faction?

My own brother?

-Selah.
-No.

No.

But that’s you now, right?

You sneak around.

You don’t answer your phone.
You miss appointments.

You lie.
You don’t concentrate.

You can’t concentrate.

I made a mistake!

What don’t you understand,
Selah?

You think
I don’t know you?

Huh?

You think I haven’t
seen you mess up?

No.

No, I don’t get distracted.

You almost cost me everything
because of some girl.

-You don’t even know her.
-It’s not a...

You don’t even
give her a chance.

It’s not about her, Max.

It’s about you.

You can’t stand the idea of anyone giving
someone something you can’t give them.

You can’t stand the idea
that somebody might be

better than you

or as pretty as you
or as nice as you or as...

worthy of attention as you.

You can’t.

Not with me, not with Bobby,
not with Nuri.

Not with Teela.

Especially not with Teela.

No.

You know what?

It’s nothing personal.
It’s just business.

You’re done.

So let’s not make this deeper
than what it is.

You’re out.

-Hey, Selah.
-Hi.

How you doing?

Hey.

What’s happening with her?

- Oh, there she is. Ah!
- Ugh, so dramatic.

Hey, Selah.

There is a power

among certain factions
of the student body

that has been wielded
for far too long

without any concern, frankly,
for the safety of our community.

And I do fear, therefore,

that the student body itself
has failed you.

I mean, what is it that you
owe one another, exactly?

Illicit substances?

The occasional party
after lights out?

Cheating on the very exams
that have been designed

to further your understanding
of the wider world around you?

I don’t think so.

No. Of course not.

I mean, you’re the best
of the best.

So we have an expectation
that you are gonna bring out

the best in each other
and not waste yourselves.

Maybe not waste
all of your talent,

maybe not squander
all of your potential on...

childish games.

Do better.

I mean, be better.

Because we’ve actually
been there.

We know better.

There is a very large,
very real world

outside of this bubble
you call the Haldwell School.

And that world,
make no mistake,

severe actions, well,
they beget severe consequences.

Therefore, after a very thorough
review by the board of trustees,

it has been determined that this
year’s junior/senior prom...

well, that’s been called off.

Canceled.

I share in your
disappointment... I truly do...

that there are a few that have
chosen to ruin it for the many.

"Factions, 5:00 p.m., fields."

And you know who you are.

Everybody here knows me.
They know us, the Bobbys.

"Keep the drama on the stage."

That’s our motto.

So, when I say
I charge the Spades

for reckless endangerment
of our livelihoods,

I trust you know
I’m not saying it lightly.

There’s no ambiguity here,
and it’s ’cause of you.

You and your lack of control.

You and what you did to Teela.

You made her take the fall. You
put her there and walked away.

The heads are after us
’cause of you.

All of this
is because of you.

Because of me?

Who else do you think
he was talking about?

More like because you thought
you could get someone to rat.

-There’s no proof of that.
-Th-That evidence

-is circumstantial, at best.
-He confessed.

Who knows how he got the ledger
after this year of mistakes?

We don’t make mistakes.

If you don’t make mistakes,
then where’s Maxxie?

Fair point.

Senior spring is ruined.

Oh, stop being so dramatic. It’s a dance.
We have a million of them.

This is prom, Selah.

It’s wild that they’re doing this.
I mean, this is America.

No. It’s not America
when you’re on school property.

It’s the United States
of Haldwell.

- Let’s just focus here.
- It needed to be said.

What’s the point
in having a council

if we just let the Spades...
if we just let Selah

sit at the center of chaos
with no repercussions?

All right, you know what? The question
isn’t: Who’s going to let me?

Who’s gonna stop me? -I will
stop you! You’re so full of it.

No, you can’t just do
whatever you want.

So what?

So fucking what?

Who do they think they are,

taking something you’ve all
been looking forward to

since seventh grade?

I mean,
you know what this is?

This is them telling us
we have no power here.

So, you know what I say?

Fuck that.

They want to tell us
we don’t have the power?

Let them fall on their asses

watching us take
that power back.

And what, pray tell,
did you have in mind?

Let ’em cancel prom.

We’ll throw our own.

Can we do that?

Can we?

The Bobbys and the Prefects have
found a clearing in the woods that’s ideal.

It’s perfect.

It’s a bit of a trek,
but it’s off school property...

Two Tom checked... so it’s out
of their jurisdiction.

Tarit and the Sea
have agreed to trade

one end-of-year essay
to every student

who lets us use their car
for lighting and power.

The Skins, you’ll be
in charge of sign-outs.

Every boarding student that wants
in needs to be accounted for.

I don’t care
where you send them,

but just make sure
they suddenly have an urge

to visit their third cousin
twice removed

in Philadelphia
the night of prom.

And the Spades
will deliver on party favors.

Mm-hmm. Yep.

Yeah.

If you need any help,
let us know.

This only works
if we do it together.

This only works
if we trust each other.

But if it works, well,
new world order, you know?

Talk about leaving a message.

Bobby?

Paloma.

Are you coming
to the show tonight?

Probably not. We’re a bit
backed up on drop-offs since...

Spring cleaning?

Is that what y’all
are calling it?

I’m sorry. It’s not funny.

I liked Maxxie.

Do they ever talk about her?

The girl
who came before you?

Her name was Teela.

She was a Bobby, but they convinced
her she’d be better off as a Spade.

Might have mentioned that.

She didn’t work out.

Might have
mentioned that too.

-Wasn’t anyone’s fault but her own, so...
-Is that what she told you?

-That’s what they say.
-Are you serious?

It was her fault?

Car crashes into the goalposts
on the field with Teela driving

even though she’d only just
passed her permit?

Out of her mind on acid even
though she’d never used before,

and it’s nobody’s fault
but her own?

Selah’s always going on
about how nobody rats, but...

what’s the difference
between a snitch

and the girl who sets up her
friend to take the fall

in front of the heads?

What happened to her?

Expelled.

Unceremoniously.

For drugs found on her person
and damage to school property.

She got sent back to Seattle in
the middle of her junior year.

I mean, that...
that’s not Selah’s fault.

Nothing’s ever Selah’s fault.

Everything’s
"for the greater good."

I’ve got to get going.

I have a couple
more drop-offs

on the other side
of campus, so...

You’re good at this,
Paloma.

We all think so...
all the factions.

Thanks.

Don’t let her tell you
otherwise, yeah?

Hey, Nuri.

Good job today.
Really smooth.

Thanks, Selah.

I have to tell Maxxie.

When did you take this?

Hmm?

Do you often hang out with
the Bobbys in the theater?

Oh, that. No.

No, I was just making a drop.

A drop with a photo shoot?

I didn’t realize you were
giving such great service now.

It was just a good shot,
so I took it.

They call it a vanity
for a reason.

She is so vain.

She’s all right.

She’s not the enemy, Selah.

Then who is?

Sometimes there just isn’t one.

She, um...

she mentioned something
I meant to ask you about.

Hmm. She did?

Some girl named Teela?

Yeah. Teela.

What’d she say?

Just that she was a Bobby,
then a Spade.

Yes.

I didn’t know people
could switch up like that.

People can do
whatever they want.

Was she good?

I mean, she was good enough for
a Bobby, not for the Spades.

What happened?

Didn’t Bobby tell you?

Said there was a car crash.

Well, then that’s
what happened.

She got expelled?

She did.

You two were close,
weren’t you?

Close-ish.

I mean, she was always there,
right over my shoulder.

I mean, at first,
it was fine, yeah, but...

I don’t know, I didn’t understand
what she wanted from me,

but I knew she wanted
something.

Like when you’re not sure
if someone’s in love with you

or they just really want
to be you.

Yeah, like that.

Look, Teela was reckless. Her eyes
were bigger than her stomach.

She wanted to take over

before knowing what
taking over entailed.

Right, but... but
what did she do?

Does it matter?

I mean, she flew too close to
the sun, and her wings melted.

And who’s the sun
in that scenario?

"Who’s the sun?"

These are the things you’re
gonna have to handle, Paloma.

The hard things, the things
no one wants to decide.

I get that.

I really, really do.

But...

sometimes I’m gonna
handle things

a little differently
than you might have.

And I think that’s okay.

I think it’s fine.

It’s just different, is all.

"Different."

Yeah.

Okay.

- Aah! Tarit!
- I just dropped...

And two Coke please, two Coke,
please, two Coke please.

A bigger... a bigger one.

Bigger one, a bigger one.
Give me a...

Give me a bigger bottle.
Give me a bigger bottle.

-Your singles.
-Hey, hey, look...

Those fuckers
love their drugs.

Yeah.

How do you feel?

I’m exhausted,
excited and nervous.

-Yeah?
-I don’t know, I just...

I want everything
to be good, you know? Fun.

Yeah.

Sounds like you
need a drink.

-A drink?
-A drink.

If this was the beginning
of the semester

and someone told me I would be
going to prom this year,

I probably would have
laughed in their face.

I mean, maybe not
in their face, but...

You know?

This is just so amazing.

I don’t know. Next year...

Next year’s gonna be
even bigger.

I mean, they don’t even know
what I can do yet.

I mean, next year is gonna make
this year look like a blip.

The Spades are gonna be huge.

The Spades are already grand,
though, so...

Oh. Yeah, of course.

Of course. Oh, my God.
You know what I meant.

It’s just... This is brilliant.

I mean, it’s kind of magical

the way things are just
coming together.

I don’t know.

I guess what I’m trying to say
is just that...

I’m excited, I’m happy,
I’m nervous.

I don’t know.

I did this.

Can you believe that?

I mean, we did this.

So there’s one shot left,
and I think you’ve earned it.

You sure?

Of course.

- Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go,
go, go, go, go, go. -

Mm.

That’s gross.

-Should we keep going?
-Yeah. Yeah.

You okay?

Yeah. Yeah, yeah,
yeah, I’m fine.

Okay.

Selah, whoo!

This is, like, the best
thing that I’ve ever been to.

Where have you been?

We didn’t see you.
Where are you going?

I’m just... I’m just
getting ready, you guys.

The punch is so strong.

- Really? -It’s so good.
- It’s so good.

- No, thank you.
- Hey, Paloma.

- I-I’m good, I’m good.
- You want a hit?

What is it?

- Does it matter? -
Hey, Paloma. Should you?

Yeah.
I was just dizzy earlier.

Hey, Paloma, don’t...

Paloma.

Hey.

Stay here.
I-I’m gonna get water.

Hi.

-Hey, Selah.
-Hey, uh,

nice tux-and-tie combo.

Thanks.

Nuri picked it out for me.

Hey, Max.

If you see Paloma, can you,
um, just send her my way?

She had one too many,
uh, Button Drops,

and I told her to stay, but
when I got back, she was gone.

What do you mean,
"one too many Button Drops"?

Remember the ones you ordered?

I-I didn’t want them
to go to waste.

How many did she take?

I don’t know.
I wasn’t there with her.

I think, like, half of one
or something like that.

Oh. Okay.
All right, that’s not bad.

- Hey, Max.
- What?

How many is, um...

How many would it...
w-would be so bad,

in a hypothetical situation?
Like...

Come here.

How many did she take,
Selah?

Um...

Look, Max, she was talking
about me to Bobby...

I mean, Bobby out of all
people... and that’s not right.

And-and her head
is just getting so big,

and the whole thing
with Banton...

Selah, how many did she take?

-Fuck!
-Fuck!

Max.

Max, listen. Listen, listen.

You can’t keep doing this,
Selah.

Hey, Paloma.

Paloma.

Paloma! Hey, girl.

Come here!

Selah.

Maxxie.

Paloma, are you okay?

Look at me, okay?
Do... do you see me?

Just look at me.

I’m right here. Do you see me?

Paloma, are you okay?

Will you say something?

- Paloma.
- Paloma.

Say something.

You have to tell her.

Do not tell me what to do.

-If you don’t, I will.
-Where do you get off? Where?

Claiming some moral high ground.
Where, Max?

-What? Selah, you drugged her!
-Max, it is not that fucking...

Who did you drug?

- Not now, Paloma. Max!
- Selah!

Tell her the fucking truth!

Who did you drug?

Look, I literally just did it
just to keep you humble.

-That is all I did it for.
-Keep me humble?

Wh-What are you talking about?

I trusted you,
and you were talking to Bobby.

-Paloma, I-I...
-Bullshit! Bullshit!

Bullshit. You trusted me?

- Paloma.
- I trusted you.

-I thought that you... -Paloma, you’re
making a big deal out of this for nothing.

Selah!

- Paloma, stop!
- Stop!

Paloma, come back!

Paloma! Paloma, stop!

Paloma! Just stop!

Please slow down!

Paloma!

Paloma! Please!

- Please stop! Please!
- Paloma!

- Paloma, look out! Shit!
- Paloma, stop!

Fuck!

Paloma!

- Help.
- Paloma.

- Paloma!
- Selah.

Max, she’s here. She’s here.

Help me lift her.
Help me lift her.

Okay, okay.

Good, good.

- Max.
- Little more. Pull up.

Help us out. I’ve got you.

Yeah, that’s it, Selah.

Don’t, don’t move.

Just take my jacket, okay?

Breathe. Breathe. You okay?

I’m okay.

Just breathe. Just breathe.

Just breathe, all right?

Selah.