VICTOR: Simon, thank you for your last message.
You said some stuff I really needed to hear...
That there's a world beyond high school and my family.
A world where there are people like me.
You said if I could go and see your life in New York,
I'd know there's a place where I belong.
And you know what? I really need to see it.
So, I did something a little crazy.
Good morning. ISABEL: Honey, please.
‐ Buenos. You going somewhere? ISABEL: Good morning.
‐ Yeah. This weekend's that basketball camp at Georgia State.
The team's leaving right after school.
Did you forget?
I told you about it, like, forever ago.
I gave you a permission slip and everything.
‐ No, you didn't.
‐ Maybe you weren't paying attention with,
you know, everything going on between you two.
‐ [whispers] Did you...
‐ I don't remember a slip. ISABEL: No.
VICTOR: Oh.
Here it is.
‐ Uh, yeah, okay. Dámelo, and I'll sign it right now.
‐ Or I can. I forge Dad's signature all the time.
Permission slips, checks. You name it.
‐ You know we can hear you, right?
VICTOR: I got a bus ticket to come and visit you.
In New York.
So, I hope you're cool with me crashing on your couch this weekend,
because in 22 short hours,
I'll be in New York City.
♪ upbeat music playing ♪
‐ ♪ Waiting for the time ♪
♪ Waiting for the place ♪
♪ And I, I, I ♪
♪ I, I need ♪
♪ Somebody to tell me it'll be all right ♪
♪ Somebody to tell me it'll be just fine ♪
♪ If someone has been there before, say it right now ♪
♪ 'Cause I just need to hear it ♪
♪
[bell rings]
‐ Lake, you look perfect in pink.
Like a sexy bottle of Pepto Bismol. ‐ [speaking gibberish]
Get a hold of yourself, man. But thank you.
[Mia grunts]
[thuds]
‐ Uh, everything okay?
‐ I was supposed to hang out with Victor this weekend,
but I guess he and his dad planned some last minute boys' trip.
‐ So after bailing on meeting your dad, he's bailing again?
‐ The nerve! And what is this about a boys' trip?
I mean, I was not invited, and I'm pretty sure I'm a boy.
‐ Pretty sure? [door closes]
‐ Shut it. I am in a terrible mood.
My boyfriend Omar dumped me.
‐ Well, he's making a huge mistake, Ms. Thomas.
You're a catch.
‐ Oh, thank you, Andrew.
That's very inappropriate coming from a 16‐year‐old boy,
but you know what? I'll take the win.
Okay, textbooks. Page 33. "Self‐esteem and depression."
MIA: Guess you'll make a move on anyone.
[phone vibrating]
ANDREW: You still mad I kissed you? I said I was sorry.
[phone buzzing]
♪
LAKE: Meet me later to kiss this Pepto Bis.
[phone vibrating]
MIA: WTH? Who is this for?
[phone vibrating]
LAKE: You! Wanted to borrow your lipstick.
I had a breakfast burrito this morning that didn't agree with me. [phone vibrating]
ANDREW: Are you ignoring me? [phone vibrating]
MIA: I was trying to, but you won't take the hint.
FELIX: Feeling a little left out.
What are we all texting about? [phones buzzing]
‐ Huh. Congratulations. Lake. Mia. Felix. Andrew.
You've all earned yourselves Saturday detention
for texting in class.
Told you I was in one of my terrible moods.
♪
‐ Ugh. Go directly to jail?
‐ Lock her up! Lock her up!
‐ The remote got stuck in the couch,
and your brother spent the day watching Fox News.
‐ Okay, Carla. See you Monday at 4:00.
[singsongy] Guess who just booked her first piano lesson?
‐ [singsongy] Why are you so embarrassing?
‐ Um, Pilar,
I was thinking about getting some new work clothes at the mall tomorrow.
Do you wanna come?
‐ Oh, I totally would. But I don't want to.
‐ You can get whatever you want,
as long as it's not sexy, crazy, or over $40.
‐ Can I get my cartilage pierced?
‐ Uh, no. That would fall into the crazy category.
‐ She can always take it out.
PILAR: Mmmmm.
‐ If you look like a pirate, I will pull it out with my own hands, okay?
[Pilar squealing, giggling] I'm just...
‐ Okay. Adrian, come help me decide if I should go helix or snug.
‐ I don't know what any of those words are.
PILAR: Come on!
‐ Oh, my God. Three thank yous, and a hug.
You saw the hug, right? I didn't imagine that.
‐ Isabel, you are playing with fire. You give that mouse a cookie,
she's gonna want a glass of milk.
‐ Mm, now I want a cookie.
♪
[snoring]
[phone dinging]
SIMON: Victor, I really wish you'd given me a heads‐up
that you were coming to New York.
I'd love to see you, but I'm not there.
‐ What? No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Do you mind?
SIMON: I'm stuck in Jersey at my cousin's bachelor party.
Yay. Boobs.
But even though I can't be your gay sherpa,
I know someone who can.
Someone who's probably more fun than me, anyway.
‐ Victor?
SIMON: You remember my boyfriend Bram, right? ‐ Victor, hey!
‐ Hey. ‐ How was your trip?
‐ It was good. ‐ Ah, I'm so excited to meet you.
[kisses] ‐ Whoa.
‐ It's all good. It's New York. Nobody gives a shit.
[laughs] Trust me.
[kissing noises]
‐ [exhales] It's the weekend. Nobody's coming.
‐ Love this, but, um, no more hickeys.
You're my sexy little secret.
‐ Right. Right, right. It's like a...
a forbidden romance between two spies.
Like... Kissin' Impossible.
‐ Exactly.
Um, okay. Come on. Detention time.
Um, I'll just head in there, and you stay here and count to ten...
thousand.
‐ One... two... three...
‐ I cannot believe I'm here on a Saturday.
I'm missing the hot dad next door teach his kid how to swim.
‐ Did you guys come here together? ‐ Me and Andrew?
No. He wishes.
‐ Is that a hickey? ‐ What?
‐ Are you hooking up with someone? ‐ No.
No, I burned myself on a curling iron.
‐ Huh. Your hair's straight today.
‐ Who are you? The hair police?
[imitates siren] My hair's straight. I surrender!
MS. THOMAS: They're my DVDs, Omar! I'm keeping them, okay?
You don't even watch Rizzoli and Isles!
Welcome, detention‐ees.
Uh, today we're gonna be getting this place in tip‐top shape
for the Spring Fling.
Andrew and Lake, you're a team.
Mia, and... where's Lone Stone?
FELIX: Here.
I'm here. Sorry, I was...
going to the bathroom.
‐ I hear it takes longer to pee when you only have one ball.
‐ That is not at all medically accurate.
And just to be clear, I have two balls.
MS. THOMAS: There's no shame in just having one.
My father just had one. Led a very full life. Now get to work.
♪ "Best Friend" by Sofi Tukker playing ♪
‐ ♪ ...way past 65 ♪
ANDREW: Hey, you. Goofball.
‐ Stop. I have a weapon.
[Andrew and Lake chattering indistinctly]
‐ ♪ I drop what I do ♪
VICTOR: Oh, my God.
BRAM: Sorry. The elevator's broken.
But on the plus side, all those stairs are killer for your glutes.
‐ Uh, who are these people?
BRAM: Uh, you think that we could afford an apartment in Brooklyn
with no roommates? No.
‐ I prefer the term "flatmates," actually.
It makes us sound more European.
I'm Justin, with soft J, like "joosh."
‐ I'm Victor.
IVY: I'm Ivy. ‐ I'm Kim.
And before you ask, my pronouns are they, them, theirs.
‐ Oh, okay. Nice to meet... they.
[all laughing] IVY: So what's your deal?
‐ My deal?
ALL: Mm‐hmm.
‐ Oh, I'm just, uh, visiting.
I'm Bram and Simon's pre‐frosh.
Yeah. We all used to go to the same high school,
so my college counselor hooked us up.
Wanted to get a taste of NYU. You know, check out the basketball program.
‐ What?
‐ You wanted to come to NYU for the sports?
‐ Ooh, your college counselor hooked you up
with the wrong‐ass people, girl.
ALL: Ooh! ‐ I'm not a girl.
‐ Don't mind him. ‐ He's harmless.
Any friend of Bram and Simon's is a friend of ours.
‐ Absolutely. You should totally come with us to Messy Boots tonight.
‐ Yes!
Oh, my God! ‐ What's Messy Boots?
‐ It is the best party in town. IVY: Yes.
‐ They have this drag show
where they bring people from the audience on stage.
‐ Nah.
I mean, it's just, I just have so much to do with this pre‐frosh thing. So...
‐ Um, can I steal you for a second?
‐ Yeah. ‐ Yeah. Okay.
‐ Nice to meet you guys.
JUSTIN and KIM: Nice to meet you.
‐ What is a pre‐frosh?
‐ Okay, what was that? Why did you tell them that you're my pre‐frosh?
‐ Because I don't know them.
I barely know you.
Look, Simon is the only person I've told, and I...
I'm not ready to open up to a whole bunch of strangers.
‐ Okay. I get it.
And I'm sorry. I forgot how scary it is when you're first coming out,
even around other gay people.
‐ I'm sorry.
I, I know I came out here to experience gay stuff,
but it all just feels so... ‐ Gay?
[chuckles] [Victor exhales]
‐ Come on. I gotta show you something, all right?
[door opens]
[buzzing]
‐ Ah! Finally.
I was starting to worry you were back there getting devil horns
tattooed on your forehead.
Which is a very good look for some people.
Can I see it?
[gasps] Oh, it's cute! A little hoop.
Do you love it? Oh!
‐ You're rad. My mom never let me do anything like this.
‐ Well, yeah. I'm a cool mom.
I just really believe that you have to let your children express themselves.
Right, Pilar? [cash register dings]
‐ That'll be 80 for the two piercings.
‐ Two?
What did you do, Pilar?
[gasps]
‐ You said everything was too gay for you, so, thought I'd butch it up.
♪ "Knockout" by Yung Gravy playing ♪
‐ ♪ Gravy ♪
‐ You came here for the sports, right?
Let's see what you got.
♪
‐ ♪ Hop in, walk out ♪
♪ Pipe up, clock out ♪
♪ New wrist, watch out ♪
♪ Lil, that's a knock out ♪
♪ Hop in, walk out ♪
♪ Pipe up, clock out ♪
♪ New wrist, watch out ♪
♪ Lil, that's a knock out ♪
♪ Hop in, walk out ♪
♪ Pipe up, clock out ♪
♪ New wrist, watch out ♪
♪ Lil, that's a knock out ♪
[exhales]
[phone chimes]
[Bram panting]
‐ So, what'd you think?
‐ [laughs] That was embarrassing.
At Creekwood, I'm actually considered good.
‐ Oh, I know. These guys are insane. ‐ Yeah.
BRAM: Jason was in the NBA.
First openly gay player.
JASON: Hey, good game, Bram.
Maybe next time you'll even make a shot.
‐ Oh, that's cold. [laughs]
Get out of here! ‐ He's gay?
‐ They all are. It's a gay league.
We play here twice a week.
I just wanted you to see that there's no one way to be gay.
Right? You can be femme, you can be butch, athletic,
or in Simon's case, painfully un‐athletic.
[both laugh]
But the one thing you can't be is afraid.
Victor, you came here because you wanted to belong.
I got an apartment filled with super gay roommates
who would be thrilled to accept you.
So don't be too scared to let them in.
Yeah? ‐ Yeah.
So... everyone here is gay?
‐ Oh, yeah.
‐ Even Darius? BRAM: Yeah.
VICTOR: He's, like, six‐foot‐eight. ‐ Oh, you should see him in heels.
[laughs]
ANDREW: That's just me forgetting...
You. Are. A. Cute... [Lake laughing]
‐ I know, right? So offensive.
I mean, it's 2020. Women can be sexual beings without being labeled a ho‐bag.
If anyone got to know Amanda Rogers,
they'd understand that she is just super affectionate.
Mostly with the football team.
‐ Did you know that Lake and Andrew are hooking up?
‐ What?
[laughing]
MIA: I mean, I don't have a problem with it, obviously.
But I just don't see them together. Do you?
‐ No.
I definitely do not. Will you excuse me a minute?
Andrew. Ms. Thomas wants us to switch.
‐ Fine by me.
I've been pretending to mop for, like, an hour now, so...
you got a lot of work to do there, Lone Stone.
‐ So...
You're hooking up with Andrew.
‐ [laughing] What are you talking about?
‐ Oh, cut the charade. Mia told me everything.
‐ Oh. She saw the hickey that you gave me and assumed it was from Andrew.
‐ Oh. [chuckles]
‐ This is why I said no hickeys.
But this jealousy thing is kind of hot.
‐ Look, Lake, I've been trying to be cool,
because I don't want to mess this up,
but I'm starting to feel like you're super embarrassed by me.
‐ [exhales] No.
No, not super embarrassed. Medium.
‐ Is it the Lone Stone thing?
‐ Doesn't help.
But I... I'd love to keep doing what we're doing.
You know. On the DL. [chuckles]
[Felix sighs]
[siren blaring]
‐ Hey, guys. ‐ Hey.
‐ Hey. Hey, pre‐frosh. ‐ Hey. What's up?
‐ Justin, that's a lot of look.
‐ Girl, we are going to a drag show, not church.
[all laughing]
‐ Why do so many gay people like dressing up in drag?
Is it, like, fun to be a character?
Be someone that you're not?
‐ Okay, pre‐frosh.
[Justin sighs]
This was me three years ago.
Yeah. [chuckles]
My parents would have me put on this gorgeous ensemble,
and walk around the neighborhood and try to convince people
to join a religion that I knew wanted nothing to do with me.
As you can probably tell, I was not loving my life.
It was...
It was a dark time.
Anyway...
That was putting on a character.
That was drag.
This is just me being me.
BRAM: Mm‐hmm, mm‐hmm.
‐ Um,
my parents are religious, too.
Not like yours, but, um...
I really worry...
how they'll react if I ever tell them that I'm, um...
I'm like you guys.
♪
[mouthing]
[sighs]
ARMANDO: Why would she want to punch a hole in her tongue, on purpose?
‐ Because she's demented. Our daughter is demented.
‐ I told you. I told you‐‐ ‐ I was desperate, Armando.
I just wanted our daughter to like me again.
‐ Isa, she likes you. Of course she likes you. ‐ No!
Ever since we told the kids about Roger,
Victor's been able to get over it, but Pilar,
she doesn't look at me the same.
And she doesn't know what you did, so,
I'm the only bad guy here.
‐ Wait, no. Hey, listen, I‐‐ Isa!
‐ Quit slacking. Let's go.
‐ You know, you're like, a tall...
super tall giant.
‐ Are you hitting on me?
‐ No! No, I'm insulting you.
I'm not good at trash talk, because unlike you, I'm a good person.
‐ I'm a good person. I just like busting your ball.
[Andrew laughs]
‐ Do you know how many times I scrubbed the word "Lonestone"
off these walls today?
Twenty‐one times. And each time is your fault.
Ever since you created that stupid nickname,
I wasn't a person.
I was a joke.
And no girl wants to date a joke.
‐ Oh, come on, man. I just like to make people laugh.
‐ Nobody's laughing because you're funny.
They're laughing because they don't want to be the next victim of a dumb...
clichéd jock straight out of an '80s movie.
‐ Mia, why would you tell Felix I'm hooking up with Andrew?
‐ I don't know. Because you are.
Not that I care. Live your life.
‐ I swear on my crocodile‐embossed Chanel 2.55 handbag
with the black and gold clasps that I am not hooking up with Andrew.
But clearly, you do care. A lot.
[exhales] So, what's up?
‐ He kissed me. [Lake gasps]
No, don't gasp. I shut it down right away.
Or almost right away.
It was the night Victor stood me up for the fundraiser,
so I was already feeling weird, and Andrew was there.
He was looking hot in his blazer, and I‐‐
I guess he thought we were having a moment.
‐ Well, were you?
‐ I don't know.
Okay. Do you remember how I told you
I lost my virginity to some rando at camp?
Well, it wasn't at camp, and it wasn't some rando.
[Lake gasps]
‐ You and Andrew.
Why didn't you tell me?
‐ Because.
The night it happened, I was feeling really sad about my mom,
and it was just a mistake that I try never to think about.
Anyway, I'm sorry.
Best friends don't keep secrets from each other.
‐ Um...
I'm actually hooking up with Felix.
[Mia gasps] Are you, like, totally grossed out?
‐ No! I'm just... uh, s‐surprised?
‐ Me, too. Just... sort of happened.
And then it happened again.
And every day since. ‐ Aw!
Well, Felix is so sweet, and sleeper cute.
And it's about time you like an actual nice guy.
‐ He is cute, isn't he? ‐ Yeah.
♪ club music playing ♪
[indistinct chatter]
BRAM: Oh, it's baby's first gay club. JUSTIN: Aw!
‐ What do you think?
‐ So, everyone here is...
‐ Gay.
♪ club music playing ♪
‐ Just a ginger ale for my friend. He is drunk enough on boys, already.
‐ Oh, you're one to talk.
Girl. Come on. [all chattering]
[laughing]
‐ Yo, I'm Mike.
‐ Uh, nice.
[Justin snickers]
‐ Victor! ‐ He was trying to flirt with you!
‐ He was?
IVY: Yes. You're hopeless. KIM: Yes!
‐ Get used to it, Victor. I have a feeling you're gonna break a lot of hearts.
[Victor laughs] KIM: Totally.
‐ You can forget all about that Benji kid.
‐ Wait, how, how did you‐‐
How'd you know about Benji?
Did Simon tell you guys about our messages?
‐ Victor, look‐‐
‐ So you all...
just pretended not to know who I was.
Then you've just been lying to me.
This whole time.
Wow. ‐ No.
‐ Cool.
BRAM: No, Victor‐‐
‐ Ivy!
[crickets chirping]
‐ Look at her.
[screams]
You know, I'm starting to think she's keeping us here
so that she doesn't have to go home to an empty apartment.
[Andrew chuckles]
‐ Hey, uh, you've known me forever.
You don't think I'm a bad guy, do you?
I mean, I know, uh, I like to mess with people,
but I'm an nice guy.
And people know that, right? You know that?
‐ I think deep down, you're a good guy.
But I'm not sure that matters much,
if on the surface you're a total jerk.
‐ Sure you want to sit next to me? The janitor might see.
[Lake sighs]
‐ I'm sorry about earlier.
You're not embarrassing.
I'm embarrassing for caring about status, or whatever.
[exhales]
I'm not ready for everyone to know, but...
I did tell Mia about us.
So, baby steps, okay?
‐ Okay.
MS. THOMAS: Guys. Children!
Come over here! Come here.
I have some amazing news.
Omar's taking me back.
Yeah, he really liked the edible arrangement I sent,
so, um, I gotta rush home for some sweet, sweet...
...corn.
So, uh, you're all free to go home.
‐ Thank God. Is anybody else hungry?
‐ Starving. Hot dad neighbor usually barbecues on Saturdays, so...
[Mia and Lake chattering indistinctly] [Felix sighs]
‐ Andrew.
‐ Yeah, yeah, yeah. Here I come.
♪
[knocking on door]
‐ What? ARMANDO: Can we talk?
Pilar,
I know it's been a tough year,
but all this sulking in your room, and the tongue piercing,
it's got me wondering, are you okay?
‐ My tongue hurts pretty bad.
‐ I mean, generally, you seem angry.
A lot. Especially at your mom.
You have to forgive her, Pilar.
She made a mistake.
And if I know your mother,
she will beat herself up about this for the rest of her life.
But she's still your mom.
Same one who sung you lullabies about Pilar, her star.
So, I'll say it again. You, you have to forgive her, Pilar.
‐ [muffled] Have you?
‐ What?
‐ Have you?
‐ Of course.
[indistinct chatter] [cars honking]
[exhales]
SIMON: Victor!
VICTOR: Simon?
‐ Hey, man!
Hey. God, I've been texting with Bram,
and I just felt so bad about missing this whole thing
that I, I left the bachelor party, and...
Wait, what's the matter?
Why aren't you inside with everyone else?
‐ Look,
Simon, I trusted you.
I thought that what I told you stayed between us,
but now I realize this whole time you've been sitting around with your friends,
laughing about my stupid, messed up life.
‐ Well, no. Victor, that's not...
That is not what happened, I swear.
Look, when you first messaged me, I was touched.
Really. But...
You know, I was scared, too.
I, I know you want me to be this, like,
guru who has all the answers, but the truth is, I don't.
And I didn't want to push you too hard, or tell you the wrong thing.
Or make your life any harder than it already was.
And look, like you said in your first message,
we're not the same.
I never had a girlfriend.
But Bram did.
And I, I didn't have super religious parents,
but Justin did.
Every one of my friends had a little bit to offer.
A little piece of the puzzle.
They weren't sitting around laughing about your life.
They were in your corner, listening, and helping, and, and cheering you on.
‐ Why would they want to help a complete stranger?
‐ Because you're not a stranger.
You're one of us.
To me, that's the best part about all of this.
Having a community.
A group of friends that gave up an entire weekend
to help a kid that they've never met,
just because they know that on some level,
we've all been through the same thing.
Because we're family.
‐ So, uh...
is it always this cold in New York, or...
[both chuckling]
‐ Here.
It's a little something to remember your weekend in the city.
Also, Bram said that he would, uh,
burn it if I wore it one more time. [laughs]
Shall we?
♪ "Dreamland" by Pet Shop Boys [featuring Years and Years] playing ♪
‐ Ah! You're back!
IVY: Oh, my gosh. Victor, I'm so sorry. ‐ Why is nobody dancing?
‐ ♪ Dreamland ♪
[all laughing and chattering]
‐ Ooh!
‐ ♪ I need you ♪
♪ I close my eyes and you lead the way ♪
♪ Dreamland ♪
♪ I close my eyes and you lead the way ♪
♪ Dreamland ♪
[TV playing indistinctly]
LAKE: Thank you.
FELIX: Aw, that looks good. Can I have one? ‐ No.
FELIX: What? ANDREW: You gotta earn the fry.
It's a rite of passage. FELIX: How do I earn a fry?
‐ You look as good as us. [line ringing]
VICTOR [on voicemail] Hey, it's Victor. Leave me a message. [phone beeps]
SHOW HOST: Here's Katya!
[all cheering and clapping]
‐ Woo! Yeah, girl!
[voices crescendo] [laughs]
KATYA: New York City! Welcome to Messy Boots.
Can I just say,
you are the sorriest‐looking crowd I have ever seen!
[all laughing]
Except this one.
Who's this little chicken? [makes kissing noises]
Come on up here. Get your butt up here.
WOMAN: Woo! [crowd cheering and clapping]
‐ Yeah, Victor!
‐ What's your name, honey?
‐ Uh... [clears throat] Victor.
‐ How's your night going, Victor?
[audience chattering] [woman yelling]
‐ Uh...
It's been the best night of my life.
[audience cheers, claps]
♪ "God This Feels Good" by Isaac Dunbar playing ♪
‐ ♪ I never wanna die ♪
♪ Is it a blessing or curse ♪
♪ It's too soon to decide ♪
♪ God this feels good ♪
♪ Ah ♪
♪ I'm Mr. Bright Eyes, Don't know how I went this long ♪
♪ Ah ♪