[fast-paced music playing]
[Travis screams]
[June] Travis, that hurts! No!
[Travis] Bitch!
Get off of me! Travis! You're hurting me!
[shouts]
[grunts]
[snapping to beat]
Get off!
-Get off! You're hurting me! Get off! -[Travis] Bitch!
[shouting]
That… wasn't terrible.
[Neveah] We can't sit on that recording.
This place is basically trading donations for access to underage girls.
They hired us to walk members to their tables, okay?
It's not like Madame knew the club had creeps like Travis Quinn.
-Why are you defending our director? -Because we're in over our heads.
[Neveah] Except we're not.
That recording goes public, we get Madame--
Shh!
We get Madame fired,
Hadrian Talbot off the board,
and then we rebuild the Archer
into something that we're actually proud of.
We keep our heads down, we might be dancing at City Works Ballet.
-But we start taking shots at our school? -Our diplomas will be worth dick.
Plus, we would be a lot more employable with a Ramon Costa ballet on our résumé.
Those of us who can actually dance it.
The Wrench said if you keep up physio, you might at least make corps.
So we just let Travis keep going after girls? Assaulting them?
We have the recording. He'll be a good boy.
Or he'll tell his bestie Monique. So I say we strike first.
No, we fight her, we will lose.
All in favor of holding onto the recording until after Ripper?
Okay, I got it.
[students chattering]
Deal's a deal.
I let you borrow my computer, you said you'd make my little car crash go away.
The computer was helpful.
Helped me see how the right person in the wrong situation
might push Cassie off the edge.
Cassie was blackmailing someone?
Something like that.
Word is you were with Oren?
Exactly.
Except I know Oren lied to protect you and himself.
And now you're one of the only students without a verified alibi.
Truth is…
I fell asleep in my room…
drunk.
I just didn't want to tell you 'cause that's the worst alibi ever.
You got that right.
And just remember, when Cassie Shore dies tomorrow,
whoever pushed her will be up for murder.
Then I hope you catch 'em.
[theme music playing]
[vocalizing]
Nabil, you heard what the doctor said.
The girl we know isn't in there.
She gave me a sign. Her hand moved.
Her hand moved because she had a seizure. She's turning into a vegetable,
and there's nothing any of us can do about it.
And what about you?
Will you stand by while your husband murders your daughter?
-Shut up. -[woman] Frank.
[huffs]
Look, we appreciate everything you've done…
but this is a family matter now.
You don't even know her.
I have seen her through this, not you.
She has not lived with you for years.
You don't know…
what she likes to eat,
her favorite song…
what a fighter she is.
I do.
This beautiful girl here…
I grew her in my body.
Worried every minute of every day that the worst thing might happen.
And now it has.
If you have any decency…
let us say goodbye to her in peace.
It's time for you to go.
-[Esmé] That's your third glass. -It's called pre-hydration.
Gotta keep the complexion clear,
even if these sponsors try and ply me with chardonnay.
What sponsors?
Scholarship luncheon.
It's gross getting paraded around like dogs,
but a year of tuition is a year of tuition.
Every funded kid has to go.
Not me. I didn't get invited.
You are so lucky.
Or I'm not coming back.
Then get yourself on this year's poster. It's shooting tomorrow.
The guy and girl that become the face of the Archer? Safe.
-Can you zip me up? -[Neveah] Yeah.
Thank you.
[Cassie] The dirty truth is artists need patrons,
benefactors to feed and clothe you.
To supply you with canvas or marble
or a stage covered in lights.
In return, you give them magic. Gratitude.
Their names on the side of studios and concert halls.
Because even magic comes at a price.
♪ Marching to the drum of my beat ♪
♪ I got it, can't stop it, no! ♪
[gasps] This year's photographer? Topher Brooks.
Yeah, yeah. I've seen his pictures in the Wrench's office.
[Shane] I've been stalking his Insta.
His portraits are phenomenal.
It's like he sees a dancer's soul.
Junebug, our ballet master is a polymath artistic genius,
and we could be on his poster. Get excited.
No, Madame picks the photos. She'll never pick me.
You're dancing principal.
Dream big.
-I like that one. Yeah. -Right?
Madame, I saw some of the girls getting ready
for this scholarship luncheon, and I wasn't invited, so--
Your donor pulled support.
Best of luck in your future endeavors.
That's not how scholarships work.
Students are supported who are seen to be an asset to the school.
This is about Michi Beach.
You know my friends were getting hurt there.
[Monique] Yet you're the only one complaining.
When the term ends in a couple of weeks,
you can take all that you've learned back to the little ballerinas of Inglewood.
[sighs]
[pop music playing]
[music distorts]
-[screams] -Hey. What's going on?
That cop thinks I pushed Cassie.
So what? Last week, she tried to pin it on Cassie's roommate.
-Before that, the Muslim guy, right? -And this one might stick.
The fact is, the wine cooler I had that night was just the beginning.
I was blackout drunk when Cassie fell.
No clue what happened.
-What music was playing? -When?
When you blacked out. Music's your way in.
When my nonna got Alzheimer's,
it was us playing music that helped her touch the past.
Her doctor said that's actually common.
So what was playing?
How are you not worried I might be a cold-blooded killer?
Because my mama likes you…
and she's a damn good judge of character.
I betrayed every friend I ever had trying to get ahead.
Angled for the best role, biggest spotlight, center barre.
Now, who am I if I can't dance?
The same person you've always been.
-["Touch" by AM & Jarell Perry playing] -Trust yourself.
You'll find your way back.
♪ I just wanna touch ♪
[vocalizing]
♪ I'm not asking for too much ♪
♪ It's never quite enough ♪
[vocalizing]
♪ I just wanna touch ♪
[vocalizing]
[June on phone] Get off of me!
-Travis, you're hurting me! -[Travis grunts]
[Neveah] You get the picture.
-Who's the girl on the tape? -[Neveah] I can't tell you.
But the man is Travis Quinn.
I had to buy a girl Plan B after he took their date too far.
This recording proves that the Archer administration
is trading donations to the school for access to ballerinas.
Monique DuBois needs to be removed.
You've been at the ASB one term.
Why take this on?
To do the right thing.
So how long will an exposé take?
-There won't be one. -[Neveah] What?
I believe the recording means what you say it means,
but the fact is, it could be interpreted in a lot of ways.
It's obvious.
It's weak, Neveah.
I'd be torn to shreds by legal.
Given the saturation of stories like this,
what you have isn't enough to warrant publication.
Girls are getting hurt.
What else do you need?
To get this past my editor?
A smoking gun.
Then that's what I'll get you.
[knocking on door]
-[Ramon sighs, grunts softly] -[guitar music playing on stereo]
Bette, what is this?
No, no, no, no, no.
-All you have to do is watch. -Still no.
That part is rightfully mine. I'm gonna show you how
with a few modifications that I can still dance it.
That part's beyond you, Bette.
If you give me back the solo…
I'll dance it like it's the last ballet I'll ever do.
[sighs]
Let's see what you're made of.
And then the reporter basically told me to do her job for her.
Only seems fair 'cause you want her to do yours.
Shane, chill.
I'm just saying.
You're using your friend's trauma to do your dirty work.
Everyone here loses if Madame isn't shut down.
I told that reporter I'd deliver a link from the Archer to Michi Beach,
but I don't have one.
Shane, your boyfriend works on the finance committee.
My occasional booty call is the lackey of someone on the finance committee.
And a coward.
And a closet case.
Though still a damned good kisser.
Very confusing.
He still has access.
There's no chance he'll put his precious job in jeopardy
to help some rando he met on Grindr.
Do you maybe want to step outside?
Um, I was hoping to sweat off a few.
[Neveah] Please.
Yes?
Good answer.
Do not school me on dirty work.
I'm just living in the real world.
And does that involve hooking up with Oren?
He told me. That's who you were crying over, right?
A guy with a girlfriend.
-Their days were numbered. -You probably had something to do with it.
Admit it, you were happy when they broke up.
I'm trying to walk a new path here,
to judge less and love more.
But you do not make it easy.
So punish me, but don't slam Oren for finally telling the truth.
Do you still love him?
It twists my heart every day to see him…
hear his laugh, watch him dance.
I've made up this whole stupid life for us in my head.
But it's also a lie, and it sure as hell isn't who Oren is.
So I'm trying to move on.
I do believe the best way to do that…
is if he had someone like you loving him instead.
He's trying, Neveah.
Try back.
["Let's Celebrate" by Ms. Triniti playing over headphones]
♪ Rise up, we take it high up ♪
-♪ And higher ♪ -♪ Let's face it, baby… ♪
[June gasps]
That was a big mistake calling on that reporter.
I don't know what you mean.
Zandara fucking Segal called my office asking if I would refute the charges.
Do you know what you're doing, June?
You are ruining my life over a mix-up with a cocktail waitress.
What you did to Paige wasn't a mix-up-- [gasps]
What did you say?
Nothing!
What I did? What I did was what she wanted.
That girl knew exactly what she was doing.
She dressed like that, she walked into that room on her own,
and it was exciting for her.
And believe me, I made sure she had fun. And…
and… and you…
you come in…
[gasping] Please!
A two-faced prude trying to make this whole thing something ugly.
I will not let that happen,
so you call that reporter off or get ready to end up like Cassie Shore.
'Cause trust me,
I know how to make a girl quiet.
[June panting]
-Mr. Brooks, let me help you with that. -Hmm.
I just wanted to say how glad I am you're doing our photo shoot this year.
I've been following your Insta for months.
-It's amazing-- -My Instagram is private.
You approved me. Mcraecrae67.
I have a strict policy of not friending students.
[laughs] Guess you made a big mistake there.
You know, you're like an example to me.
Of what?
How to get out of a small, crap town, make a life, a career, a marriage.
I'd focus on your brisées.
You know, I'm, like, the only guy here who likes you.
Feel free to join the rest.
Like this! Around my neck!
Said he'd put me in a coma like Cassie.
Maybe this Travis Quinn pushed Cassie.
I don't care!
The point is you have to stop Zandara from writing that article.
After what he just did to you?
The world needs to know. June, this could be the guy.
He knew Cassie from the club and clearly has anger issues.
Men like that? We gotta lock 'em up.
Yeah?
And how'd that work for your mum?
[Topher] All right, everyone,
there's a list taped up of the order I want to see you in…
and the shot I've chosen for each of you.
-Let's keep this efficient, shall we? -[camera shutter clicking, beeping]
[June] I've been doing the math, and it all adds up.
It's Neveah's fault we went to Michi Beach.
It's her fault you crashed your dad's car.
And we both know she's the one who locked me on the roof.
The roof might have been an accident.
It was her, Bette.
And she cost me my role.
She lost me my mother, which forced me to fend for myself
and led me to Travis.
All of this is on her.
Madame will kill us when she finds out what we did.
We'll be kicked out.
No Ripper, no City Works, no future.
You're safe because you already have a principal solo.
If I could only get on that poster…
I might still have a chance.
Quiet, please! Ladies to the center.
Miss Whitlaw, you're in no condition to be the face of the Archer school.
So I take off the boot.
And then what?
I could support her.
She could do a passé with a huge lean-out.
I could be out of frame taking her weight.
Mr. Brooks, you always say ballet is about strength and discipline.
That's Bette to a T.
Warm yourself up.
We'll begin with singles. Esmé's first, Lily on deck.
Are you seriously gonna help Bette
steal this poster from every other girl at this school?
She's betrayed us, like, how many times?
At least she does it to our faces.
[Topher] Esmé.
All right. And one, two, three.
[camera shutter clicking, beeping]
["Nobody Does It Better" by Headband playing]
♪ It's always perfect ♪
♪ It's always right ♪
♪ Behind the curtain I'm always out of sight ♪
♪ I'll be the leader, you fall behind ♪
♪ There ain't no mountain That I can't climb ♪
Next.
Take your time, Mr. Lennox.
And…
[camera shutter clicks, beeps]
Turn out on the jeté.
Good. Next!
[students murmuring]
[panting]
[chattering]
[Oren sighs]
Oren, are you okay?
Yeah, I'm fine.
[man] He wants you to wear this.
No, no, I will not do this.
[Topher] The show is called Ripper. That's the Ripper hoodie.
You want me photographed wearing the clothes of Cassie's murderer
the very day that she dies!
How can you accept this?
You were Cassie's friends!
She's my… [sobbing]
[huffs]
[sighs] All right, look. You're right. This shouldn't be happening.
But you decided to keep your ass here in Chicago,
maybe for her, maybe for you.
But this is a mandatory photo shoot.
You fight to get me kicked out, and now you want me in the picture?
If it's not me being Archer's sexy, charming poster boy…
it should be you.
[mutters]
[Shane] Mr. Brooks, I've got another idea.
I've been working up an epic jump I hope you'll catch me in.
Front of the window, blow out the exposure, be a killer silhouette--
-I'm not inviting input. -You did from June.
Mr. McRae, take what's on offer.
What is it? Do you just not like me?
What other people think of you is none of your business.
[sighs] I'm just looking to you for some guidance, support.
And I gotta wonder why you won't look back.
[Topher] You want another go?
Find your light. Take your leap.
[camera shutter clicks, beeps]
Moving on.
[moaning]
[Oren] Cassie?
What happens when there's nothing left?
[inhales sharply]
[gasps] Oh.
[Cassie] Breathe.
Shh.
Just need to lose some layers.
-What are you doing? -Chill, Oren. I was a fat kid too.
[heart beating]
[Cassie] Break you down early on, you never recover, do you?
Even when you've built the body, scored the role,
snagged the school's best partner,
you never feel right.
But I'm here to help.
Thank you, Cassie.
I want this.
Now relax.
This shouldn't hurt too bad.
-No. No! -I can make you perfect, Oren.
-No! -You'll finally be enough.
No, no, no! [screams]
No! [gasps, panting]
Oren, what happened?
Are you okay?
[exhales] I'm fine.
I'm calling the Wrench.
No, don't, don't. I just forgot to eat.
-[sighs] -Okay…
Did he get a good shot of me?
Mr. Limyadi, I see you've collected yourself.
And…
[camera shutter clicks, beeps]
He couldn't talk Cassie's parents down. They're pulling the plug tonight.
[murmuring]
[Bette] Eat.
I know how you get when you think the world's watching.
[scoffs] Thanks.
[Bette] The cop knows you lied.
[Oren] What?
Relax.
[sighs] She's more interested in my lack of alibi.
And the thing is, maybe she should be.
I had that shoving match with Cassie that night.
You know, what if I just kept shoving and shoving until that…
She could die because of me.
Bette.
I don't much like you right now…
but I do know you.
It's not something you could do.
[exhales]
[Bette sighs]
[Nabil] I'm sorry.
The nurse said you'd be gone.
No, my husband left.
Off signing forms.
It's easier for him than being in here.
Stay.
I don't wanna be alone.
Your people…
do you believe in the afterlife?
We believe heaven is a place for people who do more good than bad.
We believe that heaven is a garden…
it's beyond our capacity to comprehend.
And when we arrive, we are greeted by angels
with wishes of peace.
And in that garden, there's no suffering.
But-- but Mrs. Shore…
Cassie is not gone yet.
I think she's still there…
hearing everything we're saying right now, the feeling… how much we love her.
You could save her.
God took our daughter from us months ago.
And turning off all these machines…
that's simply a mercy.
We need to accept what the good Lord has already decided.
Hi.
You?
It's you!
I don't think it is.
Yeah, you jumped my friends in an alley.
Whoa, whoa! Hey, no, we're good now.
No, we're not good. I'm the one who called the police on you.
-Now I'm here with Bette. -What are you talking about?
Don't worry. I'm just as surprised as you are.
[scoffs]
It was kind of funny. We met when I was installing those new doors.
She had me jimmy-shut one to the roof.
Help a girl out, one thing leads to another.
I'm the girl you locked out!
So it's some kind of practical joke?
Hey, babe.
It was you.
You're the one who locked me out. You lied to my face.
Do the straps for me, will you? I never get them tight enough.
You tried to steal my part!
-You bitch! -Whoa! Hey, hey, hey! Easy, girl! Easy!
You let me blame the whole thing on Neveah. It was you!
[Bette] You're some kind of angel?
We're saying goodbye tonight to a girl you drugged.
Awful things happen because of you!
[huffing]
Relax, you got a decent part anyway.
What the hell?
If I'd have let June get that lead, my family would've basically disowned me.
Oh, yeah?
Karma's a bitch.
Not too tight.
Don't want to get gangrene or anything.
[tearing sound]
You're Dev, right? I'm Shane's roommate.
What do you want?
Situation with your boss Hadrian Talbot…
This arrangement with the Michi Beach Club
that gives members access to some of our girls here,
some of them were assaulted. Friends of mine.
I wouldn't know about that.
We need help to get records from the club and the school.
-If we can verify the quid pro quo-- -Look, man, I can't help you.
So you're okay with what they're doing to those girls here?
Davey, you coming with us, or you on your own?
I'm with you.
More girls will get hurt, you know.
-Friend of yours? -No.
[Bette] Thanks for the lift.
Also having me sabotage your friend?
Babe, not now.
I gotta go watch a friend die.
We've been like sisters since I was ten.
This is hard, Matty.
It's taking everything I've got not to go into that hospital
and hunt down more pills.
I just think you gotta get a better grip on what you stand for.
-What your friends mean to you-- -Shh!
This is the song they were playing on the roof.
[pop music playing]
[laughing]
Jealous.
[grunts] Just leave me alone!
Hey, hey, hey. You all right?
I think I might be.
["Part of You" by Adaline playing]
♪ Tell me what you want Tell me what you want, what you want ♪
♪ Tell me what you want Tell me what you want… ♪
They're about to stop the machine…
[sobbing] …that keeps her… her heart beating.
Hey, hey, hey.
You stay strong, all right?
Grief can mess you up.
You'd know.
Your father.
Yeah.
I freaked when he died.
I'm still raging at the wrong people.
[exhales] And loving the wrong ones too.
Like who?
Let's just say I was busy getting in my own trouble the night Cassie fell.
The point is, when it gets rough…
none of us should be alone.
Is that why you're here?
Dude, that's why we're all here.
["One Way" by Rose Cousins playing]
♪ I take what you send ♪
♪ And we both pretend ♪
♪ But I start ♪
♪ Where you end ♪
♪ When I say you know ♪
♪ When I fall, you go ♪
♪ And I row this boat ♪
♪ Too fast or too slow… ♪
Grandma always said, "When they're leaving you,
you gotta remember the good."
But I got nothing.
Cassie helped me get my first fake ID.
Yeah, and one time, she swiped the answers for an algebra test
that I really had to pass.
Cassie smuggled E in her bun into my sweet 16.
Now, that's a friend.
♪ I've got one way ♪
♪ And you've got one way ♪
[vocalizing]
♪ And I break ♪
♪ Where you bend ♪
♪ I take what you send ♪
♪ We both pretend ♪
♪ But I know that I start ♪
♪ Where you end ♪
♪ Oh… ♪
[Cassie] The thing about patronage,
it eventually runs out.
The money, the favor, the spotlight all turn to the next rising star.
-[monitor flatlining] -[Cassie] And then you're on your own.
Maybe it's what you do at that moment that matters the most…
because maybe…
-that's when you fight the hardest. -[monitor beeps]
[beeping]
[gasping]
Yes. Yes, Cassie. Fight it!
You can do it, mon amour. Don't…
Don't leave me. Fight!
[sobbing] Cassie, you can do it.
Come on. Come on. Come on.
[beeping continues]
[panting]
The way I see things,
it's not about the crop you got growing in front of your eyes.
It's always about the next one.
The fresh face, the hungry eye,
the talent you think's worth sprouting. Huh?
That's one mixed metaphor, sir.
Well, as the poet says, "I am large. I contain multitudes."
[laughing]
This guy comes to our country with nothing--
I was born in St. Louis.
Gets into Wharton at what? Twelve?
Sixteen, sir.
Graduates before his balls drop. He's a real boy wonder.
We like what we see, we pay off his debt.
So eye on the next crop, see? Thank you, sweetheart.
And from what I can see,
we're gonna be knee-high when it counts, isn't that right, Davey?
[chuckles] Guess I'm a farmer at heart.
Just always looking for where to point my plow.
[men laughing]
-Excuse me. -[Hadrian] Mm-hmm.
Good. Gentlemen, it's a beautiful evening, and we're surrounded by beautiful women.
I say we grab a seat.
[door opens]
-She's breathing on her own. [chuckling] -[Oren] Oh, thank God!
-[girl] Oh! -It's a miracle.
[clamoring]
-[girl] Oh, my God. -[laughing]
[girl 2] Nabil, that's awesome.
-[Shane] Nabil… -Guys, go home, huh?
Thanks. Thanks for coming.
I just want to be there when girlfriend wakes up
and spills the tea on what really happened up on that roof.
-[Neveah laughs] -[phone beeps]
♪ Every moment like a portrait… ♪
[Delia] Don't look.
[indistinct chatter over police radio]
[Delia] You drank too much, baby girl.
Delia.
[siren wails]
Is she gone?
Hell no. Still ticking. They took her off everything,
and not only did she not die, but she might be coming back.
-Good. -And I know where I was when she fell.
-Thought that was passed out in your room. -Except I wasn't.
I've been listening to music to help me remember what I blacked out.
Music? Really?
It worked.
I was out with my sister Delia trying to make it in before curfew
when they were loading Cassie into the ambulance.
Must have been some song.
[June] I'll never trust her again.
You know, the way I see it, all we have here is each other.
And let's face it, Bette is only looking out for herself.
Aww! Oh, God, and the things I said about you.
I'm so sorry.
I'm sorry I didn't ask you before I talked to that reporter.
At least your heart was in the right place.
[knock on door]
Neveah, June, this is Dev.
Oh, yeah, the torso.
Okay…
Just tell 'em what you know.
[exhales] It's about the Michi Beach Club.
Oren said you need to prove they had an arrangement with the school.
Thing is, they keep their membership records
the old-fashioned way.
File cabinets.
I borrowed this for the night.
Yeah, I memorized some of these names.
The ones who had access to the VIP room,
which is where Paige… went through what she went through.
There. Travis Quinn, VIP.
-And him… and him… -[Dev] I know those names.
Those gents all made five-figure donations to the academy.
And see this?
All credited as "anonymous."
So for writing a check to the school,
they got to hang with young girls at the club.
Hey, girls, you wanna--
W-what are you doing here?
Helping us get justice for Paige and June.
Why would he do that?
Because, Shane, your friend here asked me to.
-[Shane huffs] -[June] Madame is in it so deep.
And Hadrian Talbot too?
[Neveah] And it's up to us to smoke them out.
They wanted to cover their tracks, and that ends here.
[Zandara] It's been going on forever in ballet.
I was looking into it.
There's this sculpture at the art museum of this little dancer.
Oh, yeah, I know. Postcard's on my wall.
Fourteen, Paris Opera.
Rich men bought subscriptions
just so they could get backstage access to girls like her.
They didn't like it? There was no one they could tell.
It's an ugly business, making something beautiful.
[Neveah] You asked for it.
[Zandara] What's this?
There's your smoking gun.
[energetic piano music playing]
It's a terrible loss. The bodywork alone will cost a fortune.
[Delia] On Bette?
[Katrina scoffs] No, darling.
-On your father's car. -I'll pay back every penny.
Just focus on getting better.
I could kill Ramon for pushing you like this.
[Katrina] Once his show is up, Ramon will be long gone.
The problem won't because the problem, my darlings, is Monique DuBois.
You barely made board chair.
You're hardly set up to lead the revolution.
I'm gonna get a bevvie.
It's for my mom.
[Katrina] Monique is weakened.
She's stumbling, which is why this is the time to go in for the kill.
[Cruz] Mrs. Whitlaw.
Officer Cruz. I went by your place. The housekeeper said I'd find you here.
Well, I'm nothing if not predictable.
Since you're board chair, I figured that you'd want to know
that we're closing in on a timeline for Cassie's fall.
What a relief. You're here to talk to--
Bette? No. We got everything we need from her.
Good.
-So then… -I'm hoping you could shine some light.
Were either of you with Bette the night Cassie fell?
-Officer, she did not do this. -[Katrina] What did she tell you?
It's a simple question, Mrs. Whitlaw. Was she with you that night or not?
We were with her.
Out on the town, celebrating the start of term.
And then I walked her home.
You did?
I hope she isn't telling you anything different.
No.
That's most reassuring.
Officer.
-I swear this is club soda. -Of course.
-[glasses clink] -We all learn from our mistakes.
Bet you still haven't built your bed frame.
How do you know that's the right thingy?
Trust me. I've got the right thingy.
Oh. I know. Shoes off.
-[Caleb mutters] -We'll announce it soon.
-[Neveah] You wanted to see me? -Come in.
We were just looking over the contact sheets for the Ripper shoot.
Some great ones of you.
That reporter called.
If you were concerned about what happened to those girls,
you should have come to me first.
So you could just sweep it under the rug?
Travis Quinn is going to jail.
I'll make sure it happens.
This story's bigger than him.
Meaning what?
Meaning you.
Why did you apply to the Archer?
Because I love to dance.
And out there, Archer girls go to the front of the line.
[smacks lips] Out there,
the Archer name earns you a reference call.
That's my opinion on your abilities.
And it carries a lot of weight.
They call it "yachting," but it almost never happens on some big-assed boat.
It does involve beautiful yacht girls,
the rich older men who like 'em,
and a middleman… or woman
willing to broker girls and look the other way
when things go down.
Well, you should worry if I'm looking your way.
Because that story sees daylight,
you're not only done at the Archer, but you will never dance again.
Miss Segal, you need to forget everything I told you and kill that story.
-It doesn't work that way. -Things have changed.
You print that, my career will be over before it even began.
This train has left.
I worked this up the chain to editorial, talked to other sources.
-We're fact-checking. -I'm the one that brought you this.
You wanted the story to be some kind of weapon against people who've hurt you,
and now your game's changed.
This is not a game.
My job is to test truth, to bolster it, report it.
What I don't do is work for you.
You'll be hurting me more than you'll ever help anyone else.
I don't pick sides, Neveah.
I just report the truth. The rest is your battle to fight.
Hey.
[chuckles]
You don't look like your friend just died.
Oh, she's totally gonna live.
Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for her and everything.
I mean, I hated her, but truth is, I kind of loved her even more.
Plus, now I'm totally 100% sure I didn't push her.
Okay, well… clearly a good person.
Oh, I'm much, much better than good.
Madame's gonna destroy me.
She's bluffing.
Once the story comes out, her opinion won't hold water.
Trust me, you can beat her at this.
[both breathing heavily]
[grunts] Thought we said we'd take this slow.
Well, I was wrong. Let's just do it.
Not like this.
You're upset. I'd be taking advantage.
Who cares?
I just want to feel something different, something better.
The first time we do this should be because it's right.
Because you want to.
I do want to.
Right now you're just running scared.
What if I get kicked out?
We can win this, Neveah.
I promise.
[tense instrumental music playing]
That's good. We'll skip the next solo today.
-Hey, they're putting up the posters. -[clamoring]
I hope it's you.
I hope it's you. No, I hope it's me!
-I hope it's me too. -[both squeal]
[boy] That's great.
Yes!
I never stood a chance.
Not my decision to make.
And if it was?
Can't play favorites.
I get it.
You're gay. I'm gay.
You're terrified to what? To just be nice?
There are things people say about men like me in a place like this
with boys like you.
Truth be told…
I'm scared every day walking these halls
that somebody will think they saw something
and decide to say something that will end my career.
I want to give more
to the students who slip through my heart every year.
And in a way…
it hurts not to.
But it would hurt a whole lot more if something bad would happen.
It shouldn't be that way.
I know, Shane.
So I just say, better to be safe than sorry.
-["You Are Bad" by Laura Reznek playing] -♪ But no one you knew ♪
♪ I had riddles for days ♪
♪ I could ask you for me ♪
♪ Are you holy or heathen… ♪
[Cassie] When the stage lights are off
and the plush, velvet seats of the audience are empty…
when the patrons have all gone home…
what are you then?
[gasps]
[Cassie] Can you call it dancing if you dance in the darkness?
Alone?
If a ballerina falls hard and nobody's there to catch her…
does she still make a sound?
[Nabil] "…bright moonlight two nights ago
and felt as if the magic was filling the room and making everything--"
[labored breathing]
Cassie.
[wheezing]
♪ Or just in-between 'Cause you're bad, yes, you're bad ♪
♪ But you're better than me ♪
♪ Who am I? ♪
♪ Who are you? ♪
♪ Who are we to do the things That we do? ♪
♪ Oh, you're awfully mad And that's easy to see ♪
♪ You are bad, yes, you're bad But you're better than me ♪
♪ Who are they? ♪
♪ Who are we to say the things That we say? ♪
♪ Are you holy or heathen Or just in-between? ♪
♪ 'Cause you're bad, yes, you're bad But you're better than me ♪
♪ Are you holy or heathen Or just in-between? ♪
♪ 'Cause you're bad, yes, you're bad But you're better than me ♪
[vocalizing]