(mysterious music)
(laughing)
- Can't believe it,
I don't get here enough and now it's raining.
- Uh, we don't get out anywhere. (laughs)
- With our schedules, how can we?
(chuckles)
- Ooh, it's a long way down. - It is.
So, how long are we supposed to stand here in the rain.
- Until a feeling of calm washes over us.
(laughter)
(sighs)
Girls! Come one, I want you to see this view.
(footsteps approaching) (both): Ah!
(sighs)
- Ugh.
- Don't look so happy.
- Tell me, what do I have to be happy about?
- Ugh, come on Lily, it's high school, not death row.
- It might as well be.
- Listen to me.
You are the strongest person that I know, and I mean it.
After everything you've been through, new school,
it's gonna be a piece of cake, I promise.
- I just...
I don't understand who transfers to a new school
in the middle of senior year.
- Someone whose mom was lucky enough to get a job offer.
Professorships are hard to come by these days.
Okay, you ready?
We don't want to be late for our first day.
Okay. (sighs)
(mysterious music)
(indistinct chatter)
- I love her. - Yeah.
- Knock, knock. - Diane!
- I heard you were already here and, well, here you are!
- Here I am.
- Squirreled away in your office.
- Yes, well, I just have so much work to do.
I wanna hit the ground running.
- Well, this is for you. - Thank you.
- It is. Take a breather.
I just wanna talk to you a minute.
- Okay.
- Look, I know you're excited, and you should be,
but I just wanna manage your expectations.
- What do you mean?
- Well, when I first started,
I thought that I'd be sitting around the quad
discussing Kierkegaard with ambitious students.
(chuckles)
The truth is that half of these students
don't even wanna be here.
Either they have a job that requires a degree or
they screwed around so badly in high school
that they couldn't get into a four-year university.
- Okay, you're right, this is discouraging.
- But the other half...
The other half might not have the money for a university
or they may work a full-time job and need the flexibility.
Or, believe it or not, they may even have a love of literature.
(chuckles)
It's this group that you need to reach.
- I understand.
Honestly, Diane, I am just
grateful for the opportunity. - Well, we're lucky to have you.
- I'm excited to start teaching again.
- And Lily? How's she holding up?
- She's good. Uh, I mean,
no teen is really excited about being uprooted
in the middle of their senior year, but...
- She at Chestnut Falls High? - Mm-hmm.
- My daughter, Katie, graduated from there four years ago.
- Oh, I didn't know that. - Yeah. Great school.
Don't worry about Lily. She'll have no problem fitting in.
- I hope you're right. I mean, she's shy, by nature.
Since Robert died, she's been more introverted than ever.
I just hope she makes an effort.
I know she wants to have friends.
- She'll be fine. But if she struggles, you tell me.
I might know some people who have kids that go there.
- Thank you, Diane, for everything.
- What are old friends for?
Let me know if you need anything, okay?
- Okay.
(relaxing music)
You like? - Mm.
It's not Forni's. (chuckles)
- Nothing's Forni's.
But Diane said this was the best around, so.
- It's not terrible.
- I'm sorry, I wanted to make you a nice dinner
to celebrate your first day of school,
but I'm already so swamped at work.
Plus, I can't find the silverware.
- Mom, it's okay. I know.
- So, tell me. - About?
- Everything. How was it? - Well, uh,
it was only the first day.
So, I just spent most of it just trying to get my bearings
and figure out the best way to get to class.
- How are the teachers?
- They were all pretty nice. And understanding.
But they had that look in their eyes.
- What look?
- Pitty. (chuckles)
- How are the kids? - Kind of just a combination
of scowls and stares.
- Lily... - What?
Do you think that people come up to the new girl on the first day
and say, "Hey, let's be besties!"
- No, that is not what I think, but, I'm just saying,
you have to put yourself out there, you know?
And they will reciprocate. I promise.
(joyful music)
What? (laughing)
- Nothing. - No, I saw that, what?
- Well, there was this one guy. - Oh.
Did you talk to him? - I smiled.
- Well, that's a start. (laughing)
Is he cute? - Mom. Puppies are cute.
- Okay, sorry, was he, "Devastatingly handsome."
- Yes. (laughing)
- Your dad would be so proud of you.
- Of the both of us.
- Yeah.
- Ugh. - Oh, hey, hey, hey.
I think you dropped this.
- Oh, thanks.
Um, I'm, it's just for English class.
I'm heading there now. - Yeah, I know.
- You do?
- Yeah. I was in Mr. Brooks' class. I saw you.
I wanted to say something
but, you just seemed like you had your hands full.
- You have no idea.
- I'm Derek. - I'm Lily. Lily Miller.
- Yeah, I actually got that too when Mr. Brooks introduced you
in front of the entire class.
- That was so embarrassing.
Me having to explain my favourite novel.
- Yeah, look, between you and me, Brooks is a complete tool.
(scoffs)
But, uh, anything by John Irving,
you can't really go wrong. I was pretty impressed.
But... if you're looking for something
a little different and maybe a little bit more wild,
may I suggest.
- Zenith ? I've never heard of it.
- Yeah. I'm not surprised.
Not many people have but, trust me,
that'll change your life.
- Really?
- It did mine.
Come on. We don't want to miss Mr. Brooks' class.
(mysterious music)
(sighs)
- Throughout the novel, Edna Pontellier
makes numerous choices that represent her awakening.
And while all of them reflect the freedom
that she so desperately seeks,
the irony is that it's this very quest for liberation
that is responsible for her death.
- Bullshit!
- Excuse me? - I said that's bullshit.
(scoffs)
- Well, Miss Lawrence.
Since you've commented so eloquently on the material,
maybe you'd like to come up here and teach this class.
- Actually, I'd like you to teach this class.
But maybe give us something remotely insightful
instead of vapid analysis that would embarrass
a middle school student. - Ooh, okay.
(chuckling)
- Vapid? - Yeah, it means something
that's not important-- - I know what it means, Violet.
But I certainly don't appreciate the disruption
or the inconsiderate way in which you've--
- Do your job. (hushes chuckling)
- Excuse me? - I said, then do your job.
An idiot can see that Kate Chopin isn't defending
the society she herself grew up in--
- That will do, Violet! - She's shining a light on
hypocrisy that kept women and especially women
like herself resign-- - Enough!
(exhales)
Go to the office. - Gladly.
(indistinct chatter)
- Where was I?
- Excuse me. Uh, did you get in trouble?
- Detention. One hour after school for a week.
(scoffs) - Sucks.
- It's worth it.
- That was awesome.
Um, I just, I had to tell you that.
- It wasn't anything. It needed to be said.
- I'm just,
I've never heard someone talk to a teacher like that.
Oh, I'm Lily, Lily Miller.
- I know. I saw you talking to Derek.
Relax, you have nothing to worry about. Nobody owns Derek.
(chuckles) - I, I uh,
I just love The Awakening .
My mom introduced it to me.
She is a professor of English literature.
So, hearing Mr. Brooks miss the whole point of the novel--
- I know, right?
- I'm just glad that you set him straight and I didn't have to.
- "The smallest abdication of truth
is death by a thousand cuts."
- Who said that? - It's from Zenith .
- Oh. Derek gave me his copy.
He said that I'd like it.
- I'm sure you will.
If you're the kind of person I think you are.
Hey. What are you doing after school?
Wanna hang out with us once my jail time's over?
- Really? - Why not?
- I mean, I don't know, 'cause-- - Come on!
People like us...
we need to stick together.
(chuckles)
(bell ringing)
(laughing) - Mm. Mm. Mm.
Come over tonight?
- I don't know. - What's the matter?
- Nothing, I'm just, I'm not in the mood.
- Suit yourself. - Hey, hey!
This is what this whole thing is about, right?
Free will. No guilt. No regret.
- Yes. But turn me down again,
and I may have to find someone
who's a little freer with their will.
(sighs)
- It's like we were on the same wavelength.
We talked about the same stuff that you and I talk about.
- Hm. - You don't seem that impressed.
- No, I am, with her analysis,
but I don't really like the way she talked to her teachers.
Sounds kind of disrespectful.
- So, you should only stand by your conviction when it's convenient?
- Mm, no, that's not what I said.
I just feel like there's a way to get what you want
without talking to your teachers disrespectfully.
- Wow! Are you sure that you're the same woman that read me
The Awakening before bed every night?
- Touché. (chuckles)
Alright, why don't you invite her over for dinner?
- I don't know. - What do you mean?
If she's as great as you say she is, I'm sure I'll love her.
Besides, you always introduce me to your friends.
(faucet running)
- Um, I was meaning to ask you...
Have you heard about this?
(mysterious music)
- Zenith? Can't say that I have.
Are you assigned this for school?
- No, no, um, a friend gave it to me.
He said that I'd like it.
- He? - Mom, stop.
- Is this the same friend that you told me about yesterday?
- Maybe.
- Well, you know what I always say, there are no bad books.
- Just those who have yet to find their readers.
Well, it should be an easy read.
I'll let you know what I think.
No, no, no, I loved it.
I told you, I was up all night, it's just, um,
you said to be honest, and there are a few parts
that made me feel a little... uncomfortable.
- Good literature should make you a little uncomfortable.
- Yeah but, what parts, Lily?
- Oh, um...
Where the enlightened ones hold all of the city's knowledge
and distribute it to the different clans.
It just kind of sounds a little bit prejudiced.
- First time I read it I thought the same thing.
Honestly, I did. But then I read it again
and I opened my mind up to what was really being said.
And I understood that it was the exact opposite of that.
Racism, sexism. - Mm-hmm.
- Any ism, really.
They're ideas advanced by the weak, the inferior...
the fearful.
- I assure you, Lily, do you think I would ever belong
to a group that viewed me as inferior?
- Uh, wait, oh, what do you mean belong?
(chuckling)
- Uh, Zenith , it's not just a book.
It's how we choose to live our lives.
- Well, okay, it's how we try to live our lives at least.
- Oh, so kind of like, a Bible.
- Yeah. - Sort of.
(laughing) - Spot on.
- Sure. Zenith isn't a collection
of fairy tales, of mystic fables. It's a blueprint.
- A blueprint?
- For higher awareness, enlightenment... for excellence.
- Doesn't that seem like a little, "Self-helpy"?
- Ooh. - Give it a try.
It'll grow on you. I promise.
(mysterious music)
- For Zenith?
It's... it's beautiful..
- Thank you. Hasn't let me down yet.
(bell ringing)
- Oh, hey, hey, hey! Um, I meant to ask you,
um, I was wondering if maybe you wanted to come over
to my house one night for dinner? With my mom.
It's totally cool if you don't want to,
you're probably super busy-- - What night?
- Oh. I don't know, whatever works for you.
- How about tonight?
- Don't you have to ask your mom or anything?
- That's what I'm talking about, Lily.
One of the main lessons of Zenith , I do what I want.
So, if it's cool with you, tonight it is.
(jazz music)
(chuckling)
Mm. Mm. This is really delicious Mrs. Miller.
- I'm glad you like it, Violet. But please, call me Joan.
You guys are practically adults.
- It's just such a change from what I'm used to.
- Your mother doesn't cook? - I wouldn't know.
She's practically always at the office.
- Well, don't be too hard on her.
Being a single mom isn't easy.
- Come on, Mom.
- No. It's okay.
I know it's hard. I wouldn't complain about her hours
if, say, she were a professor like you,
or something else meaningful.
- What does she do? - She's a lawyer.
- Well, now I understand why she's rarely home.
Standing up for the little guy is not easy.
(scoffs)
- Oh. My mother is a corporate attorney.
All her clients are Fortune 500 companies.
She's hardly ever standing up for the little guys.
Crushing them under the heel of her stiletto is more likely.
(sinister music)
- Well, she's giving you a better life,
that's what's important.
I look forward to meeting her, though,
I'm sure we have more in common than you think.
- Well, like I said, she's hardly ever home.
(sighs)
- Um, I don't understand.
Dante Leclerc never wrote another book?
- He never wrote anything else.
He killed himself shortly after Zenith was released.
(scoffs) - Killed himself,
what a load of crap. - What do you mean?
- I mean, they offed him.
Leclerc would have never killed himself,
it goes against everything he believes in.
- But like, who would want him dead and why?
- A lot of people think he was becoming too powerful.
- Powerful how?
- Zenith made a splash when it first came out.
Especially in some circles.
Colleges, underground book clubs, places like that.
For a lot of readers, Leclerc was a breath of fresh air.
Most books that are promoted by the mainstream
love the victim narrative.
A protagonist is always at the mercy of others,
whether it's the government, religion, the rich.
Leclerc didn't believe this.
He believed that we all hold the power to change the world.
For good or for evil, as Zeni shows.
- Still, people do lots of crazy things,
some even dangerous and they don't get killed.
(both): Yeah. - Really Violet.
(mysterious music)
- Oh, shoot.
- I'm just telling you what I heard.
- Oh my God I'm so sorry! - What the hell!
- I totally didn't see you there.
Wait, let me just--
- What are you, delusional, oh my God.
Don't touch me, skank.
- Hey, hey! Hey!
- Are you okay? - Yeah, oh yeah, I'm fine.
I just, um--
- Someone needs to put that bitch in her place.
- Are you okay?
(sighs)
- It's okay.
(sighs)
(mysterious music)
- Hey. Slow down. - Are you on your period?
- No.
I just honestly can't stop thinking about that bitch
throwing yoghurt on me.
- Cognac. Took it from my dad.
- Hm. How classy.
Ugh.
What was that?
(scoffs)
- I don't know, Amanda. Maybe it was a racoon.
A possum. But if you don't want to, just say so.
- I heard something, Jack, I'm telling you.
Whatever.
(door slams)
(mysterious music)
Let's just go to the practice field behind the high school.
At least we'll be back in civilization.
- Whatever you say.
(engine starts)
(mysterious music)
(engine starts)
(indistinct chatter)
- Hey, what's going on? Everybody looks like zombies.
- You didn't hear? - Hear what?
- Amanda Williams and her boyfriend, Jack...
- Dude. - Wait. What?
- They were driving home,
probably from making out on the bluffs.
And then his truck went...
(imitates explosion)
Went off the road.
- So... they're both dead?
- No. Jack died on impact but Amanda is in a coma.
- Is she gonna be okay?
- We can hope, right? That's all we can do, is hope.
(sighs)
- None of us wanted Amanda or Jack to die.
You know that, right?
But the world is a far better place
without either of them in it.
That's the truth.
And as Zenith says,
"Truth is sacred. Above all else."
(mysterious music)
(sighs)
(indistinct chatter)
- Okay, okay, not bad, but that's-- - No, stop.
(laughing)
- Hi!
- Lily! Hi! (gasps)
Lily, I didn't know you had friends over.
- Oh, um, we're just hanging out, Mom.
- Hi Mrs. Mi... uh, I mean, Joan.
- Hi Violet. Nice to see you.
- Uh, Mom, this is Derek.
- Hi. Nice to meet you. - Hi.
- Okay, we'll, I'll just be here if you guys need anything.
- Um. - Ahem.
So, what does your mom do?
- She's a professor at Eastern Hemlock Community College.
- Oh. - Mm. - Mm-hmm.
- Yeah, no, she seems super cool.
- Mm. - Yeah, she is.
Sometimes, I guess.
- Yeah, I mean, you don't want her too cool, right?
Do you remember Becca's mom? - Ugh. Yeah.
- Who's that?
- A girl we used to hang out with.
- Used to. Yeah, her mom had like no boundaries.
She thought she was, "Our friend."
- It was totally pathetic.
- Yeah, it was like she was trying to relive her youth or something,
I don't know, it made me super uncomfortable.
(laughing) - Aw.
- I'm super happy, I'm just happy Becca's graduated,
that's all I'm gonna say.
(laughing)
(Lily): See you guys tomorrow. (door shuts)
- They both leave? - Yep.
- They seem nice. - Uh-huh.
- Although I couldn't help but overhear you kids...
- Overhear what?
- Overhear what you guy were talking about.
- You were eavesdropping? - Well, I wouldn't call it that.
- You can't just listen to my private conversations.
- Private conversations?
Lily, I was in the kitchen making you something to eat,
I couldn't help but hear.
But that's not the issue.
I heard Violet call somebody pathetic
- Oh, yeah,
it was just someone's mom who they used to hang out with.
- I hope it wasn't your mom.
- You think that we were talking about you?
God, Mom. Get over yourself.
- Get over myself? Whoa.
Uh, I don't know who you think you are,
maybe that's how Violet talks to her mom,
but that is not how we talk to each other in this house.
- Whatever.
- That was fun, the other night at your house.
- Yeah, until my Mom showed up. - Why? She seems harmless.
- Well, I found out that she was eavesdropping on our conversation.
- You serious? That's not right.
Privacy is one of the unalienable rights
according to Zenith.
- Well, I don't know what I could do about it.
- I know what we could do about it.
We can hang out at my place.
- Really? - Sure.
Like I said, my mom's never home.
- Cool.
(upbeat music)
- No.
Okay. This is your house?
- Yup.
- It's... it's enormous.
- All that means is in the middle of the night
it takes longer to pee.
- Ew, what?!
- Trust me, it's just a normal house, like any other.
Come on.
- Whoa. (chuckles)
This isn't just a house.
- You want the tour? - Yes!
- Come on. Voila. - Whoa!
Does anybody even eat in here? - No.
But sometimes an espresso is brewed
I wanna show you my room. - Okay.
(laughing)
I'm so excited to see your room. - You should be.
- What? - My room.
- This is your room? (gasps)
Wow. Oh my. - Right?
(relaxing music)
- I love it.
- I hoped you'd say that.
Think of this as your room too,
whenever things at home get too tough...
Whenever you need to get away.
(hip-hop music)
Party time!
Mm.
Trust me.
You're gonna want this.
How is it?
- Oh, so gross. - Gross?
- Yes! - I like it.
(doorbell rings)
I wonder who that could be?
No, no, no. You stay here. I'll be right back.
- So bad.
(knocking)
- Hi. - Hey.
Um, where's Violet?
- Oh, she's... she went to get some glasses.
- Oh. - Can I come in?
- Yeah, sure.
- So, you've seen the place. - Mm-hmm.
(chuckles)
- Mm, can I have some? - Yes, of course.
- Bourbon.
- Whoa! (laughing)
No, I don't really like it. (laughing)
- Okay, well, I have a little trick
that can make it taste a little better.
You trust me?
(giggling)
- How was that?
- I dug this out of my mom's closet.
- Wow. You look so sexy.
- Do you like it?
(giggles)
- Hi, this is Lily, you know what to do,
or better yet, text me.
(sighs)
(beeps) - Hi, it's your mom, again.
I have texted you, multiple times.
I'm slowly going from annoyed to worried, so, call me back.
Unless you want me to contact the police.
(sighs)
- Hi. - Hey.
- Have you ever done anything like that before?
- I, uh... no.
- And how are you feeling about it?
- I'm, I'm not sure.
- It's common to feel guilty.
Even a little ashamed.
- Yeah. You really shouldn't. - Right, you shouldn't.
- I'm beginning to like this philosophy.
- Takes a special kind of person to realize that.
I wanna show you something.
- No, Violet, it's way too soon. - I don't think so.
- What is it?
- It's the Z, for Zenith.
- We all have one, on our left hip.
- It's branded into our skin to show our loyalty to the book
and to each other. We just have to make sure to place them
somewhere our parents can't see them.
- I want one.
- No, Lily, you don't have to say that just because--
- No. I want one. I'm positive.
- I know how close you are to your mother, Lily.
But you can never mention this to her.
That would be bad...
for all of us.
- Of course not.
- And after it's done...
You get to wear this.
- Just like yours.
- Yeah. The guys wear a ring,
the girls wear a necklace.
- That's right. Although I can't seem to find mine,
I don't know what the hell happened to it.
Anyway.
After this, everything changes.
♪ Another girl
♪ Pretending to be nice
♪ So dangerous inside
- This is gonna hurt.
- Ah!
- You're okay. That's it.
- Ugh, you're alive. (sighs)
- Of course I'm alive.
- Do you have any idea how late it is?
- I, it's just late. - Yeah, late.
I called and texted like a million times,
you didn't get them? - No, I...
I just wasn't checking my phone.
- Okay. Where were you?
- I was, um,
I was at Violet's just hanging out.
- Look, I want you to stay out late if you want to have fun,
it's your senior year. I get it.
But I just need to know where you are
and that you're okay.
- Okay. - Okay.
(sighs)
- Are you okay? - Yeah, yeah. I'm just, um,
I'm just a little sore.
- You guys, you weren't drinking or anything, right?
- God, Mom, no. I wasn't drinking, I wasn't doing drugs.
I was just... I was just hanging out with my friends, okay?
So, maybe you could give me a little friggin' privacy.
(sighs)
- I'm not just your boss, Joan, I'm also your friend.
Come on, you can tell me, what is it?
- It's nothing. It's nothing.
- The students? - No. Actually,
they've been much more receptive than I anticipated.
- Then what? Have the other professors been rude?
- No, no, everybody here has been incredibly kind.
- Don't treat me like a fool, Joan. I know something's wrong.
(sighs)
- It's Lily. - Lily?
I thought you said she was doing great.
You said she already made friends and everything.
- Yeah. It's the friends. One friend in particular.
She is unlike any friend Lily has ever had.
I swear, she has changed her.
- Changed her how?
- It's hard to pinpoint, but...
she's just different.
- Take it from someone who knows.
It's probably just a case of senior-itis.
Girls her age, when they get college in their sights,
ooh, they tend to go a little...
(laughing)
- Yeah. Maybe that's it.
- Look, Joan, don't worry at all about Lily.
She has a good head on her shoulders. You'll see.
She'll be fine.
(indistinct chatter)
- Hi, Violet, how are you? - Hi, Joan.
- Um, we're gonna go to Violet's house.
I'm gonna sleep over there tonight,
I'm just gonna pick up some clothes.
- Yeah, okay, will your mother be home?
- Mom.
That's so embarrassing.
- What... I just wanna talk to your mom, make sure it's okay.
- It's fine, Joan. I'll give you her number.
(upbeat music)
- Okay, but I could use some new clothes.
- Nah, there's plenty I could do with this stuff.
- Okay.
- All we need is a pair of scissors and bleach.
- Huh! This is cool. - Mm-hmm.
- May I? - Mm-hmm.
- Oh, I saw that the other day when we were changing.
- Oh. Yeah, ancient history. - What happened?
- Um, supposedly, I rolled onto one of those
electric bottle warmers.
My mother left it on by mistake when she was changing me.
That's what she told me, anyway.
Hm. Okay. What do you think?
- I think that it looks better on you than it does on me.
- Well, when we get back to my place,
you can raid my closet, okay?
(giggling)
Okay. - Okay. Let's go.
- You talk to her? - Yes.
- So, everything cool? - Everything is cool.
- Okay. I don't know when I'll be home, but I'll text you.
(laughing)
- Bye, Joan. - Bye-bye.
Have fun, girls. - Ha, ha.
(door slams)
(sighs)
- I mean, back in like the 7th grade we were friends,
but, ever since high school I haven't said a word to her.
The only time she's acknowledged me is to
tell me to get out of the way or to mock me about something.
- Still, don't you feel like, at least... a little bad?
I mean, she's in a coma.
- Amanda was brain-dead a long time ago.
(chuckles)
- I guess.
- Lily... Lily.
You're gonna need to learn that giving energy,
no matter how little,
to someone who doesn't care about you,
is that much more energy that you could be using on yourself.
Or on people you do care about and who care about you.
- I know, it's just...
it's hard to think like that, you know?
(gasps)
Uh...
I'm... I'm so sorry.
(chuckles softly)
(clears throat)
- Not terrible,
but the next time you girls raid my liquor cabinet,
try the 12-year single malt.
- Mom, this Lily. - I gathered.
- It's nice to meet you, miss Lawrence.
(chuckling)
- Oh, please. I would make the joke about Mrs. Lawrence being my mother
if she deserved to be called that. But I'm Harper.
Always Harper.
- You going out? - I have a work thing.
Shouldn't be home too late, unless I am,
in which case, I will see you tomorrow.
You really are very beautiful, Lily.
- Thanks. - Isn't she?
(sighs)
- Be safe, girls.
- Oh, my God. That's your mom?
She doesn't look much older than you.
- Oh, she knows it, believe me.
- Oh my God, she's so cool!
She's nothing like my mom.
- Then you need to do something about that.
- What do you mean?
- Lily, come on.
Remember Zenith?
You can't wait for people to change.
It'll never happen. It's human nature.
You need to make them change.
It may not be easy,
but it is necessary.
(sighs)
(chuckles lightly)
- So, in this and other ways, it becomes apparent
that jealousy is the overriding force behind many of the character's actions.
The fact that Casaubon puts such a stipulation in his will
shows how unbearable he finds the thought
of Dorothea with another man.
(scoffs)
- Typical chauvinistic view.
- I'm sorry, miss Miller?
- I just said that that's a typical chauvinistic view,
which isn't surprising.
- Oh no? - No.
I mean, it's pretty obvious when you assign the same vapid authors.
(chuckles)
- You mean this vapid woman author, Lily?
Because if you had been listening to anything I've said
you'd know that George Eliot is the pen name for Mary Anne Evans.
So before you try to get some attention for yourself,
you might want to make sure that your argument is solid.
- So stupid!
(indistinct whispering)
(sighs)
I made a fool out of myself. - No, you didn't.
- Brooks is the fool, Lily.
(sighs) - I just...
I wanted to be like you.
- You are like me. Just... like me.
Remember the brand.
Don't worry about Brooks, I'll take care of it.
I promise.
(♪)
(intriguing music)
(bell ringing)
- We'll talk about this in class tomorrow. Okay?
(dramatic music)
(typing)
(♪)
- Thanks for the ride. - Yeah.
Lily, I need to talk to you about Violet.
- Okay.
- I've never seen her like this before.
- Like what?
- So... vindictive.
Is this going further than we wanted to?
- She's the one who opened my eyes to everything.
To our teachers, to how my mom's been controlling me--
- See that? That's what I'm talking about.
Your mom, she seemed pretty chill.
- Look, I appreciate your concern Derek,
but she's my mom, so I'll decide how to handle her.
- Okay.
(sighs)
- Oh!
Okay.
- Hello?
- Hey! - What are you doing?
- I was just putting away some laundry.
- Why are you bringing them back down?
- I heard the door, so I don't know, I just forgot to leave it.
- What are you even doing home?
- Well, classes were out at noon, so I decided
it would be a good time to get some chores done around here.
How was your day?
- Why, did you hear something?
- Actually, I did get an interesting call from your vice-principal,
Mr. Hillstrom. - What did he say?
- You don't know?
- It wasn't a big deal!
- Would you consider suspension a big deal?
- What? - That's what he said is gonna happen
if you talk to your teacher again like that.
(scoffs) - Okay, yeah, whatever.
- No! Not whatever!
Lily, I need you to promise me that's not gonna happen again.
- God! Mom, can you just give me some space?
Is that too much to ask? - Space?
Space is all I've been giving you since we moved here,
I think maybe space is the problem.
- No, I think that you're the problem.
- I don't even recognize you anymore.
- Well, maybe if you didn't take me for granted,
I'm the same person that I've always been,
it's just you're too...
You're too self-centred to notice.
I'm gonna go upstairs and do my homework,
I hope that that's acceptable.
(door slams)
- Now, when Fitzgerald said there are no second acts to American lives,
to what was he referring?
Anybody?
Come on, somebody.
Miss Lawrence, you must have something to contribute?
(knocking) - Mr. Brooks, a moment please?
- Uh, class, just bear with me, please, I won't be long.
- Hey! What do you think that was about.
(♪)
- I don't think we'll be seeing Mr. Brooks anytime soon.
- How do you know?
- I made a promise to you, Lily.
After what Brooks did to you...
- You mean that you're responsible for--
- Shh...
(chuckles)
- Students, please read quietly for the rest of class.
Thank you.
(dramatic music)
- This is what they've become obsessed with,
she and her friends.
- What is it? - Zenith.
You've never heard of it?
- No, had you? - Mm-mmm, no.
The book nor the author.
And there isn't much about either of them online.
- Did you actually read it? - I did.
- And?
- I mean... it isn't particularly special.
The story is not much.
Something for him to hang his beliefs on, really.
Sort of a mash up of Nietzsche, Ayn Rand,
a little bit or Orwell, maybe some of...
Baudrillard's nihilism thrown in.
- Juvenile.
- Hmm, so is Nietzsche if you take his ideas seriously.
(chuckles)
But I do understand how it could be appealing to teenagers.
I mean, smart teens.
Ones that are bored with Jane Austen and Dickens.
- But you don't think it's dangerous?
- No, but then again,
nobody thought Catcher in the Rye was particularly persuasive
until they found it on Chapman.
- True. So the problem is her friends.
- Friend. Violet. - Not Violet Lawrence?
- Yes. You know her?
- No, but her sister, she was in my daughter's class.
Always in trouble. If not with the school, then with the cops.
- Cops? Seriously?
- Yeah, but I don't think it was anything terrible.
Vandalism, underage drinking, drugs.
She was smart though. Extremely bright.
That much I do remember.
It's always the smart ones you need to watch out for, right?
- Are you sure Diane?
Violet never mentioned anything about a sister.
- Positive.
I actually thought the girls moved away after the accident.
But they must've moved back.
- What accident?
- You don't know? - No.
- The girls' parents.
They were killed in an accident years ago.
Hiking, I think. It was terrible.
- I... Diane, no, I spoke to the mom.
- I don't know what to tell you,
but if we're talking about the same family,
then you must've spoken to a ghost.
(♪)
- I saw the cops take him away.
- For real? - I swear to God.
- Was he cuffed? - No, he wasn't cuffed.
But they definitely put him in the back of the squad car,
it's not like they just said, "Hey, meet us at the station" or something.
- Oh, my gosh.
- Did Mr. Brooks have a reputation for things like this?
- I mean, he always creeped me out.
- I heard it was a freshman, that's who he was caught with.
- Nuh-uh, he wasn't caught with her,
I heard there were pictures. Dirty pictures.
- Oh, my God. - The truth is, none of us
really know what happened. It's all just rumours.
- Well, something happened, we know that.
They don't just grab a teacher and haul him out in cuffs.
- I said he wasn't cuffed. - Just an expression, Peter.
- I can't wait for the email. - Email?
- Yeah. Whenever something like this happens,
something embarrassing for the school,
the super intendant and principal always send out an email
to the students and parents.
- They try to like get ahead of the story,
you know, spin it a little. - Exactly.
Unfortunately for them, they won't be able to spin this one.
- What?
Okay, I thought you said you didn't know what happened?
- Just an educated guess. Ava?
- Yeah? - Let's go!
- Of course.
- Hold on.
Do you see what I'm taking about now?
- Mr. Brooks humiliated me, Derek.
You saw it. - Okay.
Is that reason to get him arrested?
- I don't know, but I do know that it's really nice
having someone look out for me.
I thought that you were that person, but I guess that I was wrong.
(scoffs)
- Lily?
(mysterious music)
- Oh my God.
(giggling)
Lily?
- Oh, um, I just...
I'm just coming by to pick up something.
- More clothes? - Uh no, my copy of Zenith.
- I have it. - You have it?
Why do you have it? - I took it.
- You had no right.
- Violet, I'd like to talk to my daughter alone.
If you don't mind.
- No, anything that you want to say to me
you can say in front of her.
- No, I can't.
- It's alright, Lily. Take all the time you need.
I'll be outside waiting whenever you're ready.
If you need me, just call.
(door opens and closes)
- Are you actively trying to ruin my life?
- It looks like you're doing a pretty good job at that on your own.
- Oh, so that's why you wanted to talk to me alone,
so you could insult me?
- I'm sorry.
I just... I wanna show you what I found.
Okay, if you could just please sit down?
Just for a minute.
- What is it?
- Lily, Harper is not Violet's mother.
I think she's her sister.
Her parents were killed in a suspicious camping accident.
Violet was questioned extensively,
but the police could never explain what really happened.
- Why are you doing this? - What?
- Why are you doing this to me? - What--
Because it's the truth!
- No, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!
I've met Violet's mom!
- No, Lily, you met her sister.
Just look at this.
Lily, please, listen to me. - No, you listen to me.
I finally have a friend, I have a best friend.
I finally fit in, and you're trying to take that away from me.
How dare you?! - No, I'm not trying to take anything away from you,
I love you! I'm worried about you.
- No, you're worried about you.
- What are you saying?
- You're worried that now that I have people who care about me,
and believe in me, that you're gonna lose me.
- No! That couldn't be further from the truth.
- Oh yeah?
Because ever since dad died, it's just been you and me.
And we've always had each other.
And now that I'm not around as much anymore,
it scares you, so you have to make up lies to hurt me.
- Lies? Lily, listen to yourself.
- I am listening.
See, but I'm done listening to you. Okay?
Can you just...
Just leave me alone!
(door slams)
(sighs)
(pop music)
(cheering)
(laughing)
(♪)
- Do you like it? - Yeah!
- It's our secret little hide-out.
- I love it!
I can't believe I finally told her off!
You'd be so proud of me! Here.
Man, you cannot believe the crap that she was saying.
- Like what?
- I don't know.
Hm, she was saying that like...
Harper is not your mother, she's your sister,
and that you guys tried to kill your parents.
Like, crazy stuff! She was putting papers in my face and everything.
Here.
I'm good.
- Trust me, one more at least.
I need to tell you something, Lily.
(indistinct radio chatter)
- There you go. - Thank you.
- You're welcome. - I really appreciate
you meeting with me so soon.
- Well, that's the thing about Chestnut Falls,
we're plenty busy, but when someone comes in
and says they have information about a murder,
we listen.
- I think it's a murder, I can't be certain.
- Why don't you tell me what you know,
and we'll figure out what the truth is.
- Okay. Um, do you remember a case from a few years ago,
the Lawrence family? The parents died in a camping accident.
- Yeah, of course, it was big news.
- Did you investigate it? - No, state police did.
And Department of Parks too I believe,
after all, it happened in a State park.
- But the family was from here, Chestnut Falls.
- Mm-hmm. - In all articles I read,
it refers to the death as, "A tragic accident."
- That's right.
- I don't think it was an accident, Sergeant Carter,
I don't think it was an accident at all.
I think they were murdered.
(sombre music)
- Your mother's not wrong.
Harper is my sister.
When our parents died,
she became my legal guardian. She was an adult, it made sense.
It was easier, less complicated
to let people think she was my mother.
And I didn't want anyone's pity. You know how it is.
But that's not what you want to know.
What you wanna know
is if I killed my parents.
(intense music)
Yes.
I killed them.
My parents were very abusive,
both mentally and physically.
- The... scar on your side, that wasn't from--
- A bottle warmer?
No.
- I'm so sorry, Violet.
- But then, Harper gave me this book.
- Zenith.
- It was exactly what she needed at the time.
Every night, Harper would read to me from Zenith.
It was our Bible.
And slowly, it became obvious what we needed to do.
- So... she did it.
She murdered them? - Murder them?
We just wanted the abuse to stop.
To live without pain. Without fear.
- Okay, why didn't you just go tell somebody, like...
the police? A guidance counsellor?
- Are you serious, Lily? Come on! You've seen my house.
Do you think anyone would've really believed their spoiled little daughter?
No.
- Why are you telling this to me?
Why now? - Because I trust you, Lily.
And you trust Zenith.
But never mention this to anyone.
Understand?
- Are you threatening me? - Threatening you?
Of course not, you're one of us now!
I'm just explaining.
And what I'm explaining
is that if I hear you betray me,
the things I'll do to you
will make the pain from that brand of yours
feel like a little tickle.
- Violet, I'm--
I don't know what to think. I'm just...
I'm just confused. Okay?
- I never killed anyone I didn't have to.
It was either them or me.
And they were killing me slowly, if not physically,
then both mentally and emotionally.
Just like your mother is doing to you.
- What?
- Oh, you know it's true, Lily.
The question is what are you gonna do about it?
- You can't be suggesting that I--
Violet, I love my mother.
Yes, obviously, sometimes we fight.
But...
I would never hurt her.
I just want... I just want a little space.
I just want a little freedom.
- Only you know how you feel, Lily.
But I know once I did what I needed to do,
I finally felt free.
And that...
that is the greatest feeling
in the world.
(dramatic music)
- Okay, okay, I hear you, Mrs. Miller, I do. But...
for me to look into this, let alone reopen the case,
I would need some new evidence. - Okay, like what?
- Something tangible.
Something that would prove that the Lawrences didn't just slip
off an unstable rockfall.
- Okay, what about proof that the woman that's pretending
to be Violet Lawrence's mother is really her sister?
I have articles that prove that.
- I'm not even sure that's a crime.
- Excuse me? - It's bizarre, I'll give you that,
but I wouldn't even know what to charge her with.
Especially if there's no evidence of neglect or abuse.
- What about brainwashing my daughter?
- Brainwashing, you mean by giving her that book?
- Yes.
- Mrs. Miller, I don't want to insult your intelligence,
but you'd be laughed out of court with that one.
I doubt a judge would even hear the case.
- Lily is a different person since she started hanging out with this girl.
Completely different person.
She doesn't even listen to me anymore.
- I get it, I have kids too.
- What can I do? How can I keep her away from this Violet?
Can I get a restraining order?
- How old is Lily?
- 18. She just turned 18 a few months ago.
- Then you can't.
- I can't what?
- Can't get her to do what you want, she's legally an adult.
- Then what do I do, Sergeant Carter,
what do you suggest I do? How do I help my daughter?
- Look, you said you had a good relationship with her before, right?
- We were very close, yes.
- Then talk to her.
Convince her to listen to you.
It's the most reasonable thing you could do.
Frankly, Mrs. Miller,
it's the only thing you can do.
(soft music)
- Mom?!
(panting)
Did I wake you? - Are you okay?
- Can we please talk? I'm so sorry!
- Yes. Come here. - I'm so sorry!
- Shh, hey, hey, hey, hey, shh.
It's okay, it's okay.
Shh, look at me.
Everything is gonna be okay, I promise.
Were you with Violet? - No.
I was just out, trying to clear my head.
(sighs)
She had me so messed up.
Her and her stupid book.
(sobbing)
- Do you want to talk about it?
- No.
Not really, not right now.
Is that okay? - Yeah, of course.
- How could I ever make it up to you?
- Don't worry about me, I'm a mom,
it comes with the territory. It's okay.
- Maybe...
Maybe the two of us could hang out this weekend, together?
- I'd like that.
- There's this really nice hiking trail up by the mountains.
All the kids go there at nighttime to hang out,
but in the day, apparently, it's really beautiful.
It overlooks the whole valley.
- Sounds perfect.
(soft music)
We should get some sleep.
- I think that I might just stay here and text my friends.
Then I'll go to sleep afterwards, is that okay?
- Yeah, of course.
Okay.
Lily?
I love you. - I love you too.
- I'm glad you're back.
- So am I.
(♪)
- Lily, let's go!
- Okay, okay, I'm coming.
- You want something to eat?
- Uh, no, that's okay, I don't really have an appetite.
- Are you sure? - Mm-hmm. I'll be fine.
- Okay. That's for you.
(birds chirping)
Woo! How are you doing?
- Tired, but the good kind of tired.
- Mm, well, do you wanna stop?
- Before my middle-aged mom, are you kidding?
- Hey! Don't call me middle-aged!
(chuckling)
Okay, maybe we just take one little break.
- What? We're almost there!
I know but... just a little thirsty.
Whoa, look at these clouds.
The weather changes on a dime up here.
Just in case. - Okay.
- You ready? - Yeah.
(menacing music)
- Oh, be careful! Ooh!
- Man, I kind of expected today to be a little bit more sunny.
(chuckling)
I mean, it's okay, but my boots are gonna be really dirty.
(indistinct chatter)
(sombre music)
- Oh, wow.
- Look at this branch.
- Ooh. Nice.
- I think that we're coming close to...
(indistinct chatter)
- Wow. - Look at the ravine.
It's really something, isn't it, mom?
(panting)
Now!
(screaming)
- Game over, Violet, game over!
- I don't know what the hell you're talking about!
I come up here and meet you like you asked,
and I get jumped? - Mom!
- You better have a good explanation for this!
- I'm sorry, Violet, but it's not gonna work this time.
- Please! Please! You're all crazy!
- Listen, you can deny that you killed your parents,
you can even say that maybe Mr. Brooks is inappropriate,
but there's one thing that you can't explain.
(panting)
- My necklace! Where did you find it?
- I didn't. Amanda Williams had it.
- She asked for me at the hospital, so I went.
She was hazy, but that was something she still remembered,
is that before the accident,
she found it beside Jack's truck.
- That's not proof of anything. - Tell that to the police.
- I thought you were special! - I am special!
I'm just not better than everybody else!
And neither are you!
(grunting)
- We did it.
You're okay?
Come on.
(screaming)
- Uncuff me right now!
I'm going to sue you! - It's okay.
- I'm going to sue all of you!
(screaming, panting)
Get me out of here! Lily!
Lily!
I love you, Lily!
- I got the whole thing on my phone.
I'll email it to you.
- Good. - And if that doesn't work,
there are three witnesses that saw what she attempted to do.
- I'll need you to come down to the station
and make a formal statement about everything.
Both of you. - Yeah.
- Well, maybe it can wait 'til tomorrow.
Right now, I think you two need to get some rest.
- Yeah.
- I need to talk to your mother for a few minutes.
- It's okay, I'll be right there.
- I'll walk you to your car.
- Okay, is this the part where you read me riot act
for endangering the kids? - You could've called me.
- Because you were so helpful last time.
- This is different.
You would've had your daughter to corroborate things.
- Hmm, yes, then you would've had two crazy ladies instead of one.
Look, I'm not blaming you, Sergeant,
but we both know Lily's testimony wouldn't prove anything.
- It was still risky.
- Yes, it was risky,
but if Violet killed multiple people,
like I am certain she did,
then it would've been riskier not to do anything.
I mean, eventually, she would've come after Lily and me.
She couldn't afford not to.
So what happens now?
- Well, it's up to the DA.
Violet will be charged.
And they'll have to decide if she's competent to stand trial.
- I don't know if she can stand trial,
but I do know Violet Lawrence is certainly out of her mind.
(♪)
- What do you think school will be like?
- I don't know.
We'll have to wait and see.
- What do you think Ava and Peter are gonna think?
- Look, they bought into it.
Just like I did, just like you did.
But in the end, they're not killers, right?
They're followers.
- I just...
I can't believe that that book inspired us to do
so many crazy things. - Yeah.
They didn't seem crazy.
- I guess so.
- Do you have the necklace?
- Mm-hmm.
- That reminds me.
(grunts)
Never again.
Thanks.
- Look at the two of you.
- Hello. - Hi, sir.
- Will you two relax?
You look like you're guilty of something.
- I guess it's just being in a police station.
- Yeah, well, unless you go into law enforcement,
you probably won't spend too much time in one.
But with that stunt that the two of you pulled...
maybe you were made for investigative work.
(knocking)
- Hi.
- Oh, before I forget again.
- Thank you.
With everything we already have on her...
we probably don't need this, but it's good to have.
- Of course.
- I told your mother I would need to interview her as well.
I half expected her to be with you.
- Oh, um... I could give her a call, she could come down.
- Please. - Yeah.
(phone ringing)
- Okay, excuse me, it's my daughter.
Hello? -Hi, mom.
- Hi, where are you? - We're with Sergeant Carter.
- Oh, that's so funny, I'm here with Sergeant Anderson now.
She came by to take my statement.
- Oh.
She says that she's talking to Sergeant Anderson at her house right now.
- Sergeant Anderson? - Yeah, that's what she said.
- We don't have a Sergeant Anderson on the force.
Mrs. Miller, this is Sergeant Carter.
Please listen to me very carefully.
That woman is not a police officer.
She's very dangerous.
Don't do anything sudden.
And get out of your house.
Get out as fast as you can.
- She just wanted to check up on me.
- Well, that's good.
Shall we continue?
- Yeah. Uh, I don't remember where we were.
- Hm.
You were explaining the toxic influence
the suspect had on your daughter.
- Oh, right.
- Easier than blaming the parents, I suppose.
- Excuse me? - Well, all I'm saying is...
you and your daughter just moved here,
Lily has only known the suspect a few weeks,
you've been her mother, what, over 18 years?
Seems kind of silly to blame someone else
for Lily's shortcomings. But what do I know?
- I'm a good mother.
- Of course, Mrs. Miller, I didn't mean to imply otherwise.
- I'm just gonna go get a glass of water.
(gasps)
(grunts)
- I think we should stay right here.
- Please, please don't hurt me.
Lily needs me.
- Needs you?
No, no, I don't think so.
I think Lily was doing just fine by herself.
In fact, when she was over, she was talking quite a bit
about how she didn't need you.
- No, that's not true.
- Of course, it's true, and you know it.
- Please, Lily's the only thing that means anything to me.
- Now, now that I believe. But you see, Mrs. Miller,
that Violet was the one thing that meant something to me
and you and your little bitch daughter,
you took her away from me, and now...
Now, you're gonna pay.
(screaming)
(grunting)
Stop! Mrs. Miller.
- Please!
(gunshot)
- Mom!
Mom!
- It's over!
It's over, I love you. - I love you too.
(sobbing)
(heavy breathing)
- And always remember,
nobody should be able to keep you here.
Who are they?!
Who are they to say that something's wrong with you?!
They're the ones that should be in here.
Who don't want you to be free.
But you have the power to change that.
You have Zenith.
And Zenith will set you free.
Subtitling: difuze