[hip-hop song playing]
♪ Follow my lead, move your feet ♪
♪ One, two, three Don't skip a beat ♪
♪ I wanna see you live out loud… ♪
[Spencer clears throat]
-What are you doing? -Taking care of Jaymee's first love.
Jaymee's first love is an orchid?
Look at you. A man that knows his flowers.
And, yes, this orchid and the rest of her plants
are the bonus kids I gained when Jaymee moved in.
Did you call those plants your kids?
-I did. -Mmm-hmm.
-Too much? -No.
It's actually pretty damn impressive, knowing your role is key.
Happy boo, happy you.
Hey, facts.
Speaking of which, is single you a happy you?
Alicia and I, we broke up weeks back.
That's not an answer.
Okay, then I'm happy I'm not hurting somebody I care about no more.
I could've handled that relationship better.
Yeah, well, I'd say take this time to really focus on yourself,
but knowing you,
you'll have your eye on someone new in all of two seconds.
[chuckles] Good point. Good point.
Where's Jaymee at?
Okay. Too soon.
[chuckles]
Hey, man, have you heard from JJ?
I've been trying to give him space, but mandatory practices start next week.
Well, he's still at his parents' house.
Keith's OD shook him up, man.
Yeah, that night he kept saying he didn't recognize himself in the mirror anymore.
Maybe this time with his parents is the peace he needs to get his head right.
It's been a month, Spence.
What if it's not?
[Wendy and Olivia chuckling]
Mmm, well, Spencer's attractive and handsome,
but, oh, my God, you're a total smoke show, Olivia.
-[laughs] -Whoa, wait.
-Grandma Wendy, did you just say-- -"Smoke show"? Absolutely.
I'm really current with the times, you two.
I even have an OnlyFans account.
Okay. Didn't need to know that.
It's just for legal consultation.
-Oh, makes sense. -Ah! Smart move.
-Yeah. -[both chuckle]
It's good to see the two of you laughing.
I know the last few months have been a challenge for all of you,
and that's why I wanted to come back and spend some time with you.
How are you both doing?
Uh, we're taking it a day at a time.
Jordan's really stepped into his own as man of the house.
Mmm-hmm. And Liv is winning awards.
She's embracing her freshman year
and also applied for a cultural exchange program.
I'm so proud of both of you.
[cell phone vibrates]
Oh, I have to take this. Sorry.
-Hello. -So how's football going?
-It's good. Brick by brick. -And the ladies in your life?
-Aha. "Lady," actually. -Oh.
Layla and I are officially together.
Layla, who used to wear the headset?
I forgot about the headset. Thank you so much for the ammo.
-Okay. -[mimics whooshing]
Hey, you good?
That was a rep from the cultural exchange program.
[Wendy] And?
I've been accepted.
-[exclaims] -Wow, congratulations, sweetheart.
That's wonderful.
It's amazing. Where are they sending you, huh?
New York?
Texas?
London.
-London? Wow. -Yeah.
For… for how long?
The whole summer.
I have friends there.
-I'll get you their info. -Okay.
So, how do I look?
Like a boss.
Mmm, happy first day back at work, Mom.
Now, come here, 'cause Liv and I have made you
fresh berries and yogurt for breakfast.
Like Dad used to make.
Thank you, my loves.
Do these pants go with these shoes?
-Everything looks good with Prada. -[Jordan] Mmm-hmm.
Are you okay, Mom?
I'm not used to you asking for wardrobe approval.
Um, I guess I'm a little bit nervous about going back to work.
Anyway, once I get there, I'll be fine.
And besides, I'm only doing a half-day, so…
[Jordan] Mmm. Ooh.
Uh, Mom, before you leave,
Liv has something that she would actually love to share.
Have a great first day, Mom. We love you.
I love you too.
-Here you are. -Thank you.
-Okay. Bye, Mom! -Bye. Have a good day.
Uh, what the heck was that about, dude?
Why didn't you tell Mom about your news?
I just wanted her to have her moment.
You know, her first day back at work is a really big deal.
And so is going to London.
Did you guys not see what I saw?
She's not ready for all of these big changes.
I can't bail on her.
Hello? Mom has another kid,
who is slightly better looking, by the way,
and totally capable.
I got this.
I agree. You need to concentrate on being a student.
And to do that in London would be an absolute dream.
[Jordan] You can't do that until you talk to Mom.
So woman up.
-Hey, what up, y'all? -Hey.
-Hey, baby. -Hey, dudes.
-You want something to eat? -Yeah. That'd be great.
Okay. Am I in the James house?
Because since when can we eat breakfast in front of the TV?
Oh, it's me and D'Angelo's new tradition.
And they know the rules.
Coasters, napkins, and not a single crumb.
[Carter] No crumbs.
Oh. So you signed off on all this?
'Cause when I tried to do it when I was a kid, I got a whooping.
-And I was 13. -[Carter] Damn.
-Was whoopings even legal at that age? -[mock laughs] Everybody got jokes.
-Yo, you was getting whooped. -I was chilling.
You can't take these two nowhere.
I can see that.
Still need me to take you to get a haircut?
Oh, yeah. Gotta look fresh.
Supposed to link up with my girl Nikki tonight.
"Girl" as in "girlfriend"?
Did you know about this?
I did not.
I thought you told her.
That's your mom.
Besides, I didn't know if I'd be violating bro code.
I'm sorry, Mom.
It's all good.
You don't have to tell me everything you're doing, Dillon.
As long as you and your little friend are happy, I am too.
[sighs]
-Coop. -Not now, Patience. Gotta grab some stuff.
I've been calling and texting for two weeks.
I've been with my parents.
I had nothing to do with that video of me and Skye kissing.
-It don't change what happened. -That video was doctored.
I swear, I pulled away the moment it went down.
So if… if you pulled away, that means Skye is the one who kissed you.
[sighs]
I'm sorry, Coop.
If it's any consolation, she felt terrible right after it happened.
I don't care how she felt.
Does Layla know that there's some weirdo spying on folks at her studio?
No. Not yet.
My only concern has been you.
If you were so concerned about me,
you would've told me that my girlfriend betrayed me,
instead of letting me get blindsided by that video.
I'm sorry, I…
Hey, Coach, I was thinking…
Oh, my bad, Shane. I was looking for Coach Montes.
He's talking to our grounds crew about tomorrow's first day of practice.
Wait, tomorrow?
What happened to starting next week?
Coach couldn't wait, so he moved things up.
You know who we can thank for this, right?
-Me? -Boom!
The way you've been pushing the boys, you even got JJ's head back in the game.
Bet he's chomping at the bit.
Yeah. Yeah, he is. 100%
Can't wait to see him on the field. Bright and early. Let's get to work.
Yes, sir.
-Hey, Ma. Uh, listen. -[Grace] Hey.
-I don't mean to be that guy, but… -What?
-But I found crumbs in the couch. -Oh, Lord. [chuckles]
You have very specific rules when it comes to that couch.
There's only one punishment that fits the crime.
And Dillon is 13, so I'mma go ahead and hold him down.
-[laughs] -You can come in and do what you do best.
-Okay? -Would you stop?
[Grace laughing]
It's good to see you on the other side of your mountains.
I don't know if I'm on the other side of it yet,
but I'm making progress, embracing change, you know.
Mmm-hmm.
Is that what you're doing? Embracing change?
-You talking about that damn couch again? -No.
I'm talking about Dillon telling Carter about his new girlfriend first.
You sure you're cool with that?
It would've been nice to know.
But I'm fine.
Right. That's why you had that look on your face when you found out.
And you even hit Dillon with the "little friend" comment.
We all know that's Black Mama Shade 101.
Okay, fine.
Maybe it did sting a little.
But D'Angelo and Dillon, they've gotten a chance to create a bond.
And that's important, and I don't wanna step on that.
[cell phone vibrates]
I'm sorry. Mind if we table this for another time?
There is nothing to table, son.
I am fine with your brother forming a relationship with his stepfather.
Wait. You and Skye?
It's not what it looks like, okay?
You had just signed off on my acoustic tour,
and emotions were running high, and then, Skye, she just kissed me.
-Why would you record it? -I didn't.
Wait. Somebody hacked your phone?
[sighs] I don't know. Maybe they put spyware on it or something.
Right, but in order to use spyware,
wouldn't he or she need access to your phone?
She.
Oh, my God. Miko?
Damn it, Patience, you went back to Miko
after I repeatedly told you to cut her off.
I went to go have a boundaries conversation with her.
-Oh, okay. -I owed her at least that
after she helped make the "Fire and Ice" video viral.
Now you have a blackmail video, so congrats.
The conversation must've gone great.
I can talk to her again.
No, you've done enough, okay? And clearly, I can't trust you.
So, as your producer, I will deal with all things Miko from now on.
Here are the depositions you asked for.
Oh, thank you.
[sighs] You good, Mrs. Baker? 'Cause you haven't moved all morning.
That's not true.
I ate my breakfast, and read some emails, and answered my phone,
all from this ridiculously comfy chair.
Mmm-hmm.
-Whatever, Coop. -[chuckles]
-What about you? -What about me?
You haven't been home in a few weeks. You wanna fill me in?
[sighs]
School has been a challenge.
My professor keeps coming for me.
First, he tried to check me for using too much slang, which I wasn't.
And then he claimed I slouch too much.
Excuse me?
Yeah, and when I confronted him about it,
he took me off as lead speaker of my group and has been ignoring me ever since.
That's retaliation.
He can't do that.
Skye said the same thing.
I mean, I don't know.
Maybe I'm not cut out for this law stuff after all.
[Spencer] You reach out to JJ?
Yeah, I've been texting him the past hour. Nothing.
I heard back from his dad.
They are in Lake Arrowhead, but JJ stayed behind.
Insisted he needed some time alone.
His socials are no help. They've all been scrubbed clean.
Him needing some alone time isn't crazy, considering what he's been dealing with.
Well, time's up.
If JJ doesn't show up tomorrow, he's off the team for good.
Montes made that clear weeks ago.
Okay. It's time we pull up and do a mental health check.
What if he's fine, and it's just his choice?
Only one way to find out.
-Mi compadres! -Mi compadre.
[both chuckle]
You are looking better than ever, JJ.
You look happy, you're bronzed,
and rocking the hell out of that smedium sized shirt.
Well, thank you, bro.
You know, time away has done wonders for my temple.
I've been texting you for weeks.
My bad, bro. Reception out here in the hills is a little suss.
You left me on read.
Uh, uh… Reception for me, I mean, you know…
Uh, come in, huh? [chuckles]
-[JJ chuckles] -You good?
Everything is aces, bro.
Yeah? Did you get some help?
-Uh, you mean, like, therapy? [chuckles] -Yeah.
I didn't need to. I'm fine.
I just needed a minute.
I'm glad you sound like your old self, JJ.
Feels good. Fun JJ is back.
I'm not sure if you heard,
but mandatory practices have been moved up to tomorrow.
Yeah. Yeah, about that. Uh…
Turns out football isn't the only thing I got behind on this off-season.
I have some makeup work for my psychology class.
If I don't do it, it's academic probation for me.
-Ouch. What's the project about? -[JJ] Get this.
They want me to do a video that speaks to who I am.
Like I don't know that already. [chuckles]
-What you plan on doing about it? -I'm circling a few things.
Nothing has spoken to me.
Maybe you should do something that recaps your freshman year at Coastal.
The highs, the lows.
We can record you talking about your experiences on camera.
Give you a chance to speak your truth, no cap, like I Am Athlete.
Yeah, that's dope.
Yeah.
But how about we make it all of us? You know?
I mean, we're down, right?
Okay. Well, I need to find a room that is aesthetically epic. [chuckles]
Let's go, baby!
-[Jordan] There he his. -[JJ] Whoo!
Now that, that is the happiest I've seen JJ in a long time.
Yeah. Maybe a little too happy.
That dude couldn't even look us in the eye, J. He is pretending.
Trust me,
as somebody who spent a long, long time faking it like everything was okay,
that dude is in a freefall.
We gotta figure out a way to make him see it.
[door opens, closes]
Livy. What are you doing here?
I brought you lunch.
Except that you knew I was only doing a half-day.
-So try again. -Jordan ran his mouth already, didn't he?
He might've mentioned that you had something to tell me
before you rushed me out the door this morning.
So sit. I want all the tea.
Well, it's funny that you mentioned tea,
because the place that I wanna talk to you about
is kind of obsessed with it.
[gasps] Are you going to London?
Is that where the cultural exchange program placed you?
-It is. -Oh, my God! That's so amazing.
So proud of you.
When do you leave?
Well, that's the thing.
Uh, no. Mmm-mmm.
Don't even try it. You're going, kiddo.
Mom, you want me to leave and be okay,
but how… how can I do that when I know you're not?
Liv, I'm fine.
Really? So you didn't spend all day today
thinking that you came back to work too soon?
Okay. You might be right about that.
But I need the time out of the house.
That's the only way I'm gonna find my life again.
Finding your life again, I get.
But I don't think that coming back to work is the best way for you to do that.
And you think you being here instead of London
is the best way for you to find you?
Maybe it's time we both take an honest look
at what's best for both of us.
Okay, so how are we gonna convince JJ to open up?
We lead by example.
We all speak the truth about our freshman year, we hold nothing back.
And then, fingers crossed, he'll do the same.
[Jordan] Hmm.
All right. Well, who's up first?
I'll take one for the team.
So, today we'll discuss the Kern v. Tarzana school case.
An 18-year-old by the name of Teri Kern was arrested for possession of marijuana
with intent to distribute.
She claimed that the illegal search of her purse
was a direct violation of which amendment?
Kurt?
The Fourth Amendment.
What's that, Kurt?
[Laura] Uh, the Fourth Amendment.
Sorry. I was supposed to be observing quietly,
but being in this setting,
I was getting flashbacks of being a law student.
Former DA Baker. To what do we owe the pleasure?
Professor Jacobs was giving me a tour of the building,
and I heard you from the hallway.
Do you mind if I sit in?
[chuckles] Not at all.
-Please, be my guest. -Thank you.
-Do you mind if I take your seat? -Sure.
Thank you.
Give me one word to sum up your freshman year.
Growth.
I started this season on the bench,
and then I made a game-saving play on special teams,
-and then I went first team, all-freshmen. -[JJ] Ah.
Whole season was a movie.
If that was a movie, then the off-season was a bad sequel.
I broke up with two girlfriends.
Technically one, okay? The other one beat you to it.
-Thanks for keeping me humble, J. -[JJ chuckles]
Making decisions for other people instead of letting them make it themselves
is something that always haunted me.
Ang then I lost the greatest man I ever knew.
But in spite of all that pain and regret, I learned how to ask for help.
I had to lean on my village.
I learned that it's okay for the strong friend to be vulnerable,
or, in your case, the fun friend.
-[scoffs softly] -Those walls ain't always gotta be up, JJ.
I… I appreciate that, but we're focused on you, Spence.
Plus, that doesn't really apply to me.
Come on, bro.
All the big energy, all the jokes…
It's become a crutch for you, man.
A mask for you to hide behind.
Look, real talk. This year's been tough for you too.
Now, I found safety in my village.
You can find safety in us too.
But you gotta talk to us.
Look, I know it sounds corny,
but Dr. Spears always says, man, "You cannot heal until you feel."
Yeah, well, Doc McStuffins
would diagnose what you just said as overreact-itis. [chuckles]
Really, JJ?
After everything Spence said, that's all you got?
Chill. It was a joke.
Yeah, but this ain't. Okay?
[sighs]
-We're trying to be here for you. -[cell phone vibrates]
-Go ahead and take that. -It's all good. It's just Dillon.
I gotta take him to get a haircut, but I can push that.
No, you should go now.
-Yeah, I… -[recording stops]
Done with your part anyway.
What are you doing here?
I felt the need to be nostalgic.
How's it going with your professor?
I'm good. All right? I don't need your help fighting this.
Okay, but how do I fight this?
I think you know what to do, Coop.
If I air him out for ignoring me, he's gonna kick me out of class for good.
So maybe it's time you explained to him
why retaliation is just another form of bullying.
Oh. Okay.
Okay. Anybody care to weigh in on the merit of Teri Kern's defense?
[sighs]
[sighs] You've shared plenty in the past, Miss Cooper.
Just trying to give somebody else a chance.
Of course, because any other reason could be considered retaliation.
Which under Title 9 goes against the school policy.
"A professor cannot prevent a student from participating in an activity
"or exercising their rights in class."
Since no one else is inclined to weigh in on the current defense,
you may answer, Miss Cooper.
[hip-hop song playing]
Um…
Where's Patience? I was supposed to meet with both of you.
And discuss what? How you're a total creep
who puts spyware on her phone to track her every move?
Oh, so I'm the reason she got sloppy with Skye?
The girl you hired who was crushing on Patience
-but you were too preoccupied to notice? -And you know that how?
Oh, right. Because you've been stalking her.
[sighs]
-Kamiko Scott? -Yeah.
You've been served.
A… a restraining order?
You are no longer to come within 50 feet of Patience.
Doesn't matter if that's here, her concert, my home.
Everything is off-limits, and I strongly advise you not to try me.
So, wait, you're punishing me for looking out for my girl?
She's not your girl, Miko.
Of course she is.
I'm the one leading her most popular fan page.
The reason her video hit eight million views,
the reason her fans love Patience, no matter what she does.
Me, Layla. Not Skye, not Gia.
Me.
And the best part is I do it for free.
Because I love her.
For the last time,
if you come near Patience again, you will be arrested.
I was six years old when I knew I was destined to be a quarterback.
[JJ] Yeah? How?
I threw a pass that broke the front window of our house. So…
Wait, I remember that.
-You blamed Liv. -I did.
Oh, and it wasn't until my dad praised Liv for having such a great arm
that I admitted it was me.
My dad's reaction to that was everything.
For the next hour, he would just scratch his neck and say,
[in deep voice] "Okay. Okay. Okay."
[normal voice] I spent the next 12 years chasing that reaction.
And it wasn't until I landed at GAU as a preferred walk-on
that I realized I could thrive without him as my coach.
Which was bittersweet.
And then you became QB1.
I did, which was awesome.
And then my world came crashing down.
And it sucks that it took losing my dad to find my own identity.
My own version of a Baker man.
But it's the blessing that came out of the worst time of my life.
And I got there
with the help of my family,
our Vortex,
and the best girlfriend a guy could ask for.
One word to describe your freshman year.
Maturity.
Yeah, I am proof that growth is possible, no matter how messy your life can get.
What about you, JJ? What is your word?
Come on, man. First Spence, now you?
I'm just saying. Things got real for you this year.
That had to mess with your head a bit. No?
Dude.
I appreciate you taking me to the barbershop.
You know I got you. Just like I would have had you
if you came for advice about your new girl.
-You know I love you? -I do.
But there's no way I'm asking you for girl advice.
That Vortex you got going on, it's messy, bro.
What? M…
-Exactly. Super-messy. -It is kinda messy.
But I gotta get ready. D'Angelo is taking us to the arcade.
-You know I love you, right? -I do.
And I'm digging what you and Carter are building.
I didn't have nothing like that when I was your age.
But between you and me, Moms is feeling kind of left out.
For real?
She'll never say anything, but, yeah.
Look, I know it's not intentional, but you got to try to keep her in mind.
You and me, for the longest time, we were the center of everything for her.
So when it comes to being a part of all the important stuff,
like your first girlfriend…
that means something to her.
It means something to me too.
-Nah, you're right. I feel you. -[cell phone vibrates]
You good?
Yeah. It looks like the guys weren't able to get through to JJ.
He still ain't talking to them.
Maybe find someone he will talk to?
Like someone he owes an explanation to.
Or someone that it'll mean something to in a bigger way.
So you're saying Teri Kern was within her rights to sue her high school,
even though she was the one arrested for narcotics?
Yes, just because she had it doesn't mean she was gonna sell it.
Why even have it then?
She was holding it for her grandfather, who smoked marijuana for his glaucoma.
But at the time, weed was illegal in California,
so she had to take the fall.
Nobody ever took the time to ask her why she had it.
They just threw her in the county jail, where she stayed for two years.
Mrs. Baker, you were a DA, tough on drugs. Thoughts?
I actually worked on this case as a young attorney,
and we pushed for an appeal and got Teri released.
Had her previous attorneys done what Tamia recommended,
she never would've been jailed.
So who's to blame for this?
A system that thrives on unconscious bias.
Yeah, but that argument will never hold up in a court of law.
Yes, it will.
The more we normalize it and make it a part of the bigger conversation.
[Laura] Tamia's right.
Times are changing, Professor Hill.
Attorneys who look and sound like Tamia got next.
She's the disrupter that this system needs.
So you either get on board or get run over.
[Wendy] Here you go, sweetie.
Oh, what's this?
Contact info from my friends in London.
And before you say anything, they know kids your age.
-That is very sweet, Grandma. Thank you. -Of course.
So when are you leaving?
-I'm still sorting that out. -What else is there to sort out?
Just making sure the social justice program is the right fit for me.
If it wasn't, you wouldn't have applied.
So what's the real holdup?
Is it Spencer?
I saw the way the two of you looked at each other
in that photograph from the fashion show.
Yeah, our thing is, um…
complicated.
You waiting for him to come back to you?
Not waiting, just…
wondering.
That's kind of the same thing.
And the last time I checked, us Fine women don't wait or wonder.
Listen, it's okay to be a little selfish and focus on yourself,
which is what Fate is telling you to do, Liv.
And if I were you, I would listen to Fate.
She can be a pushy bitch.
[cell phone vibrates]
[Wendy] In all seriousness,
you need to be whole before you can give all of yourself to Spencer.
And I'm not sure you're there yet, sweetie.
[sighs]
You guys are still here.
It's clear you don't wanna open up to us, and that's cool.
We promised to help you with your psych project,
so I stayed to do just that.
I'm up, right?
Yeah, but I don't need you ambushing me with fake therapy whatever.
No ambush. Gonna shoot straight.
-You're up, Ash. -Okay.
My freshman year was different.
It's been exciting and unpredictable.
But I'm not here to talk about my freshman year.
I'm here to talk about yours since you won't.
-What the hell? -Being straight up, like I said I would.
Freshman year for JJ Parker. Let's see.
You were arrested for scootering while drunk.
But that's light in comparison to the blackouts and the day parties,
oh, the whiskey rager,
where I'm not sure you ever apologized to Jordan
for all the disrespectful crap you said about Layla.
But the pièce de résistance
is when you showed up to Coach Baker's repast hammered.
Hammered, JJ!
For a man who went above and beyond for you.
Spitting in the face of Liv's sobriety.
Ash. Chill.
But when we needed help for Jaymee's medical bills,
you showed up in the clutch.
Plus, the many other times you've had our backs.
We just wanna help you.
-Dude, that's it. -I don't need your help!
There it is. That is the first honest emotion that we've seen, JJ.
You know what? Screw you, Ash.
And screw this project. I'm done.
I'm done with you guys playing shrink, like I owe you that.
I don't owe you anything!
But you owe me, don't you?
You owe me an apology, at the very least.
But as your friend,
I'm standing here offering you a chance to do more.
A chance to make things right.
[knocking at door]
Got you a new phone.
-Oh, thank you. -Yeah.
How was Miko?
I filed a restraining order against her.
She can't come within 50 feet of you no matter where you are.
Okay.
-Thank you for that too. -Yeah.
-Look, I know I messed up. -Yes, you did.
But I shouldn't have come down on you so hard.
-I just want you to be safe. -And I will. I get it now.
She totally reminds you of Carrie.
No.
With Carrie,
even in the middle of her breakdown, there was still humanity in her eyes.
That's why I knew I could get through to her.
I did not see that today with Miko.
Patience, she's seriously unwell.
Look, we're still, uh…
We'll still do your live in a few to promote the acoustic tour.
It'll be good to get your mind off things.
Um…
Yeah. I'mma get ready.
-Okay. -Okay.
Thank you for today.
Okay? You didn't have to show up.
I am a queer Black woman,
and I deal with this kind of nonsense every day.
Doesn't make it right.
Besides, I should be thanking you.
Being in that classroom fed my soul in a way I did not expect.
I could tell. It felt like you were at home.
Yeah, I was.
I'm not talking about as a student.
[scoffs] Come on, Coop.
There's no room for me to be a professor.
I have a day job. We have a day job.
Hey, I'm just saying, it's been a while since I've seen you that happy.
And if I'm being completely honest,
it's the professors who look, listen and sound like you who should have next.
[cell phone vibrates]
Just think about it, okay? Excuse me.
I'm sorry, Liv.
I wish I could make up for what happened at Coach Baker's repast.
And all the other times I've fumbled my choices.
You can. You start by being honest.
I just wanna have a conversation with the real you.
You want honest?
I don't even know who the real me is.
You can turn on the camera.
I want to record.
Who knows if I'll ever be able to say it all again.
Yes, PAYBAE1250.
Um, the acoustic tour is still happening,
but before I get into all the details about that, uh,
I wanted to talk about something that's been really heavy on my heart.
First of all, I love you guys.
I mean, there's no me without my Patience Zeroes.
But if I take a selfie with you, or I sign an autograph,
that doesn't make me your personal property.
Um…
So, somebody that I love, that means the world to me
was really hurt by something that one of my fans did.
And I won't let that happen again.
[clicks tongue]
This bitch.
Oh, my God. Can you stop already?
Okay, you know what?
Y'all want to look for somebody to troll?
Why don't y'all look up Miko-underscore-AZERO4EVA.
She's the fan who violated my privacy in a way that…
That I will never forget or forgive.
So, yeah, drag her with as many negative comments as possible
and then unfollow her,
and then block her ass immediately.
How's that for boundaries, Miko?
It's like my life is like a coin.
Fun JJ on one side,
and I have no idea what's on the other.
I was too afraid to really look.
When did you start being fun?
You know how my parents are realtors for some of the most baller clients?
They used to throw these epic parties at our house for their clients
and I'd be the only kid there. [chuckles softly]
I was a chubby kid, who looked who like Chunk.
Wait, like Chunk from The Goonies?
In case you were wondering,
my version of Chunk's Truffle Shuffle dance was killer.
I did it for one of my parents' clients.
He laughed for an hour straight.
That was the first time I ever realized my funny had value.
My parents loved it, so it became a thing I did.
To get laughs from the rents, the clients, everyone.
Being fun JJ got you their attention.
And then attention in middle school and high school.
It became the thing that defined me.
It was all I knew.
But somewhere during my freshman year, it got out of hand.
Especially trying to be that every day.
And then Coach Baker passed, and then Keith almost OD'd.
Fun was no longer fun.
[voice breaking]
And once I lost that…
You thought you lost you.
Yeah.
But the truth is, you had just finally got a glimpse at the other side of the coin.
The real you.
The one that we've known all along.
How? If I didn't even know him.
Because he was there the whole time.
Fun JJ was just a part.
Like it wasn't fun JJ that convinced his three best friends
to rent a beach house
just so they could keep this Vortex family together.
No. It was the real one.
The way that you showed up for me after my concussion…
Real JJ.
[Asher] The guy that threw the Halloween murder-mystery party…
-Mmm! -…to remind us the importance
of what we built as friends…
Real JJ.
[Olivia] And, yes, they were fun.
And sometimes messy.
But these epic moments of the Vortex's history,
they were inspired by a guy
who does what he does as an expression of love.
I mean, the Vortex wouldn't be what it is
without the love that you poured into it, JJ.
Into each one of us.
[Asher] That's who the real JJ is.
He's love.
I think it's great you're finally getting a chance to meet him.
[Olivia] Accepting him,
and unpacking all the sides of JJ…
It's not gonna always be easy and comfortable.
That's why you have us.
[chuckles softly]
Thank you, guys.
[Spencer] And whenever you're ready,
there's always gonna be a safe space for you back at the beach house.
Your room is waiting. All right?
-All right. -Get yourself together.
[boys laughing]
-All right. Got you two pieces. -Yes, sir.
-[Dillon] Yo, you got all the bagels. -Wait, is this from Hal's?
Yes, ma'am. Your favorite breakfast spot.
Wait. Whoa, whoa!
We can sit on the couch.
Even me?
Boy, if you don't get your butt over there… [chuckling]
Wait. Get me some of that sweet…
So, how did your date go with your little friend?
I mean, Nikki.
Yeah, she stood me up last night.
She what?
I wanted to go to the arcade. She didn't wanna do that again.
[Spencer] There's other things there.
-Miniature golf. -Batting cages.
Or you can win her a stuffed animal.
Or you could have just asked Nikki, what does she want to do?
Okay. I mean, she likes the movies.
Take her to see one, then.
But the movies aren't really it. We can't even talk in there.
Sometimes it's not about talking. It's about the experience together.
Time together and growth together.
It takes two to make a relationship work, baby.
Don't forget that.
Would you mind chaperoning on our movie date?
[all laughing]
-I would love to. -[Dillon] Thanks.
'Cause it seems like I can't learn anything about the ladies from these two.
[Grace laughing]
If I wasn't so scared of spilling anything, I'd whoop you.
[Carter and Grace laughing]
-[JJ] Hey. -Yo. Welcome back, man.
-You good? -I was actually looking for Coach Montes.
Uh, but you should probably hear first.
After talking to you guys,
I realized I need to step away from the team.
Now, if you do this, JJ…
you know you're off the roster?
I do. But I need time to get things right with me and my mental health.
Do more work on the real JJ.
Once I'm in a better place, I'd love a chance to earn my spot back.
But until then, I'm sorry, Ash.
No, no. Don't be, dude.
I'm just proud that you're doing the work.
And listen, I can't promise anything about your spot on the team in the future,
but I can promise you that we got your back every step of the way.
All right?
-All right, man. -I'm proud of you, bro.
You did the right thing last night.
I don't know.
Like, I really went in on Miko.
[sighs] Well, I appreciate that you did it for me.
Whatever. I didn't do it for you.
-Yes, you did. -No, I didn't.
-I've got the receipts. Wanna see? -Shut up.
I really am sorry that Miko messed with your life.
-How are you and Skye? -[sighs]
Who knows?
But thank you for having my back,
my side, my everything.
Come on, girl. I got you.
[both chuckle]
-There he is! -[JJ chuckles]
What took you so long?
I, uh, had to make a stop at Coastal.
Liv offered to come along for emotional support.
You turn in your video?
Yeah. If it's cool with y'all, I want to post it to my socials too.
-[Spencer] Yeah. -Introducing the real you, huh?
I just figured it'd be good
for the fun friend or strong friend or any other friend
who's afraid to flip that coin.
That is awesome.
Let me help you with your bags up to your room. Come on.
Take them upstairs.
Oh, ignore the giraffes on the wall.
-You guys turned my room to a nursery? -Uh, Asher and Jaymee did.
But don't you worry, all right?
That is nothing three coats of paint can't fix. [mimics brush strokes]
[chuckles]
Thank you for showing up yesterday. JJ wouldn't be here without you.
And I wouldn't be here without him.
Hearing him speak his truth to Asher, it really hit home for me.
Yeah.
Okay.
So…
I got into this cultural exchange program.
-For real? -Yeah.
It's a three-month internship.
And it's in London.
And I'm going.
That is dope.
That's so dope, and well-deserved.
Hey, I'm proud of you, girl.
Thank you.
-I'm so proud of you. -Thank you.
[theme music playing]