04x03 - All I Need

Episode transcripts for the TV show "All American" Premiered on the CW October 10,2018 to current*
Watch/Buy Amazon


Inspired by the life of professional American football player Spencer Paysinger. High School football player is recruited from South LA to play for Beverly Hills and the two worlds collide.
Post Reply

04x03 - All I Need

Post by bunniefuu »

MALE SINGER: ♪ Flex with that filly ♪

♪ Lift that bag that got me winning ♪

♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, my life no silly ♪

♪ Now that I'm here,
you know I'mma k*ll it ♪

- SPENCER: Hey.
- WOMAN: Hey.

- MAN: Hey, youngblood.
- SINGER: ♪ Living so good ♪

♪ It's a level I never had, ooh! ♪

- What's up, Spence?
- Yo, man.

SINGER: ♪ That gonna
make you feel OK, yeah ♪

♪ Hey! I woke up in stride like hey! ♪

♪ I'm feeling real good like eh, OK ♪

♪ That's how you really
know I feel good today ♪

♪ I'm like hey! I just did it again ♪

♪ Like hey, hey, you can
tell your friend like eh! ♪

♪ OK, that's how you really
know I feel good today ♪

- Something smells good.
- MAN: Told your mom the same thing.

- SPENCER: Coach Hudson?
- HUDSON, CHUCKLING: Yes, sir.

- Good to see you again, Spencer.
- I'm sorry I kept you waiting.

- If I'd have known you was flying in from Toledo...
- HUDSON: Oh, no, no.

Apology's all mine. I mean, you know,

it's not exactly protocol
for the head coach

to show up unannounced, but...

you're no ordinary player.

- GRACE: I'll give you two a moment to talk.
- SPENCER: Oh, no, stay, Ma.

Yeah, I'll keep it brief so you can get

to what your mama's got cooking.

You sure you don't want a plate?

No, ma'am, thank you.
I'm... I'm good with coffee.

Spencer,

I know you're gonna do
great things at Toledo state,

- and I have big plans for you.
- SPENCER: Thank you, sir,

but since all that could
have been said on a call,

I'm guessing you got more to say?

Coach Dante was right about
you. Quick on your feet.

How would you like to start
for me as a true freshman?

I know you got what it takes,
but you're gonna have to come

and play for me this
spring to get up to speed.

Uh, well, that's great,
sir, but isn't... spring now?

Oh, our spring semester doesn't
start for a couple weeks.

As in two weeks from today?

Coach, I ain't even graduated yet.

Well, lucky for both of us,

you're just as good in the
classroom as you are on the field.

GRACE: You already got
all the credits you need.

Principal Carter and Coach Baker

already approve early graduation

if this is something
that you want to do.

HUDSON: Now, I... I understand
this is a lot to process,

so take a b*at.

I'm not heading back
to campus till tomorrow,

so you can give me your answer
before I leave in the morning.

OK. Thank you, sir.

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING]

- BILLY: Ooh. Heh heh!
- JORDAN: Yeah.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

[CHEERING AND MUSIC FADE]

Wow!

That was some football right there.

I'm very impressed, son.

- But if you were a D recruiter?
- But nothing.

It's all there... footwork,

anticipation, your feel for the pocket.

I mean, you send this out,
you're gonna have recruiters

- banging down your door.
- Well, Montes and I sent it out

to just about every NCAA
football program in the state.

OK, that's good. I like the initiative.

Thank you, but, um...

I... I just haven't
gotten a single response,

and it's been two... two weeks.

BILLY: You know, highlights,
they only tell half the story,

and recruiters, they want to
see you with their own eyes,

plus every single one
of them are gonna be

at the platinum All-American game.

Which would be great, if
I was actually gonna play.

- J.
- Dad, come on.

I'm the fifth quarterback
on the depth chart,

all right? I don't
even know if the coach

- is gonna let me see the field.
- I'm pretty sure she's gonna play you.

"She"? Wait, wait. Is Coach Montes...

Coach Montes just got named coach

- for the western conference team.
- JORDAN: What?

Are you kidding me? You're
kidding me, right? Wait, wait.

So wait. That means
I'm probably actually

- gonna play, right?
- BILLY: Probably.

I mean, we know Montes
doesn't play favorites...

But's it's worth asking
her what her plans are

and letting her know that you'll
be ready to play the lights out

- when she calls your number.
- JORDAN: Hell yes, I'm gonna play the lights out!

- Oh, my God! Wow!
- [BILLY LAUGHS]

Wait. So how did... how
did Montes get the job?

Well, her team won the state title.

Hey, look,

she's a hell of a
coach, and she earned it.

No, no, no, Dad. I mean,

Dad, we won on a bad call.

South Crenshaw really won that game.

The state title should be yours.

The All-American coaching
gig should be yours.

Look, I'm not gonna lie;

I would love the opportunity
to coach you one more time,

but, uh, if it ain't gonna be me,

I'm just glad it's somebody that
knows what you can do out there.

Go, get out of here.

Go talk to your coach.

[CHUCKLES] OK.

[CHUCKLES]

MONTES: I am sorry Coastal California

officially rescinded your scholarship,

but it's good to know that
they are still gonna honor

acceptance to the university.

[SIGHS] Yeah.

You all right?

It's not like it's a surprise.

I can't really play
with my heart condition.

I know you were looking
for a full scholarship,

- but there are grants, financial aid...
- Look, I appreciate it, Coach,

but without football, Coastal
doesn't really feel like

the right fit for me anymore.

- So what's your plan B?
- I'm working on it.

Looks like you're already
working on next season,

so I'll let you get back to it.

MONTES: Uh, actually, it's for
the platinum All-American game.

I'm gonna be coaching the
western conference team.

[CHUCKLES] Wow.

That's great, Coach. Congrats.

You want to help me on the sidelines?

Look, I know that
Jordan and Spencer James

would be happy to have you there,
and I would love your insight.

I really appreciate
what you're doing, Coach,

but being this close
to football right now,

it just hurts a little
bit too much, you know?

Good luck, though.

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING
THROUGH HEADPHONES]

[SIGHS, SETS DOWN HEADPHONES, TEXTS]

You don't got to keep blowing up
my phone after I said I was coming.

You said you'd be here first thing.

I been unloading trucks at
Parkside Groceries all night,

so how 'bout a "thanks for coming"
or at least a cup of coffee?

Help yourself.

I'm sorry you had a long night.

I'm only hounding you because
we have an album to finish,

and every time I book studio time,

Coop has an excuse for
why she can't make it.

I only need her vocals
on a couple more tracks

and the album will be
done, and as her manager,

I need you to help me with that.

- I'll tell her to check in with you.
- Do better.

Need I remind you that
% of nothing is nothing?

You ain't gotta remind me of jack.

A lot's changed since Coop got sh*t.

Well, not just for her.

[SIGHS]

I know she's been helping you with Amina

while you pick up shifts.

Once the album is done, I
reschedule the Vegas dates,

you go back to making more money.
You won't have to work nights.

I'm just saying,

Coop might need a little time
before getting back into it.

As someone who's dealt
with trauma in my own life,

I think getting Coop back
to doing what she loves

might be what's best for her,

even if it means us pushing her there.

SPENCER: Moving early wasn't
something I ever really considered,

but it's a pretty big opportunity.

"Big"? Spencer, this is... this is huge.

And, I mean, to have the head
coach make the invite in person?

He's got plans for you.

I forget you're a coach's
daughter sometimes.

Heh heh heh!

Coach Hudson says I got a chance
to start as a true freshman.

Spencer, this is amazing.

What did Coach Dante say?

Nothing... yet.

I left him a voicemail.

I'm hoping he gets back to me before

I got to give Coach Hudson my answer.

- You haven't said yes?
- I wanted to talk to you first.

This kind of changes
our senior year plans.

That was really sweet,

but you would be crazy not
to take this opportunity.

I know.

[SIGHS]

I guess this means you're
leaving in two weeks.

You all right?

Yeah.

It's just we waited so long
to be together, and now...

We still got the two weeks,

and I'm gonna make the
most of every minute

I got left with you, girl...

Starting tonight.

[CHUCKLING] What's tonight?

- You'll see.
- Heh heh! OK.

[CHUCKLES]

- BILLY: Hey there.
- BOY: Coach Baker.

SPENCER: Coach.

Spencer...

- Cleaning out already, huh?
- SPENCER: Yeah.

I heard you signed off on my
early enrollment at Toledo.

- Thanks.
- Well, you, uh, you worked hard for this, so...

[SIGHS] SPENCER: All right,
I'll let you get back to it.

Oh, so you ain't feeling the
monkey bars today or what?

There aren't any monkey bars.

What? When'd that happen?

Why did you and my mom get sh*t?

Did y'all do something bad
or was it because of my dad?

- Why would you think all that?
- I know y'all got sh*t the same night,

figured you might know why.

[CLEARS THROAT]

- Hey, Daddy.
- Hey, baby girl. Mmm!

Now, let me talk to Coop
alone for a second, all right?

OK.

Man, talk about perfect timing.

She be just pressing me
about why Mo got sh*t.

- Let me worry about Amina.
- Man, did you not hear me, bro?

We got problems.

This ain't one of them things
that's just gonna go away.

And if she don't get answers from us,

then she's gonna go looking on her own.

PREACH: Ain't no "us," Coop.

Amina's my responsibility, you hear?

And when you gonna come clean
to Layla about quitting music?

Is that what this is all about?

- I will.
- When?

'Cause I don't appreciate being
summoned to her damn studio

- and lying to her face.
- Look, I'll deal with Layla, all right?

It ain't like I haven't been
busy, here helping you with Amina,

unless you got somebody else
who offer a free daycare.

Oh, so you busy?

'Cause I'm a single
dad, pulling night shifts

providing for my daughter,

and somehow I still found the time

to talk to Layla about your contract.

How about you take care
of your own damn problems

and stop making 'em mine, Coop?

[SCOFFS]

I get it.

I get it.

I'm the reason your life's
so messed up right now,

the reason all of a
sudden you a single dad,

and the reason you got to go out
and find another source of income.

- That's not what I meant.
- Then what did you mean?

That's what I thought.

How 'bout I just do us both a
favor and stay out of your life?

Here.

You out of Amina's snacks for lunch,

and she need a new toothbrush.

NURSE JOY: You worried
about Spencer leaving?

- No. I'm excited for him.
- Oh, I know you are,

but the last time that
you felt like everyone

was moving on without you, you relapsed.

You can be both excited for him
and worried for your sobriety.

I guess this time feels different,

you know, maybe I feel
different, stronger.

That's good! Heh!

Atta girl! OK.

Well, then, what is on your mind?

Are you in a relationship?

This is about sobriety, I promise.

Ayanna and I have been
together for years.

Now you want to tell me why
you're all up in my business?

OK.

Being in recovery...

Was waiting to sleep together an issue?

Because I thought that I wanted,

you know, to wait until
I was days sober,

- but now that he's leaving before that, I just...
- NURSE JOY: Hold on.

Are you sure this is about sobriety?

You mean the thing about days?

OK. Wise-ass comment
redacted. I'm sorry.

NURSE JOY: Mm-hmm. People in recovery,

they have a way of putting
numbers on everything,

and it's helpful with a lot of things,

but for you, this ain't one of 'em.

I've hooked up with my
boyfriends before, you know,

but this time, it just feels...

I don't know, I'm just
kinda freaking out.

I don't know. So if it's not
my sobriety, then what is it?

You are freaking out

because it's special.

Two days, days,

whatever, you're still gonna be nervous

because what you and
Spencer have, it's real.

It's important.

It's love.

And... heh heh! Yes,

that's the way it felt with Ayanna.

So how do I know when the time is right?

You know when you know,

and nobody else is gonna know but you.

Now, Spencer, he's not
pressuring you, is he?

- No. No, not at all.
- OK. Good.

[CLEARS THROAT] Actually, wait.

Well... why hasn't he? Is that weird?

OK, child, you know what?
I'mma let you deal with that,

and I'm gonna get on
out 'cause y'all's drama

is gonna give me a migraine. Come on.

[SIGHS] Heh!

- GRACE: Are you sure this the right place?
- SPENCER: Yes,

it's right across from that
putt-putt place we used to go to.

Look, the outside's kind of
low-profile, but keep scrolling.

- Ah.
- GRACE: Spencer James.

- Heh heh! There you go.
- That is quite the date night.

You are really pulling out all
the stops for Miss Olivia Baker.

I want it to be special.

Spencer James,

I haven't seen a girl
put heat on your cheeks

- like that since middle school.
- What can I say, Mom?

She's special. That's why
tonight's got to be perfect.

Can't believe you only
got a couple weeks left.

Yeah, me, neither.

You think you're ready for this?

Yeah, I am.

Question is, are you?

Heh! I'll never be ready
to hand over my first baby,

but you were gonna leave
L.A. sooner or later.

It's the right step,
Mom, and I'm excited,

but until I leave,
I'm enjoying my people.

[SIGHS]

OK. Well...

You and Olivia have a good night.

[DISHES CLINKING]

You know, it's a while
before my reservation,

so what's it gonna be?

Ice cream?

Maybe a cheese plate
if you're feeling fancy?

[CHUCKLES] I'm thinking maybe...

I'm feeling like whupping your
tail at putt-putt like I used to.

Oh, that's some big talk,
considering you ain't played me

- since I was Dillon's age.
- You want a sh*t at the title?

- You... you for real?
- Oh, you... yeah... you.

- Let's do it, let's do it.
- Let's go. Let's go.

- That's the same old mom.
- What you waiting on?

SPENCER: Ha ha ha!

MONTES: I can't make
any promises, Baker.

Look, Coach, Coach, even just a series.

I know that you got to work the
depth chart and everything, but...

But just a series would be great.

I will do my best to put you
on the field in the second half.

Really? Um, look, I'm... I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. Look, I don't
mean to be pressuring you

into giving me more playing
time or anything like that.

That's not it, Baker.

I'm just not sure there's
anything you can do on the field

to bring in the offers you want.

Coach, what... what more could
recruiters want than to watch me

carve up some of the best high
school players in the country?

Sit down, Baker.

Jordan, it's not your talent
keeping the offers away.

It's your medicals.

No, um, concussions
aren't uncommon, Coach.

Well, you've had two
concussions in the same season,

and the second one landed
you in the hospital.

The D coaches that I've talked to said

they can't risk a
roster spot on a player

they feel won't last a full year.

I'm sorry, Jordan.

OK.

SPENCER: Just a ball
in the hole, Spence.

- Just a ball in the hole.
- GRACE: Ahem.

[SIGHS]

GRACE: Ah! ♪ Queen stays clean ♪

♪ Ah ah ah ah ah ♪

- Heh heh! Yeah, OK, OK.
- Ha ha ha!

Good game, good game. Get
all your gloating out now

'cause you only got a
couple weeks to do it.

Oh, I can absolutely gloat in texts.

Heh!

So, what did Billy have
to say about your big news?

Not much.

"Congrats," you know?

What is going on with you two?

Nothing. It's fine.

- Spencer Alonzo James.
- Damn.

- Not my whole government name.
- Mm-hmm.

Stuff ain't the same with
Coach since he found out

I was training Jordan
before he was cleared.

- You apologized for that already.
- I did, more than once.

I don't know. It's
like you always say...

Sometimes people are just meant
to be in your life for a season.

I told you that so you could get
over that little fast ass Chanel

- in eighth grade.
- Heh! Well, regardless,

Coach Baker and I were
just a player and a coach.

Just player and coach?

- Since when?
- It was his words, Ma, not mine.

Now, I just want to
spend the rest of my time

with the people that want to be with me.

I can't help if Coach Baker
ain't one of them no more.

[SIGHS]

[BACKGROUND POP MUSIC PLAYING]

- Thanks.
- [INDISTINCT SINGING]

[ASHER SIGHS]

LAYLA: You stare at
that screen hard enough,

that paper might just write itself.

It's a college essay, actually.

- I thought you were done with those.
- I was,

but now I'm not.

I have to write about
a passion so meaningful

that I wouldn't be the same without it,

and I'm just... blank.

I'm guessing you don't want
to write about football.

No, football's done for me.

I got to figure out what's next.

OK, full disclosure, I am so impressed

with how you've been
handling this, like,

the old Asher would have been
in total self-destruct mode.

Trust me, I had my moments,

but then I remember that
self-destructive crap is what got me here.

If I hadn't taken steroids,

my heart would be fine, and...

It's a tough lesson to learn.

Yeah, but you learned
it. That's what matters.

Layla, in the last
months, I lost my first love,

my dream of playing at Coastal,

football forever. I think
I'm good on lessons learned.

OK. That's it. We need a break.

- Layla, I got to finish.
- No, not up for discussion.

You're not gonna figure out your future

or that paper right this
minute, so you're coming with me.

- OK, bossy much?
- OK, stand up, let's go.

- All right.
- You can watch me try to

sign an artist that's
already rejected me twice,

so it's gonna be great.

All right.

JORDAN: I knew that my
concussions would be red flags, OK,

but, like, seriously? The
entire NCAA is writing me off?

- Yeah.
- Come on!

Protocols are getting
more and more strict

and, um, technically it's a good thing.

Not for you. I'm sorry, son.

But, you know, there are other options.

Dad, Montes basically said
that every single school

I submitted to wasn't interested.

Would you ever consider
playing for a junior college?

Dad, my dream is to play
underneath the bright lights,

right? A bowl game.

I'm not suggesting you
give up on that dream.

I'm just saying this could be
another way to get you there.

- Right.
- Look, with a JuCo program,

you'd probably start right away.

Couple of years, put
up some good numbers,

clean bill of health, every
D school in the nation

will probably give you a
second look, you transfer, boom,

then you got your dream.

And you think this is my best chance?

I do, yeah.

Look, just sleep on it, at least.

I don't need to.

- I'm in.
- BILLY: That fast?

Look, Dad, I came to you
because I wanted your advice,

and if you think JuCo will
get me to where I want to be,

I trust you.

- All right. My man.
- Great.

GRACE: Billy Baker!

You and I need to talk.

Yo, man, you have got to send me

all the Toledo swag
that ain't tied down.

- Heh heh!
- I'm talking hoodies, hats. What else they got?

Uh, how 'bout a scarf?

Man, what I'mma do with a scarf in L.A.?

- And what if you came with me?
- What you mean, like, to visit?

Nah, I mean more like to stay.

- Me, move to Kansas?
- OK, it's Ohio.

Yeah, whatever it is, man,
ain't nothing for me there.

- My life is here.
- SPENCER: OK, good

'cause for a second, I
thought you forgot that.

You been real busy
pushing away your producer,

your manager, your girlfriend.

Yo, how we get on worrying
about me and my girl?

What you need to be worried about

is your big date tonight with your girl.

I told you I booked a reservation.

No, fancy dinners is the bare minimum.

You want it to be special, right?

You got to think about what's
gonna happen after that,

or during, if the bathroom's got locks.

- I'm just saying...
- All right, chill, Coop.

- Damn.
- What?

You and Liv ain't into
the whole public thing?

Hey, I'm not talking about this.

- [SNIFFS]
- COOP: Wait...

[SIGHS]

Y'all ain't did the nasty, huh?

[CHUCKLING] Why you
looking at me like that?

Because, bro, you look more nervous

than a virgin on prom
night all of a sudden.

What y'all waiting for?

Oh, what, you can be in my
business and I can't be in yours?

[CHUCKLING] That ain't
the same and you know it.

You've been through
a lot recently, Coop.

Don't let me leave without knowing

you got the people you
need to see you through.

You know, it hurts to see what my
decisions are doing to Preach's life.

- Coop.
- No, I'm not trying to blame myself and all that,

just cause and effect.

Once I tell Layla I quit music,
things gonna change for her, too.

It's already changed for Layla.

She just don't know it yet.

And you're pushing away a real friend

just to hold on to something
that's already gone.

This is so hard, to say
the words "I quit," Spence.

But you're right.

I'll work it out with Preach and Layla.

And you don't have to worry about me

calling your "come to Toledo" bluff.

- [BOTH CHUCKLE]
- SPENCER: Good,

'cause you wasn't gonna like
sleeping on my dorm floor.

- Man, whatever.
- Heh heh heh!

BILLY: All I'm saying is you
didn't have to run Jordan off.

GRACE: I didn't run him off.

My guess is he didn't want to see
his father get his ass handed to him.

Oh, ho! Is that what this is?

You have always been more than a
coach to Spencer, and you know that.

[SIGHS]

So he told you.

- Look, I was angry.
- It seems like you still are.

- He made a mistake, Billy.
- [SIGHS]

Do I need to run down the list
of all the dumb mistakes you made?

- OK.
- That we both made?

Starting with having an affair
that almost destroyed two families!

And he forgave us for that.

You're a better man than this, Billy,

so please tell me

- something that makes some damn sense!
- OK.

This is not about
Spencer training Jordan,

not anymore.

[SIGHS] sh**t.

I don't know if it ever was.

Well, what is it?

[SIGHS]

It's about me... Grace.

I think it was easier being angry

at Spencer than it was to admit...

That I... failed my son.

Spencer's training changed Jordan.

He's playing the best ball of his life.

He's in therapy. We're good. He...

Right before you barged in, he
actually said that he trusted me.

- Those sound like good things.
- Yeah, but none of it

would have happened without Spencer.

Jordan was spiraling, and...

I don't know. I was
too busy to even notice.

And you're making things
right with Jordan now,

and that's good.

- Now make 'em right with Spencer, too.
- How?

When I... I broke what
Spencer and I had, and...

How do I even begin to build it back?

By remembering that shame

ain't nearly as strong as family.

Don't let it rob what you and
Spencer mean to each other.

[SIGHS]

Fix it.

[FOOTSTEPS RETREAT]

[SIGHS]

[GASPS]

- Wait. Are you serious?
- SPENCER: You like it?


Like it? No! I... I love Castle Park.

No. No, no. I made us reservations at...

Black Fleur.

- I can cancel. I'll cancel.
- Oh.

No, no, you don't have to do that.

[CHUCKLES] Yeah, OK.

- [CHUCKLING]
- I am canceling right now,

but, just to let you know,

I already warmed up my mini-golf
skills with my mom, so...

Um, that's funny because,
that's what Jordan

and his little football
friends went to play

when they got tired of me
crushing them at pop-a-sh*t.

- You sure you mean pop-a-sh*t?
- Yeah. Why?

'Cause I've seen you
play basketball before.

If you think pop-a-sh*t and
basketball are the same game,

you're gonna have a tough night.

- OK.
- [GIGGLES]

♪ How you feelin'? I'll walk around ♪

♪ With my confidence on a million ♪

- ♪ Don't let it bother me when ♪
- [OLIVIA LAUGHS]

♪ The people be trippin',
I'mma have a good day ♪

♪ You need somebody that
truly understand you ♪

♪ I'm on your side, we
together, I'll never play you ♪

♪ It be the ones tryna
help that can't stand you ♪

♪ But have a good day ♪

♪ We gonna have a good
day in a good way ♪

- ♪ Break up and get a good bae ♪
- SPENCER: Oh.

♪ Just did a show with Lupe ♪

♪ If you want me, you got to pay ♪

♪ Take a walk with Chanel on my feet ♪

♪ Hit up birds when
they fly till we flee ♪

♪ I don't kick it
with them, they cheat ♪

♪ I always leave it out on
fleek and I'll never hate ♪

- OLIVIA: Oh, my God!
- [BELL DINGS]

- Oh, my God! Ha ha!
- ♪ You seeing who got the farthest ♪

♪ Out in L.A. on the hills ♪

♪ This crib the largest ♪

♪ Had a good day ♪

♪ I don't know what
my favorite part is ♪

♪ You need somebody to ask you ♪

♪ Yo, how you feelin'? ♪

♪ I walk around with my confidence ♪

♪ On a million ♪

♪ Don't let it bother me ♪

♪ When the people be trippin' ♪

♪ I'mma have a good day ♪

What are you, a robot? Hey.

- OK, OK, we're done.
- OLIVIA: Ha ha!

- No, we're good, we're good.
- I'm not done!

- What are you doing? You crazy?
- OLIVIA: Ha!

[R&B MUSIC PLAYING WITHIN]

- Hey, what up, y'all?
- Girl.

PREACH: I wish I can
give you all the answers

about your mother's death,

but most important right now is
Mo would want you to focus on you.

- How do you know that?
- 'Cause I know what kind of childhood

she wanted you to have.

And right now, my number-one priority

is giving that to you as best I can.

Amina, I need for you to trust
that I'll take care of things.

COOP: Oh, no, um,
didn't mean to interrupt.

Just whenever you get a minute, Preach.

He's got a minute now.

- Baby girl, we good?
- If Uncle Tyrone was alive,

he wouldn't wait to find
answers about who sh*t Mom.

He would have handled it by now.

[SCOFFS] Yo, bro, you
need to go talk to her.

And say what?

She ain't wrong.

Look, I know, Amina is not my business,

which is actually why
I came by, to apologize.

Nah. I'm the one that needs to
apologize about this morning.

I pride myself on keeping it .

Just wasn't ready for how
hard it is to speak the truth,

knowing you're gonna
hurt someone you love.

- I appreciate you saying that.
- Well...

Truth is, this ain't the same at all.

You're trying to protect Amina,

protect her innocence.

Hell, that's your job, being her pop.

I was silent to protect myself,

and now it's hurting Layla.

I'll handle that.

Heh! Oh, man. Amina
ain't no regular kid.

She got a lion in her.

Reminds me of you.

And that's what worries me.

LAYLA, LAUGHING: Holy crap!
I can't believe I did that.

That was crazy. A toast to Kim Nitty,

my new badass artist.

OK, and a toast to being the
baddest chick in the room.

- Oh, I told you she was great.
- No, I'm talking about you.

Layla, no one in that room wanted
you to sign Kim, including Kim,

but you slayed it and got her
to sign anyway. It was insane.

Well, I'm not gonna
lie. It felt pretty good.

"Pretty good"? I felt like a badass.

I was just standing next to you. Heh!

[SETS DOWN MUG]

[MUG CLATTERS]

Do you think we have to go? Heh!

Oh, I think we pretty
much shut the place down.

[SNICKERS]

You'll come back to my place?

My mom's out and...

Is everything OK?

[SIGHS] Can we talk?

Yeah.

[CLEARS THROAT]

Um...

I know you've... probably been wondering

why we haven't made love yet.

- Oh, Liv, my bad. I wasn't trying to...
- No, no, no. I... I know,

and I appreciate you not rushing things.

I meant it's gonna sound
stupid because it's...

It's not the first
time for either of us.

But it is.

Liv, I haven't been
rushing things 'cause...

Being with you is a big deal to me.

I mean, yeah, I slept
with chicks before, but...

- You were doing so well.
- [CHUCKLES]

- What?
- Stop playing.

- You know what I mean.
- [CHUCKLES]

You, me...

It'll be the first time for us...

Together.

And being with you, it's...

You're different for me, too.

Different.

So... when we're ready...

Then we'll be ready.

And taking it slow

means getting to make out with you

- up against this car all night...
- [OLIVIA LAUGHS]

Ha ha!

And why rush perfect?

Wait. So then what was all
that about going to your place?

Oh, I made dessert.

For real.

Ha ha ha ha!

[SNICKERING]

Ha ha! [SNICKERS]

I am so in love with you.

Heh!

You want that dessert, don't you?

I mean, assuming that there is dessert.

Oh, everything about
my bundt cakes is real.

- Oh.
- Real sugar...

- Oh.
- Real butter.

- Mmm.
- Ha ha! I guess.

Ha ha ha! Give me the keys. I'm driving.

[TEXT ALERT CHIMES]

Your pops.

- LAYLA: We should have gotten more fries.
- ASHER: Told you.

- Mmm. Top me off?
- Sure.

So, uh... are we gonna talk
about what just happened?

Um, let's call it a little

celebratory sex between friends.

I'm pretty sure that isn't a thing.

Well, I like that I
just made it a thing.

You can chalk that up
to more of my badassness.

- Hmm.
- I don't need to make it

- any more than what it was.
- Works for me.

Figured, since you called Olivia
your first love about two hours ago.

Sorry. I didn't mean to bring her up.

No, it's... it's not that, actually.

- I wasn't talking about Olivia.
- Then who?

- Wait, no. Vanessa?
- No.

Heh! I was talking about you, Layla.

- Oh.
- OK, hey, easy.

I'm not making it a
thing. It's just a fact.

We're not those people anymore,

like, at all.

I mean, you're definitely
not. You're better.

I mean, look at what you accomplished
tonight with that new artist.

Layla . is...

Incredible.

She made me realize maybe
Asher . can be, too.

Asher . isn't so bad.

[CHUCKLES]

No, but, like, for real, losing football

has given me a second chance.

- OK.
- Well, if I hadn't learned

about my heart condition,
I could have d*ed out there.

OK, um, so you're
getting a second chance.

What are you gonna do with it?

That's what I got to figure out,

kind of like you did.

LAYLA: Well, the whole producing thing

didn't exactly happen in one afternoon.

ASHER: Yeah, but it didn't take
you long to replace Coop, though.

I... I mean, your label
just lost its biggest artist,

- and you went out and you signed another...
- Wait. What do you... what do you mean,

I "lost Coop"?

What's up?

What's up? What's up?

- FRAUSTO: Hey, you know what this about?
- SPENCER: No.

BILLY: Hey, 'scuse me. Hey, y'all.

All right, real quick... [SETS DOWN BAG]

I know it's end of the season,

but, uh... [CHUCKLES]...

I just wanted to talk to you
all, our graduating seniors,

as, uh, as your coach one last time.

Look...

Y'all proved y'all selves to
be champions on that field.

FRAUSTO: Yeah, to you and
everybody else that got eyes.

- BILLY: Yeah, well, true, true...
- [PLAYERS CHUCKLE]

But I promise you, when you look back,

it ain't gonna be about
what happened on that field

that y'all remember most.

Mm-mmm. It's gonna be the people,

each other because football is...

about more than a game,

and sometimes even I forget that,

which is why I got you
these, so y'all wouldn't.

Here you go. Charger family,

because before this
team became champions,

we became family,

and, uh, good or bad,

family don't end when the whistle blows.

[PLAYERS MURMUR]

BILLY: You will always be
more than players to me,

and I will always be
more than your coach.

FRAUSTO: Yo, this is cool, Coach,

but I got to admit, I'd still
rather have a state ring.

BILLY: Ha ha! Check out the inside.

"We won."

- BILLY: Hell yeah, we did.
- PLAYER: Yeah.

BILLY: Ha ha ha ha!

All right, so, all right, now.

- All right.
- [PLAYER CLAPS]

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Coop. You made it.

Hey, I'm sorry it took so long, but...

listen, I need to tell you something.

- No need. Heard you might be quitting.
- Wait. From who?

Does it matter?

I guess not.

Look, it's... it's my
lungs, from the sh**ting,

and sincerely, my bad for not
letting you know this sooner.

I know you put so much
into this album and...

Don't worry. I'll
recoup on my investment.

- What's this?
- This is me recouping on my investment.

- I'm gonna finish your album.
- You?

Well, my new talent.

Turns out the artist I signed last night

pairs really well with your sound.

Wait. You can't do
that. That's my music.

- Can't just put somebody else's rhymes o...
- LAYLA: I can, actually, because

it's not your music.

It belongs to my label,
making it my music.

[SCOFFS] Wow. You...

You really doing me dirty like
this? I thought we was family.

So did I, but now I know better.

Look, come... Layla, no,
I... I made a mistake.

Do you have any idea how much time

and energy and money I
wasted in the last weeks,

prepping an album release that
was already dead in the water,

stalling the Vegas
venues with promises that

the new LP would be worth the wait?

I staked my label on you

when I should have been
out there trying to save it.

So, from now, I'm gonna do
what's right for my business,

and that starts with
your signature right here.

[SETS DOWN PEN]

You already quit music, right?

This is just making it official.

["LOOK UP" BY JOY OLADOKUN PLAYING]

♪ Sometimes your life feels like ♪

♪ A broken roller coaster ♪

♪ A thousand useless moving parts ♪

ASHER, VOICE-OVER: "I've lost
more in the last couple years

than I like to think about,

but losing football felt different.

I lost more than a game.

I lost the thing that
gave my life meaning,

or that's what I thought.

Our life's meaning is a
fundamental part of who we are.

With it, we feel alive,

like we're right where we're
meant to be, finally home."

SPENCER: It's good, right?

BILLY: Hey, why did Jordan
text me to come downstairs?

ASHER, VOICE-OVER:
"We often don't realize

how important it is until it's gone.

Our life's meaning isn't just
magically planted inside us.

It's something you find.

I found it once, so I can find it again.

No doubt it's waiting on a
path I haven't considered yet."

- BILLY: Coach Montes.
- MONTES: Morning, Coach.

- What's happening?
- I was just, uh, stopping by

to drop off playbooks for the
platinum All-American game.

- BILLY: Cool.
- MONTES: Jordan was telling me

about your, uh, JuCo idea.

Yeah, and, uh, she's got some programs
that she wants us to look into.

Oh, for real? All right.

- Teamwork makes the dream work.
- Yes, it does.

That's actually why I really stopped by.

I wanted to see if you would

join my team as an assistant coach.

Can't think of a better coach
to share the sidelines with,

and, uh, well, let's be honest.

That title was very close
to going a different way.

Um...

I mean, I can't say no to, uh...

To coaching my boys one last time.

- Thank you. Wow. Look at this.
- JORDAN: Look at that.

- BILLY: Yes!
- SPENCER: One last time?

- BILLY: Yes, sir.
- OLADOKUN: ♪ ... The sunlight? ♪

COOP: All right, I got
some grub coming in hot.

OLADOKUN:
♪ There's flowers in your hair ♪

- ♪ Hold on 'cause... ♪
- AMINA: What?

You know what. Go wash them dirty hands.

♪ You know trouble's
always gonna be there ♪

♪ Don't let it bring you to
your knees, yeah, look up ♪

ASHER, VOICE-OVER: "I'm
not gonna find it again

if I keep holding on to what I lost.

Holding on leaves you so broken,

- you don't care what else you break."
- _

"I won't do that agai

because now I see loss isn't
the end of our life's meaning,

it's just change.

When you change, our life's
meaning must change with us.

Isn't that what college
is for... rebirth?

In this next chapter in my life,

I'll find something new
that makes me feel alive,

whole,

a new meaning,

and I won't take it
for granted because... "

HUDSON: Coaches gonna be
happier than hogs in hot mud.

They've been chomping at the
bit to get you on the field.

I've been looking forward
to working with Coach Dante

smart ever since he recruited me.

Actually, Dante's not
coaching with us anymore.

- Coach Dante left?
- Few weeks back.

I'll have your new
wideout coach reach out.

That gonna be a problem, Dante leaving?

- No. No, not at all.
- All right.

[PATS SPENCER'S SHOULDER
TWICE, STORM DOOR CREAKS]

ASHER, VOICE-OVER: "Just
when you got it figured out...

- [STORM DOOR CLOSES]
- You can lose it in an instant."
Post Reply