01x05 - The Twilight End Zone

[bunniefuu]

Previously on "School Spirits "

I'm never gonna guess his passcode.

OK, pens down.

So, Claire, what would being

homecoming queen mean to you?

The only homecoming that

matters this year is Maddie's.

That's funny, I haven't

heard you say two words to her

since I've been at this school.

Claire, she says she doesn't

care about homecoming,

and then she cries on

camera about Maddie.

- Want to take a selfie?

- Where'd you get that phone?

- Was it unlocked?

- I know everyone's passcodes.

Simon, check his call log.

You've reached Claire Zahler.

Do me a favor and just text me, OK?

Come on.

Come on.

Oh, where are you?

f*ck.

Ugh!

- 39.

- Can I get off now?

No. One more. 40.

- OK, I'm getting off.

- OK. Yeah, sure.

All right, who's next?

Charley, you want to ride the pony?

Oh, OK.

So would that be a microaggression,

or is it just full-on macro?

I don't know what those things mean.

It's a countdown, baby.

We got ten hours until

the homecoming game.

We got to pump it up. Let's go.

Oh, we are pumped, Wally.

This is what pumped

looks like for some of us.

Any more pumped and

I'll throw up in my hat.

Or not.

More pumping.

All right.

Now, is everyone signed

up for a prep committee?

We still need more help with

decorations and refreshments.

Where's Maddie?

Oh, maybe she walked

off during a pony ride.

Nobody should be wandering off, Charley.

Yeah, he's right.

This banner is not

gonna paint itself, OK?

- I'll go find her.

- Oh, no.

I'll go. She likes me more.

Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait.

OK, if both of you guys go,

who's blowing up the balloons?

Who is making my crown of sparklers?

I added that to give this

year a little bit more sizzle.

I mean, it's gonna be OK, sorry.

Fine, I will stay

and help you blow up your balloons.

No one likes a sad pony.

Mr. Martin, should I

No. No, no. That's OK.

There's lots to do, and

we need all hands on deck.

Right, Rhonda?

Hey.

Hey.

Vote for me. I see the real you.

Is she selling mulch?

Maybe it's a salad bar.

What's with all the rocks?

Stop being petty.

I think she's really pretty.

What?

You got to wonder, right?

How far Claire's cult

will go to impress her.

What? You mean like m*rder someone?

Don't look shocked. They

live for her approval.

Yeah, but you really

think they'd k*ll for it?

I mean, they can barely get dressed

without consulting Claire first.

Fair, but, Maddie, we've

been tailing her for a week.

We still have no idea how

she's connected to Anderson.

How were you even

friends with her anyway?

We were neighbors.

You know, it was easy.

Then what, she just ditched you one day

for these robot sheep?

Not exactly.

Oh, I can't find it.

Where is it?

It was a long time ago.

Why can't I ever find anything

in this f*cking house?

Mom was having an off day.

Who needs all this sh*t?

I can't f*cking take it anymore.

I just need a little g*dd*mn help.

I was 12 years old, and I didn't know

how bad things were

for Claire at home too.

Maddie, please.

Maddie, hurry. Come on.

Maddie, come on. I can see you.

Her parents had been fighting.

She was scared, and she

needed a place to go.

You can't come in.

I gotta go.

What?

Maddie. Maddie, please.

But I couldn't help her.

I just can't f*cking do it anymore.

And then what happened?

She moved in with her dad for a year.

And her mom remarried that rich guy.

The one whose face is

on all the bus benches?

The real estate guy?

And when she came back to Split River

for middle school, she

looked right through me

like I wasn't even there.

We never talked after that.

Jesus, Maddie.

What if she's still holding on to that?

I could hear the

"Dateline" guy right now.

"Childhood wound reopened.

The only thing that

could heal it, revenge."

People hold on to that stuff.

Maybe Claire did too.

OK, yes.

Oh, was it just her backpack?

Oh, no. No. No, I understand.

Please, uh yeah, anything.

Thank you.

They found Maddie's backpack?

Where?

Deserted house near the old place

on the corner of 10th and Lasher.

Do you know the house?

I've passed it before.

I mean, it's always

looked empty to me, but

Well, your father thinks that someone's

been squatting there.

It's Maddie, right?

It has to be.

Maybe she's scared to come home.

Oh.

I have so much that I have to do.

I just want her to know

that everything is gonna be different.

Do you want me to finish

up with the garage?

- My free period lasts

- No, no. No. No.

No, you've done enough.

Just get to school.

And thank you.

Lip gloss, keys, phone, wallet.

More lip gloss, sunglasses.

Ooh, mints.

Never turn down a mint.

On the plus side,

there's no m*rder weapons.

Yeah, but there's nothing here.

Do we think Mr. Anderson

will be chaperoning

the dance this year?

Can you chaperone

wearing an ankle monitor?

Maybe if they move the

dance to a federal prison.

Claire, you OK?

Oh, sh*t. Right.

Your parents must be really pissed.

Didn't they give, like, a ton

of money to the booster club?

Yeah, they did.

Claire, where are you going?

This might be good.

Mr. Hartman.

- Yes.

- Hi.

What the f*ck has been her deal?

You got a minute?

For you, I have two. How

are you doing, Claire?

And what can I do for you?

Well, my parents want

to know what's going on

with Mr. Anderson and

the money he stole.

Ooh, ouch let's not toss around

toxic words like that.

Well, he did steal it, didn't he?

I would assure your parents

that we have put Mr. Anderson

on administrative leave,

and the Split River

police are investigating.

It's been a week.

Has he admitted anything?

Was he working alone, or did he hint

that anyone else was involved?

She's fishing.

I'm sure there's a

reasonable explanation.

Yeah, there is.

He's a thief.

And my parents are gonna lose it

if they're dragged into a scandal.

That will definitely be the last check

they write to this school.

- Wow, she is dramatic.

- Claire.

Claire. Claire. Um

Sorry to cut in.

But we need you both back in the gym.

They still need help

with Wally's banner.

Oh, yes. That is right.

We were supposed to head back there.

I just, like, got sidetracked.

- Sorry, there were mints.

- Right.

Well, you've both been gone for hours.

There are still people in

this school that count on you.

Dead people.

Since when did you stop

majoring in Who Gives a f*ck?

We all have to pitch in, pussytoes.

I'm sorry. What did she just call me?

Yeah.

I think it's probably a flower.

- OK.

- Yeah.

Hey, how's that letter to Amelia going?

Oh, it's really good. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

No, I'm on the 12th draft.

And you're telling me now?

Well, I just found out myself.

Who's your source? Xavier.

Simon, we're all on the same side here.

What was inside the backpack?

They sure it's Maddie's?

Did they find a weapon too?

Why are you yelling at me?

What else is Xavier feeding you?

Ask him yourself.

- Did you tell him?

- She told me.

Where is this place?

It's an abandoned house on White Oak

they're about to tear down.

- Who's they?

- Claire's stepfather.

- He owns the whole block.

- Yeah, of course he does.

Just because he owns the place

it doesn't mean she has

anything to do with it.

- You know that.

- Right, defend Claire.

- She's an angel.

- That's not what he said.

Simon thinks Claire

may be connected to what

happened to Maddie because

- Because I know things.

- Like what?

A week ago, you thought I had something

to do with this, Simon.

Well, maybe I still do.

- What's going on with you?

- What's going on with you?

You take brooding sad boy to Horror Con,

suddenly you trust

everything that he says?

I asked you first, and you said no.

Why are you trying so

hard to push me away?

Did it ever occur to

you that I wasn't ready

to lose two friends?

Nicole, I'm sorry.

Nicole, I'm sorry.

Nicole.

When I get close to you ♪

Everything feels much better ♪

So am I the only one

wondering why we couldn't just

steal the decorations the

school has already made

instead of doing this crap ourselves?

Well, technically, we

did steal from the school.

The paint's from the art room.

And this helium tank is thanks

to a very overeager

homecoming committee.

Plus, it's also

Kind of a tradition.

He's right.

Once a year, we're forced

to relive Wally's glory days.

Hey, at least I had glory.

Wait, you died at the homecoming game?

Yeah.

And my family still shows

up for me every year,

so I try to show up for them, you know?

Wait, you're coming to the game, right?

Yeah, but I'm just going

to watch the cheerleaders.

I think you mean one

cheerleader in particular.

Excuse me. Can you help me?

Is Mrs. Field's classroom

on the first floor or

Mom?

Thank you.

Mr. South?

What are you doing down here?

I need a key to Mr.

Anderson's classroom.

- No can do.

- Cops told us keep it locked.

Right, but I left my notebook in there.

I need to study it for a test.

It's only gonna be for

a second, Mr. South.

No one's gonna know, I promise.

I'll know.

No, I understand.

It's just that notebook

was actually my friend's,

and it's all I have left.

Oh.

You got ten minutes.

You know they found her backpack.

I didn't know that, no.

So all the more reason

for me to make sure

she has everything she needs.

- Right?

- Right.

I mean, the last thing I want

is for my daughter's absence

to affect her college chances.

You know, she's

applying to Northwestern.

I did know that.

We used to talk about it, actually.

I went there too, and

I think that Maddie

would really thrive there.

Wow.

I didn't know that.

So did you need help getting

her other schoolwork from her

Nope. I got everything.

You're my last stop.

OK.

I know I wasn't

haven't been very involved,

you know, in all this stuff.

I know I'm not exactly

Mother of the Year.

Maybe Mother of the Week

or Mother of a Couple Days.

But I really want to

be different for Maddie.

I don't know if that makes any sense.

No, it does.

I think it's great.

Mom.

You are not gonna believe this.

What's wrong?

She was here.

My mom, just now.

And I'm guessing that was a bad thing.

Was she

No.

She wasn't drunk at

all. That's what's weird.

She was put together.

So so a good thing then?

Maybe.

I'm not sure. It just

it's been so long since

I've seen her like that,

I almost forgot what normal looked like.

Well, you want to see

something not normal?

Take a look at these.

What am I looking at?

English papers.

Claire's English papers.

Read that one.

"In George Orwell's

dystopia, nothing is sacred,

not even the privacy of one's own home."

OK, it's her paper on "1984."

- So what?

- Now read this one.

"In George Orwell's

dystopia, nothing is sacred,

not even the privacy of one"

I don't understand.

That's her paper on

"The Scarlet Letter."

"Pride and Prejudice."

"Lord of the Flies."

"And Then There Were None."

"Hamlet." They're all the same.

She read one book this

year but got straight As.

So the question is, why?

I mean, this is big, right?

Yeah, it is.

And we should probably look into it,

but we can't right now.

What? Why?

Simon, you didn't see my mom.

She was so

and whatever this is, if it comes out,

all it means is that the

mom I saw in there goes away.

You know?

Maybe never comes back.

So then we just let Claire get away

with whatever's going on here?

With maybe maybe playing

a part in your death?

Simon, it's Claire.

You know, she could just

pay someone off anyway.

And either way, I'm still dead.

But maybe if we just

put all this on hold

It means my mom can have a life.

- Hey.

- Oh.

Why haven't you answered my texts?

Claire, you need to leave right now.

What'd you tell the cops?

- Go home, Claire.

- Tell me.

I need to know what you said.

I told them the truth.

That I took that money

to pay off my dad's debt.

And that's where I was the

night Maddie disappeared,

with my father.

Is that all right with you?

Cool.

Can I go?

Did you say anything about me?

You know what?

I don't remember.

Go, go, go, go.

Yo, a little help?

Or not.

You mind if I

Don't you have jumping

jacks to do or something?

Oh, no. I am maxed out.

I gotta save myself for the big show.

You know?

But anyway, what's up with you?

How you doing?

Oh, sh*t. Your mom.

How'd that go?

Well, you know.

Happy, sad, weird, but fine.

Really?

Well, you know, my parents,

they've been coming to my

games for almost 40 years now.

And it is never just fine.

Unless we win, of course.

Then it's fine.

But does your dad do

the whole belligerent fan thing?

Like, curse at the refs

and scream at the coaches?

Um

my mom always pushed me

to be the best version of

myself I could be, you know,

on and off the field.

- Didn't you die on the field?

- Yeah.

Yeah, I did.

I was right at the five-yard line.

And I was running, and then I heard

my neck

And it was lights out,

but it did not hurt at all.

The thing that stings,

honestly, is the fact

that I didn't die in the end zone.

I could have got my mom

one more W, you know?

That is my cue.

Will I see you later?

Yeah.

All right, it's game time, baby.

Whoo!

Hello?

Hello?

Hello?

Hey!

Ladies and gentleman,

welcome to Wally Clark

Memorial Stadium and

Split River High's

Let's go, boys!

67th annual homecoming game!

See? It's not so bad, is it?

If I thought it would

help me cross over,

I would go out there

and tackle somebody.

OK.

That's the spirit. I think.

- Whoo!

- Hey!

Ahh!

It's game day, baby!

Go, Bandits, go!

Go, Bandits, go!

Go, Bandits, go!

Go, Bandits, go!

Go, Bandits, go!

Go, Bandits, go!

Go, Bandits, go!

Go, Bandits, go!

Go, Bandits, go!

Go, Bandits, go!

Go, Bandits, go!

Claire, thank God you're here.

The JV girls are totally

ruining the pre-game.

I was, like, super worried you

wouldn't get here in time

- Well, I'm here.

- To yell at them.

OK, so just don't worry about it.

What are you doing here?

Look, man, can you just give me a break?

Why are you here?

I came to ask Sandra

about Maddie's backpack.

Well, you could have just asked me.

I just went to the house

where they found it.

You what?

Why would you do that?

Because I want answers too, Simon,

no matter how hard that

is for you to believe.

Did you find something?

Not something. Someone.

You're serious?

All right, who was it?

I didn't see their face.

They flew out of there

the second they saw me.

Do you think it was Claire?

Too hard to tell. Maybe.

Honestly, it could have been anyone.

Simon.

It's so good to see you.

Hey, Sandra.

Are you here to help?

Help with what exactly?

Nicole and I are helping Sandra

hand out flyers at the game.

If these are plastered in enough places,

she'll see one and know it's

time to come home, right?

I mean, she has to.

Come on.

Let's go.

Throw your bike in the truck.

What's that all about?

What about Charley?

I mean, what's he been working

on in that notebook all day?

Why do I get the sense that

everyone's lost focus lately?

You keep an eye on her for me, will you?

She seems to trust you.

I'd just hate for her to backslide

and cause anyone else to lose their way.

We've come so far.

As have you.

Yeah.

- Yeah?

- I can do that.

Thank you.

Let's go, Split River.

Go get them.

Thank you, Mr. Ansell.

Mwah! I love you. Boom.

Boom. Come on. Boom, boom, boom.

It is game time, baby.

- Whoo!

- Come on! Move your asses!

Hey.

You see her?

I can run faster than that.

That is my mama.

She has never missed a game,

and she always leaves that empty seat

next to her every time.

Is it for your dad?

No, he stopped coming,

like, 15 years ago.

I think it's for me.

Bring it back.

Bring it back.

Bring it back.

Bring it back.

My daughter. She's missing.

There. Have you seen her?

There you go.

Hey, why don't you give me a few more,

and I'll put them up in my neighborhood?

Oh, thanks.

Has anyone heard from him?

- Mr. Anderson?

- No.

No, I think his lawyers

told him not to talk.

All we've heard is that

he turned over the money.

Thank you.

He was always so kind to Maddie.

Well, I guess it's true.

People can do more than one thing.

Well, if he was just stealing

money, I don't blame him.

This country does not

pay teachers enough.

- Thanks.

- Hey, Ms. Fields?

Mm-hmm?

Can't they make Mr. Anderson talk?

I mean, what if he did have

something to do with Maddie?

I mean, why she ran away.

You know, Nicole, that's

really not for us to solve.

We're just gonna have to wait and see.

Besides, the truth might never come out.

I swear, when she's screaming

her head off like that,

I feel like she can

still see me out there.

- Maybe she does.

- Oh. Eww!

Even you just saying

that stressed me out.

Please tell me both

of those are for you.

I dare you not to like it.

You want to talk about

things that stress you out?

Hot dogs stress me out.

Is it the shape?

Whenever my mom was going

through a rough patch, um,

she mostly cared about

what there was to drink.

And so I was kind of

on my own for dinner.

And what does every

13-year-old know how to make?

And I got really creative with them.

I made frank and beans, hot

dog casserole, hot dog omelet.

I even once made a hot dog

peanut butter and jelly.

- Oh, jeez.

- Yeah.

That's not good.

I had no idea about your mom.

Kind of rough times.

Uh sorry.

Everyone's haunted by something.

Well, here's to mama drama, then, huh?

Clink.

You know, it is really impressive

that your mom is still

celebrating something

that you love.

Well, actually, it was my mom's idea

that I play football.

But you love it, right?

Nah, I don't.

I mean, I don't mind it.

I'm really good at it.

But, um, I played it for her.

- And you never told her that?

- Oh, my God. No way.

That would I that would

that would break her heart.

Wally, you know that you don't

have to do what she wants anymore.

You can do whatever the hell you want.

Yeah.

But I don't know if

I know how to do that.

Is it hard seeing him?

It's getting easier.

Especially now that I'm

95% sure he didn't k*ll me.

But, um, it is kind of

weird seeing him pass out

flyers with my face on them.

Wait.

That's my mom's favorite picture of me.

How did Xavier get that photo?

This is my daughter.

What does it say about me

if I'd rather never

know what happened to me

if it means my mom will stay sober?

I mean, what does it say

about me that I keep coming

back to the field I died on

to watch the game that k*lled me

because I think it'll make my mom proud?

Maybe my mom holding on to the hope

that I might come back some

day is enough to keep her going.

But you're not.

You're not coming back.

The number. Thank you.

I'm all out.

Oh, there's more in that box over there.

Well, maybe you've forgotten

what we talked about.

I absolutely have not.

But I'm going to get

caught, and so are you

if we're not smart about this.

Well, maybe you should

have thought about that

before you stole that money.

My parents' money.

I am doing everything you ask, OK?

Listen, I can't get

anything less than an A, OK?

It's important.

So just do what you said you would do,

and your secret will be safe. Got it?

Did you guys get it too?

Yeah. Why'd they send it to us?

Yeah, and who the hell recorded it?

Go, Bandits, go.

Go, Bandits, go.

Go, Bandits, go.

Go, Bandits, go.

Go, Bandits, go.

Let's go, 20.

Hey, watch 12.

Watch 12. Whew.

Hey, Wally, what's going on?

Mom, you should not be down here.

And you shouldn't be on that bench.

Where's Dad?

He's up there, and

he agrees with me, OK?

Well, Mom, Coach wants

me to rest my knee, so

Well, you know what they say.

You can rest when you're dead.

Do you want me to talk to him?

No. No, don't don't talk to the

OK, you know, Mom, he said he's gonna

put me in later, so you

don't have to worry about it.

Later doesn't win scholarships, Wally.

OK?

OK, well, I think he's right.

Honey, if Coach was always right,

he'd be coaching in the pros

and not benching high schoolers.

- He's my coach.

- You're a star.

I'm gonna listen to what he's saying.

And he needs to play you.

Now you just march over to him

and tell him you're fine, all right?

Tell him you want back

in. And make me proud.

Come on, Devils.

Come on, Devils!

Hey. Hey.

We need to talk now.

- Uh

- Shh.

Watch.

I can't get anything less than an A.

So just do what you said you would do,

and your secret will be safe.

If Claire knows about this video

and she thinks you

took it, that's motive.

I'm no better than him.

Better than who?

What are we talking about?

I can't protect my mom by giving up.

She has to know I'm not

coming home, good or bad.

You know, she has to move on.

So do I.

What do we do now?

And you had no idea this was going on?

Of course not.

All I know is what Simon told us

about Mr. Anderson's phone call

and the money and the phone shard.

Are you sure that's all?

What the f*ck, Nicole?

All I did was take Maddie's phone

so I could delete that

stupid cheating text.

I mean, Claire must have stolen it,

swapped it with a blank one.

Maybe I should just show

this video to my dad.

No, you can't do that.

He's gonna think you had

something to do with it again,

and we don't have time to

keep clearing your name.

Xavier.

I think I'm done for tonight.

Can we just head home?

Are you OK?

I think it's too much.

I shouldn't have

I just need to go home

now.

I can take you, Sandra.

Would you?

I just need to take care of something.

- Everything cool?

- Yeah.

Just keep me updated. Text

me if anything happens.

Come on.

Hey, Simon, what's up?

What are we gonna do about this video?

It's about what you have to do.

Win back Claire's confidence,

and then you crack her.

But how am I gonna do that?

Simon, tell him to ask her

to the homecoming dance.

Ask her to the homecoming dance.

You're sh1tting me, right?

The girl hates me.

After Maddie disappeared,

I pushed her away,

and it really pissed her off.

Claire doesn't want

anything to do with me.

Apologize. Send her a text.

Apologize.

Send her a text.

What do I say?

I'll tell you.

I'm gonna try this. I

don't think it's gonna work.

- I know I hurt you.

- I know I hurt you.

I feel your sadness, and I'm sorry.

I feel your anger, and I deserve that.

I feel your sadness, and I'm sorry.

I feel your anger, and I

- I deserve that.

- I deserve that.

I wish I could erase what happened.

And if there's anything I

can do to make it up to you,

I want to try.

I wish I could erase what happened.

If there's any way I can make

it up to you, I want to try.

Yeah, hold up, dude.

You're going too fast.

I miss you.

I want to be with you.

Go to the homecoming dance with me.

I miss you.

I want to be with you.

Go to the homecoming dance with me.

Are you OK?

Yeah, man. I'm good.

So what now?

Send it.

Let's go! Come on!

Maddie, hey.

Hi.

I just wanted to thank you.

I don't know, I just I feel

Free.

Free. Yeah.

You know, I don't think

I've ever met anybody

like you before.

Yeah. Well, same.

Yeah.

Definitely never been to

a football game before.

Yeah.

Well, I mean, I've

I don't feel like I've ever

been able to talk to someone

like I can talk to you.

Yeah.

Tonight was nice.

Do you want to go to the dance with me?

As friends.

You can totally say no, Maddie.

I just you know,

it's your first time.

I thought maybe I could

you're gonna be there anyway.

Sure, Wally.

All right, that's all

right, that's, uh, cool.

That's really cool.

I will I'll see you at the dance.

So hell yeah.

All right.

Hey.

I know this may be a

stretch, but I think I know

who may have taken that video.

When you gave me your keys earlier,

was it because there was something

you wanted me to know?

I don't understand.

Did you want me to find

something, Mr. South?

Simon, if I've got

something to say, I say it.

But when I came by this morning,

you were watching a video,

and you hid it from me.

And now we get sent this video,

and I'm thinking it could be you.

Simon, I was hiding it

because I didn't want you to get hurt.

Ever since they found your

friend's blood on the wall,

all kinds of looky-loos been

coming down here sightseeing.

Who would have thought

I'd be the number one stop

on a haunted tour?

I had to document everything

for the school district.

People wrote things on

the wall that were

disrespectful.

That was on me.

Don't blame yourself.

All right?

This isn't on you.

I'll clean it up.

You still need help?

Sorry to make you leave early.

Oh, no. I don't mind.

Pretty sure we were losing anyway.

Do you think Maddie will

forgive me and come home?

I'd like to think we can

be forgiven for anything

if our heart's in the right place.

Can I have a hug?

Of course.

I needed that.

I'll help you get the stuff in the car.

Oh, no, no. I got it.

You can get in the car.

It's OK.

Here.

Simon.

We got bigger things to worry about.

Can you ask Mr. South if he knows

where this door leads to?

How did I not know we

had a fallout shelter?

Mr. South said it's been

here since the Cold w*r.

That it hasn't been used in decades.

Wait.

We can talk down there.

Doesn't that mean that somebody died?

Yeah. But who?

Where do you think that goes?

No idea.

But I'm guessing this is how Claire

dragged your body out of here.