12x16 - Happy Birthday

[bunniefuu]

[theme music playing]

[woman] Ow!

-[Arissa] This is the true story…
-[all] True story…

[Frank] Of seven strangers…

[Trishelle] Picked to live in a casino…

[Alton] Work together
and have their lives taped…

[Brynn] To find out what happens…

[Steven] When people stop being polite…
[Irulan] And start getting real.

[all] The Real World: Las Vegas!

-[Arissa] Baby, yeah!
-[all laughing]

[upbeat rock music playing]

Yay, presents.
Especially for Irulan. Oh, yeah.

Mmm!

Irulan's birthday is tomorrow
and she's very happy.

-[Mikey] Who's that from?
-My mama.

Your mother got you that?

-Yeah!
-Are you kidding me?

Let me see that for a second?

Wow.

[Irulan] Mikey is an amazing person.

I've known Mikey
since he was 12 and I was 13.

He knows Gabe and he knows my situation.

If this is what
women are wearing these days,

I really need to get laid more.

I'm so happy. I got presents.

Oh, my God, you got a mad level, huh?

My mom sent me
a huge package of great stuff.

Alton, look what else she sent me!
Ta-da!

What!

-I'm in full effect now!
-They're dope too.

-[chuckles]
-[squeals]

[Alton] Hell yeah,
I finally got myself a skate partner.

-["Rollerskate" playing]
-[elevator doors opening]

-[Alton chuckles]
-[Irulan] I'm excited.

Where are we going?
Just the parking lot?

Gonna go skate up to the skate park.

There's been a huge connection
between me and Irulan,

more than what one would just call
hooking up with a girl.

-[Irulan] Ah! I'm going so fast!
-[Alton] Keep going!

[Irulan] Alton! Alton!

♪ You learn to roller-skate ♪

[indistinct chatter]

♪ You learn to roller-skate… ♪

These feelings are nothing new.
They've been here since I first seen her.

And they've only grown.

[indistinct chatter]

[song concludes]

-[upbeat music playing]
-[indistinct chatter]

'Cause a lot of people, they mistake sex
for love or whatever, you know?

To like, have sex with somebody,
to make love with somebody, like,

I just feel like
it can't be something casual.

-Because it isn't. And for me like--
-[Alton] I've told you that--

There's nothing that can come out of that.

[Alton] Me and Irulan,
our talks, you know,

get really deep, and really fulfilling.

I mean,
we've been emotionally very intimate.

I have something very special
with the person that I'm with.

And so,
because we're in an open relationship,

even to just put myself
out there enough to like kiss somebody,

it means that I think
you're somebody special.

It's like, if I don't know you,
I certainly don't want to have sex

with you. Like, that grosses me out.

I've never really just had casual sex.

That's something I'm proud of also,
you know what I'm saying?

That would be a serious compromise
of like, my, um, integrity, I would say.

I'm glad that you're here.

'Cause you're such a special person to me.

I really feel connected to Alton.
I know that I'm supposed to know him.

And I know that he's somebody
that's supposed to be in my life,

even if it's just for five months.

-It's my birthday so soon.
-So soon.

[soft music playing]

[Irulan] Alton and I, you know,
we've been spending time together.

We've been sharing a bed.
Like, different things.

It hasn't gone further than
just like kissing--

-Yeah, and hugging--
-Cuddling and whatever.

[upbeat music playing]

Frank! Will you come here, please?

Irulan's a very needy person.

She needs friends.
She needs lots of friends.

She needs presents on her birthday.

[Trishelle]
What did you get for Irulan's birthday?

Are you gonna get her anything?

Steven and I are getting her
a spa treatment.

-[Trishelle] How much is that?
-[Frank] Free.

I didn't know about it
till Steven told me about it, and I go,

"Put my name on the card!"
That's what happened.

-Do you want to do that?
-Yes. Yeah!

No, because honestly,
Trishelle, I've bought birthday presents

for family members,
and for girlfriends, and no one else.

Like, that's just not how I am.

Everyone else is
making a big deal of Irulan's birthday

and buying her presents.

It's not a big deal.
You have a birthday every year. Who cares?

Well, ask Steven,
if I can put my name on it,

but then I'll get her something else

from the three of us too.
You know what I'm saying?

Okay. Okay, that sounds good.

That way, I don't have to do anything,
and you guys do all the legwork.

-I like how this is working out.
-[Trishelle chuckles]

-[slow gentle music playing]
-[sighs]

[telephone ringing]

[telephone continues ringing]

[telephone chiming]

-Hello?
-[Gabe over phone] Hey, what's up?

-Um, who is this?
-Gabe.

-Hey, what up, dude? How you doing?
-[Gabe speaks indistinctly]

-[Gabe]
-[Alton chuckles]

Isn't it Irulan's birthday today?

-[Gabe]
-[Alton] Very good.

All right, hold on one second, okay.
Let me get her.

-[Gabe]
-[Alton] Uh, uh, uh, uh.

I seen her walk by earlier today.
She's cool.

-[Gabe] All right.
-Hello?

-[Gabe] Hello.
-Hi!

-[Gabe] Irulan, hi.
-[laughs]

Hey, you.

[Gabe]

Thank you, I love you.

[Alton] To hear Irulan
tell Gabe she loves him.

I mean, hey, he definitely deserves it.
He's a good guy.

But for me, it's like,
"Alton, what are you doing?"

"Don't fall for this girl."

-[Gabe smooching]
-That was a big one. Thank you.

[Alton] Maybe,
if she didn't have a boyfriend,

it'd be a different story.

But the fact that she's gonna get
right up out of bed.

And then get on the phone
and talk to him,

it just doesn't make sense.
It's just me playing myself.

-[Gabe] Happy birthday.
-Thank you. Love you.

-[Gabe] Bye-bye.
-[Irulan] Bye.

[music concludes]

[upbeat rock music playing]

-It's not that high.
-[Alton] It's not high at all.

[Irulan] Oh, my God.

It's my birthday
and I'm really excited.

So the plan is,
is that we're gonna go bungee jumping.

-And later go to a dinner.
-[Mikey] I wish Gabe was here.

-He would like something like this, right?
-[Irulan] I don't know if he would do it.

-[suspenseful rock music playing]
-[indistinct chatter]

[instructor] Go ahead.

[Irulan] It's 17 stories high
and 171 feet.

And I'm starting to get nervous.

-[all] Come on!
-[Alton] You can do it! Come on!

[all cheering]

-Come on down! Come on!
-[all cheer]

[instructor] Five four, three, two, one.
Happy birthday!

-[all cheering]
-[lively jazz music playing]

-Yeah! Yeah!
-[all cheering]

-[all applauding]
-[Mickey] Yeah! You did it!

-Damn, that was dope.
-[Mikey] Yeah!

[Alton chuckles] Irulan!

-Beautiful. That was lovely!
-That was lovely.

-That was good.
-[chuckles] That was good.

You know what? This is what
makes birthdays memorable, you know?

-This is what makes things…
-[Alton] Things like this.

… stick in your head, you know?

-It's not just another birthday.
-Thank you, guys, so much.

-[Mikey] I had a great time.
-[indistinct chatter]

[smooth hip-hop music playing]

[Mikey] I really want to get her
a gold-plated cigarette holder.

[Alton] That's still a possibility
at Buffalo Exchange, man.

Me and Mike dropped Irulan off,
and we go out to try to find her a gift.

I don't know, I mean,
I'd love to have a relationship

with a certain person,
but it's not it. Not it at all.

Gabe is my friend, you know.

So, like this is definitely like
when I see you hook up with Irulan,

I'm kind of like…
I feel a little weird or whatever.

But I know that they're good together
and do really care about each other.

I just don't understand Irulan.
How can she have such a good guy.

And then still be like, she has
to figure out what's out there for her?

Maybe he's not the right guy for her.

And you know what?
Like, honestly, if I was you,

I would feel a little bit guilty.

-[Alton] I feel hella guilty.
-And I'm sure you do.

But the fact of the matter is,
is that it is her decision.

As long as,
I don't get my little heart hurt.

-Yeah, don't get too--
-Yeah, sprung up--

Don't get too sprung,
you know what I mean?

[Alton] Her heart's with Gabe,
and I respect that.

-[inaudible]
-[Alton] It draws a very clear line

on to how emotionally involved to get.

There is always
that possibility of being hurt.

[jazz music playing]

[film projector whirring]

Alton and Irulan are falling
for each other in my perspective.

-You did good.
-[indistinct chatter]

-Like, "You did good"?
-You did good.

You did really good. I'm proud of you.

She has to get flowers somewhere.

I'll tell you,
when a girl gets flowers,

even if it's one rose.
I don't know what it is with females,

but that's the greatest thing
in the world. Cheers to you.

-Cheers to you.
-Cheers to you.

-[film projector whirring]
-[upbeat jazz music playing]

[electronic synth music playing]

[music intensifies]

-I'm so drunk that I can't stand, but…
-[Alton] It's your birthday. Stay awake.

[Irulan] I love you.

[Alton] Got this perfect girl,
and she has a boyfriend.

And it was you know-- Oh! It just kills.

It reminds myself
that you know, I'm single.

I'm free,
like don't get caught up in this girl.

Girl, you remember schoolteacher?
She's right there.

[Irulan] Oh, too bad. Too bad.

I'm better.

[Alton] I met Carrie
a couple of weeks ago at the GhostBar.

When I first seen Carrie,
I was just like, "She's cute," you know?

I definitely wanted to, um,
get to know her.

-All right, go talk to the schoolteacher.
-No, no, no!

Irulan is upset about Carrie.
There's nothing I can do about it.

[music continues]

Irulan, let's go back to the room.
All right. I'm gonna take you.

[slow gentle music playing]

I like the fact that you're like,
"Can we go talk somewhere else?"

And it's so cool
that you're even like, like that.

[soft guitar music playing]

[Alton] You're a beautiful girl.
You're intelligent.

You're a schoolteacher.

It'll be good to be around somebody
that isn't just in love

-with all the clubs.
-Yeah.

[soft indie rock song playing]

-[Irulan retching]
-♪ Suddenly ♪

♪ The sky is bright
Could it be right with you? ♪

♪ Because suddenly there's you… ♪

-[Irulan] I don't feel good.
-[Mikey] I know. Here we go.

I wanna make sure my roommate is okay.

I'm just gonna go peek in.
A little peek in. [shushes]

[whispering] That's our friend in there.
She's in there. Don't wake her up.

[Mikey] Just give him a second.
He'll be right back.

-[Carrie] Alton, I'm going.
-[Alton] Don't leave yet.

I would be a fool to not do anything
with anybody else. So do your thing.

[Alton] I would so much want
to sleep with you.

[Carrie] I haven't had sex in a year.
One year.

[Alton] For me,
it's been four and a half months.

-[Carrie] Oh, wow. Oh, my God.
-[Alton] Yes.

But I just want to give you
a screaming [bleep] tonight.

♪ Then there's you ♪

[song concludes]

[instrumental music playing]

[upbeat music playing]

I woke up to a naked Alton
with some girl in the bed.

-[Frank] Oh, God.
-[laughs]

Ugh!

[upbeat music playing]

Trishelle, and Frank, and I
are on the bed trying to figure out

who the hell the girl is.

[upbeat music playing]

[Alton] So, please continue.

[toilet flushing]

Actually, I don't even remember anything
past puking a lot.

[chuckles]

-I was very drunk. Very, very, very drunk.
-[Brynn] Uh-huh.

-[Irulan] I could possibly still be drunk.
-[chuckles]

[Alton] Anything could happen
if Irulan finds out.

It would make her feel uncomfortable.

So, I'm just trying
to be respectful of Irulan's feelings.

The day after my birthday is so hard.
[chuckles]

I definitely did not get this drunk on 21.

-You didn't?
-Uh-uh.

[tense music playing]

[Arissa] Do you know what happened?

[Brynn] Probably not,
I don't know anything.

On Irulan's birthday,
he brought another girl here that night.

She doesn't know
and I'm not gonna tell her.

But they have like…
I think there's an understanding

-where it's not a big deal.
-[Arissa] I don't think so.

There's no way in the world
that if you really care about somebody

as much as you say,
that you would do anything like that.

I never in my life understood, like,

how you can, like, wake up
the next morning and then kiss somebody.

Like, just kiss them

-after you have been with somebody else…
-[Brynn] Hmm.

…like not four hours before.

Everybody in the house knows
about, like, everything that Alton did,

except for Irulan.

-[Frank] Really?
-Yeah, like, Irulan does not know.

On Irulan's birthday,
Alton came up like the big pimp.

And gave her flowers and everything
and then he slept with some [bleep]

on her birthday. That's low.

But, ah , it's just so funny.
Like, this [bleep] will blow up.

[Frank] Yeah, yeah.

[music concludes]

[Irulan] Like, do what you want to do.

Like, I don't want to impose
anything on you. You're not my boyfriend.

But at the same time it bothers me

that people are like
whispering behind my back.

Like, "Oh, we're not gonna say anything."

I'm gonna tell Irulan
that Alton brought a girl home.

But the way that people say it to me
sounds like they're saying, like,

something happened
between the two of them.

[Irulan] It bothers me
that people are like coming up to me,

like, "You should be careful
because this that, and the other."

Like, I feel like they think
that something different is going on

than what it really is.

Yeah, because like whatever Alton does

with his life,
it's his business. I'm not his girlfriend.

It's like more an ego thing than anything.

Like, basically,
I just don't want to be disrespected.

[melancholic music playing]

Well, it has been brought to my attention
that on the night of my birthday,

you brought a girl home.

I'm not trying to be that naive girl
who's in the dark because Mr. Player Alton

is like what-- You know?
And that's what I feel like is happening.

[Alton] She's very disrespected
by the fact that I could see her,

and then go off and see this other girl.
For me, it's definitely to protect myself.

I do it because it helps me like

get over the fact
that I've had a crush on her

since the day I seen her, you know?

And so if you're gonna say one thing to me

and then do another,
just know that I'm gonna find out.

But it's not even like I said one thing
and did another.

I'm not saying that
that was that situation.

-Yeah, but it could just be--
-I'm just letting you know.

From this point out,
say what you mean, mean what you say,

and like think about it
before you do that.

-You feel me?
-I totally feel you.

She can cover up a lot.
I think Irulan is just as afraid of,

like, becoming too emotionally
attached to our situation.

She's just as scared as I am.

[upbeat music playing]

I'm so confused, Brynn.
You know, like we spend time together.

And like things are so much fun.
And like every time we have a talk,

I'm just like, "Oh, great, great."
You know, "Like, everything is settled."

Like, it's-- The air is clean.
You are single, I'm not your girlfriend.

You do what you want to do and whatever.

But at a certain point,
it's just like, if I'm there and like…

-[Brynn] Yeah.
-…he's kissing me one second,

and then like kissing some other girl
on the lips or like in front of my face.

I'm just like, I'm not your girlfriend
but I am your friend.

Like, respect me to some degree.

I don't want to be just another girl.

Like, I'm better than that.
I have a relationship.

I'm not gonna put myself
out there in that way.

-[Brynn] He might be scared.
-Whatever. Whatever.

Like, I've never, ever,
ever been in this position before.

[Brynn] There's times
where Irulan has said,

"You know, we're just friends,
and I have a boyfriend."

So that kind of gives him the right
to do the things that he's done.

Once you sleep with somebody
or you do anything physically

with anybody, there's gonna be
feelings there no matter what.

I have a boyfriend who I love
and who loves me, and, you know,

I don't just want to be with somebody
to say that I have somebody.

[soft electronic music playing]

-[dial tone ringing]
-[Gabe over phone] Hello?

-[Irulan] Hello.
-[Gabe] Hey, what's up?

Nothing.
Gotta talk to you about something.

The past couple of like nights
or whatever,

um, Alton and I have been sharing

the same bed.
And we kind of like kissed and stuff.

And I know
that we have an open relationship.

But I also know that you said
that you don't want me to hook up

with other roommates,
and I-- I hooked up with Alton.

[music continues]

[Irulan] I'm just really sorry.

[Gabe]

No! I mean, we've literally only kissed.

[Gabe]

I mean, are you being for real?

[Gabe]

Gabe seems pretty cool when,
you know, I talked to him about

what's going on with Alton.

I just think it's so amazing
that you're like there,

and you're just calm, and like,

it's such a big part
of the reason why I love you.

[Alton] Why would I want to get involved
with a girl who has this boyfriend

that she's been with for a long time?

I got involved with Irulan
because of the possibility

that something might be really beautiful
can come out of this.

I miss you and love you so much.
I just want you to know that.

[Gabe]

[smooches]

Bye-bye.

[music concludes]