Original subtitles

FEMALE NARRATOR: Previously on "Guidance"...

- His grading system is rigged. - You actually think

this is personal? - I want out.

- Give me a chance to fix this.

- All right, Hilary stays.

- I need a copy of my transcript.

I had some personal stuff, dropped out.

- I predict a lesbian love fest by prom.

[bell ringing] - The necklace, what--

- Don't shoot. It's just my phone.

Please don't shoot.

- Oh, my God. [laughs]

I'm back.

[guitar music]

♪ ♪

♪ Tripping over words ♪

♪ Never was a star ♪

♪ ♪

♪ The way you made me feel ♪

♪ Couldn't help but smile ♪

♪ Yeah, you really got me ♪

♪ So fast ♪

♪ Just like I ♪

♪ Syncopated ♪

♪ So syncopated ♪

♪ Like that ♪

♪ Just like that ♪

WOMAN: ♪ My own world ♪

♪ Living inside myself ♪

♪ Myself ♪

♪ Living for no one else ♪

♪ And I see your face ♪

♪ I don't wanna face it ♪

♪ No, whoa-oh ♪

♪ So I look away ♪

♪ I don't wanna face it ♪

♪ No, whoa-oh ♪

♪ What I'm thinking ♪

♪ What I'm saying ♪

♪ I don't ever know ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

♪ Oh, so come in ♪

- Smiley here, and this is your PSA,

Public Smiley Announcement.

First week recap and weekend dirt.

PSA exclusive.

I see Layla, where is Liddy?

Trouble in paradise for our kissy fish.

Oops.

Ozo's got a new friend.

Found her.

Speaking of inseparable duos,

Ms. Maynor and her whiteboard.

You vote, autism or OCD?

And that's this week's PSA.

Don't forget to follow me, everywhere.

- Smiley, you and I have more in common than I'd hoped.

- What's that mean?

- We both suffer from a lack of empathy.

- You watch my channel? - You're a perceptive person.

- I didn't realize you were paying

such close attention to me.

- How could I not? You're screaming for it,

desperate, mocking mimicry.

You're smarter than that.

When I was two...

My parents had a birthday party for me,

and it was really loud.

It was so loud that I hid under my bed

and I refused to come out.

The next day, my mom started tracking down doctors,

and I was diagnosed as on the spectrum.

For the next three years,

I spent eight hours a day in ABA,

Applied Behavioral Analysis.

They taught me how to look people in the eye,

wave back when they waved.

- They wanted to make you normal.

- They taught me how to...

transform my attention to detail

and need for order into skills.

So I wouldn't have to hide under my bed anymore.

- Aw, you just came out to me.

How sweet.

- I'm suggesting we put you through some ABA of your own.

- You're sending me to therapy?

- I want you to stop commenting on other people

and start connecting with them.

- There's no way I'm joining the lame clubs

at this school.

- When I was your age, we had an LGBT support group.

Maybe you can start one here.

- What is this, 1987?

Okay. We're here, we're queer, people got used to it.

- Either find an extracurricular,

or I'll put you in charge of sensitivity training workshops.

- Okay. Okay. I'll find something.

- You're an influencer, Smiley.

Find a way to be a positive influence.

POLICE OFFICER [on recording]: Show your hands! Drop it!

- Hey.

Weren't you filming when the shooting happened?

- Don't even ask. You need a subpoena.

I know my rights.

- You've been watching "Law & Order"?

- It's like day binge, hello?

- Withholding evidence can hinder our investigation.

- Freedom of the press. - You're a student.

- I'm a journalist. - Smiley, please stop talking

until your parents get here.

- Smiley? That's your name?

Well, Smiley, this is your chance to be a hero.

Just hand me the phone.

- Veritay-- that's your name, right?

Well, Veritay,

this is a bigger story

than I think you even realize.

And I've got the exclusive,

so if you really want this,

you have to pry it from my beautifully manicured hands.

- Okay.

TYLER: Oh, man, is it quiz day?

- Biology of the mind.

It's in the syllabus if you'd read it.

- Morning, everyone. So, I know we were scheduled

to have a quiz today.

I'm sure you're all gonna be just devastated.

But...

I'm cancelling it.

TYLER: Whoo!

- Today, we're gonna do a trust exercise

to help build a foundation of a safe space, okay?

So, everyone get up and choose a partner.

All right. Does everyone have someone?

- No. - Okay. I will be your partner.

All right, leaders,

you're going to blindfold your partner

and make sure that they really cannot see a thing.

All right?

All right. Then we're going to guide them

with a safe steady hand.

Brianna, Tyler, get up here.

Let me see that.

All right, coming at you.

All right. Can you see anything?

- No. - Okay. Good.

So Tyler, you're gonna wanna hold her elbow

and her lower back. All right.

So you wanna do it here and here.

So that she feels safe, supported, and guided.

And don't forget,

never let go of your partner, all right?

Communicate. Let them know that you're there for them.

And you guys can walk around the hallways,

in the first floor, go upstairs,

but be quiet, do not disturb any classes.

And about after five minutes,

switch with your partner, let them know that

they need to experience the same thing you do.

All right? Have fun.

Safe and supported.

All right.

I will guide first.

Let's put this. - No, no.

- Hilary? - How is this even relevant?

- I just explained what we're trying to achieve.

- Trust exercises aren't gonna improve my scores.

- Yeah, well, not everything in this class is

about scores, Hilary.

- This isn't teaching. This is laziness.

- There's no need for that kind of--

- You know what? Since I'm the only one

that actually prepared, maybe I should be teaching this class.

- Whoa, calm down.

What is-- what is going on with you?

- Are you even listening to me?

I just said I don't wanna be blindfolded

and led around in the hallway-- I just wanna take a quiz.

- Okay. Well, part of the grading process for this class

is participation.

- I am not putting on this blindfold.

- Well then, you're gonna get an F for the assignment.

- Today's assignment was a quiz.

It's in your syllabus.

- You have 30 minutes.

- Where are you taking me? - Guess.

No. - What are you doing?

- Like Mr. Ridley said, you have to trust me.

- But I don't think you understand. I mean,

she was physically shaking.

It was such a visceral response.

I'm really worried about Hilary.

You know, this need for perfection

is gonna give her a nervous breakdown.

- Do you think it's that dire?

- I mean, it's either that or something at home.

- Hmm, Hilary's mom is usually very supportive.

- And very relentless.

All right, and that is a lot of pressure on a kid.

- Hilary usually thrives under pressure.

- Maybe I'm reading this all wrong, you know?

Maybe I was emotionally manipulated

into giving her the quiz so she didn't have

to take the exercise.

Wait, did I--

did I just get played?

- Passive aggression isn't usually Hilary's style.

- Uh-uh, no.

- She's usually more direct. - Uh-hmm. You're right.

I'm sure she'll be at your door here pretty soon

giving you the full Ridley report.

- She does seem to be my only frequent flyer.

- Well, it's because she respects you.

All right, and that's saying something.

As most of these kids,

you know, I know how to reach them.

- Sometimes I think it's you who should be sitting in this chair.

- Mm-mm. No, thank you.

I like the freedom to be able to wing it

every once in a while.

- Hilary doesn't usually wing it.

- No. Which is why I came to you,

as you two speak the same language.

And if there really is something going on deeper with her,

I figured you'd be the only person she would confide in.

Look, I didn't mean to interrupt your lunch.

- No. - I just didn't want you

to get blindsided--that's all.

Look, you've been here over a year, right?

And I know that you know where the teachers' lounge is,

but you're always eating lunch at your desk.

- Well, my dad calls at lunch

and I talk to him while he has chemo.

- Right. I didn't interrupt, did I?

- No. No, not today. He's home today.

- Okay.

Then I will get out of your hair.

If you ever do want that lunch date,

you know where to find me.

OFFICER VERITAY: So, it's Mr. Ridley

that teaches psychology, not you?

- AP Psychology is one of his classes.

- You'd think the counselor would do that, wouldn't you?

- That would be logical, yes,

but I'm not certified.

- So he's actually more qualified

for the counseling job?

And you took his concern about Hilary

being on the edge seriously, right?

Since he was trained to spot troubled kids?

- He had enough training

to identify vulnerabilities, yeah.

HILARY: Did you know he didn't even major in psychology?

He only minored in it.

- It's not appropriate for you to be going through

Mr. Ridley's college records.

- Oh, okay.

I don't know if you've heard of this fun new tool

called the Internet,

where people put all of their personal information

online willingly?

- The decision was made to keep you in AP Psych.

- It wasn't my decision.

- And if trust exercises are part of the curriculum,

then you're gonna have to participate.

- He can't just waltz in

and change the assignment without warning.

- It's his class, so it's his prerogative.

- Yeah. But I studied all night for that quiz,

and then a bunch of blindfolded zombies got As

for wandering around in the halls.

- You got an A as well.

- Do you really think that's fair?

I feel like my A should be worth more.

- If you want to succeed in the class, Hilary,

you have to do the work,

even if it's work you don't like.

- So you're telling me that you would've done it?

- What?

- Let him blindfold you

until all you can see is pitch black,

his hands on your back

as he grabs you around the wrist,

and leads you like a lost puppy through the halls

while you have no idea where you're going?

And everything's dark,

and you have no control,

and you're relying on him

to watch out for you?

You're telling me that you'd be okay with that?

- I am constantly

uncomfortable in situations,

but I've learned that it forces me

to grow as a person.

And failure is just a part of that process.

That's the whole point of your education:

to grow and become less rigid.

- Got it.

I'm rigid, and I'm stuck in AP Psych.

Thanks so much.

- What's her name? - Margaret Pauline Campbell.

- I don't understand what she has to do with any of this.

She's not a student here anymore.

- I didn't either, until tonight.

But now I think I do.

[sighs]

So strange.

It's like you disappeared.

- Look, I know you got to get home.

I can take the table for you.

- I would but, you know, I got to--

I got to have all the tips tonight.

My rent's late, and my landlord already hates me.

Hey, can you watch them and make sure

they don't dine and dash? - Yeah.

- What are you doing here?

- I brought you your transcript.

- Yeah. I told you to mail it. - I know how important it is,

so I wanted to put it in your hands.

- Nobody here knows that I'm trying to leave.

- I didn't realize it was a secret.

- I can't endanger my job for one that may not happen.

- Look, if it doesn't happen, my offer still stands

for GED testing.

- Look, I already told you, I can't.

- Just promise me you'll think about it.

Don't rule it out entirely.

- Okay, fine.

Can you just go before you get me fired?

- I looked back at your grades.

You were on track for college, scholarships.

You were in every club.

- Yeah. That was a lifetime ago.

- You're smart, Polly, and you were driven.

- Yeah.

- I don't know what happened that derail you

but I can get you back on track,

if you let me help.

- You don't understand.

- Then make me understand. - Mommy. Mommy.

- Oh, hi, my sweet girl, hi.

I missed you so much.

Thank you so much. I'm so sorry.

I know you have to get to work. Thank you.

- You're a mother.

- Yeah. Look,

thanks for the transcript, but...

let's just pretend we never met.

Did you have dinner? - Yeah.

- Yeah?

- Tell me more about her,

the girl in the suit with the braids.

- Layla.

- What's that about?

- She and Liddy have a--

had a band together.

- Go To Elle?

- Yes, they played tonight. - Hmm.

- But Liddy quit the band,

so she wasn't on stage playing.

- Who's Liddy?

- Her girlfriend.

Ex-girlfriend.

They were very close.

- So she quit the band?

- It's complicated.

- Liddy girl is blowing us off,

and so not in a good way.

I'm done waiting.

She'll just have to find out with the rest of the plebs.

- So, what are you plotting now?

- I will be taking over the Capitol Catch-Up

as your new and improved host.

- Did Hilary bail on it? - No.

But once Principal Decost hears my fabulous proposition--

- Hilary's gonna kill you.

- Homegirl makes the entire school

wanna slit their collective wrists.

- You just want the mic.

- As Ms. Maynor says,

I need to better connect with the students.

- No way Decost agrees with this.

- And why not?

I get to do what I do best, and bonus:

I save everyone from that major ear sore every morning.

It's a win-win.

- He'll think you're gonna turn morning announcements into TMZ.

- Um, yes.

- No.

You have to come up with something

that'll make him look good.

- Oh, Johnny do love his picture on the paper, don't he?

- Yeah. And then whatever he wants,

Ms. Maynor will just have to deal.

- You are a brilliant star

that shines bright in the night sky,

but not as bright as me.

- Hey, what are you guys doing?

- Seriously? Guitar club again?

- Yeah. So?

- You blew off rehearsal.

- You know I do this. - This hobby of yours

is seriously starting to piss me off.

- It's not a hobby.

- What are you now, acoustic?

- Layla, get over yourself.

- Where are you going?

- Girl has gone full-blown blaze babe.

- Speak English, Smiley.

- Liddy and Ozo, hello? - What?

She's smoking pot again?

- Oh, honey, the Nile was a big river in Egypt.

- Liddy, is that you?

You haven't registered

for PSATs that are soon.

- All right. Just sign me up, whatever.

- Late--late day?

Do you have band practice? - No. Guitar club.

- Right.

Is, uh, is Mr. Ridley any good?

- He's awesome.

- And everything's okay with the band?

- Yeah, just usual Layla stuff.

- Band stuff or girlfriend stuff?

- They're kind of the same thing.

- Right.

The video that Smiley posted

with you and Ozo--

I thought maybe you guys were more than, you know--

if you're questioning things

and that may be causing problems

because as somebody so recently pointed out,

uh, my door says counselor,

so if you want counsel...

- Okay. Uh, thanks.

Bye.

- Um, I'll register you tomorrow.

OFFICER VERITAY: So there were teenage girls having drama.

How's that new?

- They're young women, and their problems aren't drama.

Clearly they're very real.

- I'm sorry. You're right. I didn't mean to belittle them.

- But that's what we do, isn't it?

Call it puppy love so we can feel less threatened

by the size of their emotions?

But I bet you still remember the color

of your first girlfriend's eyes.

- Deanna Mays.

And they were hazel.

- This isn't drama.

These are young people grappling

with the biggest loves and losses of their lives.

- Are you okay?

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪