Original subtitles

Sterling! Sterling, pick up your feet!

Tuka, shut the hell up!

Come on, come on, come on. Let's go.

That's what I'm talking about. And one!

Wrong sport. Good game though.

Word.

You legit for finding this spot. Super cutty.

Still can't get over the view.

Regular-ass, normal humans, when they say "the view," they mean a sunset.

Come on, fam. Like, what's more pretty than that right there?

Probably don't even know how lucky they is.

They are. They know.

They should know. Tuka Hall's coming for they ass!

You about to snitch on the whole situation. A "snitchuation."

Sorry. I'm just super juiced.

Couple weeks till the Stokes-Pickett Invitational on that track.

- Not that crap concrete at school. - Right.

Coach Ry says something like 20 recruiters supposed to come out.

Anybody who gets a decent time in the 400

will get a look at that good scholly money.

So, you, Elaine Hinton from Cole, Kiki Williams from Montcastle.

Same old roster. It's cool.

I'll watch all your college meets on the TVs at Walmart...

- on my break. - I told you.

You get your time under 55 seconds, dominate invitationals,

get recruited and beast in the NCAA.

For the next few weeks, we eat track, sleep track.

And if it ain't about track, we ain't about that.

I said, "We eat track, we sleep track, and if it ain't about track," what?

"If it ain't about track, we ain't about that."

Look, after I cut my time and we win and we get our faces on the news,

could we talk a little about the future?

With the future again? I told you the plan.

We train, cut time and...

the future will handle itself, right?

- Yep. - Good.

Okay.

What about Marion Jones, no sauce, versus Marie-Josée?

- Head-to-head? - I hate you for that.

I'm lightweight blown you didn't even mention Florence.

A different era. Apples to oranges.

I would have made a fruit salad out of all them chicks.

Damn, girl. Humble ever?

Yo, what's the point of having an altar if nobody takes care of it?

Never understood why people do the whole bronze thing.

He can't hoop or do a skateboard if he's dead.

You don't know.

He could be nice with those afterlife skate tricks.

I don't think it works like that.

Sterling, if you gonna be out in this weather, you gonna need a sweater.

You get sick if you want,

but you are not gonna infect my house 'cause you don't agree it's chilly.

Petrushka, you eatin' with us?

No, ma'am. Don't wanna wear out my welcome.

Besides, I maybe have plans.

Well, you change your mind, we always make a plate for you anyway.

You gonna be able to get outta here and meet me at the sideshow?

No, she will not be going to the illegal drag race

where everyone gets arrested!

Who calls it a drag race?

I don't know why she always gotta be in my business.

What was that?

I wanna go, but...

This little girl might need to get some rest.

Watch film. "Eat track. Sleep track"?

You really gonna make me go all alone?

You know you're a brat, right?

Maybe.

Yo, this is hella crazy.

Tuka!

There she go, there she go, there she go!

Hey, Lee you-gotsta-say-the-whole-name Easton.

You took tonight off? Who's coverin' at the restaurant?

Hey, that fish can fry itself.

I figured y'all was coming, so I was about it, off top.

How'd Sterling get out though? Yo.

Look, anyone asks, we had a last-minute, late-night track practice

very close to the sideshow.

- I got you. - Hey, we got you.

- Yo! - Come on, now.

- Oh, shit! - Oh, what?

He hit that corner so hard.

About that time, I think.

Already?

What is it, like, 10:15? Blood, you legit nerdy.

I wanna be in bed before 11:00.

Look, even the super-ultra extra square kids stay out till at least midnight.

You don't get it.

I work hard for it, every day, just to keep your pace.

My bad, Ster, I...

I break myself just to be seconds slower than you.

Stay if you want. I need sleep.

My bad.

Hey, yo, blood! Hey, Sterling, wait up!

Sterling!

Bro, I said I'm sorry.

Sterling Johnson, who secretly loves Taylor Swift and hates onions,

I'm talking to you!

Hey...

What you doing?

Move! Tuka! Car! Move!

Tuka, move!

Amen.

We wanna thank the choir for that offering,

the deacons and deaconesses who have responded

to Tuka's loved ones in their time of need.

Miss Johnson.

For the record, nobody's allowed to call her Petrushka.

Still. Tuka Myrtle Hall was born in 2002 in Oakland.

She is survived by her cousin, Noah Terry, in Fresno,

her great-aunt Hazel in Modesto and...

and her best friend since age six...

Sterling Johnson.

Oh, no, no, no. Y'all got me messed up.

I'm not dead. I'm right here.

She boasted the area's fastest time in women's 400 meter...

setting regional records her last two seasons.

See? See? I'm not dead!

I'm here!

Come on, fam.

There's gotta be something we can do...

or somebody we can talk to!

At this time, you may choose to recess or stay seated to view the remains.

No! No! No!

No! No! No!

Right... here.

Sterling was there.

And she waved at me.

And I waved back, and...

Well, the only way anyone would touch my track cleats

was if they wanted to die...

or if I did.

But if I'm dead, why am I still here posted on the same broke block?

I'm supposed to... ascend, maybe.

No one can see me.

Nobody can hear me!

I'm just Tuka Hall.

Stuck here until...

Lee stopped by.

I just came by to make sure you're good. Or as good as possible.

Can I sit?

You did good at the services today.

What you said up there was perfect.

Nothing was perfect about today.

It's my fault. I killed her.

What are you talkin' about?

I should have stayed at that dumb-ass sideshow like she wanted.

Was easy. Could've just posted there.

I yelled at her, then I left.

I heard her calling my name, and I pretended I didn't.

I made her run after me. I ignored her.

You know that's not on you.

You were tired. It's okay to be that.

But I was...

You know I loved Tuka, but that girl never stopped.

Keeping up with her was impossible. Be real.

She was always doing the most.

Right? You know I am.

The only person you should blame is that coward who hit her and dipped.

That don't help.

That guy gets away with it 1,000% of the time.

You went to the cops yet?

I gave a description of the car and the driver a couple days ago.

Can't even get a callback.

So let's go over there. Make 'em listen.

Now?

Let me change.

Thanks, Lee.

Look, I'm not aiming to be a dick.

Your description, it literally matches thousands of men in the system.

Now, the car? Likely in a chop shop.

Nine pages of search results for "auto body near me."

Where would you start?

There were a ton of people at that illegal sideshow.

Our detectives walked every inch of that precinct,

spoke to everyone.

- No one's talking. - All people do is jaw jack.

Not when we're around.

Shoulda known sooner.

So, that's it? That's all that y'all do?

Come back with more information, and you have my word, we'll act on it.

Yep. That's my girl!

That's hella extra, Sterling.

Hey, I'm sorry.

She's just real upset. That girl was her best friend.

She should be upset. Nothing fair about it.

I thought this might help her move on, but... I don't know.

She could be stuck on this forever.

You know, Officer, Lee's right.

Sterling clearly needs help.

Maybe that's why I'm not in the white light or whatever.

You think cops have it hard? Nobody talks to dead people either.

Then again, they don't stop talkin' when I come around.

I could use that.

Come on, seven! Feel real lucky. Daddy needs train fare.

So we pulled a fast little lick. It was me, Tyshon, Merv.

Caught a smooth rack, cashed out baby moms. You know the deal.

So, then I was like, "Forget his cattin' ass.

He got me for a hundred dollars."

So, I showed up to the hut with the burner like...

I say you go hammy.

You could get the number one, but I'd rather put some lines in for you.

Oh, okay. Sounds good.

And in the end,

the county sheriff is at my door at the crack of dawn,

talkin' 'bout eviction.

You are not serious.

Promise you won't tell nobody, but Gina, she's pregnant,

and she don't know whose it is.

People stay on that ol' bull.

- Baller. - They got nothing.

Oh, yeah. I can do some moves for you too.

Yeah. He get rid of the car?

You kidding? He love that whip.

Cops don't got a plate. All they know it's a green Caprice.

Gotta store it till things cool off.

- It's at Lex Custom Auto? - Yep.

He better hope nobody at that shop snitch.

Never happen. Everybody at Lex know better.

If you say so.

Get in there.

Got it. Lex. Good looking out, J cats.

Glad to see you, Ster.

Wasn't sure when or if you'd feel up for practice. You good to go?

I'm here, aren't I?

Okay, you're next.

I want intensity, and I want control.

Sterling. Yo, hold up, man.

If there's anyone in the world who can hear me, it's you.

Try. Come on, man.

Sterling! Hey! Yo, listen to me!

- Ready! - Hey.

Set!

Look, I know you can hear me, Sterling.

Listen, the car's at Lex Custom Auto. Lex Custom Auto!

Damn it, Sterling. Listen.

Lex Custom Auto!

Lex!

- Tuka? - Yeah. You heard me. You hella did.

I'm tripping.

Nothing can separate us, even with this weird...

- You good, girl? - Don't put your hands on me.

Dang, I'm just asking if you was cool.

Who do you think you are?

- Don't touch me. - Don't push me.

Hey! I know you two bobbleheads ain't bickering on my track.

- She started it. - Enough.

Ramos, water break. Go!

Child, what is going on with you?

I can't do this anymore.

Yes, you can, Sterling. You can!

Thinking I heard stuff.

Got me messed up if you think I'm going crazy.

Not me. Not today.

Come on, Sterling. Come on. You see it. You gotta know.

Green Caprice, blacked-out rims.

Green Caprice, blacked-out rims.

Green Caprice, black...

Maybe I was wrong.

Oh, yeah. A voice told me, "Go to Lex."

Right make.

Right model.

Dang, you were right.

Death don't change facts.

Hey, what do ya think you're doing?

Whose car is this?

Sorry, it's confidential.

Don't push it. You found the whip. Be out.

You know this car was involved in a hit-and-run?

- Fall back, Ster. - I think it's time for you to go.

Strong agree with the greasy dude.

Tell me whose it is, or his repair's gonna be hella expensive.

Sterling, what are you on?

I'm not playing. Put that down.

- Last warning, little girl! - Go!

You think I care?

He killed my friend and rode off like she was nothing!

Stop!

Okay. Okay.

You're right. You're right.

I'm dumb. I didn't mean this. Okay.

Hey! Hey, Sterling!

Sterling, wait up!

Leave me alone!

Wait up.

My bad.

No, my bad.

How did you do that?

You can see me?

Hey, yo! You, up ahead.

Yo, you on the skateboard. Wait up.

My bad, yo. I didn't mean to run into you.

Who cares? If you can see me, I need your help.

DJ... Williams.

Tuka Hall.

Hey, you the girl with the new altar, right? The one with the quick feet?

Used to be.

So, how do you like your afterlife?

It's cool or whatever.

Mostly I'm just juiced to see somebody like me.

I thought I was alone.

You are. And not.

It's confusing.

You know, one minute you in the club gettin' faded.

Next minute you in the hood with no money and no bills. It's weird.

I spent the whole first year just talking to myself.

Nobody to chop it with. Till you.

You know what we're supposed to be doing here?

I honestly don't.

My neighbor, Ms. Tramble, she died at a hundred.

She was stuck here a couple days.

Worried about her dog. The moment she found him a home, poof.

I saw her, like, get sucked away.

So... we're in between then? Like, limbo or something?

Seems like it.

At first, I tried a bunch of stuff to get out.

You know, helped fam keep the house.

Helped some strangers too.

Nothing happened.

To keep it a hundred though, I wasn't really doing much before I died.

Maybe I gotta do something worthwhile.

You know, really change somebody's life.

Yeah, it's just like in the movies.

Get your angel wings, you hear a bell or something.

I tell you right now, ain't 'bout to be no angel wings or bells.

I hope I get a pair of new kicks, and they play a Bay slap.

Something classic.

So, you just mobbing it around the town

doing kind things for people till you figure it out?

Basically. You probably gotta do the same. You know, do something big.

Is it anything you didn't finish while you were living, maybe?

Yeah, living.

This is dumb. Ain't nobody out there.

Tuka, you here?

Tuka Myrtle Hall, stop playing.

If you can see me right now,

- you probably laughing real hard. - You do look low-key ridiculous.

I knew you'd come back here.

This probably won't work.

But... I gotta know.

I heard you when I was running here before.

I heard you when I was running from Lex.

So...

I'm gonna start running now.

Great. Perfect.

Sterling. Sterling, you are crazy, but not about this.

Are you there? Tuka?

Tuka Hall is not showing up to chat over a light jog.

How about now?

Oh, please. You can do better than that.

Legit. No, like, actually and for real?

You there? Really there?

Yep.

That's what I've been trying to tell you.

But how?

Are you okay?

You know as much as I do. I talked to this other dead dude.

There are others?

Only the one so far.

He says he thinks there's something I have to do to, you know, really move on.

Can you talk to anybody else?

Only you. And only when you're running.

Well, I can talk all the time, but you can hear me now.

Maybe you're supposed to run.

No. Nah, you supposed to run.

The night I died, I told you I'd get your time down for invitationals.

Only you would come back to haunt somebody over a race, I swear.

Bruh, it's perfect.

I'm gonna get you into college. You gonna get me into the next life.

It's just like we planned it.

Only totally different.

Nice to hear your voice though.

It's nice to be heard.

And now that I got you on my line, I'm gonna kick your ass.

Go ahead then. I ain't scared of no ghost.

Knees up. Come on. Come on. Come on! Up! Up!

I am not, I repeat, not here for fun and games.

We gonna get you under 55 seconds even if it kills me. Come on, girl.

- That ain't funny. - I'm not trying to be funny.

I need you to be fast.

I'm trying.

Another one? The one where my leg's coming up, but keep my feet on the ground.

Watch the way your heel strikes. And what's with your breath?

Come on, Ster. Bring your arms in.

The closer they are, the closer you are to first place.

Invitational's not that far away. Let's go!

Keep your shoulders square and your breath more tight. Breath. Breath.

56.32 again? All the top times last year were under 55.

That just means you gotta grind harder.

Feet up. Feet up. Feet up!

Feet up. Feet up. Feet up.

You know what's the most interesting thing?

I don't even get side cramps anymore. That's the...

I'm like a butterfly. Yeah!

Yes.

There it is.

There we go. 54.98!

That's what I'm talking about. I knew you could do it.

54.98, 54.98.

Johnson, you talking to yourself again?

No. It just helps me train.

Well, whatever you're doing, it's working.

Thank you.

Getting serious about invitationals, I see.

Very much so.

All right. Keep taking those seconds off.

Tuka?

Tuka... you out there?

Okay, bruh... or spirit mother, or whoever's up there.

Yo, what kinda operation you running?

I had one, one person in the whole universe.

Somebody who knew when I was low or happy or angry.

Somebody who saw me for me and liked me anyway.

We had plans.

I never even got to hug her and say, "Ster, everything's gonna be okay."

But it's okay. It is.

I did that. I got her ready.

And she's gonna live a beautiful life with Lee and track

and the prom and ice cream.

And me? Yo, what about...

I have been every kind of invisible, alive and dead.

It tore me up inside.

But enough. I did what you wanted. Don't make me stay here and watch!

Hey, slick. Hold up a sec.

Been looking for you.

What for?

Don't play stupid. You bashed the hell out of my car.

- No? - No.

I did.

I may have accidentally damaged a car that looked similar to the one...

that killed my friend.

You know it?

What I heard... your friend died in a tragic accident. Right?

Right.

Looks like she needs some motivation.

Yo, somebody help her! Somebody help!

I'm so sorry, Ster.

On your marks...

Set.

The child wants to run today. Run.

Do you believe that?

Someone talk some sense into this girl, 'cause she can't hear me.

It doesn't make sense that you should run. But how could you not?

Johnson, one tweak, one false step, goodbye ACL.

You need at least two weeks. Maybe three.

The recruiters will find someone out there today, and it has to be me.

And Tuka would hate it if I quit now.

She would hate it if you destroyed your knee.

Nah. You don't understand. Tuka and I had a vision.

Do you know how hard it is to keep this together? Especially here. Now.

Three weeks ago, I wouldn't get out of bed. I couldn't.

But I promised Tuka I'm gonna win this meet.

It's the only thing keeping me sane.

Clear me. Don't clear me. I don't care.

I'm running this race today.

That's my girl.

Ladies, you can get your blocks set up.

Take a short run around, then return to your blocks.

On your marks...

Set.

Sterling Johnson, you better work!

Yes! Yes!

- Come on, Ster! - Come on! Let's go!

You got this! Yes!

- Get up! Come on. - Yo! Get up!

I know you're there.

I can feel it.

I just want you to know how pissed I am that we can't talk.

I don't get it.

Why did they leave me here to train you if you were only gonna lose?

I hate this.

I shoulda never left that sideshow early.

I shoulda left with you.

I shoulda just, for once, told you something real.

We were right here next to each other, and I had a chance.

I made you wait till after the race for nothing.

But I waited.

And now my knee is garbage, and I can't run.

So we can't talk.

And everything's just hella bad. Like everything I touch.

But...

I gotta tell you.

Tell me?

It's something I feel... felt...

Something I wanted to say since a while now.

Damn, girl. You all shook. Just say it. It's good.

It's like, okay...

It's like...

We're friends, but also...

Also what?

I try to make myself not.

Not hear you. Not need you. Not care.

But it just... It just doesn't go away.

And then... you did.

I never left. I couldn't.

Oh, my God. Just say it. Just push through.

It shouldn't be this damn hard.

I love you too, Sterling.

I love you, Tuka. I love you.

Look!

You old cupcaking ass.

Shut up, big head.

I miss this.

Us.

Really? Now?

What is that?

- But you just got here! - Please, no!

- No! Hold on! - Hold me closer!

No! I'm trying. I can't!

Never forget how much I care!

No, please.

Tell yourself every day! Tell yourself!

Shut up, Tuka, and hold on! Hold on!

- I'm sorry. - Hold on. Hold on.

Tuka, please. Tuka. Tuka, please.

Please come back. Please. Please, Tuka. No, please.

I need you to kiss me.

Right now.

Come on.

Let's see if we can get enough ice for that big-ass forehead.

Still don't get why you spent all your little savings on shoes for a dead dude.

His name was DJ.

He did something worthwhile.

Changed lives. Mostly mine.

You sound crazy. Changed your life?

How, sway? He died years ago.

It's a pretty good story.

Be nice, I'll tell it to you sometime.

Knees up! Knees up! Knees up! Knees up!

Don't be juiced just 'cause, for the first time in your life,

you faster than me.

Just because we kiss sometimes don't mean I'm gonna go easy on you.

I'm about to scrape you. I promise.

Come on.

Now you got me.

Hey. Don't push me.