Original subtitles

ZOEY: 1642.

For a select group of highly privileged White men,

the first known commencement in the US

took place at Harvard University.

And in 1823,

one very lucky Black man became the first person of color

to graduate from college.

CHANCELLOR MITCHELL: And now, as Chancellor of the University,

it gives me great honor to present

Cal U's graduating class of 2020

with their degrees.

[Cheers and applause]

Morgan Aaronson.

[Applause]

Hmm.

Leslie Abaca.

[Applause]

John Abbott.

[Applause]

[Murmuring]

Man, you guys must have had a crazy night.

[Laughter]

Did Rebecca Abramson make it today?

[Sighs]

Excuse me, Chancellor Mitchell.

The class nominated me to say a few words,

if you don't mind?

No, not at all.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

I'm Aaron Jackson.

I am a senior here at Cal U.

But, uh, I am also the student

who has been petitioning for Cal U to divest its endowment

from private prison systems across America.

- [Crowd murmurs] - Recently,

the administration has tried stop those efforts

by bribing me with a deal

that will completely wipe out my student debt.

[Crowd gasps]

If I agree to sign this NDA.

[Crowd murmurs]

Well, I'm sorry, Cal U.

Your blood money is not acceptable,

and I will not be silenced.

[Crowd gasps]

?

When I started this protest a few months ago,

hundreds of Black and Brown students stood with me.

And they still stand with me today.

? One day ?

? When the glory calls ?

? It will be ours ?

? It will be ours ?

? Oh, one day ?

? When the war is won ?

Now I'm fortunate enough

to have a few new brothers and sisters join me in this fight.

? Oh, glory ?

? Glory ?

? Glory ?

? Oh ?

? Glory ?

? Glory ?

We need to call security.

No.

You need to call security.

? It will be ours ?

? It will be ours ?

? Oh, one day ?

The graduating class of 2020 stands in unity.

And until our tuition dollars are divested,

no student will walk this stage.

[Cheers and applause]

? Glory ?

? Glory ?

And in 2020, Cal U's commencement was shut down

for the first time in history,

sending shock waves through the university

and pushing the media into a frenzy...

all because one determined Black man

refused to take "no" for an answer.

? Glory ?

? Watch out, world, I'm grown now ?

? I'm grown ?

? Learn something new every day ?

? I don't know, so I'mma feel my way ?

? Got the weight of the world on me ?

? But no regrets, this is what I say ?

? Watch out, world, I'm grown now ?

? I'm grown ? ? You can tell me ?

? My heart beating so loud ?

? Mama, look, I'm grown now ?

? I'm grown ?

Despite successfully shutting down

the Cal U commencement ceremony,

Aaron was still a college graduate.

And even though he should've been celebrating,

he couldn't seem to shake the feeling of uneasiness.

To my brother AJ being the first one

- to break out of the shackles of Cal U. - Thank you.

- Ooh! - I love you, dude.

Cheers, cheers.

Eye contact.

?

[Groans]

Hey, hey, please.

Another round, but I'mma need, like,

a different color liquor this time.

'Cause I'm talking lights, darks, neons, the works.

I'm trying to get my immune system confused tonight.

Thank you.

Wow. I can't believe it's over.

You've been the Bert to my Ernie for the past three years.

What the heck am I supposed to do without you, huh?

Bert? Vive... Vivek, come on.

We all know that I'm the Count.

- Really? - Yeah.

Well, all right, then. Uh, toast to us, then.

- Hell yeah. - Yes, sir.

- No? - I'm cool.

I'm not in the mood to get wasted tonight,

but you guys go ahead.

- It's your night. - Have fun.

What's a graduation party without a turnt-up graduate?

[Sighs] I don't know.

Um...

Think I might have messed up.

I, uh...

[Mumbling] cheated with Zoey.

- Hmm? - What?

[Mumbling] I cheated with Zoey.

Bro, enunciate like you do with your numbers.

I cheated with Zoey. All right?

I cheat-ed with Zoey. We had sex.

Zoey has sex?

She really does.

I'd imagine she's a very selfish lover.

I would've imagined that, too, but...

she's not.

But that's not the point.

The point is, is that now...

I don't know what to do.

?

I cannot believe I let you both talk me into this.

I should not be here.

Especially considering that Rochelle asked me

to practically be besties with her and Aaron the other day.

This is Aaron's big night.

We are here to celebrate the amazing thing

he did with the protest.

Not to talk about how you hijacked the pinga

from his girl.

JAZZ: Exactly.

So, take the shot, put your big girl panties on,

and suck it up.

- The night'll be over before you know it. - Right.

Right, 'cause it's a friend's graduation at Titanium.

It's in and out. How awkward could it be, right?

- Mm! - Zoey! Hey!

- Oh, my God! - Hi!

Hey! Rochelle!

Hi.

[Chuckles]

I'm hoping that maybe if I just hold on

for a longer amount of time, it'll be less awkward.

- Mm. - Ah...

No. It's still awkward.

Look, the thing is, I really, really care about Rochelle.

You know, but then there's Zoey.

?

- Feel like I might've ruined everything. - Nah, man.

Take it from me, it's never too late to right your wrongs.

In fact, I'm about to right my wrongs, too.

Your boy is getting out of the drug game.

- What?! - What?!

- You serious? - Yep.

Right after I sell the last of my batch, I'm out.

- Wow. - Yeah.

I already lied to Heidi about selling.

I'm not trying to risk it.

So you see? Never too late.

Okay, of course it's too late.

It's pretty clear based on his choice

that Rochelle's not the one for him.

Bro, I'm gonna say this from experience...

it's hard to recover from a situation

where someone steps out.

So unless you're 100% sure you're in love,

it's not even worth it.

Yo, the same feelings you're trying to spare homegirl now

are the same feelings you're gonna crush later

if your heart's not in it.

?

Well, hello there.

What's up?

[Chuckles]

You know, I don't think I told you lately

- how much I love you. - Mm.

And I'm looking forward to pressing "un-pause" on our break

and officially thanking you tonight.

Ayo, my mans.

Um, me and my girl are gonna need a shot.

We got some un-pausing to do.

Mm-hmm.

- Oh. Hi. - Whoa!

- Hey. - Hey.

What's up?

[Chuckles]

Still don't quite have that figured out yet.

Um...

congratulations.

Thank you. Uh...

I wasn't sure that you'd make it.

- So... - Oh, of... of course.

This is actually a pretty cool little situation.

Oh, yeah. [Chuckles]

Um...

So, I... I saw you on the news.

You were... You were awesome today.

Thanks.

I mean, to tell you the truth, I wouldn't have made the news

if it weren't for those orange jumpsuits,

which you made.

That was all you.

So thank you.

Well, then let's just agree that it was a team effort.

Hmm.

Fair.

Okay.

Um...

Look, I've been thinking about, you know,

all the things that we talked about that happened between us,

and I know that I said that I had some things I had to figure out,

- but, um, I also... - [Cellphones chiming]

Oh, my God.

- Babe, come here. You have to see this. - One second.

Yeah?

- Oh, my God. - What? What? What?

Holy shit.

- You did it. - Guys, we... we actually did it.

They're divesting!

- [Cheers and applause] - They're divesting!

VIVEK: Bro! Yes!

I love you.

Mm.

?

?

Yeah, we did it! Whoo!

Oh, my God! Look at this!

?

[Door opens]

- Oh. Hey, dude. - [Door closes]

What are you doing here?

Came by to help Nomi with Luna.

Told them a bedtime story.

Now they're both upstairs knocked out.

Nice. And what's with all this?

You, like, vision boarding or something?

Oh, no.

This is a self-improvement project.

I'm just putting these images up on a picture board.

I'm trying to manifest them in my life.

So, a vision board?

Can you stop calling it that?

My vision's been great since my juvenile cataract surgery.

I'm just trying to will these things into my existence.

Oh. Of course.

And what exactly prompted all this?

Honestly...

it just feels like the year started off so strong

with the clothing line,

and then everything kind of stalled.

Well, if it makes you feel any better,

I'm back at square one.

I quit my styling job with Joey.

Wow.

The truth is, I was just in way over my head and homesick,

which is why I was actually thinking of staying

and re-enrolling here,

but now I've messed things up so badly,

I really don't know what to do.

Bro, what could be that bad?

Does it matter?

Zoey, it's me.

Okay? There's literally nothing you and I can't talk about.

There is one person.

Soulja Boy?

No.

Luca, I'm talking about Aaron.

Uh, we...

Okay, you know.

Listened to Soulja Boy?

No!

Uh, Aaron and I...

we were together.

Like, uh, together-together.

Wow.

Isn't dude in a situation?

Yes.

Which is exactly what makes this so horrible

and such a complicated situation.

I don't know.

Doesn't sound that complicated to me.

Sounds like you guys kind of deserve each other.

- [Door opens] - What...

Hey, guys. Um, a little help here, please.

DOUG: Yo, Zoey!

Yo...

You... You had missionary sex.

Jazz, how much did he drink?

A lot. Come on.

- Hey, hey, baby. - Yeah?

- Tonight, we gonna have sex. - Okay. Okay. Okay.

- Sit. - Hey, hey.

[Whispering] Yo, Luca.

Did you know Jazz had sex with someone else?

[Sighs]

?

Mm. [Clears throat]

?

Hey. Dude.

Before you leave, um...

That comment that you made earlier,

about me and Aaron deserving each other?

It felt dangerously close to shade.

Yeah, well, take it how you take it, chief.

Okay. Well, I take it offensively.

Great. Well, I take it offensively

that for the entire year we were dating

and I asked if you had feelings for homeboy, you said no.

Because I didn't.

Anyway, why does it matter anymore?

It doesn't matter.

I came to terms with the end of us a long time ago.

- Mm. - But to take Aaron's girl

on this up and down roller coaster

that she doesn't even seem to know she's a passenger on...

seems pretty foul.

But hey, if you guys are cool with it,

I wish you the best.

Uh, there is no me and Aaron,

and I-I'm not sure there ever will be,

because... you know, quite honestly,

I'm not sure I'm gonna stay at Cal U.

Stay, go... it won't change.

Because the cold, hard truth is,

wherever you go, there you are.

? Oh, yeah ?

? Oh, yeah ?

? I've been thinkin' 'bout ?

? I've been thinkin' 'bout ?

? You and me ?

So, after my conversation with Luca

and Aaron's tender moment with Rochelle,

we both clearly had a ton to think about.

? Sayin' that you want to be with me ?

? But you ain't serious ?

But after going back and forth in my head for days,

or... who am I kidding?... for years,

I finally realized it was tie for one of us to take action.

? ...in your phone ?

? With some other bitches ?

[Cellphone swishes]

[Cellphone chimes]

? Da, da, da, dun, dun ?

? Da, da, da, da, dun, da-da-dun ?

? Da, da, da, dun, dun ?

? Da, da, da, da ?

? No one but you ?

Hey.

Hey.

Is everything okay?

No, it isn't.

Um...

I'm sorry.

S-Sorry for what?

For everything.

For going back and forth with you all these years,

um, for not stepping back the way I really should've

when Rochelle asked,

but, you know, mainly for...

putting us in this messy situation.

I took something that was... that was pure and genuine

and put, like, an ugly stain on it.

Zoey, okay, stop. All right?

It's ridiculous of you to take the weight of this whole thing

on your shoulders alone.

We are grown.

It happened.

Now we just got to... be adults

and figure out what's next.

No. Uh...

Actually, we don't.

I get that you've been struggling to decide what to do,

but I'm gonna make this easy for you,

uh, and just take myself out of the equation.

Pull the possibility of an "Aaron and Zoey" off the table.

Aaron, as much as I love you...

and make no mistake, I am in love with you...

I can't start our story like this.

But if we are meant to be later down the line,

we can try with a clean slate and a fresh start.

Right.

But if not, we had a nice run.

?

[Vehicle door opens]

[Vehicle door closes]

?

Well. Looks like the dead has finally risen.

Thank you.

Mm-hmm.

Babe, please tell me I didn't do anything too crazy last night.

Nothing too bad.

Yo, I'm sorry if I ruined the night.

You know, I know how much we were both looking forward

to officially hitting "un-pause" on this relationship break.

You know, honestly,

I'm a lot less concerned with that

and more concerned with the comment you made

when we got home.

[Sighs]

Did I... Did I call Nomi's baby ugly?

- Yeah. - Damn.

But you also mentioned me having sex with Ricky.

Which leads me to believe you're not over it.

I'd be lying if I said I've been able

to get the thought of you and dude out of my head.

[Sighs]

All I know is,

I-I've been trying to let this go.

And I know this isn't your fault,

but I-I don't know how long it's gonna take me

to get over this.

- I'm sorry. - Don't be.

But neither of us deserve to be punished,

because I can't take back what I did.

And as much as it kills me to say this...

...I'm going to do what you've obviously been too scared to.

I'm calling it quits.

?

And... [Sniffs]

...this time, let's just stop.

For good.

?

? I set a fire to the moon's shape ?

? We are just shadows in the cascades of history ?

? Fetid love and then your war games ?

? A sky released ?

? I set our bodies on my lungs' shore ?

While Aaron made history by pressuring Cal U to divest,

he wasn't the only one who had a big year in 2020.

? ...and now that love's lost ?

? I know they'll never find us ?

? Way out amongst the madness ?

? I feel free in time ?

Some of us let the lingering pain of old relationships

re-ignite new ones.

? ...miles apart ?

? In light ?

Some of us were struggling with what felt like

an earth-shattering loss.

? In time ?

? You breach the brighter parts ?

And some of us came home

and reconnected with our original path.

? We fall ?

[Knock on door]

Hi.

Uh...

What are you doing here?

Hey. Um...

Okay, I know that you said that if we're meant to be,

then we'll be together later down the line, right?

Yeah.

But I'm sick of waiting.

The truth is, I...

I love you, too.

So much.

So...

I want our story to start now.

Like... right now.

? ...ones to break ?

? Yeah ?

? Chances that we take ?

? Leave us for the left behind ?

? And the memories... ?

Which made 2020 a year none of us would ever forget.

? I hope you don't fade ?

Okay, so, I was thinking we could start in Vegas

and then maybe do, like, a little day trip in San Diego?

[Gasps] Oh, my gosh!

I just found the cutest little arcade that's down in East LA.

Oh, you know your boy's a beast at the 'Cade!

[Chuckles]

This summer break is gonna be so amazing for us, Vivi.

?

[Siren chirps]

Damn it.

[Siren chirps]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Hey.

Hey.

It's fine.

It's not, okay? They're always sweating me.

Well, relax, 'cause you didn't do anything wrong, right?

Okay. I'm gonna get your license. Is it in your bag?

Uh... yeah.

No, Heidi, don't!

What the hell?

[Knock on window]