Transcend (2026) Movie Script
(upbeat music)
(rain pattering)
(machine beeping)
(thunder booming)
(machine beeping)
(thunder booming)
(machine beeping)
(woman screaming)
(machine beeping)
She always this quiet?
I mean, she observant like me.
Mm-hmm.
I guess you're rubbing off on her.
Thanks again for tonight.
It was nice being out with my man.
I mean, you know I got you though.
But you ain't have to show out like that.
I mean what was that?
Lobster and dessert, babe?
Hey, only the best for my lady though.
So, when we gonna
make this official then?
[Randy] What you mean, baby?
I thought I we was official.
Yeah, you say that,
but I still ain't met your mama.
And your phone be real silent around me,
but I bet it be ringing
when I'm not around.
Say, look, wait, hold on,
hold on, hold on, hold on.
Don't even worry about all that.
You got me though.
You got me though, baby.
What's up?
You lucky you fine.
Girl, you lucky I'm honest.
You said that to mom once.
What she say?
Oh nothing.
- All right, Maranda.
- Mm-hmm.
Say, look, baby, Ima call
you when I make it home.
Yeah whatever.
Hey.
Hey, don't do that.
(dramatic music)
Are we gonna finally
spend some time together?
Not right now, Maranda.
I got one more stop to make, baby.
And you better not be telling
your mama my business.
Mm-hmm.
Who lives here?
Don't worry about it.
I got one more stop and that's it.
Ima leave the car
running for you, all right?
Mm-kay.
(dramatic music)
[Randy] Cheryl, what
the heck you doing here?
I came over here
'cause that bitch told me
you was gonna be here.
Hey, who you calling a bitch?
Keisha, get your, get
your butt back in the house.
Randy, I want the keys to
my fucking truck right now.
Man, you ain't getting nothing.
That's my truck.
My baby girl in the car.
Oh, so you ran around with your kids
while you drop your dick off
at another bitch house?
And I ain't gonna be another bitch.
I call it what it is.
Say, Cheryl, how about
you just get the heck on.
Whatever point you're trying to prove,
it ain't gonna happen right now.
Maybe all that slick shit you talk
ain't gonna work right now.
Give me my shit.
[Randy] Man, get (indistinct).
That's my truck.
My truck.
[Maranda] Cheryl was the
supplier, the money maker.
She played the overly nice roll towards me,
buying me ice cream, toys, clothes,
and all the other things women use to bribe
the 10-year-old daughter
of the man she's screwing.
How was your ride there, baby girl?
It was hot.
Well here you go.
Just for you.
Thank you.
(gentle music)
Now you get back out there and ride.
I wanna see how fast you can go.
Who all at your house right now?
My step daddy, Daryl, who else?
Can I come in?
No, he gonna kill both of us.
I thought he'd be asleep.
That don't mean he can't wake up.
Come on.
You love me don't you?
Hold on.
Daryl was somebody that I didn't love,
or even thought of as special.
At that point in my life,
I didn't care about all that.
I was so busy looking to make guys happy
I gave them whatever they asked for.
I wanted to be seen, loved.
But I don't think I ever
gave myself enough time
to figure out who I
wanted those things from.
(gentle music)
Papa.
(gentle music continues)
Whoa, there Randa.
You gonna break grandpa's back.
[Maranda] What are you doing?
Getting ready to take
you for some ice cream.
Yes!
Can I bring my friends?
You sure can,
anything for you, baby girl.
Perfect.
I'll go get them.
You be quick about it, right?
Or what?
Or I'm gonna give you the body slam
you'll never come back from.
(dramatic music)
You know what you're doing with that?
Yeah.
Okay.
Oh shit, my mom.
(dramatic music)
(record scratching)
Maranda, what you
doing out here running for?
I'm just gonna help mom
get the groceries out the car.
(dramatic music)
Alvin, come help me
with the rest of these bags.
(dramatic music)
(cat meowing)
(bags rustling)
(dramatic music continues)
(bags rustling)
If y'all knew that he had leukemia,
then why wasn't treatment given to him?
What the fuck is wrong with this hospital?
Y'all literally let him die
right up there in that bed,
and didn't even try.
Shit.
Why is grandma so angry?
Baby, I don't know how to tell you this.
Look, Papa got real sick,
and, um, he's in heaven now.
It's okay.
[Maranda] Trying to
accept the loss of my Papa
at such a young age was tough,
which is why I didn't
really care about the guys
who I didn't truly love
that departed from my life.
Dennis was a bachelor
with no biological children,
but to the family I was his daughter.
I was a spoiled little girl.
I could have asked for
the world on a silver platter,
and it would have been
placed into my hands.
Dennis gave me the world,
and made me promise I would never
let a man treat me wrong.
I was so much like him,
it was as if he was my father.
He taught me how to fight,
how to count money, how to talk, walk,
and the life lessons of being
the best woman I could be.
(gentle music)
(dramatic music)
Damn beautiful, how you doing?
You talking to me?
Yeah, I'm talking to you.
What's your name?
I'd like to get to know you.
Maranda.
Rico, nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you too, Rico.
[Rico] Here, put your number in my phone.
I would like to get to meet you,
know you or whatever.
Great minds think alike,
'cause I'm thinking the same thing.
[Rico] Yeah, sure, sure, sure.
Text me.
Appreciate you, love.
For sure.
(message swooshing)
(message swooshing)
[Maranda] Me and Rico
exchanged texts the same day.
And I found out he was older,
but that didn't bother me.
I was curious to see where
our relationship would go.
(gentle music)
(message swooshing)
Now I know I'm not your pops,
and I know I'm not your Papa,
but as your god daddy you know I only want
the best for you, right?
Yes, I know.
All right.
Now I don't want you all
up in these little boys' faces
trying to have a
boyfriend and all that there.
I'm not.
All right, good, 'cause
I don't wanna have to
wrestle with you.
You know god daddy don't play, now.
Come on now. (Laughs)
So how you felt about the movie?
Norbit was cool.
I need me a man like that.
(Rico laughing)
Right, right.
I couldn't tell.
Shit, you was all up on me and shit.
I know I look better than
a nigga named Norbit.
Be real.
Come on, give it to me, give it to me.
You do, you right, you right.
Yeah, so the night's still young,
what time you gotta be home?
[Maranda] Whenever.
Yeah, what you trying to do?
Whatever you trying to do.
Got somewhere in mind.
Come on.
Rico was different.
Of course he was grown,
but he was also experienced.
He taught me things about myself
that I probably would have never learned
in my past relationships.
Hey babe.
[Rico] What's up, little
baby, what you doing?
Nothing.
In here hot 'cause this
power out in my house.
[Rico] Shit.
You could get out the house,
try to get away.
No, Rico, my grandparents
would definitely find out.
[Rico] Ain't they asleep?
Yeah, but the power's out,
so you know they gonna come check on me.
[Rico] It's not gonna take long.
I just wanna see you, I miss you.
I miss you too.
[Rico] Hey, let me come pick you up.
I promise (indistinct).
Mom, what are you doing here?
I thought I was supposed to ride the bus.
I had to pick you up early today.
We have to go to Mil house.
Yes, I get to see Dennis.
I can show him my report card.
Hey Mil, hey June,
where's Dennis?
Baby.
Sit down.
Baby
Maranda, Dennis passed away.
(gentle music)
[Maranda] Turns out Dennis heart failed
after battling from a
heart attack months ago.
Even though he wasn't at his best,
nothing in this world could prepare me
for this heart break.
All the men I cared for were all gone.
(rain pattering) (gentle music)
(door squealing)
(gentle music continues) (rain pattering)
Hey babe.
What's going on?
You got the money for the hotel?
[Maranda] Yeah, come on, hurry up.
- Let's go.
- Bet, bet, bet, bet, bet.
(gentle music)
Hey, go close that window,
the AC back on.
Maranda?
Maranda?
I'll be doggone (indistinct).
Mily Mae, your granddaughter
(indistinct) not up here.
[Mil] June, what you going on about now?
She ain't here, she must have snuck out.
Lord.
Now, look, we don't know
what's really going on.
We, let me just go look around here.
Mm.
Mm.
Don't do that.
You don't know what's going on.
She out there hoochie find.
You don't know that.
Don't say that about my baby.
(Mily chattering)
(dramatic music) (rain pattering)
Shit.
(indistinct)
- No.
(rain pattering)
(dramatic music)
My mama called me.
She never call this late.
[Rico] Man, don't answer that.
I got to.
She gonna know something going on for sure.
Hello?
[Melissa] Maranda, where you at?
Mr. June said you're not in your room.
Don't lie to me.
I'm here, I'm here.
I just stepped outside
to get some fresh air
'cause the lights out.
[Melissa] Nuh-uh.
Put Mr. June on the phone.
Um...
Ima have to call her back.
[Rico] Fuck man.
So what's up, you want me to stay?
[Maranda] Hell, no.
You could go to jail.
(rain pattering)
(window knocking)
Get out the car.
Who the hell is that?
And where the hell you been?
I, I was just
Nuh-uh, you a liar.
Look at me.
You got June and Mil in they feelings.
They hurt.
I'm sorry.
Nuh-uh, come over here.
No you're not.
Let's go.
Get your shirt together, we gotta go.
You going.
You leaving.
[Maranda] No, I don't wanna go.
(Mom speaks indistinctly)
(thunder booming)
[Maranda] That night
I wasn't just risking
my grandparent's trust,
I was risking my own worth,
and calling it love.
My fear of him finding a
woman his age had finally come.
After almost a year
of fighting for our love,
giving away all my money,
and being the only thing he had left,
I was left feeling stupid, used and hurt.
I cried for weeks over
what I thought was love.
After that experience,
I decided to go back to
dating boys my own age.
I realized age didn't matter
when it came to maturity of a man.
Whether they were 25 or 17
didn't determine who he was inside,
or what his intentions were.
I met a boy my age and experienced
the first real feeling of being in love,
so much it took the life out of me.
Hey.
Did I say you could stand next to me?
[Rodney] No, but Ima stand here anyway.
Better be happy I'm
not on that type of time,
'cause you can get beat up.
Nobody scared of you.
You should be.
Hmm, yeah, whatever.
So why this whole time we
been going to school together
and we just never spoke?
I've just been going through a lot.
Focused on school.
So you a little nerd, huh?
Eh is.
It's cool, it's cool, I like smart girls.
You better stop playing like that,
'cause I already you
with, uh, what's her name?
Patricia?
And I don't have time for that girl.
No, me and Patricia been broke up.
I mean we still cool or whatever,
but we're not together no more.
Boy, please.
For real.
I wouldn't even be talking to you right now
if we were still together.
We used to ride to school together,
but since we been broken
up I've been taking the bus.
Yeah, I hear you.
Yeah, all right.
[Maranda] Rodney had a way with his words
that just melted my
insides every time we spoke.
To say he was charming
is an understatement.
I have always been easily
manipulated into doing things,
and it didn't take much
to get me in a relationship.
I didn't stand up for anything,
so I fell for everything,
especially Rodney.
(upbeat music)
Baby I ain't felt this good in a while
And them loves were
never really loves at all
I'm loving this energy
you're giving me now
I'll do what it takes
to keep you around
Around
Around, around
Around
I want you around
Around, around, around
Baby I want you around
For everything I want you right there
God took my rib
And placed you right there
I know I'm the man
But he made the woman
Getting full, babe?
Yeah, thank you.
Where you find out about all these places?
Me and Patricia used
to come here a while back.
It became one of my favorite spots
because they got so much variety.
(people chattering)
- You good?
- Nigga, no.
What you think?
Everywhere we been, everywhere you take me,
you've been with this bitch.
Why she gotta be a bitch?
That's not funny.
Now you taking up for her?
Look, Maranda, we was
together for three years.
We did shit, we went places.
We ain't just sit and look at each other
the entire time.
Still, I don't wanna hear about this hoe.
She a hoe in my book 'cause she still
be mugging me at school
like she got a problem.
All right, look, I apologize.
I won't mention her name again, okay?
I promise.
Can I make it up to you?
How you gonna make it up to me?
I'm gonna surprise you.
Girl, Rodney been acting weird lately.
What, what he do?
Not texting me back,
not riding the bus to school,
and acting like he don't wanna talk to me.
Now you know niggas ain't fit.
Hold on real quick.
Rodney surprised me all right.
Girl, you think he
still talking to his ex?
I hope not.
Thinking that there was maturing
and honesty in this
dude was my first mistake.
I put my trust in someone
who I thought would be
as much of a standup guy as
my godfather or grandfather.
I'm reminded that those kind of men
are gone from my life forever.
So this what we doing, Rodney?
Maranda?
Yeah, Maranda, nigga,
who else it gonna be?
Oh, this is none of my business.
Look, she was just
giving me a ride to school,
it's not like that.
Everyday?
And you acting like you
don't wanna talk to me.
What the fuck, Rodney?
I overslept and I missed the bus.
She was my only ride to school.
It's not like that.
I don't know, this don't feel right.
'Cause it ain't.
Look, if I wanted to be with her I would,
but I don't.
And I'm tried of you accusing
me of this shit for real.
Can we just talk about it after school?
I guess.
I promise.
I know you lying.
I know when something wrong with you
I know your demeanor
You go girl, you go bore
like Martin was to Gina
I know you not the girl
Believing in them fairy tales
But love can be a snitch
'Cause fairy tale
Baby I ain't felt this good in a while
And your love
Hey baby, I'm sorry for
putting you through
all that bull shit earlier.
I know that's my ex,
and I should have known you
wouldn't be okay with that shit.
Yeah, you should have.
I'm sorry.
It won't happen again, I promise.
It better not.
Brooklyn will whoop you next time.
Yeah, she crazy for real.
Nah, she just don't play about me.
Say, uh, what you finna get into later?
I'm gonna go home, do some homework,
do some college applications.
Ima take my hair down too.
You finna leave right now?
You ready for me to go?
Nah, just Derek gonna come
pick me up for work,
so I was just trying to
make sure you're good.
Okay.
It's cool.
I don't wanna be doing
all this too late anyways.
I'll call you when I get home.
Okay.
(dramatic music)
(phone ringing)
[Rodney] Hello.
Hey baby, I just wanted to let you know
I made it home.
[Rodney] Okay, baby, I'm
at work, I'll hit you right back.
- (indistinct) phone.
- Who is that?
(dramatic music)
[Patricia] Girl, he lying.
He at the mall going
to get something to eat.
I'm tired of dealing with this.
Every time, every time.
I just cannot take this.
(dramatic music continues)
(dramatic music continues)
(upbeat music)
(upbeat music continues)
(Maranda screaming)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music continues)
I think I took too many.
(machine beeping)
Maranda.
Maranda, baby, how you feeling?
Maranda, baby, you all right?
Hey, she's gonna be okay.
Mm-hmm.
The good Lord's gonna
bring her back to us.
Yes.
My God, baby, come on, wake up.
Come on, baby,
open your eyes.
Maranda, how you feeling, baby?
Talk to me.
(machine beeping)
Talk to me.
(Maranda speaks indistinctly)
Hey you all, good news.
We were able to get all the pills
pumped out of Maranda's stomach.
Over 55 pills were accounted for.
If you hadn't brought her in when you did,
it may have been a different outcome.
Unfortunately, being that
this was a suicide attempt,
we're gonna have to admit Maranda
into psychiatric care.
- Oh Lord.
- Just until we're able
to get her back to good health.
(machine beeping)
- I can't do this.
- Thank you, Doctor.
You hear that?
Maranda, you hear him?
That's what you want, huh?
You want these people to take you from me?
You want these people to take you from me?
- Now is not the time.
- That what you want?
- Get her out of here.
- You want these people
to take you?
- Get off of me.
- Now is not
the time for this.
[Melissa] Get off me.
Get off me.
It's all right.
(machine beeping)
Here's a journal.
Whenever you feel the urge
to wanna talk to someone,
and no one's here,
I need you to write in this journal.
Thank you.
I could hardly respond,
and I never had a journal before,
but I knew if I was going to ever
get over feeling like this,
some type of change was
going to have to happen.
Day one, I'm not sure what to feel yet.
Everything feels quiet here.
Too quiet almost.
I met my roommate,
and she broke down all the rules
like' she been through it all before.
[Emily] Hey, I'm Emily.
Maranda.
So lunch is in a bit.
Breakfast is every morning from seven a.m.
to nine a.m., depending
on your therapy visits.
Do you know who your doctor is yet?
Nah, not yet.
Hmm.
Well, they'll probably get
that to you after lunch then.
They're really good about letting everyone
get settled in before bombarding us
with the meds and safety rules.
Yeah, right.
Even when she forgot something,
she made sure she got
the missed details to me.
I wanted to question why she was there,
but I just knew that was a conversation
I was not ready for.
Oh yeah,
would you rather be buried or burned?
Excuse me?
They give us these journals.
I'm on my third one.
But I'm writing a
dissertation on whether or not
someone would rather be
buried or burned and why.
Sounds cool, right?
No comment.
Hmm, I haven't received that answer yet.
You a vampire?
You ask a lot of questions.
Now that I have been told. (Laughs)
I'm sure.
Well bye.
(gentle music)
[Maranda] Therapy is awkward.
I don't know how to
explain years of being quiet
in an hour long session.
Okay, Maranda, I know
this is your first doing therapy,
so I just want you to
know that we don't have to
talk about everything today.
Then what are we gonna talk about?
Let's do this.
I'm gonna say a word,
and I want you to tell me
the first thing that comes to mind, okay?
Trust.
(dramatic music)
(gentle music)
I think it'd be my dad.
Okay, how so?
No matter what I always trusted him.
He wasn't the best,
but I trusted him to be him.
And how has your
relationship with your dad
effected the way you live now?
I trust everybody to be themselves,
and I shouldn't.
Let's move on to another word.
And for this one I want
you to close your eyes.
If love were a person, what would they say?
[Maranda] If love were
a person it would be a he.
And he would say turn the radio on,
and make sure it's Johnny Taylor.
And is this a voice
that you've heard before?
[Maranda] Yes.
Okay.
Okay.
What comes to mind when
you hear the word betrayal?
[Maranda] I tried calling
Rodney again today,
Patricia answered.
Maybe that's all the closure I needed.
He made his choice,
and I learned that I
needed to start choosing me.
And before you answer,
I just want you to know
that betrayal isn't always
what others do to us.
Sometimes betrayal is
what we do to ourselves
when we keep going back to
the person who let us down.
During my therapy session,
it's almost like she knows things about me
before I could even tell her,
'cause how she know what to ask me?
It feels like when you calls
someone to hear their voice,
then someone else answers.
[Therapist] I think we
all get answers to things
that we don't don't wanna hear,
but sometimes we have to understand
that everything we go
through serves a purpose.
Do you believe that?
I guess.
It's how we respond to those answers,
and just like life nothing ends,
we just have to keep living.
(people chattering)
Full and happy,
which I always am.
Not full, but definitely happy,
which I wish you were.
[Maranda] Somehow I
survived rooming with Emily,
and was able to return back to school,
but, of course, under strict supervision.
Anyways, dear summer job at Rice,
hurry up and end.
By this time I have already talked to
every guy on the football team,
and I wasn't even in college yet.
I learned my lesson a bit I guess.
I just know no boy is worth
me killing myself over,
that's for damn sure.
Hey Maranda.
Hi Cal.
Ew, why are all these football players
waving and smiling at you?
I guess they like me.
Not you talking to half
the damn football team.
No I don't.
It's like two or three.
Hand me the milk.
Two or...
I know you lying.
And they all friends.
Girl, okay, now that's enough.
You're going too far now.
I know, I know, I gotta chill
'cause I'm really done with these niggas.
I'm trying to get me
something much more mature.
I'm trying to get me something mature.
You're talking about David again, right?
Yeah.
He coming to pick me up for lunch anyways.
Lunch?
Didn't you say he was like 25
or something like that?
Girl, yes.
Own house, own car,
and he is in career.
Bitch, you been to his house?
Not yet,
but we was on FaceTime the other night,
and he showed me everything,
and it is nice.
So what does David do for a living?
It's like tech or something.
Bitch, you don't know what that nigga
does for a living, do you?
I know he cute.
I don't care what you
think about this boy,
as long as you bring me
back something to eat,
how about that?
No, how about you need to get you a man
that's gonna get you some lunch.
You trying to be funny?
Forgot you got one, my bad.
[Co-Worker] I don't even
be coming at you like that.
Ooh.
Looks like I'm finna go to lunch right now.
See you later, sis.
Make sure you make me something to eat.
- Okay.
- I'm hungry.
I got you... I'm so serious.
[Maranda]
-Hungry ass.
She just gonna leave me.
Next.
(dramatic music)
Oh.
Can I drive?
Nah, not right now.
Why, you think Ima wreck your car?
Shoot, you already know. (Laughs)
Where we going to eat?
You know I said I had
something special for you.
Okay.
(dramatic music continues)
Where are we going?
I'm starving.
It is nowhere to eat over here.
(dramatic music continues)
I don't know what kind of surprise this is,
it's really nothing to eat over here.
David, what are we doing here?
It's a hotel, what you mean?
Baby, I told you I'm not,
I'm not trying to have sex with you.
I'm not trying to have sex at all.
I told you I had a surprise for you,
now you about to ruin it
before I even give it to you.
[Maranda] I wanted a new story,
but I brought the same pain.
(dramatic music)
(doors slamming)
(dramatic music continues)
So what's this surprise?
(dramatic music)
I don't wanna do that.
You know I told you I don't wanna have sex.
[David] Look, look, I don't have time
to be playing these games.
Look, I already paid for this room,
so you gonna give me what I want.
[Maranda] I already told
you I don't wanna do this.
[David] Quit playing, Maranda.
[Maranda] I told you
I don't wanna do this.
- Stop.
- Look, look.
Quit playing.
[Maranda] I don't wanna do this, stop.
Mm-mm, you talking... Stop, no stop.
- Move.
- No, I ain't stopping.
[Maranda] Get off of me.
No.
Get off of me.
[David] Maranda, come on, man.
Quit playing.
Quit playing, girl.
Come on.
[Maranda] Move.
- I ain't moving.
- Get off of me.
- Move.
- I'm not getting
off you girl.
Nah.
[Maranda] I thought I
was finally choosing better,
but even the man with
the car, the job, the smile
ended up taking more than
I ever gave permission for.
I said no.
I said stop,
and still he took.
He threw me the keys like a gift.
Like trauma could be traded for a joy ride.
I drove back quiet.
It was the longest ride of my life.
That car could have ran into a brick wall,
and I would have felt nothing
'cause I was so numb.
(gentle music)
Let me go.
[David] Why you act like I forced you
to do something that you ain't wanna do?
I didn't.
I told you I didn't wanna do that.
Wow.
So all those sexy text
messages you sent me,
and then calling me babe,
now you wanna flip the script
and act like I did you dirty?
I thought you was different.
Nah, look, I ain't perfect.
I thought me and you had something.
But, you know, maybe it's my fault
for moving too fast 'cause I thought
you were more mature than
what you portrayed to be.
But don't act like you
ain't know what this was
when I pulled up.
I thought we was going
to get something to eat.
I gave you time, attention,
and I even let you drive my car.
That's cause you raped me.
That's cause you forced me
to have sex with you back there.
And the only valid
reason you could think of
was to give me the
keys to your fucking car?
Man, don't put that shit on me.
That's your pain talking, not the truth.
And if you say otherwise...
Maybe you need to do better.
Fuck you.
[David] Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Stuck up bitch.
(gentle music)
About time, girl.
I seen you pulling up in
that Beamer, Benz or Bentley.
Beamer, Benz or Bentley
Where my food at?
Bitch, what's wrong with you?
You been crying?
Maranda, what happened?
He raped me.
He what?
(dramatic music)
Man, I will kill his fucking ass.
Where's my phone at?
(dramatic music continues)
It's gonna be okay.
Demetrius.
Demetrius.
I thought finally telling someone
would bring me back to ground zero,
but instead it started to
make me whole again.
Monique was ready to
burn the world down for me,
and maybe for the first time
I wasn't alone in my pain.
[Monique] Yeah, she's crying right now.
I don't know what he did.
I don't know.
But you better get to him before I do.
I'm about to close the shop.
Let's go, Maranda.
[Maranda] New city, new dorm, new people.
I've got my guard up this time,
but something about this place
feels like I might finally find who I am
outside of this trauma.
I just hope I can hold
onto myself in this place.
I was able to meet my new roommate.
When I met her, the first
thing she asked me was
You smoke?
[Maranda] Uh, nah.
Okay.
[Maranda] If there's one
thing I could say about Paige,
she was nothing like Emily.
Clamp it when I'm posing
Bend it over oh wee
(indistinct)
I can't help but show it
Cotton candy
Roll it with me
- This is my shit.
- You listen to this too?
Damn, girl.
[Maranda] Even though she was laid back,
she was a firecracker,
and we clicked immediately.
Outside of Brooklyn and Monique,
Paige seemed to be the only girl
who I could see myself being friends with.
Bitch forever
What we gonna do about that
He say I'm fine as ever
Booty
Stomach flat
He from (indistinct)
And I'm gonna pop it, pop it, pop
I'm gonna roll it, roll it
Pop it, (indistinct)
Roll it, roll it
Roll it, roll it
He say I'm mean I'm just
Tell me why this video
got over 2,000 views.
What the hell?
In less than an hour.
[Maranda] Not on the first day of campus.
I guess when you
stand on one (indistinct)
And shake a little cheek.
I know that's right.
(indistinct) on campus, girl.
Yo, yo, yo.
You're the girls from that video, huh?
It depends, you here to judge
or give us a compliment?
Nah, I'm just trying
to make sure that's y'all.
It's a compliment for sure though.
Okay, well that's us.
Okay, what's y'all name?
Maranda, and this Paige.
Maranda and Paige,
it's nice to meet y'all.
I'm Devon.
Uh, I'm a member of Kappa Lou Theta.
We're co-ed fraternity so
y'all can join if y'all want.
Uh, some people look at
us like a service organization,
but we're a little flavor.
[Paige] So where the rest
of your little frat friends at?
Look, right now it's just me
and a couple other guys.
The rest of 'em they setting up for later.
We're throwing a welcome meeting,
y'all should come by.
Sound cool.
I ain't too interested
in no Greek life though.
[Paige] Me neither.
Right now the perfect opportunity though.
I mean y'all already got half the campus
watching y'all, y'all might
as well capitalize on it
and own the stage.
So, is this what you do,
recruit girls from viral videos?
Nah, nah, nah, it'
ain't nothing like that.
I can just see the purpose and the beauty.
This ain't no secret society shit, is it?
We not trying to be in a room
with people drinking goat blood and shit.
See, there you go.
Nah, man, we just got juice,
and we're gonna be talking politics.
So we're really just throwing this together
to give the freshmen an
outlet to get to meet us,
and know what we all about, that's all.
Oh, okay.
Girl, I ain't going.
(Maranda laughing)
Look, I gotta get out of here,
but it was nice meet y'all.
This should be interesting.
Hope to see y'all there.
[Paige] Bye.
(gentle music)
You're here.
Hey twerk, twerk that ass girl.
You trying to be funny?
Hey, somebody call security, man.
We got the twerk team in here.
They gonna need an escort
all up and through this motherfucker.
What do you want, trying
to be all funny and stuff?
You're Maranda, right?
[Maranda] If you know
then why you asking?
I'm Clark, baby.
Fresh Money Clark.
Fresh Money?
What's that, your little clique?
Clique?
We ain't no clique.
We our own bosses.
We just like to get some money.
Duh, who don't?
All right, so look, that's
why I'm trying to talk to you.
Trying to make some money,
so me and my guys,
and I see what you're doing.
The YouTube, the Twitter thing,
it's gonna take a while to
get monetized from that,
but if you come and
throw some parties with us,
I got you on the back end.
[Maranda] I'm listening.
So, look, what it is,
throw a few parties, have some fun,
shit, and we gonna line your pockets.
But, look, let me know
when you talk it over
with your business partner.
Okay, I got you.
(gentle music)
Maranda, you came.
I did.
I told you I was gonna think about it,
and I did a little more than that.
Yeah, you did.
But if you need anything just let me know.
Oh, you got clout like that?
Got a little something, something.
[Maranda] Okay.
I didn't know this was an
open call for TikTok auditions.
Angelica, go somewhere.
She a possible recruit,
and this is a welcome meeting.
I don't care.
You shouldn't even be
recruiting people like this,
and I wouldn't have known who she was
if you wasn't on your phone
watching her shake her ass.
Excuse me?
Hello.
- Is it a problem?
- No.
Angelica was just
Angelica was just telling Devon
that we like to run our organization
with respectable individuals.
And that's not me?
Maybe, maybe not, I don't know you.
Well you can get to know me,
even if I'm the person telling you.
(Devon speaks indistinctly)
Girl, (indistinct) it's my nigga.
(gentle music)
That's your little
girlfriend or something?
Ex girlfriend.
[Maranda] She ain't acting like it.
It's complicated.
That's what people
say when it's not over.
Every time I think I'm
starting something new,
I find myself standing in
someone else's leftovers.
I'm not here to compete for space.
I am the space.
(singer singing quietly)
They do this every weekend?
Girl, apparently.
I don't want no
Oh shit.
Hey, y'all ready to T up?
We're here now.
Where the weed at?
Shit, y'all drinking or vibing?
I'm trying to smoke.
Shit, well good, my
boy Dre, he in the back,
you can go smoke with him.
I'll see you later, girl.
Go ahead boo.
What about you though?
You drink?
No, I don't drink.
Shit, come on, girl, me neither,
but tonight is a special occasion.
Okay.
Hey, look, that twerk (indistinct) thing,
that's you or that's a cover up?
No, that's me.
You'll know that if you knew me.
Shit, I'm just saying
you handle that shit well.
I ain't used to no girl from Houston
being that deep.
What's that supposed to mean?
What I'm saying is, shit,
girls from Dallas, that's the ones
who really getting all
my attention right now.
That's why you're all in my face?
- Clark was cool.
- Shit.
[Maranda] More than cool actually.
He was really a friend before
we ever became intimate.
But just like every other... Oh shit.
Guy I liked before... Okay.
There was always
another girl in the picture
that I had to try and ignore.
Man, girl, give me some of that candy,
you're always playing, being selfish.
Hey Clark.
And that is?
That ain't nobody, baby.
I don't know her.
You know I'm popular on campus.
You gotta stop acting like that.
You know I'm popular on campus, baby.
It's your mans, me, your man.
So you gonna give me that candy or what?
No, I'm definitely not giving you none
of my candy now.
What you mean?
I could be your candy,
you could be my candy.
[Maranda] I didn't
think anything of it at first,
but Thanksgiving break was coming up,
and I was worried because being away from
your significant other,
regardless of the
relationship is always tough.
It was Thanksgiving break,
and although Sam Houston was pretty lit,
during the breaks it was
a freaking ghost town.
And I also hang out with my friend Brooklyn
who was home from UTSA.
(singer vocalizing)
The mashed potatoes got my stomach
flipping like Gabby Douglas.
I told you to slow down, didn't I?
Yes you did, baby.
Yes you did.
So, Miss Maranda,
how's college life treating you, baby?
Stressful, June.
But beautiful.
A little ratchet, if I'm honest.
She better be staying busy
because we trying to make that Deans List.
Yeah, you always been
smart, like your mama.
But not too smart to
forget where you come from.
No, I remember that.
Especially when that cafeteria
served them canned greens.
That's why I'm here today,
I was ready to eat this good food.
I know that's right
because if I eat one more taco
in San Antonio, Ima change
my last name to Tacia.
(everyone laughing)
You know what's crazy?
You ain't nothing but an hour away.
All you gotta do is call me,
and I would have came
and bring you some food,
unless you didn't want
me to see them videos
you been making, huh?
(dramatic music)
Mm-mm, mm-mm, Melissa, not right now.
[Melissa] I'm just saying.
I've been doing great in school actually.
Been doing everything I need to,
and before you congratulated me on that
you wanna talk to me about something
that has nothing to do with you?
Anything that has anything to do with you
has everything to do with me.
And the last thing I want is my co-workers
showing me you shaking your
ass on the internet, Maranda.
Not them old folks looking like your ass.
I must be the biggest hoe
at this table or something then.
Now, look, baby,
ain't nobody said all that.
Mama did basically.
You ever stop to think that
you ain't even raise me right?
Little girl, don't go off to college,
think you can come back
talking to me any kind of way,
you trippin'.
Now Maranda she's right,
let's keep it respectful, okay?
This is your mother.
Now look, we not about
to do this at my table.
No, lets.
Since everybody wanna
talk about how I've been,
how about we talk about how I got here.
You remember that man you was dating,
the one that would buy me all that candy
and rub my shoulders?
(dramatic music)
Maranda, stop.
- Yeah, exactly.
- Don't do that.
The one that she used to tell us
nothing like anybody else.
He touched me
in my room while you were asleep.
And not just once, multiple times,
on multiple occasions.
And I've never said nothing
because I knew what
your reaction was gonna be.
And now you gonna sit
here acting like you care
about me shaking my ass on camera.
You didn't care about
my well being as a child.
- Maranda.
- You should have told me.
I tried with my eyes,
my silence, my fears.
You didn't open your eyes long enough
to even notice it.
And you couldn't control that man.
What was I supposed to do as a child?
Tell on him so he could keep beating you
and still molest me?
Excuse me?
You're excused.
Maranda.
I think this why my family
don't celebrate this holiday.
Who gonna get into this pie?
[Maranda] Home was the first place
I learned how to hide.
I grew up in rooms where silence
was survival,
but truth don't knock politely,
it breaks doors down,
and I'm done hiding behind them.
I didn't know.
And for that is why you're the problem.
Maranda, you can't sit
here as a grown woman
and tell me that 100% of your problems
is because of me.
I was doing the best that I could.
And your best wasn't the best for me,
it was the best for you.
Your best left bruises on me
that I'm still explaining
to people that love me.
Please.
Don't, don't cry now.
I spent years swallowing tears.
Put yourself in my shoes
and go to therapy.
(dramatic music)
Mama.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Hey, hold on baby.
We don't like to put hands on our kids,
but let them figure it out.
All right, but, we gonna
cut into this pie still?
What we waiting on?
(chair scrapping)
(heels clacking)
I mean no shade this just might be
my favorite holiday.
I'm, I'm sorry, bestie.
- Let us pray.
- Sure.
Come on.
Lord, we come to you
not with just full plates,
but with heavy hearts.
Thank you for your grace.
Grace that covers the
words we speak too fast,
and the pain we have buried too deep.
Father, there are wounds at this table,
some we've created, some repaired,
and some we don't have the words for.
But you know them Lord.
You know them before
we could even name them.
So tonight I ask that you sit with us,
sit in the silence, in the broken places,
in the space between parent and child,
where pride try to build up walls,
that pain try to hold.
I ask that you allow us
to listen with our hearts,
and not our ears.
And remind us that healing takes time,
but it also takes the truth.
Let us not run from it.
Let us not be afraid of each other's pain.
And allow this house, this family to be one
to not let the past pause in the future.
We thank you for your second chances, Lord.
Thank you for every seat at this table.
Even the ones that have stories too heavy
for us to speak on right now.
In your mercy, in your timing, bring peace.
Amen.
Amen.
(gentle music)
[Maranda] After Thanksgiving,
I had every intention
to vent to Clark about my weekend,
but unfortunately Paige ruined those plans.
Look, I really didn't
wanna tell you this,
but you need to know.
Okay, what's up?
What's going on?
Clark been spending
the night at his ex place.
(dramatic music)
Mm-hmm, Jada said she seen them
leaving the Connections yesterday.
So Thanksgiving he didn't go home?
No, bitch, didn't you
just hear what I just said?
(gentle music)
[Maranda] I thought I
would show up and explode,
that the rage would just boil over,
but instead I felt nothing.
Just this ache, this
tired ache of realizing
you love someone more
than they were ever ready
to love you back.
(gentle music)
Damn, you been out here the whole time?
Yeah, I was hoping
your car was lying to me.
Shit, I ain't mean
for it to go like this.
Go like what?
Go like campus gossip
that I'm hearing about,
or me standing out here like an extra
in my own damn heartbreak?
She just needed
closure, Maranda, that's all.
Closure don't spend the night, Clark.
I've been real with you,
and still you choose comfort over honesty?
Dang, you know I ain't mean to hurt you.
You know that.
You know I ain't mean to hurt you.
Then why does it feel so familiar?
I'm not gonna fight for nothing
that's not fighting for me.
I am tired, Clark.
Tired of trying to teach
boys how to love me.
Good luck on your closure.
After Clark I thought maybe it was the age.
Maybe college boys just
weren't built for real love.
Months later I got word
that Danesha was pregnant.
So literally while I was
tussling with my mom
I was being cheated on, double fucked.
The thought of that lead me back down
another dark road,
and resulted back to some
things that I shouldn't have.
Yeah, Mil, I'm okay.
I'm fine.
Stop calling me so much.
Yeah, I was hung over.
I'm fine now.
All right, bye.
The tragic thing about me
committing suicide once,
people are always going to believe
you will try it again.
Wait, what the hell?
Am I dreaming?
[Young Maranda] Maybe.
Or maybe you're finally listening.
(gentle music)
You're me?
The part of you that remembers.
Before all the noise,
before you stopped trusting your own voice.
Why are you here now?
Because you forgot
why you started writing.
It wasn't just to survive,
it was to tell a story
before someone else could define it for us.
But I don't even know the story anymore,
I'm tired... you already wrote it
page by page.
Every heartbreak, every
time you didn't speak up,
every time you did and no one listened.
It's all there, waiting for you
to make it mean something.
What if no one cares?
There's a girl right
now sitting in her room,
feeling her pain in secret.
No one would believe.
She needs to know someone made it out,
that we made it out.
Promise me you'll finish it.
(gentle music continues)
I will.
Then what are you waiting for?
Wake up, you've got
some serious work to do.
(dramatic music)
[Maranda] I've been
writing for a long time now,
and one thing I can say that has helped me
get through everything
is venting to myself.
Sometimes healing
doesn't come from forgetting,
it comes from remembering,
and choosing to tell the truth anyway.
This, this is more than a journal.
This is a message, a ministry even.
That's what my younger
self said in a dream.
She's smarter than most of us then.
Have you ever thought
about self publishing?
I looked into it,
but everything costs.
Copyright, editing,
formatting, ISBN, distribution.
It's like I need a small
loan to tell my story.
Well, that's where you get structure.
You don't just publish a book,
you build a brand.
Start an LLC,
or file for a 501C3 if you
wanna reach young girls
through panels, workshops
or curriculum even.
Isn't that, like, hard?
Everything worth building is hard.
But there are sponsors,
grants, online resources,
and if money's the problem, get creative.
Creative?
Girl, I waited tables, cleaned houses.
I even sold t-shirts out the back
of my car when I got started.
What's something you can do on the side,
even short term?
I know it's a bar on
campus, they're always hiring.
That's what I'm talking about.
Stack your paper, invest in yourself.
Maranda, nobody's
gonna give you a platform,
you have to build it.
You're right.
And when I do I want girls to know
they're not crazy for
what they been through.
They're just unbroken
stories in the making.
Then that's your mission.
Hey man I
Got an old school Cutlass
Chrome
84
[Maranda] I used to write to escape,
now I write to expose.
My voice is no longer afraid
of being too much, it's too necessary.
Okay, not bad for a rookie.
You ain't spill, faint,
or flirt with the bar bag.
That's three wins in one shift.
The night is still young, sis.
Well, tonight might test you,
it's speed dating night.
Speed?
Wait, what?
Girl, yeah.
Five minutes, one drink,
and like 20 guys trying
to remember they zodiac.
You should jump in.
New job, new vibe, right?
I don't know about that.
I'm actually practicing celibacy right now,
and I'm not really open
to opening those doors
emotionally or option.
Who said dating equals sex?
Don't they both go hand in hand?
Not if you drive the car.
You can still date and be celibate.
Hell, most of these guys need
a lesson on restraint anyways.
I mean, just think of it
as a confidence booster.
You're not giving anything away,
and you're still figuring
out what it is that you want.
Yeah.
And trust me, watching
guys sweat over small talk
worth it.
So hold on, you mean to tell me.
I get to drink on the job,
drive around these egos
and keep my clothes on?
Exactly.
It's called emotional cardio, sis.
Join the workout.
I know that's right.
But come on, bartender,
let's get this bar fixed
before them clowns show up.
[Maranda] Let's go.
Dating used to mean losing pieces of myself
to people who hadn't earned them.
But now, now I'm reclaiming the rules.
And this time I get to keep my peace,
and my pants.
How you doing?
[Maranda] I'm good love, how are you?
Mm, you smell good.
- Chris.
- Nice to meet you, Chris.
Hey, how you doing?
[Maranda] I'm good, how are you?
I'm doing good.
What's your name?
Maranda.
All right, nice to meet you, I'm Dion.
Um, real quick question though.
So what's your idea of a good first date?
Shit, if I was taking you out,
I'd probably take you to State 48.
Okay, I love eating good.
I'm not a salad eating woman either.
Oh, we gonna let you
get a big piece of meat.
[Maranda] Yeah.
Yeah, big meat.
What's your take on monogamy?
What's that?
Well when you date one person.
I ain't never heard
that a day in my life.
Just one woman?
So, I'm curious to know what it is
that you do for work.
I'm a film director.
What type of films do you direct?
- All kinds.
- Wow.
I just kind of cater to the audience.
What kind of film you like?
[Maranda] I movie romance films.
I do a lot of romance.
[Maranda] Oh yeah?
Really?
Yeah.
So I'm a little curious to know,
what's your love language?
(gentle music)
Trying to hit something.
What's your love language?
Yeah, I work with a lot of actors,
some of them known, some of them not.
You ever heard of an
actor that's kind of out there
named Mr. Marcus?
No, I've never heard of him,
who's that?
[Date] He's one of my top actors.
We do a lot of work, lot of film.
That's amazing.
Wow.
I mean you could have one man,
I could be your one man,
but what if I had multiple?
- No, no, no.
- You got like a friend?
[Maranda] I need a
commit, it's me and him.
- I can be committed to you.
- Not me, him, her and them.
Like Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays,
and then the other days I can have
Monday through Sunday.
So what's your thoughts
on words of affirmation?
I got one word for you, fuck.
He really gets in there,
like get into his work.
Yeah, his character.
That's amazing.
Yeah.
I would love to, if I
could one day meet him.
Oh, I can probably
arrange that, if you like.
When the last time?
It's been a couple years at this point.
No, no, no, no.
No oral, anything.
I'm okay.
You, I'm okay.
Around?
No, no, no.
We won't have to do any of that then.
I do practice celibacy,
so we can definitely go on a date
and have a good time.
I'm a vegetarian too.
I like celery and all that type.
[Maranda] Wait, wait, wait, no, no.
I'm talking about no sex.
I don't have sexual
No sex?
What are we supposed to do?
So only one person?
I can't even get none?
What you wanna do, cuddle all day?
[Maranda] Uh we would spend time,
get to know each other.
Spend time doing what?
- And build a relationship.
- Doing what?
[Maranda] Hanging out.
- Hanging out?
- Have a great time.
That's what I got boys for.
You play basketball?
[Date] I got a good friend
coming over right now.
I'm doing some work with
some well known people
that's out there, a guy
by the name of Wizzy.
Oh, okay.
Last name Pipes.
Called "Why My Son Look Like My Brother."
Ooh, wow.
All right, well, so what's
your love language?
Let me see if I can meet you in the middle.
[Maranda] Quality time.
Quality time.
How about this?
I pick you up, take you out to eat,
we go have a nice date.
[Maranda] And then you take me back home.
And then I get a hotel room.
No, no, no, no.
What?
How about this, I marry you.
So, I'm curious to know
what your last relationship was like.
It was toxic, man.
So now I'm looking for
something new, fresh new start.
Same.
[Dion] Okay, that's good.
I'm definitely looking to
better myself, by myself,
so I understand that.
- Okay, okay.
- Now before I do
take anything anywhere with you,
I do wanna make sure you're aware
I am practicing celibacy, so.
That's perfect.
We on the same page.
I like to take it really, really slow.
- All right.
- Don't really wanna
get in too much.
I wanna get to know your soul
before we even get to that level.
- Same, same.
- Even get to anything
- too crazy.
- I like you.
All right.
Make sure I get your number
so we can stay in contact.
- Absolutely.
- For sure.
(gentle music)
Hey.
Hey.
Maranda, you weren't lying.
This is not just good, it's needed.
But, it's still rough, right?
Of course it's rough,
it's a first draft,
but it's real,
and real is what these girls need.
I've been thinking about hosting a reading.
Something small, quiet, intimate, safe.
Just a few high school girls.
You read a few pages from the book,
and then talk to 'em after.
Me, read?
Out loud?
That's usually how readings work, yeah.
(gentle music continues)
I don't even have a title yet.
This feels really premature.
It feels like I'm getting
dressed for something
I don't even know where I'm going.
Maranda, you don't
have to overthink this.
Title isn't important right now,
not until you're ready to print.
What's important is the voice, your voice.
These girls need to hear it.
Not on a screen, not in a DM, in person.
But what if I don't know what to say?
Then say that.
Say exactly that.
Heck, half these girls
are walking around here
not knowing what to say either,
but watching you find the words,
that's what makes it powerful.
And what if I cry?
Then they'll know they can cry too.
Look, I'll get you all the
information for the reading.
That's it?
The meeting's over?
Yeah.
I sent you all the corrections
via email already,
but those are just suggestions.
However you add or delete,
we just want the book.
I was expecting this meeting to be hours.
Maranda, you're overthinking it again.
This is your story.
We'd be here for overs if we intended
to go through every detail, right?
I guess so.
But, if there is more
that you have to share,
and are willing to share,
I can't wait for the followup.
Talk to you later.
[Maranda] Maybe I'm
not supposed to have all the
answers.
Maybe I'm just supposed to speak anyway.
And maybe that's enough.
Dion and I got serious pretty quick.
I gave him the keys to
my house and everything.
Even though I was celibate,
we would still do things,
but this here is locked
up until further notice.
(door knocking)
It was refreshing to know
that there was more to come.
Hey babe.
Why you got the top lock locked?
You here early.
Uh, yeah, me and Miss Alicia meeting
Hey, have you seen my...
Oh, oh.
What is this?
Uh, this is, uh,
I was gonna talk to you.
You don't have to.
After everything I've been through.
And you know how much honesty matter to me.
[Dion] It's not like that.
I wasn't trying to hurt you.
But you did.
And you didn't think I deserved the truth?
[Dion] I was figuring it out.
I was trying to find a way to tell you.
Something like this you
should have been told me.
This version of me does
not beg for explanations.
Get out,
and take your little boyfriend with you.
Maranda.
Go.
Now.
(gentle music)
Get out of my house.
It's funny how the adjectives
and verbs of my life all
derive from the letter T,
transformation, trouble, therapy,
all things that make me ask.
"How do I compete with
someone I'll never be?"
I always thought loving
someone meant staying
even when it hurt.
But healing taught me that walking away
can be the most loving
thing you do for yourself.
I may not have the perfect ending,
but I do have my voice,
and I'm finally using it.
(gentle music)
(gentle music continues)
(gentle music continues)
(gentle music continues)
(singer singing)
Got an old school Cutlass, chrome
84, we swing with (indistinct)
Grab a cup, drink, styrofoam
(indistinct)
Got knocked with the bass pop trunk
You could hear down the street
It bump
Bump
Heavy kriss kross make you jump
I don't have to think about it
I've been back on my shit
I've been shitting on these riders
I'm just parting my lips
No politics or president 'cause
I've been running my shit
Don't follow me they not
on Billboard making them hits
Old boy sit on top of the list
Well I stay fire like
I'm on top of the shit
(indistinct) like I put
a mop on this bitch
I'm getting green guacamole
like a guap in this bitch
(singer vocalizing)
(singer vocalizing)
Who think they're better than me
Ah, snow man
I give a carrot like
the nose of a snowman
Old man gave her
diamonds like she a hoe fan
Looking at the ceiling being half ass
Been have gratitude
Flow been ice cube
Now they saying I'm
a nigga with an attitude
Money out the wazu
Fly to zysu
From the city out to (indistinct)
We try you
Lyrics shooting like I'm in a drive by
Drive thru
Stay ticking like Ryu
Plus (indistinct) niggas
don't want to be soul food
Now they acting like (indistinct)
No matter what I go through
Better go ask your
hoe daddy I ran through
I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to
Bitch nigga, ha
Earth, wind and fire
(singer vocalizing)
(rain pattering)
(machine beeping)
(thunder booming)
(machine beeping)
(thunder booming)
(machine beeping)
(woman screaming)
(machine beeping)
She always this quiet?
I mean, she observant like me.
Mm-hmm.
I guess you're rubbing off on her.
Thanks again for tonight.
It was nice being out with my man.
I mean, you know I got you though.
But you ain't have to show out like that.
I mean what was that?
Lobster and dessert, babe?
Hey, only the best for my lady though.
So, when we gonna
make this official then?
[Randy] What you mean, baby?
I thought I we was official.
Yeah, you say that,
but I still ain't met your mama.
And your phone be real silent around me,
but I bet it be ringing
when I'm not around.
Say, look, wait, hold on,
hold on, hold on, hold on.
Don't even worry about all that.
You got me though.
You got me though, baby.
What's up?
You lucky you fine.
Girl, you lucky I'm honest.
You said that to mom once.
What she say?
Oh nothing.
- All right, Maranda.
- Mm-hmm.
Say, look, baby, Ima call
you when I make it home.
Yeah whatever.
Hey.
Hey, don't do that.
(dramatic music)
Are we gonna finally
spend some time together?
Not right now, Maranda.
I got one more stop to make, baby.
And you better not be telling
your mama my business.
Mm-hmm.
Who lives here?
Don't worry about it.
I got one more stop and that's it.
Ima leave the car
running for you, all right?
Mm-kay.
(dramatic music)
[Randy] Cheryl, what
the heck you doing here?
I came over here
'cause that bitch told me
you was gonna be here.
Hey, who you calling a bitch?
Keisha, get your, get
your butt back in the house.
Randy, I want the keys to
my fucking truck right now.
Man, you ain't getting nothing.
That's my truck.
My baby girl in the car.
Oh, so you ran around with your kids
while you drop your dick off
at another bitch house?
And I ain't gonna be another bitch.
I call it what it is.
Say, Cheryl, how about
you just get the heck on.
Whatever point you're trying to prove,
it ain't gonna happen right now.
Maybe all that slick shit you talk
ain't gonna work right now.
Give me my shit.
[Randy] Man, get (indistinct).
That's my truck.
My truck.
[Maranda] Cheryl was the
supplier, the money maker.
She played the overly nice roll towards me,
buying me ice cream, toys, clothes,
and all the other things women use to bribe
the 10-year-old daughter
of the man she's screwing.
How was your ride there, baby girl?
It was hot.
Well here you go.
Just for you.
Thank you.
(gentle music)
Now you get back out there and ride.
I wanna see how fast you can go.
Who all at your house right now?
My step daddy, Daryl, who else?
Can I come in?
No, he gonna kill both of us.
I thought he'd be asleep.
That don't mean he can't wake up.
Come on.
You love me don't you?
Hold on.
Daryl was somebody that I didn't love,
or even thought of as special.
At that point in my life,
I didn't care about all that.
I was so busy looking to make guys happy
I gave them whatever they asked for.
I wanted to be seen, loved.
But I don't think I ever
gave myself enough time
to figure out who I
wanted those things from.
(gentle music)
Papa.
(gentle music continues)
Whoa, there Randa.
You gonna break grandpa's back.
[Maranda] What are you doing?
Getting ready to take
you for some ice cream.
Yes!
Can I bring my friends?
You sure can,
anything for you, baby girl.
Perfect.
I'll go get them.
You be quick about it, right?
Or what?
Or I'm gonna give you the body slam
you'll never come back from.
(dramatic music)
You know what you're doing with that?
Yeah.
Okay.
Oh shit, my mom.
(dramatic music)
(record scratching)
Maranda, what you
doing out here running for?
I'm just gonna help mom
get the groceries out the car.
(dramatic music)
Alvin, come help me
with the rest of these bags.
(dramatic music)
(cat meowing)
(bags rustling)
(dramatic music continues)
(bags rustling)
If y'all knew that he had leukemia,
then why wasn't treatment given to him?
What the fuck is wrong with this hospital?
Y'all literally let him die
right up there in that bed,
and didn't even try.
Shit.
Why is grandma so angry?
Baby, I don't know how to tell you this.
Look, Papa got real sick,
and, um, he's in heaven now.
It's okay.
[Maranda] Trying to
accept the loss of my Papa
at such a young age was tough,
which is why I didn't
really care about the guys
who I didn't truly love
that departed from my life.
Dennis was a bachelor
with no biological children,
but to the family I was his daughter.
I was a spoiled little girl.
I could have asked for
the world on a silver platter,
and it would have been
placed into my hands.
Dennis gave me the world,
and made me promise I would never
let a man treat me wrong.
I was so much like him,
it was as if he was my father.
He taught me how to fight,
how to count money, how to talk, walk,
and the life lessons of being
the best woman I could be.
(gentle music)
(dramatic music)
Damn beautiful, how you doing?
You talking to me?
Yeah, I'm talking to you.
What's your name?
I'd like to get to know you.
Maranda.
Rico, nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you too, Rico.
[Rico] Here, put your number in my phone.
I would like to get to meet you,
know you or whatever.
Great minds think alike,
'cause I'm thinking the same thing.
[Rico] Yeah, sure, sure, sure.
Text me.
Appreciate you, love.
For sure.
(message swooshing)
(message swooshing)
[Maranda] Me and Rico
exchanged texts the same day.
And I found out he was older,
but that didn't bother me.
I was curious to see where
our relationship would go.
(gentle music)
(message swooshing)
Now I know I'm not your pops,
and I know I'm not your Papa,
but as your god daddy you know I only want
the best for you, right?
Yes, I know.
All right.
Now I don't want you all
up in these little boys' faces
trying to have a
boyfriend and all that there.
I'm not.
All right, good, 'cause
I don't wanna have to
wrestle with you.
You know god daddy don't play, now.
Come on now. (Laughs)
So how you felt about the movie?
Norbit was cool.
I need me a man like that.
(Rico laughing)
Right, right.
I couldn't tell.
Shit, you was all up on me and shit.
I know I look better than
a nigga named Norbit.
Be real.
Come on, give it to me, give it to me.
You do, you right, you right.
Yeah, so the night's still young,
what time you gotta be home?
[Maranda] Whenever.
Yeah, what you trying to do?
Whatever you trying to do.
Got somewhere in mind.
Come on.
Rico was different.
Of course he was grown,
but he was also experienced.
He taught me things about myself
that I probably would have never learned
in my past relationships.
Hey babe.
[Rico] What's up, little
baby, what you doing?
Nothing.
In here hot 'cause this
power out in my house.
[Rico] Shit.
You could get out the house,
try to get away.
No, Rico, my grandparents
would definitely find out.
[Rico] Ain't they asleep?
Yeah, but the power's out,
so you know they gonna come check on me.
[Rico] It's not gonna take long.
I just wanna see you, I miss you.
I miss you too.
[Rico] Hey, let me come pick you up.
I promise (indistinct).
Mom, what are you doing here?
I thought I was supposed to ride the bus.
I had to pick you up early today.
We have to go to Mil house.
Yes, I get to see Dennis.
I can show him my report card.
Hey Mil, hey June,
where's Dennis?
Baby.
Sit down.
Baby
Maranda, Dennis passed away.
(gentle music)
[Maranda] Turns out Dennis heart failed
after battling from a
heart attack months ago.
Even though he wasn't at his best,
nothing in this world could prepare me
for this heart break.
All the men I cared for were all gone.
(rain pattering) (gentle music)
(door squealing)
(gentle music continues) (rain pattering)
Hey babe.
What's going on?
You got the money for the hotel?
[Maranda] Yeah, come on, hurry up.
- Let's go.
- Bet, bet, bet, bet, bet.
(gentle music)
Hey, go close that window,
the AC back on.
Maranda?
Maranda?
I'll be doggone (indistinct).
Mily Mae, your granddaughter
(indistinct) not up here.
[Mil] June, what you going on about now?
She ain't here, she must have snuck out.
Lord.
Now, look, we don't know
what's really going on.
We, let me just go look around here.
Mm.
Mm.
Don't do that.
You don't know what's going on.
She out there hoochie find.
You don't know that.
Don't say that about my baby.
(Mily chattering)
(dramatic music) (rain pattering)
Shit.
(indistinct)
- No.
(rain pattering)
(dramatic music)
My mama called me.
She never call this late.
[Rico] Man, don't answer that.
I got to.
She gonna know something going on for sure.
Hello?
[Melissa] Maranda, where you at?
Mr. June said you're not in your room.
Don't lie to me.
I'm here, I'm here.
I just stepped outside
to get some fresh air
'cause the lights out.
[Melissa] Nuh-uh.
Put Mr. June on the phone.
Um...
Ima have to call her back.
[Rico] Fuck man.
So what's up, you want me to stay?
[Maranda] Hell, no.
You could go to jail.
(rain pattering)
(window knocking)
Get out the car.
Who the hell is that?
And where the hell you been?
I, I was just
Nuh-uh, you a liar.
Look at me.
You got June and Mil in they feelings.
They hurt.
I'm sorry.
Nuh-uh, come over here.
No you're not.
Let's go.
Get your shirt together, we gotta go.
You going.
You leaving.
[Maranda] No, I don't wanna go.
(Mom speaks indistinctly)
(thunder booming)
[Maranda] That night
I wasn't just risking
my grandparent's trust,
I was risking my own worth,
and calling it love.
My fear of him finding a
woman his age had finally come.
After almost a year
of fighting for our love,
giving away all my money,
and being the only thing he had left,
I was left feeling stupid, used and hurt.
I cried for weeks over
what I thought was love.
After that experience,
I decided to go back to
dating boys my own age.
I realized age didn't matter
when it came to maturity of a man.
Whether they were 25 or 17
didn't determine who he was inside,
or what his intentions were.
I met a boy my age and experienced
the first real feeling of being in love,
so much it took the life out of me.
Hey.
Did I say you could stand next to me?
[Rodney] No, but Ima stand here anyway.
Better be happy I'm
not on that type of time,
'cause you can get beat up.
Nobody scared of you.
You should be.
Hmm, yeah, whatever.
So why this whole time we
been going to school together
and we just never spoke?
I've just been going through a lot.
Focused on school.
So you a little nerd, huh?
Eh is.
It's cool, it's cool, I like smart girls.
You better stop playing like that,
'cause I already you
with, uh, what's her name?
Patricia?
And I don't have time for that girl.
No, me and Patricia been broke up.
I mean we still cool or whatever,
but we're not together no more.
Boy, please.
For real.
I wouldn't even be talking to you right now
if we were still together.
We used to ride to school together,
but since we been broken
up I've been taking the bus.
Yeah, I hear you.
Yeah, all right.
[Maranda] Rodney had a way with his words
that just melted my
insides every time we spoke.
To say he was charming
is an understatement.
I have always been easily
manipulated into doing things,
and it didn't take much
to get me in a relationship.
I didn't stand up for anything,
so I fell for everything,
especially Rodney.
(upbeat music)
Baby I ain't felt this good in a while
And them loves were
never really loves at all
I'm loving this energy
you're giving me now
I'll do what it takes
to keep you around
Around
Around, around
Around
I want you around
Around, around, around
Baby I want you around
For everything I want you right there
God took my rib
And placed you right there
I know I'm the man
But he made the woman
Getting full, babe?
Yeah, thank you.
Where you find out about all these places?
Me and Patricia used
to come here a while back.
It became one of my favorite spots
because they got so much variety.
(people chattering)
- You good?
- Nigga, no.
What you think?
Everywhere we been, everywhere you take me,
you've been with this bitch.
Why she gotta be a bitch?
That's not funny.
Now you taking up for her?
Look, Maranda, we was
together for three years.
We did shit, we went places.
We ain't just sit and look at each other
the entire time.
Still, I don't wanna hear about this hoe.
She a hoe in my book 'cause she still
be mugging me at school
like she got a problem.
All right, look, I apologize.
I won't mention her name again, okay?
I promise.
Can I make it up to you?
How you gonna make it up to me?
I'm gonna surprise you.
Girl, Rodney been acting weird lately.
What, what he do?
Not texting me back,
not riding the bus to school,
and acting like he don't wanna talk to me.
Now you know niggas ain't fit.
Hold on real quick.
Rodney surprised me all right.
Girl, you think he
still talking to his ex?
I hope not.
Thinking that there was maturing
and honesty in this
dude was my first mistake.
I put my trust in someone
who I thought would be
as much of a standup guy as
my godfather or grandfather.
I'm reminded that those kind of men
are gone from my life forever.
So this what we doing, Rodney?
Maranda?
Yeah, Maranda, nigga,
who else it gonna be?
Oh, this is none of my business.
Look, she was just
giving me a ride to school,
it's not like that.
Everyday?
And you acting like you
don't wanna talk to me.
What the fuck, Rodney?
I overslept and I missed the bus.
She was my only ride to school.
It's not like that.
I don't know, this don't feel right.
'Cause it ain't.
Look, if I wanted to be with her I would,
but I don't.
And I'm tried of you accusing
me of this shit for real.
Can we just talk about it after school?
I guess.
I promise.
I know you lying.
I know when something wrong with you
I know your demeanor
You go girl, you go bore
like Martin was to Gina
I know you not the girl
Believing in them fairy tales
But love can be a snitch
'Cause fairy tale
Baby I ain't felt this good in a while
And your love
Hey baby, I'm sorry for
putting you through
all that bull shit earlier.
I know that's my ex,
and I should have known you
wouldn't be okay with that shit.
Yeah, you should have.
I'm sorry.
It won't happen again, I promise.
It better not.
Brooklyn will whoop you next time.
Yeah, she crazy for real.
Nah, she just don't play about me.
Say, uh, what you finna get into later?
I'm gonna go home, do some homework,
do some college applications.
Ima take my hair down too.
You finna leave right now?
You ready for me to go?
Nah, just Derek gonna come
pick me up for work,
so I was just trying to
make sure you're good.
Okay.
It's cool.
I don't wanna be doing
all this too late anyways.
I'll call you when I get home.
Okay.
(dramatic music)
(phone ringing)
[Rodney] Hello.
Hey baby, I just wanted to let you know
I made it home.
[Rodney] Okay, baby, I'm
at work, I'll hit you right back.
- (indistinct) phone.
- Who is that?
(dramatic music)
[Patricia] Girl, he lying.
He at the mall going
to get something to eat.
I'm tired of dealing with this.
Every time, every time.
I just cannot take this.
(dramatic music continues)
(dramatic music continues)
(upbeat music)
(upbeat music continues)
(Maranda screaming)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music continues)
I think I took too many.
(machine beeping)
Maranda.
Maranda, baby, how you feeling?
Maranda, baby, you all right?
Hey, she's gonna be okay.
Mm-hmm.
The good Lord's gonna
bring her back to us.
Yes.
My God, baby, come on, wake up.
Come on, baby,
open your eyes.
Maranda, how you feeling, baby?
Talk to me.
(machine beeping)
Talk to me.
(Maranda speaks indistinctly)
Hey you all, good news.
We were able to get all the pills
pumped out of Maranda's stomach.
Over 55 pills were accounted for.
If you hadn't brought her in when you did,
it may have been a different outcome.
Unfortunately, being that
this was a suicide attempt,
we're gonna have to admit Maranda
into psychiatric care.
- Oh Lord.
- Just until we're able
to get her back to good health.
(machine beeping)
- I can't do this.
- Thank you, Doctor.
You hear that?
Maranda, you hear him?
That's what you want, huh?
You want these people to take you from me?
You want these people to take you from me?
- Now is not the time.
- That what you want?
- Get her out of here.
- You want these people
to take you?
- Get off of me.
- Now is not
the time for this.
[Melissa] Get off me.
Get off me.
It's all right.
(machine beeping)
Here's a journal.
Whenever you feel the urge
to wanna talk to someone,
and no one's here,
I need you to write in this journal.
Thank you.
I could hardly respond,
and I never had a journal before,
but I knew if I was going to ever
get over feeling like this,
some type of change was
going to have to happen.
Day one, I'm not sure what to feel yet.
Everything feels quiet here.
Too quiet almost.
I met my roommate,
and she broke down all the rules
like' she been through it all before.
[Emily] Hey, I'm Emily.
Maranda.
So lunch is in a bit.
Breakfast is every morning from seven a.m.
to nine a.m., depending
on your therapy visits.
Do you know who your doctor is yet?
Nah, not yet.
Hmm.
Well, they'll probably get
that to you after lunch then.
They're really good about letting everyone
get settled in before bombarding us
with the meds and safety rules.
Yeah, right.
Even when she forgot something,
she made sure she got
the missed details to me.
I wanted to question why she was there,
but I just knew that was a conversation
I was not ready for.
Oh yeah,
would you rather be buried or burned?
Excuse me?
They give us these journals.
I'm on my third one.
But I'm writing a
dissertation on whether or not
someone would rather be
buried or burned and why.
Sounds cool, right?
No comment.
Hmm, I haven't received that answer yet.
You a vampire?
You ask a lot of questions.
Now that I have been told. (Laughs)
I'm sure.
Well bye.
(gentle music)
[Maranda] Therapy is awkward.
I don't know how to
explain years of being quiet
in an hour long session.
Okay, Maranda, I know
this is your first doing therapy,
so I just want you to
know that we don't have to
talk about everything today.
Then what are we gonna talk about?
Let's do this.
I'm gonna say a word,
and I want you to tell me
the first thing that comes to mind, okay?
Trust.
(dramatic music)
(gentle music)
I think it'd be my dad.
Okay, how so?
No matter what I always trusted him.
He wasn't the best,
but I trusted him to be him.
And how has your
relationship with your dad
effected the way you live now?
I trust everybody to be themselves,
and I shouldn't.
Let's move on to another word.
And for this one I want
you to close your eyes.
If love were a person, what would they say?
[Maranda] If love were
a person it would be a he.
And he would say turn the radio on,
and make sure it's Johnny Taylor.
And is this a voice
that you've heard before?
[Maranda] Yes.
Okay.
Okay.
What comes to mind when
you hear the word betrayal?
[Maranda] I tried calling
Rodney again today,
Patricia answered.
Maybe that's all the closure I needed.
He made his choice,
and I learned that I
needed to start choosing me.
And before you answer,
I just want you to know
that betrayal isn't always
what others do to us.
Sometimes betrayal is
what we do to ourselves
when we keep going back to
the person who let us down.
During my therapy session,
it's almost like she knows things about me
before I could even tell her,
'cause how she know what to ask me?
It feels like when you calls
someone to hear their voice,
then someone else answers.
[Therapist] I think we
all get answers to things
that we don't don't wanna hear,
but sometimes we have to understand
that everything we go
through serves a purpose.
Do you believe that?
I guess.
It's how we respond to those answers,
and just like life nothing ends,
we just have to keep living.
(people chattering)
Full and happy,
which I always am.
Not full, but definitely happy,
which I wish you were.
[Maranda] Somehow I
survived rooming with Emily,
and was able to return back to school,
but, of course, under strict supervision.
Anyways, dear summer job at Rice,
hurry up and end.
By this time I have already talked to
every guy on the football team,
and I wasn't even in college yet.
I learned my lesson a bit I guess.
I just know no boy is worth
me killing myself over,
that's for damn sure.
Hey Maranda.
Hi Cal.
Ew, why are all these football players
waving and smiling at you?
I guess they like me.
Not you talking to half
the damn football team.
No I don't.
It's like two or three.
Hand me the milk.
Two or...
I know you lying.
And they all friends.
Girl, okay, now that's enough.
You're going too far now.
I know, I know, I gotta chill
'cause I'm really done with these niggas.
I'm trying to get me
something much more mature.
I'm trying to get me something mature.
You're talking about David again, right?
Yeah.
He coming to pick me up for lunch anyways.
Lunch?
Didn't you say he was like 25
or something like that?
Girl, yes.
Own house, own car,
and he is in career.
Bitch, you been to his house?
Not yet,
but we was on FaceTime the other night,
and he showed me everything,
and it is nice.
So what does David do for a living?
It's like tech or something.
Bitch, you don't know what that nigga
does for a living, do you?
I know he cute.
I don't care what you
think about this boy,
as long as you bring me
back something to eat,
how about that?
No, how about you need to get you a man
that's gonna get you some lunch.
You trying to be funny?
Forgot you got one, my bad.
[Co-Worker] I don't even
be coming at you like that.
Ooh.
Looks like I'm finna go to lunch right now.
See you later, sis.
Make sure you make me something to eat.
- Okay.
- I'm hungry.
I got you... I'm so serious.
[Maranda]
-Hungry ass.
She just gonna leave me.
Next.
(dramatic music)
Oh.
Can I drive?
Nah, not right now.
Why, you think Ima wreck your car?
Shoot, you already know. (Laughs)
Where we going to eat?
You know I said I had
something special for you.
Okay.
(dramatic music continues)
Where are we going?
I'm starving.
It is nowhere to eat over here.
(dramatic music continues)
I don't know what kind of surprise this is,
it's really nothing to eat over here.
David, what are we doing here?
It's a hotel, what you mean?
Baby, I told you I'm not,
I'm not trying to have sex with you.
I'm not trying to have sex at all.
I told you I had a surprise for you,
now you about to ruin it
before I even give it to you.
[Maranda] I wanted a new story,
but I brought the same pain.
(dramatic music)
(doors slamming)
(dramatic music continues)
So what's this surprise?
(dramatic music)
I don't wanna do that.
You know I told you I don't wanna have sex.
[David] Look, look, I don't have time
to be playing these games.
Look, I already paid for this room,
so you gonna give me what I want.
[Maranda] I already told
you I don't wanna do this.
[David] Quit playing, Maranda.
[Maranda] I told you
I don't wanna do this.
- Stop.
- Look, look.
Quit playing.
[Maranda] I don't wanna do this, stop.
Mm-mm, you talking... Stop, no stop.
- Move.
- No, I ain't stopping.
[Maranda] Get off of me.
No.
Get off of me.
[David] Maranda, come on, man.
Quit playing.
Quit playing, girl.
Come on.
[Maranda] Move.
- I ain't moving.
- Get off of me.
- Move.
- I'm not getting
off you girl.
Nah.
[Maranda] I thought I
was finally choosing better,
but even the man with
the car, the job, the smile
ended up taking more than
I ever gave permission for.
I said no.
I said stop,
and still he took.
He threw me the keys like a gift.
Like trauma could be traded for a joy ride.
I drove back quiet.
It was the longest ride of my life.
That car could have ran into a brick wall,
and I would have felt nothing
'cause I was so numb.
(gentle music)
Let me go.
[David] Why you act like I forced you
to do something that you ain't wanna do?
I didn't.
I told you I didn't wanna do that.
Wow.
So all those sexy text
messages you sent me,
and then calling me babe,
now you wanna flip the script
and act like I did you dirty?
I thought you was different.
Nah, look, I ain't perfect.
I thought me and you had something.
But, you know, maybe it's my fault
for moving too fast 'cause I thought
you were more mature than
what you portrayed to be.
But don't act like you
ain't know what this was
when I pulled up.
I thought we was going
to get something to eat.
I gave you time, attention,
and I even let you drive my car.
That's cause you raped me.
That's cause you forced me
to have sex with you back there.
And the only valid
reason you could think of
was to give me the
keys to your fucking car?
Man, don't put that shit on me.
That's your pain talking, not the truth.
And if you say otherwise...
Maybe you need to do better.
Fuck you.
[David] Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Stuck up bitch.
(gentle music)
About time, girl.
I seen you pulling up in
that Beamer, Benz or Bentley.
Beamer, Benz or Bentley
Where my food at?
Bitch, what's wrong with you?
You been crying?
Maranda, what happened?
He raped me.
He what?
(dramatic music)
Man, I will kill his fucking ass.
Where's my phone at?
(dramatic music continues)
It's gonna be okay.
Demetrius.
Demetrius.
I thought finally telling someone
would bring me back to ground zero,
but instead it started to
make me whole again.
Monique was ready to
burn the world down for me,
and maybe for the first time
I wasn't alone in my pain.
[Monique] Yeah, she's crying right now.
I don't know what he did.
I don't know.
But you better get to him before I do.
I'm about to close the shop.
Let's go, Maranda.
[Maranda] New city, new dorm, new people.
I've got my guard up this time,
but something about this place
feels like I might finally find who I am
outside of this trauma.
I just hope I can hold
onto myself in this place.
I was able to meet my new roommate.
When I met her, the first
thing she asked me was
You smoke?
[Maranda] Uh, nah.
Okay.
[Maranda] If there's one
thing I could say about Paige,
she was nothing like Emily.
Clamp it when I'm posing
Bend it over oh wee
(indistinct)
I can't help but show it
Cotton candy
Roll it with me
- This is my shit.
- You listen to this too?
Damn, girl.
[Maranda] Even though she was laid back,
she was a firecracker,
and we clicked immediately.
Outside of Brooklyn and Monique,
Paige seemed to be the only girl
who I could see myself being friends with.
Bitch forever
What we gonna do about that
He say I'm fine as ever
Booty
Stomach flat
He from (indistinct)
And I'm gonna pop it, pop it, pop
I'm gonna roll it, roll it
Pop it, (indistinct)
Roll it, roll it
Roll it, roll it
He say I'm mean I'm just
Tell me why this video
got over 2,000 views.
What the hell?
In less than an hour.
[Maranda] Not on the first day of campus.
I guess when you
stand on one (indistinct)
And shake a little cheek.
I know that's right.
(indistinct) on campus, girl.
Yo, yo, yo.
You're the girls from that video, huh?
It depends, you here to judge
or give us a compliment?
Nah, I'm just trying
to make sure that's y'all.
It's a compliment for sure though.
Okay, well that's us.
Okay, what's y'all name?
Maranda, and this Paige.
Maranda and Paige,
it's nice to meet y'all.
I'm Devon.
Uh, I'm a member of Kappa Lou Theta.
We're co-ed fraternity so
y'all can join if y'all want.
Uh, some people look at
us like a service organization,
but we're a little flavor.
[Paige] So where the rest
of your little frat friends at?
Look, right now it's just me
and a couple other guys.
The rest of 'em they setting up for later.
We're throwing a welcome meeting,
y'all should come by.
Sound cool.
I ain't too interested
in no Greek life though.
[Paige] Me neither.
Right now the perfect opportunity though.
I mean y'all already got half the campus
watching y'all, y'all might
as well capitalize on it
and own the stage.
So, is this what you do,
recruit girls from viral videos?
Nah, nah, nah, it'
ain't nothing like that.
I can just see the purpose and the beauty.
This ain't no secret society shit, is it?
We not trying to be in a room
with people drinking goat blood and shit.
See, there you go.
Nah, man, we just got juice,
and we're gonna be talking politics.
So we're really just throwing this together
to give the freshmen an
outlet to get to meet us,
and know what we all about, that's all.
Oh, okay.
Girl, I ain't going.
(Maranda laughing)
Look, I gotta get out of here,
but it was nice meet y'all.
This should be interesting.
Hope to see y'all there.
[Paige] Bye.
(gentle music)
You're here.
Hey twerk, twerk that ass girl.
You trying to be funny?
Hey, somebody call security, man.
We got the twerk team in here.
They gonna need an escort
all up and through this motherfucker.
What do you want, trying
to be all funny and stuff?
You're Maranda, right?
[Maranda] If you know
then why you asking?
I'm Clark, baby.
Fresh Money Clark.
Fresh Money?
What's that, your little clique?
Clique?
We ain't no clique.
We our own bosses.
We just like to get some money.
Duh, who don't?
All right, so look, that's
why I'm trying to talk to you.
Trying to make some money,
so me and my guys,
and I see what you're doing.
The YouTube, the Twitter thing,
it's gonna take a while to
get monetized from that,
but if you come and
throw some parties with us,
I got you on the back end.
[Maranda] I'm listening.
So, look, what it is,
throw a few parties, have some fun,
shit, and we gonna line your pockets.
But, look, let me know
when you talk it over
with your business partner.
Okay, I got you.
(gentle music)
Maranda, you came.
I did.
I told you I was gonna think about it,
and I did a little more than that.
Yeah, you did.
But if you need anything just let me know.
Oh, you got clout like that?
Got a little something, something.
[Maranda] Okay.
I didn't know this was an
open call for TikTok auditions.
Angelica, go somewhere.
She a possible recruit,
and this is a welcome meeting.
I don't care.
You shouldn't even be
recruiting people like this,
and I wouldn't have known who she was
if you wasn't on your phone
watching her shake her ass.
Excuse me?
Hello.
- Is it a problem?
- No.
Angelica was just
Angelica was just telling Devon
that we like to run our organization
with respectable individuals.
And that's not me?
Maybe, maybe not, I don't know you.
Well you can get to know me,
even if I'm the person telling you.
(Devon speaks indistinctly)
Girl, (indistinct) it's my nigga.
(gentle music)
That's your little
girlfriend or something?
Ex girlfriend.
[Maranda] She ain't acting like it.
It's complicated.
That's what people
say when it's not over.
Every time I think I'm
starting something new,
I find myself standing in
someone else's leftovers.
I'm not here to compete for space.
I am the space.
(singer singing quietly)
They do this every weekend?
Girl, apparently.
I don't want no
Oh shit.
Hey, y'all ready to T up?
We're here now.
Where the weed at?
Shit, y'all drinking or vibing?
I'm trying to smoke.
Shit, well good, my
boy Dre, he in the back,
you can go smoke with him.
I'll see you later, girl.
Go ahead boo.
What about you though?
You drink?
No, I don't drink.
Shit, come on, girl, me neither,
but tonight is a special occasion.
Okay.
Hey, look, that twerk (indistinct) thing,
that's you or that's a cover up?
No, that's me.
You'll know that if you knew me.
Shit, I'm just saying
you handle that shit well.
I ain't used to no girl from Houston
being that deep.
What's that supposed to mean?
What I'm saying is, shit,
girls from Dallas, that's the ones
who really getting all
my attention right now.
That's why you're all in my face?
- Clark was cool.
- Shit.
[Maranda] More than cool actually.
He was really a friend before
we ever became intimate.
But just like every other... Oh shit.
Guy I liked before... Okay.
There was always
another girl in the picture
that I had to try and ignore.
Man, girl, give me some of that candy,
you're always playing, being selfish.
Hey Clark.
And that is?
That ain't nobody, baby.
I don't know her.
You know I'm popular on campus.
You gotta stop acting like that.
You know I'm popular on campus, baby.
It's your mans, me, your man.
So you gonna give me that candy or what?
No, I'm definitely not giving you none
of my candy now.
What you mean?
I could be your candy,
you could be my candy.
[Maranda] I didn't
think anything of it at first,
but Thanksgiving break was coming up,
and I was worried because being away from
your significant other,
regardless of the
relationship is always tough.
It was Thanksgiving break,
and although Sam Houston was pretty lit,
during the breaks it was
a freaking ghost town.
And I also hang out with my friend Brooklyn
who was home from UTSA.
(singer vocalizing)
The mashed potatoes got my stomach
flipping like Gabby Douglas.
I told you to slow down, didn't I?
Yes you did, baby.
Yes you did.
So, Miss Maranda,
how's college life treating you, baby?
Stressful, June.
But beautiful.
A little ratchet, if I'm honest.
She better be staying busy
because we trying to make that Deans List.
Yeah, you always been
smart, like your mama.
But not too smart to
forget where you come from.
No, I remember that.
Especially when that cafeteria
served them canned greens.
That's why I'm here today,
I was ready to eat this good food.
I know that's right
because if I eat one more taco
in San Antonio, Ima change
my last name to Tacia.
(everyone laughing)
You know what's crazy?
You ain't nothing but an hour away.
All you gotta do is call me,
and I would have came
and bring you some food,
unless you didn't want
me to see them videos
you been making, huh?
(dramatic music)
Mm-mm, mm-mm, Melissa, not right now.
[Melissa] I'm just saying.
I've been doing great in school actually.
Been doing everything I need to,
and before you congratulated me on that
you wanna talk to me about something
that has nothing to do with you?
Anything that has anything to do with you
has everything to do with me.
And the last thing I want is my co-workers
showing me you shaking your
ass on the internet, Maranda.
Not them old folks looking like your ass.
I must be the biggest hoe
at this table or something then.
Now, look, baby,
ain't nobody said all that.
Mama did basically.
You ever stop to think that
you ain't even raise me right?
Little girl, don't go off to college,
think you can come back
talking to me any kind of way,
you trippin'.
Now Maranda she's right,
let's keep it respectful, okay?
This is your mother.
Now look, we not about
to do this at my table.
No, lets.
Since everybody wanna
talk about how I've been,
how about we talk about how I got here.
You remember that man you was dating,
the one that would buy me all that candy
and rub my shoulders?
(dramatic music)
Maranda, stop.
- Yeah, exactly.
- Don't do that.
The one that she used to tell us
nothing like anybody else.
He touched me
in my room while you were asleep.
And not just once, multiple times,
on multiple occasions.
And I've never said nothing
because I knew what
your reaction was gonna be.
And now you gonna sit
here acting like you care
about me shaking my ass on camera.
You didn't care about
my well being as a child.
- Maranda.
- You should have told me.
I tried with my eyes,
my silence, my fears.
You didn't open your eyes long enough
to even notice it.
And you couldn't control that man.
What was I supposed to do as a child?
Tell on him so he could keep beating you
and still molest me?
Excuse me?
You're excused.
Maranda.
I think this why my family
don't celebrate this holiday.
Who gonna get into this pie?
[Maranda] Home was the first place
I learned how to hide.
I grew up in rooms where silence
was survival,
but truth don't knock politely,
it breaks doors down,
and I'm done hiding behind them.
I didn't know.
And for that is why you're the problem.
Maranda, you can't sit
here as a grown woman
and tell me that 100% of your problems
is because of me.
I was doing the best that I could.
And your best wasn't the best for me,
it was the best for you.
Your best left bruises on me
that I'm still explaining
to people that love me.
Please.
Don't, don't cry now.
I spent years swallowing tears.
Put yourself in my shoes
and go to therapy.
(dramatic music)
Mama.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Hey, hold on baby.
We don't like to put hands on our kids,
but let them figure it out.
All right, but, we gonna
cut into this pie still?
What we waiting on?
(chair scrapping)
(heels clacking)
I mean no shade this just might be
my favorite holiday.
I'm, I'm sorry, bestie.
- Let us pray.
- Sure.
Come on.
Lord, we come to you
not with just full plates,
but with heavy hearts.
Thank you for your grace.
Grace that covers the
words we speak too fast,
and the pain we have buried too deep.
Father, there are wounds at this table,
some we've created, some repaired,
and some we don't have the words for.
But you know them Lord.
You know them before
we could even name them.
So tonight I ask that you sit with us,
sit in the silence, in the broken places,
in the space between parent and child,
where pride try to build up walls,
that pain try to hold.
I ask that you allow us
to listen with our hearts,
and not our ears.
And remind us that healing takes time,
but it also takes the truth.
Let us not run from it.
Let us not be afraid of each other's pain.
And allow this house, this family to be one
to not let the past pause in the future.
We thank you for your second chances, Lord.
Thank you for every seat at this table.
Even the ones that have stories too heavy
for us to speak on right now.
In your mercy, in your timing, bring peace.
Amen.
Amen.
(gentle music)
[Maranda] After Thanksgiving,
I had every intention
to vent to Clark about my weekend,
but unfortunately Paige ruined those plans.
Look, I really didn't
wanna tell you this,
but you need to know.
Okay, what's up?
What's going on?
Clark been spending
the night at his ex place.
(dramatic music)
Mm-hmm, Jada said she seen them
leaving the Connections yesterday.
So Thanksgiving he didn't go home?
No, bitch, didn't you
just hear what I just said?
(gentle music)
[Maranda] I thought I
would show up and explode,
that the rage would just boil over,
but instead I felt nothing.
Just this ache, this
tired ache of realizing
you love someone more
than they were ever ready
to love you back.
(gentle music)
Damn, you been out here the whole time?
Yeah, I was hoping
your car was lying to me.
Shit, I ain't mean
for it to go like this.
Go like what?
Go like campus gossip
that I'm hearing about,
or me standing out here like an extra
in my own damn heartbreak?
She just needed
closure, Maranda, that's all.
Closure don't spend the night, Clark.
I've been real with you,
and still you choose comfort over honesty?
Dang, you know I ain't mean to hurt you.
You know that.
You know I ain't mean to hurt you.
Then why does it feel so familiar?
I'm not gonna fight for nothing
that's not fighting for me.
I am tired, Clark.
Tired of trying to teach
boys how to love me.
Good luck on your closure.
After Clark I thought maybe it was the age.
Maybe college boys just
weren't built for real love.
Months later I got word
that Danesha was pregnant.
So literally while I was
tussling with my mom
I was being cheated on, double fucked.
The thought of that lead me back down
another dark road,
and resulted back to some
things that I shouldn't have.
Yeah, Mil, I'm okay.
I'm fine.
Stop calling me so much.
Yeah, I was hung over.
I'm fine now.
All right, bye.
The tragic thing about me
committing suicide once,
people are always going to believe
you will try it again.
Wait, what the hell?
Am I dreaming?
[Young Maranda] Maybe.
Or maybe you're finally listening.
(gentle music)
You're me?
The part of you that remembers.
Before all the noise,
before you stopped trusting your own voice.
Why are you here now?
Because you forgot
why you started writing.
It wasn't just to survive,
it was to tell a story
before someone else could define it for us.
But I don't even know the story anymore,
I'm tired... you already wrote it
page by page.
Every heartbreak, every
time you didn't speak up,
every time you did and no one listened.
It's all there, waiting for you
to make it mean something.
What if no one cares?
There's a girl right
now sitting in her room,
feeling her pain in secret.
No one would believe.
She needs to know someone made it out,
that we made it out.
Promise me you'll finish it.
(gentle music continues)
I will.
Then what are you waiting for?
Wake up, you've got
some serious work to do.
(dramatic music)
[Maranda] I've been
writing for a long time now,
and one thing I can say that has helped me
get through everything
is venting to myself.
Sometimes healing
doesn't come from forgetting,
it comes from remembering,
and choosing to tell the truth anyway.
This, this is more than a journal.
This is a message, a ministry even.
That's what my younger
self said in a dream.
She's smarter than most of us then.
Have you ever thought
about self publishing?
I looked into it,
but everything costs.
Copyright, editing,
formatting, ISBN, distribution.
It's like I need a small
loan to tell my story.
Well, that's where you get structure.
You don't just publish a book,
you build a brand.
Start an LLC,
or file for a 501C3 if you
wanna reach young girls
through panels, workshops
or curriculum even.
Isn't that, like, hard?
Everything worth building is hard.
But there are sponsors,
grants, online resources,
and if money's the problem, get creative.
Creative?
Girl, I waited tables, cleaned houses.
I even sold t-shirts out the back
of my car when I got started.
What's something you can do on the side,
even short term?
I know it's a bar on
campus, they're always hiring.
That's what I'm talking about.
Stack your paper, invest in yourself.
Maranda, nobody's
gonna give you a platform,
you have to build it.
You're right.
And when I do I want girls to know
they're not crazy for
what they been through.
They're just unbroken
stories in the making.
Then that's your mission.
Hey man I
Got an old school Cutlass
Chrome
84
[Maranda] I used to write to escape,
now I write to expose.
My voice is no longer afraid
of being too much, it's too necessary.
Okay, not bad for a rookie.
You ain't spill, faint,
or flirt with the bar bag.
That's three wins in one shift.
The night is still young, sis.
Well, tonight might test you,
it's speed dating night.
Speed?
Wait, what?
Girl, yeah.
Five minutes, one drink,
and like 20 guys trying
to remember they zodiac.
You should jump in.
New job, new vibe, right?
I don't know about that.
I'm actually practicing celibacy right now,
and I'm not really open
to opening those doors
emotionally or option.
Who said dating equals sex?
Don't they both go hand in hand?
Not if you drive the car.
You can still date and be celibate.
Hell, most of these guys need
a lesson on restraint anyways.
I mean, just think of it
as a confidence booster.
You're not giving anything away,
and you're still figuring
out what it is that you want.
Yeah.
And trust me, watching
guys sweat over small talk
worth it.
So hold on, you mean to tell me.
I get to drink on the job,
drive around these egos
and keep my clothes on?
Exactly.
It's called emotional cardio, sis.
Join the workout.
I know that's right.
But come on, bartender,
let's get this bar fixed
before them clowns show up.
[Maranda] Let's go.
Dating used to mean losing pieces of myself
to people who hadn't earned them.
But now, now I'm reclaiming the rules.
And this time I get to keep my peace,
and my pants.
How you doing?
[Maranda] I'm good love, how are you?
Mm, you smell good.
- Chris.
- Nice to meet you, Chris.
Hey, how you doing?
[Maranda] I'm good, how are you?
I'm doing good.
What's your name?
Maranda.
All right, nice to meet you, I'm Dion.
Um, real quick question though.
So what's your idea of a good first date?
Shit, if I was taking you out,
I'd probably take you to State 48.
Okay, I love eating good.
I'm not a salad eating woman either.
Oh, we gonna let you
get a big piece of meat.
[Maranda] Yeah.
Yeah, big meat.
What's your take on monogamy?
What's that?
Well when you date one person.
I ain't never heard
that a day in my life.
Just one woman?
So, I'm curious to know what it is
that you do for work.
I'm a film director.
What type of films do you direct?
- All kinds.
- Wow.
I just kind of cater to the audience.
What kind of film you like?
[Maranda] I movie romance films.
I do a lot of romance.
[Maranda] Oh yeah?
Really?
Yeah.
So I'm a little curious to know,
what's your love language?
(gentle music)
Trying to hit something.
What's your love language?
Yeah, I work with a lot of actors,
some of them known, some of them not.
You ever heard of an
actor that's kind of out there
named Mr. Marcus?
No, I've never heard of him,
who's that?
[Date] He's one of my top actors.
We do a lot of work, lot of film.
That's amazing.
Wow.
I mean you could have one man,
I could be your one man,
but what if I had multiple?
- No, no, no.
- You got like a friend?
[Maranda] I need a
commit, it's me and him.
- I can be committed to you.
- Not me, him, her and them.
Like Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays,
and then the other days I can have
Monday through Sunday.
So what's your thoughts
on words of affirmation?
I got one word for you, fuck.
He really gets in there,
like get into his work.
Yeah, his character.
That's amazing.
Yeah.
I would love to, if I
could one day meet him.
Oh, I can probably
arrange that, if you like.
When the last time?
It's been a couple years at this point.
No, no, no, no.
No oral, anything.
I'm okay.
You, I'm okay.
Around?
No, no, no.
We won't have to do any of that then.
I do practice celibacy,
so we can definitely go on a date
and have a good time.
I'm a vegetarian too.
I like celery and all that type.
[Maranda] Wait, wait, wait, no, no.
I'm talking about no sex.
I don't have sexual
No sex?
What are we supposed to do?
So only one person?
I can't even get none?
What you wanna do, cuddle all day?
[Maranda] Uh we would spend time,
get to know each other.
Spend time doing what?
- And build a relationship.
- Doing what?
[Maranda] Hanging out.
- Hanging out?
- Have a great time.
That's what I got boys for.
You play basketball?
[Date] I got a good friend
coming over right now.
I'm doing some work with
some well known people
that's out there, a guy
by the name of Wizzy.
Oh, okay.
Last name Pipes.
Called "Why My Son Look Like My Brother."
Ooh, wow.
All right, well, so what's
your love language?
Let me see if I can meet you in the middle.
[Maranda] Quality time.
Quality time.
How about this?
I pick you up, take you out to eat,
we go have a nice date.
[Maranda] And then you take me back home.
And then I get a hotel room.
No, no, no, no.
What?
How about this, I marry you.
So, I'm curious to know
what your last relationship was like.
It was toxic, man.
So now I'm looking for
something new, fresh new start.
Same.
[Dion] Okay, that's good.
I'm definitely looking to
better myself, by myself,
so I understand that.
- Okay, okay.
- Now before I do
take anything anywhere with you,
I do wanna make sure you're aware
I am practicing celibacy, so.
That's perfect.
We on the same page.
I like to take it really, really slow.
- All right.
- Don't really wanna
get in too much.
I wanna get to know your soul
before we even get to that level.
- Same, same.
- Even get to anything
- too crazy.
- I like you.
All right.
Make sure I get your number
so we can stay in contact.
- Absolutely.
- For sure.
(gentle music)
Hey.
Hey.
Maranda, you weren't lying.
This is not just good, it's needed.
But, it's still rough, right?
Of course it's rough,
it's a first draft,
but it's real,
and real is what these girls need.
I've been thinking about hosting a reading.
Something small, quiet, intimate, safe.
Just a few high school girls.
You read a few pages from the book,
and then talk to 'em after.
Me, read?
Out loud?
That's usually how readings work, yeah.
(gentle music continues)
I don't even have a title yet.
This feels really premature.
It feels like I'm getting
dressed for something
I don't even know where I'm going.
Maranda, you don't
have to overthink this.
Title isn't important right now,
not until you're ready to print.
What's important is the voice, your voice.
These girls need to hear it.
Not on a screen, not in a DM, in person.
But what if I don't know what to say?
Then say that.
Say exactly that.
Heck, half these girls
are walking around here
not knowing what to say either,
but watching you find the words,
that's what makes it powerful.
And what if I cry?
Then they'll know they can cry too.
Look, I'll get you all the
information for the reading.
That's it?
The meeting's over?
Yeah.
I sent you all the corrections
via email already,
but those are just suggestions.
However you add or delete,
we just want the book.
I was expecting this meeting to be hours.
Maranda, you're overthinking it again.
This is your story.
We'd be here for overs if we intended
to go through every detail, right?
I guess so.
But, if there is more
that you have to share,
and are willing to share,
I can't wait for the followup.
Talk to you later.
[Maranda] Maybe I'm
not supposed to have all the
answers.
Maybe I'm just supposed to speak anyway.
And maybe that's enough.
Dion and I got serious pretty quick.
I gave him the keys to
my house and everything.
Even though I was celibate,
we would still do things,
but this here is locked
up until further notice.
(door knocking)
It was refreshing to know
that there was more to come.
Hey babe.
Why you got the top lock locked?
You here early.
Uh, yeah, me and Miss Alicia meeting
Hey, have you seen my...
Oh, oh.
What is this?
Uh, this is, uh,
I was gonna talk to you.
You don't have to.
After everything I've been through.
And you know how much honesty matter to me.
[Dion] It's not like that.
I wasn't trying to hurt you.
But you did.
And you didn't think I deserved the truth?
[Dion] I was figuring it out.
I was trying to find a way to tell you.
Something like this you
should have been told me.
This version of me does
not beg for explanations.
Get out,
and take your little boyfriend with you.
Maranda.
Go.
Now.
(gentle music)
Get out of my house.
It's funny how the adjectives
and verbs of my life all
derive from the letter T,
transformation, trouble, therapy,
all things that make me ask.
"How do I compete with
someone I'll never be?"
I always thought loving
someone meant staying
even when it hurt.
But healing taught me that walking away
can be the most loving
thing you do for yourself.
I may not have the perfect ending,
but I do have my voice,
and I'm finally using it.
(gentle music)
(gentle music continues)
(gentle music continues)
(gentle music continues)
(singer singing)
Got an old school Cutlass, chrome
84, we swing with (indistinct)
Grab a cup, drink, styrofoam
(indistinct)
Got knocked with the bass pop trunk
You could hear down the street
It bump
Bump
Heavy kriss kross make you jump
I don't have to think about it
I've been back on my shit
I've been shitting on these riders
I'm just parting my lips
No politics or president 'cause
I've been running my shit
Don't follow me they not
on Billboard making them hits
Old boy sit on top of the list
Well I stay fire like
I'm on top of the shit
(indistinct) like I put
a mop on this bitch
I'm getting green guacamole
like a guap in this bitch
(singer vocalizing)
(singer vocalizing)
Who think they're better than me
Ah, snow man
I give a carrot like
the nose of a snowman
Old man gave her
diamonds like she a hoe fan
Looking at the ceiling being half ass
Been have gratitude
Flow been ice cube
Now they saying I'm
a nigga with an attitude
Money out the wazu
Fly to zysu
From the city out to (indistinct)
We try you
Lyrics shooting like I'm in a drive by
Drive thru
Stay ticking like Ryu
Plus (indistinct) niggas
don't want to be soul food
Now they acting like (indistinct)
No matter what I go through
Better go ask your
hoe daddy I ran through
I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to
Bitch nigga, ha
Earth, wind and fire
(singer vocalizing)