♪
VICTOR: Dear Simon,
you don't know me, but my family just moved to Atlanta,
and today was my first day at Creekwood High,
and I heard all about you.
How you started messaging with another secretly gay kid at Creekwood.
How you wound up making a crazy romantic declaration of love.
And how you had your first big kiss on the Ferris wheel
in front of the whole school.
And I just want to say...
screw you.
Screw you for having the world's most perfect, accepting parents.
The world's most supportive friends.
Because for some of us, it's not that easy.
I can't believe that 24 hours ago,
I was actually looking forward to having a fresh start at Creekwood.
That I thought I'd finally get the chance to be myself.
Or at least... figure out who that even is.
♪
‐ Okay, this is it, Salazars. Our beautiful new home.
‐ Ooh, Armando, it looks nice.
What a great building.
I think we're gonna be really happy here. ‐ Yeah, right?
PILAR: I miss you so much.
I would crawl back to Texas on broken glass
just to have five more minutes with you.
‐ Pilar, say goodbye to your boyfriend.
I'm trying to have a nice family moment here.
‐ My kidnappers are making me hang up. Send help.
‐ Hey, can you cheer up?
Maybe Atlanta won't be so bad.
‐ Mom and Dad made me move a thousand miles away
from the love of my life.
If you had a girlfriend, you'd understand.
‐ Yeah. Yeah, you're probably right.
Ah, so you're gonna do the wiring for all these old buildings?
‐ Oh, not do the wiring, flaco. Oversee it.
Middle management, baby.
‐ [laughs] Congratulations! What a great gig.
‐ Uh, thanks? FELIX: I saw you guys pull in.
Hi, I'm your new upstairs neighbor, Felix.
If you guys need a cup of milk, I'm your guy.
‐ I really need to pee right now. ARMANDO: Oh. Yeah.
‐ Oh. Small bladder. I feel that, man. [chuckles]
So, you guys going to Creekwood?
‐ Yeah. Uh, Pilar's a freshman, and I'm Victor, a sophomore.
‐ Awesome. I'll pick you up tomorrow at seven.
[Pilar scoffs] ‐ Okay. [laughs]
‐ Oh. And I got a little something for us to keep in touch.
‐ Um, can't we just text?
‐ Ah. But where's your sense of whimsy?
[chuckles]
‐ 'Kay. You ready? [gasps]
Aah? Aah? ‐ Oh, my God!
Mi amor. ‐ Yes? You like it?
‐ I do, I do. ‐ What'd I tell you?
ISABEL: Nice sunlight. ARMANDO: Oh, this is great.
VICTOR: You know, Simon,
most kids would hate changing schools midyear because their dad got a new job.
But honestly, I was excited to start over.
[phone jingling]
It's not like my life back in Texas was so terrible.
There just wasn't a lot of room to be different.
‐ Look, you guys. Ethan's got a salad instead of ribs.
You're like my Aunt Karen.
BOY: He's Aunt Ethan. [all laughing]
VICTOR: And if you were different,
it was so much easier to pretend that you weren't.
‐ [gasps] You are so stylish.
You have to let me set you up with my sister.
‐ Oh! You're so sweet.
But things are so busy at the salon right now.
‐ Well, okay. Well, let me know if you change your mind.
[laughs softly]
‐ Hey, he's a little, I don't know, but he seems a little flojito.
‐ Stop it! ‐ I don't know. I'm just saying.
I don't know. Whatever.
[exhales]
VICTOR: But I figured here, in a big, diverse city,
people would be more accepting.
[indistinct chatter]
And maybe I'd finally have the chance to figure out who I really am.
At school, at least.
‐ If I were Jesus, where would I want to be to watch over this family?
‐ Probably not nailed to a cross.
‐ Good morning, everyone.
‐ Good morning. ARMANDO: Hey.
Happy first day of school, flaco.
[doorbell ringing] ‐ Who is that?
‐ Hey. I couldn't remember if we said seven, or 7:15.
‐ So you showed up at 6:45?
‐ 6:40. I stood outside your door for five minutes before knocking.
I didn't want to seem too eager. [chuckles]
‐ Okay. [speaking Spanish]
[speaking Spanish]
♪ "Great Intentions" by Damato ♪
FELIX: Man, you're lucky.
I would kill to be the new kid at school.
‐ What? Why?
‐ The whole world is your oyster.
New school, you can be whoever you wanna be.
The rest of us had our destinies determined years ago. Take me.
First day of fifth grade, I got hit in the crotch playing dodge ball,
and this jackass named Andrew started a rumor saying I lost a testicle.
Ever since then, they called me "Lone Stone."
I mean, now it's hilarious. I've reclaimed it, but...
for a while there, it really hurt.
But the point is, you are blank canvas.
Today, you paint the brush strokes that define who you want to be.
So, who are you, Victor?
♪
[bell ringing] [indistinct chatter]
Welcome to Creekwood!
So, who do you have first period?
‐ I don't know. I think I'm supposed to meet with the vice principal
and get my schedule. Is, is he cool, or‐‐
‐ Oh, well‐‐ ‐ She's very cool. Hi.
VICTOR: Hi. ‐ I am Ms. Albright. Vice Principal.
‐ Hi. ‐ Head to class, Lone Stone.
FELIX: All right.
‐ Uh, Victor Salazar. The new kid.
[laughs nervously] ‐ Oh. Well, I'm new, too, as vice principal.
Just got promoted from drama teacher.
[both chuckle] ‐ Wow, that's a big promotion.
‐ Thanks. The old VP, Mr. Worth,
decided to go to India, you know, to find his bliss,
and got bit by a monkey. Look. Yikes.
VICTOR: Oh, my God. ‐ Now he's in quarantine in Delhi
until further notice, so here I am. Vice Principal.
‐ Well, um, congrats. ‐ Thanks.
Let me take you to your locker. Pull up your pants, Brian!
So, um, you make any friends? [chuckles]
‐ Uh, yeah, yeah. Just, just Felix. [chuckles]
‐ Oh, okay. Well, you gotta start somewhere, right?
You know, the Winter Carnival's tonight, so maybe you'll meet your crew there.
‐ Maybe. ‐ Hey, hey, hey.
Don't dismiss the power of the winter carnival.
Good things happen there.
You know, my favorite Winter Carnival story belongs to Simon Spier.
‐ Uh, who's that?
‐ Well, he's kind of a Creekwood legend, you know?
He made a big declaration of love
to this mystery guy he'd been texting and emailing.
And then he rode the Ferris wheel 'round and 'round
until the guy showed up.
And then, in front of the whole school, they had their first kiss.
Aw.
Mm.
Your locker's over here.
‐ Thanks. So, um,
you know, people here are cool with that?
You know, him being...
‐ Gay? Yeah. Oh, they cheered. It was...
It was beautiful.
You know, it reminded me of my first kiss,
which was also with a gay boy.
Where's your backpack? You're at school.
VICTOR: I couldn't believe it.
Creekwood seemed even more accepting that I'd dreamed.
‐ Hi, new kid.
‐ Uh, whoa. Hi. What are you doing?
‐ Taking a picture for my new Creek Secrets post about the new kid.
Name?
‐ Victor Salazar.
‐ Well, give me some deets.
Where are you from? Why'd you move? Are you cuffed?
‐ Cuffed? ‐ Locked down.
‐ I, I'm sorry. I really don't‐‐
‐ In a relationship. Did you move here from 1984?
‐ Easy, Lake.
Hey, maybe let the new kid open his locker before shoving a camera in his face.
Hi, I'm Mia.
‐ Victor.
‐ Yeah, I'm sorry. I'm sorry about her.
‐ No, it's cool. No one's really been that excited to take my picture
since my mom used me as a model for her piano lesson flier, so...
‐ Wow. You were a piano lesson model.
‐ Oh, yeah. Yeah. Check this out.
‐ Wait, uh, why is the piano the same height as your face?
‐ Well, you see, it's a standing piano,
so it's good for my back. Yeah. MIA: Oh.
[both chuckle]
‐ Okay, well, hi. Hi.
Still waiting for my answer.
Is there a girl back home, or...?
VICTOR: Here was my chance.
All I had to do was tell these open‐minded city kids I'm still...
figuring out that department.
But instead, I said...
Nope. No girl back in Texas.
‐ Mm. So do mess with Texas. Got it.
‐ Uh, I'll, I'll see you around, I guess. [chuckles]
VICTOR: Yeah. I'll see ya. ‐ Yeah. Bye.
‐ Dude, you just made Mia Brooks blush.
‐ Okay. So? ‐ You don't understand.
She is the hottest girl in our class.
She basically never dates, and you just made her blush.
[laughs] You're blushing, too.
‐ No, I'm not. ‐ Yes, you are.
At first, I couldn't tell because of your beautiful cinnamon complexion,
but you totally are. [gasps]
You're falling in love! [chuckles]
Being your best friend's gonna be a wild ride, isn't it?
[exhales]
[bell rings] ‐ All right. Here you go.
The locker rooms are right here.
Gym first period. I do not envy you.
Just got dressed. You're still digesting breakfast.
Why do we even have P. E.?
I mean, it's not like we're gonna become professional dodge ball players.
Oh. Baby powder. Bring it...
[Felix continues indistinctly]
♪ "Rendezvous" by Miss Benny ♪
‐ ♪ I know it's a dangerous game ♪
♪ But I know what I like, boy, I got my own reasons ♪
♪ So tell me, do you want to play ♪
♪ Do you wanna come through ♪
♪ Slide in like your old guitar ♪
FELIX: ...make eye contact with you, just run the other way.
At least, that's what I do. Oh, hey, Benji.
‐ Hey, Felix.
Nice shoes.
Vintage Nike Cortezes?
‐ Yeah. Yeah, my mom got 'em at a garage sale
just 'cause they were my size. She didn't even know how cool they were.
Not saying that my shoes are cool. [chuckles]
‐ No, they are.
It sounds like those shoes were your destiny.
If you believe in that kind of thing.
‐ Yeah. Yeah, I do.
Believe in, um, cool kicks.
[bell rings]
‐ Well, it was really nice meeting you, um...
‐ Victor.
‐ Benji.
‐ Benji's chill. Also, he's gay.
Just so you know. I mean, I don't care, but...
you don't want people to get the wrong idea.
‐ Yeah. Totally.
‐ That is so gay.
‐ How is me getting to second with Holly D'Agostino gay?
‐ You had the whole house to yourselves,
and you only got to second.
You might as well have had sex with a dude.
‐ Hey, you like what you see?
‐ No. No, I, I wasn't, I‐‐
‐ [chuckles] I'm just playin', man. I'm Andrew.
‐ Uh...
I'm Victor.
‐ Welcome to Creekwood, new kid.
♪ "Pedestrian At Best" by Courtney Barnett ♪
ANDREW: Let me get that! Let me get‐‐ aah! Ha ha!
ALL: Oh!
COACH FORD: Dominic. ‐ What?
‐ Is that a muffin? No food on the court.
Play basketball. Go!
BOY: Go, go, go!
‐ Oh, I can feel the seconds ticking away.
ANDREW: Do something with it. I'll take that. Thank you very much.
Appreciate it. Oh!
Come on!
BOY: You got it! ANDREW: Here we go. Hey, hey!
Somebody get him!
BOY: Woo! Nice.
[whistle blows]
‐ All right, all right. Hold up. Hold up.
‐ Victor! Victor, sweetie, come here. Come here. I gotta talk to ya.
Victor. Hey.
You know, I, I'm not just a P.E. teacher.
I also coach varsity basketball.
‐ Cool. ‐ Is it cool?
I've been doing it for 24 years,
and I have zero championships under my belt.
I need that championship trophy, Victor.
So do you wanna join the team, or what?
‐ Well, yeah. Yeah, of course.
‐ You're on the team. Congratulations. ‐ Thank you so much.
‐ Hey, no problem. Andrew, Andrew, where are you?
Come here, come here.
‐ Yes, Coach?
‐ Victor's on the team. How 'bout that, ah?
‐ Wow. Great.
‐ Um, I, I used to play point guard back in Texas‐‐
‐ Oh, well, I'm point guard, so...
‐ Uh, let's not stress about who plays what, ah?
Uh, just, uh, fill out this info sheet,
and I'll need a check for $500.
‐ Wait, it's $500 to join the team?
COACH FORD: Yeah, yeah. It's, you know, it's for, uh, uniforms, equipment...
That's not a problem, is it?
♪ "Testify" by Davie ♪
‐ ♪ Testify ♪
VICTOR: Where I'm from, $500 is a lot of money.
But I guess at Creekwood, it's just a drop in the bucket.
BOY: What's up, man? BOY 2: Dude.
[indistinct chatter]
[beeping] PILAR: Stupid machine.
Man! Ugh!
VICTOR: Hey. How's your first day of school going?
‐ Terrible. Everyone here sucks.
‐ You thought everyone back home sucked, too.
‐ They did. The world is full of fake, crappy people.
‐ Pilar, you have to try.
‐ Victor, stop. I did try.
I sat down with some girls from my math class to have lunch,
and they said I looked like Dora...
if she was exploring a thrift store.
MIA: Oh, hey.
The vending machines here are the worst.
Took me my entire freshman year to get a water.
‐ This is my sister, Pilar.
‐ Hi, I'm Mia. Uh, may I?
So, uh, how's day one going?
‐ Great. I made a ton of friends.
People here are so nice.
‐ Somebody trolling you? Who?
[inaudible]
[chuckles] Alison King and Katie Ellis. Don't worry about them.
They're gonna get pregnant and drop out. Trust me.
Anyway, yeah, forget about those losers. You'll find your people.
‐ My people are back in Texas.
And even though that sounds like a bad country song, it's true.
[beeping]
[clattering]
‐ She seems really upset.
‐ Yeah. Yeah, she always is.
‐ I get it.
I mean, I was a total disaster my freshman year.
I can't imagine transferring on top of everything.
‐ Hey. Victor, right?
I just donated to your GoFundMe. Good luck, man.
‐ What GoFundMe?
Who started it? BOY: Andrew started it.
To help you join the basketball team. 'Cause you're poor, or whatever.
No offense. [chuckles]
My GoFundMe was the best. It helped me fund my trip to Israel.
‐ Excuse me.
Yo, what the hell?
ANDREW: Oh. Hey, man. How ya doin'?
‐ You started a GoFundMe?
‐ It sounded like those basketball dues were gonna be a little steep, so...
I sent a link around, and people actually donated.
‐ Just shut it down.
ANDREW: Shut it down. [laughing]
Listen, man. There is nothing that you need to be ashamed of.
Yeah, I heard you're living in Lone Stone's building.
I know money's a little tight on that side of town,
so really, anything I can do to help out the needy...
‐ You're just trying to humiliate me
because I destroyed you in that basketball game.
‐ [laughs] Oh, you think I give a shit about some stupid
gym class basketball game?
‐ Yeah. I do.
‐ He's crazy. [students chattering]
‐ Just give everyone their money back.
‐ You got it.
CROWD: Ooh!
[indistinct chatter]
‐ You okay?
‐ Ow, ow! Get it, new kid!
‐ I'm fine.
BOY: Whoo!
‐ Hey, I'm sorry about what happened. Andrew is a dick.
‐ Yeah.
‐ I did think you should probably know that Lake, um,
she published a post about you on Creek Secrets.
‐ Perfect.
‐ I think you could still come back from this.
You just gotta show everyone it was a one‐off,
and no better way to do that than to hit up the Winter Carnival.
So, what time should we head over? Seven?
I can swing by your place,
or we could just hang out till then‐‐ ‐ Please, just stop talking.
I don't want to go to the Winter Carnival with you, Felix.
I don't know you. We're not friends.
We're just two guys that happen to live in the same building.
‐ Okay.
Yeah. Totally.
ARMANDO: ...on the move!
ISABEL: God, you're making me feel like I'm a crazy person!
[Armando speaking Spanish]
ISABEL: [sighs] Please don't tell me to calm down.
I knew something like this was gonna happen.
We pull them out of school in the middle of the year.
We take them away from everyone that they love‐‐ ARMANDO: You are so dramatic.
ISABEL: Okay... ARMANDO: Please, I just need you to be positive.
Remember, this is for our family. ISABEL: [chuckling] Oh, my G‐‐
Victor. Hi.
‐ Papi, why are you home so early?
‐ Because of the fight.
‐ Oh, yeah. Your sister shoved a girl into a wall,
and now she's got a week of detention. ‐ What?
ISABEL: Yeah. ‐ Why?
‐ This girl and her friends wouldn't stop calling Pilar these terrible names.
She had it coming. ‐ She had it coming?
‐ Yeah. Yeah. ‐ This is why she's like this. She gets it from you.
ARMANDO: [scoffs] Wait, now what is that supposed to mean?
Really, no. [speaking Spanish] ‐ Guys, guys, guys. Come on, come on.
It was just a rough first day.
She takes a while to get adjusted to new things.
Like, like, you remember when Adrian was born?
She would call him "the creature."
And then three weeks later, he was "her creature."
She wouldn't put him down.
‐ You're right. You're right. She just, she needs some time.
Thank you.
And...
how was your first day?
‐ Yeah.
‐ Ah... [exhales] It was, it was great.
Um, I really like it here.
‐ Oh.
Well, that makes me happy. ‐ [laughing] Yeah.
[distant loud rock music playing]
‐ What part of "quietly think about your actions"
did you not understand? ‐ I, I'll talk to her.
ISABEL: Thank you. ARMANDO: Of course.
‐ It looks great in here, Mama. ISABEL: Yeah?
[distant music stops] Yeah, I spent today trying to fix it up.
Make it feel like us, you know?
‐ Hey, is everything okay?
Between you and Dad?
It's just, like, these last few months...
I don't know. You just didn't used to fight so much.
‐ Well, marriage is hard sometimes, mi amor.
Even the really good ones.
I don't know, I just spend so much time...
pretending that I'm not...
worried about what's gonna happen to us. And...
I don't know. All that pretending, it can just be so‐‐
‐ Exhausting.
‐ Yes.
I'm sorry. I shouldn't burden you with this.
But you've always been my strong one.
For everyone else in this family, I pray for guidance.
I pray for help.
But for you, mi lindo, I just say thank you.
Thank you, Jesus, for my rock.
At least I never have to worry about you.
♪ "Wild" by The Japanese House ♪
‐ ♪ I know it was this that had... ♪
VICTOR: Dear Simon,
you don't know me, but my family just moved to Atlanta,
and today was my first day at Creekwood High,
and I heard all about you... I'm kind of excited to start over...
[overlapping]: ...there just wasn't a lot of room to be different.
Screw you for having the world's most perfect, accepting parents.
For some of us, it's not that easy.
I don't expect you to write me back.
Honestly, this message kind of got away from me,
and you probably think I'm totally insane.
But I just need you to know that you're very lucky, Simon.
Sincerely, Victor.
‐ ♪ And I speak quietly ♪
♪ And he can't find me ♪
♪ Then I'm out behind me ♪
♪ Watching myself go ♪
‐ Uh...
Victor to Felix.
I, I don't know if you're there, but‐‐ FELIX [over radio]: I'm here.
Over. [static]
‐ I, um...
I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about earlier.
I shouldn't have taken my bad day out on you.
Are you going to the Winter Carnival?
FELIX [over radio]: I'll pick you up at eight.
‐ I'll see you at 7:45.
♪ "Bigger" by St. Lucia ♪
‐ Thank you, sir.
‐ Thank you.
FELIX: Let me show you. I threw up here about four or five times...
‐ ♪ I tried to tell the truth ♪
♪ But the world got in the way ♪
[dinging] ♪ Now it's much too late ♪
FELIX: Oh, you have to try the apple cider.
It's like drinking Christmas. I'll go get us two. You get the churros.
‐ I... ‐ You know what? That sounded racist.
You go get the apple cider. I'll get the churros.
‐ I... I can get the churros. Okay?
‐ Okay.
[cell phone dings]
[joyful screaming]
SIMON: Dear Victor,
glad you reached out.
First of all, welcome to Creekwood.
I know beginnings are rocky,
but I really hope you end up loving it as much as I did.
I'm sorry that you don't have anyone in your life that you can open up to.
And you're right. I have no idea what it's like to be you.
I can only tell you what I do know.
For me, figuring out who I was and declaring it to the world
was the scariest thing I ever had to do,
even with parents who are so liberal they have special sneakers
just for protesting.
It was hard, but we found our way through it.
Who knows?
Maybe your family could find their way through your stuff, too.
[inaudible]
VICTOR: What are you doing here?
‐ Oh! Well... ‐ Hey.
‐ This is our new home. I decided we should see what it's all about.
‐ It's great. I love spending time with my family.
‐ Oh! Such a nice try, but you're still grounded.
‐ Come on, let's get a candy apple.
‐ Ooh, candy apples. Great. Last one there's buying.
ARMANDO: Oh, eh! Wait! ISABEL: That's you! Come on! [laughs]
‐ You're paying. ADRIAN: But I don't have any money!
SIMON: And maybe you'll find the people in Creekwood
who will support you like my friends did.
The people you can tell anything to.
‐ Ow.
SIMON: And if you're very lucky,
maybe somewhere within the halls of that school,
you'll find the person who's gonna change your life forever.
A few years ago,
I told my now‐boyfriend Bram that he deserves a great love story.
That I deserve a great love story.
And you deserve one, too, Victor.
Hope this helps.
I'm here if you need me.
Love, Simon.
♪ "We Could Be Beautiful" by Wrabel ♪
‐ ♪ It's coming around again ♪
VICTOR: Dear Simon,
maybe you're right.
Maybe I do deserve a great love story.
‐ ♪ You never let me in ♪
♪ We could be beautiful, Beautiful ♪
♪ You've got the bluest eyes ♪
VICTOR: But I'm not sure what that looks like for me.
MIA: Hey. ‐ Hey.
Um, would you wanna ride the Ferris wheel with me?
‐ Uh, yeah. Yeah, I'd love to.
[laughs softly]
‐ ♪ You're the color if you only knew ♪
♪ Every star in the sky, that's you ♪
♪ If you saw you the way that I do ♪
♪ We could be beautiful ♪
VICTOR: Because my story is nothing like yours.
♪
‐ ♪ We could be beautiful ♪
♪ Oh, it's true ♪
♪ You're the color if you only knew ♪
♪ Every star in the sky, that's you ♪
♪ If you saw you the way that I do ♪
♪ We could be beautiful ♪
♪ Ooh ♪
♪ We could be beautiful ♪
♪ Ooh ♪
♪ We could be beautiful ♪
♪ It's coming around again ♪
♪ We could be beautiful ♪
VICTOR: Last night I asked this girl Mia to ride the Ferris wheel with me.
I don't know. Maybe I just wanted to fit in.
But I guess I overshot. [bell ringing]
Because literally overnight,
I have become popular.
‐ I definitely want to take things to the next level. Or any level.
‐ Send him a sexy message or two. [phone buzzing]
‐ She just invited me to her house with a whole bunch of emojis.
‐ Either she's be gonna making you eggplant parmesan,
or you're getting lucky this Friday.
‐ I'm sorry. I just, I just need a minute. [door closes]
‐ I am tired of being this family's punching bag.
‐ Hey, Victor. We were just‐‐ ‐ Fighting.
Look, I get that you guys are going through something,
but you need to do better.
LAKE: I just don't get it. Do you not like her?
Is there someone else? Are you gay? What is it?
‐ I do like her. ‐ Well, then, start acting like it.
‐ Hey, Victor? A word. ‐ Is everything okay?
‐ Tito just saw your two friends kissing.
‐ You need to tell them not to do that here.
‐ I'm basically scared shitless about being here.
How am I supposed to know how to fit in when I have no idea who I am?
‐ Sometimes it's easier to just plaster on a smile,
and let people see what they want.
♪
VICTOR: My brother asked me to make a wish tonight.
I wish that 16 will be the year I finally figure out what I want.
‐ There you go.
You're a natural.
[splashing]
[grunts]