Episodes 01

“Trying to Get to Heaven Before They Close the Door”

As a child, Fezco was taken in by his grandmother, who introduced him to the drug trade. In the present, Ashtray kills Mouse with a hammer. On New Year’s Eve, an intoxicated Rue accompanies Fez and Ashtray to an intense drug deal with associates of a dealer named Laurie before attending a large house party. Nate and Cassie have sex at the party and are nearly caught by Maddy. Rue takes a spate of drugs with a student named Elliot before reuniting with Jules, to whom she admits relapsing the night Jules left her at the train station. The two later admit their feelings for one another and kiss. Fezco bonds with Lexi, then confronts Nate, whom he viciously beats until the other guests stop him.

Episodes 02

“Out of Touch”

Nate recovers from his beating at the hospital, refusing to tell his father who attacked him. Cassie, who has experienced a depressive episode since her abortion, continues seeing Nate despite knowing it could ruin her friendship with Maddy. Jules becomes insecure about Rue’s friendship with Elliot, unaware the two have been regularly taking drugs together. Kat’s interest in Ethan begins to wane over her own issues with self-esteem. Cal investigates Nate’s assault and pressures Cassie into naming Fez as the attacker. He later confronts Nate, who responds by revealing he knows of his father’s secret sexual exploits, including the video of him and Jules.

Episodes 03

“Ruminations: Big and Little Bullys”

As a teenager, Cal was attracted to his friend Derek while dating his future wife, Marsha. Derek reciprocated his feelings, but Marsha’s unexpected pregnancy compelled Cal to stay with her and hide his sexual orientation. In the present, Rue develops a plan to hide her drug use from Jules and Gia. When she runs out of drugs, she convinces Laurie to give her a large stash, ostensibly for Rue to sell. Ali becomes suspicious of Rue, causing a vicious argument that leads them to cut ties. Cassie becomes further isolated due to her obsession with Nate. Lexi channels her frustrations with Cassie and Rue, as well as her own loneliness, into writing a play to stage at school. Cal visits Fez, thinking he has the video of Jules, but Ashtray beats him into admitting his indiscretions. Fez lets him go on the condition that he stops hunting him and keeps Nate away from Rue and Jules. Nate cancels plans with Cassie to rekindle his relationship with Maddy.

Episodes 04

“You Who Cannot See, Think of Those Who Can”

Jules and Elliot kiss. Cassie ends her relationship with Nate after he admits having resumed talking to Maddy. The Howards host a birthday party for Maddy, where Cassie gets exceedingly drunk and later vomits when Nate arrives and discusses his relationship with Maddy. Rue, Jules and Elliot rob a convenience store, but Rue storms out after Jules calls her out for drinking. She takes drugs and hallucinates her father in a church. Cal gets drunk and drives to the bar where he first kissed Derek; after getting thrown out, he returns home, drunkenly berates his family for not allowing him to be open about his sexual desires, and abruptly decides to leave them. Elliot discloses Rue’s ongoing drug use to Jules, but a devastated Jules sleeps with Elliot nonetheless.

Episodes 05

“Stand Still Like the Hummingbird”

Leslie learns of Rue’s relapse from Jules and throws out the suitcase of drugs Rue acquired from Laurie. Rue in turn has a violent meltdown at her mother and sister, as well as Jules and Elliot. She runs away and attempts to get the $10,000 she owes Laurie by stealing from friends and breaking into homes. After her mother and friends find her stealing from the Howards’ house, Rue reveals Cassie’s and Nate’s relationship to Maddy and the others, causing chaos. Reeling from withdrawal, Rue narrowly escapes the police and reaches Laurie’s apartment. Laurie gives her morphine for the pain, but implies she will force Rue to prostitute herself to pay her debts. Rue wakes up early the next morning, sneaks out of the apartment, and returns home.

Episodes 06

“A Thousand Little Trees of Blood”

Two weeks after returning home, Rue makes progress in recovering from withdrawal, reconciling with Ali in the process. Kat and Ethan break up. Cassie and Nate struggle with their secret being out and argue with their mothers. Cassie’s stress makes Lexi wonder how her play will be received. Fez is housing Faye, the girlfriend of his associate Custer, whom he hasn’t seen since the deal with Laurie; Custer privately meets Faye and reveals he is a police informant working to bring down Fez and Ashtray for Mouse’s murder. Nate goes to Maddy’s house and forces her at gunpoint to give up the disc containing the video of Cal and Jules. He then gives Jules the disc, apologizing for his past behavior; the two admit the feelings they expressed to each other by text message the previous year were genuine. Leslie learns no inpatient facility has room for Rue and breaks down, fearing Rue will kill herself without treatment.

Episodes 07

“The Theater and Its Double”

Jules destroys the disc Nate gave her. Leslie tells Rue she is done dealing with her drug addiction and plans to focus on Gia. Maddy wishes to leave East Highland after the end of the school year, feeling there is nothing to keep her there. Lexi’s play, Our Life, is performed for East Highland’s students, parents and faculty; the students quickly realize the play is based on their lives. The play shows various significant events from Lexi’s perspective, such as Rue’s father’s wake, Cassie’s puberty, Rue’s and Lexi’s friendship, Cassie and Maddy’s friendship, and Maddy and Nate’s relationship. Fez fails to make it to the play despite promising Lexi he would be there. Ethan, playing Nate, performs a homoerotic rendition of “Holding Out for a Hero” with other male students; an offended Nate storms out of the play and angrily breaks up with Cassie, who is enraged.

Episodes 08

“All My Life, My Heart Has Yearned for a Thing I Cannot Name”

Cassie disrupts the play when she rushes the stage and berates Lexi, only to be chased backstage and attacked by Maddy. Lexi finishes her play with the crew’s and audience’s support. Fez is visited by Custer, who is wearing a wire. Ashtray realizes Custer is a police informant and fatally stabs him, while Fez destroys his phone. Police storm the compound; Ashtray locks himself in the bathroom and engages in a shootout with the police. He is shot and a wounded Fez is arrested. Nate confronts Cal with a flash drive containing all of Cal’s explicit videos, before the police, tipped off by Nate, come to arrest Cal. After the play, Jules tells Rue that she loves and misses her. Rue reconciles with Elliot and narrates that she stayed clean for the rest of the school year and is cautiously optimistic about the future.