Full Tilt

Blake drives home with his friends. Russ and Maggie look at the strange invitation from Cassandra. Russ is convinced that it will let them into an outdoor party. He and Quinn pressure Blake to go, but Maggie stands up for him. Blake and Quinn arrive home to find their mother making out with her boyfriend, Carl. Carl and their mom tell the boys that they’re engaged. Carl tries to win over Quinn by gifting him a new earring, but Quinn goes straight to his bedroom. Blake accepts his own gift, a stuffed envelope with information about New York.

Blake passes Quinn’s room—a dirty, unorganized mess—and goes to his own, which he keeps tidy. Neatly hung posters for places that he longs to visit cover his walls. Carl’s gift overwhelms Blake: It makes his move to New York more concrete. His anxious mind goes back to a school bus accident from his childhood. After speaking with his mom, Blake goes to Quinn’s room. Blake reveals that he’s having second thoughts about attending Columbia. Quinn gets angry at Blake’s fearfulness, which is threatening to disrupt Blake’s future.