Ticking.

Titles song: Ticking by Elton John.

Tensions mount in all directions.

Home life is miserable, so Kevin continues to drive out of town to hook up.

The affair with the gymnastics coach takes an unexpected twist when after Mr. Isherwood comes into the house and catches Kevin in the act with his roommate. Terrified of losing his job and repercussions, Mr. Isherwood forces a confrontation at school with Kevin.

Debbie and Clint start dating, leaving Kevin out in the cold.

Kevin and April cross paths unexpectedly in Portland at Kevin’s favorite gay cafe, which makes him even cooler in April’s eyes. But in her enthusiasm she unwittingly outs him in choir class, which quickly spreads to the school.

He has another run-in with Zach’s gang, this one threatening to be more violent.

Rev. Jones’ affair is revealed to the congregation and the family is forced to leave town.

Kevin, on a knife’s edge and feeling trapped, fantasizes about escape scenarios, one about gunning down the bullies at school, another about drowning himself. Instead, realizing he’s finished in this town, he decides to get creative. He delivers a brave speech about Harvey Milk’s assassination and gay rights to his civics class and walks out of the school, never to return.

He then drives to the mall, heads to an optometrist to get contact lenses and lose the glasses, then to a salon, and we watch in the mirror as he transforms his look. Emerging from the mall in new, fitted clothes and short blonde hair, defiant.

Closing song: Ticking by Frank Ocean

EPISODE 03 SOUNDTRACK