The episode starts with an auction for a blue diamond ring, with the camera panning to our new character Noma in the middle of the crowd suspiciously analyzing the atmosphere. As the auction winner proposes to her girlfriend with that ring we see Noma with her men approaching the couple, She brutally cuts down the hand of the woman and wears the ring back claiming she took back what actually was her.
Through this scene, we can get an idea that the power she holds is ruthless and can go to any level to get what she wants.
In a few seconds, we see Tariq and Effie talking to each other about how things will not be the same since school is about to start, and suddenly Becca and her mom interrupt them initiating them to leave.
In the next scene, Monet gets to know that Zeke's property will officially be given
to her as she is the biological mother, while she is still grieving, she wants the cops to find out more information about her son's death. Laurenzo wants Diana to understand what Monet is going through and gets her to attend Stansfield full time and also stay at the campus, she agrees after admitting this would not be the right time to attend the school.
Brayden begins work with the Weston family We see that a bunch of alumni of the Stansfield do not want Tariq to attend the school, the Dean warns Tariq about how the students feel unsafe with him staying near them, and we see Tate correcting the Dean on the take "Black Lives Matter" and how they are just being racist to Tariq, but anyway he hints Tariq to change the narrative of campus or they will find a way to get him out and nobody could help him.
The Scene shifts to a party where Dru and Cane are seen negotiating a deal, and the supplier demands cash with 60% of the profit, which clearly upsets them to close it with a profit of 30% to be given.
We also see Noma breaking with her men asking questions keeping Cane, Tariq, and Brayden at Gunpoint, she reveals that Mecca was her first lieutenant, his drugs belonged to her and more importantly, he was her fiance. She wants to know what happened to Mecca, therefore she uses Raquel as her hostage and asks her what happened to her profit to which she apologizes but gets shot by Noma straight in the head.
Now the boys tell Noma that they used to work for Mecca and he needed people who know how to move around when he came to New York. Brayden suggests that they may not bring Mecca back but keep the cash flow going. Noma decides to give them a chance as they explain how they have many connections and can help her just the way Mecca did or even better. She gives them 30 days to prove their point and also orders them to find information about what happened
to Mecca.
In the classroom, Professor Bennet teaches the kids about perceiving reality which of course foreshadows the title of the episode, a whole diverse discussion breaks among the student where we get to know different opinions and how the students perceive their realities.
One of the students points out Zeke that how he went from a beloved basketball player to a murder victim.
The conversation goes from Tariq to Diana where she asks the professor that, despite not hurting anyone will Zeke be always remembered as an accused killer? To which she responds unless someone tries to change the narrative.
The scene shifts to Brayden convincing Cane to help him kill someone he wanted, they go on discussing and further arguing about who should kill that person. Also, Tariq is seen proposing a deal to Luis, which according to him would help both of them but Luis suspects Tariq and further accuses him to be involved in the drug business just like his father, this triggers Tariq and out of anger he stabs the knife straight into him, and thereafter he dies on the spot, Brayden and Cane appear at the crime scene and help Tariq hide the body.
In the next frame, we see Jenny Sullivan and another detective discuss how Tariq's whole family is a menace, she reveals that Tariq was present a night before Dante Spears was killed, Jenny believes that Tariq, Brayden, The Tejada family, and Davis are connected in a criminal network, she doesn't have the evidence to prove this though.
At the Basketball Opening Event in Stansfield, Monet remembers her son as he used to be a former basketball player, she gets all flashbacks on how she used to cheer him up, and she grieves by holding Zeke's Basketball uniform. The montage ends when Tariq gets up on the stage and starts talking about how Zeke was when he was alive, and how he deserved better, This scene leaves the audience emotionally attached to the sense of loss. While delivering the speech Tariq remembers that it does not matter how innocent he plays, he himself is aware of the reality that he is a criminal and is becoming just like his dad. Once again this highlights the perception of reality, Tariq promises to work hard on himself to stay at campus and hopes that his fellow students give him a chance to improve.
Now, Tariq, Effie, Brayden, and Cane team up to move the Drugs, they get into a secret
underground room where all of the products are kept, and they get monitored by Noma's men in case they do not hit the mark. Effie doubts that Tariq should not bring Tejadas into this and also she cannot trust them, but they have to come up with a plan together to keep the Drugs moving.
The final scene is a perfect teaser for the next episode and also keeps the audience on the edge of their seats as we see Jenny mysteriously meeting Lauren, who is alive and healthy.
Earlier in an argument with Cooper Saxe, Jenny seems to lie about the death of Lauren Baldwin and says that she believes Lauren died in a car accident thus Monet Tejada has nothing to do with it. Lauren asks Jenny in the last dialogue of this episode, How much longer does she has to pretend she is dead?
This episode was a whole ride of self-realization to the ruthless new character being introduced, how Lauren Baldwin's death is a lie to Tariq's side hustle to free her mother.
The main highlight of the episode shows how Tariq perceives himself as his reality, and also he can never really get a fresh start, he is already involved in criminal activities that leave him slowly becoming like his father, and we see how he is still attached to his past. Many of the characters do not really know the truth, be it, Monet who has no idea Zeke's killer is in her house which is Laurenzo, Tariq who thinks Lauren Baldwin is dead, Davis believes Saxe is on his side when he’s really helping Jenny get evidence that Davis is working for Tariq and the Tejada family.
