Trae Ventura/Season 2

### The Alibi

Although Trae is still hospitalized after three weeks in the hospital, the origins of the video scandal exposure are revisited. It appears that Trae and Kalleb collaborated on seeking revenge on Brian and Viktor for good. They transfer the video recordings to a DVD-R and plotted to expose them and interrupt The Savages' performance, as shown in *The Boomerang Effect*. When the plan succeeds, it immediately backfires when Rose targets Kalleb, who immediately calls Trae to warn him. Trae claims that they both need an alibi to keep from getting a consequence. But, when Dirty Dan eavesdrops, Trae blackmails him into keeping quiet. However, Dirty Dan doesn't cooperate and they decide to pin the video scandal on him by making a fake YouTube account for him to expose Brian and Viktor. Trae also manipulates Dirty Dan into having fellatio to import the videos from a USB drive to Dan's computer.

Brian, later on reveals the extent of their sexual affair that started during sophomore year. He and Trae did not get along, but they had a sexual attraction to each other, having several encounters at Kalleb's home. When Trae admits feelings for Brian, he doesn't reciprocate the feelings and makes a racist comment to Trae that angers him, and later on bullies him. This is the context that motivated Trae to seek revenage, aside from Zachary.

### The Scarlet Letters

Trae, after a month of recovery, returns back to James A. Masters High School hoping to start a new leaf, but flashbacks from the riot take a toll on his mentality. Aside from this, he is oblivious to The Savages's premeditated intervention for him, and is then confronted by the group based on their knowledge of his responsibilities in the video scandal. Sydney tries to 'kick him out' of his group and speaks for the members for losing trust in him, calling him selfish and evil for what he did and what he could have done to the group. As a result of this, Trae calls out the others for being hypocritical for not acknowledging his loyalty to the group. Therefore, he leaves The Savages.

He avoids the clique at all costs despite Alex and Carl convincing him to stay. When he meets the new principal, Jennifer Gordon, he realizes that she knows about his involvement in the video scandal, and blackmails him by using his dreams of becoming a journalist as a path to success.

After seemingly giving in, he reunites with Zachary and later confesses his love for him after remembering what Zachary told him after he was shot. Eventually, the two begin dating, shortly after Sydney accuses Trae of writing scarlet letters in her name. *(The Scarlet Letters)*

### The Conflict of Interest and The Roman Holiday

However, Trae comes to terms with his commitment issues, after revealing his inexperience in relationships before dating Zachary. This confusion comes in as Trae is forced to reschedule their first official date, as he prepares to go to Philadelphia for Christmas break. He relies on advice from his mother, and tells her he doesn't want to be like his father, who cheated on his mother before he was born. In order to prove he's willing to change, he performs *I Want To Know What Love Is* to Zachary, asking him to take steps with him.

While his relationship with Zachary seems to be on a good note thus far, he finds himself hiding his relationship from his estranged family when he returns to Philadelphia for the holidays. While he begs his mother not to say anything about his relationship with Zachary, his cousins Darrell and Rashad seem to pester him about his relationships, forcing him to lie about his relationship with a girl. However, this lie doesn't last long when he receives a digital version of a scarlet letter, intimating how homophobic his family is. Coincidentally, his cousin Darrell invades his phone and finds a photo of him and Zachary, and outs Trae in front of their family during dinner. This situation causes an altercation between Trae and his uncle Shawn after Trae comes out as bisexual to them. With this, Stacey defends Trae and decides to return back to Seattle due to family feuds. When Trae returns, he goes to Carl's house uninvited, only to discover Eli is living there.

### The Rose That Grew From Concrete

Trae's knowledge of this slowly makes him distant from Carl, who continues to convince him to help dig up information about Eli. Although Trae wanted to avoid getting involved in any complicated situations, he gives in for the sake of maintaining his relationship with Carl. He encourages Carl to remain a close bond with Eli and search for his identity. Despite this, Trae and Carl get into a dispute about Trae's departure from The Savages, but it makes Trae realize how selfish he has been to them, knowing why he created The Savages. When Carl finds out Eli Hawk's true identity and gets a scarlet letter, Trae gives in and decides to seek reconciliation with The Savages.

### The Blackout

With Trae's return to The Savages, he is oblivious to the potential connection between the scarlet letters and Felix's murder (which is intimated that most members of The Savages had a role in). However, in that moment, Trae and the Savages pin Joe Bender as the prime suspect. Coincidentally, as Trae and the Savages come forth with their scarlet letters, Joe and his new-found supergroup The Glamouflage approach The Savages to establish their territory and competition with the latter. This makes Trae increasingly paranoid, knowing that Joe would do anything to get back at him after the riot.

In another ironic circumstance, Trae is forced to work with Joe on a music project and tensions run high. Trae hoped to use that opportunity to get information out of him regarding the scarlet letters. While Trae also remains suspicious with boyfriend Zachary's behavior, he is asked to meet Zachary to talk, but when he and Joe gets stuck in an elevator during a power outage, arguments and truths increase. Joe admits to Trae of his jealousy of him and how much Trae has changed after The Savages, and also admits his respect. With this information, Trae and Joe learn about each other and develops a frenemy bond as The Glamouflage and The Savages declare a brawl outside of school. Both cliques get suspended from school, while Trae and Joe are unscathed after being free from the elevator. Afterwards, Trae discovers Zachary's suspicious behavior when he finds ecstacy in Zachary's backpack. He confronts Zachary, who continues to hide secrets from him.