DEGRASSI AFTERMATH - S02E04 - ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS PART 2

Disclaimer: I don´t own Degrassi or any of the characters from it.

1. Ext. Atrium. Day.

Jamie and Chrissy are studying together next to the JT Yorke memorial.

Jamie:

How are we supposed to get this done on time? Are they crazy?

Chrissy:

It means we´ll have to study together after school.

Jamie:

I don´t have time for it, but I guess I´ll have to make time. Are you free after school?

Chrissy:

Not really. I have to pick up my brothers from the daycare center, then when I get home I have to cook them dinner and play mom to them until they go to sleep. After that I get about half an hour to myself, before I have to go to bed. My dad doesn´t get home until after I´ve fallen asleep.

Jamie:

Sounds like your home life is about as exciting as mine is. Then there´s only one thing for it.

Chrissy:

What´s that?

Jamie:

I have to help you with your brothers and the cooking, so we can study afterwards.

Chrissy:

You´d do that for me? You don´t even know me.

Jamie:

Not yet. I need to go. Meet you outside of school after the last bell?

Chrissy:

Yeah.

Jamie:

It´s a date, then.

He leaves and Chrissy is one big smile.

OPENING CREDITS

2. Int. Grace Records. Day.

It´s the end of the day and Jonah is counting up the money and receipts for the day, when the bell goes.

Jonah:

I´m sorry, but were closed for the day. We open at 10 tomorrow.

Paige:

I didn´t come here to buy records.

He comes out from behind the counter and the two kiss.

Jonah:

I thought you weren´t getting in until nine.

Paige:

I took an earlier flight. Did you miss me?

Jonah:

That depends. Did you miss me?

Paige:

Like crazy.

They kiss passionately.

3. Int. Sean and Emma´s apartment. Day.

Emma is taking a sick day and is lounged in front of the TV. The doorbell rings and she drowsily gets up and opens it. It´s Manny, who´s still excited.

Manny:

I´ve found out what I want to do with my life!

Emma:

And it only took you 38 years. Come in.

She comes in and Emma closes the door. She walks back to the couch and lies down.

Manny:

What´s up with you?

Emma:

I think I´ve got the flu or something. Cheer me up. Tell me about this new career of yours.

Manny:

I gonna be a youth counsellor.

Emma:

Wow. Are you sure? You´ll be handling people´s lives. That´s a huge responsibility.

Manny:

What? So I´m not responsible enough?

Emma:

I still remember having grey boogers all week, when I stayed with you in LA a few years ago. If I´d brought the kids, people would have been right to call child services on us.

Manny:

Well, I believe I can do it and so does Bianca and Marco.

Emma:

Who´s Bianca?

Manny:

She´s the coolest woman I´ve ever met. She runs the program and this weekend I get to work side by side with her. I could actually help people, who need it. Imagine that, Me!

Emma:

I´m glad you´re so thrilled and giddy. I´m probably gonna spend the whole weekend being sick anyway. So you found a job, that´s good too.

Manny:

Actually, I´m a volunteer. Most of those in the program are volunteers and it´s only the counsellors that get paid.

Emma:

And Eddy´s still cool with it? You´re not gonna have a lot of time together with this and when you get a real job. You know, one that pays money. Have you applied for any jobs like that this week?

Manny:

No, but I send out 7 applications last week. I didn´t get an interview, but two of the places wrote that they´d store my resume in their database.

Emma:

Don´t give up, okay?

Manny:

I haven´t. Tonight feels like a fresh start.

She moves in to give Emma a hug, but Emma coughs loudly and she backs off.

4. Montage. music: "It Takes Two" by Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston

Jamie and Chrissy meet up outside of school. They take the bus to the daycare center and are chatting away, enjoying each other´s company. They get the boys from daycare and Jamie plays with James, who´s happy to have an older boy to play with for once. At the supermarket, he entertains the boys while Chrissy does the shopping. He has fun playing with them and so do they. Chrissy is enjoying watching them. On the busride back to the house, Adam falls asleep in Jamie´s arms. Chrissy thinks it adorable. They make dinner together and Jamie is not a half bad chef, so they have fun with it. After dinner they study, while James watches a kid´s movie and Adam plays with his toys. Chrissy is amazed at how quiet they are. When it´s time to leave, they give each other a slightly nervous hug. He leaves and she looks like she´s about to melt.

5. Int. Jonah´s Apartment. Evening.

Paige is awaiting dinner. Jonah is finishing up in the kitchen and brings the food in.

Jonah:

Here we go. My famous Vegan Ratatuille.

He puts it down on the table. Paige tries to smile.

Paige:

Vegan, huh? I guess I´m not too old to try something new.

Jonah:

You´re a Vegan virgin?

Paige:

I guess so.

Jonah:

Then it´s a good thing that I´m your cook. It can be a bit boring, the way some people make it, but there´s little ways of getting around it.

He pours them both a portion. She tastes it.

Paige:

Mmmm.

Jonah:

I told you. Does this mean you´re going vegan with me?

Paige:

Ah, ah. You´re never getting the meatlover out of this girl. Cheers.

The toast on club soda.

Paige:

You never told me why you don´t drink.

Jonah:

I decided to go straight edge, when I was 16.

Paige:

Straight Edge. That´s the no drinking, no drugs and all that stuff, right?

Jonah:

Something like that. I started drinking and doing drugs when I was 12. By the time I was 16, I was about as messed up as you could get. If I´d continued down that road, I wouldn´t have made it to 18. So I took a little trip to a rehab centre and I haven´t touched any of it since. I decided to change and do positive things with my life.

Paige:

That´s so amazing of you.

Jonah:

When you finally realize that it´s either get clean or die, the choice becomes a lot easier.

Paige:

Since you´re being so honest, there´s something I should tell you too.

She gathers herself for a moment and takes another sip of her club soda.

Jonah:

I don´t judge people, if that´s what you´re afraid of.

Paige:

Okay, here goes. I was raped, when I was 15.

Jonah was about to take a bite, but puts the spoon down.

Jonah:

I´m sorry, I guess. I don´t know what to say.

Paige:

His name was Dean. God, I still hate that name! He was a freshman in college, who I met when I was cheerleading. We were called "The Spirit Squad", so he always called me "Spirit".

She has to take another sip before she continues.

Paige:

He invited me and my friend Hazel to a party. I was supposed to hang out with Spinner, so I lied to him. We showed up at this party and right away there´s a girl who warned me against him. If only I´d listened to that girl and run away as fast as I could. It wasn´t long until Spinner showed up, so in desperation I asked Dean to show me his dorm room. Once we got up there ...

She has to wipe a tear away. Jonah holds her hand.

Jonah:

You don´t have to tell me, if you don´t want to.

Paige:

No, I want to. I think I know the reason why the only two I´ve ever stayed with for a long time, were Spinner and Alex. I think the reason why, is because they were the only ones, who knew. Somehow that bastard is still ruining my life all these years after, because I´m letting him. It´s time for that to stop!

Jonah:

Then let me help you. You can finish the story whenever you want, I´ll always be ready to listen.

Paige:

I need to finish it now. So we went up the stairs to his dormroom. When we got in, he threw me down on the bed and locked the door. I still thought that we´d only be kissing or something. I´d never even been to second base with a guy. He got on top of me and held me down, while he tore my panties off.

Jonah:

God.

Paige:

It all started so fast and I was so shocked, that I didn´t even realize that I was getting raped until he was almost finished. I kept crying and begging him to stop ...

She has to stop again.

Jonah:

Noone could hear you?

Paige:

It was a loud party downstairs. I mostly remember how afraid I was, more than how much it hurt. I kept thinking "What if he´s gonna do this to me all night long"? The whole thing was over in about 20 minutes. At first I wanted to forget it and move on, but when he started going after Manny, I went to the police.

Jonah:

Please tell me that son of a bitch went to jail.

Paige:

I pressed charges against him, but it had been too long since it happened and there wasn´t enough evidence. I got own my revenge against him.

Jonah:

What did you do?

Paige:

He had this yellow sportscar, that he treated like his baby. Spinner had just bought his first car, so I stole it, smashed into Dean´s car and completely wrecked it! I did it right in front of his fraternity and called him a rapist in front of everyone, so they kicked him out.

Jonah:

Wow. What kind of woman have I found here?

Paige:

A slightly crazy one, I guess.

Jonah:

That´s funny. That´s just the way I like my women.

They smile at each other and continue eating dinner.

6. Int. Call Centre. Night.

Manny and Bianca are the only two left. Manny pours them fresh cups of coffee. Bianca looks up at the clock.

Bianca:

You can go home if you want. I don´t think anyone´s calling the last hour. I´m sorry it was so dead tonight. You can never predict it. Exept for around Christmas, that´s the only time were sure to get lots of calls.

Manny:

My boyfriend is picking me up at 3, so I might as well stay.

Bianca:

That´s a good guy you´ve found there.

Manny:

We´ve been close friends for 8 years, but we didn´t get together until 3 months ago.

Bianca:

If you can find a guy like that, hold on to him.

Manny:

There´s no mr. DeSousa?

Bianca:

No, I´m chronically married to my job. I was engaged once upon a time, but I broke it off.

Manny:

What happened?

Bianca:

He got held back in his senior year and I went off to college. We fought so hard to make his mom accept that we were getting married, then I dumped him pretty unceremoniously. I haven´t seen him for many years now.

Manny:

It sounds like he was the one that got away.

Bianca:

Something like that.

The two both take a sip of coffee.

7. Int. Chrissy´s Room. Day.

Chrissy, Lisa and Julie are getting dolled up for the dance, helped by Paige. She´s putting make up on Lisa.

Lisa:

I´m not sure my mom wants me wearing make-up.

Paige:

I started when I was 12. It´s not like I´m putting warpaint on you, it´s just a little tasteful touch up.

Lisa puts her glasses back on. She looks in the mirror and smiles.

Paige:

There you go. I´m sure, what was his name?

Lisa:

Jack.

Paige:

That Jack will love it.

Julie:

I still can´t believe that you got a date with Jamie.

Paige:

Tell me about him.

Julie:

He´s this super talented skater, who there´s about a zillion girls in school after.

Paige:

And you got him?

Chrissy:

I wouldn´t say, I´ve got him. We had an awesome day together yesterday, but we haven´t kissed yet, only hugged.

Paige:

But he asked you out?

Chrissy:

I had to lead the conversation to the topic, but yes he did.

Paige:

You are already sneaky beyond your years.

Lisa:

He´s a wild kid too. I´ve heard he hangs out down at The Ravine sometimes.

Paige:

That place still exists?

Julie:

I´ve never heard of it.

Chrissy:

It´s like a free place, where teenagers go to get drunk and have sex with eachother. But I don´t think it´s true, he´s not like that.

Julie:

I hope Simon doesn´t go down there.

Chrissy gets a message. She looks disappointed.

Chrissy:

He has to cancel. Family emergency.

Lisa:

Aww. But you´re still going with us, aren´t you?

Julie:

The night wouldn´t be the same without you.

Chrissy:

I´m not gonna let some boy spoil my fun. Let´s Party!

8. Int. Gymnasium. Evening.

The dance is underway and several kids are dancing, including Julie (who´s dancing with Simon) and Lisa (who´s dancing with Jack), who are enjoying themselves. Chrissy however only has Tina Van Zandt to talk to.

Tina:

Isn´t this fun! I mean it would have been more fun if we had dates, but I guess that since I´m only 11 and they skipped me a year because I´m so smart, I´ll have to wait until next year until there´s other 11 year olds who start here. I mean of course they´ll be 12 by then, but they´ll still be the same age as me. Did you have a date?

Chrissy had zoned out and has to snap back.

Chrissy:

Huh?

Tina:

Did you have a date?

Chrissy:

I did, but he had to cancel because of a family emergency.

Tina:

That´s too bad, but there´s nothing more important than family. I mean I have 2 brothers, James and Toby.

Chrissy:

I have a little brother named James too.

Tina:

I have 16 cousins and second cousins. Annie, Janie, Mary ...

Chrissy zones out again.

9. Int. Call Center. Evening.

There´s now 3 lines besides Bianca´s open. Bianca hangs up.

Manny:

I think I´m starting to get it.

Bianca:

You do? Then how about you handle the next one.

She doesn´t have to wait long and the phone rings.

Bianca:

I´ll be listening in. If I think you´re making a mistake, I´ll take over. If that happens, don´t argue with me. This is all about the caller, not us.

Manny:

Do you think I´m ready?

Bianca:

You´re full of empathy. That´s the perfect trait to have in this job. Now pick up.

Manny picks up the phone and sits down in Bianca´s chair.

Manny:

Youth Help Line, this is Manny. How can I help you?

She can hear a girl sobbing on the other end.

Manny:

Please talk to me.

Deb (voice over):

I need some help.

Manny:

That´s why I´m here.

Deb (voice over):

I don´t know where to start.

Manny:

Well, what´s your biggest problem right now?

Deb (voice over):

I think my dad is planning on killing my mom. I´m not sure that he wouldn´t kill me and my brother too.

Manny:

I ...

She is dumb founded and Bianca takes over.

Bianca:

Hello? I´m Bianca and I´m another counsellor here ... she hung up.

Manny:

What do we do?

Bianca:

We guarantee confidentiality. Without that, they won´t feel safe calling us.

Manny:

But this man could kill his family!

Bianca:

There´s nothing we can do, unless she calls back.

The phone rings again.

Bianca:

Toronto is too full of kids in trouble, for us to use all our strength on someone, who´s not sure if they want to be helped.

She picks the phone up.

Bianca:

Youth Help Line, this is Bianca.

Manny looks frustrated.

10. Int. Gymnasium. Evening.

The dance is winding down. Lisa, Julie and Chrissy are sitting at a table drinking punch.

Chrissy:

I´m heading home.

Julie:

C´mon, just half an hour more.

Chrissy:

You guys had fun. I had to listen to Tina´s entire family history.

Lisa:

If you wait half an hour, my mom could drive you home.

Chrissy:

I could use a walk after sitting down all night.

Lisa:

Okay, see you Monday.

Simon and Jack comes over to them. Chrissy downs the rest of her punch.

Chrissy:

That´s my cue to leave. Bye.

Julie

Bye.

11. Ext, Street. Evening.

Chrissy looks like she´s regretted her decision to walk home. She walks by the entrance to The Ravine and stops. She decides to quietly sneak down there. She walks way out by the edge, where no one can see her and just observes the teenagers down there. There´s a group of 4 guys, who are drinking beer and having a burping contest, which she finds funny. She almost trips over two young men, who are nearly naked and making out with one another.

Man #1:

Hey.

Chrissy:

I´m so sorry.

Man #2:

We should have waited until there was a free trailer.

Man #1:

That could have been all night. I couldn´t wait that long.

They go back to making out, like she wasn´t there. She decides that this was enough of an adventure for one night and starts to head back towards to exit. She sees Jamie talking to Charlie and looks hurt. She tries to get out unseen, but Charlie points her out to Jamie.

Jamie:

Chrissy?

He catches up to her on his skateboard and she turns around.

Jamie:

What are you doing here?

Chrissy:

I could ask you the same thing.

Jamie:

I was just talking to Charlie.

Chrissy:

I get it, you´d rather hang out down here with your friends than be at the dance with me. Julie said that you´re bad news, I should have listened to her.

Jamie:

Julie? Simon´s girlfriend? I haven´t been anything except nice to her.

Chrissy:

Well, it´s not nice to lie about having a family emergency.

Jamie:

But we did.

Chrissy:

Yeah, right!

Jamie:

My uncle Reg, who´s also Charlie´s uncle, was rushed to the hospital with a burst appendix. Charlie´s parents took his phone away, so I came right from the hospital here to tell him, that Reg is gonna be okay.

Chrissy:

So Charlie is your cousin. Could you pull my foot out of my mouth? I think I got it stuck pretty far in there.

Jamie:

I was so excited to be going to the dance with you.

Chrissy:

You were?

Jamie:

I´ve never been on a date or kissed anyone before.

Chrissy:

But I thought that there were all these girls that like you.

Jamie:

But I don´t like any of them. As friends, yes, but not for a girlfriend. I want my first girlfriend to be someone special.

Chrissy:

I´m special?

They have their first kiss. It´s about as magical as she could have ever imagined, with the full moon above them and the perfect boy to share it with. She´s almost woozy afterwards.

Chrissy:

So that´s what all the fuss was about!

Jamie:

Tell me about it! That was great!

Chrissy:

You think so? I´m so glad. I was afraid it was too wet or too dry or ...

Jamie:

It couldn´t have been more perfect.

They smile at each other and kiss again.

CLOSING CREDITS