DEGRASSI: AFTERMATH - S04E03 - FREEDOM OF CHOICE

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

1. Ext. Skatepark. Evening.

It´s a nice warm summer´s eve and the outdoor part of the Skatepark is in heavy use, wtih several kids down there. Jamie and Allison are training together on the Half Pipe, with them using one half of it each. Simon is with a small group of younger kids, who are wowed by what they´re seeing. When they end their run, Simon and the kids applaud them. They both bow to their receptive audience.

Simon:

That´s it, guys. The show´s over.

Kids:

Aww!

Allison sits down on a bench to take her skates off. A cute little skater girl named Trina, about 10 years old, comes over to her with a pencil and a pad.

Trina:

Can I have your autograph?

Allison is a little surprised, but smiles widely at the girl.

Allison:

Sure. What´s your name?

Trina:

Trina.

Allison:

That´s a cool name.

Trina:

Thanks.

Trina is one big smile as Allison writes on her pad. She hands it back to her and Trina couldn´t be happier.

Allison:

Do you skate?

Trina:

I started about a month ago.

Allison:

In a few years, I´m sure you´ll be beating all of us. Then I´ll be asking for your autograph. I´m sure Jamie will give you his, if you ask him.

Trina:

That´s okay. You´re the one, who´s my idol.

They wave goodbye to each other as she leaves. Allison is gleaming as Jamie sits down next to her.

Jamie:

Did you make a little friend there?

Allison:

That was my first autograph. God, she was cute!

Jamie:

I know. It awesome how we can make them so happy with so little.

They look over to see Simon practicing on the half pipe. He´s a lot more careful than we´re used to and bails or slows down every time he´s anywhere close to losing control. Allison looks worried about him.

Allison:

He´s still afraid.

Jamie:

It takes time. When I broke my wrist, it was a few weeks after i started skating again, until I got it out of me.

Allison:

Like you and Chrissy. What´s the status on that, if you don´t mind me asking?

Jamie:

I guess you could say, we´re on a break. I´m trying to focus on the competition tomorrow. After that´s over, I can go back to worrying about it.

Allison:

I heard there´ll be scouts there. Maybe one of us could land a sponsorship deal.

Jamie:

Once you´re on contract, you have to compete in every competition, they want you to.

Allison:

I don´t know about you, but if I could drop out of school and make millions from skating, I will in a second.

Jamie:

I´m not dropping out of school, but with the competions, the travelling and the extra training, most of my free time will be booked. I have to be there for Charlie, so something else will have to give.

Allison:

Like, the currently estranged girlfriend?

Jamie leans back and considers it.

OPENING CREDITS

2. Int. Degrassi Hallway. Day.

Chrissy is walking up to one of the water fountains. She´s in a better mood than the last time we saw her. Just before she´s about to press the button, an older girl pushes her out of the way.

Girl:

If you don´t mind.

She starts to drink. Chrissy looks annoyed.

Chrissy:

You couldn´t wait your turn?

Girl:

I´ve heard the stories and I don´t want to know where your hands have been. It´s nothing personal, I just don´t want to catch anything nasty from you.

Chrissy shakes her head in disbelief, as the girl walks away. Jamie comes up to her.

Jamie:

Are you okay?

Chrissy:

I must have reached the next stage.

Jamie:

What´s that?

Chrissy:

The one, where people treat me like a leper.

Jamie:

Sorry.

Chrissy:

How are you?

Jamie:

Excited for tonight.

Chrissy:

The competition, right. I wish I could be there, but I don´t think my dad will drive me.

Jamie:

Jack´s bailed, so we´ve got a free seat in my dad´s car.

Chrissy:

Are you sure? It´s a lot of hours on the road.

Jamie:

It´s not like I hate you. I´m sure we´ll get through it.

Chrissy:

Cool! I´m there!

Jamie:

We have to be there at 6, so we leave at 4 from my house. You can tell Spinner, we´ll be home around 11. I´ll get my dad to drive you all the way home.

Chrissy:

Sounds awesome!

Jamie:

See you later.

Chrissy:

Yeah, later!

He leaves her smiling.

3. Ext. Zoo. Day.

Miles, Lola, Zoe and Frankie have just come through the entrance and are in good spirits.

Miles:

I think it´s been at least 15 years, since I was at the Zoo.

Lola:

Eli ordered a relaxing day off and that´s what you´re getting.

Frankie:

Was that, when we were in England?

Miles:

The day we spend over an hour looking for you.

Zoe:

What did you do?

Frankie:

I had a hankering for an ice cream, so I told the other´s to wait. I guess they didn´t hear me.

Miles:

When mom and dad found out you were missing, they freaked. Hunter was so worried about you, he almost started to cry.

Lola:

Did you cry?

Frankie:

No, I just went to the Monkey Cage and stood there watching the monkeys play, until they found me. My mom had told me, I should stay in one place if I got lost from them, so that´s what I did.

Miles:

She knew about your tendency to wander off.

Zoe:

How old were you?

Frankie:

11.

Lola:

Lets´s make a plan.

She folds out the map, they´ve been given.

Miles:

The only ones I have to see are the Meercats.

Zoe:

They have a Tasmanian Devil.

Frankie:

I´ve never seen one of those.

Lola:

We can´t forget about the monkeys. I´m here to get my cute on.

They gather around the map to look at it.

4. Frankie´s Fashions. Day.

Amy is showing Alex how to work the cash register.

Amy:

You scan the bar codes and when you´re done with that, you press that one. If it´s a credit card, you press this one and if it´s cash, you type it in and press that one.

Alex:

Sounds easy.

Amy:

It isn´t rocket science. If you take care of that part, I´ll help the customers.

Alex:

Alright. It´s only for the day, anyway. So, when do they start coming in?

Amy:

It differs. Sometimes you can stand there for an hour with nothing to do, only to have 5 of them come in right after another. It´s almost like they planned it, just to annoy you.

Alex:

What then?

Amy:

We deal with them one at a time. I take my lunch break at 12, so decide for yourself if you want your´s before or after. If you need me during my break, I´ll be at the Deli across the street.

Alex:

They make good food over there, I assume.

Amy:

That and they have Rafael.

Alex:

Aha.

Amy:

He´s the hottest man I´ve ever seen and the way he pronounces my name with that Latino accent, makes me melt every time.

Alex:

Have you asked him out?

Amy:

He´s married. That doesn´t mean a girl can´t look, right?

Alex:

First Maya, now this guy. You´re hopeless!

Amy:

There is someone else I like, but I don´t think she´s interested.

Alex:

One of these days, we´ll find you someone that´s both interested and single. Someone who appreciates the wonder, that is Amy.

Amy:

What about yourself?

Alex:

I´m taking it one step at a time. Relationships can wait for now.

A customer comes in to the store. Amy goes to greet her.

5. Int. Class room. Day.

Chrissy is waiting for class to start with the other kids. Lisa sits down next to her.

Lisa:

Hey. How´s miss Chrissy today?

Chrissy:

Doing pretty okay, actually.

Lisa:

I told you, it would die down. Marty Ratzenberg pooping his pants at the Football game probably helped.

Chrissy:

Yeah, poor Marty! At least I can be glad it´s not me, they´re callng "The 2-Point Conversion". I had a great talk with Jamie.

Lisa:

Pray tell.

Chrissy:

He´s invited me to come with him tonight to a Skating competition. I know it´s not a date or anything. Simon and Allison are coming with us, but it´s a start.

Lisa:

You didn´t say yes, did you?

Chrissy:

I did. I thought, you´d be happy for me.

Lisa:

Tonight´s my first gig with DFF. I´ve been telling you about it for weeks.

Chrissy:

I totally forgot, that was tonight.

Lisa:

I really need you there to support me. This is by far the biggest gig, I´ve played. I´m already nervous now and I know it´ll be worse, by the time we go on.

Chrissy:

Will it really make a difference if I´m there or not?

Lisa:

Of course it will.

Chrissy look apologetic and Lisa gets the message. The teacher enters the classroom.

Chrissy:

I´m sorry, but this could be my chance to get back with him.

Lisa:

It´s not even a date. You said that yourself.

Chrissy:

Lisa, I ...

Lisa:

Whatever. I just thought, you were my friend. It´s nice to know, that he means more to you, than I do.

Chrissy:

I didn´t mean it like that.

Teacher:

Let´s get started.

Annoyed, Lisa ignores Chrissy and pays attention to the teacher in stead.

6. Ext. Zoo. Day.

Frankie and Miles are sitting on a bench, waiting for Zoe and Lola. Frankie can´t stop smiling and Miles notices it.

Miles:

Someone´s a smiley face today.

Frankie:

Why shouldn´t I smile? I´m am the zoo with my best friends and I´m with my brother, who I never see.

Miles:

That isn´t my fault alone. You´re always welcome to stay at my place in Paris, you know that.

Frankie:

Just like there´s always a couch for you at my place.

Miles:

Have you talked to Hunter lately?

Frankie:

Not since the last time, he was in town. We had a fight.

Miles:

I worry more about him now, than I ever have.

Frankie:

He seems to be doing well for himself.

Miles:

I always have a feeling, that he´s lying to me, when we talk. He was easier to figure out, when he was this angry little teenager, maybe because I was one before him. The way he is now seems like it´s all an act.

Frankie:

Like the real person has become someone so messed up, that he can´t show it to anyone.

Miles:

Part of me wants to help him, but I´m not sure he wants to be helped.

Frankie:

The last year of High School, when you went off to London, was the one that changed him. If that girl, who said he raped her had known the damage she´d cause, all because she didn´t want her parents to know the truth, I´m sure she´d think twice.

Miles:

I should have come back, the moment I heard about it.

Frankie:

They were vicious to him, that´s the only way I can describe it. Even after they broke his nose and two of his front teeth, he still wanted to go back out of pure defiance. If dad hadn´t stopped it and forced him to be home-schooled, god knows how it would have ended.

He takes her hand to comfort her.

Miles:

It´s no wonder, he wanted to be someone else.

Zoe and Lola come back, holding hands. Frankie and Miles get up.

Miles:

Is it Meercat time?

Frankie:

We better let the little boy decide. We don´t want him to get cranky!

Zoe:

Meercats, it is!

Miles is almost giddy, which Frankie absolutely loves.

7. Int/Ext. Meercat Pen. Day.

Frankie, Zoe, Lola and Miles each have their heads in one of the domes, that allow you to feel like you´re there in the pen with the Meercats. Miles and Frankie have wonderous faces, like they were kids again. Lola is having a staring contest with a meercat, that finds her very interesting. Zoe sees it.

Zoe:

Are you winning?

Lola:

I don´t think there´s any way to beat this little guy.

The meercat loses interest and scurries off.

Lola:

I guess, I won.

Zoe:

I always had faith in you.

Frankie:

This is so cool.

MIles:

Besides looking for you, it´s the one thing I remember from our last zoo visit.

Frankie:

I remember it now. Dad had to hold me up, because I wasn´t tall enough to reach the dome.

All four stare in amazement as the adorable little critters go about their business.

Zoe:

If only life was that simple for us humans.

Lola´s face says that she´s gone in to cuteness overload and couldn´t be happier.

8. Ext. Alley. Day.

Alex is smoking the last of a joint and checking things on her phone in the alley behind the store. She puts it out and starts walking.

9. Int. Frankie´s Fashions. Day.

Amy is not looking too happy, when Alex comes back, looking pretty stoned.

Alex:

Sorry it took a little longer.

Amy:

You´ve been gone for almost an hour.

Alex:

Sometimes things take longer, what can I say?

When she comes closer, Amy looks her in the eyes.

Amy:

Are you stoned?

Alex:

I´m not gonna lie. I just burned one down.

Amy:

Jesus, Alex!

Alex:

It´s no big deal. I can still work the register thing, if I´m stoned.

Amy:

The big deal is that if Frankie finds out I let you work stoned, she´ll fire me!

Alex:

She won´t find out.

Amy:

I can´t take that chance. You have to get out of here.

Alex:

Come on, Amy.

Amy:

I´ll tell her you were here until closing. I´d rather, if she doesn´t have too many questions.

Alex:

The last thing I wanna do is get you in trouble. I´m sorry, okay? I wasn´t thinking.

Amy:

No, you weren´t.

Alex:

I´ll call you later.

Disappointed in herself, Alex leaves the store.

10. Int. Hallway. Day.

Jamie is walking with Simon and Allison.

Simon:

Two more classes and we are outta here!

Allison:

Weekend, here we come!

Jamie:

I don´t remember if I´ve told you, but Chrissy has taken Jack´s seat.

Allison:

Does that mean, you´ve forgiven her?

Jamie:

No. But we could try becoming friends again and see where it goes.

Simon:

You´re caving!

Jamie:

I am not!

Allison:

You so are! You miss her, don´t you?

Jamie:

So what, if I do? She cares about me like no one else does.

Allison:

You sound like a girl!

Simon:

We should have known, Jamiena couldn´t take it!

Allison:

I think "Jamiechita" has a better ring to it.

Jamie:

Come on, guys.

He sees Chrissy waiting by his locker.

Jamie:

I wonder what she wants.

Allison:

Maybe she wants to offer you her special kind of "relief". I hear she´s really good at that.

Simon:

Or to lend a hand.

Jamie:

Very funny. I´ll see you later.

Chrissy sees him and smiles shyly at him. He comes over to her.

Jamie:

Hey. Are you excited fo tonight?

Chrissy:

I can´t go.

Jamie:

You can´t?

Chrissy:

I already promised Lisa, that I´d come to her gig with her new band.

Jamie:

Oh.

Jamie looks disappointed and Chrissy feels bad again.

Chrissy:

I was really looking forward to it, but I can´t disappoint her. She´s my oldest friend.

Jamie:

No, I get it. I´m not mad or anything.

Chrissy:

Can I make it up to you tomorrow or Sunday? I´ll buy the pizza!

Jamie:

No, the rest of my weekend is almost fully booked. I have to catch up on my homework in whatever time, I have left.

Chrissy:

Maybe next weekend?

Jamie:

Yeah, maybe. Have a nice weekend.

Chrissy:

You too. I know, I won´t be there in person, but I´ll still be rooting for you.

He gives her a small smile and heads to class.

11. Int. Car. Day.

Zoe is driving with Lola in the passenger seat. Miles is staring out the window with a far away look on his face. Frankie notices.

Frankie:

Penny for your thoughts.

Miles:

I´m concerned about the movie. Two of the actresses don´t get along at all and we still have lots of scenes to shoot with both of them in.

Lola:

Can´t you fire one of them?

Miles:

Not now. It´s the one who plays Frankie´s counterpart and the one who plays your counterpart.

Lola:

The one who has a crush on you?

Zoe:

Ooh-la-la!

Frankie:

Been having a little too much fun on set, have you?

Miles:

No, it´s nothing like that. They just don´t have the natural chemistry, you two have. I wish I could explain it to them, but it´s impossible.

Lola:

What if Frankie, Zoe and me talked to them?

Frankie:

If they see what we´re like in real life, it´ll show them what you´re going for.

Miles smiles. He obviously likes the idea and takes out his phone.

Miles:

I´m calling Eli right away. We´ll set it up for tonight.

He puts the phone up to his ear.

12. Int. Maya and Alex´s Apartment.

Alex has just come home. She checks if Maya is in her bedroom and is disappointed to see that she isn´t. She goes in to the living room, where she sees a note.

We see what the note says:

At Jay´s and spending the night.

See you tomorrow!

She puts the note on the table and sits down on the couch. She´s still annoyed with herself, so she picks up the phone and calls someone.

Alex:

Mom?

She smiles a little at the sound of her mom´s voice.

Alex:

I´m doing okay. I´m alone right now, but I hang out a lot with my roommate. She´s really cool.

She waits to hear her mom´s answer.

Alex:

Yeah, it´s weird to be all alone. I guess one good thing about jail, is at least you have people to talk to all the time. How are you doing?

She leans back in the couch and obviously enjoys having someone to talk to.

13. Int. Contestant´s Area. Evening.

Simon is helping Allison get ready for her first run. Her rival Alicia and her make eye contact from across the room. It´s obvious that they still don´t like each other very much. Jamie comes over to them, carrying a piece of paper. Simon sees him and lights up.

Simon:

Is that what I think it is?

Allison:

We saw you talking to that scout from Santa Cruz.

He walks all the way over to them, still not speaking.

Simon:

Come on, man. Don´t leave us hanging here!

Jamie:

They´ve offered me a two year contract.

Allison:

What´s the terms?

Jamie:

They pay for my equipment, my clothes and my travel expenses. In return I have to give them 20 % of my winnings and be in some advertisements.

Simon:

Like, on TV?

Jamie:

No, more like posters and compilation videos on Youtube. The guy said I had the talent and the look, they´re searching for.

Allison:

Why aren´t you ecstatic?

Jamie:

If I sign it, I agree to do at least 25 competitions a year. With all the travelling, that´s half my weekends gone and with homework and Charlie ...

Simon:

You won´t have time for a girlfriend. This has been both our dreams since we were 9.

Allison:

I like Chrissy, but this could be a once in a lifetime thing. How you can even think of saying no is beyond me.

Jamie:

You´re right. I wish I had a pen.

Simon:

Take mine. I stole it, when I filled out Allison´s entrance form.

Allison:

You naughty boy!

Jamie:

Turn around.

Simon turns around and Jamie signs the contract using his back as a surface.

Jamie:

I have to find that scout again, before the competition starts.

Simon:

Leave it to me. You just need to concentrate on winning. I´m proud of you, buddy.

Allison:

Yeah, me too. Not jealous at all, no.

Jamie:

Thanks. I´m sure it won´t be long, until it´s your turn.

They hear the speaker start to speak in the background and smile at each other. They triple fist bump.

14. Int. Dressing Room. Evening.

Nancy, Sandy and Mickie are quietly warming up before the concert. Suey and Megan are trying to calm Lisa down.

Lisa:

I´m serious. I don´t remember any of the solos!

Suey:

It´ll come to you, once we start playing.

Lisa:

What if it doesn´t? What if I end up standing there all frozen and everyone laughs at me?

Megan:

That´s not gonna happen.

Lisa:

How do you know? You´re not the one in my head!

Julie, Chrissy and Jack come in to the dressing room. The sight of them calms Lisa down a bit and she runs in to Chrissy´s arms.

Lisa:

I´m so glad you came!

Chrissy:

I wouldn´t miss it for the world.

Lisa:

I´m sorry, I guilt tripped you in to coming here. I didn´t mean to.

Chrissy:

It´s okay. There´s no one, who´s more important to me than you.

Lisa:

I´m so scared!

Chrissy:

That isn´t the Lisa I know.

Jack:

Me neither.

Julie:

What have you done with the real one?

Chrissy:

The Lisa I know, isn´t afraid of anything. She´s never the type that says "I can´t".

Julie:

You´re gonna blow them away, like you always do.

Jack:

We´ll be right there in the front row with Taylor and Charlie, cheering you on.

The nice words from her friends seems to have cheered Lisa up. Suey is happy to see it and comes over to put an arm around her shoulder.

Suey:

With friends like us, how can you fail?

Megan:

We all believe in you, Lisa.

Lisa´s usual smile has returned and Suey gives her a small hug, which takes her the last of the way.

Chrissy:

We´ll be out in the crowd. Rock on, Sista!

Julie:

Same from me.

Jack:

I´m just gonna wish you good luck.

Lisa goes over to where the rest are sitting. She picks up her guitar and starts playing along with them.

15. Montage- Music: "True Faith" by New Order (played in a modernized rock version by DFF)

We start with the band on stage at a full Above The Dot as they start playing the song. Lisa is still a little nervous at first, but when she sees her friends in the front row like they promised, she eases up and starts enjoying herself. Her and Suey make eye contact and smile at each other.

We cut to Miles, Zoe and Eli with Lola, Frankie, Sara and Amanda. Thanks to the good atmosphere, Sara and Amanda are actually getting along and are very interested in the things Frankie, Lola and Zoe have to tell them. Miles and Eli are both enjoying what they´re seeing. Amanda and Lola even have some fun, when Lola tries to teach Amanda how to walk like "The Real Lily". Sara and Frankie seem to be getting along good too, enjoying some wine while Frankie shows Sara pictures from her photo album. Amanda tries to hit on Miles, making him uncomfortable, so Zoe steps in and pretends to be his girlfriend, which he clearly appreciates and Lola finds amusing.

We cut to Alex at a bar. She´s found four other women to be her drinking buddies for the evening and she´s enjoying the company. The drinks are going down fast, but she also does plenty of dancing with one of the women, who she ends up making out with. The two of them leave the bar holding hands.

We finish at the prize ceremony at the skating competition. Once again, Jamie is on the top step and he looks very pleased with himself. Simon and Allison (who´s holding a winner´s trophy) look proudly at him. When they leave the Skatepark after the event, both Jamie and Allison have plenty of autographs to sign for the fans, who were waiting for them. Neither of them can hide, how much they love it, while Simon looks a little jealous, waiting for them by the car.

CLOSING CREDITS