DEGRASSI: AFTERMATH - S04E05 - TROUBLE PART 2
Disclaimer: I don´t own Degrassi or the characters from it.
1. Montage - Music: "Little Green Bag" by The George Baker Selection.
The entire montage is in a 3-way split screen. Esme´s on the left, Zig in the middle and Tristan on the right.
We start with all three of them getting ready to leave their houses/apartments. Esme lives in a large house by herself, that has everything you could ask for. On the surface, everything is very fancy and new. She eats three different kinds of pills after brushing her teeth and it´s obvious that she hates it. She picks up her fancy pre-packed suitcase and leaves the house stylishly dressed and with perfect make up. She gets in to a large BMW.
Tristan is on top of everything. We see his boyfriend Andrew for the first time. Looks wise at least, you have to say that Tristan did well for himself. The two of them help each other get everything ready, which is easy since everything is very organized in their home. They even have time for a romantic cup of coffee, before he has to leave. He gets in to a yellow cab.
Zig on the other hand isn´t on top on anything. He wakes up late in a very messy and dirty apartment and only just has time to throw some water in his face and pack a few handfuls of clothes in to a sports bag, some of which he smells before throwing it in. One pair of underwear is obviously "on the fringe", but he decides to throw it in anyway. He realizes that he doesn´t have his phone and he searches almost panically for it until he finds it. He rushes out from the run down apartment building he lives in and gets in to his very beat up car.
Esme drives herself calmly to the airport and when she gets there, it´s obvious that she´s a seasoned traveller. She buys the Wall Street journal and is at the gate in good time.
Tristan is keeping himself busy on the ride to the airport by reading articles on TMZ´s website. He enjoys his window shoping in the airport shopping area and ends up buying a few things as well. He ends up chatting with a young mother while he waits at the gate.
Zig is almost panically trying to make his way through traffic, breaking the speed limit when ever he can. He has to park far away at the airport and the first two parking license machine he comes to are both out of order. He finally gets his parking license and runs back to his car. We see him rushing through the terminal, before getting to security. He gets in the shortest line, that ends up being the slowest because the people in front of him are wearing belts when they go through the scanner or have liquids, they´re not supposed to have. He´s looking more and more nervous, when he finally gets through. He runs through the terminal and is let in right before they´re closing boarding.
OPENING CREDITS
2. Int. Train Station. Day
Maya and Frankie are waitting down by the tracks. Maya is holding a sign that says "ZIG" in large letters. A train has just pulled up and people are getting out. They both try to spot Zig.
Frankie:
There.
She points at Zig, trying to make his way through a mass of people and looking like he just wants to get this over with as he aproaches the girls.
Maya:
Zig.
She waves her arms and he sees them. He walks as fast as he can until he reaches them. Maya is the first to get a big hug and it´s an emotional moment for both of them.
Zig:
I thought I´d never get to hug you again.
Maya:
I couldn´t stay mad at you forever.
They break the hug and Frankie gets a big bear hug too.
3. Int. Car. Day.
Frankie is driving. Maya and Zig are in the backseat.
Zig:
I still don´t know what they expect me to do.
Frankie:
All you have to do is talk to the actor who plays you and give him a feel for what you´re like.
Zig:
All I have to do is talk to a guy? I guess, I can do that and not screw it up.
Maya:
I can´t believe we get you AND Tristan here for the entire weekend.
Zig:
Have you made up with him?
Maya:
After re-watching that program about ten times, I saw that he´s right. Everything he said could easily have been taken out of context, so I´ve decided to forgive him. I just haven´t told him yet.
Zig:
And Esme?
Frankie looks in the rear view mirror to see Maya´s reaction.
Maya:
I prefer pretending, that she doesn´t exist.
Zig:
I´m not exactly looking forward to seeing her again either. I hope she isn´t a messed up, as she was back then.
4. Int. Hallway. Day.
Julie and Jack are waiting for Chrissy. Julie sees that Jack is looking at three pretty senior girls and gets annoyed.
Julie:
Maybe you should take a picture, Jack. It´ll last longer.
Jack:
What now?
Julie:
You´re totally staring at those girls!
Jack:
I wasn´t!
Julie:
You were! What do they have, that I don´t have?
Jack:
Nothing, I swear! Why are you freaking out?
Julie:
I´m not! I just want to know why you feel you need to stare at older girls, when you have me?
Jack:
I don´t know. They´re like, fully developed.
Julie:
What am I then?
Jack:
A work in progress?
He knew the moment it came out of his mouth that he shouldn´t have said it. Her facial expression makes him take a few steps back from her.
Jack:
I didn´t mean that you aren´t as hot as them, it´s just ...
Julie:
Jack Hudson, if I were you, I´d turn around and leave my very POéd girlfriend alone, so she can cool down.
Jack:
Gotcha.
He passes Chrissy on his way up the hall.
Jack:
She´s on the warpath today. Watch what you say.
Chrissy:
Thanks for the head´s up.
She walks up to Julie, who´s watching Jack leave with an angry facial expression.
Chrissy:
What did he do this time?
Julie:
Get this. First he ogles three senior girls right in front of me. When I asked him why he was staring at them, he said it was because they´re developed and I´m a work in progress.
Chrissy:
A work in progress? Wow.
Julie:
I know. He can be so dumb sometimes.
Chrissy:
I know that I´m not the poster child for love right now, but it seems to me that you´ve got a good one there. You aren´t always the smartest either.
Julie:
Maybe I over reacted. So, what did you end up doing yesterday?
Chrissy:
Don´t tell anyone, but I went down to the Ravine with Deb and Seb.
Julie:
Wild! What did you do?
Chrissy:
We hung out and drank a few beers. I couldn´t even make it through three, before I fell asleep.
Julie looks worriedly at her.
Julie:
Chrissy, that doesn´t sound like you.
Chrissy:
Maybe I´m changing.
Julie:
In to what, a teenage alcololic?
Chrissy:
It´s something I´ve done one time. It´s nothing to freak out about.
Julie:
You getting drunk after school on a Wednesday is nothing to freak out about?
Chrissy:
Keep your voice down.
Julie:
Are you going down there again today?
Chrissy:
No, I have to babysit my brothers. Friday, however ...
Julie:
That´s your birthday. Isn´t there a party planned or something?
Chrissy:
That´s another sad part of my life. Neither my mom or my dad have mentioned it at all. I´ve been trying to hint at it with my dad, but he isn´t getting it. Maybe I could have my birthday at the Ravine.
Julie:
As a drunken beer bash? I think I´ll pass.
Chrissy:
What´s your problem?
Julie:
Your parents don´t drink. Mine do. When you don´t have money, it´s because the restaurant didn´t make enough. When we don´t, it´s because they spent it at the bar.
Chrissy:
No one says you have to drink.
Julie:
I don´t think you should either.
The continue walking in silence.
5. Int. Studio. Day.
Paige and Miles are at the studio, getting ready to shoot a scene on the "School Lobby" set. An assistant tells Miles something and he smiles at the news.
6. Ext. Studio. Day.
Tristan is talking to Spinner, who´s there to deliver food to the set, when Miles and Paige come out.
Spinner:
It´s really based on true events?
Tristan:
Almost word for word.
Spinner:
The story seems pretty far out to be real.
Tristan:
That´s the life we lived.
Miles:
If I hadn´t lived through it, I probably wouldn´t believe it was real either.
Tristan turns to Miles and lowers his sunglasses, so he can get a look at him.
Tristan:
My, oh my. I´ve seen pictures of you from time to time, but nothing ever beats the real thing, does it?
Miles:
You´re looking good too. Can I get a hug?
Tristan:
Since you asked so nicely.
The two of them hug like old friends would. Paige walks over to Spinner and kisses him.
Spinner:
I thought we weren´t allowed because of Eli?
Paige:
He isn´t here, is he?
Tristan smiles at the sight of them.
Tristan:
Why, aren´t you two, a million kinds of cute!
Miles:
This is Paige, she´s our AD and I see that you´ve already met Spinner.
Tristan and Paige shake hands.
Paige:
From reading the script, I almost feel like I know you already.
Tristan:
I´m happy to say, that I´ve grown up a lot since then. I´m more interested in talking about you two.
Paige:
It´s a very long story that starts when we were 7.
Spinner:
We got back together a few months ago.
Paige:
We needed a 25 year break, until we were ready for another go.
Tristan:
What happened the first time?
Paige:
I smashed his car in a fit of rage and he got in to a fight over another girl in front of me. After that I was done with him.
Spinner:
That´s just the highlight package, but it isn´t completely true, is it?
Paige:
We had a little "Blast from the past" sex, the night before I graduated. I´d been in a lesbian relationship for a while and I wanted some fun with a guy again.
Tristan:
They should make a movie about you.
Miles:
You´re just in time. We´re about to start shooting.
Tristan:
It was nice to meet you, Spinner.
Spinner:
You, too. Good luck with Pascal. He is something.
7. Int. Movie Set. Day.
Several extras are ready to shoot. The scenes three main characters are Pascal (played by Lyle), Tanya (played by Olivia Gellar, an 18 year old, who´s close to a dead ringer for Maya at that age) and Lily (played by Amanda). Olivia and Lily are practicing lines on the set. Lyle is in his chair and is having make up put on. The make up girl looks like she´s had about enough of him. She shows him his face in a mirror and he doesn´t look satisfied.
Lyle:
Did I tell you to make me look like a clown?
Make Up Girl:
You said that you needed it heavier because of the lights.
Lyle:
Start over!
She begins to reach for the make up remover with an annoyed look on her face.
Lyle:
I told them to hire professionals.
We cut to Miles, Paige and Tristan. Tristan is impressed by the set.
Miles:
Looks great, doesn´t it?
Tristan:
You spent some moolah on this! Tell me about the scene, we´re shooting.
Miles:
It´s a scene we wrote for the movie a few days ago. Basically, it´s a scene where Pascal reveals the relationship between him and Matthew to Tanya and Lily.
Tristan:
I take it this is before the Bus Crash.
Miles:
Lyle kept complaining that he didn´t have enough lines, so we had to write some extra scenes with him.
Tristan:
What about Tanya and Lily? Maya and Lola barely knew each other back then.
Miles:
Olivia and Amanda have become friends, but none of them can stand to be around Sara. It was a "Creative Rewrite" to keep the peace.
Tristan:
It sounds like it turning in to a completely different story.
Paige:
It happens all the time in Hollywood. The studio wanted us to play down the symbolism and make it more of a classic Teen drama.
Tristan:
This isn´t just your story, MIles. It´s all our stories.
Miles:
Maybe I should have been more stubborn, but I´m not the one paying for all this. At this point I just want there to be a movie.
Paige:
We should introduce you to Lyle. He´s the guy who plays Pascal.
Lyle is reading the script. Miles, Paige and Tristan come over to him.
Lyle:
Miles, I am not satisfied.
Miles:
What now?
Lyle:
Olivia gets 8 lines, Amanda gets 10 and how many do I get? 7!
He points at Tristan.
Lyle:
Is this the "Original Pascal"?
Paige:
You guessed it, this is Tristan.
Lyle:
You can leave again. I´m perfect in the part, as I am.
Tristan:
If you were perfect, I wouldn´t be here.
Lyle is fuming.
Lyle:
Do I have to tell you who I am?
Tristan:
You´re a C-list actor, who got the break of his life when MIles and Eli hired you.
Lyle:
How can you call this a break? I spend most of the movie in a coma and before that I´m barely in it.
Tristan:
At least you´re in it. Not only that, but your character is the centre of the story.
Lyle:
Shouldn´t I be in it more then?
Tristan:
It´s about making the most of every second you get. I´ve worked my butt off in off Broadway plays for years and it´s only thanks to my boyfriend´s steady paycheck, that I´ve been able to do it. I´ve been an understudy on Broadway more times than I can count. If I´d had a fim role like this thrown at me, when I was your age, I would have been Nathan Lane by now.
Lyle:
Who?
Paige:
Robin Williams´ boyfriend from "The Birdcage".
Miles:
I love that movie!
Tristan:
I can guarantee you, that the moment I get my chance, I´m showing the Broadway people what I´m made of. You, I don´t get. This could be your break and from the moment I came in, I could hear you complaining.
Lyle:
I just want to be treated like I deserve to!
Tristan:
Them show them WHY you deserve it. Make them remember every second you get. Because if you get a bad rep and you´re not a star yet, we both know you´ll be back to waiting tables so fast, It´ll make your head spin.
Paige:
I´ve seen it happen a million times. Hell, I ruined my own acting career by behaving like you do.
Lyle:
What happened?
Paige:
We´d barely started filming, when they told me. Next thing I knew, I´d been replaced and the offers I had for after the movie disappeared in an instant.
Lyle:
At least things ended up good for you, right? You´re still working in Hollywood.
Paige:
Because I´ve been busting my ass for years on end. You wouldn´t believe some of the shoots, I worked on in the beginning. If I were you, I´d stop complaining, walk on to that set and show us why we believed in you, in the first place.
Miles:
We can write more lines in for you, but we´ll probably end up cutting them out.
Lyle begins to see that they might be right.
8. Ext. Mansion. Day.
Eli is with Chelsea and Esme by the pool. Ricardo and Sara can be seen flirting in the background, while they´re waiting to start filming.
Eli:
What can you tell Chelsea here, that might help her?
Esme looks Chelsea over, while she circles her, making Chelsea and Eli uncomfortabe.
Esme:
She´s way too fat to play me.
Eli:
She´s not literally supposed to be you. She´s ...
Esme:
A representation of me. Don´t talk to me, like I´m an idiot.
Chelsea:
Calling me fat isn´t helping anyone.
Esme stops right in front of her and looks her in the eyes. Chelsea looks away.
Esme:
Look me in the eyes.
Chelsea looks pleadingly at Eli, but he shakes his head. She looks Esme in the eyes.
Chelsea:
You owe me for this one, Eli.
Esme:
Shut up. When you look in to my eyes, what kind of woman do you see?
Chelsea:
A bitch?
Eli:
Give it a chance.
Chelsea:
Okay, I see a woman who´s tough. Somewhere who says what she thinks and doesn´t care what others think of her.
Esme:
Duh? You already knew that about me. What else do you see?
Esme stares her in the eyes so intensely, that Chelsea is almost scared by it.
Chelsea:
You´re scary!
Esme:
People have been saying that about me since I was a kid. Most of those people work menial jobs and scrabe by to survive. I´m a millionaire, who has everything she wants. Come on, what do you see in my eyes?
Chelsea:
Someone who doesn´t care who she has to hurt, to get her what she wants.
Esme:
That´s more like it.
Esme shifts her attention to Eli. Chelsea is a little freaked out and can´t stop staring at Esme.
Esme:
Was that the sort of thing you want from me?
Eli:
What do you think, Chelsea?
Chelsea:
That I should play it, like I´m constantly manipulating everyone.
Esme:
I couldn´t have said it better myself.
9. Int. Classroom. Day.
The 8th graders are waiting for class to start, but there´s only Chrissy and a few other kids seated in the opposite side of the room in there, when Lisa walks in and sits down next to Chrissy, who´s playing with her phone.
Lisa:
What are you playing?
Chrissy:
It´s this puzzle game, my grandfather recommended to help with my learning disability. It´s supposed to stimulate my mind or something.
Lisa:
Cool.
Chrissy:
I´m usually pretty good at it, but my brain isn´t working right today.
Lisa:
I hear that´s what happens, when you drink the day before.
Chrissy turns off her phone and looks at Lisa.
Chrissy:
I don´t need to have my friends preaching to me.
Lisa:
Don´t you? You said yourself, that the only reason you were with that guy in Wasaga Beach, was because you were drunk. Now this? I´m getting worried about you.
Chrissy:
There´s no need to be worried. I´m still the same old Chrissy! If you want to, you can help me babysit my brothers. We´ll make some dinner and hang out like we used to.
Lisa:
Absolutely. I haven´t been the best friend, since school started up again. I´ve just been busy with so many things.
Chrissy:
That you´re busy tells me, that you´re doing good. Just think what it´s gonna be like, when you get a boyfriend.
Lisa leans in closer to Chrissy and lowers her voice.
Lisa:
The weird thing is, that I haven´t had a crush on anyone since Jack and I got over him months ago.
Chrissy:
You were hung up on him for a long time. I think it´s hard for you to find someone, who compares to him in your mind.
Lisa:
What if he´s the only boy, I ever fall for?
Chrissy:
It´ll happen before you know it. It isn´t like my situation with Jamie is any better.
Lisa:
We need to watch some romantic comedies tonight.
Chrissy:
Sounds like a plan. Now all we need is a botttle of WIld Turkey and a dozen male strippers.
Lisa:
Don´t forget the drugs. You know, I have a rock star rep now.
Chrissy:
You´re a wild girl, Lisa Potter. I´m starting to think, that you´re a bad influence on me.
Their classmates begin to file in.
10. Ext. Mansion. Day.
We cut to Maya, Frankie and Zig, coming on to the set. Zig looks impressed.
Zig:
It´s been a long time, since I´ve been in a fancy place like this!
Frankie:
Is it bringing back good memories?
Zig:
Dating a Hollingsworth had it´s advantages, I can´t deny that.
Maya:
She´s already here.
They see Esme with her back turned, sitting in a director´s chair.
Frankie:
You knew, you´d have to face her sooner or later.
Maya:
Never was another option, I liked a lot.
Zig:
Don´t you want to lay in to her? If I were you, I´d want some kind of revenge.
Maya:
I´m above all that. After all, if it hadn´t been for her, I would have died that night on Degrassi´s roof.
Frankie:
That doesn´t make what she did right.
They begin to approach her. She turns around when they get close enough, that she can hear their footsteps.
Esme:
I wasn´t expecting to see you, Maya.
Maya:
Life is full of surprises. Like you showing up on my TV.
Esme:
If you want an apology, then fine. I apologize.
Zig:
You didn´t mean a word of that.
Esme:
Those shows are all about faking drama and controversy. You shold have known that.
Frankie:
So you were just giving them what they wanted, is that it?
Maya:
Who cares about the consequences for me or my loved ones, right?
Esme:
You got yourself in trouble and lived a scandalous life. That isn´t on me. If you want to know why your life clearly isn´t going well, maybe you should try looking in he mirror, in stead of blaming everyone else.
Maya:
Before this, I had a chance at a normal life. Now I can barely get out the door, before I´m called a murderer.
Esme:
Did anyone force you to sign their contract? Let´s put the blame where it belongs.
Zig:
I should have known, you couldn´t change.
Frankie:
Why did you say yes to this? It can´t be for the money.
Esme:
I can´t see why I should tell you. This is exactly like High School was. From moment one, you people have always thought the worst of me. If I don´t remember wrong, there was a time when I was your only friend, Frankie.
Frankie:
Until I found out, you were a borderline psycho.
Esme:
I spent a lot of time dealing with the problems I had. I know, I was out of control, but that was so long ago, that it´s like it happened to someone else.
Zig:
I suppose we had some fun times as well.
Esme:
We did, but seriously. What the hell happened to you?
Zig gets a little self conscious.
Zig:
I´ve grown.
Esme:
Only in the wrong places. Tell me, Zig. What do you do for a living?
Zig:
I´m a construction worker. I´m just in between jobs at the moment.
Esme:
You´re fat and unemployed. Yet, I still see the old Zig in there.
Zig:
There´s no reason to feel sorry for me.
Esme:
I´m only here for a few days and I don´t plan on wasting it on fighting with you people. My boyfriend is travelling up here as we speak.
Maya:
What about the movie?
Esme:
I´ll only be a phone call away. How about as a token of good faith, I give you the eight thousand, I´m being paid here.
Maya:
It would help a lot. It´s not like me or Jay are swimming in money these days.
Esme:
Truce?
Esme sticks out her hand. Maya shakes it.
11. Int. Spinner´s House. Day
Chrissy and Lisa are playing Monopoly with James, who´s winning big and is loving that he gets to feel like the big man for once. Lisa rolls the dice and James smiles at the outcome.
Lisa:
That´s me out.
Chrissy:
Sorry, James. I´m out too.
The doorbell rings.
Chrissy:
We need to start dinner. Pack up the game, James.
Lisa and Chrissy get up and James starts counting his money.
Chrissy opens the door and it´s Jamie, holding a small present. Both of them become nervous.
Jamie:
Hi.
Chrissy:
Hi.
There´s an awkward silence.
Jamie:
I had this whole big opening planned, for when you opened the door.
Chrissy:
You did?
Jamie:
Now I can´t remember any of it.
Chrissy:
That´s a shame. I would have liked to have heard it.
Jamie:
Trust me, it was really good!
They smile nervously.
Chrissy:
How are you?
Jamie:
I´m okay. Lots of skating and lot of schoolwork.
Chrissy:
It doesn´t sound like you have time for anything else.
Jamie:
It´s what I chose. I wanted to give you your birthday present.
He hands her the gift. It makes Chrissy smile.
Chrissy:
You didn´t have to.
Jamie:
I bought it back in the summer, while you were on vacation. I figured that you´re probably having a party tomorrow.
Chrissy:
Do you want to come in? James is missing his favorite playmate. He keeps asking me, when you´re coming over again.
Jamie:
I´m on my way over to Charlie´s. Say hi to him from me.
He turns around and takes a few steps down the walkway.
Chrissy:
Jamie!
He turns around and smiles at her.
Chrissy:
I miss you.
Jamie:
Ditto.
She watches him walk away.
We cut to Lisa getting things out of the fridge, when Chrissy comes into the kitchen.
Chrissy:
It was Jamie.
Lisa:
What? Why?
She gives Chrissy her undivided attention.
Chrissy:
He came to give me my birthday present.
Lisa:
Was it hard talking to him again?
Chrissy:
Not really. He misses me as much as I miss him.
Lisa:
He said that?
Chrissy:
Not in those exact words, but I know that´s what me meant.
Both of them stare at the present.
Chrissy:
I shouldn´t open it until tomorrow.
Lisa:
I won´t tell anyone. Come on, I´m bursting with excitement!
Chrissy opens the small box. Inside is a gold locket. Chrissy opens it. It has a picture of a mermaid in it. She shows it to Lisa.
Lisa:
Why a mermaid?
Chrissy:
The first day we hung out, we watched "The Little Mermaid" with James and Adam after dinner. I remember it like it was yesterday.
Lisa:
So does he apparently.
Chrissy holds the locket up to her heart.
12. Int. Mansion. Evening.
Miles, Paige and Eli are in a great mood and are getting ready to adress the cast and crew, who are assembled in the main hall.
Eli:
Listen Up!
The crowd turn their attention to him.
Eli:
We´ve had some great days here at the Mansion and we´ve had some frustrating ones. Today we finished the last part of the shoot here!
The crowd applauds him.
Paige:
Some of you in the second unit had your last scenes today. I just want to say thank you. I know it hasn´t always been easy.
Miles:
Since it´s our last evening here, we thought we needed to end it in style. There should be enought beer and wine for a small army.
Eli:
Just remember that we start shooting at 7 o´clock tomorrow. We still have a long way to go.
The crowd applauds him, Esme as little as possible. She checks her phone and leaves the room.
We cut to Zig and Jay, drinking beer.
Zig:
Sucks that you can´t go out with us tonight.
Jay:
That´s the life of a driver. It´s only for another 4 weeks and it´s been good money.
Zig:
What then?
Jay:
I got fired at my last job for punching a guy in the face, for talking crap about Maya.
Zig takes a swig of beer and reminisces.
Zig:
She made me do a lot of crazy things too, back when we were together. I guess she has that effect on both of us.
Jay:
When she fell for me, I never thought someone like her, could like someone like me.
Zig:
I was the kind of guy, parents warned their daughters about.
Jay:
Same here. If it hadn´t been for two amazing women, who took pity on me, I don´t know where I´d be.
Zig:
You seem like an okay guy, Jay. I´m glad you and Maya are together. She´s been through enough.
Maya comes back with a fresh supply of beer.
We cut to Eli, Frankie, Miles and Tristan.
Tristan:
Isn´t it crazy how dramatic everything seemed back then?
Frankie:
Like everything was life or death.
Tristan:
I wish I´d been here for your "coming out" with Lola.
Miles:
That was the first time I wasn´t dad´s least favorite.
We see Esme coming through the crowd, holding someone´s hand.
Eli:
Was it hard for you to come out?
Tristan:
My parents knew before I did.
Eli:
We had a female to male transgender kid in our class.
Frankie:
We had a gender neutral or non-binary, whatever you want to call it.
Eli:
You know, someone should make a TV series about that place.
We see the surprise in Miles and Frankie´s faces when they see who Esme´s boyfriend is.
Esme:
We wanted it to be a surprise.
Hunter:
I´ve wanted to tell you both about me and Esme for a while. I figured, given your pasts, that it was the kind of thing, i had to do in person.
Miles and Frankie look at each other.
CLOSING CREDITS
