DEGRASSI: GLORY DAYS - S02E02 - (WHAT´S SO FUNNY ´BOUT) PEACE, LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING
DISCLAIMER: I DON´T OWN DEGRASSI
Author´s note: I´m back after a short holiday break, that I also used to do some planning for the series. Without further adue, let´s kick off the 1978/79 school year!
1. Int. Car. Morning.
Kat gets in to the backseat of Michelle´s car and closes the door. "Rip Her to Shreds" by Blondie is playing on the radio. Sandra is in the passenger seat and her and Michelle aren´t looking to happy with each other.
Kat:
Hey. Ready for another school year?
None of them answer and they stare angrily at each other.
Kat:
What did I miss?
Michelle:
Why don´t you ask the girl, who leaves huge lumps of hair in the drain every time she showers, so the bathroom floods?
Sandra:
Or how about you ask the girl, who "happened" to walk in on me and Mike, while we were doing it?
Michelle:
You could also ask the girl, who took 40 minutes in the bathroom this morning, so her roommate barely had any time to get ready.
Sandra:
Or how about the girl, who never cleans up after herself and leaves her used tampon in the bathroom sink.
Michelle:
That happened one time!
They continue arguing, as Kat tries to appear neutral.
OPENING CREDITS
2. Ext. Degrassi. Morning
Students are returning to school after the Summer break. Tif is waiting impatiently for Carl to come out of the schoolbus. When he comes out, they hug and kiss.
Tif:
Morning, Stranger.
Carl:
Morning, Dream girl.
Britney comes out of the bus and makes a gag face at their cuteness. She´s dressed more Punky than we saw her last season.
Britney:
Get a room!
She walks past them. Following her out is a downright gorgeous 15 year old brunette, Amber Rhodes, who smiles at Carl as she passes him.
Amber:
See you later, Carl.
Carl:
See ya.
Tif looks at Amber walking away with jealousy written all over her face.
Tif:
Who´s that?
Carl:
Her name´s Amber and she just transferred here. We talked on the bus.
Tif:
What about?
Carl:
The usual stuff. What the school is like, how good the teachers are and so on. Last year, I was the new kid, so it felt nice to be able to help her.
Tif shakes her head at him.
Tif:
Oh, Carl. You can be so dense sometimes. She has a crush on you.
Carl:
You got that from those few words?
Tif:
I know how to read girls.
Carl:
I´ve only talked to her for half an hour.
Tif:
Sometimes, that´s enough.
Carl:
Give her a chance, okay? It´s not easy being the new kid.
Tif:
I guess not, but I´m keeping my eye on her. I sort of feel like, I´ve seen her before.
They start walking towards the school.
3. Int. Hallway. Morning.
Samira and Iz (who´s grown out her hair a little) are walking to class. Samira is looking over some papers.
Samira:
Do you think I should do the Debate team or the AV Club?
Iz:
I don´t know. Which one do you prefer?
Samira:
I´m on the fence, which is why I´m asking you.
Iz:
So, do both.
Samira:
Then I´d have to quit the Glee club.
They run in to two pretty Senior girls, Valerie and Shannon, who smile at Iz.
Valerie:
Hi, Iz. Are you ready for the tryouts?
Iz:
As ready, as I can be.
Shannon:
A bunch of us are going to the Mall after school. You should come.
Iz looks pleasantly surprised.
Iz:
Sure!
Valerie:
We´re meeting up in the parking lot after school. You can ride with us.
Iz:
Cool!
Shannon:
I love your new haircut.
Valerie and Shannon head up the hall. Iz looks overjoyed, while Samira looks annoyed.
Samira:
Have I turned in to a ghost? They completely ignored me!
Iz:
It´s just because they don´t know you.
Samira:
Aren´t you supposed to hang out with Artie after school?
Iz:
He´ll understand. If these girls accept me, I´m a shoe-in for the squad!
Samira:
They´re snobs!
Iz:
You don´t know them, like I do.
Samira shakes her head and goes back to looking at her papers.
4. Int. Classroom. Morning.
Tif and Carl come in to the classroom. Tif sees that there´s no adjacent empty seats, only one free next to Amber and one next to Luke.
Tif:
Maybe we can get someone to move, so we can sit together.
Carl:
I´m sure, you´ll get by without me for an hour.
Tif:
You can take the seat next to Luke. I´ll introduce myself to what´s-her-name.
Carl sits down next to Luke and the two boys start chatting. Tif sits down next to Amber.
Tif:
Hi, I´m Tif. Welcome to Degrassi.
Amber:
Thanks, I guess. Are you the official welcoming commitee?
Tif:
Carl said you talked, so I thought I´d introduce myself.
Amber:
I´m Amber. It´s nice to meet you, Tif.
They shake hands.
Tif:
Carl said, you´d just transferred here.
Amber:
I just moved her from Vancouver. I´m still trying to get used to living here, without my old friends.
Tif:
Were you popular at your old school?
Amber:
You could say that. I was a cheerleader and had lots of friends.
Tif:
Have you lived here before?
Amber:
No, why?
Tif:
It´s nothing. There´s just something familiar about your face.
Amber:
Maybe, you´ve seen me in commercials.
Tif takes a moment to place her, before it comes to her.
Tif:
You´re the Spirit of Youth girl! I wear that perfume all the time!
Amber:
I used to be. Now I´m just another student here.
Tif:
Stick with me and we´ll soon change that.
Amber smiles.
5. Int. Classroom. Morning.
Michelle and Kat come in to the classroom. They spot two empty seats next to Dave and Harvey, which they take.
Michelle:
Hi, guys. How was your Summer?
Harvey:
Pretty damn good, actually. We went to a few festivals ...
Dave:
Met some girls ...
Harvey:
Drank some beer and smoked some weed ...
Dave:
And that was pretty much that Summer.
Michelle:
Look, I know things ended on a downer last year, but I´m willing to put it behind us, if you guys are.
Harvey and Dave look at each other and nod.
Harvey:
We can try it.
Michelle:
Maybe we can go out this weekend and catch up.
Harvey:
I think my girlfriend would mind. Sorry.
Dave:
Mine too.
Michelle tries to not look disappointed.
Kat:
You guys both found girlfriends. Congratulations.
Harvey pulls out his wallet and takes a picture out of it. It´s of him holding a girl that looks very similar to Michelle. Michelle tries to appear unfazed.
Sandra and Trish come in and come down towards them. Trish sits down next to Kat.
Sandra:
Have you told them the good news?
Harvey:
What good news?
Sandra:
That little "Present" one of you gave her cleared up, so she´s ready to sleep around again.
Michelle:
Watch it!
Michelle looks embarrassed. Sandra smiles to herself and sits as far away from Michelle, as she can.
6. Int. Hallway. Morning.
Michelle, Trish and Kat are first out the door. Michelle is fuming.
Michelle:
If she wants to get things out in the open, I can swing that way too.
Trish:
You´re not thinking of revenge, are you?
Kat:
It´s the first day of school, after we all decided to try to get along. Can´t you see, how silly this is?
Michelle:
She ruined my chance with Harvey!
Kat:
I´m sorry to break the news, but you didn´t have a chance to begin with.
Sandra comes out as one of the last students. Michelle steps up to her.
Michelle:
You´re on thin ice, Sandra.
Sandra tauntingly smiles at her.
Sandra:
I thought, you´d want to share the news.
Michelle:
Don´t play stupid.
Sandra:
If it got out to the rest of the school, that you had warts on your vagina, it could really hurt your dating chances.
Michelle:
You wouldn´t!
Sandra:
I won´t, if you agree that you´re completely wrong and stop being a bitch towards me.
Michelle:
I´m the bitch?
Sandra:
I guess we have to agree to disagree for now. Ta ta!
She begins to walk up the hall, but Michelle trips her and she falls. Trish and Kat rush to her aid.
Trish:
Are you okay?
Sandra gets up and holds her elbow.
Sandra:
That hurt, Psycho!
Kat:
Let´s not resort to violence here.
Michelle:
You´re right, Kat. There´s a more fun way to do this.
She walks past them and gives Sandra a taunting glare.
Sandra:
What´s that supposed to mean?
Michelle:
You´ll find out.
She leaves them.
Trish:
Do you need to see the nurse?
Sandra:
No, I´ll be fine. It´s just sore.
She keeps rubbing her elbow.
7. Ext. Atrium. Day.
Iz comes out to meet Artie, who was waiting for her. They hug.
Iz:
Hey. I have to cancel on our plans this afternoon.
Artie:
Okay, I guess. Any particular reason?
Iz:
I have to do some networking, so I can get on the squad this year.
Artie:
Can´t Tif get you in?
Iz:
She hasn´t been officially named captain yet. For all I know, she could end up with no say in it at all.
Artie:
So now you have to suck up to some of the other girls.
Iz:
Kinda. Can we hang out tonight in stead?
Artie:
I´m helping Barry with what club to choose.
Iz:
No one says two people can´t help him, right?
Artie:
It was supposed to be "guy time". I feel like I neglected him a little this Summer, with all the time we spent alone together.
Iz:
I can´t say, I´m not a little disappointed, that you don´t want to hang out with me, but I guess I understand.
Artie:
We´ll make it up, when we celebrate the glorious success of your try-out.
They make eye contact and appear understanding of each other.
8. Int. Cafeteria. Day.
Carl, Tif and Amber have just got their food and are trying to decide where to sit.
Carl:
There´s Luke and Annie.
Tif:
I´m not really in a Luke and Annie mood, but you can sit with them, if you want to. It´ll give me and Amber the chance for some girl talk.
Carl:
Sure, if that´s what you want.
He gives her a peck on the cheek and goes to join Luke and Annie. Amber and Tif sit down at an empty table.
Amber:
How long have you and Carl been a couple?
Tif:
For almost a year now.
Amber:
I haven´t even had a boyfriend yet.
Tif:
That can´t be!
Amber:
I get shy around boys. The conversation I had with Carl on the bus, is probably the longest conversation I´ve had in years with a guy, where it wasn´t work related. Anyway, my mom isn´t crazy on me dating. She says, it´ll get in the way of my career.
Tif:
She can´t keep you from living your life.
Amber:
When she decides something, it´s not up for discussion. She messed up her own modelling career, when she became pregnant with me. Now she wants me to do the things, she didn´t get to do. She watches every calorie I eat, to make sure I don´t gain weight.
Tif:
I´m sorry to say so, but she sounds like a bit of a bitch!
Amber smiles to herself.
Amber:
I couldn´t have said it better.
We cut to Luke, Carl and Annie. Carl is watching Tif and Amber talking, while he eats.
Annie:
In some places, what you´re doing is considered stalking.
Luke:
Give him a break.
Carl:
What do you think, they´re talking about?
Luke:
It probably isn´t you.
Tif and Amber laugh and Carl looks uncomfortable.
Carl:
Now they´re laughing at me.
Annie:
God! Can you be more insecure in your manhood?
Luke:
If you´re starting to grow breasts, I should know about it as your friend.
Carl snaps out of it.
Carl:
No, I´m not turning into a girl. It´s good for Tif to have a girlfriend, right?
Annie:
There´s nothing you can do about it, without appearing possessive.
Carl:
Guess, I´ll have to live with it then.
He tries to enjoy his lunch, but stil can´t help peering over at the girls.
9. Montage - Music: "War" by Edwin Starr
We see Sandra opening her locker, to find that all her books smell heavily. She sees Michelle laughing at her and holding up a spray deodorant. Sandra looks angry.
In the classroom, the people next to her move their tables further away to escape the smell. Sandra looks embarrassed.
We see Michelle deep in conversation with Carl. Sandra sees her and approaches Valerie, who´s chewing gum and asks for a piece. She chews it thoroughly, before sticking it in Michelle´s hair as she walks past her. Michelle looks angry as Sandra walks away smiling.
In the Girl´s room, we see Michelle washing her hair in the sink and trying to get it out, but it´s not working. In the classroom, we see her looking embarrassed because several other students are snickering over how terrible her hair looks.
We cut to after class, where Trish and Kat cut the gum out of her hair. She looks ready for war.
10. Ext. Degrassi. Day.
Tif is saying goodbye to Amber and Carl next to the schoolbus.
Tif:
So, we meet up at 7.30?
Amber:
I just have to find out which bus to take.
Carl:
Where are you going?
Tif:
The Rialto. We´re going to see "Grease".
Carl:
You´ll end up setting a world record, before they stop showing it.
Tif:
And who knows, when that´ll be? She hasn´t seen it and I´m offering my expert help, so she gets the full understanding of it.
Amber:
How many times have you seen it?
Tif:
Tonight´s my 18th.
Amber can´t help smiling.
Carl:
We´ll take a look at the schedule, when we get to the bus stop near your house.
Amber:
You´d do that for me? It´s out of your way, isn´t it?
Carl:
Sure. It´s not like, I´m a hurry today and it´s only a block away from my house.
Tif:
Thanks. You´re the best boyfriend ever!
Tif gives him a kiss.
Amber:
I don´t mind you coming, if you want to join us.
Carl:
I went the first 8 times. That was more than enough for me.
Tif:
Which just proves, Amber, that no boy is perfect.
She gives Amber a small hug and leaves them. Carl and Amber start heading toward the school bus.
Carl:
Was it a good first day?
Amber:
Better than I ever could have imagined.
They smile at each other.
11. Int. Clothing Store. Day.
Iz is looking at clothes much fancier that what she usually wears. A shirt especially has her attention and she looks a little sad, that she can´t afford it, when Shannon comes over to her.
Shannon:
That would look great on you. Have you tried it on?
Iz:
There´s no reason to. It´s out of my price range.
Shannon:
What is you price range?
Iz:
Fifteen bucks.
Shannon looks at the price tag.
Shannon:
I´ll loan you the last ten, if you want.
Iz:
Are you sure? I won´t be able to pay you back until next month.
Shannon:
Look at it as my way of welcoming you to the squad.
Iz:
I still have to perform at the try-out´s.
Shannon:
Everyone remembers how good you were at last years audition and a lot of us thought, you should have made the team.
Iz lights up in a smile.
Iz:
You did?
Shannon:
Now that you´ve made the right friends, I can´t see how you can fail. Now go and try that shirt on.
Iz:
I will.
Iz leaves her. Valerie comes over to her, carrying clothes she´s going to buy.
Valerie:
She seemed happy.
Shannon:
It doesn´t take a lot to please some people. I´d say, we have her on our side now.
Valerie:
I don´t know. Tif has her clutches deep in her.
Shannon:
If she won´t comply, we´ll find someone who will. Easy as that.
Iz comes out from the changing room, wearing her new shirt that looks great on her.
Iz:
What do you think?
Valerie:
10 out of 10.
Iz smiles, oblivious that she´s being played.
12. Ext. Street. Day.
Carl and Amber are looking over the bus schedule.
Carl:
You take the 183 to Webster Street and change to the 174. That´ll drop you off right in front of The Rialto.
Amber:
Thanks for helping me.
Carl:
It´s nothing.
Amber:
It is. You´re a sweet guy and if it hadn´t been for you, I wouldn´t have had this great start to my new life at Degrassi.
Carl:
I was lucky that my cousin already went there, when I started. I guess, I felt an obligation to help you and it wasn´t just because of your pretty face.
Amber:
Do you really think, I´m pretty?
Carl:
You´re certainly easy on the eyes.
They smile at each other.
Carl:
I´d better get home, before my mom starts to worry.
Amber:
Okay. Thanks again for your help.
She kisses him on the cheek, surprising him and starts walking to her house, as he watches her leave.
Carl (to himself):
What have I got myself in to here?
She turns a street corner, leaving his view and he starts walking home.
13. Int. Michelle, Sandra and Mike´s House. Evening.
Michelle and Sandra are sitting across from each other at the kitchen table, staring each other down. Trish is sitting next to Michelle and Mike sits next to Sandra.
Trish:
We´re here to mend fences, remember?
Mike:
Which means no catty or back-handed comments.
Sandra:
She´s the one, who can´t act like an adult.
Michelle:
You put gum in my hair! What are you, 10?
Trish:
Now putting gum in someone´s hair isn´t nice. You need to apologize, Sandra.
Sandra:
She started it, when she deliberately walked in on us!
Michelle:
There´s a lock on the door! Guess what it´s there for, dummy?
Mike:
I call "Catty" on that one.
Sandra:
At least I´m not the school slut!
Trish:
We´re getting off track here.
They try to get at each other, but are held back by Mike and Trish.
Mike:
We need some help here.
The others look at him.
Trish:
What kind of help?
We cut to a little later. Mike puts out a joint and all of them look very stoned.
Mike:
Let´s start up again.
Sandra:
Why bother? I´m too lazy to argue right now.
Michelle:
Me too. We got along in the beginning, why can´t we get along now?
Trish:
You just have to accept each other´s differences.
Michelle:
If you remember to remove your disgusting hair after you´ve showered and lock the door, when you´re doing it, I´m willing to let it go.
Sandra:
It you agree to clean up your own mess, I´ll let it go too.
Michelle:
I´m sorry, I tripped you. How´s your elbow doing?
Sandra:
Still sore, but I´ll live. I´m sorry for putting gum in your hair and embarrassing you. That was kind of childish of me.
Trish:
I see two girls, who need to hug it out.
They stand up and hug it out.
Mike:
I´m hungry as hell. Do you guys want to get a Pizza?
Sandra:
Sounds like a plan.
She kisses Mike as thanks for his help.
CLOSING CREDITS