AMY´S CREEK - S01E12 - HIGH SCHOOL HOP
Disclaimer: I don´t own Dawson´s Creek or the characters from it.
Author´s Note: I put you guys through some hard episodes, so here´s a cuter one to hopefully put a smile on your faces. The series has more readers, than I thought it would, which is very encouraging. Thanks for reading and you will help to make my day, if you leave a review.
1. Int. Auditorium. Day.
The auditorium is being dressed up for a dance with a 70´s disco theme. Amy is helping Paige make a banner for it.
Amy (voice over):
It´s dance time at the old High School. The party planning committee decided that since it almost falls on the 40th anniversary of the great fire at the school, it would be appropriate if we celebrate in by partying like it´s 1977. A few dozen students and a handful of teachers went to the hospital for smoke inhalation, but by some miracle, no one was seriously hurt, so I guess there´s some sort of morbid merit to it. I can´t say that I´m overly excited, but I know someone who is.
Paige:
Aren´t you super excited? I´ve been looking forward to my first High School dance, since I was ten.
Amy:
I`m trying to. Maybe it´s the whole 70´s theme, that´s throwing me off.
Paige:
Why? I can´t wait to strut my stuff to some sweet disco tunes!
Amy:
You have a partner, who can dance. Have you seen Vicki, when she tries to?
Paige giggles.
Paige:
I thought, that you didn´t care, what people thought of you.
Amy:
Being an outsider is fine, but I don´t fancy being a laughing stock.
Paige:
It can´t be that bad!
Amy:
Her sense of rhythm is equal to that of a tone deaf Giraf! It´s fine, when we´re alone and having fun with it.
Paige:
You still have a few days. How about if you send her to learn from Marco?
Amy:
Will you be okay with it?
Paige:
Buds help each other, right?
Amy:
Any advice on how to tell her?
Amy looks like, she´d rather not have to.
OPENING CREDITS
2. Int. Cafeteria. Day.
Amy and her friends are eating lunch together.
Amy (voice over):
When we started the year, it was just me, Ash and our new friend Vicki eating together. It´s nice that we have all these new friends. Not to mention, that Ash and Max are the cutest thing, I´ve seen in ages! It´s so nice as her friend to see, how giddy she gets, every time they take it a step further. This time, they´ve hit a snag, though.
Paige:
How can you not go?
Max:
I´m not a dance person, I hate disco and pretty much everyone, who goes here! Why would I want to go?
Ash:
For my sake?
Marco:
It´s called stepping up and being a boyfriend, dude.
Max:
Ash, please.
Ash:
You don´t have to go, if you don´t want to. This just means, that I´ll find someone else to dance with.
Amy looks at Ash and smiles to herself. Max looks frustrated.
Amy (voice over):
Did you see that? She knows how to play the passive aggressive card to perfection. That´s my girl!
Max:
I´m not going.
Ash:
Fine. There´s plenty of cute boys, who will dance with me.
Vicki:
Come on, Max. It will be a blast! I already have the perfect outfit picked out.
Marco:
If you don´t go, then it will drive you nuts anyway.
Max:
At least, I won´t be listening to disco with a bunch of jerks, I can´t get away from soon enough! Sorry Ash, but this is where I draw the line.
Amy (voice over):
We´ll just see about that. If you ask me, he´s already lost this battle and doesn´t even know it. Oh, those boys! They can be so easy to play with!
Amy smiles to herself.
3. Ext. The Ice House. Day.
Amy and Vicki are walking up towards the Ice House, holding hands.
Amy (voice over):
How do you do this, without coming off as a condescending bitch?
Amy:
Are you coming over after I´ve finished work?
Vicki:
I´ll give it a miss, if that´s okay. It´s time, that I did some homework for a change.
Amy:
Speaking of homework. There´s this thing, it´s this itsy bitsy, tiny little, barely existent thing, I´d like you to try to work on.
Vicki looks suspicious.
Vicki:
What is it?
Amy:
It´s your dancing.
Vicki looks hurt.
Vicki:
You think, that I´m a bad dancer, don´t you?
Amy:
Not bad, per se. Look, just forget that I said anything.
Vicki:
No, I want to know this! What´s so bad about it?
Amy:
Please, let´s forget that I said it. I didn´t mean it, really.
Vicki:
You can´t back track! I want to know.
Amy:
You don´t really have any rhythm to your dancing. I´m just worried ...
Vicki:
That people will point and laugh at us?
Amy:
Yeah, sort of. It´s not a problem for me, but you know how brutal, they can be.
Vicki:
It clearly is, or you wouldn´t have said it! I´m sorry, that I´m such an embarrassment to you, Amy. You can find someone else to go to the dance with. Sorry, that I´m not living up to your standards!
Vicki storms off. Amy rolls her eyes in frustration.
Amy (voice over):
I should ask Ash, how she does it. That couldn´t have gone worse and now I have a whole work day to worry over it! That´s just what I needed!
She shakes her head and heads into the restaurant.
4. Int. The Ice House. Evening.
Amy is closing up with Max and Pacey´s help.
Amy (voice over):
What a sucky work day! I couldn´t stop thinking about my fight with Vicki, no matter how much Pacey tried to cheer me up. Max came down and got a free large soda in exchange for helping up close up. His dad has been working most of the time lately and their house can be a lonely place, when it´s just you in it. I want to be like Pacey, when I grow up in the sense, that he´s always ready to help anyone, who needs it and deserves it. He knows how big of a difference it can make, just to have someone listen and feel like, they care.
Pacey:
So, Max. How´s it going with you and Ash?
Max:
It´s a long story. She´s currently giving me the silent treatment.
Amy:
Like you don´t deserve it?
Pacey:
What did you do?
Max:
I said, that I wouldn´t go to the dance with her.
Pacey smiles to himself.
Max:
I´m not the kind of guy, who goes to dances! Especially not ones, where they play music that makes me want to vomit blood!
Pacey:
You mean, you WEREN´T the kind of guy, who goes to dances. Those rules change, once you get a girlfriend. If you want to hold on to her, that is.
Amy:
Listen to him, Max. You don´t want to mess this up.
Max:
Of course, I don´t! I´m crazy about Ash, but I´m not gonna change, who I am for her. EMO´s don´t go to dances with the preppy kids, who pick on us. That´s just how it is.
Pacey:
No one is saying, that you should. But when you commit to someone, you also commit to doing, what they want to do once in a while. It doesn´t have to be any skin off your back, to put a smile on her face, does it?
Max:
Amy, will you keep your mouth shut to Ash, about something?
Amy:
Since you asked so nicely, I will.
Max:
I can´t dance, at least not in any fancy kind of way. I can stand there and groove along, but that´s about as far as it goes.
Pacey and Amy laugh.
Max:
Come on, guys!
Amy:
It´s not you, we´re laughing at. You just described Pacey´s one and only dance style ot a T!
Pacey:
The "stand and groove" will never go out of style. Trust me, Max. It got me through the dances in my day and it can do the same for you.
Max:
What about the jerks from school? I don´t want to see them, more than I absolutely have to.
Pacey:
Ignore them and concentrate on keeping Ash happy. If you do, then she´ll most likely reward you for it. That´s how these things tend to work.
Amy:
You won´t find out, if you keep being stubborn as a Mule! Do this for her. Give her the dream evening, that you know, she wants from you. You can take her to a "Cradle of Filth" concert or I don´t know, a trip to Hot Topic, if you need to get your EMO balance up to par.
Max:
I played them for her. I could tell that she hated it.
Amy:
She would still go with you to see them, if you asked her. If you don´t start giving that little bit extra of yourself, then she could find someone, who will.
Max seems to give in.
Amy (voice over):
It would appear, that the first fire has been put out. Now for the one, I started.
5. Int. Amy´s Room. Evening.
Amy is lying on her bed with her phone.
Amy (voice over):
How do you write the perfect apology text? I could start with ...
She starts typing.
Amy (voice over):
"I´m sorry, that I said that thing about your dancing. I didn´t mean it". No!
She erases it and starts over.
Amy (voice over):
I need to get her to take it as constructive criticism, without it being a personal attack. Hmm ...
She takes a moment to consider it.
Amy (voice over):
"I said, what I said, because I want us to always be honest with each other". That´s good! Ehm, how about "If I suck at something, then I hope, that you will be honest with me about it".
She erases the last part again and shakes her head.
Amy (voice over):
What were you thinking? Don´t tell her, that she sucks! Maybe, "I would want you to tell me, if I was bad at something". It still doesn´t work!
She erases it all again.
Amy (voice over):
"I´m really sorry. I hope, that you still want to go to the dance with me". Short, simple and sweet!
She presses the send button and looks satisfied with it.
6. Int. Car. Morning.
Amy is being driven to work by Joey.
Amy (voice over):
I´m lucky, that I have my support system. If anyone knows about relationship problems, It´s Joey!
Joey:
I don´t think, there was a single dance, where I didn´t cry in the girl´s room at some point during the evening! Your history with High School dances can only end up being getter than mine.
Amy:
Why did you keep going to them then?
Joey:
Because there were always these few moments during the night, that become the ones, you remember. It doesn´t have to be romantic ones, it can be ones you have with your friends. If it hadn´t been for us setting Jack up with your mom at a dance, who knows where, you´d be living now? It wasn´t a romantic connection, for obvious reasons, but they found something even better.
Amy:
What was your own favorite moment?
Joey:
There´s no number one. They were all special in their own way.
Amy:
I hope, that Vicki isn´t too mad at me, or this one won´t have any of those moments.
Joey:
A good apology goes a long way. Throw in those big, sad puppy dog eyes, you work your dads so well with and you´ll be alright.
Amy does her best "Puppy Dog Eyes" for her.
Amy:
Like this?
Joey:
Ten percent sadder.
She does.
Joey:
That´s it.
They smile at each other.
Amy (voice over):
It helps to have someone, who´s tried it all, at your side.
7. Int. Hallway. Morning.
Amy comes up the hallway. She sees Max and Ash talking and smiling at each other.
Amy (voice over):
I see, that the first problem is out of the way!
She comes over to them.
Ash:
Hey. Guess, who came to his senses?
Amy:
Out of nowhere, you decided to give up on your EMO ideals?
Max:
I´d rather call myself Ash´s boyfriend, than a true EMO.
Amy:
What kind of costume are you wearing?
Max:
Costume?
Ash:
It is a 70´s party. I expect you to look the part.
Max:
As long, as I look like someone from the 70´s, then it´s alright?
Amy:
I suppose so.
Max:
Okay. I´ll come up with something.
Ash:
You´re so sweet for doing this for me. I promise, to make it worth your while.
Amy (voice over):
If he shows up dressed as "Jaws", then I might just die laughing!
Ash looks very happy with him. Max and Amy wink at each other.
8. Int. Classroom. Morning.
Amy comes into the classroom and sees Vicki sitting by the window, She walks over to her.
Amy:
Good morning. Mind if I sit?
Vicki:
I guess not.
Amy takes the seat next to her.
Amy:
Did you get my text?
Vicki:
Yeah. It´s okay, I suppose.
Amy:
So, we´re on for the dance?
Vicki:
I´m never going to a dance again! Not, if it´s to make a fool of myself.
Amy:
It really isn´t that bad! I wish, I´d never said anything.
Vicki:
You´ve saved me from a lot of ridicule and back talk.
Amy:
I won´t be anywhere near the same without you. You´re my girl!
Vicki:
I won´t get mad at you for going, but I´m staying home, where I can ´t embarrass either of us. I used to love going to them at my old school, but what you said will always be stuck in the back of my mind. I can´t see, how I could enjoy one again.
Amy (voice over):
What did I do? Where´s that time machine, when you need it?
Amy looks frustrated.
9. Int. Girl´s Room. Day.
Amy is washing her hands next to Paige.
Amy:
I´ve broken my girlfriend! She was fine before she met me and now she´s an insecure mess!
Paige:
You can always trade her in for a different model. Since you came out, it´s practically become the fashion.
Amy:
Can we be serious for a moment?
Paige:
I am! The girls on the Lacrosse team are coming out faster than bullets fly! It´s like pew, pew, pew!
She does shooting noises and Amy can´t help smiling.
Amy:
Why did I have to say that to her? I only wanted to go, so we could have a romantic dance or two and have some laughs with you and our other friends.
Paige:
I´m lucky, that Marco ignores most of what I say.
Amy:
You know, that he does that?
Paige:
I would too, if I were him! When you talk as much as I do, then you´re gonna say something wrong or dumb here and there. It´s for the best, that he doesn´t pick up on most of them, or I seriously doubt, that he would want to date me!
Amy:
At least, you´re self aware about it!
Paige:
It´s still a long while to the next dance. Maybe, she´ll be over it by then.
Amy:
What if she isn´t?
Paige:
In that case, you were probably right, when you said that you broke her. Just think, that she could never have the courage to dance in front of strangers again! Not at weddings or clubs or concerts or ...
Amy:
You´re not helping!
Paige:
Sorry, I was thinking out loud, I guess. Look, right now, it´s just this one dance. Go there with us, have some punch, do a little group dance with your friends and giggle at all the awful dancers with me and Ash. You can still have a good time without her, plus you´ve already paid for a ticket.
Amy (voice over):
That was very sound advice! Is she starting to get me?
Paige:
If she doesn´t come around, then there are some cute girls on the Lacrosse team, if you don´t mind them being on the butchy side. Just saying.
Amy (voice over)
Nope! Although there is that girl, who wears the number six shirt ... stop thinking abut her, Amy! Concentrate on this! Don´t think about how her butt cheeks wiggle, when she runs, those adorable dimples or how blue her eyes are ...
Paige:
You´re thinking about the girl, who wears the number six shirt, aren´t you?
Amy:
Who? I haven´t noticed her!
Paige:
She´s dating the girl, who plays in the number three shirt, just so you know.
Amy (voice over):
Oh, well. I have more than enough in the one I have.
They leave the bathroom.
10. Int. Amy´s Room. Evening.
Amy and Ash have changed into their costumes and are dressed as a pair of OG punk girls.
Amy (voice over):
Oh well, if I can´t convince Vicki, then so be it. I´m not gonna let a boy spoil my fun. Or in this case a girl ... you know, what I mean!
Ash:
Can you imagine the shock on people´s faces, when they saw girls looking like this for the first time?
Amy:
It must have been crazy, in their eyes. Imagine the first time, they saw two girls openly kissing?
Ash:
I doubt, if there were any openly lesbian couples at that dance in ´77. I´m glad, that´s changed.
Amy:
Now it´s other reasons, why they done come. Like one of them putting her foot in her mouth and destroying her girlfriend´s confidence.
Ash:
Vicki is crazy about you. It´s gonna be okay.
Amy:
What if it isn´t? Things were weird between us at school today. Maybe I should go to her place and try to make it okay with her in stead.
Ash:
You´ll have plenty of time to sit around and hang out. That´s what we do six days a week! Minimum!
Amy:
Promise, that you´ll take pity on me, if I look lonely?
Ash:
Of course, I will.
The girls hug. A safety pin from Amy costume gets stuck on Ash´s.
Amy:
I´ll get it.
Ash:
Do you need me to do anything?
Amy:
Just stay still.
It takes them a moment to get unstuck.
Ash:
So, that´s why, this style didn´t catch on with the masses!
Jack comes in.
Jack:
You haven´t joined some kind of retro girl gang, have you?
Amy:
No!
Jack:
You have company.
Jack leaves them. Max comes in dressed in jeans, a black t-shirt and a black leather jacket. He´s holding a picture in his hand, that he shows them.
Max:
My granddad, New Year´s Eve 1976.
He looks pretty much exactly like Max.
Jack:
I need to get a picture of this.
Amy:
Really?
Jack:
Line up.
They line up for a photo and Jack takes it with his phone.
Jack:
Have fun!
She gives him a "How lame can you be, dad?" kind of look and he leaves them.
Ash:
You´re not breaking the rules, even if all you did, was borrow your dad´s jacket.
Max:
It turns out, that black has always been in style. Call me a zero dollar costume king!
Ash:
I´m just glad, that you´re here.
Max:
Next time, we do something, I want to, okay?
Ash:
Deal.
The two of them hug.
Amy (voice over):
I could literally burst, if they get more adorable!
She smiles to herself.
11. Ext. School. Evening.
Amy, Ash and Max meet up with Paige and Marco, who have gone Disco style for the evening.
Paige:
You look like the kind of girls, who would have beat girls like us up.
Marco:
Going for the underplayed style there, Max?
Max:
This is how most people dressed back then. Plus, it fits my dancing style.
Ash:
Where as this is how girls with severe emotional problems dressed!
Amy:
I kinda dig it. It´s not exactly metal detector friendly, though.
Marco:
Let´s go inside. I feel like dancing!
They head inside.
12. Int. Auditorium. Evening.
Amy and the others come in. Vicki sneaks up behind her and covers her eyes.
Vicki:
Guess who?
Amy smiles and turns around.
Amy:
I thought, you weren´t coming.
Vicki:
I wasn´t, but then Paige gave me a call. She made me see, that I was over reacting and reminded me, how many other bad dancers, there would be here.
Amy:
I don´t care, if you can dance or not. We can hang out by the punch bowl all evening, for all I care, as long as we´re together.
Vicki:
You´re not getting out of dancing with me! I didn´t spend last night practicing with Marco and Paige for nothing.
Marco:
You were right, Amy. She was terrible!
Amy and Vicki are practically glowing with joy.
Amy:
Thanks, you guys.
Paige:
It was our pleasure.
Marco:
Only what anyone would do for a friend.
Amy:
What are we waiting for? Let´s get out on that dancefloor!
They head out to the dancefloor.
13. Int. Amy´s Room. Evening.
Amy is lying on her bed, reflecting on the evening with a big smile on her face.
Amy (voice over):
I still remember the very first dance, I went to. It was grade 5 and everyone was talking about it for weeks before it took place. It ended up being the girls on one side of the room and the boys on the other, for most of the evening. I remember, that me and Ash talked about how lame it had been, on the way home that night. This was everything, I could have wanted from a dance. The right girl, the right friends, the right atmosphere. It almost sucks to know, that I´ll probably never go to a better one. Man, has this been a crazy first half of the schoolyear! I wonder, what the next half will bring.
She turns onto her side and turns her night light off.
CLOSING CREDITS