DEGRASSI: AFTERMATH - S08E17 - THREE LITTLE BIRDS

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

1. Ext. Degrassi. Morning.

We see Regina walking towards the school, off in her own little world. Deb, who´s doing the same, bumps into her by mistake and she falls down.

Deb:

Sorry. I wasn´t looking.

She helps Regina up.

Deb:

Are you okay?

Regina:

The only thing hurt was my pride and I didn´t have much of that to begin with!

Deb:

It´s nice of you to take it so well.

Regina:

I´ve got bigger issues on my mind. Anyway, I was sort of guilty of the same, so we´ll call it even, okay?

Regina spontaneously starts crying.

Deb:

Fine by me. Not to pry, but why are you crying?

Regina:

Because my Dad has been arrested.

Deb:

Jesus! I promise, I won´t tell anyone.

Regina:

They´ll find out soon enough. You can´t hide from it, when your dad scams people out of millions of dollars.

Deb:

That was them? I read about it.

Regina:

Now, I have to go in there and face the people, who already hate me. This is just more fuel for their fire.

Deb:

What your parents do, can´t be your fault. I know, what it´s like to be judged because of them. When my dad did what he did, there were lots of looks and friends, who all of a sudden never had time anymore.

Regina:

I know, that we don´t really know each other, but if I need to talk about it, is it okay, if I come to you?

Deb:

Of course, it is.

Regina:

Thanks. Not everyone would be that nice.

She sees, that Regina could use some consolation.

Deb:

I´m as low on the totem pole in there, as you are. You´re not alone.

Regina wipes her eyes.

Regina:

Any suggestions?

Deb:

Only to keep your head high. If it´s any consolation, I find out today, if I´m being kicked out.

Regina:

What did you do?

Deb:

Skipped too many classes. Being held back a year, is my best case scenario.

Regina:

I guess, we make up the loser´s club!

Deb:

It´s larger than you think it is.

They head inside.

OPENING CREDITS

2. Int. Hallway. Day.

Regina approaches the classroom. Julie and Heather are waiting for her outside it.

Heather:

I heard about your dad. Can´t say, I´m too surprised.

Regina:

I´m really not in the mood.

They block her way.

Julie:

I´ll be the first to admit, that my parents won´t win any parenting awards. At least, they haven´t cheated people out of their money.

Heather:

These were people, who trusted him. How can you look yourself in the mirror?

Regina:

I didn´t know, okay? Let me past.

Julie:

Yeah, right! All that money and you never asked yourself, where it came from!

Regina:

IT´S NOT MY FAULT!

Deco:

She´s right. Leave her alone.

Heather:

But ...

Deco:

No but´s! She´s feeling bad enough already, without you adding to it!

Julie and Heather sulk, but walk into the classroom. Regina looks appreciative of Deco´s help.

Regina:

Thanks, Deco. My comeback skills are on the fritz!

Deco:

It´s no wonder. How are you holding up?

Regina:

It could be better, but I´ll manage. At least, my reputation couldn´t get any worse.

Deco:

You have a year left and then you´re out of here. Don´t let them get to you.

Regina:

Why did you come to my rescue?

Deco:

I can sympathize with feeling down. It´s a long story.

Regina:

You can tell it to me over lunch, if you want.

Deco:

Yeah, why not?

They smile at each other.

3. Int. Snake´s Office. Day.

Deb is sitting across from Snake and Bianca and is looking very small.

Deb:

Just lay it on me.

Snake:

If we follow the rules, then we´ll have no other choice, except to expel you.

Bianca:

It´s not just the classes, you´ve missed. Your grades are awful, because you haven´t turned in half of your reports. Your teachers tell us, that you often fall asleep in class.

Deb:

I don´t sleep well. I haven´t since ... that happened.

Snake:

Do you have nightmares?

Deb nods.

Deb:

Recurring ones. Usually with me becoming like my dad and shooting people.

Bianca:

Do you often feel stressed?

Deb:

All the time. I feel like, school just isn´t for me. Like I´m not smart enough. Every time I get a paper back with a low mark, it validates it.

Snake:

And ruins what little self esteem, you have.

Deb:

I just stopped handing them in, so I wouldn´t have to deal with it.

Bianca:

We understand, it´s not that. But you picked the worst way you could, to deal with it.

Deb:

Do you think, I´m crazy? I´m not like everyone else.

Bianca looks at her with sympathy.

Bianca:

You´re not crazy. Those, who go through childhood trauma, often have to find their own path, because your experiences make you different from your peers. Many of them use it to make themselves stronger.

Snake:

We can enroll you in next year´s Sophomore class and you can try doing the year over. It might be best however, if you looked into an apprenticeship. School isn´t for everyone, but that doesn´t mean, you can´t have a fulfilling career.

Bianca:

I´ll be of all the help, I can.

Deb:

What would it entail?

Bianca:

You spend short periods of time in a specialized school, mixed with time working. You get paid, like any other employee, but you´ll be working towards an education.

Snake:

You should consider it. It´s worked for others, in your situation.

Deb considers it.

4. Int. Cafeteria. Day.

Deco is enjoying himself, sitting with Regina, Carla and Charlie.

Deco:

No way!

Carla:

She´s a natural blonde. The carpet doesn´t match the drapes.

Deco laughs and looks comfortable.

Deco:

Why haven´t I sat with you guys before? You´re a hoot!

Regina:

You never asked.

Charlie:

We´re proud to be anti-selective!

Deco:

I wish, I had before now.

Regina:

You still have a whole year of lunches left!

Deco:

It´s more like a month´s worth. I´m being shipped back to Ireland.

Regina looks shocked.

Regina:

Why would they do that?

Deco:

I´m no supposed to say anything.

Regina:

Come on! You´re talking to a super fan!

Deco:

They´re giving the series a facelift for the second season.

Carla:

Why does that concern you?

Deco:

The least popular characters with their focus groups, are being replaced. This includes mine. No series, means no green card. No green card, means it´s back across the pond for me.

Charlie:

You can´t find another show to be on?

Deco:

It´s not looking likely. I´ll take any part, so I can stay.

Regina:

What do you say, we spend today cheering each other up?

He eyes her suspiciously.

Regina:

Nothing sexual! I know that you´re gay.

Carla:

It sounds like a beginning to an epic story! Sadly, I have to work.

Charlie:

I have two reports to finish, so I´m out too. You should go for it, though. She´s a fun girl, once you get to know her!

Deco:

What do you have in mind?

Regina:

Anything and everything!

Deco grins.

Deco:

How can I say no to a proposal, like that one?

Regina looks pleased.

5. Ext. Degrassi. Day.

The school day is over and Regina and Deco come out. They see Deb waiting by the entrance.

Regina:

Hey. How did it go?

Deb:

They were merciful.

Regina:

Are congratulations in order?

Deb:

I´d say so. At least, I didn´t get kicked out.

Deco:

I didn´t know, you two were friends.

Deb:

I had no idea, you were!

Regina:

It´s new, just like with me and you!

Deb:

Was it a tough day?

Regina:

Not as bad, as I , I had my knight in shining armor! After he told off two girls, who picked on me, no one else dared to.

Deb:

That was nice of you!

Deco:

I hate bullying. The lord gave me these muscles, so I could intimidate others, not to bully.

Deb:

It´s certainly a theory! Kind of far out, if you ask me, but it´s yours and you´re allowed to have it!

Regina:

What are you up to?

Deb:

I don´t know. My brother and the girl, he´s turned in to a sex fiend have already started their afternoon program. I was supposed to meet Taylor, but it looks like she forgot.

Regina:

You´re welcome to hang out with us.

Deco:

We won´t bite.

Deb:

As long, as it starts with getting out of here! 40 hours a week, is more than enough!

Regina:

When you turn up, that is!

Deb:

I meant, in theory! What do you want to do?

Everyone looks to Regina, who smiles.

6. Montage - Music: "She Sells Sanctuary" by The Cult.

We see them having fun at The Mall. Regina and Deb try on various outfits for Deco, glad to haven´t an honest opinion fro a guy, they know isn´t trying to get in their pants.

We see them hanging out by the mall fountain, when a couple of young fans come up to Deco. He´s great with them and can´t hide, that he loves the adulation, they´re giving him. Regina and Deb help the young fans out, by taking pictures of them posing with Deco. It´s positive experience, that leaves everyone with smiling faces.

We see them at the Skate Park, where Deco has taken them down to say hi to Jamie and Simon. They try to teach Regina to skate and it goes well, until she realizes, that she doesn´t know how to stop, once she gets rolling. She runs the board extremely slowly into a wall and almost falls, but because she was going so slowly, Deco and Simon managed to reach her and catch her, before she falls. A couple of 12 year old skater girls giggle at her lack of ability, so Deb and Regina stick out their tongues at them.

We see them reach the entrance to The Ravine, that Deb is clearly selling to them as being the greatest place in the world.

7. Ext. The Ravine. Evening.

Regina is looking hard at her beer can.

Regina:

Won´t my aunt be able to smell it?

Deb:

That´s what gum is for.

Deco:

Live a little.

Regina:

You guys are seriously peer pressuring me!

Deb:

So?

Regina:

I just thought, that it need to be said. Here´s to growing up!

She takes a sip of her beer and makes a face, as she swallows it.

Regina:

Yuck!

Deco:

The taste grows on you.

Regina:

I don´t think, it will with me!

She has to cough and gets teary eyed.

Deb:

You´re not gonna spew, are you?

Regina:

No, it´s staying down.

Deb:

Good. Because the best part of drinking, is playing drinking games!

Deb looks excited for it.

8. Int. Trailer. Evening.

They´re in one of the "Make Out Trailers", similar to the ones, they had back in Jay and Emma´s days down there.

Deb:

The game is "Never Have I Ever". I say something, and if you´ve tried it, you drink.

Regina:

I haven´t tried anything!

Deco:

You´d be surprised, how much you have in common.

Regina:

Okay. I´m game.

Deb:

First one. Never have I ever, had to make excuses for my parents, when they´ve done something, they shouldn´t have.

Regina:

I can definitely say yes to that one!

Deco:

Me too. My dad has never stepped away from a bar fight.

Deb:

A "Fighting Irish", huh?

Deco:

To the core!

They all drink. Regina ia already looking a little tipsy.

Deb:

You next, Regina.

Regina:

Never have I ever, done something mean to someone and regretted it. I´ve done that in abundance!

Deb:

I´ve done that a few times too.

Deco:

I´m no angel either.

They all drink.

Regina:

This is fun! I´ve always been scared of going down here. It can be fun, when you´re with the right people.

Deco:

My turn. Never have I ever ... kissed a girl!

He drinks.

Deb:

It doesn´t count, if it´s only acting.

Deco:

It wasn´t. This was long before, I started acting.

The girls look surprised.

Regina:

Aren´t you gay?

Deco:

I haven´t always been. My first kiss was little Siobhan O´Connor. The most Irish looking girl in all of Ireland, with the most Irish sounding name in the world!

The girls laugh. He looks at them.

Deco:

So?

Deb looks a little embarrassed and takes a sip.

Regina:

You too?

Deb:

When I was around twelve, I had a friend, I was close with. Then my dad got out and scared her half to death, but that´s a different story. She was my first.

Regina:

Are you Bi-Sexual? It´s fine with me, if you are and you know, that Deco won´t care.

Deb:

She´s still the only girl, I´ve kissed and it was only that one kiss. I don´t think of girls "That Way", so I consider myself straight as an arrow.

Regina:

I´ve only kissed one guy, no girls. My life has been boring and uneventful, compared to yours.

Deco:

Would you kiss one?

Regina smiles nervously.

Regina:

It would have to be the right girl, under the perfect circumstances. Then, I probably would. I´ve considered it a lot, since I haven´t had any luck with guys. That maybe they can somehow tell that I´m gay, even if I don´t know it.

Deco:

Do you get attracted to girls?

Regina:

All the time, but I don´t know, if I want to do anything about it. It´s pretty confusing.

Deco:

You´re not completely Hetero, I can tell you that much.

Deb:

Here I thought, you´d turned into a boring, goody goody Christian girl!

Regina:

Don´t judge a book by it´s cover.

She takes a big sip and burps loudly, making the other two laugh. She smiles to herself, happy to be in good company, that´s helping her forget her problems.

8. Ext. The Ravine. Evening.

Deb pays a guy in his 20´s for 3 more beers, while Deco and Regina try to look away and appear inconspicuous. She brings it back to them and hands one to each of them.

Deb:

Last call. I´m broke.

Regina:

I can pay!

Deco:

You also have school tomorrow.

She looks annoyed.

Regina:

That´s true. I´d rather stay down here all night.

Deb:

It´s nice, isn´t it? No one judges you and it´s like everyone is on an even playing field. There´s no jocks or cheerleaders or Brainiacs. When we´re down here, we´re all the same.

Regina:

I can see why you like it.

Deco:

A toast.

They open their beers.

Deco:

To new friends. I wish, I´d got to know you sooner.

Regina:

Hear, hear!

They drink and Regina starts to lose her balance. Deco grabs her, to shield her from falling. She smiles at him.

Regina:

That´s the 3rd time, you saved me today! You´re handy to have around!

Deb takes the beer from Regina.

Deb:

Let me teach you a rule, when it comes to drinking. When you´re having trouble standing up, it´s time to call it a day!

Regina:

You´re the expert. Let´s play truth or dare! I´ve always wanted to try it!

Deb:

Okay. Truth or dare.

Regina:

Why do I have to go first?

Deco:

You picked the game.

Regina:

That´s fair, I guess. I´ll pick a dare, just to make it interesting.

Deb:

I dare you to kiss Deco, on the lips, for at least ten seconds.

Deco backs away.

Deco:

Sorry, I have a boyfriend.

Deb:

Which would be a problem, if she were a guy. We´ve all seen you sucking face with Sally on the TV show. Think of it as a stage kiss.

Regina:

You did agree to play.

Deco:

Okay, but not out here in the open. The next thing, I know, we could be all over TMZ.

Deb:

Go back to the trailer, then.

Regina offers Deco his hand and he takes it, then downs the rest of his beer and handing the empty can to Deb, before heading back to the trailer.

9. Int. Trailer. Evening.

Regina and Deco are sitting next to each other. Both look nervous.

Regina:

We don´t have to. We can just tell Deb, that we kissed.

Deco:

Do you want to?

Regina:

Maybe, if you do. You are a perfect 10.

Deco looks flattered.

Deco:

No one´s ever called me a ten before.

Regina:

What am I, on your girl scale?

Deco:

Looks wise, a solid 9. Add in your personality and you´re an eleven.

Regina looks pleased.

Regina:

It sounds, like you want to.

Deco:

Is it okay, if I´m undecided for now?

Regina smiles at him.

Regina:

Is it okay, if I´m undecided too? I´d like my first romantic kiss, to be one, that meant something. Not because Deb dared us to.

He smiles back at her.

Deco:

That probably means, that we shouldn´t.

Regina:

It would have been a great story to tell, when I get old. That I had my first real kiss with a gay TV star.

Deco:

I´ve thought for the past two years, that I was gay. Sitting here with you, I´m not so sure anymore.

Regina:

Do you like making out with Simon?

Deco nods.

Deco:

Yeah, I do.

Regina:

Do you want to make out with me right now?

Deco:

A part of me wants to. I would probably go for it, if it hadn´t been for him.

Regina:

Then you´re probably Bi, when it comes down to it.

Deco:

I have a lot to figure out, when I get back to Ireland.

Regina:

You can still get a part or they could change their minds.

Deco:

Yeah and they can decide, that your dad is innocent!

Regina looks hurt by his remark.

Deco:

I´m sorry. I wasn´t thinking.

Regina:

It´s okay. I just have to deal with whatever comes and try to hold my head high. It won´t be fun, but it´s out of my hands. He messed up, so now he has to face the music.

Deco:

For what it´s worth, I think you´re a pretty great girl.

Regina:

Which one, pretty or great?

Deco:

Both. At least, I know now, which girl I would want to kiss, if I was gonna kiss one.

Regina:

Simon´s a lucky guy. Feel free to give me call, if it doesn´t work out.

They make eye contact and have a moment. Regina moves in to kiss him. He´s clearly torn and quite aroused at her advances.

Deco:

We shouldn´t.

Regina:

Doesn´t it feel right, though?

He holds her tightly.

10. Ext. The Ravine. Evening.

Regina and Deco come out of the trailer. Deb comes over to them.

Deb:

Are you ready to get out of here? This is usually around the time, where the cops come to bust the party up. Trust me, you don´t want to be around for it!

Regina:

Sure. It´s been a long day.

Deb:

Did you actually kiss in there?

Deco:

That´s for us to know and for you, to speculate on.

Deb:

You did, didn´t you?

Regina:

A lady doesn´t kiss and tell.

Deb:

You can tell me! It´ll bug me so much, that I won´t be able to fall asleep.

Regina:

Try masturbating. I hear, that it works like a sleeping pill.

Deb:

You´ll feel guilty, when you see me tired in school.

Deco:

That´s a risk, we can live with.

They head for the exit.

Deb:

You guys are no fun!

Regina:

You don´t mean that.

Deb:

Nah, I don´t! I´m glad, that we became friends today.

The three of the smile at each other.

CLOSING CREDITS