DEGRASSI: AFTERMATH - S09E10 - SAD BUT TRUE PART 1
Disclaimer: I don´t own Degrassi or the characters from it.
1. Montage - Music: "Why?" by Annie Lennox.
We open on Regina, who´s with Carla and Charlie. They´re trying to help her get ready for Deco´s funeral, but she is finding it hard to concentrate on it. They´re both clearly worried about her.
We see Lisa and Suey getting ready to leave for the funeral. Lisa is already fighting the tears and gets a comforting hug from Suey.
We see Tina in a mental hospital staring out the window. She´s still catatonic and doesn´t seem to react to anything, that happens around her.
We see Becky getting ready to deliver her sermon. It´s tough for her, but she has Bianca and Drew with her for support.
We see Simon being ready to get on to a train. He has a gym bag and his skateboard with him. Allison and him slap hands and say goodbye.
We see Regina, Carla and Charlie trying to get into the church, but reporters and paparazzi, as well as lots of his fans are making it hard. Charlie has to push a photographer out of the way, when he gets too much in the way.
OPENING CREDITS
2. Int. Church. Day.
The church is full for the funeral. Regina is sitting with Carla and Charlie. She looks bitter.
Regina:
There were only a small handful of people, who really knew him. He would have hated this.
Charlie:
You just have to get through this. We´ll have a quiet night after this.
Regina:
Then what? How can I go back to school after this?
Carla:
It´s only a few more months.
Regina:
I don´t know, if I could stand five minutes in there. Everywhere I go, I´m reminded of him. If I´m not reminded of him, then I´m reminded of Rodney or Pete.
Charlie:
It´s still too crazy to wrap your mind around. I promise, that it´ll get better in time.
We cut over to Lisa and Suey, who are sitting with Nick, Jamie and Chrissy, among others. They´re looking over at Regina.
Suey:
Can you imagine having the love of your life torn away from like that?
Lisa:
No. It´s hard enough for the rest of us, but she knew all of them. If she ends up a half way normal person after this, I´d say that´s a success story.
Nick:
What about Rodney´s girlfriend? Can you imagine, what she´s going through?
Chrissy:
I heard, that she swallowed a handful of pills and they have her on suicide watch.
Jamie:
Simon couldn´t take it either. Poor guy. You can´t blame him for needing to get as far away from this, as he could for a few days.
Lisa:
Chrissy? Are you really gonna speak?
Chrissy:
Someone has to. I don´t think that Regina is capable of it. As for Simon, we can only hope that he finds, what he´s looking for.
The doors are closed and the organist starts playing.
3. Int. Train. Day.
Simon is sitting by the window. The train has stopped and is taking on passengers. Natalie, a rocking looking girl in her early 20´s comes over to him.
Natalie:
Sorry, is this row 14? I´m totally confused right now!
Simon:
Jackpot.
Natalie:
Awesome!
She puts her suitcase in the over head compartment and sits down next to him.
Natalie:
Where are you headed?
Simon:
Vaughan. There´s a Skate Competition there this weekend.
Natalie:
That´s where I live. What are the chances of that?
Simon:
Probably not that bad, since it´s the end station?
Natalie seems to like him already.
Natalie:
I´m Natalie.
Simon:
Simon.
They shake hands.
4. Int. Church. Day.
Becky is giving her sermon.
Becky:
Here we stand again. Another tragedy has befallen us. Three students and a teacher have left us before their time and we´re left asking ourselves, how it came to this. I knew all three of the boys from Church and Deco was one, I had many talks with. He knew, that he wasn´t perfect, but he wanted more than anything else, to make this world a better place. Since he passed away, I have heard stories from his school mates and friends about how he would stand up for those, who are bullied for being different. I can´t say, that it surprises me, because he clearly had a heart of gold underneath all of those muscles. He will be missed, not only by his thousands of fans as a great actor, who had his chance at stardom taken away from him way too soon. He will be remembered by everyone, who met him, as someone who was a gift to everyone, whose lives he touched. Christine Mason-Nelson, his friend and co-star, would like to say a few words too.
Chrissy comes up to the altar.
Chrissy:
I speak on behalf of Deco´s friends and colleagues, when I say that we miss him incredibly much. He came over here from Ireland two years ago and I think, it took less than a week until he became my friend. We did a stage play together and it led to incredible things, that neither of us could have imagined at the time. Through it all, Deco remained himself. As he would say, it was the Irishman in him, that refused to get carried away, no matter how much success he had. No one, who talked to him, would have thought that they were talking to a TV star, because he treated everyone with respect and in turn, people respected him back. Those who didn´t, learned to in time. I consider myself incredibly lucky to have known him and I will never forget him. Thank you.
She goes back to her seat.
We see Regina looking upset with her.
5. Ext. Church. Day.
Regina, Charlie and Carla come out from the church with the others and the media show isn´t helping. Lois and her camera crew come over to her.
Lois:
What did you think of the service, Regina?
She sticks the microphone in Regina´s face.
Regina:
How do you know my name?
Lois:
You were Deco´s girlfriend, weren´t you?
Charlie:
She doesn´t want to talk, so leave her alone.
Regina:
It´s okay, Charlie. The service was a joke, just like this is! Don´t you have any respect for us, who are mourning him?
Lois:
I´m only doing my job.
Regina:
You don´t, or you wouldn´t have turned it into a circus like this! He´s gone and everyone is trying to make as much money out of it, as they can. It makes me sick and it´s not helping any of us, so leave us alone!
Regina is led away by Charlie and Carla.
Chrissy comes out with Jamie and is photographed by dozens of photographers. Chrissy smiles for the cameras.
6. Int. Train. Day.
Simon is enjoying talking to Natalie.
Natalie:
Are you like a superstar skater or something?
Simon:
Hardly, except among a niche audience.
Natalie:
That´s more, than I can brag of.
Simon:
Trust me, I can do without the fame.
Natalie:
Why do you do it then?
Simon:
Have you ever had this feeling, that there´s this one thing, you just have to do and when you´re done with it, you can get peace?
Natalie:
Every time, I have a pee.
He laughs to himself.
Simon:
Touche.
Natalie:
I know, what you mean.
Simon:
I just want to compete at the X-Games one time and it´s in Toronto this year. It´s been a dream of mine, since I was ten.
Natalie:
It´s nice to meet someone with goals for a change.
Conductor (over the PA):
Next stop Vaughan.
Simon:
I guess, that´s us. You would happen to know, how I get from the station to the skate park?
Natalie:
I might. If you ask nicely, I´ll even take you there.
Simon:
Will you take pity on a guy, who´s never been here before?
Natalie:
I suppose, I can!
They smile at each other.
7. Ext. Church. Day.
Chrissy is being interviewed by Lois, while other reporters try to catch it as well.
Lois:
Can you put into words, what you´re feeling right now?
Chrissy:
Loss. Sadness.
Lois:
How do you feel about the young man, who shot him?
Chrissy:
I don´t want to hate him, but it´s hard not to. On the other hand, this has to be terrible for his family and I sympathize with them a lot.
Lois:
It has been reported, that people close to him have been receiving threats on social media since the shooting. What are your thoughts on this?
Chrissy:
That it´s wrong. I got to know Pete a little and he came from a good family. So did Rodney. The one to blame here isn´t their loved ones, who are trying to cope with their losses. It´s the coach, who drove Rodney to that point.
Lois:
Won´t you say, that blame also falls on the school´s principal, your grandfather, for not noticing that something was seriously wrong with him?
Chrissy:
My grandfather does everything he can for that school, every day.
Lois:
Many people are calling for his resignation. Any comments?
Chrissy:
They need to butt out of this! Principal Simpson is the only one, who can unite the school again after this.
We cut over to Emma and Snake, who are watching it from a distance. They look proud of her.
8. Int. The Dot. Day.
Regina is with Charlie and Carla, still looking annoyed.
Regina:
Can you believe that bitch?
Carla:
She´s the owner´s daughter, so I´d watch it with the B-word, if I were you.
Regina:
I´m not calling her by name. Anyway, it´s her own fault. She´s trying to boost her career, by pretending that they were BFF´s.
Charlie:
Chrissy isn´t like that. At least, she didn´t use to be.
Carla:
Wake up, Charlie. She was a nobody a year ago and now she´s on her way to the big time. I can guarantee you, that she didn´t get there based on a code of ethics.
Regina gets her phone out.
Regina:
I´m telling the world the truth about her.
Charlie puts his hand over her phone.
Charlie:
How is that gonna make anything better?
Carla:
Her fans should know, what kind of girl, they´re looking up to.
Regina pulls her phone away from his hand.
Regina:
You can leave, if you don´t like it.
Charlie:
I feel sorry for you, but you´re on your own here.
He gets up and leaves them.
Carla:
What are you writing?
Regina:
The truth. If she wants the old Regina back, then she can have her!
Regina smiles deviously to herself.
9. Ext. Skate Park. Evening.
Simon and Natalie are walking up to the Skate Park.
Simon:
I guess, this is it. Thanks.
Natalie:
I might as well see you strut your stuff, while I have the chance.
Simon:
Cool. I´ll see, if I can get you a pass as my trainer.
Natalie:
Do you think, they´ll buy it?
Simon:
They will, if it´s me. Just pretend like you know, what they´re talking about, if anyone asks you something.
Natalie:
I can do that, Toronto boy.
She winks at him.
Natalie:
Is there a Toronto girl back home, anxiously awaiting your return?
Simon:
Not since I found out, that I was gay.
Natalie:
You know, it doesn´t really surprise me. It´s like, you´re too groomed to be a skater and straight.
Simon:
What about you?
Natalie:
Me? I have the worst taste in men this side of Niagara Falls. I´ll be perpetually single, until I turn into a crazy old cat lady.
Simon:
I would date you, if I was straight.
Natalie:
You´re alright, Simon. I´ve met a lot of worse guys than you.
They walk up to the entrance.
10. Int. Chrissy´s House. Evening.
Chrissy is hanging out with Sally and her brothers, watching cartoons. Chrissy is having a tough time keeping away from her phone, though.
Chrissy:
I´m mentioned on every news site, I´m checking.
Sally:
If you put out a tweet, it´ll probably go viral.
Chrissy:
Do you think so?
Sally eyes her.
Sally:
You´re just a little too over excited over this.
Chrissy:
I´ve never tried it before. Gimme a break!
Sally:
You´re not afraid, that people will think, you´re profiting off a tragedy?
Chrissy:
I´m not!
Sally:
You kind of are. Like it or not, you now have a public name, that you didn´t before. Some people could take exception to it.
Chrissy:
It´s not like I wanted it to happen.
Sally:
I know that, but the internet can be brutal. I´ve faced it first hand, remember?
Paige comes in.
Paige:
Change to channel 8. Chrissy is on the news.
Chrissy´s face lights up with excitement. James and Adam look annoyed.
James/Adam:
Aww, mom!
Paige:
You´ve already seen that one several times.
Sally changes the channel and we focus on the TV. A newscaster comes on.
Newscaster (voice over):
Today was the funeral of Declan O´Hare, simply known as Deco to his fans and friends, who was killed in a tragic school shooting last week.
They show a montage of people arriving and leaving the funeral.
Newscaster (voice over):
Our own Lois Cronkite was there and she managed to get these comments.
Paige and Miles come on the screen.
Adam:
That´s you, mom!
Paige:
Yes it is, Honey.
Miles (voice over):
I think, that everyone is still in shock. He was a good kid and he didn´t deserve to die this way.
Paige (voice over):
It goes without saying, that we will do a tribute episode to him to start off the next season.
They cut to another celebrity montage from the funeral.
Newscaster (voice over):
His close friend Chrissy Mason-Nelson, who he starred in on "Degrassi" spoke at his funeral and had this to say, when we caught up with her after the funeral, when asked where she thinks the finger should be pointed in this unbelievable tragedy.
Chrissy comes on.
Chrissy (voice over):
The one to blame here isn´t their loved ones, who are trying to cope with their losses. It´s the coach, who drove Rodney to that point.
They cut back to the studio. Chrissy looks shocked.
Chrissy:
That´s not what I said! They cut the part out, that mattered!
Newscaster (voice over):
The outcry for the resignation of the principal continues in the wake of the event and it seems, that even his own granddaughter can´t back him anymore. She however, has been trending on twitter all day and is rumored to be taking advantage of this situation to further her own career. A tweet from Deco´s girlfriend Regina Morgan reads:
We see the tweet being out on the screen.
Newscaster (voice over):
"Christine Mason-Nelson or Chrissy, as she is also known, is a leech, trying to build a career off Deco´s ashes. She pretends to have been his close friend, when they in fact only knew each other through other friends. Her speech at the church today, which she made to be all about herself, only shows what a cold hearted egomaniac, she is. I say this not to call attention to myself, but to expose her and keep Deco´s memory safe. I loved him, not her". She then ends it with #CancelChrissy.
They cut back to the studio and Paige changes it back to the cartoons, tot he delight of the boys. Chrissy looks hurt by Regina´s comments.
11. Int. Chrissy´s Room. Evening.
Chrissy is pacing around, while Paige tries to talk to her.
Paige:
It´ll blow over in a few days, at most.
Chrissy:
What if it doesn´t? It´s not like I did anything that bad. Except for possibly costing granddad his job.
Paige:
They´re masters at doing this. It´s why politicians have spin doctors and companies have press secretaries.
Chrissy:
All I wanted was to show my respect for Deco.
Paige:
Are you sure? You seemed to like the attention.
Chrissy:
I wanted attention, but not like this!
Paige:
You have it now. The question is, what are you gonna do with it?
Chrissy tries to come up with a plan.
12. Int. Mental Hospital. Evening.
Becky is being led through the place by dr. Bullock, her own former doctor, from when she stayed there.
Becky:
How is she doing?
Bullock:
She hasn´t said much, since the incident. She eats a little, but it´s not because she wants to, that´s obvious.
Becky:
Poor girl. At least I didn´t know the guy, who killed himself in front of me. She has to be wrecked with guilt.
Bullock:
Which is why I think she needs you, as much as she needs me. She already knows and trust you.
Becky:
Not to mention my special expertise. I´ll try all I can.
Bullock:
I know, you will. I hear that you´ve become a minister.
Becky nods and smiles.
Becky:
This summer. I owe a lot of it to you.
He smiles back at her.
Bullock:
I can´t tell you, how proud that makes me. You could be the biggest success story of my career.
Becky:
Let´s see, if we can´t have a repeat success with this one.
Bullock:
This is her room. Best of luck.
He opens the door and lets her inside.
13. Int. Tina´s Room. Evening.
Tina is reading a book, when Becky comes in. She looks happy to see her to Becky´s delight.
Becky:
It isn´t any more inviting, than when I had a room like this.
Tina:
How was Deco´s funeral?
Becky:
Tough to get through. It´s probably for the best, that you weren´t there.
Tina:
Has Rodney been buried yet, or what´s left of him anyway?
Becky:
Not yet. I hear that they´re planning on a small private funeral in a chapel.
Tina:
Good plan. With the amount of commandments he broke, there´s no way they should allow him into a church again, living or dead!
Becky looks at her with worry.
Becky:
Rodney was good at heart. He loved you.
Tina:
He also killed three people and helped kill a fourth! How does that make him good?
Becky:
He wanted to help people, like I do.
Tina looks her in the eyes.
Tina:
Rodney was a selfish con man, who wanted to control everything and everyone around him. Me and Pete were dumb enough to let that jerk control us for years and I´m glad that he´s dead!
Becky:
It´s okay to be angry, but it doesn´t change what you had.
Tina:
I feel horrible for them and even worse for everyone, who loved them. I know in my heart that Deco and Pete are with God now. As for Rodney ...
She looks down at the floor.
Tina:
He´s exactly, where he belongs!
She spits on the floor and looks up at Becky, who´s shocked.
Tina:
And you can´t convince me otherwise. Just like you can´t convince me, that God isn´t punishing me, by making me replay it over and over in my head, until I lose my mind.
Becky:
Why would you think, God would do that to you? You didn´t hurt anyone.
Tina:
I´d been having a feeling, that something was off with them for a while. This is my punishment for not stopping him, when I should have.
Becky doesn´t quite know, how to react.
14. Int. Deco´s Apartment. Evening.
Regina is in the apartment, looking things over with Carla.
Carla:
What gonna happen to this place and his stuff?
Regina:
I don´t know. It´s not like he had a will written out. I´m supposed to hand in my key to a solicitor tomorrow.
Carla:
It´s so unfair. It´s no wonder, that you hate Chrissy, for what she´s doing.
Regina:
I hope, that she´s sweating right now. Taking advantage of him like that.
Carla:
You don´t think and don´t take this the wrong way, that you´re projecting your anger to Rodney on to her?
Regina looks annoyed with her.
Regina:
How can you even think that?
Carla:
Ruining her life won´t bring him back.
Regina starts crying.
Regina:
I know! You and Charlie don´t have to keep telling me. It makes me feel better, okay?
Carla:
It´s natural, that you want someone to blame. We all do. But it´s not her, you should be mad at.
Regina:
Why not? Her granddad is the principal and now this!
Carla:
I´m not hearing a good reason. I think you should delete that tweet.
Regina:
Just go. Leave me alone.
Carla:
Will you at least think about it?
Regina refuses to answer. Carla leaves her.
15. Int. Skate Park. Evening.
Simon is ready to roll out onto the competition area. Natalie is with him.
Natalie:
Good luck.
Simon:
Thanks. I´m glad, I met you. It´s taken my mind off other things.
Natalie:
I´m always good for that. Don´t keep them waiting.
Simon rolls out onto the competition area to start warming up. Natalie quietly slips away.
16. Int. Hallway. Day.
Natalie comes up to a door marked "Change Room", with a male symbol underneath it. She peeks in and sneaks inside.
17. Montage - Music: "Say Hello 2 Heaven" by Temple of the Dog
We see Regina looking over Deco´s pictures.
There´s one of him with the rest of the cast, from when they performed "The Breakfast Club" in full costume and posing for the camera.
Another one is of him with all of his friends at the Ravine, after they were celebrating the end of the school year.
The last one is of him and Regina with his family, when they visited them in Ireland. She smiles to herself, when thinking back on it, but her smile soon turns to sadness, that he´s gone.
We see Chrissy lying on her bed in deep thought, trying to figure out, if what she´s doing is right or wrong. Spinner comes in and looks at her with sympathy. She gets a much needed hug and they start to talk about it.
We see Tina being held by Becky, while she talks. Becky just listens and gives her emotional support.
We see Simon coming back from his first event to find police in the backstage area and Natalie nowhere to be found. He tries to look around for her outside, but is detained by two police officers.
We see Regina lying down on Deco´s bed. She´s crying again, as she holds the picture of her and Deco to her heart.
We end on the picture of him with his friends at the Ravine. A close up of the picture, shows how he and Simon look truly happy in the moment when it was taken, as they stand there with an arm around each other.
CLOSING CREDITS
