DEGRASSI: AFTERMATH - S09E11 - SAD BUT TRUE PART 2
Disclaimer: I don´t own Degrassi or the characters from it.
1. Int. Interrogation Room. Evening.
Simon is with a police officer, who´s questioning him.
Simon:
I don´t really know, who she is. She said that her name was Natalie, but that´s all I know about her.
Cop:
You have no idea, what her last name is?
Simon:
I don´t even know, if Natalie is her real name!
Cop:
Whoever she is, she stole for over six thousand dollars, from what we know now. Our problem is, that you signed on for her as your trainer.
Simon:
You think, I came here to rob everyone?
Cop:
We can´t release you, as things stand right now. Not unless, we find her and she backs your story.
Simon looks frustrated.
Simon:
I´ve been going to these events for years and competing. Why would I risk everything, to steal from them now?
Cop:
You tell me. Look, we´ll send out info about these items to the local pawn stores. She still has to find a way to sell most of it. In the meantime, you´ll be spending the night at our lovely jailhouse inn.
Simon facepalms
OPENING CREDITS
2. Int. Jail Cell. Morning.
Simon has spent the night in a jail cell. The cop from the last scene comes into the jailhouse.
Simon:
Have you caught her?
Cop:
Not yet. Do you want the good news or the bad news first?
Simon:
I´ll take the bad.
Cop:
The bad news is that you´re being charged with conspiracy to commit theft over a thousand.
Simon:
Dammit!
Cop:
I´d start looking for her, if I were you.
Simon:
You can bet, that I´m searching the globe for her, if I have to!
The cop grins to himself.
Cop:
I feel sorry for you, kid, but you´re far from the first one to get scammed by a stranger. You have a clean record, don´t you?
Simon:
Yeah, I do.
Cop:
In that case I´d say, that worst case scenario is you getting a suspended sentence and community service.
Simon:
Is that the good news?
Cop:
No.
Cop:
The good news, is that you have friends on your way here to pick you up. We´re realeasing you on your own reconnaissance, but you´ll be called on to appear before a judge, unless something happens in the mean time.
Simon looks relieved..
Simon:
Thanks.
Cop:
You seem like a good kid and I want to believe your story. We need these cells for the real criminals.
They smile at each other.
3. Int. Chrissy´s House. Morning.
Emma and Sean have come over and are with Spinner and Paige.
Emma:
We have to do something about this girl. It´s on-line harassment.
Paige:
We can report her to the police, but we all know how long that will take and how much we´ll get out of it.
Spinner:
Maybe it would be best to let the school handle it.
Sean:
How will it look, that Chrissy got her grandfather to stop it?
Paige:
I hate to say it, but maybe the best way is a counter campaign.
Emma:
Where we slam her? I don´t know.
Paige:
She has a record of bullying, doesn´t she?
Emma:
Yeah, but she´s not the same girl, that she was a few years ago.
Spinner:
This is Chrissy, we´re talking about. What this girl is doing to her, can follow her for the rest of her life.
Sally comes in.
Sally:
I know, I´m not supposed to eavesdrop, but you need to think twice about this. We still have to go to school with them afterwards.
Paige:
Sally, sometimes you have to play hard ball. She´s brought it on herself.
Sally:
Before you do, will you give me the day to solve it, without it turning into a hate war?
Spinner:
I hope, you can. Hopefully, her little road trip today, is taking her mind off it.
Sally:
I know, what it´s like to deal with trolls. I´ll convince her one way or another.
Sally looks confident.
4. Int. Regina´s Room. Day.
Regina is trying to study, but can´t concentrate on it. She throws her book against the wall in frustration over everything, that´s happened. She gets a text message and thinks about it for a few seconds, before writing a quick reply.
5. Ext. Street. Day.
Regina comes out to meet with Heather and Hannah.
Regina:
If you´re here to preach to me, then you can spare it.
Hannah:
Regina, we get that you´re grieving and you´re absolutely allowed to.
Heather:
What you´re doing isn´t just hurting Chrissy. It could end up hurting a lot people, who have nothing to do with this.
Regina gets defensive.
Regina:
This is what you dragged me out here for? Her and that entire family of hers deserve everything they have coming to them, because Deco would still be alive, if it wasn´t for them!
Heather:
You know, that´s not true.
Hannah:
What happened was a horrible tragedy, but this won´t help.
Regina:
It´ll make me feel better. He deserves justice, for what happened to him.
Hannah:
Do you even hear yourself right now?
Regina:
Screw her! How do you think it made me feel, to see her smiling for the cameras and using his death to promote herself? She can rot in hell, for all I care!
Heather:
What if they leak your record to the press? You won´t be able to show your face at Degrassi again.
Regina:
That´s why you´re here, isn´t it? To save your own asses!
Hannah:
We´re here to save yours. You can ruin your own life, if you continue on this hate trip.
Regina:
Let me worry about that! Do me a favor and never talk to me again!
She leaves them looking frustrated.
6. Ext. Jailhouse. Day.
Allison, Jamie, Simon and Chrissy come out of the jailhouse and head for the parking lot. Simon has his skateboard and his bag with him.
Simon:
Thanks, Allison. I knew, you´d come through.
Allison:
I´m guessing, that she stole your things too?
Simon:
Only 40 bucks or so. It´s more the trouble, she´s gotten me into, that I´m worried about.
Jamie:
I guess, the X-Games would be off, if you´re in jail by then.
Simon:
They think, I´ll get off with a suspended sentence, but I´ll still get a record. I don´t know, what influence it´ll have on going to college.
Allison:
How do you think, your parents will take it?
Simon:
They´ll believe me, if I tell them the right way. Thank God, I´m over 18, so they didn´t have to hear it from the cops. How could I mess things up this badly?
Chrissy:
Welcome to my world, Simon! I´ve managed to make myself about as liked on the internet, as Ebola is in Africa.
Simon:
In one day?
Chrissy:
Sure did. You´re not the only one, who´s in damage control mode.
Simon:
What a day, huh?
Allison:
Do you want to go straight home?
Simon:
Can we make a stop first?
Allison:
Sure thing.
They reach Allison´s parents´ car and get in.
7. Montage - Music: "Hunting High and Low" by A-HA
We see Sally meeting up with Hannah and Heather, who inform her of their failure. Suey and Lisa come up to them and offer to help. Soon after, so does Taryn and Julie.
We see Simon and his friends looking through the train station. Simon sees a girl that looks like Natalie from behind and grabs her. The girl (who looks nothing like Natalie from the front), is spooked and Simon has to apologize to her. She hurries away from him and he looks, like he´s about to give up. He doesn´t see the real Natalie, who´s spotted him and runs out of the station. His friends see her, but don´t pay any special attention to her.
We see Regina looking over the things, she´s written and wondering, if she´s doing the right thing. She looks over at a picture of Deco and the hate is written all over her face again.
We see Natalie boarding a bus to Toronto, while trying to hide behind other passengers, so neither Simon or any of the other competitors, spot her. A boy and a girl, who look like skaters, see her through the window and clearly do.
8. Int. Basement. Day.
Sally is leading the meeting of Chrissy´s friends and others, who want to help. It looks like, they´re having trouble agreeing.
Taryn:
If we won´t listen to reason, then we threaten her into stopping.
Hannah:
That won´t make her stop. She can be stubborn, like you won´t believe.
Lisa:
We can still talk to her and make her see ...
Julie:
Lisa, please! We all love how nice you are, but this isn´t the time for it!
Suey:
What is it time for? Guns, knives, or maybe stuffing a hand grenade in her mouth?
Julie:
Shut it, Suey! I was friends with Chrissy, long before you were!
Suey:
You were friends, with emphasis on were! Until you decided to hang out with the likes of her (nods at Heather)!
Heather:
Like you´re any better than me? You´re so holy and jugdmendal, that it makes me want to hurl! You always have been!
Suey and Heather are almost about to come to blows, but Julie and Lisa get between them.
Lisa:
We didn´t stop being friends with you, you stopped being friends with us!
Julie:
Since when are you and Chrissy an "Us" anymore? Since you stole her boyfriend from her, he´s been all you´ve cared about, so don´t get smart with me!
Sally:
WILL YOU ALL JUST SHUT UP FOR A SECOND?
They do, even if there´s still animosity there.
Sally:
We´re here to help Chrissy, not argue about things in the past. Does anyone have a constructive suggestion?
Taryn:
I´m all for the hand grenade idea.
Sally:
One that doesn´t involve us breaking into army bases?
Lisa:
We could make a video, where we defend Chrissy.
Heather:
Or one, where we completely drag Regina through the mud. Me and Hannah know her better than anyone. Nothing else will work on her.
Suey:
You can count me out.
Hannah:
Who´s for Heather´s idea?
Hannah, Heather, Julie and Taryn raise their hands.
Sally:
It won´t be with me either. I did do this to make things better, not ruin two lives.
Lisa:
Deco hated bullying, to his core. This isn´t just wrong, it´s also the last thing, he would have wanted.
Julie:
Deco isn´t here to speak for himself, is he?
Heather:
You can play nice all you want, but it won´t get you anywhere.
Hannah:
Let´s go to my house and do some real planning.
Hannah, Heather, Julie and Taryn walk up the stairs and leave them. Suey and Lisa look at Sally for answers, but it´s clear, that she doesn´t have any to offer.
9. Int. Car. Day.
Simon and the others have stopped for gas. Allison is filling it on, while the other three wait in the car.
Simon:
I can have a talk with Regina for you, if you want?
Chrissy:
It can´t hurt. She´s really got it in for me.
Jamie:
A leopard can´t change it´s spots. Deep down, she´s still the same old Regina.
Simon:
It´s the grief, that´s doing it to her. She needs help.
Simon gets a text message and he checks it. He makes wide eyes and smiles.
Jamie:
What is it?
Simon:
A picture of Natalie. She´s on a bus, heading to Toronto.
Chrissy:
Seriously?
Simon:
It even says, when they´re arriving.
Jamie:
Are you gonna call the cops?
Simon:
And miss the chance to tell her, what a bitch she is? No, I think it´s time for a citizen´s arrest.
Allison gets in the driver´s seat.
Simon:
Can we be in Toronto in an hour and ten minutes?
Allison:
Easy.
Simon:
Good, because I have a thief to catch.
He looks vengeful.
10. Int. Bus. Day.
We see Natalie looking very paranoid, clearly realizing, that she´s been recognized. She looks over at the guy and the girl, who were at the event and tries to keep cool. She gets up and walks up to the driver.
Natalie:
Are there any more stops between now and Toronto?
Driver:
No, that was the last one, we just held at, miss.
Natalie:
Thanks.
She tries to hide her frustration, as she walks back to her seat. She makes eye contact with the girl, who gives her an evil glare, that makes her even more uncomfortable.
11. Int. Living Room. Day.
Sally, Lisa and Suey come in. Paige is there, playing with Adam.
Sally:
I only made things worse. Let the hate campaign start!
Paige:
I´m sorry, Honey.
Adam:
What´s a hate campaign?
Lisa:
It´s where you´re really mean to someone.
Adam:
Why would you do that?
Paige:
Because she was mean to Chrissy.
Adam:
That won´t make anything better!
Sally, Lisa and Suey sit down with them, glad that at least Adam is on their side.
Paige:
What would make it better?
Adam:
If they try to be friends. Jeez, mom! I´m a little kid and even I can tell you that!
Sally:
What if she doesn´t want to be friends with Chrissy?
Adam:
Why wouldn´t she?
Paige:
It´s a long story, but she doesn´t like Chrissy right now.
Adam:
Then Chrissy just has to make her like her. I did that, when that girl was teasing me all the time, remember?
Suey:
Did it work?
Adam:
I guess so. She doesn´t do it anymore.
Sally:
It´s the best plan, I´ve heard so far.
Paige:
Any plans on how to make her like her?
Adam tries to come up with something.
12. Ext. Bus Station. Evening.
Simon, Jamie, Allison and Chrissy are waiting by the bus, as passengers are coming out, looking for Natalie.
Allison:
She hasn´t come out yet?
Simon:
Not yet.
Jamie:
You know, that I couldn´t outrun a turtle right now, don´t you?
Simon:
I´ll take care of it, don´t worry.
Chrissy:
I hope so, because I`m the last one you want on your side in a fight!
Natalie comes out, flanked by the skater couple. She sees Simon and tries to run, but they hold her back.
Natalie:
Let me go!
Girl:
You´re not going anywhere, except to jail!
They drag her over to Simon and the others.
Simon:
Natalie! What a surprise!
Natalie:
I don´t know, who Natalie is. You have me confused with someone else.
Allison:
You don´t mind, if I smack her one, do you? I know, that you don´t hit girls, but that doesn´t mean, I can´t.
She gets up in Natalie´s face and lifts her arm, threatening to punch her. Natalie looks scared.
Simon:
The truth this time.
Natalie:
Alright! It´s your own fault!
Simon:
How is it my fault?
Natalie:
You can´t trust a stranger like that!
Guy:
Where´s our stuff?
Natalie:
I sold it. I need it to pay someone off, or they´ll hurt me.
Chrissy:
Tough luck! You could have ruined his life!
Natalie:
I´m serious! If I don´t pay them, they could come after me.
Simon:
Why should I believe you for a second?
Natalie:
I only lied a little bit. I´m grew up in Vaughan, but I´m from here. It´s nothing personal, but if it comes down to you doing a few months and me being safe, I vote for me every time. You would too.
Jamie:
No, he wouldn´t! Not everyone is a selfish A-Hole!
Natalie:
Let me go. I promise, that I´ll turn myself in after I´ve paid them.
Girl:
Fat chance. You´re staying here, until the cops arrive.
Simon looks Natalie in the eyes.
Simon:
I would have helped, if I believed you. I don´t.
He gets his phone out and calls the police.
Allison:
Do you need us to be here for this?
Simon:
No, me and Natalie have to go and talk to the police.
Natalie looks annoyed and refuses to answer.
Jamie:
Good luck with it.
Allison, Chrissy and Jamie leave them. Chrissy gets a phone call and puts her phone to her ear.
Chrissy:
Hey, Lisa. What´s up?
She smiles to herself, as she listens to Lisa talking.
13. Ext. Regina´s House. Evening.
Regina comes out to find Paige, Sally, Lisa and Suey waiting for her.
Regina:
Leave! This is private property!
Paige:
Not before you listen to reason, Hun.
Sally:
Right now, every girl, who doesn´t like you, is preparing a massive hate campaign. We don´t want to see that happen, any more than you do.
Regina:
This isn´t a trap, is it?
Lisa:
This is what Deco would have wanted. Deep down, you know that, as much as we do.
Regina:
That doesn´t make it right, that she´s using his death like this! Doesn´t she care at all, that he´s gone?
Suey:
She does, but you never took the time to find that out.
Paige:
We´re giving you one last chance for a peace talk, before you do something, you can´t go back on. It´s not too late to apologize and this isn´t the way to honor his memory. If you can´t find another reason, then do this one last thing, for him.
Lisa:
It´s time to let the healing start.
Regina sees, that they´re right and gives in.
Regina:
Let me tell my parents and get my coat.
She gets back in the house.
Paige:
You did a great thing here, girls.
Lisa:
Let´s see, if she comes back out first.
Suey:
If she doesn´t, then we´ll look a right bunch of fools, standing here.
Regina comes back out and they´re pleased to see it.
14. Int. Police Station. Evening.
Simon is being briefed of an officer.
Cop:
You´re far from the first one, she´s stolen from. She just got out a month ago, after scamming a guy out of a lot more, than what she stole for here.
Simon:
I was dumb to trust her. What now?
Cop:
She backed your story to the letter. Consider yourself home free.
Simon breathes a sigh of relief.
Simon:
What about her?
Cop:
She won´t be seeing freedom again for a while, I can tell you that much. This isn´t the only case, she´s being investigated in. It seems like she went right back to it, after she got out.
Simon:
Can I talk to her?
Cop:
Why?
Simon:
I feel bad for her. She must have had a reason to do it.
Cop:
Word of advice, kid. Some people can´t change and they´re not worth your time. Save it for those who are.
Simon nods at him and leaves the police station.
15. Ext. Cemetery. Evening.
Chrissy, Allison, Jamie and Julie are waiting by Deco´s grave. They´ve decorated it in lights, and there are many flowers by the gravesite.
Chrissy:
I´m glad, you decided to return to "our side", Julie.
Julie:
Those girls REALLY have issues with her! Plus, we´ve been through too much together, to end it fighting. I have no idea, where I´d be right now, if it hadn´t been for you and Lisa. I wish, I hadn´t said all that stuff, I said to her.
Jamie:
She´s forgiven a lot worse than that. You´ll be okay.
Sally, Lisa, Suey, Paige and Regina come towards them. Chrissy and Regina make eye contact and smile nervously at each other.
Chrissy:
Regina, I´m really sorry, if you thought, I was taking advantage of what happened. I miss him too.
Regina:
I needed someone to blame and since both Rodney and Kreese are dead, I turned my anger to you. I´m sorry, if I hurt you or your family.
Chrissy:
Apology accepted. We can´t change, what happened, no matter how much we want it. All we can do is try to live by his example.
Regina sheds a tear.
Regina:
He was too good for this world. Do you think, he could have been an angel?
Chrissy smiles at her with sympathy.
Chrissy:
I wouldn´t count it out.
They hug it out. We see Simon come running towards them.
Simon:
Ah! I missed the big moment!
Jamie:
You should have seen it, dude. It was great!
Simon looks at the gravesite.
Simon:
So, that´s where he is now.
Regina:
How does it make you feel to see it?
Simon:
Sad, but he´ll never really be gone. Not as long, as we remember who he was.
He kisses his fist and points it first at the grave, then to the sky, as one last farewell to him. The others do the same, many of them with tears in their eyes, as we pan out.
CLOSING CREDITS (TO A MONTAGE OF DECO´S BEST MOMENTS IN THE SERIES)
