DEGRASSI: AFTERMATH - S09E13 - DEAD MAN WALKING
Disclaimer: I don´t own Degrassi or the characters from it.
1. Int. Snake and Spike´s House. Evening.
Snake and Spike are having Emma and Sean over with little Lizzie, who´s enjoying some time with her grandpa, sitting on his lap. Snake´s face is filled with love for her.
Snake:
She´s growing so fast.
Spike:
You weren´t around, when you were that age, Em. From age 4 to 6, you just shot right up in air, compared to the other girls.
Emma:
Then around age 15, it just kind of stopped, didn´t it?
Sean:
From what I remember. Of course, I was too busy causing trouble to notice.
Spike:
You were still a good kid on the inside.
Sean:
Just not the smartest. If it hadn´t been for Snake and a handful of other teachers believing in me, I would probably be in jail now.
Emma:
See, Snake. You´ve met so much to so many students there. How can you even think of resigning?
Spike:
It´s his choice, Emma.
Sean:
Do you feel guilty over what happened?
Snake gets a sad look on his face.
Snake:
I was the one who hired him. There were other teachers, who told me, that they were suspicious of him. You never expect it to be the teachers, who cause the school shooting. It was in this case.
He clearly feels guilty over it, but is cheered up again by little Lizzie smiling at him.
Snake:
Enough of that. Now I get to concentrate on my golf game and being the world´s greatest grandpa.
He tries to look like it isn´t affecting him, but the other three can clearly see, that it does.
OPENING CREDITS
2. Int. Hallway. Morning.
Lisa and are heading to their first class of the day. Lisa is in a great mood, but Chrissy is finding it hard to stay positive.
Lisa:
I´ve officially signed up to try out for that school in New York. Now I just have to get in.
Chrissy:
You have nothing to worry about. Even if you suck that one time in your life, they´ll still love your enthusiasm and personality.
Lisa:
Not that I don´t appreciate the support, but what´s with the mopey face?
Chrissy:
Just an existential crisis, combined with fear of the future.
Lisa looks at her with sympathy.
Lisa:
Have you been watching those nature documentaries with your mom again?
Chrissy:
We live in world, where everything is dying! The world is dying, all my friends are leaving me in a few months, so the friendships I have with them will die!
Lisa:
We´ll still see each other?
Chrissy:
Let´s keep it real, Lisa. You´ll come home for those first holidays, raving about how much you love it down there and we´ll pretend, like nothing has changed. Little by little, we´ll start talking less and less, until you become yet another girl, that I tell people, I used to know. What´s the point in doing anything anymore?
Lisa:
That´s dark! You can´t just enjoy the time, we have left?
Chrissy:
I can´t see how. Why do things have to change? Things will never be the same here again, after you and the others leave. I don´t want you to feel guilty for leaving, it just sucks to know, how much I´m gonna miss all of you. Now with Snake resigning, it feels like everything I took for granted is disappearing and I want it back.
Lisa clearly feels sorry for Chrissy.
3. Int. Snake´s Office. Morning.
Bianca and Emma are with Snake, who´s packing up his things.
Emma:
We can fight this.
Snake:
I can resign with grace and let the school board quietly transfer me to a different school, or I can wait for them to give in to public demand, that I get fired. The way things are looking, that won´t be long.
Bianca:
You´re like a father figure to all the young staff here. What are we gonna do without you?
Snake:
Look, I know, that things like these aren´t easy to deal with, but I was the one that hired coach Kreese and should have fired him, the moment any suspicion arose. Some mistakes can´t be forgiven, so you have to move on to someone new. It happened to Raditch, it happened to Hatzilakos and now it´s happened to me. It´s not the way, I wanted to end it, not by a long shot, but I had one heck of a run.
Emma:
Dad, this is where you belong. You ARE what this school is all about and I´m not just saying that as your daughter. Ask anyone here from the teachers to the janitor and they´ll agree with me.
Bianca:
I came here thinking, that I knew everything in my field and I found a mentor, who helped me become even better, than I was before. That´s what you are to us.
Snake:
I´m sorry, but my mind is made up. I have to consider Spike in this too. Hearing her customers gossiping about all those horrible things, they say on the internet, isn´t easy on her. I´m a lot better at ignoring it, than she is.
Emma:
We´ll leave you to your packing, if we can´t change your mind.
Snake:
It´s not just my mind, you have to change. It´s a lot of people´s minds. Send Marco in.
Bianca and Emma leave him. He sighs to himself, as he continues packing.
4. Int. Office. Morning.
Bianca and Emma come up to Marco, who´s by the counter. He´s looking nervous. Emma shakes her head at him.
Marco:
He seriously wants me to be the new principal?
Emma:
His mind is well and truly made up.
Bianca:
You are the perfect choice, if you ask me.
Marco:
Sometimes, I still feel like I should be going here! I can´t be a principal!
Emma:
See, if you can´t change his mind. He´s waiting for you.
Marco heads into Snake´s office.
5. Int. Snake´s Office. Morning.
Marco comes in and Snake smiles at him.
Snake:
Close the door and have a seat.
Marco does so. Snake takes his seat across from him.
Marco:
I´m not ready for it, Archie. I appreciate the confidence, but I can´t take your job from you.
Snake:
If anyone can, it´s you. You went here, you love the school and you´re one of the senior members of the faculty. Not to mention your work with family services. What makes you think, that you can´t do it?
Marco:
It´s your job! I don´t want that to change any more, than everyone else does.
Snake smiles at him.
Snake:
You remind me of myself, when I sat in that chair and was offered the job. I was nervous, my palms were sweaty and the job seemed so big, that I didn´t think I could do it. I was already picturing getting fired for failing, before I´d left the office. It´s the right time and I wouldn´t do this, if I wasn´t sure that I was handing it over to the right person.
Marco starts to ease up, from his comforting words.
Marco:
I can´t begin to thank you, for everything you´ve done for me.
Snake:
Don´t mention it.
Marco:
It deserves mentioning. You gave a chance to a young and very nervous teacher, with no experience and little more than a desire to teach to his name. It´s thanks to you, that I was able to re-start my life here and am, where I am now. I´ll do my best to lead the school onwards in your spirit.
They stand up and shake hands.
Marco:
If nothing else, I can only be better than Hatzilakos!
Snake:
That´s a safe bet!
They laugh.
6. Int. Office. Morning.
Snake and Marco come out. Marco looks at ease now. Bianca and Emma look at them with anticipation.
Marco:
I´m gonna need a vice principal.
Emma:
You´re really leaving, dad?
Snake:
It´s the only right thing to do. It´s time, that Marco got his turn. Of course, he doesn´t know the day to day operations of this office.
Marco:
Which is why we agreed, that the perfect choice for vice principal is you, Emma.
Emma almost looks speechless. Bianca looks pleased for her.
Bianca:
Say yes, Emma!
Emma:
Aren´t there others, that are better choices, like Bianca, for instance?
Marco:
She has enough to do as school counsellor.
Bianca:
More than enough!
Emma:
What about ...
Marco:
You´re the only one, who can do this particular job. I´m gonna need your help, if I´m gonna be a success.
Snake:
All you have to do is say yes.
Emma:
Yes, of course it´s yes!
Emma looks delighted.
7. Int. Hallway. Day.
Jamie and Chrissy are hanging out in between classes.
Chrissy:
It´s not fair, that he has to resign.
Jamie:
I would have too, if I were him. Nothing against your granddad, but someone should have seen it coming.
Chrissy looks annoyed with him.
Chrissy:
You don´t think, it´s Rodney´s own fault too?
Jamie:
Of course it is, but he wouldn´t have gone postal, if it hadn´t been for Kreese.
Chrissy:
Snake cares about everyone here, like they were his own children. Do you think, me meant for it to happen?
Jamie:
I didn´t say that ...
Chrissy:
Just leave me alone. I´m having a bad day, for obvious reasons.
She leaves him and he looks annoyed with himself.
8. Int. Cafeteria. Day.
Lisa is eating lunch with Suey and Sally, when Jamie comes over to her.
Jamie:
I just stepped in it with Chrissy.
Sally:
What did you do this time?
Jamie:
Nothing, really. I just said, that it was a good thing, that Simpson is resigning.
Suey:
Is that for sure yet?
Lisa:
From what I know, he´s pretty set on it. This is a very sore spot for Chrissy. She´s not having it easy with everything changing.
Jamie:
I know. I wish, I could say something to comfort her, but what do you say?
Suey:
I don´t think you can.
Lisa:
Not unless you´ve found a way to turn the clock back.
Jamie gets an idea.
Jamie:
Maybe, I won´t have to.
He smiles to himself. Lisa and the others look intrigued.
9. Int. Bianca´s Office. Day.
Bianca is working on her PC, when Marco sticks his head in.
Marco:
Are you ready for my coronation?
Bianca:
Yeah, just gimme a sec.
Marco comes in.
Marco:
What are so busy with?
Bianca:
A little extra surprise for our dear departing principal.
Marco:
Can I help?
Bianca:
Later. Right now, it´s time for you to become an adult.
Marco:
Did you have to put it that way? It´s scary enough as it is.
Bianca gets up from her seat and walks over to him.
Bianca:
You have a good heart and a great mind, Marco. Someday, they will be telling tales of mr. Del Rossi, the wisest and longest sitting principal in this school´s history. All the students there loved him, the teachers admired him and he was given one award after another for his work. He of course made sure to thank his wonderful and talented friend Bianca DeSousa in all of his acceptance speeches.
Marco smiles at her.
Marco:
Who would have thought, that you and me would end up here?
Bianca:
Life takes some strange turns sometimes. You just gotta roll with the punches and see where it takes you.
Marco:
Where were you, when I was in High School? I could have used a friend like you around.
Bianca:
Let´s get down there. We can keep an expectant crowd waiting.
She pads him on the back and they leave the office.
10. Int. Hallway. Day.
Lisa and Chrissy are heading up the hallway and see Jamie coming towards them.
Chrissy:
Doesn´t he know that he´s going the wrong way, if he´s heading to the auditorium?
Lisa:
I´m pretty sure, that he´s looking for you.
Chrissy:
I don´t want to talk to him.
Lisa:
Yes, you do! You can´t fool me anymore, Nelson!
The meet Jamie halfway.
Lisa:
I´ll save us some seats.
Lisa leaves them. Jamie bends his knees a little to make himself shorter. Chrissy can´t help smiling.
Chrissy:
What are you doing?
Jamie:
Are you Chrissy? I´m Jamie. We were assigned a project together, remember?
Chrissy bends down a little too.
Chrissy:
I saw you over at the Skate Park the other day, when I was there with Lisa and Julie.
Jamie:
Are those your best friends?
Chrissy:
Lisa has been my bestie for years and we got to know Julie last year. We´ve all been like peas in a pod ever since.
Jamie:
I mostly hang out with my friends Simon and Jack or my cousin Charlie.
Chrissy:
It looks like Julie and Simon like each other.
Jamie:
Don´t tell her, but he told me, that he wants her to be his first girlfriend.
Chrissy:
You´re a really good skater. I´ve never seen anyone, who can skate like you can.
Jamie:
Thanks. I mostly go there, because that´s where my friends are, but I like to skate. My trainer says that I have talent for it. I´d love to compete at the X-Games someday and maybe even win a medal.
Chrissy:
It´s not because of all those girls, who are into you?
Jamie:
I don´t care about them. I think, that you´re pretty cute, though.
She smiles shyly at him.
Chrissy:
You do, huh?
Jamie:
I do and I think, we could make a really great couple, if you let me take you to the dance on Friday?
They stand up straight and smile at each other.
Chrissy:
That was the one, where you stood me up. I was so mad at you, when I saw you down at the Ravine that night.
Jamie:
Until?
Chrissy:
Until you explained to me, that you were just down there to tell Charlie, that your uncle was in the hospital.
Jamie:
I´m impressed, that you remember all those details.
Chrissy:
How can I forget? The night ended with our first kiss. I knew then and there, that I was with the boy, I wanted to share all my kisses with.
Jamie:
One thing hasn´t changed since that night and will never change. I´m still as crazy about you, as I´ve ever been.
She puts her arms around him and gets close to him.
Jamie:
What about the PDA code?
Chrissy:
I still have the rest of the day, with my granddad as principal. Let´s make the most of it.
They kiss passionately, while students stare at them, as they pass by them.
11. Int. Auditorium. Day.
The students have filed into the auditorium and it´s close to full. We see Chrissy and Jamie take seats next to Lisa, Suey and Sally.
12. Int. Backstage Area.
Snake is with Emma, Bianca and Marco.
Emma:
Last chance.
Snake:
Will all due respect, I´ll have to pass. Let´s get this show on the road.
13. Int. Auditorium. Day.
Snake and Marco come out on the stage. Snake steps up to the microphone.
Snake:
Hello, Degrassi. As I look out at everyone assembled here today, it strikes me how much has changed since I went here and how much hasn´t. We couldn´t have imagined running around with cell phones, or how important the internet would become to our lives, for better or worse. Still, being a teenager is in many ways the same, that it was in my day. You still go to school, make friends and enemies, lovers and exes, while we try ro teach you the skills, that you need to succeed in life. I´m not just talking academic skills, because that´s the easy part. All academic skills teach you, is what you should do, when faced with a set problem and in most cases, there´s a clear right answer and a lot of wrong ones. It isn´t the same way with people and I´ve always done my best to treat everyone in the way, that seemed right to me at that moment, whether it was teachers, students or an angry family member of a student. I´ve dealt with my share of those too. That said, I made an unforgivable mistake, when I first hired and then didn´t take the warning signs surrounding Coach Kreese seriously enough. Therefore I am, effective immediately, stepping down from my role as principal.
A shocked hush goes over most of the crowd.
Snake:
I want to thank you all for the joy it´s been to be your principal. This school isn´t perfect and it never will be, but I´ve loved it and tried my best to make it one, where everyone who goes here, get to feel included. You can´t force two people to like each other, but you can try to make them treat each other with respect. Respect is where it all begins and I urge all of you to continue to treat all of those around you with it.
He looks over at Emma and Bianca, who smile back at him, before turning his attention back to the students.
Snake:
I´m glad to say, that I´m handing over the reins of this place to the best candidate, I could have imagined handing it over to. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you your new principal of Degrassi Community School, Marco Del Rossi.
Marco gets a nice applause from the crowd, as he steps up to the microphone. Snake quietly exits the stage and is greeted by hugs from Emma and Bianca.
14. Int. Snake´s Office. Day.
Snake is almost done, when Chrissy and Emma come in.
Emma:
Are you coming?
Snake:
It´ll be at least twenty minutes. You can leave, if you want to.
Emma:
We´ll see you tonight, okay?
Chrissy:
That was a really good speech.
Snake looks pleased.
Snake:
Well, i´m glad you liked it. Do you think, they got the message?
Chrissy:
You don´t just get something like that, from listening to one speech. You get it from being around people, who believe it 24/7. That´s where I got it from and I´m pretty sure, that my mom got it from here too.
Emma:
I probably did. You were an amazing principal, dad. No one here will ever forget you for it.
They wave goodbye to him and leave him. He can´t help looking proud at what they said.
15. Ext. Degrassi. Day.
Emma and Chrissy come out from the school together. Everyone else seems to have already left.
Chrissy:
I´m happy for you mom, but I still wish, he was staying.
Emma:
Me too, Honey. But everything happens for a reason.
Chrissy:
I didn´t know, you were becoming religious.
Emma:
I´m not religious, as such. I do believe though, that there´s something else at play in this crazy thing called life, than just human free will.
Chrissy:
Maybe it´s just me wishing that things would never change.
Emma:
It must run in the family. I was the same way, when I was your age. Your grandmother was too.
Chrissy looks comforted.
Chrissy:
At least, I´m not alone in it.
Emma:
The future can be scary, but it´s also gonna bring you amazing experiences. You´ll find new friends and experience things you don´t even know exist yet.
Chrissy:
What´s the most amazing thing, you´ve experienced?
Emma:
That´s easy. It was having you.
Chrissy smiles and Emma puts an arm around her shoulder.
16. Montage - Music: "The Wrestler" by Bruce Springsteen.
Snake packs down the last of his things and closes the box. He puts it by the other two, he´s filled and looks around his office one last time. He has a vision of his younger self, when he took the seat for the first time and smiles to himself.
We see him walking down a hallway, still seeing ghosts from his past. Him, Joey and Wheels, when they were teenagers. Young Emma and Manny. Young Clare and Alli. Young Bianca and Drew. He smiles sadly, as he reminisces of the days that were.
We see him walking into the beauty salon with a buket of flowers to surprise Spike, who´s in the middle of cutting an elderly lady´s hair. She´s delighted to see him and gives him a big hug. He´s also greeted by her other staff members, who are happy to see him. A tear of joy streams down Spike´s face, seeing that he´s at ease with his decision.
We see them drving home and coming up to their house. A wide smile fills both of their faces, when they see the gathering of dozens of his former students outside their home. Bianca and Marco are holding a large sign that reads "Degrassi Won´t Be The Same Without you".
They get out of the car and are greeted by the jubilant group with many old faces like Imogen, Alli, Connor, Drew and others among them. He gets a special hug from Emma and Chrissy and can´t hold back the tears of joy anymore.
CLOSING CREDITS
