WHAT IF? - SEASON 5 EPISODE 2 - SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT (PART 1)
1. Int. Classroom. Morning.
Gracie, Alli, Jenna and Clare are waiting for class to start and are talking. Gracie looks at Jenna like she doesn´t get her.
Gracie:
You want to be a cheerleader? It´s not something your mom is making you do, to chase her own past glory?
Jenna:
She always said that with my bubbly personality, I would be perfect for it. And I love dancing, so it´s a perfect mix!
Gracie:
My mom had a terrible perm, when she was in high school! That doesn´t mean I want to get one!
Clare:
What do you like to do in your spare time, Gracie?
Gracie:
I play a lot of video games with my brother, but I started playing bass a few months ago, to try something different.
Jenna:
Why bass and not guitar?
Gracie:
Because it only has four strings and is easier to play!
Jenna:
I play guitar.
Clare:
Jenna is really good!
Jenna:
No, I´m not!
Alli:
You are! I don´t know why you haven´t tried playing in a band yet.
Jenna:
It´s not easy to find one!
Alli:
Isn´t it?
Alli gets her phone out and starts looking.
Alli:
Let first check out Degrassi´s Face Range page ... ah, here! "Do you want to be in Degrassi´s new leading band? If so, come to the music room for auditions after school today".
She puts her phone away and looks at them.
Alli:
How long did that take?
Jenna:
I don´t know. I´m not gonna know anyone there and ...
Gracie:
I´ll go with you, if you want.
Jenna looks like she´s more up for it now.
Jenna:
You will?
Gracie:
I don´t think my four months of playing bass by myself will get me in, but there´s no harm in trying!
Alli:
There´s no excuses anymore, Jenna.
Clare:
It´s time to start chasing your big dream!
Jenna smiles and looks like she´s looking forward to it.
OPENING CREDITS
2. Int. Music Room. Day.
Auditions are about to get started and the man (or boy rather), who´s called them there is Mo Mashkour, a somewhat chubby and very laid back looking Arabian boy. Those there are Jenna, Gracie and Imogen, who´s holding a pair of drum sticks to go along with her outfit, that looks like something a six year old girl would pick out for their doll.
Mo:
Hi everyone and thanks for coming. My name is Mo and I´ve been playing keyboards and piano since I was 10, so that´s five years now. I was hoping for a slightly bigger turnout, but that´s okay! If you want to introduce yourselves, maybe that would be a way to start.
Imogen is first to stand up.
Imogen:
I´m Imogen Moreno and I play the drums.
Mo:
Plus you have a very original fashion sense! How long have you been playing, Imogen?
Imogen:
On and off for a few years. We have an old drum set that´s set up in our basement, that I sometimes go down and play on.
Mo:
But you´ve never played in a band before?
Imogen:
No, but I´ve always wanted to!
Mo:
Thanks, Imogen. Who´s next?
Gracie is next to stand up.
3. Int. Hallway. Day.
Eli is practically being dragged down the hallway by the hand by Marisol.
Marisol:
Hurry! We´re gonna be late, Eli!
Eli:
I´m sure they won´t exclude you from auditioning because you´re two minutes late, Marisol! Why is this so important to you anyway?
She stops up and looks him in the eyes.
Marisol:
I´ve always wanted to be a pop singer, ever since I used to do shows for my family when I was a kid, where I would dress up like Whitney Houston from the 80´s and mime to her songs into my hairbrush, while I danced.
Eli smiles at her sharing this with him.
Eli:
I bet, it looked very cute!
Marisol:
There´s some pictures I can show you later. I really hope, I get in. I´ll be so disappointed, if I don´t!
Eli:
I´m sure you will.
He looks sure of it.
4. Int. Music Room. Day.
Eli isn´t looking anywhere near as sure of it anymore, now that he´s listening to Marisol give what has to be one of the most tone deaf A Capella renditions of "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" that has ever been performed by any human being! Marisol herself is looking like she thinks she´s the greatest ever though and you can´t deny that the girl has tons of confidence in her act, if very little else going for her! It is quite a sight to behold though and even Imogen is finding it very hard not to laugh, while Jenna looks like she´s about to give up. Mo more looks like he´s seeing his dream go up in flames, before it even got going.
Marisol (singing):
Oh, I wanna dance with somebody!
I wanna feel the heat with somebody!
Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody!
With somebody, who loves me!
Mo:
That´s great, Marisol!
Jenna:
Excuse me a moment!
She runs out of the music room and closes the door behind herself. We can faintly hear her laughing her butt off.
Marisol:
I can do another one, if you want!
Mo:
No, that´s okay!
Marisol:
I know the lyrics to lots of songs and not just Whitney songs. How about this classic from my all-time favorite musical "Cats"?
Mo leans in to whisper to Eli with fear written all over his face!
Mo (whispering to Eli):
She´s not gonna ...
Eli (whispering to Mo):
Sorry. I think she is!
Jenna opens the door, just as Marisol starts singing, again as absolutely out of key and all over the place as you can be, like she did with the last song.
Marisol (singing):
Memories ...
One word is enough and Jenna has to run back outside to laugh some more. This time, Gracie has to follow after her, because it´s nearly impossible not to laugh at how bad Marisol is without knowing it.
5. Int. Hallway. Day.
The auditions are over and everyone is leaving. Marisol looks eager to get an answer from Mo, while Eli looks at him apologetically.
Marisol:
So, am I in?
Mo:
I can´t tell you yet.
Marisol:
There were only four of us auditioning! How many members do you need to start a band?
Mo:
Jenna has a nice singing voice too.
Marisol turns to Jenna and smiles at her.
Marisol:
We should look into some duets to do then!
Jenna tries her best not to laugh and smiles nervously in stead, so as not to hurt her feelings.
Jenna:
That´s a great idea!
Gracie:
My mom is picking me and my brother up at the Dot in ten, so I gotta go.
Jenna:
I have a bus to catch!
Imogen:
I also have to get home to my dad.
Mo:
Alright, see you! I´ll let you know tomorrow, okay?
Jenna, Gracie and Imogen leave them.
Marisol:
Can you wait for me two minutes, while I make a rest room stop, Eli?
Eli:
Of course, I can.
She smiles at him and gives him a small kiss before running off to the bathroom.
Mo:
Your girlfriend seems nice.
Eli:
She also can´t sing to save her life, can she?
Mo:
No, she can´t!
They shake their heads in agreement.
Mo:
The sound of rusty nails being slowly scraped across a chalkboard, is still more pleasant to the ear, than hearing her sing!
Eli:
Is there any way that you can let her be in the band anyway? She wants this so badly and it breaks my heart, every time I see her being sad.
Mo takes a few seconds to consider it.
Mo:
You really love her that much, huh?
Eli:
This past summer with her has been my best summer in years and there´s no way it would have been, if it wasn´t for her constantly being there to cheer me up, when I needed it. She´s my angel in disguise and I´ll do anything for her.
Mo:
I guess, we can try to work with her to see, if she can get better. Does ten bucks a week sound fair to you?
Eli considers it for a moment.
Mo:
I´m the one, who´ll have to listen to her sing and for that I think that a compensation would be in order.
Eli:
Six.
Mo:
Eight.
Eli:
Deal!
They shake on it, just before Marisol comes back.
Eli:
That was quick!
Marisol:
I hurried, so you wouldn´t have to wait too long for me.
Eli:
Well, aren´t you a sweet little angel!
They smile at each other and she puts her arm around his waist.
Eli:
Mo has some news for you.
Mo:
Me and Eli were talking and what I want to ask you is, do you want to join my new band?
Marisol looks like she´s about to spontaneously combust with joy and gives Mo and big and unexpected hug, that takes Mo by surprise.
Marisol:
You´re not gonna regret this, I promise! I´ll work harder than anyone else in the band, to prove that you picked the right girl for the job!
Mo:
I´ll let you know when we get our first rehearsal scheduled, okay?
He gently hands her off to Eli and tries to make it seem like it´s his first decision to hire her.
6. Ext. Street. Day.
Gracie and Jenna come up to a bus stop.
Jenna:
This is the end of the line for me. After this it´s smooth sailing on the three buses, I have to take to get home.
Gracie:
You´re a glass half full kind of girl, aren´t you?
Jenna:
I try to be. There´s no use in bumming everyone out all the time. It´s not exactly the way to get them to like you either.
They smile at each other and it looks like Gracie is starting to develop a bit of a crush on Jenna.
Gracie:
Can you believe what a freak show those auditions were?
Jenna:
I wasn´t expecting there to be a girl, who looked like she asked her four year old little sister to dress her or the most tone deaf singer in all of Toronto!
Gracie:
Oh my God, she was bad!
Jenna:
Was she the worst singer, you´ve ever heard?
Gracie:
She has to be!
Jenna:
Same here!
They laugh and Jenna´s bus approaches them to pick her up.
Jenna:
There´s my deluxe ride back to my trailer park mansion!
Jenna gives Gracie a hug, that Gracie clearly likes a lot and makes sure to pull in Jenna as much as she can, so she can really feel their bodies pressed against each other´s. She takes in a deep breath to get in all of Jenna scents, while she can. For Jenna, it looks more like a normal friend hug though.
Gracie:
Get home safely. I wouldn´t want anything to happen to you.
Jenna:
It´s just the bus. I´m used to it.
The bus pulls over and the two girls break their hug. They wave goodbye to each other, as Jenna gets in the bus. Gracie smiles to herself, as it drives off before heading on down the road.
7. Int. Drew´s Room. Evening.
Drew is playing Grand Theft Auto 5 on his console, but it´s not going too well. His character gets gunned down again and he sighs to himself.
Drew (to himself):
That´s it! You´ve wasted enough time on that rotten game!
His door is opened and Gracie pops her head in.
Gracie:
Mom wants you to know that dinner is ready in five.
Drew:
Thanks.
Gracie:
Still can´t finish that mission, huh?
Drew:
I keep dying at the same spot every time.
She opens the door and comes in to join him.
Gracie:
Do you want me to take a crack at it?
Drew:
That´s okay. I think I´m done playing that game.
He shuts the console off and puts his controller on top of it, before standing up to look Gracie in the eyes.
Drew:
I haven´t asked you how auditions went.
Gracie:
Do you know a girl named Marisol?
Drew:
Yeah, I´ve known her since Junior High. Did she audition too?
Gracie:
She gave a singing audition, that I won´t forget for as long as I´ll live!
They laugh.
Drew:
Self awareness has never been her strong side! Was she bad?
Gracie:
You´ve heard uncle Robert sing, right?
Drew:
She was somehow worse than him?
Gracie:
Ten times worse!
Drew:
I´m sorry that it was such a bust.
Gracie:
Not entirely. I got to spend some alone time with Jenna too and then it´s never time wasted.
She smiles to herself, when thinking about Jenna. Drew looks at her, a little concerned.
Drew:
Does Jenna like girls, the way you do?
Gracie:
Maybe. I don´t know yet. I know that she likes boys, but she could be bi-sexual.
Drew:
Tread lightly, okay? I don´t want to see the same thing happen to you, that happened last time.
Gracie:
Jenna isn´t like Cathy. She wouldn´t out me to everyone just to save face for herself. Jenna is one of the nicest people I´ve ever met and when she hugged me goodbye, I wanted to kiss her so badly!
She sits down on Drew´s couch and hangs her head in her hands. Drew sits down next to her and puts a comforting arm around her shoulder.
Drew:
If it´s any consolation, it isn´t always easy for us guys either to figure girls out.
Gracie:
But I am one, so shouldn´t I be able to?
Drew:
Gracie, you´ve always been sort of one half of each, ever since you were a baby and you would cry, whenever mom tried to dress you in pink. I hope with all of my heart, that you´ll find out that Jenna feels the same way you do and you´ll live happily ever after, but I don´t want you to get too disappointed either, if she only likes boys that way. There just aren´t that many your age, who have figured those things out yet, like you have.
He gets a tiny smile of out Gracie.
Gracie:
Are you saying that my problem is that I´m ahead of my time?
He smiles warmly back at her.
Drew:
It´ll get easier when your peers catch up to you, but it won´t be for a while.
Gracie:
Should I just ask her and hope for the best?
Drew:
That´s something, I can´t help you with. But I guess what you could do was ask her little questions here and there.
Gracie doesn´t look dismissive of it.
Gracie:
I can be like a private eye, working in secret to solve a case!
Drew:
The case of "Is my friend bi-sexual or not"?
Gracie looks glad to have a plan now.
8. Int. Gymnasium. Day.
Gracie is giving Jenna a pep talk before Spirit Squad tryout´s, but by the look on Jenna´s face, she´s seriously starting to doubt her chances.
Jenna:
Have you seen those girls? There isn´t an extra gram of fat on any of them!
Gracie:
You´re beautiful too, Jenna.
Jenna:
Not like them! I should just leave and save myself the embarrassment!
Gracie:
Do you know what I see, when I look at them? I see a bunch of girls, that I think could use a cheeseburger or two! If they got a jumbo order of cheesy fries to go with them, that wouldn´t hurt them either.
She gets a giggle out of Jenna.
Gracie:
But when I look at you, I see a girl who´s not only a thousand times prettier, but also looks a lot more natural and healthy, than they do. They could only wish, that they had your natural beauty.
Jenna smiles at her.
Jenna:
That could be the nicest thing, anyone has ever said to me!
Gracie:
It´s true. Now go out there and show them!
Jenna:
I´ll try my hardest! You´re seriously the best, Gracie!
Jenna goes to join the other hopefuls. Gracie smiles to herself before leaving.
9. Int. Hallway. Day.
Gracie is waiting for Jenna and the other girls to get out, when she´s approached by Mo.
Mo:
Hi, Gracie! Just hanging out?
Gracie:
I´m waiting for Jenna to be done with Spirit Squad tryouts.
Mo:
You two are really good friends, huh?
Gracie:
You could say so.
Mo:
In that case, do you think she´d be interested in joining a band with me and Marisol?
Gracie laughs like it´s the funniest thing, she´s ever heard! Mo gets a little annoyed at her response.
Mo:
I´m being serious here!
Gracie:
You can´t be! That would simply be too funny!
Mo:
I´m doing it as a favor to Eli, okay? He´s doing it as a really sweet thing for her and ...
Gracie:
How much is he paying you?
Mo:
Eight bucks a week.
Gracie:
Now it makes sense!
The spirit squad hopefuls come out from the gym, still sweaty and in their exercise clothes. Jenna is last of them and walks right over to Gracie and Mo.
Gracie:
Did you get in?
Jenna:
No, I didn´t. I learned that one of the advantages with being as skinny, as they are, is that they´re also much more bendy, than I am.
Mo:
At least you tried.
Gracie:
Plus, don´t you agree with me that she´s much, much prettier than those bean stalks, she tried out against?
Mo:
Absolutely! None of them can even come close to holding a candle to you, Jenna!
Mo isn´t the best liar though and Jenna sees right through him, but is okay with it.
Jenna:
You´re a terrible liar, Mo!
Mo:
You can´t say, I didn´t try!
Gracie:
He wants you to join a band with him and Marisol.
Jenna has more or less the same reaction Gracie had.
Mo:
Eli is paying me eight dollars a week to humor her, so I´ll give you two of them.
Gracie:
Four dollars, to split between me and Jenna.
Jenna:
Come on, Gracie! Seriously?
Gracie:
It´ll be fun if we do this together! It´ll be one of those things we´ll still be talking about when were adults and laugh when thinking back at, whenever we see some girl trying to sing, who´s so bad that she should be locked up for it!
Mo:
Listen to her, Jenna! Please, I need you and I´ll take Gracie too, if that´s what it takes to get you in the band.
Jenna takes a moment to consider it, but gives in.
Jenna:
Since I´m not gonna be on the Spirit Squad, I guess I´ll have to find something to spend my time on!
Mo looks relieved and Gracie pleased.
Mo:
Now all we need to do is persuade Imogen.
Gracie:
Do you think it´ll be hard to?
Mo:
I have no idea if it will or not!
He looks like he really doesn´t.
10. Int. Hallway (elsewhere). Day.
Imogen is talking to Bianca by their lockers. Mo, Jenna and Gracie see them talking.
Mo:
Don´t tell her anything about the money! This is starting to feel enough like a charity, that I´m running for a girl, I barely know!
Jenna:
It is a really sweet thing, Eli is doing for her. I hope that I´ll find someone, who loves me that way some day.
She sighs to herself and Gracie looks at her with a small smile on her face, but doesn´t say anything and they walk over towards Imogen and Bianca.
We cut over to Imogen and Bianca, who see them coming.
Imogen:
Those are the people from my audition.
Bianca:
Maybe it´s good news. I´ll cross my fingers for you!
They come over to them and try to be as friendly looking as possible.
Mo:
Hi, Imogen. How are you doing?
Imogen:
Great! This is my friend Bianca.
Bianca:
Hi!
Mo/Gracie/Jenna:
Hi!
Mo:
We we´re wondering if you´d like to ...
Imogen:
Yes!
They look pleased with her rapid response, to say the least!
Imogen:
I´d love to be in your band, guys!
Gracie:
It pays two dollars a week.
Mo looks at her and Jenna, a little annoyed that they talked but they way they look at him speaks to his conscience.
Jenna:
It´s only fair that we all get equal pay.
Mo:
Alright!
Imogen:
I wasn´t expecting to get paid anything, but I´ll take it as a bonus!
Gracie:
The band is complete then!
Bianca:
So, it just you guys?
Mo:
No, Marisol is our lead singer. Bye!
It takes a moment for it to register with Imogen what he said, but when it does, she looks terrified!
Imogen:
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!
Jenna:
If it wasn´t for her, there wouldn´t be a band, so she has to be in it!
Gracie:
She´ll get better!
Imogen´s new band mates leave them, as Imogen tries to take in what she said yes to!
Imogen:
At least there´s no way, she can get worse!
Bianca:
Those two bucks don´t seem like a lot now, do they?
Imogen shakes her head.
11. Ext. Street. Day.
Gracie and Jenna come up to the bus stop again.
Jenna:
This is starting to become a nice tradition, you walking me to the bus stop every day on your way to The Dot. Is it because you´re scared that something will happen to me, when I´m by myself?
Gracie:
No, it´s just that I like your company. If you´d seen me in a fight, you´d know that I couldn´t protect you from anyone.
Jenna:
Did you have to fight a lot at your old schools?
Gracie:
I´ve always tried to avoid it, for my mom´s sake too. After last year, when four girls attacked me from behind, kicked the hell out of me and broke six of my ribs, she worries a lot.
Jenna looks at her with sympathy.
Jenna:
Did they catch those that did it?
Gracie nods and tries to look unaffected, but it´s clearly a painful memory.
Gracie:
They were only suspended for two weeks, because the principal said that it was half my fault for talking back to them and dressing like I do. I couldn´t go back to that school again after that.
Jenna:
Gracie, I´m so sorry! I can´t even find words to describe how bad I feel, that you had to go through that!
She gives Gracie a big hug, which helps to cheer Gracie up a little.
Jenna:
I promise that I´ll do everything I can to make sure that Degrassi is a completely different experience for you, than any of the other schools, you went to. No one should have to go through what you did, just for being who they are. Never ever!
Gracie:
It´s already a lot better thanks to you, Alli and Clare.
They break the hug, although Gracie doesn´t really want to.
Jenna:
I don´t know if you´ve noticed, but I´m sometimes the fifth wheel between them, because they´d already know each other for so long, when I first met them. Or at least, that´s how it feels sometimes, but with you, it feels like you´re my friend, even though I have to share you with them. Does that make sense?
Gracie smiles at her.
Gracie:
I´ve learned how to decipher the code to your ramblings.
Jenna smiles back at her.
Jenna:
If you were a boy, you would be my ideal boyfriend! Would I be your ideal girlfriend, you think?
Gracie looks a little taken aback by the question and doesn´t get to answer before the bus arrives.
Gracie:
Ehm ...
Jenna:
You can think it over and tell me tomorrow. Bye!
She´s practically inside the bus before Gracie regains the ability to speak.
Gracie:
You would be!
Jenna turns around and smiles at her, just as the door to the bus closes and it drives away. Gracie is left wondering if what Jenna asked her could have some deeper meaning.
CLOSING CREDITS