WHAT IF? - SEASON 6 EPISODE 9 - WHAT´S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT
1. Ext. Degrassi. Morning.
The students are returning to school after the high drama of the last episode, among them Clare, Alli and Connor, who are walking towards the school together.
Alli:
It feels weird to be back here, like it´s not the same place it used to be.
Clare:
It´ll probably take a few days, until it feels like things are back to normal.
Alli:
I hope so. I don´t want to go to school at a place, where I don´t feel safe.
Connor:
If it helps, the odds of it happening again during our time here are one to ninety-two thousand, six hundred and twenty-two, point zero-three.
Even Alli and Clare look a little impressed with him.
Clare:
How did you arrive at that number?
Connor:
I calculated it based on the average amount of school shootings there´s been in Canada per year, plus working in a whole lot of other factors like the percentage of students with mental problems, the amount of guns floating around in the area according to the police and so on.
Alli:
That´s pretty impressive, Connor!
Connor:
I get bored easily and us getting a few extra days off only makes it worse.
Clare:
Doesn´t it affect you, what happened here?
Connor:
The way I see it, it happened. End of story.
Alli:
One thing it´s taught me is how short life can be. It´s time I started living it to the fullest, in case that we´re extremely unclucky and it happens again.
Connor:
What does that entail?
Alli:
I´m not sure exactly! I guess that I´ll have to figure it out, as I go along.
Clare:
There is one place, you could start.
She nods over towards Drew, Riley and Dallas, who are arriving for school too. Drew makes eye contact with Alli and they smile at one another.
Alli:
Maybe it is time, that we gave it one more shot.
She clearly thinks, that it could be a good idea for them to do so.
OPENING CREDITS
2. Int. Hallway. Morning.
Drew and Riley are with Katie, who´s still trying to recover from what happened.
Katie:
To be frank, I haven´t slept all that much since that day.
Riley:
It´ll take a while to get past, that´s for sure.
Katie:
At least I have you to be the rock in my life.
She gives Riley a small kiss that makes Drew shake her head from looking at it.
Katie:
See you later, boys!
Drew:
Later, Katie!
She leaves them and Drew shoots Riley a blaming look.
Drew:
See? I told you that if you didn´t break it off in time, shé´d end up falling in love with you. Now you´re really in trouble, pal!
Riley clearly knows that he´s right and doesn´t look too proud of himself.
Riley:
It´s not like I meant for her to! Why did I have to have such a great mom, that made me so damn lovable?
Drew laughs a little.
Drew:
If that´s your worst fault, then I won´t say that you have too much to worry over!
Riley:
That´s easy for you to say! You´ve never had to break up with a girl, when she has done absolutely nothing to deserve it.
Drew:
No, I´ve only been on the other side as the "Dumpee". Unlucky in love, is what I´m destined to be for the rest of my life!
Riley:
Are you sure? What about the way your ex looked at you this morning?
Drew:
You think that it could mean, she´s ready to forgive me?
Riley:
Duh!
Drew smiles to himself at Riley´s answer.
3. Int. Classroom. Day.
Alli and her classmates are having English class, with Miss Oh as their teacher. Their subject is the John Jakes book "North and South".
Miss Oh:
Why do you think that Brett Main and Billy Hazard still decide to go through with their marriage, in spite of knowing that they´ll soon be torn apart by a civil war, where their families will be on different sides?
Alli (being the constant over-achiever) raises her hand of course.
Miss Oh:
Yes, Alli?
Alli:
I think that it´s because they know, they were meant to be together.
Miss Oh:
You can´t say that it´s the rational choice though, with him leaving right afterwards to fight in a war, he could very well potentially be killed in.
Alli:
That´s how love is. It makes us do irrational things.
Miss Oh:
That´s certainly true. Moving on ...
We cut to Alli and Clare, who are sitting next to one another.
Clare (whispering to Alli):
When have you ever done anything irrational for the sake of love?
Alli (whispering back to her):
I did, when ... hmm, I guess, that I haven´t yet!
Clare (whispering to Alli):
You would be way too chicken to do anything like what they did!
Alli (whispering back to her):
I could!
Clare (whispering to Alli):
I know you Alli, it´s just not in you.
Alli (whispering back to her):
In that case, get ready to meet the new Alli, The girl, who grabs life by the horns and doesn´t let go!
Clare only shakes her head at her and doesn´t believe that she can do it, which only makes Alli even more determined to show her, that she can.
4. Int. The Dot. Day.
Drew and Riley are hanging out along with the rest of the students, who have decided to come there after school, while discussing what Riley needs to do.
Riley:
The question is, how do I soften the blow?
Drew:
I don´t know if there´s any way to in this situation. I think that you just have to get it out there and see how she reacts to it.
Riley:
What if she starts crying? I hate it when girls cry and I know, it´s my fault!
Drew:
You can´t tell me, that´s it happened all that many times!
Riley:
Only once, in grade three. I felt bad about it until the end of grade five!
Drew:
Boy, are you in it deep!
Riley:
Up to my neck! She´s such a wonderful girl, that I don´t want to hurt her. Then again, it´s not like I have a choice either. I can´t push her off on you, can I?
Drew:
You can´t be serious!
Riley:
Why not? She likes you.
Drew:
She also told me once that she likes dogs. Maybe you could give her one of those, in stead of pressing your semi-taken friend on her?
Riley:
You could do worse.
Drew:
There´s only one girl that I like and she´s very short for her age, Indian, has the cutest smile in the entire world and ...
Riley:
Is walking through the door right now.
Drew turns his head to see Alli coming in with her friends.
Drew:
Do you think it would be alright, if I tried talking to her?
Riley shakes his head at Drew and Alli´s little games, they play.
Riley:
She wants you and you want her! It can´t be that hard to figure out for you guys!
Drew:
I´m going for it!
Riley:
Good luck.
Drew gets up to talk to Alli, while Riley tries to figure out how to break it off with Katie.
We cut over to Drew and Alli, who both look a little nervous.
Drew:
So, ehm ... nice weather we´re having.
Alli:
Yeah, I guess so. Although it´s still kinda cold and rains a lot of the time. But, if you like that sort of weather, then it is!
Drew:
I like it when it´s sunnier.
Alli:
Me too.
None of them can think of what to say next, which creates an awkward silence between them.
Alli/Drew:
So ...
Alli:
You go first.
Drew:
No, it´s okay, if had something you really wanted to say!
Alli:
I didn´t, really.
Drew:
So ... nice talking to you!
He chickens out and goes back to Riley, while she´s left looking annoyed at how it went.
6. Int. Alli´s Room. Evening.
Alli is talking to Sav about what happened with Drew.
Alli:
Why couldn´t I talk to him all of a sudden?
Sav:
You don´t think it´s because you built that moment up in your head so much, that when it finally happened, the pressure became too much for you?
Alli:
But, it´s Drew! It isn´t like we haven´t gone on dozens of dates before.
Sav:
That was before you had your little break. I hate to tell you this, but there´s a chance that you won´t be able to recreate the magic of that first time.
Alli:
You mean like when they tried to relaunch "90210"?
Sav:
It isn´t that bad. The girl who plays Annie is pretty good.
Alli:
She reminds me of someone, I just can´t put my finger on it!
Sav:
You don´t think that Drew could have moved on to another girl in the meantime, do you?
Alli:
I don´t think so. It´s not like I´ve seen him with anyone lately.
Sav:
Perhaps that was what he wanted to tell you and couldn´t bring himself to. I could imagine that it wouldn´t be an easy thing to tell someone.
Alli gets sad at the thought of it.
Alli:
I guess, that could be the case.
Sav:
You can either ask him or try to move on. Those are your only two choices, as far as I see it.
Alli:
I´m asking him tomorrow. I need to find out for sure.
She looks determined to.
7. Int. Drew´s Room. Evening.
Drew is complaining about the same thing to Adam.
Drew:
I already knew that I´m dumb, but I didn´t know that I was this dumb!
Adam has to laugh a little at his outburst.
Drew:
She was standing there, looking gorgeous as ever, ready to hear me out and I completely chicken out! What´s wrong with me?
Adam:
You´re a fifteen year old guy?
Drew:
It shouldn´t be this hard! It´s Alli, for crying out loud! I love her!
Adam:
Really? I mean, I love her as a friend, but she can be a little annoying sometimes, when she starts talking that nerd talk, I can´t understand.
Drew:
Not to me. To me, she´s perfect.
Adam:
Then get your head out of your butt and call her up! It´s just Alli! She won´t bite you!
Drew:
This is something, I have to do in person. Oh God, what if she´s found someone else and that´s what she was trying to tell me?
Adam:
I talk to her every day and if she had, then I would have known by now. Trust me, that wouldn´t be something, she would be able to keep a secret!
Drew:
Are you a hundred percent sure?
Adam:
Close to it. I could always ask her for you, if you want me to.
Drew:
Yeah, that would be great, It could save me some embarrassment, at least.
He looks annoyed with himself and at the same time a little worried, that Alli may have moved on without him.
8. Int. Riley´s Room. Evening.
Katie is in tears, as she tries to take in, what Riley told her.
Katie:
There´s someone else? Who is she?
Riley:
She goes to another school. You wouldn´t know her.
Katie:
Was it something, I did?
Riley:
No, not at all! I just ...
He looks like he´s already starting to regret lying to her again and can´t think of a way to finish his sentence.
Katie:
You just what? Like her more than me?
Riley:
I like you both, it´s not that!
Katie:
It´s because I wouldn´t put out and she will, isn´t it? You guys are all the same!
Riley:
No, you have that all wrong! I´m not like that!
Katie has heard enough and heads for the door.
Katie:
Here I thought, you were different from all of the other jocks. You can rot in hell, Riley!
She storms out of there and he´s clearly frustrated with how it went.
Riley (to himself):
Well, that went great!
He lies down on his bed and stares up at the ceiling.
Riley (to himself):
The one positive is that it´s over!
He tries convince himself that it was for the best.
9. Int. Hallway. Morning.
Drew and Riley have just arrived for school.
Drew:
Why didn´t you just tell her the truth?
Riley:
I wanted to, but then I got to thinking that what she got mad and decided to spread it to everybody? I can tell you this for sure, though. That´s the last time, I´ll ever trick a girl into liking me!
Drew:
You don´t think that she would get mad over you cheating on her even more?
Riley:
It´s a blow, that my reputation can take. Not like what would happen, if the real truth came out.
Drew:
That´s not what I would worry over, if I were you!
Riley:
What do you mean?
Drew:
I´ll give you a few hints. She has a boyfriend named Eli, is in my grade and is fiercely protective of her best friend, who is now your ex.
Riley:
I´m sure that whatever the outcome will be, will be minor. Not something, I ...
They come up to his locker and someone (who I think we can guess who is) has writtten the words "Cheating S.O.B." in large letters on his locker. He tries to cover it up the best he can, but still gets some snickers from the passers by. Drew shoots him an "I told you so" look.
Riley:
Will have to concern myself to much with.
Drew:
I´ve warned you before. If you mess in any sort of way with Katie, you´re gonna get it back from Marisol times ten and then some!
Riley:
You have to help me! Please!
Drew:
I suppose, that I can try for you.
Riley:
Thanks. You wouldn´t happen to know, where I could find something that´ll wash this off, would you?
Drew:
I´d ask the janitor, if I were you. Later!
Riley:
Later!
Drew heads off to class, while Riley tries his best to hide the writing on his locker from everyone else.
10. Int. Classroom. Day.
The students in Alli and Adam´s class are doing an assignment for geography class, that they have to do in groups of two and Alli and Adam are paired up together.
Alli:
What did you get from it?
Adam:
That it´s really poor in Africa and I don´t want to live there?
Alli giggles a little.
Alli:
Same here. Although India isn´t all that much better, I´m afraid.
Adam:
What´s going on with you and my brother, if you don´t mind me asking?
Alli:
Why? Did he say something about me?
Adam:
He´s worried, that you´ve found someone else. You haven´t, have you?
Alli:
Has he?
Adam:
Alli, he´s crazy about you! J-Lo could throw herself at him, and he´d still say no to her, because he only wants to be with you!
Adam´s words make Alli smile widely.
Alli:
He told you that?
Adam:
Not in so many words, but I know that´s what he meant to say. He´s just kind of dumb, when it comes to these things, so you have to give him some leeway!
Alli:
Should I just go up to him and tell him, that I want to get back together then?
Adam:
I´d wear a t-shirt that said it too, just to be sure that he gets the message this time!
Alli smiles to herself.
11. Int. Hallway. Day.
Alli is heading towards Drew´s locker, while she practices what to say to herself.
Alli (to herself):
Drew, I think that it´s time, we called this break off and became a couple again. That sounds too formal, like it´s something I´ve rehearsed beforehand!
She rounds the corner and is not in any way gladly surprised to see Drew talking to Katie, not knowing of course, that he´s only doing it on Riley´s behalf.
We cut to Drew and Katie, so we can hear what they´re talking about.
Drew:
I know Riley better than anyone here and he isn´t that kind of guy. So, can you call off the dogs, please?
Katie:
I´ve already told Marisol off for doing it, even though I expressly told her not to do anything like it and made her swear to me, that she wouldn´t. I just want to move on and forget that this whole Riley fiasco ever happened, if you want the truth.
Drew:
You still had some good times, didn´t you?
Katie smiles to herself, when thinking back on it. Unfortunately, when Alli sees her smiling, she takes it as a sign that they´re flirting and gets mad, so she storms off again.
Katie:
Yeah, I guess we did.
Drew:
Then it wasn´t a total fiasco, was it?
Katie:
It just tarnishes the whole experience, how it ended.
Drew:
Look, there´s a whole lot more to that story, than you think there is. Believe me, there are a lot of things, that he wishes that he could tell you, but can´t for various reasons.
Katie:
Like what?
Drew:
It´s not my place to be the one to stand here and tell you. All I can tell you, is that they are things going in his life right now that go way deeper, than some teenage romance going sour. I hope you´ll take that into consideration, before you cast him off as another jock, who can´t keep it in his pants.
Katie:
I suppose, I can take your word for it. Not that it doesn´t hurt a little, that he didn´t feel like he could talk to me about it, but I guess, I understand why it happened a little better now.
Drew:
If you want to find out for yourself, the only way is to become friends with him again. I know he´d like that very much, because he still cares about you a lot.
Katie nods and doesn´t look dismissive of it.
Drew:
So do I and a lot of other people, by the way, just so you know. You don´t have to be that lonely girl anymore, who on most days only talks to one or two people here.
Katie:
Like you and Dallas would want to hang out with me!
Drew:
When you´re like this and you´re being yourself, you´re kind of likable, believe it or not. I can´t guarantee for our manners, but if you´re willing to do a lot of bearing with us, then I can´t see a reason, why we shouldn´t be friends from now on, all of us.
Katie:
I´d like that too.
She smiles at him and he looks glad, that he could cheer her up.
12. Int. Other Hallway. Day.
Drew is heading to class, when he gets "intercepted" by his younger brother.
Adam:
You ask me to help you with Alli and then you put the moves on another girl? What the hell, dude?
Drew:
What?
Adam:
She told me, that she saw you flirting with Katie, right after I´d told her, that you´re still crazy about her!
Drew:
Who? Alli or Katie?
Adam:
Alli, you doofus! She wanted to tell you that she wants to get back together, but then she saw you flirting with Katie, so now she´s mad at you again and at me, for being part of the reason, that she´s upset.
Drew facepalms.
Drew:
I was only talking to Katie to get her to forgive Riley for breaking up with her!
Adam:
So, he finally told her about his little secret?
Drew:
No, he told her that he had another girlfriend. Why do I keep getting myself mixed up in these situations? It´s not like I try to, it just happens all the time!
Adam has to laugh a little at his outburst.
Adam:
Look, it´s not too late to get Alli back, by any means. She´s just as crazy mad in love with you, as you are in her, if not more.
Drew:
Are you sure?
Adam:
All you have to do is tell her how much you like her and she´s yours. It´s literally that simple!
The two brothers smile at one another.
13. Int. Music Room. Day.
Sav is practicing a new song he´s written, when Drew comes in.
Drew:
I need your help, Sav.
Sav stops playing and looks over at him.
Sav:
After you broke my little sister´s heart? I don´t think so!
Drew:
She got the wrong idea, is all. I´ll be completely honest here, I´m madly in love with her and I´ve heard that you´re the guy to ask, when it comes to music. Do you know any good songs, that I could sing to her, and could help me to win her back?
Sav looks a little unsure.
Sav:
I don´t know, man.
Drew:
If not for my sake, then do it for her´s. You don´t want to see your sweet little sister walking around all heartbroken all the time, do you?
Sav:
You´re sure that there´s absolutely nothing going on between you and this other girl? Because if catch you cheating on Alli, so help me ...
Drew:
She´s just another girl to me. Not like Alli. So, can you help me?
Sav:
You might want to get her some flowers too. If there´s one thing she´s a huge sucker for, it´s small romantic gestures that shows you care and understand her.
Drew looks pleased.
14. Int. Cafeteria. Day.
Alli is waiting in the line to pay for her food with Clare and Jenna, still looking a little hurt by what happened with Drew, or at least what she thinks happened with him.
Alli:
I really thought, he liked me.
Clare:
I´m sure that he does.
Jenna:
You didn´t see them do anything other than talk, did you?
Alli:
No, but I could tell from the way, she was smiling that she likes him. Maybe I was a fool to think, that a guy like him wouldn´t get snatched up by someone else, while I made up my mind about him.
She pays for her food, as do her friends for theirs and they head down to their usual table. When they approach it though, Alli´s jaw almost drops at the sight of what´s waiting for her there. Drew, flanked by Dallas and Riley with Sav on an acoustic guitar and Drew holding a small buket of flowers for her.
Sav:
1, 2, 3, 4.
He starts playing the old Richie Valens song "Donna", only here it´s renamed to "Alli".
Sav/Riley/Dallas (singing):
Oh, Alli
Oh, Alli
Oh, Alli
Oh, Alli
Drew (singing):
I had a girl, Alli was her name
Since she left me, things haven´t been the same
Oh, I love my girl
Alli, please take me back
Please take me back
Sav/Riley/Dallas (singing):
Oh, Alli
Oh, Alli
They continue singing the chorus, as Alli puts her tray down and gives Drew a huge kiss, that gets plenty of cheers from those around them.
We cut to the senior girls´ table, where Jane, Chantay, Darcy and Mia are watching the proceedings, while cheering them on.
Chantay:
Aww, they´re so cute, that I could die!
Darcy:
There is nothing more adorable to look at, than little freshmen girls in love, if you ask me.
Jane:
Isn´t she your sister´s friend?
Darcy:
And my ex-boyfriend´s little sister, now that we´re at it.
Jane:
No wonder then that you love seeing her this happy!
Mia:
This is like the third time, this has happened, isn´t it?
Chantay:
I can only think of that one time, when Danny and Peter sang "With or Without You" to me and you Mia, in order to get us back.
Jane:
No, there was also that time at the Dot, where Terri sang ... what was it?
Darcy:
It was that song from "The Wedding Singer", wasn´t it?
Chantay:
Oh, yeah! I do kind of remember it, now that you´re bringing it up. What were we, freshmen back then?
Mia:
No, I´m pretty sure that it had to have been our sophomore year.
Jane:
Man, how time has flown since then! But hey, if you want a girl or boy back, singing a super romantic song to them still works apparently!
Darcy:
It´s kind of been done to death by now though, don´t you think? That makes three times that we know of in the past few years, where it´s happened here or around here.
Mia:
Are you trying to make us believe, that it wouldn´t work on you too?
Darcy:
That would highly depend on both the song and the guy!
Mia:
Yeah, right! You´re by far the worst hopeless romantic sitting here at this table and you know it!
Jane:
I´d call it doing the same thing over and over, until it´s been done to death.
Chantay:
I don´t know! It definitely did the trick on Sav´s little sister!
Mia:
Yeah, who cares if it´s been done before anyway? When you look at the end result, how can you not smile to yourself and be just a little thrilled for those two adorable love birds?
We cut back to Alli and Drew, who look very happy together.
14. Int. The Dot. Day.
Drew and Alli are sitting alone at a table together and are staring deeply into each other´s eyes, while they feed one another French fries. Riley is waiting for his order at the counter, while watching them with a small smile on his face, as Katie comes u to him.
Katie:
Aren´t they a little too adorable, to the point where you almost want to barf?
Riley:
Nah, they deserve to enjoy their happiness, for however long it will last this time, until he screws up royally again.
He gets a smile out of Katie.
Katie:
You´re not willing to put any money on him being able to go through the rest of high school, without it happening?
Riley:
I give it two months at the most, but you never know. He could end up proving me wrong this time, although I highly doubt it!
Katie:
He told me that there are a lot of reasons, I don´t know about, that are why you had to break up with me. I really wish you´d led with that, before telling me about the other girl.
Riley:
I don´t ... even know if anything is going to happen with her yet. It probably won´t, if you want the real truth. It was just my excuse to ...
Katie:
It´s okay, Riley. If there are big things going on in your life right now, that mean that there´s no room for a girlfriend in it at this time, that´s something I can understand and wrap my head around.
Riley looks relieved.
Riley:
I´m glad, that you understand why I had to do it now. The thing is, I have no idea how long this will last for.
Katie:
Is that your way of telling me, that I should move on to someone else?
Riley nods and she nods back at him in understanding.
Riley:
I´m afraid that all I can offer you is my friendship.
Katie:
Then I´ll just have to make due with it, won´t I?
They smile at one another and our last shot is of Drew and Alli, looking more in love than ever before.
CLOSING CREDITS
A QUICK NOTE: I´M WELL AWARE THAT IT ALSO HAPPENED A FOURTH TIME BEFORE THIS POINT IN THE SERIES, THAT A GUY SANG TO A GIRL ON DEGRASSI TO GET HER BACK (THE EPISODE "ROCK AND ROLL HIGH SCHOOL", WHERE CRAIG SINGS TO ASHLEY TO GET HER BACK). HOWEVER THAT EPISODE DOESN´T EXIST IN THE CONTINUITY OF THIS SERIES, SINCE IT COMES AFTER THE "CUT-OFF" POINT, WHERE THINGS IN THIS SERIES START TO VEER OFF FROM HOW THEY WERE IN THE ORIGINAL SERIES AND BY THE TIME OF THAT EPISODE IN THIS "UNIVERSE", ASHLEY AND CRAIG WOULD ALREADY HAVE BEEN OVER AND DONE WITH SEVERAL MONTHS PRIOR. I´LL TRY NOT TO USE THAT SAME ENDING AGAIN ANYTIME SOON AT LEAST, BUT I JUST COULDN´T HELP MYSELF (AND HAD TO CALL MYSELF OUT ON IT) THIS TIME!
THANKS FOR READING AND I WISH YOU ALL A GREAT DAY!