LAKEHURST HIGH - EPISODE 5 - LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION

Disclaimer: I don´t own Degrassi or the characters from it.

1. Int. School. Evening.

Caitlyn and Tessa are dressed up, as if they were going to a school dance. They´re acting terrified. We see that Lucy is operating the camera and they´ve managed to make the lights flicker for extra drama.

Tessa:

Who would do this to us and on Prom night of all nights?

Caitlyn:

Whoever it is, is a psycho!

Tessa:

I don´t want to die, Megan!

There´s a short emotional moment between the characters and Tessa is killing it with her performance.

Caitlyn:

You´re not gonna die. I´ll get us both out of here alive, I promise.

The girls hug. Lucy looks pleased with the result.

Lucy:

Cut! That was amazing!

The girls smile at the praise. We see that the rest of the crew, consisting of Alexa, Simon, Michelle, Spike, Yick and the Zit Remedy boys are impressed as well and applaud them. Caitlyn and Tessa glow with pride.

Alexa:

This is on a whole different level than your first movie.

Lucy:

You´re telling me? It´s all thanks to my two leading ladies.

Tessa:

Did you really think, we were good?

Lucy:

You two are gonna make this the movie, that gets me noticed. You were a genius, when you said, that I should cast Tessa.

Caitlyn:

To be fair, it was Yick, who came up with it.

Lucy:

No matter whose it was, it was brilliant! You could be a star someday, with how good you are, Tessa!

Tessa smiles widely. Caitlyn tries to hide her jealousy at the praise, Tessa is getting from Lucy.

OPENING CREDITS

2. Int. Caitlyn´s Room. Evening.

Caitlyn is angrily cleaning up her room and throwing things in a garbage bag, while Spike watches her.

Caitlyn:

All I heard today was "Tessa, you´re so talented" and "Tessa, you should be the star of the movie". Did you hear, that she´s re-writing the ending, so we both survive?

Spike:

Am I detecting a tiny hint of jealousy?

Caitlyn:

Lucy cast me to be the star. I only suggested that she hired Tessa, because I still feel bad for threatening her.

Spike:

Let´s be fair, you still have some making up to do!

Caitlyn:

Lucy is supposed to me my friend, not hers! How can she do this to me?

Spike:

Because she wants her movie to be the best, it can be? Tessa is talented. Anyone can see it.

Caitlyn:

Don´t tell me, that you´re getting on the Tessa bandwagon, with the rest of them.

Spike:

I´m not. I´m agreeing with them, that she should have a bigger part in the movie.

Caitlyn:

It´s as if she´s squirmed her way into my life, one step at a time. I wish, I could go a month back in time and tell my previous self to ignore her!

Caitlyn ties up the bag and leaves the room. Spike looks worried about her.

3. Int. Tessa´s Room. Evening.

Yick and Tessa are practicing their lines.

Yick:

What was that?

Tessa:

It was probably just a racoon.

Yick:

That´s one big racoon! I´m having a look.

Tessa:

Don´t you think, we should find a guard in stead?

Yick:

And wait an hour, for him to finally go and check? It´s probably an animal, that´s scared out of it´s mind.

Tessa:

I don´t like this!

Yick:

Wait here. I´ll be right back.

He gets up and comically walks out her door, making her giggle. He comes back in and pretends to have been stabbed in the chest, before lying down on her floor. She kneels down next to him.

Yick:

I ... was .. wrong! Ahhhhhhh!

He pretends to die and she pounds his chest.

Tessa:

Don´t you die on me!

He comes to life and tickles her, making her laugh.

Tessa:

Stop it! You know how sensitive, I am to tickilng!

He stops and she catches her breath. He smiles at her.

Yick:

I couldn´t help myself.

Tessa:

As long as you don´t so it, when we shoot the movie.

Yick:

Every movie needs a surprise, doesn´t it?

Tessa:

Not like that one!

They laugh together.

Yick:

Do you want to go for a pizza after the shoot tomorrow?

Tessa:

Didn´t they tell you?

Yick:

I´m not following.

Tessa:

As thanks for our work, Lucy has invited us all over for dinner.

Yick:

That´s nice of her. I was hoping to get some more alone time with you, though.

Tessa gets serious for a moment.

Tessa:

Yick, I don´t want to start dating again. I´d rather, if we stayed friends this time around.

Yick looks disappointed.

4. Int. School. Morning.

Lucy is talking to Caitlyn and Alexa before the shoot.

Lucy:

Being a director means having to make tough decisions, for the good of the movie. You´re not gonna like, what I have to say, but it must be done.

Caitlyn:

I can take it.

Alexa looks worried.

Alexa:

I´m not sure, I can! I´ve never been good at taking criticism!

Lucy:

Then I´ll start with you, Alexa, so you can rest easier. You have so many qualities. You´re a great friend and you have that wonderful smile, that spreads joy, wherever you go. Simon is the luckiest guy in the world, to have you as his girlfriend.

Alexa´s usual smile is back.

Alexa:

Why, thanks, Lucy!

Lucy:

Acting ... it just isn´t for you. Your strengths are more behind the camera. You´re still super important as my right hand girl, but I have to cut you out and re-shoot your scenes. I can´t use them, or they would drag the rest of the movie down.

Alexa closes her eyes, takes a deep breath and takes it in. Caitlyn and Lucy look at her in anticipation.

Caitlyn:

Are you okay?

Alexa:

I need to find my place of Zen within myself.

Lucy:

Zen?

Alexa:

It´s an ancient way of achieving enlightenment, that I´ve gotten into.

Caitlyn and Lucy make eye contact and smile at Alexa´s quirkiness. Alexa opens her eyes and looks refreshed.

Alexa:

There, I´ve dealt with it and I´m ready to move on!

Caitlyn:

Good for you!

Alexa:

You should try it.

Caitlyn:

Maybe later. What´s the bad news?

Lucy:

You´re still the star of the movie, but I´m killing off your character and keeping Tessa´s as the sole survivor. It wouldn´t be the same, if two of you survived.

Caitlyn looks annoyed with Lucy.

Caitlyn:

How am I the star, if my character dies?

Lucy:

You save her with your final act in life. It will be a powerful message of eternal friendship, that goes beyond the concepts of life and death.

Caitlyn:

Why can´t she be the one, who dies?

Lucy:

Because the movie works better, if your character dies. It has nothing to do with you as a person and I´m sorry, if you don´t like it ...

Caitlyn:

It´s fine! Just forget, that I said anything

Caitlyn storms off.

Alexa:

Jealousy is the world´s worst cologne!

Her and Lucy get to work.

5. Int. School. Day.

Tessa and Yick, in their costumes, are pretending to get romantic for the camera. It´s clearly awkward between them and it´s coming off that way on film too.

Tessa:

No, we can´t! I´m still a virgin!

Yick:

Seriously, in this day and age?

Tessa:

I know that it´s old fashioned, but I want to wait until I´m married.

Yick:

Lighten up and get with the programme! This isn´t the 50´s anymore!

Tessa:

I can´t. Not when it comes to this.

Next door we see Snake loudly rattling a plastic box with broken glass in it and Wheels throwing a garbage can into a wall for sound effects.

We cut back to Yick and Tessa.

Tessa:

What was that?

Yick:

It ... line!

Lucy:

Cut!

She gets up and walks over to them.

Lucy:

Get your head in the game, Yick. I´ve already re-casted once and I´m not afraid to do it again.

Yick:

It´s her fault too!

Tessa:

You were the one, who blew your lines! How is that my fault?

Yick:

You´re making we feel weird! I can´t concentrate!

Lucy:

We´ll take ten and try it again. This is your last chance, Yick, or I´m doing some creative re-shuffling!

Yick:

See if I care.

He leaves them. Joey comes over to them.

Joey:

Is he okay?

Lucy:

Can you go and talk to him?

Joey:

Sure thing.

Joey follows after Yick.

6. Ext. School. Day.

Yick is smoking a cigarette outside of the school, when Joey finds him.

Joey:

I thought, you´d quit.

Yick:

It´s Tessa. She´s got me stressed out.

Joey:

How can you be stressed out about her?

Yick:

I was hoping, that this could lead to us dating again. It´s why I got her the part.

Joey:

That´s quite a scheme.

Yick:

It didn´t work, so it was all for nothing. She´s friend zoned me.

Joey:

Ouch!

Yick:

I should have been more attentive, when I was with her. I keep thinking back to all the dumb things, I said, to try to be funny and how some of them could have seemed hurtful to her. I guess, I was hoping for a second chance, but it doesn´t look like she´ll give me one.

Joey smiles at Yick.

Joey:

Don´t you know anything about girls?

Yick:

Do you claim to know more, than I do?

Joey:

I know, that they change their minds all the time, like we do. I can guarantee, that ruining this for her, won´t help your chances.

Yick:

I feel like, I need to get back at her, because she broke my heart. At the same time, I only want what´s best for her, because I can´t help caring about her. It´s complicated.

Joey:

Love always is. Even if you can only be friends with her, that´s still something. I´d try my luck with her, if I didn´t already have a perfect girlfriend in Caitlyn.

Yick:

You´d go for it?

Joey:

In a heartbeat, so I get why you like her. That little one is pretty lovable, once you get to know her.

Yick:

There´s no denying that!

Joey:

And like you, I only want what´s best for her. That isn´t you standing out here and moping, when you should be in there and supporting her. She needs you to be there for her.

Yick drops his cigarette and stomps it out.

Yick:

You´re right!

They head back inside.

7. Int. School. Evening.

It´s now dark outside and they have to film the climax of the movie. Tessa´s dress has some stage blood over it, so that it looks like, she´s been wounded. Lucy is directing her, Caitlyn and Snake, who´s in a huge robe, that can his his entire face and body.

Lucy:

You both run in, you have your moment and Snake comes in. Snake, I want you to stab in the air maniacally, like you´re taunting Caitlyn to fight back, when you corner her.

Snake:

I can do that.

Lucy:

You say your tearful goodbyes and Caitlyn, you face off with him, while Tessa escapes out the window. You really have to play up the terror, so people will believe it.

Lucy leaves them. Tessa twiddles her thumbs.

Tessa:

Am I the only one, who´s nervous?

Caitlyn:

What do you have to be nervous over?

Tessa:

That I´ll mess up?

Caitlyn:

You got what you wanted, so leave me alone!

Tessa looks hurt by Caitlyn´s outburst.

Tessa:

What´s your problem?

Caitlyn:

My problem is you!

Lucy and Joey see the need to step in.

Lucy:

Is there a issue here?

Caitlyn:

You can bet your horses, that there´s an issue!

Joey:

Whatever it is, we can find a solution.

Caitlyn:

It´s either me or her!

Lucy:

What?

Caitlyn:

Ever since school started, she´s tried to take over my life! She spends more time with you (points at Joey) than I do and you (points at Lucy), what kind of a friend are you? I´ve been looking forward to this for weeks, but she steps in and all of a sudden, I´m yesterday´s news! If you all love her so much, then you can finish the movie without me! I quit!

She storms out and Joey tries to follow after her, but Tessa puts a hand on his shoulder.

Tessa:

Don´t be offended, Joey. But this is between me and her.

Lucy:

Let them handle it.

Joey:

Alright. But if you go missing for more than five minutes, I´m coming to look for you!

Tessa follows after Caitlyn.

8. Int. Girl´s Room. Evening.

Caitlyn is splashing water on her face, when Tessa comes in. Caitlyn wipes her face off and looks at Tessa, who´s a little nervous and twitchy.

Caitlyn:

How did you find me?

Tessa:

It´s where I would have gone. We´re not as different, as you think we are.

Caitlyn:

Did you come here to gloat?

Tessa:

Why would you think that?

Caitlyn:

You won! Lucy won´t want to see me again, after what I did and it´s obvious to the blind, that you have a hold on both Yick and Joey, my boyfriend!

Tessa:

I never tried to, honestly!

Caitlyn:

Yeah, right! Save it for someone, who´ll believe you!

Caitlyn is about to leave. Tessa is in tears.

Tessa:

What did I do to hurt you? I´d really like to know, because I have no idea, what it could be!

Caitlyn:

You´re not just trying to be like me, you´re trying to be me!

Tessa:

Have you ever stopped to wonder why?

Caitlyn:

Because you´re a sad loser?

Tessa:

It´s because I look up to you.

Caitlyn looks remorseful, for what she said.

Caitlyn:

Why would you look up to me?

Tessa:

You have everything together, that I don´t. You´re sure about your future, you´ve found a sweet boyfriend and everyone likes you. You´re like a young woman and I feel, like I´m still a kid, compared to you.

Caitlyn:

That´s ... nice of you to say.

Tessa:

I hope that in a year, when I´m the age you are, then I can have it together. Because right now, I am not together at all! I have no boyfriend, no clue what I´m gonna do with my life and I´m struggling in most of my classes, just to pass. This was the best escape, I could have asked for. I was really enjoying it, until you quit on us.

Caitlyn:

Once again, I end up feeling like the jerk.

Tessa:

I don´t get why you would be jealous of me. You´re the one, who has everything. I don´t have anything, compared to you.

Caitlyn looks at her with sympathy.

Caitlyn:

High School is never easy, is it?

Tessa:

You can say that again! Please don´t quit because of me. They were your friends first, so it´s only fair, that I´m the one who quits. Lucy can find a way, to write me out of the ending.

Caitlyn:

Nah. It´s fine, as it is.

Tessa looks pleased.

9. Int. School. Evening.

Tessa and Caitlyn come back to the set.

Lucy:

Did you work out your differences?

Caitlyn:

We more found out, that there aren´t many!

Tessa:

High School tends to turn us into more or less the same, doesn´t it?

Lucy:

Are you ready to knock our socks off?

Caitlyn:

I´d say, that we are.

Lucy:

Take your positions.

They step behind the door, where Snake is waiting.

Lucy:

Action!

Tessa and Caitlyn run in, both looking terrified.

Tessa:

We can get through that window.

Caitlyn:

You go. I´ll never fit through that small opening.

Tessa:

He´ll kill you!

Caitlyn:

If he does, then I want you to live on for me. Fall in love, see the world and do all the things, I´ll never get to do.

Snake comes in and immediately slips on his robe. He falls over in grand fashion, making everyone laugh. He sits up and Michelle rushes to tend to him.

Michelle:

Are you hurt?

Snake:

I can´t see a thing with this on!

Tessa and Caitlyn laugh together.

10. Int. Lucy´s House. Evening.

The crew are munching on pizza and sodas and the mood is high. Caitlyn stands up and bangs on her glass with her finger, making everyone pay attention to her.

Caitlyn:

I would like to give a toast. First to Lucy, without whom, we wouldn´t have had this wonderful experience.

The rest applaud her. Lucy takes a bow.

Lucy:

I´m the one, who should thank you. You´ve been a great cast and crew.

Caitlyn:

And a toast to my co-star, who made this a much better movie, than it had any chance of being without her. The one and only, miss Tessa Campanelli.

Tessa stands up and smiles shyly.

Tessa:

Thanks, Caitlyn.

Everyone:

SPEECH! SPEECH! SPEECH! SPEECH!

Caitlyn and Lucy sit down, giving Tessa the floor.

Tessa:

I just want to say thanks, for giving me the chance to be in this. It´s been a ton of fun working with you and getting to know those of you, that I didn´t already know. I hope, that it turns out to be a good movie.

Joey:

When is opening night?

Lucy:

When I get it edited. We can have it right here.

There´s celebration and toasting.

11. Ext. Street. Evening.

Tessa and Yick are waiting by the curb. Yick looks at his watch.

Yick:

My dad should be here soon.

Tessa:

Don´t worry about it. I´m just happy to have a ride, so I won´t have to take the bus.

Yick:

It would be crazy for you to take the bus, when we pass right by your house.

Tessa:

You haven´t always thought that way.

Yick smiles at her.

Yick:

Tessa, I don´t care, if I can can only be your friend. I mean, I do, but ...

Tessa:

I know, what you mean.

Yick:

Why did you break up with me?

Tessa:

Yick, you´re nice, but you weren´t much of a boyfriend. It felt like I had to make an appointment, every time I wanted to spend time with you. When we did, it felt like you would rather hang out with your friends, than with me.

Yick nods to himself.

Yick:

It wasn´t my bad jokes?

Tessa:

I can´t say, that they helped!

Yick starts giggling to himself and soon Tessa does too. They make eye contact.

Yick:

Friends?

Tessa:

Friends.

He sticks out his hand and she takes it, but surprises him by turning it into a hug. They both look pleased.

12. Ext. Lucy´s House. Evening.

Lucy is saying goodnight to Spike and Caitlyn.

Spike:

Let us know, the moment, it´s ready. I can´t wait to see, how it turned out.

Lucy:

You´ll be first ones, I call.

Caitlyn:

Any plans on what to do with it?

Lucy:

My art teacher told me about some film festivals, I can enter it into.

Spike:

Do you like it at your new school?

Lucy:

It´s okay. It´ll never be like what we had at Degrassi, though!

She hugs Spike and Caitlyn goodnight.

Spike:

Say hi to the twins for me.

Lucy:

They´re a story onto their own these days! Bye!

Lucy closes the door from within. Spike and Caitlyn walk up the patio.

Caitlyn:

I wonder, what she meant?

Spike:

I´ll find out next week. I´m going to a concert with them.

Caitlyn:

That wouldn´t be the one with The Inbreds, would it?

Spike:

I didn´t know, that you were going?

Caitlyn:

I wasn´t planning on going, but my mom got two free tickets from her work.

Spike:

You do know, that they´re a punk band, right?

Caitlyn:

Don´t you mean funk?

Spike:

No, I mean Punk. Like The Stooges, The Clash, Black Flag. Do any of those bands ring a bell?

Caitlyn:

I can´t say, that I´ve heard about them. I´ve always thought, that Punk was just a way of looking and dressing.

Spike:

Boy, have you got a surprise coming to you!

Spike rolls her eyes at Caitlyn´s lack of music knowledge.

13. Int. Tessa´s Room. Evening.

Tessa is ready for bed. She´s holding a framed picture of her and Joey together. She kisses his face goodnight and looks at it one last time, before going to sleep.

Tessa:

I can feel to my bones, that fate wants us to be together. The last thing I want is for Caitlyn to get hurt, but if she does, then so be it. I sincerely hope, that she finds the real love of her life right away, forgets you and moves on to her great future. You´re the love of my life and I know, it won´t be long, until you see, what I see. Goodnight, Joey.

She puts his picture away and turns out her night light. She lays her head on her pillow and the last freeze frame is her smiling to herself, while she thinks about him.

CLOSING CREDITS