LAKEHURST HIGH - EPISODE 8 - SKID ROW

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

1. Int. Apartment Building. Evening.

A cold and crying Erica is knocking on the door in a rundown, old apartment building. Dwayne opens the door and she´s glad to see him.

Erica:

Hey, Shorty. Can I stay here tonight?

Dwayne:

Come in. You look like, you´re freezing.

Dwayne lets her in to his small one room apartment. He doesn´t own much besides a bed, a TV, a dining room table and a toaster, that´s on top of the table. He clearly cares about her.

Dwayne:

Did he hit you again?

Erica:

He didn´t mean to.

Dwayne:

He never does, does he?

Erica:

I talked back to him. I shouldn´t have.

Dwayne looks her in the eyes.

Dwayne:

He´s gonna get you locked up or dead. Go home to your family!

Erica:

I can´t, not with everything, that´s happened. It´s when he´s high or drunk, that he does it. He´s a different guy, when he´s sober.

Dwayne:

Addicts like him only care about getting wasted! Are you so naive, that you can´t see it?

Erica:

He wants to change. He told me so.

Dwayne:

He´s lying. so you´ll continue to be dumb enough to help him. He´ll turn on you in a second, if the cops come looking for him. It´s what guys like him do. You deserve better.

Erica gets defensive, clearly not liking the subject.

Erica:

Look, can I sleep here or not?

Dwayne:

You know, i wouldn´t kick you out, when it 20 below.

Erica:

Thanks, Shorty. You´re the best.

Dwayne:

You can stay for as long, as you like, but if he shows up, I´m gonna smack the hell out of him. I´ll make him feel, what it´s like to get hit by someone, who´s bigger than himself!

She smiles at him.

Erica:

You´re the only decent person left in my life.

Dwayne:

You´re the only girl, I know, who doesn´t mind sharing a bed with a guy, who has HIV.

Erica:

I love sharing a bed with you! It´s like having a giant, warm teddy bear, to sleep with!

She gives Dwayne a big bearhug. He smiles to himself.

OPENING CREDITS

2. Int. Dwayne´s Apartment. Morning.

Erica is saying goodbye to Dwayne.

Dwayne:

Will you be here, when I get home?

Erica:

Probably not.

He shakes his head and looks annoyed with her.

Erica:

He´s sober now.

Dwayne:

How long will that last? A few hours, at best?

Erica:

I can´t leave things with him, the way I did.

Dwayne:

If he tries anything, I want you to come down to the store. You can´t continue like this.

Erica:

I know.

Dwayne:

Hey!

She looks him in the eyes.

Dwayne:

The guy is a grade A scumbag. Leave the key under the mat.

Dwayne leaves her. She takes in, what he told her.

3. Int. PhotoMat. Morning.

Tessa and Spike are handling customers at the PhotoMat, where they work. Joey comes up to the front of the line. Him and Tessa smile at each other.

Tessa:

How may I help you, Sir?

Joey:

I´m here to pick up some pictures for J. Jeremiah.

Spike:

I´ll get them for you. Hi, Joey.

Joey:

Hi, Spike.

Spike leaves them and heads into a backroom.

Joey:

How´s the job going?

Tessa:

Working with Spike is pretty cool. The job´s not too bad either.

Joey:

Is it possible that you can do me a favor after work?

Tessa:

Sure. We´re only open to 12, since it´s Saturday.

Joey:

I need help selecting a Christmas Present for Caitlyn. Something nice, but on a budget.

Tessa:

I guess, I can. Aren´t you the expert on her?

Joey:

My history of giving presents to her hasn´t been ... problematic. I want to make it up to her.

Tessa:

What was the last gift, you gave her?

Joey:

A bracelet, I bought for three bucks from a street vendor. It looked nice.

Tessa:

Why was that a bad gift? I wouldn´t mind getting a bracelet from my boyfriend, if I had one.

Joey:

It gave her a nasty rash. Before that it was the 2 dollar perfume, that made her break out in hives.

Tessa giggles.

Tessa:

It sounds like you need my help desperately. You can be my good deed for the holidays.

Joey:

I´ll be back to pick you up at 12.

Spike comes back with his pictures and hands them to him.

4. Ext. Parking Lot. Day.

Erica is in a deserted parking lot. Their van is the only vehicle there. She cautiously approaches it.

Erica:

Neil?

The side door opens and Stefan comes out. She´s clearly scared of him.

Erica:

Where´s Neil?

Stefan:

Off to take a wiz. Where did you go last night?

Erica:

Shorty´s.

He grins.

Stefan:

That walrus still thinks, he´s gonna get in your pants?

Erica:

He´s a friend. You shouldn´t talk about him like that.

Stefan:

You didn´t go somewhere else? Say, the nearest police station, for example?

Erica gets defensive.

Erica:

Of course not!

Stefan:

I don´t believe you!

He towers over her and stares her down.

Stefan:

Neil doesn´t want to see the truth. That we can´t trust you.

Erica:

I´m trying my best!

Stefan:

You almost got us busted again. It´s been happening a lot lately.

Erica:

I swear, you can trust me!

Stefan:

Are you wearing a wire?

Erica:

The drugs are making you paranoid.

Stefan:

You can call it what you want. I call it playing it safe. Spread ém. Hands on your head.

She does as she´s told. He does a pad-down of her, but also feels up her breasts, her bottom and the inside of her legs, while he does it. She stands there defiantly and takes it.

Stefan:

At ease, soldier.

He goes back to the van and gets a beer for her. She takes it and downs half of it in one sip, while she looks at him with disgust.

5. Int. Thrift Store. Day.

Joey and Tessa are looking over things inside the thrift store,

Joey:

I´ve never been in here before. It´s kinda cool.

Tessa:

Any ideas at all?

Joey:

Isn´t that why, I brought you?

Tessa looks around.

Tessa:

What´s our budget?

Joey:

I can stretch it as far as a 20.

Tessa:

Ooh! Aren´t you the big spender!

Joey:

I´m looking to put a down payment on a car, I have to save in other areas. Does anything catch your eye?

Tessa:

There´s some nice dresses over here.

They go over to look at them.

6. Ext. Thrift Store. Day.

Joey and Tessa come out and Joey is carrying a plastic bag. He´s looking pleased.

Joey:

That was a bargain! I can´t believe that I got it for ten bucks!

Tessa:

I´d leave that last part out, if I were you.

Joey:

I owe you one!

Tessa makes eye contact with him.

Tessa:

Do you mean it?

Joey:

Sure! One favor deserves another.

Tessa:

In that case, I´d like to cash mine in tonight. Of course, if you have plans ...

Joey:

I´m yours for the evening. Just tell me, what I have to do.

Tessa:

My cousin Anette is in town. She´s picked on me, ever since we were kids and she says that I´m too ugly to find a boyfriend. I´d like to shut her up about it, but there´s there´s one clear and obvious problem with my scenario.

Joey:

Say no more. We´ll give her a show, she won´t forget!

Tessa looks very pleased.

7. Int. Van Evening.

Erica nervously downs he rest of a beer. She´s with Stefan and Neil and Stefan is holding a gun. Even Neil is looking a bit nervous.

Neil:

You´re not really gonna shoot someone, are you?

Stefan:

Only, if they deserve it.

He makes eye contact with Erica, which un-nerves her.

Neil:

That´s not funny!

Stefan:

Relax. I know, what I´m doing.

Erica:

What do you plan to do with it?

Stefan:

What do you think, dummy? I´m gonna use it to make us some money!

Neil:

Stefan, I don´t know ...

Stefan:

Do you want to go through the withdrawals again? I sure don´t.

Neil:

No, but this is too extreme! If we get caught, we´ll be locked up for years.

Erica:

I´m with Neil.

Stefan:

Who asked you? I´m just gonna scare them with it. It doesn´t have any bullets in it. Look.

He shows them the chamber, that´s empty. They look relieved.

Stefan:

We´ll do the same thing, we did last time.

He rolls the chamber and closes it. He then points it at Erica for fun and makes a firing sound with his mouth, seriously un-nerving her.

Neil:

You´re scaring her! It´s not cool, man!

Stefan:

She knows, that I wouldn´t really blow her brains out. Don´t you, Erica?

Erica:

Do we have anything harder? I need a shot of courage.

Neil passes her a nearly empty bottle of Vodka. She quickly undoes the cap and takes a big sip from the bottle, nearly drinking the rest of it.

8. Int. Tessa´s Room. Evening.

Tessa is getting dressed up for the evening and is very chipper. There´s a knock on the door.

Tessa:

Come in.

Her father comes in and smiles, when he sees her.

Mr. Campanelli:

You´ll knock that boys socks off.

Tessa smiles at him.

Tessa:

You´re nice to say so, but I don´t stand a chance with him.

Mr. Campanelli:

Why not, Princess?

He sits down on her bed and she sits down next to him.

Tessa:

He´s taken. This is a favor, he´s doing for me.

Mr. Campanelli:

You like him, don´t you?

Tessa nods sadly.

Tessa:

He doesn´t see me, the same way, I see him.

Mr. Campanelli puts a comforting arm around her.

Mr. Campanelli:

Things keep changing. The way he sees you now, may not be the same way, he sees you tomorrow. Your mom and I started as friends, until we found out, that there was more between us. These things sometimes take their time to develop, is all.

She looks comforted by his words.

Tessa:

You´re saying, that I shouldn´t throw in the towel?

Mr. Campanelli:

I don´t know, why anyone would pick another girl, over my little Princess. Anette is here.

Tessa makes a face.

Tessa:

Urgh!

Mr. Campanelli:

We all have family members, we´re forced to tolerate. You have Anette and I have your aunt Trudy. It´s hard to say, which is worse!

Tessa:

Tell her, I´ll be down in a minute.

He stands up and leaves her. She picks up the picture of her and Joey and looks at it.

Tessa:

When are gonna see, that I´m not a little girl anymore?

She kisses his picture and smiles to herself.

9. Int. Living Room. Evening.

Tessa comes in to find Anette waiting for her. Anette is around the same age as her, but not nearly as pretty as Tessa and more than a little overweight.

Tessa:

Do you want to get out of here?

Anette:

What about this so-called boyfriend?

Tessa:

He IS my boyfriend!

Anette:

I´ll believe it, when I see it.

Tessa:

He´s meeting us there.

Anette:

Cool. I can wait to hear, if those stories, you so obviously came up with, are true!

Tessa:

Just wait and see.

Tessa looks her defiantly straight in the eyes.

10. Ext. Street. Evening.

Erica is standing on a street corner, looking like she´s hooking. Stefan comes out of hiding to talk to her.

Stefan:

We don´t have all night!

Erica:

I can´t force them to stop.

Stefan:

Show some more skin!

Erica:

It´s cold as hell!

Stefan:

Do it! Don´t make me convince you to the hard way!

She reluctantly takes her coat off and clearly freezes. He goes back into hiding. Shortly after, a car pulls up next to her and a man in his 50´s sticks his head out the window.

Man:

Are you looking to party?

Erica:

80 bucks. No weird stuff, okay?

Man:

Get in.

She looks disgusted, but has to go along with it, so she gets in his car.

11. Int. Car. Evening.

Erica looks very nervous.

Erica:

I want them up-front.

The man pulls a police badge from his pocket. Her face freezes, when he shows it to her.

Erica:

I don´t know, what you think just happened ...

Man:

It´s 8:34 and you´re under arrest for suspected prostitution. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You also have the right to an attorney to be present during questioning. Do you understand these rights?

Erica:

Yes, I understand them.

Man:

Stick your hands out.

She sticks them out and he puts handcuffs on her. She can´t help looking relieved, that she got busted.

12. Int. Game Arcade. Evening.

Joey and Tessa are playing Whack-A-Mole against each other and Joey obviously lets Tessa win. Anette watches them with suspicion. The score board lights up and shows that Tessa won. She smiles at her victory.

Tessa:

Girls one - boys zero!

Joey:

There´s no shame in losing to a pro.

Anette:

Where´s her congratulatory kiss? She did beat you after all.

Tessa:

There´s little kids here.

Joey:

They have a strict PDA code.

Anette looks at Tessa, like she isn´t buying it, making Tessa desperate.

Tessa:

There´s nu rule, that says we can´t hug.

Joey:

Come here, Sexy!

He gives her a tight hug, so that it looks like he´s really into her. He doesn´t see Yick watching them, as he´s playing an arcade game.

13. Ext. Men´s Room. Evening.

Joey comes out from the men´s room and Yick is waiting for him.

Yick:

I think, that Caitlyn would be very interested, in what you and Tessa are doing.

Joey:

It´s not what it looks like!

Yick:

Isn´t it? A little Caitlyn here, a little Tessa there. You know, that I like her, man! What´s wrong with you?

Joey:

Yick, I´m really not doing anything with her. We´re just friends!

Yick:

I could see that. That was a VERY friendly hug.

Joey:

How can I prove it to you?

Yick:

Just forget it. If you and her want each other, you can have each other! Have a nice life, Joey!

He leaves Joey in shock and walks up to Tessa and Anette.

Yick:

Have fun being the other girl, Tessa. I can´t say, that I´m too surprised!

Tessa:

Yick ...

Tessa looks annoyed, but Anette looks proud of her.

Tessa:

That was my ex. He still has a thing for me.

Anette:

You have two guys fighting over you AND Joey has a girlfriend? Go, Tessa!

Tessa looks annoyed at herself.

14. Ext. Arcade. Evening.

Tessa comes out and looks around for Yick. She sees him kicking a wall in frustration and runs over to him.

Yick:

Leave me alone!

Tessa:

I´m not Joey´s girl on the side, or whatever you want to call it.

Yick:

Even if you´re not, you still want to be.

Tessa:

That´s not true!

Yick gets in her face.

Yick:

How do you see it ending? With Joey dumping Caitlyn and you living happily ever after with him? This isn´t a fairytale and you´re not a princess! It´s time you grew up!

Tessa:

It´s also time that you realize, that we´re not getting back together.

Yick:

Go back to your date, or whatever it is. I won´t tell Caitlyn, but you need to think about, what you´re getting yourself into. It won´t end the way you want it to.

Tessa:

Do you want to come back in?

Yick shakes his head and she smiles sadly at him, before heading back inside.

14. Montage

Lucy and Heather are talking to a police officer, while Erica watches them from afar. The officer leads them to her and she hugs both of them. Tears stream down Heather´s face, that Erica is okay.

We see Erica being present, when Police officers raid the van. She smiles sadly at Neil, when he´s put in handcuffs. Stefan tries to struggle, but is pacified on the ground by two officers. She looks at him one last time with hatred in her eyes.

15. Ext. Joey´s House. Evening.

Tessa is saying goodbye to Joey.

Tessa:

We managed to fool Anette. It doesn´t feel as good, as I thought it would.

Joey:

I´ll talk to Yick on Monday.

Tessa:

It´s not that. Look, maybe we should see a little less of each other for a while.

Joey:

It´s no problem, really. Caitlyn knows, that she´s the girl for me.

Tessa:

That´s sort fo the problem. Because I´d like to be that girl.

Joey looks surprised.

Joey:

Are you saying, what I think, you´re saying?

Tessa:

Joey, I´ve had a crush on you for a long time, but you won´t see it, because you don´t want to. Yick told me to grow up and that´s what I´m doing.

She turns around and walks away from him.

Joey:

Tessa, we can talk about this!

Tessa:

Merry Christmas, Joey. See you in 1992!

She looks sad, but manages to stay strong.

16. Int. Heather and Erica´s Room. Evening.

Erica lies down on her bed. She´s in her pyjamas and is clean from the shower, she just had. She´s one big smile and so is Heather.

Heather:

Are you finally done with him?

Erica:

Once and for all. Talk about not being worth the trouble!

Heather:

Good, because you´ve been expelled.

Erica:

I suppose, I had it coming. What now?

Heather:

Mom and me were talking, while you were in the shower. How would you feel about us transferring to Lakehurst?

Erica smiles.

Erica:

Did you say us?

Heather:

Someone has to look after you.

Erica squeals with joy and gives Heather a big hug. The last freeze frame is them hugging.

CLOSING CREDITS