LAKEHURST HIGH - EPISODE 12 - FOR BETTER OR WORSE
Disclaimer: I don´t own Degrassi or the characters from it.
1. Ext. Park. Day.
Spike and Tessa are at the park with Emma and Manny, who are happily playing, while they keep a keen eye on them. Emma sees a bird land and chases after it.
Spike:
Don´t run too far away, Sweetie!
She trips and falls over, but Manny helps her get back up. Spike and Tessa smile at the sight of it.
Tessa:
Isn´t that just the clearest example of what friendship is? Emma tripped, so Manny helped her back up.
Spike:
Those two could end up being friends for life.
Tessa:
You never know. Me and Dorothy were inseparable, but we´ve only talked five times, since we left Degrassi. It doesn´t even feel, like her I know her anymore.
Spike:
My best friend was Liz. We were like two peas in a pod.
Tessa:
She ended up at a different school too, huh?
Spike:
She did, but it´s not just that. Can you keep a secret?
Tessa nods and does the cross my heart sign.
Spike:
Something happened on the last day, before we went back to school, that makes seeing her again, more than a little bit weird.
Tessa:
Let me guess. Once again a guy got between two girls and ruined a friendship! That´s so typical!
Spike:
It´s not like that! She told me, that she´d been in love with me for years and tried to kiss me.
Tessa looks surprised, but can´t help smiling.
Tessa:
How did you react?
Spike:
I stopped her and she ran out of my room crying, before I could explain. I´d love to make it right with her, but how do you move on from that?
Tessa:
She´ll probably be off to college in a few months. Do you want it hanging over you, until your tenth High School anniversary?
Spike:
It would be nice to clear the air. We used to mean the world to one another.
Tessa:
What´s stopping you?
Spike sees, what she means.
OPENING CREDITS
2. Int. Hallway. Morning.
Dave and Yick are getting advice on girls from Joey and Snake.
Yick:
I don´t get them! I just don´t get them!
Snake:
To quote the great Doc Brown from Back to the Future Part 2: They´re the world´s second greatest mystery after time travel!
Dave:
Amen!
Joey:
What did you do now?
Dave:
Tessa expected me to get her a one week anniversary present. I had no idea, that I was supposed to!
Yick:
Mandy got mad at me, because I don´t feel like meeting her parents yet. I wish, that someone would make a manual, for what girls expect of us! It would make things so much easier!
Joey:
Boys! There are tricks for how to deal with them, that I myself, have learned from painful trial and error.
Snake:
With more errors than trials along the way.
Joey stomps on his foot to shut him up. He winces in pain.
Joey:
I could tell you, but the million dollar question is, how much is that information worth to you?
Dave and Yick make eye contact and consider it.
3. Int. Classroom. Morning.
Michelle is sitting with Alexa and Simon.
Simon:
I want to tell them this weekend.
Alexa:
I´m not having my engagement story being one, where I get arrested! No way, Jose!
Simon:
You can´t seriously mean, that I have to do it again?
Alexa:
It´s nothing to worry about! You know, that I´ll say yes.
Simon:
Can I do it now, then?
Alexa:
No, it has to be in the perfect romantic setting! Jeez! Don´t you know anything about girls?
Simon:
Apparently not!
Michelle smiles to herself. Snake comes in and sits down next to her.
Snake:
Michelle. How would you like to make a little extra spending money?
Michelle:
Maybe. How?
Snake:
By dishing out relationship advice to guys, who don´t understand, what their girlfriends want from them.
Michelle smiles.
Michelle:
Okay. That could be fun.
Alexa:
How much is it?
Snake:
Three bucks per session.
Alexa:
Sign Simon up. He needs it!
Simon looks like, he really doesn´t want to.
Simon:
Do you really think, I need it?
Alexa:
Yes, you do! You forgot about our 43 month anniversary and I´m starting to think, that you´re taking me for granted! If you love me, then you´ll do it!
Simon gives in.
Simon:
Sign me up.
Snake:
You won´t regret it! But there´s no money back guarantee.
He smiles at Michelle, who looks pleased that she gets the chance to spend some time with him.
4. Int. Classroom. Morning.
Spike is in class waiting for class to start. She has the twins and Lucy surrounding her.
Spike:
I had a long talk with Liz on the phone.
Erica:
How´s she doing?
Spike:
Pretty good. She´s found a girlfriend.
Lucy:
I bet, she´d rather have a boyfriend!
Spike:
You don´t understand. I mean a girlfriend, girlfriend!
The other three look surprised.
Lucy:
She´s a lesbian?
Heather:
Keep it down!
Lucy:
Why?
Heather:
Homosexuality isn´t something, that´s everybody´s business!
Erica:
Please excuse my homophobic sister, for she doth not know, how dumb she soundeth! I couldn´t be happier for her. If she prefers girls, then all the power to her!
Lucy:
Looking back, it doesn´t come as the biggest surprise. As long as she´s happy, that´s all that matters.
Heather:
Can we quit it with the happy parade? Spike, you shouldn´t even be telling us this.
Erica:
Why not? It´s happy news for a change!
Heather:
It´ll ruin her reputation, if people find out. If they do, then she´s always gonna be looked at differently.
Lucy:
From whom, normal people?
Spike:
Does this mean, that gays are abnormal, in your opinion? Because if they´re not one, then they´re by default the other.
Heather:
It´s not being homophobic to think so!
Spike:
Liz was the one who said, that I should tell you. She said that she´s now and I quote: A proud, rainbow flag waving, Lilith Fair attending Lesbian!
They all giggle, except for Heather.
5. Int. Classroom. Day.
Joey, Snake, Michelle and Caitlyn have been allowed to use a classroom and they have a sign up, that reads "Boyfriend School". Those in attendance are Alexa, Simon, Dave and Yick. Simon looks annoyed.
Simon (to Alexa):
I can´t believe, you´re making me do this!
Alexa (to Simon):
If we´re gonna get married, we have to get these crinkles ironed out.
Snake:
Is there a problem?
Alexa:
Please continue.
Caitlyn:
Yick, come up here.
Yick steps up next to Michelle.
Joey:
Yick, you were supposed to go to the movies, to see a boring romance movie with your girlfriend Michelle here, one she´s been raving about for weeks, but sounds as exciting as watching paint dry. You blew it off to play video games with your friends. It´s the morning after and she wants answers.
Michelle:
Yick, I tried calling you over and over again! I can´t believe, that you blew me off again! You´re a terrible boyfriend!
Yick:
Baby, things got in the way. My grandmother had to go to the hospital.
Caitlyn
EH! The next time she sees your parents, she´s gonna ask how your grandmother is doing and you´ll be busted. Try again.
Yick:
Michelle, it´s not that I didn´t want to. I swear it. I´d been looking forward to seeing it as much as you, if not more!
Michelle:
Why did I end up giving your ticket to my sister, then?
Yick:
My brother has this thing. It´s not really my place to talk about and I know that he´d rather keep it to himself, but he needed my help. Please believe me, Honey. We can go and see it tonight, if you want to!
He gets an applause from the others and Michelle smiles at him.
Michelle:
No, you´ve lost your chance to see it with me. You´ll have to wait, until it´s out on video, to see it.
Yick:
I deserve it. Do you forgive me?
Michelle:
I guess so. We can go and see that action movie, you wanted to see, in stead.
They fake hug.
Caitlyn:
Amazing performance, Michelle.
Michelle:
Thanks. Not bad, Yick.
Joey:
It was perfect. This way she accepts it and she knows, that it´s something private and something, she should never bring up again, unless you do.
Dave:
What if you forgot to buy a present for her?
Alexa:
Pay attention, Simon!
Simon looks annoyed, but does his best to hide it.
Joey:
Come up, Dave.
Dave comes up to Michelle.
Caitlyn:
Dave, it´s been a week since your six month anniversary, that you completely forgot about. She´s been giving you the silent treatment, but she´s finally ready to forgive you.
Joey:
This is a pivotal moment. Say the right thing and you´re back together, say the wrong thing and you´d better get those hands down to protect your balls fast!
Dave does a few stretches to warm up.
Dave:
Okay, hit me with it.
Caitlyn:
This is a case, where you have to start the conversation. Your facial expressions are important too, so make sure that they´re easy to read.
Joey:
You watch wrestling, right?
Dave:
Yeah?
Joey:
Think of how important their facial expressions are, when they´re trying to either make you cheer for them or boo them. This is basically the same thing.
Dave looks as apologetic, as he can.
Dave:
Michelle, I can´t believe, I forgot about it. I´m so sorry!
Michelle:
It just proves, what I suspected. That you never cared about me to begin with!
Dave:
I do! How can I prove it to you? I´ll do anything!
Joey:
Grovelling is good, but you want to save it for the really special occasions, where you´ve messed up so bad, that it´s the last alternative.
Caitlyn:
That´s the end of the lesson! Class starts in three minutes.
Dave:
No! I wasn´t finished!
Joey:
You can find out the rest, if you pay three dollars for the next lesson or 30 for a special lesson, where we follow you on a date.
Dave:
Alright. See you tonight at the arcade.
The rest of them leave the classroom, except for Caitlyn and Joey. She hugs him.
Caitlyn:
You were brilliant!
Joey:
No, you were! I can´t believe, that no one´s thought of this before! This is easy money!
They kiss.
6. Int. Lucy´s House. Day.
Lucy has Heather and Erica over to study.
Heather:
It doesn´t bother you, that society sees homosexuality as wrong? She´s gonna be judged, where ever she goes.
Lucy:
Will you stop it? We have to get this finished.
Heather:
I can´t believe, how you can be so indifferent over this!
Erica:
With all the gay pop stars and actors coming out, it´s slowly becoming more accepted.
Heather:
Some things don´t change.
Lucy:
When I have kids, I´m gonna teach them to be tolerant towards gays.
Erica:
Me too. It´s time we made homophobia a thing of the past.
Heather:
What about the fact, that it´s not how God intended it?
Erica:
I don´t think, that´s true.
Heather looks at Erica with disbelief.
Heather:
How can you not? It´s unnatural!
Lucy:
Not if you ask the ancient Romans. They banged anything, that had a pulse and their Gods were fine with it!
Heather:
And the real God punished them, by destroying their society.
Lucy:
I´m pretty sure, it was the Gaulles and the Hunns, who did most of that!
Heather:
God punished them, just like he´s gonna punish Liz! She´s going to hell for it. Doesn´t that bother you?
Lucy:
It´s not our place to judge her.
Erica:
I´m glad for her, that she has the courage to come forward and be herself. No one should be forced to pretend to be someone, they´re not.
Heather:
You wouldn´t be saying that, if you had to live with the consequences.
She sulks to herself.
7. Int. Arcade. Evening.
Michelle is with Dave, who´s looking nervous. Tessa comes in and he checks his hair with his hands one last time.
Michelle:
You have to stop doing that, or she´ll think it´s weird. With the amount of hairspray you have in it, it won´t move the slightest bit.
Dave:
Did I over do it?
Michelle:
I´d stay away from open flames, until I´d washed it, if I were you.
Dave:
What´s a good opening line?
Michelle:
"Hi" has always worked on me. Make her feel comfortable and wanted. That´s all we really want from you, when it comes down to it.
Dave:
What about money?
Michelle:
That works on some ... many girls, too. Don´t keep her waiting.
Dave walks over to Tessa and they smile at each other, Michelle walks over to Caitlyn, Joey and Snake.
Snake:
He´s doing fine.
They see Dave handing Tessa a small present and she looks pleased. She opens it and it´s a necklace. She looks delighted with it.
Joey:
The gift is a score.
Michelle:
Now a nice compliment to follow up on it.
Dave tries to give Tessa a compliment, but she looks confused by it.
Caitlyn:
Oh, oh! The first one was a miss.
Joey:
Come up with a new one, Dave! You can do it!
Dave comes up with a joke in stead and it makes her laugh. He looks relieved.
Michelle:
When everything else fails, make her laugh.
Snake:
He´s been listening, to what we´ve been telling him.
The four of them look proud of Dave´s performance and simultaneously give themselves a pad on the back for it.
8. Int. Liz´ Room. Evening.
Spike is showing Liz the latest pictures of Emma and Manny.
Liz:
Aww! Look at them!
Spike:
You sound like my mom!
Liz:
I can´t believe all the things, I missed. She´s growing up so fast.
Spike:
So are you. Listen, about what happened. I´m sorry, is all I can say.
Liz:
Why? I was totally unfair to put you on the spot, like I did. Are you?
Spike shakes her head.
Spike:
No. I´m straight, to the core.
Liz:
So much for me having Gay-Dar!
Spike laughs.
Spike:
My first thought is a radar, that only gays can use! However, that does sound like a useless feature, to put on a radar.
Liz:
It´s how we supposedly sense, if someone else is gay. I guess, mine was way off with you. I´m still glad, that I told you, even though it didn´t go, as I wanted. It was the first step towards me coming out.
Spike:
I´m glad, I could help. Tell me about your girlfriend.
Liz:
It´s not, that I don´t want to, but I don´t want to out her. It´s frustrating, that she isn´t out, but it has to be her choice, when to do it.
Spike:
Whoever it is must be some girl, if she´s stolen your heart.
Liz:
She´s one of a kind.
Liz smiles, when thinking about her mystery girl.
9. Int. Car. Evening.
Heather is dropping Erica off. She´s still mad.
Erica:
This is ridiculous! Who says, that we can´t disagree on this one thing?
Heather:
It´s not that and I´m not mad at you or Lucy. Look, let´s just forget it. I need to go for a drive to clear my head. I won´t be late.
Erica:
You´ve been doing that nearly every evening. If there´s something, you want to talk about, you know, I´m here for you.
Heather:
It just helps me relieve stress, is all. Don´t worry about me. You have enough of your own, on your plate.
Erica:
Okay. I´ll tell mom and dad.
Erica gets out of the car and Heather drives on.
10. Int. Arcade. Evening.
Dave and Tessa are happily flirting and holding hands. Joey and Caitlyn are saying goodnight to Snake and Michelle.
Joey:
I don´t think, he can go wrong now.
Snake:
You never know. It did get hairy for a moment there, when that guy tried to fight him.
Caitlyn:
He passed with flying colors. Give the boy some credit.
Michelle:
Go home. We´ll take it from here.
Joey:
What do you say, Snake? Are we in business?
Snake:
Considering that we spent twice as much, as we made, I would have to say no.
Joey:
It wasn´t a bad idea, though.
Michelle:
I would have had to pull put, anyway. I like the idea of giving girls better boyfriends. but it also felt like we were teaching boys to manipulate girls.
Caitlyn:
Some things are better kept a secret.
Joey:
Bye, guys.
Joey and Caitlyn leave them.
Snake:
Are you up for a game of Air Hockey?
Michelle:
Lead the way and I´ll show you, how it´s done.
They smile at each other.
11. Int. Car. Evening.
Joey is driving with Caitlyn next to him.
Caitlyn:
Watch out for the dog.
Joey:
It´s with it´s owner, who has it on a leash.
Caitlyn:
They taught us in traffic school, that you have to watch out for animals.
Joey tries his best to be patient with her.
Joey:
They mean, when you´re out in the wild! Not in here, in the city!
Caitlyn:
Don´t take that tone with me! I´m trying to be helpful!
Joey:
Sorry, Dear.
Caitlyn:
Women can be just as good at driving as men can, you know?
Joey:
No one says, that you can´t.
Caitlyn:
There´s a red light coming up.
Joey rolls his eyes.
Joey:
I see it. (muttering to himself) I have eyes!
Caitlyn:
What was that last part?
Joey:
I love you so much, I could cry!
She smiles at him.
Caitlyn:
Aww! I love you too. You´d better start braking in good time.
Joey:
Yes, dear.
Joey looks annoyed, as he starts braking in good time.
12. Ext. Liz´ House. Evening.
Heather comes up to Liz´s house, checking the address with a piece of paper, she´s holding. She nervously rings the doorbell. Liz opens it and is surprised to see her.
Liz:
Heather! Hi!
Heather:
Did us having sex, mean nothing to you? Because it meant a lot to me!
Liz:
Maybe, we shouldn´t ...
Heather:
No! I want answers! A few days ago, you say that you´re falling in love with me and then you go and get it on with some other girl? Am I nothing to you?
Liz smiles.
Liz:
The girl is you, dummy! You´re the girlfriend, I told Spike about!
Heather looks happy and smiles widely.
Heather:
Little old me?
Liz:
Who else would it be?
Liz and Heather kiss. Spike comes out to them.
Spike:
Now I see, why you got so defensive earlier.
Heather:
It´s not ...
She gives it up and smiles to herself.
Heather:
It´s exactly what it looks like. It´s time, I accepted, that I´m gay.
Spike gives her a hug.
Spike:
So all those things you said ...
Heather:
Those were based on my own fears.
Liz:
It isn´t as bad, as you think.
Spike:
I´ll help you tell the others, if you want me to.
Heather looks happy to finally have some clean with herself. The last freeze frame is Spike and Liz looking proud of her.
CLOSING CREDITS
