WHAT IF? - SEASON 1 EPISODE 3 - CROWN OF THORNS
1. Ext. Parking Lot. Morning.
Spinner comes out of his (still not fully repaired, after Paige smashed it) car and sighs to himself. He´s met by Jay.
Spinner:
Where were you last night?
Jay:
I made one last attempt at getting Alex back.
Spinner:
That´s what you said six attempts ago! Did it work?
Jay:
No better than all of the other times.
Spinner:
Sorry, man. I guess, your evening was kind of a wash.
Jay:
Not exactly. As I was being told to get lost by Alex for the hundreth time, I saw something so interesting, that I just had to take a picture of it!
Spinner:
Now you have me interested!
Jay:
Oh, you´ll be very interested in this one!
Jay gets his phone out and pulls up the picture, before handing it to Spinner. Spinner´s smile quickly disappears, when he sees it.
Jay:
That would be your ex, playing tonsil hockey with the school mascot!
Spinner:
She´s making out with that little slime ball?
Jay:
When people find out, it´s gonna reflect on you. I´d hate to be the guy, who got dumped for that guy!
Spinner:
I have to do something. Break them up or whatever.
Jay:
The way they were looking, I´d come up with a plan B.
Spinner:
You don´t know Paige. I do.
His mind starts to come up with a devious plan.
OPENING CREDITS
2. Int. Hallway. Morning.
Emma is walking to her first class of the day and is getting a lot of stares and whispers, as she heads down the hallway. She sees Ashley, Paige and Terri come towards her and looks like she wants to hide away.
Paige:
It was nice of you to put clothes on this time, Emma!
Ashley:
Slut!
She even gets a disapproving look from Terri and then you know, it´s bad!
3. Int. Classroom. Morning.
Emma comes in and sees Sean sitting by himself, looking down. They make eye contact, but she goes to sit next to Manny and Liberty in stead. They send her blaming looks.
Emma:
Does everyone know?
Liberty:
That Ellie caught you and Sean doing it? Yeah, it´s pretty much out in the open!
Emma:
We didn´t! I was only ...
She leans in to whisper to the other two.
Emma:
Half naked, when she caught us!
Manny:
You know how stories like this grow. Ellie and Ashley have gone full out warpath on this one!
Emma:
She didn´t see what came afterwards, when I came to my senses. Nothing else happened, except for me leaving, right after she did!
Liberty:
We believe you, because we know you. Problem is that the rest of the school are gonna believe, what they want to believe.
Manny:
In a case like this, they want to believe the most scandalous version, since it´s the most entertaining one.
Emma:
I´m so screwed!
She facepalms and tries to gather her thoughts.
Manny:
And you didn´t even get screwed!
Emma:
That´s not funny!
Manny:
If you say so.
Manny and Liberty can´t help finding it a little funny.
Emma:
The only thing that can save me now, is a bigger scandal!
Liberty:
Let me know, if you find one. We have absolutely nothing to fill Degrassi TV with!
Emma:
I wish, I had your problems!
Manny gives her a friendly pad on the back, but it´s hard to cheer Emma up right now.
4. Int. Hallway. Day.
Paige is walking up the hallway with Terri and Ashley. We see Spinner and Jay watching them from afar.
Jay:
What´s your plan?
Spinner:
I´ll play it nice first. If that doesn´t work, I´ll play on her fears.
Jay:
Dude, this is dark! Even for me, it would be way over the line!
Spinner:
I can´t have this hanging on me! It sucks for them, but she owes me for smashing my car.
Jay:
Whatever helps you sleep at night. Break a leg.
Spinner:
With my luck lately, I probably will!
He leaves Jay and walks to meet the girls halfway. He blocks their way, so they have to talk to him.
Paige:
What now, Spin?
Spinner:
We have to talk. It´s about the car, you almost totaled.
Paige:
Don´t tell me it´s gonna be more expensive, than it already is!
Terri:
We´ll see you in class. Hi, Spinner.
He manages a smile for Terri, who shyly smiles back at him before leaving them.
Paige:
Just lay it on me! I´ll pay, whatever it costs.
Spinner:
How would you like to not have to pay me from now on?
Paige looks interested.
5. Int. Gymnasium. Day.
Paige is looking at Spinner´s phone. She´s practically turned grey.
Paige:
How did you get this?
Spinner:
A friend in the right place, at the right time. I take it, that´s you and a certain sophomore boy, who I don´t have to mention the name of.
Paige gives him his phone back.
Paige:
Have you told anyone?
Spinner:
Not yet, but I could. Answer me one thing. Why him?
Paige:
He´s sweet and caring.
Spinner:
I wasn´t?
Paige:
You were, but ...
Spinner:
But what?
Paige:
Just forget it!
Spinner:
You can tell me or I can send this to everyone, you know.
Paige looks annoyed with him.
Paige:
Blackmail? Is that how low, you´ve sunk?
Spinner:
It´ll only take a few seconds ...
Paige:
Do you really want to know why? It´s because, I love him in a way, I could never have loved you! We would have been a couple a lot sooner, if I had been smart enough to dump your sorry ass and go out with the guy, I liked all along!
Her words hit Spinner like a ton of bricks and he tries to gather himself.
Spinner:
I can´t believe this!
Paige:
You wanted the truth.
Spinner:
So all that time we were together ...
She doesn´t reply, not really wanting to or knowing how. This just makes Spinner angrier.
Spinner:
I was gonna be nice and offer a stop to the car repair payments, if you dumped him. Now, I don´t see a reason to play nice!
He presses the send button and Paige begins to panic.
Paige:
Tell me, you didn´t do that!
Spinner:
Have a nice life, Paige!
He leaves her and she tries to form a plan.
Paige:
Oh, no!
She gathers her courage and leaves the gymnasium.
6. Int. Classroom. Day.
Hazel and Jimmy are waiting for class to start and are being very "Couply".
Jimmy:
I know, I´ve been training hard lately, maybe too hard. What do you say, I make it up to you tonight, with a dinner at a nice place?
Hazel:
I can squeeze you in.
Jimmy:
That´s what she said!
Hazel:
Jimmy!
Jimmy:
I couldn´t help myself.
She shakes her head at him, but clearly isn´t mad at him. Their phones both buzz at the same time.
Jimmy:
At the exact same time? What are the odds?
Hazel:
Good, if it´s a group message?
Jimmy:
Oh. Of course.
He feels a little foolish and gets his phone from him pocket. Hazel beats him to it though and makes huge eyes at what she sees.
Hazel:
This has to be photo shopped!
Jimmy laughs, when he sees it.
Jimmy:
I don´t think, it is! That´s Paige and JT, locked at the lips!
Ashley and Terri come on, looking shocked.
Ashley:
Did you get send the same picture, we did?
Hazel:
The one of Paige and JT doing the tongue tango? Yes!
Terri:
I can´t believe, Spinner would do this to her.
Jimmy:
I can. He´s not the same Spinner anymore.
Spinner comes in, with his arm around Amy and walks over to them.
Spinner:
Did you get my present?
Hazel:
Is it real?
Spinner:
It´s very real! Taken last night, as a matter of fact!
Amy:
Come, Spinner. I want the best seat in the house, for when she tries to talk her way out of this one!
They take their seats and a flustered looking Paige comes in.
Jimmy:
If it isn´t the girl of the hour!
Paige:
Look, about that picture ... There´s an explanation, that goes with it.
Hazel:
We´re all ears!
Paige:
I ... ehm ...
Jimmy:
Tell us, Paige. We´re all bursting with excitement!
Paige:
I made a mistake.
She hates herself from the moment, the words came out of her mouth.
Paige:
I´ve been feeling lonely, since me and Spinner broke up and he happened to be there. I knew, I could have him and I seduced him. It wasn´t hard, to be honest.
Ashley:
He´s not your secret boyfriend?
Paige:
JT? As if!
Hazel:
Good, cuz we were worried for a sec there.
Paige takes her seat and tries to smile it off, but she´s clearly annoyed with herself.
We cut to Amy and Spinner watching her. Amy looks disappointed.
Amy:
That was a popcorn fart, if I ever saw one!
Spinner:
Yeah. It was.
He looks over at Paige and feels guilty for doing what he did. He still clearly cares about her a lot.
7. Int. Girl´s Room. Day.
Paige comes into the girl´s room and kicks the wall a few times in frustration. Manny comes out from one of the stalls and stares at her.
Manny:
What did the wall do to you?
Paige:
It´s an easy victim, just like I am!
Manny smiles to herself.
Manny:
Aren´t you usually the confident one, who deals out advice to the rest of us?
Paige:
It´s all a front. I´m as scared of being unpopular, as everyone else is.
Manny:
Does this have anything to do with JT?
Paige:
Everyone knows. Hazel, Jimmy, Ashley, Terri. I panicked and said, that it was a one time thing! I feel like such an idiot! Why did I do that? I should have owned up to it and told the truth! This was my big chance to!
Manny:
JT doesn´t know yet, I can tell you that much. I just came from the same class as him.
Paige:
Alt least, that´s something! Maybe I can catch him and explain it to him, before ...
The attendance bell goes and Paige facepalms.
Paige:
What am I gonna do? I either lose a guy, I´m crazy in love with or I become the laughing stock of the entire school.
Manny:
You´re actually in love with him? I thought, you were just fooling around!
Paige:
I can´t explain it. He sort of grows on you, like a Chia Pet!
Manny:
No one said, love would be easy!
Paige:
You can say that again! Dammit!
She rushes out of there to catch JT, before someone else has the chance to.
8. Int. Hallway. Day.
JT comes out of the classroom with Liberty and Emma.
JT:
Time to see if Toby and his new boyfriend had fun in advanced math.
Liberty:
It´s nice, that he made a friend of his own.
JT:
A former stalker with a history of mental problems. He seems alright, but there´s something unsettling about him.
Emma:
He´s on medication, doing his best in school and trying to move on. He deserves a second chance, like we all do sometimes.
Liberty:
This wouldn´t have anything to do with your own current situation?
Emma:
A tiny bit!
Jay, Amy and Spinner come walking towards them, laughing.
Jay:
Great score, French fry boy!
Amy:
Too bad, she only wanted a boy toy for the night!
JT:
What are you talking about?
Spinner:
You and Paige. You do know, she was using you to relieve her own loneliness, don´t you? She´d never actually take a loser like you for a boyfriend!
They walk up the hallway, leaving the other three dumbfounded.
Emma:
You and Paige?
JT:
I didn´t think, anyone knew!
Emma:
They do now!
Liberty:
See you later!
JT:
Liberty!
Liberty is clearly hurt by it and hurries up the hallway.
JT:
Great! Now she´s mad at me!
Emma:
Can you blame her? Paige has always been a thorn in her eye.
JT:
Speaking of ...
Paige comes running up to them.
Paige:
JT, I don´t know, what you heard.
JT:
That you were using me to relieve your loneliness?
Paige:
No, that´s not true, I ...
Hazel and Jimmy come up behind her and stare her down.
Paige:
Okay, it´s true. I´ve been having some problems and I shouldn´t have taken advantage of you. It was the wrong thing to do.
She´s looking very small and stares at the floor.
JT:
Here I thought, you´d changed! I guess, you´re still the same spoiled brat, you´ve always been. I was just too blind to see it!
JT and Emma leave them.
Jimmy:
That was not pretty!
Hazel:
You handled it the right way, Paige.
Paige:
Did I?
Jimmy:
It´s tough to hear, but he´ll thank you for being honest later.
They begin to walk to class, but Paige isn´t following after them.
Hazel:
Are you coming?
Paige:
Soon. I need to grab some things from my locker.
Hazel:
See you in class.
Hazel and Jimmy leave her and she looks annoyed with herself.
Paige (to herself):
There you go, Paige. Spinner wins, thanks to your stupid insecurities!
She takes a deep breath and tries to compose herself.
9. Int. TV Studio. Day.
Liberty is going over the format of the show, when JT comes in.
Liberty:
It´ll have to wait. I have to fill ten minutes with two minutes of material and that´s if I stretch it out.
JT:
I´m sorry, you had to find out that way. I wanted to be the one to tell you, so I could have done it the right way.
She gets up and looks him in the eyes.
Liberty:
Why didn´t I get my chance, JT?
JT:
Liberty, it´s not that easy ...
Liberty:
Explain it to me, because I´m at a loss! What did I do wrong?
JT:
You never did anything wrong! You´re one of the most important people in my life, if you hadn´t noticed. I love you, just not in the way you want me to. I couldn´t forgive myself, if I broke your heart.
Liberty starts crying and has to wipe her eyes.
Liberty:
There´s no chance for us?
JT:
We passed that threshold a long time ago. Anyway, do you see us working as a couple? The future valedictorian and the class clown?
Liberty:
We won´t know until we´ve tried.
JT:
Liberty, I hope that you find a boyfriend, who loves you and treats you the way, you´ve always dreamt of being treated. You deserve all of that and so much more, just for being you. I hope, we´ll stay friends for the rest of our lives, because I can´t imagine my life without you. But friends is all we´ll ever be.
Liberty:
Do you love each other?
JT:
I thought, she did. Turns out, she was using me the entire time.
Liberty:
I´m sorry, JT. Are you okay?
He smiles at her.
JT:
There you go again. Always thinking about others, even in the worst of times!
Liberty manages a small smile.
Liberty:
I can´t help myself. Are you?
JT:
Not really, but I will be eventually. This has hit me like a kick to the gut.
Liberty:
It´s her loss. She has no idea, what a great guy, she´s missing out on.
They smile sadly at each other.
10. Int. Hallway. Day.
Spinner is standing with Amy by her locker, as she gets books out of it. Alex is behind them by her own locker.
Spinner:
I can´t stop thinking about Paige.
Amy:
That´s what a girl wants to hear. That her boyfriend can´t stop thinking about his ex!
Spinner:
Sorry, Amy. I´m starting to think, that I shouldn´t have done, what I did.
Alex overhears them and decides to join the conversation, whether they like it or not.
Alex:
No, you shouldn´t have! What kind of a sociopath would do that?
Amy:
Who asked you?
Alex:
Shut it, Amy! This is something, your pathetic excuse for a boyfriend needs to hear!
Spinner:
From you? Why should I care, what you think?
Alex:
Because you obviously need a voice of reason in your life! If there´s the slightest bit of decency in you, then you´ll apologize to her and try to fix it! If you don´t, then you´ll continue representing everything, I hate about men!
Alex slams her locker shut and leaves them.
Amy:
Don´t mind her. She´s been on the feminist warpath for years. It hasn´t gotten better, since that incident with me and Jay.
Spinner:
She´s right. What kind of a guy am I, who would do that to her?
Amy:
One, who feels sorry about it.
She smiles at him.
Amy:
It´s why I like you so much, Spinner. You can´t ignore that little voice inside your head, that tells you when something you´re doing is wrong. I´m trying to learn that from you.
Spinner:
I did this time.
Amy:
It´s not that I like Paige, because I truthfully can´t stand the sight of her, or the sound of her voice, or anything about her, come to think of it! But I think you know, what you need to do. You´re a decent guy and you can´t hide from it.
Spinner considers it and sees, that she right. She closes her locker and they kiss, before heading off to class.
11. Ext. Degrassi. Day.
Paige is sitting on a bench by herself, when Emma comes out from the school. She thinks about it for a few seconds, before walking over to her.
Emma:
Just enjoying the weather?
Paige:
I needed a break from it all.
Emma:
I know what you mean. I had to fake period pains, so I would have to deal with any more stares and whispers for the rest of the day.
Paige:
Aren´t you a rebel?
Emma:
Heartbreak is a bitch, isn´t it?
Paige:
I´m not in the mood, Emma!
Emma:
Do you think, JT is? You broke his heart.
Paige has heard enough and gets up.
Paige:
Thanks for making me feel more guilty!
She starts walking away, but Emma gets in her way.
Emma:
Look, I´m no expert in love. My last escapade ended in disaster and I probably threw a blooming friendship with Ellie and my chances at being with Sean again in the trash, at the same time. My point is, that you can still make this right with him. That window won´t stay open for much longer.
Paige:
What do you expect me to do? Say "to hell with popularity" and not care, when my friends make jokes at my expense? That´s what I´d have to look forward to!
Emma:
And what is the truth?
Paige:
THAT I LOVE HIM, OKAY? IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR?
Emma smiles at the reaction, she got out of Paige.
Emma:
As I said, I´m no expert. But finding someone who makes you feel that way, doesn´t happen every day. To some people, it never happens. I couldn´t throw that away, if it were me.
Emma leaves her to think about it and Paige looks frustrated.
12. Int. Hallway. Day.
Paige comes back inside and is met by Spinner.
Paige:
Have you come to gloat? You got what you wanted, so leave me alone.
Spinner:
I will, if you answer one question. Truthfully.
Paige:
Alright.
Spinner:
Did you mean, what you said? That when you were with me, you would rather have been with him?
Paige:
Spinner, I loved you and you tried your best to be a good boyfriend. Until the end, when you started flirting with Amy and hanging out with Jay.
Spinner:
It still hurts, you know? I know, I messed it up and you had every reason to dump me. I can´t help thinking back to all that time, when he was going after you. Should I have let him do it?
Paige smiles at him.
Paige:
The only thing I want to change, involves that jerk, who´ll remain nameless. I enjoyed myself, because we were more than boyfriend and girlfriend. We were best friends.
Spinner:
Can we go back to being friends someday?
Paige:
Spin, what you did today ...
Spinner:
Was rotten of me. Is there a way, I can make it up to you?
Paige:
Not that I can see. Sorry.
She begins to walk away from him.
Spinner:
You´re giving up without a fight? That isn´t the Paige, I know!
She turns around and holds her arms out to the side.
Paige:
What can I do?
Spinner:
Tell the truth! Do you love him?
Paige:
That´s irrelevant now.
Spinner:
It doesn´t look irrelevant. How far are you willing to go?
Paige:
I would make an announcement in front of the entire school, if it meant that he forgave me. It´s probably the only way he´ll believe, that I mean it. Shy of that, I can´t see what else to do, but are you gonna talk Raditch into setting one up?
Spinner gets an idea.
13. Int. TV Studio. Day.
Liberty is getting ready to go on air, but isn´t looking too hopeful, that it´ll go well. Kendra is with her.
Kendra:
Maybe if you stretch out the report from the game?
Liberty:
That´ll fill ten seconds! Got any jokes?
Kendra:
None that come to mind.
Liberty:
Where´s JT, when you need him?
There´s a knock on the door. Spinner and Paige come in.
Liberty:
No visitors. We´re getting ready to shoot.
Spinner:
Kendra, didn´t you say, you were having problems filling the program?
Liberty:
That was supposed to be kept a secret!
Kendra:
He´s my brother. I tell him everything exciting that happens.
Paige:
Can I make an important announcement?
Liberty:
Is it school related?
Paige:
You could say so.
Liberty:
We´ll put you on, after I´ve done the intro.
Spinner:
Best of luck!
Paige:
Thanks, Spin.
Kendra gets behind the camera and Paige nervously bites her lower lip.
14. Int. Classroom. Day.
Manny is sitting with JT, Toby and Rick and looking slightly bored.
Toby:
The key is to invade the Ukraine first ...
Rick:
No way! It´s too heavily defended, plus you´re setting your navy up for disaster, if you don´t build reinforcements.
Manny:
What are you talking about?
Toby:
We´re discussing the best tactics, for when you play as the Germans in "Axis and Allies".
JT:
Basically, nerd talk!
Toby:
You should try it, Manny. It´s this awesome strategy board game, where you play out World War 2.
Manny:
Sounds exciting!
Rick:
We could use a girl in our gamer club, if you´re interested.
Manny:
Thanks, but I do most of my playing with my daughter these days.
The TV turns on and Liberty comes on the screen.
JT:
Oh, gee Golly! The ten wasted minutes, we have to endure five days a week!
Manny:
It could be interesting for once!
JT:
I´m sure, it will be riveting!
We focus on the TV.
Liberty (voice over):
Welcome to today´s issue of Degrassi TV. We have many exciting things on today´s show, including the score from last night´s game between our Boy´s Basketball Team and Lakehurst, as well the menu in the cafeteria for next week.
We cut back to JT, who rests his head on the table.
JT:
Wake me up, when it´s over.
We cut back to the TV.
Liberty (voice over):
First, we have an important announcement from Paige Michalchuk.
The camera pans up to a nervous looking Paige.
Paige (voice over):
JT? I have something important to tell you.
We cut back to JT, who´s now very interested, as are his friends.
15. Int. Classroom. Day.
We cut to a different classroom, where Jimmy, Hazel, Terri, Ashley, Amy and Alex are watching the same footage.
Hazel:
What is she doing?
Terri:
Following her heart.
The others look at Terri, who looks proud of Paige.
We cut to the TV.
Paige (voice over):
I have been such an goofball today. When my friends found out, I panicked and made up some stupid BS, saying how I was using you to relieve loneliness or whatever! Maybe that´s how it started, but somewhere during these past weeks, I fell in love with you. Please, come down to the studio, so I can give you a kiss and we can be a real, official couple. My friends and the girls on the squad can laugh, if they want to. I won´t care a fraction as much, as I care what you think.
The camera pans back to a shocked looking Liberty.
Liberty:
I have no idea, how to follow that up, so I´ll quickly mention, that we lost the game by 20 points and the menu is the same one from two weeks ago. Bye!
We cut back to her friends, who are already out of their seats and heading out the door.
Ashley:
This I have to see!
The classroom is quickly emptied, except for Alex, who calmly walks out with a small smile on her face.
16. Int. Hallway. Day.
Paige is next to Spinner, Liberty and Kendra outside of the studio. Students are quickly flocking to the studio and Raditch tries to get order.
Raditch:
Everyone back to your classrooms! There´s nothing to see here!
Paige is one big smile at the sight of JT running towards her with Manny, Toby and Rick trying to keep up with him. He ran so fast, that he has to catch his breath, when he reaches her.
JT:
Did you mean it?
Paige:
Every word. Can I be your girlfriend?
JT:
I thought, you´d never ask!
JT answers her with a big kiss, to the applause of the students.
Raditch:
Stop that, so I can give you detention!
Spinner:
I´d save my breath, mister Raditch. Those two have bigger fish to fry.
He smiles to himself, as he watches them kiss. Amy comes over and puts an arm around him. She looks proud of him.
CLOSING CREDITS