WHAT IF? - SEASON 1 EPISODE 13 - FOREVER YOUR GIRL
Disclaimer: I don´t own Degrassi or the characters from it.
1. Int. Auditorium. Day.
JT and Paige are sitting at a table. Both of them have their mouths wide open.
JT:
How did we ever expect this to work?
Paige:
You got me!
We cut to the stage, where Emma, Hazel and Terri are doing a scene. They still have to use the script and look at it constantly.
Emma:
I´m here! What is it, mom?
Hazel:
This is the matter.-Nurse, give leave awhile,
We must talk in secret:-nurse, come back again;
I have remember'd me, thou's hear our counsel.
Thou know'st my daughter's of a pretty age.
Hazel stops and looks down at JT and Paige.
Hazel:
How are we supposed to remember this drivel? No one has ever talked like this!
Emma:
The whole idea feels kind of weird.
Terri:
I´m not going on, if it´s to be embarrassed.
Paige:
Take five, guys! Try to think about something else!
Paige and JT put their heads together.
Paige:
If you have any bright ideas, then now is time for them.
JT:
We could run for the hills. Maybe settle down in a forest somewhere and live like hermits, so no one will know our shame!
Paige:
We´ll call that plan B! I suppose, I can try to work with Emma and see, if I can´t get a better performance out of her.
JT:
What about everyone else, who sucks as bad or worse? Opening and what will surely be closing night is tomorrow! We can´t perform miracles.
Paige:
That run for the hills plan sounds better by the minute!
They look ready to give up.
OPENING CREDITS
2. Int. The Dot. Day.
Paige is hanging her head in utter hopelessness, while JT tries to cheer her up.
JT:
We´ll still have our health. That´s something!
Paige:
My parents will be there! My aunt is flying in from Montreal, after I told her that she would regret it, if she missed it! Plus, I´ll be the laughing stock of the entire school!
JT:
So will I.
Paige:
You´re used to it. I was still the popular girl last year. I was head of the Spirit Squad, I got good grades and most of all, I wasn´t doing stupid stuff like this!
JT looks a little insulted.
JT:
You´re talking, like it´s my fault!
Paige;
Well, it sort of is! If you hadn´t made me fall for you, then I wouldn´t be in this mess!
JT:
I didn´t make you do anything! You´re talking like I´m some charity case, you took pity on! I was doing fine before we started dating!
Paige:
You were a walking joke!
JT:
If that´s the case, then you can watch this joke walk right out of here!
He gets up and storms out. Spinner comes over to her.
Spinner:
I didn´t want to interfere, since to be honest, that looked like something, I´d rather stay out of. Can you take it outside next time? How my friends behave in here, reflects on me.
Paige:
Don´t worry, Spin. There won´t be a next time.
He looks sympathetic with her.
3. Int. Paige´s Room. Evening.
Paige is looking herself in the mirror. She´s dressed in her old Spirit Squad uniform. Dylan is with her.
Paige:
It´s time to rid myself of the temporary brain fart, that was JT and return to what I do best. Being Paige Michalchuk!
Dylan:
I like the effect, he had on you. There´s been less nasty remarks and you´re not as self centered, as you were before.
Paige:
That´s nice to hear, coming from my brother, who´s supposed to love me unconditionally!
Dylan:
You know, I do. Even when you´re at your most annoying, I still can´t help loving you, because you´re my little sister. I don´t want you to do something, you´ll regret. You still like him, don´t you?
Paige:
That goes without saying. Say what you want about that little earth worm, but he has a tendency to grow on you.
Dylan:
Why are you even thinking about dumping him then?
Paige:
If this is where he´s dragged me down to now, imagine what it will be like a year or two years from now. I´ll end up as the next Liberty! It´s better to cut ties with him now and try to move on.
She looks sad, but determined.
4. Int. Sean´s Apartment. Evening.
The apartment is one big mess, but Sean doesn´t seem to care. He´s lying on the couch and is listening to "This Love" by Pantera, while drinking a beer. He takes a sip, just as there´s a knock on the door. He puts the beer on the table, before drowsily getting up and going to answer it. It´s Emma, who looks nervous.
Sean:
You´re not welcome!
Emma:
Sean, we need to talk this out. You can´t hide away in here forever.
Sean:
It´s worked for a week now.
Emma:
Can I come in? I hate, how we left things off.
Sean:
Alright. It´s better than having my neighbors listening in.
He lets her in and she tries to appear un-fazed by the mess.
Sean:
I wasn´t expecting company. Say your piece.
Emma:
I get that you´re mad at me, but we´re having a child together.
Sean:
A child you´re giving up for adoption without a moment´s thought to what I want! It isn´t just your child!
Emma:
It´s my body and my decision.
Sean:
That´s the line you throw at us, so we know from the start, that our opinions don´t matter. If you don´t care, what I have to say, then do us both a favor and leave.
Emma:
That isn´t fair, Sean! Who do you think will be stuck raising the kid, if we break up? You can move on and still do everything, you´ve wanted to. If I keep the kid, then the kid becomes my life. There´s no going back!
Sean:
Do you know what hurts most, Em? It´s knowing that your mind went straight to the worst case scenario, without considering that we could make it work, like Manny and Craig have.
Emma:
We´re not them.
Sean:
That´s become very clear this last week, hasn´t it? Find someone, who can live up to your high standards. I´m finished with playing a game, I can´t win.
Emma:
That´s it? You´re breaking up with me, after everything we´ve been through and are about to go through together?
She tries to make eye contact with him, but he looks at the floor.
Sean:
You should go. We´re too different to ever make it work.
Emma starts to cry and storms out. Sean punches the wall in frustration.
5. Int. Manny´s Room. Evening.
Emma is coming clear to Manny about the pregnancy. Manny is trying to take it in.
Manny:
Wow, wow, wow!
Emma:
That´s pretty much how I reacted!
Manny:
Wow, wow, wow, wow!
Emma:
Adding more wow´s won´t help me, Manny.
Manny:
So, I appeared in a dream to you and showed you the future and that´s what you´re basing your decision on?
Emma:
It was a very vivid dream!
Manny:
And you think, you could be Bi-Sexual? Sorry, it´s a lot to take in at once!
Emma:
I´m still not totally sure. I only know, that some girls turn me on and if I can´t tell you, then who can I tell?
Manny:
If you need to talk about it, then I´ll try my best to be open minded! First things first. Are you a hundred percent sure, that adoption is the way to go?
Emma:
If I don´t go through with the adoption, then I´m in for disaster. If I don´t reconsider, then I´ve lost Sean to Ashley!
Manny:
What does Ashley have to do with this?
Emma:
Never mind. I´m trying to do what´s best for everyone, including my un-born child. You have Craig and a network of people, who will step in to help you. Without Sean, there´s no way, I could do it alone, like my mom did.
Manny:
I´ll be there for you, as much as I can. We´ll get through this together, like we´ve always done.
She gives Emma a hug, that it looked like she needed.
Manny:
Not to sound shallow, but was I still keeping my figure in this future?
Emma smiles to herself, as she hugs Manny tightly.
6. Int. Hallway. Morning.
We see Paige walking through, dressed like she would have in season one, including her bringing the "Hottie" t-shirt back, she wore in the credits in season one, only now it´s way too short for her and has become more of a half shirt. Jimmy and Spinner try not to laugh, when she comes up to them.
Jimmy:
Paige, Halloween was months ago!
Spinner:
Or is this a well planned and might I add, very funny prank?
Paige:
The old Paige is back, boys! It´s time for me to re-claim my throne.
Jimmy:
What does that entail?
Paige:
You´ll see.
She leaves them and heads up the hallway with her old strut back.
7. Int. Classroom. Morning.
Hazel, Ashley and Terri look shocked, when Paige comes in and sits down with them. She looks confident.
Hazel:
I haven´t seen you wear that t-shirt for two years.
Paige:
I wore it to signify, that the old me is back!
Terri:
It´s also showing "Bottom Boob".
Paige quickly tries to pull it down as far as it will go.
Paige:
It used to fit perfectly.
Ashley:
Yeah, two years ago, when you were an A cup! A makeover doesn´t change, who you are. If anyone´s proof of that, it´s me!
Terri:
What´s this really about, Paige?
Paige:
I realized, that I´m in the fast lane to becoming a loser and it´s all JT´s fault! I did things for him and look, where it got me!
Hazel:
What about the play?
Paige:
I´m out and I´m wiping my hands of the entire mess! It was his idea to begin with, so it´s his problem!
Ashley:
That does sound like the old Paige!
Paige smiles to herself. Her friends don´t look too happy about it.
8. Int. Classroom. Morning.
Snake and Emma are in front of the class.
Snake:
Before we start today´s lesson, Emma has an announcement to make.
Emma:
I want to get one over on the rumor mill, before it has a chance to get up and running. This isn´t the kind of thing, you can hide away from everyone. I´m pregnant.
A shock goes over most of the students.
Emma:
I figured that it was best to tell everyone, in stead of coming up with stories about stomach bugs and food poisoning, even though that would have been easy, our current situation considered. My body is gonna go through changes and you´ll be witnesses to a lot of it, so I´m asking for your understanding.
Snake:
Any questions?
No one raises their hand. The situation as awkward enough as it is.
9. Int. Hallway. Morning.
JT comes walking up the hallway with Liberty and Toby.
JT:
Emma is pregnant! Has the world gone crazy?
Toby:
No, but as loud as you just said that, you can be sure, that the whole school will know in five minutes!
Liberty:
Wasn´t that her point? To be the one, who controls the narrative?
Toby:
Speaking of crazy. Did Paige jump into a time machine this morning?
JT:
This has to be her way of cheering me up!
Liberty:
Maybe she lost a bet?
JT:
Later, homies!
He runs over to Paige. Toby and Liberty look at each other, both puzzled.
Toby/Liberty:
Homies?
They walk past Paige and JT, who are talking.
JT:
When in doubt, make people laugh, that´s what I always say!
Paige:
I didn´t dress this way to make people laugh!
JT:
You didn´t?
Paige:
It´s to signify that the old me is back!
JT:
What does that mean?
Paige:
It means that we have to break up.
JT looks stunned.
JT:
Because we had one little fight? Don´t you think that´s throwing the towel in a little soon?
Paige:
I can´t be the old me and still be with you. The two don´t mix. You understand, don´t you?
JT:
You think that I´m a loser, don´t you?
Paige:
I didn´t say that, but we both know that you will never be popular. You´re always going to drag me down to your level.
JT:
I´m sorry, that I ruined your life, Paige! I´ll stay out of it from now on!
He hurries past her and she looks frustrated with how it went.
Paige
We can still be friends, can´t we?
JT:
No, we can´t! You´re out of the play too!
Paige watches him walk away and can´t help looking sad.
Paige:
Bye, bye, JT. It was nice knowing you.
A few tears flow from her eyes, but she quickly wipes them away and tries to regain her composure. Ashley comes running over to her.
Ashley:
Have you heard the latest? Emma is pregnant!
Paige:
Huh? That can´t be!
Ashley:
She told the entire class!
Paige:
That´s crazy.
Ashley is surprised, that Paige isn´t more enthusiastic.
Ashley:
Are you okay?
Paige:
Ash, be honest. Did you like the old me, or were we only friends because of Terri?
Ashley:
You dumped him, didn´t you?
Paige nods sadly.
Paige:
Well?
Ashley:
No one really liked you, except for Terri and Spinner. I wouldn´t have hung out with you, if it hadn´t been for Terri and the others. I like you much better now, if that´s a consolation.
Paige:
I thought, that if I put on this stupid shirt and walked and talked like I used to, then I could turn things back to how they were. In stead, they all think I´m a joke!
Ashley:
Because you´re trying to be someone, you´re not. The old Paige was a spoiled brat, who wouldn´t dream of putting someone else´s needs first! I still remember that stunt you pulled, when you sabotaged Terri´s chances with Spinner.
Paige:
It´s a wonder that she still wanted to be friends, after I did that. The worst part is that I didn´t even feel guilty afterwards. That didn´t come until me and Spinner broke up.
Ashley:
Because that was the moment, when your real transformation started. I don´t think, you were meant to be an annoying spoiled brat for the rest of you life. You were meant to become wiser and grow into this version of Paige. A version that I´m proud to call my friend.
They smile at each other.
Paige:
You wouldn´t happen to have a spare t-shirt here, would you? One that doesn´t show "Bottom Boob"?
Ashley:
You´re lucky that we have P.E today.
Paige:
Thanks. I look ridiculous in this!
Ashley:
You really do!
Paige laughs at her own mistake.
10. Int. Sean´s Apartment. Day.
Sean is cleaning the place up and stuffing things into a black garbage bag, when there´s a knock on the door. He goes to answer it.
Sean:
I´ll have the rent when I get my check ...
It´s Snake, to his surprise.
Sean:
Sorry, Mr. Simpson. I thought it was my landlord.
Snake:
Can I come in?
Sean:
Yeah, sure.
He lets Snake in.
Sean:
I´m giving the place a much needed clean up!
Snake:
Does this mean that you´re feeling better?
Sean:
Is this standard protocol?
Snake:
Not usually. I happen to be personally invested in this.
Sean:
I suppose, Emma has told you.
Snake:
We knew before you did. How are you holding up?
Sean:
Some days, I feel like I´m losing my mind. I keep going from hating her to wanting to call her up. It´s the only thing, I can wrap my head around.
Snake:
Has Emma talked to you about her biological dad?
Sean:
Not really. I always figured, it was because she knows, that my parents are my Achilles heel.
Snake:
Spike was even younger than Emma is, when she became pregnant. The guy, who got her pregnant was her boyfriend Shane. He wasn´t any older than she was. He couldn´t deal with it at such a young age and they broke up, the moment she told him and he replied that it was her problem.
Sean:
I´ll be there for Emma, when things cool down. I don´t want to be one of those guys, who runs away from his responsibilities. I feel bad for your wife, that she had to deal with a dirt bag like that. I have zero respect for any guy, who would do that!
Snake:
He tried to make it better, after Emma was born. He started paying child support and he actually tried to be her friend, despite his parents wanting him to stay away from her. That all ended one night, when he took a dive off a bridge.
Sean looks a little shocked.
Sean:
Was he trying to kill himself?
Snake:
We´ll never know exactly what happened that night, but we do know that he was on acid. It could have been the trigger, that made him go through with it. It took them two days to find him and he was barely alive, when they did.
Sean:
If you´re trying to scare me, then you´re doing a hell of a job at it!
Snake:
He´s been in a mental institution since it happened. His brain is so damaged, that he has the mental capacity of a small child. You can imagine the shock for Emma, when she found out a few years ago.
Sean:
I thought, I had parental issues!
Snake:
He still believed that Emma was a baby, but he loves her with all his heart. I can guarantee you, that he would give his life for the chance to have done things right from the start. It´s not too late.
Sean:
I should get a say, shouldn´t I? I´m not some sperm donor, she picked out of a catalogue.
Snake:
This isn´t about who of you is right or wrong. The decisions you make now won´t only effect your relationship with Emma. They´ll effect how you feel about yourself for the rest of you life. Do you want to be that dirt bag, who leaves her to deal with it on her own?
Sean::
No. It´s my responsibility too.
Snake:
I´d be back in school on Monday, if I were you. Your grades were bad enough, before your little hiatus.
Sean:
I was halfway expecting to be expelled, when I saw you in the door.
Snake:
I´ve explained the situation to Raditch. He can be understanding, when he wants to.
Sean:
What do I do about Em?
Snake:
You won´t get her back by hiding away in here. Especially not, when she´s in a play tonight.
Sean:
That´s still happening?
Snake:
For now. I hope that by some miracle, they´ve improved by miles since the rehearsal, I sat through! See you later, Sean.
Sean:
Later, Mr. S.
Snake leaves the way he came in. Sean ponders what to do next.
11. Int. Auditorium. Evening.
JT looks out through the curtain with dread on his face. It´s rapidly filling up.
12. Int. Backstage Area. Evening.
JT comes back to his actors, who are looking to him for answers.
Emma:
JT, we can´t go out there, with what we have!
JT:
Don´t you think, I know that?
Ashley:
I´m not going out there. No way.
Manny:
I´m out too.
JT:
Et tu, Manny? Who else wants to stick a knife in my back?
All the actors raise their hands.
JT:
Great! First Paige bails on me and now you guys!
Terri:
Sorry, JT.
The actors, except for Toby and Liberty go back to the change rooms.
Toby:
JT, it´s over. Go out there and apologize, because there won´t be a show tonight.
Liberty:
You don´t have to be ashamed. You tried your best.
JT:
Do you think any of them care about that? They´re sharpening their axes, so they can put my head on a platter!
Toby:
Hey! Don´t take it out on Liberty!
JT:
Will you two get a room? There will be a show, if I have to put it on by myself!
Toby::
What´s you plan?
JT:
To come up with something on the fly. Maybe I can tell jokes or something.
Liberty:
You´ll make a fool of yourself.
JT:
I know.
He heads out onto the stage. Liberty takes Toby´s hand and looks concerned.
13. Int. Auditorium. Evening.
JT comes out onto the stage, looking like he would rather be anywhere else. The lights fade, as he looks very alone up there.
JT:
Hi, everyone!
The attention is on him and he tries to smile it off, but is clearly very nervous.
JT:
We came here tonight to ...
He doesn´t get any further, before the sprinklers in the auditorium go off. The crowd immediately starts to hustle to get out of there, while JT couldn´t look more relieved, if he tried.
14. Ext. Degrassi. Evening.
The crowd and cast come out from the school, most of them drenching wet. JT sees Paige in a black hoodie standing close by and trying to catch his eye. He´s apprehensive at first, until Liberty comes over to him.
Liberty:
What are you waiting for?
JT:
She dumped me today.
Liberty:
That doesn´t look like a girl, who wants to stay broken up.
She gives JT and pad on the back and he runs down to Paige.
JT:
Did you have anything to do with that?
She quickly shows him a lighter, she had in her pocket and hides it away again.
Paige:
Now that the set has been water damaged, we´ll have to cancel the show altogether.
JT:
That is a tragedy! You´re back to we?
Paige:
Can you forgive a girl, who´s very sorry for the things she said and wishes, she could take them back?
JT:
What about your precious popularity?
Paige:
I only care, whether I´m popular with you. I love you, JT.
JT:
Ditto.
Paige:
I pour my heart out and all I get is "ditto"?
JT:
I´d kidding. I love you too, Paige.
Paige:
Can we kiss now? It´s been over a day, since i last had one and I´m having serious withdrawals.
JT:
We can´t have that, can we?
They kiss and look very in love.
15. Int. The Dot. Evening.
Emma is having a veggie burger with Manny and Craig.
Emma:
Can you imagine how bad we would have been?
Craig:
I don´t mind never finding out!
Manny:
Some ideas are best left to only be that, ideas!
Sean comes in with Spinner and Amy.
Craig:
If it isn´t the man himself!
Emma:
Who´s probably here to bite my head off again.
Manny:
It doesn´t look that way. He´s coming over here.
Sean comes over to their table.
Sean:
Can I borrow Em for a minute? If that´s okay with her, of course.
Manny:
It´s fine with us.
Sean:
We need to have a serious talk.
Emma:
No mean comments?
Sean:
You have my word.
They head outside together.
16. Ext. The Dot. Evening.
Emma and Sean are outside of The Dot.
Sean:
I could have dealt with it better, when you told me.
Emma:
No kidding.
Sean:
When I came here, my biggest issue was that I didn´t like, who I was. I don´t want to go back to that.
Emma:
Is this only to make you feel better about yourself?
Sean:
It´s about me doing right by you. It took two of us to make that baby. I won´t come running, whenever you ask me to, but I won´t let you go through this alone.
Their moment is interrupted by Paige and JT, who manage to round the corner and head inside, while still kissing. It makes Sean and Emma smile.
Emma:
I had no idea, that was possible!
Sean:
Love makes anything possible, I suppose.
Emma:
What about us?
Sean:
We can´t go back to where we were. Can you settle for being friends?
Emma:
I´ll take what I can get, when it comes to you.
Sean:
Same here.
JT sticks his head out the door.
JT:
What are you doing out here? Drinks are on me and Paige.
Sean and Emma smile at each other, before heading back inside.
CLOSING CREDITS