WHAT IF? - EPISODE 18 - WRAPPED AROUND YOUR FINGER
Disclaimer: I don´t own Degrassi or the characters from it.
Author´s Note: It´s time for the finale of this season. I hope you´ve enjoyed this stroll down memory lane with me. As always, there will be an explanations chapter next.
1. Ext. Degrassi. Day.
The students have been let out and the mood is great. Yearbooks are being signed right and left and Manny and Emma are signing Liberty´s, while she writes in theirs. They hand them back to one another and see, what the other person wrote.
Emma:
That´s sweet! Thanks, Liberty!
Liberty:
We have to hang out this summer.
Manny:
My schedule is embarrassingly open.
Emma:
I´ll be up for it, as long as you can do it while you´re pregnant.
Liberty:
We´ll come up with something. I have to catch up with Toby. See you tonight.
Liberty hurries to catch up with Toby. Emma and Manny look happy for them, when they see Liberty take his hand and walk off.
Emma:
Even Toby was lucky in love this year, after Liberty came to her senses.
Manny:
Everyone except for you, apparently.
Emma:
I wasn´t the only one. There´s also Terri, Alex and Ashley, to name a few. On the other hand, they didn´t end it by being pregnant and single, so I must be the biggest loser here.
Manny:
There´s no budge in Sean?
Emma:
None what so ever. He´s only taking me to the prom out of pity, I just know it.
Manny:
Craig is only taking me, because I´m making him. I still love him, but he´s turned into this boring family man this past year. I miss when he was dangerous and exciting to me. When every little touch was like a small jolt of electricity. Now he´d rather lie on the couch and watch TV, when he gets home, than make out.
Emma:
It sounds like you need to spice things up.
Manny:
That´s not a bad idea. The big question is how.
Manny ponders it.
OPENING CREDITS
2. Int. Ashley´s Room. Day.
Terri is trying to convince Ashley to go.
Terri:
It´s the prom! you´ll regret it, if you don´t go.
Ashley:
What exactly will I regret? Seeing happy couples dancing and knowing, that no one wants me? I´ll pass.
Terri:
If you don´t go, then I´ll have to go alone. You wouldn´t do that your oldest and best friend, would you? I mean, just think of all the favors I´ve done you over the years, without ever asking for the slightest thing in return.
Terri puts on her best puppy dog eyes and Ashley gives in.
Ashley:
If I go with you, then you can´t pull that card on me again!
Terri looks pleased.
Terri:
Yay! We can still have fun without boys.
Ashley:
Do you have something you want to tell me, because that sounded a little ...
Terri:
We could pretend, that we´ve become a couple. Just to see how people would react.
Ashley:
I like that idea!
Terri:
I only meant it as a joke!
Ashley:
Come on! It´s the only way, that tonight can turn out to be fun! We can tell everyone the truth tomorrow.
Terri:
I don´t know, Ash.
Ashley:
Since when have we ever done anything wild and unexpected, just for the fun of it?
Terri:
Okay, but we tell them the truth first thing tomorrow.
Ashley looks enthusiastic.
3. Int. Manny and Craig´s House. Evening.
Caitlin and Joey are leaving with baby Julia. She gets a kiss goodbye on the forehead from Manny. Manny and Craig are both dressed fancily for the prom.
Manny:
Be a good girl and try not to cry too much.
Joey:
She´ll be okay. She has her best friend Jack to play with tonight.
Caitlin:
It´s adorable, how He´s already so protective of her!
Craig:
Say hi to Spike and Snake from us.
Joey:
We will.
Caitlin and Joey head down to their car.
Craig:
I know it sounds boring, but I´d rather have a quiet night at home.
Manny:
I know, that you´re only going to make me happy. Which is why I think, that when we get home, we should ...
She whispers something in Craig´s ear, that he´s very pleased to hear, by the looks of it.
Craig:
I know that we´ve talked about it, but I wasn´t sure that you were actually up for it.
Manny:
We´ve been together for over a year, Craig. If we´re going to avoid being some boring couple, who only do it because they feel forced to, then we have to find new ways to keep things exciting. Are you up for it?
Craig:
Yeah, of course!
He looks excited.
4. Int. Spike and Snake´s House. Evening.
Emma and Sean are posing for pictures for Spike, who´s snapping away. Snake is also with them.
Snake:
That´s it, Honey. You´ve used up half a roll of film.
Spike:
I´m just so relieved, that you´ve worked it out and now you´re going to the prom together.
Emma:
I probably won´t be able to do much, except sit around and watch everyone else dance.
Sean:
I already have that covered. I´ll dance for the both of us.
He does a few fancy break dancing moves, that make Emma smile.
Sean:
Cool, huh?
Spike:
You would have been the coolest of the cool, back in the 80´s!
Emma:
I´m starting to think that you´re lucky, I took pity on you!
Sean:
Are we out of here?
Emma:
We surely are. Bye!
Snake:
Take good care of her. We want her home in one piece.
Sean:
I´ll treat her as if she was made of porcelain. Bye!
Sean and Emma head out.
5. Ext. Spike and Snake´s House. Evening.
Emma and Sean come out and walk down the driveway.
Sean:
Your chariot, that I borrowed from Jay, awaits you, madam!
Emma:
You know, there are some things I can still do. You don´t have to give me special treatment.
Sean:
It´s only, because I want to. You should at least have a good prom, after how this year has been for you.
Emma:
If only it was a real date!
Sean:
We can make it one, if you want?
Emma looks pleased.
Emma:
Yeah, of course, I do.
Sean:
We´ll call it a trial date. That way there´s less pressure.
Emma:
A trial date, it is!
They reach the car and Sean opens the door for her. Emma gets in and smiles to herself, when he closes the door after her.
6. Int. Gymnasium. Evening.
The prom is well underway and couples are having their pictures taken. Among them are Darcy and Rick, Marco and Dylan, Liberty and Toby, JT and Paige (who make faces for the camera, like little kids would), Spinner and Amy, Jimmy and Hazel, Jay and Ellie and finally Ashley and Terri, who actually make quite the cute couple together.
We cut to one of the tables, where Terri and Ashley are with their friends.
Paige:
How long has this been going on?
Ashley:
A while now.
Marco:
I thought that my gay-dar detected something!
Spinner:
How does that work?
Dylan:
If you have to ask, Spinner, then there´s no use in trying to explain it.
Hazel:
You could have told us! All that speculation about why neither of you were dating anyone all year, could have been avoided.
Paige:
Tell us about your first kiss!
Terri:
It was nothing crazy or anything like that. One day we were lying on Ashley´s bed and we couldn´t help ourselves anymore. We had to give in to our passion.
Ashley can´t help looking impressed with Terri´s acting job.
Marco:
Have you told your parents?
Ashley:
Not yet. We will soon.
Paige:
I´m so happy for you guys!
Paige gets out of her seat and hugs both of them, to their surprise.
7. Int. Girl´s Room. Evening.
Ashley and Terri are talking.
Terri:
They´re very accepting of us!
Ashley:
Funny, that Marco should say that thing with his gay-dar, huh?
Terri:
Yeah, cuz we´re not ... that.
Ashley:
Lesbians? We might as well be, with all the time we´ve spent together this past year.
Terri:
We have sort of been each other´s stand in boyfriend, haven´t we?
Ashley:
And just because we like to hold hands and snuggle, when we´re alone together, doesn´t mean anything, right? No matter how good it feels, when you hold me, How did you come up with that story about our first kiss on the fly?
Terri:
I might have fantasized about it a time or two.
Ashley:
You have?
Terri:
It doesn´t mean anything.
Ashley:
It could. I mean, I´ve fantasized about it too, so it isn´t just you.
There´s an awkward silence, when another girl walks in and gets into one of the stalls.
Terri:
Do you wanna dance?
Ashley:
I thought, you´d never ask!
Ashley takes Terri´s hand and they leave together.
8. Int. Gymnasium. Evening.
Emma and Sean are at a table with Liberty, Toby, Manny and Craig.
Liberty:
Tobes, it´s time for you to show me, what you´ve got on the dancefloor!
Toby:
If you say so!
She takes his hand and leads him out onto the dancefloor. Toby´s moves are hardly gracious.
Sean:
You wanna grab some drinks, Craig?
Craig:
Sure. Yellow, green or red, Sweetheart?
Manny:
I´ll try the red punch this time. That yellow one is still sticking with me, longer than I´d like it to!
Craig:
Red, it is.
The boys leave them.
Manny:
Guess, what we´re doing after prom?
Emma:
It?
We cut to Sean and Craig, who reach the punch bowls.
Craig:
Emma´s not looking to shabby tonight, for a pregnant girl.
Sean:
She´s still as hot to me, as she ever was.
Craig:
You know that you´re missing out on one of the best parts, don´t you?
Sean:
What part is that?
Craig:
Her hormones are running wild right now! Manny couldn´t get enough of me, when she was in this stage of the pregnancy! Plus she can´t get more pregnant, so you don´t have to worry about anything.
Sean:
The only stage me and Em are in is the friendship stage.
Craig:
Why is that exactly? I know, that you fought for a short while, but you´re way past that, aren´t you?
Sean:
We are. I´m not sure anymore, to be honest. It´s more the thought that my son or daughter will be raised by people, I´ve never met, that bothers me more than anything else.
Craig:
There will be a time, after she´s had the baby. What then? Are you getting back together or what?
Sean:
Maybe. I´m not sure.
Craig:
If it was me, then I would have to know. That uncertainty would drive me nuts.
Sean:
You´re describing perfectly, what it does to me.
They get their punch and head back to the table, where Emma and Manny are still chatting away.
Manny:
Have you tried it?
Emma:
No, I´ve always been afraid to. It can be pretty rough going down, from what I hear!
Manny:
I´m sure, it won´t be too bad. We´re taking the plunge tonight, aren´t we Craig?
Craig hands her a glass of red punch.
Craig:
Which plunge would that be?
Manny:
Our after prom plans. I can hardly wait!
Craig:
Oh, that! Me neither.
Sean:
What are you doing?
Craig:
We´re ...
We don´t get to hear the last of the sentence, before we cut over to Terri and Ashley, who are dancing and having lots of fun together. Two girls dance over next to them.
Girl #1:
There´s an LGBT mixer down at Wyatt Street Youth Club twice a month, if you girls are interested.
Terri:
There is?
Girl #2:
This isn´t the 80´s anymore, where we have to hide who we are. Welcome to the family.
Ashley:
Thanks, I guess.
The two girls go back to dancing and leave Terri and Ashley alone.
Terri:
Are you thinking about going?
Ashley:
I might, just to see what it´s like. Do you want to go with me?
Terri:
We have to find something to spend our summer on, don´t we?
Marco and Paige come over to them.
Marco:
I have the most boring date ever and she can´t dance to save her life. Can one of you save me?
Terri:
Come here, Marco. Show me some of those killer moves!
Marco:
You´re on, girl!
Marco and Terri go off and dance together, leaving Ashley and Paige dancing together.
Paige:
You two make the perfect couple!
Ashley:
You really think so?
Paige:
The rest of us are close, but you two have been close as sisters, ever since I met you. It makes perfect sense that you would end up together, sooner or later.
Ashley:
We weren´t expecting everyone to be this accepting.
Paige:
We all just want to see the both of you happy. If you can find that happiness together, then so much the better. If anyone says anything nasty to you, then they´ll have me to deal with! I´m not big, but us Michalchuk´s know how to fight.
Ashley smiles.
Ashley:
That´s comforting to know.
Paige:
No one is gonna mess with my two best girls or ruin anything for them! Not while I have a say in it.
Paige smiles at Ashley, as they keep dancing.
9. Int. Lobby. Evening.
Manny is hugging Emma goodbye.
Emma:
Sorry, Manny, but my back is killing me.
Manny:
I remember perfectly, what it was like. Get yourself home and lie down, missy!
Sean:
Don´t worry, Manny. I´ll spoil her rotten!
Emma:
I expect you to live up to those words, mister!
Craig:
Get home safely.
Sean and Craig fist bump and Sean and Emma leave them.
Craig:
This could be an excuse for us to slip out too.
Manny:
Three more dances.
Craig:
One.
Manny:
Two.
Craig:
Deal.
They fist bump on it and go back inside.
10. Int. Gymnasium. Evening.
It´s time for a slow dance and "Linger" by The Cranberries is played from the speakers. Terri and Ashley look at each other shyly.
Terri:
We can get a drink, if you want.
Ashley:
I like this song. It´s so romantic, that it´s almost sappy, but it´s pretty too.
Terri:
I do too. There´s nothing wrong with liking things that are a little sappy in my book.
Terri nervously bites her lower lip and Ashley takes her hand. They start slow dancing and it´s clear that there´s more than just friendship there. Ashley quickly makes eye contact with Paige who´s slow dancing with JT. Paige gives her a smile and a thumbs up and Ashley smiles back at her.
11. Int. Sean´s Apartment. Evening.
Sean leads Emma in gently and lays her down on his couch.
Emma:
I´m sorry, that I ruined the prom for you.
Sean:
I only went for your sake.
Emma:
It was very kind of you. Do you want to lie down next to me?
Sean:
Yeah, sure.
He lies down next to her and they spoon. He puts his arm around her waist.
Emma:
It´s not as easy as it used to be, is it?
Sean:
You´re still sexy.
Emma:
No, I´m not! I´m fat and ugly!
Sean:
You could never be ugly in my eyes.
Emma:
You should have seen me in this dream I had.
Sean:
Tell me about it.
Emma:
It was so weird. Manny was the ghost of Christmas and she showed me my potential futures. In one, I was a self hating drunk and in the other, I was a fat, man hating slob.
Sean:
Did she tell you how to avoid that happening?
Emma:
She did. Huh?
She smiles to herself.
Sean:
What is it?
Emma:
She never mentioned a scenario, where we break up and get back together. Do you want to have this child with me?
Sean:
It´s gonna happen no matter what.
She turns around and looks him in the eyes.
Emma:
I mean have it and start a family together.
Sean:
Are you serious?
Emma:
I´ve been thinking and I don´t want strangers to raise my child. I can do it alone, but I would rather do it with you.
Sean:
So would I.
They kiss passionately.
12. Int. Craig and Manny´s House. Evening.
We hear satisfied moans coming from the kitchen and slowly move from the living room and into the kitchen. We see that Manny and Craig are doing some cooking and the satisfied moans was just Manny loving the food so much.
Manny:
It´s like a whole new world has opened up to me!
Craig:
I told you, it was tasty, didn´t I? The key is to make it just spicy enough, without going overboard with it. If you can manage that, then you have a perfect Chipotle.
Manny:
I´m no expert, but this is delicious! I will never doubt you again!
Craig:
It´s too bad, you´re on your period.
Manny:
I´m horny as a toad too, but we have to wait a few days. You´ll have to settle for my hottest kisses, I´m afraid.
Craig:
I would never call that having to settle.
They kiss passionately.
13. Ext. Degrassi. Evening.
Terri and Ashley are saying goodnight to Paige and JT.
Terri:
Don´t do anything, we wouldn´t do!
Paige:
Actually, we´re doing something, you´re not physically capable of doing together, if you catch my drift.
Ashley:
More than we´d like to!
Terri:
Wear two rubbers, just in case.
JT:
Say goodnight, Paige.
Paige:
Goodnight, Paige.
They start kissing and it quickly gets uncomfortable for Ashley and Terri.
Terri:
We´ll just ...
Ashley:
I couldn´t have said it better.
They start walking up the street, still holding hands.
14. Ext. Street. Evening.
Terri and Ashley are walking up the street, still holding hands.
Terri:
You can let go now. The act is over for the night.
Ashley:
I don´t want to.
Terri smiles shyly and they stop walking.
Terri:
Me neither. Tonight was a blast and it wouldn´t have been, if it wasn´t for you.
Ashley:
Now we know, how people will react. I thought, they would be less accepting, than they were. Paige even told me, that we made a perfect couple.
Terri:
She could be right. Ash, would you hate me, if I said that I feel like kissing you right now?
Ashley:
I would tell you, that you weren´t alone in it.
They move in very close and hold each other, while looking into each other´s eyes.
Terri:
I can´t believe, I´m doing this!
Ashley:
Me neither.
She gives Terri a small kiss on the lips.
15. Int. Car, Evening.
Sean has driven Emma home and they´re kissing goodbye.
Emma:
This has been one crazy year, hasn´t it?
Sean:
I prefer this to someone trying to their hardest kill me!
Emma:
Or finding out, that I was pregnant. Do you think we´ll be one of the few couples, who make it and live happily ever after? The statistics are against us.
Sean:
We can try. All I know is that there´s no one else, I can see myself with.
Emma:
Same here.
They kiss one last time and she gets out of the car.
16. Ext. Spike and Snake´s House. Evening.
Emma comes waking up the driveway, as the ending score starts playing. She looks up to at the starlit evening and looks hopeful for the future.
CLOSING CREDITS