WHAT IF? - SEASON 2 EPISODE 5 - GET OFF
Disclaimer: I don´t own Degrassi or the characters from it.
1. Int. Hallway. Morning.
Hazel has arrived for school and walks down the hallway. She sees Jimmy talking to Chantay and looks annoyed, as she walks past them.
2. Int. Classroom. Morning.
Hazel enters the classroom, where Marco and Paige are laughing at something, they´re watching on the screen of Paige´s PC. She walks over to them and pushes past them to get to her seat next to Paige.
Hazel:
Do you mind?
Marco:
What´s with you today?
Hazel:
Nothing.
Paige:
It wouldn´t have anything to do with Jimmy?
Hazel:
That´s none of your business!
Paige:
Excuse me for existing! This will put a smile on your face.
Paige clicks on something.
Girl (voice over):
You can sell this for a million bucks, because I´m gonna be famous!
Hazel makes wide eyes at what she sees.
Hazel:
Is that Tina?
Paige:
A very drunk Tina showing off her Eve costume. The topless part anyway.
Marco:
Poor girl, She probably ran home crying, after seeing this. What kind of jerk would do this?
Paige:
I don´t know, but I can´t help finding it funny! It´s her facial expression that does it for me.
Paige mimics it and pretends to show her boobs.
Hazel:
It looks like we have an opening on the squad. We can´t let her come back.
Paige:
Don´t be hasty. She´s bound to have a ton of fans after this!
Hazel:
The rules are clear, even if she´d want to come back. We´ll have to tell the first alternate.
Paige:
Are you sure, considering who that is?
Jimmy comes in, looking chipper. He sits down next to Spinner, as Hazel remembers.
Hazel:
Her! Why did it have to be her?
Paige:
You said it yourself. Those are the rules.
Hazel shakes her head and looks frustrated.
OPENING CREDITS
3. Int. The Dot. Day.
Chantay and Darcy are celebrating.
Chantay:
I only wish, there were two spots.
Darcy:
I´ll wait my turn. Anyway, I have the band and my job, so I don´t even know if I´d have the time to join the squad.
Chantay:
I´ll try my best to make you proud!
Their smiles fade, as Hazel comes over to them, not looking too pleased.
Hazel:
Congratulations.
Chantay:
Thanks, Hazel. I can´t wait to get started.
Hazel:
You don´t have the spot yet, if that´s what you think!
Chantay looks disappointed.
Chantay:
I´m first alternate, aren´t I?
Hazel:
We want to make sure, that we have the right girl for the job. You understand, don´t you?
Chantay:
I guess so.
Hazel:
Come to the gymnasium after school tomorrow. You too, Darcy.
Darcy:
I´ll gladly give Chantay the spot.
Hazel:
That isn´t your decision! Don´t be late!
Hazel leaves them and walks back to her table, where Paige is waiting for her.
Chantay:
Are you gonna go?
Darcy:
I´m afraid that she´ll come after me, if I don´t! I´ll have to try my best at sucking!
Chantay:
There´s an obvious porn related joke to be made there, but I´ll refrain from it!
The girls giggle.
We cut over to Paige and Hazel´s table. Paige looks disappointed with Hazel, who´s sitting across from her.
Paige:
Don´t think, I don´t know, why you´re doing this!
Hazel:
She´ll make the squad over my dead body! I can´t stop them from flirting, but I´ll be damned, if I´m doing anything to help them!
Paige:
That isn´t fair on her. She hasn´t done anything wrong. Plus, I´m pretty sure that using the squad to launch a personal Vendetta, is against the rules!
Hazel:
I´m the captain, so shut up! It´s my decision!
Paige:
Do you know, who you remind me of?
Hazel:
Don´t say it!
Paige:
Heather ...
Hazel:
I´ll leave, if you say it!
Paige:
Sinclair!
Hazel looks insulted and storms out. Chantay and Darcy can´t help looking a little amused. Paige walks over to them.
Paige:
Hi, girls. I´m Paige. It´s a pleasure to meet you.
Paige smiles at them. She´s clearly got some sort of plan behind it.
3. Ext. The Dot. Day.
Paige is on the phone with JT.
Paige:
We´ll do it tomorrow, okay? Love ya, JT!
Paige hangs up and puts her phone away, just as Darcy and Chantay come out.
Paige:
My schedule just opened up. What do want to do?
Darcy:
I have homework.
Paige:
Darcy, many years from now, when you look back on today, you´ll think of it one or two ways. Either as the great time, you missed out on to do boring homework, or as the day where you became friends with a girl, who can help you in ways, you can´t even imagine.
Darcy and Chantay look intrigued.
Chantay:
What kind of ways?
Paige:
You won´t know, unless you come with me.
Darcy clearly can´t resist the temptation to find out.
4. Ext. Jimmy´s House. Evening.
Hazel is waiting outside the front door, when Jimmy comes out. He isn´t happy to see her in any way.
Jimmy:
Make it quick. I haven´t told my parents, that we broke up.
Hazel:
Why doesn´t it surprise me, that you´re a coward?
Jimmy:
If you only came here to insult me, then you can spare it.
Hazel:
I´m here on business. Spirit Squad business to be exact.
Jimmy:
What does that have to do with me?
Hazel:
Your little girlfriend ...
Jimmy:
She´s a friend, but she´s not my girlfriend! You don´t even know her!
Hazel:
Do you think, I´m dumb enough to believe, that you chat her up for the exiting conversation, she has to offer? What is it exactly, her sure to be insightful view on who the most talented Backstreet Boy is, or her fascinating views on whether Joey should choose Dawson or Pacey?
Jimmy:
She has to choose Pacey, after everything they´ve gone through!
Hazel can´t help looking a little amused. Jimmy looks a little embarrassed, that he just busted himself.
Hazel:
I can hear, what you´ve been spending your alone time on!
Jimmy:
Maybe I like talking to her, because she isn´t jaded by cynicism and expects me to be someone, I´m not!
Hazel looks hurt.
Hazel:
Is that how you remember our time together?
Jimmy:
Can you get to the point? I´m not supposed to have company.
Hazel:
A simple proposal. Stop talking to her and I´ll let her on the squad. Don´t and I´ll make her regret, that she tried out in the first place!
Jimmy:
You wouldn´t!
Hazel:
Hell hath no fury, Jimmy. You and least of all young, innocent Chantay, want to test how cruel I can be.
She walks away from him, as he tries to wave it off.
5. Int. Mall. Evening.
Paige is walking through the mall with Chantay and Darcy. They all have small shopping bags.
Chantay:
This is too much, Paige.
Paige:
It´s a small token of appreciation, for giving me a chance. It hasn´t been that long, since I was your age.
Chantay:
Maybe you can help Darcy.
Darcy:
She doesn´t care about my love troubles.
Paige:
Those are the best. Hit me!
Darcy:
If you´ve hinted to a guy, that you´re gonna be a couple, do you have to go through with it?
Paige:
My immediate thought would be no.
Darcy:
Even if you´ve made out with him and sort of offered yourself as the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?
Chantay:
Plus?
Darcy:
Plus, you might have fallen for his best friend and you haven´t actually broken up with your old boyfriend yet.
Paige:
You girls these days! Look, they´ll understand, if you tell them the right way. What does your heart tell you?
Darcy:
To go out with his best friend. This is typically me! I always fall for the guys, I can´t get!
Paige:
The heart wants what it wants. You want to be the happiest you can be, don´t you?
Darcy:
I guess, I do. Won´t that give me a bad reputation?
Paige:
Thing like that can be spun to fit whatever narrative, you want. Especially if you know the right people. Put your faith in me, Hon and you´ll get the boy of your dreams.
Chantay:
Does that go for me too?
Paige:
Of course! We´re friends, aren´t we?
Darcy:
You´re more like a cool older sister!
Paige:
I can accept that.
Paige smiles sneakily to herself.
6. Ext. Degrassi. Morning.
Jimmy arrives for school to find Hazel waiting for him.
Hazel:
Have you considered my proposal?
Jimmy:
The Hazel I know, wouldn´t take out her frustrations on someone, who has done nothing to deserve it.
Hazel:
That Hazel has been put on the back burner. This is a new Hazel.
Jimmy:
What kind of Hazel is that? Hazel, the jealous bitch?
Hazel gets angry with him.
Hazel:
Me, jealous of her? I want you to be as miserable, as I am! If you won´t listen, then she´ll have to feel!
She begins to head inside.
Jimmy:
Is this who you want to be?
Hazel:
No, but it´s the one, you´ve turned me into!
She heads inside, as he looks frustrated.
7. Int. Gymnasium. Day.
Chantay and Darcy come in to find Hazel waiting for them.
Darcy:
Where´s the rest of the squad?
Hazel:
I cancelled practice, so we could do this. It will just be the three of us.
She´s surprised to see Paige come in.
Hazel:
Or maybe not.
Paige:
Sorry, I´m fashionably late. How are you girls doing today?
Chantay:
Great, Paige.
Hazel:
Let´s see, if we can´t change that. Do a few laps to warm up, while I talk to Paige.
Chantay and Darcy do as they´re told. Hazel looks annoyed with Paige.
Paige:
Relax. I´m here to make sure that you don´t do anything, you could get expelled or sent to jail for.
Hazel:
This whole idea of you coming back on the squad isn´t working. You´re off it, so leave. This is for squad members only!
Paige shakes her head in disbelief.
Paige:
That´s how you want to play this? By letting a boy dumping you ruin your life?
Hazel:
I won´t say it twice!
Paige:
I´m not going anywhere! Someone has to keep these girls safe from you!
Hazel:
Pick the pace up!
Darcy and Chantay do so and Hazel looks pleased with herself.
8. Montage
We see Hazel driving Darcy and Chantay to the point of destruction, as she makes them run and do jumping jacks, until Chantay isn´t able to stand anymore and collapses on the floor.
Hazel:
Get up!
Paige:
Hazel, that´s enough!
Hazel:
Who asked you? Do you want to be on the team or not, Chantay?
Darcy:
Even if she doesn´t, then I won´t either!
She tends to Chantay, who tries to stand up.
Chantay:
I´ll be okay. I want to be on the squad.
Hazel:
Back to work. One, two, three ...
Chantay tries to stand up, but can´t. Paige now looks very worried over what she´s seeing.
Paige:
I get it, Hazel. I do. But this has gone far enough.
Hazel:
Fine! Then none of you make the squad.
Hazel walks out, as Paige runs to tend to poor Chantay.
Paige:
I´m sorry, Chantay. I should have put an end to it sooner. I had no idea, that she would take it this far, I swear.
Darcy:
She has no business being on the squad, let alone head of it!
Paige:
The only ones, who can change that is you. I´m off the team, remember?
Chantay:
Not if we tell people. She´s sick! Why does she hate me so much? I haven´t done anything to her!
Paige:
Jealousy is a nasty thing, Hon. How are your legs feeling?
Chantay:
They need another minute or two.
Paige:
Take whatever time, you need.
Darcy:
Thank god, you were here! We owe you one.
Paige:
If you want to do me a favor, tell your friends on the squad, what happened here. Maybe Mia can take over as captain.
Chantay:
Let´s be honest. It should be you.
Paige sees that she has them, but plays it cool.
Paige:
I can´t do that to Hazel.
Darcy:
Do you think she deserves your concern, after how she acted?
Chantay:
It has to be you. No one else can do it. I can try to stand up now.
Paige:
Ready?
Chantay nods and the other two help her to stand up. Paige might be playing them, but she still looks genuinely relieved, that the girls will be okay.
9. Int. Paige´s Room. Evening.
Chantay is lying on Paige´s bed and is resting as much as possible, while her and Paige watch "Dawson´s Creek".
Paige:
Who do you think, Jack will end up with?
Chantay:
Pacey´s brother, for sure!
Paige:
You don´t think the new guy stands a chance?
Chantay:
I give better chances to him ending up with the ghost of Dawson´s dad, than him ending up with the new guy!
Paige:
That would be a plot twist, you wouldn´t forget!
Chantay:
Thanks, Paige. This was exactly, what I needed.
They smile at each other.
Paige:
I feel like, I´m to blame. She´s my friend, even if I barely recognize her anymore.
Chantay:
Is it because I´m friends with Jimmy?
Paige:
Is that all you are?
Chantay smiles to herself.
Chantay:
I can´t say, I haven´t thought about it. He´s pretty handsome, isn´t he?
Paige:
He´s also a very nice guy, when you get to know him. I feel bad for him, with how unlucky he´s been in love. First there was Ashley, who didn´t appreciate him and cheated on him with Sean.
Chantay:
Why? Wasn´t Jimmy enough for her?
Paige:
Nothing is ever enough for Ashley. I wish her more luck with the girls, than she had with the boys. Hazel ... I don´t even know what to say there. The way she acted today was so unlike her. Maybe the power she was given, has gone to her head, I don´t know.
Chantay:
Things will be better, now that you´re the captain.
Paige:
That´s sweet of you to say, Hon, but I´m not the captain yet.
Chantay:
That´ll change first thing tomorrow. She isn´t the only one, who knows to play the game of revenge.
Paige:
That isn´t the best reason to give me the job.
Chantay:
You deserve it, because you do things like this. Most of the seniors at school pretend, we don´t exist. You care and that makes you special.
Chantay is clearly taken with her, in a platonic, friend way. Paige is starting to feel guilty, that she played her and Darcy.
10. Int. Foyer. Morning.
Hazel arrives at school to find the girls from the Spirit Squad, which now includes Chantay, waiting for her. They seem to have made Mia their spokes woman.
Hazel:
What´s this about?
Chantay:
I told them.
Mia:
We decided, that it´s you or us.
Hazel:
It´s called tough love! It´s not my problem, if you´re too young or dumb to grasp that concept!
Mia:
Either you step down voluntarily, or we tell Hatzilakos and she makes the decision for you.
Hazel:
Who´s gonna run the squad? You?
Mia:
Paige has accepted the job. We like her.
Hazel:
You don´t know the real Paige!
Mia:
We know that she´s nice to us and treats us like actual people, in stead of as her minions!
Chantay:
None of us want to be on the squad, if it´s run by a bully like you!
Hazel gets defensive and tries to look apologetic.
Hazel:
We can talk this out ...
Mia:
No, we can´t. What´s it gonna be?
Hazel sees, that they have her cornered. Chantay can´t help enjoying it, just a little bit.
11. Int. Classroom. Morning.
Paige is waiting anxiously with Marco, when Hazel comes in, looking angry.
Paige:
Get ready. There´s a hurricane about to pass through!
Marco:
Good luck.
Paige stands up and Hazel walks over to her.
Paige:
Hazel, before you say anything ...
Hazel:
I´ve done enough listening to you! If you think, you can stick a knife in my back and I´ll just accept it, then you need to grow a brain! Not that you didn´t already!
Paige:
Who else was gonna run the squad?
Hazel:
This is what you wanted all along, isn´t it? Well, congratulations! Do you know what you´ve lost? Me as a friend!
She goes to sit as far away from Paige, as she can. Paige tries to take it in.
Paige:
Did what I think happened, just happen?
Marco:
Afraid so, Hon. Now I´ve started doing it! I´ve been hanging around you too much!
Paige sits down and looks sad.
12. Int. Hallway. Day.
Paige comes up to Chantay and Darcy. Chantay still looks sore from the day before.
Paige:
Hey. Are you sore today?
Chantay:
Not half as much as I would have been, if it hadn´t been for you.
Darcy:
Thanks for taking care of her. I´ll make sure that she´s well and pampered tonight.
Paige:
It was my pleasure. Look, the old me wasn´t opposed to manipulating people, especially girls, if it got her what she wanted.
Darcy:
We know, you´re not like that anymore.
Paige:
Didn´t you find it suspicious, that I befriended you, when I did?
Chantay:
Are you saying, that you manipulated us?
Paige:
At first, until I grew to like you. I don´t deserve to be captain of the squad, so l´ll quietly resign.
Chantay:
Don´t you dare resign!
Paige looks pleasantly surprised.
Paige:
I was sure, that you would hate me.
Darcy:
All you proved, is that you´re more than a caring friend, as it that wasn´t enough. You´re also someone, we can trust.
Chantay:
You like us, do you?
Paige:
What can I say? There´s shades of me from a few years ago in you. Darcy, I was telling you, what I knew, you wanted to hear. I´d think twice, before going for it with the best friend. It sounds like, it could end up messy. I´d at least break up with the guy, who still thinks he´s my boyfriend, before I did anything. Seriously, how many guys have you been flirting with?
Darcy:
Only those three ... and Craig, but he wasn´t interested.
Paige:
Craig? Hon, you desperately need my help!
Darcy:
Tell me on the way to class?
Chantay:
You two go ahead. I´m not as fast, as I used to be.
Paige:
On my squad, no one is left behind! Do you need a shoulder to steady yourself on?
Chantay:
Only your patience.
Paige:
I have plenty of that to go around. Don´t worry, we´ll get you there.
They head off to class in a quiet tempo.
13. Int. Hazel´s Room. Day.
Hazel is going through her Face Range profile on her laptop. She clicks through the messages.
Ellie has unfriended you
Spinner has unfriended you
Jimmy has unfriended you
Ashley has unfriended you
Terri has unfriended you
Paige has unfriended you
Having seen enough, she picks up the laptop and throws it against the wall in frustration.
CLOSING CREDITS