WHAT IF - SEASON 2 EPISODE 17 - I COULD NEVER TAKE THE PLACE OF YOUR MAN
Disclaimer: I don´t own Degrassi or the characters from it.
1. Int. Hallway. Morning.
Manny and Craig arrive for school. Craig is clearly looking more forward to it, than she is.
Manny:
No one so far. Maybe we´ll get lucky today.
Craig:
They´re just fans. You knew this came with the territory.
Manny:
That doesn´t mean, I have to like it!
A pair of girls see Craig and come over to them.
Girl #1:
It´s true. You do go here!
Manny:
Aren´t you the smart one?
Girl #2:
Oh, my god! Does that make you the thong girl?
Manny tries her best to contain her rage.
Manny:
I am not the thong girl!
Craig:
The thong girl is made up.
Girl #1:
Whatever you say!
Craig:
Really, she is.
Girl #2:
Can we take a picture with you?
Craig:
Sure. Manny, can you take it for them?
Manny does her best to play it off passive/aggressively.
Manny:
Sure, Craig. You know that I live to take pictures of you with your fangirls!
One of the girls hands Manny her phone.
Girl #1:
It´s that button there.
Manny:
I know how to take a picture with a damn phone! Line up, so we can get this over with!
The girls line up and Manny quickly takes a picture, before handing the phone back to the girl. She looks at it.
Girl #1:
Can you take another one? You didn´t get our faces.
Manny:
Oops. I wonder how that could have happened.
She gives Craig murder eyes, but he tries to play it off, so that his fans won´t notice. Manny takes another picture and the girls looks happier with it this time.
Girl #2:
If you´re not busy after school, you could come down to the Dot?
Manny:
He´s very busy and you two need to get the hell out of here!
The girls see that Manny isn´t kidding and hurry out of there. Craig looks annoyed with her.
Craig:
Is that how you´re gonna be with all of my fans?
Manny:
Only the brain dead bimbo´s, who want to jump your bones! Oh, wait! That´s all of them, isn´t it?
Craig:
Manny!
Manny:
Leave me alone. For that matter, don´t bother talking to me for the rest of the day!
She storms up the hallway and he´s left looking frustrated.
OPENING CREDITS
2. Int. Emma´s House. Day.
Emma has moved onto the couch in the living room, now that she´s not far from "Popping".
Manny:
Couldn´t get up the stairs anymore, huh?
Emma:
It was just easier this way. Which is the most exciting thing that´s happened to me in weeks, so I hope that I can live vicariously through your exciting life!
Manny:
My life? If I had to write a chapter on this part, I would call it "My Time as the Thong Girl. How I won´t miss it, once people forget about that stupid song"!
Emma:
Aren´t you making money on it?
Manny:
It hasn´t been anything to write home about yet, but Craig´s manager says, it´ll come. He should know, since he talks five times more with Craig, than I do these days. At the same time, I can´t tell Craig to give it up, because then I´ll be the evil bitch girlfriend, who crushed his dreams! There´s no way, I can win and to make it worse, I´ve been taking it out on him, which makes me feel more guilty.
Emma:
Basically you´re on one big guilt trip?
Manny:
That´s my life! I can´t go on like this, but what do I do? If we didn´t have Julia, I could break up with him and that would be that.
Emma:
Have you considered breaking up with him?
Manny:
Can I be honest, Em?
Emma:
I´d be disappointed, if you weren´t.
Manny:
It feels like we´re delaying the inevitable. We´re just both too afraid to say it out loud. I´d be surprised, if we´re still a couple a year from now, unless something drastically changes.
Emma:
Do you want my opinion?
Manny:
Enlighten me.
Emma:
I think, that the fact you´re so dependent on each other is suffocating you and that it´s probably been going on for a while. This is "The Trigger" that finally made you see it. You´re still only 16, Manny. How many girls meet the love of their life, when they´re 13 and stay with him forever? Except for my mom, I can´t name one and even they had lots of years apart in between, until they were ready for it. You still have your entire life ahead of you. Can you stay in a relationship that´s driving you crazy forever? I know, I couldn´t.
Manny:
What about you and Sean? Aren´t you sort of the same?
Emma:
Me and Sean are an issue to deal with, after I had this baby. You don´t have the excuse of being monster pregnant! Life moves fast. I love Craig and his adopted parents are practically family, but at the same time, I´d hate for you to waste it on someone, you already know where things are heading with. That isn´t what´s best for your daughter either.
Manny considers it and looks sad.
3. Int. The Dot. Evening.
JT comes sauntering in while whistling "I´ll Never Fall in Love Again" to himself. Paige is chatting with Spinner at the counter.
JT:
The Spin Man and the Ex Girl! How are you doing tonight?
Spinner:
Don´t call me that ever again!
Paige:
I prefer Paige too.
JT:
Duly noted. A large Strawberry/Vanilla shake, my good man.
Spinner:
One coming up for the weirdo!
He gets to work making it for him. Paige smiles at JT and looks happy for him.
Paige:
You only have one of those, when there´s something to celebrate. What´s the occasion?
JT:
Just that everything is going amazing, I´ll have you know!
Paige:
Well, it´s great to see you back to your old self. What specifically is so amazing right now?
JT:
Guess who has an audition to host a kid´s show on TV?
Paige:
I can just see you you goofing off with a bunch of kids! You would be a natural!
JT:
Plus, I got my first B of the year!
Paige:
Scholastic success too! I barely feel like I know you anymore! Come on, who helped you? You can´t have done it by yourself!
JT:
A lot of credit goes to Manny. She´s been my tireless tutor and I gotta say, it´s paying off!
Spinner comes back with his shake and JT pays him.
JT:
I´ll be back in a moment. There´s a song I have to see, if I can find on the jukebox!
Paige:
Good luck!
He grabs his shake and walks over to the jukebox. Paige looks suspicious.
Spinner:
What now? You can´t let the guy have a moment of happiness?
Paige:
It´s probably nothing.
He puts the song he was humming when he came in on the jukebox and it doesn´t make her less suspicious.
JT (singing):
What do you get, when you fall in love?
A girl with a pin to burst your bubble
That's what you get for all your trouble
I'll never fall in love again
He dances his way back to them.
4. Int. Manny and Craig´s Room. Evening.
Manny is doing her homework, when Craig comes in. There´s an awkward moment between them, before she looks up at him.
Manny:
How was the gig?
Craig:
Okay, I guess. I couldn´t stop thinking about us.
Manny:
Same here. I´ve read this section ten times and I still can´t tell you what it says.
Craig sits down on the bed next to her and she puts her books away.
Craig:
What´s happening to us? I´ve always felt like you were the one person, I could never see myself fighting with.
Manny:
I´m not apologizing, if that´s what you want.
Craig:
I never said, you should! You´re putting words in my mouth.
Manny:
Do you know, what I do every day? I feel like I´m lower than dirt, because I hate how I treat you, but at the same time I hate even more, that you don´t seem to care what this is doing to me! I´m glad you´re getting your chance, but it´s become painfully clear, that I´m not the most important part of your life anymore. I´ve become an after thought.
Craig looks her in the eyes, as she wipes a tear away.
Craig:
Manny, you will never be an after thought! Don´t you dare think that!
Manny:
What else am I supposed to think? We never spend time alone anymore. Remember, when you would come home from work and we would lie here and play with Julia, until she got so tired, that she fell asleep lying between us? I miss that and I miss you. She misses her daddy too.
Craig:
This is our chance at a future, where we won´t have to work minimum wage jobs to scrape by. All of it is so we can give Julia the opportunities, we want her to have and if things work out, then you can still go to college. We both know that won´t happen, if I´m stuck waiting tables and you have to take whatever job you can get, because we can´t afford to say no. The way I see my future hasn´t changed. You and that little girl of ours are still at the centre.
Manny:
You can´t tell me, that you´re not tempted by all those girls, who suddenly think you´re the shizzle!
Craig:
They like the idea of being with me. None of them will ever know me, like you do. You have to trust me, Manny. I would never cheat on you.
Manny:
Again, you mean?
Craig:
That was a long time ago. We were meant to be. I´ve never been more sure of anything.
She looks a bit more re-assured, but she´s still fighting the tears.
5. Ext. Degrassi. Morning.
Paige arrives for school and sees Alex and Ashley staring deeply into each other´s eyes, while holding hands. She smiles to herself, as she walks over to them.
Paige:
Aren´t you two a sight for sore, sleepy eyes?
They notice her and smile back at her.
Alex:
I should get to shop class. See you at lunch?
Ashley:
I wouldn´t miss it for the world!
Alex:
See ya, Paige.
Paige:
You too, Alex.
Alex heads inside, as Ashley tries to stop smiling.
Paige:
I´ve never seen you like this before. You´re giddy like a ... well, school girl!
Ashley:
Is this what real love is like? If so, then i like it!
Paige:
It seems like love is in the air for everyone except me!
JT passes by them and waves good morning, before going inside. Paige waves back at him and they smile at each other.
Ashley:
It doesn´t look that way!
Paige:
We had a much needed peace talk last night. Anyway, I´m pretty sure, he has another girl on his mind these days.
Ashley:
Manny? They´re just friends, aren´t they? Anyway, I can´t imagine, that she would cheat on Craig, after how hard she fought to get him.
Paige:
I had Spinner ask Kendra and according to her, they sit next to each other in every class and hang out during every break.
Ashley:
Like friends would?
Paige:
There´s more. She´s been tutoring him!
Ashley:
Call the dating police! They must be doing it!
Ashley laughs and Paige can´t help chuckling a little either.
Paige:
I´m not being paranoid!
Ashley:
Maybe not all the time, but you are in this case. Could it be, because you´re starting to see, what you gave up? Not that I would date JT, but the two of you did make a pretty great couple. I don´t think anyone would deny that.
Paige:
I don´t want JT back! At the same time, I don´t want anyone else to have him!
Ashley:
There´s a term for that.
Paige:
"Nuts"?
Ashley:
It´s called being an ex-girlfriend. I was the exact same way, after me and Jimmy broke up. What you´re feeling is perfectly natural and it´s made you see ghosts, where there aren´t any.
Paige:
It still seems weird to me!
Paige still hangs on to her suspicions.
6. Int. Cafeteria. Day.
Manny is standing in the lunch line, when Paige gets in line behind her.
Paige:
Hey, Manny. Long time, no see. Where´s the love?
Manny looks at her like she´s crazy.
Manny:
I can´t say, since I didn´t know, we were friends!
Paige:
How´s Emma doing?
Manny:
Great, except that she´s bored most of the time! You?
Paige:
You know me. I´m never really satisfied.
Manny:
I know what that´s like!
Paige sees an opening to dig a little deeper.
Paige:
I would have thought, everything was peachy with Craig starting to grow his name and everything!
Manny:
Trust me, there´s another side to it, that isn´t "Peachy" in any way.
Paige:
What? Not that you have to tell me! I honestly have no right to ask, so just forget I said anything.
Manny:
That´s okay. I didn´t know that you cared, but it´s nice to know you do.
Manny smiles innocently at her and Paige almost feels guilty for a second for even suspecting it.
Paige:
He must be away a lot of the time, right?
Manny:
You can say that again. If I get half an hour with him, then it´s a good day. Oh well, what´s a girl to do?
Paige:
At least you have your friends! I can only imagine, that JT does everything he can to cheer you up.
Manny:
Why would you think that?
Paige:
Duh! Because he´s always had a soft spot for you! Can I tell you a secret?
Manny:
Of course.
Paige:
All the time we went out, I always had this feeling and I know that it´s ridiculous, but I always had this gut feeling, that if you needed him, then he would ditch me in a heartbeat.
Manny tries contain her joy, but Paige can easily read what she needs to from the smile, Manny´s trying desperately to hide.
We cut to Paige sitting down to lunch with Ashley and Alex.
Ashley:
Paige, we were kind of having a ...
Paige:
Yes, yes, I´ll let you get back to making googly eyes in a moment! Remember what we talked about this morning? Well, new evidence has risen to the surface!
Alex:
What´s the story?
Ashley:
It´s about whether Paige´s ex is doing it with Manny.
Alex:
Manny, as in the one Craig cheated on you with?
Paige:
That Manny. I just asked her about him and there is definitely something going on! I don´t know if they´ve done it yet ...
Alex:
They have!
Paige and Ashley look at her.
Ashley:
How do you know?
Alex:
It´s so glaringly obvious that you can see it from space! Plus, she´s a skank and he´s a guy! Put the two together and bed gymnastics are bound to unfold sooner, rather than later!
Paige:
There! Alex agrees with me!
Ashley:
Alex also has a ton of issues, when it comes to men! Sorry, Honey, but you do!
Alex:
I´m not denying it! In this case however, I know that I´m right. You don´t look into each other´s eyes the way they do, unless you´re doing it or you want to do it! I´ve seen that look a million times and it always ends the same way!
Ashley:
Is it possible for you to be more cynical?
Paige:
I have to stop it! Just the thought of them naked together makes me cringe!
Ashley:
Even if they are, then so what? We don´t know the full story. Maybe Craig deserves to have Karma bite him in the butt, after the way he´s treated girls in the past. Let them figure this out on their own, without you being the jealous ex in this picture! I can´t see it ending well for anyone, if you get involved in this.
Paige:
You can say, what you want! I´m finding out everything that´s going on and if they´re doing anything, then I´m going straight to Craig to let him know!
Alex:
Now you sound like a crazy ex-girlfriend. Can´t you find someone else, so you won´t have to be obsessed over your ex?
Paige isn´t listening and is already busy planning.
Paige:
I have an idea.
She smiles deviously to herself. Ashley and Alex look a little freaked out at the sight of it.
8. Int. Atrium. Day.
JT and Manny are hanging out (big surprise!) and she´s trying to help him with his homework. This time it´s Geography.
Manny:
The capital of Finland.
JT:
Helsinki! I remember it, because it sounds like you´re sinking into hell. "Help! It´s hell and I´m sinking into it!"
Manny giggles.
Manny:
Whatever helps you learn! Here´s a hard one. Belorussia.
JT:
That´s a country? I thought it was a part of Russia.
Manny:
I´ll give you a hint. Phoebe from "Friends" had a boyfriend named David, who moved there.
JT:
Minsk?
Manny:
I knew you´d get it, if I mentioned anything from a sit-com!
JT:
Manny, let me ask you and it´s okay if you say no. I mean people are bound to talk and who knows how Craig will react, but I have to ask.
Manny looks at him with a ton of anticipation in her eyes.
Manny:
Ask me.
JT:
Can you be my teacher in every subject? If I had you, I would be getting straight A´s!
She smiles and looks a little relieved.
Manny:
You don´t think Hatzilakos would find it strange, given that I´m a month younger than you?
JT:
She´ll come around!
They smile at each other, as Jane comes over to them.
Jane:
HI, JT.
JT looks up at her and looks confused.
JT:
Do I know you?
Manny:
Aren´t you one of Darcy´s friends?
Jane:
Can we talk alone?
JT:
What about? I can´t help being a little suspicious!
Jane:
Don´t pretend like what we did, didn´t mean anything to you!
Manny stands up and looks at JT, who´s looking shell shocked.
Manny:
What´s she talking about?
JT:
I have no idea! Listen, you must have me confused for someone else!
Jane:
That´s nice, JT! Now you´re calling me a slut, who can´t remember which guys she´s slept with!
Manny:
You slept with this girl?
JT:
I´ve never met her until now!
Manny:
I´ve heard enough! I always thought you were different, but I guess I was wrong!
Manny storms out of there.
Jane:
Come to think of it, you look nothing like the JT, I slept with!
JT:
You just thought of that at this exact moment?
Jane:
Sorry. I can be kind of a ditz sometimes! I´m really sorry, but for what it´s worth, that girl is totally in love with you!
JT calms down and looks pleased.
JT:
You think so?
Jane:
If the thought of you being with someone else freaks her out that much, then it must be L-O-V-E! Have a nice day and again, I´m really sorry about my mistake!
Jane walks away from him and he has to sit down to take it in.
We cut to Paige, who´s been watching the whole thing. Jane comes over to her and Paige hands her a five dollar note.
Jane:
That was fun. Wow, I don´t think I´ve ever seen a girl get that upset over a boy, who isn´t her boyfriend! Are you sure, they´re not a couple? Because I´m pretty sure, they are!
Paige silently agrees with her and clearly doesn´t like it.
9. Ext. Degrassi. Day.
Manny is leaving school early and is looking upset. JT comes out of the school right after her.
JT:
I´m telling you, nothing happened between me and that girl! She said the moment after you left, that she made a mistake!
Manny turns around and looks him in the eyes.
Manny:
Go ahead and sleep with her, if that´s what you want to do! I don´t have the right to tell you not to!
JT:
Yes, you do!
Manny:
Because we like each other? I don´t have to tell you, why it can´t happen. It isn´t just Craig, I could lose everything!
JT:
So your solution is to run away? They´ll give you detention, if you blow off the rest of your classes.
Manny:
Then I´ll do my time in detention. I can´t be around you right now! It´s too hard.
JT:
What about tomorrow or the day after that? Running away won´t solve anything and I know you well enough to know, that you´ll go home and spend the rest of the day sulking in silence. You´ll have a big bowl of Strawberry ice cream, because that´s always been your go-to comfort food, when something´s troubling you.
He moves closer to her and it´s like she´s frozen in place.
Manny:
Craig doesn´t even know that. It´s only you and Em, who do.
JT:
Remember in grade 6, when you broke your retainer? You were practically peeing your pants with fear, of how your dad would react.
Manny:
How can I forget? The three of us emptied that tub of ice cream in no time! I had the world´s biggest tummy ache, when I biked home!
JT:
You also found the courage to walk right up to that scary looking man and tell him straight out what happened.
Manny smiles, when thinking back on it.
Manny:
It was by far the bravest thing, I´d done. It seems so long ago.
JT:
Not to me. I still remember all those details, because when I fell for you that first time, it never went away. I don´t know if it ever will. Yeah, it turned into an innocent friendship, because let´s face it, we were way too young and both knew, that we were better off enjoying our childhood. You keep saying that there´s no chance, but then you send me signals, that say the opposite. Well? What´s it gonna be?
Manny looks sadly at him and he looks disappointed, but tries to take it in stride.
JT:
You don´t have to say it. I get the message from your look.
Manny:
I´m sad, because I want to go back in time two years to when you asked me out and say yes, like I should have. Now I can´t stop daydreaming about us as a family and the kind of amazing dad, you would be to Julia.
JT:
Those are nice words, but I think the keyword was the word "Would". As in, it would never happen outside of our imaginations. Come back inside and we´ll pretend that none of this happened.
Manny:
I don´t want to. I love you, JT.
She looks at him with anticipation, as he draws it out.
Manny:
Don´t you dare make a joke!
JT:
Knock, knock.
Manny:
JT!
JT:
Play along! Knock, knock.
Manny:
Who is it?
JT:
A guy, who´s in love with you too.
She gives up trying to stop herself from smiling and looks full of joy.
JT:
What now?
Manny:
I was kind of hoping, you knew!
He shakes his head, but offers her his hand in stead. She takes it and they both take a deep breath, before heading back inside.
CLOSING CREDITS